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Reddit mentions of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition

Sentiment score: 232
Reddit mentions: 384

We found 384 Reddit mentions of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition. Here are the top ones.

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Found 384 comments on Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition:

u/favourthebold · 766 pointsr/AskReddit

Well this seems like a good opportunity to post a few of the lessons I learned in my 20s.

To my former self:

If you're depressed, here's how to turn it around

  • Stop drinking, this is the main cause.

  • Lift weights. This alone could also stop depression. It's likely related to low testosterone levels

  • Fapping too much makes the depression worse

    Fap less, and never to porn

  • Ejaculating too often removed your motivation to take actions and start tasks. You can consider porn like a poison for the mind. Pleasurable but it desensitizes you to all other pleasures, making life seem bland and boring. Until the only thing you want is porn. It perpetuates itself.


    Gratitude

  • Whatever you are grateful for will grow

  • Gratitude is the only way to be happy. If you think about what happiness is, it's appreciating what you have. When you think of something that would make you happy, you are imagining yourself appreciating it when you get it.

    Wealth

  • You can have anything you want, as long as you create enough value for others first.

  • To be wealthy, don't try and do tomorrow's work today, just have a successful day each day. If you have more successful days than unsuccessful days, your wealth will grow. As you have successful and productive days, opportunities will be attracted to you.

    Theories

  • The key to success in any area is having the right theory. A small amount of work, or a massive amount of work, with the wrong theory, won't lead to success.

  • With the right theory, success will be relatively straight forward. When you do the thing, it will basically work every time. Anything that has been done many times before, can be done yourself with the correct theory

  • When most people speak of the 'years of hard work' they put in before they 'cracked the game', usually means they were laboring under the wrong theory, and then one day they found the correct theory, and when they applied it, it worked. (excluding world class athletes, talking about common things like starting a business or growing muscles)

  • Theories can be gathered by spending tens of thousands of dollars on seminars or tens of dollars on books. Both can contain theories that work and theories that don't work. Higher cost definitely does not mean they have the right theory

  • Some theories can seem like they are guaranteed to work, but on testing, actually don't. When someone says they have the right theory, it will seem worth any price. Often they actually don't. Beware. If possible buy their book and test it for yourself, it's just as good in book form.

  • This whole list is a list of theories, as you can see, they are usually quite simple and easy to understand. Complexity is usually a sign the person doesn't really know how things work


    Girls

  • You cannot make a girl like you, you can however find a girl who likes you

  • They key to getting girls is to get in excellent shape (lift weights), dress well, and talk to girls until you find one that likes you

  • If a girl is unsure if she you likes you, won't go on a date with you, or doesn't let you touch her in anyway. She doesn't like you. Find one that wants all those things. Don't be fooled by girls who seem to REALLY like you but doesn't have time to meet, or won't let you touch her. They do not like you like that.

  • Hot girls are just as likely to like you as not hot girls

  • If you like a girl more than she likes you, and she doesn't want to meet up/hang out/have sex. Let her go and move on


    Career

  • It's very easy to get ahead if you just try, most people don’t

  • You career will naturally progress just through normal learning, don't worry about it


    Flow

  • If you want things to happen without effort and struggle, live a life with gratitude and presence. Things will seem to happen easily and naturally.


    Meditation

  • Mediation gives you the ability to be your best. Very handy for improving at anything, particularly gaming, as you see more and learn more. It gives you access to creativity in solving problems and improving your performance

  • Mediation allows you to 'stop the mind'. Do this if you're stuck in over-analysis

  • To meditate, set a time on your phone for 20 minutes, sit still and don't move a muscle, and focus on your breath as often as you can. Your mind will try to stray, just focus on your breath as much as able. This is how you quiet the mind

    *****
    Edit:

    To answer some requests, here's my list of resources.

    Wealth/Metaphysics

  • http://www.audible.com.au/pd/Health-Personal-Development/The-Science-of-Getting-Rich-Audiobook/B00FMUQVSI
    This audiobook has the best summary I've found of how wealth works

    Lifting

  • https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

  • https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

  • http://startingstrength.com/

  • http://www.leangains.com/2011/09/fuckarounditis.html

    How Procrastination works:

  • https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html

  • https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/11/how-to-beat-procrastination.html

    How Business works

  • https://www.amazon.com/Personal-MBA-Master-Art-Business/dp/1591845572

    What innovation actually is and how to do it:

  • https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Entrepreneurship-Peter-F-Drucker/dp/0060851139

    How economics works:

  • https://www.amazon.com/How-Economy-Grows-Why-Crashes/dp/047052670X

    How to get things done:

  • https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280

    Task Management tool:

  • https://todoist.com/

    Spiritual Books

  • Spiritual books won't make sense unless you've had an awakening, and you can't make this happen, it happens by chance/grace. If you have, anything by Eckhart Tolle will be amazing.

    How to be a man:

  • https://www.amazon.com/Way-Superior-Man-Spiritual-Challenges/dp/1591792576

  • https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Truth-Spiritual-Guide-Death/dp/1591792592

    Audiobooks (most of these can be found on audiobook):

  • Audible.com

    Frame Control (Anytime you feel like you're trying too hard or begging for something, you lost the frame)

  • https://www.amazon.com/Pitch-Anything-Innovative-Presenting-Persuading/dp/1501211811

    This is my favourite book of all. They talk about the new type of conscousness which is really really interesting to me. May not apply to all people.
    If anyone find this book interesting I'd love to talk about it:

    How the world works:

  • https://www.amazon.com/Spiral-Dynamics-Mastering-Values-Leadership/dp/1405133562

  • https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Spiral-Dynamics-Integral-Audiobook/B00FO5660E

u/menuitem · 271 pointsr/Fitness

A few requests:

  • Buy and read the book: Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training.

  • Bring unique and new questions. If someone points out you have a duplicate question (providing a link to its location in the thread) please delete it, to help keep this thread readable.

  • The best question is a question which is written as short as possible, but no shorter.

  • Note: Starting Strength on Twitter.
u/DubinJohnson · 181 pointsr/progresspics

In English:

"I started with a weightlifting routine I got form a popular book by Mark Rippetoe called 'Starting Strength' and sort of jumped around routines. I kept away from exercises that only work out a single muscle at a time (and instead decided to perform lifts like squats that work out groups of many muscles once, called compound exercises, as advocated in Rippetoe's book and elsewhere). However, I did keep doing bicep curls, an isolated lift."

u/Toxicchimp · 66 pointsr/Fitness

Ok, we'll do it your way!

I don't want to get 'buff', I just want to gain energy, lose a bit of weight around my midsection, and just feel better overall.

Your goals sound to me like you are a person, who would benefit the most from running, cycling or something simillar. In short: You are a cardio guy. But since you already joined a gym we want to make sure you get the most out of it!

How you ask? With free weights and compound exercices! Whats that you ask? Starting strength is the answer!

But Toxicchimip i dont want to get big and strong like these bodybuilders!

Dont worry little friend i have your back! You wont get super buff, you'll only get stronger, more confident and a more athletic look.

But the book wont arrive in time. In want to go tommorrow!

no problemo, just google starting strength and you will find enough material for some decent information. As soon as the book arrives you can use it :)

What about my beloved treadmill?

Fuck that shit. Concentrate on the lifting and add some cardio in about a month or two. This way you can learn proper technique and you wont give up early, because honestly: Treadmills ans stationary bikes suck.

Didnt you say im a cardio guy?

You are but right now you are a meathead. You can be yourself in summer, when you can go out and run in the sun.

Is there more?

Read the FAQ again.

u/Noggin01 · 37 pointsr/Fitness

No, it is not a valid reason. I am socially insecure as well and had some (what turned out to be invalid) fears about lifting weights.

I joined a gym 11 months ago with the intention of doing cardio for 3 months and then adding weightlifting to my routine. I was worried of not knowing what to do and looking like a dumb ass, so I just kept putting off the weights. I bought Starting Strength and started reading it (good book and I'd recommend it to you). I did my first weightlifting workout on Wednesday of last week and my second this morning.

The basic premise of Starting Strength is that you are weak and inexperienced. It gives you a routine through which you will rapidly gain strength if you follow the program. It will guide you in determining the amount of weight with which you need to be working and it will tell you how to recognize when you're doing too much weight. If you don't do too much weight, then you won't really need a spotter.

Your first workout should be not much more than determining your working weight. You'll start with the bar, empty, and do some squats. Then you'll add 10 lbs and do some more. Then you'll add 10 lbs and do some more. The bar will get "heavy" quickly. Somewhere around 85 lbs for most people, you'll start to slow down. This is your working weight. Pound out two more sets at this weight and you're done.

Then you do an overhead press, starting with the bar. Add 5lbs and do s aset. Add 5 more and do another set. Again, the bar will get heavy and this is your working weight. Pound out two more sets.

Repeat for deadlift, but start at 95 - 135 lbs instead of just the empty bar. Add 10 lbs and do another set. Add 10 more and do another set. When you slow down, you've found your working weight. DON'T do another set. You're done.

The next time you do squats, you'll start with just the empty bar and work your way up to your previous working weight (which was 85 lbs) plus another 10-20 lbs. You always start with just the bar, and you'll always work up from there. A year from now when you can squat 225 lbs, you'll still start with just the bar.

You'll build confidence, and you'll learn your limitations. You'll know if and when you'll need a spotter.

u/ChuckHustle · 36 pointsr/Fitness

Be careful with people "correcting" your form. The gym is one of the places where everyone is an "expert". If you're worried about your form you should buy a book or hire a legitimate weight lifting coach to teach you.

u/zinver · 31 pointsr/sysadmin

Hey bro/sis,

I will give the same advice to men and women here. Get a weight lifting program and some podcasts.

Why podcasts? It will help you get motivated to learn while you lift. Get some TWIT.TV podcasts, maybe a history podcast (The Thomas Jefferson Hour, Dan Carlin's Hardcore History), and something funny or political (The Joe Rogan Experience, No Agenda Show).

Why weight lifting? For guys, you will get big and feel good. For women you will get tone and your butt will look great. Why the difference? That magical chemical called Testosterone. Guys have it and get big, girls don't have it (at least not so much) so they don't get as big.

If you get a complete program, make it simple with big lifts, Squats, Deadlifts, Cleans, Overhead Press, and Bench. DO not get a complicated workout plan from a magazine, they are mostly just filler and worthless, except for those people that are genetically gifted with short recovery times and have hours to workout at the gym.

I went from a 135lb squat to a 235lb squat (3x5) in about two months. It took me another month to get to 260lbs. I feel super great, I enjoy physical activities a lot more, and feel way more confident.

How do you get started?

I used a program called Starting Strength, it's very effective. There are a lot of other exercise programs you can try (Google: Mad Cow, 5x5, or 5/3/1). But Starting Strength is extremely simple and effective. Most of the other big and simple programs are based from Starting Strength.

The biggest change for me was having a predetermined plan, "I am going to start lighter than I think I should, and add 5lbs every time I do this lift." I had a workout notebook and a spreadsheet, this is where I want to be today, this is where I was last week.

Starting Strength Caveats

  1. Learn your lifts! The Starting Strength book does this from a bio-mechanical standpoint. (I mean 60 pages on the bench press, pretty valuable information)
  2. START LIGHT, you will work into the weight, don't worry about it, leave your ego at the door.
  3. If you are overweight, do not follow the diet plans. Hit a protein shake once after your work out.
  4. If you hit a plateau it's probably your diet, add another protein shake on your off days. [If it happens again a second week] drop back a week.

    Resources

    Starting Strength Calculator

    Starting Strength Book


    I've since moved onto a "lighter" program, Jim Wendler's 5/3/1, it gives me more time to pursue jiujitsu and cardio. When you are ready to move on, look at sports specific exercises, bent over rows for a bow draw, and the stair master for hiking.

    EDIT

    Seriously check out Yoga for Regular Guys as well. It's a very simple non-bullshity yoga routine. It will help with mobility issues and it's a good low-space cardio routine.

    EDIT2

    Great advice below:

    Reasons to meditate from iamadogforreal


u/DOCTOR_MIRIN_GAINZ · 28 pointsr/Fitness

SS, also known as Squat Syndicate, is a best selling gothic fantasy novel written by Mawk Reppetits. The plot resolves around a religious group of heroes, called the AssGuard Companions. They travel across the lands, preaching the ways of their deity - Brodin, and teaching quarter-rep high bar barbell squats to their followers.

^^^It's ^^^this ^^^book. ^^^you ^^^might ^^^want ^^^to ^^^read ^^^the ^^^faq ^^^----->

u/zoidbergular · 24 pointsr/Fitness

> a book that has pictures for each movement, the way Strong Curves does, so he can work on form.

Regardless of whether you like the program, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training is invaluable for learning the compound lifts.

u/MisquotedSource · 20 pointsr/Fitness
u/davidjohnson314 · 19 pointsr/AdviceAnimals

Basic Barbell Training 3rd ed. by Mark Rippetoe

And there are great "How To" videos from Aaron Alan Thrall on YouTube.

u/cleti · 18 pointsr/Fitness

I've read so many books that I honestly cannot say that any particular one is the most important. However, here's a list of really good ones:

  • Starting Strength. Mark Rippetoe. I've read all three editions. The books have greatly influenced the way I lift, especially in the obvious sense of proper form for barbell lifts.

  • Practical Programming For Strength Training. Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Simple explanations of a lot of things related to training even nutrition.

