Stage 1
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Almost done with stage 1, did 7A yesterday. Finally used a higher step for my step ups and WOW I'm really feeling it in my buns today. I'm super sore. I also surprised myself by doing my last set of pushups on the floor! Yay for progress!0
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MrsAgi - Congrats on completing stage 1 :drinker: Good luck with Stage 2 tomorrow.
trimom - Hope your first workout went well
Ihergenr - I sooo want to get to that stage of being able to do pushups on the floor. I'm really pleased for you
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Just started yesterday, planning to do it as 3 workouts of each "level" of workouts A and B rather than 2 because I really have never done anything like this before.
I don't think I pushed myself hard enough yesterday as I felt pretty okay afterwards, I think cause I was trying to work out where everything was and what to do that I ended up with long breaks. I also couldn't work out for the life of me how to get on the ball for the prone jackknife but have since read a helpful thread and watched a youtube video or two!
I think next time I do workout A I'll gather the bits I need and put them on a mat and leave my stuff there for the couple of minutes I go off to do the seated rows.
Workout B seems scarier though cause I actually have to go into the proper weights room rather than being able to go in the warmup-ish area!0 -
@juncture - I had the same experience feeling like I didn't push myself hard enough. I expected to be sore... and I wasn't. It's funny because when I met with the personal trainer last week, we only did four of the lifts (squats, deadlift, seated row, and the wide grip pull down) and I was sore the next two days. Doing B tonight.0
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Does anyone else have trouble in their gym? I cannot do step ups because I don't have a step in the weight room to do them on. Since I wasn't able to do that particular exercise (and am a little shy to do others in the gym), I have been doing other exercises that work the same muscle group. Has anyone else had this issue?0
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Does anyone else have trouble in their gym? I cannot do step ups because I don't have a step in the weight room to do them on. Since I wasn't able to do that particular exercise (and am a little shy to do others in the gym), I have been doing other exercises that work the same muscle group. Has anyone else had this issue?
Lots of people use one of the benches for the step ups if there isn't a "step" available. If the shyness is due to not feeling confident about the moves, then try to book some time with the trainer to show you everything. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere in the beginning (I'd never lifted before this program). NROLFW is a great program so if you can work though the initial shyness, it's so worth it!!! We're hear to help and motivate each other :bigsmile:0 -
Thanks for the support!! I seriously cannot figure how I would use a bench for a step up. They are super high!!!Does anyone else have trouble in their gym? I cannot do step ups because I don't have a step in the weight room to do them on. Since I wasn't able to do that particular exercise (and am a little shy to do others in the gym), I have been doing other exercises that work the same muscle group. Has anyone else had this issue?
Lots of people use one of the benches for the step ups if there isn't a "step" available. If the shyness is due to not feeling confident about the moves, then try to book some time with the trainer to show you everything. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere in the beginning (I'd never lifted before this program). NROLFW is a great program so if you can work though the initial shyness, it's so worth it!!! We're hear to help and motivate each other :bigsmile:0 -
Thanks for the support!! I seriously cannot figure how I would use a bench for a step up. They are super high!!!Does anyone else have trouble in their gym? I cannot do step ups because I don't have a step in the weight room to do them on. Since I wasn't able to do that particular exercise (and am a little shy to do others in the gym), I have been doing other exercises that work the same muscle group. Has anyone else had this issue?
Lots of people use one of the benches for the step ups if there isn't a "step" available. If the shyness is due to not feeling confident about the moves, then try to book some time with the trainer to show you everything. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere in the beginning (I'd never lifted before this program). NROLFW is a great program so if you can work though the initial shyness, it's so worth it!!! We're hear to help and motivate each other :bigsmile:
I don't know where you work out but I was pretty shy/scared about doing this too when I first started. So I went in at a totally unrelated time and asked a trainer to show me where everything was and listed some of the exercises I would be doing in the first stage. He walked me through it all. THEN...when I went to workout I got another gal who was on at the same time I was going to workout to walk me through it all again. Now I am more comfortable with moving around through the equipment. And I have been going to this gym for over two years now but never in the free weights. mostly classes/cardio/track.
get someone to walk you through and then enter like you own the place. I no longer even pay attention to others, aside from just being polite, and I just get my *kitten* done and get out. Which is one of the things I love the most about NROL. Hang in there! Keep us posted on how it is going.
