I'm starting Stage 6 tomorrow and I've got some questions:
If I can already do chinups (6), do you think I should sub them for the negatives and/or the lat pulldowns? I could do AMRAP, and then 10 sets of 2, or just do AMRAP and move to the lat pulldowns. Negatives are sometimes hard on my shoulders, so I might have to anyway, but input is always good.
I think I'm going to add the pushup challenge sets into this workout. I'm repeating week 5, so it will be more reps, but it seems like it will work in well.
I'm really excited about doing something so different than previous, not to mention I'm working on my chinup goal anyway.
To start with, it was 3 sets, which was also to exhaustion. Once I was able to get a fourth set of 1 in, I added that, and continued the progression. I think by the end, I was doing 5 sets (the last 2 were always sets of 1 though).
It was a lot of fun.
I forgot to mention...I saw someone doing chinups the other day at the gym and really liked her method. She'd do AMRAP and on the last one, she'd pause at the top and then do a negative on the way down. I'm thinking of adopting that method into my attempts.
I'm a little late to the party on this one, but definitely sub the chin-ups. You could also wear a weighted backpack for your chins to make them harder. Or, do pull-ups instead.
__________________
"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I've been subbing chinups for the negatives and the lat pulldowns until I think I can't do any more sets of chinups--then i go to the lat pd at less than bodyweight. Seems to be working well.
The pushups, on the other hand, were wishful thinking. No way I can get in over 100 pushups at the end of this workout! I'm back to doing them on non-lifting days.
I'm no expert but I've done a lot of reading in the last year and here are my thoughts on your first question about chinups.
The point of this stage "to develop more strength relative to your body weight.".
Being able to do chinups already does not mean that you could not benefit from the program as written. You could still improve your strength and end up being able to do more chinups.
It calls for doing negatives not chinups and they are being done in super slow motion. As I mentioned this will improve your strength as well as provide other benefits and conditioning that a chinup would not.
It says in the instructions that once you can prolong the negative to 20 seconds you should then begin adding weight.
Based on all of the above I would follow the program as written even if I could already do chinups. There is more to get out of it than just the ability to do a chinup.
I'm curious if you have tried the negative and could go the full 20 seconds? If I could I would be dying to see how much weight I could add. But that's just me : }
I'm just heading out to the gym now to do Stage VI workout A for the first time. I think this is the first time I've ever dreaded (just a little) a workout 'cause I know I'm gonna be hurtin' bad in my upper body for the next few day. : )
All the best to you!
Bratt
__________________ Started NROL4W April 1, 2008 PR's from Stage 1
1RM Squat start of Stage 1 = 105 lbs ~ end of Stage 1 = 165 lbs 1RM Deadlift start of Stage 1 = 115 lbs ~ end of Stage 1 = 185 lbs
1RM Bench Press start of Stage 1 = 85 lbs ~ end of Stage 1 = 115 lbs More progress and other stuff here: BRATTLAND
Now doing NROL4W for a second time 'cause I love it so much!
I'm curious if you have tried the negative and could go the full 20 seconds? If I could I would be dying to see how much weight I could add. But that's just me : }
Bratt, thanks for your well thought out response. In answer to your question, I can do a negative for 20 seconds. I could go longer but not sure how long (haven't timed a max). That said, I considered doing negatives and adding weight. The primary reason I decided against it was because I've hurt my shoulder several times doing negatives. I don't understand what's different from just doing chinups, but a few months ago it was so bad I had to stop doing any chinups at all, so I didn't want to chance it. Also, our gym doesn't have a belt, though I realize I could have used a backpack.
My question wasn't so much that I thought I couldn't benefit from the program because I could already do chinups, just more in the vein of which would be more beneficial.
Stage Six Substitutions
Linear Mode
