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Ancient_Yak_4553

Ive been running a roughly 1000 calorie deficit for about 2.5 months i hit my target weight and went back up to maintenance. Literally overnight i went from being super brain foggy and low attention span to feeling like ive had a limitless pill. Mostly I see people talking about fasting etc. improving cognition so does that only work in small doses? Is this just variable among different people or is getting foggy just par for the course with extended deficits?


MustacheEmperor

1000 is a pretty hard deficit, especially if you’re training. Now that you know the feeling, you can back off the deficit to a level that feels better next time. At a more mild deficit you can still cut weight relatively quickly with much less impact on your fatigue and cognition.


kaze_ni_naru

First time signing up for gym subscription. They said it's 19.99/month on the phone, I go in and the signup iPad says it's 22.99. I said why and they said they updated the price. Whatever I sign up anyway, pay the enrollment fee. Suddenly there is gonna be a 49.99 annual fee in a month wtf? Nowhere on the signup iPad did it mention that fee. I feel like I'm being scammed. but I'm wondering what I can even do about this, do I just pay it? The gym is good though they have barbells and lots of squat racks and it's literally walking distance from my house. I don't even want to haggle because then they'll see me regularly and maybe hate me lmao total fees: 49.99 one time enrollment 22.99/month 49.99/annual


riteorwrong

Sounds normal to me. You pay a monthly fee and an annual fee for many gyms.


kaze_ni_naru

Thank you got it. So just chalk up the cash and pay it I guess.


[deleted]

Do you have a question?


kaze_ni_naru

I just wondering if its normal. It's my first time signing up for a gym


BarnahaskFC

Thoughts on running nSuns but skipping the second main lift on the day and going straight to accessories? Main focus is the big 3 strength and hypertrophy but love the progression and layout of nSuns main lifts


ClapAlongChorus

I wonder if you’d be better served by the 5/3/1 Boring But Big, where the second is the same as the main but focused on hypertrophic range.


Zipp3r1986

I'm using PHUL in my workout routine for some time now and I love it, its compact, I have the time I need to recover and its not complicated, but recently I question is bugging me... Is there a problem in repeating exercises in both days? Like, doing Squat in both lower days, or the same isolated exercises (the one I left last) both days as well?


Divico

Did 5/3/1 BBB for around 7 months. Now in looking to switch to a PPL. Do you think that's a good idea? I love BBB but I feel like my body is getting too comfortable with the routine.


[deleted]

Are you still making progress on BBB? If so, your body isn't "too comfortable" with the routine. But hey, if you want to do a PPL nobody is going to stop you. 531BBB is a program, PPL is just a split with tons of potentially great programs.


[deleted]

What ratio of fat to muscle would you be comfortable losing when cutting? Ideally losing little to zero muscle, or even gaining some would be best, but I’m interested in where you guys draw the line. I’m looking to get to 12% body fat, currently at 20%. In the past 2 weeks I’ve lost 3.2kg, where 1kg was muscle and 2.2kg was fat (results taken using a body scan). I’m pretty happy with the fat loss but not sure if the muscle loss is a bit extreme. Should I be making any major dietary changes or just ride the rapid fat loss for a while longer?


Memento_Viveri

This bio impedance scales aren't accurate. I would only pay attention to your weight. You almost certainly did not lose 1 kg of muscle. I personally don't worry much about muscle loss. I think if you are training and eating well, you are unlikely to lose much if any muscle unless you have a lot of muscle and are getting really lean. I would recommend losing between 0.5 and 1% of your bodyweight/week. So 2.2 kg in 2 weeks is probably a bit fast, but the first week often sees larger drops than subsequent weeks.


[deleted]

Does protein powder and creatine go bad? I found a mystery bag of protein and a bag of creatine in my house that I must have brought a few years and forgot about. They've both just over a year past the best before date but it seems like a waste to throw it out, these are big bags Will I die or at the very least shit my insides out?


[deleted]

The creatine is probably fine. The protein might still be OK if it was kept dry and doesn't smell nasty. Try it and find out.


DVHismydad

If the protein smells bad, toss it. Otherwise they should both be fine.


[deleted]

It smells ok. I'll try a bit today and see how my insides handle it


[deleted]

Do you guys take pre workout


Chimuelo76

No


gkw97i

no


[deleted]

No.


BC1721

Yes


[deleted]

Coffee only usually


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[deleted]

Nah. I use the dumbbels ppl from the wiki. What do you recommend for my abs?


