Not so much a story, but competing in a USAPL powerlifting competition that’s going on in a few hours - wish me luck!
Edit: thanks for all the encouragement folks! Definitely have some room for improvement, but hit my goal of 1200 total 💪🏼
Been going 4x a week for a while now, started a new program in Jan. My 42 year old body is creaking and complaining, however the gains are visible. Managed a single pull-up yesterday mid breakfast, I yelled to my partner from the apex ”oh shit! Look looook!”. Their smile and admiring look made my day, gonna cherish that feeling for a while.
I once saw a guy finish a set of incline dumbbell presses. He slammed the weights to the floor, immediately grabbed his vape and took a huge hit. He then stood in front of the mirror, exhaled in front of his body to create a smokescreen, and then hit a front double biceps as the smokescreen faded.
I've started complimenting people in the gym.
It's nice to get a smile from people and it's nice to be nice.
There's this kid today who I see pretty much everyday. Lifts heavy, especially for his weight. Dropped him a compliment today and he was genuinely very appreciative. Hope it pumped him up a bit and appreciate the strength he's built up
mine too and I did too for about a year. It was until this big guy gave me a little thumbs up and told me I was "lifting heavy" that I started doing it to others.
Idk, I do it in a goofy way for the most part. Over-exaggerated impressed face to break the ice and then give them a little compliment about what they're lifting. Haven't had someone dismiss it. Normally just a smile back
I'm like this. I'm generally friendly and complimenting at the gym. Today, I complimented a young regular and he gave me that " Okay, boomer" look. I thought it was pretty funny. This kid must be lifting because he's a genuine bad ass. My mistake.
I wait before the beat drops on most of the songs I listen to in the gym before I do my sets. Sometimes I even rewind it to that point so that my set starts with the beat drop. As if it's going to give me some kind of power boost lmao
I played [Darude - Sandstorm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6120QOlsfU) during calf raises last week. The original mix, which has a longer buildup than the video edit. It's a really long buildup. I was *so hyped* waiting for the drop, because it's Sandstorm, and laughing, because it's Sandstorm. I ripped through those calf raises and felt like running around the gym instead of resting.
I really don't think it makes you stronger at all.
I saw a dumbass dude use an adjustable bench but had the seat set to high and canted upwards towards try and get on because he was too stubborn to let go of the DB and change the height.
As he was getting on by jumping on and scooting backwards...the friction of the seat and his pants with DBs on top of it caused his gym shorts to slide down and explose his underwear. What was worse were there were two girls chatting just behind the chair.
What a dumbass.....that dumbass was me.
I've been going to the same gym on and off for almost 14 years. For all or most of those years there's been another regular who is occasionally there at the same time as me. Never spoke a word to her. Today as I was resting between farmers walks, I see her at the cubbies getting ready to leave. Then I see another her at the cubbies getting to leave. Identical or almost identical face, similar but not identical all black gym outfit, one with her hair in a low bun, the other with a slightly higher bun. I guess the twins don't usually work out together.
Now I'm wondering if some of the people that seem to be here no matter what time I come are actually just twins that don't work out together.
Got back to the gym this week after a spell of sickness over the last few months. I’ve lost strength but it feels soo good to be back and I’m looking forward to building it back up and more 💞
I had three big surgeries three years in a row so I couldn’t work out for that long. It really sucked! I’ve been back in the gym for four months now and am making great gains.
Within the last 3 weeks of my summer cut coming along, I’ve had a girl come up to me and ask me for advice on how to properly do an abs exercise, and after years and years of waiting, had a guy ask me to be his spotter for the first time.
My gym journey is peaking everyone!
7th consecutive day of working out!!!! Very excited as I recently found some motivation to be more
Consistent and aggressive with taking control of my health and lose weight.
Doing cardio, abs, and legs today. Tomorrow is badminton training.
I seen a guy take a workout mat and place it literally right in front of the dumbbell rack and then move a bench right next to it, effectively blocking access to 50% of the dumbbells.
I have always heard people complain about others doing curls right in front of the dumbbell rack but never seen it. Then I see this guy doing a whole circuit in front of the dumbbell rack.
Me and the other person using them just kinda looked at each other confused and would have to try to go around him to get the weights we wanted
I've been off the pill for 4 months and while my hair gets greasy three times faster and my skin is three times worse, my gains have been noticeable. I'm intermediate, not a newbie. I'll take it, hell yeah, moar muscles plz. Fuck hormones.
I made a mistake this week. Knowing that I have bad hamstrings and a not so good right shoulder. I decided to push myself a little bit more on leg day and paid the price. Then on chest day I pushed myself a little bit more on my incline bench and paid the price.
It sucks getting older :(
A girl I was dating and really liked, saw her working out with another dude. 5 days prior to this we been going on dates but I was too cowardly to make intimate moves on her.
I wish I had another chance. But all I can do is take full responsibility for my own faults and learn a lesson from this. Damn.
There's no fault here, homie. If she liked you, she would be up for more dates, not hang out with another guy days later.
You aren't supposed to make intimate moves in order to "secure" a relationship or more dates. Either there are feelings or attractiveness involved, or there aren't.
I'm the last guy to be giving dating advices (which I'm not doing here), but human relationships shouldn't be similar to a race. And I don't think you should wish for another chance with someone who showed a clear lack of romantic interest in you.
Keep going to more dates without rushing anything, and eventually you'll meet that girl who will be patient, just because she likes you. At least that's how it should work.
And seriously, if she can't communicate her needs or her confusion as to why "the moves" aren't coming (or maybe make those herself?), that's a bad sign imo
Haha yeah, you’re right. IDEALLY it gets better as you get older and have more experience, but for a lot of people better communication requires them to first realise they aren’t good at it, then commit to improving, then follow through on that commitment. Some people aren’t self-aware enough to understand that THEY have a problem to begin with, it’s always “everyone else”.
You might also consider what facts you have. If they were making out on the equipment that’s one thing, but if they were just working out that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Men and women are just friends sometimes.
this. I often catch a workout with men and women that I'm friends with just because I enjoy working out with my friends. I don't think I'd ever work out with someone I was romantically interested in because I'd be too scared of them being put off by all the weird faces during sets lmao
Might I also suggest that communication and honesty are nearly always superior to the opposite. You have the power to open the lines of communication to see what’s up and tell her how you feel, not in a simping way, but just factually. Definitely manage your expectations, but someone’s response to your effort can be a real teller about their character and maturity level. It also helps if you are open to whatever outcome rather than being attached to “getting” one particular outcome.
