#stronglifts

[justicecaballer]

ive started doing squats. legs hurt

[cam-strong]

Hi! I see you are doing a 5×5 program. What do you think about it? I'm training for a triathlon and I want to make sure I'm still able to incorporate weight training into my program. I'm thinking on off days of the 5x5 I can swim and run. Any input is appreciated. Thank you

I really like it! I’m using it as a supplement, too, to support my running training and to maintain strength.

I currently set it up for twice a week, but it’s totally customizable. I would suggest you start lighter than you think you’re able to, to start a good base and get your routine down. Depending on how you set the weight increase frequency, it can ramp up quite fast, so I found giving myself some time to adjust to the plan and dial in my form first really helped me stay consistent…and safe. 👍🏻

[ashleyloob]

Hi!

From someone who is disorganized and discouraged, I would love advice on weight-lifting/building muscle. Would you share your understanding of building muscle and the breakdown of diet?

If possible, could you share how you apply what you know to yourself? If you use any tools to help you?

Struggled with working out, gaining weight, and eating my whole life. Thanks!

prefacing this with some important info for fellow disorganized scatterbrains!!!!

the main reason why ppl have trouble sticking to a lifestyle change is because they try to make very drastic changes too quick, and you get overwhelmed and it becomes unsustainable. this is especially an issue for neurodivergent folks, and since it's Tumblr I assume a good chunk of y'all are (me too dw)

DON'T immediately overhaul ur diet and hit the gym 5x a week from day 1!!! hitting tiny goals consistently is also more rewarding than working towards one very large arbitrary goal that you might not reach, esp when it comes to working out. start veeery small if u need to, such as only 10 bodyweight squats per day like i did and go from there. you wanna program ur brain into feeling accomplished to keep you motivated. patience is key!!!!

ok!! now onto the more detailed info below

Disclaimer: I'm still a newbie myself!! only consistently lifting heavy for about 3 months as of this post. I did a good deal of excessive info diving on lifting using the power of Sheer Autism, and my main gym buddy is very experienced & taught me a good chunk of this shit so shout-out to my pal for making all this possible xoxo

so good news!! "building muscle" is very easy for beginners starting from zero. newbie gainz are absolutely real. at this stage you can do just about anything at the gym and get stronger bc u can only go up. BUT!! if you structure it, you can make the process enjoyable and much more efficient. if you're goal oriented (lookin at u ADHD menaces), you'll love the concept progressive overload.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD & SETS/REPS

wikipedia defines progressive overload as: a method of strength training and hypertrophy training that advocates for the gradual increase of the stress placed upon the musculoskeletal and nervous system. in layman's terms, it just means gradually adding more weight as you work out to increase the difficulty as you get stronger. progress is VERY easy to track because of this, and you'll be hitting PRs pretty much every week for the first couple of months and that shit feels fantastic because you physically feel yourself getting stronger so rapidly. I use the app Strong to track my workouts. so, how do we structure progressive overload? that's through sets/reps. A rep is a single execution of an exercise. 1 squat is one rep. 2 squat is 2 reps. and so on. A set is a collection of reps. The format is Sets x Reps, for example: 3x5 means 3 sets of 5 reps. You will rest between sets, and it's typically anywhere from 1 minute all the way up to 5 minutes depending on the level of exertion/type of training you are doing. Heavier weights mean longer rest periods and vice versa.

WHERE DO I EVEN START??

For those interested in barbell training: the r/fitness beginner routine is pretty good! I also recommend 5x5 stronglifts. both are very straightforward, but also note the typical olympic barbell is 45lbs. If this is a weight you struggle with, you can begin with bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, or machines at the gym which are all very BEGINNER beginner friendly. especially when it comes to legs you're probably much stronger than you think. Most people can squat 45lbs first try. don't be afraid -- you're standing on those things all day, they can support hella weight. Like I mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to start veeeery small and work your way up from there. I started at home with doing only bodyweight squats without the barbell, then added on benching with light 7lb dumbbells after a week, then impulse signed up for a gym membership a month later and began to go there to use equipment and now i'm deadlifting over 100lbs as a tiny girl that previously was too weak to even lift a 40lb dog. it snowballs quicker than you think once you gain confidence in your own body and its abilities!

