I got struck by the ailment bug and couldn't manage the weights since last Monday. So now I am miles behind on catching up with everyone. So it appears that I took not a week off between stage one and stage 2 but more like a month. Ah well so it goes. I finally stopped procrastinating and printed out NROLFW stage 2. I started on it this morning yea!

HI guys! I've read but won't try to comment on all at I missed!
Dawn-yes! A pad is so needed for WHTs! You're kicking tush girl! Kutgw!
Beeps-ugh! Feel better!
Mary-you too! Follow the dr's orders and you'll be back in the gym soon enough.
Kim-good job on the running! I'd die!
Jo-good job!
Sam-feel better!
Mme-sorry you were delayed, but yay for starting stage 2!
7-glad you've got options

Ok, hope I got you all!

I'm doing well, lifted all last week, missed today though . I did run yesterday as s a bonus . I'll shoot for 4 days in a row . Still loving it and making progress, even in a deficit. Scale still stuck up too high. But working on the deficit and not letting the weekends hijack my progress .

Ok, my international lifting buddies, and travelling domestic buddies, I'm finally going to Europe! in May!! My husband and 2 daughters too . We're visiting London, Paris, Rome and Florence all in 2 weeks! I'd love any advice or input

Keep lo front ladies!

Count me in the low volume high weight group too! Higher reps are icky! The hypertrophy days usually morph into power days for me .
Sue-I hate that too! Good for you working out, hope you sleep well tonight!

Kim-my girls are 15 and 12. We're doing 3 days London, 4 days in Paris, 3 days in Rome and 4 days in Florence (with hopefully a day trip to see
Venice). I already know we're taking on a lot, and won't see everything. I'm hoping to be able to relax and absorb the surroundings a bit too.
Lol at running with a brush! Good idea to set it all up at work ahead of time .

Added 15 min of running intervals to the end of my upper body power day today. I'm beat! Got to work on my breathing during the running, I get sore lungs and a heavy feeling afterward-worn out feeling I want to be more aerobically fit so I can run (literally) around Europe . My cardio has been minimal lately.

Damn I wish I hadn't checked in here, I was just looking forward to checking out the book to see what stage 2 of strong was like. I hate volume work!!! Loving Strong so far though. it is nice to go back to lighter weights and shorter workouts because the last stage of supercharged was taking me ages!!

I don't have time to comment on everyone here but suffice to say you are all doing amazing! I don't often comment in here but I read how everyone is getting on and it is so motivating to me so thank you everyone!!

Really glad I managed to lift today (locked my car at work last night so had a public transport nightmare today that almost thwarted me).

Had a hilarious moment when a gym instructor came running over to check if I needed his help when he saw me putting weights on the bar in the squat rack. The look on his face when I told him this was my warm up was priceless. (I am not even lifting anything impressive just go to a gym where the ladies are on the treadmills only).

Stage 1, Workout A3 complete

Planned to lift last night but got roped in last minute to a charity event a friend was running, and was too late for the gym by the time it finished. Felt strangely antsy being there when I should have been lifting! Am heading there after work tonight and nothing will get in my way!!

Did my 2 mile run before work yesterday though, and again today. 6 days done, 94 to go! Have got a blister but realised my running shoes are 5 years old....so have bought a new pair which I will christen tomorrow morning.

Been busy at work but still plugging along.

I'm not a fan of high reps either. If it's 8 on some lifts, then I can handle that, mostly the accessories but I could get through 8 to maybe 12 max (though I don't like going much above 8 on the main lifts). It was one thing I didn't care for in NROLFW stage 1, the 15 reps. And I don't do AMRAP much cause I don't wanna lift the weight many times in a single set.

Great job everybody with the lifts, runs and other life things. mmm sleep, I mean, yeah, weights.

Sunday I worked 10 hours instead of 8, then due to a call-in, I worked just under 3 hours Monday morning, which was supposed to be my day off. Follow that by Tuesday close cashier at 8 hours but not taking a lunch, just a few smaller on the clock breaks and yesterday did another 10 hour but cashier instead of my usual department.

Still did my lifting but think I won't do squats after work on 10 hour days. Weights felt heavier last night than usual and hip was a bit cranky. The day before I did the lifting before work and cardio for 30 minutes after work. Was going to request the gym get an item but the guy during day was busy on the phone most of the time so didn't get a chance to ask about getting a pad for the barbell. Hip thrusts are gonna hurt Sunday, but oh well. Next time I get in a day lift I will make the request. The only downside to not lifting at night after work is that there are a few people around. Still, near the end in particular, will want to get done before spending 8 hours or so on my feet.


First up is Tuesday, with upper body and OHP focus.

Chapter 2: OHP

band pulls for warm-up, 3x10

OHP 2x8 @ 45, 1x6 @ 55, 4x5 @ 65 - Figured out the numbers to work on so it's following more along what I have set for bench and such. Just doing similar weights but few more sets than the reverse grip that was recommended for auxillary bench day.

Pull-ups 3x1 where first one I got chin above bar, Chin-ups 1x2
Seated row 3x10 @ 80

tricep pushdown with rope 3x12 @ 70
ab chair thing bw 3x8
pallof press 30 3x10 on each side

30 minute run on treadmill after work while watching Food Network.


Chapter 2: Squats

squat warm ups 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x6 @ 115

Squats 2x6 @ 140, 2x5 @ 150

Overload (walk out) 1x15 count @ 210 - weight goes up from now on for these

Pause Squats 1x6 @ 90 and 1x5 @ 100 - still counting roughly to 8 though trying to figure out breathing too

good morning 3x12 @ 85
cable rope crunch attempts 3x12 @ 50

Sumo deadlift 135 1x5 and 175 3x5



Scale has been a nuisance but coworker commented that my waist has gotten smaller lately. Measurement change in last month was only .5 inch but that was from waist, as no where else had a change. She thinks more is gone. Couple of customers commented on me getting smaller too. The scale is going back in the right direction, just slowly. Not really trying to lose for the meet, though 132 group would be better than 148, but I'm still working on getting down closer to a healthier weight for my height. Scale this morning had just below 135, as it'd gone up after reaching 134 and then hovered around 136 for a bit. If I can keep from snacking too much, things should continue in the right direction. Must limit the number of Lenny Larry cookies I keep in the apartment.

I feel your pain Julie, this last week I have been really strict about what I ate, came in under my calories and did lots of exercise. This morning I weighed in at .2 of a pound more than last week!! I know it is not much but I was really looking forward to a loss this week. My body just refuses to drop lower than it is now, no matter how hard I try! So frustrating!!

Dawn, keep up the good work!
Sue, sounds like you needed a good sleep. I am looking forward to going to bed tonight and not setting an alarm, its been ages since I let myself just wake up naturally.
Kimi, sounds like a great challenge. Are you managing to do it and also lift? I just wouldn't have the will power!! I can only run outside (threadmills make me want to die of boredom) so i have to choose between running and lifting. No way I would do both on the one day.

Jecka, that is awesome about the gym instructor. I wish I could make people have that reaction. I have been on here for ages and my lifts are still all pathetic. By what matters is that I am consistent (kinda) right?

I am almost finished stage 1 of strong so must read up on what comes next. I was a bit unmotivated last night at the gym, just wasn't feeling it so I did the bare minimum and went home. I met a friend there and he tried to convince me to do a heavy squat session with him just as I was finishing up so I said no way! Maybe next week though, I might take a short detour from the programme to work out with him and see what I can do when someone is pushing me.

God, I hate the treadmill. I only run for half an hour twice a week and it isn't my main focus or interest at all, so if the weather is crappy I have no problem skipping it. I definitely find on a week that I can't run, I have more energy to lift and can go a bit heavier/more, but the couple of runs have been good at getting rid of some fat. If I didn't have some excess to lose I maybe wouldn't bother. I also like the fresh air though, and the sunshine when it's out.

