Sona's Log...

[sona]

After years of lifting with various programs—the latest being BGB (a basic 5x5, 3x8 heavy format)—I read NROL and remain very interested in the principles and format. I don’t know if I can survive the various workouts, but I intend to try!

My name is Sona; I’m 55 years old, 5’2” tall, 103 pounds (give or take a pound or two in either direction). I haven’t reached this “advanced” age without my share of injury: 14 years ago, I was knocked over (by two romping dogs) onto the right side of my neck, which has left me with a “trick” vertebra there (neck goes out with too much overhead weight-bearing exercise), limited strength in certain areas (like lying side lateral raises, for instance, or being able to hold my head up by itself while doing stability ball crunches), and thousands of dollars in the hole to various chiropractors—each adjustment fixes me up fine...for about two to three weeks.

I’ve had a herniated L4/L5 disk that is fine now, provided I don’t do hyperextensions or good mornings.

Otherwise, I have the usual aches and twinges—I’ve been a jogger for about 30 years—but nothing that most people don’t experience at one time or another. I have no problem with exercises that don’t require overhead weight-bearing work (so OHP, militaries, Arnies, etc. are risky): I can handle squats, deadlifts, Bulgarians, lunges, step-ups, presses, push-ups, chin-ups, lat pulldowns, cable rows... they’re all fine. I lift as heavy as form allows.

Three weeks ago, I began the NROL Break-In workouts, and after completing four rounds of each (A and B), I began Fat Loss II. On the Break-In WOs, the weights in most exercises went up in each subsequent WO not because I was getting stronger, but because I wasn't sure at first how much weight I could handle and. Here’s a review of the four go-rounds of the Break-In WOs:

Workout A

dynamic stretches: cat/camel, yoga twist, bird dog, fire hydrants, anterior/posterior leg swings, windmills.

NROL warmups: Inchworm, stability ball bridge/Russian twist, stability ball crunches, walking lunges with body twist (5-8 reps each leg), lateral lunges with opposite hand reach and touch.

squats: (full ROM—almost ATF) 2x15 (60 seconds rest):
55#, 70#
65#, 75#
75#, 80#
80#, 80#


static lunges supersetted with 2-pt. DB row with elbow out (60 seconds rest):

lunges, 2x15 (each leg):
10# DBs, 12# DBs
12#, 15#
15#, 15#
15#, 15#

DB row, 2x15 (each arm):
10# DB, 12# DB
12#, 15#
15#, 17.5#
17.5#, 17.5#

push-ups supersetted with Swiss ball crunch:
2x15 and 2x20 (60 seconds rest).

On the push-ups, I experienced enough wrist discomfort after the first WO that I did the other two WOs holding on to two dumbbells while I did my push-ups. On the Swiss ball crunches, I must hold my hands behind my head to do the crunches: I cannot keep my head positioned by itself.

Workout B

dynamic stretches: cat/camel, yoga twist, bird dog, fire hydrants, anterior/posterior leg swings, windmills.

NROL warmups: Inchworm, stability ball bridge/Russian twist, stability ball crunches, walking lunges with body twist (5-8 reps each leg), lateral lunges with opposite hand reach and touch.

BB Deadlifts: 2x15 (60 seconds rest):
50#, 50#
60#, 60#
55#, 55#
60#, 60#

Step-ups (about knee height) supersetted with DB one-arm shoulder presses, 2x15 each leg/arm (60 seconds rest)
:
step-ups:

10# DBs, 15# DBs
12#, 15#
15#, 15#
15#, 15#

shoulder presses:

10# DBs, 10# DBs
12#, 12#
12#, 12#
12#, 12#

Close-grip lat pulldowns supersetted with reverse crunches: (60 seconds rest)

pulldowns, 2x15:
50#, 62.5#
55#, 62.5#
62.5#, 62.5#
67.5#, 67.5#

2x20BW (crunches)

Shoulder presses will always be weak sisters for me, dumbbells or barbell—and I’ll have to be very careful not to overtax the area. I’ve just begun to see an ART chiropractor in addition to my regular chiro, but it’s too early to tell just what may be done to help my neck strengthen up.

For Break-In, I did one workout every other day, and on the in-between days I did metabolic overdrive cardio (19 minutes) + dynamic stretching/warmups afterward on my off days—with one day completely free/off per week.

I began Fat Loss II on Thursday. Entries to follow~

[galya]

Congrats on starting your log!
I do believe that NROL FL is a great program and I am currently doing that, too. I'll be following along.
I assume your goal is fat loss even though you sound very petite. I hope you work around your injuries and have a great experience doing this

[Mahler]

Sona,
Welcome to the Training Log forum. It's great to see another 50 something doing NROL. You are off to a great start.

[gregl515]

Welcome from another 50 year old! Just barely thank God!

[sona]

Hi, Galya, Mahler, and Greg! Thanks for coming by to welcome me; it feels really good.

I know what you mean, Mahler and Greg, about being happy to find other older lifters--it's come as quite a shock to me to learn that I am one~!

