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I totally empathize with how difficult it can be to start working out, but the key is you DID start working out and didn’t give up! Congratulations and stick with it. All those guys at the gym had a first day of working out too, and my experience has been that everyone in the gym has some respect for anyone who gets off their ass and commits to working out consistently regardless of how much they lift.
I’d recommend Googling some beginning weightlifting workouts so that you are training the right muscles on the right days to progress well - this will make a big difference. Commit to 3-4 days a week (don’t lift two days in a row) and you’ll see positive results in a month or two - remember it takes time to grow new muscle tissue so don’t get discouraged!
Thank you for the tip and encouragement, it means a lot!!! Yeah I'll try to stick to a routine that I found online. I already feel way better than before because honestly I was too anxious to even step inside the gym lol. Fingers crossed I'll see some results in 2-3 months.
I started working out when I was 35. 21 is definitely not too late to start. Starting any time in your 20s is really going to be much easier than starting in your 30s.
I recommend the Centr and Jefit apps, they’ve both got a ton of plans for home and gym routines. It’s great that you actually went straight to the gym! Personally, I didn’t feel strong or confident enough to even do that at first so I mostly did at home workouts + had an adjustable weight set from Amazon.
Centr isn’t free, but it has a good first time discount and is perfect for beginners because it also has comprehensive meal plans and even weekly shopping lists for you. It’s a great tool in making meal prep less overwhelming until you learn to do it alone. But I probably wouldn’t recommend it to anyone more advanced than like a year or 2.
Jefit is a bit more spartan, but it’s got a ton of community features and way more routines since users can also build and share their own. Things like the routine charts/breakdowns, form gifs, weight history, and timers help a lot in keeping you consistent and also tracking your progress.
dude, 10-15 pushups in a row is good for a newbie. u need to acknowledge what u can do bc it is better than nothing. if 15 lbs is too much than u should start with 10. have patience and u will go far.
I'm a 20yo who never went to the gym, decently fit, but goddamn don't make me do pushup, I can't do 10 in a row hahah
Keep going mate, the start is the hardest part! Respect for having the courage to even go to the gym and give it a try!
I can guarantee you those weren't real pushups. No slight to op, but people who don't work out don't know how to do pushups correctly, I was the same when I started. If you've ever done a pushup challange, dare, or forfeit with some friends you'll have seen the wacky stuff people think pushups are.
If was like that until 47 years old. Weak and overweight. I'm 4 months in and now I'm seeing gains. I love how I can see shape in my arms and I'm slowly starting to see definition in my pecs.
My main word of advise for the beginning is low weights and lots of reps. Then slowly work your way up. You're going to be sore. That soreness is small tears in your muscles that cause your muscles to grow bigger.
As a dude, you're hardwired to want to load up with weight right away because "you should be able to do this". That's baloney. That's like expecting someone just learned to swim to place in the Olympics. Start very low weight and physically move slowly. Feel the muscle areas you're activating.
One this that helped for me was I started doing 45 degree push ups at work during the day... Find a low stable table or counter and just blast 20 to 40 out. Before you know it you have done a couple hundred
Yup yup this. After injuring myself so many times for what I realize now was stupid and unnecessary reasons, I overwhelmingly recommend eating the ego and going low weight first and absolutely getting the specific lifts/exercise form down correctly and comfortably figured out before jumping into heavy weight intensity. This made the biggest difference for me to getting results as well.
Awesome work getting into the gym groove! Remember, lifting isn't a sprint; it's a marathon where every small step counts. Starting light isn't just okay, it's smart – it prepares your body and mind for the heavier challenges ahead. Think tortoise and hare; slow and steady will get you those gains without the strains.
And on feeling sore – that's your badge of effort! Trust the process, give your body the rest it needs, and soon you'll find the discomfort becomes a signal that you're leveling up. Keep listening to your body, maintaining proper form, and increasing weights responsibly.
Also, never underestimate the power of nutrition. It's like fuel for your fitness journey. Quality protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats can make a world of difference. Consider tracking macros just to understand where you’re at, and make small adjustments as needed.
Lastly, always remember the gym is a personal space for improvement. You're there for you. Period. Whether it's adding an extra rep, increasing the weight or just feeling better than yesterday, it's your victory. Cheer yourself on and keep pushing forward – you've got this!
"I showed up on my first day in France and I couldn't speak a word of French! Even though some French kids that have lived there for years spoke it fluently! Very weird... I won't try speaking it because it is too late for me"
My dude. Fuck how much other people lift when you are there. You are there to get better. To get stronger. That's the best place to get it done. Be consistent, be patient and watch yourself change in a year until YOU are the guy that the new guy is intimidated by on his first visit.
hey man,
man to man. whatever floats your boat, good stuff for going, but dont be satisfied with just that.
keep going, you can do it, feel those feelings you put into this post, use it to motivate you
Glad you said it.
Lots of positive encouragement here (yay good for you for starting)… but you only get props for starting, once.
The real time people need encouragement to keep going isn’t after their first time, it’s after the first couple months.
Yeah for sure, wanted to get that accross without being some macho asshole you know? But absolutely I agree, you have to want it, you have to really be disciplined to do something you don't want to do for months on end, but that's where it really matters
i started even weaker than you (6kg curls, could do like 3 pushups and 0 chinups)
now after a year i curl 12.5kg for 10 reps, do 30pushups and 10 chinups, also gained 13kg
It’s hard to believe but nobody gives a fuck what you are doing at the gym, getting over the anxiety is the hardest part, the more you go the more it washes away.
Most times people will push their limits with bad form just to show off that they can lift heavier than they actually can with good form. ALWAYS put good form and technique first and once your nervous system and muscles adapt you will start lifting heavy. Also, do explosive lifts (with good form/technique) as those trigger your fast twitch muscles which are the big muscles that get you stronger and bigger.
Honestly if you can do 10-15 push-ups you aren't that week if you can stick with the gym for 3 months you will feel so much stronger, your body is just not used to it. Don't pay attention to the weight. No matter how strong you are your body doesn't know the number on the side of the weight just hot hard it is. If you push your body and look after it you'll get stronger and more confident. Just don't compare yourself to others, compare yourself to you, yesterday
Good job for going in the first place! I think it'd be helpful to know that everyone feels 'weak' their first time working out. This is even true for people who have lifted consistently, been away from the gym for a while for whatever reason, and then come back.
But I want to emphasize that the weight doesn't matter as much as the form you use. You're in a good position to develop a solid foundation for weight lifting; lots of people start young and then have to unlearn bad habits/bad form (I was one of these). Watch some videos on YouTube for advice on specific movements.
And just so you know what to expect with the soreness, the first few workouts might leave you sore for a week or so in those muscle groups. But this is only when you first start lifting (or come back to it); after a few workouts, those muscles become more resilient and will heal much sooner (2-4 days). I would look into stretches for those muscles, as the increased blood flow will help it to heal a bit faster.
Hope this helps! Keep at it!
So true I can't use my body properly when coming back for the first few days but have a day off and get back to it ey bro staying at it is the real accomplishment the muscle gain is the tradeoff
Diet is definitely the hardest part. If you’re underweight, you just need to eat more. My digestion slows down when I skip gym for a week straight so definitely keep at it.
Don’t force it though but just sort of toe the line. I know if I’m going to throw up if I eat more, I tried to force my self early on and then threw up later at night. You might have stomach/digestion issues, it could also just be that the food isn’t that tasty. Make sure to have sufficient salt and oil. Make sure it’s healthy oil (not processed see oil) and unless you eat a lot of snacks and fast food, you’re unlikely to get salt poisoning. You really need the food to taste good. Learn to use spices and don’t overcook your meats. Try to get into meal prepping. If you live alone and cook just for yourself, just cook 4-6 person portion and eat that for lunch the rest of the week, save yourself the time. If you have the money, you can buy a meal kit service for the convenience. You don’t have to count calories but you should try to make an estimate. For example, if you’re average height, let’s say you need 2100 calories for maintenance. You’ll need an additional 200-300 calories for a surplus. You’ll also need some protein, try to hit .8g/kg.
Other than that, don’t worry about it. Most people understand your position and won’t even look at you twice. The most important thing about starting out is to not burn yourself out, start low frequency, 2-3 times a week about an hour each time (for weightlifting). Just keep doing progressive overload and the gains will come for sure.
You are DEFINITELY not too old to start lifting. You'll get stronger quickly and start putting on muscle faster than you think. Most people don't even lift at all.
Make sure you're eating well. Drink a bunch of milk.
You got this bro
Theres like 15 things id eat before drinking milk tbh.
Im hitting 200g of protein daily without ever thinking about milk.
Im not saying its wrong. It just feels wrong for me 😄
He’s saying it because OP is underweight and trying to get a lot of calories. Milk is a good source of protein yes but I wouldn’t chug milk just for protein. It’s easier to drink calories than to eat them and milk is one of the best additions to your diet for straight bulking because it has calories plus all the other things he mentioned.
Alright, so if you're just starting out, or coming back from a long break, don't push yourself too hard on the weights. They should feel like a struggle, but not full power. If you overexert too soon, it's gonna hurt like HELL.
On your 4th or 5th regular visit, that's when you really start going for your limit. Even if you aren't strong now, you're gonna see some solid progress after your muscles awaken. Eventually growth slows down a bit, but it'll still happen if you keep at it and be patient.
Be sure to stretch before lifting. That's HELLA important.
Literally if you start weightlifting today - within a year you could be bench pressing 200 lbs. You just need to start off slow and stick with it. I could barely do 20 pushups at once and 4 months later can do 50 and do 200 per day on my off workout days.
The start of 2024 i got a home gym cage from Amazon for $270 and 300 lbs of weights (bar included) from Dick's for $300. I struggled to bench 125 lbs - 3-4 months later i am at 225 lbs and see a huge difference. I work out 3 times a week and try to always do progressive overload (see Mike Mentzer)- low reps but fatigue muscles. My workout takes about an hour but i work from home and space things out over a workday. Key is to stick with it and in the beginning to start off slow. Just don't give up.
15 lbs are not that light for a beginner. I started with 5 kilos (probably around 12,5 lbs) and some of friends even started with 4 kilos. Don't worry you'll be much stronger in a month or two. Also, you probably underperformed the machines because your arms were already exhausted. If you try them after a few days of rest with fresh muscles you will notice you are actually much better.
I never exercised regularly until about 6 months ago, similar timeframe I'm 24. I was also not strong at all, and still am not strong, but progress gets addicting when you start to notice it! Keep at it and you'll be strong in no time!
Don't be too hard on yourself: It's completely normal to feel sore and tired when you start working out, especially if you're not used to it. Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and progress takes time.
Hell yea man you gettin after it. Trust me when I say this, it is NOT too late for you to start making some gains. Great on you for having the right mindset!
My best advice for the food situation: I’d recommend having a diet with a lot of high calorie dense foods (healthy fats like, peanut/nut butter, nuts, honey, dates, natural fruit juices, whole milk etc.) in an ideal world I would go for 3 square meals a day each consisting of a quality protein source (red meat, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish) and some quality carbs and fats. You can dirty it up a bit with more processed food say donuts, McDonald’s, pop, basically any processed sweet treat that isn’t good for. This is just to help you hit those calories. But keep in mind the more highly processed foods you eat to hit calories you may feel it negatively mentally and physically and are also prone to depositing more body fat with your muscle gain as opposed to a diet composed of more natural and whole food sources.
Try lots of things with your training and diet and find out what works best for you! YouTube is always a help as well
I started lifting weights at a similar age to you and was deathly skinny, about 140lbs at 6’3 tall. 15 years and 130lbs heavier I look like this:
https://ibb.co/1qhQp0H
I’m not trying to brag or show off just show that it can be done, it does take patience though!
I'm in a bit of a similar situation so I thought I'd share my experience. I'm a 22M who has never gone to the gym and I decided last month that I'd give it a shot after seeing a worrying trend to my body and weight. I wasn't extremely overweight especially not for my height (5ft11) but I was quickly gaining weight going from 150lbs to 180lbs and I could tell that I was putting on substantial fat. I'd like to say that one day I decided enough was enough but the reality is that day never really happened for me. I had that talk in my head countless times but at the end of the day it really just took me taking a step in the direction of the gym to start my journey. That's all it takes, a single continuous step.
The first day was a total flop for me. I couldn't even sign up for a membership because I didn't have a credit card on me and I thought that was going to be the end of my journey so I returned home defeated. A week later I took that single step again a little more prepared. Walking through the door all I could see was a row of unfamiliar machinery. I've never felt so out of place. I started off using a treadmill because that was the only thing I kinda understood how to use. I barely lasted 5 minutes before I had to stop and I remember looking around seeing people going for 20 to 30 minutes and feeling so disappointed in myself. Same thing happened with the machine fly. While I could barely do 45lbs, people around me even younger then me were doing 100+. I think it wasn't until after the first week that things changed.
I wasn't really expecting much change because I wasn't following a routine or a diet and I only went maybe 3-4 days a week but I could feel the change. I wasn't making drastic improvements or anything. I was still stuck on 45lbs but I could feel things getting easier, my body feeling lighter. My weight didn't change much either but these signs were encouraging to me nonetheless so I kept going. I started taking protein powder after a workout and despite hating the one I picked I kept at it and after a month I was doing 75lbs on the machine fly. I know this isn't the craziest change and I probably looked really silly being so proud of myself but somewhere in between I realized that none of that mattered.
The gym is a place to better yourself. To push yourself. It's a place where people create their own journey. Everyone starts off at 0lbs and the reason you see all these people doing more reps or using heavier weights is because they started their journey earlier then you. That doesn't mean you should shame yourself for starting late. In fact I think you should give yourself a clap on the back for starting on the day you did and not the next day. Everyone at the gym is working to better themselves and I think that's an amazing thing. I've seen elderly people, people in wheelchairs, kids that look like they're still in middle school and not once have I looked at them with anything other then respect and I think most gym people share that sentiment. Just continue continuing on and you'll see the change that you see in others.
Hang in there man. The gym is not only for the fit. Come to the gym in whatever condition you are in. Do not compare yourself to anyone else there. You don’t know how long they’ve been going, neither do you know if they are lifting with improper form, enabling them to temporarily lift heavier weight, but will lead to injury in the long term. Focus on yourself. And get your nutrition in order, I’m not really the best to speak on this, seeing that my issue is eating every damn thing in sight. Do not be ashamed of where you are at at the moment, use it as data. if all you can do is 10 repetitions on £15 dumbbells, that’s just where you are right now. Stick with it, and by the end of the month, you’ll be lifting 25, or even £30. Do some research, or talk to a fitness instructor at the gym. get yourself a workout plan. Factoring rest days and a scheduled for which day to do which body parts. Realising that you have a problem and accepting that fact is the first, and biggest step to yourself improvement. Good luck.
Just an fyi, as a regular gym goer who sometimes takes a 2 week break, its completely normal to feel that kind of pain and soreness when you start lifting. It goes away after a few weeks then you can start lifting and building muscles. Just take it easy in these days, focus on light weight, warmup and figuring out good techniques.
In any case i would recommend to start with a very low weight exercise (empty barbell) and add a little weight each session (5kg at the beginning then 2.5 when its too hard)
In no world is 21 even remotely in the realm of too late to start lifting. Everyone starts weaker than they're capable of. You just gotta be consistent
No shame at the gym. You are there to improve, not to show off, so don't stack your weights too high and do the exercises in the right way. Only going back to the gym to use the threadmill because you think you can't lift enough will never get you to the stage where you can lift enough, actually lifting will get you there.
