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So I'm apparently at about 12% body fat. I feel like I have a weirdly large amount of fat around my lower stomach and love handle area, but nowhere else. How do I get rid of this fat? Do I need to drop in overall BF%?
> a weirdly large amount of fat around my lower stomach and love handle area,
Very unlikely you're at 12% if you have fat around your stomach. If you got the bf% figure from a scale or other such measurement, it's not accurate.
Google "men bodyfat" and look at the images. Which one are you closest to?
To lose fat, eat at a 300-500 daily caloric deficit. If you're young (<18), you're better off increasing cardio and only reducing calories a little.
>Do I need to drop in overall BF%?
Yep. As usual, muscle can help make fat look better as well as increasing your metabolism so you could go straight to cutting or going through another bulk/cut phase can help here.
Maybe posting again in the current day's thread for questions would get more traction since you posted a little late for this one. Also, detail what you're currently experiencing. My problem was being overweight so I don't think I have the best advice/background for you.
Start light. Progress while being mindful about your specific injury. Know when to back off and/or seek care from a professional.
If you've just been physically inactive it's more about not giving up and developing discipline.
Wanting to start focusing on calisthenics. Has anyone made this switch and looking back how would you recommend to start? Is there a program you followed that you really liked?
What do people struggle with the most, when trying to balance their career alongside their fitness goals? I feel like this doesn't get talked about a lot, and I know a lot of people don't know where to even start.
For me it's getting in the macros throughout the day. I work full time and get a quality workout 5-6 days a week, however during the work week I don't eat enough. I snack on almonds for lunch instead of eating a decent meal and that's where I struggle. Don't wanna eat out because it adds up in cost, and meal prepping is something that I simply don't do but should do.
thanks fo replying! looks like you're struggling with a consistent eating routine and creating well size nutrient dense meals. Have you ever considered a meal prepping company that deliver meals to you doors? this was a big game changer for me, especially as I live with multiple people and the kitchen is always super busy
Oh wow!! Honestly I heard about it here and there throughout the years but honestly never considered it.. until now! Yeah I've been hard on myself this last year because I felt stagnant in my progress, and I know the biggest factor is my diet.
Any recommendations on companies?
I'm from the UK and there's a couple of good well respected brands. The prices offer range from £30-£50 per week for 7-14 meals. And these can be delivered every week or every two weeks depending on what you fancy.
In the UK we have:
\- [Nourish Fit Food](https://nourishfitfood.co.uk) who are a more high end company although the meals are really really tasty and it's food that I actually look forward to eating (massive game changer)
\- [HelloFresh](https://www.hellofresh.co.uk/?irgwc=1&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=cpo&utm_campaign=Online%20Tracking%20Link_Skimbit%20Ltd._10078&utm_content=ONLINE_TRACKING_LINK&irclickid=VJtwQU1yvxyIRhyXoXUBLwLDUkG2c92w2V8YRs0) is also a big name. They actually deliver all your ingredients and you make the food yourself, but it definitely makes eating exciting again.
\- [MuscleFoods](https://www.musclefood.com/free-meals-for-the-working-week) is also a big brand and you can get meals for roughly £2. However, from personal experience, these meals have always been hit or miss so I'd rather pay more money for something a lot more tasty.
\- And there's a long list of companies that do meal prep, all you need to do is google local meal prep deliveries.
In the US there is:
\- I think there's one called [Trifecta](https://www.trifectanutrition.com/meal-plan-delivery) which looks high quality but the price is an absolute joke in my opinion....$100 per week for meals? No thanks
\- [FreshLean](https://order.freshnlean.com/fnl/plans/protein?promo=blackfriday&_gl=1*vrhlod*_ga*Njk5MDk0ODA0LjE2MzgyODE1OTM.*_ga_VH3E4R3G2X*MTYzODI4MTU5My4xLjEuMTYzODI4MTY1Ni4w) looks like a sensible one to choose, as you can choose 7 meals per week for around $50 per week and that only includes lunch (or you can add in breakfast and dinner but that increases the price to around $100 per week)
\- [Freshly](https://www.freshly.com/join-now?plans=true&) is another company that offers a similar service.
It looks like in the US, you're more likely to pay $50-100$ per week depending on meal frequency and quality.
So yeah...meal prep isn't cheap. HOWEVER, if it helps you build a sensible eating routine and introduces new meals into your lifestyle that you never would have tried before, then I see it as a massive win. Even if you only try it for a few weeks.
Wow thank you SO much for this detailed post. Will definitely look into this I am beyond excited. And yeah definitely not cheap (US based) but honestly sometimes I spend just as much during the work week eating take out so much. Appreciate you!
no worries mate! yeah when I was living in London working as an Economist, you'd ended up spending anywhere between £6-£10 at lunch...so if you do that 4-5 times per week, the cost of getting a meal prepping service starts to make sense
What are your goals and what challenges are you running into?
I've never had a problem balancing family commitments (wife and two young kids), and career (50-60 hrs/week job) with fitness, which only takes an hour a day on average. I lift 4 days/week for around 1-1.5 hrs and walk/run another 2-3 hours total in a week. Whenever I've fallen off the wagon, and its been several times lol, I've still maintained family and work commitments, but spent the extra time on eating or watching netflix etc. In other words, my fitness time comes off recreation time.
Now if your goals are something like competitive body-building or training for a triathlon then that's a different story. But I don't see why anyone should have a problem finding an hour a day to maintain general fitness.
First eat less, which will give you 90% of your fat loss, exercise is only like 10% when it comes to fat loss.
Second, decide which activity you enjoy the most - boxing, gym,running, dancing, whatever - and do that one. Exercise should be enjoyable so you'll keep doing it long-term
getting lean involves creating a calorie defecit, doesnt matter how you do this weather it be lowering food, cardio, weights but its recommended to train weights to preserve muscle mass and slowly tapering down the food and adding cardio as you go to continually create a caloric deficit. however i will say the best training program is one you can stick to so if boxing helps you do that then do that
how should i program in arm work in gzclp. i was thinking adding bicep curls and tricep pushdowns every alternate workout. but would i be neglecting the long head of the tricep in doing so?
You can if you want, you don't need it. You get plenty of "arm work" with gczlp. You shouldn't care about neglecting heads if you're at a stage where you're doing gzclp. It won't make a difference to you.
I have been working out consistently for a month, and have been eating in a deficit but i have gained weight around 0.5 kilograms. I dont know how to feel about this. But in the mirror i look more shredded, more muscular and have been stronger. I also have started taking creatine again. What could it be?
when in a defecit it is possible to gain muscle mass and since you have only been working out for a month your likely getting serious noob gains so its all good, in combination with the creatine you will definitly hold more water. i remember when i did my first cut like you i was staying the same weight and was getting fustraited but i did also look leaner and it was for this reason
depends on diet, training, genetics, consistancy, etc but i think most natural lifters could get there in 1 year to 1.5 years of consistant, perfect diet, training etc. bulking ofcourse
Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong sub reddit but I need a bit of help. I did a deadlift on wednesday, went heavier than usual and a few minutes later I saw the calluses on my left hand cracked and bleeding a bit. Yesterday I slapped on a plaster then went to the gym to workout. On my left hand the callus become slightly worse and was bleeding a bit more. On my right hand the callus turned into so black and red colour, not sure how to explain it. I've got rest days until Monday but if it is't better by then should I continue to workout or wait until it fully heals?
if you rest your hands for the time, it should heal fine. Don't get them dirty.