Galya, yes, my goal is fat loss--always is. It's funny, but you can be a fairly low weight in your 50s and still have plenty of fat (and look that way)--if I'd weighed 103 at 23 years old, I'd've been lean indeed! At 55, I look zaftig--not lean, really, although not overweight, either. So I'm hoping the fat loss WOs will help pull me together--if they don't kill me!

Here's the first go-round of Fat Loss II:

Fat Loss II—Workout A-1

dynamic stretches: cat/camel, yoga twist, bird dog, fire hydrants, anterior/posterior leg swings, windmills.

NROL warmups: Inchworm, stability ball bridge/Russian twist, stability ball crunches, walking lunges with body twist (5-8 reps each leg), lateral lunges with opposite hand reach and touch.


(1) Front squats supersetted with wide-grip cable rows

Front Squats:
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
30#, 40#, 40#

Talk about ungainly! This was my first attempt, and I used the crossed arms method. I was not confident, and I looked like a drunk duckling. I ended up with bruises around my collarbone.

Wide-grip cable rows:
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
65#, 65#, 65#


(2) Supine hip extension w/ leg curl supersetted with BB push press

SHELC
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
BW

BB push press
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
20#, 30#, 40#

Push presses are going to be risky for my neck. I will try hard to keep alignment and proper form, but it will be rough going raising weight.


(3) Dynamic lunges (DB) supersetted with upper-body Russian twist

Lunges
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
12# DBs, 15# DBs, 15# DBs

UBRT
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
BW


Fat Loss II—Workout B-1

dynamic stretches: cat/camel, yoga twist, bird dog, fire hydrants, anterior/posterior leg swings, windmills.

NROL warmups: Inchworm, stability ball bridge/Russian twist, stability ball crunches, walking lunges with body twist (5-8 reps each leg), lateral lunges with opposite hand reach and touch.

(1) Snatch-grip deadlifts supersetted with T push-ups

DLs
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
40#, 45#, 50#

I can go a bit heavier next time; these were not as rough as I'd thought they'd be.

T Push-ups
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
BW
AAAAAHHHHH!!!


(2) Bulgarian split squats/OH Press supersetted with lat pulldowns (underhand grip)

Bulgarians/OH press
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
5# DBs, 6#, 7#

Smart move keeping the weight so low; it's the OH presses that are rough for me; next time, though, I think I'll start with 7#.

Lat pulldowns:
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
62.5#, 72.5#, 75#


(3) Romanian deadlift/BB rows supersetted with lower-body Russian twists

DL/Rows
3x12 (60 seconds rest)
40#, 45#, 45#

Russian twists
3x12 (60 seconds rest)


This WO is a killer! I was so wiped next day that cardio was out of the question.

[Bill2380]

I hate those "damn Bulgarians". Welcome from another 50 year old lifter.

[tkinsley]

Yup, that one is a BEAST, LOL.... personally, the only w/o that has exhausted me nearly--I said NEARLY--as much was Oly lifting with a ntnl strongwoman. SHE gave me longer rest periods though

Awesome job, Sona... be prepared for some sore lats from those SG DLs. Hurts so good though.

-TK

[sona]

Next set of Fat Loss I workouts--and I'm still alive! I can't believe it~

Fat-Loss II


Workout A-2:

Superset 1
Front Squat – 12x45#, 12x50#, 12x55#
Wide Grip Seated Cable Row – 12x70#, 12x75#, 12x75#

Superset 2
Supine Hip Extension with Leg Curl - 3x12
Barbell Push Press - 12x30#, 12x30#, 12x40#

Superset 3
Dynamic Lunge - 12x15# DBs, 12x17.5# DBs, 12x17.5# DBs
Upper Body Russian Twist - 3x12, BW


Fat-Loss II


Workout B-2:

Superset 1
Snatch Grip Deadlift - 12x55#, 12x60#, 12x65#
T Push-Ups - 3x12, BW

Superset 2
Bulgarian Split Squat/Overhead Press - 12x7# DBs, 12x7# DBs, 12x8# DBs
Underhand-grip lat pulldowns - 12x62.5#, 12x75#, 12x80#

Superset 3
DL/Bent Over Row - 12x45#, 12x50#, 12x55#
Lower Body Russian Twist - 3x12, BW

Comments to follow in a separate post!

[sona]

Well, front squats remain a major challenge, one I'm doubtful can be overcome to my satisfaction. On this go-round, I did them with my canvas lifting straps wound around the bar, then I gripped them instead of the bar--this kept my wrists from extending backward painfully.

It was still a very awkward proposition, trying the keep the long Oly bar balanced this way. I had a towel around my neck to cushion the collarbone area, and I did my best to keep the bar up close to my windpipe and my elbows up and out. But it isn't a coordinated movement, and concentration tends to center on keeping my balance and my hands secure rather than on making sure my back and legs are behaving properly.

Next, I'm still curious about the supine hip extension w/ leg curl: I'm not sure I'm getting the full effect of these, although I recognize the hamstring stretch involved. Would it be possible to do lying ham curls instead, I wonder?

