NROLFW or Starting Strength?

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lightmouse
lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I apologise in advance if this question has been asked elsewhere - I did do a quick search but couldn't find a thread that really answered everything I wanted to ask.

I am about to start T25 Gamma, and am trying to plan what I am going to do when I finish. In the past, my fitness regime has consisted only of running five times a week outside and cycling to/from work. I fancied a different type of challenge so completed Insanity, and really enjoyed the layout of the workout and the bodyweight exercises (it also made me a faster runner) so I purchased T25 and then really enjoyed the Beta month where weights are added. I want to incorporate lifting into my future workout plans, and from what I can see online two of the programs people recommend are New Rules of Lifting for Women and Starting Strength.

I have a few limitations:

1) I have dumbbells at home but that is it. I could buy a barbell and some extra weights, but I cannot buy any other equipment. It is not just a cost issue, I have a tiny terraced cottage and there is absolutely no room for gym equipment - we only have one room downstairs and the bedrooms are tiny too.

2) I cannot afford a gym membership at the current time (said cottage needs a LOT of work doing to it). There is no cheap council gym within walking/cycling distance of my house. There is a basic weights room at work with a bench and some weights. I don't think it has a squat rack.

With these limitations, am I going to be able to follow one of these programs?

I need all the advice I can get :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • chljlleal
    chljlleal Posts: 230 Member
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    Bump!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    If you have space/equipment limitations, then perhaps a different progressive strength routine might be a better fit?

    I think one of the newer NROL has a "menu" style structure, where you pick exercises according to skill/strength level. There are moves that can be done with dumbbells or barbells, but what happens when you tap out your current weight range of dumbbells? Then you'll need intelligent substitutions not in the program, or more equipment to do the ones recommended.

    Stronglifts/Starting Strength/etc can be done with dumbbells, but again you're going to run up against grip-limitation issues with some exercises and quickly out-strip the available supply of weight with others. There are people around who've tried it, but they all run up against various limitations in the end. Would be ok to get you going for a month or two, though...

    alternative routes may be something like:

    1) YAYOG, Convict Conditioning or Never Gymless that all have minimal-to-none equipment needs.

    2) Something like the PM->ROP with kettlebells that require limited equipment/space.

    3) Find a dumbell-centric routine to use your existing equipment.

    4) Workout at work (if equipment is suitable) with Stronglifts/SS/NROL/All Pro's/Greyskull LP/etc.
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
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    Thank you so much for your help!

    The gym at work is mostly dumbbells/barbells used by all the guys who are quite serious about their lifting - although one of them has just started out (from nothing at all) and he is managing with the weights that are in there so there must be some lighter ones as well (I know I can do more press ups than him so hopefully I will able to lift the weights he is using) Maybe I should start a "fairness at work" complaint and say the gym is not female-friendly enough :tongue:

    I read somewhere that you need a squat rack for Starting Strength - will I be OK without one?
  • hbwright74
    hbwright74 Posts: 36 Member
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    When I started lifting I thought no way would I be able to start with the 45 pound bar. Granted, I have no way to go lower to warm up when you start at the lowest, but I can do it!! All you can do is try it. Now, the one thing I cannot do with the 45 lb bar is the military press, so luckily my gym has preset barbells that I can use for these, but I started my 16 year old daughter off using lighter dumbbells for these using the same motion and she has been able to work up to the preset barbells. You can also do dumbbell squats. You would probably want to move up to barbell when you get to higher weights, but after hurting my neck with the barbell set too high for my 5' 1" height (and me thinking I could handle it anyway) I did my weight with dumbbells until the knot on my neck felt better.

    Also, don't be intimidated by the "serious" guys in the gym. There area few at my gym that I would never talk to and I hate to be prejudice, but you can usually tell by looking at them. They just look cocky. For the most part, the serious lifters have been more than helpful in helping out this fat weakling.
  • glreim21
    glreim21 Posts: 206 Member
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    I would still recommend reading NROLFW, even if you don't follow the program, it is well worth the read.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    with your limitations, I would recommend neither of those programs...to do them correctly and thus garner optimal results, you really need barbells and plates and benches and squat/power rack, etc.

    I would think you'd be better off with a body weight training routine that maybe incorporated some resistance bands and/or dumbbell work. If I was in your position I would look into Convict Conditioning and/or You Are Your Own Gym. Also, some pretty good stuff here...