  • Beyond Bodybuilding. Pavel Tsatsouline. Amazing book filled with numerous lifts with the goal of using strength training to develop mass.
  • Relax Into Stretch and Super Joints by Pavel as well. If you have issues with mobility or flexibility, these books are awesome.
  • 5 3 1. Jim Wendler. I'm fairly certain the majority of people know what this is, but if you haven't read it, I encourage reading both editions and the one for powerlifting, especially if you're running 5/3/1 right now. All three books are a huge resource for determining how to program assistance and conditioning.
  • Easy Strength. Pavel and Dan John This was a great read. It was filled with tons of things from articles written by Dan John as well as just a massive look at how to appropriately program strength training for people at numerous levels.
  • 4 Hour Body. Tim Ferriss. This was an amazing read. It, like Pavel's Power to the People, was a great read on complete minimalism of training towards a goal.

    I've read so many more books than that. Since these are the only ones that I can think of off the top of my head, I'd say that they are the ones that have made the biggest impression from reading them.
u/Parisinthethespring · 18 pointsr/Fitness

Bought this book today; Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
. I'm excited to receive it on Sunday and enhance my lifting.

u/ZakieChan · 17 pointsr/Denver

Losing weight is more about changing your diet than exercising. Of course, exercise helps, but you MUST get your diet in line. Go download My Fitness Pal and start tracking your calories.

If you don't like cardio (I hate it), go lift instead. Get the book "Starting Strength" and hit the weights 3 times a week. If you do that, while keeping your calories in line, you will lose weight with no trouble at all.

Hit up /r/fitness and /r/progresspics to get some good info and inspiration. Best of luck!!

Edit: fixed links

u/snwborder52 · 16 pointsr/loseit

LIFT HEAVY SHIT.

If you want a good, toned body, you have to lift in some fashion or another. Period. There is no other way. It's how our bodies (and physics) work. The best results will come from lifting the heaviest shit.

Want a nice legs? do Power Cleans. A nice ass? Squat. Nice arms? Bench.

Females who lift look like Hope Solo (NSFW), not this (NSFL). In order to look like the body builder you have to take testosterone and other supplements. No woman's body can look like that naturally.

LIFT HEAVY SHIT

Buy this book to learn how to lift heavy shit.

u/thinklewis · 15 pointsr/Fitness

The fact that no one said Starting Strength... I am surprised... Yes it's great for beginners, but I think it's good for anyone wanting to learn good form and why.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

u/Lupicia · 11 pointsr/xxfitness

Super, super sketch. If there's hope that it's actually going to work, there are easier ways of getting the info... The site lists these "factors" that result in having a smaller butt: 1. Hormonal imbalance during time of puberty, 2. Low fat genetics, 3. Low muscle genetics, 4. Natural body shape, 5. Physical activity, 6. Diet, 7. Lower body strength

Well, these actually boil down to the things we already know:

  • Genetics
  • Muscle
  • Diet

    First, genetics can't really be controlled... with time and effort, you can look like the very best version of you. (You can't make yourself look fundamentally different, but you can fulfill your genetic potential.) If you think you have a hormone imbalance keeping you from having a bigger butt, seeing a doctor might help.

    Second, muscle is awesome. Check out strength-building programs such as Starting Strength or NROL4W if you have access to a gym with free weights. The compound lifts work multiple sets of muscles at once, and the basic lifts are squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead (military) press. Or look into Convict Conditioning if you want to use your body weight. These programs are balanced. These are well-researched. These are non-gimicky. If you follow the program, you will get stronger.

    The complete list of movements to build glutes are listed here at EXRX. They boil down to two main lifts - squats and deadlifts.

    The way to build strength and muscle mass is to lift heavy enough that the 3-5th repetition is really hard, and keep lifting more each time. If you never increase the weight, your muscles won't adapt to lift more. Progressive overload builds muscle.

    As an aside, doing lots of abdominal work can build your abs, which may make your waist-hip ratio smaller. If you're shooting for a killer butt, overdoing it with extra ab work (on top of the stabilizing work your abs do on heavy lifts) can't help you much in this quest. Spot reduction is a myth. See the "Brittany Spears Effect".

    Finally, in terms of diet, you can build muscle if you get enough protein. If you need to lose fat, eating enough protein and cutting out "junk" calories might be enough. If you need to gain fat, eating plenty of calories while you're lifting may be enough. If you don't need to lose fat, just focus on getting enough protein and eat sensibly when you're hungry.

    As you build strength in the posterior chain, you'll fill out looking like a goddess with "dat ass".

    TL;DR: No need for gimmicks - squats and deadlifts.
u/hippynoize · 11 pointsr/bodybuilding

http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738 this book, as much as i disagree with it as an oly lifter, is ground zero for any kid who wants to start moving some daddy weight. Mark rippetoe will say things you disagree with, but if you follow what he says, You'll be glad you did.

u/theoldthatisstrong · 11 pointsr/homegym

First, thank your father profusely for being awesome. Second, don't abuse his generosity by ordering the entire Rogue catalog - start with the bare essentials for full body strength.

  1. A power cage so you can squat and bench safely by yourself.
  2. A flat bench
  3. An bar for powerlifting
  4. Plates - 4x45, 2x25, 4x10, 2x5, 2x2.5.
  5. A copy of Starting Strength.

    Get the book immediately and actually READ it. All of it. You can do this while working on finding the gym equipment. As far as the exact pieces of equipment, just remember that it didn't have to be "the best", just better than you are right now.

    Continue to ask questions and do your own research. Good luck!
u/Hotblack_Desiato_ · 10 pointsr/xxfitness

You're in luck.

Strength training is the best exercise you can do for fat loss. More muscle tissue = higher TDEE. Hit those weights and hit them hard. I suggest Starting Strength as a beginner program. Best twenty two bucks you'll ever spend.

u/[deleted] · 10 pointsr/xxfitness

Hey lady! I would start over at /r/fitness - they've got a great FAQ here .

As for what you "should" be doing, it really depends on what your goals are. Assuming that you (like most women) would like to lower your body fat & lose some weight, I would recommend that you add some weight-lifting into the mix (if you have access to them). Lifting weights, if you do it in a planned, progressive manner, can really change the shape of your body. Just make sure you're lifting enough that it gets hard towards the end of your set - don't be afraid to lift heavy! I'm sorry I can't point you towards specific sources - I'm kind of a beginner myself - but some of the other ladies will be able to. Reading Starting Strength is a good idea if you want to learn about the A & P of lifting.

I personally do a lot of cardio, because it's what I enjoy. However, many
people seem to see great results by focusing most on resistance/weight training, with a moderate amount of high-intensity cardio (e.g., intervals - check out this infographic) thrown in. There's no harm in experimenting to see what you enjoy most and what works best for your body.

As far as nutrition goes, the general thinking seems to be that the more active you are, the more carbs you need, and vice versa. You may also find that you're less hungry if you cut back on carbs. However, if you're very active, you will need to eat carbs to fuel your exercise (*many people on Reddit will disagree with me ;). Again, I think it's best to experiment and see how your body responds to various foods. Timing is important, too. If you're trying to build muscle, it's important to eat a carb/protein combo after exercise; this will aid in muscle growth as well as slow muscle loss such as can occur after long periods of cardiovascular exercise. The www.runnersworld.com website has good nutrition info for athletes.

Finally, take everything I say with a grain of salt - I am NOT an expert, and everyone is different! Be patient and find ways to make getting healthy fun. Good luck!

u/ProfessorMembrane · 10 pointsr/olympics

This is very true. It has one of the lowest injury rates of any sport according to Starting Strength.

u/Bear_The_Pup · 10 pointsr/askgaybros

Do you want pity or advice?

If you want pity, this isn't the place to get it.

If you want advice;

  1. Throw out every bit of food in your house that isn't fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. No junk food, no refined sugar, no processed carbs, at all.

  2. Drink more water

  3. Do Cardio, 45 minutes minimum, every day. You can pick whatever works for you swimming, cycling, running, ect.

  4. Start strength training. Read Starting Strength it's a great resource for beginners.

  5. Stick to this for one whole month, then look in the mirror, you'll feel like a whole new person.
u/the_good_time_mouse · 10 pointsr/veganfitness

Perhaps you could quantify what you mean by 'a lot of muscle'.

IME, the most effective (and, sadly overlooked) way to gain control of one's weight is to become stronger. And, for most people, this means a lot stronger - modern sedentary life has made them vastly weaker than their bodies are meant to work.

And the most effective way to do that is through weight training. So, when you say 'a lot' stronger, what does that mean? Can you do regular sets (ie 5-8 reps) of bench/squat/deadlifts approaching (75-100%) of your own (lean) body weight?

http://www.stronglifts.com is a good start for beginner weight lifters, as is the Rippetoe's Starting Strength, on which it is based. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

And no, this won't turn you into the incredible bulk. Anyone who suggests that to you knows as much about fitness as a meat eater asking you where your protein comes from :)

And no, running a lot and cutting calories without getting strong first is an slow, painful, grueling and ultimately grossly inefficient way of losing weight, when it works at all. Most people give up, or try on and off for years and years, without seeing much of an effect. My wife trained for a half marathon, in the hopes of losing weight, and lost nothing. You really have to be strong first.

u/Enex · 9 pointsr/fitness30plus

This will help with the weights-

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

Counting calories is also a great step. I use Myfitnesspal.com.

The most important thing is to incorporate this stuff into your lifestyle, and feel good about it. You'll never keep it up if you think of it as a punishment.

Good luck!

u/illcoholic · 9 pointsr/justneckbeardthings

I was a total neckbeard for most of my life up until the middle of high school. I never had a beard (still can't grow one) or a fedora, but I pretty much only wore baggy white t-shirts and a pair of green sweat pants, my entire social life revolved around videogames, my local comic shop, and Magic: the Gathering. I was always the kid who could draw the best in school, so I did make a few friends because of that, but I had zero self-confidence due to my disgustingly fat body. Then one day I was walking around with my friends and out of nowhere one of them loudly proclaims, "illcoholic, you have man-juggs!" For some reason that comment just pushed me over the edge. I didn't want to be the kid with man boobs anymore, so I started going to the weight room with my friends (most were on sports teams) and did whatever they told me to. It wasn't easy at first, but the initially shitty feeling of physical exertion started to feel really good after a few months. I dropped a ton of weight, got broader shoulders, a haircut (eventually) and people started to notice.

I've never had a "real job" (tattooer/book illustrator here) so I can't offer advice on interviews and stuff like that, but what I can recommend is:

A) Shave the beard (if you have one)
B) Burn the fedora and flame shirt collection (if you have one)
C) Pick up a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, join a gym, and follow the routine.
D) Throw out the junk food/sugary drinks and replace them with chicken and vegetables and water and shit like that.

I really hope some of this helps. I'm rooting for you along with a bunch of other people in this sub. You'll make it, buddy.

u/dognitive-cissonance · 9 pointsr/exjw

Please do not interpret what i'm about to say as me being an asshole (although I often have been accused as such). I'm trying to help, rather than bullshit you with the equivalent of a participation trophy or a motherly pat on the back.

I'm stating this with love (although it is tough love): If I've ever seen someone that needs r/TheRedPill, its you my friend. I'm not saying that you should become an asshole or be disrespectful to women, but rather that you should focus on building yourself up in the same style. There is absolutely the capacity to be an alpha male within you. And that's what women will find attractive consistently. I'm not saying you should become a macho chump poser that demeans and disrespects women (that's not what a real alpha male does anyway), but rather that you should identify and adopt the characteristics of an alpha male that women find attractive and craft your own new persona. Root out the JW mindset and adopt a new one. Got me?

Its time to work on yourself rather than working on trying to get laid. Its time to grow a pair of balls. Now, rather than simply saying "grow a pair of balls", let me try to help and give some recommendations of how you might go about doing that.

Get a gym membership (maybe check and see if your university has one that you can use free), and try the Starting Strength program. See here: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/

Starting strength will make a man out of you. One tip: Don't use the smith machine. Use a real squat rack. Yes, its required. Yes, with barbells.

Read this book too, its a real eye opener for reading people (including women): https://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Book-Body-Language-Expressions/dp/0553804723/

Read up on affirmations, how to make them and use them, and start using them DAILY, maybe even more often than once a day. You probably don't need a book to research this, a simple google search will do. Harness the power of positive self-talk.

The words you say to yourself in your head or mutter to yourself quietly when nobody else is listening have a huge effect on how you view yourself. And by extension, others (especially women) can sense how much value you perceive that you have, and often will treat you in accord with that value you project.

>My date was kind of rude as she actually took a phone call from her male friend within the first 10-20 minutes of the date, I think she was even flipping through Tinder as we were talking.

This should have been an early warning signal letting you know that she wasn't worth your time. She didn't value your time and presence (and that is likely because you didn't establish your own value to her).

>Of course my problems only make me feel worse as one of my roommates is like extremely fit black young Hugh Hefner. This guy fucks all the time, like weekly.

That is fucking hilarious lol, but I really sympathize with you. I'm sure its torture that he's getting laid every night and you have to listen to the fucking. Is this guy friendly towards you? Is he willing to help with your issues? You never know, he may take some pity on you and help you to work on yourself a bit. Even if he isn't, pay attention closely to his attitudes and interactions with women and with others wherever you can. Don't try to be an exact copy of him, but watch for attitudes, words, and actions that he manifests that feel right for you, and that you could adopt into your own new persona.

>I feel especially shitty as "technically" I'm not a virgin because I fucked who I thought was going to be a women through MeetMe, but it turned out to be a transgender dude, my fault I guess as further inspection of the photos made it more obvious. I was going to leave but I was persuaded by an offer of a blowjob. I figured this was the first time I was offered anything sexual and I was under a lot of family related stress at the time so I said fuck it and got a BJ, and had to reciprocate him in the backside.

