New rules of lifting for women

Commenting to see any replies. I got the book and started reading it...but haven't gotten to the actual plan part yet. I've heard you gain a little weight first when on this program, so I've delayed my start with it. I joined a Biggest Looser contest at work right after I bought the book. We get DQ'd if we have a gain 2 weeks in a row...so I didn't want to chance that yet...lol

I started exactly a month ago today. At first I thought it was easy, but it's not easy anymore. It's hard. Stick with it. It's not about burning calories at this point -- it's about creating the body that I want. If I'm worried about calories, I eat less. I worked out before the program and killed myself so yeah, at first it feels easy. But just because I felt I was killing myself didn't mean I was doing things effeciently.

I completed the first of 7 stages and I am very pleased that it got me into heavy lifting.

That being said, I have switched to stronglifts.com. It's free, and I think more effective as well as using only compound lifts instead of split routines, hence making the total time in the gym shorter.

There are groups on here for both NROL4W and stronglifts for women.

blessings.

I'm on Stage 3 and love it. It definitely gets harder as you get farther into it. And for me it got more fun. But I also love lifting weights! It's not for everybody, but give it a shot.

It's all about overall results. Invest in a tape measure, because a lot of your progress is going to be in inches not necessarily the scale. Give it a try, but stick with it through at least the first stage. See how it works for you.

I got this book from my local library, super helpful and a really nice read (especially for a 9 hour closing shift hahaha made time fly!)

one thing, i can't do some of the exercises or even their variations due to old injuries from horse back riding (namely, push-ups. absolutely no can do. it aggravates my back too much in all variations and i end up bed bound for a week). no big deal, any of the ones i liked and felt were challenging i used. so far, my muscles are sore but i feel GOOD.

loving their suggestions, loving the meal plan. some of the recipes sound amazing and EASY.

I'm a few weeks into stage one and am enjoying using the big 'man' weights. I think you'd definately have to have a gym membership to follow this program. It uses a squat rack with various weight plates, bar bells, dumb bells and a multi use pulley machine. If you get into it and find it's too easy, it may be because you aren't using heavy enough weights or if you're not a beginner just advance to another stage.

I've got the book, but don't have all the equipment (only got barbell/weights and dumbells), and I'm not ready to walk into a weight room in the gym, especially with the book!

Does angone know if stronglifts needs gym equipment, or are there any other programmes that just use weights?

You can adapt a lot of the exercises to use what you have. Not everything requires gym equipment or even a gym membership.

this is my second time doing it. the first time i wasnt really interested in weight loss. this time i am.

it's a good book regardless of your background. i wasnt new to lifting by any means, so the "go girl you can lift heavy" idea was lost on me, but it is a good program for increasing your strength since most of the movements are compound exercises

stage 1 was easier movement wise, but you get out of it what you put in. i was always pushing my weights with every set and every workout, so there's no way i can say it was easy. just to put it in perspective i started deadlifting at 75# and ended at 175# and my squats went from 85#-160# so I was all about attacking the weights for those 8 workouts.

stronglifts you need will also need oly bars and dumbbells

also as long as you're eating at a deficit, you arent going to gain anything more than water when lifting heavy. and the water gain is temporary

I've got the book, but don't have all the equipment (only got barbell/weights and dumbells), and I'm not ready to walk into a weight room in the gym, especially with the book!

Does angone know if stronglifts needs gym equipment, or are there any other programmes that just use weights?

You can adapt a lot of the exercises to use what you have. Not everything requires gym equipment or even a gym membership.

Me. I am 1/2 way through stage 3. At first it was easy as I'm not new to lifting or working out BUT it is getting harder. I also have no interest in stepping into a gym at all. I do everything from home and only use a barbell and dumbells. I modify everything that is used with equipment from a gym. It works for this stay-at-home mom.

bump

I've got the book, but don't have all the equipment (only got barbell/weights and dumbells), and I'm not ready to walk into a weight room in the gym, especially with the book!

Does angone know if stronglifts needs gym equipment, or are there any other programmes that just use weights?

stronglifts is barbells only.

Workout A:

squats 5x5
barbell row (pendlay) 5x5
benchpress 5x5

Workout B:

squats 5x5
shoulder (overhead) press 5x5
deadlifts 1x5

The goal with stronglifts is to increase by 5# each time (except deadlifts 10#). Because you are lifting 5 sets of 5 reps, you can increase your weight faster than NROL4W (it has you doing first 2 and then 3 sets of 12, 10 and 8 reps). NROL therefore can hold you back a bit on strength gain progression once you get accustomed to lifting and want to move up in weights.

The one thing that NEITHER of these programs addresses is that until you can deadlift and row 95#, if your gym does not have bumper plates, the barbell is going to be too low to the ground and cause potential injury unless you stack some plates on either side. I found it best to stack 3 25# plates on each side and cover with towels to prevent the bar from rolling until you can get to the point where you can lift the barbell loaded with 2 25# plates on it (95# total). I started both those lifts at 65#--it is very difficult to go lighter with anything resembling proper form.

Also NROL4W does not point out how important it is NOT to use a Smith Machine (fixed or 3D) -- don't use it! You can go to the stronglifts website, or even search on MFP for why not to use it, so I won't waste space here.

Even if you're not going to go with stronglifts, I highly recommend using the website for information on proper lift techniques -- there is a great video on how to properly squat (again NROL4W does not even mention the need to go parallel or below). Also there is great information on how to use the low bar position for squats (don't get a sore neck, and don't use the sissy pad), grip improvement, why NOT to use gloves, etc.

