The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess

[Lora]

Anyone read/use this book?

Please share your thoughts.

I'm new to weight lifting but wanted to incorporate some into my routine.

[LJB]

I'm also interested in this book and have not had a chance to pick one up.

[Lora]

Originally Posted by LoraJR72

I'm also interested in this book and have not had a chance to pick one up.

I borrowed it from the library, read it and am ready to begin but I don't know if it is a good starting program or if I'm biting off more than I can chew!!!

[Dovelette]

I LOVE this program. DO IT. You will not regret it. I just finished Stage 1 today, Monday I start Stage 2. Hubby does it with me, he loves it too. In an out of the gym in like 45 min, 3x a week, and I'm looking HAWT!

It is an EXCELLENT starting program, just do it. You will NOT be disappointed! Remember to lift as much as you can and continue to up your weights - this is not a barbie dumbbell workout! Build those muscles!

[VGrace]

I just bought it yesterday,I am excited to read it

[Jenn_in_NJ]

The book is very well written. Nothing really new or earth shattering but everything you need to know in one place. The workouts are good, though they get a little monotonous at the end. I still can't do the body weight matrix all the way through.

I highly recommend it.

[KellyMarie38]

Is this something you can do at home with dumbbells? tia for any info

[Dovelette]

You need a bench and probably a barbell too...I'll check my book and see if you can do it just with dumbells, but you definitely need an adjustable bench.

Just finished my first workout B of Stage 2. WOAH. Stage 2 really REALLY kicks it up. Ow.

[clairtique]

All I can say is that heavy weight training does it! I have been working out for over the last year at a place called Body by Burle in Queens, NY for only 2 days a week, for approximately 30 minutes each session. It is an intense, total body workout. I lift/press, extremely heavy weights. It is all nautalis machines..and for each session I work one on one with one of the personal trainers there. Now, that being said, I have been totally off low carb for over the last year and on a pasta/pizza, etc fest. If it weren't for weight training, I would be a complete mess. I was talking to one of the trainers the other day, and we were discussing how people are under the myth that you have spend all this time doing aroebics...well, he was telling me that I was in real good shape, and real strong...and I laughed...and told him what my diet was like and how uncomfortable I felt. He said, oh my lord...if you got your eating together, you have no idea what you would look like. The muscle form would be popping. And I know that he is right. My calves have definition in them like a professional runner. I'm carrying 'FAT" on me....but he's right....the muscles underneath are amazing. And I know that this form of excercise and low carbing will lean me down so much faster than any aerobic 2 hour work out woulde do.

[Dovelette]

The think I love about NROLFW is that it stresses the importance of not just using heavy weights but using barbells and dumbbells, because they work the whole body instead of targeted areas, like squats vs leg presses, pushups, standing rows (while balanced on one foot lol), weighted lunges, step ups, deadlifts...crazy stuff I would have NEVER done. There is NOTHING like doing a front squat (barbell in front of you) up onto your toes while doing an overhead press - WHEW! Plus he stresses that steady state cardio isn't the way to go, BUT Interval Training can help you out, but it's not often, just after Workout "B" so only every other workout day...so some weeks i do it 2x a week, some times just 1x.

If ya'll haven't bought the book yet, GET MOVING! And if you aren't USING it yet, GET GOING! You are only wasting your own time and your own muscles by not getting out there. Less than an hour, 2 to 3x a week. GO!

[LCPisces]

I LOVE NRoL4W. I've been slacking, but before I moved I was on Stage 5 and love, love, love it. Anytime I do workout, it's always from that book.

[VGrace]

I truly enjoyed reading it. I have always been a huge fan of lifting,a LOT more then aerobic type stuff. I don't have a gym membership and can't afford one any time soon. I have a good variety of dumbbells that I will have to make work for me in the mean time.

[clairtique]

Where I go they stress...2 days of work out only, and and that it is essential, due to the high impact workout, to rest your body / muscles the rest of the days.

[KellyMarie38]

So, I could use this at a gym?

[inatic]

yes kelly.

[nikoroo]

Ive been reading NROL, and I am really interested. I know of some folks that have completed it and they love it. Its one of my mini-goals...to start (and finish!) the program.

[alessa71]

Funny, I have seen a lot of posts here from people who liked this book. I did it for six months and was really not happy with the results. I may have gained some muscle but I lost no body fat during that time so I was just bigger. My legs were particularly swollen - perhaps from the intense workouts, but it did not feel good when my pants got too small. Then I switched to something along the lines of Making the Cut by J. Michaels. Not exactly, but I would compare it to that kind of workout where I was in the gym most days doing a fast-paced lifting workout, jumping from exercise to exercise and some cardio. I took a little from different books I had read and what seemed to work for me. However, I stopped doing intense cardio since I was not taking breaks much. I am leaner now and have much better definition. I still need to work on my legs which have always been toughest, but they're better than they have been. My eating is not all that different from then (generally high protein, restricted carb and fat though not low). Perhaps if I did NROLFW now I would like it more, but at the time it just made me feel puffy. So much of the wisdom out there is that intense cardio/interval is superior, but that has just not been my experience. Of course with women there are so often other factors at play, hormones, etc. so who knows.

