I am on stage 3 now!!! :drinker: :drinker: I started on Sat. I did B today. I am working out at home, no barbell, no bench. I couldnt do the back extensions so I only did the cobra at the end. Also instead of the pulldown I am doing bent over lateral raises with dumbbells. Any other suggestions? I am loving the glutes exercises as well. The YTWL is challenging!!! I am doing it over my ball and using 3 lb DB. I am planning on doing 3 workouts a week and extending it through the first week in April. I am going on a week long cruise on Easter so that will be my break between stages 3 & 4.

agthorn, I was just reading your last post on Bstats, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didnt know we could add weight to our single leg squats...will try next time.

Have a great day!!! :flowerforyou:

Workout A1, stage 3, done! Now, I admit, I only did 75 second planks for the 2nd and 3rd set....I didn't realize that I had to do 3 SETS of the planks/wood-chops, so that caught me off-guard. And, I was already time-crunched for the body matrix.

BTW - anyone willing to confess that they DIDN'T wait "2 x the time it took you to do body matrix" before you did your second set? I waited the SAME amount of time that it took me to do it, which was 4:48. I'm sure, as my time decreases, I'd *love* to wait double, but for now, because my times suck, I just can't wait 10 MINUTES in between sets!

I feel pretty good about my form on everything. My worst "form" is probably on the BB deadlift - row. I have to REALLY concentrate to make my middle back work....otherwise, my shoulders and biceps really want to take over on the row.

And, I guess I'd better get a spotter for my DB incline bench press....I'm at 30 lb DB and it's getting to the point where hoisting them up is gonna hurt me.

Was brave enough to do A1 today, having given my shoulder a good rest and lots of treatments. Don't feel I'm lifting heavy enough yet after workouts I feel like I have (in you know what I mean?) Certainly not lifting as heavy as some of you. Body matrix I couldn't even do the jumping sets, my quads were screaming at me from doing just the 12 lunges per leg, and 24 squatting. I tried a jump squat but had no energy to even jump.!!!!! I'm not worrying as when I began at Stage one I couldn't even do a full squat with bodyweight and had to squat to a chair, so I know this area is weak. Will try to progress gradually onto jumpy ones.

Planks can still only do 60 secs, so will try 70 seconds next time and build up.

Had to completely skip one-arm dumbbell snatch because of above injury so not a good start!!

Bench press only 3 kg dumbbells because of said injury :grumble: :grumble: Wood chop 8kg because of injury :grumble: :grumble:

Dumb bell single leg 3kg (still struggle to balance on weaker leg!!!) so will keep at this weight another week.

Question - did you add weights to your barbells for barbell bent over? I don't have a really long bar so I added 7kg but still felt it could be heavier.

On the whole enjoyed the routine, especially the matrix and looking forward to improving on that.

I also kept my rest periods to 60 secs between sets to cut down time, and like you beeps only rested for 2.5 mins (same time it took me to do first part of matrix) and not 5 mins.

Starting today... Woot woot.

I think the way you did it was fine, chawn. Sounds very similar to my approach.

I did Workout B today. It took me about 68-70 minutes. I did super-set my abs....but, it also took me LONGER to do the YTWL and it took me LONGER to set up other things (like the BB deadlift/row) than I had anticipated.

I must confess that I jumped up to 10 lb DB for the YTWL and that was a *real* challenge. Last time, with my trainer, I used 8 lbs. And, of course, there isn't a 9 lb. DB....nor were the 8's even around! So, I toughed it out, but the last set, in particular, I had to break it up to 3 and 3 because I had to stretch out my shoulders in the middle!

I have read through this thread and MOST previous posters suggested they liked workout A better than B. But, for me, they are *so* different, it isn't even funny. In this stage, in particular, it really feels like workout A is dedicated to lower body and workout B is dedicated to upper body. And, I LOVE that SHOULDERS are finally being incorporated (to a stronger degree) in this stage.

