And for you GoWear fit wearers out there... It didn't record many steps for the bike ride, but it did record quite a bit of activity. I was pleasantly surprised. I actually hit a pretty decent amount of "vigorous" activity, which is usually difficult for me to do.
Giant Set 1
165 x 10,10,10,10 - Deadlift (mixed grip)
0 x 10,10,10,10 - Explosive push up
15 x 10,10,10,10 - Bulgarian split squat
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Two point dumbbell row
Giant Set 2
95 x 20 x 2 - Deadlift off box
15 x 20 x 2ea - Walking lunge with side bend (did dynamic lunges instead)
35 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell bench press
70 x 20 x 2 - Seated row (bowflex)
0 x 10 x 2 - Hanging leg raise
Yowza. I started a bit slower out of the gate to make sure I could stick to the rest periods. It helped a lot knowing what I was in for, and planning appropriately. The only place I took extra rest was before the start of the second giant set, and that was only an extra minute on top of what it took to change the weights on the bar.
I realized I cheated on the first A workout and only did 10 lunges per leg on the second giant set. I made up for it tonite and did 20 each leg. Oof.
I should be able to up the weight on the deadlift, rows and bench press next workout. That set of 20 deadlifts off the box is still one of the most grueling things I've done so far.
Giant Set 1
125 x 10,10,10,10 - Front Squat (two fingers under bar)
105 x 10,10,10,10 - Underhand grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
20 x 10, 25 x 10,10,10 - Step up
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Dumbbell push press
Giant Set 2
125 x 20 x 2 - Squat
70 x 20 x 2 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
15 x 20 x 2 - Step up
20 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 15 x 2 - Swiss ball crunch
Well, everyone was right, you can get used to that grip on the front squat. I was able to do all 4 sets without much trouble. My goal now is to get all four fingers under the bar by the time I finish FL III.
I probably got a little greedy on the step ups, and it showed when it came time for the sets of 20 squats. I had to stop for a few seconds after every 4 or 5 reps.
Interestingly, I have not had any pain at all in my normally troublesome right shoulder since I started the NROL workouts. I used to have a lot of pain when doing anything overhead, and sometimes even bench press. To be honest, I pretty much forgot I had any problem there at all! Score another point for Lou and Alwyn.
I checked my blood pressure at the CVS yesterday, it was 115/60. Not sure what that really means, but it has to be better than the 140/100 that it usually ran before this lifestyle change.
Going to have to miss my scheduled workouts this weekend to visit a friend that's laid up. I should still be able to finish out FL III before I go on vacation.
I know I claimed that I reached my goal weight a week ago, but I wanted to make sure it was real. Well, I weighed in at 165 again this morning, so I'm calling Phase One complete! I admit that I've been rather obsessive about scale weight throughout this journey, I promise I'll get better!
Over the last 2 weeks, I consumed an average of 2400 kcal a day, and according to my GoWear Fit, I burned an average of 3100 kcal a day. That averages out to a daily deficit of 700 kcal per day.
It's been about 14 weeks since I first started wearing the GWF. During that time, I've averaged a daily deficit of right around 1000 kcal. I've lost 23lbs of mostly fat. That's 1.6lbs/week. Not quite the 2lbs/week that a 1000 kcal deficit should result in, but it is not too far off. I have had a sneaking suspicion that the GWF is over estimating my calorie burn by around 10-15% (or 200-300 kcal). I'm very anal about tracking my intake, but I'm sure I could still be off by 200 or so calories a day. Throw all that together and I'm very pleased with the accuracy of the GWF.
So...on to Phase Two of the plan! Time to shift up to full maintenance mode. Assuming that 15% over estimation, my true burn over the last 2 weeks was closer to 2700 kcal a day. That will be my new intake goal for the next 4 weeks. During that time I'll finish Fat Loss III, have a week break (while relaxing at the Outer Banks!) and get my first week of Hyp I in. Hopefully I'll see a little culking going on during that time period.
Hey, I am doing NROL too. I am still on Fatloss 2. I have already messed up Fatloss 2 by doing it 6 weeks instead of 4 (doing the program for Lifter #3 -- man of constant obligation) and missing 2 workouts do to traveling.