oh and for step ups I use the risers they use in the aerobics classes. they have some out in the general workout area. I am not sure I am ready to use the bench yet. eventually I will try it though.0 -
I use the weight bench. I would recommend trying to use this (if available), as height is more important than the weights you hold. I read about this on the New Rules website. I'm 5'2". If I can do it, anyone can! I started with low weights (maybe even body weight, I can't remember offhand). Step-ups really get my heart rate going. Between these and the prone jackknives, I am huffing and puffing and pouring sweat.0
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Would it be possible to snag a set of dumbbells and go where the steps are located? Or vice versa?0
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Would it be possible to snag a set of dumbbells and go where the steps are located? Or vice versa?
That's what I do!:) I use a "step" with 5 "levels"...tried the bench the other day, but my shoe was leaving an indent and I felt too guilty:ohwell:0 -
Would it be possible to snag a set of dumbbells and go where the steps are located? Or vice versa?
I agree grab a step and take it to the weights.0 -
I did 5B yesterday and I'm really struggling with deadlifts. I upped my weight to 30kgs, my body can handle it except for one part. My hands are so weak I can't maintain a proper grip. On the third set I rushed through the last few reps because the barbell was slipping out of my fingers and I almost dropped it.
I know that I can get straps, but it seems silly as 30 kgs is only 60% of my own body weight and I should be able to hold it when I move up to chin-ups etc. Does anyone have any suggestions as to exercises that can improve the strength of my hand grip?
Thanks heaps!
I have been reading a book STARTING STRENGHT BASIC BARBELL TRAINING 3RD ADDITION would highly recommend everyone reading this book. He dissects the moves, so you dont get injured later on. Any how he states while doing a deadlift you do one lift at a time, taking no bouce off the floor, if you take the bounce off the floor you have momentum and aren't truly lifting as heavy as you think. I'm sharring this, because maybe it will help with your grip situation.0 -
Hi guys
I *know* I have read this somewhere today but blowed if I can find it - and my book is at home so can't look it up
What alternative exercise do I use for seated rows? Home gym so no seated row machine - which is disappointing because I can pull a heck of weight using one of those :bigsmile:
If someone can tell me I can You Tube it at work, watch a couple of times then jump on it as soon as I get home!
Super excited.
Oh and I've no balance ball either so might just do some crunches in stead????0 -
Found it! Dumbbell rows 0
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Hey Nix, I would probably do planks instead of the swiss ball crunches and the jackknifes. There's probably other good suggestions to be made too..I'm going to do workout 8B (last of stage 1!) today or tomorrow. Then I might do another workout A because last week when I did it I was really sore in the glutes from yoga and couldn't push myself as much as I wanted to. I'm excited to start Stage 2 though!0
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Hey everyone,
I completed my first workout yesterday, apologies if all this has been said elsewhere, I did have a read, but not through all 5 parts of the thread!
I had to everything with 16kg dumbbells (8kg each) as that's all I have until I get my new barbell / dumbbell set delivered today or tomorrow which'll give me another 50kg to play with. But it turns out that was enough for everything except the step ups, which I need more weight and a higher step.
So onto the question... The whole thing took me 27 minutes including resting. Is that right? I expected it to take about an hour. I did each set twice and I felt like I was taking my time, maybe I wasn't taking enough time.
I definitely felt like I was using enough weight, the squats I know I was as I only managed 14 reps on the second set. The rows I may have been using too much weight, I want to experiment with less weight for better form and I've already mentioned the step ups. The push ups I was pleasantly surprised at as I always do knee push ups at kickboxing, but I'm just going straight for floor push ups and I managed 14 then 15, and the last one with the balance ball I had to modify as I don't have a ball (will get one today) but I'm not sore today, so I'm wondering what I've done wrong?? I definitely felt like I'd done a workout afterwards, but today I feel fine.
Am I expecting too much?0 -
Day 1, done and dusted.
I wasnted sure where to find everything, so I asked one of the gym staff members to show me where to find things, and how to use them. After he showed me where to find what I needed, I already felt a lot more confident, and once I started the 1st work out I felt like I belonged!
Hah! Its crazy how our fears hold us back!
