Here's something I've been mulling, having accomplish, oh, three workouts in NROL break in.
Background: Age 33, 6'2", around 210ish, historically very sedentary and lazy. Been dieting and working out with random Internet workouts (but not programs) for a few months. Just started NROL, obviously. These workouts did not, notably, include deadlifts or squats, which had kind of intimidated me.
Anyway, the problem I find myself with in the Break In workouts is: I'm totally gassed! I'm like: "Fifteen reps of squats and DLs?! No one's ever done that many!". I'm sucking wind around rep 10-12, and I'm having trouble with my form to start out with just from ignorance, and it gets uglier as fatigue sets in. And I'm using weights which, frankly, seem a bit embarassing (about 100lbs on each). My lower back just hurt after the deadlifts (not DOMS, just dull pain, ended in about 24 hours). The bent over DB row is also notable, because my back and hams start to get exhausted, meaning I end up standing more and more upright as the set progresses (my back and shoulders aren't too bad, the DBs aren't that heavy). I feel like I'm just failing at the exercises.
Should there be some prerequisite before even starting Break In?
Now, on the flip side of all my whining, the exercises I'm more familiar with (lat pulldown, crunches, pushups, are tough but don't leave me a miserable failure. So there's a possibility that my back and my... squats are just really weak. Heck, I carried a golf back for 18 holes today and my back got pretty tired in the same spot as from the DLs. Maybe I'm just experiencing expected problems for someone in my mostly deconditioned state?
Break in is not an easy exercise. Don't be too surprised that it is hard. Lighten weights, don't lunge quite so far, lower step ups, what ever it takes. I think it is better to go for the reps and good form, than to worry about the weight. And for the most part you don't want to be left hurting. You have years ahead of you to get those weights up, but likely in less time than it takes to go through half the workouts in NROL you will be lifting heavier weights. Good luck with it all and have fun.
In the For women version, they let you start with BW on the squats if necessary, or just a broomstick or the equivalent. Deadlifts with just the bar. So don't feel so bad about your 100lb.
Break in is just that. It going to teach you how to squat and deadlift correctly, and they make you do it for 15 reps to ensure you won't start loading an insane amount on your first deadllifts. This is the time to work on your technique, and the weight will come later.
If they're hard with 100lb, check your ego at the door, and lower those damm weights. Work on making your deads and squats with perfect form for all of those 15 reps. If you manage that you're
1) doing better than most guys in the gym
2) ready to stack on the weights in the next phases.
And from one historically sedentary person to another, you will eventually run into some physical issues from all that sitting you've been doing, especially around the hips and lower back. Fortunately, NROL is a very rounded program and you'll get exercises to adress those issues. But still, keep observing your body and make an effort to research and remedy any issues you see come up.
That said, going from sedentary to a real program like NROL is probably the best single thing you will ever do for your body. Congratulations for doing such an awesome thing, and stick with it!
(and while you're at it, why not make a training log so we can cheer you on and chat and tell you to eat more vegetables?)
Personally I think it's impressive when guys do any kind of lower body or whole body work in the weight room and not just upper body stuff. It doesn't matter how much weight they're using.
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100lbs sounds heavy for a beginner. Keep reducing weights until you can do the exercises - it will get easier quickly and you can add weights then I found.
I personally really struggled with bulgarian split squats, I dreaded doing them, but I now find after doing NROL for just over a year that I actually enjoy them. Weird eh?
I agree with what has been said already: drop your weight as much as you need to in order to perfect your form and manage your reps. There's nothing shameful about starting out with just the bar.
Also, I would definitely recommend a session with a professional trainer for power lifting technique, particularly deadlift. Videos help, but there's nothing like having someone there watching your every move and correcting you.
Lastly, I'd like to impart one small piece of advice that has helped me immensely with these kind of moves: suck in your gut! I used to do yoga regularly and ultimately yoga is all about core strength. When practicing Ashtanga, it is essential to tighten your core by drawing in your bellybutton and pulling up your pelvic floor. By staying tight in your mid section, you lend support and strength to the rest of your body, particularly your back. This applies to strength training as well. By controlling your breath and staying as tight as possible, you will prevent both soreness and injuries.
I've read that you should NOT suck in your gut while training. Tightening the core is one thing but don't hold in your stomach ... again, according to what I've read. Might have even been in NROL.
I've read that you should NOT suck in your gut while training. Tightening the core is one thing but don't hold in your stomach ... again, according to what I've read. Might have even been in NROL.
I was being metaphorical when I said "suck in your gut." Hence the followup about tightening your core. There is no holding of breath involved. Just drawing in your bellybutton and your spine so that you are compressing your core.
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To followup, I think the most useful advice was similar, but just to "suck it up".
I was a bit psyched by doing the next Break In B workout. Instead of the originally planned 2 days after the A, it turned into 3 days later (spent most of Saturday sleeping because of rough week at work). But then I finally psyched myself up, went into the gym and said "screw it, I'm lifting this sh**." Tacked on slightly more weight, did it, and then moved on to the next exercises. Soreness was dramatically less.
So I think a huge part was just complete unfamiliarity with the exercise.
But now I need to re-readjust and go back to working on my form.
the soreness goes away more quickly after you have been doing it for a while. i remember the first time i did BI i was sore for 3 days afterwards but now i find that i get sore for about a half of the next day and then i am good. it just takes getting used to it.
as for form there are plenty of good videos on youtube (also a lot of crap) that you can look at. i like crossfit.com's videos too. if you want a book that is very good at explaining some of the more technical lifts i reccomend "starting strength" by mark rippetoe. he lays it out in a pretty concise and understandable way. but just stick with it. it gets better.
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Yeah, I've actually just starting transitioning to Fat Loss 1, and am bumping into some headeahes with rotational lunges and bulgarian split squats. But I think the main portion is just getting technically proficient at the exercises.
If someone was 100% completely untrained and sedentary, I could imagine an even gentler break in, with just a couple exercises each day, maybe even some mandatory cardio. I'm glad I had a couple months of messy self guidance to buffer things.
Too weak for Break In?
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