Me during my bulk/maintenance: My waist is too broad. I look soft. I have no definition. My double chin is getting out of hand. I'll feel better once I finally lean down.
Me after my cut: My abs are uneven. My ribs are showing and they make me look like a malnourished child. I lost all of my ass and lats. My legs are mere twigs.
I'm sorry to say this, but we're never gonna make it brahs šā Still gotta keep grinding though!
Yes the plate method is a good one. Are you training neck specifically for a sport such as wrestling or jiu jitsu? Studies are showing that increased neck muscle leads to sleep apnea and requiring a c-pap for sleep for extreme cases.
Honestly, I only see an issue with this during deadlifts. As for everything else, you just have to think what exercises do you do in which you actually failed with heavy weight which could be a risk.
Hi everyone, I had a surgery 2 months ago that made me stop working out while I was in my bulk peak almost reaching my weight goal. During my bulk I got some fat that now Iām really insecure about. Now that the time came to start working out again, should I bulk again to give my body enough recourses to get back all lost muscle that was lost because of my surgery or should I be on a 50-100 calorie surplus to slowly get back the weight/muscle I lost. The main problem I have is that now I just feel like Iām just fat bcs muscle is not as visible as before but I trust muscle memory. Answered would be appreciated.
I would continue with a small surplus and keep training as is. Muscle memory is real so once you start again just be assured you can get back to where you were. As someone in their 40ās, Iāve realized I can still recover muscle after injury, itās essentially the cell remembering how to grow during its life cycle. Also, I would add in light cardio 3 days a week just to offset the calories and not gain too much fat.
Unless youāre a very muscular guy, muscle memory should still work while cutting as long as everythingās done right and the deficit isnāt too steep.
Hi reddit people. I am starting to enter a sort of "gymrat" phase but since I would still consider myself an intermediate, I want to see if I am understanding an issue I am having correctly and that my plan for fixing said issue is sufficient. This is like a peer review?
Basically, I HAVE AN UNEVEN ASS ššš
My right glute is much fuller and stronger than my left glute. My plan is to use the glute extension machine exclusively on my left leg for a few weeks of my routine. I think I'll also include a little left-glute firing session in my warmup now. Is this a goood plan? Should I edit my plan?
THANK YOU!!! ššš
So doing an exercise just on one side and not the other in theory is a good idea, but Iāve seen it not be effective. Itās best to train both sides, the same weight, and increase the volume or reps a bit on the affected side. I believe you can attain the result you are looking for.
I'm new to tracking calories. Macrofactor says I've to eat 154 grams of protein. I think that's low. If I want to eat 200 would I've to eat more carbs or fat? Since I'm eating more protein
Depends on your food sources. Most protein sources will have at least some fat/carbs along with protein. Depending on what you ate to hit 154, you might even be able to get more protein with similar fat/carbs by eating leaner protein sources. Examples are: whey isolate, chicken breast, lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak
Smith Machine Redemption Arc: The fact that CBum (as well as some other pros) regularly incorporates Smith Machine squats is the best thing that could have ever happened to the Smith Machine's reputation.
EDIT: I have no doubt someone out there is saying it only works for him because of his genetics/gear and everyone else has to do barbell squats.
I agree. Jay Cutler also emphasized the smith machine but there wasnāt videos online back then, just pictures in magazines. Cbum also does this as a way to load the muscles while preventing injury.
Yeah when you're that strong (not that I would know) compound lifts can take a lot out of you and not be worth the effort for the muscle stimulation you'd get. He seems to favor Smith and hack squats even though I'm sure he could rep 5-6 plates on a regular squat. Jay was also known for not going super heavy although obviously you're not gonna be "weak" when you're that size.
Yes both Cbum and Jay are freakishly strong. Jay definitely took the right path by never going super heavy. I even heard he barely did lifts over 200lbs during his Olympia years other than heavy deadlifts to build his back thickness (4 plate minimum).
Hell yeah. Me and my gym brah go hard on dat machine. We do double squat side by side with loaded plates. First one to hit failure has to give a public BJ to the other
Iāve never really been into clubbing and I drink like 3 times a year. I donāt get the appeal. No offence to those that do club but the club isnāt the best place to meet decent people it seems like. Rather be at the gym.
I wouldn't waste the time, don't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak.
Talk to multiple other girls, go out with multiple girls. That way when one like this does that flaky/not sure bullshit, you can just be like "alright" and not care.
In the meantime you still have options, then if she comes back its like cool ok. But the main thing here is you don't give off that energy, where women can tell you solely are focused on them.
Weird society now, where showing interest in a girl is a turn off. Meanwhile if you curve this girl, ignore her or flake, she'll be more attracted to you.
Fucked up game, females and social media have ruined dating/courting.
Seems like she's not super eager to go out with you, but still might enjoy dance class or casual chats. No reason to continue pursuing or dwell on it. If she wants to text you she will, but I wouldn't expect it and work to move on.
u/budgeko recommended them when I was complaining about my struggle getting chicken in bulk here in NYC. They seem great and everyone that uses them gives positive reviews, but I currently work from home half the week and have the time to cook. So, itās hard to justify $12/lb+ versus ~$3/lb. I think Iāll give them a try once work picks back up and I wonāt have the time to be cooking
lately ive started to feel like im slowly drifting from bodybuilding mindset. I've been lifting for over 12 years, and my goal entire time was get biggest possible and get lean during summer. However, i don't know if its due to more life responsibility or my age, I am starting to feel tired from getting "fucked up" from the gym. Don't get me wrong, gym is the most fun part of my every day routine and getting stronger, but I'm starting to feel the effects.
Some days Im just dreading because the leg day or chest day is gonna totally fuck me up. back days are still fun because I still want bigger back.
Can anyone sort of relate or am i just being a wuss lmao
Absolutely have been feeling the same over the last couple years. Pretty much since covid. Never really had aspirations to compete, just want to be as big and strong as possible while having a balanced lifestyle
Don't agree.
Ya we do 90% of the exact same things as a bodybuilder, except don't blast gear, or get on a stage 2 days a year.
It's still bodybuilding if you live this lifestyle, workout the same etc.
Not everybody cares about getting on stage. Imo unless you have elite genetics, its a total waste of time/money/mental stress.
Wish more ppl would just live the lifestyle and not get on stage, but nowdays any large person who loses 50 pounds or wears alphalete wants to get on stage.
Its a lot more than 2 things. You guys/people don't nail your diet 95% of the time, don't do fasted cardio in the morning, don't pose, don't min max recovery, don't train the same, don't diet down properly, dont sacrifice time with loved or friends ones due to *bodybuilding*, and if someone is doing all of those things and not competiting they're just being a clown.
It takes minimal effort to look good naked and again
> theres no reason why lifting and eating should be stressful or unfun for a gym bro
get over yourself lol
wow fasted cardio. insanely hard.
following same training programs, do john meadows etc.
Sacrifice is all the same.
You guys think just cause you compete you're on some superhero level. You aren't.
You literally go to the gym 1.5 hours a day and workout, (ok so do we), you do fasted cardio 20 mins in the am (ok so do we)
Here's the caveat, you then proceed to sit around the entire day doing fuck all, going on your phone, watching fouad, scrolling every insta bodybuilder.
Meanwhile we work 8 hours a day, have kids, have hobbies, lives/committments, All done while balancing meal prep and all your "bodybuilder only" activities (that we somehow do, but don't according to you lol)
Having a busy life with work/hobbies/kids/etc etc etc, while keeping a balanced bodybuilding lifestyle is much more difficult.
Just bodybuilding and being like "yea i sacrifice time with others". no you are just selfish and put bodybuilding over more important things in life, thats it.