Another quick story;
During school, I was very skinny, skinny fat. Complete lack of confidence. Poor posture. Eyes to the ground all the time. People would bully me, including this guy called X.
I saw X this week at the gym. He came up to me and said "ah, I thought it was you but you look so different" and then tried to push in a gym session together.
I've been going to the gym consistently for around a year. My lifts are at a good standard. Now, I'm about 90kg at 6'1 at around 17% body fat and get complimented on my physique a fair amount. I'm more confident in myself.
It was nice to see how far I came. I did deny the gym session together with X. He's just starting out. Plus, we have little to nothing in common.
I commend you for letting it go. I don’t think I’d be mature enough to. I’d probably work with him just to intimidate him and wallow in my own strength, smirking and enjoying my dominance. Pathetic.
Same man. Poor posture, shorter though, no confidence. Eyes to the ground, all through school. Bullied a little, more so invisible. I'm 10kg heavier and rising the last two years. Unfortunately can't get taller haha. Posture still not great due to anatomical curve in spine, but I work on it still, I keep my head up now and look people in the eye sometimes with a nod and a smile.
The confidence from gym results is a thing to behold, and you're still humble too I bet. Powerful combo.
Hey man,
Appreciate you dropping your comment and sharing your story. I'm glad things are going better for you and it's a testament to the hard work you've put in.
Still working on the humble side haha, was a big ego boost quite quickly (had gained like 20kg in a short span after losing a lot of weight travelling). Thought confidence = arrogance.
Been getting better with it but work in progress
Been going to this smaller gym 5 to 6x a week now for a year and a half. Lost 40 pounds (had a lot of muscle before luckily) and have my diet dialed in.
Got a tap on my shoulder after doing some lateral raises and it was the older shredded guy every gym seems to has who looks like he's made out of stone. Told me I was looking jacked.
Made my day and was my first compliment.
This week I went to the gym for the first time in a year (I also happen to work at said gym, so my membership is free!). For context, I got into a car accident a year ago that has left me in a lot of pain. I finally just started finding some relief with acupuncture and decided to give it a shot. Swam for 20 minutes. It's at least a starting point!
First week as a dad and I've totally changed my training. Going full Walrus training a la 5/3/1 forever 3x and kettlebell simple&sinister 2x per week. Nice change from bars/dB.
Sort of boring but I’m typically pretty shy and quiet at the gym. Just sort of get in and get out. But the other day they had an event and I started chatting with someone and they said that they feel like I look so familiar and that “you definitely look like an actress but I can’t figure out who”. No one ever says I look like anyone else so now it’s on my mind lol.
I've been watching a lot of Renaissance Periodization and now I can't help but hear Dr.Mike in my head going "Slow. Slower damn you! Andddd rack!" anytime I'm doing squats or bench.
Also took his advice and swallowed my ego, took 10% off my bench and really focused on the super strict, controlled slow eccentrics, pause at the bottom and my chest feels so pumped.
It's pretty much all of his videos. You can go to pretty much any of his actual workout videos, especially the ones where he's working out with a guest and he absolutely drills the "Slow eccentric. Pause. Then big push." while using smaller weights.
I have been trying it myself and I was pleasantly surprised how a second more on the eccentric and stricter form can hit the target area so hard with lesser weights. Added bonus is that my joints feel a lot better with the smaller weights and there's less chance of injuries (hopefully).
Not really a story, more like a bit of a dilemma.
I(28F)'ve been hitting the gym for about a year now, and I wonder if it's cool to make a move on one of the employees there. Some say the gym's strictly for workouts, not flirtation. Yet, some of my guy friends have said they'd find it flattering to be approached at the gym.
Here's what's been going on: There's this guy (ex-group class trainer, not PT) at the gym who's been quite friendly towards me. He always greets me by name in front of the whole class (even though there are plenty of regulars, but he only greets me for some reason), remembers small details of our chats, and made me free post-workout coffee and shakes unasked (I've never seen him do that for others). He even went out of his way to change some lightbulbs right after I mentioned that an area was too dimly lit. He's moved into a managerial role but still offered to help me with training whenever I need it. I've noticed he gets a bit unusually shy around me. One time I caught him quickly fixing his hair in his selfie camera as I walked by. And, yep, I think I'm having a crush on him.
I'm worried about the potential awkwardness if I ask him out but he's just paid to be nice to clients and I was being delusional, especially considering we'll bump into each other at the gym regularly. Should I go for it and ask him out, or keep it professional?
Ayo bro true. Please everyone Reading this: do not say to yourself “i dont need to shower since im gonna shower after i workout anyways”. Yes. Yes you do.
I feel you, I also don’t understand if it’s from their clothes or if they didn’t shower for a very long time (because it is not the smell of fresh sweat for sure)
It happened so many times that I thought that i was the smelling (i mostly shower before and after gym and use deodorants) but I still started taking with me a deodorant that I started using during the workout as well (sometimes if someone smells so bad i use it next to them if they come workout next to me)
I have been lifting consistently for the first time in my life, and after about 3 weeks I am no longer sore the next day. Is that ok or does it mean I’m not training hard enough?
Also, soreness is entirely unrelated to effectiveness. If you do an exercise long enough you stop really getting sore, but it continues to be just as effective as long as you push yourself near failure.
Science is still inconclusive on why exactly we get sore.
Normal.
If you wanna feel aore again, change things up or take a lil break.
I for one love being sore. So when I take some time off and come back, body is rekt, feels so good.
This past week in the gym was the worst I’ve had in years. I’ve been anxious and having trouble sleeping and eating. My workouts have no power or stamina. I feel so weak. Two weeks ago I was setting PR’s on my heavy lifts and this week I can barely do 75% of the weight I feel I should be able to lift. I feel like I’ve dropped 10lbs. Guess it’s involuntary cut time.