The barbell push press and overhead press (on the Bulgarians), remain the riskiest exercises for me, given the weakness in my neck vertebra. But I'm continuing to do them, moving up slowly in weight as I feel I can.

This tim around, workout B still kicked ass, but I don't feel as whipped today (the day after) as I did the day after the first go-round. So maybe it is possible to get stronger. I hope!

[sona]

Meant to clarify:

All workouts begin with:

dynamic stretches: cat/camel, yoga twist, bird dog, fire hydrants, anterior/posterior leg swings, windmills.

NROL warmups: Inchworm, stability ball bridge/Russian twist, stability ball crunches, walking lunges with body twist (5-8 reps each leg), lateral lunges with opposite hand reach and touch.

[sona]

dupe

[galya]

If you were doing the SHELC right, you should be feeling your hams contracting pretty hard, not stretching.
Be patient with front squats, maybe substitute them for front dumbbell squats?

[kuri]

Nice looking log Sona!

As for front squats my wife has similar problems with her wrists so you might try resting the bar on your shoulders and crossing your arms like this:



Keep up the good work.

[sona]

Originally Posted by galya

If you were doing the SHELC right, you should be feeling your hams contracting pretty hard, not stretching.

Yes, I must mean contraction (it feels like a stretch, but it must be the opposite; sorry): isn't that what lying ham curls do too--contract the hams? Would that be an acceptable sub, Galya?

Kuri, thank for the suggestion on front squats! As it happens, I did the crossed-arms version on my first go-round of Workout A, and I found it too hard on my chest/shoulder/collarbone area (even with a towel as a cushion). At least when I used the straps, the bar didn't seem to be crushing me there as much. But it's so ungainly! I must check out your log and see more about how your wife is handling the exercise~

Galya, I think I'd have trouble cleaning sufficiently weighted dumbbells up to my shoulders to front squat that way. See, as long as the Oly bar is racked at the squat cage, it's at the right height for me (doesn't have to be raised up to my shoulders), so I can handle the weight (with plates)--not as much yet as I can on back squats, but even so... I don't think I could clean two 25# DBs up to my shoulders properly, without potentially taxing my neck or who knows what as I jockeyed them both in attempt to settle them properly. If I had a trainer who could position them off to me, that'd be different.

But thank you for trying to come up with a suggestion, Galya. And who knows? Maybe some of the shoulder exercises--the push press, the overhead press, and so on--will help strengthen me enough to work with DBs for front squats!

[galya]

You could try the stingray to add to your front squat comfort. I've used the mantaray with success with some clients, even though then you have to pay more attenion to breathing, bracing and form, but I think it's worth a try.
http://www.qfac.com/gear/stingray.html
For front squats I always cross my arms like Kuri's wife does, I've never been able to do it any other way.
I didn't quite understand what the issue is with the shelc; lying ham curls would not be a good substitute since shelcs combine both knee flexion and hip extension, a 2 in 1 deal that gets both the major functions of the hammies. If it's absolutely impossible, then yet, maybe that's a possible sub.
keep up the good work

[sona]

Originally Posted by galya

You could try the stingray to add to your front squat comfort. I've used the mantaray with success with some clients, even though then you have to pay more attenion to breathing, bracing and form, but I think it's worth a try.
http://www.qfac.com/gear/stingray.html
For front squats I always cross my arms like Kuri's wife does, I've never been able to do it any other way.

That looks like a fabulous piece of equipment, Galya, but I'm not yet convinced that I will be adopting front squats so completely (over back squats, I mean)--other than whenever they appear in the NROL WOs--that the $60 (price + tax + shipping) can be easily absorbed. I bought lifting hooks at one point in my WO life, and they helped enormously; same with the neoprene knee wraps I use regularly. Both worth the cost.

If I fall in love with front squats, this may be the way to go, and I thank you for pointing me to the site.

I didn't quite understand what the issue is with the shelc; lying ham curls would not be a good substitute since shelcs combine both knee flexion and hip extension, a 2 in 1 deal that gets both the major functions of the hammies. If it's absolutely impossible, then yet, maybe that's a possible sub.
keep up the good work

It's the last movement, where the neck is in such a compromised (for me) position--I end up holding my neck with one hand to protect it--which keeps the weak vertebra on my right side from potentially "misaligning," but may jeopardize the effectiveness of the exercise.

Since ham curls won't work as a sub, I will keep doing SHELCs, but I will have to keep my hand around my neck at the end.

Thank you, Galya, for checking in here!

[sona]

Yesterday was

Fat Loss II - Workout A-3

Front Squat
55#x10, 60#x10, 65#x10 (failed and moved to back squat for 70#x10)

supersetted with

Wide-Grip Cable Row
80#x10, 80#x10, 85#x10



Supine Hip Extension with Leg Curl
3x10

supersetted with

Barbell Push Press
30#x10, 40#x10, 30#x10



Dynamic Lunges
17.5# DBs x 10, 17.5# DBs x 10, 20# DBs x 10

supersetted with

Upper Body Russian Twist
3x10