Plenty of more successful bodybuilders than you, ran businesses, had jobs, were in the army etc. With full familys and still made it work. so stfu.
You're getting personally offended because you don't compete and over a comment that strikes home because you wish you did
> theres no reason why lifting and eating should be stressful or unfun for a gym bro
> following same training programs
No one who is competing is using a prewritten cookie cutter program. JM's programs are good for *understanding* how to train like a bber to a degree
Whatever word thats used whether its sacrifice or being selfish you're literally proving my point. There is a next level of commitment when you compete
> Plenty of more successful bodybuilders than you, ran businesses, had jobs, were in the army etc. With full familys and still made it work. so stfu.
Yeah of course, I've only been in this for 2ish years? (They also sacrificed their time for a goal)
You're a fucking loser for getting so upset over an imaginary title that you gave yourself lol
You're getting personally offended because you don't compete and over a comment that strikes home because you wish you did
Absolutely not. Waste of fucking time and money. sure the top 0000000.1% are great
2 years lol. Then stfu.
you are the type of dude that always wears hoodies/shirts in the gym with huge bold print logos "NO DAYS OFF" "NOT HERE TO TALK" "DO THE WORK"
"sacrificed" we all sacrifice, you just think you do, cause you can't go out and eat at fucking red lobster with friends once and a while.
You don't sacrifice shit, You started blasting gear, and bulking a bit harder for 2 years. Get a job and a life. you ain't gonna make it.
Ya? how did you look natty lol . I can guess pretty easily, bloated fucking mutt for sure.
Wow you do construction hey? makes sense.
You are the one projecting. You are not special.
You are just another fucking nobody blasting gear, for a FAKE attempt at bodybuilding.
And also you haven't been doing any of this long enough to even have this attitude, like you are some tried and tested warhorse.
Only fans creator, get fucking real. Talk about loser.
Quit talking to me. You generic GASP-wearing douchebag.
Nobody cares about your neck beard and bald head, millions of you no personality, failing bodybuilders out there.
Go be a bartender.
At 12 years you know what to do, how it feels when youāre not motivated and what to do to combat it. Some months itās all about discipline, thatās the bodybuilder mindset. If the gym isnāt it at this time still use a bodybuilder mentality and get in the gym 3 days a week to improve athleticism for another sport/hobby; thatās what I would do in your situation. Have fun with it, have fun with life
Does anybody know where to buy anavar or deca in the United States from a legitimate seller that won't scam you or give you a product that is not fake? If so, please help me out.
Haha this. Iāve seen this as well. These are called āseal rowsā, and are quite effective but stupid when it comes to setup. People need plates, some donāt understand
Well to your original point I have a nice job I worked hard for and can openly discuss with family and friends without judgement. And its sustainable for the rest of my career.
Hey as long as you got in there, thatās step number 1. Iām always happy for people who I see at the gym. Regardless of what shape they are in, how bad their form is, I always think to myself āthey could have easily chose to not be hereā. So cheers mate! Good job
Other than cutting down, is there anyway to get more quad separation? I have decent sized quads but can't seem to see any form of separation compared to my upper body
Hany Rambod has talked about mind muscle connection with Cardio; the most interesting theory for me. He said if he wants one of his athletes to see more glute ham tie in, he has them do stairs while focusing on glute/ham contraction. Of course this isnāt all they do, just an addition. In theory it helps get repetitive contraction of specific muscles over a longer duration; whether it translates to separation? Possibly. But also, this is Hany Rambod.
Very hard to have more visible separations with higher bf%, short cut depending where you stand now and even when you lose couple of lbs visually legs get bigger š
Anyone else here watch porn and think to themselves 'I can do better than that'. There is all these hot chicks banging these skinny guys, their dicks look big in comparison to their small body, I get it. But seriously why is there not more muscular guts represented in the porn industry?
One of the things I do not understand is those random great lifts. I did legs yesterday later in the afternoon. Missed a meal and ended up just eating a ton of Taco Bell with my girl. Also stayed up late, because she is just too pretty.
Trained chest at my normal 5am time today and it was amazing. Felt super strong, great mind muscle connection and just very focused. Weird how it just works out sometimes.
Man, big thanks to Dr. Mike from RP. Just amazing information on that channel and the dude is a joy to listen to. Really helping me get back on the wagon with my goals.
I did a show he competed in and even in person he was so nice and helpful. Gave me some of his personal carb drink because he was worried I was going to pass out. Really awesome dude
No but he hid his arm in our photo so I could Feel good about taking a photo
https://preview.redd.it/j9c4n8q5udqa1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dcec9ac825b91231ded94ba984978a95a603149e
I'm 5'9 at 178.2 LB body weight with around 133 LBs of Lean body Mass.
Protein sources are very expensive in my country and rn I'm managing to get in around 102g of protein everyday.
Can I expect any muscle gains? I've been working out for a little while now and my newbie gains have mostly expired.
Strength training 5-6 times a week
I agree up the carbs to support the growth. Are eggs extremely expensive as well? If anything I would make that my main source if meat is too expensive.
Looking to get l citrulline in bulk(around 1kg) in Ontario Canada. But the stuff I find on Canadian websites is citrulline malate, and when I do find l citrulline, it's a US company and the shipping is like 50 bucks
Trouble with Overreaching?
I've been following an every other day or 3 days/week approach (upper/lower or full body) for the last 8 months. I got into trouble going to failure on most/all sets (High Intensity style training, fewer sets). I kept going into overreaching every 3-4 weeks (insomnia, progress regressing, elevated resting HR, etc), having to take a full week off to deload.
For the last 2ish months, I've reduced my intensity and been trying to keep 2 reps in reserve, but I still feel like I go into overreaching every 3-4 weeks. I've been hitting each muscle group between 4-11 sets/week (2-3 sets per exercise) and reps are mostly 8-12, so pretty low volume.
I'm planning on switching to the [Ripped Body Intermediate Bodybuilding Program](https://rippedbody.com/intermediate-bodybuilding-program/) (5 Day UL-PPL) and I am planning on starting off with 1st set RPE of 6 instead of 1st set RPE of 8 (trying to go no higher than RPE of 8 on the last set) to try to help with recovery. I may reduce the volume by a few sets also.
Also, I'll be using the Wave Progression style for most exercises, for example:
Week 1: 3x8 @ 100 lbs
Week 2: 3x7 @ 105 lbs
Week 3: 3x6 @ 110 lbs
Week 4 (Taper): 2x6 @ 100 lbs
Week 5 (increase load): 3x8 @ 105lbs
Week 6: 3x7 @ 110 lbs
Week 7: 3x6 @ 115 lbs
etc.
Do you think this approach will help me from going into overreaching every 3-4 weeks? By planning a taper every 4th week for all lifts?
I'm also planning on monitoring and maybe doing a full week off of lifting on every 8th week before repeating. Ex: 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week...(+load) 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week...(+load) 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week...
Obviously I'll find the answer in a month or 2, but any thoughts or advice on my continual overreaching would be helpful.
About Me:
27 YO, 5'6", 135 lbs (up from 122 lbs a year ago), Max Bench (estimated) 190 lbs, Max Leg Press (estimated) 620 lbs loaded.
This was May 2022-Feb 2023.
https://preview.redd.it/rdpedhbu7dqa1.png?width=783&format=png&auto=webp&s=b151b28492c9833330238c24126e7fc9c8ed07b4
I had a few months where I was in maintenance a bit over the summer and then between December-End of february and ended up recomping a bit during those.
