Sorry to butt in on here... I hope this is the right place to ask this.

Im starting the programme tonight after work.

The first exercise is Squats and it says pg 157- when you go to that page it just talks about squats generally then it goes on to a new heading about barbell squat and shows you how to do that.

But on the sample worksheet it is talking about squats just using your own bodyweight then squats with ten pound weights :0/ I am confused.... I am doing just a simple squat to start with or am I doing a barbell squat?

I am a bit nervous about using the squat rack so would like to try without that at first....but also would like to add weights from the word go I suppose because I have done squats before and want to push myself..... so in this case do I do the squats with dumb bells in both my hands??

I just want to get this right from the start. Thanks

Emma x

I did my first go at squats with dumb bells - it was hard! Balance is difficult and my shoulders killed! I moved to a straight bar (with very little weight) and it was much easier! Been upping my weight there, and will need to move to a machine shortly. Thanks to some ace advice on here I practice body weight only squats to practice my form. Do you have someone that can show you the squat rack so you're not so nervous? Or try the bar - if you have access to one.

Finished 4A tonight! I feel like I'm progressing in my weights slower than most.....maybe I just started out with very little in the way of strength. I do feel stronger though (well, not right now because my limbs are all jelly). Also, it's probably just water retention, but my limbs feel firmer. I weighed/measured this weekend though, and I've once again gained a pound and some inches. Bummer.

Done with stage 1.

I was going to keep going with some extra WOs until I leave on vacation next week, but then I tumbled in my garden yesterday and landed on my shoulder. So revised plan is to quit while I am ahead and heal, heal, heal (nothing broken, but gosh I'm sore).

Stats:
GW: 135
SW: 172
CW: 167 lbs
I think I lost 2 inches in the belly, and the calipers show 2% less BF, but I am not sure how accurate those things are (or at least my technique).

Stage 1 NROL4W
start > end

Squats: BW > 85lbs
Step ups: BW > 60lbs (30/hand)
Seated row: 20 > 70lbs
Push ups: knees > to 45 incline > 15 per rep at 25-30 degrees or so
Jack knifes: yes, I do about 15-20 per rep

Deadlift: 20lbs > 60 lbs (I do a modification, but am hoping to switch it out to the oly bar soon)
DB shoulder press: 5 > 17.5 lbs per hand
Wide grip lat pull down: 30 > 70lbs
Lunges: BW > 50lbs (25/hand)
Swiss ball crunch: yes

My gains with the Bs were less than with the As, not sure why. Overall I feel much stronger, thighs are starting to look pretty good and my friends and b-friend said I have some definition in my arms. I realize I could probably watch the diet better and kick up the cardio. I have started Insanity to help with cardio, I plan to keep that up until I leave.

Finished Stage 1 last week... Not got the details here but will post when I get a chance.

During Stage 1 I have learnt....

I love deadlifts & squats
I rarely get sore muscles, even when lifting to failure
lifting makes me happy & fills me with energy...therefore morning is better than evening
I think I can lift heavier in the evenings

Yeah, the lifting in the evenings is something about hormonal balance. I think men are like 35% stronger after they've been up 5 hours.

Huh, didn't know about the morning vs. evening thing. Interesting. I will stick to mornings though, or it just won't get done.

I honestly doubt it affects us as much since it was mostly testosterone levels that were increased. I think. Long time, no recollection.

Done with stage 1.

I was going to keep going with some extra WOs until I leave on vacation next week, but then I tumbled in my garden yesterday and landed on my shoulder. So revised plan is to quit while I am ahead and heal, heal, heal (nothing broken, but gosh I'm sore).

Stats:
GW: 135
SW: 172
CW: 167 lbs
I think I lost 2 inches in the belly, and the calipers show 2% less BF, but I am not sure how accurate those things are (or at least my technique).

Stage 1 NROL4W
start > end

Squats: BW > 85lbs
Step ups: BW > 60lbs (30/hand)
Seated row: 20 > 70lbs
Push ups: knees > to 45 incline > 15 per rep at 25-30 degrees or so
Jack knifes: yes, I do about 15-20 per rep

Deadlift: 20lbs > 60 lbs (I do a modification, but am hoping to switch it out to the oly bar soon)
DB shoulder press: 5 > 17.5 lbs per hand
Wide grip lat pull down: 30 > 70lbs
Lunges: BW > 50lbs (25/hand)
Swiss ball crunch: yes

My gains with the Bs were less than with the As, not sure why. Overall I feel much stronger, thighs are starting to look pretty good and my friends and b-friend said I have some definition in my arms. I realize I could probably watch the diet better and kick up the cardio. I have started Insanity to help with cardio, I plan to keep that up until I leave.

Fantastic! You've done really well, hope you feel better and get back at it soon. Oh and have a lovely holiday!

