Anyone NOT like the New Rules of Lifting for Women?

Options
135

Replies

  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Options
    Not all gyms have barbells, or enough barbells to go round, and relatively few have a squat racks. It varies so much with each workout, you have to take a notebook with you. Stronglifts is far simpler, and free!
  • vicmonster
    vicmonster Posts: 297 Member
    Options
    I think the book is full of great information and enjoyed Stage 1, though I work out in my basemanet and think it would be complicated in a gym - it's intimidating enough for some women to even visit the weightlifting area and I dont see being able to follow the program without bringing the book with you. Stage 2 or 3 (cant remember how far I go) just became way too time consuming. When you add the intervals you need about 90 minutes in the gym. Now I follow Stronglifts and find it simple and efficient.
  • nana6799
    nana6799 Posts: 262
    Options
    I did NROLFW to almost through Stage 4. For me, I got really bored with it, only because I was not a beginner in lifting. The book is good. . .I did read it several times. . . I highly recommend it for beginners!
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    Options
    i didn't like it...but i think that was becuase I had already been doing intermediate lifting when I picked up the book and it was kinda, well, totally useless for me.

    also, i'm a vegetarian so the meal plan stuff was also useless.

    I been wanting to give my copy away to someone who will actually use it.
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
    Options
    it's a good book and has a lot of exercises to do and you go through stages. i personally got over changing it up so much and did stronglifts 5x5 instead which focuses on a few full body compound moves. it is a good program though i think it's just personal preference.
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
    Options
    I bought the book and read it. Then I decided to do Stronglifts 5x5. Stronglifts is MUCH simpler, and the reason they choose the exercises they do is common sense and the movements are natural. Now, I'm not saying there is anything wrong, exactly, with NRL4W, but I wanted something simpler and easier to get into. I love it so far, and its FREE. If you do check it out, join the group:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
    They have a summary all written up so that you can skip all the over-the-top manliness in the book.

    ^^THIS!
    I agree there is nothing wrong with NROLW but I found it to be too long and too complicated. I much prefer stronglifts over NR. I dont particulary care for lifting, I would rather go for a run, so I would much rather do 3 moves than 4 or 5 or more....
  • Liz_Mfp
    Liz_Mfp Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    What were the Old Rules for women/lifting?
    How is this different?
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Options
    Only thing I do not like about it was I was confused what workouts went with workout A and workout B google search cleared it up for me :)
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Options
    I bought the book and read it. Then I decided to do Stronglifts 5x5. Stronglifts is MUCH simpler, and the reason they choose the exercises they do is common sense and the movements are natural. Now, I'm not saying there is anything wrong, exactly, with NRL4W, but I wanted something simpler and easier to get into. I love it so far, and its FREE. If you do check it out, join the group:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
    They have a summary all written up so that you can skip all the over-the-top manliness in the book.

    ^ This. Exactly this.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    Options
    I skimmed through a copy of NROLFW, but it was kinda TL;DR for me.

    I like to keep things really simple and my workouts short. I also don't have access to a gym, so a lot of it was out anyways. I didn't really love the looks of the "diet" plan either.
  • baileysmom4
    baileysmom4 Posts: 242 Member
    Options
    I think its because I got the kindle edition of lifting for life, but I found it really hard to follow. I haven't started it because it would take me three hours to look up each exercise! Might be better in a paperback version than ereader though.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Options
    To be completely blunt (and this is purely our opinion and experience), my wife bought and read it, worked it for a few weeks, then I read the book, we discussed it, and she switched over to Wender's 5/3/1 with me. We now work a similar program together. Let me sum up her reaction as, "Oh, women should lift like men? Okay then, maybe I should actually lift like a man." That is not to say that NROLFW is not a good program but it doesn't focus on the core lifts as much as it probably should, and it changes things up a bit too quickly for my wife's taste. That said, it is a good program and if the change ups and variety of exercises work for you then go with it. If you really want to dig into it though, go read Starting Strength. And I know 5/3/1 isn't really designed for beginners but there are suggested modifications that can be made, so you may want to give that a read too.

    At then end of the day, read some of these books, and start experimenting with what works FOR YOU. Good luck!
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    Options
    I have the book and I will not be following the program. I don't like the way he makes assumptions about women and compares the sexes the whole way through.

    But I use it as a reference and like how he explains with simplicity the advantages of certain lifts and form.
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    Options
    I also read starting g strength, which goes into more detail. I'm glad I have both.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Options
    Now I am following Strong Curves by Bret Contreras and I love it. It works for me and how I want to work with my body. I am a dancer, so weights is a supplement to my dancing. I lift weights to improve strength, prevent injury, prevent strength imbalances, and for my general good health and fitness (because everyone should include weights in their fitness/health program). bretcontreras.com

    I'm still glad for what I learned from The New Rules of Lifting for Life.

    Starting strength is also an important resource.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    Options
    Yeah, I actually don't follow the workout program in the Life book. I only use it as a guideline to build a balanced program for myself. I also use the stronglifts, and Girls gone strong, as well as other sources for guidance. I stick to the basic compound moves. The Life book was helpful to me, as a beginner, to learn form, progression, basic moves and the benefits. Also, I am still at the novice stage, so not claiming to be an expert.


    I am glad to learn that I am not the only one not crazy about this book and program. I am not new to lifting, so I was more interested in the exercises and routine, but I found them too complicated and I was spending more time planning than doing.

    I also use it as guidance and sometimes I borrow new routines for my workouts, to break the boredom. I am mostly doing 5x5 with modifications because I had shoulders surgeries and knee injuries.

    Besides, my gym doesn't have all the equipment that seems to be needed for the program and I am not changing gyms. But I read in the forums about success stories with the program, so it must be good.
  • 0OneTwo3
    0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    Hello Ladies, im curious what the "for women" part of the program is.
    i personally can't see why weightlifting should be handled differently for men and women. so why choose it over one of the old and proven "unisex" programs like stronglifts and starting strength? i don't want to read the whole thing just to find that out.
  • cineshome
    cineshome Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    Bumping for later. Great thread.
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    Options
    Bumping for later. Great topic.
  • heatherloveslifting
    heatherloveslifting Posts: 1,428 Member
    Options
    I did not love every single exercise, but I did like that they changed regularly and I *really* loved the way my body changed!