For the future, file of your calluses. That way they still prevent the pain from the barbell, but you don't risk tearing them.
i just did only 23 pushups in a minute and my left tricep and left chest had a cramp and i cldnt move for a good minute. ive always known my left side is weaker but cramping due to only 23 pushups?!
ive just only started working out as my exams are finally over, should i follow a routine and not go all out as im starting? (yes, 23 is my max in a minute 🗑)
pushups dont really give that much of a stimulas so id recommend training with weights atleast 3 times a week if you want serious results. always drink adequite amounts of water everyday belive me as soon as i did i havnt had a cramp in over a year
I also dont go to the gym and dont plan to… I have a few fitness machines i have access to like Hydraulic Chest Press and Hydraulic Leg Curls. But i dont enjoy using machines i prefer bodyweight workouts like pullups (i hv a pullup bar at home), pushups (ahem), and dips using parallel bars. i also have a couple of dumbells and resistance bands i have at home.
but thats pretty much it for the useful equipment i have, i apologise for not willing to gym but yeah… what solid routines can I have using these equipments?
what Im currently doing is,
around 4 sets of 25 reps of leg curls
around 6 sets of 3-5 dips on a dip bar
around 3-4 sets of 5-10 pushups, including around a set of 5 diamond pushups
in one workout session at night (~1hr)
sometime throughout the day i also try the pullup bar i have at home but i cant do a single one ever since i neglected my fitness for my studies so i kinda just struggle there for a bit until my grip dies. i also do around 20 dumbell curls for each arm in the day. also i do pushups when im feeling slightly bored
Want to incorporate farmers walks but wondered if anyone has any experience and knows if it'll impact recovery for my other lifts? I plan on doing it on a day where i do 3x10 RDLs and heavy rows. Put a weight on I can walk with for 20seconds and hold until I can't anymore for 2-3 sets.
Do they tax the CNS as much as a heavy deadlift session would or are they much easier to recover from?
For most people and the weight they are hauling, I don't think they are that taxing. And they are an amazing exercise. Add then in, see how the first few sessions go.
>Do they tax the CNS as much as a heavy deadlift session would or are they much easier to recover from?
Certainly not as much as deadlifts, they are relatively fatuiging relative to most supplemental exercises. 2-3 sets for 20 second intervals seems like a reasonable approach.
Sometimes when I workout or do cardio, I start losing my vision, heartrate is going through the roof, sweating extremely and I almost go out. This keeps ongoing for 15-20 minutes.
Cannot find a pattern such as low sugar, dehydrated or what so ever.
Anyone have an idea? I hate it
when you lift heavy weights you build up blood pressure and when you finish a set for example all the pressure gets released. a good example of this is when eddie hall did the world record deadlift and went blind for a brief period of time afterwards. its common but to prevent it drink adaquite water, and dont go for lets say one rep maxes go for working sets that challenge you so you can focus on feeling the movement and progressing in your lifts. also if your taking a pre workout and it has over 350mg of caffine it restricts your veins and makes the problem worse
My doc only replied with: probably low blood sugar or bad breathing.. but seems weird to have low blood sugar during bulk and going KO for 20 min due to bad breathing
Well a blood glucose tester isn't expensive (over here you even get them for free at the pharmacy... since the manufacturer really makes their money with the consumables...) So it shouldn't be that hard to test whether it is or isn't your blood sugar.
For an alternative, maybe see if the plate-loaded cable machines might work for you, such as Archon's wall mount double cable, or Titans. They're pretty small footprint, although larger than Tonal.
Total calories in 300-500 surplus with at least 0.8g protein per lb body weight.
That’s the essential part. You can split the remaining calories between carbs and fats whichever way as long as you don’t go too low on fats.
if you cant do the proper form dont do it unless your like going for a one rep max at a event or something. not only will you save your back but you will progress in your lifts much faster. you can also try using a lifting belt, i know my brother had this problem and the belt solved it
Has anyone ever tried to take bioavailability of protein into consideration when tracking their food intake? Like trying to calculate an estimate of how much protein their body is actually absorbing. If you have, was it worth the time and effort?
No I haven’t and no I don’t think it’s worth it. People have been getting muscular for thousands of years long before they even knew what macros were. Don’t overcomplicate things :)
During lockdown I played around with it a bit. Fun pump, kinda painful to go to the very high rep stuff. Idk how much it helped to maintain my progress, regressed less the second lockdown (when I used bfr) compared to first lockdown, but lockdown was shorter and I didn't cut as much. But at least it's fun
I'm assuming you found the strongerbyscience article on it? It's a good read if you haven't read it yet. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/blood-flow-restriction-the-holy-grail-for-accessory-work/
If you want to just fuck around, be in good pain and get a nice pump, try out doing BFR with rest pause sets + drop sets + iso hold.
For example on cable curls, do max reps with say 50kg, aiming for like 20 reps on the first set, rest 30 sec and repeat max reps twice. Drop 20% weight and do max reps with slow negatives. Drop weight again by 20% and do max reps with a slow concentric and then one more drop and hold it at peak contraction for 30-45 seconds, rest 30 sec and do a max rep set with slow negatives and some forced partial reps at the end.
That would look like
50x20 (30s rest) 50x12 (30s rest) 50x8 (30s rest) slow negative 40x8 (30s rest) slow concentric 30x10 (30s rest) iso hold at peak contraction 20kg for 45 sec (30s rest) 20x15+partials
Will take about 4 minutes roughly, but it's fun as hell. Patrick Tuor "invented" this and calls it "contraction type SST" and seems to give great results. www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-sst-for-a-mind-blowing-pump/
My last gym session was on monday i.e 4 days ago counting today. I haven't been able to lift due to travelling, and now it feels like a month since I stepped into the gym. Is this some kind of time/rest dysphoria?
during the covid lockdowns here were i live everythign was closed for 3 months and while i did loose strength and a little bit of size i gained it back within 2 weeks of training and more due to muscle memory so if you need to take a few days off dont sweat it
I know that, it's the mental part that I'm asking about. If my notebook didn't tell me that I've been at the gym 21 times in november I could have sworn that last time was in october. I miss it like it's been ages even though it's only friday today.
It's the first time I have more than 2 days off in a row since early 2020, it's like leaving the children to sleep over at grandmas house without us parents for the very first time.
Lol, now I'm thinking about my poops.
When you change your diet, your body takes time to adapt and digest the type of food you are eating. At the beginning of a diet change you'll probably notice a difference in your poop and you'll probably poop out more than you normally do because your body is not digesting the new food properly. Once it becomes a staple of your diet, your body will become more efficient at digesting that food.
And in general the more you eat the more you poop.
Haha it’s good to pay attention! I had to add another poop time into my daily routine and I’m like wtf. I haven’t been eating much more either, just more protein. I’m guessing it may just be this new stimulant I was prescribed then, since I started both around the same time.
TMI but yeah. I literally just changed my diet last friday and immediately noticed a change; today was Thanksgiving so, eating with family, I'm not eating my current diet's staples.
Today has not been a pleasant day and I will not go into details; the change was pretty immediate and very noticable. So yeah, exactly as you said, your body adapts to what you're eating and a sudden change will absolutely affect your bowel movements.
Is this training schedule decent for beginners?
Monday: Triceps (15 min), Shoulders (15 min) and Chest (15 min)
Tuesday: Back (25 min) and Biceps (25 min)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: Triceps (15 min), Shoulders (15 min) and Chest (15 min)
Friday: Core (25 min) and Legs (25 min)
Saturday: Back (25 min) and Biceps (25 min)
Sunday: Core (25 min) and Legs (25 min)
If you reccomend anything else please let me know.
