Stage 1
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For step-ups and lunges I do the full set of reps on one leg, then the other (so, 12 lunges on the right, then 12 on the left; 12 step-ups on the right, then 12 on the left; rinse, repeat).
I guess it is later in the day that I get really tired...
Just bought some gloves. There were so many kinds to choose from! Hope they help.0 -
Checking in, I completed workout 3A today. My weight progress:
Squats: Olympic bar + 30lb
Seated row: 55lbs
Push ups: Somewhere between 45 and 30 degree angle, I do them on the oly bar in the squat cage, and move the bar down a peg or two with each new workout. Right now i'm at peg 6 from the ground.
Step ups: 2x12.5 dumbells. Took it light due to sore buns from 2B's lunges
Prone Jacks: two sets of 10. Going from 8 to 10 reps was harder than I thought!
I am trying to figure out what the olympic bar I use weighs, it's in the women's section so it might be the "women's version", but the bucketheads who work at my gym are useless so I'm still waiting to find out how much it is.
For stepups and lunges, I do the full 12 reps for one leg then switch, I find they feel endless doing all 24 reps alternating.0 -
I hesitate to share my lifts only because I know that we are all progressing according to our own strengths and when we start sharing our weights, it might bring out a competitive spirit. However, sometimes I feel really lazy when I read what some gals are lifting and that motivates me to push harder. I fully believe what Lou wrote in the book about women greatly underestimating their strength (at least when getting started) and going for lighter weights. Anyway - I started NROL on 3/12/12 after having taken 5 weeks off to nurse an injury in my right traps. I had been doing CLX (just started a 2nd round) when I hurt it - who knows what I did but I was trying to keep up with her weights and well, that apparently wasn't good for me at the time.
I take a full two days off after lifting usually because of our schedule - so that I'm working out one day, resting two days, then working out on the third day. So most weeks I get in 3 workouts...but it might be slightly slower than what the program dictates (workout, rest one day, workout next day). I don't do any cardio right now (I'm busy enough running around most days) other than a 10-20 min walk/run to warm-up.
Anyways...here is what I'm currently working with - I just finished 5B today. I'm loving the 3 sets now, feeling like I'm getting a good workout when I'm done!
5A:
Squat - 75 lb (I push for ATG)
Push-ups - 30 degree angle (I think? I'm doing them off a smith machine bar and just keep lowering my holes)
Seated row - 87 lbs (80 + my bar weighs 7 lbs)
Step-ups: 25 DBs in each hand, using a square "step" with all the risers
Prone jackknife - as written
5B:
Deadlifts - 105 lb
DB shoulder press - 20 DB each hand, but on 2nd/3rd sets I used the Oly barbell (45 lb)
Wide-grip lat pulldown - 83 lbs (70+ my bar weighs 13 lbs)
Lunge - 20 lb DBs each hand
Swissball crunch - as written (should probably add some weight to this?)
I don't think my starting weights are worthy of posting simply because I chose lighter weights since I was just returning from that 5 week hiatus (no exercise at all) and wasn't willing to risk further injury. But at any rate - here is what I started at:
A:
Squat - Oly BB (45 lb)
Push-up: 60 degree angle
Seated row: 47 lbs
Step-up: 10-15 lb DB each hand, full risers
Prone jack: as written (and boy that first time doing them was HARD, LOL, they got really easy though come the second day)
B:
Deads - 55 lb first set, 75 lb second set
DB shoulder press - 15 DB each hand
Wide-grip pulldown - 63 lbs
Lunge: 15 lb DB each hand
Swissball - as written
I think workout B is harder than A...probably because it takes me longer and lunges and I do not get along. Hate them...but I know they are the ticket to a nice booty so I'm grinning and bearing it. :grumble:
Goals for this program - to be able to deadlift my weight, do a pull-up or chin-up or pull anything on my body UP, tighten up my lower half, flatten out my tummy, lift up my butt, get down to a size 6, run for president, and rule the world. There. That's all entirely possible, yes? ;o) Oh wait, only if I eat enough...that's right. *snicker*
So if you read this far - I would love more serious (and encouraging!!) NROL friends. Some times I need a kick in the pants and I like people who will interact with me on MFP. I like to have fun and I'm a bit sarcastic - so if you think you'd be a good fit after reading my profile, send me a FR (and don't forget that damned message, hahahah!). :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:0 -
@ cloudbstr-does your gym have a scale? you could just weight yourself holding it and not holding it to get the weight.
