My first day on NROL, a few questions

[VanceMac]

Well, I got the book yesterday and started this morning (read the first couple chapters as well last night). I looked through the profiles, decided I was Lifter #1, and checked out the Break In. Since that is basically what I have been doing for the last month with HGM Phase I, I decided to go straight to FL I. As I mentioned in another thread, I had a choice to either split the workout between morning and afternoon or modify it a bit so I could do it all at home with dumbells and the ball. I decided to try it at home.

Doing WO A I switched the cable rows to bent over rows, using 45 pound dumbells, and I switched the lunges to step-ups because for some reason lunges have always hurt my knees (I have weird shaped legs and so have tendonits, and a softening of the cartiledge under the knee cap, had surgery for it a few years ago). I just pulled a kitchen chair out and used light weights. Was that an acceptable substitute?

I was not totally burned out by the end, but I think this was because I started with light weights to make sure I had my form down. I am going to the gym this afternoon to do HIIT, so I might hit those cable rows again.

A question, though. How does WO A hit the chest? I figure it must, since it is a full body workout, but I don't see where it comes in, even secondarily. Thanks for any input.

[Paradigm]

The first workout doesn't directly hit the chest, but this is taken care of in workout B with the DB incline bench press, IIRC (I should know, I'm doing FLI myself right now, but I'm tired )

[Lisa~]

A step-up is a hip dominant single-leg exercise and a lunge is a quad dominant single-leg exercise. So this is not a good substitution. I understand your knee tendinosis issue and you should not do any movement that increases the pain in your knees. Try a reverse lunge, stepping back instead of stepping forward, and see if you can keep your body upright and your center of gravity back enough that your forward knee is not stressed in the patellar tendon, but in the belly of the quad. If you can master this technique, you can lunge.

If that works, then try adding the twist. Be sure to move slowly and focus that twisting into the upper back (your thoracic spine) not in the lumbar area. If you have trouble balancing and keeping your weight centered, try facing straight ahead instead of turning your head with the rotation.

I answered your chest question in your other thread.

[VanceMac]

OK, thanks, I will try out that reverse. I am hoping that once my quads get to a certain strength level, I will be able to do the lunges anyway. Right now, it is painful.