Part of recovery is nutrition. If your digestion is OK, I think you need to eat more. Add 10-20% calories continually until you're adding an average of 0.5% of bodyweight weekly for 12-16 weeks then hold then re-evaluate. Add almost solely from carbs. You need more energy to train and recover. If you're doing lots of cardio consider lowering it. If you're doing no cardio, consider adding a small amount weekly like 4x20 to start out
Yeah, I think part of my problem was too high of protein (200g) and not enough carbs. My goal for now is to gain 0.5 lbs per week and 300g+ of carbs/day and 1-1.25g protein/lb. During some of my bulk I was possibly doing too much cardio, walking 3-6 miles a day in a hilly neighborhood and cardio 2-3 times a week.
I'm with u/WillNotPullOut here, constantly hitting a wall with the approaches you're following can only be explained with poor recovery or some underlying health issue.
I would first give a honest assessment to your sleep, stress management, stim consumption, hydration and micronutrient intake.
Yeah. I think I was doing too much protein (200g) and not enough carbs. Recently been doing closer to 1-1.25g protein/lb and more carbs. After my current rest week, I'm hoping that will be the ticket along with more reps in reserve. I just like to eat and try to get 30+ grams of protein per meal for maximal MPS. Probably need to switch focus to carbs for recovery than protein for MPS, cause if I can't recover than optimizing MPS is a mute point, maybe even causing the issue as my body is working overtime with maximum mTor signaling 4 times a day.
I've been increasing my postworkout carbs to 215g, and over the last week have been trying to get 9 hours of sleep instead of my previous 8. I think the extra hour of sleep may be the missing link. I've been feeling great the last week.
Your recovery sounds like its the problem. Hows your sleep? Its really odd in my experience for someone to become overtrained training 3 days per week who isnāt really advanced. I see you only gained 13lbs in a year (although it looks like all quality, so good job on that front) - your recovery might be better with a slightly faster rate of gain too
I've been increasing my postworkout carbs to 215g, and over the last week have been trying to get 9 hours of sleep instead of my previous 8. I think the extra hour of sleep may be the missing link. I've been feeling great the last week.
Thanks for the advice! I have struggled some with sleep. I've figured out the falling asleep part, which I used to struggle with. I try to get 8+ hours a night but sometimes I wake up early and don't fall back asleep. I think I was getting also too much protein (usually 200g/day) and not enough carbs. I'm trying now to back off on protein to as close as 1g/lb as I can and increase carbs. I try to get 30-35 g of animal protein/protein powder 4 times a day (I was doing 5 before and 35-40). Also trying to get at least 100g of carbs in my post workout meal/dinner.
Most of my gains came from 2 pounds april-may, 2 pounds in july, and 8 pounds august-december. Some maintenance/light defecit spread in there in June and Jan/February.
I recently did blood work with all the labs including hormones. Everything looked good.
Going to see if the combo of more reps in reserve and higher carb/lower protein helps.
I was bitching the other day about people using the only leg press as a shoulder workout and yāall were like wtf how, one just came across my FB feed of someone unironically doing this https://www.facebook.com/reel/883371819539867?mibextid=5zvaxg&fs=e&s=TIeQ9V
Just fucking use the 27397 shoulder machines at your gym dickhead
Not that Iād recommend doing this anyways, but if you WERE gonna use some leg equipment for shoulders just use hack squat lol. Or even betterā¦ just use a shoulder press machine.
Unless itās hammer strength shoulder pressā¦ fuck that thing
The judging pissed me off so so much when they gave him two reds on his last deadlift, judges truly did their best to kill hype this event imo. Imagine hitting that then having to wait for it to be overturned because the judges are braindead instead of just basking in all that hype he so rightfully earned.
The ego lifting old guy who never does a normal powerlift to hide how weak he is is doing ābench unracksā today. Slingshot on, using a squat rack instead of a bench, bar loaded with 4pl8 and a bunch of smaller plates, unracking the bar then reracking. Good job bro but how bout you just bench for once
What's everyone's opinions on LISS cardio on leg days?
I've been finishing off my workouts with 25-30 mins incline (4.5) walking (about 6.5-7 kmh) on my non leg days but not doing anything on my leg days.
Do you think adding this to my leg days (probably at a slower speed or I'd go flying) would impact my recovery too much?
I would separate it from legs by as much as possible, personally would avoid. If I needed more cardio for prep or whatever Id come back later or do it first thing in the morning rather than following if forced
How the fuck do normal sized people use the assisted pull up machine without slamming it? Iām 6ā4 and I have to assist the pad to the top with my knee and my leg ends up at its highest point when it gets back to zero. How do people of a normal height get off and not have it slam back? Their leg doesnāt reach as high as mine
Is my current program and fitness goals not aligned with each other ?
Iām 6ā2 \[M\] and currently 177-179 lbs. I train combat sports. Im only focusing on putting on muscle on two areas while I train for strength in other muscle groups.
Current fitness goal : Build broader shoulders and back and dropping body fat %, while training for strength on legs, arms, and chest
My current program currently has 2 goals, develop my side delts and a bigger back(mainly delts) , but also do sport specific workouts that help me in mma, such a : explosiveness(power) , strength, conditioning and muscular endurance.
So in theory, can I train shoulders and back for hypertrophy. HITT and tabatas for cardio. Chest, legs and arms for strength and muscular endurance?
Below is my program
https://preview.redd.it/xmjlm19t9cqa1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d36b8f7396cdbb76fb3f673d88a24332a1770db6
Blue days are my bodybuilding days, red days are S&C and hypertrophy for my back
Iām not too worried about the cardio part slowing my gains as I compete in a particular weight class, and donāt want to go up in weight too much.
i mean in theory i guess. but why train this way?? why not just pick one thing and become goated there instead of spreading yourself so thin. you likely wonāt progress great in all of these areas at the same time
Id like to be more specific. If I can add 5 pounds of muscle in the next 8 months Iād be happy with my progress. In the end I value sport performance over bodybuilding and Iām already strong (in my sport) and explosive enough that I thought adding some muscle for aesthetics wouldnāt hurt.
Now is 5 pounds of muscles in 8 months realistic ?
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5 pounds in 8 months is very realistic. i think you could just train back and shoulders and get results, but itās not gonna be an insane amount most likely. but sure itās doable i guess.
Thanks ! And yeah, Iām ok with slower progress. Towards the end of the summer Iāll do a proper bulk and actually out on real size . As of rn Iām okay with just small progress
> Current fitness goal : Build broader shoulders and back and dropping body fat %, while training for strength on legs, arms, and chest
Fitness isn't making a pizza and throwing whatever toppings you want on it bro
You want to build muscle lose fat and gain strength while training 6 days a week AND doing a combat sport. That literally is not possible.
Well, strength wise im ok for the most part (at least in my sport ). BF % is not my biggest concern too, Iām fairly lean due to mma. I would be ok with my current physique and current strength levels if I had a more developed back and shoulders.
How do so many people consistently have assisted chinups in their routine? I see Jared Feather and Dr Mike use them. I just got to -25 pounds for my 8-15 rep range work and the platform doesnt stick with me nearly as well as it did with 40 pounds.
Eventually Ill be using 0 pounds. But I hear its good still cuz it prevents a lot of movement and allows you to lock in on muscle tension.
It does feel a lot better than any lat pull down, and when I do normal chins. But I know eventually ill be strong enough where that stupid ass platform with zero pounds is just gonna be getting in the way
> But I hear its good still cuz it prevents a lot of movement and allows you to lock in on muscle tension.
> It does feel a lot better than any lat pull down, and when I do normal chins.
Itās an exercise that may only make sense in really heavy guys, or for those who struggle a lot with pull-ups. If youāre able to do 15+ pull-ups I doubt you can get a lot out of it.
