My approach and What do you think? - JP Fitness Forums

Moveon · 02-24-2008, 06:37 PM

I've been using NROL for two months now. I am into FL-1. I'm finding that in order to complete my workouts (and still be able to get up off the floor) that I can't go heavy on the weights. I'm no where near the kind of weight that would push my limits (working to failure on each set).

I've decided to let the limit pushing go and drop my weights a bit so that I can complete all sets/reps. It'll be quite a while before I will be able to go heavy on the weights.

What does anyone say? Have I missed something in NROL? I've searched for some direction but haven't been able to locate an answer in the book.

I'm 45 and for all practical purposes am new to lifting. It's been 7-8 years since I've done anything seriously.

Cynic · 02-24-2008, 06:50 PM

I'm 43.

I push myself to the brink of failure on every set. Then I climb two flights, slowly and carefully to my apartment.

Sometimes I have to take longer rests between superset pairings, but I continue to push myself hard. I'm not completing 3x15 on everything, but I am trying.

Now, it doesn't sound like you are injuring yourself, just expending all you got for the time. That is good. That is what is revving up your metabolism.

Find a weight that brings you close, but not quite to the point of failure (form failure that is). Then add 5-10 pounds for the next time.

Cynic · 02-24-2008, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynic

I'm 43.

I push myself to the brink of failure on every set. Then I climb two flights, slowly and carefully to my apartment.

Let me correct this. I wrote this while I was eating.

I push myself to the brink of failure on every exercise. Then I climb two flights, slowly and carefully to my apartment.

That means, third set, I'm close to failure or I simply can't finish the last set with good form.

Moveon · 02-25-2008, 12:46 PM

Cynic,

Thanks for your response. That helps me. Sounds like I'm doing something close to what you described (especially with your clarification).

How long have you been on NROL?

CTwizzy · 02-25-2008, 01:01 PM

Cynic are you near failure on set1?

Tonight im doing FL-I-B, this is my second attempt at it now. My first time by the time I got to Romanian DL's I had no grip in my palms or forearms, body was shot.

Ill do DL's at 115 for set1 and wont have too much trouble, set2 i can complete again, by set 3 the fist 10 are OK, the last 5 I find i take an extra 2-3 seconds between reps just to finish. Its worse when I do squats, I wait 5 seconds between reps to finish it.

I want to increase my weight, would I be better off incr my weight and going for failure on set1? I fear if I do that ill be doing 15,12,10 instead, and then when I eventually move into doing 12rep sets in FLI then what? 12,10,8???

My heart rate is usually spike the entire time I do my workout, I just dont make regular increases in my weights, I seem to maintain every week only. I even power down a shake after the gym to get my energy back in my muscles.

Tonoght ill try upping the weight on a few workouts. I hate doing Swiss Lateral Rolls, I cant keep my body straight my body arches down as all my weight in on my shoulders, the movement feels odd, its basiclaly an extended rest for me.

Thanks!

Cynic · 02-25-2008, 01:48 PM

Moveon, this is my third time through FLI.

I lost motivation in about May of last year, ate, drink, was merry and now I'm at a worse position than I was when I first started the program. However, when I first started the program, I had a problem in that getting in or out of my car was stressing. I felt pressure in my head and in my joints.

I put everything I could into it, and before I knew what happened, I was springing from my car. No head-exploding pressure, no breaking joints.

I recommend you put your all into it. You may be having to pick yourself off the floor and even taking a rest at the end just to be able to crawl from the gym, but you'll gain much from it.

CT, I misspoke earlier. I aim for failure on the last rep of the last set. If I can complete all reps of all sets, I increase weight, 5-10lbs or bilateral, 2.5-5lbs for unilateral.

CTwizzy · 02-25-2008, 02:36 PM

So what do you do then if your near failure on your third set, i.e. my form start to get sloppy I can feel the strain in my muscles, my reps are slowing down for me to even finish the set yet I dont increase the weight?

