New Rules of Lifting for Women

Anyone read the "New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler?  I am in a new city.  Before I moved I belonged to Gold's Gym and I took a strength training class three days a week.  The instructor was excellent and I always had a very challenging workout.  I was noticing a lot of fat loss and muscle development.  I tried several gyms in this area, attending the strength training classes before settling on a gym.  None of the instructors gave workouts comparable to the classes back home.  I have decided I will have to strength train on my own.  The problem is, I work harder in a group exercise setting than on my own, and I am not quite sure how to structure a good workout on my own.  Sooooo - I bought the above mentioned book.  The author recommends doing the exercise programs as written - not to vary it much.  I did the first workout and it was not very hard.  It is recommended that I do this routine, alternating with a similar one, three times a week for four weeks before graduating to a more difficult routine. 

Anyone follow this program successfully?  Any suggestions on other ways I can structure a good strength training schedule.  My last hurdle is that I feel intimidated in the gym in the free weight section.  I force myself to do it because I really enjoy free weights more than the machines, but I do not feel comfortable.  Man, do I miss my old city and my old strength training instructor!

One thing I did love about this book though, was that the author convinced me to eat more.  I was suffering on 1200 calories a day, often failing and then feeling like a failure, and just as often succeeding but going to bed starving. The author gave good arguments to go to 1500-1800 a day.  A much more comfortable range for me.

I got this book yesterday and was so excited - so i started reading it.

Today at lunch when i was reading through the workouts i flipped to see what a "Prone Jacknife" is and my book is missing pages 195-226!

I am so frustrated!

Can anyone tell me what a prone jacknife and swiss ball crunch is?

I don't want to wait another week to start the workouts!!!

Original Post by msmeg1984:

I got this book yesterday and was so excited - so i started reading it.

Today at lunch when i was reading through the workouts i flipped to see what a "Prone Jacknife" is and my book is missing pages 195-226!

I am so frustrated!

Can anyone tell me what a prone jacknife and swiss ball crunch is?

I don't want to wait another week to start the workouts!!!

 Prone Jackknife - get an exercise ball and put your shins up on it and the rest of your body in a pushup position.  Then roll the ball closer with your shins until you are on the tops of your feet on the ball.  Your behind goes up in the air as if you were in an upside down V.

Swiss ball Crunch - regular exercise ball crunch but hold weights in your hands and cross your arms so that the weights are by your collar bones.

Thanks so much.

I appreciate it!

I got the book a few weeks ago, read it almost cover to cover, but haven't started the program yet. I want to finish the 100 pushups challenge first (3-4 weeks left). And, well, to be completely honest, I need to build up confidence. And I am also having trouble with my schedule. I was hoping somebody could comment on the latter.

I absolutely cannot give up group exercises, this is simply not an option. But I do realize that overtraining AND weight lifting isn't a very good combination, so I will cut down the number of other classes, but not by 100%.

Will this be a reasonable amount of exercise for someone who's been working out for 10-14 hours a week for the last few months?

mon: BodyPump (endurance) + BodyJam (dancing, low impact) + BodyFlow (Yoga type stretching, pilates)
tues: lifting + BodyAttack (High impact interval cardio) + BodyFlow
wed: recovery
thurs: lifting + RPM (spin, intervals) + yoga
fri: recovery
sat: lifting + BodyAttack + yoga
sun: recovery

I've never done serious weight lifting, but I've been doing muscle endurance training for over a year (I can hear spirochete cursing even if she's not watching this thread). I squat 40 lbs (total) for 5 minutes, bench press 22 lbs (total) for 5 minutes, do bent-over rows and clean&press with a 30 lbs bar, etc. I'm a beginner, but not a Barbie-weight type.

I would really love to get comments on the schedule from someone who's already in this program. Thanks in advance.

Original Post by maha-kisa:

I got the book a few weeks ago, read it almost cover to cover, but haven't started the program yet. I want to finish the 100 pushups challenge first (3-4 weeks left). And, well, to be completely honest, I need to build up confidence. And I am also having trouble with my schedule. I was hoping somebody could comment on the latter.

I absolutely cannot give up group exercises, this is simply not an option. But I do realize that overtraining AND weight lifting isn't a very good combination, so I will cut down the number of other classes, but not by 100%.

