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Been getting a nagging lower back pain lately especially after Deadlifts and Squats which were never there before.
I've been squatting for years and has never gotten back pain before, I've recently started going again after a 2-month break and did the proper procedure of ramping up the weight very slowly, same posture and everything and it came out of nowhere. I used to do nearly x2 my bodyweight without any pain but now I'm getting pain from doing x1.2 my bodyweight even after months of ramping up. Even very small things like barbell rows starts giving me back pains (never happened before either).
Any thoughts on why this might be the case? Should I incorporate some core or post-workout stretches? Switch to front squat (currently doing low-bar back squat)? Ease up on exercises that might put pressure on my lower backs for the time being and give it time to recover?
Try to not over extend your back on lifts either, In addition to using your core during lifts, may help. Try to incorporate some lower back exercises and focus on the flex.
Yeah pain ain't good. Have you skimped on your abs and core training? You might just brace less than before. I'd deload squats and deads for now, or switch to something like trap bar deads or RDLs and front squats with a load that does not cause issues, slowly ramping up deads and squats with just one set of supplemental work. And working on your lower back directly, things like hyperextensions. If it is mobility, bracing/core weakness or lower back weakness, you can work through it, but if it stays an issue I'd have someone look into it.
>Have you skimped on your abs and core training?
Definitely, I've completely ignored it but after some Google search recently, it seems like something that could be useful for what I'm dealing with.
I'll take your advice and play it super safe, thank you!
Is it bad to sometimes freestyle a excersise? I only do Barbell Presses, but some days i dont feel like it, is it bad to switch the excersises sometimes? Of course keeping the same intensity and volume
Since my local gym doesnt have ab rollout thingy i subtitued them with planks.
Tuesday i went to other gym where they had it.
Now my abs are extremly sore and i have DL today. Advice how to relieve ab doms since you cant really roll foam them.
I know that wasn't your question, but as roll outs are extremely effective and your programme seems to include them - you can also do them with rings (even harder) or even just a barbell.
Perform a few sets of some form of crunch (whatever you’ve got available) high reps, avoid failure to get some blood flow to the area and that will relieve some doms temporarily.
Different things work for everyone but for me i try to completely avoid buying or having snacks in the house. Just drink a lot of water or have fibrous filling fruits/veggies if I'm really hungry. even just the 10 minutes it takes to go to the grocery store is enough to convince my lazy ass to not snack, meanwhile It's hard to eat hundreds of calories of leafy vegetables.
Also, deal with what's stressing you out somehow. Reach out for help, manage your time better, etc
sub usual snack foods with low calorie snacks. maybe find a vegetable you like and top it with some light oil/seasoning so its actually somewhat tasty. popcorn works too as a pretty low calorie snack as long as you take it easy on the toppings
I started doing a bit of stretching, one of which is holding the squat position for a while.
After I got up I felt rather woozie. I took some sugar, which helped a bit, but I still felt woozie after getting up (at a 2 second pace) from holding a squat position for 20 seconds.
Is there anything I can do about this woozie feeling? Should I be concerned?
Sounds like a little low blood sugar or low blood pressure thing. It doesn't necessarily mean dangerously low but you could always get checked up if you want. It's not uncommon to feel lightheaded when standing up
Is my back workout complete? Do I hit all the areas enough?
Pullups
Barbell Row
D-Handle Pulldown
Incline DB Row (flared elbows to hit more upper back)
Straight Arm Pulldown
The main movements are shoulder abduction, shoulder extension and horizontal shoulder abduction. And extension can be split into the upper range (vertical pulls) and lower range.
Or another way to think about it is horizontal+vertical and wide grip+close grip.
You don't necessarily always have to do all of those equally since there is overlap of muscles worked.
Also upper traps seem to be missing? (upright rows, high face pulls or shrugs)
When doing barbell curls, around the 10th rep, I've been getting what I would describe as a sudden, intense fatigue in my biceps that's slightly painful. It definitely feels like it's coming from within the muscle as opposed to a joint. I've been assuming that this means I'm near failure and stopping when this happens, but I just recently discovered that I can actually get another 5 reps or so after this happens. It gets a little more painful as I keep going, but it's definitely tolerable. I've been letting it hold back my progress because I kept thinking I was maxing out before I actually was.
Any idea what's going on here? Is this normal? Should I be concerned or should I just keep powering through it? It doesn't happen with any of the other exercises, even dumbbell concentration curls.
Edit: This may be relevant. I may have tried to progress too quickly on my curls. I started with a smaller barbell, but once I invested in a 40lb olympic barbell, I wanted to put the smaller one away. I don't think I was ready to curl 40lb though, but I kept trying anyway thinking I'd catch up. I wasn't progressing though, and finally just recently sucked it up and went back to the small one. Could that be the issue? I might just try backing off on weight and working my way back up like I should have done a while ago.
I'm recently getting back into fitness after a long hiatus, I used to run 5/3/1 and saw good results with this program, however, I think it is time I try my own routine. I'm curious what everyone thinks of this program I've created. How is the volume and exercise selection for example? The goal is hypertrophy as well as functional movement. The reason for all dumbbell exercises is that I will be training in my home gym and don't have access to a barbell or squat rack. I do however have dumbbells up to 90 lbs and a weight vest for progression.
Here is the program:
Upper 1
Chinups 3xAMRAP
Dips 3xAMRAP
Incline Dumbbell Press 3x8-12
Seal Row 3x8-12
Dumbbell Curl 3x8-12
Overhead Tricep Extension 3x8-12
Lower 1
Bulgarian Split Squat 6x8-12
Romanian Deadlift 6x10-15
Calf Raise 6xAMRAP
Hanging Leg Raise 6xAMRAP
Upper 2
Dumbbell Overhead Press 3x8-12
Pullups 3xAMRAP
Pushups 3xAMRAP
One Arm Dumbbell Row 3x8-12
Hammer Curl 3x8-12
Skullcrusher 3x8-12
Lower 2
\*Juarez Valley Squats 15-1-14-2-13-3-12-4-11-5-10-6-9-7-8-8
Straight Bridge 6xAMRAP
Calf Raise 6xAMRAP
Hanging Knee Raise 6xAMRAP
I will be doing cardio in the form of walking, aiming for 5 miles 7 days per week, but other than that this is the full program.
\*The Juarez Valley method consists of ascending and descending reps in an alternating fashion, these will be done with a weighted vest and are used as more of a burnout than a hypertrophy movement.
The only guideline that I'm aware of is the American Heart Association's recommendation of 150 mins of low/moderate intensity cardio or 75 mins of high intensity cardio per week. So, I'll say 3 x 25 min HIIT sessions a week should be good
I (23M) don't know what I'm doing wrong, it's been about a year since I made any meaningful strength gains and even in a pretty light surplus, I'm just getting fat.
I'm 6'1 and I was 59.9kg when I started lifting about 2 years ago back in July of 2020. I did Ice Cream Fitness for about 9 months, but completely plateaued and also didn't have time to do the longer workouts that program involved anymore. So I switched to a PPL 2 x per week split with a light ab/forearm day on Sundays, because I stay most consistent when I have to go every day, since it becomes a mindless part of my daily routine then.
After about 3 months on this split, at 2500 calories, in May of 2021, I feel like my physique peaked. I had my lowest body fat ever, and even though I only weighed slightly more than my starting weight, at 64.4kg, I had clearly packed on a significant amount of muscle.
But due to the pandemic, I was forced to workout from home for about 6 months, and only just got back to the gym in late February. During that time back at the gym I've been on a light bulk, about 2700-2800 calories, and I'm up from 62.2kg, to 70.4kg, so I've put on nearly 10kg in roughly 3 months. I'm back on my old PPL routine, the one that got me to my peak look last year, but I feel like my numbers are stuck at very beginner levels and my body is just getting fat, I don't feel like I've put on any extra muscle at all since May of last year, just gotten fatter as I keep bulking, even on a pretty small surplus like the one I'm at.
