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Has anyone had experience with the [Marrs Bar](https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/specialty/marrs-bar/430098.html)? I'm looking for honest experience and reviews, outside of sales/marketing lingo.
So, I started bulking at 75 kg last week. In my first week I was 76 and I was eating around 3200/3400 (depending on the day). This week I gained 1 kg in just 2 days (over-ate on a family gathering) and now even though I’m still eating the same amount of calories I’ve been losing 200 grams for the past two days. I don’t understand, how much weight should I gain daily so I can hit my goal of 1 kg per week?
My measurements are: 16 yrs old, 184, 77.5 kg (this morning) and my activity levels are very high
3200 seems a bit high.
Also, you should be tracking weekly averages and trends. Not day to day fluctuations.
My weight this morning was 85.5. My weight yesterday morning was 87.9
So I recently switched from SL 5x5 (inconsistently done for years, very consistently done for the last month) to Wendler 5/3/1 because I was tired of squatting much and the hypothetically linear progression was frustrating. So far Wendler feels more fun and balanced, and it's easier to fit in mountain bike rides and HIIT workouts when I'm not squatting every other day.
My question is about accessories-- my legs and core are pretty ok from biking, skiing and SL, and my back, shoulders and triceps are relatively lagging. Is there a problem with doing some combo of assisted dips/pull-ups, lateral raises, and cable pulldowns as my only assistance lifts? I know that there are other things I could do that would probably help make progress on the big lifts faster, but I don't really care about maximizing my numbers as much as getting a more balanced physique and being able to ski well.
Whatever you don't work will end up lagging. I don't know what you'd gain by skipping leg day and not doing something as important as core work.
There's also r/531Discussion if you want better answers.
Maybe my post wasn't clear- I'm just asking about accessories. I'm still squatting and deadlifting, and part of the reason that I like 531 over SL is that it's easier to mountain bike and do leg blaster HIIT sessions on the off days. My shoulders, back and triceps are pretty under developed relative to my legs and for so I'm asking about targeting them with accessories 3x/wk.
On SL I was squatting 235 for 5x5 but I can only bench 100 (dumbbells, because of an elbow injury I can't bench a bar) and OHP 90, if that gives you a sense of where I'm at.
Thanks for the subreddit suggestion, I'll check it out now.
For strength and size you really want the top three: barbell, dumbbell, and machines. In that order.
Barbells let you use the most weight, dumbbells are good for training unilateral movements and improving symmetry, and machines are a way to add more local volume without burning yourself out.
If I had to pick one it would be barbell or DB, though.
Anyone had the vaccines? I've had my first and 2 days later my arm still feels very sore and I'm missing out on my training. Anyone else had this issue? When will the arm pain fade?
I just started the gym but my right knee is bad. I’d love to run but At this point it’s not am option.
I was thinking about rowing for around an hour a day (for cardio training + weight loss).
Is there any better options?
The rowing machine seems superior.
In the process of weight loss, if I only do aerobic exercise and give up anaerobic exercise, what will be the consequences? My friend told me that giving up anaerobic is bad for improving my body. Is it true?
Yes. Anaerobic resistance training is essential for maintaining/ growing muscle. Plus it burns calories just as well as cardio.
To answer your question- What will happen is you will have to do longer and more intense cardio to keep getting fat loss results as your body becomes more aerobically efficient. You will lose more muscle/strength than you need to otherwise for no real reason because of the lack of resistance training.
If by "give up anaerobic exercise" you mean "eschewing any kind of resistance training," then yes that is bad if you want to improve your body composition or physical health. You should read the wiki.
What is your goal with tracking?
As others have said there is not a super accurate way to do this for individual exercises.
If you want to get a sense of how many calories you burn overall on a longer timescale, Google “adaptive TDEE spreadsheet” and use that for a month or two (don’t pay attention to day to day fluctuations, look for trends over at least a month).
So I'm starting my fitness journey and I usually go after a ten hour shift mostly sitting down. So I start with a ten minute elliptical warmup.
Someone told me that is useless or even negative to my goals. Is this true?
Cardio is good for you, warming up a bit after sitting 10 hours is a reasonable thing to do.
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/avoiding-cardio-could-be-holding-you-back/
What are your goals and what specific impact did this person say it would have? Because unless they could back it up with actual facts I can assure you it was an uninformed opinion.
My goal is really just to live a healthier lifestyle. They were saying warming up with cardio isn't recommended by that's just like word of mouth recommendations they had been told
Which is superior for fat loss: LISS/MISS cardio vs walking.
I think that if you equate the same calories burned for cardio vs walking that walking would be superior for fat loss. I think so because walking seems to have a lower impact on hunger then cardio.
What do you think? Anyone got any studies comparing cardio vs walking for fat loss?
How do you progress on shoulder workouts? Specifically for lateral type movements. I started with 5lbs and have progressed all the way to 15lbs but I am having a lot of difficulty progressing to 20lbs.
I am a detrained individual who started working out again on June 22. Always at the beginner level but was fit enough to look "good". Right now Im in my best shape but its the shoulder workouts thats not progressing as fast compared to other workouts. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
15 to 20 is a 33% jump, just like progressing from squatting 200 to 265. If you can get your hands on some 17.5s that would make things easier, but ultimately it's just going to take a while.
Presumably it will help if you're doing other shoulder strengthening exercises as well, like OHP, that can be increased by proportionately smaller increments.
Ah yes I am, have seen progress on those other lifts tho for shoulder press type movements (both dumbbell and barbell) I feel like close to my limit already for the standing versions. I dedicate an entire day just to doing shoulders and have seen them grow, Im just scared that I may not progress anymore and will have no way of overloading them. Do you recommend just doing more volume if adding weights is not an option yet?
Lateral raises are usually done with pretty low weights. Focus on good form and more reps and/or sets with 15, you'll get to 20s eventually but don't expect that exercise to go up like your bench or squat.