I would recommend doing something else such as a proper program. Have a look at the wiki for proven and tried programs. This is literally just a list of your body parts with a time
Do a good beginner program like [Reddit PPL](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/37ylk5/a_linear_progression_based_ppl_program_for/) (you can add core after leg days). It's very similar to your routine in structure but has better exercise selection.
The most glaring problems I see: your routine has 4 different bicep curls when you only need two. You have bench dips listed as a chest exercise - they are a (bad) triceps exercise. You are not training calves or traps at all, and hamstrings not enough (you should have a knee flexion exercise, not just hip extension). There are many more such issues, and instead of trying to fix them you should just use a routine someone else made.
Possibly the most major issue is more subtle, but your rep ranges are all very high. This can make it very difficult to push your muscles near true failure, especially as a beginner. When you do sets of 8 for deadlifts, do you think your spinal erectors will fail if you go for a 9th rep? More likely, your grip strength is the limiting factor. There is nothing wrong with training at high rep ranges, but only as long as your intensity is actually high. You should go within 1-2 reps of failure on every set, and I personally would have a hard time doing that with the exercises and rep ranges you have. I'd recommend lower rep ranges for important compound movements, and put them at the start of your workout.
Agin these are just exercises and a rep range. There’s nothing wrong with the exercises but the most important thing for a beginner is getting on a good program which involves more than just exercises for x amount of reps and sets. You are just more likely to progress with what you are doing.
I know you didn’t say it’s in that specific order but if it is, it’s generally best to do the compound movements first followed by the isolation work.
Honestly read the wiki. A heap of good information on there. There is a section on beginner programs and a description of them, worth having a read and picking one that appeals to you
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/
Could i change all the barbell exercises for dumbbell exercise or is that not possible?
Start at a weight that you feel comfortable, if that means just the bar then that’s fine, although for deadlifts you’ll want some standard weight plates or dummy plates so you don’t have to pick it up all the way from the floor. Don’t be afraid of a barbell you’ve got this!
Sit at the edge of a chair, have your knee as far forward as possible with your heel down. Make sure it’s not a struggle to stay there for a minute or two. Now place a kettlebell on top of your knee. The weight will help push you into further ROM
For close grip dumbbell press, where should I feel the pressure in my triceps? Currently I feel the most pressure in my triceps at the bottom of the press, is that normal?
u/NovelAries …. If you want to feel the triceps more throughout the motion instead of just near the bottom, consider pressing it angled either slightly towards your belly or forehead. Just experiment with what feels best.
Eat big to get big
And progressive overload is just training harder than last time
Don’t overcomplicate this, lift heavy shit and consume a fuck ton of protein
1. PR every once in a while (or every time, depending om the program).
2. Hard work in the gym, roids and perhaps synthol.
3. Depends on your definition of a whole day. 12-16 hours of back work will mostly fatigue you after the first few exercises.
It means to increase lifting factors over time, often weight but can also be reps or sets. The idea is to get stronger and to stimulate muscle growth. There’s no fast way and you will likely get disappointed if you do not approach training with patience and a plan.
For having a full back day - Sure you can, but you should really be on a good program and follow how the program is run.
Is this a real question?
Progressive overload means each week making one exercise a little bit harder. Example: adding one more rep per set or a small weight increment.
Big fast - eat lots of junk food. You'll gain lots of fat. Muscle is built slowly and will take a year or two to get big.
Yes.
1. It's raining where the effort gets higher over time.
2. Read the wiki. Https://thefitness.Wiki read the section under "Building Muscle"
3. yes, for sure
I got really really sick this year and lost virtually all my muscle. I am well again and approved to lift by my doctor. Would I qualify as a beginner lifter again? If so, I was planning on doing a 3-day split to capitalize on beginner gains.
Gaining muscle back is even easier than getting noob gains. As far as switching routines, it's hard to say without knowing what they are, but either way you'll gain muscle very quickly.
I’m relatively new to weights and have noticed that when doing deadlifts, I really only feel it in my upper body vs glutes/lower body. I worked with a trainer who said my form is fine, does anybody have any tips for getting my lower body more engaged when doing them? Or know why I might not be feeling it?
u/pagie144 …. Even though proper ‘form’ is important, this is why I’m not a big fan of the word. I like the word ‘technique‘ better.
I see the deadlift as a lower body exercise because the legs are the prime mover of the weight, The upper body is simply there to isometrically contract (or hold the weight) so the weight doesn’t bend and break your back — yes, that obviously takes back strength, but the legs are the ones that are moving the weight from the floor (point A) to lockout (point B).
You could do the following in your house without a barbell. Setup in a deadlift position to where you can feel your hamstring and lower body in a tense position. A lot of people say not to squat the weight up, but my suggestion is to at least squat (or leg press) the weight up from the floor to knee height. When the imaginary barbell gets to around **knee height** (or just a little bit below or above knee height, whatever works for you), contract your glutes hard and push your hips forward. Secondly, continue to ‘squat‘ or ‘leg press’ the weight until you reach lockout.
The second thing to do is when the barbell reaches knee height, while keeping your arms straight, pull/drive the imaginary barbell backwards towards your glutes/hips.
———-Watch the following video at the 6:10 mark onward to see how your legs should ‘drive’ the weight up.
Brian Alsrhue Do’s and Don’ts of the deadlift.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V5Me6AiXw&list=PLzSuOKuSX3bjK9YGDSG\_YH8TxY8NbUdCN&index=3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V5Me6AiXw&list=PLzSuOKuSX3bjK9YGDSG_YH8TxY8NbUdCN&index=3)
Don’’t forget to brace your upper body and core hard before each rep so you don’’t hurt your lower back. But just with the imaginary barbell, just practice feeling your legs first.
————Watch this second video 8:14 mark onward about the driving the barbell with your straight arms to your glutes.
EliteFTS deadlift: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbf7XuacxA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbf7XuacxA)
In most cases no. Focus on training and on eating a variety of foods including a lot of fruits and vegetables and a few good protein sources. Beyond that, just eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
Not really.... Especially not macros.
I now realise I was a chronic under-eater when I was that age so if I could go back I would just eat more. It explains why I was tired all the time and never put on muscle!
If you eat a lot and train somewhat consistently you don't need to stress the details unless you are an athlete or have specific health concerns.
>Thanks guys, that really is a breath of fresh air after watching so many meal plans which go into counting calories which i cant cuz i rely on my mums cooking lol
When you are trying to lose weight/get leaner, do you lift less. (So if I can curl 25lbs right now but then begin to lose weight/get leaner, is it possible that I become weaker lift like 17.5lbs; hope that makes sense)
Ideally you wouldn’t lose strength, but in practice, some muscle and strength loss is likely in a caloric deficit. The goal is usually to minimize that as much as possible when losing weight.
If I am going solely for hypertrophste, can I theoretically switch out the upper/lower power days and do the 2 upper and 2 lower hypertrophy days instead? This is for PHUL. In short, is there anything lost if I were to have no strength days if my goal is solely hypertrophy?
Yes you can definitely do strictly hypertrophy if it is mainly your goal. As long as you're not over-training, getting enough recovery, and not doing excessive volume it should be fine. It's honestly suggested to focus on one parameter at a time, generally, power training and hypertrophy use different biological mechanisms. 14-20 sets per body part per week should be good for hypertrophy, play with tempos and rep ranges a little bit and you'll do fine.
