I DESPISE THESE "SPECIAL" WORKOUTS!!!!!!!
I thought the point of these was to make you feel good about how far you've come... instead they make me feel worse. They are boring and I feel like I haven't made much progress, I also feel like my form is still "eh" on some of these exercises... which is ridiculous after having done them for what feels like forever. UGH! So anyway, here's the numbers:
Deadlifts:
1x45 with 30lb preset bar
*Now doing 3x8 with 80lb bar, but should probably drop back down to 75 or 70 due to form
DB shoulder press:
1x25 with 12.5lb DBs
*Now doing 2x8 with 15s and 1x8 with 20's (wish they had 17.5s)
Lat Pulldowns:
1x40 @50lbs
*Now doing 3x8 @65
Lunges: (I hate these)
1x20 each leg with 10lb DBs
*Now doing 3x8 walking lunges with 12.5lb DBs. I have made almost no progress on these. Talk about depressing. I went down to BW after the first workout for a while, then recently started adding the DBs back in, *sigh*.
Ball Crunches: (the only one I actually like)
1x50 with bodyweight
I really hate to bitch about these so much. And the numbers seem more impressive in writing than they really are. It's just that these special workouts put me in such a foul mood. For the rest of the program I am not going to do them. I don't remember if the other stages call for them or not, but if they do, I'm not doing them.
Well, starting tomorrow I will be in DC for a few days for a conference. This falls right on my rest week which is nice, since I won't have access to a gym anyway since I'm staying with a friend. I'm bringing my laptop with me though so I'll be on to check in with everyone else while I'm away. (I seriously think I'm getting addicted to this forum!... so not good)
I DESPISE THESE "SPECIAL" WORKOUTS!!!!!!!
I thought the point of these was to make you feel good about how far you've come... instead they make me feel worse. They are boring and I feel like I haven't made much progress, I also feel like my form is still "eh" on some of these exercises... which is ridiculous after having done them for what feels like forever. UGH! So anyway, here's the numbers:
I really hate to bitch about these so much. And the numbers seem more impressive in writing than they really are. It's just that these special workouts put me in such a foul mood. For the rest of the program I am not going to do them. I don't remember if the other stages call for them or not, but if they do, I'm not doing them.
Thank God somebody finally is honest about the damn "Special workouts"! I am sure your form is better than you think and great job on your numbers--but you are right on about the boredom factor! As far as I've read, there are no more of those AMRAP workouts and if so, I'll join you in solidarity and not do them either!
I think your progress looks great! But I understand the annoyance of the Special Workout. I finish my last regular Stage 1 workout on Wednesday, and am thinking about skipping the Special Workout myself. I just want to get to Stage 2!
So many haters of the special workouts... When I was doing the NROL programs I think I'd've liked them to show what progress I made.
I am with you on this, Stingo. The 'special workouts' were put there for one reason only: to see 'where you have come from' and to be an encouragement to women. I enjoyed them.
Hey Kara,
I think you did GREAT on your special workout! Your numbers are totally impressive.
Must be exciting to join Stage 2....I'm right on your tail...almost there!
Hey Kara,
I think you did GREAT on your special workout! Your numbers are totally impressive.
Must be exciting to join Stage 2....I'm right on your tail...almost there!
I agree - I'm not sure what kind of gains you were expecting, but in the very first exercise you're lifting over double what you started with, which is a pretty big deal.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
I'm a hater of the 'specials', too! LOL I think my main problem with them is that I could do so many reps, I felt like I looked like one of the high rep/low weight gals and I didn't want to tarnish my image. LOL
Good luck at the conference!
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
So I thought I would be on here periodically while I was away... but no such luck. Too busy. The conference went well and I was able to stay with a friend from high school that I hadn't seen in a while and all my friends from undergrad, so it was a good time.
