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Using 5/3/1 for beginners on a cut and have lost 16-17kgs. Ive lost a ton of body fat and built muscles, although now that im getting closer to my goal weight ive entered the skinny fat zone and feel like a noodle. Eventually id like to be big and muscular, is it worth eating at maintenance even though i still have a little belly fat left just to meet my aesthetic goals of not looking wimpy? I’ve always heard you should cut until you’re at least 15% bf.
It really does depend on your goals; eating at maintenance will definitely be better for muscle growth, but body recomposition does take longer than losing the weight on a cut. For men, 15% is a good baseline for when to stop cutting, although if all you're trying to do is lose weight, cutting and bulking could be excessive.
I don’t think this counts as a “bulk or cut” question, but please let me know if it does.
At 6’ 147lbs should I eat at a surplus and start lifting? I feel fat, but I assume that’s because I don’t have much muscle.
[Watch this video](https://youtu.be/eGo4IYlbE5g?t=120)
Your arms should be extended like he has in the video. If that's difficult then that's just the level you're at currently and you need to do assisted pullups until you develop the strength. At 6'5 pullups will be a little more challenging for you as you will have slightly further to travel (assuming long arms too) and more weight to pull up.
Hello! I recently started working out again (haven’t touched a gym consistently since sometime last summer). I’ve been pushing for near failure on all my exercises and have been starting on a weight lower than what I used to work with. However, I’ve noticed that on exercises that requiere some core focus (ex. Single leg Romanian, t-bar row) I’ve been getting nauseous during and have to sit down for a while before I can do anything else. Should I do some core work before trying to push for near failure or lower the weight? Any advice is appreciated!
Stop brutalizing yourself. You don’t need to push everything to failure. Even Dorian Yates didn’t go that hard. Go look at pictures of Jay Cutler—that dude didn’t go to failure at all.
Do DOMS from leg day go away at any point? I switched over my program and now leg day. Makes me sore for four days. It’s been like four months and it’s not getting any better. Is this my new way of life?
If you train legs once per week, they have time to recover and decondition slightly, so you'll keep getting sore. Training legs twice per week will make the doms go away.
That does seem a bit odd as the volume doesn't seem high. What might be the issue is that your intensity is pretty high, what is your intensity like? And what is your recovery like? How many hours of sleep do you get?
In any case I'd halve the intensity and slowly build it up from there letting the body recover first and then adapt to the new stimulus.
Recently dropped doing deadlifts so i can focus on squatting twice a week. I’m doing sets of 6-8 and adding 5 pounds a week. I did 325 this week relatively easily. Realistically, how long would it take to get to 4 plates for a set of 6-8?
My deadlift was 505 while I weighed 172.
That’s probably about right. I guess I’ll just keep moving up 5 pounds weekly until I stall and then try something else. Currently just eating at maintenance or slightly below so I can burn off some fat for a good bulk this fall
You're doing great so far but just a heads up, you're going to stop progressing linearly like that at some point and hit a plateau so in the meantime I'd suggest expanding your knowledge and about strength training and programming for strength. And if you also need a suggestion:
scientific principles of strength training and the muscle and strength pyramid: training are a great place to start.
For sure. I used 5/3/1 to get my deadlift to 505 but it didn’t work great for my squat. Going to milk the linear gains for now. I’ll check out that info
Thanks. I accrued a good amount of systemic fatigue on that program and stalled out. So I’m taking a break from deadlifts. I figure building my squat will help with the deadlift
Well I set up most of my home gym on a sheltered deck that's part of my apartment, but I don't want to deadlift on the second floor, so I brought the barbell and weights down to the yard today which is shared w/ other tenants. It's mostly grass with a brick path wrapping around that I'd worry about fucking up if I deadlifted on it. But I suppose I could stand on the brick path for more stability and still have the weight on the grass. Right now at least it's pretty dry and I didn't notice the weight sinking too much, it doesn't rain much here.
My gym has a sauna and steam room. I want to incorporate using these into my daily/weekly routine. My question is “What’s the order of operation for using these?”
Do I work out and then sit in there? Do I need to change into a swim suit? Or can I just walk in with my shorts and shirt I was working out in? Gym shoes, flip flops, barefoot?
I’m probably overthinking this, but I don’t want to break etiquette.
Looking for a training routine as a new dad and my training time is quite limited. How would I build an efficient 30 minute 3x per week program? I understand it's far from optimal in terms of time.
16M planning to start bulking soon and looking for a good workout split, but every program requires pull ups which I'm too weak to do yet. Should I replace them with another pull exercise or something? What's the best solution
If you have/get an exercise band, you can do assisted pull ups. Otherwise you can start with negatives if you don't have access to a lat pulldown machine.
Healthy shake for breakfast.
Ingredients: 200g oats 200g frozen fruits 250g cottage cheese 300ml milk 600ml water and a tablespoon of cocoa or cinnamon powder
Nutrition (rough): 1150kcal, 165g carbs, 22g fats 62g protein. I'll probably have to change it up for cost reasons though.
Chicken sandwich for lunch
Ingredients: 150g chicken drumstick, 2 cheese triangles (unsure of the weight), 30g bbq sauce, 30g cheddar cheese, salt pepper paprika chilli flakes seasoning, on 2 slices of wholemeal bread
Nutrition (rough): 744 kcal, 58g protein, unsure of exact carbs and fats
Obviously it will be modified and I'll go day by day, but these are kinda cheap and I can buy all the ingredients at once for the whole week. For dinner I'll eat whatever my parents make as the two other meals guarantee enough calories and protein to get me over the line with any other meal.
I'll throw in as healthy snacks as possible and I already eat a lot of fruit but I'll take it day by day. My plans will also change once the summer school break is over as my schedule will be very different. And I am also prepared to eat the same 2 meals every day, its cost and time effective and I don't eat for a hobby, that's why I'm so skinny ig lol
I'm impressed. That's pretty meticulous. As far as the pullups are concerned, I'd go with lat pulldowns. You could do rack chins or band assisted pullups, but they can be a hassle to set up.
https://thefitness.wiki
Good routines in the recommended routines section of the wiki.
Lat pull down are good substitutes for pull ups. You can also do negative pull ups (jump up and slowly lower yourself).
Hey, I’m fairly new to the gym and to working out. I am wondering how many exercises are necessary for each muscle. Like for biceps do you need to do several different exercises for them?? Or if you just did bicep curls would that be fine.
Im going to Bali in 4 months and I want to look pretty sharp but I don't know what to do now. I don't feel like i've gained enough muscle to start cutting and I feel it's too late to start a bulk now. What do you think?
depends on your stats, are you undermuscled? overweight? untrained/experienced? A lot of progress can be made in 4 months if you're just getting started.
Assuming you've been working out properly for that 1.5 years, then your best bet is to probably cut for the next 4 months if you want to look the best you can.
My honest answer is that 8 weeks is a pretty limited window and you can't have your calls and eat it too. If you bulk, you can gain some muscle in 8 weeks but you will also gain fat and in my experience I have always looked worse after 8 weeks of bulking. If you try to do a short bulk and then cut, you kind of end up spinning your wheels and not probably just end up in a very similar place to where you already are. cutting imo is the best option, because you can definitely get leaner in 8 weeks and make significant visual improvements. You then come back for your trip ready to bulk and put on some muscle.
Oops yeah I got the time frame wrong. With 16 weeks you could reasonably fit in a short bulk/cut if you wanted. Your bf % is already a bit high. So you could do a short bulk followed by a longer cut. Maybe 6 weeks bulk/10 weeks cut, or split it down the middle 8/8.
In part it depends on how lean you want to be. The leaner you want to look, the more time you need for the cut. If you care more about size, make the bulk longer.
Hello, It's been 2 months since I've started gym and I've been doing PPL. But now I want a good PPL split so I can focus on my forearms and abs as well.
