I'm not sure exactly where to put this thing. I normally train PL. I've decided to follow the NROL and try one of the programs in there. My "normal" routine is a very simple routine based on similar principles; basically squat, bench, and pull with a few assistance exercises thrown in. Alwyn used to be a regular on a couple of forums where I was also a regular and we've got a lot of the same beliefs.
From NROL's 4 basic "lifters" and programs, I guess I'm closest to #4... except that I'm not that married to upper body work and that I'm really not that fat. But I decided, what the hell, it can't hurt.
Anyway, some introductory stuff. I've competed a few times in PL meets. My competition bests (in pounds) are 405/215/475 and my gym bests are 440/235/385 all of these are in the 198# Raw class. Strangely, I always pull a lot better at meets than I do at home. I usually squat better in competition, too, and I was really looking at blowing that 405 out of the water last month. My bench, meh, my rotator cuff is made from tissue paper and has torn a few times. So my bench is teh suck.
I was planning on competing a few weeks ago but I hurt my knee and took some time off. I've been going very light on my lower body work trying to get my knee up to shape and I was trying some new things with my bench. Now, I've stopped that and I'm moving to NROL. My right knee is still feeling weak.
I've completed the first week of the Break-In. My last workout went like this:
2A DB Rows (out): 30x15, 30x15
2B Pushups: 0x20, 0x20
Swiss Ball Crunches: 30x20, 30x20
The squats were OK. But the lunges were killing me. I was gassed after them. I was really concentrating on getting low. My knee didn't hurt during the exercises but between them, it was aching bad. My feet hurt afterwards, too. They hurt the first time I tried this workout and I tried different shoes today; I switched from my Chucky Taylors to some Nikes. Didn't matter. Still hurt.
The rows, pushups, and crunches weren't any big problem except for the whole being wiped out from the squat/lunge superset.
Also, I didn't say this earlier, but I normally rest for 2 minutes between sets but with this workout, I'm cutting back to 1 minute. That's not helping.
And after all that, 19 minutes of intervals. I hates them. Hates them, I do.
2A 1 arm press: 30x15, 30x15
2B Close Grip Pulldowns: 100x15, 100x15
Reverse Crunches: 0x22, 0x22
I did the first set of deadlifts with overhand grip but my grip (which is the weakest link in the dead) started feeling weak so I shifted to mixed grip for the second set.
The stepups were hard. The first workout I had done with these, I had done short stepups because I thought the bench was higher than what they wanted... but it wasn't. So this workout, I stepped up onto my bench. I was gassed after each set of these. On the second set, second leg, I had to pause for a few seconds after the 10th rep. My bad knee actually feels fine during these although still weaker than my left leg.
The 1 arm presses were fine. But the close grip pulldowns were hard because my grip was wiped out.
Even though my workout room is in my house, the AC is mostly shut off in that room and it's HOT. I was soaked with sweat and totally gassed when I got to the reverse crunches. The second set, I did 15 and then paused for a couple of seconds before finishing the set.
I r wimp.
AND, I didn't do the intervals after this workout. I'm not sure if I COULD have but I had a phone conference and I wasn't sure I'd have myself together before the conference. So I skipped the Intervals. I'm going to do them a little later today.
Don't beat yourself up so much. The NROL break in workouts are much harder than they look. 15 rep deadlifts will tax your grip and 15 reps of step ups is just torture. After a few weeks of break in you should really enjoy moving on to the real workouts.
2A DB Rows (out): 35x15, 35x15
2B Pushups: 0x25, 0x25
Crunches: 32.5x20, 32.5x20
The program calls for a 60 second rest on these things and I've been doing it. But after my second set of squats, I took 120 seconds. And then I took 90 seconds after every set after that. I just don't think my recovery is ready for 60 seconds after years of 2+ minutes. I mean, there just wasn't enough air in the room if I was only resting for 60 seconds.
All the weights were fine. Had to concentrate and force myself to finish the lunges. Everything else was within my limits as long as I had enough rest.
And after all that, 19 minutes of intervals. Dunno if anybody knows this but... I hates them.
Don't beat yourself up so much. The NROL break in workouts are much harder than they look. 15 rep deadlifts will tax your grip and 15 reps of step ups is just torture. After a few weeks of break in you should really enjoy moving on to the real workouts.
Thanks.
I've done sets of 15 before especially with HST but I haven't supersetted the 15's and done multiple sets. That's just a killer. And after spending the past few years doing mostly <5 reps per set, it's a huge shock to the system.
don't remember hearing about get-togethers (too shy anyway) - I mostly lurked while y'all posted & argued & made fun of some & passed around a kilt -
For most of my time in MFW, I was in Aliso Viejo but then I moved to Dallas and then to Philly/Trenton. Then I stopped posting.
