Book suggestions - NROF4W or Strong Curves

midnightisolde
midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm intending on starting on a strength program and would like some advice about which book to get. I'm looking at the New Rules of Lifting for Women, Bret Contreras' Strong Curves or Thinner, Leaner, Stronger. Could you help me out?

Replies

  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    bump
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I love strong curves and would definitely recommend it especially if you'd like to focus on your lower body. I completed the 12 week advanced gluteal godess program and love the results.
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    I love strong curves and would definitely recommend it especially if you'd like to focus on your lower body. I completed the 12 week advanced gluteal godess program and love the results.
    Thanks for the reply. Strong Curves does look really good as it has lots of information and workouts. Thinner, Leaner, Stronger looks informative but doesn't look like it tells you in detail about workout routines. New Rules looks good, but I mainly want to work on my lower body so Strong Curves looks best. Could you tell me a little more about it?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    NR has good info but IMO the program gets overly complicated after stage 2 and forces you to focus less on strength.

    strong curves is next on my list to try.
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    NR has good info but IMO the program gets overly complicated after stage 2 and forces you to focus less on strength.

    strong curves is next on my list to try.
    Thanks. That's the impression I've got from it which is bad because I want something which is really clear and easy to follow. Strong Curves seems to be the best fit for that so I'm going to get it.
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    I love strong curves and would definitely recommend it especially if you'd like to focus on your lower body. I completed the 12 week advanced gluteal godess program and love the results.
    Which would you say is best for a beginner to weight lifting?
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    They're both a good read but I'd say strong curves is a lot less complicated programme wise. It's quite short though so NROLFW might be better value wise - a lot of diet stuff in there too. Get both if you can.

    I'd recommend starting strength before both of these (a lot more straight forward with good tips on form - plus loads of YouTube vids) wendlers 5/3/1 is good too (I do this with the strong curves stuff for accessory work).
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    They're both a good read but I'd say strong curves is a lot less complicated programme wise. It's quite short though so NROLFW might be better value wise - a lot of diet stuff in there too. Get both if you can.

    I'd recommend starting strength before both of these (a lot more straight forward with good tips on form - plus loads of YouTube vids) wendlers 5/3/1 is good too (I do this with the strong curves stuff for accessory work).
    Thanks for the suggestions. Starting strength is about £30 on amazon so I'm a little hesitant to buy it.
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    They're both a good read but I'd say strong curves is a lot less complicated programme wise. It's quite short though so NROLFW might be better value wise - a lot of diet stuff in there too. Get both if you can.

    I'd recommend starting strength before both of these (a lot more straight forward with good tips on form - plus loads of YouTube vids) wendlers 5/3/1 is good too (I do this with the strong curves stuff for accessory work).
    Thanks for the suggestions. Starting strength is about £30 on amazon so I'm a little hesitant to buy it.
    Might buy New Rules first seeing as it's pretty cheap on amazon.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Yes, it was too expensive for me too - I got the kindle version which was £8 or £9' I think.
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    How long are each of these programs?
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    I haven't read NROLW but I've heard it's great for information but the workouts get very complicated.

    I am a HUGE Bret Contreras fan and have both of his books. I finished my first round of his advanced programming right before Christmas and saw fantastic results. You may not get as many pre-designed workouts but he does give you the template to build your own. I highly recommend it.

    Also, they are full body workouts (well there is one that is lower body only) so no worries about it not being complete programming.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    How long are each of these programs?

    12 weeks and the programming changes every 4 weeks.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Starting strength is just continual. I think NR is 12 weeks (it's a while since I read it) but it does get really complicated - I gave up and got starting strength :D

    Check out the strong lifts 5x5 website - it's similarity to starting strength and all the info is FREE :) you will get inundated with e-mails though. That'd give you an idea if you'd like it before buying the book.

    Check gumtree for NROLFW too, think that's where I got mine - the other ones are impossible to find second hand.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Honestly I'd recommend you read New Rules, but then do this program (or do phase one, then switch to Stronglifts):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary


    I know little about Strong Curves however.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I love strong curves and would definitely recommend it especially if you'd like to focus on your lower body. I completed the 12 week advanced gluteal godess program and love the results.
    Which would you say is best for a beginner to weight lifting?

    It probably just depends on what you want to do. But honestly any of these programs is going to work for you especially if you are just starting out. Just pick one and get going and then you can figure out what you do/don't like along the way.

    Strong curves has a specific beginner program that you can follow and also has a body weight, lower only and advanced program. I can only really speak about the advanced program but each workout follows a set pattern which makes substituting exercises quite easy if you don't like them or don't have the right equiptment. It also gives you a template to make your own workouts.

    Workouts are full body and reasonably short (45mins-1hour).
  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    I love strong curves and would definitely recommend it especially if you'd like to focus on your lower body. I completed the 12 week advanced gluteal godess program and love the results.
    Which would you say is best for a beginner to weight lifting?

    It probably just depends on what you want to do. But honestly any of these programs is going to work for you especially if you are just starting out. Just pick one and get going and then you can figure out what you do/don't like along the way.

    Strong curves has a specific beginner program that you can follow and also has a body weight, lower only and advanced program. I can only really speak about the advanced program but each workout follows a set pattern which makes substituting exercises quite easy if you don't like them or don't have the right equiptment. It also gives you a template to make your own workouts.

    Workouts are full body and reasonably short (45mins-1hour).

    Thanks. Yes, it does appear to be a very comprehensive program and it's the one I like the look of the most to be honest. I also have Mark Lauren's Body by You, which is like his You Are Your Own Gym but for women. I thought it would be a good idea to be able to handle my own body weight first and then move on to free weights as I think that it will help with getting better form.

    Edit: I've just ordered Strong Curves :)
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Awesome, hope you enjoy the program. If you're looking for support there is a group here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/15191-strong-curves

    If you have facebook then join the group "SC ladies"

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