Yes on the HR thing. I said the EXACT same thing about it probably being due to not working the legs as much.

And that blows that your gym doesn't have anything between 5-10lb dumbells. UGH! Maybe just do more reps with the 5lb'ers?

My gym has ONE set of 27.5 lb dumbbells which is what I use for the incline press. Yesterday, one of the dumbbells was missing. I looked EVERYWHERE for it (and at all the weight others were using) and couldn't find it. I ended up doing 25lbs 10x's. I *may* have been able to go up to 30lb'ers but mentally don't have that confidence yet!

Oh, good.....I was hoping I wasn't the only one! The weights in my gym are ALL over the place too.....its SO frustrating! I really don't understand why its so hard to put something back in its place when you're done with it.....today I walked in and on one of the squat racks there was a barbell loaded with 10lb plates. I assumed someone was using it so I went to the other rack. I watched the whole time I was in the room (about 45 min) and no one ever used that loaded barbell. Who just leaves the plates on and walks away?? Clean up after yourself! Clearly this is a hot topic for me.......

I'm sure could do 30's for 6 reps if you knocked out 10 reps with 25's! Give it a try next time!

You are preaching to the choir. I have seriously been this close (my finger and thumb are REALLY close together as I'm typing this ) to absolutely going balistic about not reracking weight. Biggest pet peeve EVER. I just imagine everyone dropping their weights all at once to turn and look at the crazy woman (me) yelling at some muscle head that I don't get paid to rerack his 500lbs that he "squats" half an inch in between sets of flexing in the mirror (can you tell I've rehearsed this?). Hahaha!

I think we can all agree on this one, and let's be sexist here. WHY CAN'T MEN PUT STUFF BACK!? I waste so much time at the gym just looking for my dbs. THere are three sets of 20's and 2 sets of 15's and I can never find either. :mad: I really like the idea of just increasing the reps when you can't find what you need. good one.

LOL @ jnh and samntha....we could just start a group for women who need to vent about men not putting s*** away....in and out of the gym. I could probably go on forever (I live with 3 of them...! )

Thanks to everyone's suggestions on rest time, I ditched the 105 seconds of rest in between sets and just let my heart rate slow down a little instead. I also took no rest in between ab sets. It was great! Cut my workout down to about 1 1/2 hrs. That body weight matrix is a killer...I banged it out though....barely. When I get to those jump squats at the end my body is all like, REALLY??
I kinda like the way my legs are looking while I do the squats though. I can see definition and muscle...no more chicken legs

Just got back from this workout. WAY better! I didn't feel like I was standing around the whole time. I actually just rested about 60 seconds in between each set and did the ab work with no rests (well, except after the 3 sets of each). I finished in about 44 minutes and had time to do my HIIT without feeling like I was SO late for work.

So, I had no idea how to get past the 25 lb. DBs for the incline press so I was doing 10 reps. Today, I made the leap to 30 lb. DBs and did it! I was so excited! Then I hopped off the bench, swung my leg around it and smacked my shin. Ouch! Limped my DBs back to the shelf and now have a lame bruise.

Hi ladies... I'm starting Stage 3 tonight after a week and a half break. Wish me luck!

Kill that BWM tonight!

I saw some woman doing jump lunges with 10lb dumbbells today at the gym. I instantly hated her for making it look so easy. Sure, she wasn't doing it right after 24 squats/regular lunges but it was so text book perfect. Still jealous!

So earlier this week, My fiance joined me doing the last BWM...and he was DEAD TIRED. My super-fit boxing phenom of a fiance was SUCKING WIND, ladies. Alas, we do not exaggerate our torture! :drinker:

Did 2B today and it was pretty good.
The prone cobras used to be so hard for me and now I had no problem with 3 sets of 90 seconds... amazing what happens with a little persistence :laugh: Have to remember that with the next BWM

So I'm going away on a holiday for a few weeks but I think I can finish this stage IF I can manage to go to the gym M,W,F, plus Sunday next week. Might be asking for trouble? I'll see how it goes. I did feel some strain in my left elbow doing the deadlift plus row this morning and I'll have to be careful.

So earlier this week, My fiance joined me doing the last BWM...and he was DEAD TIRED. My super-fit boxing phenom of a fiance was SUCKING WIND, ladies. Alas, we do not exaggerate our torture! :drinker:

Love this! Makes me feel so much better...!

forlife12, If I followed your schedule for the coming week I would finish up this stage at the same time you do. I'm in if you're in!

Si it doesn't look like I'll get to the gym to figure out weights before doing the workout for real. Any tips on where to star based on previous lifts? For example, dumbells snatch half of the push press?

Well, starting stage 3 on Wednesday... Any hints or tips or anything else I should know?