WOAH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SQUAT/DEADLIFT/BENCH/THIS IS SCARY AND IM FUCKING UP

If you can, i highly recommend getting a personal trainer to assist you, or tag along with a gymrat pal to show you the ropes. This page is also a good resource to learn specific lifts. otherwise, youtube is your best friend. you can record your sets and compare your form to form tutorials on youtube, and actively take notes on what to change the next time you work out. Be an active learner!!! be aware of what muscles are engaged when you lift and how your body feels. almost NOBODY gets it right the first time, esp with barbells. we've all made fools out of ourselves at the gym as beginners it's chill. i find people at the gym are very nice and willing to help you out if you're struggling, and people don't judge at all-- it's very easy to get in your own head in these spaces but most humans there are supportive and want you to succeed, especially since it's a hobby they are also passionate about. the more you do it, the less anxious you get. exposure therapy is very effective!! Also, almost all the barbell exercises can be replaced with smaller dumbbells, and you can do them at home if you get your own set + a workout bench (pretty cheap if u get secondhand, check facebook marketplace/craigslist). i got mad social anxiety myself so i understand sometimes you just can't, and this is an option for those that find public spaces overwhelming.

DIET

I personally don't think specialized diets/precise macro tracking is super duper important for newbies/casuals, only moderately important (spicy take for some but whatever). but you probably naturally will take an interest in diet once you realize it'll help you perform significantly better in the gym. the only macro i track is protein. You can use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator to roughly estimate the amount of protein you need for maximum gainz. it's usually around .7-1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (weight that isn't fat mass). Imma be real it's pretty hard for me to hit the recommended protein goal and most days I don't because my appetite just can't kick in for the amount it demands, and protein is super filling. I found that if i decreased the amount of carbs i eat, i am able to consume more protein bc i guess there's more room in my stomach lol. i eat a fuck ton of greek yogurt, chicken, fish, and tofu. when i started working out, i begin cooking a lot more and found i naturally craved less processed junk foods and snacks because the protein was keeping me full all day which is a plus! Even when im not regularly hitting my protein goal my gym progress is still going well and I think it's simply because my diet is A LOT better than what it used to be in my gremlin days. I also eat a lot more now that i've gained a bit of muscle, so do be prepared for food costs to go up as your metabolism increases and demands more energy to upkeep your gainz.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO LOOK LIKE A MUSCLE MOMMY????

a whileeee. over a year, probably, unless if you're on anabolic steroids (dont ever do that u will quite literally die). and physique is mostly from diet since it's dependent on your body fat percentage, the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is true. its why you see hyper skinny terminally indoors gamer dudes with abs, even if they'd snap in half if you farted in their general direction. those mfs barely eat they too busy being gamers i am no longer interested in lifting for aesthetics personally since i get more joy from hitting PRs and i'm pretty content with my body image, but ik physique is the reason why most people get into lifting so i'll touch on it. Weightlifting on its own will not make you lose weight or fat. Again, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy sustainable diet (DO NOT DO CRASH DIETS THAT SHIT IS GARBAGE) and a form of cardio. I actually gained 8lbs since I began lifting from water retention & new muscle mass (muscle is more dense than fat, your body retains water when repairing muscle after a gym sesh) but my measurements and pants size have remained the same. I'm short, so something as small as a 5lb increase usually bumped me up a pants size but it didn't this time bc im gettin swole :') if you want to track physique changes, measuring your waistline & progress pics is a better way to do so than the scale. If you want bigger muscles, look into hypertrophy training. it's a tad different from strength training, mainly because you do higher reps at a lower weight.