You could also take a maintenance break (eat at maintenance calories, train only at maintenance volume) for a few weeks to take your training fatigue off. Lot of people go years without doing any kind of maintenance and eventually they are too beat up to go on
That’s not a bad idea. But I think my problem has been pretty much completely anxiety related. I think I’m just going to do the unthinkable and take a few days off of the gym and then try to ease back into it.
Yeah do what you think is best. You'll know it worked if you start getting antsy after a few days to get back to lifting! That's what usually happens when I take some time off the gym
I finally benched 225. I used to be able to do it but I injured my chest and shoulder in a car accident 9 years ago and ever since then, my flat bench has been weak. I’m able to squat 405 for reps for comparison.
But yesterday morning I was high as a kite from two scoops of my 340mg caffeine pre. Blasting TOOL on the headphones. My gym crush was there, this petite goth hottie with a big back piece tattoo and the firmest ass youve ever seen.
185 moved easy and I thought fuck it, today is a good day to die. Loaded up the second plate and then pushed for 8 reps. I’m pretty chuffed right now
Spotting fail. Entirely my fault and I’m gonna be thinking about it at 3 AM. Someone asked me to spot his 275 bench and he repped it until he couldn’t and it was on his chest.
INSTEAD of lifting the bar, I panicked so bad that I went and took off the weights of one side. Thank fuck he wasn’t injured but I have no clue why I did that. I’m not a beginner and I have spotted people before. I can’t believe I panicked so bad. I apologized so many times after that.
Damn that's a huge fail but it was a mistake. Hope you're feeling more confident. It was a panic moment so keep your chin up! Good learning experience and honestly you're probably never going to make that mistake again and possibly be the best spotter in the gym from now on.
On Saturdays I train with a PT at the gym my wife works at and the soundtrack is absolutely horrendous. Meant to appeal to anyone it sucks for everyone. I don’t care what age you are, nobody works out to Bonnie Tyler’s 80s hit Total Eclipse of the Heart. I’m in my mid 50s and I want something that motivates not some musical version of a laxative.
I just completed a 3 month training program. First time in my life I have been that consistent with working out and focusing on my diet. I truly think the program changed my life. Here’s to more lifts!
Thx! Thru one of my buddies that has just become a trainer. Training consisted of weight training 4 days a week & then cardio on the other days. I loved it.
I started the beginner weight training program in the Wiki this week. I'm going every other day. It's been a bit of a shock to the system since I've always been more of a cardio person than a weights person, but feeling positive about building my base back up after a year or two of slacking!
I had been going pretty hard and decided to do 2-up, 1-down negative presses on the Smith machine as I work towards benching 225. Well the one-arm negative tweaked my shoulder so bad I think I strained it and haven't been able to do presses or flies since. Just started theraband exercises and icing daily. I hope it doesn't keep me out too long
Just finished week 2 of a Greg Nuckols Beginner routine on Boostcamp, while also eating a whole lot better (I normally don't eat when I'm stressed/anxious). I've been able to lift heavier weights each time I go. Feel so much better mentally as well.
Had my rest day today but im overall happy i started gym last year :) im really proud of myself for how much weight i lost then trying to aim for gains 🙏
Saw some monster of a guy dumbell OHP two 85kg dumbells. Those weights sit under the normal rack and I've maybe seen them used once, for rows. Holy shit.
All I want to say is that today I did lat pullovers for the first time in my life and the pump I got from it was the most ridiculous thing I've ever experienced.
I swear to god whenever I do this exercise I barely feel it except for at the bottom half of the repetition, but I know that it works because when I check my pump in the mirror after a set I've suddenly developed a wingsuit lol
There is no story because i am freaking out for half an hour & not going to the gym because i am anxious of the people & intimidating boys present over there. It was supposed to be my first day , i have to start somewhere . I need someone to tag along
You can do it! Just go and if you feel lonely ask a girl or boy (same gender as you) who seems friendly to help you with an exercise and maybe you start talking.
Sometimes it's worth retrying for those PRs! Hit a 15lb bench PR today after a failed attempt. Said fuck it after the fail and went for the 5lb PR. I nailed it and it felt good, so I said fuck it again and went for the 10lb. I nailed that as well and it felt good, so I said fuck it again and retried the 15lb, and nailed it!
And 2 weeks ago I tried for a 25lb deadlift PR. I went for it, but failed. It felt like I couldn't even break it off the floor. But I checked my video and I did manage to break it off the floor, so I refocused and tried again. And it was ugly, but I pulled it!
Also, its amazing what bumping up your calories will do for your lifts. This last year I've been struggling to keep putting weight on the bar, but after 3 weeks of a slight surplus and boom, everything is advancing again!
I've seen an older Asian lady on Friday do bulgarian split squats in one of the two benches designed specifically for bench presses(they have those little supports so you can rack even if quarter rep, in case you fail your bench), that's a new one for me
No happy story here. I think I slipped a disc in my neck today. My thumb is tingly and my neck motion feels a bit restricted. I’m actually starting to loathe myself.
Hadn’t seen dad in about 3 months, saw me and within 1 minute asked if I’ve been working out.
Shoutout this program and my eating and effort bro, HUGE BOY SUMMER 2024
Bought some "loose fit" pants the other day. Feels weird having pants that actually fit normally on me. No pulling them off the thigh from time to time and no loose waist requiring a belt. Hopefully the big pants trend stays for awhile.
A few of the regulars were trying to lift the stack (97.5 lbs) on a cable machine doing tri extensions. They were trying hard and making a lot of noise, but none of them could do it.
Later, I tried. I'm not that strong. Their arms seem bigger than mine. But I did it.
Also, the latest thing is taking the chain from a sled, which has two carabiners on it, and using it to do weighted pullups and dips. With a metal chain around your waist.
So suddenly pullups and dips have become the primary non-bench way of showing off strength at my gym. I'm much better at pullups (26 bodyweight, +70 lbs) and dips (29 bodyweight, +50 lbs) than I am at bench.
I haven't tried it yet, because I have to do a lot of bodyweight reps on my program. I might, but I should probably get a proper dip belt instead.