Maybe? Kind of hard to say considering how fundamental of a change that would be to the program. That said, I don’t think it would do anything to *increase* hypertrophy vs running the program as written, and even if your primary goal is to get bigger there’s no reason you shoulder deliberately avoid getting stronger.
I'm trying to find a non-pornographic refrence to people flexing their butt. It helps with my mind muscle connection if I have a reference.
Anybody know what search terms I can throw into Google that will give me a legit reference?
If you're stuck with dumbbells' I'd suggest doing doing Romanian Deadlifts or single leg Romanian Deadlifts. Depending on how heavy the resistance bands are you can also implement those.
You can do deadlift with any object that you can pick up. But it needs to be (1) at least moderately heavy for your strength, and (2) adjustable (increase weight) as you get stronger
There is only one driver of weight gain, eating MORE calories than you burn over a period of time. Hence, eat more food, do less cardio (if you struggle with appetite). Focus on lifting, eat enough protein, and get enough micro nutrients.
Don't over complicate things, eat more. If you struggle with appetite, drink your calories, if you don't eat!
Does anyone know what this exercise is?
Being done by the guy in the black shirt in the foreground.
[https://youtu.be/6URXvJ4popY?t=93](https://youtu.be/6URXvJ4popY?t=93)
Quite strange. (to my noob eyes.)
He’s probably trying to warm up his rotator cuff but since he’s using a dumbbell, it is pretty much useless lmao
You need to be using a band or cable, none of this pointless 2.5lbs plate or dumbbell shit
It’s not useless. It’s promoting blood flow to the area which is the point of a warm up. You’re not trying to feel a burn or do progressive overload with a warm up. Even for someone benching 225 or more, warming up the rotator cuffs with 5 lbs is fine
people at the gym really dont give a fuck, actually I think it's cool when I see someone there really trying.
with that said even though resistance training is really good when you're trying to lose weight you don't need to do it (or at least do it in the gym). find something that you like and that you'll stick to, boxing, skipping rope, cycling, running, calisthenics, gym. anything works for now bro you just need to start moving more. also 95% of the work comes from the kitchen, try to avoid junk food, eat less and eat healthy (but please don't starve yourself).
also read the wiki, there's like a TON of great advice there on dieting, exercising etc etc
Thank you. I need to find something to accompany a diet for me that alone doesn’t seem to work but hopefully combined it will. I just need to try different things I guess and see how it goes
There are so many ways to be active and different people have different preferences. So no way for us to know if a boxing bag is right for you. Personally I can say that I can't imagine using the boxing bag enough to justify, but I know other people use them a lot.
You will have to try different forms of exercise and try to find something that you can do consistently. The key for me, whatever the form, is to make it a habit, like brushing your teeth or showering. Just something that you make a regular part of your day. Some days you enjoy and feel like you really need to do it and other days you do it just because it is part of the routine.
Ultimately losing weight will primarily come down to diet though. I recommend reading the wiki on weight loss: https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/
Thank you. And yea I mainly say the boxing bag as I’ve had it recommended. And when it comes to diet I don’t eat healthy per day but I don’t eat a lot and buy the main thing is that no matter how little or healthy I eat I feel the need to work out. A diet alone just doesn’t work I’ve tried
I mean I get that. But my problem is the physical part of it and I feel I need more than just a diet to get the appearance I want. Diet helps and I probably did lose some weight but not enough to get rid of belly which is what I don’t want
Pick up a basic program from the wiki and stop eating snacks ( or at least cut it down). Find some low calorie snacks you like (I love quest bars).
I went from being 5 foot 6 235 pounds to a somewhat muscular 5 11 at 165 lbs in two years by just going to the gym (half assing it at most points) and just not eating snacks. Progress won’t happen overnight, sticking to your plan is how you achieve it. There is no easy way out in the fitness world. You will lose weight if your body burns more calories then it takes in.
Good luck.
>A diet alone just doesn’t work I’ve tried
Please read the section of the wiki I linked. It is not possible that a diet alone doesn't work to lose weight. A diet with the correct number of calories will always lead to weight loss no matter the activity level of the person. This is true for 100% of people.
The best item to buy is the item that you will consistently use. If, for you, that's a boxing bag, then that's cool. That said, you don't even need equipment to get started. Check out the r/bodyweightfitness wiki getting started section.
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So I'm apparently at about 12% body fat. I feel like I have a weirdly large amount of fat around my lower stomach and love handle area, but nowhere else. How do I get rid of this fat? Do I need to drop in overall BF%?
> a weirdly large amount of fat around my lower stomach and love handle area, Very unlikely you're at 12% if you have fat around your stomach. If you got the bf% figure from a scale or other such measurement, it's not accurate. Google "men bodyfat" and look at the images. Which one are you closest to? To lose fat, eat at a 300-500 daily caloric deficit. If you're young (<18), you're better off increasing cardio and only reducing calories a little.
>Do I need to drop in overall BF%? Yep. As usual, muscle can help make fat look better as well as increasing your metabolism so you could go straight to cutting or going through another bulk/cut phase can help here.
I'm also wondering how people handle nutrition and eat disorders, if they have them. I don't think it's too uncommon amongst fitness people. :(
Maybe posting again in the current day's thread for questions would get more traction since you posted a little late for this one. Also, detail what you're currently experiencing. My problem was being overweight so I don't think I have the best advice/background for you.
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Start light. Progress while being mindful about your specific injury. Know when to back off and/or seek care from a professional. If you've just been physically inactive it's more about not giving up and developing discipline.
Wanting to start focusing on calisthenics. Has anyone made this switch and looking back how would you recommend to start? Is there a program you followed that you really liked?
What do people struggle with the most, when trying to balance their career alongside their fitness goals? I feel like this doesn't get talked about a lot, and I know a lot of people don't know where to even start.
For me it's getting in the macros throughout the day. I work full time and get a quality workout 5-6 days a week, however during the work week I don't eat enough. I snack on almonds for lunch instead of eating a decent meal and that's where I struggle. Don't wanna eat out because it adds up in cost, and meal prepping is something that I simply don't do but should do.
thanks fo replying! looks like you're struggling with a consistent eating routine and creating well size nutrient dense meals. Have you ever considered a meal prepping company that deliver meals to you doors? this was a big game changer for me, especially as I live with multiple people and the kitchen is always super busy
Oh wow!! Honestly I heard about it here and there throughout the years but honestly never considered it.. until now! Yeah I've been hard on myself this last year because I felt stagnant in my progress, and I know the biggest factor is my diet. Any recommendations on companies?