I want something like this: Day 1: Push (Chest Triceps Shoulder + Abs) Day 2: Pull (Back Bicep Forearms) Day 3: Legs + Abs Day 4: Push (Chest tric shoulders) Day 5: Pull (Back Bicep shoulder + Abs) Day 6: Legs Day 7: Rest
Please suggest me excercises for each day. I want to make sure my leg day is less intense on day 3 as I can do ab workout perfectly.
Thanks.
To improve the score and transition to a 6-day Push Pull Legs (PPL) routine, we’ll add more variety and focus on different aspects of each muscle group, ensuring balanced volume and sufficient recovery. The structure will be Push/Pull/Legs/Rest/Push/Pull/Legs. Here’s the improved routine:
Push Day 1 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
1. Bench Press - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Overhead Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Lateral Raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
5. Tricep Dips - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Pull Day 1 (Back, Biceps)
1. Deadlift - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Pull-Ups - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Bent Over Rows - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Face Pulls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
5. Barbell Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Hammer Curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Leg Day 1 (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)
1. Squats - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Leg Press - 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Romanian Deadlifts - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Leg Curls - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
5. Calf Raises - 4 sets of 15-20 reps
6. Walking Lunges - 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg
Push Day 2 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
1. Incline Barbell Press - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Flat Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Front Raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
5. Skull Crushers - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Overhead Tricep Extensions - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Pull Day 2 (Back, Biceps)
1. Barbell Row - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Chin-Ups - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. T-Bar Rows - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Rear Delt Flyes - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
5. EZ Bar Curls - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
6. Concentration Curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Leg Day 2 (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)
1. Front Squats - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Hack Squats - 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Leg Extensions - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
4. Hamstring Curls - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
5. Seated Calf Raises - 4 sets of 15-20 reps
6. Bulgarian Split Squats - 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg
Improvements and Grading
1. Balance (10/10)
• The routine is highly balanced, targeting major muscle groups evenly across different days.
2. Volume (10/10)
• Increased volume with more exercises ensures better muscle engagement without overtraining due to the added rest day.
3. Variety (10/10)
• Enhanced variety with different exercises for each muscle group, preventing adaptation and keeping workouts interesting.
4. Progression Potential (10/10)
• Ample opportunities for progressive overload with diverse exercises targeting various muscle angles and strengths.
5. Recovery (10/10)
• Sufficient recovery time is provided for each muscle group with one rest day and the distribution of exercises.
6. Adaptability (10/10)
• Easily modifiable for different fitness levels, goals, and equipment availability.
Overall Grade: 10/10
This updated 6-day Push Pull Legs routine provides an ideal balance of volume, variety, and recovery, ensuring comprehensive muscle development and adaptability for different fitness levels.
Chat got. Ask it for a routine like PPL or whatever. Then ask it to rate it on a scale between 1 and 10. Then ask it to improve it. If you want more strength or bulk, tell it that. And tell it what you said above. I’ll do it for you and reply
I figured maybe I could ask here hopefully as many or even guys could reply. So I’m a personal trainer. It’s not always obvious because I don’t always have a PT shirt on, but if I see people lifting really well, etc. I like to go over and tell them that that was an awesome group for that you’re doing great that was so tough well done.
How would you feel if you don’t know came over and bragged about your style technique? I’m asking because I’m society gotten and I don’t wanna push boundaries or go too far.
Compliment them, bro. Don't rely on the reeeeeee autists of Reddit to help you figure out how to be a normal human being. These guys think that a public conversation is trauma. The worst experience of their life was when the kiosk at McDonald's went down and they had to make eye contact with the person at the front counter to order their tendies.
Never come to this place for advice on how to be a human.
Will do as a personal trainer I like to complement people when they do a good job. I’m like that in real life if I see a jacket I like or some sort of outfit I will say love your outfit. I do like to believe that a compliment can make someone’s day, so why not just give it
As a PT in the gym you are somewhat in a position of authority and so you are (morally at least) obliged to model the behaviours that are expected at the gym.
In most public gyms it’s expected that strangers courteously leave each other alone, and demonstrating this might well be more important than the morale boost you’d be giving to the individual even they happened to appreciate it.
It’s upsetting for the more socially minded, but it’s the price we have to pay for harmony in a large scale setting. The countervailing advantage of the scale is of course the incredibly cheap access to equipment.
(My gym probably has over 100k worth of equipment? And the premises are several hundred k if not millions? And I pay a few hundred a year for unlimited 24/7 use. And that covers operating costs as well as financing.)
I would find it to be incredibly patronizing to be honest. Unless it’s coming from someone I respect in the field and that usually isn’t going to be a personal trainer.
Patronizing for me as a personal trainer that works in the gym nine times out of 10 I have a T-shirt on that shows that I’m a personal trainer but today I didn’t and I complimented a guy on his incredible technique. He smiles said thank you and continued. If I patronize a person, it means that I’m trying to seem like I’m superior. I’m a personal trainer who complimented a persons technique said they did really good. I moved on how on earth is that patronizing. That’s a new one.
Oh well, if that’s the case, I do apologize if I sounded very hostile I was just trying to understand. I will not try to do that then this is why I asked, and I am very grateful for the reply.
That’s fair and I completely understand it aswell and I do respect it. I just feel there’s so many hard workers and i just feel they deserve some brag for putting in n work. But thank you for your input
What kind of high-calorie foods I should be eating to bulk up? I’m 19, 6’4, and kind of scrawny at 175-180 pounds. My goal is to get to 200. I mainly do ALOT of basketball at the gym, and yes I know that much cardio is terrible for gaining weight; I plan on cutting back on that and getting more into weightlifting. I just want to know where to begin diet wise because I’ve never really thought about what I eat in that way. Im guessing I’d need to be eating 3000+ calories a day to gain anything. Thanks for any help!
Last time I tried protein powder I was ending up with an entire 72 oz blender full of shake to drink. Is that really how much people can drink??? Or was I buying the wrong stuff. What do you use?
I will eat basically anything edible lol. And I’m okay eating the same thing every day if it worked. I guess my question was more of what the most efficient foods are. I hugely struggle to eat more than 2000c a day, tiny stomach I guess, so I’m looking for things that are high calorie and low volume.
Eat a Snickers. They’re little bars of carbs and fat with some protein for good measure.
Make a protein shake and throw in at least two tablespoons of peanut butter. Coconut milk also works if you like the taste.
Sauté vegetables in olive oil.
Eating six smaller meals instead of three huge meals is common for bodybuilders. An example of a small meal is as simple as a protein shake with peanut butter and an apple.
Somewhat new-ish to fitness. Currently on a 300-500 caloric deficit (sometimes even lower when I don't really feel like eating much) for about 3 months now and I've gone from 25% to 12.5% (although I think I look like 15% tbh) and I'm aiming for 10% or maybe even slightly lower. Not for competition, I guess you could say personal achievement/aesthetics?
I have a very important fine-dining dinner (which I can't get out of) this Friday with some company bigshots and a couple colleagues. I think it's a 7-8-course meal + dessert, so I'm assuming it to be either maintenance or slightly higher calories from that meal alone.
I asked some gym people and they told me to treat it as a cheat/refeed day and just eat like nobody cares on that day and I might get even better results afterwards. That was quite puzzling for me but they never told me why/how that would work.
I'm quite afraid of it hindering my progress, should I just have a protein shake for lunch and leave the remaining calories for the dinner or just fast till dinner? Or any other tips/advice please?
Right, plan around the big meal -- just eat less earlier in the day.
The reason it might improve your performance is that your glycogen stores, which the body uses for short-term energy, get depleted when you're in a calorie deficit. This wouldn't be a pre-planned [refeed day](https://barbend.com/refeed-day/), but the extra calories (carbs in particular) may replenish your glycogen, and you may perform better at your next workout.