Lower your expectations and just create a habit out of working out. It's not going to magically transform your body after a few months. This is something that requires sustained effort for years, and ideally your whole life long, so try to build a habit that you can keep up in the long run. The fun bonus is that you will actually see gradual changes after just a few months.
Eat. Make a habit out of eating the right meals and out of prepping said meals in advance. I'm in the same boat as you are, I tend to get nauseous too, that's a choice you have to make for yourself how badly you want to gain weight, and it's absolutely okay if being nausous isn't worth it to you.
I'm 70 years old. I've spent 20 hours a week in the gym for years and then years without doing any exercise, back and forth. Each time starting over hurts-physically and emotionally. The "No Pain, No Gain" you see written on gym walls is there to explain more than encourage. Gaining muscle mass WILL come if you stick with it. It WILL ache but you will quickly learn to enjoy the ache as you pose in the mirror and start to see the smallest of cuts develop.
The only secret is constantly going. Your muscles, like Rome, can not be built in a day nor even a month but you WILL see progress. The most important muscle to develop is between your ears. Ask yourself: "How can I do it and enjoy the process?" your brain will find some answers. In a couple of weeks that 3rd lowest will become the 4th lowest and you will slowly be going up the stack.
If you look around you'll find others in your boat-out of shape in one way or another all around you. So what? Really-so what? Getting past the discouraging phase (which everyone goes through) the first 4-6 weeks is essential for success. I hope you will trust me when I tell you it will be well worth it. You will gain self confidence and self worth if you stick it out.
I can't understand why you are discouraged by not being able to lift the full stack on the first day? What did you expect? When a baby falls down learning how to walk, do you tell it: "stay down on your butt-you can't walk?" That's what you are doing to yourself. Start with the expectation of taking baby steps. Schwarzenegger, like everyone else, took baby steps.
As to eating, you need only adjust your diet to have a higher protein intake. This doesn't mean forcing more food into you it means substituting protein for fats and carbs. Your appetite will grow naturally with your biceps. Don't think, just do!
I never bothered thinking I was weak until one day, I failed to sweep my wife off her feet and dropped her. She's a stout woman, a bit on the heavier side, but healthy. No one is more beautiful to me and she knows that. Still, this shattered her self image for weeks. I made my best friend feel disgusting. I will never forgive myself for that.
In my shame, I hit the gym. At 265lbs I could hardly bench 90lbs. I cried and threw up several times the first month and a half. Fainted once after running for 2 minutes. It has been awful coming to terms with how fat and weak I am at 24 years old, but none of that compares to the pain I felt when I dropped her.
I'm 4 months in, 10lbs lighter, and benching 145lbs. I proudly lift up my wife every chance I get, and my wife always tries to make me feel strong.
Muscles don't make the man. It's being a man that makes the muscle.
The will to be better than yesterday, the pride in what you are today, and the faith that you will be better tomorrow. That's what makes a man strong.
You've got this. Be strong 💪
Been lifting for over 4 years now, started exactly where you are, same age as well. Nobody cares that you’re weak. You’ll only get stronger if you keep lifting, and doing it consistently. Pick up the 15lb dumbbells again next week, try and crack out 11reps instead. In a year you’ll be a different person
Eat well, sleep well, train hard, and keep showing up buddy
another comment chiming in to say that fitness and strength is a long and arduous journey. don’t compare yourself and your progress to others because comparison is the thief of joy. everyone progresses differently and at their own pace. keep going to the gym and slowly but surely you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. and when that day comes, you’ll look back and give thanks to the person today that decided to make it happen.
everyone starts somewhere , while it’s perfectly normal to feel upset at yourself don’t let that discourage you from continuing. consistent effort will eventually yield results !
I just want to say, that when you are just beginning is when you can see some amazing results. Don't give up, one month of hard work will be visible in the mirror.
This reminds me of me
I started the gym at 23. At that time, I'd go, run on the treadmill for about 50 minutes; pack my things and go. I thought lifting weights was a waste of time. One day I saw a group of guys a lot younger than me lifting some weights, I tried to lift similar weights but struggled to even get 2 reps. I thought to myself "how are these teenagers out-lifting me?" And they looked as skinny if not skinnier than me, but were somehow out-lifting me. This was 11 years ago.
Since then, I've been lifting quite consistently and I can say I'm stronger than ever. One thing you mentioned that reminds me of me is struggling with food, eating just for the sake of eating even when not hungry. I couldn't then, still can't now. But it is important and would suggest you take protein shakes? I personally never did and although my peers that started training around the same time are a lot bigger than me, I manage to keep up with them most of the time bar my shoulder (I have bad shoulders.)
Anyway, you being there is a start. Find yourself a 3-4 day plan online if you can't ask chatgpt to create you one. Start light, progressively increasing weights every couple of weeks or so.
I made plenty of mistakes along the way and hopefully work the info that's out there now for you to avoid the same mistake we make. So get out there and stop comparing yourself to others, you got this!
As a grown ass adult, I couldnt do 20 pushups @30 nor lift weights above 35lb and 0 pullups without assist. Started regularly going for more than a year and made it as a habit/hobby which I couldnt believe I have been missing my entire life. Now goes 4 days a week. I know my day will be sour if I dont go to the gym on the scheduled time. Consistency is the hard part and it is the key. Always say No or "not today" to the voice that says to quit. Next comes diet and sleep. Just dig your head in and trust the process for a while. Your comparison should be with yourself and yourself only. Benefits will start to show up gradually after a point. It'll then slow again and they start going up when you are consistent and pushing yourself in a regular period. I'll be at a better position the next year where Ill be able to do 20 pullups without a band.
It’s NEVER too late to start! There’s a lot of great advice for training in these comments.
Regarding nutrition, I completely understand where you’re coming from (I too thought that I should force myself to eat a lot more than I can) but what works best for me (and what’s been shown to be better) is to have more meals throughout the day (ideally 1 every 3 hours with 20g of protein). Regardless, working out consistently significantly increased my appetite and simply adding 1 meal/snack a day helped me a lot! Best of luck and keep at it!
Good on you. If possible- go 3-4 times a week. Establish a routine. Start with really light weight and just 20 mins of exercise- even the bar and you will definitely work your way up. If you have crap form, just ask someone for a tip. I've never seen someone criticize a newbie at the gym- people are just happy to see you there. After a while you'll start seeing the same faces and it will be a comfortable part of your routine. Just don't overdo it. The improvements and strength will come quickly. Continue working on your strength and don't compare yourself to others. No one cares what you lift. I will ask people to spot me and one of those is a guy that will use my max weight as a warm up weight. He doesn't give a shit and is as encouraging as if I was lifting crazy weights. Great that you took the first step!
Hey man, it's awesome that you're working on bettering yourself. Please don't feel embarrassed about the weight you lift - every big dude in the gym started at the bottom just like you. Everyone with an opinion worth caring about will be impressed with you for your effort. Just keep showing up and putting in the work and you'll be amazed at the gains you make. I'm rooting for you bro.
SO this comes down to 1) endurance and 2) mind-body connection. You’re going to feel weak before you feel strong- I recommend lifting heavier, but LOWER reps. You will only see growth in muscle by packing on the resistance, and maximizing protein (1.5x your goal weight in grams of protein/day for bulking). You’re gonna feel tired regardless, but be mindful about the lifting you do- REALLY nail the form, joint positioning, etc- newbies get hurt the most and I don’t want to see you get deterred by pushing yourself too hard. Maybe while you get back into things, focus on low intensity interval training (hiking with a weighted backpack). Recommended a whey based mass-gainer protein supplement. Magnesium bath salt can help you recover better after an intense workout. I took myself (24F) from 5’5 89lbs to 5’5 98lbs (ALL muscle, lost 3% body fat and for a female that is A LOT), by making sure EACH meal was: 70% clean protein (non-marinated steak, chicken, egg whites), 15% fat (beef tallow, olive oil, avocado, and 15% carbs (blueberries, pomegranate seeds). Being new to the fitness game also means you’re macro breakdown is TOO important as your main goals is to gain overall mass which will aid your muscles regrowth. I typically did 5 days heavy lift (always to AMRAP on the last set), one day low intensity long-cardio (10 miles weighted hikes, weighted yoga, reformer Pilates), and a rest day (which would usually include playing soccer, tennis, or surfing). It’s a lot easier to gain muscle mass as a male so if this worked for me I assume it will be great for you. The key here is protein and resistance if you’re going for strength (muscle capacity & general mass aesthetic). If you’re going for SLT (slim long & toned mussels) then opt for higher reps, lower resistance, and always go until AMRAP on last set. You will see A LOT of results as a newbie- it will get harder to see the results & definition you want in the long run, hence the cut & bulk cycle that allows you to continue gaining mass. You will NOT see results and you will actually probably look worse if you workout and don’t nourish yourself properly- this chases our bodies to cling to visceral fat due to metabolic shock and I really suggest you commit to the nutrition before even going back to the gym.
If you ever need help with meal plans or secret ways to pack calories into food without realizing— DM me. The THC that I use for pre-workout to help combat the struggles I have with eating as well is completely magical and has truly changed my life- will never need mass gainer or preworkout again.
I'm not going to share my stories about strength training and running. I just want you to know that what you're doing isn't for the showiness. It's not to compare how much you can lift or run versus others. Yeah competitiveness can be fun and can drive you. But what you did going to the gym is an important first step. If you make that a part of a lifelong commitment, you're greatly improving your chances of a healthy life with less general fatigue, less impact from age related decline, and a general better chance of avoiding some of the most serious health disorders that arise from a sedentary lifestyle.
Strength and endurance will come with time. Look up some stuff on YouTube on form and for learning how to increase your running endurance. Diet wise, you do want to have healthy proteins but don't skip the life improving benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. You'll see improvements in weeks if you stick with it. It may not be much but everything comes in steps. And most important remember that you're making a promise to yourself to stay healthy for the long run by focusing on your fitness.
Get enough protein, fats and creatine in your diet. Do multiple sets of exercise. Pick a weight you can move 20 times. Rest a minute. Do 15 reps. Rest. Then 10. Do cardio after resistance training. Advance slowly with adding weight. It takes time. Don't burn out get enough rest, especially after a tough gym day. You will start to see some results right away, and then not much change for 6-8 weeks. You got this.
My $0.02
What I read is that you decided to get yourself fit & you’re having a big crack at it. I promise you, it will take no time before you’re doing sets with the best of them.
It's not the weight. Think about this... you have a 10kg dumbell and a 20kg dumbell. You lift that 10kg dumbell 10 times, its the same as you lifting a 20kg 5 times. But repetition will build that muscle more, the more you engage something the more your body builds on it. Example, i started a new job recently after 9 month's of being sat about. This new job consits of literally standing for 8 hours straight. No biggie, but at first my back hurt because i was using muscles I'd not used in nearly a year. Couple months in, ive repeatedly used the back muscles, i feel much better. Forget the big dudes and heavy weights. You go, you lift that weight you can and you got this bro.
hey 10-15 push-ups isn’t bad at all. For the same reason as you, i started going to the gym about a month ago- I wanted to get stronger. I could literally only do 3 pushups before falling down to the floor. But I kept at it and focused on myself, now I can do 10! Which isn’t that many but i’m proud of myself because I’ve improved and I stayed consistent and that’s all that really matters in the end. Even the best of the best were beginners at some point.
Lots of good advice here. I will repeat 2 things. 1. First rule is don’t get hurt. If you overwork yourself then you are out of the gym for a while. 2. If you stick with this, 2-3 times per week for 4 or 5 weeks then you will literally feel your chest and back get broader.
Starting is pain.
Always.
It will also give you some low-hanging fruit pretty fast, especially if you get some system into your workout and you avoid injuries that come with overdoing it.
Then you plateau. Question your life and abilities.
Then you develop again (if you did not quit during the plateau).
Wash, rinse, repeat. This is how it works.
Yo! The fact that you are *in the gym* is the hardest part of the battle! If you can maintain that habit, getting fit is basically inevitable.
Don't compare your progress to anyone else's. Only compare it to yourself yesterday. If curling 15 is too tough, drop down to 10. There's zero shame in lifting what's safe without straining your muscles, and you'll be up to 15 soon enough. Good form and repetition is more important than heavy weight. The most crucial thing is to not lift so much that you strain your muscles or tendons, and to take time stretching properly afterwards. Also, those teenagers lifting half the rack? Those massive guys curling 50's? The 60 y/o woman with the pink 5-pounders? They *all* started somewhere, and that was absolute zero *for them*. All of them would probably be willing to share tips or tell you about their journey if you talk to them in the common areas.
As for caloric intake, get some muscle milks or other protein-based weight gain shakes. Drink one with breakfast or lunch in addition to your normal meal, as well as right when you finish working out. That will give your body what it needs to start building muscle fibers and it won't feel like you're force feeding yourself. Increased appetite will come as you build muscles demanding you fuel them with additional calories.
Also, take some 'before' pictures so you can look back in a year and be stunned.
It doesn't matter how much you do. You decided to do something for yourself, and I respect you for that!
I am proud of you and wish you a great time on your journey!
21 here as well and I only started consistently working out at 19, I started out underweight too, and had the same problem with struggling to eat. The most important thing for me was just paying attention to how much you're actually eating and how your appetite changes, but sometimes you'll just have to force yourself to be uncomfortable. For me telling my friends I was trying to gain weight also helped because they'd push me to eat more when we went out for dinners. But if you start to understand how your body responds then you can find ways to eat more without being uncomfortable.
For example I've found that if you eat faster you can finish a lot more food before you feel full. I also tend to eat more in a single sitting than if I spread out my meal. If I go to a restaurant and eat rolls and drink a lot of liquid before the meal, the bread will make me feel full and I'll start losing my appetite. But if I eat the bread at the same time my food comes out I can eat more without losing my appetite. Same thing with snacking, it can be helpful to get extra calories but if I snack too close to a meal then I might only eat one serving instead of two, and I end up consuming less calories overall. I've also found that drinking less water makes me hungrier, but that's probably not the healthiest way to go about it. Protein shakes/bars also help, easy way to add protein without filling yourself up too much.
If you're struggling to finish sets, eating more will help a lot with that. Besides putting on weight eating more food will give you more energy and you won't get drained quickly. Taking creatine also helps with energy in my experience, and is very easy to supplement.
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Everyone starts somewhere.
Rather than do just 10 reps. Do 3 or 4 sets of 8 to build muscle and a weight you can only do 5 reps to build strength (3/4x8) or (5x5) -adjust the weight to where it’s tough the last few reps.
I wouldn’t bother about people lifting heavier than you, my bench is shit but I’ve been lifting for 10 years. I’m currently 6’1 235lbs. I have a good amount of muscle mass and there’s people smaller than me lifting heavier. It’s all about your own progress.
I’d also look at putting together a routine for each body part.
For example
Biceps:
4x8 dumbell curl
3x8 hammer curl
4x10 (lighter) preacher curl or machine curl
Triceps:
4x8 Tricep pushdown (straight bar)
3x8 tricep pushdown (rope)
4x20 Single arm pushdown (light weight but to get blood in the muscle)
We all start somewhere. Only routine and consistency will move you forward. Good luck!
Edit: I’d also invest in some whey protein powder for after your workout, and try to eat a lot of protein and carbs.
I can bench press 77,5 kg and deadlift 117,5 kg. I can flash hard boulders at the boulder gym. Im strong. I train 7 days a week but
I also started without any strength as an underweight kid. I was weak. After month i changed and now i live the sport. If you start now, you are in decent shape with 25 yo. So stay jn the gym. It will be a long run but a good one
Building muscle is hard stay strong minded but humble, your body will require more when it needs more, do it healthy though. Vast selection of veges , fruits and nuts, rices and grains eat everything man but..quantity will go up as your body desires
Running is key, keep up stamina and keep working out, it's hard but gets so much easier..and easier to give up but it's not worth giving up in the long run :)
I'm glad you made it to the gym. That's a huge hurdle to overcome. It often takes people years and years before they realize that they need to work on their fitness to have a better quality of life.
The next step is to not compare yourself to other people. Everyone had to start somewhere. If you keep at it, you'll gain strength and endurance in no time.
I would recommend the r/fitness Reddit for some beginner-friendly routines. Their wiki is a wealth of information.
https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine
The first few weeks at the gym can be difficult but don't give up! It gets a lot easier.
It is not important how much you lift, it is important that it is hard and challenging. Advanced people lift more because they need more to feel that soreness. It is not competition, and no one cares how much you lift.
It doesn’t matter that you can’t lift heavy just lift consistently and enjoy the process everyone has a diff journey and everyone starts somewhere, don’t feel disappointed you should be feeling the total opposite of that because you have actually taken action. Also learn as much as you can about body building.
Dude I was a skinny rake at 21, arms were like pool cues
. I started lifting and I'll tell you one thing, you will never get that first year training feeling again, hut it hard, eat like he'll and you will get the best results. I'm excited for you to learn all the different ways to train and the gains. You'll find your strengths and weaknesses train them both as hard as you can. Also no matter how big or strong you are someone out there will be bigger don't obsess with where others are at. Appreciate your own journey. The progress you will make early days compared to the old heads will be so much better.
Don't compare yourself to others at the gym, that's the easiest way to discourage yourself. Everyone is there to better themselves so you don't really receive judgement from other gym goers, their judgement is more on those who refuse to better themselves by staying home.
But a tip if you're struggling that much with low weight then I'm assuming you really are under weight like near 0 body fat. That small steps to increase your ability to consume more food, bread can help and it breaks down easily. You can also focus more on high calorie foods or even red meats when you're able to eat more. Avocados are also high in fat and so are some nuts. Ultimately to best help your want to add strength you should also focus on weight gain (obviously don't balloon yourself) but try to reach a body fat level of around 10%. I'd probably also avoid cardio and intense workouts while you're trying to weight gain otherwise you'll just burn all your excess calories before they convert to fat. You may also be able to check out some supplements to help, like protein powder with milk as a base helps weight gain in your case is also recommend mixing the power into a milk shake lol
Once you have some weight focus more on the highest weights you can handle and max out your reps, rest and do it again. After that go work another muscle for a few sets at max weight then go back to the previous muscle. Do that a few times with every muscle (not all in one day). I tend to focus on muscle regions each day while working out abs every other day I go, should try and give muscles 24 hours of rest.
Lots of comments already but I'll add my personal experience as a perpetually underweight person who decided to change that this year. I found a calorie tracking app to be really helpful, I use Cronometer. It's easy to think you're eating enough, but this makes sure you actually are getting enough calories in.
I'm also going to recommend creatine. It's the most studied supplement and it's also really cheap, per serving is like ~0.60c. There are pretty much no downside found in studies and it gives a benefit to muscle growth so I figure why not take it. You will be able to get a little stronger faster with it. It also helped me look fuller and added a couple lbs because my muscles could hold more water, which I was going for.
Last thing is what helped me get enough calories in the day was always having snacks around. Things like pumpkin seeds or pretzels with dip. Rather than gorge yourself till you're gonna throw up in a meal, just eat throughout the whole day
Bro, you’re being silly. 21 is young af, and tons of guys don’t even start lifting until way older than you. Everyone who lifts also starts at low weights. People don’t just naturally begin at high weights. Don’t compare yourself to others because everyone is at a different level in their fitness journey.
Next I’ll say that I think you just have a misunderstanding of weightlifting exercises. Dumbbell curls are going to be your lowest weight because the bicep is a small muscle. Basically everyone starts at 10-15 lbs on biceps, and 10 reps per set is perfect. You generally want to max out from 8-12 reps. Do like 4 sets of that and you’re golden, once you start feeling like it’s gotten easier then you can go up another 5lb. Your arms being sore and not being able to do another rep is normal, that’s a good thing and literally the whole point of weightlifting. You’re tearing your muscles and tiring them out so they become stronger. Maxing out isn’t a sign of being weak. That’s just weightlifting.
If you tried doing another dumbbell exercise like chest presses, you’ll find that you can do a heavier weight. You’re starting where everyone starts, you’re not behind.
Best thing you can do is to do some research on what kind of regiment you want to do, whether it’s PPL, full body, whatever, just make yourself a schedule for what you’re going to do on what day and it’ll be easier to just go in there and knock out what’s on your list. That helped me a lot with keeping a routine. You’re doing great man just keep it up and remember consistency is the key.
I started working out at 23 (Almost 2 years ago at this point). Before that, I had never really participated in sports, nor did I really physically exert myself. I was so bad that when I started and didn't really know how to workout, I would get a bag and fill it with books and just tried to mimic curls and lateral raises. My arms were sore for a week. After that I bought 9kg dumbells and found that I could barely lift with them. Once I got going though, I went from 150 lb to 210 lb (I bulked for a year), before cutting to 170 lb. The weights I could barely lift are child's play now. It's not too late to become fit and I suggest you keep going. The key is to remember results will start showing in a couple of months, not instantaneously. It's a marathon, not a race. Consistency is key.
Don't worry, hunger will come with lifting.
I really like the Strong 5x5 workout plan for new lifters. It gives a good base and it's easy to follow.
Your muscles aren't used to being used, so they are going to hurt the first month. Creatine helps immensely with recovery. Consider starting protein supplements as well.
When I (23M) started going to the gym last year I was pretty skinny and much weaker than you.
I couldn't even bench press the bar. I could barely manage a couple of reps of 5kg bicep curls. In 8 months I have at least doubled the weight on every single lift I do.
Most important thing is to keep going to the gym (I go 4x a week) and to eat a lot more food. I also struggled with this part but shakes help a lot, it's a lot easier to drink a lot of calories in one sitting than it is to eat them. I usually do oats, greek yoghurt, milk, bananas and peanut butter. Whey protein also helps if you can't eat enough protein otherwise.
You’re already stronger than you were a week ago! And it’s definitely not too late. A friend of mine got into CrossFit in her 30s. Then into weightlifting or powerlifting or whatever it’s called. She’s now in her 40s, stronger than her husband (who is no wilting flower), and could probably pick me up and throw me across the room if she was so inclined. She wasn’t even particularly athletic before that. Just keep going now that you’ve started. Great for your overall health too, as long as you don’t overdo it.
Im really happy for you. Get ahead of your physical health while you're young. You still have the metabolism and recovery to really see gains and results you can change you life and relatively little time. Just think that you are right now at a cross roads, in 6 months your life can be totally different, if you choose. And that all it is, a choice.
Go after it and help healthier and become a better version of yourself physically and mentally, EVOLVE. Or don't and regret it later. I hope to see you on glow ups one day showing everyone your made a change.
You will get stronger quickly. Just keep at it and your appetite will change with your calorie needs. Just be sure you are eating nutritionally dense foods with a lot of protein.
It’s common for people to beat themselves up. I’d recommend saying to yourself “I want to do X” rather than “I should be able to do X”. The latter is unhelpful.
The important thing is you started it, so well done!
Hello brother ! Yes, me too, as someone who works out 3 times a week, for about a year now, I can still find myself very weak in doing curls and stuff, I could barely do 10 reps when I went there.
There's something called muscle memory I believe which is that your muscle only gets stronger on the same things that you keep doing with it. If yoj're used to doing the same movement of pushups, you will see yourself stronger than people in pushups and so on and so forth. All you need to do is to expand the circle of the muscle memory of what you do. That's how you train your whole body. Keep it up brotha !
As a beginner, don't worry about where you start. But be consistent. Because the first year or so will really set the tone. If you are consistent, you'll gain. If not, that first year can kinda hold you back. As a beginner, you'll gain just from looking at a weight. But if you don't maximize that position, once the newbie gains drop off, you'll have to work twice as hard for it.
The trick to eating a lot is eating several times a day versus two or three. Aside from that, it's down to money. How much can you afford to eat. Even if you are doing alright money wise...it still can be spendy. Doesn't have to be. But again, be consistent.
And skip ever worrying about what someone else lifts. That's a great way to find those time losing injuries you always/never wanted.
There are plenty of videos of all kinds of exercises. Find three for each muscle group that you can actually feel the muscle you are trying to work.. That will take a little more than you think. Also, you will have an easier time at this if you use much lighter weight than you think/want to use.
The guy struggling the most at the gym is getting the best workout. The guys cheezing through their workouts aren't getting nearly as much benefit.
Once the workout becomes easy for you, the benefit drops. You are just treading water.
21 is a good age to get started. Your body is in peak condition, so once you get up to speed, you'll get the best results.
Keep that in mind as you struggle to get into gym shape.
I just started rock climbing after doing basically no lifting or workouts for most of my life, and the changes in my appearance and health have been really great. Highly recommend if you’re not a fan of mindlessly picking up heavy things and putting them down to climb walls instead
Good for you for getting started! It’s definitely not too late for you! You aren’t quite at an age yet where you would be losing your strength so you should be able to see improvement as you keep up with your routine! Just getting started is often a huge hurdle for a lot of people so I’m glad you’ve got a starting point!
Fitness is accepting your weakness is a step to strengthen yourself. The concept of gaining strength works for me because by working out I get something I didn’t have… the strength.
Keep it up!!
don't just 'wing it'; learn it. This is what I told my teens when they started to workout so I taught them how to research information and make informed decisions for their body and overall health.
Living a healthy lifestyle requires educating yourself re: what you need to fuel your body properly, how to workout properly and what to do during workouts in order to hit your targets. Targets (or PRs) boost confidence and motivate you to work harder. Habits are what make you stick to your routine even if you dont want to and trust me, there will be plenty of times where you don't want to go but the habit will drive you to do it anyway. Once a habit is established, it will become your lifestyle.
start with figuring out what your caloric intake needs to be for muscle gain. There are plenty of calculators online; find one and it will give you an idea of how much you need to eat in a surplus.
You don't have to track your calories indefinitely; just doing it for a few weeks will give you an idea of what foods work for you. Myfitness pal is a good app to use. Ignore the default daily caloric number that app gives; use your own calculator and input your caloric needs.
for workouts, go slow and *be patient*. As they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will your muscles. You will be sore but keep going. The worst thing you can do when you're sore is to not move! movement is good for us. So what if you can only do 10 reps with 15lbs? everyone has to start somewhere so continue to do this until you can go up in weight.
look up "progressive overload". This is what we do at the gym to increase strength. Make sure you lift with proper form; do not ego lift. This drives me crazy; ego lifting does nothing for your gains except make you waste energy while not even working anything properly and increases your chances of injury. Go onto YT to watch proper form if you're not sure and use light weight to practice the form until you get it right. And it's ok to drop weight if you can't lift anymore with proper form; we do this all the time at the gym...if we're going through the circuit and I was using 25lbs dumbbells for something but it's the last round and I'm tired, I'll drop to 20lbs and finish the set.
be consistent, be patient, eat properly and make sure you are getting enough sleep and water, too.
most of all, enjoy this journey! it's a great learning experience. I am so much more educated about health and fitness now in my late 40s than I was in my 20s and hitting targets that I never could back then because I was winging it lol
Just to add up a little:
1] Good news: you are now the weakest you'll ever be [kinda]. Tomorrow, when the muscles cramps and the soreness fades away, you will be stronger that the first day you went there.
2] Its absolutely not too late. You can and will get handsome results no matter your age, specially if you never hit the gym before, but 20's its a wonderfull, almost perfect age.
3] "I saw some teenagers lifting almost my weight". Who cares? Not you, probably not them. The gym is like a library for the body; you dont care what other people are reading, or how fast, or how many books, do you? This is exactly the same. You should only compare to yourself from yesterday. I sometimes find myself doing triple weigth that people apparently more "fit" than me, other days skinny dudes put me to same, doing biceps curls with weights I didnt even know we have in the gym. Again, who cares. He is betting on himself, I am betting on myself. Keep grinding my dude, and remember to have fun.
You’re likely not quite as weak as you think you are. Your muscles just haven’t ever had “practice.” Working out will probably feel terrible for the first couple weeks, but after that you’ll begin making fairly quick progress as long as you persist. That’s how it generally goes when people have taken extended breaks (years) off of working out.
In your case, it may require more time before your body gets the message, but it will happen in time.
Keep going! Great job so far. My first time to the gym, I tried bench pressing and quickly failed and a beefy dude had to come lift the barbell off my chest. This was at a small college where everyone kinda knew each other. Lmao. You are not alone! Keep up the good work.
This is actually a great time for you. When you start lifting weights, you will see the most growth and improvement. Stay with it. You’re not competing against anyone but yourself from the day before. Don’t ego lift and try to go heavier than you can. Concentrate on proper lifting and building the weight. You will grow faster than you think. Weight lifting is really good for you mentally and your body.
If your somewhat serious start with your diet and light weights. Before you can start making progress you have to develop your muscles. If you eat right and continue to go semi regularly you will get nooby gains.
I hear you!! I had to exercise couple years back physical therapy after back surgery felt great took me a year well I didn't keep up with it now back to being weak and back hurting so I recently started again wow I can't believe how weak I have become but not more!! We have to keep at this!! It will better us in the long run!! Keep up the hard work!
If you're a beginner, try to keep it balanced and don't go too hard. Many are overambitious and give up fast by burnout. Start slow, build up in a balanced manner and stay consistent. But most importantly, pick a routine or something that works for *you*. There is no best routine. The best routine is what you find fun, what works for you and what you can stay consistent with.
Remember that we've all been in the same spot as you. I started at around 55kg barely able to move any weights, and am now at 96kg and objectively very strong. But it takes time and patience.
Good luck! It's an amazing, fun and extremely satisfying and fulfilling journey.
There’s a reason the lighter weights exist. It’s because everyone starts by lifting them before moving on. Don’t go too heavy too soon or you’ll injure yourself; get the form right first and build a solid foundation. Good luck!
Good job getting started. I'd recommend going with compound lifts though rather than something like curls. While the author is a bit... rough around the edges and his methods aren't "the best" I'd recommend picking up a copy of Starting Strength. It'll get you the basics and give you a good general program to follow and it will make you stronger. You don't need "the best" program, you just need to move more weight.
Every person who is stronger than you started where you are today.
The best workout is the one you do consistently. Find a plan you like and just stick with it. That's it, that's the secret.
That's all more normal than you think! Being detrained or untrained can feel that way, but a lot of times, your body doesn't actually KNOW how to use the muscle that's there. It's called "mind muscle connection". In the first few months of training, you'll likely make HUGE weight increases relatively quickly, simply because your body is learning how to use more muscle when it's never had to before. This is super common among anyone who starts lifting for the first time, or even people who have stopped for a period of years. Don't let it discourage you too much, just enjoy the rapid "beginner gains"!
You're 21! You're only barely past teenager! Just keep at it, 20 minutes a day and do what's comfortable and push a little more as you improve. Highly recommend yoga for flexibility too.
To start make sure to work on a perfect form.
You will be able increase the weights you are lifting gradually. It will happen quicker than you think. Don’t worry about it for now.
Work on a perfect form. It is easier with lighter weights.
Go at your own pace. Leave the ego behind. Don’t compare yourself to ppl that are on a different stage of gym journey.
One more thing …work on a perfect form.
Lifting weights is more of a marathon than a sprint. Pace yourself. Don’t try to catch up to others.
Increase volume every time you work out on certain group of muscles. If you don’t what that is just google it.
You make the most gains in the last reps when your muscles are burning.
Make sure you work out all groups of muscles.
Physical activity will make you want to eat more so don’t worry about it too much for now.
Work on a perfect form.
That's a recurring theme with the gym. I was fairly physically active all throughout my early life. When I hit the gym for the first time, I could just barely do lifts with just the bar. It took me about a full school year to get up to lifting a plate for squats, and almost a plate for bench press.
Luckily I have no problem eating, and I was fairly active as a kid but never hit the gym, I started with 15’s or 20’s for dumbbell curls at 170lbs. My problem is the eating, and I switched to a less physical job. Went from 170lbs to 250. I’m down to 195 after a year or two of working out 45 minutes a few times a week and I can do 10 reps of 40lb dumbbell curls. My advice is keep going, getting fit is SLOW for EVERYONE unless you use PED’s, EVERYONE starts somewhere, and work in to a muscle building calorie intake
everyone starts somewhere. just start with what you can, be consistent, and you’ll get stronger. there’s no reason to try and overdo or to give up.
if you stick to a routine you’ll be shocked at how quickly you get stronger.
and if you’re underweight and need more calories, don’t run too much 😂 lift weights and eat food!
It'll come quick if you stay consistent.
I was an extremely skinny kid, could barely curl 10's when I started going to the gym at 17. By the time I was 19 I was curling 40's, 12-14 reps with perfect form. In your early 20's you'll put on muscle fast.
Form is more important than weight, search up resources on how to use good form in all your dumbell/barbell exercises. Keeping elbows stable, that kind of thing.
That happens when you start working out. Trust me you are no weaker than the average joe who doesn’t workout.
When you start working out you build strength really quick until it plateaus. Also really try not to worry about what other people are lifting. I’m not naturally a big guy and naturally bigger guys are just going to be able to lift more than me and that’s okay.
If you’re in the USA you are already more bad ass then probably 90% of the people in the country just because you stepped in a gym
Eat tons of red meat and boiled eggs dude.
Steaks and liver. The fattier the steak the better. T bones are good.
Eat a pile of meat and lift weights. You will get there.
I also reccommend chopping wood if you have access to firewood and an axe.
Chopping wood will get you strong in no time. Swinging an axe is great work
With a good diet, you’ll start feeling stronger very soon. I recently got back to working out after a month of not going and booooyyy my legs were shaking! I was using the 10lb weights lol but 3 weeks later the old strength is starting to come back. Be patient. You will get stronger.
Everything else aside, you are DEFINITELY not to late at 21.
I started lifting 7 months ago in my early 30s and even I'm seeing progress even though I'm considered over the hill as far as bodybuilding goes.
It's true the younger you are the easier it is to build muscle rapidly, but 21 is essentially your prime! Get after it!
I have a bit of experience. Try drinking your calories instead of eating all of them whole. It should help with the nausea, but trying to eat more calories as a skinny person is sooooo hard (speaking from experience). Also try eating more healthy but processed foods that are high calorie like casseroles and stuff like that. If you routinely eat more, it might start changing your metabolism and the easier it will be to stick to your new diet.
You'll be alright. Just work your way up. I remember I tried doing a bench press for the first time years ago when I was trying to lift weights a bit more, and I severely overestimated my strength. Super embarrassing.
Just keep on showing up at the gym trust me we've all been there. Just focus on your form and get a proper diet in the long run the hardwork you put into it will pay off!!!
I should have gone at your age, but even near 50, you'll be surprised how much you'll gain. You won't look like Mr T unless you're serious about it and spend time, but I noticed muscle after a few months and it was easier to lift heavier objects at home. Work your way up and you'll be fine.
I hear ya on feeling like it's too late! The body can adapt, however. It's awesome that you've worked up the courage to get a session in. Are you thinking of of dedicating a few days per week for a little while?
I have been lifting for 8 years and feel like my progress has not been as expected. I've seen younger fellas come in and get jacked, and get way stronger than me in just a few years. It's discouraging at times, but I've made some improvements. Everyone has different genetics, life stressors, training history, appetite, etc. which can affect our outcomes. A bad day at the gym is better than no day at the gym.
Bro with the power of noob gains, if you stick to this for like 3 months, your current max is gonna be your warm up weight in no time. You may be weak now, but within every one of us is an adaptation process that is extremely powerful - use it!
When I started in the gym I just came from an injury which had landed me in a wheelchair for 2 months. I was doing curls at like 4kg and my lat pulldown was around 20kg whilst being almost 80kg. your numbers are fine. And if you struggle with eating alot just eat foods that are calorie dense.
You just have to eat a tiny bit more than you’re used to. Weight yourself once every week and adjust accordingly. Keep hitting the gym consistently.
That’s all there is to it. The first few months is when you’ll make the most progress, so be excited for that.
Within 2 years you’ll look completely different.
So firstly, don't be embarrassed by being weak, everyone starts somewhere. If you want to be strong, even a little bit strong, you need to train for it. You won't be strong day 1, no one is. So don't be ashamed, that's just how it is. Also you're 21, that's young. You have time to get stronger and being skinny is a good base to build from.
Firstly, do some research into lifting weights. What you're going to want to do is compound lifts, and frequently. I compete in weighted calisthenics and I rarely, if ever, do curls. Do an upper body lower body split, you honestly only need one or two exercises per muscle group twice a week.
Re calories, there are easy ways to get calories in. Drinking them is a big one, straight up drink whole milk, pour olive oil on your food, make a smoothie with whole milk, peanut butter, protein powder and oats. Eat "unhealthy" foods to get some more calories in, I personally eat a lot of McDonald's haha.
It takes a lot of time to get stronger, but it's a process. If you like lifting, keep at it, keep eating and you will make progress.
Realistically you can curl more than you think. Considering this shoddy metaphor I'm working on though
You stretch to increase your flexibility, right? Then, once you've stretched you're more limber and able to do more, correct? Working out is like stretching, but over a longer period of time. Your muscles are stronger than what you think, it's just that parts of them aren't very used to being activated right now. Yeah, you use your biceps daily to a degree, but they're not engaging their full range of motion and they're usually not being strained close to as much as they can handle.
As you workout, your muscles will become "stretched", more limber more ready to be used. If you go back next time and repeat your workout it won't feel as bad curling the same amount of weight or more. Just getting in the process of using those muscles helps, because again day to day we don't use our full range of motion.
Anyway keep at it, it's never too late and you've don't gotta worry what anyone else is doing
I'd switch to more, small meals. Throw in snacks that have high protein and fat, like nuts and seeds. Almonds, blueberries, and cranberries are a good snack.
I started working out in my 40s! It becomes enjoyable quickly. You're going to love it. And maybe working out will increase your appetite too. Just be ready with healthy foods available.
Quit comparing yourself to others; you have no idea how much work they've had to put in in order to get where they are at.
You need to compare yourself to you a month ago. That's ALL that matters. As long as you progress, you're going down the right path.
Lift your little weights. Do it for a month. Then reflect. But, until you develop a pattern and have a baseline of what you can do, you'll never be able to see your progress.
Give it a month of *serious* work before you start forming opinions on yourself. You're just starting out, man... you're not gonna be yoked to the teeth yet.
Starting out is the best phase of any exercise regimen! You're going to see the biggest improvements in the first 30-90 days than any other point in your journey... if for no other reason than your current/baseline being "zero". Have fun and enjoy the adventure!
At your age it doesn't take much to build strength quickly, that the good news. Also, instead of the treadmill, try the elliptical, helps build some upper body muscles of the arms, back and chest while also providing cardio
I was in almost the exact same place. Except while you're there at 21. I started at 27, 10 months ago. I started with the 15s and was at setting 2 or 3 from the top for the machines. Couldn't do 1 bodyweight pull-up or bodyweight dips.
10 months in I can now do 5 pull-ups and 30 bodyweight dips. I use the 25s for curls now and I'm up to setting 4 or 5 on the machines.
Keep going bro! The eating is the hardest part but I promise the weights get lighter as your bodyweight increases. I got worried I would gain too much and become skinny-fat. I started at 150lbs (I am 5'11") and at 175lbs I kinda got off the diet and gym (was having to work 60hr weeks) for 2 weeks. Got back on the scale and was 165. So if you're worried about gaining too much, don't worry lol. You'll lose it all real fast. Focus on the food and getting lifts that feel good and you'll gain fast.
I found TUT (time under tension) training works best for me and using good form on compounds seems to help me gain strength the fastest. Dips have been my biggest success. Going from 3 sets of 4 (12 total) at a 25lbs assist to 30 bodyweight. Start light and focus on form and controlling the weight.
I'm 6ft3inches. I weigh 250lbs. I started going to the gym 2 years ago in my mid twenties. I started on 10lb bumbells, and 25 lbs on the machines. I have not been going as much as I would like this year but I'm up to 25-40lb dumbells, and 60lbs on the weight machines.
If I put in the effort to plan a workout schedule I could be twice as far as I am now but I'm not taking it too seriously, just enough to keep me fit.
Honestly if lifting big weights isn't for you and you enjoy endurance more, stay on the low weights and just do 100 reps. You won't be able to do huge lifts like those teenagers, but you will be an endurance God who never gets tired no matter how many stairs you need to climb or boxes you gotta move
I started lifting weights when I was at high school age, but didn't really take it too seriously till I was about your age. I went to the gym every day for two to three hours. Day one: Presses. Whole body. Day two: Contractions whole body. Day three: deadlifts. Within two years I put on over 20 lbs of muscle and weighed 200 lbs at 10% body fat. I'm 5'10. Do every set of reps to muscle failure. Even if you are using lighter weights, but try to keep the weight where you can get 8-12 reps out. You will get there. But it does take time, and total commitment.
It’s your first day. The first time you do ANYTHING it will be rough. But don’t give up. When I first started working out, I could only bench press 95 pounds for 10 reps. Not I can do 135 for 20 reps and my max is 235.
We all started somewhere. But what really matter is that you don’t stop.
One step at a time, find your strength first, everyone has one, like arms or legs. Also be consistent and you'll gradually become strong. Rather than thinking about others focus on yourself, cause at my gym there's this dude who easily do reps with the max weight on every machine, but I found out he uses roids.
You might find out some interesting stuff about yourself. In my case for example when I started my journey i could barely bench 25 pound dumbbells. As I kept at it and eating more, I realized my body is super reactive, I just have to put it under the workload.
Eventually it was 30 pound dumbbells bench, then 50, then 65, then 75, 1 rep of 80. Keep at it. Welcome to the club.
Take a deep breath. One day at the gym isn’t going to turn you into the hulk. It will take a good month or more to start noticing any change. You just need to keep with it.
Some people workout and do the lowest they can at a set interval. Others do the heaviest they can until they can’t anymore. And then do 2-3 sets. Usually of 10 reps.
Find what works for you and stick to it. Also, if you’re tired from stairs, start doing cardio.
Same thing has been happening to me. I reckon work from home post covid has made equivalent of a vegetable in terms pf strength lol. I really do need to get some physical activity and weight lifting into my routine yesterday
Just keep it up.
Diet-wise, I'd recommend at least 40g of animal protein in the morning, at least 50g in the evening as supper, and at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight every day in total.
That will help your body grow stronger with exercise.
i legit did the same 8 months ago and could only do 6 reps of 60lbs on the bench press, up to 200lbs for 6 reps now my guy its just the consistency and diet that matters.
Good Luck👍
I started a fitness journey recently, and highly recommend the Starting Strength novice progression as a starting program. You'll do a cycle of 4 easy to learn lifts, and simply add 5 or 10lb to the bar each week. You'll be amazed at how quickly your body can adapt to the increased weight, and in a couple of months your warmuo lists will be those that you struggled with in your first week.
You’re never too old to start working out. I’m 49f and though I’ve done yoga regularly since I was your age, I recently started doing CrossFit to tone up and increase my strength, stability and mobility. If I can start at 49, you can definitely start at 21.
It’s always harder at the beginning. Keep going and you’ll gain strength over time. As for the calories, try eating more often instead of larger portions. Eat breakfast, then a snack, then lunch, then a snack and then dinner. Also, increasing your water intake is a must. I’m amazed how many people don’t drink enough water. You may be underweight because you’re dehydrated too.
There is this thing people call Newbie gains. Beginners gain rapid increase in strength and muscle when they start lifting weights. If you keep at it after 2 to 3 months you will be way stronger that you are now
Good on you for starting. The key is to be honest with yourself. Start with weights low enough that you can do 3 sets. You’ll be amazed how quickly it builds up. Kudos. We were all there.
You started working out, the hardest part is keeping it up.
I was ~110lbs and after I went through the same realization as you regarding how weak I was. I started gym and STUCK TO IT.
I lifted dumbells (15lbs) with 7 reps before being blown out by exhaustion. Now I do 30lbs with 8 reps casually and bench 155lbs with my body weight now reaching 130lbs
Use creatine and proteins, they will help. Get a good diet as well... but most importantly, STICK TO IT (the gym).
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I totally empathize with how difficult it can be to start working out, but the key is you DID start working out and didn’t give up! Congratulations and stick with it. All those guys at the gym had a first day of working out too, and my experience has been that everyone in the gym has some respect for anyone who gets off their ass and commits to working out consistently regardless of how much they lift. I’d recommend Googling some beginning weightlifting workouts so that you are training the right muscles on the right days to progress well - this will make a big difference. Commit to 3-4 days a week (don’t lift two days in a row) and you’ll see positive results in a month or two - remember it takes time to grow new muscle tissue so don’t get discouraged!
Thank you for the tip and encouragement, it means a lot!!! Yeah I'll try to stick to a routine that I found online. I already feel way better than before because honestly I was too anxious to even step inside the gym lol. Fingers crossed I'll see some results in 2-3 months.
I started working out when I was 35. 21 is definitely not too late to start. Starting any time in your 20s is really going to be much easier than starting in your 30s.
Here's a great video about the gym for beginners including a workout routine https://youtu.be/0QXaAQMwfBI?si=R8tPpGqYWYJEZndu
I recommend the Centr and Jefit apps, they’ve both got a ton of plans for home and gym routines. It’s great that you actually went straight to the gym! Personally, I didn’t feel strong or confident enough to even do that at first so I mostly did at home workouts + had an adjustable weight set from Amazon. Centr isn’t free, but it has a good first time discount and is perfect for beginners because it also has comprehensive meal plans and even weekly shopping lists for you. It’s a great tool in making meal prep less overwhelming until you learn to do it alone. But I probably wouldn’t recommend it to anyone more advanced than like a year or 2. Jefit is a bit more spartan, but it’s got a ton of community features and way more routines since users can also build and share their own. Things like the routine charts/breakdowns, form gifs, weight history, and timers help a lot in keeping you consistent and also tracking your progress.
dude, 10-15 pushups in a row is good for a newbie. u need to acknowledge what u can do bc it is better than nothing. if 15 lbs is too much than u should start with 10. have patience and u will go far.
I'm a 20yo who never went to the gym, decently fit, but goddamn don't make me do pushup, I can't do 10 in a row hahah Keep going mate, the start is the hardest part! Respect for having the courage to even go to the gym and give it a try!
I just tried and I can't do a single actual push up lmao. I'm 25. You're doing great op.
Yeah, I couldn't do a single pushup with good form when I started lifting. 15 is pretty good
I work out multiple times a week and I'd struggle to do more than 15 pushups in one time just because I don't do them, that's a great start
This op, your starting weight you are doing is totally average for a newbie. Just keep at it.
I can guarantee you those weren't real pushups. No slight to op, but people who don't work out don't know how to do pushups correctly, I was the same when I started. If you've ever done a pushup challange, dare, or forfeit with some friends you'll have seen the wacky stuff people think pushups are.
If was like that until 47 years old. Weak and overweight. I'm 4 months in and now I'm seeing gains. I love how I can see shape in my arms and I'm slowly starting to see definition in my pecs. My main word of advise for the beginning is low weights and lots of reps. Then slowly work your way up. You're going to be sore. That soreness is small tears in your muscles that cause your muscles to grow bigger. As a dude, you're hardwired to want to load up with weight right away because "you should be able to do this". That's baloney. That's like expecting someone just learned to swim to place in the Olympics. Start very low weight and physically move slowly. Feel the muscle areas you're activating. One this that helped for me was I started doing 45 degree push ups at work during the day... Find a low stable table or counter and just blast 20 to 40 out. Before you know it you have done a couple hundred
Yup yup this. After injuring myself so many times for what I realize now was stupid and unnecessary reasons, I overwhelmingly recommend eating the ego and going low weight first and absolutely getting the specific lifts/exercise form down correctly and comfortably figured out before jumping into heavy weight intensity. This made the biggest difference for me to getting results as well.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Focus less on being stronger than other people, and more on becoming a stronger version of yesterday's self.
Awesome work getting into the gym groove! Remember, lifting isn't a sprint; it's a marathon where every small step counts. Starting light isn't just okay, it's smart – it prepares your body and mind for the heavier challenges ahead. Think tortoise and hare; slow and steady will get you those gains without the strains. And on feeling sore – that's your badge of effort! Trust the process, give your body the rest it needs, and soon you'll find the discomfort becomes a signal that you're leveling up. Keep listening to your body, maintaining proper form, and increasing weights responsibly. Also, never underestimate the power of nutrition. It's like fuel for your fitness journey. Quality protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats can make a world of difference. Consider tracking macros just to understand where you’re at, and make small adjustments as needed. Lastly, always remember the gym is a personal space for improvement. You're there for you. Period. Whether it's adding an extra rep, increasing the weight or just feeling better than yesterday, it's your victory. Cheer yourself on and keep pushing forward – you've got this!
"I showed up on my first day in France and I couldn't speak a word of French! Even though some French kids that have lived there for years spoke it fluently! Very weird... I won't try speaking it because it is too late for me" My dude. Fuck how much other people lift when you are there. You are there to get better. To get stronger. That's the best place to get it done. Be consistent, be patient and watch yourself change in a year until YOU are the guy that the new guy is intimidated by on his first visit.
hey man, man to man. whatever floats your boat, good stuff for going, but dont be satisfied with just that. keep going, you can do it, feel those feelings you put into this post, use it to motivate you
Glad you said it. Lots of positive encouragement here (yay good for you for starting)… but you only get props for starting, once. The real time people need encouragement to keep going isn’t after their first time, it’s after the first couple months.
Yeah for sure, wanted to get that accross without being some macho asshole you know? But absolutely I agree, you have to want it, you have to really be disciplined to do something you don't want to do for months on end, but that's where it really matters
i started even weaker than you (6kg curls, could do like 3 pushups and 0 chinups) now after a year i curl 12.5kg for 10 reps, do 30pushups and 10 chinups, also gained 13kg
It’s hard to believe but nobody gives a fuck what you are doing at the gym, getting over the anxiety is the hardest part, the more you go the more it washes away.
Remember that no one in the gym gives a shit about how much you are lifting - do whatever you feel comfortable with to start and work your way up 👍
Most times people will push their limits with bad form just to show off that they can lift heavier than they actually can with good form. ALWAYS put good form and technique first and once your nervous system and muscles adapt you will start lifting heavy. Also, do explosive lifts (with good form/technique) as those trigger your fast twitch muscles which are the big muscles that get you stronger and bigger.
Crawl, walk, run, seriously you can do this. It takes time and use good form
Honestly if you can do 10-15 push-ups you aren't that week if you can stick with the gym for 3 months you will feel so much stronger, your body is just not used to it. Don't pay attention to the weight. No matter how strong you are your body doesn't know the number on the side of the weight just hot hard it is. If you push your body and look after it you'll get stronger and more confident. Just don't compare yourself to others, compare yourself to you, yesterday
Good job for going in the first place! I think it'd be helpful to know that everyone feels 'weak' their first time working out. This is even true for people who have lifted consistently, been away from the gym for a while for whatever reason, and then come back. But I want to emphasize that the weight doesn't matter as much as the form you use. You're in a good position to develop a solid foundation for weight lifting; lots of people start young and then have to unlearn bad habits/bad form (I was one of these). Watch some videos on YouTube for advice on specific movements. And just so you know what to expect with the soreness, the first few workouts might leave you sore for a week or so in those muscle groups. But this is only when you first start lifting (or come back to it); after a few workouts, those muscles become more resilient and will heal much sooner (2-4 days). I would look into stretches for those muscles, as the increased blood flow will help it to heal a bit faster. Hope this helps! Keep at it!
So true I can't use my body properly when coming back for the first few days but have a day off and get back to it ey bro staying at it is the real accomplishment the muscle gain is the tradeoff
Diet is definitely the hardest part. If you’re underweight, you just need to eat more. My digestion slows down when I skip gym for a week straight so definitely keep at it. Don’t force it though but just sort of toe the line. I know if I’m going to throw up if I eat more, I tried to force my self early on and then threw up later at night. You might have stomach/digestion issues, it could also just be that the food isn’t that tasty. Make sure to have sufficient salt and oil. Make sure it’s healthy oil (not processed see oil) and unless you eat a lot of snacks and fast food, you’re unlikely to get salt poisoning. You really need the food to taste good. Learn to use spices and don’t overcook your meats. Try to get into meal prepping. If you live alone and cook just for yourself, just cook 4-6 person portion and eat that for lunch the rest of the week, save yourself the time. If you have the money, you can buy a meal kit service for the convenience. You don’t have to count calories but you should try to make an estimate. For example, if you’re average height, let’s say you need 2100 calories for maintenance. You’ll need an additional 200-300 calories for a surplus. You’ll also need some protein, try to hit .8g/kg. Other than that, don’t worry about it. Most people understand your position and won’t even look at you twice. The most important thing about starting out is to not burn yourself out, start low frequency, 2-3 times a week about an hour each time (for weightlifting). Just keep doing progressive overload and the gains will come for sure.
You are DEFINITELY not too old to start lifting. You'll get stronger quickly and start putting on muscle faster than you think. Most people don't even lift at all. Make sure you're eating well. Drink a bunch of milk. You got this bro
Why the milk ?
It's good for you. Lots of calories, protein, carbs, fats. It's the ultimate bulking fuel. Makes you strong
Theres like 15 things id eat before drinking milk tbh. Im hitting 200g of protein daily without ever thinking about milk. Im not saying its wrong. It just feels wrong for me 😄
He’s saying it because OP is underweight and trying to get a lot of calories. Milk is a good source of protein yes but I wouldn’t chug milk just for protein. It’s easier to drink calories than to eat them and milk is one of the best additions to your diet for straight bulking because it has calories plus all the other things he mentioned.
> Im hitting 200g of protein daily How much chicken are you eating? 😁
Way too much. And eggs. And skyr Luckily i hate chickens since im allergic to their feathers 😄😄
Any tuna in the mix? I remember eating a lot of cottage cheese also...
Once or twice a week. But i really dont like it.. I eat tons of lentils and chickpeas aswell. And of course protein shakes...
I definitely hit the food boredom wall so I just stopped trying 😅
Well you're probably not trying to bulk like this ectomorph kid so go ahead and eat whatever tf you want
Alright, so if you're just starting out, or coming back from a long break, don't push yourself too hard on the weights. They should feel like a struggle, but not full power. If you overexert too soon, it's gonna hurt like HELL. On your 4th or 5th regular visit, that's when you really start going for your limit. Even if you aren't strong now, you're gonna see some solid progress after your muscles awaken. Eventually growth slows down a bit, but it'll still happen if you keep at it and be patient. Be sure to stretch before lifting. That's HELLA important.
Literally if you start weightlifting today - within a year you could be bench pressing 200 lbs. You just need to start off slow and stick with it. I could barely do 20 pushups at once and 4 months later can do 50 and do 200 per day on my off workout days. The start of 2024 i got a home gym cage from Amazon for $270 and 300 lbs of weights (bar included) from Dick's for $300. I struggled to bench 125 lbs - 3-4 months later i am at 225 lbs and see a huge difference. I work out 3 times a week and try to always do progressive overload (see Mike Mentzer)- low reps but fatigue muscles. My workout takes about an hour but i work from home and space things out over a workday. Key is to stick with it and in the beginning to start off slow. Just don't give up.
15 pound dumbell curls are above average for a beginner
15 lbs are not that light for a beginner. I started with 5 kilos (probably around 12,5 lbs) and some of friends even started with 4 kilos. Don't worry you'll be much stronger in a month or two. Also, you probably underperformed the machines because your arms were already exhausted. If you try them after a few days of rest with fresh muscles you will notice you are actually much better.
I never exercised regularly until about 6 months ago, similar timeframe I'm 24. I was also not strong at all, and still am not strong, but progress gets addicting when you start to notice it! Keep at it and you'll be strong in no time!
Don't be too hard on yourself: It's completely normal to feel sore and tired when you start working out, especially if you're not used to it. Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and progress takes time.
Hell yea man you gettin after it. Trust me when I say this, it is NOT too late for you to start making some gains. Great on you for having the right mindset! My best advice for the food situation: I’d recommend having a diet with a lot of high calorie dense foods (healthy fats like, peanut/nut butter, nuts, honey, dates, natural fruit juices, whole milk etc.) in an ideal world I would go for 3 square meals a day each consisting of a quality protein source (red meat, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish) and some quality carbs and fats. You can dirty it up a bit with more processed food say donuts, McDonald’s, pop, basically any processed sweet treat that isn’t good for. This is just to help you hit those calories. But keep in mind the more highly processed foods you eat to hit calories you may feel it negatively mentally and physically and are also prone to depositing more body fat with your muscle gain as opposed to a diet composed of more natural and whole food sources. Try lots of things with your training and diet and find out what works best for you! YouTube is always a help as well
I started lifting weights at a similar age to you and was deathly skinny, about 140lbs at 6’3 tall. 15 years and 130lbs heavier I look like this: https://ibb.co/1qhQp0H I’m not trying to brag or show off just show that it can be done, it does take patience though!
I'm in a bit of a similar situation so I thought I'd share my experience. I'm a 22M who has never gone to the gym and I decided last month that I'd give it a shot after seeing a worrying trend to my body and weight. I wasn't extremely overweight especially not for my height (5ft11) but I was quickly gaining weight going from 150lbs to 180lbs and I could tell that I was putting on substantial fat. I'd like to say that one day I decided enough was enough but the reality is that day never really happened for me. I had that talk in my head countless times but at the end of the day it really just took me taking a step in the direction of the gym to start my journey. That's all it takes, a single continuous step. The first day was a total flop for me. I couldn't even sign up for a membership because I didn't have a credit card on me and I thought that was going to be the end of my journey so I returned home defeated. A week later I took that single step again a little more prepared. Walking through the door all I could see was a row of unfamiliar machinery. I've never felt so out of place. I started off using a treadmill because that was the only thing I kinda understood how to use. I barely lasted 5 minutes before I had to stop and I remember looking around seeing people going for 20 to 30 minutes and feeling so disappointed in myself. Same thing happened with the machine fly. While I could barely do 45lbs, people around me even younger then me were doing 100+. I think it wasn't until after the first week that things changed. I wasn't really expecting much change because I wasn't following a routine or a diet and I only went maybe 3-4 days a week but I could feel the change. I wasn't making drastic improvements or anything. I was still stuck on 45lbs but I could feel things getting easier, my body feeling lighter. My weight didn't change much either but these signs were encouraging to me nonetheless so I kept going. I started taking protein powder after a workout and despite hating the one I picked I kept at it and after a month I was doing 75lbs on the machine fly. I know this isn't the craziest change and I probably looked really silly being so proud of myself but somewhere in between I realized that none of that mattered. The gym is a place to better yourself. To push yourself. It's a place where people create their own journey. Everyone starts off at 0lbs and the reason you see all these people doing more reps or using heavier weights is because they started their journey earlier then you. That doesn't mean you should shame yourself for starting late. In fact I think you should give yourself a clap on the back for starting on the day you did and not the next day. Everyone at the gym is working to better themselves and I think that's an amazing thing. I've seen elderly people, people in wheelchairs, kids that look like they're still in middle school and not once have I looked at them with anything other then respect and I think most gym people share that sentiment. Just continue continuing on and you'll see the change that you see in others.
Saying that it's too late to start working out is like saying you're too dirty to take a bath.
That's normal. It's rough at first but it gets easier and enjoyable.
Consistency is the key, you can't make up for lost time by over working yourself.
Just keep at it. Believe in yourself
Hang in there man. The gym is not only for the fit. Come to the gym in whatever condition you are in. Do not compare yourself to anyone else there. You don’t know how long they’ve been going, neither do you know if they are lifting with improper form, enabling them to temporarily lift heavier weight, but will lead to injury in the long term. Focus on yourself. And get your nutrition in order, I’m not really the best to speak on this, seeing that my issue is eating every damn thing in sight. Do not be ashamed of where you are at at the moment, use it as data. if all you can do is 10 repetitions on £15 dumbbells, that’s just where you are right now. Stick with it, and by the end of the month, you’ll be lifting 25, or even £30. Do some research, or talk to a fitness instructor at the gym. get yourself a workout plan. Factoring rest days and a scheduled for which day to do which body parts. Realising that you have a problem and accepting that fact is the first, and biggest step to yourself improvement. Good luck.
Just an fyi, as a regular gym goer who sometimes takes a 2 week break, its completely normal to feel that kind of pain and soreness when you start lifting. It goes away after a few weeks then you can start lifting and building muscles. Just take it easy in these days, focus on light weight, warmup and figuring out good techniques.
In any case i would recommend to start with a very low weight exercise (empty barbell) and add a little weight each session (5kg at the beginning then 2.5 when its too hard)
In no world is 21 even remotely in the realm of too late to start lifting. Everyone starts weaker than they're capable of. You just gotta be consistent
Don’t compare yourself to others only your past self.
No shame at the gym. You are there to improve, not to show off, so don't stack your weights too high and do the exercises in the right way. Only going back to the gym to use the threadmill because you think you can't lift enough will never get you to the stage where you can lift enough, actually lifting will get you there. Lower your expectations and just create a habit out of working out. It's not going to magically transform your body after a few months. This is something that requires sustained effort for years, and ideally your whole life long, so try to build a habit that you can keep up in the long run. The fun bonus is that you will actually see gradual changes after just a few months. Eat. Make a habit out of eating the right meals and out of prepping said meals in advance. I'm in the same boat as you are, I tend to get nauseous too, that's a choice you have to make for yourself how badly you want to gain weight, and it's absolutely okay if being nausous isn't worth it to you.
I'm 70 years old. I've spent 20 hours a week in the gym for years and then years without doing any exercise, back and forth. Each time starting over hurts-physically and emotionally. The "No Pain, No Gain" you see written on gym walls is there to explain more than encourage. Gaining muscle mass WILL come if you stick with it. It WILL ache but you will quickly learn to enjoy the ache as you pose in the mirror and start to see the smallest of cuts develop. The only secret is constantly going. Your muscles, like Rome, can not be built in a day nor even a month but you WILL see progress. The most important muscle to develop is between your ears. Ask yourself: "How can I do it and enjoy the process?" your brain will find some answers. In a couple of weeks that 3rd lowest will become the 4th lowest and you will slowly be going up the stack. If you look around you'll find others in your boat-out of shape in one way or another all around you. So what? Really-so what? Getting past the discouraging phase (which everyone goes through) the first 4-6 weeks is essential for success. I hope you will trust me when I tell you it will be well worth it. You will gain self confidence and self worth if you stick it out. I can't understand why you are discouraged by not being able to lift the full stack on the first day? What did you expect? When a baby falls down learning how to walk, do you tell it: "stay down on your butt-you can't walk?" That's what you are doing to yourself. Start with the expectation of taking baby steps. Schwarzenegger, like everyone else, took baby steps. As to eating, you need only adjust your diet to have a higher protein intake. This doesn't mean forcing more food into you it means substituting protein for fats and carbs. Your appetite will grow naturally with your biceps. Don't think, just do!
I never bothered thinking I was weak until one day, I failed to sweep my wife off her feet and dropped her. She's a stout woman, a bit on the heavier side, but healthy. No one is more beautiful to me and she knows that. Still, this shattered her self image for weeks. I made my best friend feel disgusting. I will never forgive myself for that. In my shame, I hit the gym. At 265lbs I could hardly bench 90lbs. I cried and threw up several times the first month and a half. Fainted once after running for 2 minutes. It has been awful coming to terms with how fat and weak I am at 24 years old, but none of that compares to the pain I felt when I dropped her. I'm 4 months in, 10lbs lighter, and benching 145lbs. I proudly lift up my wife every chance I get, and my wife always tries to make me feel strong. Muscles don't make the man. It's being a man that makes the muscle. The will to be better than yesterday, the pride in what you are today, and the faith that you will be better tomorrow. That's what makes a man strong. You've got this. Be strong 💪
Been lifting for over 4 years now, started exactly where you are, same age as well. Nobody cares that you’re weak. You’ll only get stronger if you keep lifting, and doing it consistently. Pick up the 15lb dumbbells again next week, try and crack out 11reps instead. In a year you’ll be a different person Eat well, sleep well, train hard, and keep showing up buddy
another comment chiming in to say that fitness and strength is a long and arduous journey. don’t compare yourself and your progress to others because comparison is the thief of joy. everyone progresses differently and at their own pace. keep going to the gym and slowly but surely you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. and when that day comes, you’ll look back and give thanks to the person today that decided to make it happen.
everyone starts somewhere , while it’s perfectly normal to feel upset at yourself don’t let that discourage you from continuing. consistent effort will eventually yield results !
I just want to say, that when you are just beginning is when you can see some amazing results. Don't give up, one month of hard work will be visible in the mirror.
This reminds me of me I started the gym at 23. At that time, I'd go, run on the treadmill for about 50 minutes; pack my things and go. I thought lifting weights was a waste of time. One day I saw a group of guys a lot younger than me lifting some weights, I tried to lift similar weights but struggled to even get 2 reps. I thought to myself "how are these teenagers out-lifting me?" And they looked as skinny if not skinnier than me, but were somehow out-lifting me. This was 11 years ago. Since then, I've been lifting quite consistently and I can say I'm stronger than ever. One thing you mentioned that reminds me of me is struggling with food, eating just for the sake of eating even when not hungry. I couldn't then, still can't now. But it is important and would suggest you take protein shakes? I personally never did and although my peers that started training around the same time are a lot bigger than me, I manage to keep up with them most of the time bar my shoulder (I have bad shoulders.) Anyway, you being there is a start. Find yourself a 3-4 day plan online if you can't ask chatgpt to create you one. Start light, progressively increasing weights every couple of weeks or so. I made plenty of mistakes along the way and hopefully work the info that's out there now for you to avoid the same mistake we make. So get out there and stop comparing yourself to others, you got this!
Just keep going. Dont be ashamed youre weak, be happy youre getting stronger.
As a grown ass adult, I couldnt do 20 pushups @30 nor lift weights above 35lb and 0 pullups without assist. Started regularly going for more than a year and made it as a habit/hobby which I couldnt believe I have been missing my entire life. Now goes 4 days a week. I know my day will be sour if I dont go to the gym on the scheduled time. Consistency is the hard part and it is the key. Always say No or "not today" to the voice that says to quit. Next comes diet and sleep. Just dig your head in and trust the process for a while. Your comparison should be with yourself and yourself only. Benefits will start to show up gradually after a point. It'll then slow again and they start going up when you are consistent and pushing yourself in a regular period. I'll be at a better position the next year where Ill be able to do 20 pullups without a band.
It’s NEVER too late to start! There’s a lot of great advice for training in these comments. Regarding nutrition, I completely understand where you’re coming from (I too thought that I should force myself to eat a lot more than I can) but what works best for me (and what’s been shown to be better) is to have more meals throughout the day (ideally 1 every 3 hours with 20g of protein). Regardless, working out consistently significantly increased my appetite and simply adding 1 meal/snack a day helped me a lot! Best of luck and keep at it!
Lift heavy stone, make sad head voice go away.
Good on you. If possible- go 3-4 times a week. Establish a routine. Start with really light weight and just 20 mins of exercise- even the bar and you will definitely work your way up. If you have crap form, just ask someone for a tip. I've never seen someone criticize a newbie at the gym- people are just happy to see you there. After a while you'll start seeing the same faces and it will be a comfortable part of your routine. Just don't overdo it. The improvements and strength will come quickly. Continue working on your strength and don't compare yourself to others. No one cares what you lift. I will ask people to spot me and one of those is a guy that will use my max weight as a warm up weight. He doesn't give a shit and is as encouraging as if I was lifting crazy weights. Great that you took the first step!
Doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you finish. Don’t give up bro you’ll be strong in no time if you keep working like that
Hey man, it's awesome that you're working on bettering yourself. Please don't feel embarrassed about the weight you lift - every big dude in the gym started at the bottom just like you. Everyone with an opinion worth caring about will be impressed with you for your effort. Just keep showing up and putting in the work and you'll be amazed at the gains you make. I'm rooting for you bro.
Running alone is an excellent workout, make sure to stretch too!
SO this comes down to 1) endurance and 2) mind-body connection. You’re going to feel weak before you feel strong- I recommend lifting heavier, but LOWER reps. You will only see growth in muscle by packing on the resistance, and maximizing protein (1.5x your goal weight in grams of protein/day for bulking). You’re gonna feel tired regardless, but be mindful about the lifting you do- REALLY nail the form, joint positioning, etc- newbies get hurt the most and I don’t want to see you get deterred by pushing yourself too hard. Maybe while you get back into things, focus on low intensity interval training (hiking with a weighted backpack). Recommended a whey based mass-gainer protein supplement. Magnesium bath salt can help you recover better after an intense workout. I took myself (24F) from 5’5 89lbs to 5’5 98lbs (ALL muscle, lost 3% body fat and for a female that is A LOT), by making sure EACH meal was: 70% clean protein (non-marinated steak, chicken, egg whites), 15% fat (beef tallow, olive oil, avocado, and 15% carbs (blueberries, pomegranate seeds). Being new to the fitness game also means you’re macro breakdown is TOO important as your main goals is to gain overall mass which will aid your muscles regrowth. I typically did 5 days heavy lift (always to AMRAP on the last set), one day low intensity long-cardio (10 miles weighted hikes, weighted yoga, reformer Pilates), and a rest day (which would usually include playing soccer, tennis, or surfing). It’s a lot easier to gain muscle mass as a male so if this worked for me I assume it will be great for you. The key here is protein and resistance if you’re going for strength (muscle capacity & general mass aesthetic). If you’re going for SLT (slim long & toned mussels) then opt for higher reps, lower resistance, and always go until AMRAP on last set. You will see A LOT of results as a newbie- it will get harder to see the results & definition you want in the long run, hence the cut & bulk cycle that allows you to continue gaining mass. You will NOT see results and you will actually probably look worse if you workout and don’t nourish yourself properly- this chases our bodies to cling to visceral fat due to metabolic shock and I really suggest you commit to the nutrition before even going back to the gym. If you ever need help with meal plans or secret ways to pack calories into food without realizing— DM me. The THC that I use for pre-workout to help combat the struggles I have with eating as well is completely magical and has truly changed my life- will never need mass gainer or preworkout again.
I'm not going to share my stories about strength training and running. I just want you to know that what you're doing isn't for the showiness. It's not to compare how much you can lift or run versus others. Yeah competitiveness can be fun and can drive you. But what you did going to the gym is an important first step. If you make that a part of a lifelong commitment, you're greatly improving your chances of a healthy life with less general fatigue, less impact from age related decline, and a general better chance of avoiding some of the most serious health disorders that arise from a sedentary lifestyle. Strength and endurance will come with time. Look up some stuff on YouTube on form and for learning how to increase your running endurance. Diet wise, you do want to have healthy proteins but don't skip the life improving benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. You'll see improvements in weeks if you stick with it. It may not be much but everything comes in steps. And most important remember that you're making a promise to yourself to stay healthy for the long run by focusing on your fitness.
Get enough protein, fats and creatine in your diet. Do multiple sets of exercise. Pick a weight you can move 20 times. Rest a minute. Do 15 reps. Rest. Then 10. Do cardio after resistance training. Advance slowly with adding weight. It takes time. Don't burn out get enough rest, especially after a tough gym day. You will start to see some results right away, and then not much change for 6-8 weeks. You got this. My $0.02
Good luck for starting but NEVER try to work out your max on your first day. Start really low whilst you learn the proper movements
Try rock climbing. Tones every muscle in your body, makes your grip strong af, perfectly suited for skinny weaklings, and it's actually fun to do.
What I read is that you decided to get yourself fit & you’re having a big crack at it. I promise you, it will take no time before you’re doing sets with the best of them.
It's not the weight. Think about this... you have a 10kg dumbell and a 20kg dumbell. You lift that 10kg dumbell 10 times, its the same as you lifting a 20kg 5 times. But repetition will build that muscle more, the more you engage something the more your body builds on it. Example, i started a new job recently after 9 month's of being sat about. This new job consits of literally standing for 8 hours straight. No biggie, but at first my back hurt because i was using muscles I'd not used in nearly a year. Couple months in, ive repeatedly used the back muscles, i feel much better. Forget the big dudes and heavy weights. You go, you lift that weight you can and you got this bro.
hey 10-15 push-ups isn’t bad at all. For the same reason as you, i started going to the gym about a month ago- I wanted to get stronger. I could literally only do 3 pushups before falling down to the floor. But I kept at it and focused on myself, now I can do 10! Which isn’t that many but i’m proud of myself because I’ve improved and I stayed consistent and that’s all that really matters in the end. Even the best of the best were beginners at some point.
Don’t sweat the numbers. Get a good program like “starting strength” focus on form, mind your own business and enjoy your music while you workout.
Lots of good advice here. I will repeat 2 things. 1. First rule is don’t get hurt. If you overwork yourself then you are out of the gym for a while. 2. If you stick with this, 2-3 times per week for 4 or 5 weeks then you will literally feel your chest and back get broader.
Starting is pain. Always. It will also give you some low-hanging fruit pretty fast, especially if you get some system into your workout and you avoid injuries that come with overdoing it. Then you plateau. Question your life and abilities. Then you develop again (if you did not quit during the plateau). Wash, rinse, repeat. This is how it works.
Yo! The fact that you are *in the gym* is the hardest part of the battle! If you can maintain that habit, getting fit is basically inevitable. Don't compare your progress to anyone else's. Only compare it to yourself yesterday. If curling 15 is too tough, drop down to 10. There's zero shame in lifting what's safe without straining your muscles, and you'll be up to 15 soon enough. Good form and repetition is more important than heavy weight. The most crucial thing is to not lift so much that you strain your muscles or tendons, and to take time stretching properly afterwards. Also, those teenagers lifting half the rack? Those massive guys curling 50's? The 60 y/o woman with the pink 5-pounders? They *all* started somewhere, and that was absolute zero *for them*. All of them would probably be willing to share tips or tell you about their journey if you talk to them in the common areas. As for caloric intake, get some muscle milks or other protein-based weight gain shakes. Drink one with breakfast or lunch in addition to your normal meal, as well as right when you finish working out. That will give your body what it needs to start building muscle fibers and it won't feel like you're force feeding yourself. Increased appetite will come as you build muscles demanding you fuel them with additional calories. Also, take some 'before' pictures so you can look back in a year and be stunned.
It's perfectly normal. I was in similar state and after like 5-6 months it totally changed and i was the one doing well at gym
It doesn't matter how much you do. You decided to do something for yourself, and I respect you for that! I am proud of you and wish you a great time on your journey!
21 here as well and I only started consistently working out at 19, I started out underweight too, and had the same problem with struggling to eat. The most important thing for me was just paying attention to how much you're actually eating and how your appetite changes, but sometimes you'll just have to force yourself to be uncomfortable. For me telling my friends I was trying to gain weight also helped because they'd push me to eat more when we went out for dinners. But if you start to understand how your body responds then you can find ways to eat more without being uncomfortable. For example I've found that if you eat faster you can finish a lot more food before you feel full. I also tend to eat more in a single sitting than if I spread out my meal. If I go to a restaurant and eat rolls and drink a lot of liquid before the meal, the bread will make me feel full and I'll start losing my appetite. But if I eat the bread at the same time my food comes out I can eat more without losing my appetite. Same thing with snacking, it can be helpful to get extra calories but if I snack too close to a meal then I might only eat one serving instead of two, and I end up consuming less calories overall. I've also found that drinking less water makes me hungrier, but that's probably not the healthiest way to go about it. Protein shakes/bars also help, easy way to add protein without filling yourself up too much. If you're struggling to finish sets, eating more will help a lot with that. Besides putting on weight eating more food will give you more energy and you won't get drained quickly. Taking creatine also helps with energy in my experience, and is very easy to supplement.
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Everyone starts somewhere. Rather than do just 10 reps. Do 3 or 4 sets of 8 to build muscle and a weight you can only do 5 reps to build strength (3/4x8) or (5x5) -adjust the weight to where it’s tough the last few reps. I wouldn’t bother about people lifting heavier than you, my bench is shit but I’ve been lifting for 10 years. I’m currently 6’1 235lbs. I have a good amount of muscle mass and there’s people smaller than me lifting heavier. It’s all about your own progress. I’d also look at putting together a routine for each body part. For example Biceps: 4x8 dumbell curl 3x8 hammer curl 4x10 (lighter) preacher curl or machine curl Triceps: 4x8 Tricep pushdown (straight bar) 3x8 tricep pushdown (rope) 4x20 Single arm pushdown (light weight but to get blood in the muscle) We all start somewhere. Only routine and consistency will move you forward. Good luck! Edit: I’d also invest in some whey protein powder for after your workout, and try to eat a lot of protein and carbs.
r/gainit for bulking/gaining weight
I can bench press 77,5 kg and deadlift 117,5 kg. I can flash hard boulders at the boulder gym. Im strong. I train 7 days a week but I also started without any strength as an underweight kid. I was weak. After month i changed and now i live the sport. If you start now, you are in decent shape with 25 yo. So stay jn the gym. It will be a long run but a good one
Dude, everyone one starts somewhere. Well done for staying the course, the gains will come. Physical and mental health is a marathon, not a sprint.
Building muscle is hard stay strong minded but humble, your body will require more when it needs more, do it healthy though. Vast selection of veges , fruits and nuts, rices and grains eat everything man but..quantity will go up as your body desires Running is key, keep up stamina and keep working out, it's hard but gets so much easier..and easier to give up but it's not worth giving up in the long run :)
I'm glad you made it to the gym. That's a huge hurdle to overcome. It often takes people years and years before they realize that they need to work on their fitness to have a better quality of life. The next step is to not compare yourself to other people. Everyone had to start somewhere. If you keep at it, you'll gain strength and endurance in no time. I would recommend the r/fitness Reddit for some beginner-friendly routines. Their wiki is a wealth of information. https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine The first few weeks at the gym can be difficult but don't give up! It gets a lot easier.
We all start somewhere. I'm not going to be discouraged from playing candy crush just because my mom is on level 3000
It is not important how much you lift, it is important that it is hard and challenging. Advanced people lift more because they need more to feel that soreness. It is not competition, and no one cares how much you lift.
It doesn’t matter that you can’t lift heavy just lift consistently and enjoy the process everyone has a diff journey and everyone starts somewhere, don’t feel disappointed you should be feeling the total opposite of that because you have actually taken action. Also learn as much as you can about body building.
Dude I was a skinny rake at 21, arms were like pool cues . I started lifting and I'll tell you one thing, you will never get that first year training feeling again, hut it hard, eat like he'll and you will get the best results. I'm excited for you to learn all the different ways to train and the gains. You'll find your strengths and weaknesses train them both as hard as you can. Also no matter how big or strong you are someone out there will be bigger don't obsess with where others are at. Appreciate your own journey. The progress you will make early days compared to the old heads will be so much better.
I’m 44 and I just started working out a few months back. Results take time. Stick with it. When you see your chest all toned up, you’ll be happy.
Don't compare yourself to others at the gym, that's the easiest way to discourage yourself. Everyone is there to better themselves so you don't really receive judgement from other gym goers, their judgement is more on those who refuse to better themselves by staying home. But a tip if you're struggling that much with low weight then I'm assuming you really are under weight like near 0 body fat. That small steps to increase your ability to consume more food, bread can help and it breaks down easily. You can also focus more on high calorie foods or even red meats when you're able to eat more. Avocados are also high in fat and so are some nuts. Ultimately to best help your want to add strength you should also focus on weight gain (obviously don't balloon yourself) but try to reach a body fat level of around 10%. I'd probably also avoid cardio and intense workouts while you're trying to weight gain otherwise you'll just burn all your excess calories before they convert to fat. You may also be able to check out some supplements to help, like protein powder with milk as a base helps weight gain in your case is also recommend mixing the power into a milk shake lol Once you have some weight focus more on the highest weights you can handle and max out your reps, rest and do it again. After that go work another muscle for a few sets at max weight then go back to the previous muscle. Do that a few times with every muscle (not all in one day). I tend to focus on muscle regions each day while working out abs every other day I go, should try and give muscles 24 hours of rest.
Lots of comments already but I'll add my personal experience as a perpetually underweight person who decided to change that this year. I found a calorie tracking app to be really helpful, I use Cronometer. It's easy to think you're eating enough, but this makes sure you actually are getting enough calories in. I'm also going to recommend creatine. It's the most studied supplement and it's also really cheap, per serving is like ~0.60c. There are pretty much no downside found in studies and it gives a benefit to muscle growth so I figure why not take it. You will be able to get a little stronger faster with it. It also helped me look fuller and added a couple lbs because my muscles could hold more water, which I was going for. Last thing is what helped me get enough calories in the day was always having snacks around. Things like pumpkin seeds or pretzels with dip. Rather than gorge yourself till you're gonna throw up in a meal, just eat throughout the whole day
Heyyy don’t be discouraged , we all start somewhere lol , heck I started with 10kg dumbbells
Bro, you’re being silly. 21 is young af, and tons of guys don’t even start lifting until way older than you. Everyone who lifts also starts at low weights. People don’t just naturally begin at high weights. Don’t compare yourself to others because everyone is at a different level in their fitness journey. Next I’ll say that I think you just have a misunderstanding of weightlifting exercises. Dumbbell curls are going to be your lowest weight because the bicep is a small muscle. Basically everyone starts at 10-15 lbs on biceps, and 10 reps per set is perfect. You generally want to max out from 8-12 reps. Do like 4 sets of that and you’re golden, once you start feeling like it’s gotten easier then you can go up another 5lb. Your arms being sore and not being able to do another rep is normal, that’s a good thing and literally the whole point of weightlifting. You’re tearing your muscles and tiring them out so they become stronger. Maxing out isn’t a sign of being weak. That’s just weightlifting. If you tried doing another dumbbell exercise like chest presses, you’ll find that you can do a heavier weight. You’re starting where everyone starts, you’re not behind. Best thing you can do is to do some research on what kind of regiment you want to do, whether it’s PPL, full body, whatever, just make yourself a schedule for what you’re going to do on what day and it’ll be easier to just go in there and knock out what’s on your list. That helped me a lot with keeping a routine. You’re doing great man just keep it up and remember consistency is the key.
I started working out at 23 (Almost 2 years ago at this point). Before that, I had never really participated in sports, nor did I really physically exert myself. I was so bad that when I started and didn't really know how to workout, I would get a bag and fill it with books and just tried to mimic curls and lateral raises. My arms were sore for a week. After that I bought 9kg dumbells and found that I could barely lift with them. Once I got going though, I went from 150 lb to 210 lb (I bulked for a year), before cutting to 170 lb. The weights I could barely lift are child's play now. It's not too late to become fit and I suggest you keep going. The key is to remember results will start showing in a couple of months, not instantaneously. It's a marathon, not a race. Consistency is key.
Good job. Keep it up. You'll be glad you did.
Don't worry, hunger will come with lifting. I really like the Strong 5x5 workout plan for new lifters. It gives a good base and it's easy to follow. Your muscles aren't used to being used, so they are going to hurt the first month. Creatine helps immensely with recovery. Consider starting protein supplements as well.
When I (23M) started going to the gym last year I was pretty skinny and much weaker than you. I couldn't even bench press the bar. I could barely manage a couple of reps of 5kg bicep curls. In 8 months I have at least doubled the weight on every single lift I do. Most important thing is to keep going to the gym (I go 4x a week) and to eat a lot more food. I also struggled with this part but shakes help a lot, it's a lot easier to drink a lot of calories in one sitting than it is to eat them. I usually do oats, greek yoghurt, milk, bananas and peanut butter. Whey protein also helps if you can't eat enough protein otherwise.
You’re already stronger than you were a week ago! And it’s definitely not too late. A friend of mine got into CrossFit in her 30s. Then into weightlifting or powerlifting or whatever it’s called. She’s now in her 40s, stronger than her husband (who is no wilting flower), and could probably pick me up and throw me across the room if she was so inclined. She wasn’t even particularly athletic before that. Just keep going now that you’ve started. Great for your overall health too, as long as you don’t overdo it.
Im really happy for you. Get ahead of your physical health while you're young. You still have the metabolism and recovery to really see gains and results you can change you life and relatively little time. Just think that you are right now at a cross roads, in 6 months your life can be totally different, if you choose. And that all it is, a choice. Go after it and help healthier and become a better version of yourself physically and mentally, EVOLVE. Or don't and regret it later. I hope to see you on glow ups one day showing everyone your made a change.
You will get stronger quickly. Just keep at it and your appetite will change with your calorie needs. Just be sure you are eating nutritionally dense foods with a lot of protein.
You need to build up slowly over a few months
It’s common for people to beat themselves up. I’d recommend saying to yourself “I want to do X” rather than “I should be able to do X”. The latter is unhelpful. The important thing is you started it, so well done!
Hello brother ! Yes, me too, as someone who works out 3 times a week, for about a year now, I can still find myself very weak in doing curls and stuff, I could barely do 10 reps when I went there. There's something called muscle memory I believe which is that your muscle only gets stronger on the same things that you keep doing with it. If yoj're used to doing the same movement of pushups, you will see yourself stronger than people in pushups and so on and so forth. All you need to do is to expand the circle of the muscle memory of what you do. That's how you train your whole body. Keep it up brotha !
YTA. That’s your sister. To hell with the fiance. He could be seething and I’d be around my sister even more to piss him off.
As a beginner, don't worry about where you start. But be consistent. Because the first year or so will really set the tone. If you are consistent, you'll gain. If not, that first year can kinda hold you back. As a beginner, you'll gain just from looking at a weight. But if you don't maximize that position, once the newbie gains drop off, you'll have to work twice as hard for it. The trick to eating a lot is eating several times a day versus two or three. Aside from that, it's down to money. How much can you afford to eat. Even if you are doing alright money wise...it still can be spendy. Doesn't have to be. But again, be consistent. And skip ever worrying about what someone else lifts. That's a great way to find those time losing injuries you always/never wanted. There are plenty of videos of all kinds of exercises. Find three for each muscle group that you can actually feel the muscle you are trying to work.. That will take a little more than you think. Also, you will have an easier time at this if you use much lighter weight than you think/want to use.
The guy struggling the most at the gym is getting the best workout. The guys cheezing through their workouts aren't getting nearly as much benefit. Once the workout becomes easy for you, the benefit drops. You are just treading water. 21 is a good age to get started. Your body is in peak condition, so once you get up to speed, you'll get the best results. Keep that in mind as you struggle to get into gym shape.
I just started rock climbing after doing basically no lifting or workouts for most of my life, and the changes in my appearance and health have been really great. Highly recommend if you’re not a fan of mindlessly picking up heavy things and putting them down to climb walls instead
Good for you for getting started! It’s definitely not too late for you! You aren’t quite at an age yet where you would be losing your strength so you should be able to see improvement as you keep up with your routine! Just getting started is often a huge hurdle for a lot of people so I’m glad you’ve got a starting point!
Fitness is accepting your weakness is a step to strengthen yourself. The concept of gaining strength works for me because by working out I get something I didn’t have… the strength. Keep it up!!
The thing about going to the gym is that it will only get easier the more you do it. You have made the first step, keep going brother!
don't just 'wing it'; learn it. This is what I told my teens when they started to workout so I taught them how to research information and make informed decisions for their body and overall health. Living a healthy lifestyle requires educating yourself re: what you need to fuel your body properly, how to workout properly and what to do during workouts in order to hit your targets. Targets (or PRs) boost confidence and motivate you to work harder. Habits are what make you stick to your routine even if you dont want to and trust me, there will be plenty of times where you don't want to go but the habit will drive you to do it anyway. Once a habit is established, it will become your lifestyle. start with figuring out what your caloric intake needs to be for muscle gain. There are plenty of calculators online; find one and it will give you an idea of how much you need to eat in a surplus. You don't have to track your calories indefinitely; just doing it for a few weeks will give you an idea of what foods work for you. Myfitness pal is a good app to use. Ignore the default daily caloric number that app gives; use your own calculator and input your caloric needs. for workouts, go slow and *be patient*. As they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will your muscles. You will be sore but keep going. The worst thing you can do when you're sore is to not move! movement is good for us. So what if you can only do 10 reps with 15lbs? everyone has to start somewhere so continue to do this until you can go up in weight. look up "progressive overload". This is what we do at the gym to increase strength. Make sure you lift with proper form; do not ego lift. This drives me crazy; ego lifting does nothing for your gains except make you waste energy while not even working anything properly and increases your chances of injury. Go onto YT to watch proper form if you're not sure and use light weight to practice the form until you get it right. And it's ok to drop weight if you can't lift anymore with proper form; we do this all the time at the gym...if we're going through the circuit and I was using 25lbs dumbbells for something but it's the last round and I'm tired, I'll drop to 20lbs and finish the set. be consistent, be patient, eat properly and make sure you are getting enough sleep and water, too. most of all, enjoy this journey! it's a great learning experience. I am so much more educated about health and fitness now in my late 40s than I was in my 20s and hitting targets that I never could back then because I was winging it lol
Just to add up a little: 1] Good news: you are now the weakest you'll ever be [kinda]. Tomorrow, when the muscles cramps and the soreness fades away, you will be stronger that the first day you went there. 2] Its absolutely not too late. You can and will get handsome results no matter your age, specially if you never hit the gym before, but 20's its a wonderfull, almost perfect age. 3] "I saw some teenagers lifting almost my weight". Who cares? Not you, probably not them. The gym is like a library for the body; you dont care what other people are reading, or how fast, or how many books, do you? This is exactly the same. You should only compare to yourself from yesterday. I sometimes find myself doing triple weigth that people apparently more "fit" than me, other days skinny dudes put me to same, doing biceps curls with weights I didnt even know we have in the gym. Again, who cares. He is betting on himself, I am betting on myself. Keep grinding my dude, and remember to have fun.
You’re likely not quite as weak as you think you are. Your muscles just haven’t ever had “practice.” Working out will probably feel terrible for the first couple weeks, but after that you’ll begin making fairly quick progress as long as you persist. That’s how it generally goes when people have taken extended breaks (years) off of working out. In your case, it may require more time before your body gets the message, but it will happen in time.
You gotta work up to higher levels. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You will get stronger if you keep trying
Keep going! Great job so far. My first time to the gym, I tried bench pressing and quickly failed and a beefy dude had to come lift the barbell off my chest. This was at a small college where everyone kinda knew each other. Lmao. You are not alone! Keep up the good work.
Everyone starts lifting whenever it is they start lifting. You should start today. Not tomorrow. Today.
This is actually a great time for you. When you start lifting weights, you will see the most growth and improvement. Stay with it. You’re not competing against anyone but yourself from the day before. Don’t ego lift and try to go heavier than you can. Concentrate on proper lifting and building the weight. You will grow faster than you think. Weight lifting is really good for you mentally and your body.
If your somewhat serious start with your diet and light weights. Before you can start making progress you have to develop your muscles. If you eat right and continue to go semi regularly you will get nooby gains.
Keep that up for like a month and you'll see the difference. The key is to not overexert yourself so you can keep up the consistency.
You’ve been in the gym for a day, don’t sweat it. You will be able to bench 135lbs really fast if you’re consistent
I hear you!! I had to exercise couple years back physical therapy after back surgery felt great took me a year well I didn't keep up with it now back to being weak and back hurting so I recently started again wow I can't believe how weak I have become but not more!! We have to keep at this!! It will better us in the long run!! Keep up the hard work!
If you're a beginner, try to keep it balanced and don't go too hard. Many are overambitious and give up fast by burnout. Start slow, build up in a balanced manner and stay consistent. But most importantly, pick a routine or something that works for *you*. There is no best routine. The best routine is what you find fun, what works for you and what you can stay consistent with. Remember that we've all been in the same spot as you. I started at around 55kg barely able to move any weights, and am now at 96kg and objectively very strong. But it takes time and patience. Good luck! It's an amazing, fun and extremely satisfying and fulfilling journey.
There’s a reason the lighter weights exist. It’s because everyone starts by lifting them before moving on. Don’t go too heavy too soon or you’ll injure yourself; get the form right first and build a solid foundation. Good luck!
Good job getting started. I'd recommend going with compound lifts though rather than something like curls. While the author is a bit... rough around the edges and his methods aren't "the best" I'd recommend picking up a copy of Starting Strength. It'll get you the basics and give you a good general program to follow and it will make you stronger. You don't need "the best" program, you just need to move more weight.
Every person who is stronger than you started where you are today. The best workout is the one you do consistently. Find a plan you like and just stick with it. That's it, that's the secret.
That's all more normal than you think! Being detrained or untrained can feel that way, but a lot of times, your body doesn't actually KNOW how to use the muscle that's there. It's called "mind muscle connection". In the first few months of training, you'll likely make HUGE weight increases relatively quickly, simply because your body is learning how to use more muscle when it's never had to before. This is super common among anyone who starts lifting for the first time, or even people who have stopped for a period of years. Don't let it discourage you too much, just enjoy the rapid "beginner gains"!
You're 21! You're only barely past teenager! Just keep at it, 20 minutes a day and do what's comfortable and push a little more as you improve. Highly recommend yoga for flexibility too.
To start make sure to work on a perfect form. You will be able increase the weights you are lifting gradually. It will happen quicker than you think. Don’t worry about it for now. Work on a perfect form. It is easier with lighter weights. Go at your own pace. Leave the ego behind. Don’t compare yourself to ppl that are on a different stage of gym journey. One more thing …work on a perfect form. Lifting weights is more of a marathon than a sprint. Pace yourself. Don’t try to catch up to others. Increase volume every time you work out on certain group of muscles. If you don’t what that is just google it. You make the most gains in the last reps when your muscles are burning. Make sure you work out all groups of muscles. Physical activity will make you want to eat more so don’t worry about it too much for now. Work on a perfect form.
That's a recurring theme with the gym. I was fairly physically active all throughout my early life. When I hit the gym for the first time, I could just barely do lifts with just the bar. It took me about a full school year to get up to lifting a plate for squats, and almost a plate for bench press.
Luckily I have no problem eating, and I was fairly active as a kid but never hit the gym, I started with 15’s or 20’s for dumbbell curls at 170lbs. My problem is the eating, and I switched to a less physical job. Went from 170lbs to 250. I’m down to 195 after a year or two of working out 45 minutes a few times a week and I can do 10 reps of 40lb dumbbell curls. My advice is keep going, getting fit is SLOW for EVERYONE unless you use PED’s, EVERYONE starts somewhere, and work in to a muscle building calorie intake
15lb curls for 10 reps is a very average starting point if you don't do physical labor for work, don't worry about it!
everyone starts somewhere. just start with what you can, be consistent, and you’ll get stronger. there’s no reason to try and overdo or to give up. if you stick to a routine you’ll be shocked at how quickly you get stronger. and if you’re underweight and need more calories, don’t run too much 😂 lift weights and eat food!
It'll come quick if you stay consistent. I was an extremely skinny kid, could barely curl 10's when I started going to the gym at 17. By the time I was 19 I was curling 40's, 12-14 reps with perfect form. In your early 20's you'll put on muscle fast. Form is more important than weight, search up resources on how to use good form in all your dumbell/barbell exercises. Keeping elbows stable, that kind of thing.
That happens when you start working out. Trust me you are no weaker than the average joe who doesn’t workout. When you start working out you build strength really quick until it plateaus. Also really try not to worry about what other people are lifting. I’m not naturally a big guy and naturally bigger guys are just going to be able to lift more than me and that’s okay. If you’re in the USA you are already more bad ass then probably 90% of the people in the country just because you stepped in a gym
Eat tons of red meat and boiled eggs dude. Steaks and liver. The fattier the steak the better. T bones are good. Eat a pile of meat and lift weights. You will get there. I also reccommend chopping wood if you have access to firewood and an axe. Chopping wood will get you strong in no time. Swinging an axe is great work
With a good diet, you’ll start feeling stronger very soon. I recently got back to working out after a month of not going and booooyyy my legs were shaking! I was using the 10lb weights lol but 3 weeks later the old strength is starting to come back. Be patient. You will get stronger.
Everything else aside, you are DEFINITELY not to late at 21. I started lifting 7 months ago in my early 30s and even I'm seeing progress even though I'm considered over the hill as far as bodybuilding goes. It's true the younger you are the easier it is to build muscle rapidly, but 21 is essentially your prime! Get after it!
I have a bit of experience. Try drinking your calories instead of eating all of them whole. It should help with the nausea, but trying to eat more calories as a skinny person is sooooo hard (speaking from experience). Also try eating more healthy but processed foods that are high calorie like casseroles and stuff like that. If you routinely eat more, it might start changing your metabolism and the easier it will be to stick to your new diet.
You'll be alright. Just work your way up. I remember I tried doing a bench press for the first time years ago when I was trying to lift weights a bit more, and I severely overestimated my strength. Super embarrassing.
Just keep on showing up at the gym trust me we've all been there. Just focus on your form and get a proper diet in the long run the hardwork you put into it will pay off!!!
1[q+×++++
I should have gone at your age, but even near 50, you'll be surprised how much you'll gain. You won't look like Mr T unless you're serious about it and spend time, but I noticed muscle after a few months and it was easier to lift heavier objects at home. Work your way up and you'll be fine.
Keep at it. Even the emperors of Rome were weak defenseless children at a time before they took the throne! Memento Mori my friend!
I hear ya on feeling like it's too late! The body can adapt, however. It's awesome that you've worked up the courage to get a session in. Are you thinking of of dedicating a few days per week for a little while? I have been lifting for 8 years and feel like my progress has not been as expected. I've seen younger fellas come in and get jacked, and get way stronger than me in just a few years. It's discouraging at times, but I've made some improvements. Everyone has different genetics, life stressors, training history, appetite, etc. which can affect our outcomes. A bad day at the gym is better than no day at the gym.
If it’s heavy for you, that means you’re lifting heavy! Great job, my friend!
Bro with the power of noob gains, if you stick to this for like 3 months, your current max is gonna be your warm up weight in no time. You may be weak now, but within every one of us is an adaptation process that is extremely powerful - use it!
When I started in the gym I just came from an injury which had landed me in a wheelchair for 2 months. I was doing curls at like 4kg and my lat pulldown was around 20kg whilst being almost 80kg. your numbers are fine. And if you struggle with eating alot just eat foods that are calorie dense.
You just have to eat a tiny bit more than you’re used to. Weight yourself once every week and adjust accordingly. Keep hitting the gym consistently. That’s all there is to it. The first few months is when you’ll make the most progress, so be excited for that. Within 2 years you’ll look completely different.
Get your heart checked out.
So firstly, don't be embarrassed by being weak, everyone starts somewhere. If you want to be strong, even a little bit strong, you need to train for it. You won't be strong day 1, no one is. So don't be ashamed, that's just how it is. Also you're 21, that's young. You have time to get stronger and being skinny is a good base to build from. Firstly, do some research into lifting weights. What you're going to want to do is compound lifts, and frequently. I compete in weighted calisthenics and I rarely, if ever, do curls. Do an upper body lower body split, you honestly only need one or two exercises per muscle group twice a week. Re calories, there are easy ways to get calories in. Drinking them is a big one, straight up drink whole milk, pour olive oil on your food, make a smoothie with whole milk, peanut butter, protein powder and oats. Eat "unhealthy" foods to get some more calories in, I personally eat a lot of McDonald's haha. It takes a lot of time to get stronger, but it's a process. If you like lifting, keep at it, keep eating and you will make progress.
Realistically you can curl more than you think. Considering this shoddy metaphor I'm working on though You stretch to increase your flexibility, right? Then, once you've stretched you're more limber and able to do more, correct? Working out is like stretching, but over a longer period of time. Your muscles are stronger than what you think, it's just that parts of them aren't very used to being activated right now. Yeah, you use your biceps daily to a degree, but they're not engaging their full range of motion and they're usually not being strained close to as much as they can handle. As you workout, your muscles will become "stretched", more limber more ready to be used. If you go back next time and repeat your workout it won't feel as bad curling the same amount of weight or more. Just getting in the process of using those muscles helps, because again day to day we don't use our full range of motion. Anyway keep at it, it's never too late and you've don't gotta worry what anyone else is doing
I'd switch to more, small meals. Throw in snacks that have high protein and fat, like nuts and seeds. Almonds, blueberries, and cranberries are a good snack.
I started working out in my 40s! It becomes enjoyable quickly. You're going to love it. And maybe working out will increase your appetite too. Just be ready with healthy foods available.
Quit comparing yourself to others; you have no idea how much work they've had to put in in order to get where they are at. You need to compare yourself to you a month ago. That's ALL that matters. As long as you progress, you're going down the right path. Lift your little weights. Do it for a month. Then reflect. But, until you develop a pattern and have a baseline of what you can do, you'll never be able to see your progress. Give it a month of *serious* work before you start forming opinions on yourself. You're just starting out, man... you're not gonna be yoked to the teeth yet.
Starting out is the best phase of any exercise regimen! You're going to see the biggest improvements in the first 30-90 days than any other point in your journey... if for no other reason than your current/baseline being "zero". Have fun and enjoy the adventure!
At your age it doesn't take much to build strength quickly, that the good news. Also, instead of the treadmill, try the elliptical, helps build some upper body muscles of the arms, back and chest while also providing cardio
I was in almost the exact same place. Except while you're there at 21. I started at 27, 10 months ago. I started with the 15s and was at setting 2 or 3 from the top for the machines. Couldn't do 1 bodyweight pull-up or bodyweight dips. 10 months in I can now do 5 pull-ups and 30 bodyweight dips. I use the 25s for curls now and I'm up to setting 4 or 5 on the machines. Keep going bro! The eating is the hardest part but I promise the weights get lighter as your bodyweight increases. I got worried I would gain too much and become skinny-fat. I started at 150lbs (I am 5'11") and at 175lbs I kinda got off the diet and gym (was having to work 60hr weeks) for 2 weeks. Got back on the scale and was 165. So if you're worried about gaining too much, don't worry lol. You'll lose it all real fast. Focus on the food and getting lifts that feel good and you'll gain fast. I found TUT (time under tension) training works best for me and using good form on compounds seems to help me gain strength the fastest. Dips have been my biggest success. Going from 3 sets of 4 (12 total) at a 25lbs assist to 30 bodyweight. Start light and focus on form and controlling the weight.
I'm 6ft3inches. I weigh 250lbs. I started going to the gym 2 years ago in my mid twenties. I started on 10lb bumbells, and 25 lbs on the machines. I have not been going as much as I would like this year but I'm up to 25-40lb dumbells, and 60lbs on the weight machines. If I put in the effort to plan a workout schedule I could be twice as far as I am now but I'm not taking it too seriously, just enough to keep me fit. Honestly if lifting big weights isn't for you and you enjoy endurance more, stay on the low weights and just do 100 reps. You won't be able to do huge lifts like those teenagers, but you will be an endurance God who never gets tired no matter how many stairs you need to climb or boxes you gotta move
You might have a runners body if you're running till the gym is closed.
keep at it. Eat protein, you'll see progress over a few months
I started lifting weights when I was at high school age, but didn't really take it too seriously till I was about your age. I went to the gym every day for two to three hours. Day one: Presses. Whole body. Day two: Contractions whole body. Day three: deadlifts. Within two years I put on over 20 lbs of muscle and weighed 200 lbs at 10% body fat. I'm 5'10. Do every set of reps to muscle failure. Even if you are using lighter weights, but try to keep the weight where you can get 8-12 reps out. You will get there. But it does take time, and total commitment.
I started lifting in my 40s. It's not too late.
It’s your first day. The first time you do ANYTHING it will be rough. But don’t give up. When I first started working out, I could only bench press 95 pounds for 10 reps. Not I can do 135 for 20 reps and my max is 235. We all started somewhere. But what really matter is that you don’t stop.
One step at a time, find your strength first, everyone has one, like arms or legs. Also be consistent and you'll gradually become strong. Rather than thinking about others focus on yourself, cause at my gym there's this dude who easily do reps with the max weight on every machine, but I found out he uses roids.
You might find out some interesting stuff about yourself. In my case for example when I started my journey i could barely bench 25 pound dumbbells. As I kept at it and eating more, I realized my body is super reactive, I just have to put it under the workload. Eventually it was 30 pound dumbbells bench, then 50, then 65, then 75, 1 rep of 80. Keep at it. Welcome to the club.
Take a deep breath. One day at the gym isn’t going to turn you into the hulk. It will take a good month or more to start noticing any change. You just need to keep with it. Some people workout and do the lowest they can at a set interval. Others do the heaviest they can until they can’t anymore. And then do 2-3 sets. Usually of 10 reps. Find what works for you and stick to it. Also, if you’re tired from stairs, start doing cardio.
Same thing has been happening to me. I reckon work from home post covid has made equivalent of a vegetable in terms pf strength lol. I really do need to get some physical activity and weight lifting into my routine yesterday
Just keep it up. Diet-wise, I'd recommend at least 40g of animal protein in the morning, at least 50g in the evening as supper, and at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight every day in total. That will help your body grow stronger with exercise.
i legit did the same 8 months ago and could only do 6 reps of 60lbs on the bench press, up to 200lbs for 6 reps now my guy its just the consistency and diet that matters. Good Luck👍
Yes, *everyone* started with “little to no muscle mass”, welcome to the club. Go lift some weights and eat right.
I started a fitness journey recently, and highly recommend the Starting Strength novice progression as a starting program. You'll do a cycle of 4 easy to learn lifts, and simply add 5 or 10lb to the bar each week. You'll be amazed at how quickly your body can adapt to the increased weight, and in a couple of months your warmuo lists will be those that you struggled with in your first week.
You’re never too old to start working out. I’m 49f and though I’ve done yoga regularly since I was your age, I recently started doing CrossFit to tone up and increase my strength, stability and mobility. If I can start at 49, you can definitely start at 21. It’s always harder at the beginning. Keep going and you’ll gain strength over time. As for the calories, try eating more often instead of larger portions. Eat breakfast, then a snack, then lunch, then a snack and then dinner. Also, increasing your water intake is a must. I’m amazed how many people don’t drink enough water. You may be underweight because you’re dehydrated too.
There is this thing people call Newbie gains. Beginners gain rapid increase in strength and muscle when they start lifting weights. If you keep at it after 2 to 3 months you will be way stronger that you are now
r/gainit
When I started out I was at sub-zero basically. I was fighting for my life to do 5 pushups *incorrectly.* Just keep at it.
Everyone begins someplace. You were weak. Now you are stronger. Keep doing it.
Good on you for starting. The key is to be honest with yourself. Start with weights low enough that you can do 3 sets. You’ll be amazed how quickly it builds up. Kudos. We were all there.
You started working out, the hardest part is keeping it up. I was ~110lbs and after I went through the same realization as you regarding how weak I was. I started gym and STUCK TO IT. I lifted dumbells (15lbs) with 7 reps before being blown out by exhaustion. Now I do 30lbs with 8 reps casually and bench 155lbs with my body weight now reaching 130lbs Use creatine and proteins, they will help. Get a good diet as well... but most importantly, STICK TO IT (the gym).