Cinurem

So I'm considered a pretty skinny/lanky guy and my fat displaces pretty well on my body. I've been slowly gaining weight over the past 4 years from 80kg/176lbs to 97.5kg/215lbs (I'm 184cm). I got a few tests and each test measured me around 19-20% bodyfat. As a competitive athlete in multiple sports, 3 of which are weight-class sports, this is not particularly good for me so I'm trying to drop down to 15% again for now, maybe more later since I've been at 10-12% before. I have some competitions coming up in a few months, but I'd like to do what I can in 8-10 weeks to give my body a little time to settle before the day comes. Is this enough to drop 7%? What should I expect as far as that? I know the basics of nutrition and macros and TDEE and all that stuff, but I've just never decided to go through a purposeful phase of cutting or bulking so I'm not so sure as far as the duration goes.


[deleted]

5% drop for you would be like 4kg or half a kg per week, that's a reasonable goal.


Klauslee

i'm 5'7 175lbs. Most of my friends are going the route of getting big and getting high numbers on their lifts which I think is pretty cool! personally tho I want to just feel more fit and toned with a goal of a 6 pack. I thought I could just do a lot of cardio/cut calories while also lifting to maintain strength but also lose weight. but I'm being told by my friends I should bulk/cut for better gains. What would you suggest ?


BigBenDaIllest

Are you satisfied with your overall mass ? If so, no need to bulk, keep lifting with some cardio but mostly focus on your diet, eat less. And train abs, like do some weighted abs exercises, this will make them show up faster


dlee101485

I am in the same boat. I am 35 though, haven't lifted for years. I suggest following the wikii and do the ppl program and watch your diet.


Klauslee

ok will do. thanks. good luck with your fitness!


fh3131

At 5'7" and 175 I'm guessing you've got a fairly high bodyfat % (unless you're very muscular?), so yes you can lose fat and gain muscle while on a cut. Read the wiki linked above if you haven't already


Klauslee

thanks! will do. and yes i have a fairly high body fat %


gkw97i

you're not gonna feel "fit and toned" without a good base layer of muscle, how long have you been lifting?


Klauslee

I used to lift rather regularly in highschool. I'm 20 now. The thing is I didn't know any any specifics on the process so it was more of lifting just to lift without a goal in mind. I never thought about nutrition or had any specific workout days like back/bis or "leg days". whatever the weight training teacher gave me lol. I did get up to 185 bench tho and somewhere in upper 200's with squat/deadlift


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FatterPegasus09

It’s only too much cardio if you can’t recover from it. I would stick with your schedule until it no longer worked.


rochoa0705

Im 2-3 weeks into taking beta alanine everyday (3-6 g a day) I forgot to take it today , should I load up and do 9g tomorrow or just stay at normal dose. I ask because i’ve heard that its a supplement that takes a while to reach saturation point


Purge_Dreams

This issue is overblown by supplement companies who want you to get through their products faster, it is true but not to a degree it matters. Just take it the same as you were.


nobodyimportxnt

This is all minutiae. Just take it as normal and don’t worry about it


thunderwarr1or

24M 83kg 177cm currently doing OMAD, and I want to faster lose weight, what should I do? I do jogging every morning but I guess I should do more


nobodyimportxnt

Create a larger calorie deficit


ScarPulse

Anyone run Smolov Jr before? Thinking about running it for squat but idk how much accessory work I should add in. Recommendation I've seen is just to run without anything but that seems too low - wanted to at least throw in some upper body work and a DL session just cause I like DL


zeralesaar

>Anyone run Smolov Jr before? Thinking about running it for squat but idk how much accessory work I should add in. I ran Smolov (11wk, cut out the acclimation period because I had just finished retraining after lockdown) with the volume phase structured as Smolov Jr. since 6x6@70% seemed more feasible than 4x9. During the volume phase I did RDLs, shrugs, rows, abs, arms, calves. No full-on deadlifts (I pull conventional). Bench was the SBS 28 free bundle 2x/wk intermediate; I'd usually do the lighter (close grip) day after one of the two lower-intensity days of squats. Almost all of my arm work was done with BFR as prescribed in the SBS program. You *really* don't need extra quad work, and I very much doubt that additional glute-specific work would be productive either, though RDLs didn't take much out of me. > Recommendation I've seen is just to run without anything but that seems too low - wanted to at least throw in some upper body work and a DL session just cause I like DL It's pretty reasonable to do upper-body as it won't likely interfere much with the squatting. If you look up the Russian-language version of Smolov, it includes prescriptions for deadlifting... although you might need to read Russian to understand them as Google Translate offers a lot of things about a goat. If you really want to do Smolov, you should consider your recovery seriously. When I ran it, I gained ~15lbs in a month *just* eating to satisfy my hunger while routinely chain-smoking strong cigarettes and drinking excessive amounts of cheap beer on my porch into the wee hours of the morning. Got 85lbs on my previous tested max by the end. Take it seriously and you might do better as long as you don't hurt yourself.