A huge benefit to that program is that it allows for limited time at the gym and recovery time. But, I'm not mentally ready for that anyway. I could use the extra time given my hectic schedule but definitely (unfortunately) get something psychologically out of a little time in the gym almost every day.

[meb2004]

i just got nrolfw after seeing all the praise around here. it looks like a fairly good book, I'm considering getting the original to see how they compare. I'm going to use it to help get back into more regular lifting and build up some strength (stopped from having zero energy from hypothyroid). I would like to point out that the book isn't necessarily for "fat loss", you need to mostly watch your diet for that aspect.

I feel like there still are some girly aspects to the workouts though - 15 rep sets / lunges (do guys do lunges??) , but the reps drop for later workouts. And one of the exercises has you balance on one leg, not sure about that one either.

[inatic]

bulgarian split squats? practice near something with no wt to start

Yes men do lunges

[meb2004]

Originally Posted by inatic

bulgarian split squats? practice near something with no wt to start

Yes men do lunges

haha, maybe I just thought they didn't do them since I never saw any of that going on when I belonged to a gym And maybe also because I hate them

[meb2004]

oh but the balancing on one leg workout in the book is not a bulgarian split squat, i'll have to look it up and post. it's more like balancing on one leg with the other extended behind you and maybe doing a bent-over row? i'll have to check. i'm pretty sure i'll hate that exercise too though

[inatic]

one leg rdl OR just an rdl without the wt..

We used to do them and i forgot what they are called..

Wonder where my NROL book is lol

[Jenn_in_NJ]

Originally Posted by meb2004

oh but the balancing on one leg workout in the book is not a bulgarian split squat, i'll have to look it up and post. it's more like balancing on one leg with the other extended behind you and maybe doing a bent-over row? i'll have to check. i'm pretty sure i'll hate that exercise too though

I think that's a one point dumbbell row.

[inatic]

Originally Posted by Jenn_in_NJ

I think that's a one point dumbbell row.

that that might be it when i looked in the book.

Nope, not done that one.

[Mogget]

Originally Posted by inatic

bulgarian split squats? practice near something with no wt to start

Yes men do lunges

My man does a murderous amount of bulgies with weights - it has done incredible things for his legs and behind!

I think I need to get this book...

[delonewolf]

Because of what I have been reading here and the ratings on Amazon, I ordered this book. Tomorrow I am going to the gym with my neighbor. It has been EONS since I belonged to a gym. I want to start out with a routine they set up for me and once I get the book, transition over the "goddess" routine. I used to follow bodybuilding years ago, back when Cory Everson was popular. I never WAS a bodybuilder, just admired it. Since I am turning 54 in September, I really want to lose the fat and flab for good. It is long overdue for me! Now that I'm older, it's not coming off as quickly, but it will eventually.

[RMisfit]

i am not familiar with the book but I am familiar with working out like a man. I was fortunate when I started lifting, I belonged to a small independent gym that had a reputation for body building and was taught about the concept of intensity and working hard. Unfortunately I am built like a sock puppet so no matter how hard I lifted I did get tighter but never much in muscle size or definition, I did have great abs. I say did because 8 years of RA and 4-5 years of radiculopathy put a dent in your training routine.

So good luck to all those who can work hard and get results. Weight lifting is the best thing in the world!

[inatic]

Originally Posted by RMisfit

i am not familiar with the book but I am familiar with working out like a man. I was fortunate when I started lifting, I belonged to a small independent gym that had a reputation for body building and was taught about the concept of intensity and working hard. Unfortunately I am built like a sock puppet so no matter how hard I lifted I did get tighter but never much in muscle size or definition, I did have great abs. I say did because 8 years of RA and 4-5 years of radiculopathy put a dent in your training routine.

So good luck to all those who can work hard and get results. Weight lifting is the best thing in the world!

it is!

Other than being a newbie, if you dont not eat to grow (means over maintenance) , you arent going to grow. I've had to do a few bulks to put on muscle.

[Mogget]

Originally Posted by Mogget

My man does a murderous amount of bulgies with weights - it has done incredible things for his legs and behind!

I think I need to get this book...

And I have now ordered the book!

[cleome]

Originally Posted by Lora

Anyone read/use this book?

Please share your thoughts.

I'm new to weight lifting but wanted to incorporate some into my routine.

BUMPing an old thread here, to see if anyone else is currently doing NROL4W ?

I'm a free weight newbie, but I have been using circuit machines for a couple years. I found the sentiment against wasting time with "Barbie 'bells" in NROL4W to be my inspiration.

My weight & inches have been on a 6-month plateau, so I decided to shake up my metabolism by training with heavy free weights. My current goal is to be strong and healthy, forget about the number on the scale. Still, getting myself to eat more calories and get enough g protein is a challenge after years of diets.

I'm real careful at the gym, starting with low weights and watching the mirror for good form for my squats or deadlift. But something about seeing an obese 40-something woman in the weightroom seems to get the trainers all nervous .

Anyone else got good experiences to share?