Nia Shanks

MomInVT

Cathlete
I just bought the Beautiful Badass program last night. I'd been waffling about getting the Girls Gone Strong program, which is very similar but 4x the price. When I saw the $27 price tag for BBA, I decided to go with it instead. ($100 for a paper program just feels like too much, as much as I love what GGS stands for.) Nia's a founding member of GGS, so they really are super similar programs.
I also got the $15 BBA Bodyweight training program -- I've been loving the flexibility of no-equipment workouts recently.
For those of you who've done BBA (or similar programs), which of the 19 programs did you follow? (OK, Karen, I do have you in mind while asking this question -- and figured I should start a thread -- but am very interested in anyone's experiences.
Also, her programs are 2-4 days/week. What, if anything, did you do on non-training days?
I won't start BBA for a few weeks, but will read the materials and watch the videos in that time. There's a lot to go through.

Part of my non-hesitation in getting this program is that I just plain really liked what I saw of her. Her specific exercise tutorials are unlisted on youtube (you need to buy her programs to get the links), but I enjoyed her public videos, her personality, and her straightforwardness. The one that got me all teary-eyed, though, was her video of her mom at her mom's comeback powerlifting meet after a double mastectomy. Now that's beautiful, and badass.
 
Hey Roz, I'm away from home right now, and I can't for the life of me remember the name of the program I am doing. But, I do know it's on page thirty-three of the programs manual. It's a four day split. Upper body, and lower body. Any program in the manual is going to be a winner. I'm happy you bought the program, I think you will enjoy it! I'm a big fan of hers, no BS. Tells it like it is. Non-training days, I'm doing some kind of HIIT, or a metabolic workout. This week I did Afterburn. (Love that workout) Very much an Afterburn. I'm thinking about just a nice brisk walk as the weather gets nicer. Have fun with this Roz, I think you will enjoy it.
 
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Thanks for your reply, Karen.
Assuming the pagination is the same on my manual, I think you're doing the Double Progression Program (alternating weeks between split/4 training days and total body/3 training days)? That looks like a winner. I'm going to mull over my options...

Most days' training sessions in these programs are on the short side, right? How long are you training for on an average day with this program?

Totally agreed... once the weather improves, I'll probably be doing mostly brisk walking for cardio. This has been the winter of endless snow of us. And my daughter isn't old enough to tromp around in show shoes yet so I'm itching to get outdoors.

And speaking of... I know how I'll be getting my core work done this spring/summer (how cool?!):
 
Thanks for your reply, Karen.
Assuming the pagination is the same on my manual, I think you're doing the Double Progression Program (alternating weeks between split/4 training days and total body/3 training days)? That looks like a winner. I'm going to mull over my options...

Most days' training sessions in these programs are on the short side, right? How long are you training for on an average day with this program?

Totally agreed... once the weather improves, I'll probably be doing mostly brisk walking for cardio. This has been the winter of endless snow of us. And my daughter isn't old enough to tromp around in show shoes yet so I'm itching to get outdoors.

And speaking of... I know how I'll be getting my core work done this spring/summer (how cool?!):

That's it. Double Progression Program. Right now the training sessions are on the short side. Monday and Thursday, half hour or less, Tuesday and Friday are a little longer. I have been adding on a short, cardio session. That will change as I get further into the program. This morning, I have DOMS everywhere. It's been awhile since I have done very heavy weights. RWH was heavy, but it was a very different program. This is just very heavy weights, nothing more. So far I am enjoying the change. I love the core exercises with a swing. That will be a great bonus this summer. Enjoy Roz, I think we have a winner here. Nia states that you shouldn't feel beat up when you are finished. The older I get, the more I appreciate that statement.
 
Agreed -- I have a lot I need to do physically during the day (such as endless reps of toddler squats and babybell presses), and being totally wiped from my workouts just isn't practical. I want my workouts to make me stronger for life, not less able to do what I need to do.

I felt a bit confused about a few things, so I actually emailed Nia and she got right back to me(!). I asked if we are supposed to do warm-up sets (in the pattern she lays out) for each exercise, and she said yes. (I assume this is in addition to a more general warm-up.) I also said I was rather confused about weight selection (since she doesn't use % rep max or any other calculation). She basically said err on the side of slightly too easy to start so you can maintain perfect form and adjust from there, but if you're doing 5 sets of 6 reps each, you should choose a weight you could handle for 9 reps.

When you say you're adding on a short cardio segment but that will change... do you mean you add on at the end of your training session in addition to a separate cardio/metabolic day? I have been enjoying short afternoon cardio bursts just to give me an energy boost out of my late afternoon slump, so I may keep that up until I can get out for walks.

