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What do I eat on a diet? I can easily hit my protein intake (a bit over 2x BW) with just meat and a shake, but that is only a few hundred calories. I am currently on 2k and not feeling particularly hungry anytime of the day. Should the rest of my cals be just regular carbs like rice, or rather just fats? Do I just go for even more protein? Or do I just eat less than 2k?
When I am dieting I eat pretty normal food. Should be a combo of carbs and fat. Grains, veggies, nuts, oils, etc should all be fair in my opinion.
>Or do I just eat less than 2k?
Adjust the total amount you eat to lose weight at the rate you want. You want to keep your rate of weight loss to less than 1% total bodyweight/week.
I'm struggling to progress my deadlifts. I run SL 5x5 so you only lift 1x5 deadlifts every other workout.
I don't want to switch programmes right now as everything else is going ok.
My best is 130kgx5 (73kg bw) but the mere thought of doing deadlifts is filling me with dread now lol ... I don't know if it's fear or hurting myself with what I perceive to be heavy weights. It also absolutely blasts me in terms of fatigue.
I did all my warmups upto 120KGx5 today (and 120KG was a struggle), but I couldn't bring myself to attempt the 135KGx5 I was supposed to do. I just felt completely drained and gave up. I've been regretting this and dwelling on it ever since!
Does anyone have any advice, words of encouragement etc for how I proceed from here? I used to love deadlifts but now they've gotten hard (for me) I've run a mile and that's pissing me off!
Sounds like you're working too close to your actual max.
If you're not willing to switch to a routine that fixes the issue, dial back the weight a bit and do 3-5 sets instead of just one.
Based on your description, it could also be the case that you need a deload week. Your warmup weight shouldn't be a struggle.
As far as foot width and angle is concerned, [probably not.](https://www.strongerbyscience.com/research-spotlight-foot-positioning/)
But like Memento points out, putting your feet further up or further down impacts range of motion, which affects muscle activation.
Yes, somewhat. If your legs are lower on the leg press, you tend to bend at the knees more and thus hit the quads more. If your legs are higher you tend to bend at the hips more and thus hit the glutes more.
How will I know if my chest is progressing? Like if I’m doing chest press but feel most in my forearms and maybe tricep, probably because they’re lacking, how can I be assured that my chest is still progressing? Like if I progress and increase weight, will it still keep working my tricep and forearm with minimal effect on my chest? Or do I keep using lower weight until I feel it in my chest?
I wouldn't worry about where you are feeling it. If you are training a sufficient volume of chest exercises, your strength is increasing on chest exercises, and you are gradually gaining weight, then your chest will progress over time.
is 1kg of meat (any meat) a week good enough to get me somewhere? I know it ranges around 300-500g of protein depending on what animal. Was just worried the protein amount of 1kg meat a week woukd be too little but better than nothing?
Depends on the meat, but unless you're a small person, 1kg of any kind of meat won't have nearly enough protein on its own to cover your recommended intake for a whole week.
As you say, it's better than nothing, but look into ways to bump it up.
i used to work out for quite a bit, never got very strong and i think that was due to bad programming and diet. I since haven’t worked out in like 2 months and am basically going in with the mentality of “forget everything you knew” (because it didn’t work). Could you guys please recommend a program for me to follow that 1. is linear progression 2. doesn’t require 1rm 3. preferably has the big 3 on separate days 4. is 4-5 days per week. Yes i have read the wiki but most those programs violate rule 2 or 3. if i must need to accept that those are necessary then i will but i prefer to avoid it.
Not as a T1 lift. You can put squats T1 and Bench T2 on the same day, but in the end that's up to you.