If I increase the weight I will fail, and I will fail early on the last set and my form will go to shit, im just wondering why my muscles arnt allowing me to go up a level? Surely by now my squats should have increased by more than 10lbs in 5 weeks?!

Cynic · 02-25-2008, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTwizzy

So what do you do then if your near failure on your third set, i.e. my form start to get sloppy I can feel the strain in my muscles, my reps are slowing down for me to even finish the set yet I dont increase the weight?

If I increase the weight I will fail, and I will fail early on the last set and my form will go to shit, im just wondering why my muscles arnt allowing me to go up a level? Surely by now my squats should have increased by more than 10lbs in 5 weeks?!

I increase weight. Again, if I complete all reps of all sets, I increase weight.

Now, I know 3x15 is extremely taxing, physically, mentally. It's hard as hell to maintain focus when you're nearing the end of the third set. I know this myself. I try to take no more than 2-3 seconds before I start the next rep.

Here's some tips on doing squats that may help improve your form toward the end.

1. Spread the floor. Try to force your feet outward on the concentric.
2. Squeeze the glutes. This this adds to your core strength.
3. Push against the bar, rather than trying to stand up with a bar on your back. This is perhaps more psychological, but sometimes, the difference is a mental factor.

Try it on the next squat day and let's see how it goes.

Moveon · 02-26-2008, 09:14 PM

While this wasn't the main issue in my original question, I got to wondering about working to failure. Cynic said he works to failure on each exercise (if I undersood correctly). I went back and searched my NROL book but couldn't find a specific instruction. It must be there. I found a post in the archives that says Alwyn recommends working with load that will enable you to complete the set but not one so light that you've got more reps left after the set. If you fall short, the load was too heavy.

If anyone knows where that is in the book, would you let me know?

Here's the archived thread. See the last two posts.

Alwyn Says...

Moveon

Cynic · 02-26-2008, 10:03 PM

Keep in mind, I am talking about form failure. I could squeeze out more if I were to risk injury: throwing back on bent-over rows, GMing squats, hitching deadlifts, etc.

I don't do this regularly either...

My rules of load increases/decreases:

If I can complete all reps of all sets, I increase the load 2.5-10lbs depending on the nature of the movement.
If I fail on the last set, I will stay and continue at that load.
If I fail on the second or first set, I will decrease the load 2.5-10lbs.

Moveon · 02-27-2008, 11:42 AM

Cynic,

I'm with you on the form. There's no value and a lot of danger in cheating and loosing form. I might take a little longer to reach goals by stopping a rep or two short, but injuries can take months to overcome and some of them may cause problems for years.

Thanks for all your thoughts. I moved down to 12 reps from 15 today (3rd week FL-1). The focus and concentration required for 15 is huge and I found it to be almost overwhelming. I went up on all my weights today and undershot several, especially the squat.

Cynic · 02-27-2008, 12:03 PM

I've had to take a break. I did something to the back. It doesn't feel like a full-on pulled muscle, but perhaps a bit more stress than I should have inflicted on it. It was aching all of Mon. Tue I soaked in a tub of Epsom Salts before the workout. That helped a lot, but as I was warming up for squats, the pain started to come back.

I'm not sure how it happened, because everything felt in good form as I did it, but I think I'll have to break out the video camera and still recording my workouts to see if I'm doing something wrong.

Moveon · 02-27-2008, 03:14 PM

Ouch! Literally and figuratively.

I don't like those set backs. I thought for a little bit after my WO yesteday that I might have done the same thing. Today it feels fine.

Are you talking a full break or just leaving off the squats and deads?

Cynic · 02-27-2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moveon

Ouch! Literally and figuratively.

I don't like those set backs. I thought for a little bit after my WO yesteday that I might have done the same thing. Today it feels fine.

Are you talking a full break or just leaving off the squats and deads?

Full break, until Sunday. In the mean time, SMR, static stretching, dynamic stretching. That should keep me from getting too out of sorts.