What made you decide to do Fatloss 3 next instead of Hypertrophy I. I am kind of wanting to do Fatloss 3 because I need to lose weight but was afraid that I needed to gain muscle in the Hypertrophy first. Are you Lifter #4 --- Serious About Lifting, But Seriously Overweight? So that you already had the muscle needed to do Fatloss 3?
I still have 2 weeks of lifting plus a week of rest, but I am already planning what to do next.
BTW, I understand what you mean by liking the BSS/OH Press. I absolutely hate doing them, but after I finish NROL I will probably keep them as part of my exercise. What is funny is that I had done them before with a bi-cept curl. So, I didn't expect it to be that hard --- but that OH Press really ups the intensity. A definate love hate relationship.
Congrats on your progress
__________________
Peaches
The journey to health and fitness
Should be taken
Because you love yourself,
Not because you hate your body
What made you decide to do Fatloss 3 next instead of Hypertrophy I. I am kind of wanting to do Fatloss 3 because I need to lose weight but was afraid that I needed to gain muscle in the Hypertrophy first. Are you Lifter #4 --- Serious About Lifting, But Seriously Overweight? So that you already had the muscle needed to do Fatloss 3?
I didn't feel that I fit any of the lifters laid out in the book. I probably matched the eternal beginner closest, tho. The only real reason I moved right into FL III is that I had about 3 weeks left prior to our week long vacation. I didn't want to get part way into Hyp I and then have to take a week off. Where I figured I could squeeze in FL III if I did 4 workouts a week. It's tough, but I'm enjoying it. I am no expert, but If you are strong enough for FL I and II, you should be able to handle FL III.
I will also say (still based on my own humble, non expert experience) that anyone fairly new to strength training should not worry one bit about losing any muscle while working through the Fat Loss programs. I've been eating at a pretty heavy deficit all the way through, and I certainly don't look like I've lost any muscle. The fat has melted away, however. It's nice to see abs and obliques again!
I think beginners can gain muscle or lose fat on any of the NRoL programs depending almost entirely on diet. If you do the Fat Loss while on a surplus, you will gain muscle. If you do the Hyp or Strength while on a deficit, you will lose fat. I don't get too hung up on the labels on the programs, I plan on doing all of them eventually.
Giant Set 1
175 x 10,10,10,10 - Deadlift (mixed grip)
0 x 10,10,10,10 - Explosive push up
15 x 10,10,10,10 - Bulgarian split squat
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Two point dumbbell row
Giant Set 2
105 x 20 x 2 - Deadlift off box
15 x 20 x 2ea - Walking lunge with side bend (did dynamic lunges instead)
35 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell bench press
70 x 20 x 2 - Seated row (bowflex)
0 x 10 x 2 - Hanging leg raise
Was really able to stick to the rest periods on this one. Moved immediately from exercise to exercise during the giant set, and maintained the 60 seconds between them. I was a sweaty mess when it was done! Definitely a love/hate relationship with these FL III workouts.
Weighed in at 164 this morning. I feel like I've been eating like a horse the last few days, averaging right at 2600 calories a day. I still can't believe I'm having trouble eating enough. It makes me giggle every time I think back to when a typical dinner was 3 big mac's, supersize fry and coke!
Giant Set 1
125 x 10,10,10,10 - Front Squat (two fingers under bar)
110 x 10,10,10,10 - Underhand grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
20 x 10,10,10,10 - Step up
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Dumbbell push press
Giant Set 2
125 x 20 x 2 - Squat
70 x 20 x 2 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
15 x 20 x 2 - Step up
20 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 15 x 2 - Swiss ball crunch'
Little late in putting this in!
I just finished reading the first section of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. What a great read, I highly recommend that book to anyone who is interested in the mechanics of all of the major lifts.
So....having read the section on squats, and putting what I learned into practice....wow. Two days later, my legs are still a bit sore, in areas I used to think weren't all that involved in squats, hams and glutes! I now know I was not getting all the way down before, even tho I was pretty conscious about trying to get down past parallel.
I kept the weight the same as last week to make sure I was doing them correctly. The weight definitely felt lighter with the wider stance and the other muscles involved. The whole "hip drive" idea is great. On the front squats I managed to get 3 fingers under the bar. On the back squats I even quit using the manta ray. Having the bar in the correct position (after all this time leaving it way too high, almost on my neck) on the traps is completely comfortable.