I have good muscular build in my shoulders - so THAT is something I can show-off rather quickly. (vs, say, my legs/glutes where I still have to hide 'em).

I finished all of WOA last night, even the body matrix - It took me 75 minutes. Boy can I feel it today! But in my shoulders and upper back? Must have been the row and the wood chop. I'm still not completely comfortable with the dumbbell snatch - I've watched like 10 different videos of it on youtube and everyone does it different. I just try not to over-think it and act like I've been doing it for years. I'm trying to do it like this woman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRA_8jrlT3U (but not with 60 lbs, I'm using 25lbs) Is this how we are supposed to do it? Also I can't tell from the video, but with the weight I'm kind of tilted to the side during the exercise. (with my shoulders) Is that normal?
BTW - I did way better on the body matrix this time, first set was 3:05, second was 3:20 (my first time they were both over 5 minutes). And I did not let myself cheat on the jump lunges and squats!
Oh and another thing I love about this program is how easily I fall asleep and stay asleep at night on the days I lift.

So wasn't in the mood this morning, but still carried on. Didn't feel it went well at all, but now looking back I realised I managed 2 x 70 sec planks and 1 x 60 sec. So slightly longer than last time. Also managed 4 jumpy lunges in matrix which was also extra from last time. No not all bad. Off to treat ice hockey team now, so back on tomorrow.

Hi Everyone, so glad to finally post here

I started stage 3 after a three week hiatis; One week "rest week"/Second week I was sick/And third week I had a course to attend and still felt a bit sick.

After such a long break I was a bit apprehensive about returning, but actually really enjoyed it! I already knew that this stage took too long for me to be able to do each workout all in one go (I am restricted to going in my lunch break) so tomorrow will be abs and body matrix. Even if I only get in two complete workouts a week, at least I'm plugging away at it.

The one-armed snatch I found quite fun - almost easy. Although I kept forgetting to bend/squat at the end of the move and would still be up on my tippytoes. I did sets of 8kg, 9kg and 10kg, I guess I need to go heavier again next time, but the dumbbells start getting huge and arkward after 10kg at my gym.

The exercise I struggled with was the overhead squat. Maybe my weights were too heavy (4 & 8 kg)? I was trying to keep my shoulders square, but a couldn't manage to hold my bottom arm out the way she does in the picture, and my top arm kept coming forward. Is it supposed to work your shoulders? Or are you supposed to hold your arm right back so it is just balancing there??

Oh, BTW, I am now 10 weeks pregnant :happy: , so part of my long break was due to general (first trimester) exhustion. . .

Well, first, silver - congrats on the baby-making!! That's quite exciting!!

And, I'd like some answers about the overhead squat, too. I do feel my arm coming forward as I squat - which I think is a matter of balance....as I push my butt back into the squat, there's going to be a counter-movement, for sure. So, I'm not worried about my form, but it might be true that it should be more of a "balance" to keep arm back behind head. I soldier on....

Hi Dark! Glad you are joining! I quite like Stage 3, actually. The exercise that I am *least* excited about is the one-armed snatch....it feels pretty foreign. And, since I've injured my left upper back/shoulder/neck region, I'm replacing it with a back squat until further notice. I have watched a LOT of videos on this move and I just KNOW I'm not getting deep enough into my squat and then powering up. I know LOTS of people don't like the body matrix, but I REALLY like it. I find it UBER-challenging, but I also find that it works my glutes and all I've ever wanted is for my glutes to friggin do THEIR job and start firing. So, this exercise excites me!

Just did WO1A yesterday and I must say I am already loving stage 3! The body matrix definitely kicked my *kitten* though! My quads were burning half way through! Call me crazy, but I love that feeling ... makes me feel like I'm really working hard and making progress.

My focus during this stage is really going to be on lifting at my max... Some of the moves I felt like I could do sets of 8 or 10 so I know I could have used more weight - its just tough when all the heavier dumbbells are being used!

Looking forward to WO 1B tomorrow! :drinker: