#weight gain exercise for beginners

[vishalmarali]

How to Gain Weight Fast for Skinny People

If you're a skinny person looking to gain weight quickly, this guide is for you! Discover effective strategies, diet tips, and targeted exercises to help you pack on healthy pounds. Unlock your body's potential and achieve your weight gain goals with these proven techniques.

[olomaya]

Get Pumped!

This started as just a simple solution to allow my Sims to work out without a TV, radio or gym equipment present but I’m a fitness nut so I knew I couldn’t stop there. I love working out and am always trying out new workouts or gyms like people try out food or clothes. It’s one of my favorite hobbies IRL so I was happy to try and make more exercise/fitness things for my athletic Sims.

This is the Exercise Mat I previewed a few weeks (months?) ago and I added a few more features like the ability to teach classes and also free weights (dumbbells and kettlebell).

Credit/Thanks: @aroundthesims for the free weights and kettlebell which are hers. I only recategorized them to Sports/Hobbies. Mats and board are EA. Animations by me, Mixamo and EA!

All the info and download link are after the jump, read through it all before downloading!

Exercise Mat:

Sims can do different floor and body weight exercises on the mat, which are skill gated:

Sit ups, squats: Level 2

Push ups, single-leg squats, bicycle crunches: Level 3

Burpees: Level 4

Sims can also stretch which has benefits if you do it before and/or after exercising. 

Stretching before: the Feeling Limber moodlet will prevent your Sim from getting fatigued so long as it is active

Stretching after: the Feeling Limber moodlet will remove soreness if you have it

If there is an instructor mat on the lot, you can assign the mat to the instructor mat so Sims will use it for classes

Instructor Mat: This mat lets Sims who have Athletic skill 5 or higher teach exercise classes. 

Assign Instructor - sets who the instructor will be for the mat

Schedule Class - self-explanatory; select a time a date to host a class

Start Class - if you don’t want to wait, you can start a class now. Instructors will wait 20 sim minutes (tunable) before starting the class to allow interested Sims to join.

Toggle Stereo - requires IP to work, adds a stereo to the instructor mat so you can play music during class

Free Weights:

You can lift dumbbells or kettlebells. That's pretty much it. These guys look super happy about it.

You only need one dumbbell. The other one is a prop which will be created once your Sim starts lifting.

Gym Board:

Check Scheduled Classes

Sign Up for Class (Note: you can't sign up for classes that have no spots available but you can still show up and try to get a spot if there's a no show)

Cancel Sign Up

Cancel Class

Gym Classes:

Instructors can hold Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced gym classes, the difference in difficulty affects the fat/muscle delta, fatigue level and athletic skill gain. The ability to hold different class levels is skill gated at Levels 5, 6 and 7 respectively.

If you schedule a class, the instructor and any Sims that sign up for the class will be pushed to the lot an hour before the class starts. Sims cannot join a class after it starts but if they leave before the class ends, they still get charged.

The cost per person is based on the class level and the instructor’s athletic skill. If you have NRaas Career and the Instructor is in the Trainer skill-based career, they will also earn extra money and the funds will go towards their career advancement.

If there are no spots available, you can still check what time the class is and get information on the class if you want to show up and see if a spot opens up.

If classes are hosted on a non-park community lot, like a gym, 25% of the class fees will go to the venue (the venue owner will receive this if it’s owned).

You can check and sign up for scheduled classes on the gym board object. Instructors can also cancel classes there.

There are two "rewards" available: Top Trainer and Gym Rat. Top Trainers are Sims that have taught at least 20 classes. After achieving that, their classes are worth more and they also keep a larger percentage of the cost per student. Gym Rats are Sims that have taken at least 10 classes after which they get a discount on any other classes afterwards.

Notes: 

My suggestion is to organize the class room like how I have in my photos with the mats horizontal facing the instructor. I'd also space them out more than I did as some of the exercises involve a lot of jumping/moving around but I have small lots so I have to squeeze in as much as I can! With this plus Twin's spin class and yoga mods, I'm going to need a bigger gym!!

The instructor will face whichever mat is first in the list of assigned mats so I would suggest assigning the front center mat first.

You can have multiple instructors/instructor mats on the same lot but an instructor can only be assigned to one mat.

Sims cannot take a class if they don't have more than $400 in their family funds. You can change this if you like but I don't want my broke inactives spending money on gym classes (we have gym at home!)

If Sims are not autonomously joining classes or using the mat, it’s probably because you have too many advertising objects on your lot that are competing with it. You can up the advertising for the mat but it’s already quite high so you just have to figure out how to balance it. The Join Class interaction does advertise fun and social in addition to the standard Athletic Game Object advertising so I would suggest upping that in order to get more attention from Sims.

The animation of Sims picking up/dropping the free weight is kind of wonky. I may try to fix it later.

There’s a collection file for all the objects but you will find all of them under Entertainment/Sporting Goods. Nothing is more expensive than 150 simoleons.

This is set for YA+ because a) some of the animations will sink for teens and b) they are always trying to do their fucking homework around each other while I'm holding classes and it drove me crazy. You can change the ITUN if you want teens to use it but you've been warned.

Future updates: I'm already thinking about using a similar system to create dance classes. Making an active Dancer career is something I’ve wanted for a while and I have a Sim that would be perfect to test it.

As always, if you run into any issues, let me know!

Download here | Alt: Simblr

What I originally wanted to name this mod 😭😭

[steelestallion]

💪Ryder Steele’s Muscle Gain Instruction Manual. 💪

A surface-level yet comprehensive beginner’s guide to working out/body building/gaining muscle written by a tboy with a degree in human physiology, with tboys in mind. Speed training, toning, and cardio/lung health training will not be explored.

(Part 1) Diet. Talking about food, their molecules and how the body responds.

An aspect of bodybuilding/exercizing that is just as important as the weights and workouts themselves. Generally, the more a human does, the more nutrition they need in every sense.

Protein is needed to survive as a human, 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight MINIMUM. (source) To gain muscle you need to consume more protein than that. 1 gram per pound of body is a good goal.

There are additional ingredients, Amino Acids, you can ingest to give your body more of what it needs to build muscle. The most common is creatine, and it can be found naturally in foods or bought alone. 14mg per pound is a good dose, (source) but you could do as low as you like.

Carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water are other things essential to keep you running, but aren’t the building block of muscle.

For vitamins, minerals, and water be sure to get the daily recommended dose. It’s worth considering a little more than recommend water, potassium, magnesium, and sodium in your diet for adequate muscle usage before and during working out. Also, a bit more calcium in general for muscle movement and the strength your bones must gain to support stronger muscles and weight loads.

