NROLFW or Starting Strength?

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qtiekiki
qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Which book do you prefer? and why?

Thanks.
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  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Starting Strength is far superior. NROLFW is decent for the beginner's faze, but gets into a lot of silly stuff when you get past that.

    Stronglifts 5x5 is another good option.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    New Rules for Women caters directly to women which is nice. It addresses all of the silly hang ups women have in regards to strength training. BUT the program contains a lot of strange complicated moves once you get past phase 1. I didn't like that. Also, the nutrition section is full of a lot of nonsense (like protein based on percentage of diet, not total grams, and eating 6 times a day).

    I've never read Starting Strength but have heard good things about it. I've been doing Strong Lifts 5x5 which I think is pretty similar. I love the simple, basic compound lifts. And I don't think either program really covers anything about nutrition.
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
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    I feel like if it has to include "For Women" in the title, it will distract itself from the point of the book, which is teaching you how to start lifting.
  • MaryDreamer
    MaryDreamer Posts: 439
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    Never heard of Starting Strength gonna reserch it thanks. Already read NROLFW and enjoyed the nutritional information the most. That you can eat more calories and still lose weight as long as you stay within your macros. The formula is in the book to determine the amount of calories for you.
  • _HeathBar_
    _HeathBar_ Posts: 902 Member
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    NROLFW was a good read, but the actual workout program seemed over complicated.

    I'd go with Starting Strength or Stronglifts, they focus on the basic lifts and it's so easy to follow
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I feel like if it has to include "For Women" in the title, it will distract itself from the point of the book, which is teaching you how to start lifting.

    The book's subtitle is "Lift Like a Man"

    Both are good, I would lean towards SS, but maybe add in deadlifts over the cleans.
  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
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    BUT the program contains a lot of strange complicated moves once you get past phase 1.

    I noticed this. I'm ending Phase 1 now and intend to make some modifications to the next phase. I will credit them for getting me to get educated about strength training though! It's awesome for reforming cardio junkies.
  • kaleas
    kaleas Posts: 200
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    BUT the program contains a lot of strange complicated moves once you get past phase 1.

    I noticed this. I'm ending Phase 1 now and intend to make some modifications to the next phase. I will credit them for getting me to get educated about strength training though! It's awesome for reforming cardio junkies.

    That's my biggest problem as well now that I'm past Phase 1. I feel like i'm doing crazy yoga acrobatic weight lifting moves that are over complicated, and with just a picture and a description, it's hard to even know what I'm supposed to do. I've ended up modifying and picking and choosing the moves I can do for my own lifting workout.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Thanks. I think I will look into SS and Stronglift 5x5.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
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    I just ordered this book to come to our local Barnes and Noble. (NROLFW) Should I skip it and read SS instead? I'm a beginner!
  • Pokermom10
    Pokermom10 Posts: 78 Member
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    I just ordered this book to come to our local Barnes and Noble. (NROLFW) Should I skip it and read SS instead? I'm a beginner!

    I would at least read it. It does have good information. For an absolute beginner though, I would start the moves using just your body weight until you know you have the form OR take the book with you to a personal trainer so they can make sure you're doing them right.
  • stephl81
    stephl81 Posts: 122 Member
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    Im starting phase 3 today on NROLFW and yes the moves are complicated but after a couple of times, you get them. It really has forced me to push my limits with weight lifting and not be afraid of the squat rack where all the meat heads tend ot have their meat head meetings. Also, it doesnt make me fear calories as I once did. That calories (the proper kind) are good for building muscle. So take that MFP for setting my calorie limit for 1690 and now I can eat around 2000 and be comfortable and happy.

    Im not familiar with the other two.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    I'm a big fan of NROL4W, I've just completed the 7th stage. Even though I've worked with trainers, this helped me bedome independent in the weightroom and more confident. I didn't find the moves to be complicated, but again working with the trainers I worked with I'd performed most of them before. I haven't read SS, but found great benefit with NR. I'll probably do 5x5's for a little while, but chances are I'll return to NR for another round.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    SS will give you the most solid, detailed foundation and understanding. SL 5x5 is like a cliff's notes version.
  • brismom070897
    brismom070897 Posts: 178 Member
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    bump
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
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    New Rules for Women caters directly to women which is nice. It addresses all of the silly hang ups women have in regards to strength training. BUT the program contains a lot of strange complicated moves once you get past phase 1. I didn't like that. Also, the nutrition section is full of a lot of nonsense (like protein based on percentage of diet, not total grams, and eating 6 times a day).

    I've never read Starting Strength but have heard good things about it. I've been doing Strong Lifts 5x5 which I think is pretty similar. I love the simple, basic compound lifts. And I don't think either program really covers anything about nutrition.

    This x 11ty billion.
  • verdammtwenig
    verdammtwenig Posts: 48
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    Bought starting strength a few months ago. Tried reading it for about a week, and there's a lot of stuff in the first chapter alone that I really couldn't wrap my head around. I don't know much of anything about the anatomy of the human body, and it wasn't very good at explaining it, in my opinion.

    Edit: Also, I'm not stupid. I think if I spent time on wikipedia, I could get a better understanding of what the book is talking about, but it's rather annoying, as a beginner, to have to sit with the book on wikipedia and figure out what the hell he's talking about.
  • LauraSmyth28
    LauraSmyth28 Posts: 399 Member
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    I've just stumbled on this thread about 10 minutes AFTER I ordered NROLFW.

    Of *course* I did. :embarassed:
  • JohnnytheGeek
    JohnnytheGeek Posts: 5 Member
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    There's also a Startng Strength DVD that's very good, although some of teaching methods, especially the press, have changed a little in the book's 3rd edition. This can help get around studying the details in the book, although I'd recommend both. For me, I've enjoyed learning the anatomy details in the book.

    I've paged through the NROLFW book to see if it would be something my wife would be interested in and there's relatively little details on form. I would get starting strength regardless if you plan on following NROLFW. If you have a Kindle, it's $9.99. It is a great reference for lift form for the major compound lifts and WHY the prescribed form is necessary. For example, 40+ pages just on the squat.

    Now as far as programming goes, the starting strength approach is for the beginner to exploit the "novice effect" to gain as much strength as possible in the shortest amount of time by adding weight each session. To be successful, you have to EAT and SLEEP and not get freaked out about weight gain. There's great support on the Starting Strength web site and forum.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    Which book do you prefer? and why?

    Thanks.

    Starting Strength for sure. You don't need a "woman" specific book. A man's hamstring works the same way of female's hamstring works and so on.

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