Just did Workout B for FL II last night (for the first time) and was wondering how everyone else faired after the Bulgarian split squat w/overhead presses?
I was so whipped that I could barely do the pull-ups (had to use a "lot" of assistance with bands). By the time I finished the superset of Bulgarian & pull-ups, I was light-headed, nauseous and quite shakey (legs especially).
I did finish the Bulgarian/Pull-up superset, but decided to finish the remaining superset (Romanian deadlift and Lower-body Russian twists) the following morning.
After last nights workout, I laid in bed thinking I was going to vomit at any moment. Needless to say, I have a new found respect for those Bulgarian split squats.
Hopefully the next workout will go a bit easier. Anyone else have similar experience?
__________________ "cedit item retro, de terra quod fuit ante, in terras. - Titus Lucretius Carus 96-55 B.C.E."
FLII B was killer! They (BSS) will get easier, but since everything is relative, you will still be a quivering wreck, but just not quivering as violently.
Sounds like you had the same fun as I did my first B session. Those split squats with overhead press are a killer. They do get easier as you go along, but not a whole lot.
I did FL2 workout B this morning and those BSS's w/OHP are a bitch. It does get easier as you progress through the program (and the number of reps drops) - but the shorter rest periods present a whole new challenge. It works though! Have fun with it.
Viknord, you'll find the majority of people who went through FL II feel the same way you did. Like the replies above, it does get easier, but I always had that same feeling you described, but there is a reason why NROL is so effective. Keep at it, you'll love the results that follow.
Yep, it's unanimous. FLIIB is a killer. I decided to restart after the first 4 sessions took 3 weeks to complete instead of just over a week. Must have my head read.
After doing B for the first time again on Wednesday I was glad that the last exercise was on the floor. I was equally glad I was in the gym at work by myself. I just laid there for 5 minutes, telling myself 'this is good for you, trust me'.
Not yet convinced that it will get easier, but I will listen to those who have treaded the path before me.
__________________
"Maybe you're not as fast as the person in front of you, but certainly faster than the person who never started" - John Collins, creator of Ironman.
FLII isn't treating me well so far. For the life of me I cannot rest the bar on my shoulders for a front squat...at least not with any substantial weight on the bar. The BSS w/OP had me really sucking air. I wasn't able to finish the other half of the set. Maybe I wasn't breathing efficiently or, after reading this thread, maybe it's just as difficult as I thought it was.
Comsat, the BSS w/OP is just plain tough , although I must agree with others that it does get a bit easier as your muscles adapt. I still breathe hard as h#$$, but I can finish my whole workout now.
The Front-squats were really awkward for me also. I had never done them before. I started out light and have continued to increase the weight - nothing close to regular squats though.
Try keeping your elbows up nice and level, it forces the bar to rest on your shoulders - a bit more. But I still walk away from front-squats with nice red spots from the bar on my shoulders and chest.
Anyhow, keep at it Comsat. It is definitely tough, but doable.
__________________ "cedit item retro, de terra quod fuit ante, in terras. - Titus Lucretius Carus 96-55 B.C.E."
When I started FLII - I actually hurt by wrists (no comments on being weak wristed please!). I have long arms and litterally could not get them bent to rest the bar on my chest without protruding my shoulders so much that they resulted in pushing the bar AWAY from my chest. Off of Coopersguns.com - I saw an alternative way - which worked great for me - crossing your hand in front of your chest and holding the bar up against your upper pecs. It was better for stabelizing the bar and completely removed the awkward arm position.
FLII isn't treating me well so far. For the life of me I cannot rest the bar on my shoulders for a front squat...at least not with any substantial weight on the bar. The BSS w/OP had me really sucking air. I wasn't able to finish the other half of the set. Maybe I wasn't breathing efficiently or, after reading this thread, maybe it's just as difficult as I thought it was.
I have found FLII to be very difficult as well. After experimenting with my long arms, I found that narrowing the grip really helped. It still was hard, but at least it felt more "in place" and without pain. The position really makes me feel like my back is locked in and straight. However, I can't do as much weight as a normal squat.
The Bulg OH Press was a killler. Today was the first time. I was only able to do 2 sets of 10 reps and not much weight. I am considering a static lunge with the OHP instead to see if I can get through that better. Then if I can do that, I will work back to the Bulg press.
I think I am going to be working on FLII beyond the 12 workouts, b/c I can't get through it effectively at this point. FLI wasn't simple, but I was able to get through it fairly well.
I just finished FLI this week, and I plan to start FLII next week. You guys are scaring me!
Both times I start a new program (Breakin A/B, FLI A/B), I felt like a quivering wreck. But when I repeated the A workouts, I recovered.
FL-II is not so bad. Front squats are cool, and push presses are fun as well.
That being said, the BSS w/ OHP and chin-up/lat pulldown set is the hardest set in NROL. My workout partner quit because of that set. He just couldn't do it.