This is some 4chan shit right here, so allow me to present the appropriate meme: http://www.lememe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/55556666.png

Don't beat yourself up too bad. Its behind you, and you never have to do this again if this type of hook up is not your style.

>So apparently finding a dude that wants to fuck is incredibly easy, finding a women in my case is like hunting for the holy fucking grail.

Yes, that's the honest to god truth when you don't project enough value to others. The only people you attract are people who are as desperate as you are.

>Don't get me wrong that all I want is sex, yes sex would be awesome, but I'm not afraid to be in a relationship, but at the same time I'm not going to turn down a hookup.

This screams desperation. You need to drop this mindset immediately. (Again, affirmations will help with this)

>My philosophy is just honoring whatever dating arrangement I agree to with a person, I have no religious reasons.

Again, desperation, compliance, submission. These traits will not attract women - at least not desirable ones.

>I tried talking to some women at parties, asked one to dance and she said no, even though she was standing against the wall not doing anything...

Again, you projected a lack of value, she judged you on the surface because of the lack of value you projected, and shut you down.

>...asked another how she was doing and she said good and that was it, and I had a little more luck at my last party as I got to help a girl with her Microsoft Access homework, we high-fived and were both wasted. I asked her if she was single and she said yes, but that she was just visiting and was going back home in a couple of days, so I just shook her hand and said it was nice we met.

That didn't mean she wasn't DTF my friend. She may have just been waiting for you to move on her. Lots of times, women are waiting for a man to confidently take charge when it comes to initiating sex. I'm sure nobody ever told you that (hell, nobody told ME that!!), but it is often true :)

>I'm giving this college thing one more semester before I call it quits. I'm not going to get another degree if it requires me to be miserable and single for another 3 years. I mean I'm charting into 30 year old wizard territory at this point and it scares the shit out of me. My friends have been trying to get me to move to Florida and I just may take them up on the offer.

Changing your location without changing your mindset is not likely to make a significant change to your circumstances. Although, it could offer you the opportunity to a fresh start, which could be helpful :)

>Any advice would be appreciated, I just feel the cult has taken a huge chunk of my life away when I was supposed to learn valuable social skills. I feel like a fucking child or an alien learning how to be human, even though I have been out of the cult for quite some time now, but have really only been away from toxic family for four months.

Yes, that's probably what happened. And its up to you to change it. Nobody else is going to do it for you. So stop wallowing in your own misery and change it. (Respectfully, with tough love, man to man.)

>My plan for next semester is joining some clubs, going to bars, and going more parties, and trying to strike up more conversations with women in class getting a gym membership, working on your self esteem and your ability to project your value to the opposite sex, and learning how to interact with women in a way that makes you attractive.

>If nothing happens in the second semester I'm just going to say fuck it and move, I'm at a point in my life were I'm tired of going out to eat by myself, shopping by myself, watching movies by myself, and doing everything else by my fucking self. All I did this Thanksgiving was sleep and get drunk. I've read all those articles about "loving yourself first", this isn't a problem about loving myself, I didn't do anything wrong. I'm just so fucking sick of being alone, I don't have a family, I have no one close to me.

I feel your pain man. Now is not the time to give up, but it is time to change your approach.

u/DeltaIndiaCharlieKil · 9 pointsr/videos

The usual answer for beginners is to get Starting Strength. From what I can tell, it's basically the bible for lifting. I only just got it yesterday so I haven't read it. I started off on a lifting for women book first and now am reading it for general info.

I'd also seriously work on getting a gym buddy/group to work out with. Or, depending on your finances and self motivation, you may want to think about a personal trainer. I have an illness that quickly turned my life very sedentary and I found it was very difficult to keep on a workout schedule without having some other person whom I was committed to meet, and none of my friends (girls) want to do lifting. A good trainer can help both with teaching you the correct ways to do things, and can tailor a workout to your specific goals. Also, spending money can solidify your commitment and make skipping a day less likely. With a "gymbro" you both will keep each other going to the gym, push each other to keep at it when there is tough days, and can make the experience social and fun on top of immensely fulfilling to watch your body morph and overcome obstacles you never thought possible.

Do it. A year ago I got a puppy, both for cuteness and to be forced to exercise everyday. At the beginning I could barely walk around the block without getting tired and sore. I started going to the gym and now I am lifting, can walk much further without hindrance, my energy is up, and I'm overall happier. My looks are only a small part of what I've gained from lifting.

u/poscaps · 9 pointsr/Fitness

I second /u/vhalros recommendation for going through the FAQ and also would recommend Starting Strength.

I would follow that up with finding a friend and/or trainer/training mentor who can help you dial in form on these lifts. These barbell lifts can all be adjusted to everyone's individual body styles and no two people are built exactly the same. You'll need someone that understands the lifts enough to help mold them to what works for YOUR body. That's not to say that if you can't find a training mentor you shouldn't try.... the Starting Strength book is a great place to start.

Best of luck.

u/1Operator · 8 pointsr/Fitness

Nonsense. Did he tell you to get in the kitchen & make him a sandwich after he dispensed that advice?

If you can squat (or can work up to it), you should - regardless of gender.

"There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that produces the level of central nervous system activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat. In the absence of an injury that prevents its being performed, everyone who lifts weights should learn to squat, correctly." - Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

u/autowikiabot · 8 pointsr/Fitness
	


	


	

Starting Strength Wiki:

---
>
The title "Starting Strength" has two distinct meanings. Firstly it is Starting Strength The Book (View On Amazon) by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Secondly it is Starting Strength The Program also by Mark Rippetoe and widely referred to as "Rippetoe's." It is this second meaning of "Starting Strength" that this wiki primarily addresses while acting only as a supplement to "Starting Strength" the book. If you've been hearing about the Starting Strength program and the prospect of increased strength, musculature, bone density and overall wellness is something that you are willing to work hard for, consider this a first step on that path.

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u/sgtredred · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

A lot of people here love Starting Strength. Get the book and learn.

My first workout was the 20 Minute Circut Workout from military.com. It was a great start to simply START. A springboard.

Don't expect to learn everything at once. Pick one thing to focus on each month (or week).

Maybe you'll like Couch-2-5k to learn about running (a lot of people struggling with depression and anxiety love running). The first week, just focus on putting one foot in front of the other to move at a faster than walking pace. The next week, you might want to learn about running shoes and why certain shoes are better than others. The week after that, research something "awesome post run stretches".

Track your workouts. Some like myfitnesspal, some like fitocracy. These tracking apps can be further springboards to try out new things and are great progress bars to your goal. Make small goals ("be able to do 10 push-ups") under larger goals (sign-up for Tough Mudder next year). Experiment, play, and find what you like.

u/Swordsmanus · 8 pointsr/DecidingToBeBetter

To expand on the exercise/lift advice:


Strength

---

Buy Starting Strength and/or check out their wiki, their videos and the Art of Manliness playlist for Starting Strength. I personally also recommend some core work each session. Try progressing from 3 sets of 90 second knee-planks, to full planks, to 3 sets of 15 hanging knee lifts to hanging leg lifts and ab roller work.

Once your 1 rep max for the main lifts reach intermediate level or your progression starts to stall after at least 3-6 months, switch to Candito's 6-week Strength Program. You can calculate your 1 rep max via exrx's handy calculator.



Endurance

---

Try the Couch to 5k running program. They also have a free app for iOS and Android. You should be able to run a 30 minute 5k in 2-3 months.


The lifting takes 3-4 hours a week. The running takes 2 hours a week. You'll get great results.

u/llimllib · 8 pointsr/ultimate

buy "Starting Strength" and do what it says

u/carsonmcd · 8 pointsr/Fitness

Not the most comprehensive from a nutrition standpoint, but if you're getting into lifting and want to know more about form and anatomy, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe is the place to start. Endless detail on the compound movements, how to perform them, and why they work.

u/Tree-eeeze · 8 pointsr/Fitness

No it won't stunt his growth. I suggest you buy, read, and follow Starting Strength to the T (could be worth your while to do it along with him).

If you get him on the right path early the sky is the limit. That book does a great job of taking strength training and separating the wheat from the chaff - it gets you doing things the right way.

You can ease him into it, maybe instill some safety / 'rules of the weightroom' type-stuff so he knows to treat it seriously (it's going to be really important given his age and presumed attention span). I'd give almost anything to go back in time and start lifting the right way around that age.

Edit: Here's a good research article explaining the misconceptions around training young athletes

u/Fuck_Your_Mouth · 8 pointsr/MMA

Ok, then I would suggest the following. I'm just throwing this out there for you... you may already have a program picked out but I'll give you my personal advice anyway.

  • Pick a strength plan (something like 5/3/1 for example). If you're not sure how to properly deadlift or squat then get starting strength and watch this squatting video and this deadlift video

  • If you haven't signed up for one, choose a calorie count website. I personally recommend myfitnesspal.com and start tracking what you eat. This is often the magic bullet for many people who haven't tracked in the past. Use your calorie numbers from the macro calculator that I posted above. If you want to keep it simple, just eat 40% protein, 40% fat, 20% carbs on rest days and 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat on days that you lift. If you want to keep it even simpler eat 200g of protein per day and make up the rest with fats and carbs however you want. It probably won't make much difference until you get to lower bodyfat as long as you're at a caloric deficit.

    I'm more than happy to help you out if you want it. There's no reason to pay for information that's out there for free already.. the biggest challenge is wading your way through a lot of bullshit before you find the best sources of information.
u/khammack · 8 pointsr/martialarts

I've trained in Judo, Aikido, and Ninpo Taijutsu. Been in one, the other, or both for about half of the last 20 years.

Your weight does not preclude your participation in most martial arts, as I'm sure you've seen just about every martial art under the sun suggested here. And I definitely recommend that you choose an art that appeals to you and go for it.

Having said that, if I were in your shoes I'd add a year of conditioning to my weight loss program before I joined any art. You'll simply get more out of the art itself if you show up in shape the first day. Also, if you are 346 pounds, right away you are choosing an art based on your current physical condition and not based on what you think the art can do for you long term. Remember, quality martial arts are a lifetime pursuit. They will still be there waiting for you in a year.

As for the conditioning program: Running and Lifting, via C25k and Starting Strength.

Normally I'd recommend you plow through c25k and get to running a couple 5k's a week, then maintain that while you spend the rest of the year working through Starting Strength. You may find that at your weight, it's not a good idea to start running yet. Certainly make sure you do it on a treadmill if you decide to do it first since that will be easier on your knees.

While you are working on your conditioning programs, spend the next year researching your options for martial arts. Find out what is locally available, which of those options interests you, go and watch a class from each of the candidates. Take your time and try to assess the quality of the instructors, quality of their students, whether the dojo is a blackbelt factory, etc. Learn the issues.

What I have described will keep you very busy for one year. I'm not saying this is a prescription for what you should do, or that it is superior to any other plan you might come up with. I'm just giving you something to think about, how I would approach this from my perspective. I like to have long and short term goals that dovetail together.

EDIT: Another benefit to having a non-martial art conditioning program in place before you start training your art is if you get injured, you have running and/or lifting to fall back on while you are recovering.

u/greenroom628 · 8 pointsr/fitness30plus

40 y.o here.

I've noticed that while I'm able to squat large amounts (>300lbs), run, hike, go up and down stairs with no problems, I had the same issues as you.

I've remedied it by being conscious of what muscle groups I use to get up from a 100% squated position. If I consciously tell my glutes and quads to move, no pain in the joints or discomfort. If I'm just picking up toys or the laundry or whatever; I'll squat down and have a hard time getting up because I seem to just rely on the muscles around those joints to move. But if I consciously engage my glutes and quads to stand, it's not so bad.

I'm not sure if it even makes any sense, but it's worked for me.

Also, I've changed the way I do squats where I really go down deep. I spread my legs wider that I've used to and angled my feet out farther. Check out "Starting Strength", helped me with my form and changed how I thought about the muscles you use for most actions.

u/beaverfondu · 7 pointsr/Fitness

forget everything you know, and start from scratch.

its harsh advice but you look young and its better to learn it correctly and do it right than practice building crappy patterns and trying to relearn that sometime down the line.

you don't look like you're very mobile and you're clearly not comfortable getting below parallel. you should fix that and begin to work on your mobility.

here is a great resource for that: http://phraktured.net/starting-stretching.html

Some other good resources are:

https://www.youtube.com/user/athrall7

https://www.youtube.com/user/kabuki07

http://www.canditotraininghq.com/about-me/

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738 ($10 on kindle, pretty cheap)

don't give up or get discouraged. work at in consistently, figure out what works and what doesn't, and keep pushing when set backs do happen.

if you or your parents are willing/financially able seeing a professional would be a great option here. whether it's a physical therapist, a strength and conditioning coach, or a certified crossfit trainer.

u/blueboybob · 7 pointsr/gaybros

Buy this book

read it.

do a basic 3x5 (3 sets of 5 reps) alternating the two routines in the book (squats, dead lift, bench AND squat, overhead press, cleans)

u/misplaced_my_pants · 7 pointsr/AskMen

Sure. But so can having the most commonly asked questions and misconceptions explicitly and simply written down.

Thousands and maybe even millions of people start the journey alone every year and they have even less information.

This book describes the important exercises and programming a beginner would need in detail.

u/mathematical · 7 pointsr/Fitness

Books I've read and/or am reading.