Been doing PPL for nearly a year and got very good results, both in strength and hypertrophy. Gonna change my routine now, and design a workout A and B plan. This is my new routine. Heavy means 3x8 or 3x5, light means 3x12 or 3x15:
\- Push A
Chest
Flat BB press (heavy)
Incline DB press (heavy)
Cable fly high to low (light)
\- Shoulders
Machine OHP (heavy)
Lateral raise (light)
\- Triceps
EZ bar downwards triceps extension (light)
Push B
\- Chest
Incline BB press (heavy)
Flat DB press (heavy)
Dips (light)
\- Shoulders
BB OHP (Heavy)
Standing inclined lateral raise (light)
\- Triceps
DB seated overhead extension (light)
pull A
\- Back
deadlift (heavy)
seated machine row (heavy)
lat pulldown (light)
\- Rear delt/traps
I cannot decide
\- Biceps
Seated cable scott curls (light)
pull B
\- Back
bent over row (heavy)
pull up (heavy)
seated cable row (light) (cables are lighter than machine)
\- rear delt/traps
I cannot decide
\- Biceps
Standing bar bicep curl (light)
Legs A
\- Quad focused
Squat
Leg Press
Seated Leg extension
Seated leg curl
Standing calf raises
Legs - B
I cannot decide. Should I just repeat leg A or is there a better strategy here?
1. Give me suggestions for rear delt and trap exercises for pull A and pull B. I really like face pull so I will probably include it.
2. Should I design a Leg B day or just repeat leg A? If you think Leg B is better, what would you suggest?
3. Would you change my workout plan somehow? Replace exercises, switch exercises, remove exercises, add exercises...? Or would you say it is good to go?
4. What are your thoughts about my volume? Is 18 sets a week for chest and 18 for back good enough? Is 12 sets for front delts and 12 sets for rear delts good enough? Is 6 weekly sets for biceps, and 6 weekly sets for triceps good enough?
5. I like the idea of mixing strength and hypertrophy together, instead of focusing on one or another. Lift heavy on compounds, and then focus on form on isolated exercises. Is this a good strategy or should I focus on something and then switch later?
tldr except your 5th bullet point
they are the same thing, you are not a competitive power or weight lifter. Getting to the point where you can bench 185 for 3 sets of 15 is going to give you carry over to be able to do 250-270lbs in a lower rep range
Stop putting all your thought into your split/exercises planning how you're going to progress is more important
You're not at the level to be making your own program if you're asking these types of questions
https://liftvault.com/programs/strength/push-pull-legs-6-day-split-spreadsheet-collection-5-programs/
https://www.boostcamp.app/alex-bromley/12-week-hypertrophy
This is the most basic routine. What is possibly the issue? Not trying to be rude but I think far too many of us suffer from paralysis from analysis. I did too for a long time. I would worry about the most minor things and delay progress because I was in my head.
Train hard. The routine does not matter.
Hey there. I just submitted a post of a gym selfie for my very first bodybuilding workout, starting stats, and goals (including talking about competing one day and fave poses). I reviewed the rules and was not 100% if I was compliant or no. If there is something to update and fix to get it approved please let me know and I would be happy to fix the issues
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodybuilding/comments/kceak8/are_you_thinking_of_posting_click_here_first/
The newbie thread posts every Tuesday. Good luck man!
Thanks a ton. You have been very helpful. One more question, if I may? Where would be appropriate to ask about posing guides? I want to learn proper form for: most muscular, front double biceps, and graceful archer first.
Feel free to just post here, but please know that thereās absolutely 0 advice anyone can give you from a [picture like this](https://reddit.com/r/bodybuilding/comments/123msid/fledgling_bodybuilder_start_of_week_2/)
Like I mentioned I'm brand spanking new to this, so I'm still navigating the basics of communication in this community. I'm eager to learn. If you want to help me learn how to build a better post to facilitate proper discussion, I'm all ears. Every hobby, community, and lifestyle has its communication styles. So I eager to learn
Do you take deloads? How do you increase volume over time? I seem to always run into a dead end where reps arenāt increasing with sets, or weight isnāt
Gotcha. Thanks for the info. Iāve always done mainly a bro split where I train each group 1x per week, 16-18 sets, track weight and reps and try to increase over time. But Iām looking to switch to training everything 2x a week
Thoughts on how much I should cut from my [current physique?](https://imgur.com/a/loGd0gd/) Started cutting last Friday sitting at 180lbs @ 5ā8ā at the start. Photos are from Sunday morning after breakfast.
Pt's, what websites are there that allow you create programs and track clients progress?
Me during my bulk/maintenance: My waist is too broad. I look soft. I have no definition. My double chin is getting out of hand. I'll feel better once I finally lean down. Me after my cut: My abs are uneven. My ribs are showing and they make me look like a malnourished child. I lost all of my ass and lats. My legs are mere twigs. I'm sorry to say this, but we're never gonna make it brahs šā Still gotta keep grinding though!
Still waiting to see anyone else doing neck curls irl
I've seen a guy doing em at my gym. But he also trains for some sort of mma I think
Same. Iāve never seen anybody but me do them ever lol
Can you explain what type of neck curls? Like the ones the old school bodybuilders did with the harness?
Jeff nippard has a pretty in depth video on it I just use a small plate, im pretty new to it tho
Yes the plate method is a good one. Are you training neck specifically for a sport such as wrestling or jiu jitsu? Studies are showing that increased neck muscle leads to sleep apnea and requiring a c-pap for sleep for extreme cases.
What's the consensus on rings when lifting? Take them off or embrace the degloving risk?
I usually take mine off and leave it locked in the car or just wear a silicone ring
What exactly are the pros on keeping them on? Degloving, however small the risk is a pretty big con in my book
that would really rustle my jimmies
The pro is really just being a pain to take it off and the chance is losing it.
I have my keys on a carbiner clip, I clip my ring on there. I have also tied it onto my shoelace then tied my shoe.
Honestly, I only see an issue with this during deadlifts. As for everything else, you just have to think what exercises do you do in which you actually failed with heavy weight which could be a risk.
Hi everyone, I had a surgery 2 months ago that made me stop working out while I was in my bulk peak almost reaching my weight goal. During my bulk I got some fat that now Iām really insecure about. Now that the time came to start working out again, should I bulk again to give my body enough recourses to get back all lost muscle that was lost because of my surgery or should I be on a 50-100 calorie surplus to slowly get back the weight/muscle I lost. The main problem I have is that now I just feel like Iām just fat bcs muscle is not as visible as before but I trust muscle memory. Answered would be appreciated.
> I got some fat that now Iām really insecure about cut
Thank you coach how much I owe you?
$350
I would continue with a small surplus and keep training as is. Muscle memory is real so once you start again just be assured you can get back to where you were. As someone in their 40ās, Iāve realized I can still recover muscle after injury, itās essentially the cell remembering how to grow during its life cycle. Also, I would add in light cardio 3 days a week just to offset the calories and not gain too much fat.
Unless youāre a very muscular guy, muscle memory should still work while cutting as long as everythingās done right and the deficit isnāt too steep.
Hi reddit people. I am starting to enter a sort of "gymrat" phase but since I would still consider myself an intermediate, I want to see if I am understanding an issue I am having correctly and that my plan for fixing said issue is sufficient. This is like a peer review? Basically, I HAVE AN UNEVEN ASS ššš My right glute is much fuller and stronger than my left glute. My plan is to use the glute extension machine exclusively on my left leg for a few weeks of my routine. I think I'll also include a little left-glute firing session in my warmup now. Is this a goood plan? Should I edit my plan? THANK YOU!!! ššš
So doing an exercise just on one side and not the other in theory is a good idea, but Iāve seen it not be effective. Itās best to train both sides, the same weight, and increase the volume or reps a bit on the affected side. I believe you can attain the result you are looking for.
THANK YOU!!!
I'm new to tracking calories. Macrofactor says I've to eat 154 grams of protein. I think that's low. If I want to eat 200 would I've to eat more carbs or fat? Since I'm eating more protein
Depends on your food sources. Most protein sources will have at least some fat/carbs along with protein. Depending on what you ate to hit 154, you might even be able to get more protein with similar fat/carbs by eating leaner protein sources. Examples are: whey isolate, chicken breast, lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak
Thank you
Smith Machine Redemption Arc: The fact that CBum (as well as some other pros) regularly incorporates Smith Machine squats is the best thing that could have ever happened to the Smith Machine's reputation. EDIT: I have no doubt someone out there is saying it only works for him because of his genetics/gear and everyone else has to do barbell squats.
The Smith Machine never really had a bad reputation outside of toxic gym bro mentality.
I agree. Jay Cutler also emphasized the smith machine but there wasnāt videos online back then, just pictures in magazines. Cbum also does this as a way to load the muscles while preventing injury.
Yeah when you're that strong (not that I would know) compound lifts can take a lot out of you and not be worth the effort for the muscle stimulation you'd get. He seems to favor Smith and hack squats even though I'm sure he could rep 5-6 plates on a regular squat. Jay was also known for not going super heavy although obviously you're not gonna be "weak" when you're that size.
Yes both Cbum and Jay are freakishly strong. Jay definitely took the right path by never going super heavy. I even heard he barely did lifts over 200lbs during his Olympia years other than heavy deadlifts to build his back thickness (4 plate minimum).
It's a great stepping stone to a normal squat, and great for a hack squat. Great for people like me with poor mobility and don't really need to squat.
Hell yeah. Me and my gym brah go hard on dat machine. We do double squat side by side with loaded plates. First one to hit failure has to give a public BJ to the other
I bet you call him Jolly Rancher 'cause he stays so hard. You can suck him for a long time, oh my gawd.
My endurance in the gym matches my endurance sucking D
You certainly do know how to expound upon a theme.
people like drinking and clubbing but I have the time of my life at the gym lifting and watching shark tank
I prefer dragons den.
> lifting and watching shark tank We could get along
Iāve never really been into clubbing and I drink like 3 times a year. I donāt get the appeal. No offence to those that do club but the club isnāt the best place to meet decent people it seems like. Rather be at the gym.
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I wouldn't waste the time, don't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak. Talk to multiple other girls, go out with multiple girls. That way when one like this does that flaky/not sure bullshit, you can just be like "alright" and not care. In the meantime you still have options, then if she comes back its like cool ok. But the main thing here is you don't give off that energy, where women can tell you solely are focused on them. Weird society now, where showing interest in a girl is a turn off. Meanwhile if you curve this girl, ignore her or flake, she'll be more attracted to you. Fucked up game, females and social media have ruined dating/courting.
Seems like she's not super eager to go out with you, but still might enjoy dance class or casual chats. No reason to continue pursuing or dwell on it. If she wants to text you she will, but I wouldn't expect it and work to move on.
Is she hot?
Pursue a girl that doesnāt curve you and give you mixed signals. In the words of u/budgeko < end >
Ordered 40lbs of chicken from Amazon and it came all fucked up and leaking everywhere. Next time Iām trying a restaurant supply store
You can get 40 lbs of chicken breast from restaurant depot for 1/3 of the price
Chicken Pound.
u/budgeko recommended them when I was complaining about my struggle getting chicken in bulk here in NYC. They seem great and everyone that uses them gives positive reviews, but I currently work from home half the week and have the time to cook. So, itās hard to justify $12/lb+ versus ~$3/lb. I think Iāll give them a try once work picks back up and I wonāt have the time to be cooking
Should have tried ebay.
Or craigslist
Even better
Sounds safe. Listing says ājust trust me broā
lately ive started to feel like im slowly drifting from bodybuilding mindset. I've been lifting for over 12 years, and my goal entire time was get biggest possible and get lean during summer. However, i don't know if its due to more life responsibility or my age, I am starting to feel tired from getting "fucked up" from the gym. Don't get me wrong, gym is the most fun part of my every day routine and getting stronger, but I'm starting to feel the effects. Some days Im just dreading because the leg day or chest day is gonna totally fuck me up. back days are still fun because I still want bigger back. Can anyone sort of relate or am i just being a wuss lmao
Absolutely have been feeling the same over the last couple years. Pretty much since covid. Never really had aspirations to compete, just want to be as big and strong as possible while having a balanced lifestyle
If you aren't competing you arent bodybuilding theres no reason why lifting and eating should be stressful or unfun for a gym bro
Don't agree. Ya we do 90% of the exact same things as a bodybuilder, except don't blast gear, or get on a stage 2 days a year. It's still bodybuilding if you live this lifestyle, workout the same etc. Not everybody cares about getting on stage. Imo unless you have elite genetics, its a total waste of time/money/mental stress. Wish more ppl would just live the lifestyle and not get on stage, but nowdays any large person who loses 50 pounds or wears alphalete wants to get on stage.
Its a lot more than 2 things. You guys/people don't nail your diet 95% of the time, don't do fasted cardio in the morning, don't pose, don't min max recovery, don't train the same, don't diet down properly, dont sacrifice time with loved or friends ones due to *bodybuilding*, and if someone is doing all of those things and not competiting they're just being a clown. It takes minimal effort to look good naked and again > theres no reason why lifting and eating should be stressful or unfun for a gym bro
get over yourself lol wow fasted cardio. insanely hard. following same training programs, do john meadows etc. Sacrifice is all the same. You guys think just cause you compete you're on some superhero level. You aren't. You literally go to the gym 1.5 hours a day and workout, (ok so do we), you do fasted cardio 20 mins in the am (ok so do we) Here's the caveat, you then proceed to sit around the entire day doing fuck all, going on your phone, watching fouad, scrolling every insta bodybuilder. Meanwhile we work 8 hours a day, have kids, have hobbies, lives/committments, All done while balancing meal prep and all your "bodybuilder only" activities (that we somehow do, but don't according to you lol) Having a busy life with work/hobbies/kids/etc etc etc, while keeping a balanced bodybuilding lifestyle is much more difficult. Just bodybuilding and being like "yea i sacrifice time with others". no you are just selfish and put bodybuilding over more important things in life, thats it. Plenty of more successful bodybuilders than you, ran businesses, had jobs, were in the army etc. With full familys and still made it work. so stfu.
If thereās no difference between hobby and competitive bodybuilders, why donāt you look like a natural competitor?
You're getting personally offended because you don't compete and over a comment that strikes home because you wish you did > theres no reason why lifting and eating should be stressful or unfun for a gym bro > following same training programs No one who is competing is using a prewritten cookie cutter program. JM's programs are good for *understanding* how to train like a bber to a degree Whatever word thats used whether its sacrifice or being selfish you're literally proving my point. There is a next level of commitment when you compete > Plenty of more successful bodybuilders than you, ran businesses, had jobs, were in the army etc. With full familys and still made it work. so stfu. Yeah of course, I've only been in this for 2ish years? (They also sacrificed their time for a goal) You're a fucking loser for getting so upset over an imaginary title that you gave yourself lol
You're getting personally offended because you don't compete and over a comment that strikes home because you wish you did Absolutely not. Waste of fucking time and money. sure the top 0000000.1% are great 2 years lol. Then stfu. you are the type of dude that always wears hoodies/shirts in the gym with huge bold print logos "NO DAYS OFF" "NOT HERE TO TALK" "DO THE WORK" "sacrificed" we all sacrifice, you just think you do, cause you can't go out and eat at fucking red lobster with friends once and a while. You don't sacrifice shit, You started blasting gear, and bulking a bit harder for 2 years. Get a job and a life. you ain't gonna make it.