However.... my eating was terrible alll week! I tried... I bought some healthy cereal and some kashi snack bars for between meals, but I couldn't carry a lot of stuff with me so I had to figure out the meals while I was there... not good. Some days I had cereal in the morning, then a bar a few hours later, and didn't get anything else to eat till dinner... at which point I ate way more than I should have because I was starving! Ugh... Definitely took 2 steps back this week.
I'm going to try to go to the gym tomorrow to test out the exercises in stage 2 before I offically start on monday (my birthday! hehe) That front-squat-push-press thing scares me.... but I hope it will go well. I also think I'm going to start doing HIIT on off days.... I feel like Ive gotten stronger but that I have not lost one bit of bodyfat.
I will probably need some motivation tomororw though... after being away from the gym for what feels like quite a while (that conference felt like it was three weeks long!) my "i'm-so-excited-to-lift" mood is nowhere to be seen. I'll work on it though, and do some food shopping for good healthy stuff tomorrow too to getback on that healthy-eating wagon!
Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm back and thanks for all the input!
Smart idea to run through the Stage 2 workouts beforehand. I had to keep referring to the book during my first Stage 2 session at the gym and maybe looked a little silly! I agree that the front squat/push press is kind of scary. I also find the movement a little awkward, I guess it takes practice!
I'm a hater of the 'specials', too! LOL I think my main problem with them is that I could do so many reps, I felt like I looked like one of the high rep/low weight gals and I didn't want to tarnish my image. LOL
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OK so little rant on my end.... what gym doesn't have pre-loaded barbells?? I went to our new "rec center" on campus today because they finally made it free to grad students, so I figured I'd check it out and try some of the exercises that I will officially be starting tomorrow for stage 2. I went to do the front squat push press... and low and behold... no preset bars anywhere!! It was either DBs or the 45lb bar. I know full well that bar will not make it over my head, so I used DBs, but I know it was not the same. Then I couldn't find a low step to do the reverse lunges on... they're in the aerobic room and you can't take them out of there... but you can't take the DBs from the weight room either... so apparently the two should never go together according to the geniuses that made up this rec center.
My quads hurt from the BSSs. Whew, those are tough. I have no coordination... which explains why I was never very good at pirouettes when I danced, lol. I did the woodchops... I like that exercise, but I have to remember to not pull so hard... I banged the weights really loud on accident since I apparently pulled the pulley too far... oops. I did a set of squats at 65lbs just for S+G. They were rough today, but I attribute it to having done them right after the BSSs and from being off for a week, lol.
On another rant entirely... on my trip to DC this past week I had to borrow a pair of jeans from a friend when we went out on a very cold day and I had been genius enough to wear a skirt. I have always seen this friend as being at least 20lbs heavier than me if not a little more. Plus she's shaped a bit different.... she's got DD boobs and big hips.... so I figured her size 10 jeans would be too big on me..... NO! They fit me perfectly which actually really bothered me. I wear jeans that are about a size 7 or 9... which I guess is juniors sizes? I have no idea, I just look for clothes that are cute and I try them on. And I don't have many 9's at all, they're from Kohls whose sizes are always out of whack anyway. So I was quite disheartened to be wearing my friend's jeans that I "knew" were going to be too big. I mean, I know my butt is a bit out of proportion with the rest of me (it's big compared to my upper half) but still! I guess I'm realizing that my jeans size has been creeping up without me noticing... I remember when I used to be a 5! I wish I could wear a 5 again. I don't feel like I look any different from those days either... I guess a gradual weight gain can go un-noticed fairly easily.
I know very few of you will be sympatheitc to this rant and I'm sure some of you are a size 10 or possibly bigger (and I honestly mean absolutely no offense by that!) But I needed to b*tch about it somewhere.
Anyway... time to go study for a Criminalistics mid-term.. such fun... not!