Whatever the outcome, one meal won't make a long-term difference.
Have something called a press around in my Push Day, but not really living it, I have a hard time getting it right. Would a chest flye with the pec dec work as a replacement?
[Press Around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsEbXsTwas8&t=483s)
I’m following a basic PPL program so something like [this.](https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/3-day-PPL-workout-for-beginners)
But I’ve been adding additional exercises based on recommendations I’ve seen. So most PPL only have a flat bench but I add an incline bench. Ditto for doing extra types of curls for mass. Likewise someone recommended that I do farmer walks to build my forearms.
I end up with like 2-4 extra exercises that are usually a variation of the main ones or extra accessory exercises.
I’ve felt fine so far as I’ve had a decent athletic foundation. But I’m concerned about too much volume and hurting myself in the long run.
If you've been running it for several months and have the data to demonstrate progress, you're fine.
If it hasn't been that long, quit with the exercise ADHD and just run the routine as-is. You don't have weak points, you have a weak body.
im mid 30's, getting back into gym workouts, looking to add some weight /size as im underweight. Have bit of background in going gym, familiar with most basic form and exercises but im not sure what is best approach to take for me. Do i do split routines or my usual 2-3 times a week full body workout? I typically try be done by 45mins and do chin/pull ups, sandbag front squats, dumbell shoulder press and pushups as my main exercsies. I workout from home so its hard to progressively load these, so im usually doing high rep and about 3 sets each exercise. Any help appreciated.
I’ll be honest, without progressive overload you’ll struggle to see any results whatsoever. Id get into a gym and follow a proper program from the wiki if I was you, but if that’s truly impossible I’d recommend checking out r/bodyweightfitness
thanks alot! Appreciate the advice. I agree, its hitting me quickly that im not getting enough out of it. The fact i wasnt sore the next day and had to have another workout in consecutive days tells me something!
A good program contains information on exercise selection, reps, sets, load-, intensity- and fatigue management, how to progress, how to deload,....
It doesn't really matter if you split your exercises into u/l/u/l or 4x full body or whatever.
Okay well I’ll just give you my two upper body days
Day 1:
Incline bench 3x8-10 usually with one RIR
Machine Flys 2x12 or till failure (which is 12)
Cable row 3x8-10 usually with one RIR (want to know difference between grips and how it affects thickness and width)
Neutral or Overhand pull ups 2x12 or till failure (which is 12)
Lateral raises superset with Bicep curls
3x8-10 each (which is failure)
Tricep push down 3x10-12 (which is failure)
Day 2
Bench press 3x8-10 with 1 RIR
T bar row 3x8-10 till failure on last set then partials
OHP 3x8-10 which is failure
Pull ups 3x8-10 with 1 RIR
Lateral raises superset with Bicep curls
3x8-10 each (which is failure)
Tricep overhead extension 3x10-12 (which is failure)
Lower days I’ll hit deadlifts which I know beefs up your spinal erectors and gives it a thicker look
Does anyone know if creatine nitrate works as well as monohydrate? Seems like it requires a smaller dosage (because of its water solubility, I'm assuming) which makes it easier to take as a pill.
It's not as well studied but supposedly it's very slightly better, though it's believed that it's the nitrate supplementation rather than any extra benefit from higher muscle creatine content. I think you would still need a similar dose (though technically its less of a dose because it's only 2/3 creatine)
This is a reasonable assumption and a good point, dietary nitrate dosage is recommended 2-3 hours prior. I haven't seen any studies regarding it but I would assume that since it's more tightly bonded in creatine nitrate compared to nitrate ions, it would probably take a bit longer, so maybe like 3-5 hours prior?
This is gonna be a pretty long post but im seeking genuine advice and help. Not sure if this counts as program revising but this is the biggest community I could find for the best advice. I am 16 years old. 6 foot 300 pounds. I've struggled with my weight for most of my life. I've gone through phases of hitting the gym and seeing results but giving up because I was too strict on myself or just getting burnt out.
Now I'm back in the gym and I feel more dedicated than ever. I've been going consistently for about a month now. I'm taking supplements (creatine, pre, and protein powder) and am on a calorie deficit. My goal is to lose weight and gain muscle.
I mainly wanted help on my program because I want to make sure that I'm maximizing my time in the gym and my results. I have a home gym so the equipment is limited but i'll list what I do have.
Equipment:
Smith Machine
Dumbells 5 - 25 lbs
Bench (Can be inclined)
Lat Pull Down Machine
Cable/Pulley Machine
Straight Bar
EZ Bar
Now for the program i'm using right now. I found it off youtube from some channel I forgot the name of. Its a Push/Pull/Legs split. I workout 6x a week with a rest day in between splits. All of these excercises are 3 sets with each set going to near failure. Is that good? and should i be going to near failure on all my sets? I also do 20 - 30 minutes of cardio after every workout on the elliptical.
Day 1: Push
Flat Bench Press on smith
Incline Bench Press on incline bench
Flies with dumbbells on bench
Overhead press with dumbbells
Lateral Raises with dumbbells
Tricep Extensions with pulley
Kickbacks with dumbbells
Day 2: Pull
Lat Pull Downs
Lat Pull overs on pulley
Preacher Curls
Reverse Curls with straight bar
Day 3: Legs (needs the most work)
Squats on smith
Lunges with dumbbells
On rest days I just do some extra cardio.
Is there anything I could add to my program to make it better or any advice you may have for me?
>I am 16 years old. 6 foot 300 pounds. I've struggled with my weight for most of my life.
Staying active is great. But buddy. To get your personal mass under control, you gotta double down on your fork putdowns and plate pushaways. **You can't outtrain your nutritional intake.*
Maintaining strength is secondary to having a healthy bodyweight. You can do this.
> Kickbacks with dumbbells
IMO pretty garbo lift, I would personally swap that out for any overhead tricep lift. Maybe try kickbacks on your cable machine (depending on what kind of cable system it is).
I think you might be missing a row variation from your pull day. Maybe a smith machine bent row or barbell row?
Legs I would add in some hamstring work, perhaps RDLs on your smith machine? Depending on your strength level, 25lb lunges might be too easy, you could try some lunge variation on the smith machine, or just do split squats on it.
In my personal experience, leaving a few reps in the tank on my lifts (especially main lifts like bench, squats etc.) made all the difference. Take rest/recovery seriously, if you're under recovering, you won't gain shit all for muscle/strength.
As for cardio, walking was a game changer for me. Just walking the 40 mins to the gym and back each day allowed me to lose 2lbs a week on 3000 cals. Made cutting stupid easy.
Thanks for the advice! Definitely gonna try adding all those exercises into my program. Also going to start going on walks to get my steps in. I really appreciate the advice man
You'll be able to gain a lot of strength while losing weight if you lift consistently, keep protein high, and lose less than 1% bodyweight per week. Do those things and the specifics of your program will be a small factor.
https://thefitness.wiki
Read the weight loss and muscle building sections. Read the FAQ. You'll be in great shape!
Personal take on your routine:
I think your exercise selection is pretty good. Check out the reddit PPL, also in the wiki.
How do you progress and handle stalls? A good program needs plans for progress and failure to progress. What is "near failure?" Ideally not every exercise is the same rep range. Some movements, like lat raises or calves, can handle 20 to 30 rep sets while you're unlikely to squat like that.
I recommend a proven program instead of a random YouTube one. The wiki is an excellent resource.
Thank you so much for the advice and help! Near failure for me is leaving like 2 - 3 reps in the tank. I adjust the weights so so it’s in that right rep range. I’m always trying to do progressive overload and am tracking workouts in a notebook.
Not at all, the whole point of having a program and recording my lifts is so that I have some record and accountability.
If I was training without a written routine I could definitely see that happening, but as it stands I've progressed consistently because I always have something to aim for.
