New Rules Newbie

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Decided to start a log here after seeing several other ladies are following the same program. And also because I need accountability. And also because I need a log that doesn't consist of hastily typed notes on my phone...

I started the New Rules Of Lifting For Women on January 13th. Currently halfway through the first stage. I've had the book a good while, it's been thumbed through and read numerous times, but I decided 2013 was going to be the Year of Lifting and finally started the program.

My goals are: lose fat, build muscle, get stronger, get fitter!

After some weight loss through diet, I'm currently hovering at the upper edge of "average" BMI and I would love to bring that number down. That said I realise BMI/the number of the scale isn't the be all and end all so I will be keeping track of measurements too. So far I am about 3lbs down on the scale.

Anyway- enough about me, time to log today's workout!

I met with a personal trainer on Friday who went through every single move with me and introduced me to the squat rack which I've had a major fear of. Previously I've been using the pre-loaded barbells but it was time to move up. It was a major boost of confidence and I was really excited to get back to the gym today and try everything out. The gym was blissfully empty thanks to the rugby so I had the squat rack all to myself.

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout A5

Warmup
10 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes of that was tabata intervals)
1 minute plank
10 x bird dog

15 x squat (no weight)
10 x 10kg squat
10 x 20kg squat

3 sets
10 x 30kg Squat

3 supersets
10 x Pushups
10 x 25kg Seated Row

3 supersets
10 x 7kg step up (on bench)
12 x Prone Jackknife

Stretching

butthatsjustme

Congrats on starting!

Haha, I just got the guts to move from the preloaded barbells to the squat rack last week too! It so does boost your confidence!!

I'm just starting off with barbell stuff too, seems to be lots of people just starting at the mo

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This morning's workout.

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout B5

Warmup
9 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 5 minutes medium "just warm the eff up" intensity)
90 second plank
15 x squat (no weight)
15 toe touches

10 x 10kg deadlift

Deadlift- 3 sets
10 x 20kg
10 x 25kg
10 x 30kg

Will aim for 3 sets of 30kg next time. I think I underestimated myself today.

3 supersets
10 x 6kg dumbbell shoulder press
10 x 23kg (1 set), 10 x 25.3kg (2 sets) lat pulldown

3 supersets
10 x 7kg lunge
12 x swiss ball crunch (holding a 5kg weight across my chest, for the craic).

Stretching

Feels weird not doing any cardio at the gym. For the first few weeks I had enough time to do some intervals after finishing the workout but now that I'm doing 3 sets of everything I'm stuck for time! Probably no harm but it's hard to shake the MUST DO CARDIO, MUST BURN ALL THE CALORIES!! mindset

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This evening: 45 minute bootcamp class.

Some running/sprints, fair bit of core work.

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Yesterday: Took a rest day! Wasn't feeling too great for some reason.

This morning's workout:

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout A6

Warmup
8 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 4 minutes general warmup)
110 second plank


15 x squat (no weight)
10 x 10kg squat
10 x 20kg squat

3 sets
10 x 30kg Squat

Had hoped to increase this slightly today but I found 30kg was enough for some reason. Maybe because the weights area was packed and I was really self conscious and it was messing with my concentration. I really need to get over that!

3 supersets
10 x Pushups
10 x 27.3kg Seated Row

I only intended to do 25kg and didn't spot that someone had left one of those 2.3kg increment weights on it! Oh well


3 supersets
10 x 7kg step up (on bench)
12 x Prone Jackknife

Stretching

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Measurements

Last weigh in: February 1st

Today's weight: -1.8lbs

Last measurements: January 7th

Today's measurements:
Waist: -3.5"
Hips: -2.5"
Bicep: -0.5"
Forearm: -0.5"
Chest: Same (I'm perfectly okay with that part of my body staying the same! )
Calf: Same
Thigh: +0.5" (The one part that actually got bigger! Interesting)

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This morning:

45 minute spin class
15 minute "core" class

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NROLFW Stage 1
Workout B6

Warmup
10 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 5 minutes medium intensity)

130 second plank
20 x squat (no weight)
10 lunges
15 toe touches

10 x 15kg deadlift
10 x 20kg deadlift

Deadlift- 3 sets
10 x 30kg


3 supersets
10 x 6kg dumbbell shoulder press
10 x 27kg lat pulldown

3 supersets
10 x 7.5kg lunge
12 x swiss ball crunch (holding a 5kg weight across chest).