For carbohydrates and fats, it’s important to have adequate levels of these. The body uses carbohydrates for energy first and mainly, then uses fats, then proteins. How much? Well it depends on how much you care about the image of your body, and what your goals are.

The Bulk is for people who want to gain muscle and mass a bit quicker. There is clean bulking and dirty bulking. Dirty bulking is eating a lot without much regard to amounts. Clean bulking is to gain muscle mass while keeping your body fat percentage at relatively the same level.

The Cut is for people who want to reduce their body fat percentage. Eating at a slight/moderate deficit to force the body to consume fat cells as energy. High protein is still consumed.

Before working out, you should consume something 30-40 minutes before starting. Preworkout, a caffeinated substance, or complex carbohydrates to give you the energy needed to begin and not crash.

After working out, you should consume a good portion of your daily proteins 30 minutes to four hours later.

(Part 2)Working out. Utilizing and ripping the telomeres of your muscles and forming neural pathways.

To build muscle, you need to utilize the muscles. To get bigger muscles, your body needs to move with more resistance than what it normally does. Weight acts as the resistance.

Warming up is an important first step to working out, as you need to prime your body’s systems and cells. Heart rate is the primary thing to warm up, because using muscles required your heart pump harder and faster. 5-10 minutes of warmup minimum of cardio is best. The intensity of this cardio is your choice. Dancing, fast walking, jogging/running, jump rope, cycling, etc. are good. Stretching is also a good precursor to the warmup as the warmup uses your muscles also. It’s a process, but its important to warm up properly to avoid tightness, cramps, or even things snapping.

The weightlifting a complicated and highly discussed thing. There are hundreds of motions across gym machines, tools, and muscles for you to chose from. Which ones you do depend on what is available, and the muscles you want to work. Write stuff down if you must. Here is an exercise dictionary.

Muscle names are good to know to decide which motions to do. Look at this diagram to learn, and build your own encyclopedia and routine.

Frequency of working out is important. If your body does not use muscles, they deteriorate. You can work certain muscles more frequently than others. Just keep adequate rest. You may see things like push/pull day, arm day. This is the type of motions and muscles focused. Dedicating a workout session/day to one muscle group helps keep track of avoiding overuse. See Rest for more. Once a week at minimum you should work a muscle group to keep it from deteriorating. Here’s an example: Sunday rest. Monday arms&core. Tuesday whole back. Wednesday rest. Thursday whole arms. Friday rest. Saturday whole legs.

Duration of working the muscle during a session/day impacts its growth. A rep is one time going through a motion. Sets is how many times you do a group of reps. 3x15 pushups is I’m doing 15 pushups. Rest. 15 more. Rest. 15 more. Three sets of fifteen. To build endourance, lower weight at higher reps. To build mass and strength, higher weight at lower reps.

Finally, the weight heaviness. You should slightly push your muscles to start, then base your weight patterns off of what is a good amount of strain for you. The more you challenge/strain yourself, the more it will hurt and build muscle mass. Also, the faster you increase the weight your muscles fight against, the higher the risk of injury. However, if you stick to a weight that is not challenging, your muscles will not grow. There must always be some element of challenge your muscles must always be chasing to keep up with. Thats what growing is. For example: I’ve been bicep curling single dumbbells of 10 pounds for months. 12 pounds is a comfortable challenge, and I can do 15 also but not the whole set. So, I may warm up with 1 set of 10lbs. Two sets of 12lbs, then finish with one set of 15 at lower reps. The number of reps per set could be 15,12,10,6. Decreasing reps while increasing weight to prep the body, but not injure too much.

(Part 3) Rest. Your body building new muscle, and preparing to work again.

In between sets of exercise, you need to rest your muscles for enough time for them to become reloaded with their energy, ATP. ~1 minute for heavily lifting. Ensure you’re breathing well also to give your blood oxygen. Deeper, healthy breaths during rest is good.

After training it’s recommended to give a muscle group ~48 hours of rest to rebuild the fibers. Rest means not training it, but of course if you need to use them, use them. Additionally, you can still be active and rest, doing a thing called active rest. Doing nothing at all, which has its benefits, is called passive rest.

Sleep is your body’s way of storing information and taking out the cerebral trash. During sleep your body produces growth hormone, your brain works to retain all of the information you and your body learned during the day, and generally refreshes itself. Napping can e beneficial also if it doesn't interfere with getting the minimum 8-10 hours depending on your age group.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, would like help creating workout plans, or would like a bit of praise or encouragement feel free to reach out. Also if there are any errors. Now go have fun!

[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.

[lazyyogi]

How do you gain self control? Or would it be self discipline? I’ve been struggling with my weight for quite some time now, and I always end up going back to bad eating habits. And how/where do I find motivation? Thank you for your time, namaste.

I don't like the concept of motivation and I don't feel it's very empowering or helpful. When someone wants to do something but they can't bring themselves to do it, we'll say they lack some abstract concept of motivation. It's a very crude perspective with no real insight. Not only are you stuck but you also feel like you are lacking something.

So I'm here to tell you that you are not lacking motivation, or anything at all. The fact that you want to make a change is motivation enough. You're good on the motivation front.

So what's the problem? Resistance. Identify and address all the ways in which you are resisting. Once those obstacles are removed, you're free to move forward. Take exercising for example.

When I wanted to begin exercising regularly, I found it difficult to maintain consistency. I wondered what was wrong with me, that I couldn't muster even a fraction of the motivation that others seem to have. So I examined my behavior and routines. And what I found was interesting.

Firstly, because of my schedule, I knew the only time I had to exercise was when I came home from work. And I realized that if the first thing I did after coming home was anything other than exercising, it became a lot more difficult to then make the decision to exercise.

Secondly, I found that if I hadn't eaten well that day or slept well the night before, I often didn't have the energy to exercise.

Thirdly, if I had to leave my apartment to go somewhere to exercise, there were more opportunities for excuses to skip going.

Fourthly, if I paired my exercise routine with my daily meditation session, I became more consistent both with exercising daily and also meditating daily. Exercising before meditation made me feel more relaxed and focused for the meditation.

And lastly, if I had some particular result I wanted (like muscle abs or bigger biceps or whatever), then my own impatience to see those results made me feel like my efforts were fruitless and useless. This detracted from my enthusiasm to exercise and made me less likely to do so.

Using these observations, I made some changes.

