Stage 2 B Questions

FireRox21
FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
So, I started stage 2 this week and have a few questions.

1. Wide Grip Deadlift from Box - Is it really necessary to do this from a box/step? Can I not just do a wide grip deadlift from the deadlift stand/apparatus?

2. Dumb bell Prone Cuban Snatch - Great Odin's Raven!!! This was ridiculously hard!!! I consider myself to be pretty strong with good shoulders (I'm a competitive swimmer), but I started with 5 lbs dumbbells and about died. I had to ditch those and use 2 1/2 pound plates. Am I doing it wrong or at the wrong angle? Is it supposed to be that hard?

3. Lateral Flexion - These did absolutely nothing for me. Even in stage 1, I have done 20-30 reps for each ab exercise as they were all quite easy. For all of the ab exercises in stage 2, I have done 3 sets of 15 or more reps. Am I doing it wrong? Is there a way to make it more difficult? Should I up the reps until I start to feel something happening?

Any help or ideas would be great. I love the program so far. Now if I could just get my diet to co-operate with me, I might actually get some progress going.

Replies

  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
    Bump
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    1. In NROLFW I did not do my deadlifts from a box. I hurt my back doing deadlifts early on, and was scrupulous about form afterwards. I did not find doing negatives a great idea for me. I just started doing my warm-up sets for heavy DLs from a box. Do what you are comfortable doing.

    2. Yes. They are that hard. You don't even want to know about YWTLs in the next stage.

    3. Before giving them up, try improving your form so you are really, really flexing and curving your midsection. Regardless, I never found them that hard, either.
  • LuvtheCubs
    LuvtheCubs Posts: 161 Member
    If you lift off a box, you will likely lower the weight you are lifting. The box allows you to drop your butt more like a squat to use your glutes. The idea is when ou go back to the floor you can lift a heavier weight.

    The Cuban snatch is a killer. BuT the YWTL is worse. When you go back to the Cuban snatch its not nearly as bad!

    I think everyone agrees on the flex ions and ab work. I'm doing it mainly because I have hip issues and I figure it can't hurt to do those flex ions,
  • athenalove46
    athenalove46 Posts: 182 Member
    This is what I have been doing: I will get my bar ready, but instead of putting on 45s I will stack my bar with smaller plates to the weight I need. That allows me to get that extra range of motion without having to stand on a box. I have BAD balance, and could imagine the disaster that would follow if I tried that.

    The snatches ARE supposed to be that hard!

    I skip the abs routine. I did it the first time and nothing worked. Though, the last time I did one 60 second plank followed by side planks before working on the prone cobra.
  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
    Thanks guys. I'm glad to hear about the Cuban lifts. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.

    As for the deadlifts, I like the idea of using smaller plates. I found that I had to lower my weight using a wider grip.

    I will continue doing the ab work. It can't hurt, right?
  • chuckles9189
    chuckles9189 Posts: 343 Member
    I'm still on stage one-- but I do up/down planks and leg lifts at the end of my workouts in addition to the ab stuff. That Way I get work my hip flexors a little extra and actually feel my abs working.

    you're makin me a little nervous for the upcoming stage!