NROL - Fat Loss II

I started this program today and I love it.  Well, there are a couple of exercises that I hate in the "hurts so good" mode, where does Cosgrove come up with some of this stuff?  Only two of the exercises are really familiar - front squats and seated row, although the rows use a wide grip which definitely hits everything differently.

There are two ball exercises that are, as usual, way harder than they look.  There's a hip extension with leg curl that instantly hit the old hamstrings - I already know I'm going to be sore tomorrow.  And the upper body Russian twist - I almost fell off the ball a couple of times and then I started laughing and that just made it worse.  I'm sure everyone thought I was a basket case.  I was happy that I hadn't regressed on the front squats from the last time I'd done them and no wrist pain either, yay.

I kept the weights a little lower for this first workout because I wanted to get a good gauge of things, I'll ramp it up next time.

At least this one doesn't have those effin' step ups.

edit:spelling

Sounds great. I'm ordering my copy today.  I wouldn't think they would have step ups in a men's weight lifting book.  I don't think I've ever seen a guy do step ups in a gym.

Actually, I'm pretty sure step ups are in at least one of the other programs, so I expect I'll be whining about them sooner or later again. I can do squats and lunges till the cows come home but I just don't get better at stepups.

But you're right, I've only seen two men doing step ups in the gym.  One was a quite large man - not just weight, he was muscular and realllly tall, this was just a mountain of a guy.  Anyway, he was doing step ups onto the shortest little step they have there.  And just bodyweight step ups, no weights. It was kind of funny, because that was my step up day and I was going up onto the bench with - well whatever weights I was able to do at that point.    The other guy was just a regular looking guy but HE was doing stepups onto the bench with 45 or maybe even 50 pound dumbbells.  I was impressed.

Megan - Is Fat Loss II a separate book than the regular men's NROL? .... or is this a program defined in NROL? I don't have it, so I am curious! ....*thinking* ...are there two books I need to order?

Stepups? LOL! I have seen guys do them... with heavy dumbells, and using a bench... 

In Stage 1 I had worked up to 30 lb dumbells, using an aerobic step with 4 risers... 30 lbs however, is about all my hands will allow me to hang onto.... In Stage 2, I am doing the same thing, and wondering how my legs got so strong, doing them feels like treading water now... maybe I should try a higher step?

Squats, no problem... Lunges, especially all the kinky ones using a box, omg... i almost fall over! And I am still trying to figure out what the heck the difference is between a Bulgarian Split Squat, and a Rear Elevation Lunge, besides the height of the box.... why all these complicated names? LOL, I have to look them up every time I am getting ready to leave!

Hope your weekend is good!
~Julie

Nanny - Fat Loss II is in the NROL book.  There are alot of workouts that you choose to put together.

As far as the step-ups - yes using a higher bench will definitely make it harder to do.  You can use the weight bench.  You will probably need to lessen the weight, so that will be good for your hands!

Notice the foot on the Bulgarian Split Squat.  You are on the top of your foot and the other elevated lunge, you are on the bottom of your foot.  They are very similar!

Hi ladies!

I am planning to buy this book for my husband (well, and for myself too, but we won't tell him that, will we?) As I understand it contains several programs. Are all of them for fat loss? Or is there anything specifically for lean guys (martial artists) who don't have an ounce to lose, but would not mind gaining 15-30 lbs of muscle? :)

There are three "styles" of programs: Fat Loss, Strength and Hypertrophy, the latter of which is just a fancy name for gaining muscle.  So your husband would probably do hypertrophy and strength, then because a little fat always comes with gained muscle, maybe a Fat Loss to strip off any added fat.  It's basically a mix and match thing, 9 different programs in all plus a breakin phase.

OK, thanks!

First, Megan - I love the description of those Russian Twists. When I get there I imagine I will find the same inner-merriment as I flop around trying to figure out the movement and keep the ball somewhere in the same neighborhood as my body. Those look wicked!

I've been reading through the book and I'm excited to start the workouts. It's also been good to read more about the movements and exercises that I'm doing now in stage 6. I think this book gives a more comprehensive explanation of how to do the exercises and why these moves are more effective for overall strength and health.

FYI - if you haven't bought the book yet, I got my paperback copy through Amazon.com for pretty cheap.

The NROL book also has a much better treatment of nutrition, the thermal effect of feeding, and metabolism in general than NROLFW.  I really think that the nutrition stuff in NROLFW was written primarily to keep women from going too low with the calories to lose weight.  That didn't seem to be the focus in the earlier book where it's more like - "dude if you want to lose that gut, quit drinking so much beer and sling some heavy stuff around - here's why". 

regarding stepups, do you find the limiting factor is how much your hands can take?  I can do 30# dumbbells on a bench if the set is short - 6-8 reps, but i have to use 25# for the long sets in stage 7 - 15-20 reps.  I always feel that my legs can keep stepping but I'm about to drop the weights by the time I finish, especially my left hand. 

For me, it's just the getting up on the bench without pushing off the floor.  I don't know why it's so hard, it's probably one of those things where my build just isn't made for it?  Like a lot of folks just hate lunges, while I can lunge all day long.  I could no sooner do a stepup on a bench with 30 lb dumbbells, than, I don't know what!  Maybe in my next incarnation.

