Just bought the book... Pretty confused

[kalicokat]

I've always loved things like running. I've recently been going to the gym with my boyfriend and his brother and starting to do weight routines with them. I dont have a problem with them because, well, I dont have any idea what i'm actually doing. lol. We'll do one thing, i'll get told what i'm working and shown how to do it as well as what its called, and by the next thing... I've already forgotten everything they've told me about the first.

I went out and bought this book (actually, TRIED to so I could skim through it first. No book store in town had it so I had to order it online. grr) thinking that it would explain a lot.

It sort of does. I understand just about EVERYthing in it... until I get to the workouts. I was expecting something set up completely different from these charts that are put in front of me. I have no clue what any of it means. (so i know i've done romanian deadlifts before just because I started laughing and asking if we were lifting dead vampires instead of american weights. :-P)
I've gathered that the first one MAY be to do 2 sets of squats. Then either 2 sets of pushups followed by 2 sets of rows, or maybe its a set of pushups, a set of rows, then repeat. But that doesn't make sense to me. I've never seen anyone use two different pieces of equipment back and forth like that(which you'd have to for the shoulder press/lat pulldowns), without someone else getting irritated that you're taking up TWO machines for however long those sets last instead of just one.....
Plus theres this "workout 1,2. 3,4..." stuff. So do I go through the WHOLE workout, then go back and do it again to make a total of four times? Or am I doing the squats for 2 sets, resting.. doing 2 more sets, resting.. 3 sets.. resting.. 3 more... resting.
Gah i'm SOOO confused! Maybe its just because i've never seen a workout program like this before.
Can anyone maybe breakdown the whole first workout for me?
I'm talking the WHOLE workout, listing what i'm supposed to be doing, in words instead of letters and numbers?
I'm dying to try to start this, but I want to know i'm doing it RIGHT instead of just how I think i'm doing it.

And yes. I read the pages before the charts and saw the practice one and everything, and I still dont get it. I hope this is normal for someone whos never seen this stuff before and i'm not just an idiot. :-(

[Cynthia]

Don't be alarmed, there has been a lot of confusion on how the workout charts are written (I was one of them).

Your first trip the gym would be Stage 1, Workout 1A. This thread has a great explanation:

Please Help!!

Stage 1
Workout A

Workouts 1 & 2:

A:
Squat-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Squat-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.

B1 & B2:
Pushup-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Seated Row-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Pushup-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Seated Row-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.

C1 & C2:
Stepup-15 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Prone jackknife-8 reps
Rest 60 secs.
Stepup-15 reps
Prone jackknife-8 reps
Rest 60 secs.

etc., etc.

Your next trip to the gym will be Stage 1, Workout 1B. This starts with 2 sets of deadlifts and then the remainder of the workout is in alternating sets as above.

Your next trip to the gym will be Stage 1, Workout 2A, exactly as written for 1A. Workout 2B will be the following trip.

Then when you get to workout 3A then you decrease the number of reps in each set (I don't have my book with me but IIRC it is 12 reps?).

Does that help?

[SpacecityPaula]

1. You are not an idiot... you just have questions.... And at least you are asking them.

Cosgrove's workouts are pretty much divided by 1 compound movement (it hits multiple joints) and then auxillary work with other isolation type movements (hits fewer joints). I've pasted a couple of my workouts below to explain the system.

Workout A you'll do 8 times and Workout B you'll do 8 times. in the examples below I used workout number 6 for both workouts.

Reps are are the number of times you do something
And Sets are the "container" for the number of reps.

So when someone talks about doing 3x10 or 5x5 for example
In the first example they are doing three sets of ten reps and in the second example they are doing set sets of five reps.

Now if you look at how cosgrove has the workout set up below
He has you do straight sets of squats or deadlifts (these are labelled a1) on the first exercise. That means you do just squats or just deadlifts.

If you look the exercises below A1. They are labelled B1 and B2 (or C1 and C2). This means you do alternating sets of the exercises to create what's called a superset. So you'll do 1 set of pushups,. rest, then 1 set 1 armed DB Rows, rest, and you'll do it for a total of 3 times so that you've done each exercise for 3 sets of 10. Then you'll alternate the exercises in the C superset.

