Sparrows Experiment

well, it wasn't intentional, I was going off what i did last week, which was lower than today so I didn't think I could push it as much as I ended up being able to the last set. There is a lot of trial and error with NROL. Seems to take a while to find the true weight you should be lifting and know your limits-especially if you've just been pretty much a recreational weight lifter never really pushing it

I'd suggest that before starting your next program, take a couple of workouts to select your weights. I try to pick weights where I could do the prescribed number of reps + 1. So on a 4x10 protocol, I could do 11 reps in a set, but not 12. Based on that I've been adding 5lbs per dumbbell for upper body and 10lbs total for lower body exercises each workout.
 
I'd suggest that before starting your next program, take a couple of workouts to select your weights. I try to pick weights where I could do the prescribed number of reps + 1. So on a 4x10 protocol, I could do 11 reps in a set, but not 12. Based on that I've been adding 5lbs per dumbbell for upper body and 10lbs total for lower body exercises each workout.

thats a possibility. I don't think I could go up 5 pounds EACH workout. There's no way. I'd be lifting like 100 pounds and looking like popeye by the end of this thing. lol. I can see myself ending up with about 40 pounds on those DB's by the end, and maybe 150 squats.

We've found it really depends on the TIME of day as well. We do well with upper body in the morning but NOT lower body. We've been doing our lower body in the evening on our lifting day just because we've noticed being stronger with legs in the evening. We did it in the morning last week and we were WAYYYY off our numbers. Both of us.

The mixup with reps and sets is challenging becuase its not necessarily the same weight each time you do it. We hadn't been through all the variations on it until today's workout (we've done 5x5 and 3x15 but not the 4x10 until today) so that was another thing, we just hadn't familiarized ourself with how that would play out. I'm sure the following weeks will be more on the mark now that we know how it feels.
 
I went to spin last night. HARD workout and great. My shirt was SOAKED.
This morning I did 45 min hill spin class and really worked it and then 2 mi run under 16 min. I felt really strong running. Had some good tunes. Had to teach so I was forced to quit then.

Just a tiny bit sore from yesterday, not much.
 
3000 swim, NROL B workout 5x5 setup.

Swim:
300 free/200 kick/100 non-free
6x50 decending 1-3 (get faster) times: 40,37,34,39,36,31
100 easy
12x100 rotating hypoxic lap (breathe every 7):
example: 1.hypoxic/free/free/free 2. free/hypoxic/free/free 3. free/free/hypoxic/free etc

4x75 butterfly kick on back
4x25 sprint backstroke
that set twice through

Increases today:
Squat 155 from 135!
deadlift shrug 135 from 115!
step ups and split squats were with 30 pound DB's.

Some good increases today, course we were only doing 5 reps. I lost my grip towards the end on the deadlifts. That was a lot of weight to hold. It was probably a challenge to do that after the swim too, I didn't notice, but maybe I could have done more if I hadn't swum first.
 
3000 swim, NROL B workout 5x5 setup.

Swim:
300 free/200 kick/100 non-free
6x50 decending 1-3 (get faster) times: 40,37,34,39,36,31
100 easy
12x100 rotating hypoxic lap (breathe every 7):
example: 1.hypoxic/free/free/free 2. free/hypoxic/free/free 3. free/free/hypoxic/free etc

4x75 butterfly kick on back
4x25 sprint backstroke
that set twice through

Increases today:
Squat 155 from 135!
deadlift shrug 135 from 115!
step ups and split squats were with 30 pound DB's.

Some good increases today, course we were only doing 5 reps. I lost my grip towards the end on the deadlifts. That was a lot of weight to hold. It was probably a challenge to do that after the swim too, I didn't notice, but maybe I could have done more if I hadn't swum first.

Are those weights from the last time you did the 5x5 protocol?
 
holyu canoli, that is quite the workout there lil lady! hmmmmm keeping my eye on you! I took today as rest. I had some nervous legs on the ride home last night- my knees on both legs. We had school plays, pta ice cream social- I had one bowl for you too! yer welcome. :)

did you see the newbie SwimbikeLaugh? seems pretty cool.- sept the tube socks -- LOL! (that's fer just in case he is reading yer journal too.)

you are turning into a body builder! She-Woman!! erg erg erg!! gimme chainsaw and meat!!! ;)

peace/out
FF
 
Meat, mmmmmm me like. actually....no...lol, but I'm pretty sure I could live off chicken for a while :)

NROL is the only program I have ever done that 1. I haven't gained weight on and 2. I like what I'm seeing. I'm sure its because of the combo of quality lifting on only two days a week. I've in the past done more and I just don't need it. Squats are a rather vein exercise. You have to stare at yourself doing a rather awkward pose :) My legs looked ripped today doing that much weight. loved it.