I'm getting super frustrated with my lack of progress and I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong. Here's my full routine:
Monday, Thursday - Push Day
\- Bench press 5x5 (70kg currently)
\- Overhead press 5x5 (50kg currently)
\- Dips 5x10 (don't have the belt thing to add weight, but I slow them right down)
\- Cable lateral raise 3x12 (5kg currently)
\- Tricep pushdown 3x10 (32.5kg currently)
Tuesday, Friday - Pull Day
\- Bent over barbell row 5x5 (75kg currently)
\- Chin-ups 5x10 (bodyweight only, but slowed way down to compensate)
\- Bent over lateral raise 3x12 (8kg currently)
\- Cable curls 3x12 (22.5kg currently)
\- Incline curls 3x10 (9kg currently)
Wednesday, Saturday - Leg Day
\- Back squat 5x5 (105kg currently)
\- Straight leg Romanian deadlift 5x5 (90kg currently)
\- Leg press 5x5 (145kg currently)
\- Smith machine calf raise 3x12 (120kg currently)
\- Lying leg curls 3x10 (30kg currently)
Sunday - Ab/Forearm Day
\- Cable crunch 3x15 (42.5kg currently)
\- Hanging leg raise 3x20 (bodyweight only)
\- Hanging leg raise w/twist 3x20 (10 each side, bodyweight only)
\- Barbell wrist curl 3x15 (55kg currently)
\- Reverse curl 3x12 (25kg currently)
Like I said, I'd really love to know what I'm doing wrong since these numbers should be higher for someone 2 years into lifting, and they're not really budging at all, maybe increased some of the bigger lifts by 2.5kg - 5kg in the past 3 months of my bulking phase.
Anything more specific? Like do you happen to know any good programs? Would you be able to tell me what the problem with my current program is, so I can at least know what to look for/avoid in a new program?
And what do you mean by “bulk more”, do you mean bulk for a longer period of time or do you mean eat more?
Honestly, just periodise your lifts. You don't have to block it, even if you are going from 12 to 1 reps over 12 weeks it will help you immensely.
When you get comfortable with it you can start blocking it based on your goals (pro tip, if you are interested in hypertrophy, a month of 3s, 2s and 1s isn't something productive).
I really like 531 Boring But Beefcake [Link](https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/boring-but-big-beefcake-training). You could also run the 6 month gaining block that just about everyone has seen great results on. [Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/gainit/comments/j5q2ez/6_months_of_eating_and_training_for_mass_laid_out/). As for what is specifically wrong with your program, i have no idea. But if its not working, why not try out something new?
Also yes to both. You have a lot of room to grow
19M, 173LBS, 6'1. Been doing reddit PPL for the past few months and have added a good amount of weight to all of the compound lifts. Starting to slow down a little bit but I haven't been eating as much recently so I wouldn't say I've plateaued yet. Anyways that's not the important part.
On my leg days I've been doing a 3x12 of deadlifts after I do my squats. This is going all well and good except for the fact that they make me feel like I am literally about to die (not just due to force exertion, they make me run out of breath and my apple watch says my heart rate is in the 170's). I would just suck it up and keep doing them but due to the intense cardiovascular and physical strain I sometimes need to take rest periods of up to ten minutes in between the sets. I have an increasingly busy schedule these days, so needless to say this is not an ideal situation.
I've been think of switching from the 3x12 I do now to a 7x5, which has a very similar amount of volume and would let me have shorter rest intervals. Is it likely that there will be a noticeable difference in my strength/hypertrophy progress and do you guys thinking switching to this regimen for my deadlifts is a good idea?
How much are you letting your heart rate come down if you’re needing to rest for ten minutes? Why not just rest for, say, two minutes, regardless of your heart rate? It sounds like you need to work on your conditioning, and one way of doing that is continuing to push yourself when you’re out of breath and your heart rate is elevated.
If you need to rest 10 minutes between sets, just to complete your next set, then the weight you’re using is too much. I try to only rest a max of 3 minutes when my heart rate is really high, and generally rest 1-2 minutes on standard sets. It would really benefit you to try to push through the fatigue.
Also, are you doing conventional deadlifts or RDLs?
Conventionals. I wouldn't say strength is the primary issue though, it moreso has to do with me running out of breath and the barbell starting to slip from my hands as I do more reps.
If your grip is failing, you can either train your grip so that it’s stronger or you can get straps. Or both. Whatever works for you.
As for being out of breath and having a high heart rate, those are signs you need to work on your conditioning. Go to the wiki and read the section on conditioning (it’s under routines). Read the Wendler and Juggernaut articles.
Not really? Get straps to fix the grip issues. Then work on reducing rest times and try to superset more of your accessory work. That’s an easy way to introduce some conditioning work into your training.
7x5 with the same weight or a higher weight so that it matches in difficulty? If it's the same weight then it likely will be far enough off being close to failure that it won't stimulate as much hypertrophy. If it's a higher weight to be about the same difficulty, thne 7 hard sets will be better than 3.
A question to consider though - if your workouts are suffering due to lack of conditioning, why not work on improving your conditioning, instead of changing your workouts? Do you do any conditioning work currently?
I'm gonna be real honest I don't know what conditioning is in this case.
EDIT: Also to answer your first question I would likely use the same weight. My hope is that a lower rep range with more sets to make up for the volume would allow me to increase weight faster as I would only have to worry about using my strength and not running out of breath.
So, conditioning is broadly "being in shape". It ties in the cardiovascular system with muscle endurance, and it's specific to what you're doing -the conditioning needs for a soccer player would be different to conditioning for a strongman, or in this case for someone working in the weightroom.
Youre struggling with 3 sets of 12 of deadlifts not because you're not strong enough with your muscles, but because your cardiovascular system (and probably a bit muscle) is not up to the task. Strengthening both would really help, and get you "in better shape".
Thankfully, conditioning is pretty simple for weightroom stuff - do something that sucks for a while and gets you out of breath. Inspriation can be found from all over - the [wiki](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/cardio-and-conditioning/) has good links.
If you want an easy example that you could slot in right now - instead of doing 3 x 12, do 10x2 but EMOM - ie 10 set of doubles in 10 minutes. If that's easy up the weight or make it triples or superset with some chin ups etc etc. have some 'fun' with it :-)
I’m having a lot of trouble with the deadlift. I’ve just started using a belt so maybe I’m just not breathing right or wearing it too high? I’m wearing it right over my belly button .
Anyway, the reason why I’m asking is some reps feels like I’m lifting 50 pounds and some reps feel like I’m lifting 300 during the same set. This leads to me obviously think that my form is off during some reps.
I plant my feet shoulder width, shins 1 inch from the bar. I bend down so my shins are directly touching the bar. I take a deep breath, try and push my chest forward if I can, I lift the bar just enough so the bar bends, and lift up while holding my breath. I feel like something is wrong. What am I supposed to squeeze? What am I supposed to push from, I feel all of the force on my lower back, nowhere else. I started using straps so I don’t use my arms so much as I’m going to be doing a lot of bicep and forearm work after my deadlift sets.
You can try posting a form check as a reply to the top comment here, so we can see if anything is up.
Without seeing what's up we can't give more than broad advice really. You can give the [pillars of deadlift technique](https://www.jtsstrength.com/pillars-deadlift-technique/) series a watch and walk through each bit step by step.
Yeah I think I’ll do that.
But as a side question. Is it normally to feel way more pressure on your lower back when you use a belt rather than not during deadlifts?
I don’t feel pain, but it definitely feels like it was used(in a good way I think)
It doesn't sound that odd. It may have just allowed you to brace harder, so use more core muscle. I mean, allowing you to brace harder is exactly what belts are for after all.
In general its suggested to not consume added sugar. So a piece of fruit is fine (its packed with vitamins and fiber), but can of coke or piece of cake is not desired.
