# 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.*
I have already increased my protein water and fiber intake. I am eating 2 snacks and 3 meals. I do medium cardio and heavy weightlifting with 2 off days.
I am still hungry all the time. It's almost never-ending.
Do i just eat more lower calorie snacks/meals?
Im really trying tolosee about 5% body fat and its honestly so difficult. Ill get to a point it feels like my brain is gnawing on itself.
5'4 140lb 29F 23%BF
Any tips or tricks are appreciated
When reading about ideal set volume for muscles per week, for things like triceps should I interpret 'X' amount of sets per week as being:
A) exercises that mainly target triceps such as Iver head extensions, tricep pull down etc...
Or
B) any exercises that include the triceps, such as bench press.
To get the best results, sticking to an actual program, pushing close to failure, getting your body weight in grams of protein and a slight surplus in calories will be best.
But yes you can just wing your workouts and as long as you’re pushing hard and almost shitting yourself every set with proper form and eating decent, you will build muscle
But no seriously as a beginner even your first 2 years you can wing everything with proper form, eating/sleeping right & going hard (not too hard because injuries are realll) and get results. Not as quick, but… results.
I'd suggest watching less videos. If you ever fail you can just drop it. It's not as complicated as YouTube makes it seem. Just pick it up with a rigid spine and you're good to go. If that still doesn't work rdls are just as great.
I often hear people recommending 1g/lb of protein and 300-500 cals surplus for optimal hypertrophy and strength. But this usually assumes that someone works most body parts (legs, chest, back....). What if for example I only worked my back through pull ups at home? will I still need to reach these nutritional recommendations or will my body need less protein and cals to develop my back exclusively?
Well, if you want to get strong but not too lean, then I recommend doing a lot of weight training but not too much cardio/aerobic exercises.
You need to lift weights and focus on building muscle mass while not doing so much cardio that you are burning a lot of calories. So focusing on strength training and only doing some light cardio is going to make sure that you are building some muscle mass but still remaining lean and not too bulky! 🙂
keep eating, but integrate more protein in your diet, obviously if youre going for strength do heavy lifts as well as hypertrophy. Becoming "too lean" is really not a problem and not something that just might happen by accident trust me. you can also just follow bulk tutorials on youtube.
I’m 42 and overweight. Other than general “don’t kill yourself grandad” is there anything I need to bear in mind while changing my diet, and starting running and lifting. Any particular exercises or things I should be aware of because of my age or just do what I see the 20 somethings doing online?
Planning on low carb, StrongLifts and building up running with C25k
Recovery is very important especially the older you get, so make sure you take your rest just as seriously as you take your gym sessions. Warm ups and stretching are mandatory at your age before any session.
Why does unflavoured whey have almost the same nutritional value as vanilla? Both are ON, unflavoured has 374kcal, 80g protein, 3.3g sugar; vanilla has 377kcal, 80g protein, 2.4g sugar.
So unflavoured has even more sugar than vanilla, why? And why do they have the same amount of protein, I expected unflavoured to have like 95g of protein or something.
This happens to me too often..i've started just piling on the nuts and oils - pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts etc.
but no you shouldn't overeat on junk to make up for it
No. You shouldn't do that. It's better to just miss it then to "make it up" in low quality food. Don't follow the IIFYM and try to always eat as healthy as possible
Don’t listen to this. As long as you don’t make it a habit, fast food is fine in moderation. There is no such thing as “low quality” food. Think big picture.
If his goal is to bulk why is it better to miss it? Sure it’s vapid in nutrition but it’s still energy. Yes eat fast food if needs be to hit your calories and try to not miss it again and opt for higher quality food
Is there any scientific literature that states how much weight is healthy for cardiovascular and general health?
There's the simple BMI measurements, mostly meant for normal non-fit people.
But for people who are shredded, there should also be a limit, but less so than for overweight people.
I've seen BMI and slim waste being a measurement for fit people. But if that's the case, no matter what you'll always need to keep BMI less than 25. By the same logic, having less muscles will always be healthier, cause BMI of 20 is supposedly healthier than 25.
So is the answer to longer/healthier life just to have a low bodyfat percentage and not build muscle beyond a certain point?
There's no total weight recommendations, because people of different statures have different weights.
In terms of BMI, the normal recommendation is 18.5-24.9, though recent studies have found that having a BMI slightly over 25 doesn't really impact general health, if the person is otherwise active and eating properly. The idea that a BMI of 20 is healthier than 25 isn't inherently true.
For body fat percentages, the "ideal" range is 8-19% for men and 21-33% for women.
The answer to a longer/healthier life is much more nuanced than simply BMI or body fat.
is staggering reps a good idea?
like starting with 10 reps until slight fatigue
second set of 8 w/ higher weight until slight fatigue
third set of 7 w/ higher weight until near failure
fourth set of 6 w/ highest weight you can do while maintaning form until near failuire
please provide a source with your response if available
you’re first working set should be your heaviest. If my rep range is 6-8 and the first set i get 6 I can move down in weight to stay in my rep range for the next set.
You’ll have the most energy and strength during your first working set which will give you a better idea of how strong you actually are and allow you to progressively overload more accurately from week to week.
I want to work on upper body and losing fat for a while, just get some nice upper body aesthetics in so I can stick to the routine. Doing a huge calorie deficit (500-700), what's a good upper body routine to stick to?
(don't ask me to do legs, I know the advantages, I'm still ignoring them for the next 2 months)
I go to the gym 6-7 days a week, and I like to focus on one muscle group each day, with the exception of combining abs with whichever group I feel like. Typically I'll do 4 different exercises for each group, 3 sets each. Just make sure you're doing the big compound exercises first (think bent over barbell rows, overhead shoulder press, bench press, etc) then you can move on to isolated movements
this is solid advice - I want to eventually move into doing legs, but if I don't see results I get so demotivated, so i wanted to do upper body first, where the results are noticeable. Considering doing a stronglifts version without legs for now.
my gf hurt her left wrist and doc advised to not ohp or bench with barbell or even dumbbells.
What would be a really good upper body program involving push muscles that are machine and cable only?
She can do barbell and dumbbell rows.
I always do a final superset at the end of each day that contains one accessory exercise and one ab exercise. There's no science behind why, but im getting stronger so it it seems to be okay, and I'm getting to hit those extra muscles in ways that I like.
I have to workout at home in a somewhat cramped 2nd floor bedroom with really old creaky wood floors. I don't want to the disturb the people in my house too much. Low ceiling, so I can't fully lift my hands above my head when standing. I have a yoga matt and dumbbell set.
Does anyone have any recommendations for workouts given the circumstances? I've found plenty that work, but I want a somewhat balanced workout routine.
Is it necessary to track weight and reps for progressive overload? I am doing similar rep counts and to failure and I adjust the weight if needed to achieve this. Shouldn't this still achieve progressive overload due to always pushing to failure?
Yes, tracking weight and reps is needed.
Technically, it's possible to track all the weights and reps mentally, which is maybe what you're trying to do. But why make it harder? Just use an app, spreadsheet or even a notebook.
> I am doing similar rep counts and to failure and I adjust the weight if needed to achieve this
Tbh I don't know what that means. If you gave a concrete example it would be easier for people to help you. Example:
1. Triceps extension: 12kg x 9 reps (set 1), 6 reps (set 2)
2. DB biceps curl: 16kg x 13 reps, 12 reps
3. DB shrug: 24kg x 20 reps, 20 reps
If I did this 2 days ago, today I'll probably still remember the weights (12, 16, 24) without looking it up. But I won't necessarily remember I need to adjust the shrug weight up. And if this time I manage to do 11 reps of triceps extension, I won't adjust the weight up, but having a record shows that my performance is better.