[aphextwinselecteduser180819works]

So many women would be surprised to find out how easy it is to become stronger than any of the men in your life who don't ever go to the gym, and even those who do lift but aren't that into it. It is truly the most egregious example of taking one anecdote along the lines of oh my bf wrestled with me once and he pinned me so therefore I have a complex about how weak I am due to my estrogenized endocrine system...girl just do stronglifts for 6 months and eat 80g of protein and try again. Gender dimorphism is socialized anyway

[boyswanna-be-her]

What a long fucking day. Dental cleaning in the middle of everything else. I'm hopping into an existing run of Stronglifts (they're only two weeks deep so not hard). I've run that program in the past and it's fun, so even though I usually return to powerlifting by doing Starting Strength, I'm happy to go with the flow. I am honestly shocked how much upper body strength I've maintained, esp vs my squat erosion. Like i was easily benching more than I wanted to squat tonight which is BIZARRO WORLD for me. I think I underestimated how much rowing was doing for my upper body (I've been going to the gym to use the rower but idk it seems pretty extra and it's not helping me beat the manic allegations so i havent mentioned it). GARAGE GYMS ARE THE ONLY GYMS THAT MATTER. garage squat rack..... my beloved....

[sometransgal]

Week 1 of stronglifts 5x5 done! I'm real proud of myself honestly

[tinystepsforward]

i'm just thinking about terf ~transes in sport~ shit again (per my recent rb) and like. as a hobbyist weightlifter who is on low-dose testosterone rn:

the biggest advantage i have in my weight class is that i'm short. i move the weight a shorter distance when lifting it, which means less energy is expended. it also means (hypermobility aside) that i'm more stable doing so bc there's less room to wobble side to side.

t's made my lifts bigger. it does that ⁠— we do know that it does that, though e is protective of other things, and they benefit different sports differently. (and the big difference might honestly just be that it's helped with hypermobility).

but it absolutely has not made as much of a difference as being a foot and a bit shorter than some of the men in my weight class at the gym i used to go to. a few months into half-heartedly doing stronglifts twice a week while on testosterone blockers that fucked up so bad i had literally zero testosterone, i was squatting more than many of them simply bc it was less work (in the physics sense of the word).

and that's in like the most obvious "men have advantages over women" sport, so, y'know.

[lucysweatslove]

“Lucy why do you constantly skip upper body day?”

Because I’m weak, okay? Leg day is fun because I’m good at it and the weights are way higher because major muscle groups. Upper body day reminds me of how weak I am.

(Okay okay, these weren’t actually difficult- StrongLifts started me really low weight and then since I’ve taken so much time off they recommended I deload. Bottom 3 btw are weight per dumbbell not total weight like the others).

[swole-beard]

Another good tough session!

[cam-strong]

Hi! I've really enjoyed your blog. I've been doing crossfit for a few years but have been running a couple days a week for a few months, just trying to enjoy it and work on my pace. I have a decent 3 mile time right now but was thinking of trying your 2x2mile running interval on my long day this week, thanks for the inspiration!

Do you follow a running and lifting program? If you do, what is it like? I don't think a half is my goal, right now I'm just at a 5k but would maybe consider a 10k. Just wondering more specifically how you work in your running and lifting

Hi! I’ll be interested in what you think of the 2x2 run. The workout calls for a 10 minute walk between intervals. I find this is the perfect reset to enable you to complete the second interval. It may still be hard, but it’s doable, and I usually come out of those sessions feeling more confident in my ability to hold a pace.

I get my running plans lately from Mountain Tactical Institute. You do have to subscribe (once) to gain access to their training plans, but there’s so many for every type of race or fitness goal. Recommend looking them up. I also have used Run with Hal app which was decent for building a base. I found the ramp up too quick for my knees and had to taper back to prevent overuse injuries. Since I just finished the half marathon, this week I’m just getting in movement. However, my plan did look like this: Monday run for time or 2x2mile intervals, Tuesday weights & 15-3 min spin, Wednesday 3x2 intervals, Thursday weights and alternate cardio, Friday rest day, Saturday sprints (I play soccer on a team atm), Sunday 6-7 mile long run (this ramped up from 2 miles when I started training).

