Hot, Tight, and Fit--My NROL4W Training Log (Hot Pants Included)

[Amblus]

Oops, wrong place!

[_CQ]

Thanks Amblus. I am working on it, the problem is that the flash on the camera washes out all my hard-earned definition. I need to get some kind of low light from top. My body fat is definitely lower (21% now) compared to before I started, and my husband has noticed I am a lot leaner. The biggest changes are in my arms (male-like biceps), back (incredible definition), and butt (smaller and with more lift).

I just read your post about noticing changes and I have to tell you--your body will probably change only a little bit after stage 1, but come stage 2 the changes become more pronounced to the naked eye. I remember my frustration during the middle of stage one because I didn't look that much different, even as my strength increased. I'm hooked on the program now, not as much for appearance, but because these progressive challenges from stage to stage are absolutely exhilarating.

I will send you a PM when I get these pictures uploaded.

[nutbar]

I'm cruising through, reading new-to-me logs tonight so wanted to pop in and say hi. Nice increases on your workouts!

Originally Posted by _CQ

I am guessing with this variation I am allowed to set it on the floor and regrip with every rep?

I read someone here on the forums saying that they're called deadlifts because you're lifting them from a dead stop, that they're resting on the floor, each time you do a rep. So, yes, I've been setting them on the floor each time and I assume a regrip certainly isn't out of the question. I'm not exactly an expert, though. LOL

[_CQ]

Thanks Diane, I think you are right too about the deadlifts. Your workouts look incredible! I just looked at your log and you are really strong! And thanks for the great idea to look at videos on my iPhone while doing the prone cobra (except I have an iTouch).

I wore my Angry Day T-shirt to the gym today--except my workouts are anything but ferocious. Little increases and barely holding on to the weights today. I am also having some food issues.

Stage 2 Workout 4A

A1. Front Squat/Push Press -- 1x5, 7.5 lb plates (60 lbs), 1x5, 5 lb plates (55 lbs), 1x10, 5 lb plates (55 lbs)

B1. Step-up -- 2x20, 30 lb dumbells (60 lbs), on a box with one attached addition -- finished last 5 reps with 25 lb DBs.

B2. Dumbbell one-point row -- 2x10, 25 lb DBs (50 lbs)

C1. Static lunge -- 2x20, 20 lbs DBs (40 lbs)

C2. Push-up -- 1x9, BW on floor, 1x10, 30 degree push-ups -- + difficulty

D1. Plank on swiss ball, 2x60 secs + time

D2. Woodchop, 1x20, 40 lbs, 1x20, 50 lbs -- + 10 lbs in first and second set

[MuscleMom23]

I have "food" issues too LOL but not so fine.

Well another board I go to, these fireballs for woment eat 3500 cals for maintenance. One is about your size the other taller and more muscular.

I think everyone is different. I say if you are not gaining and if you body is changing favorably you hit the mark rightly!

I think Lou says that is what you want. No weight loss, just body changes. Perhaps this is your maintenance?

And your diet is clean except for those little indescretions that make life fun, ya know?

I have read over and over, don't cheat your body out of nutrients, make sure you get those and hit your macro targets and sometimes there is some room for movement on treats.

I went too low and I was not losing. I would rather go high and not lose then to starve and not lose.

So this is feedback. Track the calories track your workouts and just use the info. I think it is invaluable!

[beach_plums]

You may not have lost inches, but, as you mentioned in the other forum, your body is leaner and stronger. I wouldn't worry about your calorie intake right now. Remember that stage 7 is the cutting stage, where, if I'm reading correctly, any extra fat should melt right off.
Something to ask yourself, if you cut calories, are you going to be able to get through your workouts with as much energy? You're lifting a lot of weight. Having less fuel energy could compromise that. I know that when I don't eat enough, I can't lift as much as I can otherwise.

[_CQ]

I love your new avatar MuscleMom. I would guess those woman who eat 3,500 cals do weight lifting, yoga, mountain climbing, sky diving, boxing, and running I pretty much sit at my computer all day when I'm not at the gym, so I need to keep that in mind. But I am very lucky that my BMR must be genetically inherited to be high (looking at my family). I think thats great advice--its always better to overshoot the target than undershoot.

And thanks for the encouragement beach_plums. I can't wait for stage 7! These strength-building stages do require a lot of eating though, good for us women who dig cooking and sitting down to hearty meals.

As I guessed, if I were doing the deadlifts right , I could have lifted a lot more.

Stage 2 Workout 4B

A1. Wide-grip deadlifts on box -- 2x10, 35 lbs plates (115 lbs), 2x10, 40 lb plates (125 lbs) + 10 lbs

B1. Bulgarian split squat -- 2x20, 20 lb dumbbell + 5 lbs

B2. Underhand-grip lat pulldown -- 1x10, 60 lbs, 1x10, 70 lbs

C1. Reverse lunge from box -- 2x20, 15 lbs DBs (30 lbs)

C2. Dumbbell Cuban Snatch -- 2x10, 10 lbs DBs (20 lbs) -- I went down on the weight to make sure I get the form right.

D1. Overhead Swissball crunch -- 2x10, 20 lbs

D2. Reverse crunch -- 2x10 on incline bench about 45 degrees

D3. Lateral flexion 3 -- 2x20 + difficulty

E. Prone cobra -- 2x10, 60 seconds

Interval training

2x40 secs or so of box jumps, 2 min rest -- we were ushered out of the gym for closing time just as I was getting ready to do my third interval

Happy Easter everyone!

[MuscleMom23]

WOW CQ, I have been ushered out of the bar in my day but not the gym LOL!

[nutbar]

Great workout!

Maybe once we're all big and buff, we can be hired as bouncers at gyms. We'll start a new profession!