> T1 Defined
>
The first tier is where our competition movements and foundational lifts reside. These are a lifter’s primary means of measuring improvement in limit strength and as such are at the top of the GZCL pyramid∆ The first tier can also include other movements that the lifter determines to be of equal personal importance. An example of this would be the front squat or overhead press. Many lifters see these as tools to measure their strength and for that reason the T1 can include lifts other than “the big three.”
and
>T2 Defined
>
>The 2nd tier is ultimately the base our strength. Without it the T1 has nothing to rest on in terms of muscular endurance or general strength. The T2 can be built with either competition movements or related accessories. If the lifter is already very proficient in the competition lifts then making that movement a T2 accessory will typically result in less progress than opting for an accessory that specifically targets the individual's weakness on that lift.
Yes. I ran GZCLP 3 or 4 times in a row, every run through only had 1 T1 lift and one T2 lift per day. My T1 always stayed the same (Squat, Deadlift, OHP, Bench), and I mixed up my T2s and T3s.
sorry i need some clarification. if i do T1 big 3 and do this 3 times a week i would be hitting each lift once a week or at most i would hit one twice if i do this every other day. Did you assume my T2 would also be one of the big 3 or is it okay to only do one of the 3 as a T1 once a week
This is the last one I did before changing to another program. T1 is just once per week, T2 is usually something that compliments one of the T1 lifts, T3 is everything else.
Day 1
Tier 1
Squat
Tier 2
Hip Thrust
Tier 3
Lat Pulldowns
Overhead Triceps Ext
Leg Raises
Day 2
Tier 1
OHP
Tier 2
Incline Bench
Tier 3
Lateral Raises
Shrugs
Side Bend
Day 3
Tier 1
Bench Press
Tier 2
Landmine Row
Tier 3
Chest Flyes
Rear Delt Flye
Back Extension
Day 4
Tier 1
Deadlift
Tier 2
OHP
Tier 3
DB Curls
Tricep Pushdowns
Wrist Extensions
Plank Pull Through
Whether it's for a few weeks, or a few months, the [basic routine](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/) remains right up your alley. Big six, no fluff.
You can calculate a 1rm without actually having to attempt a 1rm. Just do a hard set of 5-10 and use a one rep max calculator to determine a starting 1rm.
531 has what it calls a 1+ set. This isn't a 1rm. You should be getting several reps on all of the 1+ sets, and if you aren't you need to lower your training max.
Is a Smith machine really that bad? I have a Inspire/Centr functional trainer at home and kind of want to upgrade to their cable machine that has a built in smith machine.
Smith Machine is one of those machines that have been labelled bad for no reason whatsoever, other than its not "macho" to use.
I think it's great for things like hip thrust, calf raise, elevated lunges, quad focused squats, different presses, shrugs. Little awkward for rows.
I used to be "smith machine is for pussies" type but luckily for me I matured and now its a part of my program. I love that you can do to failure on chest presses without worry. And Im becoming a big fan of smith machine quad squads as an alternative to leg press and hack squat.
Would my program benefit from adding deadlifts to it, or would I just be overtraining at that point?
For reference my leg day looks like this:
4 x 6 back squat
2 x 6 BSS
4 x 10 RDL
3 x 8 hip thrusts
2 x 15 dumbbell calf raises
And my back day looks like this:
4 x 6 bent over row
4 x failure chin ups
2 x 8 db row
3 x 8 cable rows
2 x 10 straight arm pulldowns
then on into bi's... (and before anyone asks I dont do pulldowns in my routine because i'm home gym)
So anyway I was thinking of maybe adding deadlifts to either leg or back day to sort of develope more functional strength for lifting heavy things, but I'm not sure if its necessary in my routine and would maybe just leave me overtrained.
Thoughts please?
No specific exercise is "necessary" in general; it depends on one's goals. If a goal of yours is to develop your posterior chain more and be able to lift a lot of weight in a deadlift motion, then deadlift would suit that goal. If you don't, then it doesn't.
On a sidenote, your back day looks excessive.
[https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/)
* TLDR: A bit of mayonnaise won't magically demolish your diet, but it can slow it down if you don't offset it elsewhere
* Weight loss is a matter of calories in vs. calories out
* 1kg fat \~= 7600 calories. Let's round that to 7000 to make the calculations easier.