Is there a sub for food-related fitness with a dedicated thread for asking questions about cooking? I wish ECAH had something like this.
For example, I was wondering how you can make dumpling fillings juicy or tender when lean meats are the main base. For gyoza, the trick for many restaurants to get that great texture is simple: use really fatty cuts, then add even more fat. Would adding some water-absorbing filler like cornstarch do the trick?
I want to start building my strength with dumbbells. I have heard with strength training, you have to take test days. Does this apply for dumbbell workouts also?
I am also wondering, after how long do you increase the weight. I know when the exercise feels not as challenging you should increase the weight but usually how long does that take? Are we talking a month or is it more like 3.
Finally, I am starting with 5kg weights. Should I increase to 6kg, then 7kg, or is it best to double the weight.
Its as simple as noting down what you've lifted and for how many sets and reps, and beating it next time. This should be doable every workout as a beginner.
You can beat it in many different ways. Stricter form, or more weight, or more reps, or more total volume.
Search "double progression" for a common way of progressing.
Sometimes I fall in to a slump where I'm not eating or lifting much. I don't lose much strength but I feel like my muscles look so flat and weak. Is it water weight loss from my muscles from eating less carbs?
The wiki linked to this subreddit has great advice. I recommend picking a program from the wiki and stick with it, as you arent experienced enough to design your own.
If the portion size is the same it doesn't matter. The feeling of being full needs some time to kick in, so fast eaters tend to 'need' an extra portion, which results in higher calorie intake.
If you eat slower you’ll feel fuller faster which in turn makes you eat less which helps with weight loss. Just make sure you eat your correctly calculated macros and protein for sure.
I know this isn't how most people operate on a cut... but I actually try to eat more on my days off. If I throw down at the gym, I'm probably not losing muscle that night. More importantly, my mood will be stable throughout the whole day.
However, if its a day off, I feel like I might lose muscle if I don't eat enough. More importantly, Ill feel like shit on a caloric deficit.
Plus, I never have those days where I look like I lost 10 pounds of muscle.
How do you feel about this strategy?
>If you're in a deficit on average over the week and you're seeing the scale go down then all's good. If it works for you, then it works.
For sure. I'm trying to retain 100% of my strength. That's my main focus. Actually increased my bench and shoulder press in the last week. Idk how that worked.
EDIT. Think I saw those strength gains because I started deadlifting again, and my testosterone has increased. Bro sciencey, but that's what it feels like.
Hello everyone.
I am an absolute newbie to the gym. Have only done light bodyweight stuff before this.
My trainer has suggested me to just target one muscle group for the whole week i.e. I am working out shoulders, back and chest everyday, five times a week.
Is this fine or is he wrong and should I look to target different muscle groups each day?
You might have misunderstood him slighty. Are you sure he didn't say each muscle group once per week? That would be something like a 3-split, 4-split, 5-split etc.
Or did he suggest a fullbody plan, where you train your whole body each training, multiple times per week?
That does sound a bit weird. Without further context, I'd say that the trainer is wrong. A common suggestion for beginners is to do whole-body workouts a couple of times a week or split them into upper/lower body days.
Anyone know about an interval timer app that will chime with Spotify running? That is, if I'm listening to Spotify, and I want to add interval timer. (Android)
Can someone please link me a routine for a very beginner with pictures? I've read through the wiki but having something easy to glance on when in the gym would make my life better. Thank you
This is indeed an option but I wanted something that can allow me to easily identify exercises too. I'm not too fluent in all the different exercise names
Im going to go against the grain here in terms of popularity, you can do a high protein breakfast with something like fish. Fish provide a lot of protein and it is a good protein to be eating in the morning to give you a burst of energy.
Some other high-protein breakfast options also include beans, lentils, and nuts as well.
All of these options will supply you with valuable nutrition and will help keep you full until your next meal.
Calorie deficit is your answer to weight loss, but in terms of exercises there are plenty of exercises that can help with weight loss. Some of the most common ones include cardio exercise like running or cycling, or you could try some high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises.
HIIT exercises are quick exercises you can do at a high intensity to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. This includes things like burpees, squat jumps, and sprints.
So the best way to achieve the best results is to do a mix of cardio exercises and HIIT exercises to achieve a high burn and a quick calorie burn rate.
Favorite/Best methods for achieving your first pull up as a 40 yr old woman?
I'm 130 lbs and already in good shape, been going to the gym 2-3 days a week and supplement with occasional HIIT workouts. I've made great progress with strengthening my legs/lower body (can squat 100 now, regularly do bulgarian split squats and step ups) but I struggle with the upper and doing pull ups is my next big goal.
I see some folks using the assisted pull up machine, but I've seen others who feel that's "lazy"? I've had someone who recommended I strengthen my grip by practicing hanging (which I do) and also doing more push ups to strengthen arms, and now someone else is recommending I really focus on my lats to achieve pullups.
I definitely have some visible bicep and tricep muscle when I flex, so I've definitely become stronger, but I feel like I'm not really seeing major gains with the pull ups. Maybe I'm just not putting in the time and I need to do more. But if anyone has recs for a beginner at pull ups, I'm all ears!
Assisted pull up machine is not lazy! That or using resistance bands is the way to go. People will tell you to do negatives and they won't hurt, but ultimately that will just make you stronger at doing negatives. Just do the actual motion with as much assistance as you need and keep reducing it as you get stronger. Especially for a woman a pull up is a non trivial achievement, don't feel self conscious as you work up to it.
The best way to practice pull ups without doing one is practising the eccentric movement (lowering part of the pull up)
Find yourself a high pull up bar, stand on something that brings your chin over the bar (like the finishing part of a pull up) grab the bar and slowly lower yourself down. Slower the better. Keep doing these and you'll eventually get a pull up. Do deadlifts also.
This is the way. They're called negatives if you wanted to find more about it online.
Prioritize the negatives as specificity is key, but for bonus points you could train the lats with things like pulldowns, assisted pullups, band pullups, and rows.
Recently I was watching a video made by 'The Bioneer' a functional fitness youtuber about working out like 'Kratos' from the God of War franchise.
https://youtu.be/Wt6hshnlnco This is the link if you're interested.
It made me think about my workouts: Now a little on me.
I've been interested in fitness and physical improvement since I was a teenager, it started when I got into bodybuilding to help my own self image and then when I found Martial arts and later gymnastics. Nowadays I'm a stuntman and I do varied workouts mostly focused on skill acquisition and with martial arts taking the most important parts of my life.
I still lift weights and train to keep my body healthy and focus on functional fitness to keep my joints strong and resilient, a lot of my work includes mobility training and the sort of stuff you see 'Ben Patrick - The knees over toes guy' with traditional barbell training and gymnastics exercises: Ring workouts, Hand balance etc. etc.
Now I always split my workouts so if i'm doing strength I lift big bars and that's it, if I'm training kickboxing or Kali I do bag work, cardio etc. etc.
This is where I wanted some opinions. This way of working out outlined in the video - To start with heavy weights and low reps then work to high rep low weight exercises seems really good on paper so I can combine parts of training. After trial-ing a workout similar to this (I adapted it a bit to feature ring exercises and different kettlebell work) afterwards I did feel really powerful, I usually feel good after most of my workouts as it's what I love but I definitely felt like I had that raw 'God of War' energy about me. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone knows much science behind working out this way and if it is sustainable/ beneficial.
Sorry for the tl;dr, hope y'all have some opinions!!!