I made a rule that the first thing I would do after getting home from work is exercise and then meditate. I would be extra mindful of not skipping meals at work and making sure I got a decent amount of sleep when possible. I researched and found solid exercise options that could be done from home. And, perhaps most importantly, I emphasized and relished the way my exercise regimen made me feel rather than my physical appearance.

With these changes, I maintained a more empowering attitude and a more consistent pattern in my exercise routine while also enjoying its benefits--more energy, better mood, etc.

However, there were plenty of times that I faltered. After going on vacation for a week, getting sick, or just being too busy, it could be difficult to get back into the rhythm. The way I handled this is by viewing exercise in a way similar to how I view brushing my teeth.

I don't ask myself if I feel like brushing my teeth. It's something I've just accepted as part of human body maintenance. In other words, I regard it as inevitable. That way, the question isn't how to summon the motivation to do something. It's about circumventing whatever forms of resistance we encounter and then surrendering to the inevitability of our practice.

It's also important not to judge and scold yourself for your lapses. Otherwise that makes it all the more difficult to get back into your rhythm. You need to be willing to begin at the beginning, again and again, over and over, day after day. If you're willing to do that, to be a beginner, then no amount of lapsing back into obsolete habits matters. They're just temporary disruptions from which you will inevitably move on.

I think you will find that a lot of this applies to any kind of lifestyle changes we wish to make, including eating. I'm sure there are more specific tips and tricks for dietary modification as well, I'm just no expert on that.

Finally, I do think that daily meditation will be an immense benefit for you. It is a practice that equips us with the ability to experience and process all kind of feelings and emotions--including cravings, desires, and fears.

I hope this helped. Much love!

LY

[optimal-living-lab]

Strength Training for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

Strength training is an essential component of overall fitness, providing numerous benefits such as increased muscle mass, improved bone density, and enhanced metabolism. If you're new to strength training, getting started can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, it can be both enjoyable and rewarding. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the basics of strength training for beginners.

Understanding Strength Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves exercises that use resistance to build muscle strength, endurance, and size. This resistance can come from various sources, including free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or even your body weight.

Benefits of Strength Training

Increased Muscle Strength: Strength training helps to build and strengthen muscles, making everyday activities easier and reducing the risk of injury.

Improved Bone Health: It stimulates bone growth and can help prevent osteoporosis, especially important as we age.

Boosted Metabolism: Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so building muscle through strength training can help increase your resting metabolic rate, aiding in weight management.

Enhanced Functional Strength: It improves your ability to perform daily tasks, such as lifting, carrying, and bending.

Getting Started

1. Consult a Professional

Before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns, it's wise to consult with a healthcare professional or a certified personal trainer. They can help tailor a program to your specific needs and ensure you exercise safely.

2. Set Clear Goals

Identify what you want to achieve through strength training. Whether it's gaining muscle, losing weight, or improving overall fitness, having clear goals will guide your training program.

3. Start with Basic Exercises

Begin with compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These include:

Squats: Targets the legs, glutes, and core.

Deadlifts: Works the back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Push-ups: Engages the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Rows: Targets the back, biceps, and shoulders.

4. Learn Proper Technique

Focus on mastering proper form and technique for each exercise to prevent injury and maximize results. If you're unsure, consider working with a personal trainer initially to learn the correct form.

5. Gradually Increase Intensity

Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the resistance as you get stronger. Aim for 2-3 strength training sessions per week, allowing at least 48 hours of rest between sessions to allow your muscles to recover and grow.

6. Incorporate Variety

Include a variety of exercises in your routine to target different muscle groups and keep your workouts interesting. This can include different types of resistance exercises, as well as cardio and flexibility training.

Tips for Success

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body feels during and after workouts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and reassess your form or consult a professional.

Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to seeing results. Stick to your strength training program and make it a regular part of your routine.

Rest and Recovery: Allow your muscles time to recover between sessions to prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury.

Fuel Your Body: Eat a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support muscle growth and recovery.

Conclusion

Strength training is a valuable addition to any fitness regimen, offering a multitude of physical and mental benefits. By following this guide and staying committed to your goals, you can build strength, improve your overall health, and enhance your quality of life. Remember, progress takes time, so be patient and enjoy the journey to a stronger, healthier you!

[whoatemyshoe]

if you're thinking of going to the gym to build a broader, muscular physique, here is a long post of random tips from a cis gym girlie!!!

disclaimer: these tips are from the experience of a cis femme queer woman who has been going to the gym for the past 5 years, and hyperfixates on weight training. i am in no way a certified personal trainer or dietician, and i do not have the knowledge to train with chronic pain or disabilities. i personally deal with some chronic pain and impinged joints that i have tips for, but that is not the purpose of this post! these tips are also more applicable for able-bodied cis women, and non-binary/genderfluid/bigender/gnc/trans folks with naturally lower levels of testosterone, who are beginners in weight training (0-12 months of going to the gym)

table of content:

know your goals

eat more protein

lift weights and progressively overload to build muscle

compound exercises is your bestie. isolation and isometric exercises are good company to keep

your diet determines 90% of your physique or wtv they say

you belong in the gym and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

it's common to have body dysmorphia, even at a level where you're jacked af. feel it, understand it, and be curious about where it is coming from

extra stuff

***

1. know your goals!

for the purpose of this post we are going to assume the goal is to gain serious muscle!

this means your workout will focus on either strength or mass

strength: heavy weight x low reps, means being able to carry the heaviest weight possible, at lower repetitions. think 60kg bench press at 4 reps

this builds immense strength, leaner size, and is the way strongmen/women and powerlifters train

that also means denser, stronger muscles, which will take a longer time to regress

mass: mid weights x mid reps, means carrying a challenging enough weight to go at higher repetitions. think 30kg bench press at 12 reps

this builds muscle mass and good strength, and is the way bodybuilders train

this is more time consuming than the first option, but goes hard on that beefy aesthetic

to build dense strong muscles, go for 3 sets, 3-5 reps per exercise

to build bigger muscles, go for 4-5 sets, 8-15 reps per exercise

please understand that muscles are heavier than fat. if you start weight training and notice your weight increase, but your physique stays the same/gets leaner, you're likely gaining a lot of muscle weight, which is a very good thing!

if you want a capped delts, fat biceps and wing lats, focus on upper body and core workouts

if you wanna get that peach booty, tree trunk thighs, and sculpted calves, focus on lower body and core workouts

if you want an 'X' taper, go for a full body workout

you can split your workouts by body parts (upper, core, back, legs), or by push and pull, to begin with

2. eat more protein!