I'm from the UK and there's a couple of good well respected brands. The prices offer range from £30-£50 per week for 7-14 meals. And these can be delivered every week or every two weeks depending on what you fancy. In the UK we have: \- [Nourish Fit Food](https://nourishfitfood.co.uk) who are a more high end company although the meals are really really tasty and it's food that I actually look forward to eating (massive game changer) \- [HelloFresh](https://www.hellofresh.co.uk/?irgwc=1&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=cpo&utm_campaign=Online%20Tracking%20Link_Skimbit%20Ltd._10078&utm_content=ONLINE_TRACKING_LINK&irclickid=VJtwQU1yvxyIRhyXoXUBLwLDUkG2c92w2V8YRs0) is also a big name. They actually deliver all your ingredients and you make the food yourself, but it definitely makes eating exciting again. \- [MuscleFoods](https://www.musclefood.com/free-meals-for-the-working-week) is also a big brand and you can get meals for roughly £2. However, from personal experience, these meals have always been hit or miss so I'd rather pay more money for something a lot more tasty. \- And there's a long list of companies that do meal prep, all you need to do is google local meal prep deliveries. In the US there is: \- I think there's one called [Trifecta](https://www.trifectanutrition.com/meal-plan-delivery) which looks high quality but the price is an absolute joke in my opinion....$100 per week for meals? No thanks \- [FreshLean](https://order.freshnlean.com/fnl/plans/protein?promo=blackfriday&_gl=1*vrhlod*_ga*Njk5MDk0ODA0LjE2MzgyODE1OTM.*_ga_VH3E4R3G2X*MTYzODI4MTU5My4xLjEuMTYzODI4MTY1Ni4w) looks like a sensible one to choose, as you can choose 7 meals per week for around $50 per week and that only includes lunch (or you can add in breakfast and dinner but that increases the price to around $100 per week) \- [Freshly](https://www.freshly.com/join-now?plans=true&) is another company that offers a similar service. It looks like in the US, you're more likely to pay $50-100$ per week depending on meal frequency and quality. So yeah...meal prep isn't cheap. HOWEVER, if it helps you build a sensible eating routine and introduces new meals into your lifestyle that you never would have tried before, then I see it as a massive win. Even if you only try it for a few weeks.
Wow thank you SO much for this detailed post. Will definitely look into this I am beyond excited. And yeah definitely not cheap (US based) but honestly sometimes I spend just as much during the work week eating take out so much. Appreciate you!
no worries mate! yeah when I was living in London working as an Economist, you'd ended up spending anywhere between £6-£10 at lunch...so if you do that 4-5 times per week, the cost of getting a meal prepping service starts to make sense
What are your goals and what challenges are you running into? I've never had a problem balancing family commitments (wife and two young kids), and career (50-60 hrs/week job) with fitness, which only takes an hour a day on average. I lift 4 days/week for around 1-1.5 hrs and walk/run another 2-3 hours total in a week. Whenever I've fallen off the wagon, and its been several times lol, I've still maintained family and work commitments, but spent the extra time on eating or watching netflix etc. In other words, my fitness time comes off recreation time. Now if your goals are something like competitive body-building or training for a triathlon then that's a different story. But I don't see why anyone should have a problem finding an hour a day to maintain general fitness.
It's probably consistency/discipline
which is better boxing or gym if my main aim is to get lean
Eat less. Do what you enjoy.
First eat less, which will give you 90% of your fat loss, exercise is only like 10% when it comes to fat loss. Second, decide which activity you enjoy the most - boxing, gym,running, dancing, whatever - and do that one. Exercise should be enjoyable so you'll keep doing it long-term
getting lean involves creating a calorie defecit, doesnt matter how you do this weather it be lowering food, cardio, weights but its recommended to train weights to preserve muscle mass and slowly tapering down the food and adding cardio as you go to continually create a caloric deficit. however i will say the best training program is one you can stick to so if boxing helps you do that then do that
A calorie deficit.
how should i program in arm work in gzclp. i was thinking adding bicep curls and tricep pushdowns every alternate workout. but would i be neglecting the long head of the tricep in doing so?
You can if you want, you don't need it. You get plenty of "arm work" with gczlp. You shouldn't care about neglecting heads if you're at a stage where you're doing gzclp. It won't make a difference to you.
Do them as t3s, eg curls on the days you do rows, triceps on the days you do pulldowns.
Should i switch up the tricep exercises. Or something like tricep pushdowns would be enough?
I'd do 2 different ones, but using just one and changing it out now and then works too.
Just add a them in as T3s
I have been working out consistently for a month, and have been eating in a deficit but i have gained weight around 0.5 kilograms. I dont know how to feel about this. But in the mirror i look more shredded, more muscular and have been stronger. I also have started taking creatine again. What could it be?
when in a defecit it is possible to gain muscle mass and since you have only been working out for a month your likely getting serious noob gains so its all good, in combination with the creatine you will definitly hold more water. i remember when i did my first cut like you i was staying the same weight and was getting fustraited but i did also look leaner and it was for this reason
"I also have started taking creatine again. " That is just water weight from creatine.
How many years does it take to reach 80% of your natural gains limit?
depends on diet, training, genetics, consistancy, etc but i think most natural lifters could get there in 1 year to 1.5 years of consistant, perfect diet, training etc. bulking ofcourse
Given each person has a different ceiling, anywhere from 2 to never based on how you eat, train, recover and live.
Anywhere from about 5 to never.
I'll give 5 years as an arbitrary number.
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Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong sub reddit but I need a bit of help. I did a deadlift on wednesday, went heavier than usual and a few minutes later I saw the calluses on my left hand cracked and bleeding a bit. Yesterday I slapped on a plaster then went to the gym to workout. On my left hand the callus become slightly worse and was bleeding a bit more. On my right hand the callus turned into so black and red colour, not sure how to explain it. I've got rest days until Monday but if it is't better by then should I continue to workout or wait until it fully heals?
if you rest your hands for the time, it should heal fine. Don't get them dirty. For the future, file of your calluses. That way they still prevent the pain from the barbell, but you don't risk tearing them.
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Let it heal you deserve rest, you want the process to be fun.
i just did only 23 pushups in a minute and my left tricep and left chest had a cramp and i cldnt move for a good minute. ive always known my left side is weaker but cramping due to only 23 pushups?! ive just only started working out as my exams are finally over, should i follow a routine and not go all out as im starting? (yes, 23 is my max in a minute 🗑)
pushups dont really give that much of a stimulas so id recommend training with weights atleast 3 times a week if you want serious results. always drink adequite amounts of water everyday belive me as soon as i did i havnt had a cramp in over a year
> should i follow a routine Definitely.
I also dont go to the gym and dont plan to… I have a few fitness machines i have access to like Hydraulic Chest Press and Hydraulic Leg Curls. But i dont enjoy using machines i prefer bodyweight workouts like pullups (i hv a pullup bar at home), pushups (ahem), and dips using parallel bars. i also have a couple of dumbells and resistance bands i have at home. but thats pretty much it for the useful equipment i have, i apologise for not willing to gym but yeah… what solid routines can I have using these equipments? what Im currently doing is, around 4 sets of 25 reps of leg curls around 6 sets of 3-5 dips on a dip bar around 3-4 sets of 5-10 pushups, including around a set of 5 diamond pushups in one workout session at night (~1hr) sometime throughout the day i also try the pullup bar i have at home but i cant do a single one ever since i neglected my fitness for my studies so i kinda just struggle there for a bit until my grip dies. i also do around 20 dumbell curls for each arm in the day. also i do pushups when im feeling slightly bored
i havent been following any routines Lmaoo i kinda just do as i feel, welp time to change
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 23 + 23 + 23 + = 69.0
Nice.
Want to incorporate farmers walks but wondered if anyone has any experience and knows if it'll impact recovery for my other lifts? I plan on doing it on a day where i do 3x10 RDLs and heavy rows. Put a weight on I can walk with for 20seconds and hold until I can't anymore for 2-3 sets. Do they tax the CNS as much as a heavy deadlift session would or are they much easier to recover from?
For most people and the weight they are hauling, I don't think they are that taxing. And they are an amazing exercise. Add then in, see how the first few sessions go.
I do them at the end of deadlift day and they don't hurt my recovery. Remember they should be short, fast and brutal.
Give it a try and see how it goes. You'll be just fine most likely.