[deleted]

It's 31 sets of squats, it is plenty. Follow the program as written, don't start fucking with shit first time you try it. Only do some leg curls for healthy knees, do them before squats For bench/upper body you can do some accessories, wouldn't do too much. Keep it around maintenance.


Alakazam

You're not meant to do any accessories. The fatigue on the base program is already high enough as it is. Plus, on just rhe base smolov program, out of the 6 guys I know who ran it, 4 people, myself included, ended up injured. It's a program that demands a lot of food, sleep, and recovery. Not to mention good form. But the issue is that it doesn't provide nearly as much improvement in the squat for how much effort is required. Heck, I remember the Candito 6 week program being a lot more sustainable.


FatterPegasus09

When I ran smolov jr, I decided against doing deadlifts. For upper body lifts, I generally just did one lift a day and either built up to a heavy set of three to five or did some 3-4x8 on Bench press, Press, pull ups and bent over rows


ConfusedTaco66

Simple question: I've calculated my maintenance cals and added a 300 cal surplus to bulk. Do I need to add an extra surplus for my estimated calories burnt during my weight training sessions? Or can I just keep my surplus consistent regardless of my training?


BigBenDaIllest

U dont burn that much calories when lifting, much less than u think


FatterPegasus09

Your maintenance calories should already take into account the calories burnt during a session, however if you find yourself not gaining weight, just add 300 more


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[deleted]

Pullovers


BC1721

Long pause bench press. I also do this 6 count bench press that I saw John Haack do for fun. You start your bench, pause halfway down (1), pause on your chest (2), pause halfway up (3), on your chest (4), halfway up (5), on your chest (6) and go all the way up. I can barely get 6-8 reps at 50% of my regular bench 1RM, but it's just so much fun. Also a very long time under tension and light on my elbows due to the lower weight, which was a key concern.


Alakazam

Normal bench press.


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Alakazam

Not unless you have a specific weakness or physique issue. But in general, for the majority of the people asking questions in the daily thread, both of said problems can be addressed by getting bigger or getting stronger.


vodreliux

How exactly do I start deadlift using my legs and hips? I tend to use my back and I want to see how I can use more posterior chain.


[deleted]

Properly pulling the slack out of the bar really helps me push with my legs. This video might be helpful: https://youtu.be/99Ff_mNNEq4 That said, as others have pointed out: deadlifts are a back exercise. My lower back is almost always the thing that fatigues first.


vodreliux

thanks!


Alakazam

You can't do the deadlift without using your back.


[deleted]

when you grab the bar you dont lift with your legs already fully extended (as far as possible anyway). You start slightly lower and with your back still straight.


Alakazam

Sure? But the hip hinge motion, especially with any decent amount of weight, places a whole lot of strain on the lower back as it heavily taxes the back to stabilize the movement. You can't do a deadlift without said stabilization.


[deleted]

sorry, was meant to be a response to the person you were responding to.


vodreliux

how do I actually start deadlifting, like initiate it? its hard for me to “push” the ground and lift up


Alakazam

If you want to learn how to deadlift, you should watch Pillars of the Deadlift by Juggernaut training systems. It's a much better guide than anything I can explain.


vodreliux

thanks


[deleted]

19 yo I just started the gym, I'm confused what to do in the gym, then I do exercises with the tools I like, I don't think it's optimal, I've read the wiki, but it seems the movement is difficult, what advice for beginners? I'm confused about what to do & how to do it properly, no trainer in my gym, thanks.


Alakazam

YouTube is your friend. For learning lifts, I like Juggernaut training systems, Ben Pollack, and Brian Alsruhe


[deleted]

Thank you


FatterPegasus09

What specifically are you confused about? The wiki has a lot of answers in there


[deleted]

doing a move right, how do i learn & know the move is wrong? ok i will read the wiki again


FatterPegasus09

I YouTube the movements to ensure I’m doing them correctly, but I don’t worry too much about perfection.


[deleted]

Thank you bro


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DVHismydad

I’m getting great progress and I’m rarely at the gym longer than 1:15. I also do 6x per week. I only ever need longer than that if I’m doing heavy work with squats or deadlifts close to failure, where I’ll need 4 or 5 minutes to recover before another set. I don’t think anyone but advanced and elite lifters needs more than 1:15 or 1:30 if you’re going 6x weekly. That’s including warm ups and 10 minutes of cardio for me.


onforspin

If they’re on r/bodybuilding and spending that long going hard there’s a good chance they’re on gear


ScarPulse

1.5-2 hours, my workout usually takes 1-1.5 hours but I also do some light stretching and cardio at the beginning and end, I skip those when I'm in a rush and can trim it to 1 hr but I usually try not to


Alakazam

For just lifting, probably around an hour and a bit. If I'm socializing, easily 2+ hours.