Will this be a reasonable amount of exercise for someone who's been working out for 10-14 hours a week for the last few months?

mon: BodyPump (endurance) + BodyJam (dancing, low impact) + BodyFlow (Yoga type stretching, pilates)
tues: lifting + BodyAttack (High impact interval cardio) + BodyFlow
wed: recovery
thurs: lifting + RPM (spin, intervals) + yoga
fri: recovery
sat: lifting + BodyAttack + yoga
sun: recovery

I've never done serious weight lifting, but I've been doing muscle endurance training for over a year (I can hear spirochete cursing even if she's not watching this thread). I squat 40 lbs (total) for 5 minutes, bench press 22 lbs (total) for 5 minutes, do bent-over rows and clean&press with a 30 lbs bar, etc. I'm a beginner, but not a Barbie-weight type.

 

I would really love to get comments on the schedule from someone who's already in this program. Thanks in advance.

 I would seriously consider stopping the body pump or any high rep low weight workouts.  Your cardios are fine.  According to the book, adding more "lifting" does not help your case and could actually hinder your progress.  I say cardio is fine since after stage one, the book adds interval training.  Yoga is OK too.  Check out the back of the book where it mentions other activities that are ok to do.

I also lift on Tuesday & Thursday nights and then Sunday AM.  That gives me 2.5 days to Sunday and then 2.5 days to Tuesday.  I do a little bike riding, but cut way back to what I was previously doing.    I am still in Stage 1.

Also - wanted to mention...  I added calories when starting this program and was scared of gaining.  I have been in it almost 2 weeks.  Completed 5 workouts.  I have lost 2 pounds and eating more.  That is great!  I am always full.

Also noticed - my muscles in my forearm are looking buff & some activity in the calf area.  I guess those are the spots where there is the least amount of fat on me... lol.

I am surprised to see ANY diff in only 5 workouts!

How much has everyone upped their calories? According to the book, i'm supposed to eat 2,000 on maintenance! Wow!

I'd love to eat that much! Also, is anyone else trying to get close to the 40-30-30 ratio? That's really hard for me to do!

I did my first workout last night and it was good - I thought it was a little short. Only took me a little over 30 minutes to finish - i didn't do much of the warmup routine. I jumped on the treadmill and walked briskly for 5 minutes and then did the move specific warmups.

The workouts in Stage 1 are a little short, but you'll be grateful for that as long as you are challenging yourself with heavy enough weights.  If it seems to easy, go heavier.

Original Post by msmeg1984:

How much has everyone upped their calories? According to the book, i'm supposed to eat 2,000 on maintenance! Wow!

I'd love to eat that much! Also, is anyone else trying to get close to the 40-30-30 ratio? That's really hard for me to do!

I did my first workout last night and it was good - I thought it was a little short. Only took me a little over 30 minutes to finish - i didn't do much of the warmup routine. I jumped on the treadmill and walked briskly for 5 minutes and then did the move specific warmups.

 

 I went from 1100-1200 to 1300-1400.  The book said 1600 on non workout days and 1800 on workout days for me.  I was too afraid to go that high!  lol  Especially since he said if it doesn't work for you than drop the cals 2-300 at a time.  I was already lower, so I thought it would be easier to up than lower the cals later.  I lost 2 pounds!  I have stuck to the 40-30-30 pretty closely for the long term.  If I look at it daily, probably not so much.  But when I look at an entire week, it is pretty close to 40-30-30, mostly from protein shakes and luna bars helping me out on the protein.... also go-lean cereal.

I was having a hard time keeping under 1400 before, so i'm trying it out around 1600 - 1800 for now to see how i feel.

I'm using pretty heavy weights, but i'm used to doing a total body workout that was about 45-65 minutes long for the last month or so. However, now from reading i see that a lot of the moves i was doing were unnecessary - like bicep curls and tri kickbacks.

I'm excited to keep up with this program. I think it will be fun! I hope it doesn't take months for me to see results.

Original Post by mewapiti:

Prone Jackknife - get an exercise ball and put your shins up on it and the rest of your body in a pushup position. Then roll the ball closer with your shins until you are on the tops of your feet on the ball. Your behind goes up in the air as if you were in an upside down V.