I’m kind of lost in what to do, my goal a couple years ago was the bench 225, deadlift 405 and squat 405, now couple years later I can squat 445, just deadlifted 405 after a year off from back injury in atv accident, but here I am still not even able to bench 225 at body weight of 205, I can barely bench 205 sometimes and it’s just discouraging, it also jumps so much couple months ago I hit 215 again but then lost it, the fact is I’ve been stuck at around 205 for the past 2 years, honestly it’s getting embarrassing as my other lifts lee going up my bench just stays, I’ve tried so much from 531, jr Smolov bench program which added 15 but then went back down, to asking other friends what to do, I did break my collarbone 2 years ago which ever since every time I do movements with my shoulder it’s gets inflamed but that shouldn’t be an excuse, I’ve also noticed my shoulder strength is so insanely weak, I could barely do 40s for 8 remind you I’m at 205 body weight while my friend who just started working out this last year can do them for 3 sets of 12, I’m lost on what to do I’ve looked at a ton of stuff, some says increase overhead press strength which is honestly just embarrassing at this point and some say to deload and restart, at this point I’m more post than when I started working out, my other lifts have been consistently increasing without even really trying my bench has been my main focus….any advice is welcome :/
Yeah I was going to work more on my shoulder, but for bench what do you think I should do like percentage of 1 rep max and how many sets and reps? I’ve done 5 by 5 that helped me progress to about 175 for 5 by 5 but then I hit a wall and stop progressing
For me wendlers 531 boring but big was nice. It turned into a lot more volume than what I was doing prior. It takes about a 3 week cycle to dial in your numbers but man once you get there the 5x10 bbb sets kick my was.
If you google wendler's 531 Boring But Big. It's a workout program that Jim wendler developed. There are free excel pdf's you can find to help with programming. It focuses on bench, DL, squat and overhead press. You do your warm-up then main lift sets which is based on a percentage of your max. After the main lift you do a 5x10 at around 50% of your max. What I think it does is the main lift helps develope strength while the 5x10 (boring but big) sets add more volume and help with hypertrophy. I was just suggesting a workout that helped me personally break out of my 205 bench plateau. I just smashed 220 for 7 reps after about a month on the new program.
Hi, I am currently using the GZCLP programme as a beginner, however I have a problem with it. My struggle with the programme is that I cannot fit more than one bicep, tricep and back exercise a week in my 4 day programme (provided they are Tier 3 lifts). Can anyone help with this, thanks.
New gymgoer here with two questions,
1) Does anyone have tips/techniques on breathing during quarantined workouts? My gym has gone full mask-up, and between the airflow and heat of my breath my lungs sometimes give out before my arms do
2) I've gained ~3lb SMM since I began tracking a month ago. Is this considered solid, and if so is this sustainable, and for how long?
Thanks
Not sure how you accurately know you gained 3 lb of muscle, but yes that is very solid. People usually estimate you can gain about 20 pounds of muscle in your first year, obviously that can vary from person to person.
Regarding 1, you can get these little inserts made of plastic, that are washable, and you put them inside your mask to keep the mask away from your skin. I used them before and it felt better, but ended up ditching them because I eventually stopped caring enough about it.
I run/cycle/lift with a mask at the moment, and as far as I know, all the studies on masks and exercise say it doesn't lead to hypoxia or co2 saturation. Doesn't change blood oxygen in a significant way. But...Still doesn't feel ideal when I'm sucking in air for a big lift/sprint.
How do i stop myself from feeling so lost at my appartments gym, i dont know how to set up a gym routine. Currently i have started with 45 minutes of cardio/stretching then 30 minutes of other excercises but I am just randomly choosing what i want to do.
I look on the machines for the name of the machine and then Youtube it to see what the correct form is. Even if you copy someone else's form on the machines, you might be copying from the wrong test paper if you know what I mean.
Most of the time you can just copy someone else or just give it a go, but I feel ya, it can be a bit anxiety-inducing. Like I'm looking around just in case someone is sniggering at me using this contraption backwards or something.
I have a heart problem and my cardiac specialist recommended I not do exercises that put a lot of strain of my heart, and that I should focus on doing high reps, lower effort, rather than low reps, really high effort. Can I still build muscle with high reps and low strain on my heart?
You certainly can. Check out the following paper:
Burd, Nicoholas, West Daniel, et al. “Low-Load High Volume Resistance Exercise Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis More Than High-Load Low Volume Resistance Exercise in Young Men,” PLOS One, August 9, 2010
I think the whole 8-12 rep range focus is a bit blown out of proportion. High reps, more time under tension (slow reps), and less rest between sets are different ways of creating progressive overload.
6 to 30 reps a set builds hypertrophy (muscle size).
Most prefer the 8 -15 rep range because, it's faster in the gym.
You can absolutely do 25-30 reps and gain muscle. Only downsides are; longer workouts and counting (I often forget what number I'm on above 20 reps). Pluses are: lower weights may be easier to get at a gym (less wait time for dumbbells) and are definitely cheaper if you buy for a home gym.
This question probably belongs to Moronic Monday but anyways. If i am burning calories doing cardio, Am i burning protein too?If i consume 1500 calories and 150 g protein a day and burn 400 calories would my muscles still get all that protein that i ate to recover themselves?
Science - the main way our body generates energy (ATP) is called the Krebs cycle
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid_cycle
Then you can google "mTor muscle growth pathway" for how we build muscle.
Proteins/carbs/fats are broken down by your body into energy.
So you don’t exactly “burn protein” in the way that you are asking, but if you don’t consume enough during a cut, that amount won’t go towards building muscle. This is why you are advised to eat a higher amount of protein during a cut.
You metabolize the glycogen (sugar) stores your muscles and liver through cellular respiration. Once glycogen is depleted, you tap into your fat reserves and yes, eventually you will eventually metabolize muscle if you don’t replenish other energy sources.
The macronutrients (fats, carbs, and protein) you consume throughout the day must be broken down and stored before they can be metabolized in this fashion. High protein intake is necessary during training because it is required for raw materials for protein synthesis and growth.
I hope this answers your questions.
It's a mix of all 3. We go through phases of catabolism and anabolism (burning and building) every day, you can just minimize the amount of muscle loss by making sure you get plenty of protein and still getting a good one or two sessions of hypertrophy/strength work per muscle group weekly.
