Has anyone read this book? It is a good read.
Wondered if anyone has done this workout? I am not new at lifting but thought I might give it a try.
Does anyone have any expierence with this book?
Thanx
I think the book is pretty new yet for anyone to have used the workouts and seen results. What were some of the highlights of the book? Or rather, what knowledge did you take away from reading it?
Sic,
Funny you seem to be the only person to reply to my posts.
I should just have a direct connect to you 
The tag line of the book is Lift like a man look like a godess. You would approve. However it talks about how women should quit doing all the crazy things they tell us to do and do more simple workouts like men. But the workout is written by Alwyn Cosgrove and has lots of different things that men would not do.
I found it interesting. I goes through 6 months of training if you follow all the workouts. The first workout is only two sets 15 reps…this changes. I think it is just the break in. Which I think they should have given a alternative for us who lift already.
Here’s how it looks:
Stage 1
Workout A
A: Squat
Workout 1,2 2 sets 15 reps 60 sec rest inbetween
Workout 2,3 2 sets 12 reps "
Workout 5,6 3 sets 10 reps "
Workout 7,8 3 sets 8 reps "
Alternating sets
B1 Pushup
Workout 1,2 2 sets 15 reps "
Workout 3,4 2 sets 12 reps "
Workout 5,6 3 sets 10 reps "
Workout 7,8 3 sets 8 reps "
B2 Seated Row
W 1,2 same outline as above with les reps more sets
W 3,4 etc…
Alternating sets
C1 step-up
workout 1-8 same set and rep ratio
C2 Prone jackknife
same as above outline.
As you can see workout A is just a regular set and then b and c are alternating with in the letter.
Then that is workout A
There is a workout B
I will spare U and me all the typing but exercises are
A: Deadlift
B1 Dumbell shoulder press
B2 Wide trip lat pulldown
C1 Lunge
C2 Swiss ball crunch
you do A and B alternating for 3 workouts a week MWF with intervals on the B days…They don’t want you to do any cardio on A or rest day (that won’t work for me)
Anyhow this is stage 1 for the total of 16 workouts and then move to stage 2.
Looks pretty good.
what do you think. The book is a good read. Not boring to read.
I’ve heard good things about it on another forum. Personally, I think most of our results come from the intensity we put into our program.
Since I don’t have my own log to update, I probably spend a lot more time browsing and responding to other women’s threads. Plus I enjoy discussion and helping people.
I’ve read some good reviews of the book, mostly because it debunks the myths of female vs. male training.
If you are interested in trying their outlined training program, go for it. Just realize that it may not be inline with your priorities, i.e. fat loss. It may be geared more towards a brand new female lifter who is more interested in “toning” or adding some muscle definition than she is in losing fat.
Any program will give you results if you really work hard at it… what kind of results though, that is a totally different issue.
You also need to realize that you need to give a new program a good four weeks to work, before assessing your results. People who post about muscle gains in the first week or two from new programs or new supplements are full of it. You might certainly notice more of a “pump” or a harder, fuller muscular feeling, but you cannot make any significant progress in that short of an amount of time.
Sic,
yea growing a baby is a log in itself
This book does not believe in the words TONING, SCULPTING and I forgot the other one. It is geared for increased muscle and fat loss. So what the heck I am gonna try it starting Feb.
I emailed the writter a question and he responded…gave me his office # and Cell phone I thought that was pretty cool.
My diet seems spot on. Feel great. I feel my fat breaking up (that sounds so gross).
Anyhow you can hopefully watch my progress while you are in grow mode
THanx
We may not responed but we are reading. Good Luck no thats not right…lift like a man and work hard.
Diana
Diana,
Thank you!
Roooooar!
I started the break-in program January 6 and am happy with the workouts but I am an older beginner (47, restarting a fitness program after a long layoff). They are short but I get pretty sweaty and I’ve been very sore afterward.
I like how he has set up a progressive plan that will last several months. This really appeals to me as I need a long-term plan to follow with long-term goals in mind. I feel like I’ve got my own coach helping me out.
I also appreciate the NRoLW workouts for their focus on building core strength. In my previous workout program (a few years ago) I never seemed to make any improvements in my core, even though I was increasing weights for, say, the biceps and triceps. I had a hard time doing planks or full pushups on the toes and I was very weak in bench.
Then I injured my elbow to the point I could not lift my coffee cup with that arm. I’ve always believed it was because I was pushing my muscles but ignoring my weak core.
By the way, I bought the book strictly because Alwyn Cosgrove did the workouts in it. I’ve not read anything else in the book (about the philosophy or diet or whatever) although I know I should. I only wanted Alwyn’s workouts based on what I read of him here at T-Nation.
Not sure how a strong core would have effected your elbow, but that’s one good looking cake in your avatar…
Increasing weight in your bicep or tricep training would really have no bearing on your core strength.
If you want to train your core, aka abdominal muscles, you have to focus on those muscles specifically. A compound lift, like a squat, involves those muscles and will strengthen them even though they are not being targeted individually. An isolation lift, like a biceps curl, won’t even touch your abs.