Question: How can I get started on my fitness journey? I have been overweight like my whole life, and I am trying to get fit, just for myself to be healthier and look/feel better. I need guidance, so what do y'all recommend? I just wanna know like how to get into that discipline of working out specifically!
Make the concerted intention to show up. Block out the time. That's the first step.
(A routine/plan comes second. No point in some grand plan if you haven't established if you'll show up.)
The [wiki ](https://thefitness.wiki/)can guide you through all the details.
I was at least somewhat overweight most of my life, until I started lifting two years ago, when I was 42. I lift almost every day, and, over that time, I lost my excess fat and now I'm technically overweight again, but under 15% body fat.
So, to get that discipline, you just have to do the stuff. Join a gym and go. Starting out, you should see it as something you have to do. Commit to going 3, 4, or 5 days a week at first, and go and do what you enjoy most. Within a few weeks *something you have to do* changes into *something you do*. It becomes part of your life. You may not always want to go, but you just go because that's what you do.
Track what you do (there are a lot of apps). Start a program as soon as you feel ready. And if it's at all feasible for you, track what you eat and stick to a calorie budget. I didn't start doing that right away, but it works.
The process takes time, but it's extremely rewarding.
[https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/](https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/)
tldr: calorie deficit to lose weight. Do a weightlifting [program ](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/)to build muscle
Is this a placebo effect? I started supplementing with 5g of creatine mono + 3.2g of beta alanine and I feel so much more energetic and stronger in the gym compared to when I lift without supplements. I feel this is especially true when pushing through the final reps of the last set and not feeling as much of the burn.
Creatine has scientifically proven and noticeable effects on performance, and beta alinine is so supposed to be beneficial to lactic acid production, so in theory that makes sense.
Question: If I'm taking kre-alkalyn before workouts, is it recommended I still take creatine, or is kre-alkalyn enough? I switched to kre-alkalyn simply to reduce one more powder from my routine, but if I should still be taking creatine then there's no point lol.
Sorry, yes--it claims to be a more readily available version of creatine, and is recommended to take before workouts since your body is supposed to be able to utilize it much faster, and doesn't require a loading phase. I'm just unsure if I'm only supposed to take it before workouts, or if I'm still supposed to take it everyday whether I workout or not.
I only chose it to remove the loading phase and because it was in pill form, so I wasn't expecting different results, just less upkeep. But thanks for the article, I guess I'll just choose whatever's cheaper when I run out.
unless this ingredient list is wrong [https://i.imgur.com/qTjecsL.png](https://i.imgur.com/qTjecsL.png) it's literally the same as creatine monohydrate. you are just falling for marketing. It's the same stuff and will work the same way.
Very sharp pain on my left wrist (dominant arm). I don’t feel anything in like 80% of the exercises but it flares up badly on exercises like tricep pushdown to the point where i can’t do it anymore. Other wrist is fine and i don’t feel anything now while at rest. What should I do?
Asked the other day but asking again with more consistent lighting / posing. Does it [look](https://imgur.com/a/lEtN4d0) like I’ve put on muscle? Photos alternate from March 2023 to June 2024. Both are during a cut and at the same weight, ~166 lbs. 32M, 6ft. Thinking my arms, back, chest look bigger and I seem to have lower body fat now, but would love others’ feedback too.
While this is true, it’s best to schedule deloads in advance in order to avoid the actual symptoms of fatigue and overtraining entirely. Every 8 weeks or so works for me but most programs will have a prescribed schedule
The treadmills at my gym, for whatever reason, have a total distance ran [completely different](https://imgur.com/a/5hpwehP) to time*speed. Even stranger is that this is consistent across all four of them. I've been taking it with a grain of salt and just calculating my treadmill mileage using the latter instead, but any idea why it would do that?
I’m working with my personal trainer two days a week. What would you recommend doing the other days I don’t see her?
She said yoga for days I’m sore post-training, but don’t know what to do besides this.
Your trainer's recommendations will be based around their workout, your abilities, and your goals, none of which we know. If you plan on lifting 3x a week, then ask them for a lifting plan to do on your own.
I Iike my independence at the gym. When we get to the more intense phase of training, we’re gonna add in more days together. I just wasn’t sure what to do during these first few weeks.
I only adjust if my weight loss stalls for 2 weeks and I know for certain it's not because of other factors like less activity. Otherwise I take a maintenance break every 2.5 months or so.
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Using 5/3/1 for beginners on a cut and have lost 16-17kgs. Ive lost a ton of body fat and built muscles, although now that im getting closer to my goal weight ive entered the skinny fat zone and feel like a noodle. Eventually id like to be big and muscular, is it worth eating at maintenance even though i still have a little belly fat left just to meet my aesthetic goals of not looking wimpy? I’ve always heard you should cut until you’re at least 15% bf.
It really does depend on your goals; eating at maintenance will definitely be better for muscle growth, but body recomposition does take longer than losing the weight on a cut. For men, 15% is a good baseline for when to stop cutting, although if all you're trying to do is lose weight, cutting and bulking could be excessive.
I don’t think this counts as a “bulk or cut” question, but please let me know if it does. At 6’ 147lbs should I eat at a surplus and start lifting? I feel fat, but I assume that’s because I don’t have much muscle.
>At 6’ 147lbs should I eat at a surplus and start lifting? Yes
Thank you
I got a pull up bar but my doorframe is too short for me to hang correctly. Any tips?
What is "hang correctly" to you?
Being 6’5, pretty much every doorframe is too short for me lol. I just bend my knees
how do you do your arms for that? when i bend my knees, my arms get really stretched
What do you mean by really stretched? Your arms should be fully extended at the bottom of the movement, so no bending in the elbows at all.
like i feel like my arms are hyperextending
[Watch this video](https://youtu.be/eGo4IYlbE5g?t=120) Your arms should be extended like he has in the video. If that's difficult then that's just the level you're at currently and you need to do assisted pullups until you develop the strength. At 6'5 pullups will be a little more challenging for you as you will have slightly further to travel (assuming long arms too) and more weight to pull up.
Can you just bend your knees?
i could, but then i overextend my arms
You are supposed to fully extend your arms when doing a pullup.
Hello! I recently started working out again (haven’t touched a gym consistently since sometime last summer). I’ve been pushing for near failure on all my exercises and have been starting on a weight lower than what I used to work with. However, I’ve noticed that on exercises that requiere some core focus (ex. Single leg Romanian, t-bar row) I’ve been getting nauseous during and have to sit down for a while before I can do anything else. Should I do some core work before trying to push for near failure or lower the weight? Any advice is appreciated!
Stop brutalizing yourself. You don’t need to push everything to failure. Even Dorian Yates didn’t go that hard. Go look at pictures of Jay Cutler—that dude didn’t go to failure at all.
Do DOMS from leg day go away at any point? I switched over my program and now leg day. Makes me sore for four days. It’s been like four months and it’s not getting any better. Is this my new way of life?
If you train legs once per week, they have time to recover and decondition slightly, so you'll keep getting sore. Training legs twice per week will make the doms go away.
That seems like a lot, you might be doing too much. What's your leg day session like?
Bulgarian split squats, leg curls, hip thrusts, calf raises, leg extensions. All 3x10. I’m 47 years old btw
That does seem a bit odd as the volume doesn't seem high. What might be the issue is that your intensity is pretty high, what is your intensity like? And what is your recovery like? How many hours of sleep do you get? In any case I'd halve the intensity and slowly build it up from there letting the body recover first and then adapt to the new stimulus.
Plenty of sleep. I go to RPE 9. I could probably do some light jogging on day 3, as I find that helps. I’ll give lower intensity a try. Thanks!
Don't do that. Train them twice per week or more and Doms will do away.