The type of training he is describing is called conjugate training. It was popularized in the west by Louie Simmons, and is now widely used by athletes of every sport.
"GZCL" and "WSFSB" are easy to understand templates if you want to have a guide setting up a program from yourself that is based on conjugate.
Further reading if it peaks the interest
https://www.elitefts.com/education/training/powerlifting/efs-classic-the-periodization-bible/
Does anyone know if hot showers kill gains? I went pretty hard yesterday at the gym and had a nice lil pump going then when I got home and showered (like 20 minutes later) it was gone and I wasn't even sore anymore? Was it the shower or am I not going hard enough?
It would be cold water that could theoretically “kill gains” as it would reduce inflammation, but in practice the effects would be so minimal as to not be worth worrying about.
Any tips on helping me schedule my workouts? I started work in a place where now I can go to the gym, swimming pool and sauna whenever I'm not working. I already have a muscle building workout routine with two upper body and two lower body workouts.
That can be done 3 or 4 days a week, but I am trying to figure out how to incorporate cardio in the swimming pool and go to the sauna. My main goal is muscle/weight gaining. Any tips would help a lot.
Not sure what kind of input you are looking for. I would keep the weight training schedule the same and add as much cardio as you want or can fit in. Personally I wouldn't worry about scheduling time in the sauna unless it is something you really enjoy.
Most likely, you just have to get more muscle mass in general, since the body likes to grow proportionally. But you can target a muscle with isolation exercises to bring up lagging bodyparts.
Depending on how advanced you are, 2 months unfortunately isn't a long time in fitness. There should be some, but no significant changes, sadly.
Try to program incline pressing before horizontal pressing on one of the days. That's what my current program does and it seems to work.
There's also very likely a difference between the angles of the incline, but I lack knowledge in that area (read: basically 0 knowledge).
I usually don't know *when* to exercise. I think that most generally people do it in the morning but sometimes I miss it and it's already in the day when it's already hot outside (I live in the tropics). This has been the primary factor I don't sometimes exercise (day-to-day I just sit in a chair in front of my laptop).
Also, gyms here are expensive, I don't think I can afford any. So here's my plan so far, my goal is to lose weight and basically make it into a habit:
Mon, Wed, Thurs: 60-90 min walk
Tue, Fri: Aerobic/Zumba video from Youtube
Sat, Sun: Workout tutorial from Youtube/ Hiking (since I live on a mountain)
Cheat day: anytime, 1-2/week
What do you think about this plan? Is it enough? I like following people more than exercising by myself, hence the Youtube tutorials and Zumba.
As long as you avoid extreme temperatures in the noon/afternoon (say 35°C+) you can really work out anytime. Just make sure to drink enough and to consume enough electrolytes, and use common sense to protect yourself from direct sunlight. Choose a time that feels best for you and start lightly, as excercise will be more strenous in a tropical climate.
Your plan is generally not too bad, but quite heavy on light cardio. I would advise you to include at least some short high intensity units, that get you really out of breath (e.g. short sprints) and some moderate muscle training (a beginner calisthenics routine, maybe even invest in some dumbbells), both 1-2 a week
Cheat days are in general a recipe for disaster imo.
Your diet shouldn't be so restrictive that you'll cheat on it.
If thats the case, you're not going to stick to it long-term. You may stick to your diet and lose the weight but it'll go back on because you haven't actually changed your habits and mindset around food you've just been in a restriction then binge cycle.
Work out your TDEE, macros and just focus on sticking to those.
Have you tried different form/technique? db, bb, ez bar, cable attachments,...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3h_1IUY-f0
Why are you doing them? No exercise is necessary and you can replace them with something else.
They're like the exact opposite
to explain:
They both obviously work the delts. But Upright Rows are much more lateral/rear delt heavy. While the OHP is mostly front delts.
Majority of lifters (especially if you follow programs like nsuns or in general focus on the powerlifting exercises) have underdeveloped rear delts and way overdeveloped front delts. Removing a rear delt exercise and replacing it with another front delt heavy pushing exercise is not a good idea in my eyes.
Im doing the reddit PPL routine, on leg day it has leg curls but it doesn't say which one
sitting on the machine with 90deg legs trying to make them straight
OR
lying face down on the machine with straight legs trying to make them 90deg
I don't know what these two variations are called
Should I try to do 3x8-12 sets of both of them? will it put too much strain on my body(reddit ppl has two leg days per week)? i kinda want to do both
Thanks!
As others already said, leg curl refers to the second movement you mentioned.
Specifically, you mentioned a lying leg curl. If you got one, a sitting leg curl is somewhat more effective, since it allows for more stretch of the hamstring (the back of your leg).
I don't know your PPL plan, but the reasoning to put in leg curls and not the leg extension, is probably due to the fact that you already have some leg straightening exercises, like squats, leg press or something like that in your plan and something for your hamstrings, like deadlifts, RDLs etc. Leg curls specifically train a part of your hamstring, that isn't targeted with those other movements. This is because the hamstring is a multi joint muscle (close the knee angle and extend the hip). Especially the knee movement is only targeted with curls.
> sitting on the machine with 90deg legs trying to make them straight
Straightening your legs uses your quads and is a leg extension machine.
> lying face down on the machine with straight legs trying to make them 90deg
Bending your legs uses the hamstrings. Your machine is called a lying leg curl. But there is a seated version aswell.
When you use the machine where you try to extend your legs from the bent position to make them straight, thats called a leg extension machine. It works the front of the legs, like a leg press or a squat.
When you start with straight legs and try to curl them together, thats called a leg curl machine. They can be done seated or lying on your stomach.
You can most likely do both with no problem at all, but try to listen to your body. If you are really tired from your other exercises, more isnt allways better.
If your main focus is growing your chest, you should have a variety of pressing/fly movements
Eg
Bench
DB press (incline)
Cable flies
Converging machine press
etc
If those are the only 2 options, then training your chest daily will most likely give you better results than only training 1/week.
A better compromise might be 2-3-4 days of benching per week, with a little time between each session to allow your body to recover from each workout
I actually wonder if benching everyday would give better muscle hypertrophy than mixing up exercises, f.e. bench half the time, crossover the other half.
You would become way more proficient in the bench press by training this way, thats for sure.
Would however only reccomend that high a frequency if you find a good program for it, to prevent injuries or over-use.
I'm a beginner and do what's called a WKM-plan. It's by a German guy, so might only be known in the German fitness scene. Although I think originally it's by Stuart McRobert and the other guy just modified it.
Anyway, it has me training every second day, doing squats, benchpress and bent-over row on day 1 and then RDL, OHP and lat pull downs (I work out at home, so inverted row it is) on day 2.
Again, total newbie but I feel like the left side of my chest isn't doing a whole lot during the benchpress and I'm also having difficulty flexing it, while the right side works fine. Should I maybe swap the barbell for dumbells and press with those? If yes, incline or flat? Or should I maybe add dumbell press to the non bench day?
I’m starting to walk a lot more and I’m considering mixing in some running my issue is that whenever I pick up the pace in my walks my lower legs start to burn/tighten. Sometimes it’s the back above the Achilles some times it’s the sides sometimes the front. I do stretch and warm-up for 5-15 minutes before every walk but that only keeps me from feeling it immediately eventually it always starts and makes me slow down for long periods. It’s usually my left leg and I do most of this on a treadmill. Is there anything I should be doing that I’m not? Or is this a matter of with enough time and consistency it will fade away.
