Hi!

I'm still reading "new rules for lifting for women" and am interested to hear feedback from people who have tried/are using this book for their own weight training benefits

Does it really help your problem areas (i.e. triceps, thighs, butt, etc)?

Did you find that you could spend less time lifting weights (overall) and still achieve the same desired results of looking ripped compared to people using weight machines, et al?

What do people do after completing the 6-month schedule of weight lifting sessions the authors put out?

A. Do they go back to the beginning of the program and start all over again?

B. Do they check out another weight lifting book by the same authors like "new rules for lifting (for men)"? (Or perhaps use a different weight lifting book by a different author)?

thanks!

~ tea

I was well over 300 pounds when I started using NROL4W, so I can't really answer about problem areas and looking ripped. However, I definitely saw strength increases. My first hint of this was when filling the propane tank for the BBQ. Normally I would lift it out of the car, then rest, carry it partway, and rest, finish carrying it. I can now lift it out of the car, carry it easily, and put it in the backyard without slowing down.

When I was done with it I went on to Power Training (Robert dos Remedios) which I loved, but have a tendency to overdo. I was doing the low rep one and lifting way too heavy, since at the moment I still have lots of fat loss to do before I really work on building more strength.

So, I've just started the original NROL program now. I picked the version for the 'serious about lifting but seriously overweight' so now I'm back to lifting three times a week followed by intervals (yuck), but enjoying it.

Let me see if I can try to answer.

- Help for trouble areas - NRLW is an all over complete workout program. The weights with cardio will give you the workout you need. You can follow their eating program or follow your own but the important part is that you fuel your workouts with enough calorie restriction for weight loss. Your trouble areas are really fat deposits so you need to get rid of the fat through working out and calorie restriction.

- Looking ripped - Looking ripped is more a factor of less body fat than weights. You can lift weights for years, even take steroids and if your body fat is high, you will never look ripped. I'm muscular but you see curves of muscle because of my relatively high body fat rather than the muscle itself and only really in areas where my layer of fat is thinner.

- Free weights vs machines - I've felt overall that free weights give a much better, well rounded workout than machines. It is also easier to switch from one exercise to another. Free weights work your core and supplementary muscles without having to work them specifically. There have also been a lot of knowledgeable articles (check our stickies) on the benefits of free weights and the downsides of machines.

- After 6 months - You could do anything you want. I'd probably recommend designing your own workout or looking online for resources on other workouts. the NRLW is a great program and is kind of unique in that it is a 6 month laid out program. You probably really won't find that anywhere else although there is the NRL book which you could use as well.

I have really enjoyed reading this book. I even bought a copy and sent it to a friend for Valentine's Day (instead of a box of chocolates).
I haven't made it through the whole 6 month schedule, but I did complete the initial 6 week (?) schedule where you go from 15 reps to 8 reps. The weights that I was using definitely got heavier!
I do plan to return to the program, but my kids are out of school for the summer in 5 days, so I've started doing at home workouts.