NROL Hypertrophy I

Started today.  Did workout B instead of A because B had fewer exericses and I was pressed for time. It was different for me in that it wasn't a total body workout.  All legs this time.  Workout A is upper body.  I liked it.  My legs felt like jello when I left the gym.  I should have gone heavier but I was intimidated by 10 reps.  I didn't think I could go that heavy and finish 4 sets of 10.  The next B workout calls for 5 sets of 5 so I am curious to see how heavy I can go.  I think it will be a fun stage.  However, you have to do each workout 12 times so I know I will be sick of it by the end.  I substituted hypertropy for strength at the last minute because I lost some muscle tone from dieting down during Fat Loss II.  I am hoping to build some muscle and create more definition.  Unfortunately, only my arms look skinny.  Thunder thighs are still thunderous.  Go figure.

Cool, I'm thinking of doing this program after I finish Strength I.  24 workouts for this stage, whoo!  Keep posting, so interested to hear your results from this stage.

Just finished the last A workout for FLII and have one more B workout and I am done!  Yeah!

I am probably going to do HYPI after I finish, but I think I may take 1 week off as suggested! 

Anyway- my concern is the amount of time it is going to take for the 5X5. If you could please include how long it takes to complete the workouts when you update us that would be awesome!  I may opt to do 12 workouts of this as in the man  of constant obligation scenario says.  It will highly depend on if I like the program! 

I have to say the women's version was so cut and dry and no guesswork!  I liked that!

I'll let you know how long the 5X5 takes when I get there.  The 4X10 took less than an hour for me.  The rest period was 60 seconds between sets.  I am sore today.  It feels great.

ooo, it sounds exciting over here.

Original Post by octo-luv:

ooo, it sounds exciting over here.

 Yeah - it does!!  The rep ranges chane all over the place in NROL. 

Thanks Laura - your info will help alot!!  Less than an hour is good - even up to 1.25 hours.  Any more than that and I don't want to do it anymore! 

So workout A has 6 exercises, all upper body - 5 sets of 5, 90 sec rest.  It could potentially take a long time.  I didn't use all 90 sec of the rest time, so it took about an hour and 10.  It finishes with 3 sets of 15 crunches.  Excellent workout. 

I did bench presses for the first time.  I pressed 60 lbs (not very impressive I know - Megan your 90# is even more impressive to me now), and I miffed it and almost dropped the bar on myself at the end of the 4th set.  Many large men rushed to my rescue.  I felt like I was in highschool again when I got pulled out by the "undertoad" at Jones Beach as was rescued by the lifeguard.  I was embarrased, but also gratified by how nice everyone was.  The large guys intimidate me so much.  But one of them said - we are all family back here - just ask for a spot anytime.  So a HUGE guy spotted me on the last set.  I just needed him to take the bar from me after my last press. It was funny.  He picked up my 60 pound barbell as if it were a toothpick.  All in all a good day's work, and I feel more comfortable in the weight room with the big dogs.

Good job Laura!  Didn't you do bench presses in stage 7?

Check out the other thread with the log in it.  I created it from the NROLFW log.

Finished with FLII yesterday.  I am pretty sore today!  I moved weights up across the board for this workout and have been adding curls and skull crushers after every workout.  I did a 5X5 yesterday for the curls and skulls.  I know it is not recommended, but my arms haven't been this nicely sore since I started NROLFW.  I think as you go on, you find areas in which you just need more than what you get from the compound movements.  My arms are it for me!

Hoping to be able to stay away for a week, but I may only be able to stay away from the weights a few days.  Alwyn says 2 weeks after FLII!!  I know I can't stay away THAT long!

Good job with finishing FLII.  I think you are right - it is fine to adjust the program to fit your individual needs. 

I didn't realize it was recommended to take 2 weeks off after FLII.  I only took a few days.  I took a full week after stage 7 in NROLFW because I felt I needed it then.  I think as you progress, you get good at listening to the cues from your body.   

Thanks Laura - 2 weeks is mentioned on page 193 for the eternal beginner  - I think the other plans have 1 week off.  I am going to do eternal beginner as I don't think having done NROLFW qualifies me as experienced.  Although, I skipped break-in and FLI.  AND - I made the decision to follow eternal beginner after I was already doing FLII, so I'll jump in there!  (plus after stage 7 - I am sick of the fat loss workouts & the high reps!!)