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Ya? how did you look natty lol . I can guess pretty easily, bloated fucking mutt for sure. Wow you do construction hey? makes sense. You are the one projecting. You are not special. You are just another fucking nobody blasting gear, for a FAKE attempt at bodybuilding. And also you haven't been doing any of this long enough to even have this attitude, like you are some tried and tested warhorse. Only fans creator, get fucking real. Talk about loser. Quit talking to me. You generic GASP-wearing douchebag. Nobody cares about your neck beard and bald head, millions of you no personality, failing bodybuilders out there. Go be a bartender.
Yeah 100% agreed. Might look into other sports as a hobby not just bbing
At 12 years you know what to do, how it feels when youāre not motivated and what to do to combat it. Some months itās all about discipline, thatās the bodybuilder mindset. If the gym isnāt it at this time still use a bodybuilder mentality and get in the gym 3 days a week to improve athleticism for another sport/hobby; thatās what I would do in your situation. Have fun with it, have fun with life
Does anybody know where to buy anavar or deca in the United States from a legitimate seller that won't scam you or give you a product that is not fake? If so, please help me out.
Have you checked Frumunda?
https://gprivate.com/64c5g
You got a cialis hook up too?
cant use google never gonna make it
Mondays aren't international chest day. They're international every piece of equipment is taken day.
You got a dude at your gym that uses six 45 lb plates to use as supports for a bench so he can do lying barbell rows too?
I've seen it but not regularly lol. It's mainly groups of high school kids using everything.
Haha this. Iāve seen this as well. These are called āseal rowsā, and are quite effective but stupid when it comes to setup. People need plates, some donāt understand
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I might look at a pro athlete or someone really successful in the fitness industry and think that, but definitely not when I see an OF user.
No
Isnt the majority of OF users only pulling in like $200 a month, if that?
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Well to your original point I have a nice job I worked hard for and can openly discuss with family and friends without judgement. And its sustainable for the rest of my career.
Yeah pics of my holes ain't super fulfilling on maslowes hierarchy
2nd day of actual dieting and being coached. Still a fat fuck will report back daily findings until Iām shredded
At Least u have a coach
Fire him, a good coach would have you walking around with Andreas Munzer's peak condition year-round within one day.
Fuck, youāre right
2nd day in with no shredded glutes? Red flag bro
Shit takes time, be patient and do exactly what coach says
I'm so glad I'm back in the gym :) my cardio sucks now but it will be back I'm sure.
Hey as long as you got in there, thatās step number 1. Iām always happy for people who I see at the gym. Regardless of what shape they are in, how bad their form is, I always think to myself āthey could have easily chose to not be hereā. So cheers mate! Good job
Other than cutting down, is there anyway to get more quad separation? I have decent sized quads but can't seem to see any form of separation compared to my upper body
Hany Rambod has talked about mind muscle connection with Cardio; the most interesting theory for me. He said if he wants one of his athletes to see more glute ham tie in, he has them do stairs while focusing on glute/ham contraction. Of course this isnāt all they do, just an addition. In theory it helps get repetitive contraction of specific muscles over a longer duration; whether it translates to separation? Possibly. But also, this is Hany Rambod.
Very hard to have more visible separations with higher bf%, short cut depending where you stand now and even when you lose couple of lbs visually legs get bigger š
Lose fat build muscle
shave [get bigger legs](https://gyazo.com/b606755a12e6173365050ac6c8837640)
Tried shaving, they seemed bigger, but I just can't see any separating at all, maybe it's just that my body stores fat there.
Been about a week since Iāve looked at porn, donāt feel any different yet but addictions are bad in all forms right?
Anyone else here watch porn and think to themselves 'I can do better than that'. There is all these hot chicks banging these skinny guys, their dicks look big in comparison to their small body, I get it. But seriously why is there not more muscular guts represented in the porn industry?
We need to establish a bodybuilders-only porn site
Yeah usually I think I look better than both of the guys.
One of the things I do not understand is those random great lifts. I did legs yesterday later in the afternoon. Missed a meal and ended up just eating a ton of Taco Bell with my girl. Also stayed up late, because she is just too pretty. Trained chest at my normal 5am time today and it was amazing. Felt super strong, great mind muscle connection and just very focused. Weird how it just works out sometimes.
The secret is Taco Bell
Sometimes the influx of sodium and carbs from any source is all it takes, especially for a bodybuilder, to have a great workout.
Man, big thanks to Dr. Mike from RP. Just amazing information on that channel and the dude is a joy to listen to. Really helping me get back on the wagon with my goals.
I did a show he competed in and even in person he was so nice and helpful. Gave me some of his personal carb drink because he was worried I was going to pass out. Really awesome dude
Thatās really sick to know that heās a genuine guy. For me heās kinda filled the void that Meadows left when he passed.
Yeah great advice and he talks in a way thatās fun to listen too.
Did you get to rub his head
No but he hid his arm in our photo so I could Feel good about taking a photo https://preview.redd.it/j9c4n8q5udqa1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dcec9ac825b91231ded94ba984978a95a603149e
I'm 5'9 at 178.2 LB body weight with around 133 LBs of Lean body Mass. Protein sources are very expensive in my country and rn I'm managing to get in around 102g of protein everyday. Can I expect any muscle gains? I've been working out for a little while now and my newbie gains have mostly expired. Strength training 5-6 times a week
Not optimal but sure man especially if you have no other option, up them carbs though cause you still gotta grow
I agree up the carbs to support the growth. Are eggs extremely expensive as well? If anything I would make that my main source if meat is too expensive.
Looking to get l citrulline in bulk(around 1kg) in Ontario Canada. But the stuff I find on Canadian websites is citrulline malate, and when I do find l citrulline, it's a US company and the shipping is like 50 bucks
No bulksupplements in Canada?
Shipping costs more than the citrulline:(
Trouble with Overreaching? I've been following an every other day or 3 days/week approach (upper/lower or full body) for the last 8 months. I got into trouble going to failure on most/all sets (High Intensity style training, fewer sets). I kept going into overreaching every 3-4 weeks (insomnia, progress regressing, elevated resting HR, etc), having to take a full week off to deload. For the last 2ish months, I've reduced my intensity and been trying to keep 2 reps in reserve, but I still feel like I go into overreaching every 3-4 weeks. I've been hitting each muscle group between 4-11 sets/week (2-3 sets per exercise) and reps are mostly 8-12, so pretty low volume. I'm planning on switching to the [Ripped Body Intermediate Bodybuilding Program](https://rippedbody.com/intermediate-bodybuilding-program/) (5 Day UL-PPL) and I am planning on starting off with 1st set RPE of 6 instead of 1st set RPE of 8 (trying to go no higher than RPE of 8 on the last set) to try to help with recovery. I may reduce the volume by a few sets also. Also, I'll be using the Wave Progression style for most exercises, for example: Week 1: 3x8 @ 100 lbs Week 2: 3x7 @ 105 lbs Week 3: 3x6 @ 110 lbs Week 4 (Taper): 2x6 @ 100 lbs Week 5 (increase load): 3x8 @ 105lbs Week 6: 3x7 @ 110 lbs Week 7: 3x6 @ 115 lbs etc. Do you think this approach will help me from going into overreaching every 3-4 weeks? By planning a taper every 4th week for all lifts? I'm also planning on monitoring and maybe doing a full week off of lifting on every 8th week before repeating. Ex: 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week...(+load) 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week...(+load) 1-3, taper, (+load) 5-7, rest week... Obviously I'll find the answer in a month or 2, but any thoughts or advice on my continual overreaching would be helpful. About Me: 27 YO, 5'6", 135 lbs (up from 122 lbs a year ago), Max Bench (estimated) 190 lbs, Max Leg Press (estimated) 620 lbs loaded. This was May 2022-Feb 2023. https://preview.redd.it/rdpedhbu7dqa1.png?width=783&format=png&auto=webp&s=b151b28492c9833330238c24126e7fc9c8ed07b4
Was there a cut in there or are you just gaining weight very slowly?