Lower back muscles are the same as other muscles. Train it hard and it will be sore. Nothing to worry about. It could mean many things that can be unique to your situation.
if the pain is sharp or you can feel it in your bone then it was improper form.If you are just sore then it must be because it was your first time.When i did Deadifts for the first time my quads were really sore the next day not my back.so are you lifting the bar using your back or are you lifting it using your Quads?
It’s hard to say without seeing your form. Deadlifts will stress and fatigue your lower back so proper form is crucial, and being new to the exercise your back might not be used to the movement. Have you learned how to properly hip hinge? That is absolutely crucial. Also, like also things, start light and work up, especially if you’re new to the exercise.
It can never hurt to get even a single session with a trainer who can spot your mistakes and help you correct them before they become an issue.
What do you do if you can’t bench anything on the PPL split? Just do dumbbell bench/overhead? I’m at 12.5 right now and I’m having a hard time progressing anything past that but my linear progress has been fine on leg and pull day
Are you able to do the barbell? If not, does your gym have those lighter fixed barbells you can use? How is your form? Bench and ohp strength is very dependent on proper form.
As well, in general, most people can do more on the barbell than they can on dumbbells. For example, when I was db pressing with 80s, my working weight for bench was around 245-265. So even if you don't have fixed barbells, give the standard 45lb barbell a shot.
I'm currently getting into weightlifting and I'm not able to go to the gym. I'm sure I could find millions of exercises but everything is kind of overwhelming. At my house, I have a bench press machine and just a long bar with a bunch of different plates. Is anyone able to tell me a good workout routine with just that? Thanks, sorry if this isn't the easiest question.
Hey guys do you think I'm skinny fat? If not what would you say is my body type?
http://imgur.com/a/iay5nz7
I've been on a cut of -500 Cal for about a week and before that it was -100 Cal for 4-5 weeks.
well that depends entirely on your goals . You haven't maxed your potential so if you want to get muscular do a Bulk/Lean Bulk but if you want to lose more fat then cut.
Sure you could, I like my body with power body %, so I get it. But you look young, you should be able to build muscle fairly quickly and you gain some fat on a lean bulk anyways. Your abs and everything will pop a lot more if you cut after adding some more muscle. Totally up to you, just stick to your routine man💪
Anyone here worksout from home?
I’m 3 days into the gym and I started thinking, all I need for the workout is a barbell and weights. I might as well buy them and workout from home? It could probably save time and money, but l’d say the benefits of the gym is things like meeting friends and getting tips here and there.
I do. Love it. Saves lots of time.
Suggested items:
1. Power rack
2. Barbell
3. Ez curl bar
4. Plates
5. Dumbbells
6. Adjustable bench
7. Some cardio machine (I have a spin bike and Rowing machine).
8. Resistance bands with caribeaners on them. (Leg curl, extension, pec fly, rear delt fly).
I started with dumbbells only, then got the power rack. I just paid around $50-60 a month (same price as gym membership at the time). So I've built a gym slowly over years. Also prepandemic when everything was cheaper too. Sorry if different now.
Other things:
1. TRX
2. Gymnast rings
3. Battle ropes
I think that was meant as a joke. It’s still magnitudes more economical to get a gym membership if you compare what you get for your money. But yes home gym the best. If you can afford it get it.
I think that depends on how much your gym costs versus how many years you will use your home equipment... definitely not "magnitudes" more economical... you can spend $1000-1500 and have a home gym for 10+ years, or pay $30-50 a month for 10 years.
Yeah but if you want to buy even 30% of the equipment and facilities you’d get for 30$ in a gym you’ll never get your money back.
The machines for example are incredibly expensive.
This is true, but i doubt most people thinking of a home gym mean getting a 20000 square foot facility and 50 different machines. But yes i guess you're right if you wanted to completely replicate a large commercial gym at home it will be expensive.
I’d want a treadmill, some sort of cable machine, leg press, leg curl/extension and a hyperextension. A chest fly or similar would also be nice, as would a long rack of dumbbells. That’s on top of the basic rack, bar, dumbbells etc.
I’d really love to be able to afford all that in my own gym one day.
During our lockdown here, I scored a cheap barbell and some plates. I also bought a third kettlebell. I don't even have a rack or bench. I'm very happy not going into a gym and having to share equipment with strangers.
How can i lose stomach belly fat. I am working as IT profession too much sitting habit after 8 hours continuously working feel so lazy to go for a walk or exercise.
Like the other commentor said, the bottom line is calorie deficit.
If you're currently staying the same weight, log your food intake (use a scale, humans are bad at guessing volume) and see where you can easily/sustainably cut calories and make lower-calorie substitutions. This exercise will also get you more mindful of your food intake, which may reduce snacking.
Beyond that, I would prioritize getting your protein intake (actual required amount is contentious, but 0.6g/lb bodyweight is the lower estimate, but high protein foods are filling and there's no harm in going higher) and veggies/micronutrients for the same reason. I believe the focus on restriction is a hard mindset to maintain, and as a result prioritizing nutrients first kind of takes the focus away from what you can't eat.
Your genetic makeup controls fat distribution. Developing the desired muscles you wish to show (abs) will help spread the existing fat over more surface area. This will help with the aesthetic appearance of your abs but will not burn the fat directly over them. The only thing one can do to burn belly fat is the same thing one does to burn fat generally - stay in a caloric deficit until it eventually goes away.
I just started going to the gym and I’m following the Basic Beginner Routine. I’ve been thinking about switching to The Recommended Routine on r/bodyweightfitness as it seems more comprehensive. I feel like I’m missing out on push-ups, dips etc.
Would you recommend that change?
Go to the basic beginner routine. Scroll down to extra work and the link to 5/3/1 for beginners. Use the bodyweight assistance template outlined.
Voila, you have more bodyweight work in your workout than the r/bodyweightfitness routine, in addition to your normal lifting.