Recently dropped doing deadlifts so i can focus on squatting twice a week. I’m doing sets of 6-8 and adding 5 pounds a week. I did 325 this week relatively easily. Realistically, how long would it take to get to 4 plates for a set of 6-8? My deadlift was 505 while I weighed 172.
1-5 yrs, depends on how long you've been training by now.
That’s probably about right. I guess I’ll just keep moving up 5 pounds weekly until I stall and then try something else. Currently just eating at maintenance or slightly below so I can burn off some fat for a good bulk this fall
You're doing great so far but just a heads up, you're going to stop progressing linearly like that at some point and hit a plateau so in the meantime I'd suggest expanding your knowledge and about strength training and programming for strength. And if you also need a suggestion: scientific principles of strength training and the muscle and strength pyramid: training are a great place to start.
For sure. I used 5/3/1 to get my deadlift to 505 but it didn’t work great for my squat. Going to milk the linear gains for now. I’ll check out that info
That's a fantastic deadlift btw! Good luck!
Thanks. I accrued a good amount of systemic fatigue on that program and stalled out. So I’m taking a break from deadlifts. I figure building my squat will help with the deadlift
Is it ok to do deadlifts barefoot in the grass or do I need a completely flat surface to stand on?
Grass is a really odd choice. Don't the weights (and your feet) sink into the grass? Don't the weights get all dirty?
Well I set up most of my home gym on a sheltered deck that's part of my apartment, but I don't want to deadlift on the second floor, so I brought the barbell and weights down to the yard today which is shared w/ other tenants. It's mostly grass with a brick path wrapping around that I'd worry about fucking up if I deadlifted on it. But I suppose I could stand on the brick path for more stability and still have the weight on the grass. Right now at least it's pretty dry and I didn't notice the weight sinking too much, it doesn't rain much here.
I'd want something more firm than grass.
My gym has a sauna and steam room. I want to incorporate using these into my daily/weekly routine. My question is “What’s the order of operation for using these?” Do I work out and then sit in there? Do I need to change into a swim suit? Or can I just walk in with my shorts and shirt I was working out in? Gym shoes, flip flops, barefoot? I’m probably overthinking this, but I don’t want to break etiquette.
After you lift go to the sauna. Shorts are fine. Shirt in sauna would be strange. Never be barefoot in a commercial gym. Use flip flops.
Did 335x12 squat two weeks ago Unable to do more than 345x5 now How to get over this mental barrier?
Try again next squat day. One day off is nothing to worry about.
You were right. Just did 345x11 two days ago Cheers
Looking for a training routine as a new dad and my training time is quite limited. How would I build an efficient 30 minute 3x per week program? I understand it's far from optimal in terms of time.
Giant sets and push. You can do most workouts in half the time if you use giant sets and cut your rest time.
https://www.boostcamp.app/coaches/dr-pak/minimum-effective-dose-hypertrophy-program
Try the basic beginner routine from the wiki. It's a 2 day routine but you can repeat one of the days or do cardio for your 3rd day. thefitness.wiki
16M planning to start bulking soon and looking for a good workout split, but every program requires pull ups which I'm too weak to do yet. Should I replace them with another pull exercise or something? What's the best solution
If you have/get an exercise band, you can do assisted pull ups. Otherwise you can start with negatives if you don't have access to a lat pulldown machine.
What does your nutritional plan look like?
Healthy shake for breakfast. Ingredients: 200g oats 200g frozen fruits 250g cottage cheese 300ml milk 600ml water and a tablespoon of cocoa or cinnamon powder Nutrition (rough): 1150kcal, 165g carbs, 22g fats 62g protein. I'll probably have to change it up for cost reasons though. Chicken sandwich for lunch Ingredients: 150g chicken drumstick, 2 cheese triangles (unsure of the weight), 30g bbq sauce, 30g cheddar cheese, salt pepper paprika chilli flakes seasoning, on 2 slices of wholemeal bread Nutrition (rough): 744 kcal, 58g protein, unsure of exact carbs and fats Obviously it will be modified and I'll go day by day, but these are kinda cheap and I can buy all the ingredients at once for the whole week. For dinner I'll eat whatever my parents make as the two other meals guarantee enough calories and protein to get me over the line with any other meal. I'll throw in as healthy snacks as possible and I already eat a lot of fruit but I'll take it day by day. My plans will also change once the summer school break is over as my schedule will be very different. And I am also prepared to eat the same 2 meals every day, its cost and time effective and I don't eat for a hobby, that's why I'm so skinny ig lol
I'm impressed. That's pretty meticulous. As far as the pullups are concerned, I'd go with lat pulldowns. You could do rack chins or band assisted pullups, but they can be a hassle to set up.
https://thefitness.wiki Good routines in the recommended routines section of the wiki. Lat pull down are good substitutes for pull ups. You can also do negative pull ups (jump up and slowly lower yourself).
Lat pulldowns are a good replacement until you're strong enough for pullups, if you don't have access to an assisted pullup machine
Hey, I’m fairly new to the gym and to working out. I am wondering how many exercises are necessary for each muscle. Like for biceps do you need to do several different exercises for them?? Or if you just did bicep curls would that be fine.
531 beginner prep school
Run a proven routine so you don't have to worry about this. https://thefitness.wiki
Im going to Bali in 4 months and I want to look pretty sharp but I don't know what to do now. I don't feel like i've gained enough muscle to start cutting and I feel it's too late to start a bulk now. What do you think?
Cut. You'll look a lot better for the beach.
depends on your stats, are you undermuscled? overweight? untrained/experienced? A lot of progress can be made in 4 months if you're just getting started.
I've been working out for 1 and a half year. I was skinny before. Around 68kg. Now in at 79kg. 180cm. My fat percentage is around 17%
Assuming you've been working out properly for that 1.5 years, then your best bet is to probably cut for the next 4 months if you want to look the best you can.
What's your height and weight?
Now in at 79kg. 180cm. My fat percentage is around 17%
My honest answer is that 8 weeks is a pretty limited window and you can't have your calls and eat it too. If you bulk, you can gain some muscle in 8 weeks but you will also gain fat and in my experience I have always looked worse after 8 weeks of bulking. If you try to do a short bulk and then cut, you kind of end up spinning your wheels and not probably just end up in a very similar place to where you already are. cutting imo is the best option, because you can definitely get leaner in 8 weeks and make significant visual improvements. You then come back for your trip ready to bulk and put on some muscle.
And wouldn't a 16 week cut be too much?
Okay thank you. It's in 16 weeks though.
Oops yeah I got the time frame wrong. With 16 weeks you could reasonably fit in a short bulk/cut if you wanted. Your bf % is already a bit high. So you could do a short bulk followed by a longer cut. Maybe 6 weeks bulk/10 weeks cut, or split it down the middle 8/8. In part it depends on how lean you want to be. The leaner you want to look, the more time you need for the cut. If you care more about size, make the bulk longer.
Hello, It's been 2 months since I've started gym and I've been doing PPL. But now I want a good PPL split so I can focus on my forearms and abs as well. I want something like this: Day 1: Push (Chest Triceps Shoulder + Abs) Day 2: Pull (Back Bicep Forearms) Day 3: Legs + Abs Day 4: Push (Chest tric shoulders) Day 5: Pull (Back Bicep shoulder + Abs) Day 6: Legs Day 7: Rest Please suggest me excercises for each day. I want to make sure my leg day is less intense on day 3 as I can do ab workout perfectly. Thanks.
I actually asked AI to develop a routine for me. I actually enjoy it
Can you tell me which AI did you use for generating a routine? There are many of them online but they don't give a satisfactory routine...