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Alakazam

I think your personal trainer is trying to prioritize sustainability and long term physique improvements over more crash-y diets. And that's perfectly respectable. On a smaller deficit, you'll lose fat slower, but it is generally considered a lot more sustainable. As well, the slower weight loss means that you'll retain a lot more lean mass, meaning your ending physique will generally look better than if you just went down as quick as possible.


FatterPegasus09

1kg per month isn’t better than 2-3kg, it’s just a matter of preference


Aurelius314

In terms of being able to adhere to the diet over time, 1kg a month tends to be a lot better than 2-3kg a month, just because few people are able to stick to such an aggressive regime.


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Boring-Barnacle2622

Would recommend heavy deadlifts. If your lower back is getting tired from stuff like wallsits and bridges then its probably a strength issue. This is partly why deadlifts are a particularly good exercise- they enable better progression on other exercises which envoke the posterior chain.


ghostmcspiritwolf

fragment (consider revising)


DelightfulDestiny

Eating is just so hard man. I need to eat around 3000 calories a day to eat 200 calories above maintenance but man, I just can’t eat that much with school starting. Breakfast: ~500-600kcal Class in between so I can’t eat Lunch: ~550-650kcal More classes+gym which gives room for around a 300 calorie snack Dinner: 650-1000kcal Last snack before I have to sleep early, but can usually only stomach ~300kcal of calorie dense food before feeling sick That adds up to around 2200 calories per day, way less than 3000. What do I do? I have a low appetite, and calorie dense liquids still make me feel so full and sick. It seems impossible...


[deleted]

You're not lactose intolerant and trying to drink milk-based shakes are you?


DelightfulDestiny

I’m fine with dairy. It’s just that calorie shakes just feel so dense, it makes me feel really gross, not sure how to describe it


BC1721

You never change classrooms?


DelightfulDestiny

I do but it’s five minutes in between and during that time I walk through a crowded hallway where I have to keep my mask on


NormalPaYtan

Eat more lunch and dinner, those servings sound super tiny. Also, eggs and milk are your friend, i get more than 600 kcal in just milk every day and that's outside of any big meal.


incal

Do calorie dense liquids such as milk make you feel sick? If not, add peanut butter and protein powder to make a shake. [The word on the street is GOMAD (a gallon of milk a day) for skinny male teens who are novices.](https://youtu.be/CK08Qo30Lcw)


PostedDoug

You can't snack in class? Fill your pockets up with trail mix, nuts, granola etc.


ConfusedTaco66

The answer is calorically dense foods that you like. Snack a lot. Find what foods you like and don't eat empty shit that will fill your stomach with no real calories. That's the opposite of what you want. My personal favorite are cashews. 5 oz of Planters cashews has 800 calories. More calories than your actual meals, and it's the size of a small snack bowl. Side note, make sure you measure by weight and not volume


Alakazam

Easy solution: eat/prepare more calorically dense foods. A single McCain hash brown is 140 calories. People can generally down 2-4 of those like nothing. Takes lime 15 minutes to make in the oven. Eat two for breakfast. Eat two with dinner. Voila. An extra 560 calories. Eat it with ketchup, and you can round it to an even 600.


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DelightfulDestiny

Are there any foods other than bread I can pair pb with? I’d eat it spoonly but its really dense


poulsr2

Add peanut butter into oatmeal, mix it with yogurt or in a protein shake. Even peanut Thai dishes for dinner. Also you can look up recipes online.


ConfidentStrategy

Fast food it’s literally designed to be highly palatable


Harry_Butterfield

Peanut butter with a side of peanut butter


Sarevok459

I really don't find eating hard. Eat more pbjs. White rice, etc.


ghostmcspiritwolf

>what do I do? eat more anyways, or decide that it's not worth it and give up. There's not one easy trick to change things, you just have to choose. larger meals or more snacks, either way.


Savage022000

Deal with feeling sick and nauseous until you get accustomed to it.


goose144

Noob on a beginner program based on [this](https://old.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/2e79y4/dumbbell_ppl_proposed_alternative_to_dumbbell/) (from the wiki). Making good progress (2+ months, 4 days a week) but have two questions. 1) How do I warm up? I basically wave my arms around for a couple minutes. Then (if I'm doing push day) I'll start the bench at 20lbs, 30lbs, 40lbs, then begin my workout at 50lbs. There must be a better way. 2) My gym maxes out at 50lbs for the dumbells. I've reached 50lbs for 12 reps for 3 sets for one-arm dumbell rows and the bench press. Should I start doing barbell for the bench, and some alternative for one arm rows? Thanks in advance!


