I haven't been able to workout since my last Phase 2 workout on Saturday and it's been making me fidgety, haha. I've done 3 workouts so far, so I have my 2nd Workout B to do tomorrow I think. I rest on Sundays, but yesterday my boyfriend picked me up after work and I didn't get a workout in. Tonight he's bringing me home from work (since I don't have my car) and I'm SO tired that I really just want to relax and go to bed early tonight. I'm thinking lugging heavy weights around and doing the HIIT workout after is better on full rest.

My take so far on Phase 2 is that its definitely working my abs! And it seems to isolate my legs better (with all those one-legged exercises!) I do miss the regular squats from Phase 1 tho, I'm thinking of adding 2 sets of 8 or 10 in just to keep improving on them. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a few minutes to use the deadlift area. It's been occupied too much lately!

I find for the deadlifts, a mixed grip REALLY helped me. I also set the weight down after each rep. This lets me focus on my form and I don't worry about dropping the weight from my grip slipping.

Welcome Nelski and sounds like a plan 00trayn. I lowered my weight just a bit for the deadlifts for stage 2 also since it's a higher number of reps and a greater range of motion. I'm at 95 lbs and it seems anything over 90 I HAVE to use a switch, which I forgot the first set LOL. I am definitely feeling it in my legs today. I haven't been this sore in a LONG time. It actually feels like my glutes did something yeah for WO B!

Just started Stage 2 this week...Wowsers! My body is very off balance, due to a broken leg from a car wreck years ago....my other side compensated and my leg is actually a bit shorter, so I'm REALLY feeling awkward! Keep tipping over in the lunges and squats - did just bodyweight for the Bulgarian Split Squat. I hope to start adding weights on each workout, but I'm a little doubtful right now.

Question...I see a lot of you posting about doing HIIT after workout B, do you really mean HIIT or just intervals? I didn't think the book suggested HIIT, but maybe I need to read again. Doing intervals is not necessarily HIIT. HIIT is supposed to be REALLY intense, like pushing yourself to the max. I couldn't imagine doing that after lifting but maybe that's just me. I'm not sure I will be doing intervals with B, I'm going to alternate my days with cardio so probably won't end up doing cardio on lifting days but we'll see how I'm feeling.

I, for one, do push myself to the limit with the HIIT after workout B, to the point where my lungs are screaming to stop at the end of the minute and I couldn't possibly keep going. However, I would be embarrassed if you ever saw me as you'd probably think I was doing a nursery version compared to most people's!

I'm only doing plain old intervals, I DO NOT run. I had shin splints today just from the weak 14 minutes I did do. ANd yet I can swim, bike, zumba or step for an hour like it's nobody's business go figure.

Did A2 tonight. I pushed most of my weights up and finally was able to hold a 60 sec plank. I did have trouble with my step up though and that's a first. My grip was for crap after doing WO B and my forearms were pumping like crazy. Good workout in all though!

Welcome to those new to stage 2!!

Just finished workout B 3 -- I'm thinking of adding an extra set of workouts to Stage 2 so I'll do 5 workouts of each A & B (instead of 4). Any thoughts on that? I feel like I've really struggled with the workouts/form has been off/haven't followed the workouts right . . . . Would do a workout and then read this thread or re-read the book and realize that I was doing it wrong. Today I finally felt like I was getting it . . . . .

Deadlift question -- in Stage 1 I used a shorter, pre-weighted bar (not sure what it's called, the bar itself is bent for easier grip). Got up to 100 lbs (which is as heavy as they go) in Stage 1 and started there in Stage 2 using a step with one riser, and then 3 risers. Today I used the oly bar - 105 lbs total (first time with deadlifts!) and a step with one riser. Just because of where I was lifting and the height of the step I never actually put the bar back on the ground inbetween lifts. It kind of "rested" briefly on the top of my foot as I came down and then lifted again. It was definitely more challenging to use the oly bar, but now I'm wondering, if I don't even have to set the bar down inbetween lifts that perhaps it's too light? Maybe I don't need to be on a step and should instead just work on the deadlift itself? Also, for starting the deadlift with the oly bar -- do you have it racked low to the ground with the weights on it and then lift it out from there, set it on the ground, and then start your lift? I know I should probably get a trainer . . . . any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated!

Got my Workout 2B in! My body definitely is feeling it today, it was my first NROLFW workout since Saturday morning. My abs are sore and my thighs and butt are kinda sore from the squats that I did in place of the deadlifts. Once again, the deadlift area was occupied, but I managed to get a squat rack at least.

For the intervals at the end, I do them on the treadmill and alternate running at 6.0 or 6.5 (depending on my lungs cooperating) and walking at 3.0. I'm used to doing running intervals before this, so it works in pretty well. I just skip the 15 minutes of cardio I usually do to warm up on Workout B days. I really push myself with the speed (I'm 5'2" so 6.0+ is sprinting for me). I want it to be that after the one minute is up, I couldn't have run a second longer.

did my first stage 2 B workout today. i did it way out of order so i could take advantage of the box and ab stuff in one of the exercise rooms, and then moved to the weight room for the weighted stuff. my left leg is totally dominant and stronger, which is so weird b/c i'm right handed. does anyone else have an extreme difference in strength from left to right side?

the box deadlift feels so awkward. i only had a 10lb plate on each side, so it wasn't very high off the ground, and only one layer beneath the step, so i wasn't up that high, but i feel like anything higher would be overextending to touch the ground.

i worked in sets with some big, rather bulky boys on the pulldowns. they were pulling about 140, and were nearly twice as wide as me, and i managed 90, so that felt pretty cool.

i'm liking stage 2 but still am having trouble figuring out where my calories should be and how much or how little cardio to do on in between days. i have a pesky 5 lb nuisance i'd like to send off. hope everyone is well!

Going to start Stage 2 here pretty soon and was reading up on it. My question is, my gym doesn't have a box. Is there an alternative for the deadlifts from a box!?

@meshashesha20 - forgive me if this is a really stupid suggestion, but what about switching to dumbbells? I'm sure there are very good reasons for using a barbell, but I've done them with dumbbells from the start. Grip has been the issue for me.

I use a step too for the deadlifts. It doesn't actually need to be very high, so I think using weight plates is a good idea.