There were several posters from the Southern California area when I was down there and we got together a few times. Especially when people came in from out of town. It was pretty cool. Met some mfw people in NYC, too, and at some meets. Lyle McDonald and Elzi Volk both stayed at my house a few times. Most of the people I met via mfw were really cool.
(It was really sad to hear that Patrick did time in jail because of that whole BALCO scandal thing. He was actually a really nice in person.)
2A 1 arm press: 35x15, 35x15
2B Close Grip Pulldowns: 102.5x15, 102.5x15
Reverse Crunches: 0x24, 0x24
After my last workout, I moved this to a 90 second rest between sets.
I did the first set of deadlifts with an overhand grip. I basically did 9 reps, reset, 3, reset, 2, reset, 1. Then I did my step ups. Then I used a mixed grip and still started losing it: 10 reps, 3, 2. Then on my last set of stepups, I did the first 15, rested for about 60 seconds, and did my last 15.
I was gassed and dripping sweat by that point.
The 1 arm presses are getting close to max. I'll start going up only 2.5# per. The close grip pulldowns... I might have to look for my straps for those guys. I had to reset my grip several times on both sets.
And then after that, I really didn't have the juice to do intervals. There was no way I was running. I walked for 10 minutes and went back to work.
Tonight, we go looking at a new house with enough acreage so we can put a barn on it. And then we get to move our horses onto our own property instead of having to board them.
2A DB Rows (out): 40x15, 40x15
2B Pushups: 0x30, 0x30
Crunches: 35x20, 35x20
This workout actually seemed a little easier even though I upped the lunges an extra 5# just because it made loading/unloading the bar easier. I was still totally out of air and laying on the ground huffing and puffing between sets after the first set of lunges, but it was OK.
I've got three more workouts in this phase and one more squat/lunge day. I'm tempted to really push the weights next time. The most I've ever squatted for 15 was about 265 but there's no way I can do that for 2 sets, I'm not even sure I could do that for 1 set right now. But I don't think I'd be able to do another thing after that and I definitely couldn't do that supersetting... I mean if THIS is gassing me, I'd die or something. So... we'll see on Thursday what I decide to do. I might up the squat weight to 185 or 205, if I'm feeling my oats.
I can definitely do more on the rows, pushups, and crunches. Lunges, otoh, are staying right the hell where they are.
I did the intervals.
Anyways, we also made an offer on the house we went to see on Thursday, 5.5 acres and about a 4300 sq ft house. We'll have to put a barn on it but it's pretty nice.
2A 1 arm press: 40x15, 40x15
2B Close Grip Pulldowns: 105x15, 105x15
Reverse Crunches: 0x20, 0x20
Instead of blowing my grip away by going overhand the first DL set, I used a mix grip through both sets and I was able to knock out all 15 the first set without resetting and 13 the second set before resetting. I upped the weights on the step ups and just had to take a few seconds between the right and left leg on the second batch to catch my breath. I was breathing hard but I was in much better shape than last time.
I ignored what I was going to do on the 1 arm presses and jumped 5 pounds instead of 2.5. I think I'll be able to get 45x15 next workout although the second set is going to be iffy. The second set of lat pulldowns was hrd.
Then I forced myself to do the damn intervals. They wuz hrd though. Those things are going to be the death of me.
AND... we have agreed on a price for the new house. So now we have to sell our house and get ready to move.
2A DB Rows (out): 45x15, 45x15
2B Pushups: 0x40, 0x52
Crunches: 37.5x20, 37.5x20
Every so often, I will kneel down on one knee and then when I stand back up, the knee is wonked out. I did it again the night of my last workout. I was cleaning out a litter box and when I stood up, my knee hurt. It's weird because it might not actually be the knee. It might be the calf where one of the calf muscles attaches somewhere in the back of the knee. But my knees have both been feeling strained recently and I've been wondering if the intervals have been messing with them. I've been limping around the past couple of days.
I went into this workout wondering if I was going to be able to squat at all. The first warmup squats felt like hell but I went ahead and tried the 115's and they actually felt semi-OK. So I went ahead with them.
I didn't increase the weight on the lunges because I was worried about the knees.
The rows were hard not because of the weight of the dumbell but because my legs were shaky from the first superset.
On the second set of pushups, I got to 40 and thought, what the hell, let's see how far we can go. And I was going fine, I didn't slow down at all, but when I got to 52, I just quit. That's embarrasing because that's not a physical failure but a mental failure. I know I had a lot more reps in me if I had just put my mind to it.
I was happy when the crunches were done.
But I stopped there. I didn't do the intervals. I'm going to give them a shot tomorrow and see how they feel with my knees.
My knee actually feels a little better tonight but it's still tight.
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