Stage 1 6A
A1 Squats
WU
1×10xbw
1×5x65
1×5×95
Working Sets
1×10×115
1×10x125
1×10x135

B1 Pushups 45 degree angle
1x 10 x bw (+1) Full set!!!
1x 10 x bw (+2) Full Set!!!!!
1x 10 x bw (+1) FULL SET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B2 1 arm DB row (sub for seated row)
3×10 x 32.5(e) (+2.5)

C1 Stepup
3 x 10 x BW (each leg)
Still working on form on these
C2 Prone Jack Knife
3 x 12
Stage 1 6b
A Deadlifts
3×10×125 (+20)

B1 DB shoulder press
3 x 10 x 25
B2 Wide grip lat pulldown
3×10×70

C1 Lunges
3x 10 x BW+12s (e) (+2 all sets)
I had a harder time with the non-dominant leg and keeping balance all sets. I think 12 is a good place for me to work on this more.

C2 Stability ball crunches (3×12)
Did these with my arms extended and holding a weight
3×12×12

[missjane]

Does this make sense:

Stage 1

Week 1
Workout A – 2 sets of each exercise – 15 reps
Workout B – 2 sets of each exercise – 15 reps
Workout A – 2 sets of each exercise – 15 reps

Week 2
Workout B – 2 sets of each exercise – 15 reps
Workout A – 2 sets of each exercise – 12 reps
Workout B – 2 sets of each exercise – 12 reps

Week 3
Workout A – 2 sets of each exercise – 12 reps
Workout B – 2 sets of each exercise – 12 reps
Workout A – 3 sets of each exercise – 10 reps

Week 4
Workout B – 3 sets of each exercise – 10 reps
Workout A – 3 sets of each exercise – 10 reps
Workout B – 3 sets of each exercise – 10 reps

Week 5
Workout A – 3 sets of each exercise – 8 reps
Workout B – 3 sets of each exercise – 8 reps
Workout A – 3 sets of each exercise – 8 reps

Week 6
Workout B – 3 sets of each exercise – 8 reps


Maybe we should sticky this thread! I must be having a huge brainfart

[ledove]

Completely normal. Yes, I agree, the workout charts are arranged a bit strangely (grouped by exercise, not by workout). And kudos for not just throwing the book down and screaming--at least you came looking for answers.

I've never seen anyone use two different pieces of equipment back and forth like that(which you'd have to for the shoulder press/lat pulldowns), without someone else getting irritated that you're taking up TWO machines for however long those sets last instead of just one.....

If anyone complains, tell them you're doing a superset. And act smug and self-confident. If they know what a superset is, they'll back off (or ask to work in, which means they use the lat pull during your shoulder presses). If they don't know what a superset is, but you sound like you know what you're talking about, they'll back off. You could also say, "I'm doing a superset. I have 1 more set to go, and then you can have it." Explain what you're doing, and people with any amount of knowledge and/or courtesy should have no problem with that.

[kalicokat]

I think i've mostly pieced it together by all of you. So thank you for taking the time to answer.

Now my question is how to jump between TWO different pieces of equipment. Example: I've seen guys keep their bags and other stuff on a bench while they go do something else... which ends up pissing off at least three guys who have to wait for him to get off whatever else he may be on, to come BACK to the bench and work there, then go back again.
It seems like almost everyone who uses the weights spends about 5-10 min on one piece of equipment then moves on to wait for the next one they need to open up while the person who WAS waiting for the one you were on finally gets to use it. (its almost as bad as when an elliptical opens up and you see 4 women flock to it almost knocking eachother out to see who ends up with it. hehe)...
It just seems like it's going to be a pretty big hassle to tie up two things.

[missjane]

Just like Ledove said....tell them you are doing a superset. You may need to work in with someone to complete it, but most people should be familiar with what a superset is. If someone is using what you need, ask them nicely if you can work a set in with them.

[kalicokat]

Alright ledove. thanks.
Guess I posted my first response at the same time you were answering it. lol.
It just seems that my gym is VERY cut off... the women stay in the center cardio area, and you see huge men in the weight area.. and i'm a big wuss who can just imagine my response to some 250lb guy telling me i'm taking up too much stuff at once!

And uh.. I swear I didn't throw the book down and throw a hissy fit before deciding i'd find the website. :-)

[Cynthia]

Honestly I've always found the guys in the free weights area to be really friendly. Monday at the gym I was writing on my log and one of them bumped my elbow with his barbell. He apologized, and then actually hunted me down again when he was done and apologized again. Don't let their size intimidate you, just act confident and I am sure they will be nice to you!

