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Fitness Weekly Discussion
What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started a new diet or have a new recipe you want to share? Anything else health and wellness related?
I hit my goal weight of 185 the other day, after starting off at 205 at the beginning of the year. I've kept up a pretty decent gym streak since the start of the year too, first going through couch to 5k and then moving on to PPL 3-6 times a week (depending on how busy I am).
I still do cardio, usually a 6k after every 4 weight sessions. I'm building my running distance up slowly in the hopes that I can drop back to 5k at a faster pace. (Currently stuck at 10kph pace)
I'm going to keep a slight calorie deficit until I get down to 175 or until I can't grab love handles anymore. Once that happens I'm going to stick to PPL and move into bulking so I can put on muscle for the first time in my life.
With that said there's definitely been some muscular change in my body since the start of the year, but I'm excited to actually put some hulk on my frame. I'm pretty tall and skinny with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, so I should hopefully fill out real nice.
Is it worth it though? Some people need to get to a ridiculous % of body fat to get rid of that and then... they can't maintain it for too long. Imo focus on what you can change, love your body as is.
I don't have a negative body image at all and i'm happy with how I look, but I would like at least once in my life to have a killer physique, even if just to say I did it once. My current fitness goal is to have that aesthetic, so there's no need for a tambourine or kumbaya moment, i'm fully aware that this type of look isn't sustainable longterm.
Great approach, 20 years of fitness here if you want to hear feom an old head.. As far as bulking, I'd love to chime in. I've done the dirty and packed it on, but it was harder to get the fat off later. Strong as hell but felt crappy most of the time. The clean bulk isn't as fun but oh man are the end results better. Just eat the calories with a 500 surplus and grams of protein per lb of body weight for your goal weight, stay in the gym, and sleep a lot, and boom. I only ever needed about 3 or 4 months and then was happy and started the cutting, which was the same just in reverse.
Thanks for the words of wisdom! I think I've already decided to try and clean bulk, there's a lot of really accessible science backed research these days and it suggests that dirty bulking doesn't really put on more muscle than a clean bulk. I've even read that 0.72g of protein is all you need (per gram of LBM). The only weak link in my chain is sleep, I manage about 6 hours a night, though I'm trying to improve that.
So I'm all for science, but let me just give you some thoughts on those two comments. It's not that dirty bulking puts on more than a clean bulk. A dirty is just over shooting the calories needed to grow because it's easier that way and guaranteed results. it just comes with more fat. Clean is great but way more challenging day in and day out because you have way less room for error. It's harder to maintain mentally and physically. There never really was an argument about which builds more muscle. And you will still absolutely have fat come with the clean (not to mention it can be a slower process if you are too strict)! Two sides of the same coin. Some people love a good dirty bulk because let's be honest being huge is a blast. Clean is so much harder that tell you the truth I like to mix it up and do dirty every few years. All that just to push you into seeing clean vs dirty is the same thing, just dirty is being more forgiving and relaxed. Go clean tho for sure, makes less work to cut.
On to the .72g vs 1 gram per lb... you start with your daily calorie goal, then move to macros with protein being first, then fat. Then whatever left for carbs. At least that's what I do. I'm currently cutting and I'm at 45%/35/20. Works well for me. You ain't gonna miss anything by getting that 1 gram per lb, but you absolutely do not want to rob your muscles of anything while cutting, and the .72 just might do that. Might. We want big, fed, slept muscles here, and there is no reason to lower protien by 28% based on websites, especially when lots of sites and bodybuilders swear by a gram per lb.
As far as sleep, yeah. You need 8 hrs a night plus a nap during the day. There's no way around it. Either change your life to fit your goals, or your just fighting with one arm behind your back.my job fucks me on sleep so I'm constantly trying to catch up.
Do you change your workout when cutting vs bulking?
I'm on a good path right now gaining weight slowly and improving my lifts, but eventually I'll need to cut and I don't really know to adapt my workout to cutting.
Bulking is normally heavier and lower reps. Your trying to tear and push that muscle as much as possible, then feed it and sleep it. I'd say 4 sets of 8-6-4-2 reps progressively overloading with those last two borderline failure. Pure PPL with one day of light cardio.
Cutting is all about maintaining the muscle while working to reveal it, since you wont be building anymore at all. I go 5 sets of 14 -12-10-8-6. Lower the weight some and get those reps in, and do multiple exercises at once to get that heart rate up (I do this always, but it's especially important here). For example bench, then dips, then shoulder press, then abs, and that's all one set. you're strength is going to drop some regardless, but I find I just can't get to any recent PRs, but I'm still pretty good on strength. Still ppl but now light cardio everyday, and two days of just 5 miles plus. This is allll pointless tho if the diet isn't dialed in. Find that tdee and subtract 500.
Thanks! Supersets are my jam. If I don't do it feels like I'm wasting time.