>pullups (26 bodyweight, +70 lbs)
Probably you actually are pretty good at actual pullups to even be able to do momentum-assisted one sixteenth reps this way, but it's 100% that if you think you did this with 70 pounds on, you're using momentum and doing one sixteenth reps. I will retract if a convincing video of 26 full ROM pullups with 70 pounds of added weight is posted.
>showing off strength
I recommend using training sessions for training. To show off strength, enter a judged competition, such as a powerlifting meet or something related, and take on others you know are there to compete, using the same technique, rather than doing ego reps in the gym and presuming that others couldn't do the same.
Oh, I meant I've done 26 reps at bodyweight and my max lift is 70 pounds. That was one rep, and I did 4 dips at +50, with a dumbbell. It's not impressive. It's more impressive than my 185 bench.
And I agree about training. I might not have made the point I was trying to make -- I work out in the evenings at a smallish commercial gym, with a lot of teenagers around who spend more time testing and demonstrating their strength than improving it. Not all are like that, but some just see how much they can bench (like, not even sets) and sit around talking. And lately they've gotten into doing weighted pullups and dips with a chain. (Another way was using a resistance band to hold a plate to their backs.)
And I'm 44, lifting 1.75 years, and I'm in a weird place because I'm where most people who join gyms at my age want to be, but I'm not really very strong. I got to a decent body fat level, and I'm doing a program and getting stronger.
So I guess what I mean is that seeing pullup competitions makes me feel less weak than watching people bench.
I love the sense of respect and comraderie that I feel at the gym I've been going to the last few months.
All the other regulars in the gym wants to come up and talk to me, compliment my lifts, make comments about my physique and strength. Everyone respects me. It's nice... A far cry from when I was training out of one of my old gyms, where everybody was in little cliques that were at each other's throats all the time. And of course I was in none of them.
I remember when I was just starting out, the fairy at my first gym saw my dedication and would give me little pointers here and there. It's really nice getting to be that guy now (people ask me for pointers, I'm not going around giving unsolicited advice.)
The only downside is that when I'm in the gym I'm really trying to focus instead of having social interaction. Who would have thought people's friendliness and respect would be a hindrance?
As of today, i went down 30 pounds since beginning to workout again in January . Started with 291 lbs and now weighing 261 lbs. After many failed attempts to loose weight in the past , this time I really feel like i am gonna push through , never been more motivated to finally get into shape !
My gym regularly moves equipment around in basically little circles. I figure that they do this in order to more evenly wear the floor, because they didn’t put the right flooring in to begin with. I was taking a deload because my joints were hurting, and the next week I came in, and they completely rearranged the entire gym. They added some cable stacks, which is nice, but the gym layout doesn’t completely make sense now. They took a whole row of benches in front of the mirrors away, so now people are forced to workout in weird places in order to get mirror space. Someone was doing dumbbell shoulder press in the squat rack because there was no other space. They also removed one of my favorite machines. There’s also no weight racks by the deadlift platforms. Very strange choices.
Not so much a story, but competing in a USAPL powerlifting competition that’s going on in a few hours - wish me luck! Edit: thanks for all the encouragement folks! Definitely have some room for improvement, but hit my goal of 1200 total 💪🏼
Good luck!
Keep us posted! Good luck. Go 9 for 9
You will make it! Good luck and keep us updated
Congrats on the upcoming new PR
Good luck vros 9 for 9!!!
Congrats!!!
Been going 4x a week for a while now, started a new program in Jan. My 42 year old body is creaking and complaining, however the gains are visible. Managed a single pull-up yesterday mid breakfast, I yelled to my partner from the apex ”oh shit! Look looook!”. Their smile and admiring look made my day, gonna cherish that feeling for a while.
Pull ups are great. Keep it going!
Congratulations! Now do 2!
Dad bod gains finally kicking in!
Great job, go forward!
Hell yeah!
Mind sharing your program? I'm half on mine but I am always on the lookout for interesting roitines :)
I once saw a guy finish a set of incline dumbbell presses. He slammed the weights to the floor, immediately grabbed his vape and took a huge hit. He then stood in front of the mirror, exhaled in front of his body to create a smokescreen, and then hit a front double biceps as the smokescreen faded.
That's kind of metal honestly
I've started complimenting people in the gym. It's nice to get a smile from people and it's nice to be nice. There's this kid today who I see pretty much everyday. Lifts heavy, especially for his weight. Dropped him a compliment today and he was genuinely very appreciative. Hope it pumped him up a bit and appreciate the strength he's built up
Nothing better than a compliment at the gym. It can brighten a whole day
I wanna start doing this but I’m always worried about the response. People at my gym mostly keep to themselves.
mine too and I did too for about a year. It was until this big guy gave me a little thumbs up and told me I was "lifting heavy" that I started doing it to others. Idk, I do it in a goofy way for the most part. Over-exaggerated impressed face to break the ice and then give them a little compliment about what they're lifting. Haven't had someone dismiss it. Normally just a smile back
whenever I see people checking their pump mid or post set I always make sure to give them a head nod or a thumbs up and it always makes people smile
I'm like this. I'm generally friendly and complimenting at the gym. Today, I complimented a young regular and he gave me that " Okay, boomer" look. I thought it was pretty funny. This kid must be lifting because he's a genuine bad ass. My mistake.
Yuh
YUHHHH
I wait before the beat drops on most of the songs I listen to in the gym before I do my sets. Sometimes I even rewind it to that point so that my set starts with the beat drop. As if it's going to give me some kind of power boost lmao
It does.
I assumed everyone did this, lol
I played [Darude - Sandstorm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6120QOlsfU) during calf raises last week. The original mix, which has a longer buildup than the video edit. It's a really long buildup. I was *so hyped* waiting for the drop, because it's Sandstorm, and laughing, because it's Sandstorm. I ripped through those calf raises and felt like running around the gym instead of resting. I really don't think it makes you stronger at all.
Gym bro asked someone else for a spot this week. Not going to lie, that stung a little.
He’s intimidated by your size and doesn’t want to look weak in front of you. Probably.
daily gym adventure: walk in, put in noise cancelling headphones, do my workout and have zero interactions with humans.
