Stage 1

So, I did Stage 1 Workout A tonight.  The squats, step-ups and rows went fine (i.e. hard work but not impossible).  I am push-up incompetent and can only do 10 in a row, so I did 10-then-collapse-then-5 instead of actual sets of 15.  The prone jackknife was a mess.  This was only my second time using a Swiss ball and I'm not used to being able to stay balanced on it (which I do realise is the whole point) so my form on the first set was horrendous (but did actually manage about 5-in-a-row-then-3-in-a-row).  The second set was a disaster zone; I couldn't get more than 2-in-a-row before I fell off.  My wrists are still sore from all that weight-on-hands.

Anyway, my question is this.  If I wind up taking a few weeks to actually be able to do the exercises, should I start counting Stage 1 at the time I can actually do the work-out "right"?  Or is it normal to be this incompetent at the start and I'll be good enough in 4 weeks to move onto Stage 2?  My main goal (other than the whole fat-loss thing) is to improve so I'm on-board whichever the answer is.

Wow!!! I agree you are strong!  I can barely do shoulder push-presses with 20 pounds, and that uses your legs mostly to push it up there!!!

I can't imagine trying to do them after doing 55 pound lifts overhead. 

As for the shoes, I have heard that you really don't want to use shoes with much padding, or anything for lifting.  If there is any cushiion in them it actually takes away from how effective your lifts are and wears the shoes out faster. 

I work out at home, so I actually lift barefoot.  I used to wear socks, but my fieet would slip during lunges and split squats and stuff, so I ditched the socks as well.  Being barefoot seems to help with making sure I'm pushing through my heels, and I can even point my toes up a bit to make sure I'm not cheating on step-ups and the like. 

Thanks, igloogal and karozel - that feels good to hear!  I think I must be a very lazy mesomorph who really likes to eat - I've always been rather "strong", but maybe it's just 'cause I have valued it my whole life - more than most girls.  It comes from my "father worship" as a child.  (I learned how to make my bicep move while saying "the beach is thatta way" when I was 5 - thanks Dad).  I've rarely shied away from picking something up because it was "too heavy," much to the chagrin of my husband.  And I have a 2 year old and 5 year old that I "lift" regularly. 

This book really excites me because I can see progress with each workout, and I love the feeling.  I hope I'm not the one in a million that actually gets bulky - my husband has already expressed some nervousness about that.  I'm sure when the layer of fat has decreased, and the swelling goes down, the muscles won't seem so big.

Push-ups kill me.  I was doing the girlie ones on the knees, but I realized that they didn't help me do the real ones, so I stopped doing them.  They are, by far, the hardest thing for me.  Congrats on your 3 real ones, igloogal - that is awesome!  And barefoot, karozel?  That sounds so comfortable - I'd love to do that.

What do you use for step-ups?  I'd seen it discussed before, but nothing.  I'd tried two steps on the stairs, but that felt really uncoordinated stepping out that far, so I've been using a weight bench, but that seems a bit too high.  I can't quite do it without using my toes to push off.  There isn't anything I can use to stand on to make the bench shorter, either, except these things that look like the top part of a swiss ball, but that doesn't seem stable.  I tried looking for a step, like for step class, to stand on, but they don't have any laying around.  I can't think of anything else to use at my gym.

Thanks, guys, for all your help.

Hey Puh- I go to the gym for my lifting too. I went to the classroom and took a step and lifters. They haven't put them back so they must realize we need them with the weights. Other than that, not sure what you can use. I'm up to 3 lifters and will soon be starting 4. After 4, it will be the weight bench. UHG.

I work out at home, and I have an aerobic step.  I use it (without risers) and step from it onto my bench. 

My legs are just a bit too short (and I'm a bit too clumsy) to step directly onto the bench.  But I'm only 5'4" and I have short legs and a long torso.

Hi guys. I am new to this and have just completed my second workout -on thursday. The speed was slow because I am trying to get the hang of the exercises, it was hard but I wasn't that sore yesterday.

My question is: did anyone find it way harder to do cardio the day after weights in the beginning?

I went for a bike ride last night and really struggled to get in even ten miles. (I am pretty good-last Sun -I went 37 miles and I spin regularly-so it isn't new to me.) I was extremely tired. And this morning I am alot more sore.

Just curious. Thanks!

I am always the most sore about 36 hours after my last weight routine.  I do weights on mon and wed and then a cardio class on tue and thur and its usually after that cardio class my muslces are screaming at me big time.  I also find it harder to do the cardio the way I did before starting NROW so it sounds pretty normal to me.

hi!!

i just got the book and im so excited!! but im rather confused. in stage 1, workout A u have to squats..2 sets each....so whats all this about

workout 1,2

workout 3,4

workout 5,6

and workout 7,??? is it that u have to do the squats like 8 times with 2 sets each? or have i got this completely wrong? and what sort of squats to do? they are quite a few! sorry for the awful lots of questions.....thanks for your thoughts!!

Hi there.

In stage one, it's somewhat unlike the rest of the stages.

You will do workout A #1, workout B #1, and rotate so on and so forth.

Workout 1 and 2 are two sets of 15 reps, then the idea is to increase your weight (just a bit) for workouts 3 & 4 so you move to 2 sets of 12 reps. The same in Workouts 5 & 6 except 3 sets of lower reps (because you've increased your weight a bit again) and then finally workout 7 & 8; 3 sets of 8 reps.

The idea through the whole routine is to increase your strength of course. Trust me, you'll be thankful for the lower reps (and rest time).

I am starting workouts 7 & 8 this morning. . . looking forward to it!

Keep us updated on how it goes.

Yep, as igloogal said, for workouts you do A1, then on another day B1, then A2, then B2, etc. 

As for the exercises, Try to do the "basic" form of the exercise if you can.  For instance, back squats with a barbell if possible.  He gives a number of alternatives, in case for some reason you can't do one (also so you can switch it up if you start getting bored).

I work out at home, and don't have access to a squat rack, so I do front squats with a barbell.  And for things like pull-downs I substitute pullovers (or chinups). 

thank you for ur input guys....so basically workout 1,2  and work out 3,4 are done on different days?

say if i go to the gym tomorrow,..ill be doing A1...workout1,2 ...squats....then nxt day ill do B1 ....and when i do A1 again ill be doing 2,3??

this is very confusing!!

I was SO confused at the beginning to.

You just simply rotate between A and B. if you were to workout three times a week you could do A, B, A. The next week would be B, A, B and so on...

The # of the workout in stage 1 determines the amount of sets and reps.

The first time you do A is A1 and likewise for B.

The second time you do A is A2 and likewise for B.

In stage 1 you will do A 8 times and B 8 times. (I cant remember what the book says for reps) but just go with what it says as a # of reps for each exercise.

For example:(i cant remember what the book says in stage 1 so this is just an example)

The first 4 times you do A and B workouts (8 workouts total) you will do it at 2 sets and 12 reps.

The next 4 times you do A & B (8 workouts total) you will do it with 3 sets and 15 reps.

Does that help?

Edited to fix dates & after Karozel's catch below! 

No - that is not right.... lets try this.

If you start tomorrow & do 3X per week:

• Tomorrow
  • Workout A1 - Do 15 reps of A workout - squats and whatever other exercises the workout has in it (workout 1)
• Thursday:
  • Workout B1 - Do the B workout - 15 reps deadlifts & the rest of the B exercises
• Saturday:
  • Workout A2 - do 15 reps again of A workout just like you did the first day.

• Next Tuesday 
  • Workout B2 - Do 15 reps of B workout - deadlifts the rest of the B exercises.
• Thursday:
  • Workout A3 - Do the A workout - 12 reps squats & the rest of the A exercises
• Saturday:
  • Workout B3 - do 12 reps  of B workout
• The following Tuesday
  • Workout A4 - do 12 reps  of A workout

So - essentially you do (all on different days) the A exercises twice for 15 reps, the b exercises twice for 15 reps.  Then you do each twice for 12 reps, then twice for 10 reps, etc.

So A1 is the first day you ever workout and do that workout A.

I hope this clears this up.

yogagirl you're awesome!  You've given a great despription, but she only needs to do A2 once - (you've got it on Saturday and then on Tuesday).  Other than that you're explanation seems great to me. 

Original Post by karozel:

yogagirl you're awesome!  You've given a great despription, but she only needs to do A2 once - (you've got it on Saturday and then on Tuesday).  Other than that you're explanation seems great to me. 

 Good catch- Thanks.  That is what I get for copy and pasting in a hurry!  Alot of people have trouble understanding what to do at first!

thanks yogagirl,karozel n chelslaw!!! its making sense now!!!....im off to the gym now, in a bit..cant wait to try it out!! will definiately let u know how its going!....hope all of your workout's are going well....

off to the gym! laterzz...n thanks again!

ok i just got back after doing stage A....

i did the 2sets of squats..15 reps

the push up...15reps followedby the other alternative (B2)....15reps...and then push ups 15 reps and B2 15 reps...and then went on to do C1 ...15 reps...and c2 15 reps...alternatively.

is that right? how long did it take u all to complete that? it took me like 45mins...so im kinda thinking im doing something wrong??!

That sounds right. Both your description and the time. Good job, keep it up! :)

Original Post by ricecake84:

 is that right? how long did it take u all to complete that? it took me like 45mins...so im kinda thinking im doing something wrong??!

 45 minutes sounds right. With my warm up during stage 1 my workouts are just about an hour.

Yup.  This stage is actually a pretty short workout.  Of course the first coupld of times I was looking back at the book, trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing etc., so I spent almost as much time paging through the book as I did on the actual exercise.

Some of the other workouts get longer, especialy when the rests between sets gets longer. 

Good job, and welcome aboard! 

thank you Karozel, igloogal & maha-kisa for ur help! i feel better knowing that i did the right thing! now to go to do wokout B...woop! i had my first protein shake!! its actually quite nice!