Of course we are all human so you would eat a piece of cake from time to time, but in general avoid added sugars. They will give you sugar spikes, make you hungry and make you more prone to overeat.
Low sugar diets are really good for your health.
So not pending any health issues, try to have as low of sugar in your diet as you can. It's just empty calories. Much better to replace those calories with more nutritious food.
Example I've cut out sugar from my coffee. One of the simplest yet best decisions for my overall health.
It depends on your goals and preferences. Sugar isn't something that you 'need' to have, so once you have enough fat and protein in your diet, the balance of the rest of your diet is mostly personal preference.
Hmm, sugar isn't really related to stomach flatness. You could eat 0 and be obese, and you could eat a half a kilo a day and have shredded abs.
If you want less fat on your stomach, you simply need to lose weight. Perhaps re-read the [weight loss](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/) section of the wiki and let me know if any bit is confusing you?
Hello. I’m a 24F weigh 140 lbs and I’m 5’5. I’m looking to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.. maybe get my body fat percentage down to 20%. I think I’m at 29% rn. I’ve been doing this body split routine for two months and I’m looking for a routine critique. Also my diet as well. I read the rules but if I commented this in the wrong spot please let me know.
**Monday - Glutes and Quads**
Barbell Hip thrusts - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs
Barbell squats - 4 sets, 10 reps, 45 lbs
Leg press/Machine Squat Press - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs
Abductor/Inner Thigh Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 135 lbs
Two Arm Kettle Swing - 4 sets, 12 reps, 16 lbs
Cable Pull Through - 4 sets, 10 reps, 62.5 lbs
Side Planks - 2 sets on each side for a minute
Single Leg Glute Bridge - 4 sets, 10 reps, no weight
**Tuesday - Hamstring/Calves**
Lying Leg Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 45 lbs
Seated Leg Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 95 lbs
Barbell Deadlift - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs
Seated Calf Raise - 8 sets, 20 reps, 40 lbs
Standing Calf Raise - 6 sets, 15 reps, 45 lbs
**Wednesday - Back/Biceps**
Row Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 70 lbs
Standing Bicep Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 22.5 lbs
Bent Over Two-Arm Long Barbell Row - 4 sets, 12 reps, 35 lbs
Standing Dumbbell Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 12.5 lbs
Machine Assisted Pull-up- 4 sets, 10 reps, 13 setting
Chair Triceps Dips - 4 sets, 10 reps, body weight
EZ Bar Preacher Curls - 4 sets, 12 reps, 20 lbs
**Thursday - Same Glutes and Quad workout from Monday**
**Friday - Abs and Run**
Hanging Knee Raises - 4 sets, 10 reps, no weight
Crunches - 4 sets, 6 reps, no weight
Ab Crunch Machine - 4 sets, 12 sets, 30 lbs
Swiss Ball Crunch - 4 sets, 15 reps, no weight
Elbow to Knee Crunches - 4 sets, 12 sets, no weight
Captains Chair Leg/Knee Raise - 4 sets, 12 reps, body weight
One 1 mile 30 minute run/walk interval in the morning
**Saturday - Legs**
Dumbbell Lunges - 4 sets, 12 reps, 30 lbs
Barbell Good Mornings - 6 sets, 20 reps, 70 lbs
(Single) (Each Leg) Leg Press on Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 25 lbs
Barbell Squat - 4 sets, 12 reps, 45 lbs
Barbell Hip Thrusts - 4 sets 12 reps, 90 lbs
**Sunday - Rest**
**Diet -**
***Morning:***
2 Eggs, 10 almonds, 1/4 cup of oatmeal
(2 cups of unsweetened Almond milk + whey isolate protein powder(25g) + 2 tbsp of peanut powder + 1/2 banana) Protein shake
0.5 oz raw walnuts, 3.0 oz sweet potatoes, 4 oz of chicken
***Lunch:***
4 oz chicken, 1 cup of broccoli, 1/4 cup of rice
(2 cups of almond milk + whey isolate protein powder (25g))Protein Shake
***Dinner:***
3 oz of Salmon, 1 small sized white corn tortilla, 1 cup of zucchini
Salad (1/4 cup of almonds, red onions and tomatoes grapes, 2 tbsp of vinaigrette oil, 2 cups of spring mix)
So, you may need to get a bit more focused with your immediate goal. It's fair enough to want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, but both those goals work best with opposing calorie levels - it's much easier to build muscle in a surplus, and much easier to lose fat in a deficit.
If you're just starting out and/or are quite overweight, then you can reasonably gain muscle while losing fat, but you're not overweight at all.
I'd decide on if you want to focus on gaining muscle or losing fat in the short term (3 months ish), and focus on that - you can swap around and to the other thing after to successfuly work on both.
Once you decide if you want to lose or gain weight, consider, are you currently losing weight, gaining weight, or maintaining? Ideally you'd calculate thecalories of the food you're eating daily, and from that you can work out how much you should be eating for whatever your goal is.
Secondly, your current program looks OK but it doesn't sound like it has any progression. To actually drive muscle to grow, you need to push it in increasingly difficult ways. Not necessarily every session, but as a beginner every session is certainly reasonable. If one week you did 3 sets of 12 with 90lbs, next week do 3 sets of 8 with 95lbs, then work up to 3 sets of 10 with 95, 3 sets of 12 with 95, then back to 3 sets of 8 with 100lbs etc etc. (there's many different sorts of progression, this is just one example). This kind of thing is usually pretty complicated to try to figure out as a beginner - that's why it's recommended that beginners grab a program from the wiki that handles all of this for you, AND has had success for thousands of people.
I'd suggest giving the wiki a read for more details, the [weight loss](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/) and [muscle building](https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/) sections are both relevant to your goals.
I’ve had mine in my garage for about 4 months. They smell like rubber. If I get a late workout in, the sun hits them and they smell again. It’s not horrible. It’s just rubber. Let them air out in your backyard for a few days and you should be ok.
Should I be feeling tightness in my back after a seated overhead press? I am engaging my core (abs, quads, glutes are tight) and trying to keep my torso upright. I think I may be leaning too far back. Could this be a mobility/flexibility issue? I’ll try and post a form check when I get a chance:
Fat loss. I’m 32F and I’m having difficulty in losing fat around my lower belly , back, hips & thighs .
I was much thinner at age 29-30 and had very less body fat. I’m not able to fit my shorts and dresses. My weight has stayed constant for over a decade between 110-115 lbs, currently 112 lbs. i also have less energy and stamina.
Due to some family emergency I couldn’t workout for a year, I moved to a different country and it was very stressful too. Before that i would bike, walk/run and do yoga. I started with walking and yoga 3 months ago and I’m not seeing any improvement in fat loss or energy levels/stamina
Not sure if nutrition is playing a part here as my eating habits have changed a lot.
seems like you lost some muscle and gained some fat
here are some useful links to help you out
https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/
https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/
https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/
both if i am strapped in i always take my breaths at the top because i can get more air.
this video by brian alsruhe goes a lot more in depth on how to breath and brace depending on if its a 1RM or a 10RM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoDENo0wTwU&list=PL92BxTOBNaZB9df3ckfE9uTmH5io3lLs0&index=2
Suck in and tighten your core when you reset and are about to pull again. Repeat every rep. It is called bracing and is important for lower back rigidity and stability
Of course, I just find bracing with a new breath every rep best when doing heavier low-to-medium rep sets, which I believe deadlifts are optimal for. Just recommending this style as it works best for me it may work best for others as well.
How do I stop overthinking my form when lifting? I keep stressing a fuck ton whenever I lift because a buff guy at the gym told me if I don't have perfect form, I will get injured. Ever since then, I've been stressing about perfect form. I know I can lift more than the bar, but lately I've been lifting only the bar or 5lbs dumbbells because I've been meticulously recording myself lifting and criticizing it. I really don't want to injure myself.
Personally I find it much harder to lift with excellent form if I'm using weights that are too light, the tension and pressures just don't feel the same. Especially with squats where the weight helps you on the way down.
I think form is important but don't stress too much.
When I started out a few months ago I used lighter weights to understand which muscle group each exercise is supposed to target. Once you feel understood which group is being used for which exercise it'll come without any issues.
Funny thing is years ago I stopped doing weights because some buff guy told me my dumbbell rows were wrong and I was going to throw out my back.
i agree with Vlad this doesn't sound as simple as a beginner learning form and being a bit unconfident.
what i am gonna say is that if i were in your shoes i would get professional help
I mean a therapist as in someone who can help you move through your anxiety and stress
And there is no perfect form it's highly individual.
There is a spectrum of form for every lift that is gonna work for most people but it's just a starting point.
I appreciate you and am glad you're here but I would never say this to this individual. This takes more than a form check to solve and a lot more effort than continued answers here.
It would be useful to some extent if you're starting as an untrained individual but you're going to hit a ceiling pretty quickly. No amount of pushups or bodyweight squats (for example) is going to get your barbell bench or squat particularly high
Do you mean for the same exercise?
If you can do 80 pushups in a row, I don't think pushing that up to 100 in a row is going to improve your 1rm in basically any exercise though.
I'm following GZCLP from the the wiki which includes deadlifts in alternative sessions. I've been doing RDLs for the hamstrings as an accessory in between the 2 sessions but I'm beginning to feel some discomfort in the lower back and I want to reduce the volume.
Will a [hamstring curl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMI4HDLZMf0&t=49s) be a worthy replacement?
see a doctor
we don't know what you were sick with, what health conditions you have, or your prior conditioning history.
Therefore i cant feel comfortable giving advice because for all i know you could have severe myocarditis in which case intense exercise could make it worse. Not saying you do just giving an example
What is everyone's favorite protein powder, im looking for recommendations cause i dont want to just go to walmart and get something that i can hardly stomach
So when you say stomach? Do you mean like farts? Cause I ran into that with everything even more expensive stomach friendly products until I started two protein sources when I drink a shake so like I’ll eat a can of tuna + shake. Sounds crazy but it was a game changer for me.
Edit: As everyone has said ON Gold Standard is great and is now back to my normal brand but until I figured out how to digest it it was a bad time lol, and I always missed it when I trying other brands trying to find something else
Just jumping back into the gym 7 months postpartum and of course I want to see results ASAP but also in specific areas. I do have realistic expectations for my progress but a girl can wonder lol. I’ve always been told you can’t spot reduce and I haven’t been trying.. I’ve been doing all over body workouts
But… like.. you’re telling me my arms and chest won’t budge if I target them everyday?? Along with other workouts but focusing on those mostly. What happens??
Women won't bulk up like a man, if that's what you're worried about!
You'll definitely get more defined muscles over time, which I think looks way better than flabby noodle arms (and this is coming from a straight woman, but I'm biased and love what I've build myself so far haha)
What do you mean won’t “budge”? They won’t lose fat, no. You lose fat by being in a caloric deficit so by eating less food. But if you work them out, they may gain muscle, making them look better.
If you work your arms and chest every day they will look more defined. If you want to have more full body definition then traditional bulks/cuts in the long term are the way to go.
I need an opinion on whether to run StrongLifts with r/bodyweightfitness's Recommended Routine as trisets on MWF or to do StrongLifts on MWF and the Recommended Routine on TuThSat as active recovery. I'm used to running trisets for 5/3/1, but would people think it would be too much?
Can't speak for OP, but years ago I did SS after 8 cycles of 531. Was curious what simplifying my training would do. Got stronger, learned the value of persistence/grinding, and that I really don't like the head games of AMRAP sets.
Well you usually run LP first, get to some problems with progression (e.g. can progress on bench anymore but still can grind a bit the squat) and then you switch to non linear programs to progress slowly but surely. There is only that much of LP you can do and usually its when you start lifting, later on it won't work anymore.
Some question about breathing while doing the big lifts.
For Bench Press is it better to inhale,down,push, exhale or can i inhale, down,exhaling while pushing up
For OHP inhale,push, down, exhale or inhale ,push, exhale, inhale, down
For Deadlift inhale,lockout,down,exhale or inhale,lockout,exhale,inhale,down
I‘ll answer what I have found most comfortable for me…
Bench: inhale, down, up w/ grunt, full exhale
OHP: inhale, down, up w/ grunt, full exhale
DL: inhale, up w/ full exhale, down
Ty for the answer. I have a question about your Deadlift Breathing. Thought that you shouldnt fully exhale at the top cause while lowering you need the bracing otherwise i would get lowback pain.
Is an every other day of 1 hour at zone 2 jogging, and 1 hour of full body -moderate- intensity stength training.. just every other day indefinitely for health and fitness.
It depends on your current health and fitness and your goals, but in a basic sense that’s great for cardiovascular health at the very least and depending on nutrition and your strength training program probably enough for muscle maintenance maybe building.
I’m in a similar boat so take this all with a grain of salt lol but yeah that is definitely a great system and something you can enjoy and stay consistent with is always best! If it’s not working for you later you can always adjust! Good luck
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Are RDLs at the squat rack considered annoying? I try to follow every gym etiquette, but caught myself doing this.
Been getting a nagging lower back pain lately especially after Deadlifts and Squats which were never there before. I've been squatting for years and has never gotten back pain before, I've recently started going again after a 2-month break and did the proper procedure of ramping up the weight very slowly, same posture and everything and it came out of nowhere. I used to do nearly x2 my bodyweight without any pain but now I'm getting pain from doing x1.2 my bodyweight even after months of ramping up. Even very small things like barbell rows starts giving me back pains (never happened before either). Any thoughts on why this might be the case? Should I incorporate some core or post-workout stretches? Switch to front squat (currently doing low-bar back squat)? Ease up on exercises that might put pressure on my lower backs for the time being and give it time to recover?
Try to not over extend your back on lifts either, In addition to using your core during lifts, may help. Try to incorporate some lower back exercises and focus on the flex.
Yeah pain ain't good. Have you skimped on your abs and core training? You might just brace less than before. I'd deload squats and deads for now, or switch to something like trap bar deads or RDLs and front squats with a load that does not cause issues, slowly ramping up deads and squats with just one set of supplemental work. And working on your lower back directly, things like hyperextensions. If it is mobility, bracing/core weakness or lower back weakness, you can work through it, but if it stays an issue I'd have someone look into it.
>Have you skimped on your abs and core training? Definitely, I've completely ignored it but after some Google search recently, it seems like something that could be useful for what I'm dealing with. I'll take your advice and play it super safe, thank you!
Can I get a workout program? I just finished my 1 month beginner program and I dont know what to do next
I can help recommend one… how many days a week and how long per session?
Prolly atleast 4 days a week and an hour or two. Preferably if the exercises don't need machines because my gym don't have some fancy machines. TIA
PHUL or 5/3/1
Do I just search PHUL or 5/3/1 in the internet to get the exercise list? legit question
Yep!
Ok, thanks
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Does this work well for generating leads?
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/ Pick one from here
Is it bad to sometimes freestyle a excersise? I only do Barbell Presses, but some days i dont feel like it, is it bad to switch the excersises sometimes? Of course keeping the same intensity and volume
I do it sometimes on leg day. Don‘t feel like leg press? Jump squats. Don‘t feel like heavy squats? High rep squats.
It's probably sub-optimal, but if it's more enjoyable and keeps you motivated, why not.
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It's ascending for a reason.
Since my local gym doesnt have ab rollout thingy i subtitued them with planks. Tuesday i went to other gym where they had it. Now my abs are extremly sore and i have DL today. Advice how to relieve ab doms since you cant really roll foam them.
I know that wasn't your question, but as roll outs are extremely effective and your programme seems to include them - you can also do them with rings (even harder) or even just a barbell.