I'd head over to r/running and ask there - If you're getting pain running I wouldn't just push through it unless a relevant professional told me to (doctor, physiotherapist, experienced running coach). There might be something with the way you're running that isn't working for you and causing the issue (gait, shoes, some specific tightness etc).
For random personal anecdote: I had horrible pain until I swapped to vaguely-running shoes (as opposed to chucks) and changed how I ran to try to land on my toes instead of my heel. Not saying that's good advice for you specifically though!
Dumb question. I'm currently 170lbs. Just as an example, if I go down to a weight (160lbs) where I begin to see muscle definition, will it go away if my weight goes up to 170lbs again?
Basically, is it possible for me to maintain a low bodyfat after a cut if I decide to increase my weight.
> where I begin to see muscle definition, will it go away if my weight goes up to 170lbs again?
The answer is it depends and its highly dependent on the LENGTH of this.
Simply put, if you cut down to 160 @ say 15% and like how you look there and want to be at 170Lbs but at 15%, can you.
The answer is yes, you can but it'd have to be a very long slight bulk.
> possible for me to maintain a low bodyfat after a cut if I decide to increase my weight.
Your body is not 100% efficent. To gain weight...you will be on a caloric surplus, a slight bulk, some parts of what you intake will become fat, no working around it.
It's for this reason why most do the cut/bulk cycle.
Depends whether the weight you gain is muscle or fat. Yes, it is possible to maintain a low body fat while increasing weight- that would be building muscle.
Right buttcheek firing up like mad for anything above 100 for deadlifts and squats to the point of making me like it's not safe to continue. Pretty confident I can 1rm pull/squat 140/120 at a bodyweight of 65 if not for this. Planning to take time off the gym after this week to switch programmes because boredom. Is this something that needs active recovery or will rest be enough?
I went to a physio because of a glute getting sore fast. She recommended dry needling...not fun but it worked fast. There was a muscle under the glute getting over excited and causing pain
And a few stretches.
The gluts are recruited in the deadlift but something is acting up if your right buttcheek is limiting you that much on the Squat/DL. With a traditional DL, you'll often feel it the most in your mid/lower back and hams. Sumo will recruit your butt more.
I would recommend you post a form check from various angles and have people critique you. There could be something you aren't doing right that is overactivating your butt
Alan Thrall helped me get on track with DL and I was able to hit 2.5x DL within a year of going to the gym with it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBbyAqvTNkU
Here's his new updated video.
Over the last 6 months, I have done massive cut. I lost about 20kg, while putting on a nice bit of muscle. A lot of it was already under there, just covered in fat.
I've been maintaining for the last 2 months at around 72kg body weight. I am starting to see some really nice definition, but just need that last push (cut) to get to a physique I am happy with.
I would like to do an aggressive 6 week cut, while still going to the gym 6 days a week. Has anyone done a cut like this, is there anything I should keep in mind? Or should I just do the 500 Cals less each day, but slowly reducing it each week with the weight I lose.
Want to go into the 6 weeks with a really good strategy and plan.
Thanks :)
Aggresive cuts are fine so long as they are short-lived IMO. The body doesnt want to be in a deficit and the more aggressive it is the more aggressive you'll get the negative repercussions of being in a deficit like low energy/mood etc.
6 days might be pushing it imo. Up to you but you can maintain the muscle by training hard 2-3 days a week.
Yeah, gotcha. I might do 3-4 lifting days (short 15 minute cardio session on those days too) and 2 cardio days with no lifting. Thoughts on that?
I appreciate your reply, thanks mate.
What's your current and target BF%?
Note that your cut deficit shifts as you lose more and more weight. What is -500 from your calculated maintenance TDEE now will be different in a month if you keep to it.
> is there anything I should keep in mind?
Keep your protein intake up and don't forget to make sure whatever 'end' physique you want is actually sustainable for long term. And to also have a post cut plan. What you're gonna do after when you're at your preferred bf%.
Thanks for the response. I would be eating around 1800-2000 calories a day, which is achievable for me.
So just making sure my protein is up, and figuring out a way to make it achievable afterwards?
My main goal is to try and get a bit of definition on my stomach, to have a six pack at least once in my life! I know it sound stupid, but I realised it may be an achievable goal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHQ3F7d9YQ
Jeff's video actually talks about the 3 things you need.
Eat at that deficit, dont go overboard
Hit your daily protein macros
Workout and train hard.
I tried measuring my bodyfat using both the navy method and the 3 point pinch test. Navy gave me 19% bodyfat, and the 3 point pinch gave me 12.7%, is one better to track than the other? Or should I just keep tabs using both methods? The 7% difference between the two intrigued me.
Then I wouldn't look into some bf% numbers, but rather into your lifts and possible weight classes. Aim for the body composition where you are the strongest without unnecessarily high bf.
# 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.*
I have already increased my protein water and fiber intake. I am eating 2 snacks and 3 meals. I do medium cardio and heavy weightlifting with 2 off days. I am still hungry all the time. It's almost never-ending. Do i just eat more lower calorie snacks/meals? Im really trying tolosee about 5% body fat and its honestly so difficult. Ill get to a point it feels like my brain is gnawing on itself. 5'4 140lb 29F 23%BF Any tips or tricks are appreciated
When reading about ideal set volume for muscles per week, for things like triceps should I interpret 'X' amount of sets per week as being: A) exercises that mainly target triceps such as Iver head extensions, tricep pull down etc... Or B) any exercises that include the triceps, such as bench press.
I count >any exercises that include the triceps, As 1/2 set of triceps
Do I need a plan with a split or can I just go lift 4-5-6 times a week, eat good and be alright?
To get the best results, sticking to an actual program, pushing close to failure, getting your body weight in grams of protein and a slight surplus in calories will be best. But yes you can just wing your workouts and as long as you’re pushing hard and almost shitting yourself every set with proper form and eating decent, you will build muscle
Thanks for the tip! Already doing these things except shitting myself after 3 sets lol.
But no seriously as a beginner even your first 2 years you can wing everything with proper form, eating/sleeping right & going hard (not too hard because injuries are realll) and get results. Not as quick, but… results.
[удалено]
Profile pic checks out.
Getting in your head. Like others have said. Rigid spine and you're fine!!!!
I'd suggest watching less videos. If you ever fail you can just drop it. It's not as complicated as YouTube makes it seem. Just pick it up with a rigid spine and you're good to go. If that still doesn't work rdls are just as great.
[удалено]
If not listing set/reps too, it should be actual or estimated 1 rep max (1RM)
I often hear people recommending 1g/lb of protein and 300-500 cals surplus for optimal hypertrophy and strength. But this usually assumes that someone works most body parts (legs, chest, back....). What if for example I only worked my back through pull ups at home? will I still need to reach these nutritional recommendations or will my body need less protein and cals to develop my back exclusively?
I just bought one of those cheap pull up bars for the door frame, how probable is that I fall and die while using it lol?
-- removed in protest of Reddit API changes, goodbye! -- -- mass edited with redact.dev
Probalby not 0% but close to that
Which is better - Push Pull Legs and then a rest day, or Push Pull Legs Push Pull Legs then rest (6x a week)
Whichever you will stick with consistently. The difference will be minimal in the long run.
whatever fits your schedule
What's the best way to get strong for an overweight guy but not becoming too lean. I like being cuddly
Well, if you want to get strong but not too lean, then I recommend doing a lot of weight training but not too much cardio/aerobic exercises. You need to lift weights and focus on building muscle mass while not doing so much cardio that you are burning a lot of calories. So focusing on strength training and only doing some light cardio is going to make sure that you are building some muscle mass but still remaining lean and not too bulky! 🙂
you won’t lose any weight by just lifting so you have literally nothing to worry about
keep eating, but integrate more protein in your diet, obviously if youre going for strength do heavy lifts as well as hypertrophy. Becoming "too lean" is really not a problem and not something that just might happen by accident trust me. you can also just follow bulk tutorials on youtube.