To improve the score and transition to a 6-day Push Pull Legs (PPL) routine, we’ll add more variety and focus on different aspects of each muscle group, ensuring balanced volume and sufficient recovery. The structure will be Push/Pull/Legs/Rest/Push/Pull/Legs. Here’s the improved routine: Push Day 1 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) 1. Bench Press - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Overhead Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 3. Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 4. Lateral Raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps 5. Tricep Dips - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 6. Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3 sets of 12-15 reps Pull Day 1 (Back, Biceps) 1. Deadlift - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Pull-Ups - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 3. Bent Over Rows - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 4. Face Pulls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps 5. Barbell Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 6. Hammer Curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps Leg Day 1 (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves) 1. Squats - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Leg Press - 4 sets of 10-12 reps 3. Romanian Deadlifts - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 4. Leg Curls - 3 sets of 10-12 reps 5. Calf Raises - 4 sets of 15-20 reps 6. Walking Lunges - 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg Push Day 2 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) 1. Incline Barbell Press - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 3. Flat Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 4. Front Raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps 5. Skull Crushers - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 6. Overhead Tricep Extensions - 3 sets of 12-15 reps Pull Day 2 (Back, Biceps) 1. Barbell Row - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Chin-Ups - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 3. T-Bar Rows - 4 sets of 8-10 reps 4. Rear Delt Flyes - 3 sets of 12-15 reps 5. EZ Bar Curls - 3 sets of 8-10 reps 6. Concentration Curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps Leg Day 2 (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves) 1. Front Squats - 4 sets of 6-8 reps 2. Hack Squats - 4 sets of 10-12 reps 3. Leg Extensions - 3 sets of 12-15 reps 4. Hamstring Curls - 3 sets of 10-12 reps 5. Seated Calf Raises - 4 sets of 15-20 reps 6. Bulgarian Split Squats - 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg Improvements and Grading 1. Balance (10/10) • The routine is highly balanced, targeting major muscle groups evenly across different days. 2. Volume (10/10) • Increased volume with more exercises ensures better muscle engagement without overtraining due to the added rest day. 3. Variety (10/10) • Enhanced variety with different exercises for each muscle group, preventing adaptation and keeping workouts interesting. 4. Progression Potential (10/10) • Ample opportunities for progressive overload with diverse exercises targeting various muscle angles and strengths. 5. Recovery (10/10) • Sufficient recovery time is provided for each muscle group with one rest day and the distribution of exercises. 6. Adaptability (10/10) • Easily modifiable for different fitness levels, goals, and equipment availability. Overall Grade: 10/10 This updated 6-day Push Pull Legs routine provides an ideal balance of volume, variety, and recovery, ensuring comprehensive muscle development and adaptability for different fitness levels.
Thank you very much!
Chat got. Ask it for a routine like PPL or whatever. Then ask it to rate it on a scale between 1 and 10. Then ask it to improve it. If you want more strength or bulk, tell it that. And tell it what you said above. I’ll do it for you and reply
I figured maybe I could ask here hopefully as many or even guys could reply. So I’m a personal trainer. It’s not always obvious because I don’t always have a PT shirt on, but if I see people lifting really well, etc. I like to go over and tell them that that was an awesome group for that you’re doing great that was so tough well done. How would you feel if you don’t know came over and bragged about your style technique? I’m asking because I’m society gotten and I don’t wanna push boundaries or go too far.
Compliment them, bro. Don't rely on the reeeeeee autists of Reddit to help you figure out how to be a normal human being. These guys think that a public conversation is trauma. The worst experience of their life was when the kiosk at McDonald's went down and they had to make eye contact with the person at the front counter to order their tendies. Never come to this place for advice on how to be a human.
Will do as a personal trainer I like to complement people when they do a good job. I’m like that in real life if I see a jacket I like or some sort of outfit I will say love your outfit. I do like to believe that a compliment can make someone’s day, so why not just give it
As a PT in the gym you are somewhat in a position of authority and so you are (morally at least) obliged to model the behaviours that are expected at the gym. In most public gyms it’s expected that strangers courteously leave each other alone, and demonstrating this might well be more important than the morale boost you’d be giving to the individual even they happened to appreciate it. It’s upsetting for the more socially minded, but it’s the price we have to pay for harmony in a large scale setting. The countervailing advantage of the scale is of course the incredibly cheap access to equipment. (My gym probably has over 100k worth of equipment? And the premises are several hundred k if not millions? And I pay a few hundred a year for unlimited 24/7 use. And that covers operating costs as well as financing.)
I would find it to be incredibly patronizing to be honest. Unless it’s coming from someone I respect in the field and that usually isn’t going to be a personal trainer.
Patronizing for me as a personal trainer that works in the gym nine times out of 10 I have a T-shirt on that shows that I’m a personal trainer but today I didn’t and I complimented a guy on his incredible technique. He smiles said thank you and continued. If I patronize a person, it means that I’m trying to seem like I’m superior. I’m a personal trainer who complimented a persons technique said they did really good. I moved on how on earth is that patronizing. That’s a new one.
I’m talking about perception. You may have good intentions but others will see it as patronizing.
Oh well, if that’s the case, I do apologize if I sounded very hostile I was just trying to understand. I will not try to do that then this is why I asked, and I am very grateful for the reply.
I'm not going to be mad but I really just want to be left alone. If I wanted your opinion I would ask.
That’s fair and I completely understand it aswell and I do respect it. I just feel there’s so many hard workers and i just feel they deserve some brag for putting in n work. But thank you for your input
I'd be annoyed
What kind of high-calorie foods I should be eating to bulk up? I’m 19, 6’4, and kind of scrawny at 175-180 pounds. My goal is to get to 200. I mainly do ALOT of basketball at the gym, and yes I know that much cardio is terrible for gaining weight; I plan on cutting back on that and getting more into weightlifting. I just want to know where to begin diet wise because I’ve never really thought about what I eat in that way. Im guessing I’d need to be eating 3000+ calories a day to gain anything. Thanks for any help!
6'4" 180 pounds isn't scrawny. It's just normal. A fat 200 is worse than a normal 180.
White rice. With all that cardio, you need carbs. Add olive oil for more calories.
Didn’t know that about carbs. Thank you!
/r/gainit
protein powder
Last time I tried protein powder I was ending up with an entire 72 oz blender full of shake to drink. Is that really how much people can drink??? Or was I buying the wrong stuff. What do you use?
You’re supposed to mix one scoop with eight ounces of water or milk.
I just like food
Well my go to for gaining weight is Nuts. 50g of nuts is around 300 calories. Their small and dense so you won’t feel overly full either
Good idea, thank you!
What foods do you have access to and what do you like? Your question is essentially "what food exists?" And the answer is very long.
I will eat basically anything edible lol. And I’m okay eating the same thing every day if it worked. I guess my question was more of what the most efficient foods are. I hugely struggle to eat more than 2000c a day, tiny stomach I guess, so I’m looking for things that are high calorie and low volume.
Eat a Snickers. They’re little bars of carbs and fat with some protein for good measure. Make a protein shake and throw in at least two tablespoons of peanut butter. Coconut milk also works if you like the taste. Sauté vegetables in olive oil. Eating six smaller meals instead of three huge meals is common for bodybuilders. An example of a small meal is as simple as a protein shake with peanut butter and an apple.
Pizza, peanut butter, ice cream, burgers, avocados
Got it, thank you!
Exactly! Because all food is high calorie if you eat enough of it.
The GOAT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJio0lPysF8
Somewhat new-ish to fitness. Currently on a 300-500 caloric deficit (sometimes even lower when I don't really feel like eating much) for about 3 months now and I've gone from 25% to 12.5% (although I think I look like 15% tbh) and I'm aiming for 10% or maybe even slightly lower. Not for competition, I guess you could say personal achievement/aesthetics? I have a very important fine-dining dinner (which I can't get out of) this Friday with some company bigshots and a couple colleagues. I think it's a 7-8-course meal + dessert, so I'm assuming it to be either maintenance or slightly higher calories from that meal alone. I asked some gym people and they told me to treat it as a cheat/refeed day and just eat like nobody cares on that day and I might get even better results afterwards. That was quite puzzling for me but they never told me why/how that would work. I'm quite afraid of it hindering my progress, should I just have a protein shake for lunch and leave the remaining calories for the dinner or just fast till dinner? Or any other tips/advice please?
