You can probably start with what you have, but you'll probably need to invest in bigger weights as you move forward--especially with your squats in Stage 1. And I think I was up to something like 50lb with my rows by stage 4 or 5.

On to Stage 3 next week! Woot! Lots of studying to do on those particular exercises because I'm not familiar with them at all!

LindsB: I found Stage 3 fun, though the B workout was less interesting than the A workout. It was also less intense for me, though, which was good, because the A workout was killer.
-----

Finished Stage 3 Tuesday. Did workout 1A of Stage 4 this morning-- back to the front squat/push press, yay! Upped almost all my weights from where I left off in Stage 2, and I expect more improvement next time, too. I just ordered some cheap 2.5-lb wrist weights online, hoping that would help me progress. My gym's dumbbells go in 2.5-lb increments up to 25, and then it becomes 5-lb increments. The difference between 25 & 30 lb dumbbells, or 30 & 35, is huge! So hopefully I can use the wrist weights to fill in the gaps between those jumps.

Added some burpee intervals ( [6-8 burpees in 20 seconds, rest 40 seconds] x 15) afterward, which made for a nice finisher.

How often does everyone up the weights? I am only in phase 1 but just wondering.

I started this workout program last year and got through the first stage. I loved it and would have kept going if I hadnt gotten a second job that meant I worked sometimes more than 80 hours a week. I wish I had made the time. I know there are some superstars on this site that make time in spite of crazy busy schedules. And I REALLY admire you all for it. But I however did not. I only got two weeks into stage 2 when I started missing workouts and then didnt go at all. When I did get back to working out I was trainging for a half marathon and was worried that the heavy lifting wouldn't work with the running training.

Anyways seeing this thread made me want to look back into it. It was really changing the shape of my body and I was feeling really great.

I think maybe this was addressed a bit earlier in this thread, but I was wondering what you current posters think about it.
I recently started counting calories, and so far like the peace of mind I have knowing I am not eating so much that I wont lose weight (granted this is only day 6 counting calories). I didnt really read through the dietary recomendations last time around. Only following workout with protiens. I want to continue counting calories. I like the freedom it gives me and I dont want to go back to winging it with how I eat.

So I'm wondering how many of you eat as much as he recomends, or did you when youfirst started the program? I'm a little scared to eat at maintenece calories. I don't doubt that the author knows his stuff, but I want to be sure I am losing weight and I really want to see it start working soon.

sumire- Can you tell me approx how long A and B took you in Stage 3? I'm concerned that the workouts are going to take longer than I will have time for in the morning. I think what I will plan to do is A, B, intervals (on the day after B).

As often as I can! Sometimes every workout, sometimes every two or three.

They both took about 90 minutes. I might have been able to cut it to 75 if I was really efficient with my time, but I can't imagine getting it done in less than that (without splitting off the body weight matrix for A and the intervals for B, which I did do a couple of times).

So I am starting stage one today again. I am excited. I am going on vacation next week and wont have access to a gym. (Camping trip) So I will have a week off after starting a week. Was wondering whether you ladies think the program would better be started after I get home so I can finish stage one uninterrrupted? I plan to do the lifts this week regardless, but maybe not count it as the first workout officially until I am back again in two weeks.

Eh. Stage 1 is pretty long--it probably does'nt matter all that much. Go ahead and start.

I just started and I am surprised how quick the work outs are. We're talking less than an hour, only three times a week! That seems like a very small amount of time to me.

Also, Prone Jacknives are freaggin HARD.

Ok....body weight matrix=death!

Yeah, those Stage 1 workouts are nice and quick. They get longer in later stages (they're running me about 90 minutes these days), but that still seems really time-efficient to me. This time last year I was exercising an hour a day, 6 days a week, so I'm happy to be down to 3 days.

As I think I've probably said here already, I got through the 24 squats & 12(e) lunges and thought, what is everybody complaining about? Then, lunge jump #1, OMFG. Wet noodles for legs. Hahaha. It took me almost 4 minutes for both sets the first time I did them, but that did get down to about 2:45 by the end of stage 3.

It will be interesting to see how much I can manage to improve my time. First time today was 3:50 and second time was 3:25. I def. had to take breaks and "walk it off" before I could continue! I felt like I could pass out!

in regards to the length of time for each workout...I think it really depends on the person. I do not take the reccomended amounts of rest time in between sets. I don't have enough time in the morning. It makes the workout challenging and I know it isn't exactly as prescribed, but it works for me.

I'm on 1st workout of Stage 3 and it took me a full hour this morning and that was moving extremely quick from one exercise to the next.

Feeling the sorness after the workout yesterday. Ugh prone jackknifes are not much easier this time around!!!

haha, don't worry wannaBfitnessbuff, they do get easier... I found that at first if I did them right against the wall, so the ball cannot roll backwards, only side to side, it helped a little... also if you don't put your legs side by side, but spread them apart a bit from the knee down... the part that is resting on the ball, almost like you're grabbing it with your shins... I'm not sure if that makes sense.. then as you get better at it, you can put your legs together right down from your knee to your ankle, which is harder to balance... anyway... it does get easier!! don't worry!!