We'll see if any of this stuff helps the next tri season. So many people I know have told me weights KILLED their endurance and overall performance but I'm no so sure. I'm seeing some rather good workouts despite, plus I love the change up. We'll do hypertrophy for a total of 6 weeks and then going onto fat loss 3.

FF I"m glad you took another day. that was wise mister.
 
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Glad to see you're seeing results Sparrow. I can't help but think that the weight training will only make you a stronger athlete, and that those squats and deadlifts might even help with the shin splints.
 
i suck at keeping up with stuff but wanted you to know i'm thinking about you and wishing you the best!

awww smooches to you too Sara :luxlove:

Stingo-I'd think so too and so far my shins have seemed to be better.
 
My legs weren't sore at all today but the muscles were pretty fatigued.

I did 2 mi on the tread at 10 min mile pace and it was really winding me and my heart rate was 140 (thats high for me for that type of intensity)! SO I stopped that....and stubborn still I did 8 min on the stairs...which I found too hard still, so I joined my husband on the eliptical for 15 easy minutes.

Then I went out to the pool to coach. Everyone there was a "regular" and the workout was a long endurance type that took the entire time so after they coaxed me a while, I wrote it on the white board and decided to get in and do it with them:

warm up
9x200:

200 swim
150swim/50 kick
100 swim/100 kick
50 swim/150 kick
200 kick
and then back up the ladder starting with 200 kick on up to the 200 swim again.
cool down

I was glad I swam but it finished me off, good thing its Friday. This was a good week as far as workouts. I feel I did more than normal and my body handled it really well. I never felt sore or tired this week to the point that I didn't want to do a workout. thats unusual. Its also unusual that I didn't feel my shins once this week. I think slow and steady with the running is key.
 
Its hard to be still. Its kinda sick that thats a problem!! I've had a busy weekend with traveling to visit family, church stuff and just "stuff". Yesterday I ate probably about 70% clean and today it was more like 80% but I've let go this weekend and while thats been liberating my stomach hasn't really enjoyed it. I actually don't crave any junk and don't feel the need to eat it "just because" but if I've wanted something this weekend I've allowed it, including biscuits and gravy this morning at a Christmas breakfast we had at church. I was actually getting looks attached to little half smiles-most people know I train hard for stuff and that I watch what I eat almost all of the time. Anyway, all of that is to say, my stomach has been unhappy with the change but I'm looking forward to the week. I'm also getting pretty psyched for Christmas
 
Its etting looks attached to little half smiles-most people know I train hard for stuff and that I watch what I eat almost all of the time. Anyway, all of that is to say, my stomach has been unhappy with the change but I'm looking forward to the week. I'm also getting pretty psyched for Christmas


I totally understand. We went to 2 parties, and then Busch Gardens for the ice show. Well, i realized I typically do not eat things that are mixed up. You know, I eat turkey, or cottage cheese, or chicken, or fish. But parties have Spinach creme dip with who knows how many different things in it. or some casorole, or whatever. It's just not pure food.

on the way home I stopped and bought a pound of buffalo turkey from the deli. At the whole thing with a bottle of water and felt much better immediately.

Let's celan up our food act together. I feel kinda mixed up inside too. Like syruppy or something. yuckers!!
 
yeah! I cooked up a big ol chicken breast and veggies for dinner, downed it with bottle of water and felt MUCH better. Its like my body was screaming for just some normal simple food. Sounds good. I'm back on it tomorrow
 
Fortunately, I have no employees, employers, nearby clients, or friends (other than ya'll of course:biggrinsanta:) to coerce into party food...
 
I've decided that we should switch brains!
This way, I can get into healthy mode, and out of fast food mode.
It's so hard on me, and I like to eat at night.
Any suggestions?
 
I've decided that we should switch brains!
This way, I can get into healthy mode, and out of fast food mode.
It's so hard on me, and I like to eat at night.
Any suggestions?

I'm no weight loss guru - or any type of guru for that matter - but one thing I do know is how bad it is to eat at night. I used to do it too, way too much. Now, I consciously try to go to bed a little hungry, not so hungry that my stomach growls, but that I would really like to get up and have a pastrami sandwich with swiss cheese and brown mustard on rye bread - but don't.
 
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