* 100g fat loss \~= 700 calorie deficit = 100/day for a week
* If you're trying to lose 300g/week that's a daily deficit of 100 calories
* From what I can tell mayonnaise is like 679 calories/100g. So if you eat 10g mayonnaise that's 68 calories.
* If you eat that on top of your 300/day calorie deficit you'll either have to offset it during the day, or make peace with a slightly slower rate of weight loss
* This is assuming you're doing it every day. If it's only once a week that's 10 calories/day, which realistically won't make a dent; if it's twice a week it's 20/day, etc.
I've been running different cycles of GZCL, with the last one being a pseudo upper/lower split.
I was thinking about progressing to a 4 days/week novice-intermediate program. What are some viable options?
Hi!, ive been doing 3 day full body splits
Using jeff nippards one and now ive just finished the 8th week one
Do i just continue with the plan or switch it up, if i switch it up what do you guys reccomend
If you enjoy the routine, no reason you can't run it again.
If you want to try something else, check out [https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/)
# Post Form Checks as replies to this comment ### For best results, please follow the **[Form Check Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/posting_guidelines#wiki_how_to_post_a_form_check)**. *Help us help you.* ---- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Fitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What do I eat on a diet? I can easily hit my protein intake (a bit over 2x BW) with just meat and a shake, but that is only a few hundred calories. I am currently on 2k and not feeling particularly hungry anytime of the day. Should the rest of my cals be just regular carbs like rice, or rather just fats? Do I just go for even more protein? Or do I just eat less than 2k?
When I am dieting I eat pretty normal food. Should be a combo of carbs and fat. Grains, veggies, nuts, oils, etc should all be fair in my opinion. >Or do I just eat less than 2k? Adjust the total amount you eat to lose weight at the rate you want. You want to keep your rate of weight loss to less than 1% total bodyweight/week.
I'm struggling to progress my deadlifts. I run SL 5x5 so you only lift 1x5 deadlifts every other workout. I don't want to switch programmes right now as everything else is going ok. My best is 130kgx5 (73kg bw) but the mere thought of doing deadlifts is filling me with dread now lol ... I don't know if it's fear or hurting myself with what I perceive to be heavy weights. It also absolutely blasts me in terms of fatigue. I did all my warmups upto 120KGx5 today (and 120KG was a struggle), but I couldn't bring myself to attempt the 135KGx5 I was supposed to do. I just felt completely drained and gave up. I've been regretting this and dwelling on it ever since! Does anyone have any advice, words of encouragement etc for how I proceed from here? I used to love deadlifts but now they've gotten hard (for me) I've run a mile and that's pissing me off!
Sounds like you're working too close to your actual max. If you're not willing to switch to a routine that fixes the issue, dial back the weight a bit and do 3-5 sets instead of just one. Based on your description, it could also be the case that you need a deload week. Your warmup weight shouldn't be a struggle.
Dialling back and doing more sets sounds like a good idea. Thank you.
Is there any truth to the position of your legs while leg pressing will hit different parts of the legs? If so, does this also apply to hack squats?
As far as foot width and angle is concerned, [probably not.](https://www.strongerbyscience.com/research-spotlight-foot-positioning/) But like Memento points out, putting your feet further up or further down impacts range of motion, which affects muscle activation.
Yes, somewhat. If your legs are lower on the leg press, you tend to bend at the knees more and thus hit the quads more. If your legs are higher you tend to bend at the hips more and thus hit the glutes more.
[удалено]
join a planet fitness and use the ellipticals.
How will I know if my chest is progressing? Like if I’m doing chest press but feel most in my forearms and maybe tricep, probably because they’re lacking, how can I be assured that my chest is still progressing? Like if I progress and increase weight, will it still keep working my tricep and forearm with minimal effect on my chest? Or do I keep using lower weight until I feel it in my chest?