Well I made it through a set of 8 on the floor push ups yesterday! I really upped my weights for 7A so I'm not sure I'm going to be able to up them again for my last A workout but looking at my numbers I think I've made pretty good progress. I'll put up my final numbers once I'm done with them all. Like a lot of others I think I may have started too low on my weights but I think I will do the extra workouts anyways and then take a week off before starting stage 2.0 -
Well finished 8A today. I'm not going to do AMRAP because reading Alwyn's blog it was put in to show women they aren't lifting enough. Not for any other reason. So I'll finish on Tuesday and have my week gap
Squat - 20kg/44lb
Push Up - started on knees.
Seated Row - 19kg/41lb
Step Up - 5kg/11lb
Prone Jackknife - started with knees on ball
Squat - 50kg/110lb
Push Up - was able to do two in a row on the floor. Rest on weight bench. Not sure if technique is right but I'm trying!
Seated Row - 45kg/99lb
Step Up - 14kg/30lbs
Prone Jackknife - thighs on ball. The last set was SO HARD today. I've struggled with them since going to 15 not sure why. No more though, woohoo!0 -
Looking for some suggestions....
I'm starting 2A tomorrow and would like to add some weight to my squats. I'm not able to use an oly bar because we don't have a rack that will hold it to the necessary height for me to get it up on my shoulders. SO what else can I use? I have access to medicine balls and kettle bells. WHich do you think would be better? (the bells have higher weights)0 -
Looking for some suggestions....
I'm starting 2A tomorrow and would like to add some weight to my squats. I'm not able to use an oly bar because we don't have a rack that will hold it to the necessary height for me to get it up on my shoulders. SO what else can I use? I have access to medicine balls and kettle bells. WHich do you think would be better? (the bells have higher weights)
I use the bells because of the heavier weight.0 -
whatever you use, you need to be able to lift the weight to shoulder height otherwise you're just doing a deadlift.
other than that, i'd say get a new gym...eventually you will need an oly bar and a rack, otherwise your lower body strength is going to limited by your upper body strength.0 -
OH, I used the hex bar last week with the squat. That is like a deadlift?0
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Starting Stage 1 today. I've integrated the JEFIT app on my iPad for tracking the workouts, I think that'll be great!0
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whatever you use, you need to be able to lift the weight to shoulder height otherwise you're just doing a deadlift.
That's what I needed to know. Thanks!0 -
I'm officially moving up to Stage 2 this week! I'm thinking that I'm going to pass on doing the AMRAPs. I've really increased my weights since the start (see the previous post on my Stage 1 progress) and I don't feel like I would get much out of it. I've had 5 full rest days without lifting, so I'm planning to do Stage 2, Workout 1A tonight. My family was quite impressed when I went home this weekend and demonstrated some pushups for them, haha. My mom noticed my waist was smaller, although the dress I wore for Easter was still tight. I bought it last summer when I was at my smallest (147 lbs, not eating much and doing lots of cardio). Hopefully by summer it will fit properly again. My sister had a fun time zipping it up! hahaha0
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Did B2 today.
55lb deadlift
15lb (each hand) shoulder press
60lb lat pulldown
20lb dumbbells in each hand lunges
bw swiss ball crunches
and I did 3 sets of each 15 reps. feels great after all the crap i ate this weekend!0 -
So it's officially been a month since I started NROLW. Workout 7B is tomorrow and I'm excited to start Stage 2 next week!!