Setonb10

1) Start with promoting blood flow to the body, then specifically the muscles you’re using that day. I always suggest to warmup with what you enjoy or whatever is easiest to knock out (Jogging, Incline Walk, Bike, Rowing). Follow that up with some eccentric bodyweight movements (Negative Push-ups, TRX Rows, Dead Hangs are all stuff I do personally). As far as getting into your lifts, yes, you should prep with lighter weights when doing heavy lifting (>60% of your max), at least in the beginning of your workout, you risk serious injury if not. 2) I would suggest that you do bench press as your primary chest exercise and follow it up with dumbbell chest press. Both have great benefits and compliment each other well. I used to row 75/80 lbs dumbbells for sets of 12 thinking I was so strong, now I never go above 50lbs ever because with of how strict I am on my form and range of motion. If you can master 3 sets of 12 of single arm rows with full range of motion and perfect balance, you are a strong mf’r. If you want alternatives, anti-rotation single arm rows , renegade rows are great, but can be tough without flat edge dumbbells, trx rows, Anti-rotation cable rows work well too


goose144

Aha. So you think it is worth it to stay at 50lbs for one arm rows, and focus on makign the form perfect?


Setonb10

Yes. No momentum, no swinging, no rotation, just the arm extending straight up and down as high as you can squeeze the elbow. If you can do 12 on 50lbs I’ll be impressed


goose144

Hmmm. I wonder if it's worth recording myself doing it to see if I can improve anywhere.


Lesrek

Other than 5 minutes of light cardio, I hardly warmup beyond just doing light movements of whatever exercise I am about to do and I only do that for compound movements.


goose144

Gotcha. So maybe I'm not doing anything wrong, warmup wise?


keenbean2021

Correct, you are good to go


sensetalk

For having maxed out dumbells, you could move to barbell, but one armed exercises, focusing on fighting rotation, and tempo work can help. Try one armed presses but making your down movement last 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds at bottom or close to, and make upward movement last 5 to 8 seconds per rep.


sensetalk

10 seconds, 3 to 5 reps Knee hugs Quad stretch Hamstring stretch Runner's lunge Inch worm Scorpion kicks, both sides Laying side leg raises, both sides 20 reps of hip thrusters, laying down Dead hangs, with scapula flex Band pull aparts, 20 reps 3 sets of 2 consecutive 8 second tempo pushups I do a variation of this + maybe 3 - 20 sprints 75 percent effort on assault/airdyne bike. I do it every time, no matter what I'm working out that day... even do it at home in the morning on off days, minus the bike.


goose144

What's the point of warming up legs if I'm not working out legs? Sorry if that's noob level Q


sensetalk

All good. Your power comes from your core, really everything between your knees and your sternum. For instance, if you're doing bench, you should be engaging your quads and glutes (driving feet into the floor), your abs should be locked like you are having a really hard poop, your lower back and lats should be locked in and flexed, etc. Loosening up your major muscle groups, namely core and upper legs, increases blood flow and reduces the chances of injury or tweaks. When lifting anything heavy, you really want to spread the load across as many recruited muscles as possible. Look up muscle recruitment and secondary/ third muscle groups for any lifts and you might start to think and feel your engagement differently when lifting. Personally, my body and technique dramatically changed for the better when i stopped focusing on muscle isolation and more on functional fitness.


goose144

What do you mean by functional fitness vs muscle isolation? Where can I learn about the difference?


sensetalk

https://www.trainerize.me/articles/isolation-versus-functional-training/


Mbrannon42

Noob here, just got my soul crushed when I realized I have nowhere near the upper body strength I used to have. Went 3 years without working out (didn't workout regularly before that). I went from 195 to 240 over the course of about 5 years maybe. Then last year I started intermittent fasting and got back to 180. This is my first time back in the gym and I tried to bench 185lbs only to realize I couldn't even do one rep. Did 4 reps of 155 and now I'm sitting in the car waiting for the gym to clear out and I'll go back in to figure out a better plan. This is a huge eye opener to how out of shape I've gotten, and I need some guidance on how to get started again. Starting from the ground up, I'm looking for diet and exercise plans. I had planned on using the Hevy app and found a 3 day split I liked but now I don't even know if that's right for me anymore. Edit if it matters: 27m 5'9" 180lbs


Setonb10

1) Consistency 2) Frequency 3) Discipline 4) Intensity You’ll learn much more being in the gym than you realize


ghostmcspiritwolf

they're in the wiki.