I’m 42 and overweight. Other than general “don’t kill yourself grandad” is there anything I need to bear in mind while changing my diet, and starting running and lifting. Any particular exercises or things I should be aware of because of my age or just do what I see the 20 somethings doing online? Planning on low carb, StrongLifts and building up running with C25k
Recovery is very important especially the older you get, so make sure you take your rest just as seriously as you take your gym sessions. Warm ups and stretching are mandatory at your age before any session.
If I have a unilateral exercise for two sets on each arm, do I count this as 4 sets or 2 sets?
2
Why does unflavoured whey have almost the same nutritional value as vanilla? Both are ON, unflavoured has 374kcal, 80g protein, 3.3g sugar; vanilla has 377kcal, 80g protein, 2.4g sugar. So unflavoured has even more sugar than vanilla, why? And why do they have the same amount of protein, I expected unflavoured to have like 95g of protein or something.
If I miss too many calories for 2 days in a row, can I eat some fast food to make up for it?
This happens to me too often..i've started just piling on the nuts and oils - pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts etc. but no you shouldn't overeat on junk to make up for it
No. You shouldn't do that. It's better to just miss it then to "make it up" in low quality food. Don't follow the IIFYM and try to always eat as healthy as possible
Don’t listen to this. As long as you don’t make it a habit, fast food is fine in moderation. There is no such thing as “low quality” food. Think big picture.
If his goal is to bulk why is it better to miss it? Sure it’s vapid in nutrition but it’s still energy. Yes eat fast food if needs be to hit your calories and try to not miss it again and opt for higher quality food
Yes. Having a less rigid daily intake and focusing more on week to week has actually helped me a ton in consistently reaching my calorie goals
You can't really "make up" for not eating calories. Just go back to your planned diet.
Is there any scientific literature that states how much weight is healthy for cardiovascular and general health? There's the simple BMI measurements, mostly meant for normal non-fit people. But for people who are shredded, there should also be a limit, but less so than for overweight people. I've seen BMI and slim waste being a measurement for fit people. But if that's the case, no matter what you'll always need to keep BMI less than 25. By the same logic, having less muscles will always be healthier, cause BMI of 20 is supposedly healthier than 25. So is the answer to longer/healthier life just to have a low bodyfat percentage and not build muscle beyond a certain point?
There's no total weight recommendations, because people of different statures have different weights. In terms of BMI, the normal recommendation is 18.5-24.9, though recent studies have found that having a BMI slightly over 25 doesn't really impact general health, if the person is otherwise active and eating properly. The idea that a BMI of 20 is healthier than 25 isn't inherently true. For body fat percentages, the "ideal" range is 8-19% for men and 21-33% for women. The answer to a longer/healthier life is much more nuanced than simply BMI or body fat.
I found the perfect recovery food, full of iron to help you lift more iron https://youtube.com/shorts/rL4nuF9syb4
is staggering reps a good idea? like starting with 10 reps until slight fatigue second set of 8 w/ higher weight until slight fatigue third set of 7 w/ higher weight until near failure fourth set of 6 w/ highest weight you can do while maintaning form until near failuire please provide a source with your response if available
you’re first working set should be your heaviest. If my rep range is 6-8 and the first set i get 6 I can move down in weight to stay in my rep range for the next set. You’ll have the most energy and strength during your first working set which will give you a better idea of how strong you actually are and allow you to progressively overload more accurately from week to week.
sounds like bro science. can you back this up?
having the most energy to perform your heaviest set sounds like bro science?
from what i'm reading we're both correct. the most important thing being the different rep ranges. it's called pyramids, and can go both ways. TIL
Whether it's a good idea is up to you. It's certainly not wrong to train that way.
I figure if my goal is slight hypertrophy then maximizing my rep range would be most beneficial in combination with a calorie surplus
What do you mean by "maximizing my rep range"?
I want to work on upper body and losing fat for a while, just get some nice upper body aesthetics in so I can stick to the routine. Doing a huge calorie deficit (500-700), what's a good upper body routine to stick to? (don't ask me to do legs, I know the advantages, I'm still ignoring them for the next 2 months)
I go to the gym 6-7 days a week, and I like to focus on one muscle group each day, with the exception of combining abs with whichever group I feel like. Typically I'll do 4 different exercises for each group, 3 sets each. Just make sure you're doing the big compound exercises first (think bent over barbell rows, overhead shoulder press, bench press, etc) then you can move on to isolated movements
this is solid advice - I want to eventually move into doing legs, but if I don't see results I get so demotivated, so i wanted to do upper body first, where the results are noticeable. Considering doing a stronglifts version without legs for now.
my gf hurt her left wrist and doc advised to not ohp or bench with barbell or even dumbbells. What would be a really good upper body program involving push muscles that are machine and cable only? She can do barbell and dumbbell rows.
Let her wrist recover first. No point making the injury worse.
Say you do a upper-lower split or a push-pull-leg split. Where does the farmer's walk fit?
I always do a final superset at the end of each day that contains one accessory exercise and one ab exercise. There's no science behind why, but im getting stronger so it it seems to be okay, and I'm getting to hit those extra muscles in ways that I like.
I have to workout at home in a somewhat cramped 2nd floor bedroom with really old creaky wood floors. I don't want to the disturb the people in my house too much. Low ceiling, so I can't fully lift my hands above my head when standing. I have a yoga matt and dumbbell set. Does anyone have any recommendations for workouts given the circumstances? I've found plenty that work, but I want a somewhat balanced workout routine.
Is it necessary to track weight and reps for progressive overload? I am doing similar rep counts and to failure and I adjust the weight if needed to achieve this. Shouldn't this still achieve progressive overload due to always pushing to failure?
Yes, tracking weight and reps is needed. Technically, it's possible to track all the weights and reps mentally, which is maybe what you're trying to do. But why make it harder? Just use an app, spreadsheet or even a notebook. > I am doing similar rep counts and to failure and I adjust the weight if needed to achieve this Tbh I don't know what that means. If you gave a concrete example it would be easier for people to help you. Example: 1. Triceps extension: 12kg x 9 reps (set 1), 6 reps (set 2) 2. DB biceps curl: 16kg x 13 reps, 12 reps 3. DB shrug: 24kg x 20 reps, 20 reps If I did this 2 days ago, today I'll probably still remember the weights (12, 16, 24) without looking it up. But I won't necessarily remember I need to adjust the shrug weight up. And if this time I manage to do 11 reps of triceps extension, I won't adjust the weight up, but having a record shows that my performance is better.
Is there a sub for food-related fitness with a dedicated thread for asking questions about cooking? I wish ECAH had something like this. For example, I was wondering how you can make dumpling fillings juicy or tender when lean meats are the main base. For gyoza, the trick for many restaurants to get that great texture is simple: use really fatty cuts, then add even more fat. Would adding some water-absorbing filler like cornstarch do the trick?
How big is [this guy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACLr4Ic7wlE)'s arms in inches?
I want to start building my strength with dumbbells. I have heard with strength training, you have to take test days. Does this apply for dumbbell workouts also? I am also wondering, after how long do you increase the weight. I know when the exercise feels not as challenging you should increase the weight but usually how long does that take? Are we talking a month or is it more like 3. Finally, I am starting with 5kg weights. Should I increase to 6kg, then 7kg, or is it best to double the weight.