I do follow a lifting program. Right now, I lift twice a week. Just a few choice main lifts at 5x5 each: day 1 is squat, overhead press, and deadlift. Day 2 is squat again, bench, and row. I use the StrongLifts app, which increases the weight at the intervals you set it at. It’s great for building strength gradually, and has really helped me get my form right to prevent injury as it gets heavier. Lifting (heavy squats especially) had really helped keep my knees and legs strong during the longer runs. I highly recommend finding a weight routine that works for you. It doesn’t have to be complicated- just anything that will slowly strengthen your legs.

Good luck on your 5 or 10k in the future! Keep me updated, I’d love to cheer you on!

[thetragicallynerdy]

So I made it back to the gym for the first time in 4 (ish) years today! Hooray! For context, I used to powerlift pretty seriously, but got a bad concussion/brain injury 4-ish years ago and had to stop. While I still have a brain injury, I'm at a point where going back to the gym and trying to start lifting again (very lightly and slowly) feels okay.

I'm going to be doing a sort of journal on here, entirely for my own tracking/benefit, because I'm too lazy to journal things just for myself but will happily yeet it into the world. If you don't want to see this stuff and follow me, block #lifting . There's gonna be some technical stuff in here, feel free to ask questions as well if you want lol.

Some notes after today:

I'm doing stronglifts 5x5 - basically a very simple program of back squats/bench press/barbell rows on day 1, and bench press/deadlifts/overhead press on day 2. 5 sets of 5 reps for each lift, some stretching pre/post, and home.

I got in and out with stretching in just under an hour, which was the goal! I wanted to be able to stay an hour, and I did, which is rad.

Sensory wise the gym is a bit of a nightmare, but wearing a ballcap for light and noise canceling earbuds helped, as did going during the day when it's less busy. It's definitely busier during the day than it was pre-covid, possibly due to ppl working at home and being able to duck out. But I didn't have to wait for a rack/bench at all which was great.

I lifted really light - just the bar for all three lifts (45lbs for the uninitiated). I still came home with a pressure headache, which is definitely from doing actual lifting. It wasn't bad enough to not go, and has subsided to something really managable with rest and food, but something to watch for. I think I need to watch my breathing more too, especially on squats, because it's still instinctual to try and do the valsalva maneuver while doing a lift - which puts a ton of pressure on my head and is very unhelpful. Gotta breathe through the lift! I came home with some neck pain too, which I suspect is from rows.

Squats - definitely the worst on my head. (And by that I mean not 'mental game' but 'headache/brain injury wise'.) I did squats first, and next time I'll save them for last because I am 90% sure that's where most of the pressure headache came from. Moved well, though, much better than air squats at home do which is hilarious. I did low bar, which I think will be necessary for avoiding neck pain.

Bench - felt great. Bench is my weakest lift traditionally, but it was by far the easiest on my head - potentially due to the combo of stability from lying down during, and having a stable place to sit after, as well as less full body movement (which leads to less fatigue, etc). Might have to try sitting on the ground between squats instead of on the rack to see if that helps.

Barbell rows - eh. They were fine. Harder on my neck and lower back. A bit more of a struggle form-wise.

Weight wise - I think it's going to be a bit of a mental game to not push myself to lift more. Physically I can lift a lot more weight than my head can handle, as heavier lifts lead to more pressure on the head. Squats today felt super easy in terms of actually moving the weight, and so did bench. But having a disability means being really careful moving forward and adding weight to my lifts. Which sucks, and is something I'm probably going to be navigating feelings around for a while - I want to be able to do so much more than I can. Complicated grief even while returning to a beloved activity, etc etc.