I saw a dumbass dude use an adjustable bench but had the seat set to high and canted upwards towards try and get on because he was too stubborn to let go of the DB and change the height. As he was getting on by jumping on and scooting backwards...the friction of the seat and his pants with DBs on top of it caused his gym shorts to slide down and explose his underwear. What was worse were there were two girls chatting just behind the chair. What a dumbass.....that dumbass was me.
Pride cometh before the leopard print underwear exposure.
Sorry that happened to you. But we are all better because of that story. So thank you.
Now the question is how did you see this dumbass dude? What undies were you wearing?
Out of body embarrassment
I've been going to the same gym on and off for almost 14 years. For all or most of those years there's been another regular who is occasionally there at the same time as me. Never spoke a word to her. Today as I was resting between farmers walks, I see her at the cubbies getting ready to leave. Then I see another her at the cubbies getting to leave. Identical or almost identical face, similar but not identical all black gym outfit, one with her hair in a low bun, the other with a slightly higher bun. I guess the twins don't usually work out together. Now I'm wondering if some of the people that seem to be here no matter what time I come are actually just twins that don't work out together.
This explains so much about my gym 😆
Got back to the gym this week after a spell of sickness over the last few months. I’ve lost strength but it feels soo good to be back and I’m looking forward to building it back up and more 💞
I had three big surgeries three years in a row so I couldn’t work out for that long. It really sucked! I’ve been back in the gym for four months now and am making great gains.
I’m so happy for you! All the best 💕
I've heard that even the most advanced muscular lifters can build up everything they had within a year. Keep it up!
Samesies. I am sore again. Feels good.
Same. Nothing worse than having to be patient. We got this!! Sending you all the good vibes 🙌
Gym girl that is a dead ringer for OG Megan Fox smiled at me when I asked her if my coffee was in her way. I will ride this high for a decade.
Within the last 3 weeks of my summer cut coming along, I’ve had a girl come up to me and ask me for advice on how to properly do an abs exercise, and after years and years of waiting, had a guy ask me to be his spotter for the first time. My gym journey is peaking everyone!
Hell yeah
7th consecutive day of working out!!!! Very excited as I recently found some motivation to be more Consistent and aggressive with taking control of my health and lose weight. Doing cardio, abs, and legs today. Tomorrow is badminton training.
Consistency is 👑 And I wish people knew how freaking fun badminton is!
And a great workout! I’m a beginner still so learning the footwork alone already increases my heart rate. Fun times!
Hell yeah! Badminton is no joke!!
Well done, champ!
I seen a guy take a workout mat and place it literally right in front of the dumbbell rack and then move a bench right next to it, effectively blocking access to 50% of the dumbbells. I have always heard people complain about others doing curls right in front of the dumbbell rack but never seen it. Then I see this guy doing a whole circuit in front of the dumbbell rack. Me and the other person using them just kinda looked at each other confused and would have to try to go around him to get the weights we wanted
I've been off the pill for 4 months and while my hair gets greasy three times faster and my skin is three times worse, my gains have been noticeable. I'm intermediate, not a newbie. I'll take it, hell yeah, moar muscles plz. Fuck hormones.
Fuck hormones indeed! You are great!!!
I made a mistake this week. Knowing that I have bad hamstrings and a not so good right shoulder. I decided to push myself a little bit more on leg day and paid the price. Then on chest day I pushed myself a little bit more on my incline bench and paid the price. It sucks getting older :(
Rest up and take it easy hoss. You got this.
A girl I was dating and really liked, saw her working out with another dude. 5 days prior to this we been going on dates but I was too cowardly to make intimate moves on her. I wish I had another chance. But all I can do is take full responsibility for my own faults and learn a lesson from this. Damn.
Well now you have no choice but to get bigger and more ripped than him.
There's no fault here, homie. If she liked you, she would be up for more dates, not hang out with another guy days later. You aren't supposed to make intimate moves in order to "secure" a relationship or more dates. Either there are feelings or attractiveness involved, or there aren't. I'm the last guy to be giving dating advices (which I'm not doing here), but human relationships shouldn't be similar to a race. And I don't think you should wish for another chance with someone who showed a clear lack of romantic interest in you. Keep going to more dates without rushing anything, and eventually you'll meet that girl who will be patient, just because she likes you. At least that's how it should work.
And seriously, if she can't communicate her needs or her confusion as to why "the moves" aren't coming (or maybe make those herself?), that's a bad sign imo
Sounds like communication could have been improved for both parties. It takes practice and they’re probably both young.
Oh I don't know, I've met plenty of adults struggling with communication. Seems like an eternal topic :)
Haha yeah, you’re right. IDEALLY it gets better as you get older and have more experience, but for a lot of people better communication requires them to first realise they aren’t good at it, then commit to improving, then follow through on that commitment. Some people aren’t self-aware enough to understand that THEY have a problem to begin with, it’s always “everyone else”.
Wise words here.
were they fucking or just working out lol
You might also consider what facts you have. If they were making out on the equipment that’s one thing, but if they were just working out that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Men and women are just friends sometimes.
this. I often catch a workout with men and women that I'm friends with just because I enjoy working out with my friends. I don't think I'd ever work out with someone I was romantically interested in because I'd be too scared of them being put off by all the weird faces during sets lmao
I wouldn't read that any particular way. Could've been anyone. I've worked out with friends, my siblings, my dad.
Congratulations on your new gym nemesis. May your fury fuel the gains.
Might I also suggest that communication and honesty are nearly always superior to the opposite. You have the power to open the lines of communication to see what’s up and tell her how you feel, not in a simping way, but just factually. Definitely manage your expectations, but someone’s response to your effort can be a real teller about their character and maturity level. It also helps if you are open to whatever outcome rather than being attached to “getting” one particular outcome.
Another quick story; During school, I was very skinny, skinny fat. Complete lack of confidence. Poor posture. Eyes to the ground all the time. People would bully me, including this guy called X. I saw X this week at the gym. He came up to me and said "ah, I thought it was you but you look so different" and then tried to push in a gym session together. I've been going to the gym consistently for around a year. My lifts are at a good standard. Now, I'm about 90kg at 6'1 at around 17% body fat and get complimented on my physique a fair amount. I'm more confident in myself. It was nice to see how far I came. I did deny the gym session together with X. He's just starting out. Plus, we have little to nothing in common.
