Modify for body type...

[firecracker86]

Hi, I'm wondering if it is a bad idea to modify the workouts to alter your body type? I'm already really top heavy, and I know women don't bulk up from lifting much, but my arms are already naturally LARGE and muscular, without working out. On the other hand, I'd love for my thighs and butt to get stronger/bigger.

Is is a bad idea to sub out one of the upper body exercises for a lower body? Not all of them, I do want to get stronger, I just would like to build my lower body at a quicker rate than my upper to try to balance them a bit. Is this a terrible idea?

Thank you!

[CaraBeth]

Have you started the program yet? If not, I'd say you should give it a shot as written before modifying anything. I found the noticeable changes in my body after stage 1 were a firmer, rounder tush (mine was flat before!) and stronger thighs. And that was just doing the program as is.

[Lil Messi]

I'd say go at it as is written and if you don't like the changes you see within the first few stages you can modify the last few stages. But I'd gander that while you have muscular arms, which is awesome btw (jealous), they probably only look "big" to you - to the rest of the world they probably looks awesomely strong.

I will say though, that i have put on a nice bit of muscle in the arms, and especially the shoulders (love it!!). But the changes i've witnessed have totally defied expectations. Everything is rounder, firmer, indeed more muscular, but also smaller and more compact!! Like a little starburst, as my friend so kindly put it.

All this to say, you should wait to make changes to the program until you see what it does for you in the first place.

Anyways, we're all different, so do what suits you! If you're afraid to get bigger arms, then back off on whatever you think will make you have bigger arms. But I think Lou et al. really got it right, these programs build muscle in a porportional way - its really quite fantastic!

[Aussiedipity]

I have the opposite issue -- my lower body size and strength is much greater relative to my upper body. The workouts in NROL4W emphasize balance. It also seems (in my experience so far) that the program emphasizes the larger muscle groups in the body and many of us have had lots of gains in the butt/thighs as opposed to arms. I know eventually I will have to do some extra work on my upper body to even out the imbalance, but will probably do that after NROL4W. For your particular "imbalance" you may find that doing this program puts you more in proportion.

[LancelotsLover]

Originally Posted by Aussiedipity

I have the opposite issue -- my lower body size and strength is much greater relative to my upper body. The workouts in NROL4W emphasize balance. It also seems (in my experience so far) that the program emphasizes the larger muscle groups in the body and many of us have had lots of gains in the butt/thighs as opposed to arms. I know eventually I will have to do some extra work on my upper body to even out the imbalance, but will probably do that after NROL4W. For your particular "imbalance" you may find that doing this program puts you more in proportion.

Lou said in some thread here that the original NROL would give gains in the upper body. You might consider that for you when you're done with this program. Just a thought.

[Aussiedipity]

That's great to know, thanks!! I was planning to do the original NROL next anyway, but this is just even more incentive