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    The difficulty with body weight work is the progressive overload aspect...you don't want to just do more and more and more reps which is where a lot of people go wrong...you want to make the exercises that you are doing more difficult with variations of movements, etc.
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
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    with your limitations, I would recommend neither of those programs...to do them correctly and thus garner optimal results, you really need barbells and plates and benches and squat/power rack, etc.

    I would think you'd be better off with a body weight training routine that maybe incorporated some resistance bands and/or dumbbell work. If I was in your position I would look into Convict Conditioning and/or You Are Your Own Gym. Also, some pretty good stuff here...

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    The difficulty with body weight work is the progressive overload aspect...you don't want to just do more and more and more reps which is where a lot of people go wrong...you want to make the exercises that you are doing more difficult with variations of movements, etc.

    Thank you :smile: I look at all the results women have got from "lifting heavy" and think "I want some of that" haha! Can I still get similar results with bodyweight exercises?

    *goes off to have a look at all the ideas above*
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
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    I like the look of You Are Your Own Gym! Thanks to all of you for your help :smile:
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    with your limitations, I would recommend neither of those programs...to do them correctly and thus garner optimal results, you really need barbells and plates and benches and squat/power rack, etc.

    I would think you'd be better off with a body weight training routine that maybe incorporated some resistance bands and/or dumbbell work. If I was in your position I would look into Convict Conditioning and/or You Are Your Own Gym. Also, some pretty good stuff here...

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    The difficulty with body weight work is the progressive overload aspect...you don't want to just do more and more and more reps which is where a lot of people go wrong...you want to make the exercises that you are doing more difficult with variations of movements, etc.

    Thank you :smile: I look at all the results women have got from "lifting heavy" and think "I want some of that" haha! Can I still get similar results with bodyweight exercises?

    *goes off to have a look at all the ideas above*

    There are some people with amazing physiques who do nothing but body weight stuff. Or kettlebell stuff. Or dumbbell stuff. Or barbell stuff. Or some kind of combination. Once you understand the fundamentals of programming you can do all kinds of stuff. For beginners though it's better to stick with an established routine (of any kind: bodyweight, barbell, whatever) that provides adequate progression, rest, recovery factored in for you. You can get all fancy-pants later on when you've got more of a handle on it all.

    The main thing is progressive resistance. Your muscles/tendons/CNS doesn't especially care about the form of the resistance, just that you find a way to increase the resistance so that things stay challenging. Couple this with adequate protein and a sensible calorie deficit and you'll increase strength, retain LBM and lose fat.

    As for "lifting heavy" only someone with extremely high strength can pull off bodyweight moves like the human flag, one handed handstand push up, etc. It'll take years to tap out the moves you are capable of via bodyweight exercises (if ever).
  • lightmouse
    lightmouse Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    with your limitations, I would recommend neither of those programs...to do them correctly and thus garner optimal results, you really need barbells and plates and benches and squat/power rack, etc.

    I would think you'd be better off with a body weight training routine that maybe incorporated some resistance bands and/or dumbbell work. If I was in your position I would look into Convict Conditioning and/or You Are Your Own Gym. Also, some pretty good stuff here...

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    The difficulty with body weight work is the progressive overload aspect...you don't want to just do more and more and more reps which is where a lot of people go wrong...you want to make the exercises that you are doing more difficult with variations of movements, etc.

    Thank you :smile: I look at all the results women have got from "lifting heavy" and think "I want some of that" haha! Can I still get similar results with bodyweight exercises?

    *goes off to have a look at all the ideas above*

    There are some people with amazing physiques who do nothing but body weight stuff. Or kettlebell stuff. Or dumbbell stuff. Or barbell stuff. Or some kind of combination. Once you understand the fundamentals of programming you can do all kinds of stuff. For beginners though it's better to stick with an established routine (of any kind: bodyweight, barbell, whatever) that provides adequate progression, rest, recovery factored in for you. You can get all fancy-pants later on when you've got more of a handle on it all.

    The main thing is progressive resistance. Your muscles/tendons/CNS doesn't especially care about the form of the resistance, just that you find a way to increase the resistance so that things stay challenging. Couple this with adequate protein and a sensible calorie deficit and you'll increase strength, retain LBM and lose fat.

    As for "lifting heavy" only someone with extremely high strength can pull off bodyweight moves like the human flag, one handed handstand push up, etc. It'll take years to tap out the moves you are capable of via bodyweight exercises (if ever).

    I really do appreciate the help - I'd never heard of this book before you told me, I'm excited about it now! Thank you :happy:

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