My goal is to maintain my weight around 150 while reducing bodyfat hopefully under 25%. Guess I wouldn't mind going down to about 145 lbs either. I don't look like I have 29% bodyfat but my bodyfat scale says so, so I'm thinking the layer of the fat all over my body must add up to that much!
I recently started weight-training in the weight room (I used to be intimidated by the weight room, but now I've learned that it's not that scary after all). I have done two workouts in stage 1 so far, and have enjoyed them very much. I am an avid rock climber and also teach a fitness class called Body Combat, which is a cardio kickboxing class. My challenge is trying to do all the other activities along with the NROLW program in good balance, without over-training.
Normally my weekly schedule looks like this:
Mon - NROLW workout
Tue - Body Combat
Wed - NROLW workout
Thu - cardio
Fri - rockclimbing
Sat - Body Combat & NROLW workout
Sun - Rest
(I'm not sure if rockclimbing then doing 1 hr intense cardio then doing NROLW workout will be too much, but that's how my schedule works out nowdays...I will have to monitor how I feel closely to make sure it won't backfire on me.)
Squat: warm up set w/ bar only. Then 2x15 with 65 lbs.
Push up: on toes. 2x15. Could do them easy with elbows pointing out, the book says to bring elbows in closer to the body, that'd be harder. I will try to bring elbows in closer in my next workout.
Seated Row: 2x15, 50 lbs.
Step Up: 15 d-bells, 2x15. Used step with 5 risers.
Prone Jackknife: 2x8. Didn't realiz how hard this was, I was sweating like crazy.
Overall, I didn't think the workout was that hard/challenging so I added additional ab exercises to do Hanging straight Leg Lifts (3x15) I didn't feel sore the next day.
Deadlift: Warm up w/ 65 lbs, 10 reps. Then 2x15 with 85 lbs. (This was harder - started sweating and getting out of breath pretty quickly)
D-bell Shoulder Press: First set 1x15 w/ 10 lbs d-bell. Too easy, so second set of 15 was with 12.5 d-bells.
Wide Grip Lateral Pull Down: 50 lbs. 2x15. This was challenging to do controlled.
Lunge: 2x15 w/ 12.5 d-bells. I HATE lunges....!!!
Swiss Ball Crunch: w/ 5 lbs plate. 2x8. Next time will increase the weight.
The next day after this workout, I am definitely feeling the soreness. My upper and lower backs are feeling the burn - from lat pull down and deadlifts. I don't think I injured myself because there is no sharp pain, but oh man, I am moving a little stiff today! Since I did this workout yesterday, I am planning a moderate cardio machine tonight, then tomorrow AM is my normal 1 hr body combat followed by my stage 1 workout (A).
Sore already? Good to know I'm starting about the same as you, I weight about 145 and the fancy scale I bought says I am 29% body fat. I'm nervous about the squats, I've done them with 20lb free weights but never the bar. Guess I'll have to wait and see! I'll check back and good luck
If you didn't find workout A challenging, try doing your step-ups on a weight bench for a larger ROM. You may want to drop the weights back a bit so you are concentrating on only using your working leg to get you up and not pushing off at all on that back leg.
Thanks for the tip, Miss Jane. I will definitely try a little heavier weight and higher step next time. I just got invited to go climbing tonight...I'm still sore from lat pull down and deadlifts from last night...would it be bad if I climbed? I plan on doing easier climbs, not pushing too hard...
Squat: warm up set w/ bar only. Then 2x15 with 85 lbs. This was definitely more challenging now I added extra 20 lbs.
Push up: on toes. 2x15. Still having a hard time bringing my elbows in closer to my body.
Seated Row: 2x15, 50 lbs.
Step Up: 15 d-bells, 2x15. Used weight bench. I realized I was pushing off with my bottom foot a lot, and it was quite challenging to be consciously pushing off from the top foot only. Will need more practice there!
Prone Jackknife: 2x8.
I had one hour of combat prior to the workout, so I was pretty warmed up, so I didn't warm up or stretch as I should have. The workout was definitely more challenging now that I added weight and paid more attention to my form than my Day 1. But I didn't feel too much soreness on Sunday - I think tonight's workout (Monday) will be the harder one for me...those deadlifts and lat pulldowns really make my back work!
Deadlift: warm up set of 10 w/ bar only. Then 2x15 w/ 85 lbs.
Shoulder Press: 2x15 15# d-bells
Lat Pulldown: 2x15 w/ 50 lbs.
Lunges: 2x15 w/ 15# d-bells (Ugghhh...I just HATE lunges...I couldn't do alternate left/right foot, so I did 15 of right side then did 15 of left side...is that okay? Or should I try to do alternating lunges each time?)
Swiss Ball crunches: 1 set of 8 wih 15 lbs - this actually hurt my upper chest...I felt a dull pain in my chest, which probably meant I wasn't doing something right. So for the second set, I lowered weight to 10 lbs, and it was better, no pain. Is it right to hold the weight above the head and do crunches? Or should I hold the plate on my chest? Somebody help me!
My diet hasn't been so good lately. I have been cheating here and there, and that makes your body get used to eating sugar and salt. So I've been having pretty frequent sugar cravings and breaking down and eating some of the Halloween candies. No more! Since it's almost impossible to wean off sugar slowly, I will have to cut it all out - I plan on cutting sugar out except for fruit and sweet potato...no candies, cookies, or white carbs tomorrow!
Thank God for this forum. I'd be doing everything wrong.
I just went back and read the instructions for the lunge. I haven't been alternating legs all this time. I've been doing all 15 reps with one leg forward, and then switching to the other leg. Oops! But yes, the book does say to alternate. I'm sure it's harder... I'll find out tomorrow!
For the weighted swiss-ball crunch, hold the plate across your chest.
Hope that helps. And thanks for helping ME in the process!
Wednesday - Stage 1 Workout 5
Squat: warm up w/ 45 lbs oly bar 1x10. Then 1x10 warm up w/ 65 lbs. Since I know I had been cheating on squats before, I didn't increase my weight but did 2 sets of 12 with 85 lbs, correct way. It was hard, and I had to try really hard not to get my knees over my toes. Will have to keep practicing the correct form.
Push Ups: 2x12 on toes. (trying not to drop my head!)
Seated Row: 2x12 60 lbs (up 10 lbs from last week)
Step up: step with 7 risers (higher than weight bench I used last week) - 2x12 w/ 15 dbells. I consciously tried to push off the top foot only - much harder this time!
Prone Jackknife: 2x10
Hanging Leg Raise: 3x15 straight legs. -- this was extra credit!
Seo's NROLW Training Log
I'm starting about the same as you, I weight about 145 and the fancy scale I bought says I am 29% body fat. I'm nervous about the squats, I've done them with 20lb free weights but never the bar. Guess I'll have to wait and see! I'll check back and good luck
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