The New Rules of Lifting

ShaneT99
ShaneT99 Posts: 278 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I just wanted to share a book that has helped me tremendously in my efforts to shed the fat. It's called The New Rules of Lifting and it's written by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. They also have one called The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Either of these books will teach you a LOT about the importance of resistance training and muscle building for fat loss, and more importantly, how and what to do so that you feel completely confident when you walk into the gym. They offer several modular workout programs geared towards fat loss, hypertrophy and strength. You have the option of following one of the programs they have put together or mixing and matching them on your own. More importantly, they'll give you the knowledge you need to design your own workouts to help shed the fat off your body.

I have no affiliation with either of these guys. This is just a great book that has helped me a lot and that I feel is worth recommending to others.

The New Rules of Lifting:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583332383/wwwalwyncosgr-20?creative=327641&camp=14573&link_code=as1

The New Rules of Lifting for Women:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583332944?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwalwyncosgr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1583332944
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Replies

  • cynthials
    cynthials Posts: 213 Member
    I agree these are both great books, my husband and I both used them when we still had our gym memberships!
  • ShaneT99
    ShaneT99 Posts: 278 Member
    Bumping this for anyone who missed it yesterday.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I picked this up at the Library on the way home today. I've read the first chapter and I like what I've read so far....and I'm skeptical.
  • ShaneT99
    ShaneT99 Posts: 278 Member
    If you're skeptical then you're exactly where you need to be. ; )

    Read it and decide for yourself. I'll just say that it completely changed the way I worked out and I've seen great results in both fat loss and muscle development as a result.

    I'm currently following their "Serious About Lifting, But Seriously Overweight" program. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get to that part of the book.

    Happy reading.
  • abricklin
    abricklin Posts: 156 Member
    saving
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    I've read the one for women. Great info! I love weights! :flowerforyou:
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I think I'm in the middle of Chapter 3. I like it so far. In fact I've been reading this more than the new Brad Thor Book I picked up at the same time.

    I'm glad I've had pretty much the same thought process they do....except I'll admit I was doing curls. Oh well.
  • ShaneT99
    ShaneT99 Posts: 278 Member
    Curls have their place. Make no mistake about it. They're just not optimal for fat loss. The people that benefit most from curls are bodybuilders. Most everyone else will get far more benefit from compound pulling exercises than they will from curls. That doesn't mean curls are bad. It just depends on what your goals are.

    I'll say this though...I've seen major improvements in my biceps and triceps and I never do isolation exercises to target them. It's all compound stuff.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Curls have their place. Make no mistake about it. They're just not optimal for fat loss. The people that benefit most from curls are bodybuilders. Most everyone else will get far more benefit from compound pulling exercises than they will from curls. That doesn't mean curls are bad. It just depends on what your goals are.

    I'll say this though...I've seen major improvements in my biceps and triceps and I never do isolation exercises to target them. It's all compound stuff.

    I dropped the curls, added Power Clean. Which when I was wrestling was my favorite excersise in the weight room.

    I've known I needed to get more glute excersises into the routine. I've just been "lazy" about it until reading this.
  • vhuber
    vhuber Posts: 8,779 Member
    I just bought one for women off ebay and it should be here at the end of the week! I love lifting and I believe it combats age in a big way!!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I just bought one for women off ebay and it should be here at the end of the week! I love lifting and I believe it combats age in a big way!!

    I found it interesting that in a stufy mentioned in the book, it says 2 months of ST can reverse 20 years of muscle atrophy.
  • ShaneT99
    ShaneT99 Posts: 278 Member
    I just bought one for women off ebay and it should be here at the end of the week! I love lifting and I believe it combats age in a big way!!

    Good point. This isn't necessarily proof that resistance training combats age, but one of the more impressive things I've seen in the gym was a man who'd I'd estimate to be 65 years old bench pressing 80 pound dumbbells while lying back on a swiss ball. I've seen big younger guys benching as much as 405 on the flat bench, but that old guy doing 80's on the ball left me stunned.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I am bumping this because I feel so strongly about this book. It really helped to change my whole body composition.

    I went from deadlifting 25 measily pounds to 85 pounds now and going up every week!

    I can do step ups and lunges with 15 pound dumbbells in each hand - I used to only be able to do body weight.

    I can see the definition in my leg muscles, and I have NO cellulite on the back of my thighs.

    I'm eating more than I ever have, and I weigh more (110 now where I used to be 105) and I still fit in the same clothes perfectly.

    I look better.