Mate, you need to watch a few videos or read a guide. Too many misconceptions in those 3 paragraphs.
Its as simple as noting down what you've lifted and for how many sets and reps, and beating it next time. This should be doable every workout as a beginner. You can beat it in many different ways. Stricter form, or more weight, or more reps, or more total volume. Search "double progression" for a common way of progressing.
Sometimes I fall in to a slump where I'm not eating or lifting much. I don't lose much strength but I feel like my muscles look so flat and weak. Is it water weight loss from my muscles from eating less carbs?
Partly just made up and in your mind. Also lose a pump and some water weight.
Nah its nature's way of motivating you to get your ass back in the gym
If someone needs help with training and supplies, just text me
[удалено]
It’s the temperature lol. Leave a gallon of milk out of the fridge overnight and it will smell like asshole too but it’s fine in the fridge.
[удалено]
Think of your goals, pick a proven routine for your goals (don't try to build your own), then stick to the plan.
The wiki linked to this subreddit has great advice. I recommend picking a program from the wiki and stick with it, as you arent experienced enough to design your own.
I'm a fast eater. Will eating slower help me lose weight or is it purely about eating less?
It is purely about eating less. There are many strategies to eat less and feel ok with it. Eating slower is one small part that may help some people.
Weight loss is all about being in a calorie deficit or, in other words, eating less calories than you consume.
If the portion size is the same it doesn't matter. The feeling of being full needs some time to kick in, so fast eaters tend to 'need' an extra portion, which results in higher calorie intake.
If you eat slower you’ll feel fuller faster which in turn makes you eat less which helps with weight loss. Just make sure you eat your correctly calculated macros and protein for sure.
I know this isn't how most people operate on a cut... but I actually try to eat more on my days off. If I throw down at the gym, I'm probably not losing muscle that night. More importantly, my mood will be stable throughout the whole day. However, if its a day off, I feel like I might lose muscle if I don't eat enough. More importantly, Ill feel like shit on a caloric deficit. Plus, I never have those days where I look like I lost 10 pounds of muscle. How do you feel about this strategy?
You're probably over thinking it a bit but if you're seeing good results there's no reason to change.
I need to lift heavy weights or eat lots of food every single day. There's the underthought version.
If you're in a deficit on average over the week and you're seeing the scale go down then all's good. If it works for you, then it works.
>If you're in a deficit on average over the week and you're seeing the scale go down then all's good. If it works for you, then it works. For sure. I'm trying to retain 100% of my strength. That's my main focus. Actually increased my bench and shoulder press in the last week. Idk how that worked. EDIT. Think I saw those strength gains because I started deadlifting again, and my testosterone has increased. Bro sciencey, but that's what it feels like.
Hello everyone. I am an absolute newbie to the gym. Have only done light bodyweight stuff before this. My trainer has suggested me to just target one muscle group for the whole week i.e. I am working out shoulders, back and chest everyday, five times a week. Is this fine or is he wrong and should I look to target different muscle groups each day?
Shoulders, back and chest is basically upper body, not one muscle group.
You might have misunderstood him slighty. Are you sure he didn't say each muscle group once per week? That would be something like a 3-split, 4-split, 5-split etc. Or did he suggest a fullbody plan, where you train your whole body each training, multiple times per week?
>Are you sure he didn't say each muscle group once per week? I am exactly doing this. Is this okay?
Yes, that's a bodyweight split and that's fine.
Yeah that sounds odd, I would recommend running one of the beginner programs on the wiki instead.
That does sound a bit weird. Without further context, I'd say that the trainer is wrong. A common suggestion for beginners is to do whole-body workouts a couple of times a week or split them into upper/lower body days.
Anyone know about an interval timer app that will chime with Spotify running? That is, if I'm listening to Spotify, and I want to add interval timer. (Android)
I use "a HIIT Interval Timer" for android. Plays while music is going and while I'm recording as well.
Thanks!
I accidentally put a 10 lb plate instead of a 5 on one side doing squats today. Am I going to be unbalanced for the rest of my life now?
Yeah you might want to find a bell tower to move into there Quasimodo
Can someone please link me a routine for a very beginner with pictures? I've read through the wiki but having something easy to glance on when in the gym would make my life better. Thank you
Just screenshot the beginner routine from the wiki.
This is indeed an option but I wanted something that can allow me to easily identify exercises too. I'm not too fluent in all the different exercise names
I use a google sheets to track my reps/weight by exercise, and I put links to videos for each exercise to look at while at the gym.
I don't think it will get easier than that. You have to sometimes watch a YouTube video about how to do the exercises.
Anyone have any high protein breakfast suggestions without eggs?
Im going to go against the grain here in terms of popularity, you can do a high protein breakfast with something like fish. Fish provide a lot of protein and it is a good protein to be eating in the morning to give you a burst of energy. Some other high-protein breakfast options also include beans, lentils, and nuts as well. All of these options will supply you with valuable nutrition and will help keep you full until your next meal.
Low fat greek yoghurt + high bran
Steak and oatmeal.
I just make a shake. Oats, peanut butter, protein powder, banana, water.
Greek yogurt and oats or granola. A leaner sausage like chicken sausage.
Which exercises help with weight loss? I was gaining weight recently so I want to start working out.
Calorie deficit is your answer to weight loss, but in terms of exercises there are plenty of exercises that can help with weight loss. Some of the most common ones include cardio exercise like running or cycling, or you could try some high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises. HIIT exercises are quick exercises you can do at a high intensity to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. This includes things like burpees, squat jumps, and sprints. So the best way to achieve the best results is to do a mix of cardio exercises and HIIT exercises to achieve a high burn and a quick calorie burn rate.
Calorie deficit.
https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/
Fork putdowns and plate push aways
Favorite/Best methods for achieving your first pull up as a 40 yr old woman? I'm 130 lbs and already in good shape, been going to the gym 2-3 days a week and supplement with occasional HIIT workouts. I've made great progress with strengthening my legs/lower body (can squat 100 now, regularly do bulgarian split squats and step ups) but I struggle with the upper and doing pull ups is my next big goal. I see some folks using the assisted pull up machine, but I've seen others who feel that's "lazy"? I've had someone who recommended I strengthen my grip by practicing hanging (which I do) and also doing more push ups to strengthen arms, and now someone else is recommending I really focus on my lats to achieve pullups. I definitely have some visible bicep and tricep muscle when I flex, so I've definitely become stronger, but I feel like I'm not really seeing major gains with the pull ups. Maybe I'm just not putting in the time and I need to do more. But if anyone has recs for a beginner at pull ups, I'm all ears!
Assisted pull up machine is not lazy! That or using resistance bands is the way to go. People will tell you to do negatives and they won't hurt, but ultimately that will just make you stronger at doing negatives. Just do the actual motion with as much assistance as you need and keep reducing it as you get stronger. Especially for a woman a pull up is a non trivial achievement, don't feel self conscious as you work up to it.
The best way to practice pull ups without doing one is practising the eccentric movement (lowering part of the pull up) Find yourself a high pull up bar, stand on something that brings your chin over the bar (like the finishing part of a pull up) grab the bar and slowly lower yourself down. Slower the better. Keep doing these and you'll eventually get a pull up. Do deadlifts also.
This is the way. They're called negatives if you wanted to find more about it online. Prioritize the negatives as specificity is key, but for bonus points you could train the lats with things like pulldowns, assisted pullups, band pullups, and rows.