Stretching

Only 4 more workouts left in Stage 1!

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Yesterday: 1 hour horse-riding class

This morning's workout- bleh. I was the first person in the gym this morning and in the 10 minutes it took to warm up the weight room went from empty to jam packed and I couldn't get anywhere near the squat rack for half an hour. Then I couldn't locate any dumbells for the step ups as the place was an absolute mess this morning!

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout A7

Warmup
8 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 4 minutes general warmup)
100 second plank


(Approx) 45 x squat (no weight)
30 x 10kg squat

Basically, did an abundance of these while waiting for the squat rack, before eventually giving up and doing the other exercises in the routine.

When I managed to nab the rack:

10 x 20kg squat

3 sets
8 x 30kg Squat
8 x 35kg Squat
8 x 35kg Squat


3 sets
8 x Pushups
8 x 27.3kg Seated Row

Ended up doing the pushups first, and the rows last because I couldn't get near the machine for those either.

3 supersets
8 x 7.5kg step up (on bench)
14 x Prone Jackknife

Wanted to up the weights to 8kg today but couldn't find them anywhere.

Stretching

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Tonight: Bootcamp.

45 minutes of circuits (do two exercises for 40 seconds, rest for 20, then move on). Intense but fun! Some boxing involved and punching things is always fun.

Tomorrow will be a rest day but will try and get some stretching in.

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So, weigh in this morning- I am the exact the same as last week right down to the decimal point. Not going to lie, I was disappointed as this week I've really been on my best behaviour! I'm afraid of plateauing, which has happened to me before around this weight. Oh well, we'll see what happens next week.

On the plus side, it put me in the perfect p1ssed off mood to fuel a good workout:

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout B7

Warmup
8 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 4 minutes medium intensity)

90 second plank
20 x squat (no weight)

15 toe touches
15 squat to stand

8 x 20kg deadlift
8 x 30kg deadlift


Deadlift- 3 sets
8 x 40kg

Yessss. I decided to just f**king do it and grabbed the olympic barbell rather than one of the preloaded ones this morning. AND I DID. I've finally graduated to the big girl plates. Felt fantastic.

3 supersets
8 x 7kg dumbbell shoulder press
8 x 29.3kg lat pulldown

Increased the weight on both of these today.

3 supersets
8 x 9kg lunge
15 x swiss ball crunch (holding a 5kg weight across chest, did 20 on the last set just because).

Was planning on lunging with 8kg dumbbells but they seem to have gone permanently AWOL. Turned out to be a good thing as it meant I had to go up to 9kg instead. I normally hate lunges as I am wobbly and my thighs protest but this morning they felt great, no wobbling. Happy days.

Stretching

The gym on a Friday morning vs a Tuesday morning is like night and day. It was lovely and quiet and I had loads of space to do my thing. If only it was like that every day!

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This morning: 45 minute spin class + 15 minute ab/core class.

butthatsjustme

I think I commented on your workout on Fitocracy yesterday :eek:

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Haha! It's a small (online) world I love Fitocracy. Leveling up is the best motivation!

butthatsjustme

Same!! I levelled up yesterday, it was awesome

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NROLFW Stage 1
Workout A8

Warmup
10 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 6 minutes moerate-to-high intensity)

150 second plank (new record hurray!)

20 x squat (no weight)
10 x mountain climbers

10 x 20kg squat
10 x 30kg squat

3 sets
8 x 35kg Squat


3 sets
8 x Pushups
8 x 29.6kg Seated Row

Really felt a difference in the pushups today, range of motion/depth is definitely improving.

3 supersets
8 x 9kg step up (on bench)
15 x Prone Jackknife

Rowing Machine
10 minutes of intervals (30 seconds on, 60 off)
1649m

Stretching

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Gym was an effing mess this morning. All the <10kg dumb bells were sprinkled throughout the place, upstairs and downstairs. I was lucky I managed to get a barbell for my deadlifts!

