STARTING NROL STAGE 1 ON MONDAY

388gigi
388gigi Posts: 485 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Would love some MFP friends who have just started, about to start, well into it, or finished! :-)

Would also love to know from people who are already doing NROL - what does your weekly workout schedule look like? And how has the program worked (or not) for you?

I'm definitely not stopping cardio, I think it's important to have balance, with everything in life!

The reason I am even trying out NROL is because it is not too dissimilar to what I am already doing. The main values towards food and nutrition is the same as what I have been trying to do with MFP. The program also encourages high intensity interval cardio - which is also what I have been doing anyway.

I think the only real difference is that I will now be resting when lifting weights (have previously been doing super sets) and I'll be aiming to increase weights quicker!

The other difference is going to be that I start measuring. Ditching the scales :-)

CURRENT/OLD SCHEDULE:
5 gym sessions per week which would include:
High intensity interval training on the spin bikes, elliptical and treadmill.
Usually 2 or 3 Weight sessions (super set/cross fit type training)
And usually one of the sessions would be a lighter day, like 60 minute moderate-brisk walk on treadmill.

I also do occasional outside running, gym classes and tennis games on weekends and evenings. Depending on what's going on in life!

NEW SCHEDULE FOR STAGE 1 of NROL:
5 gym sessions =
3 x NROL workouts plus treadmill warm up and cool downs.
2 x High intensity interval sessions

plus 1-2 x running training sessions (want to beat last years time on the city to surf - 15km run in Sydney)


I've also planned out all my meals for next week, to really focus on upping my protein, which is where I have been lacking.

Excited to get into it!

Wish me luck :-)

Replies

  • wady24
    wady24 Posts: 75
    Personally I think the 2 HIIT AND running sessions might be too intense with the NROL workouts. I have been working out 3 times since this week and have no energy to do another session today so did light cardio (45-50 mins of mid pace walking)

    Your body does need some time to recover from these workouts but everybody is different and you may be just that much stronger :)

    Definitely increase your calorie intake if you are indeed planning on working out his much.

    I need to add another session of NROL somewhere but currently mine is
    2 NROLW sessions
    2 Circuit training sessions that include some weights
    1 HIIT

    I am planning on switching one of my circuit training sessions with another NROL session but I think 2 days of active rest during the week will help recover the muscles.

    Good luck! I loved this book and had major success last time. Wish I had made this a lifestyle..oh well, there is always another time and that time for me is NOW :)
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
    Yeah I agree, it does look like a lot.

    I go to the gym every work day morning, to avoid traffic and because it fits in with taking bf to train etc as we only have 1 car.

    So no matter what I'll be at the gym 5 times a week, but plan on doing the running training with my bf.

    Maybe I'll do:

    Mon - NROL
    Tue - HIIT
    Wed - NROL
    Thu - REST (Mod pace walk on Treadmill at the gym)
    Fri - NROL
    Sat - Running Training
    Sun - REST

    I'll see how I go with the first week or 2 and go from there :-)

    And yep, I'm increasing my calories. MFP had me on 1400, but I manually changed that to 1600.
    NROL says I should be 2000, plus 300 on workout days.
    I'm going to up it to 1800 and eat back my exercise calories.

    :-)
  • tlhorsley
    tlhorsley Posts: 141 Member
    I thought in the beginning I would add my own cardio stuff too. But then I realized after I lifted my legs were shot and I had nothing else left in me (granted I am in week 3 so this may change and I do believe as the program progresses he does add in some HIIT)

    If you want to truly do New Rules make it your priority and listen to your body, it might be that your body can't handle all of that cardio on top of the heavy lifting -especially in the beginning. Maybe you could read a book while at the gym in the mornings if you have to be there.

    Happy Lifting!
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 959 Member
    Are you doing New Rules of Lifting, or New Rules of Lifting for Women? The programs are different. If you're doing NROLFW....

    Skip the HIIT and if you must do something, just do moderate cardio on the in-between days. If you do it right, Stage One will kick your butt really hard all on its own... LOL My own experience with Stage One is that when I did make the mistake of going to a circuit class on a rest day, it messed me up completely and I had to take two extra days off for being SO incredibly sore.

    When you get to Stage Two, HIIT is part of the workout already, if there's enough left of you to do it after the rest of the workout!

    For calories, I'm at 1832 on a normal day and 2116 on a lifting day. Which through Stage One actually almost worked out if I just set my goal at 1832 and allowed for exercise calories. Having said that, Stage Two, Workout B, which I did last night, registered at over 600 calories on my HRM. I still stayed at 2116.

    Now one change I DID make in Stage One is, I found the ab work really lacking (I was previously doing full situps). So instead of doing regular swiss ball crunches I tried holding weight, and extending my arms... finally just decided to toss the ball crunches and did situps and leg raises instead.
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
    I don't have to be at the gym, I could just go to work at 6:20 in the morning...but no thanks! haha :-)

    I am currently doing weights with super sets and cardio and I love it, so I'm sure I'll be fine. But I'll definitely be listening to my body and doing whatever it tells me to do!