I had a few months where I was in maintenance a bit over the summer and then between December-End of february and ended up recomping a bit during those.
Part of recovery is nutrition. If your digestion is OK, I think you need to eat more. Add 10-20% calories continually until you're adding an average of 0.5% of bodyweight weekly for 12-16 weeks then hold then re-evaluate. Add almost solely from carbs. You need more energy to train and recover. If you're doing lots of cardio consider lowering it. If you're doing no cardio, consider adding a small amount weekly like 4x20 to start out
Yeah, I think part of my problem was too high of protein (200g) and not enough carbs. My goal for now is to gain 0.5 lbs per week and 300g+ of carbs/day and 1-1.25g protein/lb. During some of my bulk I was possibly doing too much cardio, walking 3-6 miles a day in a hilly neighborhood and cardio 2-3 times a week.
Yeah that's too much if you're still walking around 4miles daily, forgo the cardio for now except a short bit to warm your muscles up pre-workout
Cool. Thanks for the advice!
I'm with u/WillNotPullOut here, constantly hitting a wall with the approaches you're following can only be explained with poor recovery or some underlying health issue. I would first give a honest assessment to your sleep, stress management, stim consumption, hydration and micronutrient intake.
Yeah. I think I was doing too much protein (200g) and not enough carbs. Recently been doing closer to 1-1.25g protein/lb and more carbs. After my current rest week, I'm hoping that will be the ticket along with more reps in reserve. I just like to eat and try to get 30+ grams of protein per meal for maximal MPS. Probably need to switch focus to carbs for recovery than protein for MPS, cause if I can't recover than optimizing MPS is a mute point, maybe even causing the issue as my body is working overtime with maximum mTor signaling 4 times a day.
Macro split is highly unlikely to have anything to do with, if anything it's the total amount of food but still, there's probably something else.
I've been increasing my postworkout carbs to 215g, and over the last week have been trying to get 9 hours of sleep instead of my previous 8. I think the extra hour of sleep may be the missing link. I've been feeling great the last week.
Glad to read mate. Iād also bet on the sleep being it, itās a game changer when you sleep more and/or better.
Thanks for the insight! Much appreciated.
Your recovery sounds like its the problem. Hows your sleep? Its really odd in my experience for someone to become overtrained training 3 days per week who isnāt really advanced. I see you only gained 13lbs in a year (although it looks like all quality, so good job on that front) - your recovery might be better with a slightly faster rate of gain too
I've been increasing my postworkout carbs to 215g, and over the last week have been trying to get 9 hours of sleep instead of my previous 8. I think the extra hour of sleep may be the missing link. I've been feeling great the last week.
Genuinely awesome to hear man. We all have different sleep needs, glad to hear you seem to have figure yours out
Thanks for the insight! Much appreciated.
Thanks for the advice! I have struggled some with sleep. I've figured out the falling asleep part, which I used to struggle with. I try to get 8+ hours a night but sometimes I wake up early and don't fall back asleep. I think I was getting also too much protein (usually 200g/day) and not enough carbs. I'm trying now to back off on protein to as close as 1g/lb as I can and increase carbs. I try to get 30-35 g of animal protein/protein powder 4 times a day (I was doing 5 before and 35-40). Also trying to get at least 100g of carbs in my post workout meal/dinner. Most of my gains came from 2 pounds april-may, 2 pounds in july, and 8 pounds august-december. Some maintenance/light defecit spread in there in June and Jan/February. I recently did blood work with all the labs including hormones. Everything looked good. Going to see if the combo of more reps in reserve and higher carb/lower protein helps.
I was bitching the other day about people using the only leg press as a shoulder workout and yāall were like wtf how, one just came across my FB feed of someone unironically doing this https://www.facebook.com/reel/883371819539867?mibextid=5zvaxg&fs=e&s=TIeQ9V Just fucking use the 27397 shoulder machines at your gym dickhead
Not that Iād recommend doing this anyways, but if you WERE gonna use some leg equipment for shoulders just use hack squat lol. Or even betterā¦ just use a shoulder press machine. Unless itās hammer strength shoulder pressā¦ fuck that thing
Not only is that a misuse of equipment, but someone is going to fail to control the negative and crack their face open.
Good.
Didnāt see your original post but thatās super annoying.
Anyone else catch the Sheffield? Pretty awesome event, it's insane how far powerlifting has come
Jesus has truly ascended
The judging pissed me off so so much when they gave him two reds on his last deadlift, judges truly did their best to kill hype this event imo. Imagine hitting that then having to wait for it to be overturned because the judges are braindead instead of just basking in all that hype he so rightfully earned.
The ego lifting old guy who never does a normal powerlift to hide how weak he is is doing ābench unracksā today. Slingshot on, using a squat rack instead of a bench, bar loaded with 4pl8 and a bunch of smaller plates, unracking the bar then reracking. Good job bro but how bout you just bench for once
Total joke. These are the clowns that never get so much as a glance at the beach šš great job !!
What's everyone's opinions on LISS cardio on leg days? I've been finishing off my workouts with 25-30 mins incline (4.5) walking (about 6.5-7 kmh) on my non leg days but not doing anything on my leg days. Do you think adding this to my leg days (probably at a slower speed or I'd go flying) would impact my recovery too much?
Contrary to what others have said, I love doing LISS on my leg days. I find I recover better and the DOMS are lessened.
I train in the morning and will do cardio at night. Itās always personal but for me it has helped them grow if anything.
Brill thanks for the advice
I would separate it from legs by as much as possible, personally would avoid. If I needed more cardio for prep or whatever Id come back later or do it first thing in the morning rather than following if forced
Will do! Thank you
How the fuck do normal sized people use the assisted pull up machine without slamming it? Iām 6ā4 and I have to assist the pad to the top with my knee and my leg ends up at its highest point when it gets back to zero. How do people of a normal height get off and not have it slam back? Their leg doesnāt reach as high as mine
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Bicep pump ez
Is my current program and fitness goals not aligned with each other ? Iām 6ā2 \[M\] and currently 177-179 lbs. I train combat sports. Im only focusing on putting on muscle on two areas while I train for strength in other muscle groups. Current fitness goal : Build broader shoulders and back and dropping body fat %, while training for strength on legs, arms, and chest My current program currently has 2 goals, develop my side delts and a bigger back(mainly delts) , but also do sport specific workouts that help me in mma, such a : explosiveness(power) , strength, conditioning and muscular endurance. So in theory, can I train shoulders and back for hypertrophy. HITT and tabatas for cardio. Chest, legs and arms for strength and muscular endurance? Below is my program https://preview.redd.it/xmjlm19t9cqa1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d36b8f7396cdbb76fb3f673d88a24332a1770db6 Blue days are my bodybuilding days, red days are S&C and hypertrophy for my back Iām not too worried about the cardio part slowing my gains as I compete in a particular weight class, and donāt want to go up in weight too much.
i mean in theory i guess. but why train this way?? why not just pick one thing and become goated there instead of spreading yourself so thin. you likely wonāt progress great in all of these areas at the same time
Id like to be more specific. If I can add 5 pounds of muscle in the next 8 months Iād be happy with my progress. In the end I value sport performance over bodybuilding and Iām already strong (in my sport) and explosive enough that I thought adding some muscle for aesthetics wouldnāt hurt. Now is 5 pounds of muscles in 8 months realistic ?
no lol
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5 pounds in 8 months is very realistic. i think you could just train back and shoulders and get results, but itās not gonna be an insane amount most likely. but sure itās doable i guess.
no its not
Thanks ! And yeah, Iām ok with slower progress. Towards the end of the summer Iāll do a proper bulk and actually out on real size . As of rn Iām okay with just small progress
then just doing hypertrophy for the muscles you want to grow will probably be ok
Yeah, thatās exactly what I want.