Good luck to everyone else starting out.0 -
Hi. I'll be starting next week! I read my book eons ago, but wanted to wait until I was done with my races for this year. So here I am! I'm planning to review everything this week and figure out scheduling for this workout. I'm looking forward to getting started. I'm planning to take all measurements and take pics before day one and thereafter once a month. I think I might go ahead and put away the scale (I'm usually a daily weigh-in kind of gal) since I know my muscles will retain water and looking at the scale would probably just throw me off.
Can anyone tell me about how long it takes to get through workout A and B in Stage 1? It would help me with figuring out what days/times I can do this if I know about how long this will take me!0 -
I did workout A day 7(I think) today and was in and out in less than 45 minutes. That was with only 2 laps around the track warm up and a short stretch at the gym. and B takes me about the same. If I am in there longer it is typically only because I have to wait for the squat rack. Good luck and have fun! I love it!0
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Hey everyone!n I have a question about the first level. It is only taking me about 20 minutes to complete and I am doing both sets and everything. Is anyone else having this problem or should I do the whole thing again from start to finish after I complete it the first time?0
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I am on my last week of Stage 1 so I thought I'd chime in re the timing questions. It seems to take people various amounts of time, but for me I tend to finish Workout A a little quicker than Workout B, but am done with both between 30 and 40 minutes. When I got the second part of the Stage where you do three sets of 10 it was closer to the 40 min mark (or 45 of Workout
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If you are just starting it is possible you are using weights that are too light for you, and therefore your sets are going very quickly. You might also not be resting the full 60 seconds between sets. BUT if you are getting your workout in and you feel like you got a lot out of it, then great! Who wants to spend an hour in the gym anyway?0 -
Hey everyone!n I have a question about the first level. It is only taking me about 20 minutes to complete and I am doing both sets and everything. Is anyone else having this problem or should I do the whole thing again from start to finish after I complete it the first time?
I would say you probably aren't taking the 60 second rest between sets? Maybe you're using to light of weights? I did that the first few times, but once I got up to a higher weight, I had to take the rests. It still only takes me about a half hour though.0 -
Check your cadence on your reps. It should take you about 5 seconds to complete a full rep, so with squats for instance, count one-one-thousand-two-one-thousand down, then one-one-thousand-two-one-thousand up. That puts you at about 1:15 per set, or 2:15 including rest breaks. Adding in extra time for setup, it should take you at least 30 min for the full routine.Hey everyone!n I have a question about the first level. It is only taking me about 20 minutes to complete and I am doing both sets and everything. Is anyone else having this problem or should I do the whole thing again from start to finish after I complete it the first time?
Btw HI, I'm Kat & I just joined the group! New to NROLFW but not new to lifting. Started with the A workout today & it was awesome. Can't wait to work my way up to the later stages!0 -
I finished Stage 1 today! I lifted 3 days/week and lost 7 lbs eating at a deficit. Here are my stats:
Squats 45 lbs --> 85 lbs
Seated Row 27.5 lbs --> 82 lbs
Push Ups 15 regular --> 3 sets of 8 with feet elevated (on step or basu ball)
Step Up 15 lb low step --> 17 lb weight bench
Prone Jackknives (from hell) - barely eeking out 2 sets of 8 bad form --> 3 sets of 15 pretty decent (Note: my dismount aka falling off the ball stayed the same)
Deadlifts 25 lbs --> 90 lbs (also went from fearing to loving this lift!)
Shoulder Press 12.5 lbs --> 25 lbs
Wide Lat Pulldown 50 lbs --> 110 lbs
Lunge 12.5 lbs --> 22 lbs
Swiss Ball Crunch - body weight --> holding a 12 lb medicine ball
I am skipping AMRAPs so I can take off from lifting this week and start Stage 2 next Monday. I feel great!
Mmmkay I thought I was the only one who got off the ball like a drunk pony. Now I don't feel so bad. And yes, they are the devil.0 -
I finished Stage 1 today! I lifted 3 days/week and lost 7 lbs eating at a deficit. Here are my stats:
Squats 45 lbs --> 85 lbs
Seated Row 27.5 lbs --> 82 lbs
Push Ups 15 regular --> 3 sets of 8 with feet elevated (on step or basu ball)
Step Up 15 lb low step --> 17 lb weight bench
Prone Jackknives (from hell) - barely eeking out 2 sets of 8 bad form --> 3 sets of 15 pretty decent (Note: my dismount aka falling off the ball stayed the same)
Deadlifts 25 lbs --> 90 lbs (also went from fearing to loving this lift!)
