Ya know guys...question the printed word every once in a while!! No where else in the book does the trainer ask you to do 10 sets of 2 reps - it takes up 10 minutes of the workout time w/a 60 sec. rest in between and we are already DOING the negative chin ups in the set before this exercise, so it doesn't make any sense!! I'd like THE TRAINER who wrote the book to clarify this - not just anyone's opinion.
No, it does make sense. I'm sorry you're upset about this, but it's correct.
This thread is over a year and a half old, so I doubt the authors are popping in as often as they did back then, so I'll try to explain.
You're right that it's the only time in the book that you are asked to do 10 sets of 2, but it's still right. I can tell based on the goals there AND knowing that 10 sets of 2 reps is a fairly common strategy in other programs for this type of goal.
The goal is to get strong enough for a chinup, someday. To do that, you have to have time in the low reps, and do a lot of sets, because your first chinup will just be one rep (a max lift).
Jae, Lisa and Roland are absolutely correct -- it's 10 sets of 2 reps.
I know the direction to rest 60 seconds between sets seems excessive, because you'll certainly feel as if you're ready to do the next set before then. But if you don't recover fully between sets, you won't get everything you need out of the exercise.
I'm one of the worst offenders you'll ever meet when it comes to short-changing rest periods because of impatience. But when I take more time than usual between sets -- because I get into a conversation or have to wait to work in on the equipment -- I'm always surprised to see how much more I can lift with that extra bit of recovery.
The point here isn't that Alwyn is infallible in his workout design. Nobody can predict exactly how any individual will respond to a training program. But everything you see in his workouts is there for a reason.
I'm just about through my second time of Stage 7 in the NROLW and am wondering what I do next. Love the workout, btw; I've been lifting for years and this is the best workout I've ever done. Interesting, challenging plus great results.
I'm just about through my second time of Stage 7 in the NROLW and am wondering what I do next. Love the workout, btw; I've been lifting for years and this is the best workout I've ever done. Interesting, challenging plus great results.
Schuler and Cosgrove initially teamed up to create New Rules of Lifting. If you liked NROLFW, chances are you'll like that title also.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
I'm just about through my second time of Stage 7 in the NROLW and am wondering what I do next.
Quote:
Schuler and Cosgrove initially teamed up to create New Rules of Lifting. If you liked NROLFW, chances are you'll like that title also.
What Tom said.
The workouts in the original NROL will probably give you more upper-body development (especially the three Hypertrophy programs) and more total-body strength.
Really, though, your next step should be based on what you want to accomplish with your workouts. If you're looking for strength, muscle development, or just something interesting and challenging to do in the gym, I think you'll like NROL.
The workouts in the original NROL will probably give you more upper-body development (especially the three Hypertrophy programs) and more total-body strength.
Hey Lou;
I am on stage 4 of NROLFW, and was going to do NROL after I'm done. But I don't really want to get more upper body development, I really want more lower body development. Is there stuff in NROL for that? Or is there some other program you'd recommend for more lower body?
I am on stage 4 of NROLFW, and was going to do NROL after I'm done. But I don't really want to get more upper body development, I really want more lower body development. Is there stuff in NROL for that? Or is there some other program you'd recommend for more lower body?
That's a tough question. I'm tempted to say that the Strength programs in NROL would do more for your lower body because of the emphasis on heavy lifts like squats and deads.
But you might also get that effect from modifying the Hypertrophy workouts so you do lower body workouts on Monday and Friday and upper body on Wednesday only, rather than alternating.
You'd finish the programs faster, and wouldn't get all the benefits of the upper-body workouts (which aren't a primary concern for you anyway). You'd also have a lower overall training volume than Alwyn intended, since you spend more time in the gym on upper-body days.
Please offer a modification for a very large woman to do for the prone jackknife. I've been doing everything else well and am very frustrated with my inability to do this one, though I keep trying it. Is there something else that can be done for my core and hip flexers?