depending on where you live and your available food options, you're likely not getting enough daily protein intake

when you lift weights, you tear your muscles (in a good way) so it can rebuild stronger for the next time you stress them out. protein helps you rebuild those 'damaged' muscles

it also keeps you satiated for longer - protein takes a longer time to digest

if you're vegan/vegetarian, opt for protein rich food like tofu, tempeh, soy products, legumes, chickpeas, etc.

if you struggle to eat enough protein, get protein powders to reach that daily intake

whey protein contains dairy. pea protein for vegans and lactose intolerant girlies

you can take protein powder with many types of food/liquids. i personally eat proats (mixing protein powder into cooked rolled oats) for breakfast.

aim for 0.8g - 1g per pound or 1.6g - 2.2g per kilo i.e. if you weigh 50kgs, aim for 110g daily protein intake for muscle growth

you don't need to eat your protein at like 30 mins before or after a session etc. as long as you have a consistent daily intake you're good

but! don't overload with protein in one sitting. space out your protein consumption throughout the day otherwise your body can't effectively absorb it all and it'll just go to waste

3. lift weights and progressively overload to build muscle

body weight exercises are good to start off, but if you want to build muscle, you need to start adding resistance to your training

that means periodically increasing the amount of weights you lift, to increase the challenge your muscle takes

being able to perform movements with heavier weights than before is also a good indicator that you're getting stronger!

if you're squatting body weight this week, try with 2kg dumbbells next week. then 5kg the next, 7kg the next, 10kg the next, and so on.

at a certain point it'll take longer to increase your weights. think taking 4 weeks to go from 100kg squats to 110kg

some bodies aren't able to tolerate higher weights (injury, chronic pain, genetic), so instead, add variations - instead of increasing to 20 push ups, try 10 push ups with your feet elevated

4. compound exercises is your bestie. isolation and isometric exercises are good company to keep

compound exercises work more than just one muscle group/one group of joints - these require multiple parts of your body to move in sync, to perform it correctly

compound movements are also functional movements. think being able to safely pick up a heavy box off the floor, storing your luggage in the overhead compartment, carrying your groceries in one go, carrying your wife to bed

deadlifts, squats, bench press, pull ups, overhead press, rows, push ups, lunges, and farmers carry are good basic compound movements to start with

once you're familiar with those, you can try variations like romanian deadlifts, sumo squats, chest press, chin ups, cable rows, push up plus, split squats to make it more challenging

isolation movements, such as bicep curls, knee extensions, crunches, etc. works mainly one muscle group/requires movement from one group of joints

for example, squats (compound) require you to move your hip joints and knee joints. knee extension (isolation) moves only knee joints. squats mainly work your glutes, quads, and core, while knee extensions mainly target your quads.

isolation movements are good for strengthening a specific muscle group, especially after an injury or specific weakness (isolation calf exercises to strengthen ankles), or for aesthetic purposes (fat biceps)

isometric exercises require you to contract your muscles without much movement. these are good for endurance and bracing.

planking is an isometric exercise. it's a very good exercise to stabilise your core, which is very good for injury prevention, and protects your spine from overextending

a strong, stable core is crucial to performing compound exercises and many daily movements safely

honestly muscle building is basically injury prevention if you do it right. you also get a strong physique, as a treat

keep your movements slow and controlled - focus on activating the muscle group that the exercise is intended for

quality movements = better muscle activation = efficient muscle growth

rushing through an exercise could result in injury, or compensating using the wrong muscle group or joints (ie. using your knees instead of your quads and glutes for squats)

5. your diet determines 90% of your physique or wtv they say

your muscles need protein to grow, and your body needs fuel to move. body fuel: carbs, fat, and protein

carbs are not your enemy!! fat is not your enemy!! not in excess!!

no food is bad or junk food. some foods are more nutritionally dense than others but at the end of the day, eating something diet culture deems 'unhealthy' is better than starving yourself

you can eat anything you want - the key is moderation

if you love sugary drinks, instead of drinking 5 cans of soda a day, drink only one (moderation)

if you love bread (like i do), have something else with that bread like tuna, peanut butter, lettuce, an egg, etc. (variety of nutrients)

if you love chips, have one serving a day, instead of the whole bag in one sitting

if you want to have visible muscles (read: abs) you need to go on a calorie deficit (cutting) - that means eating 200-500 less calories than your daily calorie need. you will likely loose strength and muscle mass

if you want to have strength and mass, and don't mind a bit of body fat, you can go for calorie surplus (bulking) - that means eating 200 - 500 more calories than your daily need

you can gain muscle and lose fat the same time

use this calculator to determine your calorie intake needs for cutting, maintaining, and bulking

you can also use the app 'calorie counter by fatsecret' (ios / android) to track your calories (but not too strictly! don't go down that slippery slope of obsessing over your every macro/micronutrient intake please!!!)

please remember that everyone's fat distribution is different - some people might not store much fat in their abdominal area, some might store more in their underarm area, etc. your genetics will determine where your body fat is distributed, which will affect your physique

emotional eating happens. cravings happen. binge eating happens. forgetting to eat happens. not feeling like eating happens. it's important not to associate guilt when it does - it's okay if you deviate from your usual eating routine. you can try again tomorrow

i've had a decent relationship with food my whole life, so i can't talk much about eating disorders or recovering from it, although you can watch leanbeefpatty's take on how to stop emotional eating, and her eating mentality (mostly intuitive eating) - she overcame ED in her youth

your body doesn't change much because you ate more/less than your target calorie intake for the day. changes in the body is gradual when it comes to body composition (fat distribution, muscle growth)

staying consistent is good. allowing yourself to deviate is also good. many of us aren't built to stick to something 100% all the time

most days can be 95%, some days 68%, some even at 23%. allow yourself those less than ideal days, so that you can go back to 95% most days. the key is going for as many 95% days possible, not a handful of 100%

6. you belong in the gym and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

you paid for the gym membership, just like everyone else. you have every right to be there, and use any and every equipment the gym provides

so what if you're starting with light weights? your starting weight is not your final weight

that means you also belong in the free weight/dumbbell section. take up space (respectfully) and don't be apologetic about it

don't be afraid to use the machines! they usually have instructions on the side. start off with the lowest weight, and go through the motion to familiarise yourself with it

it's okay if you don't know what you're doing at first - the gym is the place for you to figure it out

'what if they are looking at me' most people at the gym are busy focusing on themselves. they likely don't notice you most of the time

i would usually avoid eye contact, and look at either the floor, the ceiling, the wall, or the distance, so i don't notice if anyone is looking at me

if the gym is still intimidating, go with a friend! bring your headphones! drown out the world!

honestly i treat going to the gym as one large body double. having other people working out together helps keep me accountable to my own workouts. especially if my gym crush(es) is/are around

7. it's common to have body dysmorphia, even at a level where you're jacked af. feel it, understand it, and be curious about where it is coming from

i don't have any tips on managing body dysmorphia bc it is so personal and unique to each person

all i can talk about is what personally worked for me

which was focusing on getting stronger, instead of looking leaner

because when you get stronger, your body WILL change. the physique will come

but the physique that comes might not be what you'd expect - many times you've not seen how your body looks like when you get stronger

you might only see examples of strong bodies from media (who usually have really good genetics in the muscle building area), or other people at the gym

no two bodies are the exact same. if you dream of having xxx's physique, that isn't going to happen

but what you can dream of is having your strongest physique, which is unique to you, belongs to you, and will happen to you

remember, your ideal body type is the one you have now

you can set goals and have role models, but please please please do not make your role models your goal

i still struggle with bd, but it is much much better than before. i actually like looking at my body a large large majority of the time

for the femme girlies, if you want to get a muscular physique but are afraid of people calling you 'masc' or that you 'look like a man' fuck that noise. lift heavier, get jacked, become the muscle mommy your inner child would be proud of

8. extra stuff

if you're a cis woman or someone with naturally lower levels of testosterone, you won't get very, very muscular

you can get really strong (and with the right training, diet, and genetics, stronger than most cis men), but please don't compare your strength and size to someone who has higher levels of testosterone, naturally or through HRT or steroids

testosterone WILL help a person get very muscular and very strong, with lower levels of body fat. if you have lower levels of T, muscle size is limited, and body fat distribution is different. you likely store fat much easier too

please don't compare yourself with other folks with naturally lower levels of testosterone either - each person has different genetics, and some people are naturally stronger/bulkier than others, or have been lifting longer/more often

please don't be shy - look at the mirror when you work out and CHECK YOUR FORM. If your knees are buckling during your squats, you need to push them outwards or use lighter weights before you break your legs

if you have preexisting pain or are recovering from an injury, please get a personal trainer to help you create a custom training programme suited for your condition

if you experience acute pain while working out, stop what you're doing, ice it, see a physical therapist, and get that fixed. don't soldier on with the pain and make it worse. trust me!!

if you're just starting out, and have been experiencing common sedentary pains like lower back pain, take it easy, stretch, and get a personal trainer to build you a custom programme. im serious

always, ALWAYS warm up before a work out, and stretch after.

do dynamic warm ups before, and static stretching after

mind muscle connection is very important in weight training

focus on how your muscle is contracting and stretching, how your joints move, how everything comes together to help you balance and move something heavy around

i don't experience it personally, but i know many queer folks who are very disconnected with their bodies

i do not have any tips for that unfortunately

getting enough sleep is very important in building muscle - muscles recover and grow when you're sleeping/resting, not in the gym, not in the kitchen

again, the gym breaks down your muscles, the kitchen gives them the nutrients to rebuild, and the bedroom kick starts the actual process of recovery

remember that building muscle will take time. it doesn't happen overnight, nor does it happen in a week, a month, maybe even a year if you're inconsistent

it might take years to get to where you want to be. it's going to be a difficult journey, but it'll be worth it i think

show up, stay consistent, stay strong, and stay focused

but don't forget to rest and be kind to yourself - you don't need to push if you really can't do it

skipping one workout every once in a while, is a small blip in a lifetime of sessions.

a bad workout session doesn't determine the quality of all your workouts

truly once you start and see results, you will be amazed at what your body can achieve

a free resource that helped me kick start my fitness journey, and knowledge on weight training throughout the years, is nerdfitness. most recently leanbeefpatty for helpful tips, motivation, and entertainment

hope this helps someone in some way!

[dykemd]

Hi Bea, my wife wants to start working out and gaining muscle mass but she has no idea where to start... so much workout content on YouTube is either aggressive guys or yoga for weight loss. Do you have any tips?? Love your blog 💖💗

for some serious muscle gain the first thing she should do is find a split that works for her. there are 1837288282 splits out there but for beginners she should consider either push/pull/legs or upper/lower body theyre classics for a reason. that out of the way, it’s all about coming up w a exercise selection n sticking to it! dont go changing what u do every workout — i literally do the exact same thing week in week out. it’s the best way for tracking ur progress n making sure ure increasing weight or reps every session. also make sure to not choose weight over form thats a quick way to injury n it’s absolutely not worth it!! other than that she needs to just be patient, it’s a long game but if she eats n works out enough she should be seeing those newbie gains pretty soon at least 🙏🏽💪🏽

[chunkyspice]

Im a beginner gainer, how did you start gaining weight and how much would you recommend gaining in the first 2 months? Your gains are so impressive btw :)

Oh, why thank you!

I’m not good at advice, BUT with my experience (as it is different for everyone) I started by drinking most of my calories. In doing that I notice a significant difference I had out on like 30 pounds within 2 months. For example: drinking whole chocolate milk, high calorie boosts (the 530 cal ones, these are ordered from Amazon. as well as the 250 cal ones bc they are sold in stores and easily accessible) I also eat lots of protein that way my body still gets its needs and what not. Also instead of using milk for milkshakes I use heavy cream which is honestly the bulk of my gains hehe. ( I can’t stand the taste of it by itself but some just drink it straight from the carton)

Also in my experience, while it’s awesome to track your weight, I always found it disappointing when I wouldn’t be a certain number goal, I have since stopped focusing on the number as much as It put me in a pretty funky mindset when not reaching that ‘end of the month goal’ I would set.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: just enjoy it! Don’t burden yourself when you aren’t making those weight goals, everyone’s body is different and processes food and what we intake differently so what works for me might not work for others. And lastly, how much you exercise can effect how much you gain, I work in a very fast paced and heavy movement work place so I’m constantly “working out” granted it’s just my arms and legs that do most of the work but still.

So yeah hope this helps in your journey!

Edit: im not a health expert lmaoo and gaining is not cheap by any means so keep that in mind as well

[whossiren]

75 Soft Challenge Week 2-

Mediterranean Diet:

This week I worked on two things ordering Mediterranean style food while eating out and trying to be flexible with my idea of this diet. The idea is to embrace a more plants based diet being primarily pescatarian.

I do want to cut down the amount I eat out but that's a whole separate battle that I hope meal prepping will help with.

Just the foods I ate when dining out were a kale and pinto beans taco, turkey avocado savory crepe, and a cucumber salad.