Shoulder Press 12.5 lbs --> 25 lbs
Wide Lat Pulldown 50 lbs --> 110 lbs
Lunge 12.5 lbs --> 22 lbs
Swiss Ball Crunch - body weight --> holding a 12 lb medicine ball
I am skipping AMRAPs so I can take off from lifting this week and start Stage 2 next Monday. I feel great!
Mmmkay I thought I was the only one who got off the ball like a drunk pony. Now I don't feel so bad. And yes, they are the devil.
Hahaha - like a drunk pony. So true. Those prone jackknives are killer! I thought I was going to die. I also learned after the first set to tuck in my shirt. My belly was hanging out and flopping all over the first set - NOT pretty!
And that's some awesome progress just in stage one. Way to go!0 -
Finished Stage 1 last night. Stats:
Squat 20kgs (Oly bar) -> 35kgs (77lbs)
push ups 45 degress -> 10 degrees (bar across the bottom of the cable crossover machine)
seated row 20kgs (44lbs) -> 30kgs (66lbs)
Step ups 10kgs (22lbs) -> 20kgs (44lbs)
prone jackknife 2 sets of 8 -> 3 sets of 15
Deadlift 20kgs (Oly bar) -> 37.5kgs (83lbs)
DB shoulder pr 12kgs (26lbs) -> 20kgs (44lbs)
Lat pulldown 20kgs (44lbs) -> 35kgs (77lbs)
Lunges 10kgs (22lbs) -> 20kgs (44lbs)
SB crunches 2 sets of 8 BW - 3 sets of 15 Extended with 5kg medicine ball
I've found that push ups hurt my skinny wrists if I attempt them on the floor but I can work just off the floor gripping a bar. Also get sore wrists doing piked prone jackknives (butt up). Anyone else suffer with this and found a workaround?
I've not gained or lost any weight on this program so far (60kgs/132lbs) but wasn't expecting to as only have a few pounds to lose.
I'm seeing muscle definition in arms/shoulders/back/upper abs but my hips/thighs are my problem area.
I have lost 1/2 inch off my waist and 1 inch off my spare tyre/muffin top/whatever you want to call it, which I'm very happy about! Continuing to eat at a target of TDEE -20%
Not doing AMRAPS so will take the weekend off and decide on Monday whether to start Stage 2 or rest up a bit more.0 -
awesome stats! way to go!
I have a hard time with the prone jackknifes too. They kill my right wrist, I have carpal tunnel and tendonitis not sure if that is exactly why but I can normally get out one set just fine. the second set is tough and then the third I just end up doing reverse crunches. I know it is not the same but they hurt too bad.
that being said push ups don't bother me quite so much so I am not sure why that is but I hear you on the wrist pain in the jackknifes.0 -
Finished stage 1B! Will be doing stage1 A tomorrow.
Stage 1 B
Deadlift 50---105
Dumbbell shoulder press 15---25
Wide-grip lat
Pull down 32---42.5
Lung 20---35pound in each hand, my left hand always gave me trouble
Would do 4 forward 4 backward, take a 60 second rest and
Go do the swiss ball crunch then do the other leg.
Swiss ball crunch 8---20 weighted ball0 -
I FINISHED STAGE 1!!! FINALLY!!!!! Here are my results:
Weight: lost 3lbs (this really is because I started carb cycling towards the end)
1" gone off my hips
1" gone off my waist
1" gone off my thigh
Squats: 45lb oly bar ---- 80lbs on the oly bar
Seated Row: 40lbs
55 lbs
Push ups: all modified --- 15 regular push ups with pretty good form
Step ups: 10lbs on a small step ---- 15lbs on a BIG step
Prone jacknives: could always do these
Deadlift: 45lb oly bar ---- 80lbs on the oly bar
Shoulder press: 15lb dumbbells --- 20lb dumbbells
Lat pull down: 40lbs --- 55lbs
Lunges: 10lb dumbbells --- 40lb bar
Swiss ball crunch: without weights --- +15lb dumbbell
excited to start Stage 2!!0
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