I'm in my second proper week and generally enjoying it. I can't do the jacknifes (core too weak, wrists toi unstable) and wonder why there's no easier alternative like there is for pushups. I saw someone suggest plank to downward dog as an alternative so will be trying that until I build up my strength

I just started today - it all went well and I really enjoyed it! Excited to go back on Wednesday and do my first Workout B. The thing I found hardest was getting my feet up onto the ball to start the jacknifes. I ended up putting my knees on the floor and then hooking my feet up on the ball and pushing up onto my hands. Actually doing the move was ok - took lots of concentration though! Any tips on how to get into position?!

That one can be tough. I followed a video I saw on youtube for the pronejacknife. I start standing and put one ankle on the ball (I pick the smaller ones at the gym for it cause I'm short) and then hop a little out before getting down on my hands and putting the other foot up. Probably looks weird but oh well. I like them more than the crunches even though they are more awkward and difficult.

I have 2 sessions left of stage one. Think I'll start stage two in the beginning of April. Seems like a good starting point. Gives me a little over a week off but I will be out of town 31st-2nd with my grandparents and a couple days after the AMRAP workouts, I may just relax and just try a few things ahead of time.

Flissbo - Have fun with stage 1.

My last day of stage 1 - I'm going to miss it as Stage 2 frightens me just a little. Tomorrow I'm going to go to the gym and just figure out where all the equipment is and have my husband do some form checks on me for the new lifts (He has been lifting for years and really knows his stuff). Good luck with the rest of stage 1 everyone!

@ Dawn - good plan! I actually have decided I'm not going to do the deadlifts from the box. I know, shame! But I've been having enough trouble not rounding my back when I pick up the bar off the floor during a regular deadlift so until i get that down I'm hesitant to add more inches of issue to this lift. I can also see it being very difficult to get a hold of a step seeing as we have 1 in our entire gym and it is on the second floor in the 'women's only' section of the gym (They seriously only have dumbells up to 20 lbs and some stupid machines in there. It is a nice place to stretch though because it's quiet) I actually just bought lifting shoes so I'm going to test those out tonight and hope they help with my front squats.

@DawnEmbers - you'll have to let me know how it goes! My gym set up just isn't going to allow it sadly, oh well! I think I'll still see improvements with the regular old deadlift so I'm not too upset about it.

I wanted to post my improvements over the course of stage 1 - I was coming in to this from taking off almost 7 months from lifting due to a leg injury that had to be fixed with surgery, so basically starting from square 1.

Squat - 30 to 55 lbs
Pushups - worked from a 60 degree down to a 30 degree
Seated Row - 30 to 50 lbs
StepUps - two 10 lb barbells to two 15 lbs barbells
Deadlift - 30 to 75 lbs
Shoulder Press - 10 to 17.5 lbs each arm
Lat Pulls - 45 to 55 lbs
Lunge - BW to 15 lbs each hand
Swiss Ball - 10 to 20 lbs crunched

Hope that helps people see that progress can be made even if you haven't lifted before or if it has been quite a while Just have to make sure that you are always challenging yourself.

I think my favourite thing about this program is that is so simple to follow and even though I still struggle with some of the exercises at workout 4, I can see the changes its making. Plus, at halfway through, my PT measure my body fat last night and I'm down 3%! My weight hasn't changed much, so I am sure it's all muscle. It pays to start off as a chubby weakling!

Did anyone make it through doing squats without the barbell? My PT said my form is perfect but I can't cope with using the bar for more than two squats because my left shoulder pops out. I really want to lift all the heavy things so I've been practising at home with a broom handle and increasing the dumbbell weight (18kg/40lb total) but they're killing my hands.

I also have a 10k coming up so I'm doing more cardio than recommended but have found that I have more endurance than before I started lifting so I'm ok with it.

So I started NROL4W on Monday. My stats are 5'6" 145 - mostly looking to lose a few lbs and definitely lose fat. Because I'm not a newbie lifter, I'm not likely to be able to really recomp, so I'm eating at a 500 deficit on off days and a 200 calorie deficit on lifting days and maintenance on weekend day a week so I can actually live a little, in hopes of dropping some weight... I'm not so concerned with building muscle, but rather keeping that I've already built up.
I've already done 12 weeks of Stronglifts 5x5 so some of these lifts I'm great at, whereas others are new for me, but for all of them, it was kinda a toss up as to much I should lift for so many reps (obviously with Stronglifts I could squat and deadlift more, with only 5 reps at a time).
Anyways here is what I did for my first A & B workouts and I definitely felt them without being sooooo exhausted that I couldn't complete the sets:
1A - Monday
Squats 2x15 @ 105lbs (breezed through the first set but definitely felt the second set)
Superset:
Pushup 1x15 normal pushups
Seated Row 1x15 @ 40lbs (a little too easy)
Pushup 1x15 normal pushups (not easy but not super hard - will try the T-pushups next time)
Seated Row 1x15 @ (definitely felt this in my triceps the next day)
Superset:
Setup (onto bench press bench) 1x20 (10 on each leg) @ 25lbs (12.5lbs in each hand)
Prone Jackknife 1x10
Stepup 1x16 (8 on each leg) @ 30lbs (15lbs each hand)
Prone Jackknife 1x10

Intervals - Tuesday
5 minute warmup increasing from 3.2 to 3.5 on incline of 2
then 5x1 minute intervals at 7.5 at incline of 3 (224 watts/14.1 mets) with 5x2 rest periods at 3.5 at incline of 3. LOVED these intervals!