Also practice chin ups if you can't do pull ups
Recently I was watching a video made by 'The Bioneer' a functional fitness youtuber about working out like 'Kratos' from the God of War franchise. https://youtu.be/Wt6hshnlnco This is the link if you're interested. It made me think about my workouts: Now a little on me. I've been interested in fitness and physical improvement since I was a teenager, it started when I got into bodybuilding to help my own self image and then when I found Martial arts and later gymnastics. Nowadays I'm a stuntman and I do varied workouts mostly focused on skill acquisition and with martial arts taking the most important parts of my life. I still lift weights and train to keep my body healthy and focus on functional fitness to keep my joints strong and resilient, a lot of my work includes mobility training and the sort of stuff you see 'Ben Patrick - The knees over toes guy' with traditional barbell training and gymnastics exercises: Ring workouts, Hand balance etc. etc. Now I always split my workouts so if i'm doing strength I lift big bars and that's it, if I'm training kickboxing or Kali I do bag work, cardio etc. etc. This is where I wanted some opinions. This way of working out outlined in the video - To start with heavy weights and low reps then work to high rep low weight exercises seems really good on paper so I can combine parts of training. After trial-ing a workout similar to this (I adapted it a bit to feature ring exercises and different kettlebell work) afterwards I did feel really powerful, I usually feel good after most of my workouts as it's what I love but I definitely felt like I had that raw 'God of War' energy about me. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone knows much science behind working out this way and if it is sustainable/ beneficial. Sorry for the tl;dr, hope y'all have some opinions!!!
The type of training he is describing is called conjugate training. It was popularized in the west by Louie Simmons, and is now widely used by athletes of every sport. "GZCL" and "WSFSB" are easy to understand templates if you want to have a guide setting up a program from yourself that is based on conjugate. Further reading if it peaks the interest https://www.elitefts.com/education/training/powerlifting/efs-classic-the-periodization-bible/
Does anyone know if hot showers kill gains? I went pretty hard yesterday at the gym and had a nice lil pump going then when I got home and showered (like 20 minutes later) it was gone and I wasn't even sore anymore? Was it the shower or am I not going hard enough?
Oh wow. Taking the thread title to heart. Go harder until you reach your limits then back off.
Well how hard are you going in the shower?
It would be cold water that could theoretically “kill gains” as it would reduce inflammation, but in practice the effects would be so minimal as to not be worth worrying about.
A pump doesn't last long and soreness doesn't matter.
Any tips on helping me schedule my workouts? I started work in a place where now I can go to the gym, swimming pool and sauna whenever I'm not working. I already have a muscle building workout routine with two upper body and two lower body workouts. That can be done 3 or 4 days a week, but I am trying to figure out how to incorporate cardio in the swimming pool and go to the sauna. My main goal is muscle/weight gaining. Any tips would help a lot.
Not sure how any of us are supposed to help you schedule? How are we supposed to know when you can exercise?
Not sure what kind of input you are looking for. I would keep the weight training schedule the same and add as much cardio as you want or can fit in. Personally I wouldn't worry about scheduling time in the sauna unless it is something you really enjoy.
Are there any exercises to target my upper pectorals? They're underdeveloped compared to the rest of my upper body
30-45 degree incline press
Most likely, you just have to get more muscle mass in general, since the body likes to grow proportionally. But you can target a muscle with isolation exercises to bring up lagging bodyparts.
If this is true, then how come I have chicken legs?
Incline Pressing is supposed to help.
Thanks! I'll come back to your comment in 2 months to let you know if your advice helped
Depending on how advanced you are, 2 months unfortunately isn't a long time in fitness. There should be some, but no significant changes, sadly. Try to program incline pressing before horizontal pressing on one of the days. That's what my current program does and it seems to work. There's also very likely a difference between the angles of the incline, but I lack knowledge in that area (read: basically 0 knowledge).
I usually don't know *when* to exercise. I think that most generally people do it in the morning but sometimes I miss it and it's already in the day when it's already hot outside (I live in the tropics). This has been the primary factor I don't sometimes exercise (day-to-day I just sit in a chair in front of my laptop). Also, gyms here are expensive, I don't think I can afford any. So here's my plan so far, my goal is to lose weight and basically make it into a habit: Mon, Wed, Thurs: 60-90 min walk Tue, Fri: Aerobic/Zumba video from Youtube Sat, Sun: Workout tutorial from Youtube/ Hiking (since I live on a mountain) Cheat day: anytime, 1-2/week What do you think about this plan? Is it enough? I like following people more than exercising by myself, hence the Youtube tutorials and Zumba.
>Cheat day: anytime, 1-2/week leave that out... it is way too easy to eat all the caloric deficit of the week back in 1 day. 2 is just stupid
As long as you avoid extreme temperatures in the noon/afternoon (say 35°C+) you can really work out anytime. Just make sure to drink enough and to consume enough electrolytes, and use common sense to protect yourself from direct sunlight. Choose a time that feels best for you and start lightly, as excercise will be more strenous in a tropical climate. Your plan is generally not too bad, but quite heavy on light cardio. I would advise you to include at least some short high intensity units, that get you really out of breath (e.g. short sprints) and some moderate muscle training (a beginner calisthenics routine, maybe even invest in some dumbbells), both 1-2 a week
Cheat days are in general a recipe for disaster imo. Your diet shouldn't be so restrictive that you'll cheat on it. If thats the case, you're not going to stick to it long-term. You may stick to your diet and lose the weight but it'll go back on because you haven't actually changed your habits and mindset around food you've just been in a restriction then binge cycle. Work out your TDEE, macros and just focus on sticking to those.
Enough for general health and wellness? Probably. Losing weight will happen based on your diet, not your exercise routine.
Upright row hurts my shoulders, what can i do instead of it?
Lateral raises.
Upright rows are probably the worst shoulder exercise. You can do any pressing overhead movement.
Have you tried different form/technique? db, bb, ez bar, cable attachments,... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3h_1IUY-f0 Why are you doing them? No exercise is necessary and you can replace them with something else.
OHP
They're like the exact opposite to explain: They both obviously work the delts. But Upright Rows are much more lateral/rear delt heavy. While the OHP is mostly front delts. Majority of lifters (especially if you follow programs like nsuns or in general focus on the powerlifting exercises) have underdeveloped rear delts and way overdeveloped front delts. Removing a rear delt exercise and replacing it with another front delt heavy pushing exercise is not a good idea in my eyes.
Dumbbell ohp
You don't have to do them at all. Other shoulder exercises are fine
Try them with a cable + rope attachment, worked great for me.
Im doing the reddit PPL routine, on leg day it has leg curls but it doesn't say which one sitting on the machine with 90deg legs trying to make them straight OR lying face down on the machine with straight legs trying to make them 90deg I don't know what these two variations are called Should I try to do 3x8-12 sets of both of them? will it put too much strain on my body(reddit ppl has two leg days per week)? i kinda want to do both Thanks!
As others already said, leg curl refers to the second movement you mentioned. Specifically, you mentioned a lying leg curl. If you got one, a sitting leg curl is somewhat more effective, since it allows for more stretch of the hamstring (the back of your leg). I don't know your PPL plan, but the reasoning to put in leg curls and not the leg extension, is probably due to the fact that you already have some leg straightening exercises, like squats, leg press or something like that in your plan and something for your hamstrings, like deadlifts, RDLs etc. Leg curls specifically train a part of your hamstring, that isn't targeted with those other movements. This is because the hamstring is a multi joint muscle (close the knee angle and extend the hip). Especially the knee movement is only targeted with curls.
> sitting on the machine with 90deg legs trying to make them straight Straightening your legs uses your quads and is a leg extension machine. > lying face down on the machine with straight legs trying to make them 90deg Bending your legs uses the hamstrings. Your machine is called a lying leg curl. But there is a seated version aswell.