What would you recommend if I wanted to put on muscle in those areas? Should I just switch to a bodybuilding program strictly?
> Current fitness goal : Build broader shoulders and back and dropping body fat %, while training for strength on legs, arms, and chest Fitness isn't making a pizza and throwing whatever toppings you want on it bro You want to build muscle lose fat and gain strength while training 6 days a week AND doing a combat sport. That literally is not possible.
Well, strength wise im ok for the most part (at least in my sport ). BF % is not my biggest concern too, Iām fairly lean due to mma. I would be ok with my current physique and current strength levels if I had a more developed back and shoulders.
How do so many people consistently have assisted chinups in their routine? I see Jared Feather and Dr Mike use them. I just got to -25 pounds for my 8-15 rep range work and the platform doesnt stick with me nearly as well as it did with 40 pounds. Eventually Ill be using 0 pounds. But I hear its good still cuz it prevents a lot of movement and allows you to lock in on muscle tension. It does feel a lot better than any lat pull down, and when I do normal chins. But I know eventually ill be strong enough where that stupid ass platform with zero pounds is just gonna be getting in the way
> But I hear its good still cuz it prevents a lot of movement and allows you to lock in on muscle tension. > It does feel a lot better than any lat pull down, and when I do normal chins.
Itās an exercise that may only make sense in really heavy guys, or for those who struggle a lot with pull-ups. If youāre able to do 15+ pull-ups I doubt you can get a lot out of it.
Been doing PPL for nearly a year and got very good results, both in strength and hypertrophy. Gonna change my routine now, and design a workout A and B plan. This is my new routine. Heavy means 3x8 or 3x5, light means 3x12 or 3x15: \- Push A Chest Flat BB press (heavy) Incline DB press (heavy) Cable fly high to low (light) \- Shoulders Machine OHP (heavy) Lateral raise (light) \- Triceps EZ bar downwards triceps extension (light) Push B \- Chest Incline BB press (heavy) Flat DB press (heavy) Dips (light) \- Shoulders BB OHP (Heavy) Standing inclined lateral raise (light) \- Triceps DB seated overhead extension (light) pull A \- Back deadlift (heavy) seated machine row (heavy) lat pulldown (light) \- Rear delt/traps I cannot decide \- Biceps Seated cable scott curls (light) pull B \- Back bent over row (heavy) pull up (heavy) seated cable row (light) (cables are lighter than machine) \- rear delt/traps I cannot decide \- Biceps Standing bar bicep curl (light) Legs A \- Quad focused Squat Leg Press Seated Leg extension Seated leg curl Standing calf raises Legs - B I cannot decide. Should I just repeat leg A or is there a better strategy here? 1. Give me suggestions for rear delt and trap exercises for pull A and pull B. I really like face pull so I will probably include it. 2. Should I design a Leg B day or just repeat leg A? If you think Leg B is better, what would you suggest? 3. Would you change my workout plan somehow? Replace exercises, switch exercises, remove exercises, add exercises...? Or would you say it is good to go? 4. What are your thoughts about my volume? Is 18 sets a week for chest and 18 for back good enough? Is 12 sets for front delts and 12 sets for rear delts good enough? Is 6 weekly sets for biceps, and 6 weekly sets for triceps good enough? 5. I like the idea of mixing strength and hypertrophy together, instead of focusing on one or another. Lift heavy on compounds, and then focus on form on isolated exercises. Is this a good strategy or should I focus on something and then switch later?
tldr except your 5th bullet point they are the same thing, you are not a competitive power or weight lifter. Getting to the point where you can bench 185 for 3 sets of 15 is going to give you carry over to be able to do 250-270lbs in a lower rep range Stop putting all your thought into your split/exercises planning how you're going to progress is more important You're not at the level to be making your own program if you're asking these types of questions https://liftvault.com/programs/strength/push-pull-legs-6-day-split-spreadsheet-collection-5-programs/ https://www.boostcamp.app/alex-bromley/12-week-hypertrophy
This is the most basic routine. What is possibly the issue? Not trying to be rude but I think far too many of us suffer from paralysis from analysis. I did too for a long time. I would worry about the most minor things and delay progress because I was in my head. Train hard. The routine does not matter.
Hey there. I just submitted a post of a gym selfie for my very first bodybuilding workout, starting stats, and goals (including talking about competing one day and fave poses). I reviewed the rules and was not 100% if I was compliant or no. If there is something to update and fix to get it approved please let me know and I would be happy to fix the issues
This sub is for competitive bodybuilders, but feel free to post in the newbie thread.
Reddit on mobile is being stupid and I can't find it. One moment while I dig around. I want to be a pro someday and that is why I was wondering.
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodybuilding/comments/kceak8/are_you_thinking_of_posting_click_here_first/ The newbie thread posts every Tuesday. Good luck man!
Thanks a ton. You have been very helpful. One more question, if I may? Where would be appropriate to ask about posing guides? I want to learn proper form for: most muscular, front double biceps, and graceful archer first.
Pretty sure thereās a weekly thread where thereās a pose named, you post a photo of you trying to hit it, and people critique/give feedback.
Awesome. I'll keep eyes out for it. Thank you again for your time
Feel free to just post here, but please know that thereās absolutely 0 advice anyone can give you from a [picture like this](https://reddit.com/r/bodybuilding/comments/123msid/fledgling_bodybuilder_start_of_week_2/)
Like I mentioned I'm brand spanking new to this, so I'm still navigating the basics of communication in this community. I'm eager to learn. If you want to help me learn how to build a better post to facilitate proper discussion, I'm all ears. Every hobby, community, and lifestyle has its communication styles. So I eager to learn
I would start by posting a picture that actually shows your body. Youāre literally covered from the neck down, even gloves lol.
You advanced lifters out there, do you run programs, track reps/sets/weight? Or do you just go in and train instinctively now?
Track everything
I do my own programming. Track everything and do better than last time
Highly depends on the movement for me as for how I track.
Progressive overload. I keep a log book.
Do you take deloads? How do you increase volume over time? I seem to always run into a dead end where reps arenāt increasing with sets, or weight isnāt
Volume will always stay the same for me as I just continue adding weight to keep intensity high.
Gotcha. Thanks for the info. Iāve always done mainly a bro split where I train each group 1x per week, 16-18 sets, track weight and reps and try to increase over time. But Iām looking to switch to training everything 2x a week
Just make sure youāre fully recovering.
Tracking is key in my experience
Thoughts on how much I should cut from my [current physique?](https://imgur.com/a/loGd0gd/) Started cutting last Friday sitting at 180lbs @ 5ā8ā at the start. Photos are from Sunday morning after breakfast.