NROL - IST - (I Start Today)

jcruver · 04-26-2007, 07:16 PM

Ok..I read the book..asked a few questions..and tried to think of any other excuse to procrastinate further on starting the workouts. Just kidding..(sort of...)..so..I Start Today.

A brief backgroud...I am 40 (how did that happen?) and have been working out for the last 4 years or so. I am currently 5'11" and weigh in at 177. I don't have a recent BF% but I guesstimate it to be 20ish%. At my worst I was a 243lb guy who smoked over a pack a day. I lost alot of weight in the common 'wrong' ways..(tons of cardio..eating once a day..strict atkins..ect..ect). I am not complaining about that..just stating the facts.

A few years back I hired a PT and started to read (well i could read before... I meant read as much as I could about fitness/nutrition). My PTs first move was to 'teach' me how to eat..(my introduction to macronutrients and to fitday..wish I would have noted the exact date I first logged on..it may or may not need to be celebated annually). He then got me off the treadmill and 'machines' and into the weight room. -yes I am aware that this 'brief backgroud' has exceeded the definition of the word brief-. In no time (3 months) I dropped from 184 to 158 and was..and I never thought I would say this..too skinny. I was buying 30" pants (and actually fitting into them which is really the impressive part as anyone could buy them) remembering how not that long ago it was 40" jeans I was wearing (and I think that qualifies for the adult version of 'husky' dungarees from Sears & Roebuck--- dungarees??..Roebuck??..I think I just channeled the 70s version of my mother..sorry about that).

Back to my 'brief' background which I promise to speed up if you are still reading this..which I would put at 50/50 odds that you gave up well before I somehow included a major retail chain AND my mother into what started out to be just a simple log where I would track my progress with a bit of motivation from like minded indivuals.

After making such great gains(losses) I then started to 'bulk' which went pretty smooth..added muscle..not alot of fat..and then..stopped working with my PT.

That was over 2 years ago and since then I have been working out but not following any programs. I have been pretty much trying to lift heavy using the basic movements (compound lifts) and more or less aimlessly working out without direction (I know..you are probably shocked at that seeing how direct and to the point I have been in this log so far). I do continue to read and learn and think I have a pretty good base of knowledge (who doesnt think that of themself?).

Now I am ready to make some progress again. I also know the only way to do so is to have discipline in the gym and in the kitchen (please note how I have selectively neglected to go into any details what-so-ever regarding my nutritional sins of the recent past). I am not going to post much about my nutrition. I will say I have it under control (have been eating clean for the last 2 weeks and will continue to do so). I am very aware of how this (nutrition) is the key componant and the best programs out there will not be effective if I don't have this under control. The only times I will bring nutrition into this log is when I have those moments of weakness and eat 'dirty' or if I don't see progress and am looking for reasons.

So..on to day one....

Break-In A

60 second rest between sets and between supersets

Straight Set
Squats: 135x15, 145x15

Superset
Static Lunge: 75x15, 65x15
2-Point DB Row, Elbow Out: 25x15, 25x15

Superset
Pushups: BWx15, BWx20
Swiss-Ball Crunches: BWx20, BWx20

It felt good..the lunges were tough especially right after the squats. I haven't done high reps in a long time (I went to the fitness center earlier this week and did the exercises to figure out what was a good starting weight for each exercise before jumping in - thats right..procrastinated as long as I could - which was very helpful after doing low reps for such a long time).

Looking forward to the next workout...and I will try not to ramble on too much next time...must be the metobolic turbulance that prompted that..

Thanks for reading..
JC

L'ilJ · 04-26-2007, 07:28 PM

Hey JC. Well, I made it through the "brief" introduction to you log

. Looks good so far. I think you are really going to like the NROL program. I did. What are you going to do after Break-In?

jcruver · 04-27-2007, 06:58 AM

I am going to start with FL1 and see how that goes. I most likely will move to FL2 after but I am not sure..I am a bit afraid of losing strength so I might move to a different phase depending on where I am at.

Has anyone here gone to one of the FL and seen much of a decrease in strength?

L'ilJ · 04-27-2007, 09:18 AM

I didn't see a decrease in strength during FL1...but not a huge increase. Endurance improved immensely though. I guess it depends on how fit you are to begin with and how you're eating. You will definitely like FL1 and 2. They are really fun and challenging. I did them back to back and have now moved on to a strength building program (Waterbury's).