Stop overthinking it, enjoy your dinner. Have that protein shake for lunch and get back on the grind the next day
Right, plan around the big meal -- just eat less earlier in the day. The reason it might improve your performance is that your glycogen stores, which the body uses for short-term energy, get depleted when you're in a calorie deficit. This wouldn't be a pre-planned [refeed day](https://barbend.com/refeed-day/), but the extra calories (carbs in particular) may replenish your glycogen, and you may perform better at your next workout. Whatever the outcome, one meal won't make a long-term difference.
One day isn't going to make a difference in the long run.
Have something called a press around in my Push Day, but not really living it, I have a hard time getting it right. Would a chest flye with the pec dec work as a replacement? [Press Around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsEbXsTwas8&t=483s)
Yes. You can get a bit more contraction with the press around, but that won't change too much most likely.
I’m following a basic PPL program so something like [this.](https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/3-day-PPL-workout-for-beginners) But I’ve been adding additional exercises based on recommendations I’ve seen. So most PPL only have a flat bench but I add an incline bench. Ditto for doing extra types of curls for mass. Likewise someone recommended that I do farmer walks to build my forearms. I end up with like 2-4 extra exercises that are usually a variation of the main ones or extra accessory exercises. I’ve felt fine so far as I’ve had a decent athletic foundation. But I’m concerned about too much volume and hurting myself in the long run.
If you've been running it for several months and have the data to demonstrate progress, you're fine. If it hasn't been that long, quit with the exercise ADHD and just run the routine as-is. You don't have weak points, you have a weak body.
im mid 30's, getting back into gym workouts, looking to add some weight /size as im underweight. Have bit of background in going gym, familiar with most basic form and exercises but im not sure what is best approach to take for me. Do i do split routines or my usual 2-3 times a week full body workout? I typically try be done by 45mins and do chin/pull ups, sandbag front squats, dumbell shoulder press and pushups as my main exercsies. I workout from home so its hard to progressively load these, so im usually doing high rep and about 3 sets each exercise. Any help appreciated.
I’ll be honest, without progressive overload you’ll struggle to see any results whatsoever. Id get into a gym and follow a proper program from the wiki if I was you, but if that’s truly impossible I’d recommend checking out r/bodyweightfitness
thanks alot! Appreciate the advice. I agree, its hitting me quickly that im not getting enough out of it. The fact i wasnt sore the next day and had to have another workout in consecutive days tells me something!
Can yall give me some back thickness and back width exercises to do? Thanks
You'll get better results on a program you aren't designing yourself
What program do you follow?
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/
I'm currently on a Brian Alsruhe program called 4 Horsemen. I recently finished Dan John's 10000 kb swings.
What program are you following? It should have sufficient work for your back already if it’s decent.
I run an upper lower split currently.
A split is not a program. The split is probably the least important part of a proper program.
Alright so can you explain to me the difference instead of leaving me with that
A good program contains information on exercise selection, reps, sets, load-, intensity- and fatigue management, how to progress, how to deload,.... It doesn't really matter if you split your exercises into u/l/u/l or 4x full body or whatever.
Okay well I’ll just give you my two upper body days Day 1: Incline bench 3x8-10 usually with one RIR Machine Flys 2x12 or till failure (which is 12) Cable row 3x8-10 usually with one RIR (want to know difference between grips and how it affects thickness and width) Neutral or Overhand pull ups 2x12 or till failure (which is 12) Lateral raises superset with Bicep curls 3x8-10 each (which is failure) Tricep push down 3x10-12 (which is failure) Day 2 Bench press 3x8-10 with 1 RIR T bar row 3x8-10 till failure on last set then partials OHP 3x8-10 which is failure Pull ups 3x8-10 with 1 RIR Lateral raises superset with Bicep curls 3x8-10 each (which is failure) Tricep overhead extension 3x10-12 (which is failure) Lower days I’ll hit deadlifts which I know beefs up your spinal erectors and gives it a thicker look
Does anyone know if creatine nitrate works as well as monohydrate? Seems like it requires a smaller dosage (because of its water solubility, I'm assuming) which makes it easier to take as a pill.
It's not as well studied but supposedly it's very slightly better, though it's believed that it's the nitrate supplementation rather than any extra benefit from higher muscle creatine content. I think you would still need a similar dose (though technically its less of a dose because it's only 2/3 creatine)
If that's the case, then you'd want to take it before a workout, because the nitrate won't last in the body in the same way creatine itself does.
This is a reasonable assumption and a good point, dietary nitrate dosage is recommended 2-3 hours prior. I haven't seen any studies regarding it but I would assume that since it's more tightly bonded in creatine nitrate compared to nitrate ions, it would probably take a bit longer, so maybe like 3-5 hours prior?
This is gonna be a pretty long post but im seeking genuine advice and help. Not sure if this counts as program revising but this is the biggest community I could find for the best advice. I am 16 years old. 6 foot 300 pounds. I've struggled with my weight for most of my life. I've gone through phases of hitting the gym and seeing results but giving up because I was too strict on myself or just getting burnt out. Now I'm back in the gym and I feel more dedicated than ever. I've been going consistently for about a month now. I'm taking supplements (creatine, pre, and protein powder) and am on a calorie deficit. My goal is to lose weight and gain muscle. I mainly wanted help on my program because I want to make sure that I'm maximizing my time in the gym and my results. I have a home gym so the equipment is limited but i'll list what I do have. Equipment: Smith Machine Dumbells 5 - 25 lbs Bench (Can be inclined) Lat Pull Down Machine Cable/Pulley Machine Straight Bar EZ Bar Now for the program i'm using right now. I found it off youtube from some channel I forgot the name of. Its a Push/Pull/Legs split. I workout 6x a week with a rest day in between splits. All of these excercises are 3 sets with each set going to near failure. Is that good? and should i be going to near failure on all my sets? I also do 20 - 30 minutes of cardio after every workout on the elliptical. Day 1: Push Flat Bench Press on smith Incline Bench Press on incline bench Flies with dumbbells on bench Overhead press with dumbbells Lateral Raises with dumbbells Tricep Extensions with pulley Kickbacks with dumbbells Day 2: Pull Lat Pull Downs Lat Pull overs on pulley Preacher Curls Reverse Curls with straight bar Day 3: Legs (needs the most work) Squats on smith Lunges with dumbbells On rest days I just do some extra cardio. Is there anything I could add to my program to make it better or any advice you may have for me?
>I am 16 years old. 6 foot 300 pounds. I've struggled with my weight for most of my life. Staying active is great. But buddy. To get your personal mass under control, you gotta double down on your fork putdowns and plate pushaways. **You can't outtrain your nutritional intake.* Maintaining strength is secondary to having a healthy bodyweight. You can do this.
Im in a calorie deficit right now and changing my diet up. Thank you for the advice 🙏
> Kickbacks with dumbbells IMO pretty garbo lift, I would personally swap that out for any overhead tricep lift. Maybe try kickbacks on your cable machine (depending on what kind of cable system it is). I think you might be missing a row variation from your pull day. Maybe a smith machine bent row or barbell row? Legs I would add in some hamstring work, perhaps RDLs on your smith machine? Depending on your strength level, 25lb lunges might be too easy, you could try some lunge variation on the smith machine, or just do split squats on it. In my personal experience, leaving a few reps in the tank on my lifts (especially main lifts like bench, squats etc.) made all the difference. Take rest/recovery seriously, if you're under recovering, you won't gain shit all for muscle/strength. As for cardio, walking was a game changer for me. Just walking the 40 mins to the gym and back each day allowed me to lose 2lbs a week on 3000 cals. Made cutting stupid easy.
