It’s that time of year where I start neglecting any other exercise because of cycling.

However, I made a July goal of setting up a new lifting program.  I received this book for my birthday and have spent the last month reading it and preparing my workouts.

I love the NROL series and first lifted heavy with NROL for Women (and did my first chin ups!!)

NORLFL is geared more towards people lifting from middle age and on or people lifting who have had injuries or are really overweight or out of shape.

One thing I noticed after my back injury is that there are some things I  have had to stop doing.  One was running.  The other was the barbell squat.  Because of the weakness of my left leg, I can’t adequately support a loaded barbell on my shoulders and get enough leverage  on the left side to rise evenly – which is dangerous.  I have no problem with the weight loaded low, like the deadlifts or dumbbells squats, but no top loading.  This book made the point that if you can’t do an exercise – then don’t, and that is okay.  (D’uh). So in the squat category, I will never choose the back squat with the barbell.

The program is set up with 3 stages of 1 month each with each one progressively becoming more challenging.  Transform, Develop and Maximize.  Also within each stage, you progress through different levels of the exercises groups themselves to always be making progress.  It’s nice because you can choose from within different groups of exercises, like push or pull or core to find one that fits your needs.  This way you are designing your own program.  Where someone may start off with reverse lunge for that category, you start at the next level on a step or vice versa. Whatever level you are at.

I think that is what I like the most about this is that it is not just a prescribed routine to follow, but a program that you create and can modify or change.  Not to mention that after 12 weeks you can go back to the beginning with different exercises.

Now, I have modified a bit for home workouts because I do not belong to a gym currently.  I want to purchase a barbell for home (the 30# one) and I need a kettle bell – although our recent sledgehammer purchase will do quite nicely, I suppose 😀

This is the Transform level workout A as I am starting it. I did this on Monday.

There is a B workout that alternates, but each time I do A, I will be progressing in each exercise category to challenge myself.  Always working the same body part, but with different exercises, weights, reps, etc.  Confusing as mud?  😉

I will keep you all updated as I progress through this.