Congrats, Bluiz and Aregensb! Let us know how you like Stage 3! I'm right behind you, with only 2-A-4 and 2-B-4 to go!

Question to all: do you completely rest on your rest weeks? I've been doing not-too-intense cardio, HIIT, and some running in between workouts and on rest weeks, depending on how I feel. I get too restless just doing yoga and stretching. Anyone have an opinion on whether this sabotages the main goal of building strength?

And I understand where you are coming from, Weightofyourskin...I think the endorphins and whatever other chemical soup the lifting creates helps with stress-reduction, which makes sleep deeper and more rejuvenating. Whatever it is, it also seem to improve things in the romance dept. <evil grin>

I am taking a break from lifting between stages 2 and 3, but that's mostly out of convenience with other stuff going on that week. I will only have one or maybe two total rest days in that week though. Actually I guess it's a little more than a week, since my last stage 2 workout will be Feb 3rd and my first stage 3 workout will be Feb 13th or 14th, but I tend to think in calendar weeks with this program.

I increased a bunch of weights in the A workout last night! 60lbs on the squat/press (+10lbs), 25lb dumbbells on the 1-point row (+5lbs), 20lb dumbbells on the static lunge (+5lbs) and 20lbs on the cable chop (+2.5lbs) :happy:

Good grief, is anyone gonna be here when I get here?? I'm doing my first Stage 2A workout on Wednesday, followed by Stage 2B next Friday....

Good grief, is anyone gonna be here when I get here?? I'm doing my first Stage 2A workout on Wednesday, followed by Stage 2B next Friday....

Well I'm kind of sad myself. Nothing really seems to be going on in the Stage 3 forum... :yawn:

But that's okay because I can come back here and chat with all of you! :flowerforyou:

Well I feel like so far, I've noticed most of a difference in my ab area and in my shoulders. The ab area I noticed after Stage 1 and the shoulders I noticed at the end of Stage 2. My ab area has shrunk quite a bit. I'm noticing that my waist is getting smaller and more curvy looking. I've also started to notice some toning in the lower abdomen. My shoulders haven't gotten huge or anything... they just look different than before. I was kind of round shouldered, and now I feel they're slightly more defined. I really need to do measurements again - I haven't done any since finishing Stage 2 on Monday.

As far as the cardio goes, HIIT isn't so bad. I probably use pretty low levels on the stationary bike (I've been starting at level 3, going up to level 5, going back to 3, going up to 6, etc.). I usually go about 15 minutes. I really dislike doing cardio so it's hard to motivate myself to step on that bike. WO B took me a long time to finish and by the end of it I often didn't feel like doing HIIT, so I did HIIT after WO A in Stage 2 a couple times. However, WO A is more tiring (imo) so I felt more fatigued doing the HIIT after that workout.

I have just read through this entire thread.

I start Stage 2, workout A, today. 2B on Friday.

I'm really glad that I read that (some of) you have had difficulty getting arms parallel in the push-press....I *do* have long, lanky arms (and legs!) and thought that was my problem. But, I'm going to try jarrett's tip on "leap of faith" and finger-tips and see if that helps.

I don't think I'll do the deadlifts any different than I did in Stage 1. I'm still having trouble getting the bar around my knees, so I still want to work on that form.

And, I'm not that excited about a bunch of crunches....kind of hoping my PT gives me some other abs to do, instead (that will give similar results)!

Work-out report: I LOVE WORK-OUT Stage 2A - I went through it with my PT (and he gave me some *extra* things to do, too!). These are my (current) comments:

1. A couple weeks back I posted about the "rock-star" lift my PT had shown me. And, basically, the push-press is the exact same idea. (Except the push-press has that wonky grip, etc.) So, *if* you have troubles wih the grip, or the balance part, my PT says to do "rock-stars" instead. They work virtually the same muscles. Alas, I did all the push-presses, instead, just to TRY and get the hand of the parallel arms, wonky grip. I really *do* think my arms are WAY too long to do it quite properly.

2. My step-ups are abysmal. I only used 10 lb. DB's. And, I was TIRED. Now, I'm on a 22" step, but still. This is definitely an area for improvement!

3. I substituted an ordinary back row for the one-point DB rows. With my sore heel, I just can't get the balance right - and I really want my mid-back strength to increase. So, for now, I'll keep doing the rows. I'll re-visit the one-point DB rows in Stage 4 and see if my balance has improved.

4. I still suck at push-ups. The first set, I'm still on a bench. My PT says, "well, let's try a wider arm spread for the 2nd set....it'll work your chest more and your triceps less". ****, he thought I'd rock those out. 2nd set, wider grip, I could only do 5!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to PUNCH him!! I'm sooooooooooooo anxious to get onto the floor and do proper push-ups and I feel even FURTHER away than I thought! Anyway, this is FOR SURE a goal by end of Stage 2. I'm gonna be on the floor for push-ups, dammit!

5. I totally suprised myself with the 60 second planks. Did 'em no problem!!??!! (I've only ever done 60 second planks, one set....thought I'd be tired in the second set, but I wasn't.)

6. And, the first set of wood-chops he only had me at 10 lbs of weight!! Really?? He moves me up to 15 lbs for the second set and I FELT THAT in my abs. Holy moly...something good is gonna come from those, I tell ya!