I'm getting more and more excited about starting up Hyp I. It's going to take some effort to tough out these last 6 FL III workouts.
Giant Set 1
175 x 10,10,10,10 - Deadlift (mixed grip)
0 x 10,10,10,10 - Explosive push up
15 x 10,10,10,10 - Bulgarian split squat
40 x 10,10,10,10 - Two point dumbbell row
Giant Set 2
115 x 20 x 2 - Deadlift off box
15 x 20 x 2ea - Walking lunge with side bend (did dynamic lunges instead)
35 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell bench press
75 x 20 x 2 - Seated row (bowflex)
0 x 10 x 2 - Hanging leg raise
Once again, Rippetoe's Starting Strength helped immensely. Reading the section on deadlifts really helped me be sure about my form. Not looking up makes a big difference.
Giant Set 1
135 x 10,10,10,10 - Front Squat (three fingers under bar)
115 x 10,10,10,10 - Underhand grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
25 x 10,10,10,10 - Step up
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Dumbbell push press
Giant Set 2
135 x 20 x 2 - Squat
75 x 20 x 2 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
15 x 20 x 2 - Step up
20 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 15 x 2 - Swiss ball crunch'
Not sure why, but the last two workouts have seemed much easier. Granted, I haven't increased the weights very much. I guess eating at maintenance has a lot to do with it. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a sweaty, exhausted mess when it's over, but I don't have much trouble maintaining the short rest periods.
Did a few miles on the mountain bike yesterday, and plan on doing a few more today. I still can't believe I've wasted all these years living within 4 miles of some really nice singletrack at the state park! Oh well.
Still weighing in right around 165, so I must have my intake close to where it needs to be. I didn't have any trouble eating enough last night! I even had a half a piece of chocolate cake for dessert at our favorite local Italian joint.
Just 2 more of each FL III workouts! I hope I can squeeze them all in before I leave for the beach next weekend. It'll be tight, but I would never forgive myself if I didn't finish it completely.
I'd also recommend the SS video......the book is priceless, but watching Rippetoe in action really drives it all home visually.
Interesting you should mention the video clips. I had just ordered the book when I saw that post in the NROL4W forum, which included some of Rippetoe's. It was extremely helpful to take what I read in the book and see it in action.
I've watched everything I can find by Rippetoe on youtube, but I had no idea there was a full DVD! I'll pick that up off Amazon for sure. Thanks for the tip!
Giant Set 1
185 x 10,10,10,10 - Deadlift (mixed grip)
0 x 10,10,10,10 - Explosive push up
20 x 10,10,10,10 - Bulgarian split squat
40 x 10,10,10,10 - Two point dumbbell row
Giant Set 2
125 x 20 x 2 - Deadlift off box
15 x 20 x 2ea - Walking lunge with side bend (did dynamic lunges instead)
40 x 20, 15 - Dumbbell bench press
80 x 20 x 2 - Seated row (bowflex)
0 x 10 x 2 - Hanging leg raise
Felt great for this workout. The deadlifts came really easy. I'm pretty sure I could have gone up 20lbs on both sets. I'll be interested to see what I can do with the 5x5 deadlifts in Hyp I, since I haven't come close to a 5 rep max in any of the fat loss workouts so far. The closest I came was 205lbs for 3x10 in Fat Loss I, which was about 8 weeks ago.
The form changes I've made since reading Rippetoe's Starting Strength have to be doing something, as I was more sore after the last two workouts (with what I think is finally correct form in deadlifts and squats) than I was previously. Flexibility seems to be imroving as well.
We've missed our normal long evening walks with the dogs the last few days because of weather. I can't complain too much, we need the rain!
Giant Set 1
135 x 10,10,10,10 - Front Squat (three fingers under bar)
115 x 10,10,10,10 - Underhand grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
25 x 10,10,10,10 - Step up
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Dumbbell push press
Giant Set 2
135 x 20 x 2 - Squat
80 x 20 x 2 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
15 x 20 x 2 - Step up
20 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 15 x 2 - Swiss ball crunch
Wow, today was hard. I really struggled to get everything done with the allotted rest periods. Not sure what was different other than the fact that I worked out much later than usual, which means I hadn't eaten anything since 3 hours prior to the workout.