  1. Bigger Leaner Stronger ^link Basically a book version of the /r/fitness wiki plus a good variation on 5-rep workouts, which I made solid gains. Took my bench from 245 to 315 in 7ish months on this program alone.
  2. Destroy the Opposition ^link Slightly different take on powerlifting training. Jamie Lewis is a bit crude, but it's an interesting read. I did not try out his program at the end of the book, but I enjoyed the read. The tl;dr is "use lots of volume and find the form that fits your body".
  3. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training ^link Just started reading this now, looks promising. Basically a good resource on building a program if you plan on being self-coached. It's based on starting from scratch, so it might not be 100% relevant. Get the previous edition (linked) used to save some money. I found one in good condition online for like $10 on ebay, but they're like $12-15 on Amazon and other bookseller websites.
  4. Strength Training Anatomy ^link It's useful as an extra guide for perfecting form and optimizing stretching.
  5. Starting Strength ^link I'm a little hesitant to recommend this, because while it did get me going and making some good early gains, I've had to correct my squat and deadlift form a lot. However, my bench form is pretty decent coming out of this so it's a bit of a toss-up. If you can get it used/cheap, it might be worth reading.

    If you're going into a 5/3/1 program, Jim Wendler has books on that. Most programs have a good write-up somewhere so try and read the rhyme and reason behind what you're doing, as well as investigating the core concepts if they're not explained well (linear progression, progressive overload, and periodization are all concepts that most programs are based around. PM me if you have any other questions.
u/nikuryori · 7 pointsr/xxprogresspics

I do highly recommend buying the book Starting Strength. I started the program based off research I did online - read up a bit and watched a lot of youtube videos, and then just jumped in the weight room and tried. I finally bought the book 6 months later and immediately began fixing things! All the big lifts are broken down and explained in a way a beginner should be able to teach themselves from scratch. It's a much-loved program on r/fitness and r/xxfitness due to its effectiveness, but the types of lifts are sometimes a bit intimidating when you are new to it. You will find no lack of encouragement on xxfitness though :)

As mentioned, NROLFW is also highly regarded, and I also followed Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer for a while with success and it doesn't require the use of barbells if that is a concern. Just make sure you are ready to up your calorie intake when you start lifting! Woot!

Congrats on the weight loss!! You have a large community waiting with open arms for your next steps and I'm excited for you :D

u/Magnusson · 7 pointsr/Fitness

It would probably be more productive for you to check out some instruction videos and texts first and try to apply them before soliciting feedback on your form from random people.

Here's a good video explaining the differences between two common styles of squat, high-bar and low-bar. Candito Training has a bunch of videos about squat form on his channel as well. Starting Strength is a comprehensive textbook on lifting form with a large chapter devoted to the squat.

u/PanTardovski · 6 pointsr/Fitness

Compound lifts can be worked into a five day split routine like yours. That is not SS. It's worth taking a look at the SS Wiki, the Fittit FAQ, and even reading Starting Strength to understand the reasoning behind the program. SS is specifically a 3 day/week full-body workout as opposed to a split, and takes advantage of a novice's ability to respond rapidly to progressive overload; the rest days are there to allow the trainee's body to maximize it's response and adaptation to the stress applied. Especially as a new trainee there's little point in training for size over strength -- you can't get bigger until you've got a basic level of strength to allow the larger workloads that are optimal for hypertrophy. Later, once your body has adapted to a heavier workload by becoming stronger, a more sophisticated split or periodized workout scheme will be necessary to make further progress, whether you focus on strength, size, or other athletic goals.

If you're committed to a five day program then adding compound lifts is still a great idea and will help your total body development, but it's worth looking into full body routines like SS, Strong Lifts, or Greyskull LP while you're still fresh enough to take advantage of "newb gainz." Take a look through the FAQ and good luck!

u/snowydoom · 6 pointsr/keto

I do starting strength. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738 www.startingstrength.com

u/adrun · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

How long have you been eating and exercising at these levels? How much protein are you getting as a part of your diet?

Getting "defined" means lowering your body fat percentage. This needs to be approached from two directions: dieting to lose body fat and building muscle to reveal when your body fat is low enough. Here's a visual guide of different body fat percentages. At the moment you are on a very calorie restricted diet for the amount of exercise you're doing. That may let you lose weight, but you could be losing a lot of muscle at the same time--you'll get smaller, but not more defined. If you want to focus on revealing muscle, you will probably want to cut back on the cardio, focus on a weight training program, and make sure you're getting enough protein to maintain your muscle mass.

You can still eat at a deficit to lose weight if you're working on a program like Starting Strength or Strong Lifts, but you need to get at LEAST 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass and preferably closer to 1g of protein per pound overall. This will allow your body to keep its muscle and gain strength, which will help you look more defined as you lose weight.

When it comes to TDEE calculators--use them to estimate your sedentary TDEE. Cut 10-20% of this number to choose a healthy calorie deficit for weight loss. On days when you're working out, add back the calories you've burned in your activity. (Don't go crazy on estimating your calories burned, cardio machines and MFP tend to give much larger numbers than are realistic. 300-500 calories is what I normally add on my hard workout days.)

u/a_handful_of_snails · 6 pointsr/fitpregnancy

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe can’t be beat. My husband and I did it together a few years ago. You build muscle super fast. It was so much fun keeping a notebook together. Rippetoe breaks down every lift so thoroughly, there’s no gimmicky shortcuts, and he takes a sort of whole body approach that’s way better than “targeting” certain muscles. He’s lasted the test of time when so many other coaches and programs have had their trendy moment and fallen into obscurity.

u/Fludbucket · 6 pointsr/YouShouldKnow

Start slow. I actually recommend diet and walking. Just try to walk more every day. Maybe 500 meters the first day, than 600...etc

After you have lost a bit of weight and can walk 5k, start on the couch to 5k program and starting strength

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/LewisMogridge · 6 pointsr/Fitness

Starting Strength is a good place to begin if you want to become fitter. It is probably the closest thing to a bible around here. The FAQ is also a must-read.

Don't be afraid of barbel exercises, it is not only for muscle heads. You can use them for both strength training and weight loss.

u/zompreacher · 6 pointsr/amiugly

Hey bro. (3.5/10)
Real Talk: Your clothes are way too big. You need to size down your clothes a bit, get trendier glasses for your headshape.
Do not listen to the person who likes your fashion - It's not working for you.
Next. Focus on your posture.
Next. You need to start lifting. You need to put on weight and add muscle. You have good bone structure and a little bit of size will make your clothes fit better and it will help get your head in proportion to your body. Your neck seems skinny in proportion to your head, that's because you lack muscle.

Good luck out there.

u/mrcosmicna · 6 pointsr/funny

Try this:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

There's 60+ pages on the squat alone.

And this clearly doesn't require any sort of technical proficiency:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYNYBUd8FZE

Do you even lift?

u/Bisclavret · 6 pointsr/malefashionadvice

Potentially dumb question, but is deadlifting something I can learn myself, or is it highly recommended that I schedule some time with a trainer first before I go out on my own? I've been doing a little research and was recommended giving Starting Strength a read before I attempt it on my own. I've been holding off on doing exercises like this due to the fact that I don't want to mess up my back, but with the way things have been going in the gym, I'm not sure if weighted pull ups or lat pull downs are enough.

Edit: Thanks for the advice guys. It seems as though I might be getting my wires crossed when it comes to what muscles the deadlift works. I ready somewhere that it does, but only to an extent. Still a valuable exercise though, something that I've been meaning to incorporate for a while.

u/161803398874989 · 5 pointsr/bodyweightfitness

First on my list for everyone on this subreddit to read is Overcoming Gravity. It doesn't go into great amount of detail on insertions and functions and whatnot, but it does teach you a lot about your body.
In the same vein, I would recommend Practical Programming.
Starting Strength has a bit more emphasis on what does what in general movements. Yeah, it's a barbell training book, but it provides a lot of insight.

More on the physiology side of things, I'd say Skeletal Muscle Function, Structure, and Plasticity. It isn't perfect, but it's pretty good. It also teaches you a bunch about anatomy which is a nice bonus.

That being said, I don't think real anatomy is that important. Personally I've accumulated the things I know about anatomy over time. Only yesterday I learnt where exactly the infraspinatus and teres minor insert at the shoulder, for instance. Because what do you really need that kind of knowledge for? Determining the cause for injuries is just guesswork if you aren't trained for it.
I think it's more important to know about the general groups and what they do; for instance, the glutes do hip extension and the hamstrings do both hip extension and knee flexion. In short, it's more important to know what the muscles do rather than where exactly they insert.

u/TigerP · 5 pointsr/ForeverAlone

A barbell (but not a threaded one), squat rack, bench, pullup bar and dumbbells or kettlebells - that's basically all you'll ever need. It's not complicated machinery so it's safe to buy used stuff. Just make sure none of the elements are bent and the whole thing doesn't wobble.

If you need some tips on how to lift, get this book or google some video tutorials by Mark Rippetoe.

u/ModalMonkey · 5 pointsr/ketogains

I'd check out Starting Strength and as /u/dubdubdub2014 mentioned, Stronglifts 5x5. You'll see both of these programs recommended a lot on /r/fitness.

Beyond picking up a copy and reading Starting Strength, 3rd edition, I don't have any personal experience with either program. What I can say is that the author, Mark Rippetoe, does an amazing job at breaking down and explaining the mechanics and progression of learning of each of the lifts in his program. Though I haven't started yet, I decided on Starting Strength over SL 5x5 based on this review.

Whatever path you choose, make sure you learn the proper movements before you start loading up the weight. Learning the right technique initially is a lot easier than unlearning the wrong and then learning the right one later on. Take your time, and if something feels wrong, it probably is.

u/Fenix159 · 5 pointsr/Fitness

Isolation exercises are essentially exercises that utilize only one joint in the movement. Compound exercises are multi-joint exercises.

Bench pressing and overhead pressing are both compound movements. So are pullups and pushups to a lesser degree. Flys would count (in my book anyway) as isolation because the only joint involved is the shoulder. Triceps pulldowns would be isolation as well, same as any biceps curls.

If you're generally just trying to get in better shape and don't mind put putting around the gym for an hour or so your routine certainly isn't the worst I've seen.

What I will say though is if you want to see real strength gains, you should really try to incorporate more compound movements into your routine. Deadlifts and squats in particular are extremely valuable exercises. They're also both very exhausting exercises.

If it's your form you're worried about and can't afford/don't want to hire a trainer to teach you, pick up a copy of Starting Strength.

That book, plus a smartphone to record your lifts to analyze later.

u/cunty_mcunt · 5 pointsr/Paleo

As a female, I do the program described in this book
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

Well actually I started out doing Strong Lifts 5x5 before I got the book so I'm doing rows instead of power cleans but it's basically the same thing and I'm switching out the rows very shortly

If she's looking for a routine for weight loss - doesn't really exist, that's all the amount of food you eat

u/Methodical_Clip · 5 pointsr/Fitness

Get a copy of this and read it all the way through

I'll summarize it for you. You are a novice lifter. Dont worry about gaining weight since its going to happen. You're 14. Pound milk, eat everything, and lift. I wish I had this book was your age.

u/Johnny_Lawless_Esq · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

First, I'd advise against big changes quickly. Changes should either be big or quick, otherwise they tend not to stick. Your mileage may vary, though; you know yourself best.

Second, most of the info you want is in the FAQ, but I agree that it isn't terrifically well-organised.

  • How many calories: Here is a calculator for your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Some of the info you provide to it is required, some is optional. The more info it has, the better. It'll also help you figure out how much you should be eating to reach your body recomposition goals.

  • As to your meals, this can be a very contentious topic. My PERSONAL advice is to hop over to /r/paleo and ask around there. I dislike starchy foods like grains and legumes (beans, peanuts, lentils) because they put your body in a fat-gain mode, and the "paleo diet" concept eliminates those types of foods. If you want to go even MORE extreme, go for /r/keto, but you seem like you don't need to go that far.

  • Workouts. Well, there are a bunch of good schemes out there, but if you're basically healthy and have access to a full gym with a squat rack and barbells, Starting Strength is a good one. It goes into GREAT detail about how to do the lifts, both without a spotter and without a trainer. If you don't have access to a full gym, I suggest you go ask around at /r/bodyweightfitness.

  • What are your goals, with respect to flexibility? I ask because too much flexibility can actually be a bad thing. If you want to do Yoga because Yoga, great, carry on. But if you want to do it solely for flexibility, then let's step back a moment and figure out what, specifically, you want in terms of flexibility.

    Yes, I am a dude. I post here because I get to talk about fitness without too much risk of a Wild Troll appearing and saying "U R T3H GH3Y F4GG0T!," and I learn a lot about women.
u/fatfuckery · 5 pointsr/Stronglifts5x5

> I don't see a lot of mention of women doing the program here - I assume you should follow the program the same as what's written, but are there any modifications/considerations that should be made for lady lifters?

The program is the same for men or women. The only thing with female beginners is that sometimes the weight of the bar is a little too heavy to start with. My wife couldn't press or bench 5 sets of 5 with just the 45lbs bar when she started, but our gym has these light bars that come in 5lbs increments from 15lbs to 35lbs, so she used those until she got strong enough for the oly bar.

> Can you recommend good video/tutorials for how to do each of the exercises? I know how to do a squat, and I assume that this program is just a squat with a barbell on your back(?) but what the heck is a barbell row? How do I deadlift properly?

Stronglifts.com has a bunch of articles and videos on form:

Squat

DL

Pendlay rows

Press

Bench press

Here's some good links from the /r/weightroom wiki. Look through /r/fitness and consider posting a form check video, too. I really recommend you get yourself a copy of Starting Strength, it's the go-to reference on proper form for beginners.

> Can someone help me outline my workout and cooldown reps a little more clearly?

The first week or so you can skip the warmups, since the weight will be light enough. Once you get to 60-65lbs:

  • Always start with two warm up sets of 5 reps with just the bar.
  • Add 20-50lbs on each warmup set until you hit your work weight.
  • Drop the reps as you do more warmup sets.