[Amblus]

Wow, you're doing great! Making gains and box jump intervals? Mercy.

I start Stage 2 in a couple of weeks and I have, uh, Stage (2) fright.

[_CQ]

Amblus, Stage 2 was fun and a great challenge for me. I think you will really dig it.

Today, we went to the gym for some HIIT. We moved a couple of boxes into the aerobics room and set up a mini "obstacle course." WOW it was tiring. Basically we did a series of box jumps on different heights. I am still aiming to be able to do box jumps for 1 minute. I also used my heart rate monitor for the first time--my max heart rate during the intervals ranges from 190-201. Not bad!


6x40 secs of box jumps, 1-2 mins rest time.

[MuscleMom23]

Love your avi!

[_CQ]

Thanks MuscleMom

Did I say stage 2 kicked my ass? I haven't truly experienced a real ass kicking yet then. Because Stage 3 workout A truly tested my limits of human endurance. If I hasn't had such a great workout partner, I would never want to ever do the body matrix again. But I will

Alright, so here goes:

Stage 3 Workout 1A

A1. One armed dumbbell snatch -- 1x6, 25 lbs, 1x6, 30 lbs, 1x6, 35 lbs

B1. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian Deadlift -- 1x6, 20 lbs DBs (40 lbs), 2x6, 25 lbs (50 lbs)

B2. Barbell bent-over row -- 1x6, 45 lbs, 2x6, 55 lbs

C1. Dumbbell single-arm overhead squat -- 1x6, 5 lbs up 10 lbs down (15 lbs), 1x6, 15 lbs up 30 lbs down (45 lbs), 1x6 17.5 lbs up 35 lbs down (52.5 lbs)

C2. Dumbbell incline bench press -- 1x6, 20 lbs DBs (40 lbs), 1x6 25 lbs (50 lbs), 1x6, 30 lbs (60 lbs) -- I'm really pleased to get the 30 lbs DBs up, its a new record for presses

D1. Plank -- 90 secs, 75 secs, 90 secs + time

D2. Reverse wood chop -- 3x6 30-40 lbs

Body matrix = E V I L

I cheated a little bit doing the first matrix (half lunges and half jumps and half squats), but did a little better on the next one. I hope it will be a little less painful next time...oh my butt and thighs still hurt.

[_CQ]

I dislike stage 3B's workout. The barbell Romanian deadlift was awkward; the YTWL looks silly (though that should by no means be a judge of its merits); the abdominal circuit boring, and the only exercise I really felt comfortable with and challenged by is the partial single-leg squat.

Oh well, here goes....

A. Barbell Romanian deadlift/bent-over row -- 1x6, 65 lbs, 1x6, 75 lbs, 1x6, 70 lbs

B1. Partial single-leg squat -- 1x6, 10 lbs, 1x6, 15 lbs, 1x6, 15 lbs on the right leg and 10 lbs on the left leg

B2. Wide-grip lat pulldown -- 1x6, 70 lbs, 1x6, 60 lbs, 1x5, 70 lbs -- the only exercise in NROL I found very difficult to make gains

C1. Back extension -- 1x6, 10 lbs, 1x6, 17.5 lbs, 1x6, 25 lbs

C2. YTWL -- 3x6, 5 lb DBs

D1. Swiss-ball crunch -- 1x6, 20 lbs, 2x6, 25 lbs -- + 5 lbs

D2. Reverse crunch on incline bench -- 3x6

D3. Lateral flexion on swiss ball -- 3x6

E. Prone Cobra -- 90 secs, 90 secs, 60 secs

Box jump intervals -- 1x1 min, 2 min rest, 1x45 secs, 1.5 min rest, 1x30 secs -- I feel like my body are starting to adapt to the box jumps!

[nutbar]

I think I'm going to steal your idea for box jump intervals next time. Sounds like (painful) fun!

LOVE the new avatar!

[_CQ]

Thanks nutbar

My knees and thighs are buckling and shivering. I probably let out screams loud enough to shatter the gym pushing out my last three lunge jumps. Stage 3's workout 2A is hands down one of the toughest things I've done in my life. With trembling fingers and shaky legs, I present my workout...

Stage 3 Workout 1A

A1. One armed dumbbell snatch -- 1x6, 35 lbs, 1x6, 40 lbs, 1x6, 35-40 lbs -- + 5 lbs on first set and + 10 lbs on second set

B1. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian Deadlift -- 1x6, 25 lbs DBs (40 lbs), 1x6, 25-30 lbs (50-60 lbs), 1x6, 25 lbs (50 lbs) -- + 5 lbs on second set (but not really doing it with perfect form on a weight increase)

B2. Barbell bent-over row -- 1x6, 55 lbs, 1x6, 60 lbs, 1x6, 60 lbs -- + 2.5 lbs

C1. Dumbbell single-arm overhead squat -- 3x6, 17.5 lbs DB up and 35 lbs DB down on the right arm, 15 lbs up and 30 lbs down on the left arm

C2. Dumbbell incline bench press -- 3x6, 25 lbs (50 lbs) -- -5 lbs Try as I might, I couldn't get the 30 lbs DBs I did last workout up! Grrr!

D1. Three Point Plank -- 2x30 secs on right leg, 30 secs on left leg, 1x60 secs normal plank + difficulty

D2. Reverse wood chop -- 3x6, 30 lbs

Body matrix x 2, I didn't have my hubby, who is down with bronchitis , time me today I presume it was about the same as the last workout and I rested 7 mins.

Oh and I have my progress pics uploaded to this thread - also bought an Accumeasure Fat Track Pro and did an 8 point test. First it came out as 13%, then 14.8% (???), and finally a more reasonable 20%. I would guess the last one is the right one since that was similar to the Ormon test.