Then, as the book advises, I took 5 minutes off before running an addition 3 miles at steady state @ 6.3, only because I have a couple half marathons planned later this year and don't want to completely stop steady state running. After the intervals at 7.5 on an incline these miles were pretty easy (except I'm getting over a cold, so my runny nose was annoying), which I hope means I will be able to increase my steady speed, as I have been able to in the past with interspersing intervals with my steady state - excited overall!

1B - Wednesday
Deadlifts 2x15 @ 105lbs (this was a good weight for these reps, definitely felt it at the end each set)
Superset:
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 1x15 @ 30lbs (15lbs in each hand; not super hard)
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 1x5 @ 40lbs then increased weight and 1x10 @ 45lbs
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 1x15 @ 30 lbs (15lbs in each; much harder this second set and nearly failed by the end)

Superset:
Lunges (ewww... no bueno) 1x16 (8 on each side) with 40lbs (20lbs in each hand)
Swiss Ball Crunch 1x10 (easy will try with weight next time)
Lunges 1x16 (8 on each side) with 40lbs(20lbs in each side) (honestly hated these because lunges are just awkward, but more because my arms were tired by this point and just holding 20s by my side hurt... may try it with a barbell next time to relieve this)
Swiss Ball Crunch 1x10 (again easy, hence the extra reps)


Anyways sorry for the ridiculously long post - I'm super excited to start this journey with so many amazing girls for inspiration on here (and my hubby, who is doing the regular NROL)

Hi ladies!
I just did my second workout this morning. The lunges were rough!! I work out in my basement then shower on the second floor. I had a tough time making it to the shower I imagine I will be sore tomorrow!! I'm at work now and feel exhausted! I didn't feel this way after my first day.

Do any of you feel extra tired after lifting when its that TOM? I may need an extra cup of coffee to get myself moving this morning. I'm used to working out but usually do videos like T25 or JIllian Michaels. I don't think I've ever felt so tired like this though! Probably just starting a new workout and TOM combination I imagine.

Well I'm excited to be starting this workout and will keep checking in to see everyone's progress and look for any tips!

So, I'm finally going to start stage 1 tomorrow. I'm nervous because it is a new gym and I don't really know where everything is. I've been doing strength training with a group once or twice a week for almost 2 years but this will be on my own. I also have very little experience with the barbell. I was a member of a small women's only gym last year and we used the barbell a little. I have to admit, I'm intimidated about sharing the weight room with guys and I didn't think I would be. Maybe I'm just scared of the unfamiliar. I guess I'm also worried that I will be using a machine/space that someone else is waiting for while I try to figure out what I'm doing.

Today was my first day. It went pretty fast. I felt silly adding my 5 pound weights to the barbell for my squat but it probably was actually the correct weight (55 lbs) for me. For the other excersizes, I will have to increase the weights next week.

Oh, and my butt is already a little sore.

I just finished my 2nd week of Stage 1! That jack knife is crazy! I don't have free weights so substituting with my bowflex. It doesn't work great for the squats but I am doing the best I can! Luckily I haven't been overly sore.

Hello! I just purchased the book not too long ago, and have been reading through it. I'm sure this has been answered- but 100+ pages were too many to scroll through (especially because I want to keep reading!! ) -

I'm concerned about the calories- currently I'm eating right around 1500 a day. My TDEE on another site was around 1800. I'm 5'3" and weight 174 (my goal is to get down to a healthy BMI below 140 lbs).

Did you find that keeping at the maintenance calorie calculation worked best, or should I cut the 300 cals/day? Thanks in advance, I can't wait to start the program!

Just finished stage 1 yesterday - have AMRAP tomorrow and Thursday and then a week off from lifting where I will just focus on light cardio and yoga - so excited.

I have noticed general tone everywhere increase but especially in my stomach... granted I have always slimmed down in my stomach first, but lately had been putting weight on there when I never had before. Because I was not really "new" to lifting I have added in some extra stuff here and there at the end of my works after the first four A and first four B just to make sure I was really pushing myself.

mbcieslak87 wrote: »

Just finished stage 1 yesterday - have AMRAP tomorrow and Thursday and then a week off from lifting where I will just focus on light cardio and yoga - so excited.

I have noticed general tone everywhere increase but especially in my stomach... granted I have always slimmed down in my stomach first, but lately had been putting weight on there when I never had before. Because I was not really "new" to lifting I have added in some extra stuff here and there at the end of my works after the first four A and first four B just to make sure I was really pushing myself.

Nice Job. I have too much fluff to see definition in stomach but it's fun to hear about the different successes others in the group have. I added stuff in stages 2-5. I missed regular bench press and had a couple areas/accessories I wanted to do. Well, and I skipped a few cause the 35 plate is too awkward to hold on the swiss ball crunch and 25 was too easy. Anyways. Enjoy your week off.