    So let's say you're squatting 95lbs, your routine would look something like this:

    2 x 5 x 45lbs (just the bar)

    1 x 3 x 65lbs

    5 x 5 x 95lbs

    If you were squatting 200lbs, you could do something like:

    2 x 5 x 45lbs (just the bar)
    1 x 5 x 95lbs
    1 x 3 x 135lbs
    1 x 2 x 185lbs
    5 x 5 x 200lbs

    As the weight goes up, I've found it convenient to just alternate between adding a 25lbs plate and a 45lbs plate on each side until I hit my work weight (so my warmups are always 45lbs, 95lbs, 135lbs, 185lbs, 225lbs, 275lbs and so on until I hit my work weight.)

    The key is to not overthink it: just do two sets with the bar, then add anywhere between 20-50lbs to the bar progressively until you hit your work weight and drop the reps as you go so that you don't tire yourself out and can't finish your work sets.

    > Would I benefit from doing a session with a personal trainer to help me with form?

    Depends on the trainer... If you can find one that knows about olympic lifting or powerlifting, sure. Otherwise it'll probably be a waste of time/money. You can always take some video and post a form check request on r/fitness.

    > I read that the smith machine is a no-no, but can someone confirm that the barbell on the front is part of a power rack and that it should be fine to use for this program?

    Stay away from the Smith machine.

    The barbell should be fine, but I don't see safety bars on that rack... You need safety bars to squat, period. If you don't have a spotter, you also need safety bars to bench. Safety bars hold the weight when you fail a lift so it doesn't crush you and kill you.

    Hope that helps!
u/sknick_ · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

Any chance your squat grip is bad/wrong?

The following excerpt refers to low bar squats

>As we discussed earlier, the thumb should be placed on top of the bar so that the wrist can be held in a straight line with the forearm.

>The vast majority of people, however, will prefer to hold the bar with a thumbs-around grip. At lighter weights, this is fine because the load is easy to keep in place. But when heavier weights are being used, the grip that results from thumbs-around can create its own problems. Most people have a mental picture of the hands holding up the weight, and this usually ends up being what happens. The bar sits in the grip with the thumbs around the bar, the wrists are bent back, the elbows end up directly below the weight, and nothing really prevents the bar from sliding down the back from this position.

>People who do this will eventually have sore elbows, a horrible, headache-like soreness in the inside of the elbow that makes them think the injury occurred doing curls. If the elbows are underneath the weight, and the force of the weight is straight down (the nature of gravity is sometimes inconvenient), then the wrists and elbows will unavoidably intercept some of the weight (Figure 2-34). With heavy weights, the loading can be quite high, and these structures are not nearly as capable of supporting 500 pounds as the back is.

Rippetoe, Mark (2013-11-07). Starting Strength (Kindle Locations 1034-1043). The Aasgaard Company. Kindle Edition.

----

Video demonstrations here

u/Tyrone7570 · 4 pointsr/IWantToLearn

People have been saying it and I completely agree so here is where you can buy it on Amazon. It will really help. Also, read the FAQs on /r/Fitness

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348939442&sr=1-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/npepin · 4 pointsr/Fitness

It is common knowledge in the sense that there is no controversy over the fact that the function of the tricep is to extend the arm. These other muscle groups are much the same. The shoulder is certainly more complex, but most people at least know it is involved in the bench press, less so in the close grip bench.

The fact that a muscle is activated more when the weight is more aligned in the direction of contraction also isn't at all controversial, it is basic physics.

I don't really know what in my explanation would require a source. I really don't have a problem providing sources if they are needed, but I feel like I am being asked to prove that the front squats are more quad dominant, or that the incline bench involves the upper chest more.

Anyway, there are plenty of free lectures from credible colleges on exercise science. There are also a large number of books that go into biomechanics. A good place to start is:

Sebastian Fitness Solutions Muscle Masterclass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20M6J-J7Xaw&list=PLP2dAm7h_Bz8ZgZSrLGTNDZOLwU4N3zxX

I also found Starting Strength to be pretty helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/StuWard · 4 pointsr/Fitness

Starting Strength (by Rippetoe) has been mentioned. Rippetoe collaborated with Kilgore to put out Practical Programming which gets more into the theory without getting too technical. Kilgore also wrote FIT recently and it's a great introduction book with theory and practical advice.

u/damn_nation · 4 pointsr/Hawaii

Hey! Your on Big Isle eh? UHH? Sorry Im on Oahu but I've coached these lifts tons. Good resource would be http://startingstrength.com/
and deff Mark's Books http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

If you have any questions feel free to PM me. The form for these is theoretically pretty simple but doing them correctly is important esp when starting like yourself. You don't want to develop bad habits.

Also I know it can be expensive but I do know that most of these gyms offer a student discount. Check out https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiIslandBarbell/ They are pretty cool people.

Also another option may be http://www.fivemountainfitness.com/#!personal-training-fees/csya

They offer private training for 75$ an hour. That's not too shabby and you would only really need an hour MAYBE two to have them walk you through and show you these three lifts properly. I would suggest asking a private trainer to specifically teach you the Starting Strength versions of these lifts and not the Olympic style.

If you ever take a trip to Oahu hit me up, Ill help you as much I as can. Cheers!

u/gordonblue · 4 pointsr/Fitness

Read This

Read This

Everything else is in the FAQ.

(btw don't be fooled by the fact that Starting Strength looks like a lower-body only program. My arms have never looked better, and I used to only lift upper body. Go figure.)

u/GamerSDG · 4 pointsr/AskReddit

You don't need to go everyday. Your muscle need rest to build after a hard workout, Most effective programs like Starting Strength using only 3 days a week to workout. You also need some fat to build muscle.

u/allah_spacebar · 4 pointsr/Polska

Zabieram się właśnie do Starting Strength, coby lepiej żelazo targać się nauczyć.

u/tomastomastomas · 4 pointsr/Fitness

> Stronglifts has you start at too low of a weight and not enough deadlift frequency and has too much volume overall. You can make changes to the program, but by the time you do, it will be Starting Strength.
>
> ICF 5x5 is supposed to be an “aesthetic” alternative, but it was formulated with the misunderstanding that the major lifts will only make you look like a “fat powerlifter”. The major compound movements will make you grow everywhere. ICF took a program that already has too much volume and added even more volume. Don’t do ICF 5x5.
>
> I’ve never read the Greyskull LP book, but I know the a

Thanks for taking the time - I assume you mean this book?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

The link you posted is really handy, some great videos. All these excercises are the ones my trainer recommended me last year to do.

u/zck · 4 pointsr/Brooklyn

>I don't know what to do with freeweights and would love a partner for this.

A book that might help you is Starting Strength. It's a great way to start with free weights, and focuses on large movements -- you'll be doing squats and presses rather than arm curls -- so you get the biggest effect for your time.

u/Ibioc · 4 pointsr/malefashionadvice

I can guarantee you that your problem is in your form.

Invest in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Read the squat manual. It's like reading a college textbook, but his advice is really good.

Then, work on your form with an empty bar until your form is perfect. From there start adding weight.

You'll be squatting two plate in two weeks. I promise. Once my form got fixed I was able to train to squatting double my body weight in a couple months.

u/wraith5 · 4 pointsr/personaltraining

>I feel as though I'm going to be "messing up" alot with clients.

yes. A lot. It's normal

BA in kin would be a waste of time unless you plan on doing physical therapy or want to work in more clinical settings.

I'd suggest reading and messing up with clients; it's the only way you'll learn. Two books that offer fairly different, but great, base beliefs as well as programming are

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

New Functional Training for Sports 2nd Edition by Mike Boyle

as well as Start with Why

u/thebucketbot · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

Most people start off with Starting Strength or Strong Lifts for gaining pure strength. Note that these programs are designed to gain strength, not work on aesthetics. They will definitely help you look better, but that's not their focus. New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves are more aesthetics-oriented, but they will get you stronger as well, just more slowly.

Personally, I started with Starting Strength, moved into 5/3/1 and am about to start Strong Curves since I would like to focus on aesthetics for a while. I did Erin Stern's program on bodybuilding.com for a couple months, and made some really good progress, both strength-wise and aesthetically, but I couldn't maintain that schedule once classes started up again.

As a beginner to strength training, you should look for a full-body routine since that will take advantage of your "noob gains."

u/freerangepenguin · 4 pointsr/ketogains

I am similar to you. I have ET, and it is very hard for me to gain weight. When I was your age (30+ years ago), I was 6'2" and 128 lbs soaking wet. About 8-9 years ago, I was still no heavier than 135-140 lbs.

Then I read a book called, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It inspired me to start lifting heavy for the first time in my life. There are a lot of ways to go about it, but I followed a super simple plan called StrongLifts 5x5. On top of that, I lowered my carbs a bit and increased my protein and fat intake (this was before keto was such a big thing) and tracked my macros and calorie intake on My Fitness Pal. For the first time in my life, I started to gain weight and got up to a lean 160 lbs in less than a year. I'm sure that I would have continued a "clean" weight gain if I had stuck to my diet and exercise routine. Unfortunately, I got off track for a variety of reasons and lost 10 of the pounds I had gained.

Now I'm considering keto to help with my ET and energy level, even though I'm not lifting and certainly not trying to lose weight.

Bottom line, if I can gain, you can gain. Lift heavy free weights. Don't waste your time on those circuit machines. Track your calories and macros. Get advice from this sub and others as far as what to eat. Stick with it. Get a workout buddy to help you stay accountable and to give you encouragement.

Good luck!

u/Deradius · 4 pointsr/Fitness
  1. Buy a copy of Starting Strength.

    2a. Do everything in that book.

    2b. Eat like starving bear.

    The end.
u/jiminycrickettt · 4 pointsr/swoleacceptance

Here is thy sacred text

Though it should be mentioned, if thy brother is on the frugal path, one may find a free pdf through the powers of Googling.

u/Gary_Oldman_AMA · 4 pointsr/Fitness

Wow, you have done a fantastic job so far! Your progress is really inspiring and you have accomplished something that a lot of people never manage to do. Congrats and keep up the great work.

When you first begin strength training, you may be able to build a little muscle while you continue to cut (although it will taper and eventually stall as you continue to lose weight). You should also be able to gain a good amount of strength just by virtue of practicing big lifts, learning to use your body's leverages to your advantage, improved neural efficiency, etc. Getting stronger isn't just about getting big muscles: it's a skill.

My recommendation would be to try something like SS, SL, or Greyskull LP. Regardless of what you do, I also highly recommend going online and actually BUYING SS: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738. A lot of people just use the Wiki but, honestly, the Starting Strength book is a really easy to read and information-dense introduction to barbell training and it will explain most of what you need to know for your first several months of training and beyond (it covers technique, basic beginner programming/how strength adaptations work, accessories/how to use them and incorporate them into a routine, and much more). Also, if you do Greyskull, there is also a book for that program as well: http://www.amazon.com/Greyskull-LP-Second-John-Sheaffer/dp/0615635571/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407938754&sr=1-1&keywords=greyskull

Whatever you do, I cannot stress enough: GET THE BOOKS AND READ THEM. Knowledge is power and it will make you a lot more confident about what you are doing when you have something to reference. Reading Starting Strength was one of the most important early steps I ever took to jump start my strength training. I can't stress enough how helpful it was to getting me stronger and staying relatively injury free.

Good luck!

u/dpash · 3 pointsr/progresspics

By all accounts Starting Strength is a great introduction to weight lifting. You should find http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki useful too if you don't want to buy the book.

I should add that I've only just started reading the book, so I can't give you a personal recommendation just yet.

u/qwortec · 3 pointsr/4chan

As cliche as it is on Reddit, Starting Strength 3rd ed. actually does a really good job of teaching you how to do the 4 big lifts (squat, deadlift, bench, power clean) and gives you a newbie program to work with.

If you can get a friend to learn with great! If not, suck it up and find a good personal trainer to give you an hour teaching you and making sure you've got good form. Then just follow the program. You'll level up quickly and feel pretty good about it. The fact that you go in each day with a specific (and increasing) set of numbers is how you stay accountable. Keep track of it online. Fitocracy is a free online site (started by Redditors) that allows you to track your workouts and join in challenges, ask questions, etc.

Spend a week teaching yourself at home, watching videos and hanging out in /r/fitness. Then go spend 3 days a week for a month actually doing a program. Don't cheat, don't skip for that whole month. I bet you keep on going after that.

u/mrbrinks · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Read this then. Follow it to the letter. Eat at a caloric surplus, making sure you get about one gram of protein daily for how much you weigh.

u/rma0081 · 3 pointsr/NoFap

Starting Strength Buy that book, read it, start the program. Its a program for gaining strength (and in your case, some lean mass) and it has helped me a lot in life. It will help you conquer the laziness.

I find that waking up really early everyday and having a set routine helps a great deal as well. I wake up at 5am everyday to make sure I get shit done. I meditate, work out, brush teeth, shower, do yoga, breathing exercises and kegels before most other people even wake up. And doing that much stuff that early in the morning not only makes me be more energetic with my time for the rest of the day, but also ensures that I go to bed pretty damn early (like at 9pm) effectively cutting out the time when I am MOST tempted to fap. It takes some motivation, yeah, but it ain't impossible mate.