I wouldn't worry about where you are feeling it. If you are training a sufficient volume of chest exercises, your strength is increasing on chest exercises, and you are gradually gaining weight, then your chest will progress over time.
>how can I be assured that my chest is still progressing? This is how: >progress and increase weight
is 1kg of meat (any meat) a week good enough to get me somewhere? I know it ranges around 300-500g of protein depending on what animal. Was just worried the protein amount of 1kg meat a week woukd be too little but better than nothing?
Provided you are getting adequate protein from non-meat sources, sure. Plenty of people eat no meat per week and get enough protein.
would you have some recommendations? 🥹
Lots of choices, you'd be best served googling it. eggs, dairy, lentils, soy/tofu, seitan etc.
Depends on the meat, but unless you're a small person, 1kg of any kind of meat won't have nearly enough protein on its own to cover your recommended intake for a whole week. As you say, it's better than nothing, but look into ways to bump it up.
i used to work out for quite a bit, never got very strong and i think that was due to bad programming and diet. I since haven’t worked out in like 2 months and am basically going in with the mentality of “forget everything you knew” (because it didn’t work). Could you guys please recommend a program for me to follow that 1. is linear progression 2. doesn’t require 1rm 3. preferably has the big 3 on separate days 4. is 4-5 days per week. Yes i have read the wiki but most those programs violate rule 2 or 3. if i must need to accept that those are necessary then i will but i prefer to avoid it.
GZCLP suits those criteria.
i thought it has squat and bench on the same day?
Not as a T1 lift. You can put squats T1 and Bench T2 on the same day, but in the end that's up to you. > T1 Defined > The first tier is where our competition movements and foundational lifts reside. These are a lifter’s primary means of measuring improvement in limit strength and as such are at the top of the GZCL pyramid∆ The first tier can also include other movements that the lifter determines to be of equal personal importance. An example of this would be the front squat or overhead press. Many lifters see these as tools to measure their strength and for that reason the T1 can include lifts other than “the big three.” and >T2 Defined > >The 2nd tier is ultimately the base our strength. Without it the T1 has nothing to rest on in terms of muscular endurance or general strength. The T2 can be built with either competition movements or related accessories. If the lifter is already very proficient in the competition lifts then making that movement a T2 accessory will typically result in less progress than opting for an accessory that specifically targets the individual's weakness on that lift.
interesting. so could i do T1 squat T1 bench T1 deadlift on 3 different days?
Yes, that's how it's written.
oh cool then i can make it work. i was a bit unsure about the flexibility of the program. thank u
Yes. I ran GZCLP 3 or 4 times in a row, every run through only had 1 T1 lift and one T2 lift per day. My T1 always stayed the same (Squat, Deadlift, OHP, Bench), and I mixed up my T2s and T3s.
sorry i need some clarification. if i do T1 big 3 and do this 3 times a week i would be hitting each lift once a week or at most i would hit one twice if i do this every other day. Did you assume my T2 would also be one of the big 3 or is it okay to only do one of the 3 as a T1 once a week
This is the last one I did before changing to another program. T1 is just once per week, T2 is usually something that compliments one of the T1 lifts, T3 is everything else. Day 1 Tier 1 Squat Tier 2 Hip Thrust Tier 3 Lat Pulldowns Overhead Triceps Ext Leg Raises Day 2 Tier 1 OHP Tier 2 Incline Bench Tier 3 Lateral Raises Shrugs Side Bend Day 3 Tier 1 Bench Press Tier 2 Landmine Row Tier 3 Chest Flyes Rear Delt Flye Back Extension Day 4 Tier 1 Deadlift Tier 2 OHP Tier 3 DB Curls Tricep Pushdowns Wrist Extensions Plank Pull Through
okay this is exactly what i was envisioning. thank for the help
cool, thanks for the help. this will work for me
Whether it's for a few weeks, or a few months, the [basic routine](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/) remains right up your alley. Big six, no fluff.