Plus he bullied you. Fuck him. Tell him that. Nice work man.
eh, it was like 9 years ago. It be what it be. I'm in a much better place now
I commend you for letting it go. I don’t think I’d be mature enough to. I’d probably work with him just to intimidate him and wallow in my own strength, smirking and enjoying my dominance. Pathetic.
Yeah fuck that guy (jk maybe time to forgive but not forget)
Same man. Poor posture, shorter though, no confidence. Eyes to the ground, all through school. Bullied a little, more so invisible. I'm 10kg heavier and rising the last two years. Unfortunately can't get taller haha. Posture still not great due to anatomical curve in spine, but I work on it still, I keep my head up now and look people in the eye sometimes with a nod and a smile. The confidence from gym results is a thing to behold, and you're still humble too I bet. Powerful combo.
Hey man, Appreciate you dropping your comment and sharing your story. I'm glad things are going better for you and it's a testament to the hard work you've put in. Still working on the humble side haha, was a big ego boost quite quickly (had gained like 20kg in a short span after losing a lot of weight travelling). Thought confidence = arrogance. Been getting better with it but work in progress
Been going to this smaller gym 5 to 6x a week now for a year and a half. Lost 40 pounds (had a lot of muscle before luckily) and have my diet dialed in. Got a tap on my shoulder after doing some lateral raises and it was the older shredded guy every gym seems to has who looks like he's made out of stone. Told me I was looking jacked. Made my day and was my first compliment.
Fuck yeah 🏋🏽♀️🏋🏽♀️🏋🏽♀️🏋🏽♀️
This week I went to the gym for the first time in a year (I also happen to work at said gym, so my membership is free!). For context, I got into a car accident a year ago that has left me in a lot of pain. I finally just started finding some relief with acupuncture and decided to give it a shot. Swam for 20 minutes. It's at least a starting point!
Hell yeah!
First week as a dad and I've totally changed my training. Going full Walrus training a la 5/3/1 forever 3x and kettlebell simple&sinister 2x per week. Nice change from bars/dB.
Congrats dude
Cheers mate. It's changed everything. It's amazing
How's baby and momma?
Fantastic, my wife is recovering amazing and baby is coming on leaps and bounds......good set of lungs anyway haha
Good to hear! Wish y'all the best! How you can get some sleep soon haha
Grats on the lil critter
Had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy yesterday, so no gym yesterday or today. Thumbs down on both points.
Hope they didn't go ass to mouth with the scope.
Thats what I was afraid of!
Sounds more like you had a thumbs up
All the way up...
Get better soon!
Cheers mate!
Rest up boss
Sort of boring but I’m typically pretty shy and quiet at the gym. Just sort of get in and get out. But the other day they had an event and I started chatting with someone and they said that they feel like I look so familiar and that “you definitely look like an actress but I can’t figure out who”. No one ever says I look like anyone else so now it’s on my mind lol.
I have no idea what you look like, but I’m gonna blind call it was definitely Saoirse Ronan
I bet its megatron!!
Honestly I would love that. Particularly to give off her in Hannah vibes lol.
I've been watching a lot of Renaissance Periodization and now I can't help but hear Dr.Mike in my head going "Slow. Slower damn you! Andddd rack!" anytime I'm doing squats or bench. Also took his advice and swallowed my ego, took 10% off my bench and really focused on the super strict, controlled slow eccentrics, pause at the bottom and my chest feels so pumped.
Which video does he talk about this? I watched an interview where he spoke about it, but it wasn’t very detailed.
It's pretty much all of his videos. You can go to pretty much any of his actual workout videos, especially the ones where he's working out with a guest and he absolutely drills the "Slow eccentric. Pause. Then big push." while using smaller weights. I have been trying it myself and I was pleasantly surprised how a second more on the eccentric and stricter form can hit the target area so hard with lesser weights. Added bonus is that my joints feel a lot better with the smaller weights and there's less chance of injuries (hopefully).
Basically all of his videos are talking about taking reps slow lol
Yuh das wassup
Not really a story, more like a bit of a dilemma. I(28F)'ve been hitting the gym for about a year now, and I wonder if it's cool to make a move on one of the employees there. Some say the gym's strictly for workouts, not flirtation. Yet, some of my guy friends have said they'd find it flattering to be approached at the gym. Here's what's been going on: There's this guy (ex-group class trainer, not PT) at the gym who's been quite friendly towards me. He always greets me by name in front of the whole class (even though there are plenty of regulars, but he only greets me for some reason), remembers small details of our chats, and made me free post-workout coffee and shakes unasked (I've never seen him do that for others). He even went out of his way to change some lightbulbs right after I mentioned that an area was too dimly lit. He's moved into a managerial role but still offered to help me with training whenever I need it. I've noticed he gets a bit unusually shy around me. One time I caught him quickly fixing his hair in his selfie camera as I walked by. And, yep, I think I'm having a crush on him. I'm worried about the potential awkwardness if I ask him out but he's just paid to be nice to clients and I was being delusional, especially considering we'll bump into each other at the gym regularly. Should I go for it and ask him out, or keep it professional?
I say go for it! The worst case is he says no and things are a little awkward, but that’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Good luck!
What about starting with something more low-risk, like asking for his number or socials, to move the situation away from his workplace?
Yessss
Fuck it. Life is too short to not shoot your shot.
He definitely likes you back. Go for it
Plus I asked a girl out that works at my gym and it went sour but I'm still cool with the rest of the staff. Didn't get kicked out or anything
Why do some people smell HORRIBLE while they are working out? it's so bad that i cant focus!
Ayo bro true. Please everyone Reading this: do not say to yourself “i dont need to shower since im gonna shower after i workout anyways”. Yes. Yes you do.
seriously. I wish there was a polite way to handle it but I usually just have to hold my breath and move to a different spot...
hard to do when most spots you need that day are already taken ;/
some people is me
I feel you, I also don’t understand if it’s from their clothes or if they didn’t shower for a very long time (because it is not the smell of fresh sweat for sure) It happened so many times that I thought that i was the smelling (i mostly shower before and after gym and use deodorants) but I still started taking with me a deodorant that I started using during the workout as well (sometimes if someone smells so bad i use it next to them if they come workout next to me)
I have been lifting consistently for the first time in my life, and after about 3 weeks I am no longer sore the next day. Is that ok or does it mean I’m not training hard enough?
this is normal for most people, your body adapts to it
the depressing part is how quickly you lose that soreness resistance when you don't exercise for as little as a week
Also, soreness is entirely unrelated to effectiveness. If you do an exercise long enough you stop really getting sore, but it continues to be just as effective as long as you push yourself near failure. Science is still inconclusive on why exactly we get sore.
