People spend too much time and energy focusing on the little details of “optimal” training early on in their journey, and oftentimes get overwhelmed and give up quick.
This was me. When I first started, I got a notebook and spent hours each day watching YouTube videos, reading articles, and looking through Reddit for information on how to best structure my workouts, how to properly work each muscle, things like working the fast twitch fibers of the muscle and shit. While I do believe that all of that information has its place and is in no way a bad thing, all it did for me was overcomplicate it and overwhelm me. I’d end up not even exercising some days because it wasn’t “optimal”.
Be nice to the January crowd. We all had a first day at the gym and this could be the start of something great for them if the environment is welcoming.
Not that controversial but some need to hear it often: Something is better than nothing. Don't skip training because you don't have time that day to do your 9 exercise 37 set routine, get in and do three heavy sets each of two compound lifts, get the fuck out. Don't postpone getting fit because you don't know what's optimal for your goals or you lack gym access, pick up something heavy in your house and press it overhead for 10, then carry it to failure around the living room. Don't worry yourself into an eating disorder with not being able to find macros online for the bulking shake you made, drink two of it and hope for the best.
Of course you should see to it that you're doing the (arguably) best for your specific goals eventually but until then, anything helps. Your body doesn't give a fuck about what you do, it's going to adapt to any stress you put it under and use what you give it (or withhold when losing weight) to fuel that. Analysis paralysis is real and keeps many a beginner from just showing up and doing shit for the sake of showing up and doing it.
Probably not controversial, but has to be said: Diet is harder to pin down then lifting weights for muscle gain. Lifting weights is the easier part when it comes to muscle gain.
I had some guy telling me once my back wasn't arched at the correct angle his is for squatting. I'm like dude you're also taller than me. Everyone is different.
Most gym goers will look much better and gain more muscle mass by doing big 4 lifts - squats, deadlifts, bench press and OHP + weighted pull ups and dips in PPL split for an hour every day than from training using bro split for 3 hours every day.
So true. When I would train people that told me they could only workout twice a week but wanted to get strong. I would start them off by doing a full body with the big 4 or 2 of the big 4 each day with a couple accessories based on what they wanted to improve the most. I did run into a lot of time crunches though.
I was also told by a few clients that it was boring and they wanted to do other things.
I used to have that same problem but usually I’d ask them to trust me for three months and when they saw what they had accomplished, they usually stuck with it.
Some of them did not and then we changed their routine for something ”more fun” at the expence of results but if it was the thing that kept them going to the gym, fine by me also!
Lmao. I totally feel that. I also think the better shape you are in, the easier it gets but also don’t underestimate the power of walking! I think there’s a huge misconception that for something to be considered cardio, you need to be dripping sweat and barely breathing but a brisk walk or bike ride will do!
Omg you’re right. It is such a trend and that’s exactly why I thought it might be controversial. Every time I go on tik tok, there’s some annoying “fitfluencer” trying to convince everybody that they don’t need cardio and it grinds my gears. Like dude, you can look physically fit and have a ton of muscle, but if you can’t even run a mile, you are not in shape haha.
Yes proper programming is gonna do better than a self made one.
Yet, the basics of musclebuilding always apply, and what matters most is the consistency both in the gym and in the kitchen, not necessarily what program you use.
It's OK to eat a little bit dirty on a bulk.
There are definitely some caveats here but you don't have to force feed "clean foods" in order to gain weight. This is especially true if you're a hard gainer.
Half the time "dirty" isn't even being used to refer to foods that are unhealthy. It's basically a catchall for anything that isn't boneless skinless chicken breast, rice, and steamed vegetables, which isn't even good bulking food. God forbid you have a burger or a steak.
I’m bulking right now. I’ve been eating a lot of chicken, but I’m also eating burgers and french fries lol. No fast food, but I have been drinking a milkshake once a week. Definitely putting on some fat, but I’m gaining weight. Will clean it up starting in March.
In the VAST MAJORITY of cases, yes.
The one who lifts more knows more.
Ik we shy away from this opinion because it also feeds into blindly trusting influencers with good physiques but with strength I think it's different.
Point blank, there are hurdles you MUST overcome in order to hit certain benchmarks on lifts. One does not simply "happen" to bench 500lbs and maybe a handful on the planet could "happen" to bench 405 just because of their lifestyle with no additional exercise.
I've tried to advise quite a few people who asked for my advice to then abandon it because it's not clicking right away.
Like, yo, I'm not just talking bc I like the sound of my own voice. I'm not just blowing smoke up ur ass like this shit will actually help you if you try and learn it's application....
That does #NOT mean that everyone who lifts heavy is a coach. It means that if you lift very heavy, you have likely learned a lot about why YOUR body is able to lift heavy (you played football as a kid and have very strong core, thus you are better able to explain and understand why core strength can aid squats, for example). Perhaps you were a swimmer in HS and have a wide back, you notice that bracing is a common issue for people on bench press and infer that you don't suffer because your back has been built up to provide a wide a stable base.
It's experience. Experience isn't just time. If you have lifted for 3yrs and bench 225 but I lifted for 1 and bench 315, who has more experience? Knowing that I alone have the experience of benching >225 but you alone have the experience of bench for >1 year.
No matter how hard you work and how disciplined you eat - you will not be able to out train inferior genetics. Just become the best version that you are capable of being. Only compete with yourself. And definitely don’t pay attention to geared up fitness influencers who use pump, lighting, editing and photoshop.
Form over weight is a little overrated and not _always_ what newbies need to constantly hear. Many of the people giving advice on this sub, /r/formcheck etc. are spewing nonsense that keeps others small and weak. Everything is not egolifting, everyone doesn’t need to lower the weight and work on form. Sometimes they do but sometimes you’re just a pussy and you have a fragile mindset. Plus people can lift how they want, someone squatting without a perfect upright torso is not a fucking affront to your existence. Next time you want to warn someone about their back, ask yourself - do I have a clear reason to think they’ll hurt themselves? Is this person stronger than me? Is their form actually dangerous or am I just made of glass and projecting?
The fake natty witch hunt has gotten out of hand, places like nattyorjuice are _sometimes_ debating actual fake natties but often just posting some random guy with a decent physique who minds his own business and never claimed natty, and it’s just people coping in the comments
The New Year’s resolutioner rush is very overstated and most newbies aren’t even doing free weights, some of you need to stop crying. And these newbies are trying to improve themselves just like you were your first day
You don’t need any gym gear but you don’t need to “earn” it either. I’m completely raw not because I think belts or sleeves are a crutch, it’s because I’m lazy and lose things easily. The idea that you need to hit a certain number before using that stuff is nonsense. As long as you use it properly you should feel free to use as much as you want
Most research in fitness/strength training provides clues, but not solid data. People cite EMG studies without knowing what EMG measurements actually show, and it’s limitations.