But do what works best for you. I simply am doing what works for me and my life. Assemble your life in such a fashion that you simply are forced to succeed.

u/DustyMcMuke · 3 pointsr/findapath

Browse around on the fitness subreddits: /r/fitness, /r/bodyweightfitness, /r/running, /r/weightroom

For someone who is just starting out, I would suggest a beginner program like Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. It consists of basic compound lifts (squat, bench press, overhead press, deadliest, power clean) that'll help build a foundation of muscle. I've been messing around in the gym for years, but actually having a program to follow was better than figuring out what I wanted to do once I stepped foot in the gym. If you can afford it, read the Starting Strength book or watch a bunch of videos on YouTube to learn about proper form technique. If you do decide to go with SS, you're gonna want to start out very lightweight, then add 5 lbs to each lift every single workout until you can no longer do that. The website I linked should explain more. Stick with it for about 2 years or until you can no longer add on weight, then find another program to follow in the /r/Fitness FAQ.


I've also found that when one addiction gets shut down, another might try to take its place. My main addiction has always been porn, masturbation, and orgasm (but primarily porn). When I was a junior in high school, I realized how many hours I wasted watching porn every day. I'm not saying that everyone has this problem; some people can be functional while still being able to join those kind of pleasures, it was just that I couldn't function at all. With that being said, I'm also gonna leave a link to a subreddit that has been helpful to me over the past couple years: /r/NoFap

Good luck on your journey, friend!

u/loubug · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

If you're interested in running a 5K, this is awesome: /r/c25k
If you're wanted to gain strength (which I gather from the 8lb barbell comment), Starting Strength is kinda the reddit go-to.

None of the links anyone gives you are gonna be any good though unless you are truly into what you're doing. Do you like running? Sports? Swimming? Is lifting something you think would be fun? If you hate every second of it, you will hate doing it and motivation gets way harder.

Do you have a gym you belong to? What is your current activity like?

I personally wouldn't worry about your BMI, as it is a shitty indicator of everything. It takes no account into your body fat or fitness level, just a ratio of height to weight. I personally threw my scale under my bed and have abandoned it there, replacing it with how my clothes fit and a measuring tape for things like my arms/thighs, etc.

u/biscarch · 3 pointsr/volleyball

As a novice (read: getting back into) in the weightroom, basically anything you do will improve your fitness level.

You're likely going to want to invest time in learning mobility and maintenance drills. That book will also help you correct form faults in the Olympic and other bigger lifts. If you get any book in this post, get the one mentioned in this paragraph.

Clean and Snatch variations for explosive power. Squat and Deadlift are full-body workouts. You can't clean more than you deadlift, so think of squat and deadlift as your strength leaders while clean and snatch are your explosive exercises. Since you're just starting 3setsx5reps is a good place to start.

Get into yoga or Pilates on the ball to work your core muscles.

You're going to want to work your shoulders, so side/front raises, etc. Triceps/biceps (If you work one side, work the other at least for balance) are important so dips or tricep extensions are useful as are pullups/chinups. Pushups and/or bench press variations.

Don't do jump training (which are Plyometrics)[1][2][3] until you have a strength base in your squat of 1.5x-2x your bodyweight. This is partially because plyos don't build strength, they train the CNS for the stretch-shortening cycle and your "explosiveness", so to speak, is a percentage of your strength (a loose guide of maximum strength is how much weight you can safely squat). Learn how to use plyos before actually doing them. They are fairly low rep, full-recovery type exercises. Maybe 100 jumps in a training session (remember, this are meant to be trained more explosively than the 300+ jumps in a match and your CNS gets tired).

Essentially look at the movements you're performing and do the exercises that fit. The big lifts (cleans/snatches/squats/deadlifts) will teach you how to set your body when jumping. You need to twist your core to start your swing to hit a ball, you'll need to have a stable shoulder so that you can finish your swing up through your pec/tricep/forearm.

If you're interested in learning more about squatting, etc this book is as good a place to any to start, but the book mentioned in the first paragraph can get you started as well.

[1] Basic Plyos

[2] More Plyos

[3] Higher Level Plyos

u/sundowntg · 3 pointsr/wrestling

I would really recommend checking out Starting Strength for the weightlifting component. Buy it and read all of it, but if that is too much, you can get the basics from the wiki.

What type of conditioning exercise do you like? I would just make sure to get some sessions of that at least 30 min 3 or four times a week.

u/biogeekgrrrl · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I'd suggest trying pole squats to start with. Try paying attention to the areas in your legs that start to burn throughout the various phases of a squat -- this will help you identify the areas that are underdeveloped.

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/squat-therapy-4-drills-that-will-improve-your-squat

You can also try putting foam padding underneath your heels and see if that helps you with doing an unassisted squat. Your issue might be a combination of both underdeveloped hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and tibialis anterior muscles, as well as poor hip flexibility and ankle flexibility. Alternatively, you can use some weight plates under your heels like this:

http://www.fitbie.com/sites/default/files/bbell-squat-heelsraiseb-female.jpg


It's quite common for Westerners to be unable to do a flat footed squat due to a neglect of the posterior muscle chain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_position#Resting_position

Here's a good TED Talk about posterior chain underdevelopment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBlM5in2IQA

I would also suggest experimenting with different stance positions. For me, it is much easier to take a very wide stance than to take a narrow stance. Six months ago, I was completely unable to squat unassisted at all. Just keep up with it and you'll get there!

If you want to read up on the biomechanics and leverage variations that affect individual abilities, I'd suggest checking out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Even if you aren't yet ready to do anything using weights, his book provides a useful foundation to the basic mechanics of compound movements.

http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/whiskeywailer · 3 pointsr/Fitness

I learned a lot from Dave Tate's videos:

www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/1udskc/dave_tates_form_videos/

Also, get the Starting Strength book. Very little of it is about the actual program of SS - most of it is technical info about lifting form. Full of diagrams and descriptions in incredible detail.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

EDIT: As to your question about bulking and cutting - you can't choose where you lose fat. You want to lose fat around your waist? Eat less. You want to get stronger faster? eat more.

u/elempe · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

It's generally best to go in with a set plan, and there are a lot of programs out there geared specifically towards beginners. This will give you a sense of purpose in the gym and also a way to track your progress.

Here are links to three of the more popular beginner's programs on this sub: Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

If money is a factor, and you don't want to buy a book, Strong Lifts is a free program available online.

u/chiguychi · 3 pointsr/chicago

Starting Strength
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

Build a solid strength base, then you'll have a much better base for other physical activites

u/wigglypoocool · 3 pointsr/medicalschool

These two books are god send for getting into Ortho residency.

Becoming a Supple Leopard
&
Starting Strength

u/poop_lord_420 · 3 pointsr/Fitness

First, You are 125 lbs. You really, really need to eat. If you aren't gaining 2 lbs a week you aren't eating enough.

Second, I doubt you have even read SS if you've made this thread so the FIRST thing I would recommend you do is GET OFF /r/fitness or any internet fitness source and READ STARTING STRENGTH. It will answer most questions you have. After you finish reading the book, come back.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/Glueyman · 3 pointsr/bodybuilding

Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength will probably be one of the most highly recommended beginner programs you'll find.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343403649&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/theducknamedfred · 3 pointsr/Fitness

The book describes everything you could possibly need to know about how to do the program, the lifts, the diet etc. It also talks about what the program will accomplish. Here is a link to the book on amazon. It's really really worth a look if you're planning on doing this program.
Also, here is a link to the Mark Rippetoe Q&A on the Starting Strength forums, where the author of the book will answer questions and evaluate your technique if you send in a video.

u/samcbar · 3 pointsr/snowboarding

Lifting for hypertropy (Body Building) will not translate into good snowboarding. You need a mix of endurance, strength, power, agility, flexibility and nutrition.

Nutrition: Don't eat like shit, I am not big on giving nutrition advice, but eating Paleo works for me.

Flexibility: http://www.mobilitywod.com/ every goddamn day, and squat (unweighted)

Strength: http://startingstrength.com/ (for beginners, Coach Rip has an excellent book)

Power: Two lifts will generate a lot of power, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. The power clean (part of Starting Strength) is also very good. The clean, snatch and power clean will also help your jumping power a lot for you park rats.

Agility: There are a lot of ways to work on agility, I don't do agility specific work.

Endurance: I ride a bike, but you can also run or have angry bees chase you around.

Yes you can do 100 pushups and 100 situps a day, but training correctly with barbells can get you big gains which translate to snowboarding. I do not train specifically for snowboarding or skiing or biking but here is what my daily exercise routine looks like:

Bike 3 miles to gym.

Gym work (5 days a week, skip friday if doing something on saturday, monday if did something on sunday):
Warmup
Mobility WOD
Two Lifts
Crossfit Style Conditioning

Bike ten miles to office (pace here is usually about 16 or 17 mph, including stops for lights, etc)

Bike thirteen miles home after work (I am usually running about 14.5 mph home including stops)

u/yeti5000 · 3 pointsr/loseit

What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish?

Lifting? Cardio? Weight loss?

Some easy tips (which I can help clarify) are:

Do most of your lifting with free-weights and a few cables. Unless you have a pre-existing condition preventing use of free-weights such as barbells or dumbells do NOT build a workout routine around machines or circuit training.

Practice form first. Form is everything. Start with an empty barbell or bodyweight only. Consider splitting the cost of a PT session between you two, but make sure to find a PT that also doesn't advocate training with machines.

Make sure you get your nutrition and out-of-gym habits in good form; if you don't eat right and rest correctly you might as well not even go to the gym for all the time you're wasting.

Find someone experienced in weight-training to help you put together a workout routine, and make sure it focuses largely on compound exercises. (I can help if you'd like; I am experienced in strength-training but carry no certifications, however my advice is free!)

Buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

It is now your new bible.

Focus on squats, deadlifts, powercleans, benchpress and other large muscle group compound exercises.

I'll add more as it comes to me.

u/shlevon · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Buy these two:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334558891&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Paleo-Solution-Original-Human/dp/0982565844/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334558900&sr=1-1

Are either NECESSARY for these goals? No. But I'm a believer in no-brainer approaches, and basic strength training + paleo-ish diet will move you in the right direction.

u/HomeboySwole · 3 pointsr/leangains

>I've managed to answer questions and rebuttals very thoroughly in the nutritional aspects of Leangains but I've failed miserably in explaining why all those curls and wires and abs workouts are more or less useless acording to Martin.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe has the answers you seek. As I understand it... you don't want to do accessories like curls and ab workouts because they may interfere with the more efficient compound exercises, especially in recovery time.

u/BegorraOfTheCross · 3 pointsr/veganfitness

Personal trainers don't need to know what they are talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_trainer#United_States
>A number of certifications are available in the U.S., although a number are not accredited. Most require a high school diploma, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification, and some type of examination.[6]
A 2002 investigation evaluated a random sample of 115 personal trainers using the Fitness Instructors Knowledge Assessment (FIKA) (which measures knowledge in nutrition, health screening, testing protocols, exercise prescription, and special populations). The study described that:[14][15]
>
70% of those surveyed did not have a degree in any field related to exercise science.
Those who did not have a bachelor's degree in an exercise science-related field scored 31% less on average than those with a bachelor's degree or higher in the field.
Those holding one of two specific certifications (the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) certification) scored 83% of the questions correctly on average. Those holding any certification other than ACSM or NSCA answered only 38% of the questions correctly.
Years of experience was not found to be predictive of personal trainer knowledge.

With that said - if I were a personal trainer I would discourage people from doing barbell work, to at least emphasize they need some study. Probably some liability if someone hurts themselves, and some people are morons. At any rate take what trainers say with a lot of salt.

I gained about 15 pounds in a year doing a simple beginner program 3 times a week. This was not at all the center of my life - working and going to school for CS at the same time. I did spend quite a bit of time studying how to do the exercises correctly. With a beginner program, you will start with very low weight (which increases fast) in order to get to practice the exercises.

Focusing on learning how to do the exercises, and going regularly is probably the most important thing to build strength. Plan for the long-term, this is extremely extremely important. Your purpose at first is:

1) to go to learn how to do the exercises well,

2) to go religiously.


Doing these two things are what you reward yourself with the sense of "job well done" for. You will lose strength depressingly fast by not going regularly. 3 times a week for 30 min to an hour is not a big deal.

You can build significant strength without bulking/bodybuilding. Having a lot of strength will make bodybuilding/bulking easier. This is mostly to keep in mind for later, when it is time to shift to an intermediate program.


Stronglifts 5x5 is listed on here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/getting_started#wiki_adding_exercise

Stronglifts has been very successful for a lot of people, and gets a lot good credit. The program is extremely simple so you do not have to waste time thinking of what to do. The phone apps by the author are exceptional. Negative things about the program are generally complaints that it is a beginner program. There will come a point stronglifts will stop producing gains, and it is time to shift programs. When that time comes it will make quite a bit of sense in your body why. Stronglifts is a great beginner program.

I still do it, with some minor alteration, even though I know I need to shift, because it's good enough for now for me. Easy & meditative and the gains still come. Well lifting heavy weights is hard, but easy in the "flowing like water" sense.

Here's an easy to-do list for you which will work:


>1) Go to stronglifts.com, watch his vides on how to do the exercises, and how to do the program.
>
2) Study the exercises!
>
3) Download phone app
>
4) Do your first session at the gym
>
5) Begin reading Starting Strength. Ignore a lot of the dietary advice.
>
6) Watch videos on youtube & continue improving your form.
>
7) Continue going to workouts religiously.
>
8) Start eating for muscle growth.


I have diet listed last here, because in one sense it is the least important. In order to gain weight, you will have to eat a lot. And a couple months into the program you will need to eat well to make noticeable strength gains. But do not worry about this at first. As you go regularly & get good at the lifts (because that is the goal that matters), after a period of time you will see how not eating/sleeping enough makes you weaker.