I was over 300+ when I first did them. The simplest thing (if you can) is to take a little air out of the swiss ball. It helped me a good deal with not falling off the ball. I think someone else made a suggestion at the time, but I can't remember what it was.
If letting air out of the ball doesn't work, you can start off by doing leg raises from the floor -- lie on your back, hold the ball between your feet with your legs straight, and raise your legs up and down.
Let your lower back determine your range of motion. You want your spine to stay neutral, so you stop the lowering portion of the movement when you feel your lower back shifting from its original position into a more exaggerated arch.
(I hope that makes sense!)
Then go to the jackknife when you've developed enough strength and endurance in your core from the leg lifts.
Hi, I just started Stage 3 workouts this week, and I have two questions.
First, when I did the partial single-leg squats, I did them fine on my left side, but when I switched to my right, I got a stabbing pain in my butt and now it hurts every time I step down on my right leg (even when just walking, although going DOWN stairs isn't so bad as flat surface walking or going UP stairs). I finished the left side, but the right was out of the question. What did I do wrong, and how do I fix it, short of muscle relaxers? How do I build back up to lifting when I can barely walk?
Second, the B workout is taking an hour and 45 minutes. I thought the book said two to three hours per week, so the math isn't adding up here. What am I doing wrong?
The fix for this week is obvious-- I'm done after two workouts this week on account of this muscle spasm, and I have a several-hour rock-climb/hike at the end of the week. But what happens over the next few weeks? I do not have two hours to devote to a single workout ever.
As a heavy weak women myself, I was finally able to do the jackknives by starting with the ball higher on my legs. When I first started Stage 1, the ball was at my upper thighs and by the time I finished it (I did the optional extra weeks), the ball started at the top of my shins.
Hi, I just started Stage 3 workouts this week, and I have two questions.
First, when I did the partial single-leg squats, I did them fine on my left side, but when I switched to my right, I got a stabbing pain in my butt and now it hurts every time I step down on my right leg (even when just walking, although going DOWN stairs isn't so bad as flat surface walking or going UP stairs). I finished the left side, but the right was out of the question. What did I do wrong, and how do I fix it, short of muscle relaxers? How do I build back up to lifting when I can barely walk?
Second, the B workout is taking an hour and 45 minutes. I thought the book said two to three hours per week, so the math isn't adding up here. What am I doing wrong?
The fix for this week is obvious-- I'm done after two workouts this week on account of this muscle spasm, and I have a several-hour rock-climb/hike at the end of the week. But what happens over the next few weeks? I do not have two hours to devote to a single workout ever.
Thanks in advance for your responses!
Some of the workouts are long. I regularly have been 1 1/2 hours in the gym during stages 3 and 4. If I do the intervals, it's even longer.
A couple of things you can do: shorten the rest periods a little; superset some exercises (like the ab work; instead of resting between ball crunches, side crunches, and pikes, just do all three, then rest); do the intervals later in the day or the next day.
I can't help you on the injury, sorry. Have you posted in the injury forum?
Lou,
I just want to say thanks! I am an obese (by medical standards) but fit woman. I worked with an old school trainer for 2 years and she taught me how to lift heavy and I never got a single injury. The problem is I was doing the old fashioned upper body one day/lower body next time sort of straight sets workouts. They took a lot of time and if I missed a day or so in the schedule I might not work the same muscle groups for a week.
I recently had 2 months off (not planned that way) but started back with NROL4W. I was attracted by the brief workouts because I can always fit in 35 mins and go. So far I haven't missed a workout. I am at the end of stage one and I am pleased and surprised to see my stamina and form are improving and I am back near my top weights in several exercises. Plus, several things I dropped from my routine (because I hate them) like lunges, are now back because I have no excuse not to do 2 short sets. Only a couple weeks in and I am back up to 40 pound pullovers (I don't have a lat pulldown available to me), 70 on deadlift, 15 on shoulder presses, etc.
I can't believe how effective this program has been thus far and look forward to the other stages! Kudos to you and Alwyn for a great program.
