Body Matrix for the arms

Hi everyone!

I have recently starting lifting weights thanks to a suggestion by a user on this board to pick up the book "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess"  (http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women -Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& ;s=books&qid=1239898401&sr=8-1)

Anyhoo, I really like the book and the suggested work outs, but I typically add more to the workout. 

At the end of stage three (on my "leg day") it tells you to end your workout with a Body Matrix.  It consists of 24 squats, 12 lunges (6 for each leg), 12 lunge jumps and 24 squat jumps.  You don't use any weight at all, just your own body weight.  It sounds easy, but when I do one set, I'm really breathless.

That really kicks by butt at the end of my workout, but for my "upper body day", I want to do the same, but I can't really think of anything similar to the leg matrix given above for arms.  The book doesn't give anything (at least from what I could find).

Do any of you have suggestions? :)

A few things - first, I invite you to join the group we have for people doing NROLFW

Second, I am pretty sure that you should be doing 12 lunges (and lunge jumps) per side. So if you count each lunge, you'd actually reach 24.

Last, I wouldn't say it's right to describe stage 3 as having a leg day and an upper body day - workout B has deadlifts and squats, and workout A has rows and bench press - in general, the book doesn't divide up between lower and upper, but has a mix of the whole body during each workout. Also keep in mind that most of the "leg" exercises also work your core, so aren't purely "leg".

But to your actual question.... Personally, I think that if you are doing the program with the highest weights you can to complete the sets, you shouldn't try to add more to it. I'm pretty trusting of Alwyn, and don't see the need to mess with what he's got.

^ What she said. 

Amethystgirl--

Thanks for the reply, I think I'll look that group up :)

I must have misread the book (I don't bring the entire book with me to the gym, instead I write down the suggested work out on a small piece of paper) So thanks for the correction; I'll update my cheat sheet tonight!

Lastly, I love the workouts, but I find that at the end (so far) it's not enough for me.  So I "add on" to the end of his suggested work outs.  When there seems to be more focus on the legs, I'll add incline leg press, leg extensions, leg curls, more squats to the end of the book's routine.  I also add more chest exercises on this day (just some push ups and flat bench press).

Like wise, if it appears to be more focused on the upper body/back, I'll do more of my add ons.  Tricep pull downs and bicep curls on the machine, skull crushers, kick backs, bicep curls, concentrated curls, shoulder dp press, lateral raises, lat pull downs and some other things all with free weights (as well as some tricep pushups). 

So that's why I say "leg day" and "arm day" because my little add ons focus on that :) 

I'm sorry, but it looks like you COMPLETELY misread and misunderstood the book. No one who's read it and agreed with the author (why else would you follow the program?) would get anywhere near a bicep curl machine or add kick backs to the routine.

Stage 3 is indeed easier than the previous two, but you still should be exhausted by the end if you do it right and choose challenging weights.

Original Post by jackiek84:

I'll add incline leg press, leg extensions, leg curls, more squats to the end of the book's routine.  I also add more chest exercises on this day (just some push ups and flat bench press).

Like wise, if it appears to be more focused on the upper body/back, I'll do more of my add ons.  Tricep pull downs and bicep curls on the machine, skull crushers, kick backs, bicep curls, concentrated curls, shoulder dp press, lateral raises, lat pull downs and some other things all with free weights (as well as some tricep pushups). 

 If you have enough energy afterwards to do anywhere near this much extra stuff, you aren't going nearly heavy enough during the actual routine.

I guess more explanation is needed. :)

Some exercies in the book I don't do due to a lower back issue that I got after a bad car wreck.  So dead lifts I tend to stay away from (as well as back extensions) and the wood chop hurts my back a bit from the small amount of twisting. 

Also, my gym doesn't have a box, so the lunges from the box (I think from Stage 2) I can't do either, so I do lunges from a step (from the step areobics class) so they aren't as difficult. 

I guess I'm confused.  So far (stages 1-3) no where does it work specifically the tricep or bicep muscles.  So far it's never said "x sets of bicep curls" for example, so I don't understand why it's so strange for everyone to hear that I add it to the end.  Are my arms tired from the book's workout?  Yes.  Are they as worked as they could be?  Not at all. 

Don't get me wrong, my workouts take 1.5-2 hours and I feel I'm doing a good bit of weight.  For example, the lat pull down from stage 3, I'm up to 90-95 lbs for the 3 sets of 6. 

Original Post by jackiek84:

So far it's never said "x sets of bicep curls" for example

And it never will.  Lou explains *in detail* throughout the whole book why it's not a good idea to isolate muscles or specifically target small muscle groups, and why you need to stay away from the machines. I suggest you re-read the book.

jackie - have you read the book, not just the workouts? He specifically addresses isolation movements, and also talks about what to do for "additional stuff" (but on non-lifting days). But in general, your biceps and triceps are getting worked with a lot of the motions - just not in isolation - and it's more beneficial to work a muscle as you would a real motion, not in isolation.

About lunges from the box - I just do them from a stair too. But if you want to go higher, sometimes they have stackable steps for aerobics? Or even a workout bench, but that sounds high to me. I bet if you talk to someone at the gym, they could help you rig something.

About lower back issues - I'm right there with you - I've had issues with my back since I was 8 or 9 (not injury related, so it could easily be different for you) but I've found that deadlifts, something I thought could never do - EVER - have helped my back so much in the past months. I'm up to 100lbs (yes, I love to brag about that) and when I started, I was using 5lb dumbbells. I was lucky, and had my fiance to teach me good form.