Anyway, first day of Workout B in FLII.  Snatch grip deadlifts - definitely a more challenging grip with the arms further out, I had to cut short the first set because I was getting ready to drop the bar.  Did OK the second and third sets with a mixed grip. 

Bulgarian split squats with overhead press are hard, went way down to 10 pounds on these.  It's the press that had me wobbling.  Of course, these were my favorite.

Ugh, the split squats are turning me into a limp dishrag-like thing.  I got through the 3 x 12 sets straight through this time but got a bit of a look from the guy on the neighboring bench when I, ahem, dropped the f-bomb out loud (oops) after the last rep. Eh, he was just doing some floppy old bicep curls anyway.  (And by the way, I have no idea why people say they don't watch other people in the gym, I always do.  It's a great source of entertainment, although I try not to be obvious or get caught.  Just sayin'.  Besides some of those guys are pretty buff.)

On a more fun note, chinups are going swimmingly.

I'm done with the four days of 3 x 12 sets, on to 3 x 10.  I'll have to increase weights in general, but it won't be on the split squats.

I am looking forward to it.  I ordered my copy last night on Amazon. 

Your dropping the F bomb at the gym would have been hilarious!

I do that as I count sometimes with a very difficult set...

3, 4, 5, 6 MFers!!  arhhhhh.

But at least I workout at home.  lol

Hey Megan - how's it going with NROL?  I have been reading it and am excited to start soon.  I have 4 more workouts for 2nd time thru a modified stage 7.

I think I will follow the "beginners" workout plan.  I am not sure what other one to follow & they don't look too much different!   Which one are you doing?   I am kind of excited about the short workouts - or they seem that way anyway!  I also like the way the sets and reps change with each workout in some of the plans!

Hmmm, well I don't think I'm following any of the plans, I don't really think I fit into any of the categories.  So I'm just playing mix and match.

I have four more workouts in Fat Loss II, and I'm eager to have measurements taken after this is done.  I've been keeping a tidy deficit (about 300 or so most days, although not yesterday, heh), I've lost a couple of pounds, but what's really great is that I can already tell the difference in how my clothes fit.  Yay.  Also, I've even been able to increase some of the weights but that's probably because the number of reps also decreases.  We'll see what happens today when the rest period goes down to 30 secs.

I'm pondering now which to do afterwards.  I think probably one of the Strength programs, followed by a Hypertrophy, followed by another Fat Loss.

I have to say that the break in workouts for NROL drove me batty after finishing Stage 7 because it's 3 x 15 again.  Did it anyway.

Keep us posted on your measurments!  It is great you can tell the diff in your clothes.  30 sec rests - yeah those are hard!  Hopefully the reps are alot lower! 

I heard the strength one was hard...  Not sure how true that is.  I am looking forward to starting NROL.  3 more modified stage 7s to go.  I have to say, I like the modified stage 7 much, much, much better than the regular stage 7.

I think the beginners starts with the break in, then the fat loss II and then the hypertrophy. 

OK, I'm joining you in Fat Loss II.  I skipped the breakin period because having just finished all of NROLFW and doing 20 reps of everything in stage 7, I wasn't up for 15 reps of anything. 

I did the first workout this morning.  Being the first workout, it didn't flow so well because I was figuring out the exercises as I went along.  So I prob. rested longer than I should have.  But I enjoyed it.  Short and sweet.  I'm not sure I did the twists on the ball right because they didn't feel very challenging.  But the front squats and barbell lunges were tough and fun.   

I'm following your lead and trying to run a small deficit.  We'll see what kind of progress I make.  I tried cycling my carbs during my week off from lifting, and I just  ended up eating too much.  Having a high carb day put me in munch mode and then I couldn't turn it off.  So now I'm just going to try to eat normally and run a small deficit.

Cool!  I think I did the same thing on the first workouts, ended up taking a little longer on the rest periods trying to get used to the setup.  You are able to work out at home, right?  I have a hard time most days being able to superset everything properly because of the way my gym is set up.  You risk losing your spot on any of the cable machines by going somewhere else, so I just do the best I can.  I also have developed a complete lack of compunction about hogging the squat rack as soon as I can get it and changing the order of the exercises around for the front squat day.  I've been supersetting front squats with a ball or core exercise and then using the squat rack for the lunges because I can't safely get as much weight as I want on the barbell and then on my back without it.

Heh, wait till you do those split squats with the overhead press, those are horrible.  Drop the weight on that one definitely - I'm doing 10 pounds and haven't been able to increase it during this whole thing.  I would have tried today but someone was using the 12.5s (sigh, somebody doing little bicep curls with them) and I knew there was NO WAY I could do 15 lbs.

I don't like those twist things much either, some days I've substituted woodchops or some other core work instead.

I work out most days in the gym now.  The equipment is better.  And it was tough to do the supersets because the equipment I needed was often on opposite ends of the gym.  I'm looking forward to the split squats with the overhead press. Sounds challenging.  I felt like I could have gone heavier with the front squat but that exercise scares me a little.  The bar across my throat is nerve wracking.  I'm probably not doing them right. Woodchops sound like a good substitute for the twists on the ball.  I felt good working out after a week off.  Gotta make more use of the breaks.  Well, keep working hard.  I'll do the same!