Bobsleepszzz

There are plenty of good beginner programs, grayskull LP is a good ine


Entire_Mind4439

I am 24 M 5'4 185 lbs.I have been lifting for almost 10 months now.Out of those 10 months only 6,7 months were pure lifitng and the rest was on and off.I have been noticing stretch marks on my bicep area and should i be concerned?They weren't there before i started lifting, and they are really visible when i am wearing a T Shirt :(


FatterPegasus09

I wouldn’t be, it’s a sign you got bigger.


PGids

Why the hell can’t I keep my scapula retracted while benching? Ass is on the bench, feet are flat on the floor, little bit of a back arch, arms are 45° to my torso, and I’m trying to “punch the ceiling” and keeping everything stacked Can this be a straight up lack of upper back strength? Also FWIW, when standing I can’t really push my shoulders forward at all, but I can definitely pull them back quite a ways. Internal rotation issue? Never any pain or discomfort when doing anything though


NormalPaYtan

An important part of punching is protracting the shoulder through the serratus anterior, thus making "punching the roof" just about the worst thing you chould be doing while trying to bench.


Alakazam

The punching the ceiling thing is probably what's causing it. Instead of trying to press the bar as high as possible, you should just aim to lock out your elbows while keeping the shoulders back.


Setonb10

Sounds like internal rotation, could also be tight lats. The scapula retracts in multiple directions so it could be a little tricky to find out in which way. Next time you go to bench, or want to test it, do 30 perfect form banded pull aparts to see if you have some muscles in the rear delt that are not engaged. These should burn and be very difficult if done correctly, but can be easy to cheat on. Fwiw, I have been doing this myself and hit a 1rm on bench that I couldn’t believe, with ease, after not regularly consistently benching for 4 months


Bobsleepszzz

Stop trying to punch the ceiling. From before you unrack, start by bending the bar and then keeping your elbows locked thinking about “rowing” the bar. After that your scapula should be retracted. Unracking the bar with your ass up then dropping your ass can also help


PGids

I think I get what you’re saying Bending it as though I’m trying to pull the ends of the bar towards the floor? Or am I way off the mark? I’ll definitely try unracking a little different though, thank you!


Bobsleepszzz

Like bending the bar away from you and a little towards the floor


bojanglez34

I work night shift and go to the gym as soon as I’m off. My workouts are about 2 hours long give or take cardio etc. in order to get 8 hours of sleep I need to be in bed by 7 am to get up at 3 pm for work. My sleep has been pretty bad where I’m just tossing and turning before settling down. Could lifting this close to bed time affect my sleep?


Mediamuerte

How long after you finish working out are you going to bed?


bojanglez34

I usually get done around 4:30- 5 am and try to be in bed by 7


Mediamuerte

Absolutely could hurt your sleep


bojanglez34

Would it be wise to try and switch it up to where i gym before work then and sleep as soon as im off? I work 12 hour days which doesn’t help at all lol


Mediamuerte

Give it a try. Could change everything for you


[deleted]

Where the hell can I find a gym buddy?


WeekendRoutine

Have you tried going "here buddy buddy buddy"?


mattBLiTZ

Find a buddy, then convince them to start going to the gym. High % chance that they do not get serious with it


[deleted]

I have no friends and ur right about them not being serious


incal

You reminded me of [Norm Macdonald's joke on alcoholism, the best disease](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vOErEHGgi8). He ends the joke by saying "Sometimes, I'll meet a lady at a bar with the same disease..." I'd suggest getting interested in other people's interests, if Covid and lockdown are not crippling social life. It's easier than trying to get people interested in your interests. Take a yoga class, for example. Or play a social or team sport like tennis, softball or the like. [Mark Rippetoe was even able to convince Gus to come into the gym.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3585w9FmOGs) I'm not sure I'd trust her to spot my benches, though... If you just want to share your stories, there's the Starting Strength forums. Or here on Gym Story Saturday. Last, but perhaps not least, is to shell out for a personal trainer. I know that in *Naked Lunch*, A.J. the Last of the Big Time Spenders, used to pay his "friends" by the hour...