It will be quite visceral when you get to higher weights, and after months of (going religiously!) experiencing the difference of days when you eat/rest well vs. not, and the iron will grace you with a powerful visceral drive to change your diet. It's like free motivation at that point. When you have been going regularly for months, then the diet becomes extremely important. Don't worry about it much at first. You will make fast gains even with a crappy diet at the start. But damn sure go to the gym when you are feeling weak, that is what will push your understanding of what to eat.

And again - you can gain a lot strength without bulking much, and that strength will help you bulk. So even if you don't bulk for a few months, it is not a loss. Just keep going.


I will add, for a pre/post workout shake, I get pea protein from https://truenutrition.com/veganplant-proteins.aspx . Pea protein has had some studies place it competitively with whey. I mix it with water & juice, and I will add creatine. My perspective is that not eating animal products slows bulking, though that tends to be hearsay here. Who cares when it's the right thing to do though.

u/TheInkerman · 3 pointsr/asktrp

> (He opens up doors for me now..literally that's how he changed since that convo).

He's essentially hearing "Be more manly" as "Be more Gentlemanly". It sounds like he is simply doing what men have been taught to do in the modern world; defer to women, ask 'what do you want to do?', don't be decisive, let the lady have her say, etc. The problem of course is that this is actually massively unattractive to women (as you've found).

The sad reality is that even if you can find a way to get him to change, the change may so fundamental that your relationship may not survive the transition.

What you need to do is be far more direct with him. "Be more assertive", "Be more manly", etc, won't work because these concepts no longer have any definition in modern society. He doesn't know how to be assertive or manly because nobody has ever taught him how (especially if his biggest influence growing up was his mother). The closest approximate he probably has is (and I'm not kidding) the way fairytale princes behave.

What you need to do is incrementally escalate his ability and comfortableness in making decisions. The 'where do you want to eat?' is a classic issue. Get him to make that decision, totally without your input, and then go along with it. It may only be one night a week, or you may need to promise you'll choose 'next time' (and then just don't 'feel like' deciding, DO NOT get into a system of trading nights, because then you won't get out of it). Once he can make that decision, ask him more often and, again, don't have any input. At least initially you may end up doing stuff you don't like because any input on your part will undermine his confidence. Once he can reliably make decisions, then you can say things like "I don't like that restaurant, can we go somewhere else?" (notably, phrase it as a question, not a direction).

Get him to make other, similarly small decisions and build up to bigger ones. You can't really tell him to be more 'manly', because the concept is literally meaningless to him, just get him used to be decisive. I would, however, avoid directly introducing him to Red Pill concepts. One of the effects of TRP is an anger phase (which varies in intensity from person to person). IMO this phase will kill your relationship because he will temporarily be angry at the world (and to some extent, maybe you), while simultaneously being unable to effectively process that anger healthily. 'No More Mr Nice Guy' by Robert Glover, is, however, probably a good book for him to read, and make sure he's lifting properly if he's going to the gym ('Starting Strength' by Mark Rippetoe is a good book for this). Make sure he's actually doing strength training and not fucking cardio and pilates. Keep him going to the gym by rewarding that behaviour with sex when he gets home (yep, it's that fucking simple, at least regarding lifting).

u/LoneCowboy · 3 pointsr/fitness30plus

Starting Strength. Buy the book: It explains in EXQUISITE detail how to do the basics. And the basics are what you need. If you have to go up slower for age and recovery, so be it, but it's the beginner program.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/awolfoutwest · 3 pointsr/Fitness

A set of Olympic weights, a power cage, a bench and a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I got all but the book second-hand, so it can be pretty affordable and safe. (All links except book are for illustrative purposes only, not necessarily recommending those specific units)

u/Nikkian42 · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Why did you choose Strong Curves over say, Starting Strength or Strong to name just two others?

u/SteveStoney · 3 pointsr/workout

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738 this should be a staple of every person starting the gym. If you're not much into reading, then check out author's YouTube channel.

Always start with a warm up, rowing machine is generally most efficient for the whole body.

5sets x5reps for strenght and slow size progression. If you want to focus mostly on building muscle fast, then go for classic 4x8 or 3x12 approx 3 times a week, day on, and day off, plus weekend off for stretching/foam rolling or anything else that can improve your recovery process, but that's a bonus.

Your goal is a linear progression, meaning you pick a weight that you can complete 1set of 12 repetitions that will challenge you, but not wreck you, because you still have 2 more sets to do. You want to make sure you fully complete every set, without cheating. If you can't do it, that means there is too much weight on the bar. Leave your ego at the door, and drop the weight.
If you can complete all your sets and all your reps with good form, next time you train, you slightly increase the weight, and that will keep you going. At the beginner stage you don't need any fancy techniques like drops sets, iso holds, rest pasues, etc. So don't worry about all that stuff for another year or even two.

For hypertrophy (muscle pump) you want to keep the rest periods between sets to 90 seconds max. Set the timer or just count your breathes.

You will quickly notice that everyone you ask, will give you a different sort of advice, and claim that their plan is the best.
Don't fall for a shiny object syndrome pick a plan and stick with it for 3 months. Track all your numbers, so you know what works and what doesnt.
Take a before picture so you can compare it to your results.

Read up on the diet, but basic premise is that you need to consume more calories that you burn every day in order to put on weight. Aim for 10-15% more kcal than you need. If after a week you see no difference on the scale increase your kcal intake by another 5%
Aim for 1gram of lean protein for every 1lbs of your body weight daily, and eat carbs mostly around the workout time. Clean bulk is always more efficient than eating a lot of crap and then wasting time to burn off the unwanted fat.
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1980881408682147&id=119776444792662&set=a.133423386761301 check out other pics in their gallery in terms of visuals of what to eat and not eat.

Make sure you get your 8h if sleep, because that's when the muscle actually grow. In the gym, very often less is more.

Building bigger muscles in oversimplified terms comes down to the time under tension and mechanical damage that muscle is exposed to, so you want to learn how to contract your muscles properly. Resistance bands are a safe and efficient way to do so. Essentially you want to feel the" burn" in the target muscle.

Additionally you can throw in some creatine (dirt cheap) and very efficient. If you're just starting you will notice gains really fast and you can train to the extreme, since your max won't be big enough to truly tax your central nervous system.

The most important thing is to gather some knowledge first, because you can waste a lot of time doing stuff that's doesn't work. If i had a chance to start again i would have found the best looking personal trainer at the gym, or someone who has clients with the desired results and paid him/her to teach me the basics to significantly accelerate my progress.

Remember that good technique builds the strength, but strength doesn't build good technique. And in this case technique refers to safety and efficiency of moving the load from point a to point b.

Get some good music on your playlist and while you keep your final destination in mind, learn to enjoy the process.

That should be enough to get you started.
If you would like to further deepen your knowledge check this https://www.t-nation.com/

Good luck and have fun plus don't forget to update us in your progress ;)

u/court12b · 3 pointsr/whatsbotheringyou

Wow that is a small stature. I'd like to be encouraging but the truth of the matter is I feel like I never see males with your build in every day adult life and I could see how it could be a real burden. Actually, I take that back. My father in law isn't much taller. He looks like he's our kid when walking with my wife and I.

My cousin had Leukemia a few years back and he's about the same age (and build) as you but he wants to be FBI some day. I don't have the heart to tell him but I've never met a federal officer who was below 6'2.

You're life is going to be an uphill battle but if you've got one thing going for you, it's that short people live longer.

As far as building muscle and whatnot I HIGHLY recommend Starting Strength Read it cover to cover. It's a treat, the man is hilarious and it's just about the bible for making your body stronger.

I think I'd like to be your friend. gonna PM you.

u/thenullified_ · 3 pointsr/pics

It is a workout routine by Mark Rippetoe. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738. It is designed for beginners

u/RenegadeMasta · 3 pointsr/r4r

www.stronglifts.com

/r/weightroom

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

And I'm always glad to chat.

u/winkandanod · 3 pointsr/OKBestFace

Nice, it's time to go get it.

But you need to start with some basic info. Good old fashioned moving weights always has done the most for me. Try Starting strength if you want to get started with a good beginners plan. Understand the lifts, hit the weights, and get some of those sweet sweet novice gains.

u/NeptLudi · 3 pointsr/weightroom

The beginner program link listed in the FAQ basically recommends Starting Strength.

Read it and do what it says. You'll need an olympic bar, some plates, power rack, and a bench.

u/colinaut · 3 pointsr/ACL

I can give some perspective as a long time cyclist and more recent lifter who then had an ACL injury (not weightlifting related). First off just because you were a strong runner (or in my case cyclist) won't make you automatically good at squats/deadlifts. It'll give you a bit of a head start since you'll have some leg muscles to work with but squats use some different muscles and it used them in a different manner. Lifting heavy causes different muscle adaptations and is a skill in its own right.

As to what strength progress you should be able to see… That's hard to say since you don't have pre-injury totals to look at. Leg press is a good quad exercise but doesn't have a lot of carryover to squats. Most people can leg press more than they can squat but there is no set percentage ratio since training in leg press is different than training in squats.

Personally I was able to get back to my pre-injury squat weight at 6 months. I feel I could have lifted more earlier but I was being extra careful. I'm currently at 10 months and lifting more than I was pre-injury. I'm not dropping my lifting stats as it's meaningless to compare mine to yours since you are new to lifting.

Basically with your inexperience, the only numbers I think you can use as reference are to untrained/novice lifters. That said you are not even a typical untrained lifter since you are recovering from a major injury. The Symmetric Strength Strength Standards can give you some insight but there is no gold standard. So take a look at those and use them as something to aim for, but also don't get upset that you aren't anywhere near novice yet.

With a good program, dedication, and enough protein and calories, you likely should be able to hit novice levels in a 2-3 months. Since you have an injury you are recovering from then it will likely take a little longer, depending on how much you are still limited by your injury. You should of course focus on good form and making sure you don't compensate. Also be make sure to include single leg work as your muscles are likely still imbalanced: Bulgarian split squats, lunges, single leg deadlifts, calf raises, etc..

In general, I think it's really good that you are adding in strength training. One of the best ways to protect that knee from further damage and osteoarthritis is to build up and maintain the muscles that support your leg. IMHO it is important to be stronger than you were before the surgery in order to support that knee.

BTW, if you don't have a program look into Starting Strength and/or Phrak's Greyskull LP. The r/fitness sub has a good overview of programs. They have a big bug up their ass against Starting Strength but honestly while Phrak's has some advantages, SS is a decent place to start and has worked for many lifters. The Starting Strength book is also in my opinion a must read for how well it explains how to execute the main lifts. The r/startingstrength subreddit is a good place to post form checks if you don't have someone to help spot your form. Rippitoe's nutrition advice in the book leaves much to be desired but that's a different topic.

u/bigolesteve · 3 pointsr/sydney

Abandon women; and instead treat yourself and a bro(mance) to:

A Hardcopy of Rippetoe's Starting Strength and your first ~galon of milk

u/wikiscootia · 3 pointsr/Velo

Been working on weight training this off-season. "Starting Strength" seems to be the equivalent of "The Cyclists Training Bible" for general strength training. Everyone should read it. Maybe twice.

My back is my main limiter. I had a bad case of thoracic hyphosis (aka "nerd neck") so I needed to fix that and train up my upper-back muscles in order to be able to safely squat heavy. I'm thinking the added strength and mobility will help for holding my head up after long hours on the bike.

I've brought my Bulgarian squat up from 3x5's at 80 lbs to 3x5's @ 130 lbs. I've also brought my weight up by 7 lbs, so I guess I'll be carrying that around. But it's pretty flat where I live and race so I wouldn't mind trading some W/KG for some raw watts.

I'm planning to continue building strength through base and switch to more speed/power movements during build. I'm going to incorporate the fast lunges described in Maximum Overload (terrible book, fine idea) for blocks of 30s to 5m. I think that will be a good accessory to VO2max intervals. Hard days will get harder, so easy days will need to get easier.

u/hsilman · 3 pointsr/Fitness

I am not a doctor, but

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412998621&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

worth every penny, especially the kindle version for only $10.

Honestly, you are the reason this book was written, Rippetoe et al have a hardon for improving the lives of people with medical issues like arthritis and the elderly. They are all about "the barbell is medicine", and they have a few great success stories for sure.

I HIGHLY recommend posting in Rippetoe's Q&A at :

http://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=129

He will sort you out, though he can be rude, abrasive, and opinionated.

I guess my last piece of "wisdom" is that, no your legs may be relatively strong from that activity, but they are not "strong" as a barbell can help you make them. Bros don't let bros skip leg day.

This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it, by the way. I hope you follow at least some of it and post back in 3-6 months saying how awesome you feel because of squats and shit.

u/PcIqArzl · 3 pointsr/Fitness

5 pounds is a good place to start. Just keep adding 5's until you can't beat the previous workouts number. Alternatively if you plan on sticking with it for a while check out Starting Strength to learn how to properly do the movements. There is even an excellent beginners program in the book.

u/ArcFurnace · 3 pointsr/nottheonion

Starting Strength, a textbook example of a weightlifting program. As in a guy literally wrote a textbook on barbell weight training.

u/EntropyFighter · 3 pointsr/socialskills

Lemme put the TL;DR at the top. You need to start training with weights. Specifically heavy compound barbell movements: squats, deadlifts, overhead press, and bench press.

Longer version:

You have described several problems:

  1. Loneliness
  2. Self-esteem issues
  3. The need to see tangible results
  4. Your lack of self-discipline

    Lifting weights addresses all of these issues and a bunch more. But I'm not recommending you go in there and hire a trainer (too expensive) or just pick a routine off of bodybuilding.com (you're not going to stick to it).