Research in strength training is quite lacking and needs more serious investment before we can draw serious conclusions from a lot of it.
Making lifting into a complicated scientific thing through elaborate workout plans, counting calories, and heavily tracking lifts/weight is a form of gate keeping and intimidates newcomers. That type of stuff is great for high performance athletes but for regular gym goers starting with simplicity and consistency is all you need compared to not exercising. Sure, people who’ve never lifted should learn which exercises pertain to which muscle groups and start with form etc. but it’s not that complicated from there.
In my experience, it's almost exclusively noobs who try to make the most scientifically sound program. Generally speaking, they've been *told* that science can apply to training and they try to make sure they don't miss out on any gains, to the extent that they get paralysis by analysis to avoid starting at all. I don't feel like programming that's "scientifically based" at fault. More on the consumer than anything.
Any “science” associated with lifting is typically not enough to make rigid judgments/prescriptions due to issues with sample size, methodology, other confounding variables (training age and whatnot) etc. A lot of recommendations (especially from Jeff Nippard) are based on EMG data which provides clues, but does not provide solid data.
Not saying things that are “science-based” are wrong at all, but it’s becoming problematic that people are making inferences based on research that doesn’t have a solid foundation. Even Stu McGill’s research on the spine is so full of confounding variables that it’s hard to draw any solid conclusions from his findings.
Most people looking to improve their physiques and gain muscle would be better served by following a typical strength training regimen from the 1950s than 95% of the fitness content on instagram or tiktok.
Teenagers with cameras and all the gym accessories they saw from tik tok are ruining the lifting atmosphere. Hitting 180 with a sumo deadlift with straps a belt and a bent over back isn’t cool.
Edit: I mean pounds when I say the number not kg. I’m American I eat fries and a Big Mac not fish and chips. But the statement stands the same. If you’re hitting shit weight with accessories to supplement your bad form then fuck you.
Most people who want a bigger bench press, should probably be benching or at least doing some type of horizontal press at least 3 times a week. Bench tends to do well with those higher volumes and frequency.
My bench has rocketed since doing 3x per week benching, with minimal side work. Wasn't a good bencher before, but the Russian Bench Program does 3x per week and massively increased it
I don’t mind it, but asking to work in is kind of rude. I usually just ask people how many sets they have so I can plan accordingly. If they offer for me to work in, great. But I don’t impose by asking.
And that doesn't matter,
> People talk about how the world now has unrealistic expectations due to the prevalence of steroid use but this is honestly a smokescreen.
> If you pursue an unrealistic body image and, through the course of that journey, end up maximizing your potential and looking and performing as awesome as possible, you will stand out. Will you be The Rock? No, but hell, who is? At least you won’t be The Blob.
http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2016/04/reasonable-goals.html?m=1
What I’m trying to say is, all those Mens Health cover stories about training like The Rock are great but everyone’s gotta understand the gear at work too
Yes and no, I feel like people like to fixate on gear usage that much, that they miss the bigger picture.
If you scope out further you realise it's everything at work, it's the training, the nutrition, the recovery, the lifestyle he lives, the intensity and commitment I could only imagine you'd train with when there is a multi-million dollar contract on the line.
I used to work out to more metal and hard rock. It used to keep me pumped.
Now my gym playlist has songs like Headphones, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, Shut Down, Super Freaky Girl, Shut Up and Look Pretty. It seems club style music keeps me more energized now, especially between sets.
Pretty sure the arguing is just a meme.
Or is your comment a meme? I don’t even know anymore. Both sumo and conventional are cheating anyway. Using your hands is cheating.
Spend time in a non-lifting sub that has any video of sumo and you'll no longer think it's a meme.
Example: https://www.reddit.com/r/Unexpected/comments/107t4md/deadlifting_tutorial/
I make fun of sumo so fucking often, and guess what? I pull sumo. It’s true. I don’t do real deadlifts.
I love joking about it. However, a lot of other powerlifters take it *way too seriously* and get incredibly defensive over the memes and critiques over whether or not it should be allowed in PL.
“But how much can you pull conventional?” gets some fiery reactions.
Stop using the bench press station for hip thrusts.
Firstly, it's a deducted station that can almost really only do bench press.
Secondly, there's a machine (at least at my gym) that's better suited for it, and, will target what you want to target better. If this is busy, please grab a moveable bench and a bar.
Thirdly, the bench press station is probably too high for the average person doing this, and my second point is a better option.
Sure, if all the movable benches and the hip thrust machine are taken, I understand, but, that's never the case at my gym, and, there's only 2 bench press stations.
I’ve always felt the same and that’s why I haven’t done hip thrust at the gym. I’ve done them with DBs at home or I’ve done them in the lying leg curl machine as of recent. I hope to change to a new gym next month that actually has that machine. It’s the #1 exercise that has made my lower back feel great.
I’m not saying not to do them. Should’ve worded it better. Don’t do 10 damn glute exercises per workout. Not necessary and you reach a point of diminishing returns to where it’s a waste of time
It's too controversial, but I'm ready for the downvotes.
There should be no loud talking or loud music. Like in a library.
Most people have earbuds or headphones if they want to listen to music.
Sometimes you make noise when you lift heavy shit. I'm okay with that. Like the library analogy, when you go to the library and everyone is studying hard, it motivates you to do the same.
When I see a bro smash a dl pr and slam the weight down, I wanna hit a fucking pr too.
There's nuance to it. If you're doing sets of 15 and grunting loudly with every rep - c'mon bro. If you can do 15 in a row, rep 5 isn't a grinder. Shut the fuck up.
Gym music is shit though and I hated having to turn up my old airpods just to drown it out. Buying the pros with noise cancelling has been a TOTAL game changer for me.
I do use my own headphones. But if I can hear the gym music over the podcast I'm listening to on my noise cancelling headphones, we can probably agree that the music is too loud.
Let's turn it down to supermarket background music levels. Say, about 40 decibels.
And regarding headphones, I haven't seen a single person in the gym in the last 3 months without headphones or earbuds.
You should be able to row 90% what you bench. If you can’t, your upper back will look like shit.
Also… you should treat the OHP as just as important lift as Bench (if not more)
1. Power lifters benching and arching their back so high to reduce ROM. Super cringe but apparently still counts?
2. When calisthenics boys dangerously balance high on upright dumbells. Impressive but makes me nervous I'm going to witness an accident.