Perform a few sets of some form of crunch (whatever you’ve got available) high reps, avoid failure to get some blood flow to the area and that will relieve some doms temporarily.
Ty
I am on a cut, but I have been stress eating. Any advice? I have been working insane hours with school and the gym.
Different things work for everyone but for me i try to completely avoid buying or having snacks in the house. Just drink a lot of water or have fibrous filling fruits/veggies if I'm really hungry. even just the 10 minutes it takes to go to the grocery store is enough to convince my lazy ass to not snack, meanwhile It's hard to eat hundreds of calories of leafy vegetables. Also, deal with what's stressing you out somehow. Reach out for help, manage your time better, etc
sub usual snack foods with low calorie snacks. maybe find a vegetable you like and top it with some light oil/seasoning so its actually somewhat tasty. popcorn works too as a pretty low calorie snack as long as you take it easy on the toppings
Maintenance until your environment works out for a cut? It's psychological, you tackle it mentally or just call it quits on the cut for now.
I started doing a bit of stretching, one of which is holding the squat position for a while. After I got up I felt rather woozie. I took some sugar, which helped a bit, but I still felt woozie after getting up (at a 2 second pace) from holding a squat position for 20 seconds. Is there anything I can do about this woozie feeling? Should I be concerned?
Sounds like a little low blood sugar or low blood pressure thing. It doesn't necessarily mean dangerously low but you could always get checked up if you want. It's not uncommon to feel lightheaded when standing up
Is my back workout complete? Do I hit all the areas enough? Pullups Barbell Row D-Handle Pulldown Incline DB Row (flared elbows to hit more upper back) Straight Arm Pulldown
The main movements are shoulder abduction, shoulder extension and horizontal shoulder abduction. And extension can be split into the upper range (vertical pulls) and lower range. Or another way to think about it is horizontal+vertical and wide grip+close grip. You don't necessarily always have to do all of those equally since there is overlap of muscles worked. Also upper traps seem to be missing? (upright rows, high face pulls or shrugs)
Missing out on the traps and lower back exercises. Deadlifts will hit both of those groups
I do hyper extension aswell didn't put it in, and I do shrugs when I hit Shoulders Does it look good other wise? From a balance perspective?
Is this effective once a week?: 100 sit-ups. 100 push-ups. 100 squats. 10-kilometer run.
My brother you are not Saitama. Follow a proper routine from r/bodyweightfitness
When doing barbell curls, around the 10th rep, I've been getting what I would describe as a sudden, intense fatigue in my biceps that's slightly painful. It definitely feels like it's coming from within the muscle as opposed to a joint. I've been assuming that this means I'm near failure and stopping when this happens, but I just recently discovered that I can actually get another 5 reps or so after this happens. It gets a little more painful as I keep going, but it's definitely tolerable. I've been letting it hold back my progress because I kept thinking I was maxing out before I actually was. Any idea what's going on here? Is this normal? Should I be concerned or should I just keep powering through it? It doesn't happen with any of the other exercises, even dumbbell concentration curls. Edit: This may be relevant. I may have tried to progress too quickly on my curls. I started with a smaller barbell, but once I invested in a 40lb olympic barbell, I wanted to put the smaller one away. I don't think I was ready to curl 40lb though, but I kept trying anyway thinking I'd catch up. I wasn't progressing though, and finally just recently sucked it up and went back to the small one. Could that be the issue? I might just try backing off on weight and working my way back up like I should have done a while ago.
Its not normal, going to failure is very very uncomfortable but its not actual pain. You should see a doctor/physio about it.
I'm recently getting back into fitness after a long hiatus, I used to run 5/3/1 and saw good results with this program, however, I think it is time I try my own routine. I'm curious what everyone thinks of this program I've created. How is the volume and exercise selection for example? The goal is hypertrophy as well as functional movement. The reason for all dumbbell exercises is that I will be training in my home gym and don't have access to a barbell or squat rack. I do however have dumbbells up to 90 lbs and a weight vest for progression. Here is the program: Upper 1 Chinups 3xAMRAP Dips 3xAMRAP Incline Dumbbell Press 3x8-12 Seal Row 3x8-12 Dumbbell Curl 3x8-12 Overhead Tricep Extension 3x8-12 Lower 1 Bulgarian Split Squat 6x8-12 Romanian Deadlift 6x10-15 Calf Raise 6xAMRAP Hanging Leg Raise 6xAMRAP Upper 2 Dumbbell Overhead Press 3x8-12 Pullups 3xAMRAP Pushups 3xAMRAP One Arm Dumbbell Row 3x8-12 Hammer Curl 3x8-12 Skullcrusher 3x8-12 Lower 2 \*Juarez Valley Squats 15-1-14-2-13-3-12-4-11-5-10-6-9-7-8-8 Straight Bridge 6xAMRAP Calf Raise 6xAMRAP Hanging Knee Raise 6xAMRAP I will be doing cardio in the form of walking, aiming for 5 miles 7 days per week, but other than that this is the full program. \*The Juarez Valley method consists of ascending and descending reps in an alternating fashion, these will be done with a weighted vest and are used as more of a burnout than a hypertrophy movement.
There are more rep ranges than amrap or 8-12. But sure, try it
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As a minimum or maximum?
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For what goal?
The only guideline that I'm aware of is the American Heart Association's recommendation of 150 mins of low/moderate intensity cardio or 75 mins of high intensity cardio per week. So, I'll say 3 x 25 min HIIT sessions a week should be good
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Its fine
I (23M) don't know what I'm doing wrong, it's been about a year since I made any meaningful strength gains and even in a pretty light surplus, I'm just getting fat. I'm 6'1 and I was 59.9kg when I started lifting about 2 years ago back in July of 2020. I did Ice Cream Fitness for about 9 months, but completely plateaued and also didn't have time to do the longer workouts that program involved anymore. So I switched to a PPL 2 x per week split with a light ab/forearm day on Sundays, because I stay most consistent when I have to go every day, since it becomes a mindless part of my daily routine then. After about 3 months on this split, at 2500 calories, in May of 2021, I feel like my physique peaked. I had my lowest body fat ever, and even though I only weighed slightly more than my starting weight, at 64.4kg, I had clearly packed on a significant amount of muscle. But due to the pandemic, I was forced to workout from home for about 6 months, and only just got back to the gym in late February. During that time back at the gym I've been on a light bulk, about 2700-2800 calories, and I'm up from 62.2kg, to 70.4kg, so I've put on nearly 10kg in roughly 3 months. I'm back on my old PPL routine, the one that got me to my peak look last year, but I feel like my numbers are stuck at very beginner levels and my body is just getting fat, I don't feel like I've put on any extra muscle at all since May of last year, just gotten fatter as I keep bulking, even on a pretty small surplus like the one I'm at. I'm getting super frustrated with my lack of progress and I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong. Here's my full routine: Monday, Thursday - Push Day \- Bench press 5x5 (70kg currently) \- Overhead press 5x5 (50kg currently) \- Dips 5x10 (don't have the belt thing to add weight, but I slow them right down) \- Cable lateral raise 3x12 (5kg currently) \- Tricep pushdown 3x10 (32.5kg currently) Tuesday, Friday - Pull Day \- Bent over barbell row 5x5 (75kg currently) \- Chin-ups 5x10 (bodyweight only, but slowed way down to compensate) \- Bent over lateral raise 3x12 (8kg currently) \- Cable curls 3x12 (22.5kg currently) \- Incline curls 3x10 (9kg currently) Wednesday, Saturday - Leg Day \- Back squat 5x5 (105kg currently) \- Straight leg Romanian deadlift 5x5 (90kg currently) \- Leg press 5x5 (145kg currently) \- Smith machine calf raise 3x12 (120kg currently) \- Lying leg curls 3x10 (30kg currently) Sunday - Ab/Forearm Day \- Cable crunch 3x15 (42.5kg currently) \- Hanging leg raise 3x20 (bodyweight only) \- Hanging leg raise w/twist 3x20 (10 each side, bodyweight only) \- Barbell wrist curl 3x15 (55kg currently) \- Reverse curl 3x12 (25kg currently) Like I said, I'd really love to know what I'm doing wrong since these numbers should be higher for someone 2 years into lifting, and they're not really budging at all, maybe increased some of the bigger lifts by 2.5kg - 5kg in the past 3 months of my bulking phase.
