NROL - Strength I

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! 

Megan - congrats on 95!!!!!  That is awesome!

KMK - sorry about your family issues.  I hope it all turns out for you.

Well, I made it in again today - actually, I came home from work to take care of some family biz, and then went back to the gym! So that was good. I'm now half way through the Stage I.

I upped everything except the barbell shoulder press, that one didn't progress the way I'd have liked. However, I did accomplish four good chin-ups for each of the sets that called for six. That felt awesome!

Today was my first day back in the gym since the last post. Ugh. I did get in one nice 5 mile walk last week - but it's been a pretty sluggish time. As I loaded the plates onto the bar for the squats I was uncertain about what I could do. Turns out I could do about what I did last time with the squats, with a few more reps on the last two sets. The splits and step-ups were a disaster - my legs were so dead after the second set of squats that I had to rest just to must the strength to get myself up. After the third set of splits, reduced to eight reps, I was toast. I know part of the problem is that I didn't have the step that i can adjust height on, I just had a bench that's on the tall side. Last time I could do the combination, so I was bummed about the deficit. On the other hand, I was full of reasons not to go, but went anyway and just made it a short, weights only workout, and I felt great.

That's great you were able to do the same on the squats, especially since you've had some down time with having the crud.  Heh, step ups drive me nuts, I just can't seem to get better at them.  Hey, I can be thankful I don't have to do them for awhile.  I'm itching to get back to the squats though.

Megan, the squats are missing you, too!

I've made it in three times this week (Friday, Monday, today) and I feel really good about that. Didn't regress too much on the weights I can lift, and my stamina is increasing on the number of reps I can do. Today was dead-lift day and I tried the mixed grip - what a difference! I  could hold the weight for the entire set, even on the longer ones of 10 reps. I even added weight to the good-mornings, only ten pounds plus the bar. I really focused on the balance and alignment of my hips for each rep and felt safe and stable.

I miss you, Megan, and I am impressed with all of your exercise inventiveness as you work through your injury. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow morning while you're at your MRI. 

Megan - good luck with the MRI!  Hope you will be back to it soon!  Let us know what they say.

KMK - good going on the 3X per week! 

I have a feeling I might be alone here in Strength I, but I started it on Friday.

Squats were awesome!!!  Sets were: 6x65, 1x75, 6x70, 1x80, 15x50, and 18x45. 

BSS supersetted with Step-ups are the devil's handiwork I'm sure.  I did mine bodyweight and was just happy to finish them. In fact the 3rd set I didn't superset -- I needed the rest between or my heart was going to explode. 

Still having issues with the muscle cramps though.  Made another doctor's appointment for tomorrow because no virus should linger on like this and now it's just the achy muscles. 

I'll cheer you on with Strenth I.  Great work today.  Wow - 15 and 18 reps.  Crazy stuff. 

Hope you feel better and the doctor finds nothing amiss.  Are you keeping well hydrated?  I find that whatever ails me, good hydration helps me get better faster.

I may be joining you after I finish HYPII.  I am ready for something different!  I still have 5 more workouts to go though so it will be a while.  I also may take a week off in between.  I'm feeling a little raggety.

Is it hard to load/unload constantly?  Feel better!

Thanks for the support laura!  Yeah, I do stay hydrated pretty well.  The doc thinks it's my cholesterol meds.  I'm going to stop taking them for a couple of weeks and see if it gets better.  If it continues, then we will do blood work, if it goes away we wwill switch meds. 

yogagirl -- Strength I is FUN!!  The loading/unloading is not too bad, especially since the rests are pretty long.  And honestly I have gotten lazy with loading. 

I have the threaded barbell (and dumbbells) with the collar that screws on, and for the singles I just add the plates outside the collar.  They don't slide around much and I don't have to mess with it too much. 

I did workout B yesterday and the bench presses and Bent-over rows were tough.  I maxed 70 punds on bench and 105 on bent-over row.  I think I could do more on the bench press (maybe) so I think next time I will have to ask my DH to spot for me. 

Good going on the weight!  105 pound bent over row is ALOT! 

Switching weights is the only reason I haven't tried any of the strength workouts yet..... I hate switching weight once I am set up.  Maybe I will try your method of not taking off the collars each time.  I have the squeezy ones.

Ack!  I had the squeezy kind, and could not get them to work for me.  They were constantly getting stuck and I'd have to use pliers to get them off. 

I finally went and bought a new bar which was only about $25 or so.  The plates work fine with either one. 

I was pretty pumped about the 105, but I need to pay more attention to the tempo stuff.  I keep forgetting about it, and I'm pretty sure my rows were more like 301 than 311.

Plus I always feel like I "cheat" on them a little -- using my hips to get the bar moving up???  I try not to --- and then I find myself doing it again.

I had trouble with the squeezy things too at first.  I learned to use both hands, one to squeeze and the other to hold the ring level & guide it so it slid on.  I am a pro at it now

105 is alot anyway you look at it.  I think I was at 80 max last time I had to do those.  The tempo stuff gets me too.  Most of the time, I don't really pay attention to it. 

Well, I want to work out, but I don't think my body is cooperating. 

Last week the doctor siad it was a virus, but it didn't go away.  I went back on Tuesday and we talked about it and he thinks that it might be my cholesterol meds.  Even though I have been on them for more than 2 years, and I'm on a very samll doseage. 

So, I stopped taking them to see if it gets better. 

So this is day 3 of not taking them, and I swear the aching is getting worse.  But maybe it's just my imagination. 

I usually take the stairs mltiple times per day here at work, and right now going down 1 flight makes my legs cramp and ache.  I can't face Strength I C -- deadlifts???  Are you nuts???  I'm not even sure I'm going to be able to bowl tonight. 

That sounds odd.  I hope you are OK.  Try to rest until you and your doctor figure this out.  The weights can wait.

Yeah - definitely, the weights can wait!

Thanks for the support guys! 

And I'm feeling much better now.  The achiness and muscle pain is pretty much gone after not being on the meds for a week.  I'm pretty sure they were the cause.

I actually got in a workout yesterday. Strength I C -- Deadlifts!!!  I actually maxed out 1 rep at 155lbs.  WOOT!  

And today my muscles have a nice soreness type of ache to them.  Nothing like it was last couple of weeks.  This feels natural and like I deserve it.  :)

Edit --- And if I was just down where I was at the beginning of summer it would have been a bodyweight DL.  Too bad I'm at 162 right now. 

Woohoo, awesome deadlift! 

Glad you're feeling better.

Okay, so I have a question.  I did Strength A2 last night, so squats again.  I do front squats, and so far I have been able to lift the bar and "clean" it up to my shoulders to do the front squats, but last night I had trouble. 

Basically, the loaded bar is getting to heavy for me to clean.  Obviously it is just at the limit of what I can front squat as well, but I'm wondering if my front squat strength will (or should) surpass my ability to clean the bar? 

Can anyone think of any way other than getting a squat rack to get the bar up? I actually tried to cheat on my last max rep by lifting the loaded bar and then having a 10 pound plate on the shelf in front of me that I could grab to increase the weight of the squat, but it was very awkward. 

Hope that makes sense visually.  I typically get the bar up on the upper arms andcross my forearms over it, so my hands are generally empty, but this time I grabbed a plate off of the shelf in front of me.  And no, the shelf is not strong or stable enough to hold the loaded bar. 

Well, I asked the same question over at JP fitness and no answer there either. 

I think maybe I'm asking the wrong question.  Maybe I have to start thinking about getting a squat rack...