The only two exercises I prefer doing without supersetting is barbell squats and deadlifts. Everything else is game.
I like some calf raises and obliques during squats but damn I can't do anything while deadlifting, it just drains my energy and motivation so bad for some reason.
I’m doing a 5k to 10K programme, and I’m in a recovery week (so, still training but less intensity in each run). Today was my recovery week long run, half an hour, and I ran 5ks. And it hit me while I was walking home that in February I was starting couch to 5k and struggling to run for one minute at a time, and now here I am doing 5k as a less intense recovery week run. Just extremely cool to see my body adapt this quickly after years of chronic pain, and to be able to move again!!
That's awesome, congrats. What 5 to 10k program are you using? I'm looking for one myself.
Thanks! It’s just called “5k to 10K” on iOS (not sure about android) and the icon is blue, with a green 10 and white K.
Me and my friend (both in our early thirties) have been going to the gym for 60-90 minutes 2-3 times a week for about almost two months now. Our current routine is this:
Neither of us are in spectacular shape. I'm pretty overweight, and he's recovering from some series medical treatments. If anything here looks lopsided or wrong, I'm happy to listen.
While I'm not really dieting, I have cut soda out of my diet almost entirely for about 6 months now. I have been cheating on social occasions, but I'm no longer drinking 3-5 cans of Dr. Peppers a day. I've substituted entirely for sparking water.
I don't really see a huge need for stretching especially 10 minutes of it. For upper body I'll take a band and do some pulls across and around my body that takes no more than 30 seconds. Lower body I'll just do my hamstrings with a forward lean each side total 30 seconds then holding toes and straightening legs in bursts.
Nothing wrong with your routine otherwise. I don't warm up personally but it's cardio regardless. I'll always recommend doing more weights over anything else simply cause you're in a gym and should make the most of that but it comes down to you and want you want out of your time.
Just curious what's your age range early, mid, late 20s?
I ask because I was similar when younger and well let's just say in my 30s I definitely need stretching time
Yes stretching can be nice but it's easy to overdo it. I'm in my 40ies and past a few minutes doesn't add much for me, it's more about getting warm. (it's summer here so that's easy now)
I do have my morning and evening stretching routine but that's more a leftover from my yoga years.
I'm mid thirties. I've been going to gym consistently since early/mid twenties and I believe I've got the experience now to confidently say that any muscle which feels chronically "tight" and gives you the constant urge to stretch is more than likely weak and inflamed, needing strengthening. Inflexible is a different thing, which is why I do short drills for my shoulder and hip mobility.
I do worry though your suggestion is based on your person experience and fitness level.
Whereas the OP of this thread discussed just getting back to the gym for the last 2 months. I would imagine there is going to be inflammation going on. Or maybe I'm the one making the mistake on my personal fitness level where I do have a lot of weakness and inflammation due to a shoulder injury and stretching a bit before and after workouts helps me not feel nearly as hurt the next day.
Where I live, it's currently 110 F or even hotter for the past couple weeks. The heat makes it actually a challenge to get cardio outside the gym tbh.
For stretching, we sometimes skip it, and I after thinking about it's probably closer to "up to 5 minutes." I always do a little because of an old injury however.
Just the effort your giving is enough! Great job. I typically stretch out the specific muscles I'm gonna use for a few minutes, then 1.5 hrs of lifting with 3 different exercises at once, then a light jog to close it out. The truth of the matter is its almost all diet. If you eat too much but run also you'll just be spinning your wheels, balancing the two. Keep the heart rate up and dial that diet in. Good job on the sodas.
Then stick with what you've got going. Above all else consistency and commitment is what gets results.
That's awesome, both the going to the gym regularly and the cutting out soda. I have found I get so much more energy from less sugary drinks in my diet. It's crazy how much different it makes my mood.
One tip would be to look into separating strength from cardio to their own days. They require such different things from the body to do properly it usually ends up half-assing both. Also cardio can interfere with the recovery process from your strength training.
I’m currently sick with a summer cold, usually I would go bouldering at an indoor climbing gym once or twice per week. Being sick made me take a break and realise I need a change.
I’ve always been a little chubby and every year towards my birthday I think I don’t want to turn x years old and still be chubby. It’s now hurtling towards August and my bd is November.
I should get back into the gym, any advice for slimming down?
I probably need to lose 20lbs and recompose from there.
The best way to slim down is diet, there's plenty of apps that tell you estimated calories based on starting weight, etc.
The thing about diet change is its got to work for you. For me the easiest things to change are calories I'd drink and shifting those to no calories. Also smaller plates, and saying I need to give it 30 mins with a glass of water before I eat more. I'd put the food away and guess what? I was too lazy to go back and take it out and make another plate.
That with building muscle is usually able to help me get to where I want to be clothing wise. I use pant sizes vs scale for my progress since with building muscle and summer heat the scale can be a bit of a demotivator.
