Is this enough?

[Veda]

Hello all, first time poster here! I have done the first 5 workouts (3 A's and 2 B's) in stage one and just can't get past the feeling I am not doing enough. Doing 2 sets of the 5 exercises takes me less than half an hour. I am especially nervous that only two upper body exercises will not be enough to even maintain the muscle I have, let alone make gains. In previous routines I usually would do 4 upper body exercises with 4 sets of 8.

For the record, my goal is to gain muscle - not lose weight.

Do the rest of you find this routine is enough? I have heard people referring to stage one as the "break in" stage. Is this intended for novices new to lifting? If I have experience should I have skipped ahead?

[LisaS]

So that's still the 2x15 set/reps right? How heavy are you lifting? Are you lifting such that you cannot do 1 more rep on any of the sets?

[missjane]

It sounds like you aren't pushing yourself hard enough. These workouts should leave you pretty whipped. As I understand it, Stage 1 isn't a break-in; rather the first stage of workouts Alwyn intended to be done from Stage 1 on thru to the end.

[prof41]

Hi Veda

Welcome. I felt the same way when I started the program. My workouts were normally close to an hour long.

But figured I'd give it a go. Upped my calorie level as well following the book. One month into the program, although I can't see massive changes in my body, I've certainly not lost any muscle mass or gained weight.

Give it a try. I think one of the important things is to get enough protein in combination with the workouts...(that's still difficult for me). And I beleive that what Alwyn says in the book is important as well: giving our bodies time for recovery in between the workouts is just as important as training hard.

[Sue_H]

This is a great question....I was wondering about those workouts also....it didn't seem like enough. I haven't started them yet, but once I've read the book completely, I will, I just want to make sure I understand how the nutrition and the workouts work together. Lifting heavy is very new for me. I have a bad neck that keeps me from doing the max I could for my legs, but I am working on it and taking it slow. I am hoping that I will strengthen my neck and be able to lift heavier and heavier as time goes on.
I don't really need to lose pounds, but I need to lose fat and add some beautiful muscle. I'm sure I'll be asking lots of questions!

Oh....and welcome Veda! I've only been here for about a day and I can tell it's a very active board with a lot of helpful people here!

[Isabel]

I asked the same question at first! I was used to working out for 45-75 minutes a day, 5 days a week. When I finished the first workout, I thought, That's it? But I started adding more weight and really trying to go all out, and now it seems plenty difficult. In fact, when I try doing cardio on my off days, my legs feel heavy and tired. They're definitely getting a workout!

I'm still tempted to add in some bicep curls. I guess I just like them. But I have to admit my biceps look fine. They're getting a workout too somehow!

[DirtyMartini]

Hi Sue! I moved out to KC in July but am from Portland

Phase 1 workouts only take me about 20 minutes to do, but by the end I'm absolutely beat. If you push yourself and lift heavy weights, you should feel pretty worn out after those 20 (or so) minutes. If you aren't worn out, try heavier weights next time.

[DirtyMartini]

Originally Posted by Isabel

I'm still tempted to add in some bicep curls. I guess I just like them. But I have to admit my biceps look fine. They're getting a workout too somehow!

Absolutely. I've only done 6 workouts but my biceps have definition already, and look pretty darn sexy!

[Emoore]

Yup. These workouts are plenty hard if you do them with intensity. I am BEAT after doing them.

[Sue_H]

Hi Dirty Martini! (Love that name!) Whereabouts in Portland did you used to live?

I can't wait to finish the book so I know what you all are talking about - I'm guessing from the above discussion, there aren't any bicep curls in the workouts? Interesting!
I can't wait to be whipped from these workouts!

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Isabel

I'm still tempted to add in some bicep curls. I guess I just like them. But I have to admit my biceps look fine. They're getting a workout too somehow!

There really is no need to add curls. If you're doing the rows, pull-ups/downs, etc, your arms are going to be working plenty already. Smaller muscles tend to exhaust sooner and are almost always in proper proportion when doing full-body compound moves.

[betty rocker]

I wonder if it's enough too...I've been doing it for about a month. I wanted to add long bits of cardio in, but then, I thought I'd give this a try. As an experiment. I remember when I lived in NYC, I walked all the time, and rollerbladed regularly to work, and I gained weight. So, I was doing only cardio and no weights. No improvement in shape. Now I'm doing only weights. The workouts (especially workout a in stage 1) are intense, especially the step-ups. I'm improving in strength. Improvements in my shape are not obvious yet.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

I wonder if it's enough too...I've been doing it for about a month. I wanted to add long bits of cardio in, but then, I thought I'd give this a try. As an experiment. I remember when I lived in NYC, I walked all the time, and rollerbladed regularly to work, and I gained weight. So, I was doing only cardio and no weights. No improvement in shape. Now I'm doing only weights. The workouts (especially workout a in stage 1) are intense, especially the step-ups. I'm improving in strength. Improvements in my shape are not obvious yet.

They might be noticeable in progress pictures though. As most challenge participants have been posting their one month update pics, you can see a difference.

[Veda]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I will try and go heavier on some of the exercises. I do tend to underestimate myself when choosing weights.

[Natalia]

Originally Posted by Veda

I am especially nervous that only two upper body exercises will not be enough to even maintain the muscle I have, let alone make gains.

Don't be. Eat, lift (intensely), sleep, repeat. You'll do just fine. In just one month I witnessed some great gains in my own training. Like I said before, Mr. Cosgrove is a stinkin' genius!

In previous routines I usually would do 4 upper body exercises with 4 sets of 8.

I come from the same background. This whole compound moves+functional exercises+defined rest periods was new to me. I see no need going back to curls (except to pick up a pair of 35s to prove to a friend the point that complex exercises not only build mass but strength also)

For the record, my goal is to gain muscle - not lose weight

That's where I am at, too.

[AnnetteW]

Hey, DirtyMartini, where in KC are you? I'm here too.

I don't have the experience of many of the women here, but I'm wiped after a workout. One day last week I just didn't want to do the NROL4W workout and did my own (I had a hurt ankle) and though I worked out longer and more traditionally, about 40 min, I wasn't tired afterwards. Though when I do the NROL4W workout, I'm sweating like crazy, my heart races and speeds up, and there is no comparison. The squats and deadlifts as the first exercise really get my heartrate up. The superset that follows is a bit less intense, as it's not using my legs, but I'm still sweating and feeling it, then back to the legs and that heart rate going back up. I can see why one doesn't need the cardio at that time, we've just done a decent cardio workout.

[GinnyLou]

I agree with what everyone has said. Stick with it, challenge yourself with the weights and you will see results. Most of us in the challenge, didn't want to post pictures after just one month, because we didn't think there would be noticable changes, but there is.
I had been lifting for while, but my arms look better than they ever have on this program.

[ledove]

If you're using heavy enough weights, you'll be glad that Alwyn stops the workout when he does. :P The tip I've heard for choosing weights is that, by the end, you should be able to do 1 more rep if you had to, but not 2. And yes, the workouts so far are taking me about 30 minutes, too.

I've noticed my arms are noodles by the end and I sometimes have a hard time holding dumbbells during step ups and lunges. Your arms are working more than you might think they are.

(By the way, "Break In" is the first stage of New Rules of Lifting - the original. NROLFW starts with Stage 1, which is not a "break in" stage: it's more of a "throw you to the lions" stage. And Stage 2 adds tigers (HIIT). Some of the people who post in this NROLFW forum are actually doing NROL. Cross-posting is allowed=P)