Yay! Great job! I'm jealous about the planks. I get so tired by the end of the workout that I have a tough time holding plank for 60 seconds. In Stage 3, we do 3 sets of 90 second planks. I was just happy that I was able to hold plank for 60 seconds three times.

Wood chops get tough too.

PS - I spent as MUCH time as I could, this weekend, just watching youtube videos on squat form and deadlift form.

I learned A LOT.

And, since this REALLY is a *lifestyle* change (for me), I CANNOT make it about trying to pump the MOST amount of weight in the SHORTEST amount of time. I HAVE to make it about using great form, each and every time, so that I can still weight-lift when I'm 105 years old!!

Yes, I'm going to *try* to increase my weight everytime, but if it doesn't happen - oh well. There's ALWAYS *next time*.

Did my last Stage 2 workout today! Here's my results:

60lb front squat/push press (started 50lbs)
60lb step ups (started 50lbs)
25lb x2 one-point row (started 15lbs)
25lb x2 static lunge (started 15lbs)
full pushups (same)
60s plank
22.5lb cable chop (started 12.5lbs)
105lb deadlift (started 110lbs but it was too much for 10 reps so I deloaded to 95lbs and then worked up again)
60lb 1-leg squat (started 50lbs)
100lb underhand lat pull-down (same, but could only do 8 reps in the second set at the beginning)
8lb x2 reverse lunge/forward reach (started 5lbs)
8lb x2 prone cuban snatch (started 5lbs)
ab superset with 7.5lb kettlebell (started 5lbs)

Taking a week off from lifting and then on to Stage 3! See you all in the next thread

I did Stage 2, A2 today. I'm back to working out on my own - and I concentrated, DEEPLY, on engaging my glutes (in the squats and the lunges, particularly).

I really *do* like the push-press. I feel like I could go heavier....but, it is true by the 10th rep, I'm pretty tired. I went NICE AND DEEP into my squat. Maybe even toooooo deep - but it's taken me sooooooooooooo long to feel confident that I'm deep enough - and it just feels SO GOOD TO ME!

I did not increase my weights on the step-ups. In concentrating on engaging that glute, I really *do* tire out by the end - and can watch my one hip just flare out to the side. tut-tut. And, for sure, with my right foot on the (20") bench, I'm cheating a little bit by pushing off with my lowered foot. So, I had to stop half-way through my second set and kind of shake off my legs and then do it, again, with proper form.

I put the smith machine down to about 20 degrees to do my push-ups. I only banged out 6-reps on the first set, but got 8-reps on the second. Sheesh. Push-ups are the thing I am MOST disappointed/depressed about.

My planks are fine. My woodchops I'm at 25 lbs., so I think they are fine. I added in some hip-raises that my PT showed me, some 'dead bugs' and finished with 10-mins of HIIT and (a little) stretching.

Done.

Hi ladies! I've been stalking this thread for a couple of days. I should have started Stage 2 2 weeks ago but I took some time off and then wanted to do 3 more workouts (of each A and on stage 1 before I moved on. I'll be on Stage 2 next week. Thanks for all the helpful posts!

Hiya, I did my first stage two workout today. It felt a bit strange after getting so confidant with stage 1, to suddenly feel so uncoordinated and unsure again.

I thought I could do the elevated lunges with the same weight I had been doing normal lunges with, but I did 2 reps and the just put those babies on the floor and did them unweighted. I might try for half that weight next time and see how I go :-)

For the step-ups I'm trying sooo hard not to push with the non-working leg, in fact I've lowered the step height from when I first started to try for better form. Does anyone have any tricks to stop yourself pushing off with that leg?

Beeps, I've been a bit disapointed with my (lack of) push-up progress too, even though I love doing them. I'm only just below crotch height with the smith machine, so you are doing much better than me :-)

Workout B2, today. Alone.

My deadlifts were pretty good. I felt them by the 9th rep, though. And I put the bar down on that 9th rep (each set). Will try and make it 10, for sure, next time.

I did the bulgarian split-squat properly (this time!), with my rear foot heel facing the ceiling. But, in now reviewing some online images of this move, I think the bench height I used was TOO LOW. Gosh darn-it, NROL4W doesn't give much help with that stuff....I used the same height bench as in the picture, in the book, but looking online, the benches are MUCH HIGHER. Hmmmmmmm......I think I'm going to try this one with a MUCH-elevated back bench, too. It's supposed to work the same muscles as a squat would, frankly....

I'm moving up in weights pretty easily on the rear lunges (with front-foot elevated). This makes me think I'm doing them wrong....are you supposed to leave your back leg relatively STRAIGHT when you go back, or is your knee supposed to graze down to the ground?? (I'm grazing my knee down to the ground.)

And, even though I super-setted the abs, I just think they are ri-DONK-ulous. As in, I had a 10lb DB over my head and the swiss ball crunches did squat. I've adapted the lateral flexions with a straight-leg and I just think there MUST be a better exercise for obliques.

And, I looked ahead to see if the prone cobra gets left in the dust....because I think it should. (I can do those all day long!) But, nope, it's in ever stage from hereon in. Okay.

BRILLIANT tip on the step-ups. For the prone cobra, I left my feet on the ground but I would put my arms out to the sides and/or straight in front of me for part of the time. I feel like it works different parts of your arm that way too (having them back is more in my triceps, while having them side/front is more shoulders).