Stage 1

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  • loricolwill
    loricolwill Posts: 189 Member
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    I completed B1 today and did a much better job at choosing my starting weight than I did with workout A. I completed all the reps but the last few were a struggle. The only thing I found particularly easy were the Swiss ball crunches. So my question for B2 is, do I increase the reps or add a weight?

    Overall, the workout was a challenge and it felt good completing it, but I can already tell that I'll be cursing it tomorrow. :-)
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    Just completed workout 1A. I must have done something wrong because it only took me about 20 minutes. I will up the weights next time because I was barely sweating when I was done.
  • realrayne10
    realrayne10 Posts: 388 Member
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    Done with Stage 1!

    Squats 45lbs -> 110lbs
    Rows 40lbs -> 115lbs
    pushups 30 degrees -> floor
    step up 10lbs -> 30lbs

    deadlifft 45lbs -> 105lbs
    press 10lbs -> 15lbs (15s got easy, but I could not get the 20s up on my shoulder)
    lat pull 20lbs -> 60lbs
    lunge 10lbs -> 60lbs (barbell)
    crunch BW -> 10# ball over head

    All in all, I am satisfied with everything except the shoulder press. I did not progress as much as I would have liked. And the ab work was lacking for me, I ended up doing extra crunches at the end of most workouts.

    Measurements to follow before I start Stage 2 next Tuesday.
  • nickm21
    nickm21 Posts: 254 Member
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    I completed B1 today and did a much better job at choosing my starting weight than I did with workout A. I completed all the reps but the last few were a struggle. The only thing I found particularly easy were the Swiss ball crunches. So my question for B2 is, do I increase the reps or add a weight?

    From what I've seen other places, add a weight. Hold it on your chest and if thats to easy hold a dumbell above your head
  • nickm21
    nickm21 Posts: 254 Member
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    Peeew. I just did 3A...

    What's the best way to ramp up the jacknife? I have my lower legs mostly straight at this point and butt in the sky, so I think shortly I'll require a more advanced one to make them hard enough. Right now, getting those legs straight at the top of the pike is enough.. but it wont be in a minute.

    I'm sorry for asking questions every day. I really like Stage One. I hope the other stages are as delicious. I'm going to have to peek ahead just to confirm it will be the best ever

    squats 55
    rows 85
    step ups 50
    push ups - counter height.

    Also, these push ups were rough. I suck at them, really bad. Man, I FEEL GOOD THOUGH. NROL! NROL. *chants, squats, cheers*

    Hi Funbun someone posted this link on one of the other pages that might help challenge you with your jack knives.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6q7k_D6DGQ&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=2&feature=plpp_video
  • katlynx6
    katlynx6 Posts: 68
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    realrayne - great job finishing Stage 1! Your numbers are awesome! I'm ALMOST halfway through Stage 1 and I have a feeling I won't be able to add much weight for the shoulder presses either... I've started at 10, and even for the decrease in reps for my 3B workout tomorrow I don't know that I'll be able to add any weight. I tried doing 15 lbs and I think I got through about 2 reps!

    nickm - thanks for that video! I was doing the pike jackknives and not really finding them to be enough of a challenge and I think the way he does them in that video (with the ball starting closer to his knees) will be a good way to add some challenge.

    My 3A numbers:
    Squat: 70 lbs
    Push ups: T push-ups with BW. I don't find the actual 'push-up' part to be super hard with these, but rather maintaing my balance while I turn onto one hand. I've fallen over a couple times! So I have to do them really slow which is quite hard haha.
    DB Rows: 18.5 lb DBs
    Step-ups: 28.5 lb DBs. I really need to find a higher step at home for these, but I'm so short that almost everything is TOO high! lol
    Pike jackknives: 10

    I think that after I'm done with 4A and 4B I will start doing my workouts at the gym instead of at home. Since I'm starting to up my weights I need more options & supervision! Haha. I'm looking foward to my B workout tomorrow - for some unknown reason I just prefer the B workouts. Hope you all are well!
  • cpa8198
    cpa8198 Posts: 154 Member
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    Haven't made an update all week...
    Finished A3 (M) and B3 (W) ... planning on A4 tomorrow and B4 on Sunday.

    Push-ups with elbows in are killing me... I'm still on the bench.... maybe I'll try a set on the floor (or part of a set) tomorrow.
    Prone JK are challenging so I've been adding two reps per workout... so I'm at 12 instead 10...

    Lat pulldowns are up to 60, but very difficult by the 7th rep... so I'll probably keep 60 for the next workout (esp since the next wgt is 70-yikes!)
    Ball crunch - 20 reps w/ 15lb db overhead

    Everything else is going well... steadily increasing weight!
  • Lysandra81
    Lysandra81 Posts: 18 Member
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    Hey all,

    I just started Stage 1 - 1A today. I have definitely chosen not enough weight. So will start with more on 1B straight away.

    However, I can see running into trouble as the gym I go to (a hotel one) doesn't have an olympic bar and dumbells just up to 25kg each. :(

    Guess I will have to start looking around for a nice gym with a good free weight section.
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
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    Officially finished stage 1!