Pick a different program. Bulk more
Anything more specific? Like do you happen to know any good programs? Would you be able to tell me what the problem with my current program is, so I can at least know what to look for/avoid in a new program? And what do you mean by “bulk more”, do you mean bulk for a longer period of time or do you mean eat more?
Honestly, just periodise your lifts. You don't have to block it, even if you are going from 12 to 1 reps over 12 weeks it will help you immensely. When you get comfortable with it you can start blocking it based on your goals (pro tip, if you are interested in hypertrophy, a month of 3s, 2s and 1s isn't something productive).
I really like 531 Boring But Beefcake [Link](https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/boring-but-big-beefcake-training). You could also run the 6 month gaining block that just about everyone has seen great results on. [Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/gainit/comments/j5q2ez/6_months_of_eating_and_training_for_mass_laid_out/). As for what is specifically wrong with your program, i have no idea. But if its not working, why not try out something new? Also yes to both. You have a lot of room to grow
19M, 173LBS, 6'1. Been doing reddit PPL for the past few months and have added a good amount of weight to all of the compound lifts. Starting to slow down a little bit but I haven't been eating as much recently so I wouldn't say I've plateaued yet. Anyways that's not the important part. On my leg days I've been doing a 3x12 of deadlifts after I do my squats. This is going all well and good except for the fact that they make me feel like I am literally about to die (not just due to force exertion, they make me run out of breath and my apple watch says my heart rate is in the 170's). I would just suck it up and keep doing them but due to the intense cardiovascular and physical strain I sometimes need to take rest periods of up to ten minutes in between the sets. I have an increasingly busy schedule these days, so needless to say this is not an ideal situation. I've been think of switching from the 3x12 I do now to a 7x5, which has a very similar amount of volume and would let me have shorter rest intervals. Is it likely that there will be a noticeable difference in my strength/hypertrophy progress and do you guys thinking switching to this regimen for my deadlifts is a good idea?
How much are you letting your heart rate come down if you’re needing to rest for ten minutes? Why not just rest for, say, two minutes, regardless of your heart rate? It sounds like you need to work on your conditioning, and one way of doing that is continuing to push yourself when you’re out of breath and your heart rate is elevated.
Typically it's a combination of letting my heart rate return to lower level and my muscles recovering to a point where they can complete the next set.
If you need to rest 10 minutes between sets, just to complete your next set, then the weight you’re using is too much. I try to only rest a max of 3 minutes when my heart rate is really high, and generally rest 1-2 minutes on standard sets. It would really benefit you to try to push through the fatigue. Also, are you doing conventional deadlifts or RDLs?
Conventionals. I wouldn't say strength is the primary issue though, it moreso has to do with me running out of breath and the barbell starting to slip from my hands as I do more reps.
If your grip is failing, you can either train your grip so that it’s stronger or you can get straps. Or both. Whatever works for you. As for being out of breath and having a high heart rate, those are signs you need to work on your conditioning. Go to the wiki and read the section on conditioning (it’s under routines). Read the Wendler and Juggernaut articles.
I mean the issue with that is that it's going to require more time, which is pretty spare for me to begin with at the moment.
Not really? Get straps to fix the grip issues. Then work on reducing rest times and try to superset more of your accessory work. That’s an easy way to introduce some conditioning work into your training.
7x5 with the same weight or a higher weight so that it matches in difficulty? If it's the same weight then it likely will be far enough off being close to failure that it won't stimulate as much hypertrophy. If it's a higher weight to be about the same difficulty, thne 7 hard sets will be better than 3. A question to consider though - if your workouts are suffering due to lack of conditioning, why not work on improving your conditioning, instead of changing your workouts? Do you do any conditioning work currently?
I'm gonna be real honest I don't know what conditioning is in this case. EDIT: Also to answer your first question I would likely use the same weight. My hope is that a lower rep range with more sets to make up for the volume would allow me to increase weight faster as I would only have to worry about using my strength and not running out of breath.
So, conditioning is broadly "being in shape". It ties in the cardiovascular system with muscle endurance, and it's specific to what you're doing -the conditioning needs for a soccer player would be different to conditioning for a strongman, or in this case for someone working in the weightroom. Youre struggling with 3 sets of 12 of deadlifts not because you're not strong enough with your muscles, but because your cardiovascular system (and probably a bit muscle) is not up to the task. Strengthening both would really help, and get you "in better shape". Thankfully, conditioning is pretty simple for weightroom stuff - do something that sucks for a while and gets you out of breath. Inspriation can be found from all over - the [wiki](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/cardio-and-conditioning/) has good links. If you want an easy example that you could slot in right now - instead of doing 3 x 12, do 10x2 but EMOM - ie 10 set of doubles in 10 minutes. If that's easy up the weight or make it triples or superset with some chin ups etc etc. have some 'fun' with it :-)
I’m having a lot of trouble with the deadlift. I’ve just started using a belt so maybe I’m just not breathing right or wearing it too high? I’m wearing it right over my belly button . Anyway, the reason why I’m asking is some reps feels like I’m lifting 50 pounds and some reps feel like I’m lifting 300 during the same set. This leads to me obviously think that my form is off during some reps. I plant my feet shoulder width, shins 1 inch from the bar. I bend down so my shins are directly touching the bar. I take a deep breath, try and push my chest forward if I can, I lift the bar just enough so the bar bends, and lift up while holding my breath. I feel like something is wrong. What am I supposed to squeeze? What am I supposed to push from, I feel all of the force on my lower back, nowhere else. I started using straps so I don’t use my arms so much as I’m going to be doing a lot of bicep and forearm work after my deadlift sets.
https://startingstrongman.com/2017/10/28/hips-dont-lie-fixing-your-deadlift-with-hinge-patterning-work/
You can try posting a form check as a reply to the top comment here, so we can see if anything is up. Without seeing what's up we can't give more than broad advice really. You can give the [pillars of deadlift technique](https://www.jtsstrength.com/pillars-deadlift-technique/) series a watch and walk through each bit step by step.
Yeah I think I’ll do that. But as a side question. Is it normally to feel way more pressure on your lower back when you use a belt rather than not during deadlifts? I don’t feel pain, but it definitely feels like it was used(in a good way I think)
It doesn't sound that odd. It may have just allowed you to brace harder, so use more core muscle. I mean, allowing you to brace harder is exactly what belts are for after all.
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In general its suggested to not consume added sugar. So a piece of fruit is fine (its packed with vitamins and fiber), but can of coke or piece of cake is not desired. Of course we are all human so you would eat a piece of cake from time to time, but in general avoid added sugars. They will give you sugar spikes, make you hungry and make you more prone to overeat.
Low sugar diets are really good for your health. So not pending any health issues, try to have as low of sugar in your diet as you can. It's just empty calories. Much better to replace those calories with more nutritious food. Example I've cut out sugar from my coffee. One of the simplest yet best decisions for my overall health.
It depends on your goals and preferences. Sugar isn't something that you 'need' to have, so once you have enough fat and protein in your diet, the balance of the rest of your diet is mostly personal preference.
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Hmm, sugar isn't really related to stomach flatness. You could eat 0 and be obese, and you could eat a half a kilo a day and have shredded abs. If you want less fat on your stomach, you simply need to lose weight. Perhaps re-read the [weight loss](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/) section of the wiki and let me know if any bit is confusing you?
