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What never ceases to amaze me is that I can be so stunned by how hard some of these workouts can be. It's not as if I don't know already. Anyhoo -
This program has an interesting structure for the first exercise in a couple of the workouts where you do 6 reps, then 1 rep, then 6, then 1 again, then 10-12 and then 15-20. I poked around on the jpfitness forum and found a couple of interesting threads about this, which is called wave loading.
http://forums.jpfitness.com/new-rules-lifting -original/34170-wave-loading.html
http://forums.jpfitness.com/new-rules-lifting -original/32184-wave-loading-1rm.html
Today was squats day. I guess I must really have been pretty fresh what with taking a (full) week off, because I did a lot better than I thought I was going to. And come to think of it, it's been a while since I've just done regular old back squats. So, woohoo, time to load up the bar next time. The second 1 rep set was 135 pounds and it did not feel that I'd maxed out.
And those dratted stepups are back. They are in a superset of 3 x 15 BSS followed immediately by the (3 x 15) stepups with NO rest until the whole set is done. WTF? Did them body weight because I just loathe stepups.
I hope I can walk tomorrow.
I love weightlifting! 
You ladies doing the the strength training are making me jealous. I have been dieting down and I am feeling weak. I am barely making it through my Fat Loss II sessions. Once I finish, I am going to eat maintenance and do a strength program for a while. Keep up the good work all of you. You are doing great. I can't wait to eat maintenance. It has been a long time since I functioned on a deficit and I am not liking it.
Laura - I am doing FL II also, and I felt a little jealous too at the people doing strength. After doing stage 7 FLII is way too many reps! I considered moving, but decided against it. Just think it will be something to look forward to! I think that is what I liked about NROLFW - there was no guessing at what section to do. It was start at stage one and finish at 7!
Ok - Megan - all done.... I tried to surpass your 1rep on the bench, I really did, but... couldn't quite lift 95 pounds..... got it off the rack and down to my chest and that was it. Then I tried 90 and barely made it, so it definitely was a max! YEAH! Congrats to both of us! I don't think I will try that again until I do the strength stage. And for sure, a spotter is definitely necessary! I don't want to try a 1rep on a lunge... I know for sure I would stink at that! My upper body strength is much better than lower body.
Woohoo! Hell yeah, I love strong women and weightlifting!
I just got back from Workout C, which I'm not quite as fond of, only because the way the supersets are structured are impossible for the way my gym is setup. But I think I figured out how to make it all fit together OK. Chinups - dang, my best set was 3 then I switched to pulldowns. Barbell shoulder press, I actually got to failure on the second 1 rep set at 70, just could not press it.
Next up, deadlifts and Workout D, can't wait.
Well heck, I just went to enter my weights in my log and turns out that I did workout D today instead of workout C which actually is the deadlifts. I had my papers stapled wrong.
Laughs at self.
Good job on the workout! It really does sound like a fun workout. I will really be happy to get away from the large reps and short rests after stage 7 and then FLII.
PS - I miss the pre-filled workout sheets from NROLFW.
I did the deadlift workout yesterday and LOVED it! It's a lot intense - starts out with full range of motion deadlifts and then dramatically transitions to....Romanian deadlifts!
The Roms are paired with static lunges in a superset, yet again confirming that Alwyn is a sadist. At least in this workout we get to rest for a full 90 seconds between supersets. By the third set I had to drop the 20lb dumbbells I was using for the lunges and lower my bar weight to 75 for the lifts.
The good-mornings were new and fun. I was a little nervous about them, and practiced the motion a few times before I grabbed the bar. The rail in the squat rack made me feel more comfortable because I knew I could set the bar there if I couldn't get myself back up with weight. I ended up trying to add ten pounds to the bar for the second set, but that didn't feel too steady.
I feel pretty good today, stiff and good sore :) I'm still debating going into the gym tomorrow for workout D. That would make four workouts this week, which is fine , according to Lou. I'm guessing that's because these workouts really focus on one primary muscle group each session. I suppose I'll just see how I feel tomorrow and if I'm up for it, I'll go. If it's too much I can always go for a walk or jump on a machine, depending on the weather.