2 Liters of Water:

I found this easily doable on the days where I exercised not so much on the days where I did not.

It is much easier on my body and I have noticed improvement in my skin. My acne has reduced and my elasticity has improved.

No Alcohol:

Again something I found very easy until my roommate made milkshakes that I didn't realize had bourbon in them until 3/4ths of the was through the glass.

Very good but I'll stick to a normal milkshake from now on.

45 Minutes of Exercise:

I am still a long ways away from being able to do exercises I see on YouTube unless they are slow controlled and a moderate intensity.

I realized I have very tight hamstrings after not being able to do some beginners stretches and warm ups.

After visiting a doctor and a physical therapist I've added some important exercises to my daily routine to be able to have full range of motion again.

10 Pages of Any Book:

I'm currently reading " To the Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf.

My least completed row this week due to sheer lack of motivation and discipline.

I don't enjoy the writing style of this author even though she came highly recommended by friends and coworkers. I normally don't feel engaged enough to read 10 pages.

I obviously haven't finished the book and hope I come to appreciate the writing style as I continue reading but the initial impression doesn't color me impressed

Summary:

This week was a great attempt and I'm proud of the progress I made even though I know I could do a lot better with improved discipline.

I went from an average of 109lbs to 107lbs. According to my counts I'm at a calorie deficit so I'm a little shocked by this little difference in weight. However it's still great to be losing weight rather than gaining.

I'm late to update because Monday was a complete rest day after I wasn't able to do my full workout session for two days in a row. (when am I not behind though?) I'm thinking of making two days a week active rest days where I do a 45 minutes walk as to not experience burnout.

I hope to have better portion control and cook at home more next week as well.

At a 66% completion rate this week I know I can do better I hope to keep improving.

[frownyalfred]

Do you have advice for getting started with weightlifting? I’d like to build muscle but I’ve never really worked out before and gyms intimidate me and I feel like I wouldn’t know what to do or where to start

I totally get that, anon! I don't think I would've made it into a weights section at the gym if my past ex-boyfriend hadn't dragged me in there.

If you'd like to build muscle or start a basic program, I highly recommend checking out r/xxfitness on Reddit. They have a ton of FAQs, beginner programs, and basic nutritional/muscle building advice. It's not exclusive to cis women, but a lot of the advice is geared to them, since traditional weightlifting tends to be male-dominated and sometimes feels exclusionary.

In terms of where to start or feeling intimidated, try to think about your goals. Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Look leaner, but stay where you're at? Are you ready to change your nutritional and exercise habits to meet that goal?

Sometimes you just have to go into the weight section and look silly. Have YouTube open on your phone demonstrating the exercise! Work through bad form (safely) until you get better! Ignore other people, and politely tell them to F off unless you're about to seriously injure yourself, someone else, or damage property. Sometimes doing 1-2 free or low cost sessions with a personal trainer can help teach you the basics.

Measure your progress against yourself, and no one else. Once I started seeing muscle definition and actually felt myself growing stronger, it kind of clicked in my head. You'll find yourself lifting more and more weight every week and it's a really powerful feeling.

I started going to the gym late at night to start. The best thing about most gyms is that people might glance at you when you walk in, and then they don't care. They're focused on their own workout. Once I realized that, I felt much more confident.

[fitnessnirvana]

GYM MACHINE WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS

If you prefer to follow an expert-created fitness regimen, we have you covered. Suzy has offered two full-body workouts that may be alternated two to three times per week to ensure that all muscle groups are worked at least twice per week, which will aid in muscular development and strength. Choose a resistance that will make the last few reps difficult while yet allowing you to maintain proper technique.

WORKOUT 1:

Leg press – 3 x 15 reps: The leg push is a compound exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. It's similar to the squat, but demands less core strength and stability and is easier to execute effectively.

Hamstring curl -- 2 x 15 reps: The hamstring curl is an individual exercise that targets the muscles at the back of the legs. Many people suffer from tight, weak hamstrings as a result of prolonged sitting, therefore targeting these muscles is essential for developing strong, balanced legs.

Chest press – 3 x 12 reps: The bench press is an excellent chest workout, but it is highly technical and demands a significant deal of strength, which novices may lack. The chest press machine is ideal for novices who wish to emulate this compound exercise and gain muscle in their chest, shoulders, and triceps without having to get underneath a barbell.

Lateral pull down – 3 x 12 reps: The lat pulldown machine is another compound exercise that targets the back muscles, specifically the lats, as well as the biceps and forearms.

Bicep curl – 2 x 15 reps: The bicep curl machine is an excellent tool for both beginners and expert lifters to target the biceps because it stabilizes the arm and guarantees that just the biceps are functioning.

Shoulder press – 2 x 15 reps: The shoulder press machine is excellent for strengthening the shoulders. Using free weights necessitates a high level of core stability; eliminating this requirement allows you to focus just on the delts.

WORKOUT 2:

The second session uses the same compound exercises (leg press, chest press, lat pull down, and shoulder press) as workout 1, but swaps out the isolation exercises to target different muscles. To target the quadriceps, use the leg extension machine instead of the hamstring curl. For the triceps, use the tricep extension machine instead of the bicep curl.

Leg press – 3 x 15 reps

Leg extension – 2 x 15 reps

Chest press – 3 x 12 reps

Lateral pull down – 3 x 12 reps

Tricep extension – 2 x 15 reps

Shoulder press – 2 x 15 reps

[transgymbro]

im sure youve probably answered this before, but do you have a specific gym routine you follow? or one you could recommend?

my issue with the gym isnt even an issue of social anxiety or body insecurity, it's the fact that i genuinely have zero clue what im doing lmao 😅 any advice at all is appreciated, thanks man

I actually haven't answered this one before! This is under a "read more" because it got stupid long. Also sorry this has taken so long I've been grinding on my finals

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, I'm literally just some guy on the internet who likes going to the gym. Please consult an expert such as a doctor or fitness coach if possible before trying anything I say. If you happen to be an expert/experienced in this, please correct me if I got anything wrong. Also, YMMV.

So generally, when you go to the gym your routine is going to depend on your goals and how many days you're going to be able to go.

If your main goal is to cut (lose body fat): You want to concentrate on cardio, and if you do strength training at all you should focus on lighter weight with a higher number of reps each set

If your main goal is to bulk (gain muscle mass and strength): You'll want to aim for less cardio, heavier weights, and less repetitions.

WARNING: Be careful when you are going up in weight, you can seriously injure yourself if you try to lift something that's too heavy. What I mean by be careful is:

Make sure you can move your current weight easily before trying the next one up. That is, don't go up until you're able to do 15 reps on that weight.