The hardest part is sticking to the rest times. You are going to question the zero rest time between legs on the BSS, and when it gets down to 30 second breaks, you are going to realize it's laughably short.
Just start with low weight, and you'll be fine though. It won't be easy, but nothing worth anything is.
The Bulgarian split squat w/overhead press is the single hardest exercise I've ever tried. Period. There are not words to express how much I loath that exercise. It's also a very effective exercise and a great measure of overall fitness. The whole FLII routine was a killer. Just brutal.
When I did the BSS w/OH press I absolutely had to rest briefly between legs (that sounds weird, but you know what I mean). I could only do what I could do. I didn't feel bad about it because I still felt destroyed at the end of the workout. I don't think it hurt anything.
OK, I knew I was a whimp, but after doing my first Workout B of FLII, the BSS / W OH Press proved beyond a doubt that I'm a "quivering wreck" of a whimp, as Hunter would put it...
I don't think I've ever got my heart-rate up that high doing any sort of resistance training before. I'll just have to take ya'lls word for it that they get easier.
I lent out my book a while ago and still don't have it back, but I had a question regarding the BSS w/ OHP. Basically, do you keep your arms above your head when doing each rep, or do you lower them to your sides and curl them back up each one? And is the grip a neutral grip? I went with a neutral grip since the A workout has the barbell press and the chinups handle the other grip, so I figured I"d use the grip that hasn't been directly used yet.
I lent out my book a while ago and still don't have it back, but I had a question regarding the BSS w/ OHP. Basically, do you keep your arms above your head when doing each rep, or do you lower them to your sides and curl them back up each one? And is the grip a neutral grip? I went with a neutral grip since the A workout has the barbell press and the chinups handle the other grip, so I figured I"d use the grip that hasn't been directly used yet.
They never come down to your sides. When you are at the bottom of the squat, you're holding the DB's at your ears, then as you are pushing up out of the hole, you simultaneously press the DBs up. Lower the DBs back down as you lower your body down. I don't recall anything about grip.
They never come down to your sides. When you are at the bottom of the squat, you're holding the DB's at your ears, then as you are pushing up out of the hole, you simultaneously press the DBs up. Lower the DBs back down as you lower your body down. I don't recall anything about grip.
I don't have the book in front of me, but I did FL-II recently and thought the instructions something like this...
Set up as in a normal BSS w/ DBs at your side.
Lower into the hole.
Clean DB's to shoulder level
Press DB's
lower DB's to your sides as you raise out of the hole.
I'm in the last week of FL-II and I've been doing them the same way as jruck37 and msmogreen. It might be a little bit harder than lowering them to the shoulders, but there's nothing easy about the BSS w/OP.
Setup: Grab a pair of dumbbells that you think you can use for shoulder presses for the designated reps. (Remember to multiply by two, since you're going to do all the reps with each leg forward to complete a set.) Stand with your legs split, the top of your rear foot resting on a bench. (Again, start with your weaker leg, probably your left, in front.) Hold the dumbbells with straight arms, your palms facing your sides.
Lowering: As you lower your torso until your front knee is bent to about 90 degrees, "clean" the dumbbells to your shoulders (a clean is sort of a fast curl).
Lifting: Press the weights overhead, then lower them to your shoulders. Lift your torso back to the starting position, then lower the dumbbells back to your sides. That's one rep. Do all the desgnated reps with this leg forward, then switch legs and repeat.
Figured I was missing a step (not like they're easy without the 'clean' part). Well, next B workout will be that much more detrimental to my ability to move. Thanks everyone.
I found these very difficult too! The first time I did this workout, I pooped out after the one leg so I did 12 reps of the left leg only. Then the 2nd set, I did the right leg and skipped the 3rd set.
The next time I did the workout, I did 3 sets, both legs, but only 6 reps each leg on the last set. The 3rd time, I finally got thru all reps and all 3 sets. I never upped my weight obviously since I never finished all the required reps. Next time I do this I will try to increase to the huge weight of - 8 pounds! Yikes. I feel like a weakling.
MissRose, don't worry about feeling like a "weakling". This exercise is not about how much weight you can press, it's about really taxing your body. Just work up to doing all the reps. I felt like it was a major accomplishment just getting all of the reps done with 10lbs in each hand, and I'm pretty strong. More than any other exercise, this one showed me the value of checking my ego at the door.
MissRose, don't worry about feeling like a "weakling". This exercise is not about how much weight you can press, it's about really taxing your body. Just work up to doing all the reps. I felt like it was a major accomplishment just getting all of the reps done with 10lbs in each hand, and I'm pretty strong. More than any other exercise, this one showed me the value of checking my ego at the door.
Yep! The 8 reps I am on now are still taxing! I used 8 pounds yesterday and may try 10 next time. That will be my final workout in FLII. I can't say I will miss it!
FLII - Bulgarian split squat w/overhead press
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