Tonight John and I are headed off to see Merle Haggard and Kris Kristopherson - should be a good show.
I just did the deadlift workout today for the first time. You're right, it's really intense with all those deadlifts! I'm feeling it already. My legs are saying - what the heck are you doing???? Ha ha. My 1RM was 155 on the deadlift and I almost added 5 pounds for the second one but chickened out.
I agree the good mornings were interesting. I just used the bar for those too, till I get comfortable with them.
Enjoy the show tonight, that sounds fun! One of my favorite Merle songs is the one he wrote about the Kern River, when we visited there last year it happened to be one of the songs EmmyLou Harris covered on her last CD that we listened to on the way there.
Megan, congrats on the 155, that is pure strength! I'm still working toward my goal of 125, and I think I'll be there soon.
The show was really beautiful. It was very simple, if such a thing can be said of the two artists. He did sing the Kern River song - which was haunting. Kristofferson was also top notch. The show felt quite intimate for such a large venue. Both performers create such emotional images with their words and music, the pairing was quite something and the show will be treasured memory. I think Merle mentioned tonight that EmmyLou presented him with a radio award just last week - she's something special, too.
Did the chin-up workout today, and surprised myself by being able to do three for each of the higher rep sets! I followed your lead, Megan, and finished the sets using the lat pull-down.
There hasn't been any interesting people watching since the singing lady - I think my red face trying to get up over the bar might have been the entertainment today :)
Since I'm having somewhat of a boring afternoon at work, I thought that while I was updating my lifting logs I could just sum up the total number of pounds I lifted today during my workout (deadlift day): 7780 pounds!
On a lighter note (heh heh), I had an amusing people-watching moment on the way out of the gym. Well, the person was implied since I didn't actually see him or her, but this individual had parked their SUV so that both the front and rear right tires were fully UP on the curb he/she had parked next to! Wasn't it a little noticeable that things were lopsided when getting out of the car?
And Friday's session translated into some pretty good DOMS yesterday. It was appropriate that my husband send me a link to this Non Sequitur comic - barbells at a gravesite:
http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2009/04/1 1/
Yep.
So far I've only been able to work out once this week, and I'm starting to twitch. Monday was a day off work and I wasn't anywhere close to the gym, and then today I got invited to a lunch by the CEO to celebrate the refinancing of our company - yes yes, a good thing. But dang it, it was supposed to be squats day.
Anyway, we're at our weekend/retirement place now and there is only the most rudimentary setup here and no squat rack or anything close. So what I think I'm going to do tomorrow is switch the workout order and do chest press day instead. That means I can get my husband to spot for me and I can really go for it. Then Monday I can do Workout A with a proper squat rack.
I know what you mean. I think I am becoming obsessed. I start to panic when I can't fit a workout in for several days. It happened over spring break with the kids home from school. I don't know what I going to do over the summer. I may have to break down and get a squat rack.
Keep us posted with your strength gains.
Megan - I'm in the same boat, my last workout was Monday. How'd the switch up work for you? Today I'm doing the second chin-up routine and hoping that I can at least accomplish the same reps / weight as last time.
I agree with Laura about getting twitchy when I don't get to the gym. We're going through some heavy stuff with family, which makes it even more important to care for myself. I notice I'm getting back in the habit of putting my health last and forgetting that I need to be good head space and healthy body to really support others well.
The workout turned out OK. We have sort of a funky little bench but it worked fine for the bench press. With my husband spotting I felt comfortable enough to try for 95 and did it! The lat pulldowns we have to do on this old Freemotion machine that doesn't quite replicate the close grip pulldowns on the cable machines at the gym, but it was close enough.
Sorry to hear you're going through some difficult family times.
95!!!!!! I feel some funkadelic music shouting out "Brick Houuuuse." Good for you.
I got to the gym yesterday and realized I was on the deadlift set, which was a nice surprise. It felt really good in all kinds of ways. We've finally got some nice weather this weekend so I think I'm going to talk a long walk today, either to Pike Place Market, or through our Ballard Locks, which is a beautiful park along the waterfront with a fish ladder. Maybe I'll take my camera :)
And - thank you.
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