NROLFW Stage 1
Workout B8

Warmup
8 minutes on the elliptical (4 minutes tabata intervals, 4 minutes medium to high intensity)

90 second plank
20 x squat (no weight)

15 toe touches
15 squat to stand

8 x 20kg deadlift
8 x 30kg deadlift


Deadlift- 3 sets
8 x 40kg (2 sets)
8 x 45kg (1 set)

I was being a bit cheeky with that last set just wanted to see if I could do it! And I could but my form started to suffer towards the end of the set so I'll probably work my way back up.

3 supersets
8 x 7kg dumbbell shoulder press (2 sets)
8 x 7.5kg dumbbell shoulder press (1 set)
8 x 29.3kg lat pulldown (2 sets)
8 x 32kg lat pulldown (1 set)

3 supersets
8 x 9kg lunge
15 x swiss ball crunch (holding a 7kg weight across chest).

Stretching

Aaaaand that's Stage 1 done and dusted I'm not going to do the 'special' AMRAP workouts, they don't really appeal to me and I started with very low weights, so I'm not too bothered about doing them.

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Bootcamp tonight.

45 minutes, lots of lunges, squats and push ups. Legs and arms like jelly!

I'm supposed to take a week off from the NROLFW after finishing Stage 1 so I'm going to wait until Sunday before starting Stage 2. It's not a full week but I'd rather start it on a Sunday when I have time to figure out the new moves and practice than rush it on a morning at 6.30am!

Will probably get some cardio in over the next few days instead.

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Tonight: 30 minutes spin class.

Legs felt blech, class was an easy one though.

Tomorrow: Rest day!

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Down 1.6lbs today seems a bit high for one week but I'll take it.

Adding a progress report for my own reference!

Squat
Started: 10kg
Finished: 35kg

Deadlift
Started: 15kg
Finished: 40kg

Seated Row
Started: 18kg
Finished: 29.6kg

Lat Pulldown
Started: 18kg
Finished: 29.3kg

Shoulder Press
Started: 5kg
Finished: 7kg

Lunge
Started: 4kg
Finished: 9kg

Step Up
Started: 7kg (on low step)
Finished: 9kg (on bench)


Weight: -6.2lbs
Measurements (inches)
Hips: -2.5
Waist: -4
Chest: No change
Bicep: -0.5
Tricep: -0.5
Calf: No change
Thigh: +0.5


Roll on Stage 2!

butthatsjustme

Four inches off your waist, wow! :eek:

Well done, brilliant progress!!

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butthatsjustme wrote: »

Four inches off your waist, wow! :eek:

Well done, brilliant progress!!

Thanks I think that the initial measurement back in Jamuary was artificially inflated (literally!) because I REALLY pigged out on alcohol and food over Christmas, but its the one area I'm definitely noticing a difference in!

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45 minute spin class this morning.

Then an hour of badminton, which I am absolutely appalling at

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NROLFW Stage 2
Workout A1

Warm Up

Elliptical
4 minutes TABATA intervals
6 minutes general intensity

20 Squats (no weight)

Spent some time practicing front squat to push press form/technique without weight.

Barbell front squat to push press
2 sets
10 x 10kg
1 set
10 x 15kg

2 supersets
10 x 9kg step up (on bench)
10 x 7kg one point row

2 supersets
10 x 9kg Static Lunge with rear foot elevated
10 push ups

2 super sets
Set 1:
Three point plank
On left leg for 30 seconds, on right for 30 seconds
Cable woodchops x 22.5kg

Set 2:
Plank 150 seconds
Cable woodchops x 31.5kg

Front squat to push press was difficult enough. My fingers don't seem to be strong enough! Hopefully I'll get the hang of it soon.

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Sh1te morning. Yep. Forgot to set my alarm last night and woke up ten minutes AFTER I should have already been in the gym. So after some major rushing I was there and ready to go twenty minutes later, cutting my workout time short by over half an hour and arriving at the busiest time. Even the preloaded barbells were all taken so on top of everything else I had to wait around.