I am looking forward to HYPI and the new upper body day and lower body day style.  I may try for 4 workouts a week if I am not too sore!!

Yeah - I think people have different needs.  You can only know after trying the programs as they are written and then make adjustments specific to yourself.  Also - I heard Alwyn allows people in his gym to do 10 minutes of whatever the client wants after his workouts.  I am definitely noticing a difference.

Original Post by yogagirl6853:

(plus after stage 7 - I am sick of the fat loss workouts & the high reps!!)

 Well, don't look now, but Hyp I has a few 15 rep workouts.  Not looking forward to them.

Original Post by laura42:

Original Post by yogagirl6853:

(plus after stage 7 - I am sick of the fat loss workouts & the high reps!!)

 Well, don't look now, but Hyp I has a few 15 rep workouts.  Not looking forward to them.

 Yeah - i saw that, but it is only 1 out of every 3 workouts!  I will really like the 5X5 workouts and the 10 reps aren't too bad either!  Alwyn is nuts!  I wonder if I will be able to walk after B!

I agree, he's crazy.  The day after B1, it was pretty tough to sit down.  I did B2 yesterday, and I am not that sore today.  I went heavier on deadlifts and squats because there were only 5 reps.  It felt good.  B3 has 15 reps so I will have to go lighter.

Ugh!  15 reps today - very painful.  But with only 3 sets and 30 sec rest between each set, the workout goes very fast. 

One of the trainers in the gym today made my day - he said I look like a teenager again.  Woo hoo!! And I'll be 43 in June.

Yeah on looking like a teenager again!   congrats!

I am looking forward to starting HYPI - I have been good and stayed away from lifting so far this week!  I am making myself take the week off.

I did do a nice 10 mile bike ride on Saturday... Yoga yesterday!  I missed doing yoga and I promised myself I will do it at least once a week from now!  I cannot believe how much flexibility I have lost!

I used to own a yoga studio that I closed last year, but I think since I am laid off now, I will start teaching again.  I put  a new yoga website back out there again today.  It will take a while before the search engines grab it.

http://www.macombyogaclass.com.  Any suggestions would be great!

Great idea on the yoga.  I wish you much success.  And nice bike ride. My husband and I took a sabbatical last fall in upstate NY.  We went on some fantastic rides through farm country.  I miss that. 

Thanks Laura - farm country sounds nice for a bike ride!  Me & my hubby did some trails last summer and plan to do some more this year.  We have a rails-to-trails program nearby.  That trip is like 11 miles one way.  There is another trail that is not paved, just packed rock, but that one is fun too!  I am looking forward to doing again this year.  Last weekend was really the first nice day we've had so far this spring.  We are supposed to have almost summer-like temps this weekend (78), so I am sure to get some more riding in this weekend.  You won't catch me riding in less than 70 degrees though.  My ears get cold, my muscles get cold and I don't like it!

I did my first HYPI A workout this am.  It was the 5X5 and I LOVED it!!!   I'm not so sure I will like the B workout though.  It has squats, deadlifts, bulgarian split squats and stepups all in the same workout!  Sheesh!

This plan is split to upper/lower body so it is ok to do 4X per week.  Not sure I will do that yet.  The eternal beginner says to do it 3X week.   

Did 2 c25k workouts - my first on Friday and my second Sunday.  So far so good!  And I got in a nice bikeride to Kroger Sunday (only 3 miles).  I got new running shoes too, since my other sneakers were cross trainers and Dunhams had them on sale!

Yoga tomorrow morning! I may do:

• Mon lift
• Tues yoga - then maybe run
• Wed lift
• Thur run
• Fri lift
• Sat run &/or bike
• Sun off or bike

Terrific workout schedule.  Don't forget to up your calories a little with the increased activity.  Especially if you want to lay down some muscle. 

Thanks!  I am going to try and keep my cals low.  I am trying to uncover all the muscle I've built and the fat loss workouts just made me eat like mad, so no weight loss for me.  Maybe I will be better at controlling my hunger with the HYP workouts!