    Please, ladies, RUN to buy this book and try it. You will be so happy you did. I love weight lifting! It is so great.
  • run4yourlife
    run4yourlife Posts: 379 Member
    saving - thanks for the info
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I know this is an old bump, but I am in my second week of the break in phase... I am looking forward to getting to the gym tonight.

    2 years ago I did the TNT workout/diet plan which was made with the people who created NROL, and it was very similar... I lost about 60lbs following it, but to make a long story short.. I stopped going to the gym and gained it back plus some more.

    The most discouraging thing about it right now is my stanima, even with doing only 2 sets of each exercise I am struggling with my last reps. That and Static Lunges have left me struggling to make it down a flight of stairs! LOL
  • qman76301
    qman76301 Posts: 9
    any body got a good lifting program for a man over 60
  • aprilshowers13
    aprilshowers13 Posts: 105
    I have the book for women and I have one more week left of stage 1. Since starting their program I only lost about 1lb but I've lost inches from my body, which is great. I can't wait to see how much I've progressed toward the end of the program.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I have not read these books but I live by "The Female Body Breakthrough" which is written by Rachel Cosgrove< Alwyn's wife. This book has changed my life. I have lost 80 lbs and gained more muscle and confidence than I ever imagined!! Rachel and Alwyn own a gym in California and use the same techniques so I can imagine these books are right on!! Glad you dicovered them!!
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    I'm a fan of this book as well. I've finished Stage 1 and starting Stage 2 Monday.
  • becomingsara
    becomingsara Posts: 205
    BUMP
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I had a pretty good workout last night, except my arms are not exactly ready for all the exercises. Between the dead lifts and the step-ups it was not my legs or back that was having the hard time it was my arms holding the weights.
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    I had a pretty good workout last night, except my arms are not exactly ready for all the exercises. Between the dead lifts and the step-ups it was not my legs or back that was having the hard time it was my arms holding the weights.

    I have that same problem. I'm looking into versa gripps.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I had a pretty good workout last night, except my arms are not exactly ready for all the exercises. Between the dead lifts and the step-ups it was not my legs or back that was having the hard time it was my arms holding the weights.

    I have that same problem. I'm looking into versa gripps.

    I know that the TNT book recommended against them... and that your hand and arm muscles will catch up.
  • fiftyandfit
    fiftyandfit Posts: 349 Member
    bump......we have a FABULOUS new fitness center at our new station. Due to shift work, I'm the only one in there before my shift...do what I can on my own..but this sounds like this is what I need for direction.
    Thanks!!
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    Just got back infrom the gym... I finally got all three sets of Static Lunges done!
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    I started Stage 2 of The New Rules of Lifting for Women. It certainly stepped it up a notch. I was supposed to do HIIT afterwards, but I was beat after the workout. I already know that I'm going to be super sore tomorrow. I'm hoping to do a C25k run tonight.
  • finncmh
    finncmh Posts: 290
    Actually got the one for women a few weeks ago! LOVE that it explains why so many myths are false related to women and weight lifting. Its definitely a good book and seems like a decent program. I worked in an athletic training room with college sports teams all through college and it's along the same lines as lifting programs we designed for our athletes (both men and women). Great post!
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    Here is my stats after Stage 1 of NROL4W. I've stayed in my 4 pound variance on weight. I was disappointed that I had gained 1% fat from the previous month. However, I took last week off so that could have something to do with that. I ended up gaining 1.25 inches over all. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

    I had the gut reaction to go back to eating in deficit, but my hubby has convinced me to give it another month. Especially since I'm also doing C25k. I don't worry about the scale so much, but I do worry about the measurements and fat percentage. As a woman, it's very hard to not get discouraged by the numbers.

    I know I'm going to have to cut at some point. If I'm still having gaining fat and inches next month, I'll look into cutting calories again.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I seem to have misplaced my book, but from the looks of it on line.. Fat Loss AandB are very similar to the break in portion... that kinds of sucks. Especially two types of deadlifts on the same day?
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Here is my stats after Stage 1 of NROL4W. I've stayed in my 4 pound variance on weight. I was disappointed that I had gained 1% fat from the previous month. However, I took last week off so that could have something to do with that. I ended up gaining 1.25 inches over all. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

    I had the gut reaction to go back to eating in deficit, but my hubby has convinced me to give it another month. Especially since I'm also doing C25k. I don't worry about the scale so much, but I do worry about the measurements and fat percentage. As a woman, it's very hard to not get discouraged by the numbers.

    I know I'm going to have to cut at some point. If I'm still having gaining fat and inches next month, I'll look into cutting calories again.

    Did you do all 16 weeks? What is your daily calorie intake?
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