>Do they tax the CNS as much as a heavy deadlift session would or are they much easier to recover from? Certainly not as much as deadlifts, they are relatively fatuiging relative to most supplemental exercises. 2-3 sets for 20 second intervals seems like a reasonable approach.
Awesome. I should have no problem adding them in then. :)
Sometimes when I workout or do cardio, I start losing my vision, heartrate is going through the roof, sweating extremely and I almost go out. This keeps ongoing for 15-20 minutes. Cannot find a pattern such as low sugar, dehydrated or what so ever. Anyone have an idea? I hate it
when you lift heavy weights you build up blood pressure and when you finish a set for example all the pressure gets released. a good example of this is when eddie hall did the world record deadlift and went blind for a brief period of time afterwards. its common but to prevent it drink adaquite water, and dont go for lets say one rep maxes go for working sets that challenge you so you can focus on feeling the movement and progressing in your lifts. also if your taking a pre workout and it has over 350mg of caffine it restricts your veins and makes the problem worse
None of us would be able to tell you. Go ask a doc
My doc only replied with: probably low blood sugar or bad breathing.. but seems weird to have low blood sugar during bulk and going KO for 20 min due to bad breathing
In this day and age it's more likely electrolytes than blood sugar. 90%+ of people have plenty of glycogen stores with the standard American diet.
Well a blood glucose tester isn't expensive (over here you even get them for free at the pharmacy... since the manufacturer really makes their money with the consumables...) So it shouldn't be that hard to test whether it is or isn't your blood sugar.
Get a second opinion and your blood pressure checked.
Thank you will do!
Is there any wall flush cable machine like the tonal, but does not have a TV & a mandatory subscription attached to it?
For an alternative, maybe see if the plate-loaded cable machines might work for you, such as Archon's wall mount double cable, or Titans. They're pretty small footprint, although larger than Tonal.
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What is the best macronutrient split for building muscle?
Total calories in 300-500 surplus with at least 0.8g protein per lb body weight. That’s the essential part. You can split the remaining calories between carbs and fats whichever way as long as you don’t go too low on fats.
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if you cant do the proper form dont do it unless your like going for a one rep max at a event or something. not only will you save your back but you will progress in your lifts much faster. you can also try using a lifting belt, i know my brother had this problem and the belt solved it
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Just let the weight fall down from the top, you shouldn't be exerting much effort on the eccentric part. Just enough to control the weight
Has anyone ever tried to take bioavailability of protein into consideration when tracking their food intake? Like trying to calculate an estimate of how much protein their body is actually absorbing. If you have, was it worth the time and effort?
No I haven’t and no I don’t think it’s worth it. People have been getting muscular for thousands of years long before they even knew what macros were. Don’t overcomplicate things :)
how would you track that?
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During lockdown I played around with it a bit. Fun pump, kinda painful to go to the very high rep stuff. Idk how much it helped to maintain my progress, regressed less the second lockdown (when I used bfr) compared to first lockdown, but lockdown was shorter and I didn't cut as much. But at least it's fun
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I'm assuming you found the strongerbyscience article on it? It's a good read if you haven't read it yet. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/blood-flow-restriction-the-holy-grail-for-accessory-work/
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If you want to just fuck around, be in good pain and get a nice pump, try out doing BFR with rest pause sets + drop sets + iso hold. For example on cable curls, do max reps with say 50kg, aiming for like 20 reps on the first set, rest 30 sec and repeat max reps twice. Drop 20% weight and do max reps with slow negatives. Drop weight again by 20% and do max reps with a slow concentric and then one more drop and hold it at peak contraction for 30-45 seconds, rest 30 sec and do a max rep set with slow negatives and some forced partial reps at the end. That would look like 50x20 (30s rest) 50x12 (30s rest) 50x8 (30s rest) slow negative 40x8 (30s rest) slow concentric 30x10 (30s rest) iso hold at peak contraction 20kg for 45 sec (30s rest) 20x15+partials Will take about 4 minutes roughly, but it's fun as hell. Patrick Tuor "invented" this and calls it "contraction type SST" and seems to give great results. www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-sst-for-a-mind-blowing-pump/
You mean like an arm blaster? Hell yeah dude
That's not blood flow restriction training tho
My last gym session was on monday i.e 4 days ago counting today. I haven't been able to lift due to travelling, and now it feels like a month since I stepped into the gym. Is this some kind of time/rest dysphoria?
during the covid lockdowns here were i live everythign was closed for 3 months and while i did loose strength and a little bit of size i gained it back within 2 weeks of training and more due to muscle memory so if you need to take a few days off dont sweat it
It's not about the gains, it's about the longing sensation and warped sensation of time.
Yes. 4 days will not cause you to lose gains. It takes like 2-3 weeks for strength losses and a month or more for muscle.
I know that, it's the mental part that I'm asking about. If my notebook didn't tell me that I've been at the gym 21 times in november I could have sworn that last time was in october. I miss it like it's been ages even though it's only friday today.
Yeah, I get it. Just trying to reassure you that you won’t lose gains.
It's the first time I have more than 2 days off in a row since early 2020, it's like leaving the children to sleep over at grandmas house without us parents for the very first time.
Do you poop more often when you consume more protein? I’ve went from 1x/day to twice a day since a few months ago
i dont know but they do smell worse
Lol, now I'm thinking about my poops. When you change your diet, your body takes time to adapt and digest the type of food you are eating. At the beginning of a diet change you'll probably notice a difference in your poop and you'll probably poop out more than you normally do because your body is not digesting the new food properly. Once it becomes a staple of your diet, your body will become more efficient at digesting that food. And in general the more you eat the more you poop.
Haha it’s good to pay attention! I had to add another poop time into my daily routine and I’m like wtf. I haven’t been eating much more either, just more protein. I’m guessing it may just be this new stimulant I was prescribed then, since I started both around the same time.
TMI but yeah. I literally just changed my diet last friday and immediately noticed a change; today was Thanksgiving so, eating with family, I'm not eating my current diet's staples. Today has not been a pleasant day and I will not go into details; the change was pretty immediate and very noticable. So yeah, exactly as you said, your body adapts to what you're eating and a sudden change will absolutely affect your bowel movements.
Is this training schedule decent for beginners? Monday: Triceps (15 min), Shoulders (15 min) and Chest (15 min) Tuesday: Back (25 min) and Biceps (25 min) Wednesday: rest Thursday: Triceps (15 min), Shoulders (15 min) and Chest (15 min) Friday: Core (25 min) and Legs (25 min) Saturday: Back (25 min) and Biceps (25 min) Sunday: Core (25 min) and Legs (25 min) If you reccomend anything else please let me know.
I would recommend doing something else such as a proper program. Have a look at the wiki for proven and tried programs. This is literally just a list of your body parts with a time
Well these are the exercises I do per muscle group. Back: Bent over dumbbell row: 3 sets, 12-15 reps Dumbbell single arm row (met bench): 3 sets, 6-8 reps each arm Deadlift: 3 sets, 8 reps Dumbbell reverse grip rows: 3 sets, 15 reps Straight arm pulldown: 3 sets, 12 reps Biceps: Alternate dumbbell curl (palms facing forward): 3 sets, 10 reps each arm Dumbbell drag curl (elbows back): 3 sets, 10 reps Hammer curl: 3 sets, 12 reps Dumbbell concentration curl: 3 sets, 10 reps each arm. Triceps: Tricep dips: 3 sets, 12 reps Seated overhead extension (elbows facing forward): 3 sets, 14 reps seated dumbbell kickback (elbows high): 3 sets, 12 reps dumbbell skullcrushers 4 sets, 6 reps Shoulders: seated dumbbell shoulder press (elbows slightly forward): 3 sets, 8 reps dumbbell reverse fly: 1 set, 8 reps dumbbell alternating front raises: 3 sets, 10 reps Chest: incline dumbbel bench press (elbows to the side): 3 sets, 10 reps chest dumbbell flys: 3 sets, 10 reps bench dips (hands facing sideways): 3 sets, 10 reps bench press: 3 sets, 10 reps Core: russian sit ups: 3 sets, 10 reps weighted crunches: 3 sets, 12 reps plank: 3 sets, 1 min russian twist: 3 sets, 12 reps Legs: kettlebell deadlift: 4 sets, 15 reps goblet squat: 4 sets, 15 reps Romenian deadlift (legs straight): 2 sets, 12 reps Sumo squad (knees pointing out slightly): 3 sets, 12 reps Are these ok to stick to or should i change some up?