I started Stage 3 of P1 of Strong this week and I really like it. I am going to have to figure out the single arm deadlift with a barbell (maybe a preloaded one from a box so it's slightly easier to balance) because I did kettle bells the first time and they weren't heavy enough. I tried heavier dumbells but found it really awkward. I am forgoing the suspended push-ups and just working on proper form and depth for regular floor ones. I need to get lower and get my elbows further back. What else....I still hate, and always have hated, the lunges with back foot elevated. Ick. But I will keep doing them

I am loving Strong so much more than any of the other books I've done (FW, Abs, and Supercharged).

Another long day but this time I lifted before work instead of after. Busy day at work and also am talented cause I managed to scrape my scalp with a heavy tote full of candy, which bled a tiny bit. Still looks oww hours later. Fine otherwise. I also forgot my notebook so had to use my phone to keep track of everything at the gym.

Chapter 2 - Bench

elliptical warm up for 10 minutes

Bench 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 75, 2x6 @ 90 and 2x5 @ 95

pull up 2x1.5 and 1x1-ish, chin up 1x2.5 - slow progress
db bench press 3x10 @ 30

db fly 3x10 @ 25
one db row 3x9 @ 40

cable bicep curl 3x10 @ 55
face pull 3x9 @ 60

pallof press 3x10 @ 35

As much as I wanted to get to the gym three times this week, I only made it twice. Bright side, I'm down 1/2 lb for the month without really trying. This week's NSV. I was finally able to do my sets of 12 push ups on the floor without pausing or stopping for a total of 36 push up for my workout. My bice[s were considerably sore this week.

Skipped gym today. Took the kids and my mom to go see Kung Fu Panda (it was great) and now I'm watching my husband's little blue dot as he competes in the Iditarod Invitational on bike. Too scared not to watch, even if it's just a blue dot on my computer screen. http://trackleaders.com/iti16

Definitely good being a role model to our kids, regardless of age or gender

So.....am still doing my daily 2 mile run - completed yesterday's at my fastest time so far, and although slower again this morning, still slightly amazed myself at the fact that I was running at 5.45am willingly! Will head to the gym with hubby after work this evening to lift.

A week or so back I took my measurements but couldn't compare them with anything as I had lost my handwritten record. But at the weekend I found it, and by chance it is exactly 6 months since I took the first set of measurements so it seems appropriate to have a little "woohoooooo":

Weight - was 76kgs, now 73.6kgs lost 2.4 kgs
Left thigh (didn't measure right one haha!) - was 67cms now 64 cms lost 3cms
hips was 106cms now 100cms lost 6cms
widest part (butt!) was 116 cms now 110 cms lost 6cms
waist at belly button was 90cms now 87 cms lost 3cms The smallest part of my waist is 75cms but to be honest, I'm not sure whether my original measurement was at my smallest part, or my belly button - I can't imagine I have *really* lost 15cms in 6months, but maybe? And it's all good, wherever I measured from!!
boobs - was 91 cms now 89 cms lost 2cms
upper arm - was 35 cms now 35cms but much less wobble!!!

So, basically, an inch or two all over - and firming up steadily at the same time. Just need to keep it going. Slow and steady definitely seems to be the way for me, although of course I'd like it to be reducing much quicker! Must be patient!!

Beeps - my 12 yo will kick my *kitten* soon
Kimmi - wow! great results
Sam - good effort on the push ups
Dawn - fab consistency

I am back on track this week and planning 6 workouts. Squat day today - upped weights, did bike intervals.... walking will be tricky tomorrow!

Have started my new contract at work so only doing 5 shifts per fortnight. Started my Masters at Uni today too so will be spending a lot more time sitting. Thankfully the new puppy is requiring walking so that should even it out. Busy times but hoping the less work should enable the 6 workouts most weeks.