Giant Set 1
185 x 10,10,10,10 - Deadlift (mixed grip)
0 x 10,10,10,10 - Explosive push up
20 x 10,10,10,10 - Bulgarian split squat
40 x 10,10,10,10 - Two point dumbbell row
Giant Set 2
125 x 20 x 2 - Deadlift off box
15 x 20 x 2ea - Walking lunge with side bend (did dynamic lunges instead)
40 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell bench press
80 x 20 x 2 - Seated row (bowflex)
0 x 10 x 2 - Hanging leg raise
I know, I know, I said I could go up 20lbs on the deadlifts. Well, I chickened out!
Giant Set 1
135 x 10,10,10,10 - Front Squat (three fingers under bar)
115 x 10,10,10,10 - Underhand grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
25 x 10,10,10,10 - Step up
35 x 10,10,10,10 - Dumbbell push press
Giant Set 2
135 x 20 x 2 - Squat
80 x 20 x 2 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
15 x 20 x 2 - Step up
20 x 20 x 2 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 20 x 2 - Swiss ball crunch
DONE! As much as I liked these workouts, I'm glad to be done with them! They are grueling, and I probably didn't help myself by cramming 5 of them in this past week.
Time for a week off at the beach! Taking the fam to the outer banks. Lots of relaxation, ocean and sun. I'll start up Hyp I when I get back.
You have a great sense of commitment, that is awesome.
I have been telling myself all Summer that I need to go on one of the local bike trails. I live in middle TN and there are so many nice trails in the area. Your writing about enjoying the mountain biking is inspiring.
I HAVE to put it in to do this coming week!
I think I have to go buy a helmet though . . I don't remember where mine is
__________________
***********************
If you weren't born drop dead gorgeous, be thankful for the opportunity to develop character first.
Wow, time sure flies when you are relaxing at the beach! Seems like just yesterday that we were packing the car up to head out there. Now I'm home, lamenting the return to work tomorrow.
I didn't wear the GoWear Fit much at all last week, so I made some rough estimates on my calorie burn. I did, however, try to be very accurate with my calorie intake. I was rather shocked by how much I ate! Looks like I averaged 3300 kcal a day. That's huge compared to the 2700 a day I averaged for the prior 2 weeks. Throw in the relatively lazy days on the beach and I averaged a daily surplus of 400 kcal.
I ate relatively clean, mostly whole foods other than the 5 nights that included ice cream! I hadn't had ice cream all year, I figured this week was my chance to cheat. I LOVE ICE CREAM. Time to get back on the wagon!
We'll see what the damage is tomorrow when I step on the scale again under normal conditions. I won't be surprised if I'm up a couple pounds. Tomorrow is also measurement day, that should prove interesting as well.
I'm going to start up NRoL Hypertrophy I on Tuesday. I plan on shifting back into 3 workouts a week for all of Hyp I. I love starting new workouts!
Superset 1
55 x 5 x 5 - Incline dumbbell bench press
130 x 5 x 5 - Seated row (bowflex)
Superset 2
45 x 5 x 5 - Dumbbell shoulder press
0 x 5,5,5,5,4 - Wide grip pull up
0 x 15 x 3 - Swiss ball crunch
Ahhhhh, love the 5x5's! What a nice change of pace from all those high rep sets in Fat Loss III! Those 90 second rest periods felt like forever! Though I'm not a sweaty mess afterward, I have a feeling I'll still be sore tomorrow. I'm already dreading the 3x15 days...
Interestingly enough, even after that week of relatively excessive eating while at the beach, I weighed in 1.5 lbs lighter than when I left. Go figure. Maybe I was burning more than I thought while at the beach. I did a lot of swimming in the ocean, throwing the football around, lugging chairs, coolers and umbrellas up and over the dune, etc.
One more week of eating at what I think is maintenance, then I'll shift up to a 250 calorie surplus for a while and see what happens.
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
165 x 10 x 4 - Squat work sets
105 x 10 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
175 x 10 x 4 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
20 x 10 x 4 - Bulgarian split squat
20 x 10 x 4 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
Just looking at this workout on paper is incredibly deceiving. I thought it was going to be short and easy. Here I am an hour later and my legs are still feeling like lo mein!
I decided spend a good amount of time warming up since I haven't applied this kind of intensity in a while. I took my time and really focused on making each rep perfect, including the breathing. I really can't comment enough on what a great book Rippetoe's Starting Strength is.