Good luck and welcome to the board!

[kalicokat]

One more question. My main goal is fat loss while my secondary goal is mucle gain...
Over the past 2 and a half months i've lost 10lbs. From correcting my eating habits, and working out. The only thing is, the working out is 45-60 minutes of cardio. Sometimes steady state.. sometimes running/walking.. fast/slow intervals.
And honestly i'm scared to death to think about not seeing the number on the scale move because of the weights. I still have about 20 lbs of fat to lose, and what I keep getting told is i'm going to build muscle UNDER the fat, but by cutting my cardio, the fat will stay there. I'm going to be crushed if my weight loss gets stopped because of the gains in muscle. I dont mind weighing more and gaining muscle of course... I just dont want the fat to shed off any slower. I already feel like its coming off at the pace of a snail.

[ledove]

Pfft, you're a girl--you can push around the "big boys" in the free weight zone. Just smile real big.

As for the fat loss:

What if you woke up tomorrow and weighed exactly the same as you do now, but you had the body of a figure competitor? Would you take it? I know I would.

You might want to give your scale away for a few months. Fat loss isn't always the same as what we generally call "weight loss." A lot of times, when you do a lot of cardio, your body adapts to doing cardio better, so it gets rid of some muscle tissue to make you lighter and more aerodynamic.

NROLFW makes sure you gain the muscle that burns the fat. So the process might not ever look like "weight loss." It's a whole new way of looking at everything we've ever been told about "weight loss."

If you really want, you can still tack an interval session on after a workout so you don't feel as if you're leaving anything out. HIIT is covered in several places in the book and begins to be a part of the workouts in Stage 2. (I thought about doing that back in Stage 1, but I ended up collapsing on the floor after my last set and never did get out the door. Stage 2 starts next week, though. Gah.)

[kalicokat]

Would I mind weighing the same? Probably not.
But If I was still a size 13/14 with lots of muscle, then yes I would mind.
I'm fine without a scale, but I'd love to be able to fit into a size medium shirt. I want to buy pants in the single digits. THATs my goal. And the idea that I could put on muscle under the fat that wouldn't go away is the one thing I am a bit scared of.
I dont want to lose an inch here or a lb there.. I want to lose about 3-4 dress sizes and do it in a reasonable amount of time. Losing a lb every 2 weeks or so isn't going to cut it for my goals. And I just want to be sure that I can keep up, if not lose even more than what I'm currently doing.

[RedLefty]

Just so you know, I'm a 6'3" male and guys rarely bear with me when I'm trying to do a superset.

My wife, however, gets great cooperation. And the weightlifting guys always seem happy to give her whatever equipment she needs.

[CarolG]

I don't know about this program, as I just started. But I did another program recently and lost NO weight, but dropped 2 sizes. Not only am I smaller, but I look so much better, my posture is better and my arms look more defined. You have to trust in the muscle building - and the fat will take care of itself (with a bit of healthy eating)

[frankcassiesmom]

I have been lurking here for a while and have been amazed as ladies lose entire pants sizes without having lost much weight. Their bodies are changing at a rapid pace.

Fast weight loss most often is not just fat loss, but fat and muscle loss. I have lost 30 lbs now and have realized lately that I am losing muscle in the process. It's one of the reasons I have started this program. I still do HIIT and will at time do some steady state after my HIIT workouts since I just can't give up that cardio But I want to get out of just looking at the scale and not my body. It's a mistake. I could starve myself and lose weight but it doesn't mean it's the best way. I could restrict my calories badly and do loads of cardio and lose weight but it doesn't mean it's the best for my body. I want to lose weight at a healthy rate. I don't want my body to burn muscle in order to get thin. I want to be fit and healthy when this is all said and done not just thin.

[CarolG]

Oh yes... I had the exact same problem with the equipment last night. I had to wait longer than 60 seconds to get on the lat machine, but I asked the guy if I could work in with him and he was OK with that.
In stage A at least, it looks like the alternating sets don't require equipment that needs a lot of setting up, making it easy to work in others. Would be different if you needed to reset a squat rack every time. I think most people don't mind letting you sneak in for a set while they are resting.

[stingo]

Don't forget body composition - a person at 120lbs, 10% body fat (12lbs of fat, 108lbs of lean mass), and another at 120 lbs 30% body fat (36 lbs of fat, 84 lbs of lean mass) would look a lot different I'd think.