NROLFW step ups

How high of a step do you use for the step ups in NROLFW?  Just curious... I was using a step stool, but on another forum alot of people use the bench!!  I tried that yesterday with only 10 pounders and boy it was hard!

I've been using a platform which is step-height with a step bench on top. I'm going to try for the weight bench; although, my balance is poor, so we'll see how that goes!

I found it to be a huge diff.  My step stool was probably only 8 or 9 inches tall.  The one in the book didn't look terribly tall so I thought that was fine.  I was up to 42 pounds on the stepping.  Once I increased the height, I had trouble even with the 10 pound dumbbells and really had to try to not use my other leg to push off of.

Your step bench and platform sound just about as tall as the weight bench, so maybe it won't be much diff for you.

I use a weight bench and it is tough, but you can really feel the burn!!! Just take it slow if you don't have the best balance,. I bet you will see an improvement with your balance within a couple weeks.

I've been using 4 of my daughter's thick school books stacked on top of one another. I'll have to do this until I can get some sort of stepper. There's no way I can use my weight bench. It's shaky!

Edit: Forget that. Those steppers are expensive for nothing but pieces of plastic. Hmm, I think I'm going to hunt down a nice milk crate and try one of those.

I do use the weight bench.  It took some time to achieve good balance and be able to hold fairly heavy weights, but it was so worth it.  It's one of the best lower body exercises I've ever done -- especially good for that area where the top of the thigh meets your glutes.  My rear view has distinctly improved as a result -- at least according to my husband :).

Milk crate is a good idea for an in-between height... taller than fitness steps or step stools, but shorter than a bench! 

Paula - good for you!  I only used 10 pound dumbbells, even though I had been using alot more with the stepstool.  I DO want to get best results possible though, so I will continue with bench!  How much are you up to now as far as weight?

I'm using the bench also.  It's taken me the longest time to progress from 10 lb dumbbells to 15 (was doing stepups before I started NROLFW). 

Yogagirl:

The weight depends on the gym where I work out -- if it's at my one gym, I use 22.5 lb. dumbells; if it's at my usual gym, I have to go with 20 lbs., since their weights go up in 5 lb. increments, and the 25's cause me to have balance issues.  I sweat bullets when I do these either way!

Thanks for sharing!  I was starting to think the stepups were not that great for me, as my arms would get  tired from holding all the weight before my legs did.  lol  After last night though - very different story.  Yes, most of my issues have to do with balance and not using my other leg to push off.  The upper leg/behind area is definitly one I need to work on so i am very happy to find out about this!

Also - anyone doing full squats - or do you squat to 90 degrees?

You may find putting the dumbells on your shoulders to be better for that fatigue than holding them by your sides, but this is something that you might have to experiment with. 

As for full squats -- no, I don't do them because I have serious knee issues and just don't want to take any chances -- 90 degrees for me.  I admire those who can do them, but after struggling to be able to do lunges and squats without pain and finally getting there, I'm not willing to go there :).

With the higher step now and using less weight, the issue with my arms getting tired first goes away!  (For now anyway)

I am doing 90 degree squats too, but didn't know if the full squat would be a much greater benefit.... kinda like the higher step being better than the lower step with more weight.

Good work everyone. 

How high is the average weight bench?  I am stepping up to the second step on an old steep staircase.  It measures about 18 inches and I am 5 feet tall. Should I be stepping higher?  I'm holding 20 pound weights.  I''ve only used the 20 pounds for the past 2 workouts.  Before that I was holding a 10 and a 3 pound weight in each hand.  That was hurting my thumbs but I'm working out at home and slowly accumulating equipment.

The last 2 times I did the shoulder presses I used the 20 pounders too.  I basically failed on the last rep each time, so that is my max for now.  I complained about loss of arm definition in a previous post, but with the heavier weights, maybe that will get better.

I also finally got a scale and if it is accurate, I may have dropped three pounds since starting.  (I question the accuracy because I don't feel thinner.) Anyway, I didn't gain and I am eating A LOT of food.  I tried all summer to take off 4 or 5 pounds and couldn't do it.  So this program definately fires up the metabolism.

I am doing 90 degree squats with 35 pounds on each side of the bar. 

Today I have a bad headcold and it is my day to work out.  :(    I may try to do a workout tonight, we'll see.

Thanks for posting everyone.  It helps to see what others are doing .  Working out at home by yourself leaves you wondering if you are pushing it enough.

Laura - I think 18 inches is pretty good.  That is probably what a weight bench is around, although I did not measure.  Isn't it hard to step out though to the second step, since you have to step past the first step laterally? 

I guess me and momof2kd are the only ones that were doing less than 18".  I don't know how I missed that!  I thought a regular step for step aerobics was good. 

We're all gonnna have great bums now!!  lol

This one is so hard for me. I find it next to impossible to NOT push off at least a little bit with my trailing foot. But I definitely feel the burn and ache in all the right places the next day.

I'm definitely under an 18" step, thus far, and I have no excuse, as I'm 5'10. Conveniently, I have step ups on my agenda for this evening and I plan to try using the weight bench, so I'll likely report back with my tales of pain tomorrow. I'm not sure what weight i'll use.

As for squats, my gym doesn't have a barbell setup. I know, it sucks, but at the same time, my little apartment complex gym has most stuff, and by the time I get there, it's dead empty so I can do the exercises within the timing suggested.  I've been doing the squats and the deadlifts with dumbells, and just being extra cautious about form. Anyway, I've been trying to do goblet squats (comparable exercise) with a single 25kg dumbell, and That's been fine, only I really struggle to hold the weight in my hands.

Congrats on your progress at the scale, Laura!

Original Post by yogagirl6853:

 Isn't it hard to step out though to the second step, since you have to step past the first step laterally? 

 I'm not sure i know what you mean.  Am I doing them incorrectly?  I just stand on the bottom of the staircase, and step up to the second step, trying my hardest not to push off my standing leg at all.  Although I think I do push off just a little to get me going, then I try to push through the heal of the leg on the step and let that leg do all the work.   My house is very old, so the angle of the stairs is steep.  I can step straight up.  Let me know if I am doing them wrong.

Original Post by laura42:

Original Post by yogagirl6853:

 Isn't it hard to step out though to the second step, since you have to step past the first step laterally? 

 I'm not sure i know what you mean.  Am I doing them incorrectly?  I just stand on the bottom of the staircase, and step up to the second step, trying my hardest not to push off my standing leg at all.  Although I think I do push off just a little to get me going, then I try to push through the heal of the leg on the step and let that leg do all the work.   My house is very old, so the angle of the stairs is steep.  I can step straight up.  Let me know if I am doing them wrong.

 NOOOOO - that is not what I meant.  It was a question -  since it sounded harder to me to step out first  than it would be to step straight up.  If you can feel it, then you are doing it right.  I just was using too small a step until yesterday & feel a big diff with the bigger step up.  I haven't tried the stairs.

OH God the step ups they are the beast who should not be named

I started on the bench and could only do body weight. I have terrible balance and it was an exercise I wasn't used to doing. I fell off the NROFLW wagon and started again this week. Damn those step ups is all I gotta say

My gym's weight bench is 16" high and I did one set with a set 3kg dumbells and the second set with a set of 5kgs.

Balance was definitely easier than I expected, but I wasn't carrying tons of weight. and I took them relatively slowly (I do struggle to balance during the lunges  while holding 10 kg dbs).

Anyway, we'll see how hard I think it was tomorrow. I find that lower body workouts don't generally seem that hard until the next day, when much to my surprise, getting into and out my desk chair is painful.

OK what is NROLFW?  It sounds like something I might try.