I need advice. I started NR on 4/30. I am 46, 5'3, starting weight 135. Currently on 2nd week of Stage 3. I have lost 4.5 inches overall but not a single pound! I weighed on 06/09 135.1. Weighed again today. Exactly the same 135.1. I thought something was wrong with my scale. Moved it to a different spot. Same!! I feel stronger, visually seeing more muscle, clothes fitting fine. What is up with the lack of weight loss? The book has me at maintenance 1972/1726 for calories. When I started I was at 1500/1700. 2 weeks ago increased to 1600/1800. macros are at 40/30/30. Should I be eating closer to what the book recommends, or eat less? Or.... Should I not worry about the weight loss since I am not gaining? Are others working this program seeing weight loss? I usually do HIIT 2x week and then maybe moderate cardio 2x/week ie. walking, bike riding. Any advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

There's a good possibility your weight is just where it should be! Also, if your inches are going down, but you're not losing, then you're just a more muscular person at the same weight! He gave an example of that exact same thing in the book. Imo, your weight is less important than your body fat %, which had to have gone down with those lost inches!

Also, don't be afraid to try eating more! I'm actually eating at over maintenance according to NR, but I go by the calculations I got from Fat2Fit, because it works for me. What they have is what they call maintenance for my goal weight, which is 145 at 5'5", and I eat 2300 every day. And I don't workout as much as you.

And I'll be honest, my scale was STUCK until I dropped all extra cardio from my routine! Sounds crazy, but when I was trying to do Couch25K or even HIIT on my days off, the scale would not budge. When I stopped it entirely, I lost. My week break between stage 1 and 2, I lost 3lbs, most loss since I started NR. Now, I only take my dogs on a moderate walk on the days between NR, unless I don't feel like it, then I don't. Ever since I switched to that, I lose 1-2lbs/wk. I do have a significant amount of weight still to lose, my point is just that maybe you need to dial down the cardio a bit? Or up your cals. If I was in your shoes, I would do one of those two things:)

Hi ladies,

I've been on vacation for the last 2 weeks. The first week coincided with my scheduled "rest week" after completing stage 2, and the 2nd week was just gravy. In theory, I should have started Stage 3 this morning, but I used tiredness as an excuse to stay away. I lost 1.5 lb. during my 2-week rest though, which I'm thrilled with, esp. that I was in Europe eating lots of carbs (pasta, risotto, gelato, croissants, pastry, etc.), and no gym access. We did a LOT of walking though, so I'm sure that helped, but I'm getting back to my 40-30-30 food plan today, and back to the gym tomorrow.

I have to admit, after 2 weeks off, I'm a little scared to get back to it, but I'm just going to move past it, and get it done, knowing how great I'll feel afterwards, even if it leads to some soreness.

Have any of you ever taken a break from lifting for longer than a week? How did it go when you got back to it afterwards? I'd love any words of wisdom from anyone who's "been there, done that." Thanks.

Hi everyone,
I did 3A this morning and tried to conquer my fear of the BWM
Although the plank is also my nemesis.

What I did was cut the matrix in half: 12 of each instead of 24. Then I rested twice the time it took me to do the matrix and then repeated. I did my small versions in 1:45 and then 1:40. I did need to stop after every 6 jump lunges or jump squats to slow the room down (a bit light-headed).
My plan will be to add a third set of these and then the next stage that has these I'll do to two full sets of 24 each exercise.

Welcome back karensoxfan! No advice from me... I'll be taking two weeks off after this stage for a holiday and I fully expect my body to revolt when I start stage 4!

Hi Ladies...
I completed my first A workout for Stage 3 Friday evening. The one arm OH squat was weird (10lbs OH/20 lower)... I had a hard time keeping my elbows locked. Every time I went down for a squat, my elbows would bend (almost like a tricep dip)... weird. JNH gave me a heads up on the BWM... OMG!!! I was so winded after the first one... it was sheer willpower to get through the 2nd one... especially with hubby tapping his toes to get out of the gym so he can catch a movie!

I plan on B1 tonight... I read ahead and for now, I have two questions

1. YTWL... I just want to make sure I'm reading it right... 6 reps for each letter.... so YYYYYY, TTTTTT, WWWWWW, LLLLLL.... instead of YTWL, YTWL... etc.

2. Deadlift bent row.... Do you straigthen back up after each row... or just deadlift once, and row 6 times...

Thanks ladies

Karen: I took a week and a half off... I did lower the weights a tad just for safety while I get familiar with the motions.

Hi, Welcome back! As for your questions...
1. Yes, like that. 6 of each in a row and then move to the next letter.
2. I do a full deadlift for each rep. Pick it all the way up, bend til it goes just below my knees, row, stand up, put it all the way down to the floor. Repeat.

How do others do this? I'm curious too because the instructions are not very clear.

My understanding is that you do a deadlift, then lower bar just below knees and do a row, then come back up to standing, then row again, stand again, etc until you do 6 rows, then lower back down to the floor. Thats one set. The book is not totally clear, but it doesn't say anything about putting the bar back down to the floor for each rep. Enjoy your first B workout!

Did a lunge jump without looking like a total idiot today! YAY! The other 47, of course, looked ridiculous and if I hadn't have been completely alone in the opaque windows of the cycle room, someone would have asked me if I was okay.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: