Ruthie's NROLW log

[Ruthie]

Yesterday I didn't get round to writing up my workout.

I did my first workout B in stage 4.

Wide-grip deadlift from box
3 x 8 30.5kg
I dropped the weight a bit from the end of stage 2 because I am still being cautious with my back and trying to concentrate on form.

Alternating sets of: (as superset)
Bulgarian split squat
1 x 8 10kg
1 x 8 11kg
1 x 8 12kg

and

Underhand-grip lat pulldown
1 x 8 80lbs
1 x 8 84lbs
1 x 8 88lbs
I'm still trying to find the right weight here, I think I could go up a bit still.

Alternating sets of: (superset)
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach
3 x 8 (2x7kg)

and

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch
1 x 8 3kg
2 x 8 4kg

Alternating sets of:
Swiss ball crunch
3 x 8 9kg over head, feet on step

and
Reverse crunch
3 x 8

Alternating sets of:
Swiss Ball side crunch
3 x 8 holding 5kg

and

Prone Cobra
2 x 120sec

I'm getting a bit bored now because this is all the same as stage 2 but just longer. Especially bored with the abs and core work. It's a shame there's not a few new exercises in each stage.

I have my meeting at the gym tomorrow to have my form checked over. I am a bit self-conscious since it's a long time since anyone except immediate family has seen me do this stuff.

[Ruthie]

Well I met this trainer, Rob, at a gym in Cambridge today who I had arranged with to go through some of the lifts with me and check my form. He checked my range of movement, it was quite interesting - it was good in my hamstrings and hip flexor but I couldn't get my arms up completely flat against the wall behind my head especially my right arm.
Anyway he also identified that I have a posterior pelvic tilt which makes sense as I don't have good posture and this can cause lower back pain which is what I get. He suggested doing a set of supermans before deadlifts, squats etc and also certain stretches.

He watched me do deadlifts and squats and some of the other exercises like the dumbbell snatch and clean and press and in general he thought my form was good, but he emphasised on pulling my stomach in to correct the pelvic tilt thing before each lift. He also suggested deadlifting from a platform which I have seen discussed on this board. The other thing that was useful was he helped with alternatives to the woodchops since I don't have the right cable machine. So all in all I think it was a worthwhile session and it was interesting to get a different perspective on the exercises. He asked if there were any side lunge type exercises in the workouts and I don't think that there are, (or even plie squats) - he seemed to think these ought to be included, I don't know what others think.

[Bytsi]

Sounds like a good workout and well worth the time and money to meet with the trainer. I don't know about the side lunges or plie squats - I think Lou talks about that in NROLW somewhere - the lack of abductor and adductor exercises, and how the stabilization of full-body moves will work those muscles anyway... but it's been a couple of months since I read it.

[Ruthie]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I don't know about the side lunges or plie squats - I think Lou talks about that in NROLW somewhere - the lack of abductor and adductor exercises, and how the stabilization of full-body moves will work those muscles anyway... but it's been a couple of months since I read it.

yes now you say it that rings some bells with me.

I've got some DOMS this morning and I didn't think I worked that hard yesterday considering we only did a few reps to try out different exercises. I was planning to do my workout 4A this morning but I think i will substitute with cardio.

[Ruthie]

Yesterday since I was sore and the weather was fine, I didn't even manage the cardio, but worked in the garden all day. Today I did workout A2 in Stage 4.

Front squat/push press
1 x 8 18kg
2 x 8 15.5kg
I was playing around a bit with these since this was an exercise I tried out with the trainer on Mon. He suggested breaking it into two parts, so squat, position barbell, squat, push up. I found it harder to repeatedly position the barbell with 18kg rather than keeping it in the front squat position so I had to drop weight a bit.

Alternating sets of
Step-ups (18in step)
3 x 8 (2 x9kg)
I used two dumbells this time.

and

Dumbbell one-point row
3 x 8 9kg

Alternating sets of
Static lung, rear foot elevated
1 x 8 (9kgx2)
2 x 8 (10kg x 2)

and

Push-up
3 x 8 full

Superset
Plank (variation 2 - on floor)
1 x 2m (my first ever 2min plank)
1 x 1m30 couldn't get up to 2m.

and

Reverse woodchop (substitute for cable horizontal woodchop)
2 x 8 (1x 8kg dumbbell)
I susbstituted this for the stability ball exercise since I just feel like that works for me.

[Ruthie]

Today I did 45min of SS cardio, mixture of step and hi-lo aerobics.

[Ruthie]

Stage 4 Workout 2B

Wide-grip deadlift from box
3 x 8 30.5kg

Alternating sets of: (as superset)
Bulgarian split squat
3 x 8 12kg

and

Underhand-grip lat pulldown
1 x 8 80lbs
2 x 8 94lbs
I forgot what weight I did last time in the first set.

Alternating sets of: (superset)
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach
3 x 8 (2x7kg)

and

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch
3 x 8 4kg

Alternating sets of:
Swiss ball crunch
2 x 8 9kg over head, feet on step
1 x 8 5kg crunches on floor with legs flat and arms above head holding weight. I'm getting sick of the Swiss ball crunch and don't find it particularly effective for me.

and
Reverse crunch
3 x 8

and
Swiss Ball side crunch
3 x 8 holding 5kg

Prone Cobra
2 x 120sec
I can't face a third set.

Then I started intervals on the bike, but I was really drained today. I did two intervals but I couldn't get my heart rate up and couldn't really put much power into the pedals. I was feeling somewhat hypo by this point, so I guess I just ran out of fuel. I abandoned it after two intervals, I will try and do a more intense workout tomorrow instead if possible.

[Ruthie]

Also I meant to say I am feeling a bit weary of it all this last week. Bored of the lifting and my eating is drifting a bit. This usually happens to me with the eating if I don't keep an eye on myself, but I don't usually get bored with the exercise because in the past I have always changed around which dvds I would do. The trouble with this is that the workout really drags with all those long rests (not saying I don't need them, but I am busy and have loads of other stuff to do all day as well!) and just repeating the same old exercises over and over gets tedious. I am feeling more and more like I will skip stage 5 and 6 (I planned to skip 6 a la book anyway) and go straight to 7 which is at least a bit more varied.

Anyway, I need to stop moaning and get on with it. And get my eating back on track asap. It's not terribly off but I am slipping back into bad habits of nibbling the kids' stuff, licking out the cake mix etc.

[Ruthie]

Today I did 1/2 hour Cathe's bootcamp workout from her 4-day split series. It's 12 drills, most of which are quite intense (e.g. running on spot and dropping down into push-ups).

[Ruthie]

Sunday was a rest day, yesterday was Workout 3A in stage 4.

Front squat/push press
3 x 8 15.5kg

Alternating sets of
Step-ups (18in step)
2 x 8 (2 x 9kg)
1 x 8 (2 x 10kg)

and

Dumbbell one-point row
3 x 8 9kg

Alternating sets of
Static lung, rear foot elevated
3 x 8 (10kg x 2)

and

Push-up
3 x 8 full

Superset
Plank (variation 2 - on floor)
1 x 2m
1 x 1m45
I get a tiny bit closer each time.

and

Woodchop on ball (substitute for cable horizontal woodchop)
2 x 8 (1x 8kg dumbbell)
Back to this one, and I felt that I was feeling it more this time.

Then today I rested again, or rather worked in the garden. In case you're wondering it's quite a big garden and needs a lot of time.

[Ruthie]

Yesterday was Stage 4 Workout 3B.

Wide-grip deadlift from box
3 x 8 30.5kg

Alternating sets of: (as superset)
Bulgarian split squat
3 x 8 12kg

and

Underhand-grip lat pulldown
3 x 8 92lbs

Alternating sets of: (superset)
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach
1 x 8 (2x7kg)
2 x 8 (2x8kg)
and

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch
3 x 8 4kg

Alternating sets of:
Swiss ball crunch
3 x 8 9kg over head, feet on step

and
Reverse crunch
3 x 8

and
Swiss Ball side crunch
3 x 8 holding 5kg


Prone Cobra
2 x 120sec

I didn't do the intervals after this workout, since it really seems to drain me. Plus it takes ages. So instead I did 35min on the exercise bike tonight which included 4x 1min intervals near the start then steady state for the rest.

[Ruthie]

Workout 4A in Stage 4

Front squat/push press
3 x 8 15.5kg

Alternating sets of
Step-ups (18in step)
3 x 8 (2 x 10kg)

and

Dumbbell one-point row
3 x 8 9kg

Alternating sets of
Static lung, rear foot elevated
3 x 8 (10kg x 2)

and

Push-up
3 x 8 full

Superset
Plank (variation 2 - on floor)
2 x 2m
Did it!

and

Woodchop on ball (substitute for cable horizontal woodchop)
2 x 8 (1x 8kg dumbbell)

[Ruthie]

I did an hour of step intervals this morning with 10 intervals altogether. Then tomorrow I will do my final workout in stage 4 minus the intervals on the end.

[Ruthie]

Last workout in Stage 4 today - hurray! I am thinking to go straight to stage 7 now, since stage 6 is optional anyway and I don't have a pull-up bar. Stage 5 is not supposed to be optional but I don't think I can face that workout B again - it is so boring and in sets of 4 reps with 2min rest, it will never end. Plus I worked out that if I took all the rest times scheduled in stage B that the total time spent resting would be 72min! That doesn't include doing the exercises and 15min of intervals. I just don't have that amount of time to workout in a day. So I think I will go straight to stage 7.

After that I will probably wrap up my log since I don't think anyone else much reads it - I know it's fairly dull, but the idea of keeping it so that I would keep on the straight and narrow food-wise because I was under public scrutiny has faded now as I know no-one will notice.

Anyway today's workout
Stage 4 4B

Wide-grip deadlift from box
1 x 8 30.5kg
2 x 8 33kg
My back is so much better since I followed Rob's advice.

Alternating sets of: (as superset)
Bulgarian split squat
3 x 8 12kg

and

Underhand-grip lat pulldown
3 x 8 92lbs

Alternating sets of: (superset)
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach
3 x 8 (2x8kg)
and

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch
1 x 8 4kg
2 x 8 3kg
I dropped to 3kg since I have been feeling that I don't really get enough range of movement with 4kg.

Alternating sets of:
Swiss ball crunch
3 x 8 9kg over head, feet on step

and
Reverse crunch
3 x 8

and
Swiss Ball side crunch
3 x 8 holding 5kg


Prone Cobra
2 x 120sec

[stingo]

Just remember that people may read your log and not post in it, seeing that everything is going smoothly. The fact that you don't seem to need any help is probably a good thing.

[Bytsi]

I'm here - I read your log!!!

Ditto what Stingo said - if you are smooth-sailing, there's not always a lot to say!

I can see why you might go to stage 7 - I'm on stage 4 and DREAD 5. I super-setted on stage 3 (no rest between the paired exercises) but still... I hated it.

[Ruthie]

Thanks Tom and Bytsi, I appreciate your support . I wasn't meaning to moan, I don't have time to read other people's logs in detail and don't give much help to others either. Also it is generally smooth sailing, in that I can manage the workouts and I know why I don't lose weight when I don't - too much food!

I've ordered Lyle McDonald's Ultimate Diet - I am thinking of trying that next, though I shall have to read it first. It sounds very hard so I might be scared off. But there's a workout schedule as part of it and I have enjoyed having a schedule to follow rather than always making up my own.

[Ruthie]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I can see why you might go to stage 7 - I'm on stage 4 and DREAD 5. I super-setted on stage 3 (no rest between the paired exercises) but still... I hated it.

I think if I did stage 5 I would still superset but it would still take a looong time. I was reading on Lyle McDonald's forum that he thinks that metabolic type workouts ie. lower weight higher rep short rest such as stage 7 are a sure way to lose lean mass as well as fat unless mixed up with heavy workouts also. After I read that I considered alternating say one workout a week from stage 5 with two from stage 7. But I don't know if that's a bad idea - it's getting into the realms of making up my own stuff to add onto Alwyn's which is warned against in the book. And I guess Alwyn wouldn't agree with Lyle on that else he wouldn't have written stage 7 like that.

I don't feel comfortable with missing stage 5 - if I do something I like to complete it properly. Will you definitely do stage 5?