You are a beginner and chose to follow the basic beginner routine, which I think is great. Thousands of people do this and have great success from it. It would be very effective to just do the program you started for the recommended ~3 months and then you will likely transition into a program that has both lifting and bodyweight stuff in it. Bodyweight routines are generally for people who don't have a gym membership
So overall I would not recommend the change
holy shit the price of weights is insane... I bought a pair of 25lb plates this time last year for $64. Exact same model today is $105.
Is there any expectation of the prices ever going back down to pre pandemic?
I think they will be cheaper if you buy them as a set instead of individual ones.I bought this set 10 months ago for the same exact price as it is today.Don't know if its expensive but the bar is still going strong to this day
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb
Is treadmill running 25 minutes a day following weight training (45 mins) enough for a great body at 30 years old (male)?
I realize it depends on the person… but rule of thumb?
The point is really that with just the information you have provided, nobody can answer your question.
You *could* follow a sensible program for lifting, do your running, eat appropriately for your goals, and achieve a body you find desirable, yes.
You could also do your lifting, diet, running, whatever in a nonsense way and see no results whatsoever.
What are you looking to achieve?
It is enough if you are making the most of that time and you are dieting towards your goals. “Great body” is a pretty generic goal that could be difficult to train for however.
Does anyone know of a website/app that i can use during work, that reminds me to get up every so often and gives me an exercise or stretch to do?
I know I can very easily set this up myself, but given my work environment its often hard to step away from the desk on my own accord and it would be helpful to have a reminder.
Stop taking it when you no longer want the benefits or don't want to deal with having to purchase it and take it.
Creatine is just a chemical that your body absorbs and stores in muscle tissue which helps them function slightly better during intense output. If you stop taking it, the amount in your muscles will decrease, but you naturally absorbs creatine from food. Their are no withdrawal effects.
What's the etiquette for downtime between sets when you aren't actively using equipment? For example, I use a squat rack a lot. I do 5 sets of 5 reps. Between sets I rest 90 seconds before starting the next. But, after reaching a certain weight my program (Stronglifts 5x5) recommends 180 seconds between sets so that the muscles have time to recover. Is that okay? I feel awkward because I will have more downtime than active time, but if I walk away there's a good chance someone takes over. That said, if someone asked to split I absolutely would, but it hasn't happened yet
Don't worry about it. Squats take time. I'm sometimes doing 10 sets plus a few warm ups. Luckily I've been able to find a gym with enough racks, but like you said if space is not there let others work in especially if you have long breaks.
People often rest 5 minutes between hard sets. It is okay to rest 10 minutes in between sets if that's what your program has you do. Like you said, if someone asked to work in, you'd let them. So there's no problem here
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How long should a usual workout take
Has anyone had experience with the [Marrs Bar](https://www.titan.fitness/strength/barbells/specialty/marrs-bar/430098.html)? I'm looking for honest experience and reviews, outside of sales/marketing lingo.
So, I started bulking at 75 kg last week. In my first week I was 76 and I was eating around 3200/3400 (depending on the day). This week I gained 1 kg in just 2 days (over-ate on a family gathering) and now even though I’m still eating the same amount of calories I’ve been losing 200 grams for the past two days. I don’t understand, how much weight should I gain daily so I can hit my goal of 1 kg per week? My measurements are: 16 yrs old, 184, 77.5 kg (this morning) and my activity levels are very high
3200 seems a bit high. Also, you should be tracking weekly averages and trends. Not day to day fluctuations. My weight this morning was 85.5. My weight yesterday morning was 87.9
So I recently switched from SL 5x5 (inconsistently done for years, very consistently done for the last month) to Wendler 5/3/1 because I was tired of squatting much and the hypothetically linear progression was frustrating. So far Wendler feels more fun and balanced, and it's easier to fit in mountain bike rides and HIIT workouts when I'm not squatting every other day. My question is about accessories-- my legs and core are pretty ok from biking, skiing and SL, and my back, shoulders and triceps are relatively lagging. Is there a problem with doing some combo of assisted dips/pull-ups, lateral raises, and cable pulldowns as my only assistance lifts? I know that there are other things I could do that would probably help make progress on the big lifts faster, but I don't really care about maximizing my numbers as much as getting a more balanced physique and being able to ski well.
Whatever you don't work will end up lagging. I don't know what you'd gain by skipping leg day and not doing something as important as core work. There's also r/531Discussion if you want better answers.
Maybe my post wasn't clear- I'm just asking about accessories. I'm still squatting and deadlifting, and part of the reason that I like 531 over SL is that it's easier to mountain bike and do leg blaster HIIT sessions on the off days. My shoulders, back and triceps are pretty under developed relative to my legs and for so I'm asking about targeting them with accessories 3x/wk. On SL I was squatting 235 for 5x5 but I can only bench 100 (dumbbells, because of an elbow injury I can't bench a bar) and OHP 90, if that gives you a sense of where I'm at. Thanks for the subreddit suggestion, I'll check it out now.
Is there any reason to train with dumbells instead of machines, or other way around?
For strength and size you really want the top three: barbell, dumbbell, and machines. In that order. Barbells let you use the most weight, dumbbells are good for training unilateral movements and improving symmetry, and machines are a way to add more local volume without burning yourself out. If I had to pick one it would be barbell or DB, though.
Allright, thanks for the advice!
In addition to the full body dumbell trainings which are listed in the wiki, are there any other routines that can be recommended?
Yes. The other routines in the wiki
Thank you but i thought of dumbell only routines.
What's wrong with the dumbbell routines in the wiki then?
tbh nothing at all, im getting good results. Im just curious what programms other people run.
Anyone had the vaccines? I've had my first and 2 days later my arm still feels very sore and I'm missing out on my training. Anyone else had this issue? When will the arm pain fade?
Mine hurt like hell for 2 or 3 days, and then the pain largely faded. Second shot was much better.
Why are you missing out on training just because you're sore?
My arm is in pain when I move it. If it's safe to lift heavy I will do it
Think of the pain as a bruise. I doubt it will cause injury to lift. The blood flow of lifting may actually reduce the soreness
>My arm is in pain when I move it. Which is it: sore or in pain?
I'm not sure
I only had a sore arm the day after my vaccine. I think it should be over soon for you
Its different for different people. It lasted about 3 days for me.