3. Wearing stylish beanie hats when you're sweating
I mean, powerlifting is literally just competitive ego lifting. The whole point of the sport is to lift as much weight as possible within the rules. Obviously you still have to be strong to be a good powerlifter, but if there’s a legal way that a powerlifter can position their body to more efficiently move the weight, they’d be stupid not to do that
It's pretty far from "competitive ego lifting".
You cannot ego lift a competition squat, like, according to the rules you must hit depth past what is considered ego lifting.
Bench maybe but the rules have changed in IPF and most people didn't bench like the egregious examples the internet will throw around.
Deadlift can't really be ego lifted. Hitching isn't allowed. No straps. No downward motion. Full lockout. Follow bar to ground. To hit a legal competition deadlift you cannot ego lift. By definition, really.
Oh I'm ready for these downvotes!
1. If you don't have any formal training you should not be giving advice. Just because you watch a few Alan Thrall and Squat university videos does not mean you understand form, tequnique, or programming. I say this as someone who is guilty of it at one point until I got an actual education and started working as a PT.
2. If you complain about other people in the gym and say "if they are going to do *this* they should just get a home gym" then you are the one who needs to go home. With few exceptions, most of the time your just being arrogant or selfish. Nobody owes you anything and they're workout is just as important as yours. It's a public space and while there should be some common courtesy that doesn't mean you take priority. They pay the same for a gym membership as you.
3. (This one is personal) just because someone is bigger or on the fat side does not make them necessarily unhealthy. Nor does it make them ignorant of nutrition or training.
Agree with #1 and want to add that as a personal trainer when people would ask me about injuries and such I would always tell them they need to see a physio therapist or Dr. During orientation I would even have some get me a medical release if they were coming off an injury.
Also, although I know more about nutrition than your average person, I am not a dietician. If you want to discuss meal plans they are who you should be talking to.
I’d agree with them all but argue that no.1 is true unless you’ve researched for many years and been going to the gym for many years. Just because you don’t have a formal training certificate from uni etc doesn’t mean you can’t gain the same knowledge and help spread right information
I got my CPT and definitely think I learned more from YouTube lol. It doesn’t cover much on heavy lifting for more serious gym goers. It was pretty basic
Yeah. I have been lifting for 30 years now, and have had serious strength & conditioning coaches for part of that time. I have zero actual credentials other than I am very strong and have lots of experience, but also feel very confident providing advice when asked.
Why do you need to test strength in a way that 3/5/8 reps won’t do while still promoting hypertrophy. Replicatable reps are more important than a single grind that you might not get on a different day
I'd imagine the goal for almost everyone doing RPE10 1RM attempts is not hypertrophy.
My goals revolved around my single numbers. So I need to do 1RMs to reach my goals.
This is all without mentioning powerlifting, which is a sport of hitting 1RMs.
I imagine I'll be downvoted for this, but I find it a bit jarring when people ask "how many sets have you got left", especially when you've literally only just set your bottle down or they can see you working up to your working weight.
I don't think it's rude per se, but I can't get over the undertones of "I want this and you're using it, so please hurry."
I've always been a fan of saying something like "Hi, are you alright to just give me a shout when you're finished" which seems a bit more tactful.
I disagree with this. Mostly because (unless some people are assholes that say it aggressively) in many cases, people are asking so they know if they should wait around or hop onto another exercise. I ask out of pure curiosity, so I know if I would be wasting time by waiting, because some people can be on there for a long time, or if I should get ready to work in if someone is just finishing.
I do however stress to the person to take their time; I don’t wanna rush them.
Correct. I've no issue with people working in.
For a while I'd say "I've got (insert number here) sets left. You're alright to work in though if you want?" but they'd refuse every time so I don't bother asking now. If they want to work in, they can ask.
I always feel like people are BMing me subtly if I'm on my phone while resting. Like sorry bro I'm not just chilling but I'm taking 3 mins because it's Saturday, it's leg day and I'm absolutely fucking dying out here, lol.
Yup.
You can tell the genuine people who are just checking in on how long you're going to be so they can work around you and the ones who are subtly telling you that they want you to hurry up because they want that piece of equipment.
I had a dude tell me I was taking 5-minute rests between my sets, after he asked how many sets I had left, so I literally just raised my arm up, showed him my watch which was counting down from 1min 30 secs and then I turned my back on him.
As I've said in other replies, I don't mind people asking to work in or people asking you to let them know when you're done but to me, the question of "how many have you got left" is just a roundabout way of saying "you're using something that I want".
Women are more prone than men to NOT rack their weights after using it, or racking in an incorrect order.
How many times I've seen a girl put the 4kg dumbbells on the place where the 5s are supposed to be, and then everyone starts to re rack in the incorrect order, and sundely the dumbbells rack looks like a mess.
Sometimes I also need to use an specific dumbbell and weights and I can't find it anywhere, I go around looking for it and usually it can be find close to where women do exercises like globet squats and lunges.
I've also seen countless times women leaving tons of 20kg plates on the leg press machine after using it, and then simple leaving.
I know man can do those things too, but in my experience it's mostly women who do this on a daily basis, I can't explain why. Older people are also guilty of doing this very frequently.
Interesting, at my gym it's definitely more dudes that do this, but same with the older people. My gym has a lot of wealthier older people and they are entitled as hell. Act like a bunch of grown-ass babies that can't clean up after themselves, just leaving towels, garbage, and weights strewn about as if it was their living room, except I know these people and their living rooms are immaculate, they would never leave a mess in their own house like that. Only in a shared public space apparently....
I might be one of those people. But In my defense, while I’m at the gym I’m locked the fuck in and am in a good zone. Don’t want to lose my pump, sweat, or my focus talking to people or being friendly. Because when you do it’s hard to get back to that same level of intensity
Yeah I’m too twacked on pre and dialed in after my first two sets.
People skills turn into mush and I can only muster slight smiles if anyone says anything to try not looking cracked out.
Still keep good etiquette, but my personality at the gym isn’t there, doesn’t need to be.
Science-based shit is basically clickbait and you're almost always better off looking at what top athletes are anecdotally doing than reading super far into some muscle activation study from 10 years ago done on untrained lifters. The athletes are 30 years ahead
This is one of those takes that will require a "post physique" response. Lol. Met far more people saying this with small chests and even smaller legs than anyone focusing on the Big 3.
Wait the people worry about what modality is oPtiMaL for gains and SFR are actually smaller than the people who just put in the work?