I'm considering starting with the Beginner Program -- she seems to say it's a good idea for almost anyone to start there for Phase 1 at least, and I've never trained in this particular way before. My only hesitation is that I'd prefer to train 4 days/week, and the Beginner is 3 total body days/week. I'm open to any thoughts you have!
Roz
 
Yes, I have been adding a short hiit session at the end of my lifting, so I did a very short cardio session six days last week. Six days a week is too much for me, so I am going to drop the four days to just lifting. Two days a week, for cardio, that's it. You have been lifting for awhile, maybe not this particular way, but I think if you find a four day plan you like, go for it. If I am not sure what weight to use, I will go lighter, and then make necessary adjustments. A calculation or % of one rep max would be so much easier, a lot of adjusting going on here. The last BBA program I did was K.I.S.S. very simple, but effective, it's also four days a week.
 
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Justine, that's correct, you are being lured into this one. Karen and I have been conspiring. ;)

Karen, my top two contenders are Simple Strength and K.I.S.S., but it looks like SS is 12 weeks vs 8 weeks for KISS, so the latter may win out for that reason. Shorter seems a bit better while I get my bearings. I definitely plan to try Double Progression at some point -- that looks like a winner, as well. And at some unspecified future time, I'd love to try the Singles Program (single reps) -- just to see how heavy I can go.

I'm going to finish up the second week of the Fitness Freak rotation I've been doing (and loving), then we're away for a week (during that time, I may toy with some of the BBA bodyweight exercises as I can in an informal way). Once we get home, I'm starting the program -- can't wait.
Roz
 
I just bought the Beautiful Badass program last night. I'd been waffling about getting the Girls Gone Strong program, which is very similar but 4x the price. When I saw the $27 price tag for BBA, I decided to go with it instead. ($100 for a paper program just feels like too much, as much as I love what GGS stands for.) Nia's a founding member of GGS, so they really are super similar programs.

Thanks MomInVT for sharing information above. I agree $100 for a paper program is bit too high.
I have heard many positive comment above Nia's program. What is the rep range for the program?:):)
 
Thanks MomInVT for sharing information above. I agree $100 for a paper program is bit too high.
I have heard many positive comment above Nia's program. What is the rep range for the program?:):)
Hi Nathalie,
It depends on which program of hers you choose (there are 19 to choose from). However, I would say most sets in most programs are between 1 and 8 reps. Reps don't go above 10-12, except for deload weeks in some programs (10-15 reps).
The focus is on the big lifts (deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, and floor presses) and training for strength. Nia suggests that training for strength is the way to go regardless of fitness goals (strength, fat loss, gaining lean mass, etc.), because if you're getting stronger, you're constantly changing the stimuli that your body is subjected (er, treated?) to.
She also says that training for strength is more motivating than training to meet a fat loss goal. Makes sense to me.
Hope that helps,
Roz
 
Thanks MomInVT, thanks for briefly explaining Nia training approach.
I think I should do this program.
Will have to add this to my cart at some point.

I know it is paper format workout. I am fine with this:)
 
Conspire away you two - we all know it's not 'if', just 'when?'

In fact...since I'm at my computer having just done Cathe Live Upper Body Barbell, feeling all pleased with myself for using much heavier weights than last time...and it's raining outside.....I may just treat myself ;)
 
In fact...since I'm at my computer having just done Cathe Live Upper Body Barbell, feeling all pleased with myself for using much heavier weights than last time...and it's raining outside.....I may just treat myself ;)
These are all valid reasons for a fitness purchase. And anyways, why postpone the inevitable?
I feel we need a little devil emoticon for moments like these... ;)
 
I'm feeling the need to do a rotation for strength, rather than hypertrophy (OK, I realise there's a big overlap). I'm a little bit miffed that my
STS weights are not much more than the ones I used for STS a year ago, despite having done various weights programmes in between (Body Beast, Gym Styles, and others). I'm thinking I may just need something COMPLETELY different after this round of STS. Dropping body fat, hypertrophy etc would be a nice by-product, but I'm inspired to get really, really strong. I'm happy to do 6-day-a-week, 1-hour-a-day (after all, it's what I'm doing now), but I'm being pathetically indecisive about which programme to do!
 
I'm feeling the need to do a rotation for strength, rather than hypertrophy (OK, I realise there's a big overlap). I'm a little bit miffed that my
STS weights are not much more than the ones I used for STS a year ago, despite having done various weights programmes in between (Body Beast, Gym Styles, and others). I'm thinking I may just need something COMPLETELY different after this round of STS. Dropping body fat, hypertrophy etc would be a nice by-product, but I'm inspired to get really, really strong. I'm happy to do 6-day-a-week, 1-hour-a-day (after all, it's what I'm doing now), but I'm being pathetically indecisive about which programme to do!

I'm in the some position. It's been so long since I've done anything that's just heavy strength, Nia Shanks is feeling pretty good at this point. I will take the side benefits, as well. Fat loss, hypertrophy, etc.
 
Funny, Justine, I've been having the same thoughts recently -- that I really want to push ahead with getting stronger.
Ultimately, I guess I find it more motivating -- I'm pretty happy with my body as is, and I'm not entering any competitions, so I'm not super driven to improve my physique. I'd love to lift crazy heavy, though!
Nia Shanks and her 330 lb deadlift are getting to my head, I guess... ;)
 

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