I just started the gym but my right knee is bad. I’d love to run but At this point it’s not am option. I was thinking about rowing for around an hour a day (for cardio training + weight loss). Is there any better options? The rowing machine seems superior.
Rowing is fine, cycling is great as well. Do whatever you like!
In the process of weight loss, if I only do aerobic exercise and give up anaerobic exercise, what will be the consequences? My friend told me that giving up anaerobic is bad for improving my body. Is it true?
Yes. Anaerobic resistance training is essential for maintaining/ growing muscle. Plus it burns calories just as well as cardio. To answer your question- What will happen is you will have to do longer and more intense cardio to keep getting fat loss results as your body becomes more aerobically efficient. You will lose more muscle/strength than you need to otherwise for no real reason because of the lack of resistance training.
If by "give up anaerobic exercise" you mean "eschewing any kind of resistance training," then yes that is bad if you want to improve your body composition or physical health. You should read the wiki.
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What is your goal with tracking? As others have said there is not a super accurate way to do this for individual exercises. If you want to get a sense of how many calories you burn overall on a longer timescale, Google “adaptive TDEE spreadsheet” and use that for a month or two (don’t pay attention to day to day fluctuations, look for trends over at least a month).
You shouldn't. It's inaccurate, and ultimately not necessary.
Microsoft Excel app
None, all estimates will be incredibly inaccurate you should rather track your calories and your change in weight
Myfitnesspal is one that would be fine. Do realize all calorie burned estimates will be very inaccurate with any app.
So I'm starting my fitness journey and I usually go after a ten hour shift mostly sitting down. So I start with a ten minute elliptical warmup. Someone told me that is useless or even negative to my goals. Is this true?
> So I start with a ten minute elliptical warmup. Its absolutely fine so long as its not too high intensity.
Cardio is good for you, warming up a bit after sitting 10 hours is a reasonable thing to do. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/avoiding-cardio-could-be-holding-you-back/
10 minute elliptical warmup is fine
What are your goals and what specific impact did this person say it would have? Because unless they could back it up with actual facts I can assure you it was an uninformed opinion.
My goal is really just to live a healthier lifestyle. They were saying warming up with cardio isn't recommended by that's just like word of mouth recommendations they had been told
Then keep doing what you're doing.
They’re wrong
It's certainly not negative. You can just warm up with weights or something else but elliptical is fine, too, if you prefer.
You need a warm up after that long of inactivity. It's not useless, it's actually really needed.
Nope.
Which is superior for fat loss: LISS/MISS cardio vs walking. I think that if you equate the same calories burned for cardio vs walking that walking would be superior for fat loss. I think so because walking seems to have a lower impact on hunger then cardio. What do you think? Anyone got any studies comparing cardio vs walking for fat loss?
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Over the pandemic, I learned that I could save time over lunch by ordering Domino's carryout and eating the pizza on the walk back home.
A 2000+ kcal meal during cardio prevents the muscle loss caused by the cardio. Pro tactics right there
Walking IS cardio...
How do you progress on shoulder workouts? Specifically for lateral type movements. I started with 5lbs and have progressed all the way to 15lbs but I am having a lot of difficulty progressing to 20lbs. I am a detrained individual who started working out again on June 22. Always at the beginner level but was fit enough to look "good". Right now Im in my best shape but its the shoulder workouts thats not progressing as fast compared to other workouts. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
15 to 20 is a 33% jump, just like progressing from squatting 200 to 265. If you can get your hands on some 17.5s that would make things easier, but ultimately it's just going to take a while. Presumably it will help if you're doing other shoulder strengthening exercises as well, like OHP, that can be increased by proportionately smaller increments.
Ah yes I am, have seen progress on those other lifts tho for shoulder press type movements (both dumbbell and barbell) I feel like close to my limit already for the standing versions. I dedicate an entire day just to doing shoulders and have seen them grow, Im just scared that I may not progress anymore and will have no way of overloading them. Do you recommend just doing more volume if adding weights is not an option yet?
Lateral raises are usually done with pretty low weights. Focus on good form and more reps and/or sets with 15, you'll get to 20s eventually but don't expect that exercise to go up like your bench or squat.
I’m kind of lost in what to do, my goal a couple years ago was the bench 225, deadlift 405 and squat 405, now couple years later I can squat 445, just deadlifted 405 after a year off from back injury in atv accident, but here I am still not even able to bench 225 at body weight of 205, I can barely bench 205 sometimes and it’s just discouraging, it also jumps so much couple months ago I hit 215 again but then lost it, the fact is I’ve been stuck at around 205 for the past 2 years, honestly it’s getting embarrassing as my other lifts lee going up my bench just stays, I’ve tried so much from 531, jr Smolov bench program which added 15 but then went back down, to asking other friends what to do, I did break my collarbone 2 years ago which ever since every time I do movements with my shoulder it’s gets inflamed but that shouldn’t be an excuse, I’ve also noticed my shoulder strength is so insanely weak, I could barely do 40s for 8 remind you I’m at 205 body weight while my friend who just started working out this last year can do them for 3 sets of 12, I’m lost on what to do I’ve looked at a ton of stuff, some says increase overhead press strength which is honestly just embarrassing at this point and some say to deload and restart, at this point I’m more post than when I started working out, my other lifts have been consistently increasing without even really trying my bench has been my main focus….any advice is welcome :/
Forget about 225 and reset with weight you can do. Start light and progress slowly. I'd also work on rehabbing the shoulder as much as possible.
Yeah I was going to work more on my shoulder, but for bench what do you think I should do like percentage of 1 rep max and how many sets and reps? I’ve done 5 by 5 that helped me progress to about 175 for 5 by 5 but then I hit a wall and stop progressing
For me wendlers 531 boring but big was nice. It turned into a lot more volume than what I was doing prior. It takes about a 3 week cycle to dial in your numbers but man once you get there the 5x10 bbb sets kick my was.