    Squats: body weight and 5lb dbs>>> 45lb bar
    Push ups: on the door frame >>> on my 3rd step of stairs
    Bent row: 8lb dbs>>> 17.5lb dbs or cable row 37.5 lbs
    Step ups: 2 risers and 8lb dbs>>> 4 risers 15lb dbs
    Prone jackknife: kept rolling off the ball>>> no problems

    Deadlifts: 10lb standard bar (switched to RDLs in w/o 4) >>> RDLs 85lbs
    Shoulder press: 5lb dbs >>>15lb dbs
    Pullover: 10lb standard bar >>> lat pull down 62.5
    Lunges: body weight >>> 15lb dbs
    Swiss ball crunches: body weight >>> 15lb db
  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
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    Jessica, I finished stage 1 Wednesday. Are you doing the AMRAP? I think tomorrow I will do 2 sets of A & B exercises along with using my starting weights as warm ups (just to feel the difference) :happy:

    Our numbers look pretty similar.
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
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    Jessica, I finished stage 1 Wednesday. Are you doing the AMRAP? I think tomorrow I will do 2 sets of A & B exercises along with using my starting weights as warm ups (just to feel the difference) :happy:

    Our numbers look pretty similar.

    I don't think I'm going to do the AMRAP. I am supposed to take next week off, but I don't know... I only lifted twice this week, and I think it has really helped the fatigue. I'm going to stay with 2 lift days a week for a while. Hopefully, I'll be able to go back to 3 soon.
  • cpa8198
    cpa8198 Posts: 154 Member
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    Jessica/Manic --- great job and congratulations on finishing up Stage 1.
  • worthyofchange
    worthyofchange Posts: 165 Member
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    Finished 5A and finally used the Olympic bar for the squats! So glad I took the time to work up to that and practice my form. It was not too bad actually and next time I'll add a bit of weight... probably 5 lbs on each end :wink:
    I could really feel it in the top of my quads, on the outside. Will be stretching those out a lot today.
  • annamerrick
    annamerrick Posts: 78 Member
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    So I did 5A today. When I was getting the weights ready for my squats I accidentally looked at my B workout log (at the deadlifts, 105 lbs) instead of my A workout log (squats, 75 lbs) and I squatted 105 lbs 3x10 today! I figured it out after I was done with all three sets.... I was wondering why it felt SO incredibly difficult!
  • Kooopons
    Kooopons Posts: 167 Member
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    Great job to those who finished!

    I did workout 3B today

    Barbell dead lift 65lbs (need to get more plates!)
    shoulder press 15lbs
    have to modify on the bench with a pullover for the lat and did 10lb barbells in each hand
    lunges 12lb barbells
    abs- added a 20lb weight to my chest. I'm going to try overhead next time.
  • loricolwill
    loricolwill Posts: 189 Member
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    Completed A2 today. Did a much better job at getting to the right weight? It was much more challenging than the first time. I did forget to alternate the push-ups with the seated rows so I needed up doing both sets of push-ups and then my rows. I kept the weight the same on my squats and concentrated on getting my legs as close to parallel as possible. It was definitely a challenge. Increased weight on everything else.

    So I need a good routine of streching afterwards, but I'm kind of at a loss. Any suggestions?
  • mamareese
    mamareese Posts: 1,573 Member
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    Hey all! I'm new to the group. Started NROL on 4-21. Finished S1W3B yesterday. I love it (so far!). I try to add in a little HIIT or SMALL amount of cardio or walking on days I'm feeling it. But if my body says rest, rest I do. Upped my calorie from 1540 to 1720 when I started. Though the scale sucks and shows a major gain since 4/21/12- I feel great and I'm enjoying the program. So I'm staying the course and keeping at it.

    Tomorrow will be S1W4A and I'm looking forward to the squats baby!!
  • dandelion39
    dandelion39 Posts: 514 Member
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    Hi Ladies,
    Well, I was hoping to do one more B workout (instead of AMRAPs I did an extra A, then wanted to do an extra B) but I had a cortisone shot in my foot...which put me into a forced rest week. So, guess I won't do that last B, and will just rest, then start Stage 2 as soon as my foot feels better. Hopefully soon! Thought I'd post my results:

    A
    Squat: 65 lbs. > 110 lbs.
    Push-up Step plus three risers > floor
    Seated Row: 40 lbs. > 75 lbs.
    Step-up: 15 lb. dumbell > 27.5 lbs.
    Prone jacknife: More of a pull-in > good form

    B
    Deadlift: 85 > 115 lbs.
    Dumbell shoulder presses: 10 lbs. > 15 lbs. (shoulder injury)
    Wide-grip pulldown: 50 lbs. > 70 lbs.
    Lunge: 15 lbs. > 27.5 lbs.
    Swiss ball: 25 lb. plate on chest > 12 lb. medicine ball over head

    During this phase, I lost 2 lbs and several inches. I ate 1550 cals plus exercise cals throughout, and the only cardio I did was a 10 minute elliptical warmup and around 20 minutes on the stationary bike afterward lifting--sometimes Tabatas. Occasionally, I'd throw in a walk, but not often. In Stage 2, I'm hoping to add a little more cardio. See you there!
  • cpa8198
    cpa8198 Posts: 154 Member
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    Hi everyone...
    Complete A4 last night.

    Tried going to the floor with elbows in... could only complete 6 on the first set and 3 on the 2nd set. Adjusted elbows out for the rest. I'll take it back to the bench for A5.
  • cpa8198
    cpa8198 Posts: 154 Member
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    B4 yesterday... shoulders super sore today. I had to do my shoulder press sets in a row because MuscleMan was hogging the lat machine. I had to find another lat machine for that set... not quite the same, but it had to do.

    It was quite comical to watch MuscleMan "lift" the weights he had set... he had to literally lie all the way to get the weights up.