Part of doing a deadlift is keeping your lower back in its natural arch - you shouldn't actually be using your lower back at all to do the lift. I don't know the nature of your back issues, and I couldn't recommend doing anything specific for it because I don't have any training - only my own experience with my back. But they have helped me, and like I said, a year ago, I never would have believed I could do it at all.

 As others have said - it doesn't sound like you are following the book.  Leg day and arm day?  The workouts are full body workouts and no - they do not separate by body part at all.

 I guess at Alwyn's gym - he allows his clients to add on anything at the end of a workout for 10 minutes.  Although he does say that you get enough biceps and triceps workout doing the workouts as stated, I personally needed a little more.   Even though,  I have finished NROLFW program, and I have loved the results, I was not completely satisfied with my arms.  I am now doing NROL, the original and  I have added on bicep curls and skull crushers to the end of every workout,

I did read the book and have even made some of the shakes that his dietitian suggests (pretty good too!)  I learned some things I never knew but a lot that I already did.

I just honestly at the end of his workout, I do feel that my arms are worked, but not as worked as they can be.  My take is adding that isolation (like skull crushers or db bicep curls) at the very end of my work out gives me the best of both worlds.  I know, for example, push ups work your chest, but the obviously work your arms as well.  But, that's not enough for me and I add on when I'm finished with the book's workouts.

Sadly, all the steps are kept in the exercise room and when I go to the gym, there's always a class in there and you're not allowed to disrupt...so they only thing we have typically is a step with no risers.  Not challenging at all.  :( 

Great job with the dead lifts; that's impressive!  I think my issue too is I'm so overly cauctious.  I do do dead lifts, but I do the Romanian deadlifts and keep it low (typically around 75 lbs). 

Oops - we posted at the same time.  Just wanted to add for the steps - you can use the bench.  The higher step you use the harder it is!

Original Post by yogagirl6853:

 As others have said - it doesn't sound like you are following the book.  Leg day and arm day?  The workouts are full body workouts and no - they do not separate by body part at all.

 I guess at Alwyn's gym - he allows his clients to add on anything at the end of a workout for 10 minutes.  Although he does say that you get enough biceps and triceps workout doing the workouts as stated, I personally needed a little more.   Even though,  I have finished NROLFW program, and I have loved the results, I was not completely satisfied with my arms.  I am now doing NROL, the original and  I have added on bicep curls and skull crushers to the end of every workout,

yogagirl, so I'm not the only one? :) 

I do follow his workout.  When I first started (stage 1 seemed like it took forever! haha) I followed it to the letter.  I never felt satisfied even after increasing weight.  I always left the gym feeling I could give more (espeically in my arms).  So I added my "add ons" to the end and feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds.  

Which works out, as some of the exercises in the stages after I couldn't do (either no step or back issues).

Oh, and I've used the bench once before and it was VERY challenging, but after my second set someone from the gym came over and asked me nicely not to use a bench for lunges or step ups or as a "box", as it's not it's intended purpose and I could get injured, blah blah blah ;)  So, I'm stuck with a step and usually no risers :(

Original Post by maha-kisa:

Original Post by jackiek84:

So far it's never said "x sets of bicep curls" for example

And it never will.  Lou explains *in detail* throughout the whole book why it's not a good idea to isolate muscles or specifically target small muscle groups, and why you need to stay away from the machines. I suggest you re-read the book.

 

No need, read it once before.  I understand his philosophy and follow his workouts (what I can do) and add on to the end.  His issue, at least how I read it, is people who go to the gym and ONLY do bicep curls (or other isolated exercises) are not getting that effective of a work out and are NOT using that muscle as it was designed. 

I follow his work out, and after awhile (because his workouts typically end with ab/core work) go BACK to arms or leg

I also follow the NROLFW program (starting Stage 3 next week) and agree with the ladies in here. We all lift so heavy that we are dead after the workouts. If you are going to add in anything, it should be on a non lifting day. And they give some example stuff in the book.

I also had very bad lower back issues, and was hesitant to deadlift. But I did. I started deadlifting with 20 lbs and now am up around 90-95lbs and its made my back so much stronger and I rarely have any back issues now.

I would die if I had to add anything onto the workouts as-is and I am a fairly fit individual.

Also- exercises like pushups now only work the arms, chest, but also a tredmendous amount in your core. Most of the exercises end up being core training as well (to steady yourself, or balance etc)

I would say that if you feel like you can still give some more when you walk out of that gym, that you arent using enough weight or full range of motion in the exercises.

Next time you go try upping your weights alot and focus on form and ROM and see how you feel.

I have bad discs, 2 lumbar and 2 cervical.  I am not a doctor, or a PT, but mine have told me that as long as I'm not having any problems, I can do whatever workouts don't cause me pain.

Obviously I would not do deadlifts if my lower back was bothering me.  That said, I have been deadlifting and doing all the rest of the exercises and feel totally wiped out when I am done.   On days you don't do BWM you're supposed to do intervals if I remember correctly. 

Heavy lifting followed by intervals?  If you still have energy to do more, then you aren't doing enough in the workouts. 

If you have lower back problems, I would suggest you stay FAR, FAR away from the leg press and leg extension machines. 

You said you read the book and see no need to re-read it, but so many of the things you are saying are talked about in the book, that it sure doesn't seem like you took any of it serisouly or paid much attention.