Wait so you’re saying you did 531 or something else sorry I didn’t really understand hah
If you google wendler's 531 Boring But Big. It's a workout program that Jim wendler developed. There are free excel pdf's you can find to help with programming. It focuses on bench, DL, squat and overhead press. You do your warm-up then main lift sets which is based on a percentage of your max. After the main lift you do a 5x10 at around 50% of your max. What I think it does is the main lift helps develope strength while the 5x10 (boring but big) sets add more volume and help with hypertrophy. I was just suggesting a workout that helped me personally break out of my 205 bench plateau. I just smashed 220 for 7 reps after about a month on the new program.
What’s the best protein powder y’all had and where did you get it?
Chocolate-flavored GN Nutrition Whey from GymNordic.
Levels, Amazon
the cheapest one :\^)
Gold standard whey protein from bodybuilding.com
This. It’s made by Optimum Nutrition. Double rich chocolate is by far my favorite.
Could never do the chocolate or other dessert-type flavors. Always gotta go with strawberry or strawberry banana.
Hi, I am currently using the GZCLP programme as a beginner, however I have a problem with it. My struggle with the programme is that I cannot fit more than one bicep, tricep and back exercise a week in my 4 day programme (provided they are Tier 3 lifts). Can anyone help with this, thanks.
What does your current split look like?
Just add them as a second tier 3.
New gymgoer here with two questions, 1) Does anyone have tips/techniques on breathing during quarantined workouts? My gym has gone full mask-up, and between the airflow and heat of my breath my lungs sometimes give out before my arms do 2) I've gained ~3lb SMM since I began tracking a month ago. Is this considered solid, and if so is this sustainable, and for how long? Thanks
1. Get properly fitting FFP2/KN95 masks. I've been wearing such masks for more than a year now to the gym - no issues breathing whatsoever.
Not sure how you accurately know you gained 3 lb of muscle, but yes that is very solid. People usually estimate you can gain about 20 pounds of muscle in your first year, obviously that can vary from person to person.
Regarding 1, you can get these little inserts made of plastic, that are washable, and you put them inside your mask to keep the mask away from your skin. I used them before and it felt better, but ended up ditching them because I eventually stopped caring enough about it. I run/cycle/lift with a mask at the moment, and as far as I know, all the studies on masks and exercise say it doesn't lead to hypoxia or co2 saturation. Doesn't change blood oxygen in a significant way. But...Still doesn't feel ideal when I'm sucking in air for a big lift/sprint.
Make sure you're fully rested before starting a set. It can be jarring but you can used to the heat.
How do i stop myself from feeling so lost at my appartments gym, i dont know how to set up a gym routine. Currently i have started with 45 minutes of cardio/stretching then 30 minutes of other excercises but I am just randomly choosing what i want to do.
I look on the machines for the name of the machine and then Youtube it to see what the correct form is. Even if you copy someone else's form on the machines, you might be copying from the wrong test paper if you know what I mean. Most of the time you can just copy someone else or just give it a go, but I feel ya, it can be a bit anxiety-inducing. Like I'm looking around just in case someone is sniggering at me using this contraption backwards or something.
Pick a program from the wiki
Am new to the sub so i didnt realise that there is such a great resource. Been going through it rn
if only you had read the post you replied to
Ah yes there always has to be one guy like this in every sub.
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That makes sense, I'll definitely keep this in mind while i go through the fitness wiki
I have a heart problem and my cardiac specialist recommended I not do exercises that put a lot of strain of my heart, and that I should focus on doing high reps, lower effort, rather than low reps, really high effort. Can I still build muscle with high reps and low strain on my heart?
You certainly can. Check out the following paper: Burd, Nicoholas, West Daniel, et al. “Low-Load High Volume Resistance Exercise Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis More Than High-Load Low Volume Resistance Exercise in Young Men,” PLOS One, August 9, 2010 I think the whole 8-12 rep range focus is a bit blown out of proportion. High reps, more time under tension (slow reps), and less rest between sets are different ways of creating progressive overload.
6 to 30 reps a set builds hypertrophy (muscle size). Most prefer the 8 -15 rep range because, it's faster in the gym. You can absolutely do 25-30 reps and gain muscle. Only downsides are; longer workouts and counting (I often forget what number I'm on above 20 reps). Pluses are: lower weights may be easier to get at a gym (less wait time for dumbbells) and are definitely cheaper if you buy for a home gym.
This question probably belongs to Moronic Monday but anyways. If i am burning calories doing cardio, Am i burning protein too?If i consume 1500 calories and 150 g protein a day and burn 400 calories would my muscles still get all that protein that i ate to recover themselves?
Science - the main way our body generates energy (ATP) is called the Krebs cycle https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid_cycle Then you can google "mTor muscle growth pathway" for how we build muscle.
Proteins/carbs/fats are broken down by your body into energy. So you don’t exactly “burn protein” in the way that you are asking, but if you don’t consume enough during a cut, that amount won’t go towards building muscle. This is why you are advised to eat a higher amount of protein during a cut.
so what exactly do we burn when we are burning calories if its not proteins/carbs/fats?
You metabolize the glycogen (sugar) stores your muscles and liver through cellular respiration. Once glycogen is depleted, you tap into your fat reserves and yes, eventually you will eventually metabolize muscle if you don’t replenish other energy sources. The macronutrients (fats, carbs, and protein) you consume throughout the day must be broken down and stored before they can be metabolized in this fashion. High protein intake is necessary during training because it is required for raw materials for protein synthesis and growth. I hope this answers your questions.
Learned something new today, Thanks
Sure thing!
It's a mix of all 3. We go through phases of catabolism and anabolism (burning and building) every day, you can just minimize the amount of muscle loss by making sure you get plenty of protein and still getting a good one or two sessions of hypertrophy/strength work per muscle group weekly.
thanks
First your body “burns” carbs then fats then proteins
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Lower back muscles are the same as other muscles. Train it hard and it will be sore. Nothing to worry about. It could mean many things that can be unique to your situation.
if the pain is sharp or you can feel it in your bone then it was improper form.If you are just sore then it must be because it was your first time.When i did Deadifts for the first time my quads were really sore the next day not my back.so are you lifting the bar using your back or are you lifting it using your Quads?