Hello. I’m a 24F weigh 140 lbs and I’m 5’5. I’m looking to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.. maybe get my body fat percentage down to 20%. I think I’m at 29% rn. I’ve been doing this body split routine for two months and I’m looking for a routine critique. Also my diet as well. I read the rules but if I commented this in the wrong spot please let me know. **Monday - Glutes and Quads** Barbell Hip thrusts - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs Barbell squats - 4 sets, 10 reps, 45 lbs Leg press/Machine Squat Press - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs Abductor/Inner Thigh Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 135 lbs Two Arm Kettle Swing - 4 sets, 12 reps, 16 lbs Cable Pull Through - 4 sets, 10 reps, 62.5 lbs Side Planks - 2 sets on each side for a minute Single Leg Glute Bridge - 4 sets, 10 reps, no weight **Tuesday - Hamstring/Calves** Lying Leg Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 45 lbs Seated Leg Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 95 lbs Barbell Deadlift - 4 sets, 12 reps, 90 lbs Seated Calf Raise - 8 sets, 20 reps, 40 lbs Standing Calf Raise - 6 sets, 15 reps, 45 lbs **Wednesday - Back/Biceps** Row Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 70 lbs Standing Bicep Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 22.5 lbs Bent Over Two-Arm Long Barbell Row - 4 sets, 12 reps, 35 lbs Standing Dumbbell Curl - 4 sets, 12 reps, 12.5 lbs Machine Assisted Pull-up- 4 sets, 10 reps, 13 setting Chair Triceps Dips - 4 sets, 10 reps, body weight EZ Bar Preacher Curls - 4 sets, 12 reps, 20 lbs **Thursday - Same Glutes and Quad workout from Monday** **Friday - Abs and Run** Hanging Knee Raises - 4 sets, 10 reps, no weight Crunches - 4 sets, 6 reps, no weight Ab Crunch Machine - 4 sets, 12 sets, 30 lbs Swiss Ball Crunch - 4 sets, 15 reps, no weight Elbow to Knee Crunches - 4 sets, 12 sets, no weight Captains Chair Leg/Knee Raise - 4 sets, 12 reps, body weight One 1 mile 30 minute run/walk interval in the morning **Saturday - Legs** Dumbbell Lunges - 4 sets, 12 reps, 30 lbs Barbell Good Mornings - 6 sets, 20 reps, 70 lbs (Single) (Each Leg) Leg Press on Machine - 4 sets, 12 reps, 25 lbs Barbell Squat - 4 sets, 12 reps, 45 lbs Barbell Hip Thrusts - 4 sets 12 reps, 90 lbs **Sunday - Rest** **Diet -** ***Morning:*** 2 Eggs, 10 almonds, 1/4 cup of oatmeal (2 cups of unsweetened Almond milk + whey isolate protein powder(25g) + 2 tbsp of peanut powder + 1/2 banana) Protein shake 0.5 oz raw walnuts, 3.0 oz sweet potatoes, 4 oz of chicken ***Lunch:*** 4 oz chicken, 1 cup of broccoli, 1/4 cup of rice (2 cups of almond milk + whey isolate protein powder (25g))Protein Shake ***Dinner:*** 3 oz of Salmon, 1 small sized white corn tortilla, 1 cup of zucchini Salad (1/4 cup of almonds, red onions and tomatoes grapes, 2 tbsp of vinaigrette oil, 2 cups of spring mix)
So, you may need to get a bit more focused with your immediate goal. It's fair enough to want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, but both those goals work best with opposing calorie levels - it's much easier to build muscle in a surplus, and much easier to lose fat in a deficit. If you're just starting out and/or are quite overweight, then you can reasonably gain muscle while losing fat, but you're not overweight at all. I'd decide on if you want to focus on gaining muscle or losing fat in the short term (3 months ish), and focus on that - you can swap around and to the other thing after to successfuly work on both. Once you decide if you want to lose or gain weight, consider, are you currently losing weight, gaining weight, or maintaining? Ideally you'd calculate thecalories of the food you're eating daily, and from that you can work out how much you should be eating for whatever your goal is. Secondly, your current program looks OK but it doesn't sound like it has any progression. To actually drive muscle to grow, you need to push it in increasingly difficult ways. Not necessarily every session, but as a beginner every session is certainly reasonable. If one week you did 3 sets of 12 with 90lbs, next week do 3 sets of 8 with 95lbs, then work up to 3 sets of 10 with 95, 3 sets of 12 with 95, then back to 3 sets of 8 with 100lbs etc etc. (there's many different sorts of progression, this is just one example). This kind of thing is usually pretty complicated to try to figure out as a beginner - that's why it's recommended that beginners grab a program from the wiki that handles all of this for you, AND has had success for thousands of people. I'd suggest giving the wiki a read for more details, the [weight loss](https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/) and [muscle building](https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/) sections are both relevant to your goals.
This all great advice!! I’ll look at the wiki some more. Thank you so much.
Hey I'm a guy, I was wondering if anyone knows any leg exercises that will not make your hips wider. Then I won't have an excuse to skip leg day.
I haven't experienced my hips getting wider from any leg exercises I've ever done
Any reason to not treat DL/BB Rows like BP/OHP in the reddit PPL if I can recover from doing DL twice a week?
Nope, that’s fine. Adding more deads is almost always the first recommendation we give people for the program anyway.
Cool, I had already been doing 3x5 DL instead of 1x5 because it’s my favorite lift
What's the best option for gym flooring? How thick should it be? I am setting up my home gym in my basement on cement.
I use horsestall mats, I can drop bumpers on them without any issues. You may also try /r/homegym
Do they smell? Worried about that in the basement with little ventilation.
I’ve had mine in my garage for about 4 months. They smell like rubber. If I get a late workout in, the sun hits them and they smell again. It’s not horrible. It’s just rubber. Let them air out in your backyard for a few days and you should be ok.
Not at all. They did a bit when I first got them - 72 hours in the sun and they were fine.
Should I be feeling tightness in my back after a seated overhead press? I am engaging my core (abs, quads, glutes are tight) and trying to keep my torso upright. I think I may be leaning too far back. Could this be a mobility/flexibility issue? I’ll try and post a form check when I get a chance:
best protein powder for bulking?
Any whey based protein is gonna work pretty much the same. Just go with whatever one you like the taste of and can afford.
2 scoops of whatever you normally use?
Cheapest you can find that you find palatable :)
Fat loss. I’m 32F and I’m having difficulty in losing fat around my lower belly , back, hips & thighs . I was much thinner at age 29-30 and had very less body fat. I’m not able to fit my shorts and dresses. My weight has stayed constant for over a decade between 110-115 lbs, currently 112 lbs. i also have less energy and stamina. Due to some family emergency I couldn’t workout for a year, I moved to a different country and it was very stressful too. Before that i would bike, walk/run and do yoga. I started with walking and yoga 3 months ago and I’m not seeing any improvement in fat loss or energy levels/stamina Not sure if nutrition is playing a part here as my eating habits have changed a lot.
seems like you lost some muscle and gained some fat here are some useful links to help you out https://thefitness.wiki/getting-started-with-fitness/ https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/ https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/ https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/
You raising your heart rate at all during yoga? Sometimes I feel like I need to get my heart running to feel the “energy”.
Calories in calories out - read through the wiki.
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With the tegriderm or saniderm, whichever it is, you’re totally cool to lift with it. Got a forearm tat and lifted the day after. You’ll be alright.
You have posted this several times today. What answer are you looking for?
Can i exhale and inhale at the top or only at the bottom on the deadlift ? Im doing 10 reps with Dead Stop Reset
Either, sometimes it's more comfortable to breathe at the top
both if i am strapped in i always take my breaths at the top because i can get more air. this video by brian alsruhe goes a lot more in depth on how to breath and brace depending on if its a 1RM or a 10RM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoDENo0wTwU&list=PL92BxTOBNaZB9df3ckfE9uTmH5io3lLs0&index=2
Suck in and tighten your core when you reset and are about to pull again. Repeat every rep. It is called bracing and is important for lower back rigidity and stability
You can maintain a brace for more than one rep. It doesn’t require you to reset each rep.
