New rules of lifting for women page

[Ayla2010]

Anyone else following this or planning on it?
I think I might.
I was looking at Starting Strength, but I don't think its right for me at this point.
I used to do CrossFit (until April 12) but have gained about 20 kg since stopping, since I was also back to eating SAD.
I may do this program but modify it slightly. Eg instead of d/b shoulder press, do a barbell overhead press, and instead of lat pull downs, use the pull-up machine until I can do pullups again (unless I take a band to the gym, which I suppose I could do).
Not sure ill do the specified ab stuff, maybe just planks instead.
Dunno.
I am just at a loss as what to do weight wise at the moment. I know I want to go back to lifting heavy, but not sure how to start without injuring myself.

Maybe its best to stick to my daily walks (at least 5 km each day).
Argh LOL, help!

[sbhikes]

Did you injure yourself with Starting Strength? I like Starting Strength because it's simple. Just a small number of movements. But since I don't do the power cleans I do lat pulls, dumbbell rows, and back extensions instead. And since 3x a week with increasing weights every time was too much for me, I'm scaling back to twice a week and increasing the weight when I feel good and ready. I'm hoping this will be gentler.

I honestly don't know how anybody can do all of the Primal Blueprint Fitness stuff. I've been trying to work my way up to being strong enough to do it. I don't know if I'll ever get there. I crash and burn if I do more than lots of slow movement plus maybe very infrequent other stuff. But sprints once a week, plus lifting heavy, plus lots of slow movement, plus play? Just too much for this old lady. And Crossfit? No way. It would KILL me.

[Louisa655]

I started Crossfit this week -- two classes in and I'm hooked --- I've never been so stoked. Today, I was lifting from squat position 70 lbs ----- I plan on crossfitting 3 x per week, sprinting once weekly and slow movement my other off days. I've increased my calories but am not tracking them. I eat when hungry and eat only clean. I'm jacked on crossfit -- never had so much fun and it's so damn hard -- loving it! HOpe I can see some good results in 6 months. /lu

[Greensprout]

I did NROLFW for a few months in early 2011. Lasted until well into level 3, when other circumstances kept me from the gym for a while.

I was getting decent results, as far as strength increases, some positive body recomposition going on all over, but the workouts did get tedious. Quite prescriptive, and it got boring. Level 4 was going to be almost the same as level 3, which I was not enthusiastic about. I combined the lifting with lots of walking and the odd sprint.

Overall, I think it is a good program. I had perused the NROLFW forums a bit too, and got a few tips there. I've never done crossfit, so can't compare the two, but it's worth a good shot.

[lorih]

Hi! I started NROLFW in early December and got derailed after the third workout due to a serious gastrointestinal virus that remained with me and quite active until last week. I just resumed this morning, as a matter of fact.

I have been lifting rather heavy since June with good results (would probably have even better results if I incorporated occasional HIIT into my routine - this is a goal of mine). I haven't lost much scale weight but have lost 1.5 sizes without too much effort. However, the gym I had been going to catered more towards the cardio addicts, with about 1,000 treadmills and ellipticals. They had a variety of weight machines too, but no squat cages and no Olympic bars. So I had been doing Smith machine squats (a big no-no) and deadlifting with fixed-weight barbells that were racked on a pyramid setup - I wound up having to just about do a clean and press to put the 90-lb barbell back on the rack when I finished my lifts. Not safe at all. So I sucked it up and joined my local YMCA, which has all the right equipment. It's also 3 times the monthly fee, but I feel it is well-spent.

I will say that the prone jackknife in Stage 1 is a VERY challenging ab movement, at least for me.

There is a NROLFW forum on jpfitness.com but I find some of the posters there to be...somewhat inhospitable to newbies. YMMV.

Anyway, let us know if you decide to move forward with it. I would certainly like to hear from someone who is starting off around the same time as I.

Good luck!

[Ayla2010]

I did not get injured doing starting strength no.
I am not exactly sure what worries me about lifting heavy again right now. Well starting again then building up.
I just have so much weight to lose, and is it CW to say lose weight then try to do weights after?
I guess im slightly worried about it affecting the scales, stupid I know. But have been fat for so long (but up and down within 20-30kg the last 6 years) I just need to see the scales moving down.
Plus I don't want to do useless movements like bicep curls, or use machines (really don't want to even use pull up machine), id rather do full body stuff ya know? I guess that stuff has stuck from CrossFit.
I should just go back to CrossFit LOL. I guess I am afraid of being the "fat one" and struggling to keep up.
Argh! Must stop thinking!

[Greensprout]

Ayla;

Based on what you said above, I'd say give the NROLFW (or some other lifting program if it suits you better) a good go. Ditch the CW nonsense about waiting to lift until you lose weight. The heavy lifting will do a hell of a lot more for your body composition than bodyweight stuff (though that can be great as well) or basic cardio, especially if combined with good primal eating. If crossfit was causing you injuries or more stress than your body was ready for, you might want to wait on that, just my 2 cents.

Another progam I did a few years back, oddly enough, a few months before I discovered primal, was Bodyweight Blueprint For Fat Loss. It was a 3 month bodyweight program that incorporated resorative prsara yoga and joint mobility work. I had great results, and felt excellent on it. Some of the levels are very time consuming, which is why I don't return to it at present, but just writing this reminds me I need to get back to some of the joint mobility stuff, as it helped so much with my hip tightness issues. It's worth a look at, although there are plenty of other workout styles which could work as well.

Good luck with finding what you need. And welcome back.

[cayla29s]

I did NROL for women a few years back. At the time my fitness level wasn't as strong as it is now and I didn't have my diet tuned in. It's a good program to follow of you want to build some muscle. I did get some significant results with it. Looking back now, if I were to do it today I think I would be keeping an eye on my watch to see when the workout would be over. I did enjoy the exercises in there and from time to time I look at the book to put a program for myself. It was actually one of the first books that I discovered HIIT which I still continue to do today.

I think if you are starting out with weight training then it is definitely a good way to go. It's a real workout not like the crap from Shape magazine. Note that you should not be trying to lose body fat with this program as you are gonna need the extra calories to get through them.

[waytocupok]

me too,I did NROL for women a few years back. At the time my fitness level wasn't as strong as it is now, good info.thanks

[JoanieL]

I just need to see the scales moving down.

Ayla, assuming you are eating for a healthy weight loss of 1-3 pounds per week, you'd never compensate by gaining that much muscle in a week. I probably shouldn't say never because I'm sure some woman somewhere has blogged about gaining 2 pounds of muscle a week by lifting houses and eating whole cows for breakfast.

Muscle is the most metabolically active part of our bodies. Then organs and bones. Then fat (which is pretty much metabolically inert). You want muscle.

As to having so much weight to lose, maybe think of it this way: you don't have to lose 90 pounds, you just have to lose 10 pounds nine times. Take the big (seemingly) insurmountable task and chop it up into do-able pieces.

Lift, walk, eat healthy. I'm cheering for you!