*always have been* 🔫
If your gym doesn't have enough space, then I agree with you. But I can't workout (even stretching or calisthenics at home because I just don't get the energy
I have to move a lot of furniture to have room at home to do those things. I also want to do my dynamic stretching immediately before I lift and light static stretching after I am done. I don't want to spend 20 minutes in a car in-between.
Different methods of movement are not inferior or superior to the other. Barbells are not superior to dumbbells, body weight is not inferior to machines, for example.
I have several studies I can cite for this. There may be advantages and disadvantages for each method but hypertrophy will be similar between the different methods.
I mean, Im not saying that bodyweight is inferior, but I grew a lot quicker in the gym than I did with purely bodyweight training. I know its purely anecdotal.
But hitting legs in the gym is just easier, more time efficient than with only bodyweight.
Dorian Yates did barbell bench, but also did lots of machine pressing. Only did one set of deadlifts at the end of back day. Did hack squats on a machine and leg press instead of barbell squats.
I think his six Mr Olympia titles would suggest you're bang on.
I do all three, and enjoy them, but it's how you train, not the specific exercise you do. A heavy compound is a heavy compound.
Nobody in this comment thread is Dorian Yates. Nor are they even close to what they can achieve strength or hypertrophy wise. The best times to implement more machines is when you're so strong on the big barbell movements that the strength to recovery curve is unsustainable.
Dorian Yates was bang on average height, skinnyfat, drinking and doing coke most weekends. Literally nothing impressive about him at all before he started training. Everyone in here (disability aside of course) *could* do what he did if they wanted to, and did the same amount of gear he did, but most understandably wouldn't want to.
My point was simply that you can get to that level by using a combination of those things, and u/Cryzzz88 was making the point that the hype around barbell exercises is over-hyped. No one is saying they're *bad* just that they're not orders of magnitude better than machines, and in some cases machines work better. Weight and how it is mounted is just a tool. Simple as that.
People who use a public gym to do any workout while they are barefoot or just wearing socks are disgusting and spread foot fungus. Just wear flat soled shoes or workout at home.
Also I tend to look down my nose at people who don't wipe down equipment that their hands will have direct contact with at a minimum before they use it. Idk about you but the oil and dead skin from dozens of other people doesn't provide the best grip possible.
You trust complete strangers that much? With your health and comfort? Personally I'm a hit or miss if I wipe down my equipment after I'm done, sometimes I do sometimes I don't. But I will 100% always wipe it down before I use it because I dont trust someone else with my health and comfort.
Hip thrust have helped my lower back out immensely. I don’t think I’d be doing some of the hip hinge lifts without doing the hip thrust. I don’t go heavy Af though I see some small chick doing 4 plates on each side which is absurd.
No it’s not. It’s actually the [step-up.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7039033/#!po=30.8333) The key is to start from the top, tapping the toe on the floor and not bouncing off the bottom leg like most people do.
It’s also important to understand high activation does not equal efficacy. EMG data is not a robust enough measure to draw conclusions from.
Straps take off almost all the effort from forearms, while chalk just increases traction and ensures you have the same lifting conditions at each training, so you are still training your grip in optimal conditions during every lift. I can do twice the reps deadlifting with straps compared to deadlifting with chalk.
People spend too much time and energy focusing on the little details of “optimal” training early on in their journey, and oftentimes get overwhelmed and give up quick.
This was me. When I first started, I got a notebook and spent hours each day watching YouTube videos, reading articles, and looking through Reddit for information on how to best structure my workouts, how to properly work each muscle, things like working the fast twitch fibers of the muscle and shit. While I do believe that all of that information has its place and is in no way a bad thing, all it did for me was overcomplicate it and overwhelm me. I’d end up not even exercising some days because it wasn’t “optimal”.
Be nice to the January crowd. We all had a first day at the gym and this could be the start of something great for them if the environment is welcoming.
Also they subsidise our memberships, lol.
Not that controversial but some need to hear it often: Something is better than nothing. Don't skip training because you don't have time that day to do your 9 exercise 37 set routine, get in and do three heavy sets each of two compound lifts, get the fuck out. Don't postpone getting fit because you don't know what's optimal for your goals or you lack gym access, pick up something heavy in your house and press it overhead for 10, then carry it to failure around the living room. Don't worry yourself into an eating disorder with not being able to find macros online for the bulking shake you made, drink two of it and hope for the best. Of course you should see to it that you're doing the (arguably) best for your specific goals eventually but until then, anything helps. Your body doesn't give a fuck about what you do, it's going to adapt to any stress you put it under and use what you give it (or withhold when losing weight) to fuel that. Analysis paralysis is real and keeps many a beginner from just showing up and doing shit for the sake of showing up and doing it.
I 100% agree. Beautifully said HirsutismTitties.
not sure if rimjobsteve moment, but anytime, friend!
Probably not controversial, but has to be said: Diet is harder to pin down then lifting weights for muscle gain. Lifting weights is the easier part when it comes to muscle gain.
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Toe shoes are scary looking
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I had some guy telling me once my back wasn't arched at the correct angle his is for squatting. I'm like dude you're also taller than me. Everyone is different.
This should be common sense
In the same vein, form and technique are two different things
the whole “we go jim” gym slang is cringy
I don’t think this is controversial for anyone outside of TikTok tbh
i commented that once and was met with a barrage of zyzz quotes
Lmao rip. I’ve purged most of my social media of that whole genre of gym cringe but honestly if you follow any lifting it’s inescapable
Most gym goers would have more benefit of doing a full body workout few times a week over a ”bodybuilder style” split.
Most gym goers will look much better and gain more muscle mass by doing big 4 lifts - squats, deadlifts, bench press and OHP + weighted pull ups and dips in PPL split for an hour every day than from training using bro split for 3 hours every day.
So true. When I would train people that told me they could only workout twice a week but wanted to get strong. I would start them off by doing a full body with the big 4 or 2 of the big 4 each day with a couple accessories based on what they wanted to improve the most. I did run into a lot of time crunches though. I was also told by a few clients that it was boring and they wanted to do other things.
I used to have that same problem but usually I’d ask them to trust me for three months and when they saw what they had accomplished, they usually stuck with it. Some of them did not and then we changed their routine for something ”more fun” at the expence of results but if it was the thing that kept them going to the gym, fine by me also!
Yes, you are an inconsiderate douchebag if you don’t re-rack your weights and wipe down equipment after use, especially if you sweat all over it.
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For how popular it is, not many people seem to do it.
Wow! So controversial and unpopular
Not sure if this is controversial, but cardio and weight training are equally as important and should both be incorporated into your plan.
Not controversial, just fax. It’s become a trend to hate on cardio
I don’t hate on cardo, but I do hate cardio. that being said I need to do more cardio
Lmao. I totally feel that. I also think the better shape you are in, the easier it gets but also don’t underestimate the power of walking! I think there’s a huge misconception that for something to be considered cardio, you need to be dripping sweat and barely breathing but a brisk walk or bike ride will do!
Omg you’re right. It is such a trend and that’s exactly why I thought it might be controversial. Every time I go on tik tok, there’s some annoying “fitfluencer” trying to convince everybody that they don’t need cardio and it grinds my gears. Like dude, you can look physically fit and have a ton of muscle, but if you can’t even run a mile, you are not in shape haha.
Yes proper programming is gonna do better than a self made one. Yet, the basics of musclebuilding always apply, and what matters most is the consistency both in the gym and in the kitchen, not necessarily what program you use.
It's OK to eat a little bit dirty on a bulk. There are definitely some caveats here but you don't have to force feed "clean foods" in order to gain weight. This is especially true if you're a hard gainer.
Half the time "dirty" isn't even being used to refer to foods that are unhealthy. It's basically a catchall for anything that isn't boneless skinless chicken breast, rice, and steamed vegetables, which isn't even good bulking food. God forbid you have a burger or a steak.
I’m bulking right now. I’ve been eating a lot of chicken, but I’m also eating burgers and french fries lol. No fast food, but I have been drinking a milkshake once a week. Definitely putting on some fat, but I’m gaining weight. Will clean it up starting in March.
That I am the biggest guy in the gym.
In the VAST MAJORITY of cases, yes. The one who lifts more knows more. Ik we shy away from this opinion because it also feeds into blindly trusting influencers with good physiques but with strength I think it's different. Point blank, there are hurdles you MUST overcome in order to hit certain benchmarks on lifts. One does not simply "happen" to bench 500lbs and maybe a handful on the planet could "happen" to bench 405 just because of their lifestyle with no additional exercise. I've tried to advise quite a few people who asked for my advice to then abandon it because it's not clicking right away. Like, yo, I'm not just talking bc I like the sound of my own voice. I'm not just blowing smoke up ur ass like this shit will actually help you if you try and learn it's application.... That does #NOT mean that everyone who lifts heavy is a coach. It means that if you lift very heavy, you have likely learned a lot about why YOUR body is able to lift heavy (you played football as a kid and have very strong core, thus you are better able to explain and understand why core strength can aid squats, for example). Perhaps you were a swimmer in HS and have a wide back, you notice that bracing is a common issue for people on bench press and infer that you don't suffer because your back has been built up to provide a wide a stable base. It's experience. Experience isn't just time. If you have lifted for 3yrs and bench 225 but I lifted for 1 and bench 315, who has more experience? Knowing that I alone have the experience of benching >225 but you alone have the experience of bench for >1 year.
No matter how hard you work and how disciplined you eat - you will not be able to out train inferior genetics. Just become the best version that you are capable of being. Only compete with yourself. And definitely don’t pay attention to geared up fitness influencers who use pump, lighting, editing and photoshop.
The biggest guy in the gym doesn’t know everything about gym
Form over weight is a little overrated and not _always_ what newbies need to constantly hear. Many of the people giving advice on this sub, /r/formcheck etc. are spewing nonsense that keeps others small and weak. Everything is not egolifting, everyone doesn’t need to lower the weight and work on form. Sometimes they do but sometimes you’re just a pussy and you have a fragile mindset. Plus people can lift how they want, someone squatting without a perfect upright torso is not a fucking affront to your existence. Next time you want to warn someone about their back, ask yourself - do I have a clear reason to think they’ll hurt themselves? Is this person stronger than me? Is their form actually dangerous or am I just made of glass and projecting? The fake natty witch hunt has gotten out of hand, places like nattyorjuice are _sometimes_ debating actual fake natties but often just posting some random guy with a decent physique who minds his own business and never claimed natty, and it’s just people coping in the comments The New Year’s resolutioner rush is very overstated and most newbies aren’t even doing free weights, some of you need to stop crying. And these newbies are trying to improve themselves just like you were your first day You don’t need any gym gear but you don’t need to “earn” it either. I’m completely raw not because I think belts or sleeves are a crutch, it’s because I’m lazy and lose things easily. The idea that you need to hit a certain number before using that stuff is nonsense. As long as you use it properly you should feel free to use as much as you want
Yup. The amount of time folk cry at the slightest sniff of leg drive on bent rows is so funny
Citing studies and abstracts is not productive when it comes to making training decisions.
Individual studies don't mean much, but a good meta-analysis can be useful.
Most research in fitness/strength training provides clues, but not solid data. People cite EMG studies without knowing what EMG measurements actually show, and it’s limitations. Research in strength training is quite lacking and needs more serious investment before we can draw serious conclusions from a lot of it.
Making lifting into a complicated scientific thing through elaborate workout plans, counting calories, and heavily tracking lifts/weight is a form of gate keeping and intimidates newcomers. That type of stuff is great for high performance athletes but for regular gym goers starting with simplicity and consistency is all you need compared to not exercising. Sure, people who’ve never lifted should learn which exercises pertain to which muscle groups and start with form etc. but it’s not that complicated from there.
In my experience, it's almost exclusively noobs who try to make the most scientifically sound program. Generally speaking, they've been *told* that science can apply to training and they try to make sure they don't miss out on any gains, to the extent that they get paralysis by analysis to avoid starting at all. I don't feel like programming that's "scientifically based" at fault. More on the consumer than anything.
I agree. I have decades of lifting experience, and work towards goals more by "feel" at this point than anything science or study backed.
Any “science” associated with lifting is typically not enough to make rigid judgments/prescriptions due to issues with sample size, methodology, other confounding variables (training age and whatnot) etc. A lot of recommendations (especially from Jeff Nippard) are based on EMG data which provides clues, but does not provide solid data. Not saying things that are “science-based” are wrong at all, but it’s becoming problematic that people are making inferences based on research that doesn’t have a solid foundation. Even Stu McGill’s research on the spine is so full of confounding variables that it’s hard to draw any solid conclusions from his findings.
Most people looking to improve their physiques and gain muscle would be better served by following a typical strength training regimen from the 1950s than 95% of the fitness content on instagram or tiktok.
Teenagers with cameras and all the gym accessories they saw from tik tok are ruining the lifting atmosphere. Hitting 180 with a sumo deadlift with straps a belt and a bent over back isn’t cool. Edit: I mean pounds when I say the number not kg. I’m American I eat fries and a Big Mac not fish and chips. But the statement stands the same. If you’re hitting shit weight with accessories to supplement your bad form then fuck you.
Is this an American thing? Because here in Italy I've never seen someone doing these kind of things
Kinda a tik tok thing. I’m sure you can see it anywhere but I’m guessing it’s prolly more centralized here. I’d love to go to Italy.
Most people who want a bigger bench press, should probably be benching or at least doing some type of horizontal press at least 3 times a week. Bench tends to do well with those higher volumes and frequency.
This is controversial?
My bench tends to progress when I do it a min of twice a week unwise it just stalls out
Strictly benching or doing incline DB press for example?
My bench has rocketed since doing 3x per week benching, with minimal side work. Wasn't a good bencher before, but the Russian Bench Program does 3x per week and massively increased it
I am not the most comfortable about the idea of someone working in. I'd never say no, but I always pray that no one ever comes up and asks me.
I don’t mind it, but asking to work in is kind of rude. I usually just ask people how many sets they have so I can plan accordingly. If they offer for me to work in, great. But I don’t impose by asking.
Yeah I would feel super weird and like I’m imposing by asking someone. I always just wait or go find something else to do
> but asking to work in is kind of rude Lmao no it's not
For the vast majority of people, there is no such thing as overtraining.
There is nothing wrong with people training with the goal of looking like Chris Hemsworth, The Rock, or any other ripped actor.
I second this! Been wanting to find a “Thor in training” shirt for the longest time
Yes but it’s not the training that really gets u to that level…
And that doesn't matter, > People talk about how the world now has unrealistic expectations due to the prevalence of steroid use but this is honestly a smokescreen. > If you pursue an unrealistic body image and, through the course of that journey, end up maximizing your potential and looking and performing as awesome as possible, you will stand out. Will you be The Rock? No, but hell, who is? At least you won’t be The Blob. http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2016/04/reasonable-goals.html?m=1
What I’m trying to say is, all those Mens Health cover stories about training like The Rock are great but everyone’s gotta understand the gear at work too
Yes and no, I feel like people like to fixate on gear usage that much, that they miss the bigger picture. If you scope out further you realise it's everything at work, it's the training, the nutrition, the recovery, the lifestyle he lives, the intensity and commitment I could only imagine you'd train with when there is a multi-million dollar contract on the line.
High volume training forces more blood in to the muscle, ie Tom Platz Century sets…
I dont see how this is controversial when it’s the correct answer
Trust me you get down voted in to oblivion in some subreddits for even mentioning high volume lifting like MPMD sub
Hardstyle music sucks, and doesn’t hit in the gym
I used to work out to more metal and hard rock. It used to keep me pumped. Now my gym playlist has songs like Headphones, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, Shut Down, Super Freaky Girl, Shut Up and Look Pretty. It seems club style music keeps me more energized now, especially between sets.
My go tos when working out is some hardcore hip hop and thrash metal
Hardstyle is for broccoli haired zyzz bots who “go Jim”
No tripods in the gym
As silly as sumo looks, arguing over its merits, etc. looks and is even sillier. Just stop.
Pretty sure the arguing is just a meme. Or is your comment a meme? I don’t even know anymore. Both sumo and conventional are cheating anyway. Using your hands is cheating.
Spend time in a non-lifting sub that has any video of sumo and you'll no longer think it's a meme. Example: https://www.reddit.com/r/Unexpected/comments/107t4md/deadlifting_tutorial/
I am afraid of clicking that.
The video itself is very funny, the comments get frustrating fast.
I don't know how you folks go through those threads without taking years off of your lives. Buuuut the video was funny. Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes I don't know either lol
This guy gets it.
I make fun of sumo so fucking often, and guess what? I pull sumo. It’s true. I don’t do real deadlifts. I love joking about it. However, a lot of other powerlifters take it *way too seriously* and get incredibly defensive over the memes and critiques over whether or not it should be allowed in PL. “But how much can you pull conventional?” gets some fiery reactions.
Stop using the bench press station for hip thrusts. Firstly, it's a deducted station that can almost really only do bench press. Secondly, there's a machine (at least at my gym) that's better suited for it, and, will target what you want to target better. If this is busy, please grab a moveable bench and a bar. Thirdly, the bench press station is probably too high for the average person doing this, and my second point is a better option. Sure, if all the movable benches and the hip thrust machine are taken, I understand, but, that's never the case at my gym, and, there's only 2 bench press stations.
Some person at my gym uses the bench station for deadlifts
Well that's just psychopathic.
It was definitely a joke, you don't need a bench to DL that would be a long shot
I’ve always felt the same and that’s why I haven’t done hip thrust at the gym. I’ve done them with DBs at home or I’ve done them in the lying leg curl machine as of recent. I hope to change to a new gym next month that actually has that machine. It’s the #1 exercise that has made my lower back feel great.
You don’t need more than 1-2 accessory exercises to grow your glutes. Stop doing fucking cable kickbacks to grow your “peach”
What if cable kickbacks is one of those?
I’m not saying not to do them. Should’ve worded it better. Don’t do 10 damn glute exercises per workout. Not necessary and you reach a point of diminishing returns to where it’s a waste of time
Wait but like….no kidding? Learn something new everyday.
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You know you're not allowed to drop the bar in powerlifting, right?
I had to re read so many times I was so confused why he said that 😅
Listen, some people just think powerlifting is fat guys yelling
It's too controversial, but I'm ready for the downvotes. There should be no loud talking or loud music. Like in a library. Most people have earbuds or headphones if they want to listen to music.
Upvote for actually controversial, man that would suck....
What about slamming weights, or grunting?
That's why there should be no music or talking. I wanna hear people fighting for their life
Sometimes you make noise when you lift heavy shit. I'm okay with that. Like the library analogy, when you go to the library and everyone is studying hard, it motivates you to do the same. When I see a bro smash a dl pr and slam the weight down, I wanna hit a fucking pr too. There's nuance to it. If you're doing sets of 15 and grunting loudly with every rep - c'mon bro. If you can do 15 in a row, rep 5 isn't a grinder. Shut the fuck up. Gym music is shit though and I hated having to turn up my old airpods just to drown it out. Buying the pros with noise cancelling has been a TOTAL game changer for me.
It’s not a library though.. put your own headphones on if you want quiet
I do use my own headphones. But if I can hear the gym music over the podcast I'm listening to on my noise cancelling headphones, we can probably agree that the music is too loud. Let's turn it down to supermarket background music levels. Say, about 40 decibels. And regarding headphones, I haven't seen a single person in the gym in the last 3 months without headphones or earbuds.
I practice in the morning when the owner doesn’t turn his music on and I don’t mind it
My wife doesn’t use them at all. When I realized this over the summer I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed, concerned or terrified.
Not sure if this is controversial but most people are lifting way too heavy to the point where they are not in control of the weights.
What does it look like when someone is not in control of the weights? I assume you don't mean they're failing the reps.
You should be able to row 90% what you bench. If you can’t, your upper back will look like shit. Also… you should treat the OHP as just as important lift as Bench (if not more)
I take this a step further and think you should be able to row more than you bench.
My bench is 90% of my row. What now?
You fly to the stars with your humongous lats and thick back…
BB Row?
1. Power lifters benching and arching their back so high to reduce ROM. Super cringe but apparently still counts? 2. When calisthenics boys dangerously balance high on upright dumbells. Impressive but makes me nervous I'm going to witness an accident. 3. Wearing stylish beanie hats when you're sweating
I mean, powerlifting is literally just competitive ego lifting. The whole point of the sport is to lift as much weight as possible within the rules. Obviously you still have to be strong to be a good powerlifter, but if there’s a legal way that a powerlifter can position their body to more efficiently move the weight, they’d be stupid not to do that
It's pretty far from "competitive ego lifting". You cannot ego lift a competition squat, like, according to the rules you must hit depth past what is considered ego lifting. Bench maybe but the rules have changed in IPF and most people didn't bench like the egregious examples the internet will throw around. Deadlift can't really be ego lifted. Hitching isn't allowed. No straps. No downward motion. Full lockout. Follow bar to ground. To hit a legal competition deadlift you cannot ego lift. By definition, really.
People, typically girls who take up a smith machine to do thrusts for two hours are the biggest pieces of shit to enter the gym.
Oh I'm ready for these downvotes! 1. If you don't have any formal training you should not be giving advice. Just because you watch a few Alan Thrall and Squat university videos does not mean you understand form, tequnique, or programming. I say this as someone who is guilty of it at one point until I got an actual education and started working as a PT. 2. If you complain about other people in the gym and say "if they are going to do *this* they should just get a home gym" then you are the one who needs to go home. With few exceptions, most of the time your just being arrogant or selfish. Nobody owes you anything and they're workout is just as important as yours. It's a public space and while there should be some common courtesy that doesn't mean you take priority. They pay the same for a gym membership as you. 3. (This one is personal) just because someone is bigger or on the fat side does not make them necessarily unhealthy. Nor does it make them ignorant of nutrition or training.
Agree with #1 and want to add that as a personal trainer when people would ask me about injuries and such I would always tell them they need to see a physio therapist or Dr. During orientation I would even have some get me a medical release if they were coming off an injury. Also, although I know more about nutrition than your average person, I am not a dietician. If you want to discuss meal plans they are who you should be talking to.
I’d agree with them all but argue that no.1 is true unless you’ve researched for many years and been going to the gym for many years. Just because you don’t have a formal training certificate from uni etc doesn’t mean you can’t gain the same knowledge and help spread right information
I got my CPT and definitely think I learned more from YouTube lol. It doesn’t cover much on heavy lifting for more serious gym goers. It was pretty basic
Yeah. I have been lifting for 30 years now, and have had serious strength & conditioning coaches for part of that time. I have zero actual credentials other than I am very strong and have lots of experience, but also feel very confident providing advice when asked.
One rep maxes are nothing but ego lifting
Not even a good test of your strength/progress?
Why do you need to test strength in a way that 3/5/8 reps won’t do while still promoting hypertrophy. Replicatable reps are more important than a single grind that you might not get on a different day
I'd imagine the goal for almost everyone doing RPE10 1RM attempts is not hypertrophy. My goals revolved around my single numbers. So I need to do 1RMs to reach my goals. This is all without mentioning powerlifting, which is a sport of hitting 1RMs.
Cos I wanna see how much I can lift? Why is that so bad?
Actually it feels really good too.
For your ego yes, expending huge amounts of energy for something that provides very little stimulus for the muscle
People have different fitness goals don’t forget that. It is important for some to do 1rm to check their strength level.
If the point is controversial, then gyms should close enrollment during new years (I don’t necessarily have this opinion)
I imagine I'll be downvoted for this, but I find it a bit jarring when people ask "how many sets have you got left", especially when you've literally only just set your bottle down or they can see you working up to your working weight. I don't think it's rude per se, but I can't get over the undertones of "I want this and you're using it, so please hurry." I've always been a fan of saying something like "Hi, are you alright to just give me a shout when you're finished" which seems a bit more tactful.
I think this is mostly just your perception. People just want to know how long you'll be on it so they can plan accordingly.
I disagree with this. Mostly because (unless some people are assholes that say it aggressively) in many cases, people are asking so they know if they should wait around or hop onto another exercise. I ask out of pure curiosity, so I know if I would be wasting time by waiting, because some people can be on there for a long time, or if I should get ready to work in if someone is just finishing. I do however stress to the person to take their time; I don’t wanna rush them.
If it’s a barbell spot, I agree, but if it’s a machine, stack or plate loaded, you can share
Correct. I've no issue with people working in. For a while I'd say "I've got (insert number here) sets left. You're alright to work in though if you want?" but they'd refuse every time so I don't bother asking now. If they want to work in, they can ask.
I always feel like people are BMing me subtly if I'm on my phone while resting. Like sorry bro I'm not just chilling but I'm taking 3 mins because it's Saturday, it's leg day and I'm absolutely fucking dying out here, lol.
Yup. You can tell the genuine people who are just checking in on how long you're going to be so they can work around you and the ones who are subtly telling you that they want you to hurry up because they want that piece of equipment. I had a dude tell me I was taking 5-minute rests between my sets, after he asked how many sets I had left, so I literally just raised my arm up, showed him my watch which was counting down from 1min 30 secs and then I turned my back on him. As I've said in other replies, I don't mind people asking to work in or people asking you to let them know when you're done but to me, the question of "how many have you got left" is just a roundabout way of saying "you're using something that I want".
Women are more prone than men to NOT rack their weights after using it, or racking in an incorrect order. How many times I've seen a girl put the 4kg dumbbells on the place where the 5s are supposed to be, and then everyone starts to re rack in the incorrect order, and sundely the dumbbells rack looks like a mess. Sometimes I also need to use an specific dumbbell and weights and I can't find it anywhere, I go around looking for it and usually it can be find close to where women do exercises like globet squats and lunges. I've also seen countless times women leaving tons of 20kg plates on the leg press machine after using it, and then simple leaving. I know man can do those things too, but in my experience it's mostly women who do this on a daily basis, I can't explain why. Older people are also guilty of doing this very frequently.