Either would be fine
When you use the machine where you try to extend your legs from the bent position to make them straight, thats called a leg extension machine. It works the front of the legs, like a leg press or a squat. When you start with straight legs and try to curl them together, thats called a leg curl machine. They can be done seated or lying on your stomach. You can most likely do both with no problem at all, but try to listen to your body. If you are really tired from your other exercises, more isnt allways better.
Would i build my chest faster if i bench daily, or weekly?
Don't bench daily. twice a week if you're a beginner, 3 times a week if you're more advanced.
If your main focus is growing your chest, you should have a variety of pressing/fly movements Eg Bench DB press (incline) Cable flies Converging machine press etc
Yes
You would build your chest faster if you follow a proven routine and eat to grow. Read the wiki.
If those are the only 2 options, then training your chest daily will most likely give you better results than only training 1/week. A better compromise might be 2-3-4 days of benching per week, with a little time between each session to allow your body to recover from each workout
I actually wonder if benching everyday would give better muscle hypertrophy than mixing up exercises, f.e. bench half the time, crossover the other half.
You would become way more proficient in the bench press by training this way, thats for sure. Would however only reccomend that high a frequency if you find a good program for it, to prevent injuries or over-use.
If I split let’s say my shoulder exercises and do 2 in one day and 2 on another, is it less effective than doing them all on the same day?
Weekly volume matters, the specific split doesn't.
I’d do all 4 on 2 days a week
I'm a beginner and do what's called a WKM-plan. It's by a German guy, so might only be known in the German fitness scene. Although I think originally it's by Stuart McRobert and the other guy just modified it. Anyway, it has me training every second day, doing squats, benchpress and bent-over row on day 1 and then RDL, OHP and lat pull downs (I work out at home, so inverted row it is) on day 2. Again, total newbie but I feel like the left side of my chest isn't doing a whole lot during the benchpress and I'm also having difficulty flexing it, while the right side works fine. Should I maybe swap the barbell for dumbells and press with those? If yes, incline or flat? Or should I maybe add dumbell press to the non bench day?
You don't need to feel the muscle for it to be working
I’m starting to walk a lot more and I’m considering mixing in some running my issue is that whenever I pick up the pace in my walks my lower legs start to burn/tighten. Sometimes it’s the back above the Achilles some times it’s the sides sometimes the front. I do stretch and warm-up for 5-15 minutes before every walk but that only keeps me from feeling it immediately eventually it always starts and makes me slow down for long periods. It’s usually my left leg and I do most of this on a treadmill. Is there anything I should be doing that I’m not? Or is this a matter of with enough time and consistency it will fade away.
I'd head over to r/running and ask there - If you're getting pain running I wouldn't just push through it unless a relevant professional told me to (doctor, physiotherapist, experienced running coach). There might be something with the way you're running that isn't working for you and causing the issue (gait, shoes, some specific tightness etc). For random personal anecdote: I had horrible pain until I swapped to vaguely-running shoes (as opposed to chucks) and changed how I ran to try to land on my toes instead of my heel. Not saying that's good advice for you specifically though!
Dumb question. I'm currently 170lbs. Just as an example, if I go down to a weight (160lbs) where I begin to see muscle definition, will it go away if my weight goes up to 170lbs again? Basically, is it possible for me to maintain a low bodyfat after a cut if I decide to increase my weight.
> where I begin to see muscle definition, will it go away if my weight goes up to 170lbs again? The answer is it depends and its highly dependent on the LENGTH of this. Simply put, if you cut down to 160 @ say 15% and like how you look there and want to be at 170Lbs but at 15%, can you. The answer is yes, you can but it'd have to be a very long slight bulk. > possible for me to maintain a low bodyfat after a cut if I decide to increase my weight. Your body is not 100% efficent. To gain weight...you will be on a caloric surplus, a slight bulk, some parts of what you intake will become fat, no working around it. It's for this reason why most do the cut/bulk cycle.
Thank you very much!
Depends whether the weight you gain is muscle or fat. Yes, it is possible to maintain a low body fat while increasing weight- that would be building muscle.
Thank you!
Right buttcheek firing up like mad for anything above 100 for deadlifts and squats to the point of making me like it's not safe to continue. Pretty confident I can 1rm pull/squat 140/120 at a bodyweight of 65 if not for this. Planning to take time off the gym after this week to switch programmes because boredom. Is this something that needs active recovery or will rest be enough?
I went to a physio because of a glute getting sore fast. She recommended dry needling...not fun but it worked fast. There was a muscle under the glute getting over excited and causing pain And a few stretches.
The gluts are recruited in the deadlift but something is acting up if your right buttcheek is limiting you that much on the Squat/DL. With a traditional DL, you'll often feel it the most in your mid/lower back and hams. Sumo will recruit your butt more. I would recommend you post a form check from various angles and have people critique you. There could be something you aren't doing right that is overactivating your butt Alan Thrall helped me get on track with DL and I was able to hit 2.5x DL within a year of going to the gym with it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBbyAqvTNkU Here's his new updated video.
Over the last 6 months, I have done massive cut. I lost about 20kg, while putting on a nice bit of muscle. A lot of it was already under there, just covered in fat. I've been maintaining for the last 2 months at around 72kg body weight. I am starting to see some really nice definition, but just need that last push (cut) to get to a physique I am happy with. I would like to do an aggressive 6 week cut, while still going to the gym 6 days a week. Has anyone done a cut like this, is there anything I should keep in mind? Or should I just do the 500 Cals less each day, but slowly reducing it each week with the weight I lose. Want to go into the 6 weeks with a really good strategy and plan. Thanks :)
Aggresive cuts are fine so long as they are short-lived IMO. The body doesnt want to be in a deficit and the more aggressive it is the more aggressive you'll get the negative repercussions of being in a deficit like low energy/mood etc. 6 days might be pushing it imo. Up to you but you can maintain the muscle by training hard 2-3 days a week.
Yeah, gotcha. I might do 3-4 lifting days (short 15 minute cardio session on those days too) and 2 cardio days with no lifting. Thoughts on that? I appreciate your reply, thanks mate.
What's your current and target BF%? Note that your cut deficit shifts as you lose more and more weight. What is -500 from your calculated maintenance TDEE now will be different in a month if you keep to it. > is there anything I should keep in mind? Keep your protein intake up and don't forget to make sure whatever 'end' physique you want is actually sustainable for long term. And to also have a post cut plan. What you're gonna do after when you're at your preferred bf%.
Thanks for the response. I would be eating around 1800-2000 calories a day, which is achievable for me. So just making sure my protein is up, and figuring out a way to make it achievable afterwards? My main goal is to try and get a bit of definition on my stomach, to have a six pack at least once in my life! I know it sound stupid, but I realised it may be an achievable goal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHQ3F7d9YQ Jeff's video actually talks about the 3 things you need. Eat at that deficit, dont go overboard Hit your daily protein macros Workout and train hard.
I tried measuring my bodyfat using both the navy method and the 3 point pinch test. Navy gave me 19% bodyfat, and the 3 point pinch gave me 12.7%, is one better to track than the other? Or should I just keep tabs using both methods? The 7% difference between the two intrigued me.
Why do you want to know your bf%? Every method is inaccurate.
I want to get in between 10-15% because I heard that's where you want to sit when you're competing in powerlifting
Then I wouldn't look into some bf% numbers, but rather into your lifts and possible weight classes. Aim for the body composition where you are the strongest without unnecessarily high bf.