OK so little rant on my end.... what gym doesn't have pre-loaded barbells?? I went to our new "rec center" on campus today because they finally made it free to grad students, so I figured I'd check it out and try some of the exercises that I will officially be starting tomorrow for stage 2. I went to do the front squat push press... and low and behold... no preset bars anywhere!! It was either DBs or the 45lb bar. I know full well that bar will not make it over my head, so I used DBs, but I know it was not the same. Then I couldn't find a low step to do the reverse lunges on... they're in the aerobic room and you can't take them out of there... but you can't take the DBs from the weight room either... so apparently the two should never go together according to the geniuses that made up this rec center.
My quads hurt from the BSSs. Whew, those are tough. I have no coordination... which explains why I was never very good at pirouettes when I danced, lol. I did the woodchops... I like that exercise, but I have to remember to not pull so hard... I banged the weights really loud on accident since I apparently pulled the pulley too far... oops. I did a set of squats at 65lbs just for S+G. They were rough today, but I attribute it to having done them right after the BSSs and from being off for a week, lol.
My school's gym is pretty bad, too. It didn't even have a squat rack so I had to use a Smith machine during Stage 1. Once I started looking over the exercises for Stage 2 I realized the lack of resources was too great and decided to get a membership for a gym off campus. I have a feeling all school gyms are less than awesome.
It's weird... because it's a brand-spankin new rec center! It's actually a beautiful facility, with b-ball and raquetball courts, aerobics rooms, two floors of weights (both rooms are pretty small though). So I was really surprised that they didn't have those... weird. I still have my planet fitness membership so I think I'm just going to keep going there instead
All exercises were 2 sets of 10, alternating sets except for the squat/pushpress which was straight sets
Front squat/Pushpress:
1x10 30lb barbell
1x10 40lb barbell
Stepups:
1x10 with 5s
1x10 with 10s
DB One Point Rows:
1x10 with 10s
1x10 with 12.5s
Static lunge, back foot elevated:
1x10 with 12.5s
1x8 with 12.5s
Pushups:
2x10 with Smith bar at thigh height
Plank on floor:
2x60sec
Horizontal woodchop:
1x10 @ 20lbs
1x10 @ 30lbs
Then I decided to try some HIIT, which I have never really done. I couldn't do too much, I think I went a bit hard for my first time.. but here it is:
1min at 3.5mph (treadmill)
1min @ 7.5
1.5min @ 3.5
1min @ 8
1.5min @ 3.5
1 min @ 8
2min @ 3.5
1min @ 6.5
2min @ 3.5 cooldown
Total of 12 minutes, 4 intervals.. not too shabby for my first attempt, but I think 8mph was a bit much... lol
Notes:
-Impressed with my front squat/press combo... I think that 45lb olympic bar may actually be do-able next time! Who woulda thunk?!
-Went up in weight on step-ups... impressed with myself again :-)
-Couldn't superset the lunges and pushups... gym was WAY crowded... note to self: never go to the gym at 8pm ever again!
-Not sure how I fel about the woodchop things... I don't know if I do them right... need to work on that
-Planks suck, but I did them
- HIIT was not what I would call "fun" but I will be doing it again... there were a couple of guys that were there with some girl and they kept looking at me while I was running and I could tell they were talking about me... but I couldn't hear them with my headphones in... weirdos.
Side note... mommy got me a blender for my birthday!!! (which is actually today, even though my party was weeks ago, lol) I asked for one so I could make yummy PWO shakes.. so today I made one with milk, protein powder, and frozen berries... mmmm :-D
Nice job on the workout!!! And your planks do NOT suck - 60 secs is AWESOME!
I don't recall if you are a runner, but be really careful with the running intervals if you have never done it before, or haven't run recently. The pounding your body takes on a treadmill takes some getting used to - you should work up slowly - would hate to see you hurt yourself, or get shin splints - they SUCK!!
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
I know very few of you will be sympatheitc to this rant and I'm sure some of you are a size 10 or possibly bigger (and I honestly mean absolutely no offense by that!) But I needed to b*tch about it somewhere.
I totally get that and even if I am a size 10, would never take offense to that.
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
Enjoy the new blender, and those smoothies!!! 
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