Stage 2 Workout B1

Warm up

Elliptical- 4 minutes of TABATA
Squat (no weight) x 20

Wide grip deadlift from box
10 x 15kg
10 x 15kg
10 x 20kg
10 x 25kg
10 x 25kg

This was my first time doing this workout so I wanted to spend time making sure I was doing the deadlift correctly and figuring out what weight I could go up to. All went well until the 8th rep of my last set, when some total arsehole decided to fling a swiss ball into my corner just as I was descending and concentrating very hard! The barbell caught off it and I nearly had a heart attack, fecked up an otherwise good set.

2 supersets
Bulgarian Split Squat - 10 x 9kg
Dumbbell prone cuban snatch- 10 x 3kg

3kg seems so light, but I found the snatches difficult.

2 supersets
Underhand lat pulldown - 10 x 29.3kg, 10 x 32kg
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach - 10 x 4kg, 10 x 3kg

Used a light weight for the lunge as well because I found these difficult too.

Didn't have time to do the remaining exercises or the intervals, won't have time this evening either raging at myself for sleeping in! I was totally rushed and cranky this morning in general. Didn't really enjoy the workout at all. Hopefully Friday will go a bit better.

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45 minute bootcamp (well, 52 minutes)

Included a fitness test and circuit using some weights. Wrecked!

Tomorrow would usually be a rest day but I'm going to try and fit in some HIIT and core exercises to make up for what I missed on Tuesday. My mother is coming up for the weekend which means I'll be missing my Sunday workout.

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Well, last night didn't happen. The sore throat bugging me on Wednesday night had me feeling like crap on Thursday evening and I really didn't feel up to it. Thankfully I felt better this morning so was able for my usual workout, although I felt a lot more wrecked than I normally do. Probably didn't help I was awake half the night sniffling.

NROLFW Stage 2
Workout A2

Warm Up

Elliptical
4 minutes TABATA intervals
4 minutes general intensity

20 Squats (no weight)

Barbell front squat to push press
1 warmup set
10 x 10kg
2 sets
10 x 15kg

I was hoping to get up to 20kg/the bar today but it wasn't happening. I think I definitely got the hang of the form today and it made a difference. Love pushing the bar up, I feel like superwoman

2 supersets
10 x 10kg step up (on bench) (+1kg from last time)
10 x 7.5kg one point row (+0.5kg from last time)


2 supersets
10 x 10kg Static Lunge with rear foot elevated (+1kg from last time)
10 push ups

Pushups are improving, it actually feels less like "falling" and more like I'm actually lowering myself in a controlled fashion. Hurray!

2 super sets
Set 1:
Three point plank
On left leg for 30 seconds, on right for 30 seconds
Cable woodchops x 31.5kg

Set 2:
Plank 90 seconds
Cable woodchops x 31.5kg

Stretching/Cooldown

Good workout considering I wasn't feeling 100%. I prefer Workout A to Workout B, it seems to take much less time!

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45 minute spin class this morning.

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Stage 2 Workout B2

Warm up

Elliptical- 4 minutes of TABATA
4 minutes medium-high intensity
Squat (no weight) x 20

Wide grip deadlift from box
Warm up sets
10 x 20kg
10 x 25kg

2 sets
10 x 30kg

+5kg from last time

2 supersets
Bulgarian Split Squat - 10 x 10kg (+1kg)
Dumbbell prone cuban snatch- 10 x 4kg (+1kg)

Managed to find a highly sought after 10kg plate for the split squats- MUCH easier to hold on to than a dumb bell. Still nearly fell over a few times. My balance sucks.

2 sets
Underhand lat pulldown - 10 x 32kg
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach - 10 x 5kg (+1kg)

Kept the lunges nice and slow and they were a bit easier this week. Didn't bother supersetting as the gym was getting crowded.

2 supersets
10 x swiss ball crunch (with 5kg plate)
10 x reverse crunch
10 x side flexion (did legs, then upper half, I'll combine the two next time)

2 x 1 minute prone cobra

Stretching

I'll do the HIIT this evening after work.

This workout took 1 hour 18 minutes and I didn't even do the intervals! I'm probably spending too much time setting up/warming up for deadlifts but I like to take my time with them- makes for a very rushed morning afterwards though. Should probably try and organise myself better.

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HIIT on the stationary bike.

2 minutes warm up
15 minutes HIIT (1:1)
5 minutes cooldown

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45 minute bootcamp- circuits (45 seconds of one exercise, 15 seconds off, onto the next)