The only way to get better at planks is to do more planks.
[quote]dianab wrote:
Not sure how a strong core would have effected your elbow, but that’s one good looking cake in your avatar…[/quote]
That’s the kind of birthday cake I make for anyone who won’t eat sugar or white flour. Inside the watermelon is a pineapple base. Fruit, fruit, fruit – and nothing else.
[quote]sic wrote:
Increasing weight in your bicep or tricep training would really have no bearing on your core strength.[/quote]
I guess I don’t express myself very well, one reason I should just read posts and avoid posting.
I should’ve said “I’ve always believed it was because I was pushing my muscles but ignoring my weak core and my stabilizer muscles.” I isolated specific muscle groups, but my auxiliary muscles were weak, an imbalance that caused me to injure my elbow while working out.
This statement described me very well:
========================================
In fact when you think about it, the only reason to ever use external load (i.e. weights) is because your bodyweight is not enough resistance. Yet most guys are making exercises harder by adding external load, when they aren’t capable of handling their bodyweight in the same exercise.
I’m constantly amazed by how many people I meet who can bench press whatever pounds of weight, but are unable to perform 10 correct push ups (typically due to a lack of core strength and synergistic muscle stability).
As far as I’m concerned – unless you can do an easy twenty push ups, you have no business getting under a bar for bench pressing.
“Your body is a barbell”
http://www.alwyncosgrove.com/bodyisabarbell.html
========================================
I see what you mean. Sort of like the skinny guy who wears a weight belt to do leg curls… you weren’t focusing on making your whole body strong, you were just kicking your ass on a few isolation lifts.
I can see how that would certainly lead to some injuries.
(and don’t stop posting just because I misunderstood you… we’d love to get to know you better
Nevergiveup,
thanx for the input. I am have read alot about Alwyn and that also is why I am curious. Alittle skeptical about the break in but I am gonna give it a try. I will just put alot of effort into it as I always do. 2SETS! just blows me away. I may have to do 3 just because I will feel so guilty. I already been practacing the hardest pushup since we only do 15 (I have mastered the MAN push-up) Realy want to be able to do one arm push-ups. My wrist were sore. But I got alot of looks in the gym over that one!
Anyhow I am starting feb. 1.
I read this book for my girlfriend and am taking her through the stages now. She just started this week. I’ll let you know how it goes. However, I’m having troubles getting her to eat enough protein! 
I started following it on April 1st. Just starting Stage II. So far I’ve seen huge improvements (which are always fast for a new lifter, like me) and I’m loving it! More info on my progress in my profile. From what I’ve seen, anyone feeling under challenged by Stage I no longer feels that way once they hit Stage II.
I have this book too!!! After having our second and last baby, my hubby got it for me. I have tried everything under the sun and more to lose weight, get fit etc, and nothing else has worked, so what the hey? I might as well I only started this past monday, but I feel awesome! My energy is up, I am a bit sore, but thats fine by me. I was just loggin today to see if anyone had posted bout the book, and if not, then post myself. I am a total newb to lifting, so I figured their program was a good place to start. There is a small section in there about how to eat to achieve weight loss vs muscle gain, but its more in what you eat and how much than anything else. What I wasn’t sure about was the keeping your basic caloric intake the same for the first six weeks, ie session one.
On the one hand, it makes sense, see what happens, on the other hand, I tracked what I ate and was hard pressed at first to eat as many calories as my restin rate gauged by weight stated. Of course, it wasn’t off by much, so we’ll see! I’m also havin issues finding enough protein. I can get 140, but if you go by the book, the best ratio for weight loss is to eat 1g for every lb you weigh which is a very obnoxious 178. Any tips for how to get more protein without adding a lot of calories? Or should I post a diet before asking so ppl can see what I’m eating? So, rock on pink, you sound like your starting off better prepared than I was, I hope you see a lot of results!
I picked the book up for my fiance a couple months ago. She got good results with the program, I would recommend it to beginners because it outlines nutrition, rest, talks a little about pilates, etc. and gives the full workout program. The program is pretty basic, going from 15 reps down to sets of 5 reps or so throughout a couple months. Nothing groundbreaking, but if you follow the diet and the training advice I feel like you would for sure see results.
Alwyn and his wife have trained 1000s of women, he must know what he is doing. I also picked up Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels? which is a more advanced workout designed to help ladies drop the last 10-20 pounds i.e. not for beginners. You T-ladies might enjoy it.
Hi all, I’m new here, just today. I came here via searching for information on NROL4W. I want to tone up and I don’t mind using weights. I was/am on the men’s health forum because I came there by way of the Abs Diet. I joined a program for a 12 week challenge and I don’t know where to go to get it done. I heard some of this book is detailed in the charts and some is I just don’t know. I don’t know how to creat my own program so I’m looking for something that i can follow and be glad I’m doing a resistance program.
can you all tell me If I should get this book or will the book Men’s Health Home workout bible be suffient?
help…
this book should help you a lot. Every exercise has a page showing pictures and a description.
It tells you how to eat, and also has a full workout program so you won’t be doing any of the guesswork.