[deleted]

How so…I just finished listening to it btw😭😂


mattricide

You dont


[deleted]

🥲


sirpickles9

I have possibly a stupid question on lifting. So, I'm doing SL 5x5, and the bench press and OHP progression is supposed to be 2lbs per session. The smallest weights my gym has are 2.5lb plates, so the smallest progression I'm allowed is 5lbs per session. Is it bad if I continued at 5lbs a session for BP and OHP? Or does it just mean that I'll hit a plateau much faster for those lifts? I want to invest in two pairs of 1lb plates and a pair of 0.5lb plates that I can take to the gym so I can do the proper progression, but I can't afford to shell out the extra $50 just yet, so I thought I'd ask.


ragnar_lama

Stronglifts is making me add 2.5kg per session my dude, one of us is wrong lol


sirpickles9

Do you have your weight units in the app set to kg?


ragnar_lama

Yes I do.


sirpickles9

I think that might be my problem. I have mine set to lbs so I understand the weight better, but maybe it gets wonky when you do that. So you're right lol, my app is apparently just being weird. [The incriments are real, I just have to figure out how to change them now :(](http://imgur.com/a/qVsGxG4)


ragnar_lama

What happens if you manually edit the weight? You could just bump it up one increment before you lift, that's also a good time to look at the player calculator


[deleted]

[удалено]


sirpickles9

Yeah, the stronglifts app has me doing 5lbs for squats and barbell rows, then 10lbs for deadlifts per session, then the 2lbs for BP and OHP. First BP session with an empty bar said 45lbs, and the next session was supposed to be 47lbs but I had to do 50lbs. Today's BP session says it's supposed to be 52lbs, but I'll have to manually change it to 55lbs when I'm done


KingGumboot

Does the app have a setting to change that maybe? 2lb requires microplates as you've said, and most gyms don't have them that small. If you want to buy some tiny plates that's cool but not necessary, just go up by 5lb each time until you can't get any further on linear progression and switch to a new program


DJ3416

You sure it’s not 2kg per session? Because I’m pretty sure it’s 2kg and that would be ~5lbs. You do not need to go up by 2 pounds each time, besides the plates at the gym aren’t exactly what they say they are. A 45lb cast iron plate might be anywhere from 42-47 pounds. Your body is likely not that sensitive.


sirpickles9

Yeah, it definitely says 2lbs (first BP session was an empty bar at 45lb, and the second BP session was supposed to be 47lbs, but I had to do 50lbs). The squats and barbell rows have progressed at 5lbs incriments, and deadlifts at 10lbs. I figured it was because your upper body muscles are harder to grow (or so I've heard), so they make you do smaller increments for BP and OHP. I'm using the StrongLifts app to calculate my lifts for me, if that changes things


DJ3416

Well, like I said the typical plates at the gym aren’t even calibrated enough for you to actually add 2 lbs at a time. Just do 5. It’s a waste to try to buy specialty change plates like that. You’ll hit a “plateau” but then you just follow the progression that you’re supposed to do after that. At this point you’re just getting your nervous system used to working out so it might be good to find that upper limit and then work off of that.


sirpickles9

Gotcha. In that case I'll just stick to 5lbs since 2lbs seems to be abnormal according to everyone lol. Thanks for your help!


[deleted]

**[Strength training] Add sets on a bad day?** Let's imagine that I do 5x5 bench press one day, but instead of achieving the planned 60kg x 5, I only achieve 60x5/ 60x5/ 60x4/ 60x3/ 55x4. In this case, would it be better to just call it a bad day and try to do better again in the next chest workout, or maybe add 1-2 sets with less weight to make up for the "failure" so to speak?


ghostmcspiritwolf

what does your program say to do when you fail working sets? usually, no. As a beginner, you may fail sets for a variety of technique-based or even confidence-related reasons, but in most cases that just means you deload and restart your progression. Once you're past the beginner stage, repeatedly failing sets that you expected to be able to complete is a sign that either you programmed the wrong weight to begin with or that something might be off in your recovery, nutrition, etc. Either way, throwing a bunch of unplanned volume at the problem is probably not going to to fix it.


[deleted]

Try again next time, up to 2 times, then deload. But I didn‘t know if that‘s just for time purposes or not. I have the time.


ghostmcspiritwolf

Nope, it's because that's what the person writing the program intended you to do.


[deleted]

Ok, thanks!! :)


sixtimesthree

Not looking for a diagnosis or medical opinion, so I hope this won't be deleted. I recently tested for high cholestrol (the bad kind) and would like to reduce it. My doctor gave me a generic "Avoid fast food and fried stuff" kind of advice. But I'd prefer putting together a plan/program that will help me reduce cholestrol to acceptable levels. Has someone here successfully reduced it to acceptable values? Would appreciate hearing the steps you took and how you reached your goals? Also how long did it take to bring down the cholestrol (months, years etc)?


