You have the leeway of deciding what you can increase as you go. You can increase reps or weight when you feel like you are not challenging yourself enough and back off when you are struggling. I completed special workout A this morning, I thought with the lighter weights I would be knocking out the reps. Nope, only a slight increase. After I do special workout B on Friday, I plan to take a couple days off and then try out Stage 2 because I am not sure if I should stay at Stage 1 for the extra two weeks or move up. My form is quite a bit better now and I am doing stage one with higher weights than I started with, but I am disappointed in my reps at the lower weight.

I'm in the same boat. I'm nearing the end of stage 1 and while I think I've made some strength gains, it's hard to tell whether I'm really getting stronger or if I just started with weights that were too low. I'm also pretty shaky at the end of each workout and sometimes I'm sore for a day or two afterwards so I think I'm pushing myself hard enough but I just don't know for sure. Now I usually start each workout with a heavier weight than the last time and if I can't lift it I go back to the lighter weight. I also decided that to do extra workouts for each "level" of stage 1 since I'm completely new to weightlifting.

I do more reps than listed in the workouts for the ab exercises because I just wasn't feeling it after only doing 8 or 10 on both the crunch and the jackknife.

Wow, it's as if I wrote this myself.

One of my concerns is that my gym doesn't have a squat rack or an Olympic bar so I've had to do modified versions of squats and deadlifts...the two most important moves.

My gym doesn't have the squat rack either so I have been doing glute bridges with the barbell - what kinds of modifications have you been doing for squats. I'd rather do back squats as I am quad dominant so I'd like to get my hamstrings stronger.

You can do dumbbell deadlifts instead of barbell

I'm in the same boat. I'm nearing the end of stage 1 and while I think I've made some strength gains, it's hard to tell whether I'm really getting stronger or if I just started with weights that were too low. I'm also pretty shaky at the end of each workout and sometimes I'm sore for a day or two afterwards so I think I'm pushing myself hard enough but I just don't know for sure. Now I usually start each workout with a heavier weight than the last time and if I can't lift it I go back to the lighter weight. I also decided that to do extra workouts for each "level" of stage 1 since I'm completely new to weightlifting.

I do more reps than listed in the workouts for the ab exercises because I just wasn't feeling it after only doing 8 or 10 on both the crunch and the jackknife.

Wow, it's as if I wrote this myself.

Yep, this is me as well. Except I'm not doing any extra workouts, just trying to go up in weight after every other one. I definitely do more on the crunches and jackknives though, I've been worried I'm doing them wrong that I need to do more but I guess not.

OP, when I'm worried about my form, especially when trying a higher weight for the first time, I do warmup sets with about half the weight. Form is important but if you're doing a move heavier than you ever have, it can be easy to psych yourself into thinking you've ruined your form and you might injure yourself. (Or maybe I'm just anxious!)

I start workouts 5 of stage one this weekend! I have started and stopped this program multiple times and am so proud of myself for getting this far! I personally have noticed improvements with my shoulder presses, I started at 10 pound dumbbells and now use 20 pounds for the first set. my prone jacknifes are actually doable now! I haven't bumped up my squats weight a whole lot because my form needs work, as do my deadlifts. Deadlifts with barbell just feel really awkward to me at lower weights... with 10 reps/set for my next workout, i think I am going to bump up the weight more so hopefully the movement feels more like i am doing it right with bigger weights on, if that makes any sense. i do use the bars in the squat rack at mid calf level to rest the barbell on. i prefer straight legged deadlifts though.... squats i plan on watching my form with a broom in a mirror before i actually add weight. its hard because there are no side mirrors to watch my form in while iam doing it.

i am super excited for stage 2 and the intervals! i haven't been doing much cardio the last couple weeks, but i am ready to add it back and watch the pounds and inches melt away. i also really should take progress pictures for my own personal benefit! I wish i had before i started... better late than never though.

my plan is to really increase the weight, on some i don't feel i am really struggling enough the last couple reps so i don't have it heavy enough, and i'm not very sore a lot of the time.

finished a4 last night. i am getting stronger all around as the weights on the bar are moving up and with each addition of weights, the last reps on the last set are tough...like have to really concentrate on form with the last ones to do them correctly. have lost weight in the last month but no inches to speak of which i thought it might kind of be the opposite. no big deal, it will happen.

my ??? is about quad dominance & how it is referenced in the book. yesterday i squatted 70# in both sets did 2 sets of 15 at 70# for each leg on the step ups. i don't have dumbbells so i use the bar with weights as a modification. my husband said my form is good but did have me move my hands wider on push ups (which really sucked). he has been coaching for 17+ years & has degrees in kinesiology & sports something-or-another. while he may not be a weight lifting expert, i feel rather confident that i'm getting decent advice on form.

i feel like my quads are getting stronger than my hamstrings though & from what i read in the book, thought i was supposed to be doing the opposite? anyone else have this issue or have a suggestion/solution?

I am fairly confident I started too low, I keep adding 4kg ish each time I do barbell stuff, but still concerned I don't want to overdo it.The dumbell stuff I find much harder esp lunges and have only added a little since started to that, but I figure I am getting better and I will figure out what weight I need by the end of stage 1. Do you use similar weights when you go to stage 2, or reduce them a bit as they are different exercises.

Good luck all