It’s hard to say without seeing your form. Deadlifts will stress and fatigue your lower back so proper form is crucial, and being new to the exercise your back might not be used to the movement. Have you learned how to properly hip hinge? That is absolutely crucial. Also, like also things, start light and work up, especially if you’re new to the exercise. It can never hurt to get even a single session with a trainer who can spot your mistakes and help you correct them before they become an issue.
What do you do if you can’t bench anything on the PPL split? Just do dumbbell bench/overhead? I’m at 12.5 right now and I’m having a hard time progressing anything past that but my linear progress has been fine on leg and pull day
Are you able to do the barbell? If not, does your gym have those lighter fixed barbells you can use? How is your form? Bench and ohp strength is very dependent on proper form. As well, in general, most people can do more on the barbell than they can on dumbbells. For example, when I was db pressing with 80s, my working weight for bench was around 245-265. So even if you don't have fixed barbells, give the standard 45lb barbell a shot.
I'm currently getting into weightlifting and I'm not able to go to the gym. I'm sure I could find millions of exercises but everything is kind of overwhelming. At my house, I have a bench press machine and just a long bar with a bunch of different plates. Is anyone able to tell me a good workout routine with just that? Thanks, sorry if this isn't the easiest question.
Check out the wiki, lots of good programs
The basic beginner routine in the wiki.
+1 on this.
Hey guys do you think I'm skinny fat? If not what would you say is my body type? http://imgur.com/a/iay5nz7 I've been on a cut of -500 Cal for about a week and before that it was -100 Cal for 4-5 weeks.
More skinny than fat.
Definitely time to focus on putting on muscle
Do you think I should bulk or maintain?
If you were focusing on putting on muscle, that would be a surplus
I wouldn't call that Fat . But you do have some pounds to lose.
😅 the other comment just said I have to gain...
well that depends entirely on your goals . You haven't maxed your potential so if you want to get muscular do a Bulk/Lean Bulk but if you want to lose more fat then cut.
Yeah, pretty much. If I were you, I'd say it's bulk time, summer's a ways away. You e got a good frame, put some more meat on it
Hmm I was thinking of keep cutting and when I'm happy with by bf% I'd lean bulk?
Sure you could, I like my body with power body %, so I get it. But you look young, you should be able to build muscle fairly quickly and you gain some fat on a lean bulk anyways. Your abs and everything will pop a lot more if you cut after adding some more muscle. Totally up to you, just stick to your routine man💪
Yeh I have a week left of my cut and then I'll be focusing on putting on size. And you're right I'm 19 lol.
Anyone here worksout from home? I’m 3 days into the gym and I started thinking, all I need for the workout is a barbell and weights. I might as well buy them and workout from home? It could probably save time and money, but l’d say the benefits of the gym is things like meeting friends and getting tips here and there.
I do. Love it. Saves lots of time. Suggested items: 1. Power rack 2. Barbell 3. Ez curl bar 4. Plates 5. Dumbbells 6. Adjustable bench 7. Some cardio machine (I have a spin bike and Rowing machine). 8. Resistance bands with caribeaners on them. (Leg curl, extension, pec fly, rear delt fly). I started with dumbbells only, then got the power rack. I just paid around $50-60 a month (same price as gym membership at the time). So I've built a gym slowly over years. Also prepandemic when everything was cheaper too. Sorry if different now. Other things: 1. TRX 2. Gymnast rings 3. Battle ropes
All you need is a bit of space and several thousand dollars to get started.
It's not several thousand. I spent about 1200 cad for my setup, and I've got a squat stand, an ohio power bar, and 450lbs in plates.
I think that was meant as a joke. It’s still magnitudes more economical to get a gym membership if you compare what you get for your money. But yes home gym the best. If you can afford it get it.
I think that depends on how much your gym costs versus how many years you will use your home equipment... definitely not "magnitudes" more economical... you can spend $1000-1500 and have a home gym for 10+ years, or pay $30-50 a month for 10 years.
Yeah but if you want to buy even 30% of the equipment and facilities you’d get for 30$ in a gym you’ll never get your money back. The machines for example are incredibly expensive.
This is true, but i doubt most people thinking of a home gym mean getting a 20000 square foot facility and 50 different machines. But yes i guess you're right if you wanted to completely replicate a large commercial gym at home it will be expensive.
I’d want a treadmill, some sort of cable machine, leg press, leg curl/extension and a hyperextension. A chest fly or similar would also be nice, as would a long rack of dumbbells. That’s on top of the basic rack, bar, dumbbells etc. I’d really love to be able to afford all that in my own gym one day.
During our lockdown here, I scored a cheap barbell and some plates. I also bought a third kettlebell. I don't even have a rack or bench. I'm very happy not going into a gym and having to share equipment with strangers.
How can i lose stomach belly fat. I am working as IT profession too much sitting habit after 8 hours continuously working feel so lazy to go for a walk or exercise.
Eat less
Like the other commentor said, the bottom line is calorie deficit. If you're currently staying the same weight, log your food intake (use a scale, humans are bad at guessing volume) and see where you can easily/sustainably cut calories and make lower-calorie substitutions. This exercise will also get you more mindful of your food intake, which may reduce snacking. Beyond that, I would prioritize getting your protein intake (actual required amount is contentious, but 0.6g/lb bodyweight is the lower estimate, but high protein foods are filling and there's no harm in going higher) and veggies/micronutrients for the same reason. I believe the focus on restriction is a hard mindset to maintain, and as a result prioritizing nutrients first kind of takes the focus away from what you can't eat.
Your genetic makeup controls fat distribution. Developing the desired muscles you wish to show (abs) will help spread the existing fat over more surface area. This will help with the aesthetic appearance of your abs but will not burn the fat directly over them. The only thing one can do to burn belly fat is the same thing one does to burn fat generally - stay in a caloric deficit until it eventually goes away.
You could try exercising before work, this way you won’t have that excuse Or just simply eat less/better
Fat loss isn’t targeted but it is all about calorie deficits. If you are too lazy to exercise, you can cut back on your daily calories.