My arms and chest and lats are pretty sore from the A1 workout on Tuesday, so I know I'm going to be sore as hell in the quads/hams/glutes by Sunday. Should make a Bike ride on Saturday interesting!
Just finished up my 4 weeks of eating as close to "maintenance" as possible. Here are the stats:
2847 = average calories consumed per day
2946 = average calories burned per day (from GoWear Fit)
99 = average daily deficit
165.0 = weight on Friday 7/17/09
164.4 = weight on Saturday 8/15/09
During that time I had finished up Fat Loss III, a full week off, and had my first 2 workouts of Hypertrophy I.
I have to say, I am still very impressed with the GWF. I think it will continue to be valuable to me as I try to shift into a slight calorie surplus.
I'm trying to avoid being obsessive about putting on a little fat while I'm at a surplus. I know it's impossible to gain muscle all by itself. The goal is to put on about 8lbs of lean mass by the end of the year. That muscle will probably be accompanied by at least 3lbs of fat.
Superset 1
35 x 15 x 3 - Incline dumbbell bench press
80 x 15 x 3 - Seated row (bowflex)
Superset 2
25 x 15,12, 20 x 15 - Dumbbell shoulder press
80 x 15 x 3 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
Superset 3
75 x 15 x 3 - Close grip bench press
45 x 15 x 3 - High pull
0 x 15 x 3 - Swiss ball crunch
Oops, just realized I left the last superset out of my entry for A1, here it is for posterity's sake: Superset 3 (from Tue 8/11)
135 x 5 x 5 - Close grip bench press
85 x 5 x 5 - High pull
Well, here I was thinking that the 3 x 15's with only 30 seconds rest would be terrible. After doing those Fat Loss III routines, this was nothin'! Any rest at all, even 30 seconds is an eternity compared to the back to back sets on FL III. I'll reserve the judgement on the 3 x 15's for the lower body until I do them once...
The soreness from A1 back on Tuesday pretty much subsided from my upper body by Thursday. My legs are still sore as hell from Thursday's B1 workout. It's a good sore though.
45 x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 5 x 2 - Squat warmup
205 x 5, 185 x 5,5,5,5 - Squat work sets
55 x 10, 105 x 10, 145 x 5 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
205 x 5 x 5 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
35 x 5 x 5 - Bulgarian split squat
35 x 5 x 5 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I was a little disappointed with my performance on the squat. I thought for sure I'd be able to do a lot more than the 165 I did for the 4 x 10. I did manage to get the first set done at 205, but I barely got the last rep complete. I'm going to try 195 the next time I do 5 x 5's.
The deadlift was very comfortable at 205, I'm confident I can jump up to 225 for the next round of 5 x 5's.
Despite the long rest periods, I was still a sweaty mess when it was over. Great workout! Looking forward to the next 5 x 5!
Superset 1
45 x 10 x 4 - Incline dumbbell bench press
100 x 10 x 4 - Seated row (bowflex)
Superset 2
30 x 10 x 4 - Dumbbell shoulder press
100 x 10 x 4 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
Superset 3
105 x 10 x 4 - Close grip bench press
65 x 10 x 4 - High pull
0 x 15 x 3 - Swiss ball crunch
Good, solid workout today. I probably aimed a little low on some of the weights, so I should be able to increase just about everything for the next 4x10 workout. Gotta love the swoleness from this A workout.
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
145 x 15 x 3 - Squat work sets
55 x 10, 105 x 10 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
165 x 15 x 3 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
15 x 15 x 3 - Bulgarian split squat
15 x 15 x 3 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
Well, forget what I said about the 30 second rest periods being easy. What was easy on the upper split was definitely NOT on the lower! I ended up taking a bit longer on the squat and deadlift. Overall, still a good workout.
I've been eating quite a bit the last week or so, trying to shift into a surplus. The scale didn't move at all until this weekend. Is there such a thing as a reverse whoosh? How do I go from 165 even for weeks to 168 in 2 days? Water? We'll see if things level out this week.
We ate out two nights this weekend, and both days I ate what I would normally eat throughout the day. Dinners for me are usually pretty small (< 500 calories), so two big restaurant dinners on top of a pretty big eating days added up to a large surplus. I ended up around 1000 kcal in the plus each day. That's WAY more than I've had all year.
Linear Mode