Okay, here are my stats for Stage 1:
GW: 145
SW: 165
CW: 165 lbs
Measurements: (inches change)
Bust: 0
Waist: -1"
Abdomen: -2"
Hips: -1
Bicep: 0
Thigh: 0
Calf: 0

WEIGHTS
start > end

Squats: 44 > 128lbs
Push ups: 45 degree > to 30 incline
Bent over row: 2 x 17.5 > 75lbs
Step ups: 2 x 17.5 (low step) > 46lbs (I have a bad knee & step-ups aren't great. On a high step just touching with good leg, about an inch off with bad
Jack knifes: yes - from very wobbly to less wobbly!!

Deadlift: 58.5lbs > 133lbs
Shoulder press (with EZcurl bar): 13 > 55lbs
Pullover: 17.5 > 42lbs
Lunges: BW > 2 x 17.5 (again, not great with lunges due to my knee)
Swiss ball crunch: yes

I workout at home hence the substitution of bent over row & pullover....

Excellent work and gains!

Finished Stage 1 last week... Not got the details here but will post when I get a chance.

During Stage 1 I have learnt....

I love deadlifts & squats
I rarely get sore muscles, even when lifting to failure
lifting makes me happy & fills me with energy...therefore morning is better than evening
I think I can lift heavier in the evenings

Wow, I'm right there with you, though I'm doing my first AMRAP workout tonight. But other than the last item, your list of things you learned mirrored mine exactly! It's awesome that you made such progress, too.

4A today, I don't enjoy it as much as B, but my squats are improving as are my set ups, kinda stuck on the other bits at the mo. the 12 reps is too much for me to progress at the mo. There was another girl in the free weights section today!! She mostly stuck to Barbie weights and did a billion reps but nice to see another lady in there at all!

The special AMRAP work out comes at the very end (after doing each workout 8 times), so do you do your prescribed sets (2aets 15 reps for example) and then do AMRAPs every session?

Yeah, no, amraps are ONLY after you've completed Stage 1 and stage 1 only.
It's just to test your strength after and show you how far you've come.

cushygal, you rock! I'm beat after I finish my 2 sets.

Another nutrition question for you ladiesl. How on earth do you get the recommended amount of protein in? Last week I felt like my diet was pretty clean, but I also felt like I was eating as much as I possibly could to get 120 grams in. I am supposed to have 185. What's the trick? I feel full all the time.
Also, I am supposed to get 1800 cals/day for non workout days(eating at a 300 cal deficit) and 2100 cals/day for workout days (deficit). I've just been eating 1800-1900/day regardless, but I'm wondering if I should up it a little more on workout days and stay at the 1800 for non-workout days. Thoughts?

Did my final stage 1 workout A today and I am ready to move on. I love lifting but I get bored easily and I'm looking forward to some new exercises and challenges :happy:

Here are my workout A results

Squats- 26lb to 115lb
Push ups- step+4 risers to foor!:noway:
Seated row- 33lb to 88lb
Step ups- 17.5lb total to 53lb total
Prone jackknife- as written to full pike with roll out

I have enjoyed this so much and can't wait for stage 2 :drinker:

Woo! Hoo!! Congratulations on awesome numbers!

Hey cowgirl, I'd go up for your workout days. I've been noticing the people with the best results seem to follow the book's cal suggestions very closely.

As far as protein- I usually have 2 protein shakes a day. I picked a fairly clean protein.. no artifical sweeteners and minimal evaporated cane juice to sweeten. Short ingredient list. Because I'm a pescetarian who rarely eats fish, unless I'm downing them I don't really get anywhere near my protein goals. A few cups of spinach is 12 grams. Greek yogurt. Quinoa. And I drink dairy milk. Which... is iffy. I would love to make it down to Austin for raw milk, but it's been effing impossible.

If I ate meat, I would just pack chicken breast with me and eat it with everything. I'd also eat a lot of tuna if the mercury didn't scare the ****ens out of me. Or lean steaks. I also like the lightlife backyard grillin' burger which is seitan and soy mixed to make the most tasty fake burger ever. 20g of protein. GO ME.

I also just opt for 30% protein, minimum of a gram for every pound of lean mass I have. I don't do the gram for every lb, because I'd never get there.

Thanks, FunBun and ladyjoie! Gives me lots to think about. Just trying to see what works for me.

Congrats to those of you who are finishing stage 1! It inspires me when I see how much strength you've gained.

4B today, got a few enforced days off due to travelling up north for a wedding, so decided to go hard today! Actually did decent lunges which made shifting gear on the way home interesting/painful! Got my deadlift up to just over 87lbs, can't wait to be in triple figures! Actually worked during my little cardio cool down too :laugh: