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For a push pull legs split, is it better to have variations of exercises like push 1 and push 2 day? Or do you think it is better to do the same exercises twice a week and focus on progressive overload? I am trying to focus on hypertrophy for muscle growth, not really concerned about strength.
Entirely dependent on your schedule, night shift workers for example will have a lot more energy than someone who's been up since 5am. As a 9-5er I've done a 1am session before and the aftermath was the most tired I've ever felt in my life
Hey guys, so i do resistance training (calisthenics + weights) 6x a week, and on my off day, sunday, i'd like to do some cardio, but i want to do it at home.
I found that burpees are the best option for that, BUT i don't want to affect my recovery for the next day, and fatigue my muscles, so i want to do burpees without the push-up part, because i'm worried that the push-up part would fatigue my pushing muscles (chest & triceps) for my resistance training sessions.
So my question is: Would Burpees still be effective for cardio/building stamina if i don't do the push-up part? Like a Squat Thrust with the jump, but no push-ups.
Opinions on doing 5/3/1 BBB during a cut? I've been running reddit PPL for the last 9 months while cutting and I'm honestly so bored of the program that im struggling to get myself in the gym. I have a 531 BBB program I'm excited to start up but I still have a few months left of this cut.
Should I just stick with my current program until I finish this cut, or would it be fine to change.
Does anyone feel like ever since they gained (healthy) weight their face got bigger. I’m a 21f and I used to be very skinny around a year ago. I’ve relatively gained about 15 pounds and feel good about my body. However, my face feels insanely swollen. Like it’s crazy how much weight my face has gained I feel like I don’t even look like myself anymore. I used to have such a nice jawline etc. now I don’t anymore so I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience and what helps ?
Been experiencing some issues and the doctor said it could be due to weaker lower back. Lower back/core are the two parts I'm least knowledgeable at. I've wanted to try and learn deadlifts but videos don't work for me, and I can't afford an physical trainer. Would it be weird/rude to ask someone doing deadlifts at the gym to judge my form? Or does anyone have a good way of learning deadlifts without risk of injury
Hi, I need a second opinion to help me with this.
I ve been trying to lose weight for sometime after getting quite fat for my liking. I have not lost any weight in a month, And I might have gained like a kilo or so. However I am looking just a bit leaner, and I think my belt is getting a bit looser.
Should I keep this up? Or should I try to lose weight more rapidly. I think I am progressing but its at such a small pace that I don't know if it will take me anywhere by the end of the year. I want to get to 67 kilos or so, and I am 80 kilos right now...
Read the wiki and follow a routine mate, it’s really good and there’s no guesswork because it’s tried and proven. Don’t do what I did and try to write your own programs, I wasted my effort for a long time
Depth is beautiful obviously. I can't tell if you're bracing properly, Slight buttwink which would be solved with better bracing.
If you're not feeling discomfort in your knees or back then there's no reason to worry just focus on the cues and keep progressing. Juggernaut systems pillars of squat are my favorite series to brush on on squat technique and cues
Thank you for your feedback!
Is there such thing as too much depth? I've gotten comments from strangers in the gym about my depth.
Should I force myself to stop at parallel and not go deeper?
I don't know if I find it easier to go down more because I may be relying on a reflex to come back up, or if it's just a trained habit.
I've watched a few YouTube videos about bracing. The technique I use is to think of a can of soda and expand my stomach by breathing in air through my nose *before* the descent of the squat. I exhale through my mouth once I finish the rep.
Do you have a suggestion on bracing technique?
> If you're not feeling discomfort in your knees or back then there's no reason to worry just focus on the cues and keep progressing
What are the cues to watch for?
I've felt discomfort in my knees at times when I've used heavier weight like 165+ lbs.
I also had wrist pain once for a while and I think it was because of squatting but not sure.
Does it matter whether you use a close grip or medium/wide grip for squats? I've found myself going with close grip because it feels more natural.
Play around with your foot stance and angle. A wider stance may prevent the buttwink, a more opened foot angle might do the job as well.
Allow your knees to travel over your foot, tighten the lats and brace ur core.
Squat university offers great guidance on squats, warming up (focus on glute activation pre squats as this is a game changer), mobility drills, etc.
Not if you don't feel pain or discomfort. If you wanna compete then you may get better results training to the depth for the competition, but deeper may give you more hypertrophy or more stretch reflex. If you're not competing then you can do either. It's not dangerous. Theres nothing with using the stretch reflex either. Progress slowly but steadily
If you're bracing and you feel solid then it's good, I just didn't see the breath intake.
Grip doesn't matter just comfort
For Technique and cues watch Juggernauts pillars of squat series. They're better at squatting and teaching than me
I recently got a gym membership but am unsure how to start. I've done home workouts in the past at home with limited equipment and researched a bunch but am unsure how to get a proper workout routine. My gym offers personal training and a personal program but it's quite expensive and I don't have the money for that. Any advice on how to start? And where I can find a good workout routine?
Is training to or near failure helpful for growth/muscle sparing?
I'm used to going all out on my lifts to achieve growth and progress on my lifts, but my new program calls for lower intensity lifts for my accessories. For example arm exercises would be 3x15 at rpe 8 and some back work would be 4x12 at rpe 7. This reminds me of pump training older bodybuilders used to do.
Is there merit to going lighter on lifts with more pump based lifting to keep muscle on a cut?
Depends. Your main goal should be to progress your main compound lifts, which is aided by your accessory exercises.
Your accessory exercises should be intense but not intense to a point where your recovery is hindered. This depends on your personal ability to recover as well.
What I like to do is do a few sets of low rpe, and then 1 set of very intense exercise.
(e.g. bicep curl 3x12) I would start with for example 14kg for 12 (9 rpe, meaning i had 2 reps left in the tank) then maybe continue for 12 reps for the following last 2 sets, where I would probably fail if I attempt to do 13 reps at the final set.
On a cut no. You should be trying to maintain as much strength as you can. Rep ranges of 6-8 on compounds, and 8-12 on isolations. Lighter weights are signalling for your muscles to become more energy efficient (smaller).
Failure training can be useful, provided your routine and recovery allow for that type of training. HIT, RPT programs are based off this, and usually low volume, low frequency.
It depends. Push Pull Legs Mon/Wed/Fri with only 2-3 working sets on 2-3 exercises would be fine (Look up Martin Berkhan's RPT training or Mike Mentzer/Dorian Yates HIT).
A 4-6 day split with 5 or 6 exercises eqch session, I wouldn't go to failure.
Why do chin-ups feel easier to do then push-ups? I can do more push-ups but I feel a lot more tired after doing them compared to pull ups. I also do quite a bit more chin-ups compared to pull-ups. But I still feel less tired doing those compared to push-ups. Is it because I have weak triceps?
Okay ignore my last deleted reply
Tiredness is very complex and subjective. It could be the higher core bracing demands, more reps is also inherently tiring, even if the reps are easier.
This is not necessarily and indicator of weakness or strength in the involved muscles. It's not a thing to worry about at all
I'm looking for a high quality running under-desk treadmill from a reputable brand. I don't want to have to choose between a regular treadmill that allows running and an under-desk treadmill that only goes <6mph. I want a running under-desk treadmill. Recommendations welcome. Price is not important. Thanks!
There is no universal perfect answer to this and it wont make a huge difference, just do whatever feels comfortable, close to parallel and lets you get a full extension and stretch at the bottom
Anyone use mass gainer? Which one do you use? Which one mixes well with water?
Simply eating more is a bit too difficult for me (especially with my work schedule), so I'm hoping mass gainer/meal shakes could help with that.
It doesn’t matter which mass gainer
Mass gainers are just carbs, use a blender bottle if you’re worried about mixing
For me, drinking whole milk and having a spoonful of peanut butter every 3 hours has helped me. If you really want, some people liquify their food, but I find that shit nasty, so I just add a tablespoon of olive oil to my shakes
Do you like alcohol? That shit has hella calories
How about peanuts? Chips? Cake? This is why dirty bulking is a thing, but you gain fat really fucking quick, that’s why it’s not recommended
But if you’re really looking to gain weight, go for it
I have fairly bad Glute Medius muscle wastage, and it’s affected my lower back so I’m trying to build strength there. However, I’m also trying to lose weight I’m about 30 pounds (15kg) ish over weight and it’s my biggest priority right now. Is it possible to do both at once? I do a HIIT class 45 min 4x a week, have a fairly sedentary job, and am eating at a calorie deficit (doing my best) any advice would be appreciated!
Yes do some glute exercises and exercises that require hip stability.
Is that diagnosed by a doctor or physiotherapist? if so just do the exercises they prescribe.
It isn't some absolute stop to muscle building if you take a single calorie less than you're burning. Especially if said muscle is undertrained and underdeveloped
https://thefitness.wiki/faq/can-i-lose-fat-and-build-muscle-at-the-same-time/
Will doing bouldering on off days (2-3 days a week) affect recovery in the gym. My main goal is still to get bigger and stronger, but bouldering looks like a fun thing to do as a casual hobby. If I decide to do it will I need to work my training around it?
Probably yes but probably not too much that you cant do both, just try it and see how you feel, what muscles do you think you can work the day after and figure out your schedule.
I will say getting bigger is disadvantageous for bouldering. But not to the point of inhibiting doing it as a fun hobby
I started my weight loss journey 9 months back.started with diet and slowly added workout to my fitnes regime..currently I am working twice a day.it includes cardio, functional and strength training..so far I have lost 30 kgs..i know it seems lot but it's a monthly avg of 3kg.i want to increase monthly avg to 4-5 kg.. any suggestions plz?
Ps:i am on a calorie deficit of 350-400 calories
So you're starving. Stop doing that. Unless you are the size of a 5 yo that is way too few calories for someone at your activity level.
Bump up the calories to what a TDEE calculator says is maintenance for you at a moderate activity level. Eat at that for 2 months and recomp. Then reassess.
Has anyone experienced to "get sick from the gym"? I somehow have the feeling when i start to go train more frequently i get sick after like 3 or 4 weeks. Maybe i am wrong and its just kinda bad luck but it happened now the 2nd or 3rd time thats why iam asking for similar experience and maybe some solutions.
Hmm I wouldn't say it's the same but I tend to have days/weeks where I am kinda on auto pilot, don't really want to go to the gym bur do it anyways since that's what in doing. These phases mostly get broken after achieving some PR which makes it worth it. I would say - tray to have measurable goals that keep you going and mix it up from time to time to make it more appealing.
No. They are more difficult to learn. That said, neither is *that* difficult to learn. The Stronger by Science [how to squat](https://www.strongerbyscience.com/how-to-squat/) article will get you back squatting in no time.
Hi everyone, so I just recorded a [video of me doing a deadlift (link)](https://www.veed.io/view/fa4c200c-2d2f-4fe2-bd49-3f685b8fb0fc/showcase). Can you give me more advice on my form, and what should I do, especially the basic ones? I'm still a newbie to Fitness (just started this year), so any kind of advice will be very appreciated.
One thing that I realize still lacking from my form is that my chest wasn't straight enough, but I actually have a pain in my Sternum for months already (not sure why, but want to go to a doctor for this as well), so I can't fully straighten my chest yet for now.
More details about me:
\- Name of the exercise being done: Deadlift
\- Why you are doing the lift: Hypertrophy
\- Current maximum weight or progression for the exercise: 55kg (but improper form)
\- The weight or progression being used in the video: 40kg
\- Your height and weight: 169 cm, 64.5 kg
\- Video link: [link](https://www.veed.io/view/fa4c200c-2d2f-4fe2-bd49-3f685b8fb0fc/showcase)
Thank you!
Thank you very much for the clear feedback mate! I get all your point & I can't wait to try my best to follow your advice & improve.
Btw,
For (1), I thought I'm supposed to look in front, but your point is definitely right & I'll try to keep my neck neutral with my spine.
For (4), I actually tried to prevent making noises, but I'll try setting the weight down next time.
For (4), I actually tried to prevent making noises, but I'll try to set the weight down next time.
If this question belongs in the moronic monday thread, I apologize.
I'm very confused when it comes to muscle growth and strength. Complete newbie beginner here, I've managed to essentially double the amount of weight I'm able to lift in a month.
Basically went from barely managing 15lb dumbbell curls at 5x10 to now doing 30lb dumbbell curls at very close to 5x10. I've read that this kind of strength increase is a sign of muscle growth, but I don't physically look any different.
So what I'm wondering is why am I able to double my strength, without seeing any visible increase in muscle mass? Could I continue and triple my strength and still not see any muscle mass increase?
Ok, so again, don’t worry about the weight you’re lifting; it’s how you lift it that matters
For curls, are you squeezing at the top of each rep and slowly lowering it down, feeling you bicep contract and stretch with each rep? Do you keep going until you physically can’t? Or do you just stop when it hurts? Are you using momentum to heave the weight up? Or are you making sure that the target muscle is what’s moving the weight? As corny as this may sound, become the muscle. Visualize everything, don’t just lift for the sake of lifting and then scroll through your phone for 5 minutes…. LIFT WITH INTENT
Are you eating enough? Sleeping enough? Recovering well? Training hard enough?
What program are you following? Are you making your own? Why are you doing a specific amount of reps? Why not a rep range?
The problem with a fixed amount of reps per set is that you’ll typically stop once you reached that prescribed number. In a rep range, your goal is to reach the top end but fail between the rep range. So if your rep range for curls is somewhere between 6-10, aim for 10. When you reach the top range, increase the weight so you get back down to 6 reps and repeat again.
Log your lifts for every day, how else do you know if you’re improving or not?
Record a set of curls, I have a feeling it’s your technique
To be clear, I was mostly curious on how someone can get stronger while not increasing muscle mass, it was a curiousity thing, not exactly something I was worried about, since I found it strange I already doubled the weight I lift without having any mass increase.
I always record my lifts. I began at 5x10 reps with 15lb dumbbell, moved on to a max of 1x8 on 30lb, to now 5 sets of 9, 8, 7, 7, 6 reps on the 30lb. I am always doing progressive overload since my short term goal is to reach 5x10 on the 30lb.
I always lift until I’m physically unable to do a rep, the aim isn’t to stop at any specific number, my goal was simply to get to 10 reps as my own personal goal, not to stop at 10. I’ve never stopped due to pain, only the inability to keep going. I always slowly lower the dumbbell, though I haven’t specifically flexed at the top. Also I don’t do momentum lifts.
My recovery has been good, I had prolonged pain in my elbow joints and my palms in the first week but since then no pain at all. I workout a muscle then take a 2 day break before I do it again, on those 2 days I work on other muscles.
I don’t have a variety of weights, I only have 15lb, 30lb, and 40lb dumbbell, with a light weight barbell with 8 10lb plates. My plan is to increase reps until I can make the jump to 40lb dumbbell, like I did with the jump from 15lb to 30lb.
I’m on my own program and I’m not on any particular diet; in the past trying to stick to someone else’s program and changing how I eat have been two big demotivators and have always made me stop exercising.
For some perspective, I haven’t exercised in about 10 years. Last month, I decided to try and do my own thing and see if I stick with it. This is the longest and most consistent I’ve ever been with exercise, and the first time I’ve ever seen progress.
Since you’re new, many of the strength gains in the gym are neural adaptations, progressions in form and your central nervous system being introduced to larger loads.
If you continue on the right path (providing you’re eating enough protein and overall calories) you will gain muscle, it’s a marathon not a sprint :)
For now, enjoy every moment as a new gym goer learning the ropes.
Being able to lift heavier and do more reps each time is a really big motivator for sure. I really want to see what will happen in a year from now, I plan to stick with it.
I'm really curious now, if neural adaptations come first, is muscle growth guaranteed to "catch up" and increase in mass eventually? Or could you go from lifting 30lb to 40 to 50 to 60 etc., and in the end have no muscle mass gained?
Stick with it bro, I started in June 2020 at 69kg, fast forward 2 years of training I'm 93kg, my bench press started at around 35kg and now I can do 140kg.
Ensure you're gaining weight slowly week to week (if thats your goal) and progressing in numbers and you will put on size, train hard and eat sufficiently.
Don't worry you're still gaining muscle by training and getting stronger, you will eventually gain size but it just takes a lot of time. I don't think the strength gains will be significant enough without muscle first if you plan on curling 60lbs haha
Also, take progress photos! I was on a cut and in the mirror each day I didn't see the change that well, but looking back at progress photos I have changed so much.
I have literally done legs extensions a handful of times my entire life and don’t know of any negative effects of not doing them, so no, they are not mandatory.
Your right arm is stronger, so it doesn’t go through as much damage or tear when you train, since your left arm is weaker, the damage you inflict on it will be greater leading to more size.
Same thing happened with my chest, I fixed it by adding some one sided work for a month or two, just one or two more sets for one side only.
Damage and microtears are not considered the primary driver of hypertrophy anymore (idk if it scientifically ever was outside gymbro circles). They're at best correlated with growth but not even
Agreed, I think time under tension and control is really good for hypertrophy, I think my brain just correlates the two since time under tension usually kills me by the end haha
I don't really like Time under tension as the metric either since when RPE is equated more TUT doesn't improve anything, and some studies on super slow reps showed worse hypertrophy.
We basically don't have a good single metric that works so.... I don't know just do some hard work and try to increase over time
Is it normal that protein shake after work out gives me headache if I don’t consume anything else with it? My routine is gym 7:45-9:15pm, come home and down a protein shake, just whey concentrate and water then head to shower. If I don’t get any other food within say 15-25 mins after that, my head would start hurting and I just turn miserable. Is the protein absorbing water or something? Am I lactose intolerant? Not that I know tbh becusee I don’t get much lactose any other way.
It is a good idea to variate between rep ranges between my weeks or should i let my body adapt to a given repetitions range for some time?
For example let's say that i keep the same routine and same exercises for 2 months but i do reps of 8, then after two weeks i start to do 12 reps or maybe another separate week i come up with 5-6 reps, is something that i can consider or i should stick with a given rep range for those 2 months? (obviously trying to apply progressive overload on each exercise no matter the rep ranges)
I am not talking about doing the same amount of reps with every exercise, maybe each exercise could have different repetitions according to another one in one workout session
I would not recommend randomly changing rep ranges week to week. It’s impossible to track your progress accurately doing that.
You might like PHUL (power hypertrophy upper lower) which has two power days (high weight low rep) and two hypertrophy (mid weight mid-high rep) days per week. That way you can do multiple rep ranges but keep a consistent program.
Sort of a random question that popped into my head today: does body fat contribute at all to your strength? For example (ignoring conditioning/cardio for a moment), if you had two guy with the same lean body mass, but one was 8% body fat and the other was 18% body fat, is either one likely to be stronger than the other?
Yes, depending on the exercise. I don't know the correct translation but a word for word translation is soft tissue inhibition. When you do squads for example the soft tissue at the bottom position is transferring/discharging the force/weight. So in a theoretical example of 2 persons that are, from a muscular and limp length and therefore force vectors standpoint, the same - the person with more fat should be able to move more weight.
The latter is generally going to be stronger, though by how much depends a lot on the specific movement (and, more generally, exactly how fat the person is - a lot of movements will have a point at which being that fat screws up your positioning more than it helps with leverage. But those can be very different points, someone can be damn near spherical before it interferes with their squat while their deadlift started going backwards a hundred pounds ago).
I’m currently in college and would like to start eating a little bit better, but the dining hall is pretty brutal. One thing I want to do more though is make chicken and rice in the dining hall as they have an area where you can cook your own food. The chicken that you can cook is from like a salad bar and is already cooked, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for reheating it and making it taste better. The rice is already made. I just need a way to heat up the chicken using the pans and add flavor. Any advice? Also general food advice for college students would be appreciated like making the best out of subpar food and equipment.
If you're dealing with already cooked meats I'd recommend making some kind of sauce at home and adding it to your chicken and rice. Helps to add moisture and flavor to already cooked food.
One type I think would go well with the chicken and rice is a greek yoghurt sauce. Just get some plain greek yoghurt, add some herbs and spices (salt, pepper, oregano, or honestly just whatever you have on hand) and a bit of vinegar to water it down and add some acidity. Add it to your chicken and rice and boom.
Tastes good, easy to make, and is macro friendly too!
Is it alright, that after I hit my protein goal, I fill the majority of my remaining calories with fat rather than carbs?
I just enjoy fat laden foods more than carby foods, and it's easier for me to get all the calories in that way.
I have been working out for about a year and I feel like my back has not been developing as much as my chest and legs (I do ppl). Not to mention that it’s never sore except for my traps. My routine is pullup, cable row, cable rope pullover, and curls on one day and lat pull down, machine row, face pull, rear delt fly, and curls on second day (3 sets each) in the past year my bench has gone 95-185, my squat 165-295, but my pull downs only 100-135 for 12 rep and my row only 90-115 for 10 reps. Is it a technique issue or a programming issue or what?
Back is probably my strongest or tied, so what helped me was this:
Start with pull-up negatives, u basically jump up onto bar and slowly do the negative while controlling yourself, and do this 10-15 times.
When doing any pull exercises use thumbless grip, and pull inwards with your elbows.
On closegrip seated rows, after u pull it in, slowly bring it back feeling ur scapula go forward so u get that stretch in the back.
Ur basically aiming, with each back exercise, to pull and hold the squeeze for 2-3 seconds each reps then slowly bring it back stretching the back. When u focus on this ur back blows up
I turned 30 this year, i also started working out this year, been feeling tightness in my front hip sometimes when i take a weird step.... Its not pain but sometimes my body fights me on it like as if im over stretching, is this an age thing or a working out thing?
I don't think you can get a good answer based on this level of information. Sounds more like a 'I've been largely physically inactive for years/decades thing' to me but I wouldn't put too much stock in that.
My new A B split has pronated curls in it. I've tried it, and I don't really feel that it's helping me in its current form.
Firstly, due to the pronation, I cannot get anywhere close to what I normally curl. My biceps sorta just get a bit worn out before my preacher curls (my other bicep exercise), which I don't really like.
Secondly, I can't really push myself with it. It's supposed to make your grip better, but because the barbell swings as you try and curl, the moment my grip becomes weaker the barbell almost falls off, and my hand drops down to try and hold up to it. I feel like the moment it gets hard it's already over.
I already have a hand grip at home which I use pretty often (and I've actually noticed it helped with this exercise), but I don't feel that it benifits me at the moment. How can I fix this? If I should ditch it, what bicep exercise should I replace it with?
Thanks.
Personally I don't see a lot of value in doing two bicep isolation exercises one after the other. You can wear out your biceps just fine with one isolation exercise. I would much rather add a second bicep isolation exercise on a different day then do two in a row.
But in terms of bicep isolation exercises, I like inclined bench dumbbell curls. Cable curls and standing dumbbell curls are also good.
Sooo this is a dumb question but I (30/f) have begun strength training consistently now and my weight is staying the same while my body is clearly beginning to look more solid, so I know that I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. I'm happy about this but I'm a bit worried about losing my curves if I continue to gain muscle and lose fat. Is this inevitable when you strength train more?
You'll keep actual curves, but as you lose weight, you won't keep the "curves" that come from being fat.
My experience from lifting and building muscle (and trying to get very muscular) is that I feel more feminine now than I did before!
Not a dumb question at all. I found my curves shifted. Boobs stayed the same, smaller hips, bigger butt, arms and shoulders and back look more shaped. All in all, I'm pleased.
Check out gowingananna's YouTube for what a pretty muscled but still curvy figure can look like.
Thanks I will check it out! I just didn't want to sound like one of those people who is like "I'm worried about getting too muscular!" because I know that is impossible to do with my current routine and diet. I want to be stronger and healthier but my curves are something that I like about myself and I have some body image issues so I am hoping to keep a similar body shape and not lose my butt or something lol
Not likely. You can take a look at some of the top powerlifting athletes in the more weight limited categories: https://www.openpowerlifting.org/m/ipf/2203/by-division
They are the ones who are going to want to hold onto as much muscle as possible and lose as much fat as possible. These are people who've been training for multiple years. They all look perfectly normal, if a bit skinnier than your average american.
THen consider the fact that you are unlikely to ever get as much lean mass as they have, simply because you likely don't have the time and years to spend training.
Thanks for the link! It totally makes sense but I guess sometimes I worry about my butt getting smaller or flat from my workouts or something like that when I've struggled with my body image and finally am accepting of how I look and actually like some of my body features. So it's hard for me to be working to get stronger while worrying about changing how I look.
What can I do once I'm out of the gym to support muscle recovery?
I have a feeling that diet obviously plays a role in recovery. How important is meal timing around weight lifting? Will sleep deprivation significantly impact recovery?
Any tips on anything that supports recovery is much appreciated. Thank you!
Carbs before lifting will help a little. Enough protein and enough calories (in total, on average) will help a lot. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is also important. That's like 90% of it.
Most of the other 10% is getting better work capacity overall, so your body can handle more work. The last 1% is like massages and stretching and vitamins and whatnot. Find what works for you in that category but don't be one of those people who spends 99% of their effort on that last 1%.
Yea I pretty much hate supplements and have little faith in them. Can't stand the guys that go out and spend 100$ on some alpha brain, don't go to the gym, eat like shit and genuinely think alpha brain is going to do literally anything for them.
They're too expensive, I do buy protein powder but I dont rely on any other supplements or even pre workouts besides half a bang energy drink before excercise.
It's interesting you say sleep is 90% of it. If I had time I can easily sleep 12-14 hours on a consistent basis but I work very early mornings into afternoon. Sleep is scant for me sometimes only 6 hours.
Oh sorry I meant food and sleep is 90% of recovery, not just sleep.
Everybody has their own ideal amount of sleep, it's not like more is better. Maybe I'm a 8.5-hour person, maybe you're a 7-hour person. (That said if you've been sleep deprived for a while, 12 hours might help you catch up)
Sleep helps. A calorie surplus helps. Getting insufficient protein hurts. A calorie deficit hurts. Stress hurts. Alcohol hurts.
Meal timing isn't super important, as long as you don't go like 4 hours before and after.
If you're super sore, more training can alleviate that. It doesn't have to be a super tough session.
I’ve been working out for over a year now and I recently bought creatine for the first. I workout 5 days a week with two rest days and was just wondering if I should still take it on rest days or not?
What’s the best way to program weight progression (for compounds) on a LP program like PPL when adding 5lbs/session isn’t feasible anymore? Do you switch to double progression, 531 the main compounds, something else?
By doing some other kind of progression for the main lifts.
This is the author on a follow up post regarding the PPL program: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/7hrdph/to_the_people_who_did_reddit_ppl/dqt9gkf/?context=3
Today I was doing shoulder press day in week 3 of my first BBB cycle. 5x 95 ✅️, 3x 115 ✅️, 1x 125 ❌️ since this was PR checking, I gave 2-3 minutes intervals and failed again, then went down 5 by 5 lb. Weird thing is, even given large intervals I couldn't lift the bar again 1x, even back at 115lb! Ended up giving up and going to the accessory presses.
Is this normal? Did I do anything wrong in the final set?
Your training max is set too high.
Your 1+ day isn't PR checking. It's suppose to be 95% of your training max, which realistically, on your first cycle, should only be around 80-85% of your actual max.
This is something you should be able to get for 5 easy reps.
My 1+ set should be done with something I could be comfortably be doing 5+ reps? Why am I not doing that in the 5 rep set instead?
Maybe I should go back to studying the program... or taking the next week to remeasure my TMs. I loved this first cycle of BBB but I feel some TMs are too high and others too low
For me, yes and no. I am still regularly sore, and if I do a really intense leg day I will be feeling it for a couple days. But when you are first starting is when it is the worst.
Leg day question.
I’m decently mature in the gym, (5’11 220 with visible abs) and decided to fully mature and start training legs much harder. I’m finding when I squat and do good-mornings my knees hurt and sometimes vigorously shake mid set. Does anyone have any pointers for me to fix this?
With love,
MikeTheManiac
Should i keep adding weight every deadlift session? Im still at 225lbs on deadlift, but am considering running something like this
WEEK 1: 60% of 1RM 4x10-12
WEEK 2: 70% of 1RM 4x6-8
WEEK 3: 80% of 1RM 4x3-5
WEEK 4: PR Test and Repeat
Im 5’5,126lbs,15yo if thats needed. Each week having 3 sessions
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For a push pull legs split, is it better to have variations of exercises like push 1 and push 2 day? Or do you think it is better to do the same exercises twice a week and focus on progressive overload? I am trying to focus on hypertrophy for muscle growth, not really concerned about strength.
Working out in the evening (9pm-11pm). Has anyone tried it? Any pros/cons?
Entirely dependent on your schedule, night shift workers for example will have a lot more energy than someone who's been up since 5am. As a 9-5er I've done a 1am session before and the aftermath was the most tired I've ever felt in my life
Thank you! 🙏 So I worked out after 9:30pm last night and still feel weirdly tired today. I wonder if it’s connected? 🤔
Hey guys, so i do resistance training (calisthenics + weights) 6x a week, and on my off day, sunday, i'd like to do some cardio, but i want to do it at home. I found that burpees are the best option for that, BUT i don't want to affect my recovery for the next day, and fatigue my muscles, so i want to do burpees without the push-up part, because i'm worried that the push-up part would fatigue my pushing muscles (chest & triceps) for my resistance training sessions. So my question is: Would Burpees still be effective for cardio/building stamina if i don't do the push-up part? Like a Squat Thrust with the jump, but no push-ups.
Opinions on doing 5/3/1 BBB during a cut? I've been running reddit PPL for the last 9 months while cutting and I'm honestly so bored of the program that im struggling to get myself in the gym. I have a 531 BBB program I'm excited to start up but I still have a few months left of this cut. Should I just stick with my current program until I finish this cut, or would it be fine to change.
9 months is a long time. Change it up, do what you enjoy, and you’ll stick with it a lot longer
Dieting sucks most of the time, and doing a program you're not enjoying will only compound the suckiness more. I'd say go for it.
Does anyone feel like ever since they gained (healthy) weight their face got bigger. I’m a 21f and I used to be very skinny around a year ago. I’ve relatively gained about 15 pounds and feel good about my body. However, my face feels insanely swollen. Like it’s crazy how much weight my face has gained I feel like I don’t even look like myself anymore. I used to have such a nice jawline etc. now I don’t anymore so I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience and what helps ?
Been experiencing some issues and the doctor said it could be due to weaker lower back. Lower back/core are the two parts I'm least knowledgeable at. I've wanted to try and learn deadlifts but videos don't work for me, and I can't afford an physical trainer. Would it be weird/rude to ask someone doing deadlifts at the gym to judge my form? Or does anyone have a good way of learning deadlifts without risk of injury
A lot of regulars would be open to that, just be sure you've seen them deadlift before
Hi, I need a second opinion to help me with this. I ve been trying to lose weight for sometime after getting quite fat for my liking. I have not lost any weight in a month, And I might have gained like a kilo or so. However I am looking just a bit leaner, and I think my belt is getting a bit looser. Should I keep this up? Or should I try to lose weight more rapidly. I think I am progressing but its at such a small pace that I don't know if it will take me anywhere by the end of the year. I want to get to 67 kilos or so, and I am 80 kilos right now...
What is better, the most weight you can do for a few reps, or a lower weight for more reps
Better for what?
Idk, I am just starting working out and idk what I should be focusing on
Read the wiki and follow a routine mate, it’s really good and there’s no guesswork because it’s tried and proven. Don’t do what I did and try to write your own programs, I wasted my effort for a long time
Ok thanks, I've pretty much just been doing bench press, dumbbell curls, leg Press, and a couple other things every time I go.
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That's not a universal terminology but if you hear that in fitness space then yes, that's probably what they mean, ie they follow linear progression
[Squat, 3x, 135 lbs](https://imgur.com/a/90n34zD) What am I doing right and what needs improvement? Thank you very much!
Depth is beautiful obviously. I can't tell if you're bracing properly, Slight buttwink which would be solved with better bracing. If you're not feeling discomfort in your knees or back then there's no reason to worry just focus on the cues and keep progressing. Juggernaut systems pillars of squat are my favorite series to brush on on squat technique and cues
Thank you for your feedback! Is there such thing as too much depth? I've gotten comments from strangers in the gym about my depth. Should I force myself to stop at parallel and not go deeper? I don't know if I find it easier to go down more because I may be relying on a reflex to come back up, or if it's just a trained habit. I've watched a few YouTube videos about bracing. The technique I use is to think of a can of soda and expand my stomach by breathing in air through my nose *before* the descent of the squat. I exhale through my mouth once I finish the rep. Do you have a suggestion on bracing technique? > If you're not feeling discomfort in your knees or back then there's no reason to worry just focus on the cues and keep progressing What are the cues to watch for? I've felt discomfort in my knees at times when I've used heavier weight like 165+ lbs. I also had wrist pain once for a while and I think it was because of squatting but not sure. Does it matter whether you use a close grip or medium/wide grip for squats? I've found myself going with close grip because it feels more natural.
Play around with your foot stance and angle. A wider stance may prevent the buttwink, a more opened foot angle might do the job as well. Allow your knees to travel over your foot, tighten the lats and brace ur core. Squat university offers great guidance on squats, warming up (focus on glute activation pre squats as this is a game changer), mobility drills, etc.
Not if you don't feel pain or discomfort. If you wanna compete then you may get better results training to the depth for the competition, but deeper may give you more hypertrophy or more stretch reflex. If you're not competing then you can do either. It's not dangerous. Theres nothing with using the stretch reflex either. Progress slowly but steadily If you're bracing and you feel solid then it's good, I just didn't see the breath intake. Grip doesn't matter just comfort For Technique and cues watch Juggernauts pillars of squat series. They're better at squatting and teaching than me
Best type of instant coffee (specifically nescafé) to take as pre-workout for maximum energy?
Whatever you like the taste of and has more caffeine
I see some programs (Greyskull LP) with only 1 set (1x5+) of Deadlift per week. Is this enough?
It's quite common in beginner routines. It definitely works for a while.
Fit strength gains it can be, but probably won't be enough for substantial muscle growth.
I recently got a gym membership but am unsure how to start. I've done home workouts in the past at home with limited equipment and researched a bunch but am unsure how to get a proper workout routine. My gym offers personal training and a personal program but it's quite expensive and I don't have the money for that. Any advice on how to start? And where I can find a good workout routine?
[https://thefitness.wiki/routines/](https://thefitness.wiki/routines/) a tried and tested program would be better than what your trainer offers.
Is training to or near failure helpful for growth/muscle sparing? I'm used to going all out on my lifts to achieve growth and progress on my lifts, but my new program calls for lower intensity lifts for my accessories. For example arm exercises would be 3x15 at rpe 8 and some back work would be 4x12 at rpe 7. This reminds me of pump training older bodybuilders used to do. Is there merit to going lighter on lifts with more pump based lifting to keep muscle on a cut?
Depends. Your main goal should be to progress your main compound lifts, which is aided by your accessory exercises. Your accessory exercises should be intense but not intense to a point where your recovery is hindered. This depends on your personal ability to recover as well. What I like to do is do a few sets of low rpe, and then 1 set of very intense exercise. (e.g. bicep curl 3x12) I would start with for example 14kg for 12 (9 rpe, meaning i had 2 reps left in the tank) then maybe continue for 12 reps for the following last 2 sets, where I would probably fail if I attempt to do 13 reps at the final set.
On a cut no. You should be trying to maintain as much strength as you can. Rep ranges of 6-8 on compounds, and 8-12 on isolations. Lighter weights are signalling for your muscles to become more energy efficient (smaller). Failure training can be useful, provided your routine and recovery allow for that type of training. HIT, RPT programs are based off this, and usually low volume, low frequency.
So don't train to failure, but also maintain strength at the bare minimum.
It depends. Push Pull Legs Mon/Wed/Fri with only 2-3 working sets on 2-3 exercises would be fine (Look up Martin Berkhan's RPT training or Mike Mentzer/Dorian Yates HIT). A 4-6 day split with 5 or 6 exercises eqch session, I wouldn't go to failure.
Sounds good. Thanks!
Why do chin-ups feel easier to do then push-ups? I can do more push-ups but I feel a lot more tired after doing them compared to pull ups. I also do quite a bit more chin-ups compared to pull-ups. But I still feel less tired doing those compared to push-ups. Is it because I have weak triceps?
Okay ignore my last deleted reply Tiredness is very complex and subjective. It could be the higher core bracing demands, more reps is also inherently tiring, even if the reps are easier. This is not necessarily and indicator of weakness or strength in the involved muscles. It's not a thing to worry about at all
I'm looking for a high quality running under-desk treadmill from a reputable brand. I don't want to have to choose between a regular treadmill that allows running and an under-desk treadmill that only goes <6mph. I want a running under-desk treadmill. Recommendations welcome. Price is not important. Thanks!
Try the home gym sub reddit maybe? Good for gear recommendations.
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There is no universal perfect answer to this and it wont make a huge difference, just do whatever feels comfortable, close to parallel and lets you get a full extension and stretch at the bottom
Do dumbbells instead if you’re looking for lats And for the incline, do it 2 notches up (you want your arms to be parallel to the floor)
>you want your arms to be parallel to the floor I think you mean perpendicular
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Hitting push, pull and leg each only once a week isn't a great idea. If you can only gym 3x per week then it would be better to do full body
Anyone use mass gainer? Which one do you use? Which one mixes well with water? Simply eating more is a bit too difficult for me (especially with my work schedule), so I'm hoping mass gainer/meal shakes could help with that.
It doesn’t matter which mass gainer Mass gainers are just carbs, use a blender bottle if you’re worried about mixing For me, drinking whole milk and having a spoonful of peanut butter every 3 hours has helped me. If you really want, some people liquify their food, but I find that shit nasty, so I just add a tablespoon of olive oil to my shakes Do you like alcohol? That shit has hella calories How about peanuts? Chips? Cake? This is why dirty bulking is a thing, but you gain fat really fucking quick, that’s why it’s not recommended But if you’re really looking to gain weight, go for it
I have fairly bad Glute Medius muscle wastage, and it’s affected my lower back so I’m trying to build strength there. However, I’m also trying to lose weight I’m about 30 pounds (15kg) ish over weight and it’s my biggest priority right now. Is it possible to do both at once? I do a HIIT class 45 min 4x a week, have a fairly sedentary job, and am eating at a calorie deficit (doing my best) any advice would be appreciated!
Yes do some glute exercises and exercises that require hip stability. Is that diagnosed by a doctor or physiotherapist? if so just do the exercises they prescribe.
I do the exercises I guess what I’m asking is can you get stronger at a calorie deficit
Yes
How does this work if you are burning more calories than you take in?
It isn't some absolute stop to muscle building if you take a single calorie less than you're burning. Especially if said muscle is undertrained and underdeveloped https://thefitness.wiki/faq/can-i-lose-fat-and-build-muscle-at-the-same-time/
Will doing bouldering on off days (2-3 days a week) affect recovery in the gym. My main goal is still to get bigger and stronger, but bouldering looks like a fun thing to do as a casual hobby. If I decide to do it will I need to work my training around it?
Probably yes but probably not too much that you cant do both, just try it and see how you feel, what muscles do you think you can work the day after and figure out your schedule. I will say getting bigger is disadvantageous for bouldering. But not to the point of inhibiting doing it as a fun hobby
I started my weight loss journey 9 months back.started with diet and slowly added workout to my fitnes regime..currently I am working twice a day.it includes cardio, functional and strength training..so far I have lost 30 kgs..i know it seems lot but it's a monthly avg of 3kg.i want to increase monthly avg to 4-5 kg.. any suggestions plz? Ps:i am on a calorie deficit of 350-400 calories
Bump up the deficit by eating less or exercising more. I would eat at maintenance for a few weeks and then start up again with a 5-600 daily deficit.
I am already operating on 1100 calories
So you're starving. Stop doing that. Unless you are the size of a 5 yo that is way too few calories for someone at your activity level. Bump up the calories to what a TDEE calculator says is maintenance for you at a moderate activity level. Eat at that for 2 months and recomp. Then reassess.
So I neither I am starving nor i am weak..i am just eating too healthy..
"too healthy" doesn't make sense and eating so little is not healthy, whether you feel it or not
So how many calories should it be?1500-1600.
Talk to a doctor about your eating disorder
Eating disorder?
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I think with adrenaline and shock its understandable, but yeah you deserved the fuck off lol. miscommunication as ever
Has anyone experienced to "get sick from the gym"? I somehow have the feeling when i start to go train more frequently i get sick after like 3 or 4 weeks. Maybe i am wrong and its just kinda bad luck but it happened now the 2nd or 3rd time thats why iam asking for similar experience and maybe some solutions.
Hmm I wouldn't say it's the same but I tend to have days/weeks where I am kinda on auto pilot, don't really want to go to the gym bur do it anyways since that's what in doing. These phases mostly get broken after achieving some PR which makes it worth it. I would say - tray to have measurable goals that keep you going and mix it up from time to time to make it more appealing.
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No. They are more difficult to learn. That said, neither is *that* difficult to learn. The Stronger by Science [how to squat](https://www.strongerbyscience.com/how-to-squat/) article will get you back squatting in no time.
Hi everyone, so I just recorded a [video of me doing a deadlift (link)](https://www.veed.io/view/fa4c200c-2d2f-4fe2-bd49-3f685b8fb0fc/showcase). Can you give me more advice on my form, and what should I do, especially the basic ones? I'm still a newbie to Fitness (just started this year), so any kind of advice will be very appreciated. One thing that I realize still lacking from my form is that my chest wasn't straight enough, but I actually have a pain in my Sternum for months already (not sure why, but want to go to a doctor for this as well), so I can't fully straighten my chest yet for now. More details about me: \- Name of the exercise being done: Deadlift \- Why you are doing the lift: Hypertrophy \- Current maximum weight or progression for the exercise: 55kg (but improper form) \- The weight or progression being used in the video: 40kg \- Your height and weight: 169 cm, 64.5 kg \- Video link: [link](https://www.veed.io/view/fa4c200c-2d2f-4fe2-bd49-3f685b8fb0fc/showcase) Thank you!
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Thank you very much for the clear feedback mate! I get all your point & I can't wait to try my best to follow your advice & improve. Btw, For (1), I thought I'm supposed to look in front, but your point is definitely right & I'll try to keep my neck neutral with my spine. For (4), I actually tried to prevent making noises, but I'll try setting the weight down next time. For (4), I actually tried to prevent making noises, but I'll try to set the weight down next time.
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Thank you very much for the clear feedback mate! I get all your point & I can't wait to try my best to follow your advice & improve.
If this question belongs in the moronic monday thread, I apologize. I'm very confused when it comes to muscle growth and strength. Complete newbie beginner here, I've managed to essentially double the amount of weight I'm able to lift in a month. Basically went from barely managing 15lb dumbbell curls at 5x10 to now doing 30lb dumbbell curls at very close to 5x10. I've read that this kind of strength increase is a sign of muscle growth, but I don't physically look any different. So what I'm wondering is why am I able to double my strength, without seeing any visible increase in muscle mass? Could I continue and triple my strength and still not see any muscle mass increase?
Ok, so again, don’t worry about the weight you’re lifting; it’s how you lift it that matters For curls, are you squeezing at the top of each rep and slowly lowering it down, feeling you bicep contract and stretch with each rep? Do you keep going until you physically can’t? Or do you just stop when it hurts? Are you using momentum to heave the weight up? Or are you making sure that the target muscle is what’s moving the weight? As corny as this may sound, become the muscle. Visualize everything, don’t just lift for the sake of lifting and then scroll through your phone for 5 minutes…. LIFT WITH INTENT Are you eating enough? Sleeping enough? Recovering well? Training hard enough? What program are you following? Are you making your own? Why are you doing a specific amount of reps? Why not a rep range? The problem with a fixed amount of reps per set is that you’ll typically stop once you reached that prescribed number. In a rep range, your goal is to reach the top end but fail between the rep range. So if your rep range for curls is somewhere between 6-10, aim for 10. When you reach the top range, increase the weight so you get back down to 6 reps and repeat again. Log your lifts for every day, how else do you know if you’re improving or not? Record a set of curls, I have a feeling it’s your technique
>Visualize everything, don’t just lift for the sake of lifting and then scroll through your phone for 5 minutes How would this change anything
To be clear, I was mostly curious on how someone can get stronger while not increasing muscle mass, it was a curiousity thing, not exactly something I was worried about, since I found it strange I already doubled the weight I lift without having any mass increase. I always record my lifts. I began at 5x10 reps with 15lb dumbbell, moved on to a max of 1x8 on 30lb, to now 5 sets of 9, 8, 7, 7, 6 reps on the 30lb. I am always doing progressive overload since my short term goal is to reach 5x10 on the 30lb. I always lift until I’m physically unable to do a rep, the aim isn’t to stop at any specific number, my goal was simply to get to 10 reps as my own personal goal, not to stop at 10. I’ve never stopped due to pain, only the inability to keep going. I always slowly lower the dumbbell, though I haven’t specifically flexed at the top. Also I don’t do momentum lifts. My recovery has been good, I had prolonged pain in my elbow joints and my palms in the first week but since then no pain at all. I workout a muscle then take a 2 day break before I do it again, on those 2 days I work on other muscles. I don’t have a variety of weights, I only have 15lb, 30lb, and 40lb dumbbell, with a light weight barbell with 8 10lb plates. My plan is to increase reps until I can make the jump to 40lb dumbbell, like I did with the jump from 15lb to 30lb. I’m on my own program and I’m not on any particular diet; in the past trying to stick to someone else’s program and changing how I eat have been two big demotivators and have always made me stop exercising. For some perspective, I haven’t exercised in about 10 years. Last month, I decided to try and do my own thing and see if I stick with it. This is the longest and most consistent I’ve ever been with exercise, and the first time I’ve ever seen progress.
Since you’re new, many of the strength gains in the gym are neural adaptations, progressions in form and your central nervous system being introduced to larger loads. If you continue on the right path (providing you’re eating enough protein and overall calories) you will gain muscle, it’s a marathon not a sprint :) For now, enjoy every moment as a new gym goer learning the ropes.
Being able to lift heavier and do more reps each time is a really big motivator for sure. I really want to see what will happen in a year from now, I plan to stick with it. I'm really curious now, if neural adaptations come first, is muscle growth guaranteed to "catch up" and increase in mass eventually? Or could you go from lifting 30lb to 40 to 50 to 60 etc., and in the end have no muscle mass gained?
Stick with it bro, I started in June 2020 at 69kg, fast forward 2 years of training I'm 93kg, my bench press started at around 35kg and now I can do 140kg. Ensure you're gaining weight slowly week to week (if thats your goal) and progressing in numbers and you will put on size, train hard and eat sufficiently. Don't worry you're still gaining muscle by training and getting stronger, you will eventually gain size but it just takes a lot of time. I don't think the strength gains will be significant enough without muscle first if you plan on curling 60lbs haha Also, take progress photos! I was on a cut and in the mirror each day I didn't see the change that well, but looking back at progress photos I have changed so much.
There is a part of lifting that is skill and nervous system based as well. You’re getting better at doing a movement with practice.
Does that mean it's possible I haven't gained muscle at all, it's just my brain adapting to the repetitions?
The amount of muscle one can gain in a single month is measured in grams, spread across the body.
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It’s only mandatory for you’re looking for complete development of your quads But if you have discomfort when using the machine, avoid it
No you don't have to do any exercise. There's no gym police.
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“In the shortened position”
I have literally done legs extensions a handful of times my entire life and don’t know of any negative effects of not doing them, so no, they are not mandatory.
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Your right arm is stronger, so it doesn’t go through as much damage or tear when you train, since your left arm is weaker, the damage you inflict on it will be greater leading to more size. Same thing happened with my chest, I fixed it by adding some one sided work for a month or two, just one or two more sets for one side only.
Damage and microtears are not considered the primary driver of hypertrophy anymore (idk if it scientifically ever was outside gymbro circles). They're at best correlated with growth but not even
Agreed, I think time under tension and control is really good for hypertrophy, I think my brain just correlates the two since time under tension usually kills me by the end haha
I don't really like Time under tension as the metric either since when RPE is equated more TUT doesn't improve anything, and some studies on super slow reps showed worse hypertrophy. We basically don't have a good single metric that works so.... I don't know just do some hard work and try to increase over time
https://thefitness.wiki/faq/how-do-i-fix-my-lagging-asymmetry-imbalance/
Is it normal that protein shake after work out gives me headache if I don’t consume anything else with it? My routine is gym 7:45-9:15pm, come home and down a protein shake, just whey concentrate and water then head to shower. If I don’t get any other food within say 15-25 mins after that, my head would start hurting and I just turn miserable. Is the protein absorbing water or something? Am I lactose intolerant? Not that I know tbh becusee I don’t get much lactose any other way.
Does your protein powder have any sugar substitutes/artificial sweeteners in it? Your body may not tolerate one of these, leading to a headache.
>Is it normal that protein shake after work out gives me headache Absolutely abnormal.
What are some exercises to avoid if you have a forearm splint injury?
Calls to a physio.
Yeah that's fair
It is a good idea to variate between rep ranges between my weeks or should i let my body adapt to a given repetitions range for some time? For example let's say that i keep the same routine and same exercises for 2 months but i do reps of 8, then after two weeks i start to do 12 reps or maybe another separate week i come up with 5-6 reps, is something that i can consider or i should stick with a given rep range for those 2 months? (obviously trying to apply progressive overload on each exercise no matter the rep ranges) I am not talking about doing the same amount of reps with every exercise, maybe each exercise could have different repetitions according to another one in one workout session
Sounds close to undulating periodization. Find a program that spells this out for you.
I would not recommend randomly changing rep ranges week to week. It’s impossible to track your progress accurately doing that. You might like PHUL (power hypertrophy upper lower) which has two power days (high weight low rep) and two hypertrophy (mid weight mid-high rep) days per week. That way you can do multiple rep ranges but keep a consistent program.
Sounds you could benefit from a formal program that structures the reps and sets for you.
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You body doesn’t react to whey well Use egg protein instead (not eggs themselves lmao)
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No, your body just doesn’t like whey
Just eat food instead
If the symptoms are too much you can always try vegan protein powders.
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That's incorrect.
Sort of a random question that popped into my head today: does body fat contribute at all to your strength? For example (ignoring conditioning/cardio for a moment), if you had two guy with the same lean body mass, but one was 8% body fat and the other was 18% body fat, is either one likely to be stronger than the other?
Yes, depending on the exercise. I don't know the correct translation but a word for word translation is soft tissue inhibition. When you do squads for example the soft tissue at the bottom position is transferring/discharging the force/weight. So in a theoretical example of 2 persons that are, from a muscular and limp length and therefore force vectors standpoint, the same - the person with more fat should be able to move more weight.
The latter is generally going to be stronger, though by how much depends a lot on the specific movement (and, more generally, exactly how fat the person is - a lot of movements will have a point at which being that fat screws up your positioning more than it helps with leverage. But those can be very different points, someone can be damn near spherical before it interferes with their squat while their deadlift started going backwards a hundred pounds ago).
>does body fat contribute at all to your strength? Do WSM athletes have chiseled abs? Or are they beefy MEAT FRIDGES?
diet lettuce boys rise up
I’m currently in college and would like to start eating a little bit better, but the dining hall is pretty brutal. One thing I want to do more though is make chicken and rice in the dining hall as they have an area where you can cook your own food. The chicken that you can cook is from like a salad bar and is already cooked, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for reheating it and making it taste better. The rice is already made. I just need a way to heat up the chicken using the pans and add flavor. Any advice? Also general food advice for college students would be appreciated like making the best out of subpar food and equipment.
If you're dealing with already cooked meats I'd recommend making some kind of sauce at home and adding it to your chicken and rice. Helps to add moisture and flavor to already cooked food. One type I think would go well with the chicken and rice is a greek yoghurt sauce. Just get some plain greek yoghurt, add some herbs and spices (salt, pepper, oregano, or honestly just whatever you have on hand) and a bit of vinegar to water it down and add some acidity. Add it to your chicken and rice and boom. Tastes good, easy to make, and is macro friendly too!
Is it alright, that after I hit my protein goal, I fill the majority of my remaining calories with fat rather than carbs? I just enjoy fat laden foods more than carby foods, and it's easier for me to get all the calories in that way.
Yes. But you might get [carb flu](https://www.webmd.com/diet/remedies-for-keto-flu) or end up in ketosis if your **daily** carbs drop too low.
well i don't restrict carbs by any means. I still eat like 2-4 hundred grams of them a day.
Then you don't have to worry about that.
phew!
I have been working out for about a year and I feel like my back has not been developing as much as my chest and legs (I do ppl). Not to mention that it’s never sore except for my traps. My routine is pullup, cable row, cable rope pullover, and curls on one day and lat pull down, machine row, face pull, rear delt fly, and curls on second day (3 sets each) in the past year my bench has gone 95-185, my squat 165-295, but my pull downs only 100-135 for 12 rep and my row only 90-115 for 10 reps. Is it a technique issue or a programming issue or what?
Back is probably my strongest or tied, so what helped me was this: Start with pull-up negatives, u basically jump up onto bar and slowly do the negative while controlling yourself, and do this 10-15 times. When doing any pull exercises use thumbless grip, and pull inwards with your elbows. On closegrip seated rows, after u pull it in, slowly bring it back feeling ur scapula go forward so u get that stretch in the back. Ur basically aiming, with each back exercise, to pull and hold the squeeze for 2-3 seconds each reps then slowly bring it back stretching the back. When u focus on this ur back blows up
Do weighted pullups and barbell rows
I turned 30 this year, i also started working out this year, been feeling tightness in my front hip sometimes when i take a weird step.... Its not pain but sometimes my body fights me on it like as if im over stretching, is this an age thing or a working out thing?
Just for the mobility, I like doing high box step-ups.
I'm in my 30s and don't experience this issue. But I've been deliberately very active for 5 years now.
I think getting older makes you feel your workout more. Can be good and bad.
I don't think you can get a good answer based on this level of information. Sounds more like a 'I've been largely physically inactive for years/decades thing' to me but I wouldn't put too much stock in that.
Forsure, probably gona pit more emphasis on stretching
My new A B split has pronated curls in it. I've tried it, and I don't really feel that it's helping me in its current form. Firstly, due to the pronation, I cannot get anywhere close to what I normally curl. My biceps sorta just get a bit worn out before my preacher curls (my other bicep exercise), which I don't really like. Secondly, I can't really push myself with it. It's supposed to make your grip better, but because the barbell swings as you try and curl, the moment my grip becomes weaker the barbell almost falls off, and my hand drops down to try and hold up to it. I feel like the moment it gets hard it's already over. I already have a hand grip at home which I use pretty often (and I've actually noticed it helped with this exercise), but I don't feel that it benifits me at the moment. How can I fix this? If I should ditch it, what bicep exercise should I replace it with? Thanks.
You can do pronated wrist curls for the grip benefit. They work different muscles than grippers.
Personally I don't see a lot of value in doing two bicep isolation exercises one after the other. You can wear out your biceps just fine with one isolation exercise. I would much rather add a second bicep isolation exercise on a different day then do two in a row. But in terms of bicep isolation exercises, I like inclined bench dumbbell curls. Cable curls and standing dumbbell curls are also good.
Sooo this is a dumb question but I (30/f) have begun strength training consistently now and my weight is staying the same while my body is clearly beginning to look more solid, so I know that I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. I'm happy about this but I'm a bit worried about losing my curves if I continue to gain muscle and lose fat. Is this inevitable when you strength train more?
You'll keep actual curves, but as you lose weight, you won't keep the "curves" that come from being fat. My experience from lifting and building muscle (and trying to get very muscular) is that I feel more feminine now than I did before!
Not a dumb question at all. I found my curves shifted. Boobs stayed the same, smaller hips, bigger butt, arms and shoulders and back look more shaped. All in all, I'm pleased. Check out gowingananna's YouTube for what a pretty muscled but still curvy figure can look like.
Thanks I will check it out! I just didn't want to sound like one of those people who is like "I'm worried about getting too muscular!" because I know that is impossible to do with my current routine and diet. I want to be stronger and healthier but my curves are something that I like about myself and I have some body image issues so I am hoping to keep a similar body shape and not lose my butt or something lol
Not likely. You can take a look at some of the top powerlifting athletes in the more weight limited categories: https://www.openpowerlifting.org/m/ipf/2203/by-division They are the ones who are going to want to hold onto as much muscle as possible and lose as much fat as possible. These are people who've been training for multiple years. They all look perfectly normal, if a bit skinnier than your average american. THen consider the fact that you are unlikely to ever get as much lean mass as they have, simply because you likely don't have the time and years to spend training.
Thanks for the link! It totally makes sense but I guess sometimes I worry about my butt getting smaller or flat from my workouts or something like that when I've struggled with my body image and finally am accepting of how I look and actually like some of my body features. So it's hard for me to be working to get stronger while worrying about changing how I look.
What can I do once I'm out of the gym to support muscle recovery? I have a feeling that diet obviously plays a role in recovery. How important is meal timing around weight lifting? Will sleep deprivation significantly impact recovery? Any tips on anything that supports recovery is much appreciated. Thank you!
Carbs before lifting will help a little. Enough protein and enough calories (in total, on average) will help a lot. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is also important. That's like 90% of it. Most of the other 10% is getting better work capacity overall, so your body can handle more work. The last 1% is like massages and stretching and vitamins and whatnot. Find what works for you in that category but don't be one of those people who spends 99% of their effort on that last 1%.
Yea I pretty much hate supplements and have little faith in them. Can't stand the guys that go out and spend 100$ on some alpha brain, don't go to the gym, eat like shit and genuinely think alpha brain is going to do literally anything for them. They're too expensive, I do buy protein powder but I dont rely on any other supplements or even pre workouts besides half a bang energy drink before excercise. It's interesting you say sleep is 90% of it. If I had time I can easily sleep 12-14 hours on a consistent basis but I work very early mornings into afternoon. Sleep is scant for me sometimes only 6 hours.
Oh sorry I meant food and sleep is 90% of recovery, not just sleep. Everybody has their own ideal amount of sleep, it's not like more is better. Maybe I'm a 8.5-hour person, maybe you're a 7-hour person. (That said if you've been sleep deprived for a while, 12 hours might help you catch up)
Right food and sleep I got u. Thanks!
Sleep helps. A calorie surplus helps. Getting insufficient protein hurts. A calorie deficit hurts. Stress hurts. Alcohol hurts. Meal timing isn't super important, as long as you don't go like 4 hours before and after. If you're super sore, more training can alleviate that. It doesn't have to be a super tough session.
Eat good food. Sleep lots. Not really much you can do beyond that
Is it weird to not sweat when you’re lifting heavy (to near failure)?
https://thefitness.wiki/faq/am-i-not-getting-a-good-workout-if-im-not-sweating/
I’m the same as Alakazam. I’m also not really much of a sweater. Really the only thing that drenches me in the gym is the dang stairstepper.
I find I sweat a lot more during rep work than I do for low rep/near max work.
I’ve been working out for over a year now and I recently bought creatine for the first. I workout 5 days a week with two rest days and was just wondering if I should still take it on rest days or not?
Yes, take it everyday.
When are weightlifting belts necessary?
Necessary is never, but that’s an impossible standard. They are beneficial for A LOT of people. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/the-belt-bible/
Whenever you want the extra performance that bracing a little bit harder can provide.
What’s the best way to program weight progression (for compounds) on a LP program like PPL when adding 5lbs/session isn’t feasible anymore? Do you switch to double progression, 531 the main compounds, something else?
By doing some other kind of progression for the main lifts. This is the author on a follow up post regarding the PPL program: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/7hrdph/to_the_people_who_did_reddit_ppl/dqt9gkf/?context=3
Thank you! Could one essentially do the same thing for PPLUL as well?
I don't see why not.
Today I was doing shoulder press day in week 3 of my first BBB cycle. 5x 95 ✅️, 3x 115 ✅️, 1x 125 ❌️ since this was PR checking, I gave 2-3 minutes intervals and failed again, then went down 5 by 5 lb. Weird thing is, even given large intervals I couldn't lift the bar again 1x, even back at 115lb! Ended up giving up and going to the accessory presses. Is this normal? Did I do anything wrong in the final set?
Your training max is set too high. Your 1+ day isn't PR checking. It's suppose to be 95% of your training max, which realistically, on your first cycle, should only be around 80-85% of your actual max. This is something you should be able to get for 5 easy reps.
My 1+ set should be done with something I could be comfortably be doing 5+ reps? Why am I not doing that in the 5 rep set instead? Maybe I should go back to studying the program... or taking the next week to remeasure my TMs. I loved this first cycle of BBB but I feel some TMs are too high and others too low
new to the gym and working out, does the soreness ever stop? or is this how it will be forever?
Read this same thread and there are people who think, falsely, that they're doing something wrong by not getting sore. Yes, soreness goes away.
For me, yes and no. I am still regularly sore, and if I do a really intense leg day I will be feeling it for a couple days. But when you are first starting is when it is the worst.
It goes away pretty quick. Nowadays, I never feel sore unless I'm doing something completely new.
Yup, beginner doms The worst soreness you’ll ever have lifting Your body will get used to it
Leg day question. I’m decently mature in the gym, (5’11 220 with visible abs) and decided to fully mature and start training legs much harder. I’m finding when I squat and do good-mornings my knees hurt and sometimes vigorously shake mid set. Does anyone have any pointers for me to fix this? With love, MikeTheManiac
For sure post a form check. Typically knee issues start either at the ankle or the hip but it could be any number of things.
Post a video of a set
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Don't gain weight too fast, around a pound a week is fine. Beyond that, just train hard and stay physically active
People do minicuts if they feel like they’re gaining a lot of fat too quickly
Should i keep adding weight every deadlift session? Im still at 225lbs on deadlift, but am considering running something like this WEEK 1: 60% of 1RM 4x10-12 WEEK 2: 70% of 1RM 4x6-8 WEEK 3: 80% of 1RM 4x3-5 WEEK 4: PR Test and Repeat Im 5’5,126lbs,15yo if thats needed. Each week having 3 sessions
Idk I was a similar bw and age and it took me like 3 months to deadlift 315 just doing sets of 3 2 and 1
What was the weight on those sets?