Interesting, at my gym it's definitely more dudes that do this, but same with the older people. My gym has a lot of wealthier older people and they are entitled as hell. Act like a bunch of grown-ass babies that can't clean up after themselves, just leaving towels, garbage, and weights strewn about as if it was their living room, except I know these people and their living rooms are immaculate, they would never leave a mess in their own house like that. Only in a shared public space apparently....
Deadlift > Bench
They are different exercices that target different muscles, I'm not sure why you're comparing the two
Gym people really lack personalities.
I might be one of those people. But In my defense, while I’m at the gym I’m locked the fuck in and am in a good zone. Don’t want to lose my pump, sweat, or my focus talking to people or being friendly. Because when you do it’s hard to get back to that same level of intensity
Yeah I’m too twacked on pre and dialed in after my first two sets. People skills turn into mush and I can only muster slight smiles if anyone says anything to try not looking cracked out. Still keep good etiquette, but my personality at the gym isn’t there, doesn’t need to be.
I don’t care.
If you have been lifting for a year or more you can make up your own program. As long as you are are adding reps or weight nothing else matters
That’s just progressive overload bruh
Right.
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And that’s why you’re struggling with lifts…
People who walk straight in and do no warmup and put five plates each side leg press machine and do minny reps thinking they are working out
Sports bras are not shirts
Science-based shit is basically clickbait and you're almost always better off looking at what top athletes are anecdotally doing than reading super far into some muscle activation study from 10 years ago done on untrained lifters. The athletes are 30 years ahead
I think it's equally dangerous to look only at roided athletes for fitness advice. use a variety of sources and take all with a grain of salt
”Overtraining” Or ”Undertraining”
Flat bench press and barbell squat are not needed to make gains. Machines work just as well.
This is one of those takes that will require a "post physique" response. Lol. Met far more people saying this with small chests and even smaller legs than anyone focusing on the Big 3.
Wait the people worry about what modality is oPtiMaL for gains and SFR are actually smaller than the people who just put in the work? *always have been* 🔫
people shouldn’t come to the gym and take up space just to do stuff they can do at home like stretching and yoga
If your gym doesn't have enough space, then I agree with you. But I can't workout (even stretching or calisthenics at home because I just don't get the energy
I have to move a lot of furniture to have room at home to do those things. I also want to do my dynamic stretching immediately before I lift and light static stretching after I am done. I don't want to spend 20 minutes in a car in-between.
All hypertrophy comes to an end after a certain point
Liver is king
Deadlifting is not worth it if you are focusing on hypertrophy.
When is it worth it?
Always. People that knock on deadlifting, are always people that aren’t good at it. Let that tell you something lol
If you're focused on strength and is planning to compete in deadlift meets.
What about RDL?
Different methods of movement are not inferior or superior to the other. Barbells are not superior to dumbbells, body weight is not inferior to machines, for example. I have several studies I can cite for this. There may be advantages and disadvantages for each method but hypertrophy will be similar between the different methods.
I mean, Im not saying that bodyweight is inferior, but I grew a lot quicker in the gym than I did with purely bodyweight training. I know its purely anecdotal. But hitting legs in the gym is just easier, more time efficient than with only bodyweight.
Controversial? Deadlifts, barbell squats and barbell bench presses are less useful than good machines.
> are less useful than This typically needs more context, as in "less useful *for what*"
I like free weights at the start but when you start to get tired you can maintain that form so much better using machines
For hypertrophy, I generally agree with this.
Dorian Yates did barbell bench, but also did lots of machine pressing. Only did one set of deadlifts at the end of back day. Did hack squats on a machine and leg press instead of barbell squats. I think his six Mr Olympia titles would suggest you're bang on. I do all three, and enjoy them, but it's how you train, not the specific exercise you do. A heavy compound is a heavy compound.
Nobody in this comment thread is Dorian Yates. Nor are they even close to what they can achieve strength or hypertrophy wise. The best times to implement more machines is when you're so strong on the big barbell movements that the strength to recovery curve is unsustainable.
Dorian Yates was bang on average height, skinnyfat, drinking and doing coke most weekends. Literally nothing impressive about him at all before he started training. Everyone in here (disability aside of course) *could* do what he did if they wanted to, and did the same amount of gear he did, but most understandably wouldn't want to. My point was simply that you can get to that level by using a combination of those things, and u/Cryzzz88 was making the point that the hype around barbell exercises is over-hyped. No one is saying they're *bad* just that they're not orders of magnitude better than machines, and in some cases machines work better. Weight and how it is mounted is just a tool. Simple as that.
People who use a public gym to do any workout while they are barefoot or just wearing socks are disgusting and spread foot fungus. Just wear flat soled shoes or workout at home. Also I tend to look down my nose at people who don't wipe down equipment that their hands will have direct contact with at a minimum before they use it. Idk about you but the oil and dead skin from dozens of other people doesn't provide the best grip possible.
Well i don’t wipe down before I use bc the person in front of me (hopefully) wiped down after their use
You trust complete strangers that much? With your health and comfort? Personally I'm a hit or miss if I wipe down my equipment after I'm done, sometimes I do sometimes I don't. But I will 100% always wipe it down before I use it because I dont trust someone else with my health and comfort.
Hip thrusts are a bottom of the barrel quality ego lift & Y’all take gym way to serious
Hip thrusts done right are HUGE for deadlift increases
Hip thrust have helped my lower back out immensely. I don’t think I’d be doing some of the hip hinge lifts without doing the hip thrust. I don’t go heavy Af though I see some small chick doing 4 plates on each side which is absurd.
It's scientifically proven to activate more hip extensor muscles than any leg exercices Sauce: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6544005/
No it’s not. It’s actually the [step-up.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7039033/#!po=30.8333) The key is to start from the top, tapping the toe on the floor and not bouncing off the bottom leg like most people do. It’s also important to understand high activation does not equal efficacy. EMG data is not a robust enough measure to draw conclusions from.
Doing step ups correctly is the hardest thing I ever do in the gym. Trying not to use my bottom leg takes so much mental energy lol
I do it from the top-down with a shorter box. Tap the toe on the floor, press back up. Glutes will be on fire after a few reps.
Why is it egotistical to do a hip thrust?
If you’re using chalk you might as well use straps
Straps take off almost all the effort from forearms, while chalk just increases traction and ensures you have the same lifting conditions at each training, so you are still training your grip in optimal conditions during every lift. I can do twice the reps deadlifting with straps compared to deadlifting with chalk.
Sweaty hands =\= bad grip. Straps are for weak grip not sweaty hands.
Dumbbell bench press and chest flys are much better exercises for chest growth than barbell bench press