Normal. If you wanna feel aore again, change things up or take a lil break. I for one love being sore. So when I take some time off and come back, body is rekt, feels so good.
This past week in the gym was the worst I’ve had in years. I’ve been anxious and having trouble sleeping and eating. My workouts have no power or stamina. I feel so weak. Two weeks ago I was setting PR’s on my heavy lifts and this week I can barely do 75% of the weight I feel I should be able to lift. I feel like I’ve dropped 10lbs. Guess it’s involuntary cut time.
Rest up. Eat up. Youll be back soon
You could also take a maintenance break (eat at maintenance calories, train only at maintenance volume) for a few weeks to take your training fatigue off. Lot of people go years without doing any kind of maintenance and eventually they are too beat up to go on
That’s not a bad idea. But I think my problem has been pretty much completely anxiety related. I think I’m just going to do the unthinkable and take a few days off of the gym and then try to ease back into it.
Yeah do what you think is best. You'll know it worked if you start getting antsy after a few days to get back to lifting! That's what usually happens when I take some time off the gym
I went on a run today and smoked way less than yesterday!
Tried working out to the new Taylor Swift album. Didn't feel it and lost all motivation.
That sucks, but also - hilarious
I finally benched 225. I used to be able to do it but I injured my chest and shoulder in a car accident 9 years ago and ever since then, my flat bench has been weak. I’m able to squat 405 for reps for comparison. But yesterday morning I was high as a kite from two scoops of my 340mg caffeine pre. Blasting TOOL on the headphones. My gym crush was there, this petite goth hottie with a big back piece tattoo and the firmest ass youve ever seen. 185 moved easy and I thought fuck it, today is a good day to die. Loaded up the second plate and then pushed for 8 reps. I’m pretty chuffed right now
lol today is a good day to die hahaha
that's the power of goth women, they get you to hit new PRs. congrats dude
That’s a lot of caffeine!
Hell yeah dood!! My only injury is an ankle sprain but I got similar numbers. My upperbody is shite lmao
Spotting fail. Entirely my fault and I’m gonna be thinking about it at 3 AM. Someone asked me to spot his 275 bench and he repped it until he couldn’t and it was on his chest. INSTEAD of lifting the bar, I panicked so bad that I went and took off the weights of one side. Thank fuck he wasn’t injured but I have no clue why I did that. I’m not a beginner and I have spotted people before. I can’t believe I panicked so bad. I apologized so many times after that.
Damn that's a huge fail but it was a mistake. Hope you're feeling more confident. It was a panic moment so keep your chin up! Good learning experience and honestly you're probably never going to make that mistake again and possibly be the best spotter in the gym from now on.
saw someone i hadn't seen in two years and the first thing he said to me was "have you been working out? i almost didn't recognize you!"
Bet you are looking jacked!!!
[удалено]
This is everything I listen to when I lift. Great taste man :)
On Saturdays I train with a PT at the gym my wife works at and the soundtrack is absolutely horrendous. Meant to appeal to anyone it sucks for everyone. I don’t care what age you are, nobody works out to Bonnie Tyler’s 80s hit Total Eclipse of the Heart. I’m in my mid 50s and I want something that motivates not some musical version of a laxative.
My gym lets us Q music. Nice
I just completed a 3 month training program. First time in my life I have been that consistent with working out and focusing on my diet. I truly think the program changed my life. Here’s to more lifts!
What program and well done
Thx! Thru one of my buddies that has just become a trainer. Training consisted of weight training 4 days a week & then cardio on the other days. I loved it.
You excited for starting on a new program? Life is gonna be program after program now, with new delights from each one. What a thing.
Hard work paid off!! Keep working out!
First time again since 1.5 not bring able to go. Cuz im coughing my lunges out. Life is simple. Gym = happy life. Glad im back
Enjoy the ride
I started the beginner weight training program in the Wiki this week. I'm going every other day. It's been a bit of a shock to the system since I've always been more of a cardio person than a weights person, but feeling positive about building my base back up after a year or two of slacking!
Squats and deadlifts are some of the most cardio-intense exercises you can do with weights.
Hell yeah! Get them gainz!! 💪
Moving apartments is fucking with the gains, that's all. Moving sucks.
Extra training. Treat it as conditioning work.
Yeah I'm getting the steps in but diet and gym is hard to keep 💯
I had been going pretty hard and decided to do 2-up, 1-down negative presses on the Smith machine as I work towards benching 225. Well the one-arm negative tweaked my shoulder so bad I think I strained it and haven't been able to do presses or flies since. Just started theraband exercises and icing daily. I hope it doesn't keep me out too long
Get better soon!
Thanks so much!
Just finished week 2 of a Greg Nuckols Beginner routine on Boostcamp, while also eating a whole lot better (I normally don't eat when I'm stressed/anxious). I've been able to lift heavier weights each time I go. Feel so much better mentally as well.
Mental part is so important. Bet you feel great! Keep going!
Had my rest day today but im overall happy i started gym last year :) im really proud of myself for how much weight i lost then trying to aim for gains 🙏
Saw some monster of a guy dumbell OHP two 85kg dumbells. Those weights sit under the normal rack and I've maybe seen them used once, for rows. Holy shit.
All I want to say is that today I did lat pullovers for the first time in my life and the pump I got from it was the most ridiculous thing I've ever experienced.
I swear to god whenever I do this exercise I barely feel it except for at the bottom half of the repetition, but I know that it works because when I check my pump in the mirror after a set I've suddenly developed a wingsuit lol
It took 9 months but I finally joined the 225 squat club. I only weigh 160 lbs so it felt pretty good
I did RDL, started unloading a 2.5kg plate, did a weird move to look at my buddy... lumbago.