Right now she is 5'3 and about 325 lbs. She is scheduled to have lap band surgery in early January.
I have been doing the NROL for about 2 months now and love it. I have been thinking about buying her the women's version.
She does have a gym membership and is looking for a workout program to help aid her fat loss (she has lost about 25 lbs. already). She's currently mainly doing cardio work, with minimal weights.
Would this program work well for someone under going the lap band surgery and looking to lose 150 lbs. or so ??
I'm not Lou ...
but you know she could do the NROL programs too, right? Nothing particularly male or female about the exercises or the programs. The text in NROL is geared towards exploding typical male thinking patterns about working out (e.g. must do curls and more curls) and the text in NROL4W is geared for exploding female thinking patterns (e.g. weights make you bulky, need lots of cardio) but the routines are not gender specific.
I can't speak to the lap band part of it, however, I'm down about 100 pounds since I started lifting weights (was already down about 75 before that). I did NROL4W, but I own a copy of NROL as well.
A Breast Issue....Lou and Alwyn, please help and revise
Lou and Alwyn,
I hope you get this message.....please find some other exercises for the "Dumbell Prone Cuban Snatch" , the "YTWL" and any other exercise where we ladies are lying prone on a hard bench hanging weights down. Let me explain. We women have breasts, some big, some small, some real and some supplemented- and they have feelings. Now we are already smooshing them into our workout bras, which can cause some discomfort but let me tell you, when you have to smoosh them even further on a hard bench and then increase the pressure by adding weights, which smooshes things even more it can be downright agonizing. And then (not to get too revealing) when you add hormone fluctuations, it is impossible.
I know these exercises are beneficial, I do them as scheduled, but I don't go as heavy as I would like- man it hurts the girls, and I curse the both of you the whole time. You make concessions for the larger girls for push-ups, but did no one ever explain this to you?
If you ever plan a revision for this book please take this into consideration. And can you advise another exercise for that time of the month when lying prone on a bench is just not doable? Thanks.
It's a little hard to do without "cheating," but you can do the YTWLs standing and leaning forward. Keep your back so that the lower back is not rounded, but neutral. To keep from rocking or swinging, you can stand with your head against a vertical pole or support. It can help to put a towel between your forehead and the pole.
Instead of the prone cuban snatch, do the same movement one handed using a cable with a stirrup handle. Use the low position, not the high one.
Gymbunny, you make a great point, and you're right, I should've taken that into consideration. (Gives a whole new meaning to "bench press," doesn't it?)
I have been known to use a less-than-fully-inflated physioball for them. It's usually just easiest to do them bent over LD is describing, but the pb is respectful to the girls and sometimes just works out better.
Lost Dog, thank you for the alternative, that should help out a lot. I like the idea of placing my head on a wall, that lessens the probability of cheating. I will also try the ball- probably not during "that time of the month" but it will probably work better- and softer- than the bench.
On a serious note - some consideration in bench press instruction for the "well endowed" would be a nice touch to see in some book at some time. How low do you go if just touching the high point is the equivalent of a 2-board press for the guys?
On a serious note - some consideration in bench press instruction for the "well endowed" would be a nice touch to see in some book at some time. How low do you go if just touching the high point is the equivalent of a 2-board press for the guys?
I just consider it one of the few "advantages" some of us have compared to men when lifting
On a serious note - some consideration in bench press instruction for the "well endowed" would be a nice touch to see in some book at some time. How low do you go if just touching the high point is the equivalent of a 2-board press for the guys?
On a serious note - some consideration in bench press instruction for the "well endowed" would be a nice touch to see in some book at some time. How low do you go if just touching the high point is the equivalent of a 2-board press for the guys?
If you look at this video of Dave Tate giving bench press instruction, he says to keep the elbows directly below the bar. This actually puts the bar down near the bottom of the rib cage instead of on the chest.
it is impossible. 
You make concessions for the larger girls for push-ups, but did no one ever explain this to you?
Thanks.
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