Finally, Mark Rippletoe of Starting Strength also has some great videos, and in particular, this one for proper deadlift form:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX8jgCFXYTU

Listen carefully -- he discusses how the bar needs to be at the proper height, and he mentions that Crossfit has bumper plates in order to get it there. Make sure if you don't have those bumper plate you raise it up, and be aware that pulling from the rack is a rack pull, not a deadlift.

blessings.

I'm intrigued, but, can I do it alone? I don't have a gym buddy. Do you need a spotter and someone who knows what they're doing to be successful? I have zero experience lifting :-\

if you belong to a gym, get a session with a trainer to show you how to do the movements. not just the ones in stage 1 but also the more explosive moves you'll be doing in later stages.

i dont have a gym buddy either but i do OK without a spotter. you can always attach the side rails on the power rack to help during the squats and bent barbell rows. if not, you can also ask someone who looks friendly to spot you, just make sure to ask when they are between sets. most people are happy to help. the main point of strength training is continually pushing yourself out of your comfort zone weight wise, and people can be just as lazy with NROL as they can with strong lifts as they can with any strength training program

@sleepytexan : i kind of disagree about NROL holding you back on strength progression. it's not written anywhere that you have to stay at the same weight. just like with any lifting program, people need to be honest and continually push themselves. for instance i continually increased my weights with every set i did NROL

Thanks for posting this. I have the book and spreadsheets and plan on doing it from home.so, it's nice to see others are doing it from home as well.

I saw in the NROL4W group, you can find videos on YouTube that show you proper form. That could probably be very helpful for people doing it at home.

@sleepytexan : i kind of disagree about NROL holding you back on strength progression. it's not written anywhere that you have to stay at the same weight. just like with any lifting program, people need to be honest and continually push themselves. for instance i continually increased my weights with every set i did NROL

No, of course you choose your weight, however, no one can increase as much when they are trying to do sets of 12, 10, or 8, as they can when they are doing 5 sets of 5. And on the deadlifts, if you are trying to do 3 sets of 8, there is no way you can increase 10# each time as you can with 1x5.

Take a look a stronglifts and read the reasoning behind the program -- people get to a point where they can't increase and Mehdi gives an example of a guy stuck at (I forget, but let's say) 200# deadlifts for a year bc he's just trying to push 3 sets of 8, 10, or 12 reps and he can't increase weight without failure.

It's a powerlifting thought process instead of bodybuilding -- going for strength gains over muscle pumping. Powerlifters don't do lots and lots of reps, it defeats their purpose -- of getting strong. Body builders have a different purpose -- big, but not necessarily as strong.

Now I am not saying any one of us wants to be powerlifter or a bodybuilder, I am just saying that compound lifts vs. split routines work the same muscles, but all at the same time, therefore you are in and out of the gym faster. Plus, it's really easy to remember what you're doing if you only have 3 exercises for each workout, and you don't have to carry around a book (I figure Stage 2 in NROL must take over an hour -- even longer with a partner; what are there, like 13 exercises in split routines?). Finally if you like increasing weight, you can do it more quickly on 5x5 than you can on 3x8, 10 or 12.

blessings.

but NROL, also points out that if you choose a high enough weight that you can't complete all the reps in that set then that's fine. do the reps you can do and dont worry about the rest of the reps. for instance if you're at a weight where you can only do 4 reps, then do the 4. next time do more reps until you're doing them all.

i did loads of strength training in the past (former competitive powerlifter and played a sport where i needed to train primarily to increase my bulk and explosive strength) and although this is a bit different than what i had been taught, it's still not the same as saying only choose a weight where you can do ALL reps.

for the record, how i was taught (and what i've been doing with NROL) is that if i reach a weight where I can only do half the reps at that weight, i dont consider that the end of my set, i just drop it back down to the previous weight. the next time i do a few more reps at the higher weight until i'm doing all reps at that weight. once i can do all reps at that weight, then i increase the weight..

these are small little cheats that strength trainer and powerlifters do and have been doing for years. i just wanted to make it clear that mehdi isnt the only one telling people to do this.

but NROL, also points out that if you choose a high enough weight that you can't complete all the reps in that set then that's fine. do the reps you can do and dont worry about the rest of the reps. for instance if you're at a weight where you can only do 4 reps, then do the 4. next time do more reps until you're doing them all.

i did loads of strength training in the past (former competitive powerlifter and played a sport where i needed to train primarily to increase my bulk and explosive strength) and although this is a bit different than what i had been taught, it's still not the same as saying only choose a weight where you can do ALL reps.

for the record, how i was taught (and what i've been doing with NROL) is that if i reach a weight where I can only do half the reps at that weight, i dont consider that the end of my set, i just drop it back down to the previous weight. the next time i do a few more reps at the higher weight until i'm doing all reps at that weight. once i can do all reps at that weight, then i increase the weight..

these are small little cheats that strength trainer and powerlifters do and have been doing for years. i just wanted to make it clear that mehdi isnt the only one telling people to do this.

You're right, yes, and some say Mehdi stole his entire schtick from Wendler. I'm just pointing out that NROL is still shooting for higher reps, whereas the entire mindset of 5x5 is different--it's the goal, not the backup plan. Regardless, NROL just has a dang lot of different split routines; that takes a lot of time.