I started the program at 151 lbs, went up to 152.7, got all the way down to 149.9 and today I'm back up to 151.5 (probably because of a horrible weekend). I've been eating pretty consistently around 2200 calories (5 days a week - cuz I'm starving!) even though my calculated calories I should be eating are 1803 and 2060 for nonworkout and workout days. Weekends are even higher because I'm very bad at tracking weekends - with 3 boys playing all kinds of sports (1 is still too young to play) we are all over the place and planning sometimes goes out the window. I haven't measured yet (waiting until I finish Stage 1) and my body looks exactly the same to me, but I can tell you that my clothes are fitting much better and I'm starting to see more muscles in my arms.
I'm trying to let go of the scale weight (though I'd still like to lose at least 10 lbs) and just focus on how my body is changing. I'm really going to try to not weigh myself for the rest of the month. Today I had to for a challenge that I'm in. May 3rd is going to be my next weigh in date (for another challenge I'm in). I'm a daily weigher, so this is going to be VERY HARD!!!!!0 -
3B completed (total of 6 workouts) I increased weights from the last time around on each exercise.
Dead lift first rep 65 pounds and then increased to 70
Dumbbell shoulder press 3 pounds (yes wimpy but due to nerve damage can't do much more but I'm trying. I want to get it strengthened)
Lat pull down 60 pounds
lunges 20 pounds
swiss ball crunch 15 and 20
next time I'll add a plate to the crunch.0 -
5B today. (really should have been 5A today, but my friend missed a day, so I just did B with her).
I do squats in place of lunges bc lunges HURT!
SQUAT: 75#, 85#, 85# (just learned I had only been doing 1/2 or 3/4 squats, so dropped a bit of weight and went ALL THE WAY DOWN today --whew!
DEADLIFT: 65#, 70#, 75#
SWISS BALL CRUNCHES: 3 x 12#
DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS: 3 X 15#
WIDE GAP LAT PULL-DOWN: 3 x 50#0 -
Ok so I know that I am only 4 workouts (stage 1 workout B2 completed today) into this program but i SWEAR when I am walking my butt feels different! it doesn't look different, just feels different (in a good way) Now I know that this is probably just something in my head but I am going with it as it makes me that more excited to keep going. :laugh:0
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I'm trying to let go of the scale weight (though I'd still like to lose at least 10 lbs) and just focus on how my body is changing. I'm really going to try to not weigh myself for the rest of the month. Today I had to for a challenge that I'm in. May 3rd is going to be my next weigh in date (for another challenge I'm in). I'm a daily weigher, so this is going to be VERY HARD!!!!!
I'm with you, I'm trying to wean myself off of the scale. Not completely but less often. Right now I usually weigh myself twice a week, occasionally another time. I want to just do it every other week or so. I also bought a body fat monitor so I am more interested in that. I know it's not 100% accurate but as long as I start to see the number go down I don't care if it's exactly my true body fat.
I did 8A last night, almost done with stage 1. My victory yesterday was doing all REAL pushups!!! I had been doing some real, and some on my knees, improving a little each time. Well I finally was able to do 3 sets of 8 and not 1 on my knees.
I am not going to do the special workouts, I am just going to repeat 8A & B one more time and then will take a week off. I am going camping April 20-23 so it works out that my break will be during then and I will start stage 2 on the 24th. On my week off I plan to just do cardio, abs and probably some pushups to keep up with them, but will break from the heavy lifting.0 -
Ok so I know that I am only 4 workouts (stage 1 workout B2 completed today) into this program but i SWEAR when I am walking my butt feels different! it doesn't look different, just feels different (in a good way) Now I know that this is probably just something in my head but I am going with it as it makes me that more excited to keep going. :laugh:
You probably are! Congrats!
Stage 1 2B yesterday...moving on up!0 -
Only two workouts left! Finished 7B today
Deadlift - 105 lbs
Overhead press - 65 lbs (oly bar)
Lat pulldown - 65 lbs (finally increased it a bit)
Lunges - 18 lbs (each hand)
Swiss ball - 10lbs overhead.
Nelski - I have a BF% tester also. It's an Omniron (sp?) hand held thing. It varies a bit every time I use it, but as long as the overall number is going down, that's all I care about.0