Also set a realistic goal, 1 maybe 2lbs per week so from now until November we have more than 10 weeks, so you should aim for just over 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE.
I've been incredibly proud of myself. For the past three weeks I've been working out 4-5x a week. It' just weight lifting 2x and then doing cardio 3x. I've started going with my sister to the gym as her guest so we can lift together. Being able to use an actual squat rack was amazing!! AND I got to use the bench press. I missed it so much, those are just so hard to substitute.
I am integrating other forms of cardio so I don't hurt my knees with all the running. It'll make my C25K go a lot slower but it'll be for the better. I've been biking and just started swimming again. I soft sorta want to train for a triathlon sprint, but right now I'm just focusing on just getting in my workouts before focusing on something like that outside of training for a 5k to run. My goal is to run a 5k come September/October!
That's awesome! It's been a long time since I've ran a 5k. I've started to get back into biking and definitely find it easier on my joints. I definitely struggle with being patient so I don't hurt myself when exercising, so although you're a bit bummed about the c25k going slower I definitely think you're taking the right approach.
I also thing by increasing your muscle strength it'll help you better protect your joints! Sounds like you're doing all the right things. I mainly wanted to comment to be your mood booster! Hope you read my comment as some excited for you and wanting to see you succeed. If I remember your user name I'll be keeping an eye out in a future weekly fitness thread.
Aww! Thank you so much, your comment is definitely a mood booster, I really appreciate it <333 I've also had issues being patient with exercise. I tried to start running again last September and I didn't really have a plan outside of run, so I pushed myself too hard and pulled something in my leg. I was way too focused on the time of the mile I was running and less on good form and not pushing myself too hard. Quality has been the name of the game for me!
I've recently increased the length of my runs from 3 to 4 miles, and it's kicking my butt! Its fine while I'm doing it actual running, but the tiredness afterwards is next level! Hopefully I acclimatize soon.
I've gone back to Taekwondo after over a decade away and it hurts. Only once a week at the moment but I'm so inflexible.
This week I decided to do something about the inflexibility and started doing two stretching routines from YouTube. If they work out, I'll post an update.
This is my third outing at TKD. I got black stripe in late teens, only managed to restart in my very late 20s but work and new norms got in the way so I quit. This time I will get there!
I'm 215lb with an initial goal of hitting 200lb. I've been trying to get to the gym for at least 30 minutes three times a week. I do a switch up of row machine, Interval jogging a mile, and bench press. I tend to get overwhelmed so I'm trying to incorporate more exercises slowly. Ultimately my only goal is weight loss and gaining a healthier lifestyle. I don't care much for being super fit.
How are you approaching the diet aspect? That's really where it's all at.
I've had a hard time with my diet. I've cut out fast food, sodas and a good portion of sweets. I try not to limit my cravings too much. So I guess I'm attempting what I've seen called as "intuitive eating"?
The weight is not coming off as fast as I'd like, but I'm trending down, so that's something.
I couldn't get over that hump till I got an app and tracked calories for a few weeks to train my brain. I was way off in my assumptions.
Running a calorie deficit with the goal of going from 240 to 230 sometime around September. It's going well tracking macros I don't feel at all like I'm being restricted too much.
I suffered a minor injury to my lower abdomen this week. So I am laying off squats and deadlifts until it clears up and I chat with my doc next week. Bench is going really well. Targeting a 315/145 kilo bench in the next couple weeks which has been a long time goal.
My prior comment is here, which details my level but I thought a separate thread would be useful for this question: How best to exercise an old injury? I broke my collar bone a few years ago in a motorcycle wreck and the bone never fully mended. My shoulder is noticably weaker when weight lifting though I have no disability affecting daily life because of it. It doesn't hurt or anything. It makes using some of the arm machines at the gym awkward since both arms need to contribute equally.
Do majority single arm exercises, starting with your weak arm. Whatever rep you reach on the weak arm, cap off your reps at the same number for the other. Over time it might balance out - or it might not, in which case just stick with that method. You can still do dual-arm resistance but you just need to focus on the weak side to ensure its kind of "leading" - in a nerve sense, not physically getting ahead of the other. I have a notoriously weak right chest compared to left for no reason and doing this helps. When I see the right side struggling with the bar lopsided I know I need to back off the weight. Machines make it hard to identify this unless they're the Hammer Strength type so think about switching to dumbbells and barbells. Please also start doing external rotation strengthening of the shoulder to prevent future injuries.
This is all assuming there's no pain in the weak arm when under resistance.
Thanks for the tips.
Does this mean doing stuff like shoulder rolls with a free weight?
It's where you'll have your shoulder and elbow position fixed while pulling your wrist away from your body. Have a look on YouTube for examples. Easiest with cable machine. Rotator cuff injuries are particularly common for beginners but this will prevent it. I too busted mine when I was starting out.