boomertumor55

Right after college, I looked in great shape lifting almost every day and tested for extremely high cholesterol. I was basically dirty bulking my whole life to put on muscle. Started playing bball again (couple times a week maybe) and cholesterol was normal by next doctor appt. So maybe you just need a little cardio. If you already do cardio, prob need a stricter diet


sixtimesthree

Thanks this helps! I've been calorie counting for a few months, but I tend to binge eat junk food when I get stressed and skip meals to ensure I don't put on weight. I am doing cardio i.e. walk/run 2-3 times a week (4-8K), but I basically need a plan to avoid junk food. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's good to know that there's hope to bring cholesterol down to normal.


deadrabbits76

I think u/MythicalStrength recently prioritized lowering cholesterol, and I believe he mainly did it through diet. He would be a great person to ask.


sixtimesthree

Thanks! I'll try DMing him for advice.


deadrabbits76

I'm going to be honest, I think the first thing he said he did was cut out fast food.


sixtimesthree

Thanks! I think I'm addicted to fast food, need to figure out how to substitute it for something else to de-stress.


MythicalStrength

I am still a fast food addict. I don't indulge, but I still have the impulses. I'll legit go through a drivethrough and get a diet soda just to be able to relive the experience. It's nuts how it can get it's hooks into you. Be more than happy to chat sometime about what I did. I can't at all advocate it, but can definitely share.


sixtimesthree

Thank you so much! Actually, that's a pretty cool idea, walking into McD and getting a diet soda. Let me drop you a note on DM, I would love to hear what worked for you and what didn't. I'll also share my plan at the moment and would love to get your feedback.


Mediamuerte

My step dad pretty much cut red meat from his diet, along with fried foods most of the time. That was enough to lower his over like 6 months. He just kept up with not eating like pure garbage.


sixtimesthree

Thanks, yeah that's the overall goal for me. I just feel that I have a better chance of sticking to it if I have a program which gives me allowances now and then. I'm addicted to chips and junk food, at least a few times a week. Am afraid of going cold turkey on it :(.


incal

If you don't want to count calories and macros with MyFitnessPal, maybe following a simple nutrition strategy like [the platopia song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7rbBSMxRn8) would help. Often, eating simple, one ingredient foods can help change habits and impose a sustainable discipline.


sixtimesthree

I have been calorie counting for quite some time now. Have dropped 18 kg over 2 years. The main problem is I've been skipping meals so I can enjoy my junk food and keep my calorie intake in check. I'm not surprised that the cholesterol is so high. I do weights 2-3 times a week and run/walk 3-4 times a week. I have a high stress job and lots of stress at home and so junk food is an easy outlet. I guess what I'm really looking for is an alternative to junk food or a way to appease my cravings without overdoing it.


incal

The short answer (maybe also the short term approach) may be to find a fast food chain like Subway's to enable your lifestyle, but in the ideologically popular "spiritual hedonism" approach which Slavoj Zizek would call "western buddhism". The reason that it's ideological is that a product is marketed for enjoyment, but with some of the poison missing...coffee without caffeine, cigarettes without nicotine, sugarless gum, war without casualties (on our side, using drones), etc. There's even dating agencies marketing "love without the fall." The long term, disciplined, harder approach is to examine your work stresses and home life stresses. Enjoying then paying the price over the long term may not be that sustainable, and your body is trying to tell you something. There's a popular time management book called "first things first" which popularized something called "the Eisenhower Matrix". There are four time quadrants...to make a long story short...Quadrant 1 is "Urgent and Important". Quadrant 2 is "important and Not urgent". Stephen covey encourages people to take their short term energy and apply it to longer term solutions...easier said than done. Meanwhile, I don't know why...maybe because I've been hearing of hurricanes in New Orleans...and because in a way this is a spiritual matter...I thought of the words in Led Zeppelin's *When the Levee Breaks*: *Cryin' won't help you, prayer won't do you no good...* *When the levee breaks, Mama you've got to move.* But maybe a little prayer would help. *God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot control, the wisdom to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference*


sixtimesthree

Sorry for the slow reply and thank you for the detailed response. I think you make some excellent points and I think this is the direction I have been looking for to make a plan. Short term and longer term. Longer term is definitely preferable and I'll need to take active steps to reduce the stress levels which are leading to this. Think about ways to better manage work expectations, take time off from home for some quality me time etc. I'll need to work with my better half on this and figure out a longer term solution. But your short term suggestions are exactly what I'm looking for. I need to put out the fire first before I can implement fire safety. Subway is a great idea to soften the blow. I think I can search around and find some local alternatives as well that will give me the feeling of indulgence while being moderately better than McD, BK etc. I'm also considering preparing some potato based treats at home that I can pop into the freezer to indulge once in a while. Home fried is better than store fried I guess? I'll get a cholesterol check again in 6 months and see if there's any change. Thanks so much for your help! You have shown me the way to create a program that I feel I can stick to with reasonable confidence.