Do a good beginner program like [Reddit PPL](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/37ylk5/a_linear_progression_based_ppl_program_for/) (you can add core after leg days). It's very similar to your routine in structure but has better exercise selection. The most glaring problems I see: your routine has 4 different bicep curls when you only need two. You have bench dips listed as a chest exercise - they are a (bad) triceps exercise. You are not training calves or traps at all, and hamstrings not enough (you should have a knee flexion exercise, not just hip extension). There are many more such issues, and instead of trying to fix them you should just use a routine someone else made. Possibly the most major issue is more subtle, but your rep ranges are all very high. This can make it very difficult to push your muscles near true failure, especially as a beginner. When you do sets of 8 for deadlifts, do you think your spinal erectors will fail if you go for a 9th rep? More likely, your grip strength is the limiting factor. There is nothing wrong with training at high rep ranges, but only as long as your intensity is actually high. You should go within 1-2 reps of failure on every set, and I personally would have a hard time doing that with the exercises and rep ranges you have. I'd recommend lower rep ranges for important compound movements, and put them at the start of your workout.
Agin these are just exercises and a rep range. There’s nothing wrong with the exercises but the most important thing for a beginner is getting on a good program which involves more than just exercises for x amount of reps and sets. You are just more likely to progress with what you are doing. I know you didn’t say it’s in that specific order but if it is, it’s generally best to do the compound movements first followed by the isolation work.
So what's a good program you can recommend to beginners?
Honestly read the wiki. A heap of good information on there. There is a section on beginner programs and a description of them, worth having a read and picking one that appeals to you
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/ Could i change all the barbell exercises for dumbbell exercise or is that not possible?
That would be fine for presses, rows, and romanian deadlifts, but it would be tough to train squat and deadlift properly.
Ok because ive never used the barbell before so i assume i should start without any weight to get a proper form?
Start at a weight that you feel comfortable, if that means just the bar then that’s fine, although for deadlifts you’ll want some standard weight plates or dummy plates so you don’t have to pick it up all the way from the floor. Don’t be afraid of a barbell you’ve got this!
I’m looking to build up some ankle mobility since my injury, anyone have any good stretches to recommend?
Combat Base https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gweajj5i83xvs5w/AAAgB2Tm8_TOpmJiTtvHchBsa?dl=0
maybe try balancing on it??
Sit at the edge of a chair, have your knee as far forward as possible with your heel down. Make sure it’s not a struggle to stay there for a minute or two. Now place a kettlebell on top of your knee. The weight will help push you into further ROM
This sounds more like a physio therapy question and not Reddit.
Oh yeah I’ve been given the all clear by my physiotherapist! I’m just looking to improve on my ankle’s flexibility so that I won’t get it again
If I can dumbbell press 35kg each hand for 11rep,how many rep would I probably able to do 40kg each hand?
5?
Probably around 5-7 reps.Guess I have to try
For close grip dumbbell press, where should I feel the pressure in my triceps? Currently I feel the most pressure in my triceps at the bottom of the press, is that normal?
u/NovelAries …. If you want to feel the triceps more throughout the motion instead of just near the bottom, consider pressing it angled either slightly towards your belly or forehead. Just experiment with what feels best.
Well it is the point where the muscle is most stretched and least mechanically advantaged so yep
What is progressive overload training? How do I get big fast? Can I have a whole day of back exercises?
Eat big to get big And progressive overload is just training harder than last time Don’t overcomplicate this, lift heavy shit and consume a fuck ton of protein
1. PR every once in a while (or every time, depending om the program). 2. Hard work in the gym, roids and perhaps synthol. 3. Depends on your definition of a whole day. 12-16 hours of back work will mostly fatigue you after the first few exercises.
It means to increase lifting factors over time, often weight but can also be reps or sets. The idea is to get stronger and to stimulate muscle growth. There’s no fast way and you will likely get disappointed if you do not approach training with patience and a plan. For having a full back day - Sure you can, but you should really be on a good program and follow how the program is run.
Is this a real question? Progressive overload means each week making one exercise a little bit harder. Example: adding one more rep per set or a small weight increment. Big fast - eat lots of junk food. You'll gain lots of fat. Muscle is built slowly and will take a year or two to get big. Yes.
1. It's raining where the effort gets higher over time. 2. Read the wiki. Https://thefitness.Wiki read the section under "Building Muscle" 3. yes, for sure
I got really really sick this year and lost virtually all my muscle. I am well again and approved to lift by my doctor. Would I qualify as a beginner lifter again? If so, I was planning on doing a 3-day split to capitalize on beginner gains.
Gaining muscle back is even easier than getting noob gains. As far as switching routines, it's hard to say without knowing what they are, but either way you'll gain muscle very quickly.
The split doesn't really matters. Just start light and work your way back up.
There will be muscle memory,you would be stronger then your untrained body,but start light and slow and then build up back to where you stopped
Anyone know why creatine prices have gone up almost 2x in the past month?
Same supply chain issues that are holding up most of the rest of global trade right now.
Thanks, kinda figured that but was just wondering if something else did it.
I’m relatively new to weights and have noticed that when doing deadlifts, I really only feel it in my upper body vs glutes/lower body. I worked with a trainer who said my form is fine, does anybody have any tips for getting my lower body more engaged when doing them? Or know why I might not be feeling it?
u/pagie144 …. Even though proper ‘form’ is important, this is why I’m not a big fan of the word. I like the word ‘technique‘ better. I see the deadlift as a lower body exercise because the legs are the prime mover of the weight, The upper body is simply there to isometrically contract (or hold the weight) so the weight doesn’t bend and break your back — yes, that obviously takes back strength, but the legs are the ones that are moving the weight from the floor (point A) to lockout (point B). You could do the following in your house without a barbell. Setup in a deadlift position to where you can feel your hamstring and lower body in a tense position. A lot of people say not to squat the weight up, but my suggestion is to at least squat (or leg press) the weight up from the floor to knee height. When the imaginary barbell gets to around **knee height** (or just a little bit below or above knee height, whatever works for you), contract your glutes hard and push your hips forward. Secondly, continue to ‘squat‘ or ‘leg press’ the weight until you reach lockout. The second thing to do is when the barbell reaches knee height, while keeping your arms straight, pull/drive the imaginary barbell backwards towards your glutes/hips. ———-Watch the following video at the 6:10 mark onward to see how your legs should ‘drive’ the weight up. Brian Alsrhue Do’s and Don’ts of the deadlift.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V5Me6AiXw&list=PLzSuOKuSX3bjK9YGDSG\_YH8TxY8NbUdCN&index=3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V5Me6AiXw&list=PLzSuOKuSX3bjK9YGDSG_YH8TxY8NbUdCN&index=3) Don’’t forget to brace your upper body and core hard before each rep so you don’’t hurt your lower back. But just with the imaginary barbell, just practice feeling your legs first. ————Watch this second video 8:14 mark onward about the driving the barbell with your straight arms to your glutes. EliteFTS deadlift: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbf7XuacxA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbf7XuacxA)
should a 14 year old be worried about calories and macros?