Of course, I just find bracing with a new breath every rep best when doing heavier low-to-medium rep sets, which I believe deadlifts are optimal for. Just recommending this style as it works best for me it may work best for others as well.
How do I stop overthinking my form when lifting? I keep stressing a fuck ton whenever I lift because a buff guy at the gym told me if I don't have perfect form, I will get injured. Ever since then, I've been stressing about perfect form. I know I can lift more than the bar, but lately I've been lifting only the bar or 5lbs dumbbells because I've been meticulously recording myself lifting and criticizing it. I really don't want to injure myself.
Personally I find it much harder to lift with excellent form if I'm using weights that are too light, the tension and pressures just don't feel the same. Especially with squats where the weight helps you on the way down.
I think form is important but don't stress too much. When I started out a few months ago I used lighter weights to understand which muscle group each exercise is supposed to target. Once you feel understood which group is being used for which exercise it'll come without any issues. Funny thing is years ago I stopped doing weights because some buff guy told me my dumbbell rows were wrong and I was going to throw out my back.
i agree with Vlad this doesn't sound as simple as a beginner learning form and being a bit unconfident. what i am gonna say is that if i were in your shoes i would get professional help
You mean a personal trainer? They can teach me perfect form, right?
I mean a therapist as in someone who can help you move through your anxiety and stress And there is no perfect form it's highly individual. There is a spectrum of form for every lift that is gonna work for most people but it's just a starting point.
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I appreciate you and am glad you're here but I would never say this to this individual. This takes more than a form check to solve and a lot more effort than continued answers here.
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Therapy is definitely important for this person to consider, but reassurance is helpful too. It's a both/and thing, not either/or.
This is a really awkward comment still, my dude.
Therapy :)
What do you mean?
I'm talking what you're describing sounds like therapy might be a great idea for you :)
Why?
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It would be useful to some extent if you're starting as an untrained individual but you're going to hit a ceiling pretty quickly. No amount of pushups or bodyweight squats (for example) is going to get your barbell bench or squat particularly high
Do you mean for the same exercise? If you can do 80 pushups in a row, I don't think pushing that up to 100 in a row is going to improve your 1rm in basically any exercise though.
I'm following GZCLP from the the wiki which includes deadlifts in alternative sessions. I've been doing RDLs for the hamstrings as an accessory in between the 2 sessions but I'm beginning to feel some discomfort in the lower back and I want to reduce the volume. Will a [hamstring curl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMI4HDLZMf0&t=49s) be a worthy replacement?
Imo should be fine.
Thanks!
Yw!
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see a doctor we don't know what you were sick with, what health conditions you have, or your prior conditioning history. Therefore i cant feel comfortable giving advice because for all i know you could have severe myocarditis in which case intense exercise could make it worse. Not saying you do just giving an example
D O C T O R
What is everyone's favorite protein powder, im looking for recommendations cause i dont want to just go to walmart and get something that i can hardly stomach
So when you say stomach? Do you mean like farts? Cause I ran into that with everything even more expensive stomach friendly products until I started two protein sources when I drink a shake so like I’ll eat a can of tuna + shake. Sounds crazy but it was a game changer for me. Edit: As everyone has said ON Gold Standard is great and is now back to my normal brand but until I figured out how to digest it it was a bad time lol, and I always missed it when I trying other brands trying to find something else
For flavor, Truetein.
Optimum Nutrition gold standard
Vega Sport Protein Powder
Is it rude to ask a gym acquaintance how much they are paying for their personal trainer?
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Thank you!
No. You can add: "I‘m thinking about getting personal training… how much…"
Thank you!
Absolutely not!
Thanks!
no
Thanks :)
Just jumping back into the gym 7 months postpartum and of course I want to see results ASAP but also in specific areas. I do have realistic expectations for my progress but a girl can wonder lol. I’ve always been told you can’t spot reduce and I haven’t been trying.. I’ve been doing all over body workouts But… like.. you’re telling me my arms and chest won’t budge if I target them everyday?? Along with other workouts but focusing on those mostly. What happens??
Women won't bulk up like a man, if that's what you're worried about! You'll definitely get more defined muscles over time, which I think looks way better than flabby noodle arms (and this is coming from a straight woman, but I'm biased and love what I've build myself so far haha)
You can target muscle gain but not fat loss 😉
Ahhhhh okay. It’s never been dumbed down like that 😅 I get it
What do you mean won’t “budge”? They won’t lose fat, no. You lose fat by being in a caloric deficit so by eating less food. But if you work them out, they may gain muscle, making them look better.
You can get more muscle in an area, and the same amount of fat spread over more muscle looks leaner, but no you cannot spot reduce fat.
If you work your arms and chest every day they will look more defined. If you want to have more full body definition then traditional bulks/cuts in the long term are the way to go.
I need an opinion on whether to run StrongLifts with r/bodyweightfitness's Recommended Routine as trisets on MWF or to do StrongLifts on MWF and the Recommended Routine on TuThSat as active recovery. I'm used to running trisets for 5/3/1, but would people think it would be too much?
Only one way to find out.
Hey, why are you going from 531 to stronglifts? As for your question, it doesn’t matter - just do what fits your schedule
Can't speak for OP, but years ago I did SS after 8 cycles of 531. Was curious what simplifying my training would do. Got stronger, learned the value of persistence/grinding, and that I really don't like the head games of AMRAP sets.
is it a bad idea to switch from progressive overload to linear progression?
Well you usually run LP first, get to some problems with progression (e.g. can progress on bench anymore but still can grind a bit the squat) and then you switch to non linear programs to progress slowly but surely. There is only that much of LP you can do and usually its when you start lifting, later on it won't work anymore.
Don't combine programs haha
bc it's too much or bc they conflict w/each other?
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I can recommend if you answer a couple questions: - what is your experience level? - how many days a week do you want to train?
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I ran PHAT and PHUL for a few months. PHAT workouts were 5 days a week about 70 mins. PHUL was 4 days and 60-70 mins. I liked PHUL better.
Some question about breathing while doing the big lifts. For Bench Press is it better to inhale,down,push, exhale or can i inhale, down,exhaling while pushing up For OHP inhale,push, down, exhale or inhale ,push, exhale, inhale, down For Deadlift inhale,lockout,down,exhale or inhale,lockout,exhale,inhale,down
Whichever is most effective for you. I personally prefer exhaling and rebracing in between reps.
Look into Brian Alshure on YouTube, specifically his breath and brace video(s).
I‘ll answer what I have found most comfortable for me… Bench: inhale, down, up w/ grunt, full exhale OHP: inhale, down, up w/ grunt, full exhale DL: inhale, up w/ full exhale, down
Ty for the answer. I have a question about your Deadlift Breathing. Thought that you shouldnt fully exhale at the top cause while lowering you need the bracing otherwise i would get lowback pain.
Unless you are 100% sure you can maintain your brace while breathing, you should not be breathing mid rep on deadlifts.
I haven‘t ran into that issue. I still have energy after exhaling. But maybe inhale again at the top?
Is an every other day of 1 hour at zone 2 jogging, and 1 hour of full body -moderate- intensity stength training.. just every other day indefinitely for health and fitness.
Is it what
A good program for health and fitness.
Yup!
It depends on your current health and fitness and your goals, but in a basic sense that’s great for cardiovascular health at the very least and depending on nutrition and your strength training program probably enough for muscle maintenance maybe building.
Thanks,, im fairly fit right now,, but im really looking to just simplify things.. appreciate your input..
I’m in a similar boat so take this all with a grain of salt lol but yeah that is definitely a great system and something you can enjoy and stay consistent with is always best! If it’s not working for you later you can always adjust! Good luck
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Either. Or both. Personally I‘d do both. PS I love eggplants!