 

Okay, I think maybe I'm confused about the prone jackknifes. I didn't think your behind was supposed to go up in the air so much. More that you should keep your back somewhat level, (of course your bum does go up a bit, but you pull your knees in towards your chest, so you are in a fetal position at the end. Am I wrong on this?

Is it supposed to be like this or like this ? The first one seems to be what I described, but the second one sounds more like what you described. Your's looks a lot tougher, but I want to make sure I'm doing the right one. I don't want to be wimpy, :)

Edit:  I can't get the silly link to work.  The URL is: 

http://www.strengthmill.com/viewvideo/497/Pro ne_Jack_Knife/

I'm a systems administrator, seems like I out to be able to get the durned thing to work, lol.

I think you will see results sooner!  I am starting and I've only done 5 workouts!  Nothing major, mind you, but definitely results!

The thing is - you have to push yourself to do as much weight as is safe and to keep increasing the weight.   It has me sweating!

Original Post by karozel:

Original Post by mewapiti:

Prone Jackknife - get an exercise ball and put your shins up on it and the rest of your body in a pushup position. Then roll the ball closer with your shins until you are on the tops of your feet on the ball. Your behind goes up in the air as if you were in an upside down V.

 

Okay, I think maybe I'm confused about the prone jackknifes. I didn't think your behind was supposed to go up in the air so much. More that you should keep your back somewhat level, (of course your bum does go up a bit, but you pull your knees in towards your chest, so you are in a fetal position at the end. Am I wrong on this?

Is it supposed to be like this or like this ? The first one seems to be what I described, but the second one sounds more like what you described. Your's looks a lot tougher, but I want to make sure I'm doing the right one. I don't want to be wimpy, :)

Your 1st link did not work... but yes I do something like the second link.... except I don't come up to the underneath of my toes.... just the tops of my toes, my butt is up in the air.  The first time I did these, I didn't do them right and felt nothing.  The second time, I got it and felt the burn!  Read that exercise again.. it does say lift your bum up and put your weight mostly on your arms.

Theres two ways you can do the jacknife, the easier version calls for just pulling your knees to your chest. If thats too easy you can do the Pike jacknife, which is where you put your behind into the air. One is just a harder version of the other!

:)

I thought I remember the picture in the book being more up in the air.  I definitely felt the difference in my abs!

Original Post by msmeg1984:

Theres two ways you can do the jacknife, the easier version calls for just pulling your knees to your chest. If thats too easy you can do the Pike jacknife, which is where you put your behind into the air. One is just a harder version of the other!

:)

 I guess there are 2 versions - just looked it up.. .. and now that I see both, I think the book brings the knees to the chest.  I stumbled upon the other one on my own.... I didn't feel a thing the 1st time, so the second time, when I tried it and my butt went into the air and I felt it, I continued with that one!    I am glad I found that other version!  It feels so good and I've been doing 15 instead of the 8 & 10 the book says to do the first few workouts. I didn't change any of the other reps.... except that one.

Okay, I was just wondering.  I don't want to be a wimp, but I'm just finishing up Stage 1 and I am struggling hard to do the knees to chest version.  I don't think I can do the "pike" style ones just yet.  

I'm considering doing Stage 1 again before I advance.  I've made such big progress in just a few weeks, plus I keep finding corrections to make in my form, etc.  I think I need to have a firmer grip (pardon the pun) on the situation and make sure I can do Stage 1 properly before I move on. 

Yeah good idea... My issue is the lunges... I just cannot get a good rythm going.  I suck at those and seem to never finish.  It is odd to go back and forth on the legs.  I used to do lunges all on one leg then switching.  I feel awkward switching legs back and forth and I cannot even count them right!  argh.

I also struggle with the lunges.  I can't seem to keep my balance very well. 

I realized I was doing the steps wrong (yeah, how could I get stepping up wrong) so I've been working on those.  Basically, I was using my momentum, and have to really focus and pay attention to stepping up with my foot -- pushing down through the heel -- to get a good workout.  I kept thinking "These are too easy, I must be doing something wrong", and I was. 

I had been adding more weights to my dumbbells to make it harder to step up, but it just made my hands/wrists hurt.  Now as soon as I'm comfortable that I'm doing them right I'm going to look for a higher step. 

Lunges are similar.  You have to push up through the heel.  You don't have to go fast either.  Just do each one thoroughly and move on to the next one.