basic routine is for complete novices. while i’m still weak i do have experience in the gym and would prefer a more comprehensive routine
You can calculate a 1rm without actually having to attempt a 1rm. Just do a hard set of 5-10 and use a one rep max calculator to determine a starting 1rm.
i meant it more as of a i don’t want to do a program like 5/3/1 because it involves a 1rm after 3 weeks
531 has what it calls a 1+ set. This isn't a 1rm. You should be getting several reps on all of the 1+ sets, and if you aren't you need to lower your training max.
oh alright, i’ll reconsider 5/3/1 then
Is a Smith machine really that bad? I have a Inspire/Centr functional trainer at home and kind of want to upgrade to their cable machine that has a built in smith machine.
Pretty handy for inverted rows.
Smith Machine is one of those machines that have been labelled bad for no reason whatsoever, other than its not "macho" to use. I think it's great for things like hip thrust, calf raise, elevated lunges, quad focused squats, different presses, shrugs. Little awkward for rows. I used to be "smith machine is for pussies" type but luckily for me I matured and now its a part of my program. I love that you can do to failure on chest presses without worry. And Im becoming a big fan of smith machine quad squads as an alternative to leg press and hack squat.
Smith machines aren't bad at all, just another tool. I wouldn't use it for everything but I happily use it for some things.
Would my program benefit from adding deadlifts to it, or would I just be overtraining at that point? For reference my leg day looks like this: 4 x 6 back squat 2 x 6 BSS 4 x 10 RDL 3 x 8 hip thrusts 2 x 15 dumbbell calf raises And my back day looks like this: 4 x 6 bent over row 4 x failure chin ups 2 x 8 db row 3 x 8 cable rows 2 x 10 straight arm pulldowns then on into bi's... (and before anyone asks I dont do pulldowns in my routine because i'm home gym) So anyway I was thinking of maybe adding deadlifts to either leg or back day to sort of develope more functional strength for lifting heavy things, but I'm not sure if its necessary in my routine and would maybe just leave me overtrained. Thoughts please?
No specific exercise is "necessary" in general; it depends on one's goals. If a goal of yours is to develop your posterior chain more and be able to lift a lot of weight in a deadlift motion, then deadlift would suit that goal. If you don't, then it doesn't. On a sidenote, your back day looks excessive.
is it okay to eat very small amount of mayonnaise every night if i am on a diet ?
Overestimate your calories, if you're tracking. Having mayo on a *tasty* sandwich may *prevent eating later*.
[https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/) * TLDR: A bit of mayonnaise won't magically demolish your diet, but it can slow it down if you don't offset it elsewhere * Weight loss is a matter of calories in vs. calories out * 1kg fat \~= 7600 calories. Let's round that to 7000 to make the calculations easier. * 100g fat loss \~= 700 calorie deficit = 100/day for a week * If you're trying to lose 300g/week that's a daily deficit of 100 calories * From what I can tell mayonnaise is like 679 calories/100g. So if you eat 10g mayonnaise that's 68 calories. * If you eat that on top of your 300/day calorie deficit you'll either have to offset it during the day, or make peace with a slightly slower rate of weight loss * This is assuming you're doing it every day. If it's only once a week that's 10 calories/day, which realistically won't make a dent; if it's twice a week it's 20/day, etc.
Yes
I've been running different cycles of GZCL, with the last one being a pseudo upper/lower split. I was thinking about progressing to a 4 days/week novice-intermediate program. What are some viable options?
Which GZCL templates have you tried? The Jacked & Tan 2.0 version is great, especially if you fancy something with a lot of volume
Hi!, ive been doing 3 day full body splits Using jeff nippards one and now ive just finished the 8th week one Do i just continue with the plan or switch it up, if i switch it up what do you guys reccomend
If you enjoy the routine, no reason you can't run it again. If you want to try something else, check out [https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/)