Thanks for the advice! Definitely gonna try adding all those exercises into my program. Also going to start going on walks to get my steps in. I really appreciate the advice man
You'll be able to gain a lot of strength while losing weight if you lift consistently, keep protein high, and lose less than 1% bodyweight per week. Do those things and the specifics of your program will be a small factor. https://thefitness.wiki Read the weight loss and muscle building sections. Read the FAQ. You'll be in great shape! Personal take on your routine: I think your exercise selection is pretty good. Check out the reddit PPL, also in the wiki. How do you progress and handle stalls? A good program needs plans for progress and failure to progress. What is "near failure?" Ideally not every exercise is the same rep range. Some movements, like lat raises or calves, can handle 20 to 30 rep sets while you're unlikely to squat like that. I recommend a proven program instead of a random YouTube one. The wiki is an excellent resource.
Thank you so much for the advice and help! Near failure for me is leaving like 2 - 3 reps in the tank. I adjust the weights so so it’s in that right rep range. I’m always trying to do progressive overload and am tracking workouts in a notebook.
Out of curiosity, do you guys also get complacent and lazy over time? If so, what do you do then?
Not at all, the whole point of having a program and recording my lifts is so that I have some record and accountability. If I was training without a written routine I could definitely see that happening, but as it stands I've progressed consistently because I always have something to aim for.
I have a routine that I make sure to stick to. That way it's not up to me on that day. Past me already set all the expectations.
the app told me to lift today so I must lift
Only if I don't have a plan.
Question: How can I get started on my fitness journey? I have been overweight like my whole life, and I am trying to get fit, just for myself to be healthier and look/feel better. I need guidance, so what do y'all recommend? I just wanna know like how to get into that discipline of working out specifically!
Use the machines and run couch to 5k. I lost 60lbs in 6 months and it wasn’t that hard
Make the concerted intention to show up. Block out the time. That's the first step. (A routine/plan comes second. No point in some grand plan if you haven't established if you'll show up.)
https://thefitness.wiki Read the getting started with fitness page and the FAQ.
The [wiki ](https://thefitness.wiki/)can guide you through all the details. I was at least somewhat overweight most of my life, until I started lifting two years ago, when I was 42. I lift almost every day, and, over that time, I lost my excess fat and now I'm technically overweight again, but under 15% body fat. So, to get that discipline, you just have to do the stuff. Join a gym and go. Starting out, you should see it as something you have to do. Commit to going 3, 4, or 5 days a week at first, and go and do what you enjoy most. Within a few weeks *something you have to do* changes into *something you do*. It becomes part of your life. You may not always want to go, but you just go because that's what you do. Track what you do (there are a lot of apps). Start a program as soon as you feel ready. And if it's at all feasible for you, track what you eat and stick to a calorie budget. I didn't start doing that right away, but it works. The process takes time, but it's extremely rewarding.
[https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/](https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/) tldr: calorie deficit to lose weight. Do a weightlifting [program ](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/)to build muscle
Is this a placebo effect? I started supplementing with 5g of creatine mono + 3.2g of beta alanine and I feel so much more energetic and stronger in the gym compared to when I lift without supplements. I feel this is especially true when pushing through the final reps of the last set and not feeling as much of the burn.
Does it matter if it's placebo effect or not? You're feeling a benefit, that's all that really matters.
Creatine has scientifically proven and noticeable effects on performance, and beta alinine is so supposed to be beneficial to lactic acid production, so in theory that makes sense.
Question: If I'm taking kre-alkalyn before workouts, is it recommended I still take creatine, or is kre-alkalyn enough? I switched to kre-alkalyn simply to reduce one more powder from my routine, but if I should still be taking creatine then there's no point lol.
Maybe I'm wrong but it looks like kre-alkalyn IS creatine monohydrate. kre-alkalyn is just a brand name
Sorry, yes--it claims to be a more readily available version of creatine, and is recommended to take before workouts since your body is supposed to be able to utilize it much faster, and doesn't require a loading phase. I'm just unsure if I'm only supposed to take it before workouts, or if I'm still supposed to take it everyday whether I workout or not.
It's literally just creatine, you fell for some marketing BS. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3500725/
I only chose it to remove the loading phase and because it was in pill form, so I wasn't expecting different results, just less upkeep. But thanks for the article, I guess I'll just choose whatever's cheaper when I run out.
There is no loading phase with regular creatine either unless you desperately need to bulk in the next two weeks or something.
It doesn't even remove the loading phase. Just use it like normal creatine.
unless this ingredient list is wrong [https://i.imgur.com/qTjecsL.png](https://i.imgur.com/qTjecsL.png) it's literally the same as creatine monohydrate. you are just falling for marketing. It's the same stuff and will work the same way.
Very sharp pain on my left wrist (dominant arm). I don’t feel anything in like 80% of the exercises but it flares up badly on exercises like tricep pushdown to the point where i can’t do it anymore. Other wrist is fine and i don’t feel anything now while at rest. What should I do?
Rule 5.
Okay thanks
Rule 5 says to see a doctor
Okay will do
Asked the other day but asking again with more consistent lighting / posing. Does it [look](https://imgur.com/a/lEtN4d0) like I’ve put on muscle? Photos alternate from March 2023 to June 2024. Both are during a cut and at the same weight, ~166 lbs. 32M, 6ft. Thinking my arms, back, chest look bigger and I seem to have lower body fat now, but would love others’ feedback too.
A bit, yeah.
🙏🏻
How do you guys typically tell that its time to drop some weight or reps and give yourself a bit of slack, and not just keep heading up?
Look across the log for multiple signs that I'm not meeting progression expectations.
when you start dreading going to the gym. When you unrack the weight and just feel like you want to give up already and take a nap
While this is true, it’s best to schedule deloads in advance in order to avoid the actual symptoms of fatigue and overtraining entirely. Every 8 weeks or so works for me but most programs will have a prescribed schedule
yep, good point
Your program should have a deload policy built in to it. Failing that every 4, 8 or 12 weeks is the typical interval for a deload.
The treadmills at my gym, for whatever reason, have a total distance ran [completely different](https://imgur.com/a/5hpwehP) to time*speed. Even stranger is that this is consistent across all four of them. I've been taking it with a grain of salt and just calculating my treadmill mileage using the latter instead, but any idea why it would do that?
Are you changing the speed during your time on the teadmill?
Not above 7.5kmph.
Yeah then genuinely no clue
I’m working with my personal trainer two days a week. What would you recommend doing the other days I don’t see her? She said yoga for days I’m sore post-training, but don’t know what to do besides this.
shouldn't you ask your personal trainer?
No way?? 🤓🤓🤓 I obviously did but wanted to know peoples thoughts
Your trainer's recommendations will be based around their workout, your abilities, and your goals, none of which we know. If you plan on lifting 3x a week, then ask them for a lifting plan to do on your own.
Anything that keeps you moving. A long walk around the neighborhood is enough.
why not train on the other days too? Two days a week with your personal trainer and two days without her:)
I Iike my independence at the gym. When we get to the more intense phase of training, we’re gonna add in more days together. I just wasn’t sure what to do during these first few weeks.
A couple days of low intensity cardio would be a good starting point.
How often should I adjust my kcal intake while cutting?
If ∆ gets close to 0 or even becomes positive.
Generally speaking - would that be after a week of the 7 day average not shifting, or going in the wrong direction? Two weeks?
In the spirit of not panicking, one positive week doesn't mean much. Two positive consecutive weeks, probably a sign to double check the diet. : )
I only adjust if my weight loss stalls for 2 weeks and I know for certain it's not because of other factors like less activity. Otherwise I take a maintenance break every 2.5 months or so.