There's also the aspect of "last time I was here I could lift several hundred pounds, and now I'm back down to the naked bar", which kind of feels shitty (even though I know why, and am super proud I'm back at the gym at all). I'm also aware of an aspect of it that's connected to like, being read as a woman at the gym, and expectations that women lift less. Which is weird, but an aspect of it.

Anyway - all told, it went good, about as well as I'd expected if not as easy as I'd hoped. I'm curious to see how deadlifts etc go when I go back (either later this week, or early next week - the goal is 1-2 times per week). I think that honestly even if it ends up that I can just do bench and some other upper body/seated stuff (there's a lot of machines, even if I prefer free weights), that would be better than the nothing I've been doing. I'm really glad I made it back, even though it feels like it's going to be a long slog to get anywhere close to where I used to be (which might not even happen). Anyway. Yay lifting! Yay being a gym bro again!

[activestrengthco]

Active Strength Body Transformation Program

There are many body transformation programs available, ranging from those focused on weight loss to those focused on building muscle and strength. The effectiveness of these programs can vary depending on the individual's goals, current fitness level, and dedication to the program.

Some Popular Body Transformation Programs Include:

Beachbody's "21 Day Fix" - This program combines daily 30-minute workouts with a portion-controlled nutrition plan to help participants lose weight and tone their bodies.

Kayla Itsines' "Bikini Body Guide" - This program includes 28-minute workouts, a meal plan, and a community of support to help women tone their bodies and achieve their fitness goals.

CrossFit - This high-intensity fitness program focuses on functional movements performed at a high intensity to help build strength and endurance.

Stronglifts 5x5 - This weightlifting program is designed to build strength and muscle mass through compound lifts like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.

P90X - This program includes a combination of strength training, cardio, and yoga workouts to help participants achieve a total body transformation in 90 days.

Before starting any body transformation program, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional and to set realistic goals that are achievable with your current fitness level. It's also important to commit to the program and stick to it consistently to see results.

[boyswanna-be-her]

Day 2 of my trip was hectic but I made it and even found a gym to do my stronglifts duty for the evening.

[fractallogic]

Let me tell you bodies are weird

And by weird I also mostly mean fascinating

Because I know as well as anyone how activity affects your body. If you do weighted squats for the first time in four years after basically not doing ANY squats, not even good long-hold chair poses, except for extremely sporadic short sets of bodyweight squats, you WILL feel an extra 45 lbs and you will feel that for DAYS

Also, as we all know, when you overuse a muscle/muscle group, it is sore. If you were really pushing, it’s REALLY sore (and if you push too far, it’s even more sore for a longer time because you hurt yourself, dummy). If your activity for the last four years has looked like “maybe one yoga class a week or two if we’re feeling motivated, and a low-key 1-2 km walk a day as long as the weather isn’t terrible”, you are going to be too sore to do your preferred “gym every other day!!” schedule because you can barely get up and down from the fucking couch or walk normally. You ease yourself into it.

AND THEN just because you are SORE you will not look any different from one day of gym, no matter how soul-fulfilling it was. Nothing looks different because my friend, you had one fun day at the grownup playground thinking strong bitch who fight bear thoughts. But!! If you keep doing that, then your body will change because that’s what happens! That’s how that works! But you also have to go when you’re LESS sore because otherwise you’re not moving ergonomically and safely and you will be more likely to hurt yourself and then never go to the gym again.

All this to say that holy fuck my thighs hurt so much and I did really want to go to the gym today to do more weights, but I love squats and I can’t bend my knees to more than about 150 degrees even without any weight, and that is not especially safe body mechanics. So. Either tomorrow or Thursday and keep drinking lots of water. It doesn’t matter if Stronglifts tells you to deload. That’s your ego and your ego is an asshole who doesn’t care about you.

But also I wanna go to the gymmmmmm wah

[suchaspookyginger]

bro this isn't a plug but stronglifts 5x5 is literally the reason why i can lift double the weight i was lifting a month ago and i'm not injured