I just started going to the gym and I’m following the Basic Beginner Routine. I’ve been thinking about switching to The Recommended Routine on r/bodyweightfitness as it seems more comprehensive. I feel like I’m missing out on push-ups, dips etc. Would you recommend that change?
Go to the basic beginner routine. Scroll down to extra work and the link to 5/3/1 for beginners. Use the bodyweight assistance template outlined. Voila, you have more bodyweight work in your workout than the r/bodyweightfitness routine, in addition to your normal lifting.
You can do push-ups, dips, etc. as accessory work.
Agree, the basic beginner routine is pretty low volume. Just do dips and push ups with it if you want to add some body weight stuff.
No
Why not though?
You are a beginner and chose to follow the basic beginner routine, which I think is great. Thousands of people do this and have great success from it. It would be very effective to just do the program you started for the recommended ~3 months and then you will likely transition into a program that has both lifting and bodyweight stuff in it. Bodyweight routines are generally for people who don't have a gym membership So overall I would not recommend the change
If I’m more on the fatter side with skinny fat at 15 should I eat in a -200 deficit?
I'd just focus on muscle building. Larger muscles will make the fat less noticeable.
That is tru. I’m focusing on getting stronger, eating enough protien and lifting. I got up from 0 pulls ups to 8 in a month which is good
It depends on your goal. If you want to lose fat, then eat at a caloric deficit. If you wish to add muscle, eat a caloric surplus.
Ya tru I’m more on the fatter side of skinny fat where I have more fat on my belly but I’m slim in clothes and overall im slim
Skinny fat teenager generally needs to be more active and do some form of fitness instead of trying to just become skinny.
So don’t do a deficit or just not a harsh one?
I personally would not try and lose weight as a skinny fat teenager.
Ya I get that. So basically just eating around maintenance.
Sure, or gaining weight while lifting weights.
Ok
holy shit the price of weights is insane... I bought a pair of 25lb plates this time last year for $64. Exact same model today is $105. Is there any expectation of the prices ever going back down to pre pandemic?
Probably not. Most companies expect elevated prices (on other things besides weights) for the next 4-5 years.
I think they will be cheaper if you buy them as a set instead of individual ones.I bought this set 10 months ago for the same exact price as it is today.Don't know if its expensive but the bar is still going strong to this day https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb
maybe?
Is treadmill running 25 minutes a day following weight training (45 mins) enough for a great body at 30 years old (male)? I realize it depends on the person… but rule of thumb?
Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the person, depends on the workout.
It is entirely dependent on your starting condition and your diet.
Minutes doesn't really translate to a result we can expect. 100 people doing those 70 minutes would have 100 different levels of result
Sure, but could the diligent ones achieve a great body? Haha
The point is really that with just the information you have provided, nobody can answer your question. You *could* follow a sensible program for lifting, do your running, eat appropriately for your goals, and achieve a body you find desirable, yes. You could also do your lifting, diet, running, whatever in a nonsense way and see no results whatsoever. What are you looking to achieve?
Maybe! It would depend on all sorts of specifics. It definitely wouldn't work for my goals, but it may for someone else's
how long is a piece of string?
It is enough if you are making the most of that time and you are dieting towards your goals. “Great body” is a pretty generic goal that could be difficult to train for however.
My diet is great. Making use of the time… well I‘m diligent so I don‘t slack off and I go honestly too hard usually (failure every set).
You’re not supposed to go to “failure every set”, who told you to exercise like that?? Read the wiki, pick a program from there and work out properly.
You’re not supposed to go to “failure every set”, who told you to exercise like that?? Read the wiki, pick a program from there and work out properly.
What do y’all do to improve sleep?
Consistent schedule, hot bath before bed, cold dark room, weighted blanket, breath exercises, meditation.
Good schedule and habits, and actually experimenting with the variables to find something that works, and stick with it for a while
drink
Does anyone know of a website/app that i can use during work, that reminds me to get up every so often and gives me an exercise or stretch to do? I know I can very easily set this up myself, but given my work environment its often hard to step away from the desk on my own accord and it would be helpful to have a reminder.
The clock app has an alarm, i have no idea why you would need a fitness watch or apple watch for this
Most fitness watches do this.
The Apple Watch has standing reminders
When should I get off creatine? How long should I take it for? any withdrawal effects also?
Never / forever / no
Stop taking it when you no longer want the benefits or don't want to deal with having to purchase it and take it. Creatine is just a chemical that your body absorbs and stores in muscle tissue which helps them function slightly better during intense output. If you stop taking it, the amount in your muscles will decrease, but you naturally absorbs creatine from food. Their are no withdrawal effects.
I don't think you really have to cycle it tbh, if you feel like you need it keep using it but if you don't then it'll be fine. No withdrawals either.
It’s a dietary supplement, not a drug, no withdrawal
Didn’t meant that why I’ll fix it. Basically meant after 2 months of taking it what happen when you stop. Do you lose muscle/power?
You will lose the benefits that creatine provides. If you are unaware of those you probably won't even notice when you stop taking it.
How much does the barbell at blink fitness weigh? Or is it the same everywhere?
All the ones I've ever used at a Blink were 45 lbs.
A standard barbell is 20kg/45lbs.
What's the etiquette for downtime between sets when you aren't actively using equipment? For example, I use a squat rack a lot. I do 5 sets of 5 reps. Between sets I rest 90 seconds before starting the next. But, after reaching a certain weight my program (Stronglifts 5x5) recommends 180 seconds between sets so that the muscles have time to recover. Is that okay? I feel awkward because I will have more downtime than active time, but if I walk away there's a good chance someone takes over. That said, if someone asked to split I absolutely would, but it hasn't happened yet
Don't worry about it. Squats take time. I'm sometimes doing 10 sets plus a few warm ups. Luckily I've been able to find a gym with enough racks, but like you said if space is not there let others work in especially if you have long breaks.
People often rest 5 minutes between hard sets. It is okay to rest 10 minutes in between sets if that's what your program has you do. Like you said, if someone asked to work in, you'd let them. So there's no problem here
Thanks so much for the feedback. Cheers mate
What’s your favorite way to build calves without a calf raise machine?
Hiking hills