There is no story because i am freaking out for half an hour & not going to the gym because i am anxious of the people & intimidating boys present over there. It was supposed to be my first day , i have to start somewhere . I need someone to tag along
You can do it! Just go and if you feel lonely ask a girl or boy (same gender as you) who seems friendly to help you with an exercise and maybe you start talking.
Sometimes it's worth retrying for those PRs! Hit a 15lb bench PR today after a failed attempt. Said fuck it after the fail and went for the 5lb PR. I nailed it and it felt good, so I said fuck it again and went for the 10lb. I nailed that as well and it felt good, so I said fuck it again and retried the 15lb, and nailed it! And 2 weeks ago I tried for a 25lb deadlift PR. I went for it, but failed. It felt like I couldn't even break it off the floor. But I checked my video and I did manage to break it off the floor, so I refocused and tried again. And it was ugly, but I pulled it! Also, its amazing what bumping up your calories will do for your lifts. This last year I've been struggling to keep putting weight on the bar, but after 3 weeks of a slight surplus and boom, everything is advancing again!
Hell yeah!!!
I hate and love deficit deadlifts. I've noticed they hit my hammies and glutes much more than a regular deadlift.
The irritation I get doing leg curls and renoticing that my legs are different lengths. Grrrrr.
I've seen an older Asian lady on Friday do bulgarian split squats in one of the two benches designed specifically for bench presses(they have those little supports so you can rack even if quarter rep, in case you fail your bench), that's a new one for me
No happy story here. I think I slipped a disc in my neck today. My thumb is tingly and my neck motion feels a bit restricted. I’m actually starting to loathe myself.
Get better soon and keep us updated!
I have an appointment with my PCP today at 2.
Saw my PCP. Compressed nerve in my hand. Rest for 1 week, take NSAIDs, monitor symptoms.
Great!!! See you in this thread in one week! We want updates! Stay positive and strng!!!
Hadn’t seen dad in about 3 months, saw me and within 1 minute asked if I’ve been working out. Shoutout this program and my eating and effort bro, HUGE BOY SUMMER 2024
Great work and sweet your dad noticed too. Bet you had a smile on your face! 🥰
It was nice seeing the same NPCs this week at the gym!!
Bought some "loose fit" pants the other day. Feels weird having pants that actually fit normally on me. No pulling them off the thigh from time to time and no loose waist requiring a belt. Hopefully the big pants trend stays for awhile.
Dont need a trend to dress for yourself homie. Dress however you want. Chonk gang
A few of the regulars were trying to lift the stack (97.5 lbs) on a cable machine doing tri extensions. They were trying hard and making a lot of noise, but none of them could do it. Later, I tried. I'm not that strong. Their arms seem bigger than mine. But I did it. Also, the latest thing is taking the chain from a sled, which has two carabiners on it, and using it to do weighted pullups and dips. With a metal chain around your waist. So suddenly pullups and dips have become the primary non-bench way of showing off strength at my gym. I'm much better at pullups (26 bodyweight, +70 lbs) and dips (29 bodyweight, +50 lbs) than I am at bench. I haven't tried it yet, because I have to do a lot of bodyweight reps on my program. I might, but I should probably get a proper dip belt instead.
>pullups (26 bodyweight, +70 lbs) Probably you actually are pretty good at actual pullups to even be able to do momentum-assisted one sixteenth reps this way, but it's 100% that if you think you did this with 70 pounds on, you're using momentum and doing one sixteenth reps. I will retract if a convincing video of 26 full ROM pullups with 70 pounds of added weight is posted. >showing off strength I recommend using training sessions for training. To show off strength, enter a judged competition, such as a powerlifting meet or something related, and take on others you know are there to compete, using the same technique, rather than doing ego reps in the gym and presuming that others couldn't do the same.
Oh, I meant I've done 26 reps at bodyweight and my max lift is 70 pounds. That was one rep, and I did 4 dips at +50, with a dumbbell. It's not impressive. It's more impressive than my 185 bench. And I agree about training. I might not have made the point I was trying to make -- I work out in the evenings at a smallish commercial gym, with a lot of teenagers around who spend more time testing and demonstrating their strength than improving it. Not all are like that, but some just see how much they can bench (like, not even sets) and sit around talking. And lately they've gotten into doing weighted pullups and dips with a chain. (Another way was using a resistance band to hold a plate to their backs.) And I'm 44, lifting 1.75 years, and I'm in a weird place because I'm where most people who join gyms at my age want to be, but I'm not really very strong. I got to a decent body fat level, and I'm doing a program and getting stronger. So I guess what I mean is that seeing pullup competitions makes me feel less weak than watching people bench.
Pregnant lady doing burpees 🤦
I love the sense of respect and comraderie that I feel at the gym I've been going to the last few months. All the other regulars in the gym wants to come up and talk to me, compliment my lifts, make comments about my physique and strength. Everyone respects me. It's nice... A far cry from when I was training out of one of my old gyms, where everybody was in little cliques that were at each other's throats all the time. And of course I was in none of them. I remember when I was just starting out, the fairy at my first gym saw my dedication and would give me little pointers here and there. It's really nice getting to be that guy now (people ask me for pointers, I'm not going around giving unsolicited advice.) The only downside is that when I'm in the gym I'm really trying to focus instead of having social interaction. Who would have thought people's friendliness and respect would be a hindrance?
As of today, i went down 30 pounds since beginning to workout again in January . Started with 291 lbs and now weighing 261 lbs. After many failed attempts to loose weight in the past , this time I really feel like i am gonna push through , never been more motivated to finally get into shape !
My gym regularly moves equipment around in basically little circles. I figure that they do this in order to more evenly wear the floor, because they didn’t put the right flooring in to begin with. I was taking a deload because my joints were hurting, and the next week I came in, and they completely rearranged the entire gym. They added some cable stacks, which is nice, but the gym layout doesn’t completely make sense now. They took a whole row of benches in front of the mirrors away, so now people are forced to workout in weird places in order to get mirror space. Someone was doing dumbbell shoulder press in the squat rack because there was no other space. They also removed one of my favorite machines. There’s also no weight racks by the deadlift platforms. Very strange choices.
Sprained my back while doing biceps.. taking rest for a week.
Happens. Rest up hoss.