When you move up in weight, don't go up by more than 5-10 lbs. This will make sure that if it turns out you can't lift as much as you thought, you won't hurt yourself.

Have a spotter with you, if possible. If you have someone who can/wants to go to the gym with, you, take them, especially if they have more experience. Having someone there to catch the weight can make the difference on whether or not you get injured.

Listen to your body. If you are hurting/experiencing sharp/unusual pain, STOP and either go down in weight or stop altogether for the day.

Make sure your form is correct. Lifting with bad form is already likely to injure you, and the risk goes up the heavier you're lifting. You can have someone else check you or check online for tutorials.

As for your exercises across the week, it depends on how much time you have to spend in the gym. Some people have time every single day to go, and others can only go maybe two days a week. Regardless of how much time you have though, it is important to give your muscles a chance to rest. Now, this doesn't mean you CAN'T go every single day, you absolutely can if you know what you're doing. But generally for people who are new to the gym I wouldn't recommend it. For one, if you're not used to the strain you're going to take longer to recover and get over the soreness, and if you're super sore it'll be difficult to really push yourself. Also, beginners aren't typically in tune with their body yet, that is, they don't know when to stop pushing to avoid injury. So, it's best to split the muscles you work out across your gym days.

A very common one routine is called the push-pull split. This divides the muscles you will work out into two groups, depending on their motion. The muscles that go in each category are

Push: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Quads, Calves

Pull: Back, Biceps, Glutes, Hamstrings.

Typically, one would go to the gym 4 days per week and do: push, pull, push, pull, or vice versa. However, this split is also good for people who can only work out twice a week. My brother actually goes to the gym three times per week (last I checked with him) and modifies this split into push, pull, and legs, so this is another option if you want to really make sure you're getting a pump on your legs.

My personal split is a three day split of muscle groups. Shoulders/biceps/triceps, chest/back, and abs/legs. This is how my aunt (former amateur bodybuilder) trained me when she was getting me into weightlifting and I've generally kept the same routine, but you're free to switch any of those days or muscle groups around, so you could do something like biceps/trips/back, abs/chest, shoulders/legs. Generally I would try to keep biceps and triceps together since both are your arm muscles, but that's really only a personal preference.

For the most part, what you choose to do here is up to you as long as you make sure you're giving your muscles a chance to rest.

Now we're getting into specifics: How many reps? How many sets? Generally, 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps on a weight that is manageable but challenging (i.e. you can lift it, but you're getting tired at about the last 2-3 reps). However, there are some (not exhaustive) special cases that I'm listing below

Cutting - Do you remember what I said about low weight high reps earlier? This is where it comes in. If you're on a cut you may want to go for a lighter weight than your normally would (for example, if you usually lift about 20 lbs use the 10 lb weights) and go for 15-20 reps, or if you're advanced, until failure.

Strength gain - High weight, low reps. You'll want something a bit on the heavier side, but you'll only be doing this for about 5-8 reps per set. I do recommend, however, grabbing a lighter weight as well and doing what we call a drop set (we'll get into what this is in a second). Once again: be careful when lifting very heavy weights. You don't want to injure yourself.

The Big Three (Deadlift, Squat, Bench Press) - These ones are the ones people tend to try and go as heavy as they can go on. They are the most rewarding, but also the most dangerous lifts you can do. If you are a beginner, do not attempt going heavy on these without a spotter. Generally for these, you'll want to do less reps the heavier you go. If you have a spotter you can go for a one rep max, where you lift the most weight you know you can lift for exactly one rep. Alternatively, these can go hand in hand with strength gaining, and because of how heavy these can get, you may end up only getting 3 reps in (I can only bench 145 lbs for 2 reps right now).

Drop Set - A drop set is a set where you start with a weight slightly heavier than what you can complete a full set with, do a low amount of reps, and then drop down to a lower weight and repeat, up to the lowest weight available to you. These are very good for building your strength, because they allow you to keep going and working your muscles without injuring yourself. Example: I want to drop set my bicep curls. I can bicep curl about 25 lbs for 10-12 reps. I would start with 30 lbs, do 5 reps, then drop to 25 lbs and do 5 reps there. I could stop there, especially if I'm using dumbbells because I don't want to have that many dumbbells with me, but I could go to 20 lbs, do 5 reps, then to 15 lbs, and then repeat until I'm using 5 lbs. These usually work best with machines rather than free weights because again: there is definitely such a thing as too many dumbbells.

Also: Make sure your first set is a warmup set. That is, do slightly lighter weight and slightly more reps to get your muscles warmed up and ready to lift the heavier stuff. Warming up your muscles will give you a chance to practice your form and prepare your body to handle the heavy shit.

I will also say that your diet will have a massive impact on how fast/whether you reach your goals, but since you asked about the gym specifically, I'm sticking to that scope.

[healthy444]

Can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time?

Yes, it is possible to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, though it can be challenging and typically requires a well-structured approach. This process is often referred to as “recomping” (short for recomposition). Here are some key strategies to achieve this:

1. Nutrition

Caloric Balance: Aim for a slight caloric deficit to lose fat while providing enough nutrients to support muscle growth. This typically means consuming slightly fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

Protein Intake: Ensure a high protein intake (1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) to support muscle repair and growth.

Macronutrient Balance: Balance your diet with a good mix of carbohydrates and fats to provide energy and support overall health.

2. Strength Training

Progressive Overload: Continuously challenge your muscles by increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts over time.

Compound Movements: Focus on compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, bench presses) that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Consistency: Maintain a regular workout schedule, typically 3–5 times per week, to consistently stimulate muscle growth.

3. Cardio

Moderation: Incorporate moderate cardio to support fat loss without compromising muscle gains. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be particularly effective.

Timing: Consider doing cardio on non-lifting days or after strength training sessions to prioritize muscle preservation.

4. Recovery

Sleep: Ensure adequate sleep (7–9 hours per night) to allow your body to recover and grow.

Rest Days: Incorporate rest days to prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury.

5. Consistency and Patience

Long-Term Commitment: Body recomposition is a gradual process that requires consistent effort over time. Patience and persistence are crucial.

Monitor Progress: Track your progress with measurements, photos, and performance in the gym rather than just focusing on the scale.

6. Individual Factors

Starting Point: Beginners or individuals returning after a long break often see more dramatic changes in body composition.

Genetics: Genetic factors can influence how easily you gain muscle or lose fat.

7. Nutrient Timing

Pre-Workout Nutrition: Consume a meal or snack rich in protein and carbohydrates about 1–2 hours before your workout to fuel performance.

Post-Workout Nutrition: Have a post-workout meal or shake with protein and carbs within 30–60 minutes after your workout to aid recovery and muscle growth.

8. Hydration

Stay Hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for overall health, performance, and recovery. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day, particularly before, during, and after workouts.

9. Supplementation

Protein Supplements: Whey or plant-based protein powders can help you meet your daily protein requirements.

Creatine: Creatine monohydrate is a well-researched supplement that can enhance strength, power, and muscle mass.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): These can help reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle protein synthesis, particularly when training in a fasted state.

10. Mind-Muscle Connection

Focus on Form: Pay attention to proper form and technique to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.

Contraction: Emphasize the contraction of the target muscles during each exercise to improve muscle activation.

11. Variation in Training

Periodization: Incorporate different phases in your training program, such as strength, hypertrophy, and endurance phases, to continually challenge your muscles and prevent plateaus.

Exercise Variety: Regularly change your exercises, rep ranges, and workout routines to keep your muscles guessing and promote continuous adaptation.

12. Tracking and Adjustment

Regular Assessments: Keep track of your body composition, strength levels, and overall progress. Adjust your diet and training plan based on these assessments to ensure continued progress.

Listen to Your Body: Be mindful of signs of overtraining or injury. Adjust your training intensity and volume as needed to prevent burnout and maintain long-term progress.

13. Metabolic Rate and Muscle Mass

Muscle Increases Metabolism: Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), helping you burn more calories even at rest, which aids in fat loss.

14. Hormonal Balance

Manage Stress: High-stress levels can lead to elevated cortisol, which can negatively impact muscle growth and fat loss. Incorporate stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Hormonal Health: Ensure adequate intake of essential fats and micronutrients to support hormonal health, which is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss.

15. Support System

Accountability: Having a workout partner, or coach, or joining a fitness community can provide motivation, accountability, and support.

Education: Continuously educate yourself about nutrition, training, and recovery to make informed decisions and optimize your body recomposition efforts.

By paying attention to these important factors, you can further enhance your ability to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Remember, consistency, patience, and a holistic approach are key to achieving long-term success in body recomposition.

[liesmyth]

Jockposting :) Lifting progress under the cut 💪

the tldr is that i a couple of months I put 20kg on my deadlift, 15kg on my squat, and I am SO close to benching 35kg for reps I can taste it. If I was in a frame of mind to optimise for recovery and nutrition I'd be unstoppable but as it is I'm just really feelin' myself

I'm on week 9 of GZCLP, a reddit-bro sorta program that's IME extremely effective. Once again, I maintain that reddit is phenomenal for solid fitness knowledge

It's a linear progression program, meaning that you increase the weight on the bar week by week, and it's ideal for novices who're still in the "beginner's gain" stage of weightlifting. It's also great if you're returning to structured programming lifting after a break (me!) but I probably won't keep at it after the first 12-week cycle is over, there's only so much linear increase I can aspire to.

Programming: GZCLP is 4x week, built around big compound lifts in the "strength" range (low reps, higher weights). They're complemented by a medium-rage amount of reps of a different compound lift than the one you're practising that day. So basically, you do big lifts twice a week, but at a different weight/range (called Tier 1 and Tier 2 to tell them apart). Every session also includes isolation exercises in the hypertrophy range, starting at 3x15+.

Jargon: that + symbol means that the last set is meant to be "as many reps as possible" or AMRAP. So if I'm doing 3x5+ squats, I'd do 5 reps for my first and second set, then try to aim for 6 or 7 in my last set.

Progression: You add weight every week to each compound lift; if you fail, the rep scheme changes keeping the volume the same.

T1 (main lifts) go from 3x5+ >>> 4x4+ >>> 5x3+

T2 (medium range reps for compound lifts) start at 3x10 >>> 3x8 >>> 3x6

T3 (back work and accessories) are 3x15+, only progressing when the AMRAP set gets to 25.

The T2 lifts especially are brutal. Because they go up every week but the amount of volume is A Lot. Doing sets of 10 reps with heavy-ish squats or deadlifts is extremely demanding.

Sessions! Basically, each week looks like this

Day 1: Squats (T1) + Bench press (T2) + Back work and leg accessories (T3)

Day 2: Overhead barbell press (T1) + Deadlift (T2) + Back work and upper body accessories (T3)

Day 3: Bench press (T1) + Squats (T2) + Back Work and upper body and core accessories (T3)

Day 4: Deadlift (T1) + Overhead bar press (T2) + Hip thrusts (T2) + Back work and core accessories (T3)

I start every session with dynamic stretching AND core engagement exercises (deadbug, planks, renegade row, suitcase carries) and usually end with an abs + kettlebell swing circuit. KB swings are SUPER FUN, btw. I do them every minute on the minute with a timer, starting with 5 swings then working my way up to 12-15 reps on the minute before I go up in weight. Currently I'm using a20kg (44 lbs) kettlebell.

💪 Weight on the bar! ✨

The whole point of this post was to blather about my lifting numbers so here we go. I started 9 weeks ago a bit conservatively, which imo is better than starting too heavy and going up too fast. I've failed every lift except squats, and that's only because I'm not consistently breaking parallel like I want to — a goal for my next training cycle is to work on lower body flexibility, go lighter on squats and with better form. This cycle is mainly to get more weight on that bar.

Squat

T1: 37.5kg >>> 52.5kg (116 lbs) for 3 sets of 5 reps

T2: 32.5kg to 43.5kg (96lbs) for sets of 10 reps

Overhead press

I failed multiple times here! Why is it so hard to build stronk shoulders, I ask you

T1: 17kg to 22.5kg (50 lbs) for 4 sets of 4 reps

T2: 12kg to 18kg (40 lbs) for sets of 6 reps

Bench Press

Veeeery proud of how this one is going

T1: 25kg to 33.5kg (74 lbs) for 5 sets of 3 reps

T2: 20 kg to 30kg (66 lbs) for 3 sets of 8 reps. Veeery proud of my progress on this one.

Deadlift

Bit frustrated because DLs used to be my strongest lift and I feel like I should be further ahead but that posterior chain needs nurturing

T1: 43kg to 62.5 (134 lbs) for 5 sets of 3 reps

T2: 33kg to 53.5 (118) for 3 sets of 10 reps

What's next?

3 more weeks of GZCLP then we shall see! I'm thinking an intermediate bench program + less volume on lower-body lifts, especially since I'm going to get more serious about half marathon training next month.

[klavskronbergs]

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