    This morning I did:

    5 assisted chin ups
    5 girl push ups
    10 squats
    Every minute, on the minute, for 11 minutes, as fast as i could. So I had about 12 seconds rest before each minute was up. (was only meant to do 10 but accidentally did an extra one!) I then did 20 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical, then 20 minute cool down walk on the treadmill. This type of training works well for me. Its quick, and not boring!

    With the new NROL plan, I'll only be doing the HIIT one day a week on the on a day that I'm NOT lifting. So I think it will be good. Just going to have to wait and see I guess. I'm just going to *kitten* how the first week or 2 go and go from there :-)

    Thanks for your feedback ladies! :-)
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
    Are you doing New Rules of Lifting, or New Rules of Lifting for Women? The programs are different. If you're doing NROLFW....

    Skip the HIIT and if you must do something, just do moderate cardio on the in-between days. If you do it right, Stage One will kick your butt really hard all on its own... LOL My own experience with Stage One is that when I did make the mistake of going to a circuit class on a rest day, it messed me up completely and I had to take two extra days off for being SO incredibly sore.

    Awesome, thanks for you advice!! Hmmm, looks like everyone is saying not do to HIIT in stage 1.

    I'm going to try it the first week and see how I go, because I love it. I'll keep you all posted!!!

    I'm getting an HRM next week, can't wait! I haven't actually looked at the workouts yet, will have a good read over the weekend before I start on Monday!

    :-)
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
    ps. I'm doing NRoLfW :)
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I'm starting on Saturday! Add me if you are too :smile:

    I'd like some friends that are doing the same program at the same time as me!
  • kayleeblue
    kayleeblue Posts: 273
    Hey Ladies..just bought the book NROLFW..haven't gotten to far into it yet but working on it. Was wondering what your starting weights were for lifting? I lifted when I was in school 28 years ago, and was wondering what helped you determine your starting lift weights.. Good Luck fellow lifters.
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
    I bought the Kindle version of the book, which was kind of hard to sort through, so I recently got a copy from my library so I could see everything in hard copy. I'm still familiarizing myself with the workouts--I feel overwhelmed so not sure when I'll finally start :smile:
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Hey Ladies..just bought the book NROLFW..haven't gotten to far into it yet but working on it. Was wondering what your starting weights were for lifting? I lifted when I was in school 28 years ago, and was wondering what helped you determine your starting lift weights.. Good Luck fellow lifters.

    I haven't started yet but I'm going to kind of play around with it at first. If it is too light, I will add. I used to lift VERY heavy for a girl. I was one of the strongest girls on my college swim team, I would squat 185 and bench 135, so I know it will be a little demoralizing to see myself lift so much less. I just hope I'm anywhere near that :smile:
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 959 Member
    Hey Ladies..just bought the book NROLFW..haven't gotten to far into it yet but working on it. Was wondering what your starting weights were for lifting? I lifted when I was in school 28 years ago, and was wondering what helped you determine your starting lift weights.. Good Luck fellow lifters.

    Just looked it up...

    Squat 40lb
    Seated Row 70lb
    Step Ups 30lb (2x 15lb dumbbells)
    Deadlift 65lb
    Shoulder Press 7lb dumbbells
    Lat Pulldown 75lb
    Lunge 20lb (2x 10lb dumbbells)

    At the end of Stage One I made it up to 80lb for squats, 135lb for deadlifts, which made me quite giddy. LOL
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
    Just looked it up...

    Squat 40lb
    Seated Row 70lb
    Step Ups 30lb (2x 15lb dumbbells)
    Deadlift 65lb
    Shoulder Press 7lb dumbbells
    Lat Pulldown 75lb
    Lunge 20lb (2x 10lb dumbbells)

    At the end of Stage One I made it up to 80lb for squats, 135lb for deadlifts, which made me quite giddy. LOL

    Thanks!

    Were you lifting at all before you started NROL? (have to do the conversions to see if this will suit me!)
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
    I'm clueless as to how much weight to start with. Plus, I plan to do this at home since I despise the gym!
  • SERinDC
    SERinDC Posts: 93 Member
    I'm going to start tomorrow morning. I'm training for half marathon, 10 miler running races and triathlons....

    I know the whole go easy on the cardio recommendation, but that's not really feasible for me right now.

    I'm going to attempt doing NROLFW three days a week, but if it totally fries my legs and messed up my running then I'll cut it down to twice a week. Excited to see how this goes.

    Feel free to add me :) A few of my friends on here are starting this ASAP as well.
  • Babs0077
    Babs0077 Posts: 51 Member
    :happy: bump

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