NROLFW...how much weight is everyone using?

I just did my first NROLFW workout, and I was really excited about it...but it seemed like there wasn't much to it. Maybe it's because it's stage 1 and I'm a higher strength level than I thought I was or something? I don't feel exhausted, and I thought I would be. During the workout, it was tiring, but not impossible or exhausting. Should I be using more weight? I used 30 pounds doing the squats with a barbell, did the 45 degree push up which was not difficult enough, used a barbell sub for the seated row with 25 pounds, and the step up with a barbell across my shoulders with 25 pounds on a step with four risers on each side. I guess I'm just wondering what everyone else is doing and if I'm way too low on the weight.

Just as a side note, I have been doing circuit training the past couple of months but it's been mostly body weight, and usually around 20 pounds max when I do use weight.

If you feel like you could use more weight, then add weight next time.  If you have enough weight, you wont want to do any more reps when you're done the exercise.  The right amount of weight will vary for everyone, there is no right answer, heavy is what's heavy for you.

This was my first NROLFW week after doing the 5x5 that Melkor recommends. I used less weight for the 15 rep sets than the 5 reps.

Workout 1
* squats 55
* stepups - bodyweight bec. they bothered my knees
* normal pushups - I couldn't do
* seated row - 45 I think

Workout B
* deadlift 65
* ohp - 15 and 12 lb dumb bells
* lateral pulldown - 40
* lunge - 1 set bodyweight bec. of ankle flexibility and balance

Thanks very much. Of course, it makes sense to me that if it doesn't feel hard enough to add more weight, but I was just wondering what I was doing compared to what other people start with and if I was waaayyy too low in comparison.

I also started the upped calorie thing today and it's freaking me out a little, especially considering I've eaten about 1400 calories already and I still need to eat dinner. EEK.

Right now my amount of weight looks like this for workouts 5-6 (3x10 weeks)

Workout A:

Squat 70lbs (on smith machine)

Stepups 15lb dumbells in each hand

Pushups do at least 26 normal

Seated Row - i've been using the dual pulley row and its been on about 25. When i use the single row machine its at about 70-75.

Workout B:

Deadlift  80lbs

Shoulder Press 20lb dumbells

Lat Pulldown 75lbs

Lunges - 20lb dumbells in each hand

Swiss ball crunch - i hold a 2 10lb dumbells in my hand - next step is a 25lb plate

Working out at home, and have a shoulder still healing from surgery so I am doing a few things different. This is what I was doing at the end of stage 1. I'm going to do stage 1 again, because I think I can do better and challenge myself more.

Workout A

Front squats -- 65lbs

stepups -- 25x2 (dumbbells)

pushups -- 30 degree w/ body weight -- (using coffee-table)

bent-over row -- 65lbs

prone jackknife -- body weight

Workout B

Deadlift -- 80 lbs

Shoulder Press -- 15x2 dumbbells

lat pull-overs -- 15x2 dumbbells

lunges -- 15x2 dumbbells

swiss ball crunch -- 8x2 dumbbell

This maybe a dumb question but the wt you all are referring to w/ squats and deadlifts. Is that the total wt your lifting?  Are you adding the wt of the 45 lb bar? If that's the bar your using, some people use the smaller bar for easy of control.

I've started NROFWL 3wks ago. Trying to build back my strength after bi-lat mastectomy w/ reconstruction in June. I've lost a lot of muscle tone and feel pretty flabby. I only did cardio all summer. I didn't want to screw up my new implants with pushing weights too soon.

-squats 60 lbs w/ 45lb; step ups -25lbs dumbbells; lunges 25lbs db; deadlift 70 w/ 45bar; lat pulldown 60 lbs; shoulder press 20lb db; seated row 65lbs

the push ups I have some trouble w/ and can only do the 45 degree. I try some at 30 degree but can't do anymore than 3-4

       &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;            

       &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;               &nb sp;          

Mine includes the weight of the bar... 45 pound olympic set.  Sorry about your mastectomy!  Please be careful until you are fully healed

I am almost done with stage 1, so that makes a diff.

Workout A:

Squat 85bs

Pushups - regular pushups

Seated Row - 70 pounds

Stepups 10lb dumbells in each hand - BUT I just increased the step height to the bench instead of a stool.  Was using 45 pounds.

Prone Jackknife - 15X3sets

Workout B:

Deadlift  85lbs

Shoulder Press 18.5lb dumbells

Lat Pulldown 75lbs

Lunges - 10lb dumbells in each hand - I HATE THESE!

Swiss ball crunch - 45pounds. 15X3sets

Mine includes the weight of the bar.  I don't have the olympic bar, just a standard bar which weighs ~15 lbs. 

I just started over since I haven't done weights all summer. First week, being a total wussy :'(

Squats: 15x65lbs

push ups: 30% incline

Rows: 50lbs

step ups: 20lbs on step with three risers

deadlifts: 110lbs x 15

shoulder press: 15lbx 15

lat pull down 60lbs x 15

lunges: 7.5 lbx 15 (I really suck at these for some reason)

swiss ball crunch with 20lb ball

step ups: 15x20lbs

My weights are really light for me as this is my first week back

I do my squats on the smith machine... I think that bar weighs 45lbs? if that's so, then i did not include the weight of the bar on mine.

Deadlifts however, i am using the pre weighted barbells since there's usually a line waiting for the squat rack and the deadlift bars.

DO NOT do squats with the Smith Machine. It is BAD BAD BAD. It doesn't matter how much the bar weighs, the machine glides it along for you.

It's bad because the Smith machine forces you to use about the worst squat form ever.

really, darnit... I am scared of the squat rack... just don't usually have anyone with me to spot and everyone there is too invloved to ask... i'm afraid of falling over and looking like an idiot.

Right now I'm just using a barbell across my shoulders with weights on it for the squats...as I add weight, will it become necessary to use the squat rack?

Original Post by msmeg1984:

really, darnit... I am scared of the squat rack... just don't usually have anyone with me to spot and everyone there is too invloved to ask... i'm afraid of falling over and looking like an idiot.

You should be afraid of the Smith machine! The squat rack is there to catch the weight if you fail, which everyone has done. Do some googling to get some images.

Kilkusj you probably will need a squat rack unless you want to do front squats when the weight becomes really heavy. Front squats are really easy if you fail; you just drop the weight

I can squat 130lbs but I can't lift it above my head and get it across my shoulders, nor do I want to or should I!

i used to use the smaller pre-weighted barbells on my shoulders too, then they got too heavy to lift over my head.

I've never done squats with a spotter.  I started doing squats with dumb bells and moved up to the bar when that got awkward. 

The first time I used the bar, I did ask someone at the gym to watch that I wasn't doing anything extremely wrong.  After that I worked independently.  If I feel like I'm close to failure at a given weight and rep, I stop instead of trying that last one.

If you're working hard, I doubt that you're shortchanging results by all that much by not doing that last rep to failure. O, weight experts, is this so?

I thought the book says that it's okay to not get to failure...

In that case, then in my experience so far, it is not hard to avoid failure when you're doing multi-rep sets. If you're doing 8-15, which is the range in nrolfw, then you're surely not going to fail at #1, and you can choose to stop when you feel like the next one might fail.

I could see how you'd need a spotter if you were trying for your 1 rep maximum -- lifting a weight so heavy that you're not sure you can lift it at all.

Yeah, i remember reading that too.

I'm hoping there will be few enough people at the gym thursday (a day!) that i can try the squat rack or the cage. Is one easier to mess with than the other?

Naw, they are both pretty much the same. There's probably less tinkering around with the squat rack I guess when I think about it

Thanks! wish i would have figured this out before i was almost done with stage one :)

I appreciate the advice!