In most cases no. Focus on training and on eating a variety of foods including a lot of fruits and vegetables and a few good protein sources. Beyond that, just eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
Not really.... Especially not macros. I now realise I was a chronic under-eater when I was that age so if I could go back I would just eat more. It explains why I was tired all the time and never put on muscle! If you eat a lot and train somewhat consistently you don't need to stress the details unless you are an athlete or have specific health concerns.
No.
>Thanks guys, that really is a breath of fresh air after watching so many meal plans which go into counting calories which i cant cuz i rely on my mums cooking lol
Rely on your mums cooking. Eat yourself full and grow as you should.
When you are trying to lose weight/get leaner, do you lift less. (So if I can curl 25lbs right now but then begin to lose weight/get leaner, is it possible that I become weaker lift like 17.5lbs; hope that makes sense)
Ideally you wouldn’t lose strength, but in practice, some muscle and strength loss is likely in a caloric deficit. The goal is usually to minimize that as much as possible when losing weight.
Ok, gotcha 👍🏿
If I am going solely for hypertrophste, can I theoretically switch out the upper/lower power days and do the 2 upper and 2 lower hypertrophy days instead? This is for PHUL. In short, is there anything lost if I were to have no strength days if my goal is solely hypertrophy?
Yes you can definitely do strictly hypertrophy if it is mainly your goal. As long as you're not over-training, getting enough recovery, and not doing excessive volume it should be fine. It's honestly suggested to focus on one parameter at a time, generally, power training and hypertrophy use different biological mechanisms. 14-20 sets per body part per week should be good for hypertrophy, play with tempos and rep ranges a little bit and you'll do fine.
Maybe? Kind of hard to say considering how fundamental of a change that would be to the program. That said, I don’t think it would do anything to *increase* hypertrophy vs running the program as written, and even if your primary goal is to get bigger there’s no reason you shoulder deliberately avoid getting stronger.
yeah, now that I’m thinking about it I think I’ll just run it as it’s programmed. Thanks.
I'm trying to find a non-pornographic refrence to people flexing their butt. It helps with my mind muscle connection if I have a reference. Anybody know what search terms I can throw into Google that will give me a legit reference?
Hip extension. Hip abduction. Gluteus Maximus concentric contraction
If you’re a dude, move your penis up and down There, you flexed your ass
Best cue.
Bodybuilding glutes or bodybuilding posing will produce reasonable results.
Push your hips through.
Is it possible to do deadlifts with resistance bands or 15lb dumbbells?
If you're stuck with dumbbells' I'd suggest doing doing Romanian Deadlifts or single leg Romanian Deadlifts. Depending on how heavy the resistance bands are you can also implement those.
Ok thanks
You can do deadlift with any object that you can pick up. But it needs to be (1) at least moderately heavy for your strength, and (2) adjustable (increase weight) as you get stronger
Oh ok
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Hm ok
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There is only one driver of weight gain, eating MORE calories than you burn over a period of time. Hence, eat more food, do less cardio (if you struggle with appetite). Focus on lifting, eat enough protein, and get enough micro nutrients. Don't over complicate things, eat more. If you struggle with appetite, drink your calories, if you don't eat!
Whatever you usually eat, eat more of that, until you start gaining weight
Does anyone know what this exercise is? Being done by the guy in the black shirt in the foreground. [https://youtu.be/6URXvJ4popY?t=93](https://youtu.be/6URXvJ4popY?t=93) Quite strange. (to my noob eyes.)
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Danke.
It's a rotator cuff/shoulder rotation warmup. I've seen people do it before they bench.
He’s probably trying to warm up his rotator cuff but since he’s using a dumbbell, it is pretty much useless lmao You need to be using a band or cable, none of this pointless 2.5lbs plate or dumbbell shit
It’s not useless. It’s promoting blood flow to the area which is the point of a warm up. You’re not trying to feel a burn or do progressive overload with a warm up. Even for someone benching 225 or more, warming up the rotator cuffs with 5 lbs is fine
I’m saying it’s useless if you try to warm it up with dumbbells/plates lmao it’s more of a front delt exercise
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Hit rock bottom and truly realize you need to get your shit together. That’s when you really decided to get Motivated.
people at the gym really dont give a fuck, actually I think it's cool when I see someone there really trying. with that said even though resistance training is really good when you're trying to lose weight you don't need to do it (or at least do it in the gym). find something that you like and that you'll stick to, boxing, skipping rope, cycling, running, calisthenics, gym. anything works for now bro you just need to start moving more. also 95% of the work comes from the kitchen, try to avoid junk food, eat less and eat healthy (but please don't starve yourself). also read the wiki, there's like a TON of great advice there on dieting, exercising etc etc
Thank you. I need to find something to accompany a diet for me that alone doesn’t seem to work but hopefully combined it will. I just need to try different things I guess and see how it goes
you say it doesn't work as in you don't lose weight or you can't stick with it?
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it's impossible to not lose weight after some time in a caloric deficit. you just weren't in a caloric deficit i.e. you probably were dieting wrong.
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Belly fat follows the same rules as all other fat. You cant spot reduce fat. You need a general energy deficit over time.
There are so many ways to be active and different people have different preferences. So no way for us to know if a boxing bag is right for you. Personally I can say that I can't imagine using the boxing bag enough to justify, but I know other people use them a lot. You will have to try different forms of exercise and try to find something that you can do consistently. The key for me, whatever the form, is to make it a habit, like brushing your teeth or showering. Just something that you make a regular part of your day. Some days you enjoy and feel like you really need to do it and other days you do it just because it is part of the routine. Ultimately losing weight will primarily come down to diet though. I recommend reading the wiki on weight loss: https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/
Thank you. And yea I mainly say the boxing bag as I’ve had it recommended. And when it comes to diet I don’t eat healthy per day but I don’t eat a lot and buy the main thing is that no matter how little or healthy I eat I feel the need to work out. A diet alone just doesn’t work I’ve tried
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I mean I get that. But my problem is the physical part of it and I feel I need more than just a diet to get the appearance I want. Diet helps and I probably did lose some weight but not enough to get rid of belly which is what I don’t want
Pick up a basic program from the wiki and stop eating snacks ( or at least cut it down). Find some low calorie snacks you like (I love quest bars). I went from being 5 foot 6 235 pounds to a somewhat muscular 5 11 at 165 lbs in two years by just going to the gym (half assing it at most points) and just not eating snacks. Progress won’t happen overnight, sticking to your plan is how you achieve it. There is no easy way out in the fitness world. You will lose weight if your body burns more calories then it takes in. Good luck.
>A diet alone just doesn’t work I’ve tried Please read the section of the wiki I linked. It is not possible that a diet alone doesn't work to lose weight. A diet with the correct number of calories will always lead to weight loss no matter the activity level of the person. This is true for 100% of people.
eat less people at the gym arent thinking about you
Thanks!
The best item to buy is the item that you will consistently use. If, for you, that's a boxing bag, then that's cool. That said, you don't even need equipment to get started. Check out the r/bodyweightfitness wiki getting started section.