    Instead I want to introduce you to a concept called training. Of course you've heard the term before, but do you know what it means? Most people exercise when they go to the gym. Chances are, when you think of working out, you think of exercising. Exercising is essentially punching a clock on physical fitness. It's also, in my opinion, a waste of time (unless it's just something you like to do). What do you get from it? Hot, sweaty, out of breath, and you feel like you worked out hard. What you likely didn't do was get stronger.

    To get stronger, you have to train. Training is essentially sticking to a plan that will get you to your goals. All I'm asking for is three times a week doing 3 exercises for 3 sets of 5 reps a piece. That's it. No running. No abs work. Hell, you don't even have to stretch. (Or if you enjoy those things, do any or all of them.) But if you can learn to do 4 lifts - squats, bench press, overhead press, and deadlift - you can gain several hundred pounds on your lifts in a few months.

    Yes. You. It works for everybody who does it. And there are people in their 80s on this program deadlifting 315 lbs. This is a program that literally anybody can do. With that being said, you'll want to study up on good form.

    The program you want is called Starting Strength. There's a book. There's a website. There's an app. There's a YouTube channel. And there's a subreddit, with an active Starting Strength Coach as one of the moderators. And there's a guy at the top of it all, Mark Rippetoe, to guide you through the whole deal.

    As you can tell from the title, this is for beginners. If you have less than a year in the gym, that means you. "Beginner" refers to your potential for gains, not how long you've been doing it.

    Speaking of, the thing you're going to love is what's known as "noobie gains". Literally every time you go to the gym you're stronger. You can progress 5 lbs. per visit per lift for months before your noobie gains give out. That means if you start with the bar (45 lbs.), which is as good a place to start as anywhere, 8 weeks later you'll be lifting 165 lbs. Four weeks after that you'll be lifting 225 lbs. That's 2-45 lb. plates on each side. And you'll continue to go up from there. For squats and your deadlift, this is practically guaranteed.

    It's hard to feel like crap about yourself when you can't stop getting stronger. I swear, it will feel like magic.

    I could talk about the program all day, but I'll just say one more thing about it and that's to give you the program. There's a A day and a B day. You alternate days. So week one is A-B-A. Week two is B-A-B and so on.

    A Day - Squats (3x5), Overhead Press (3x5), Deadlift (1x5)

    B Day - Squats (3x5), Bench Press (3x5), Deadlift (1x5)

    The first few weeks you're in there will be so quick you'll be in and out in 30 minutes. But as it gets heavier, you'll take your time more. Starting light (bar weight for everything except deadlifts... 95 lbs for deads) gives your body plenty of time to get used to doing the movements and will slowly strengthen everything in your body so you don't feel like you're dying from the start.

    Besides getting strong, you'll make friends. Contrary to what you may think, the world's best thing to see in a gym (besides fitness chicks) is a new guy with a plan. We only hate that guy if he proves to be an idiot. Just re-rack your weights and be cool and everything will go great for you.

    If you need a spot for the bench, ask for one. You'll get asked to spot eventually. It's just good gym etiquette to do it for other guys in there. It's an easy way to make friends.

    And if you're thinking, "who would want to be friends with me?", that question is kind of irrelevant if I just need you to spot the weights and tell me that I crushed it when I get finished. Which is all you need to do to make friends at the gym.

    If you set a regular time to go, other people are doing the same thing. Show up 12 times in a row (4 weeks worth) and see if you don't start making a few friends. You'll impress people with your work ethic. You're doing the big boy lifts, so others are going to watch your form and so on. It's not a big deal. And if you really work on your form, hand to God, within 3 months you'll have a bro lifter who can bench more than you squat explain to you why they can't squat right. Knees, or back, or something other silly nonsense. That just means they're impressed with what you're doing.

    Anyway, I've already written a wall of text. But trust me. You need compound barbell movements in your life. They'll do more for you in two weeks than literally anything else you could do.

    From there, that will make you care about your diet (are you getting enough protein?), and your sleep. That fixes more issues and before you know it, you're feeling like the man.

    The weights won't lie to you. When you put that second plate on and squat it, or the third plate on and deadlift it, that's something you can either do, or you can't. The fact that you will prove to yourself every time you're in the gym that you can? Well, that's empowering as a motherfucker.

    I mean, you can get lucky and make a lot of money. But you can't get lucky and lift a lot of weight. There's only one way that happens. You work for it and you achieve it. Once you conquer your body, it proves to yourself that you can do whatever the fuck you wanna do.

    If you have more questions, post them or message me. I'm happy to talk more to you about it.

    Now, let Mark Rippetoe teach you how to squat.
u/NSMike · 3 pointsr/GaymersGoneMild

I did some quick stalking and, IMHO, you look pretty good but... If you like the idea of working out, by all means, go for it! My suggestion is to start with something simple and easily understood, such as Stronglifts 5x5. It's what I'm doing right now, and I'm really enjoying it, and the improvements I'm seeing. You'll be embarrassed to start with the empty bar, for sure, but I recommend it. That way, you're not overestimating your abilities, and you get the form correct right off the bat. Here are the resources I used to get moving on SL 5x5:

stronglifts.com - The base program and some details and advice on lifts.

Starting Strength - The single best weightlifting advice you can get short of an actual coach that follows Rippetoe's philosophy (I say "philosophy," but not to sound like a brainwashed meathead, the guy knows what he's talking about, and everything he says makes sense)

Great video on the Overhead Press - The coach in the video actually wrote the book I recommend above. The overhead press has been THE most difficult lift I've done to date on this program.

I only link that one video because it's been hard to find other videos as effectively instructional. Stronglifts.com has a few for the other lifts which are sufficient.

My biggest recommendation: try it once. The endorphin rush afterward will make you crave going back.

Good luck, and have fun!

u/trevthestrongyogi · 3 pointsr/gainit

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tuPYAbB4XP5XJ

Buy this book, it is the straight up Bible on how to get strong in the only way that matters, using a barbell.

Keep your program simple, Squats, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Deadlift. Get good at these fundamental lifts before worrying about anything else. Low reps, heavy weights.

And eat A LOT! Your muscles need fuel, and if you are skinny the only place this fuel is going to come from is stuffing your face.

u/futuresandvich · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Pick up the book Starting Strength. $24 on Amazon with prime. Squats are the first (of 5) exercises covered.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473687821&sr=1-1&keywords=starting+strength

I like it because it's perfect for the beginner, has lots of diagrams and photos, and covers a wide range of issues and rookie mistakes.

Even if you aren't specifically using SS5x5, it still will be a great investment. Plus, a physical book is better as a reference material when you don't want to jump on the internet or for reading material before going to bed.

u/Ricus · 3 pointsr/chicago

I highly recommend you pick up Starting Strength, or Trooper mentioned Strong Lifts has write ups of the squat, deadlift, and bench. Both are a great place to start out if you to get into barbell lifts. You can also head over to /r/fitness.

> Every guy in the gym knows how to do these exercises

With the amount of quarter squats, rounded backs, flared elbows etc you see at the gym, this is absolutely not the case. Like everything else, it's a skill you have to work on. I'v been lifting for years and still am not happy with my squat depth, or form. Miles better than what it used to be though.

If you want to meet up, I would be willing to help get you started. I work out at the LA Fitness on Webster and they have free 3 day passes. They may try and sell you a membership, but I told them I was just there to get a workout in and they left me alone when I used the pass. Send me a pm.

u/ProParamedicPartner · 3 pointsr/ems

Move heavy barbells on a regular basis.

If you've never lifted before or are weak, go buy the Starting Strength book and follow that.

Once you do that, don't eat like an asshole.

/thread

u/killyouintheface · 3 pointsr/baseball

Buy this book. Learn the lifts in the first chapters and do the program at the back. Eat all the things.

u/kabuto_mushi · 3 pointsr/AnimalCrossing

Maybe she meant this book?

u/Dest123 · 3 pointsr/AskMen

Get Starting Strength

It's a really good book and lays out how to get started with the most important weight lifting exercises. Most of what makes the gym scary is being afraid of looking like a dumbass. You can even go late at night if you want, and almost no one will be there.

It's ok if you don't really do much your first couple of times. Just getting in the door will give you more courage for next time.

After going like 3-5 times, you start to want to go so that you can continue whatever weight lifting routine you decide on.

u/ALoudMouthBaby · 3 pointsr/houston

What gym are you going to? Because it is very reasonable to teach yourself to deadlift and squat solo. Squats in particular are easy to learn, but difficult to master. Do you have any prior injuries, to your lower back in particular? Because if not you really can learn these ok on your own.

Pick up a copy of Starting Strength, it provides excellent, highly detailed descriptions of how to perform these lifts. While the Starting Strength program isn't perfect, it has become the go to beginners program for a reason. Practice them a bit, and then post a form check in /r/weightroom on Friday in the form check thread. While /r/fitness is great for providing postive feedback and a good, supportive atmosphere I would caution against taking any actual technical advice there with even a grain of salt.

u/pums · 3 pointsr/OkCupid

A copy of Starting Strength. I feel really bad about not giving it back, but I don't know how to get back in touch.

u/scorpent · 3 pointsr/gaybears

I recommend following Starting Strength and training your large muscle groups while also consuming tons of a food. But I'm just a beginner in that regard.

There's also a variety of subreddit's like GainIt

Good luck

u/poweroflegend · 3 pointsr/Fitness

As opposed to the $23 for Starting Strength?

u/stephen89 · 2 pointsr/JusticePorn

As I said, I actually have the equipment at home now and my brother helps me out with my program. I am using one of Rippetoe's starting strength routines and it is exactly as you described. Approx 45 minutes a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I think I am going to throw 20 minutes of running/biking in on the Tuesdays and Thursdays.

u/smt1 · 2 pointsr/Fitness
  1. get and read the SS book. It talks extensively about form. The kindle version is only $9.99 and can be read on a computer: http://amzn.to/HcIFbq (you want the 3rd edition)
  2. take video, put on youtube, post here or somewhere else. people will critique the form
u/maegmariel · 2 pointsr/Fitness

The Excel logbook calculator is the tool I use. It calculates your warmups and how much you should increase the weight. The rest of the information (like how to perform the exercises) can be found in the wiki and /r/fitness. I haven't read the actual book yet, but others on Fittit seem to think it's worth the read. Amazon has a $9.99 Kindle version, but you can try your library if you don't want to spend the money.

You will need a gym membership (or at least someplace with a decent set of barbells, a bench, and a squat/power rack) to do Starting Strength or StrongLifts, but Convict Conditioning is a bodyweight routine that needs a pull up bar at most.

u/backstab · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Like everyone else is saying, check out Starting Strength if you can get to a gym with barbells.

u/ibleedblu7 · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

My list:




u/RedSunBlue · 2 pointsr/TheRedPill

Step 1:

Buy Starting Strength.

Do the program. This includes cramming +3000 calories down your gullet daily.

Step 2:

Learn how to dress yourself. /r/malefashionadvice can help you with that.

Step 3:

Stack bills.

Step 4:

Approach females. Run game.

All steps can be carried out concurrently. Steps 1, 2, and 3 make step 4 exponentially easier, but are not prerequisites. Consider acquiring a game guide to accelerate progress in step 4.

This also assumes you are already good at making male friends. If not, consider that Step 1b.

u/rocket_nazi · 2 pointsr/aspergers

i've been powerlifting for around 10 years.

https://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

buy this and read it. feel free to ask me anything. stay away from /r/fitness. it's garbage.

u/mechtonia · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Buy the book Starting Strength and read it. It is the simplest of programs and has been effective for thousands of people. Do the program exactly as written.

u/thatguy330 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

This book will change your life. Get it. Worth every penny if you really want to fine tune your lifts for maximum muscle use, safety, and form.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/r4ptor · 2 pointsr/ottawa

I have no idea what it's like during the school year but Terry Rea at Algonquin was a fantastic trainer. The gym was fairly dead over the summer and dirt cheap at $35/mth (even for non-students). Individual sessions were $55 + whatever the drop-in rate is for non-members (something like $10).

For beginner strength building I've had very good success with StrongLifts. Don't read too much into the author's blogging and do the basic exercises and you'll be golden. Another similar and highly rated program is Starting Strength. Rippletoe's book does a really good job at explaining just about everything behind the movements and the proper technique involved.

u/Etarip · 2 pointsr/swoleacceptance

/r/fitness: newbie program picker -> Fat Loss -> More than 10kg/25lbs:

Use a calculator such as this one to get an estimation of how many calories you should be consuming daily. Increase the amount of vegetables you consume (potatoes don't count :) ) because fiber helps in giving a feeling of fullness. Increasing your protein intake (via either consuming more meat or simply drinking whey protein shakes ) will both boost muscle gain and provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness than carbs will.

Take weekly photographs of yourself, preferably in underwear/shorts so that you can see your belly, thighs and arms. If you're gaining muscle while losing fat, the weight on the scale may change less than you expect, but the mirror doesn't lie. Recording everything you eat will also make you more conscious about your intake and definitely helps in weight loss.

The thing that's really going to make or break your success is how well you focus and stick to your diet. Many people have successfully lost large amounts of fat by switching to a low carb diet. Keep in mind that this may not be the most suitable diet for everyone, but by far the majority of the population should see positive results.

For best results, you should combine this program with some form of exercise. The best form of exercise is the one that you enjoy doing. Whether it's weightlifting, running, swimming, mountain climbing, football, or throwing a frisbee around with friends, anything that gets your heart rate up for an hour or two will be beneficial.

Keep in mind that sustaining a caloric deficit can lead to loss of muscle mass as well, which is usually a Bad Thing. To avoid this, it is usually recommended to do some form of strength training atleast 2-3 times per week. Check out the muscle gain section of the Program Picker for more info regarding strength training programs.

Remember, the exercise will help, but the factor that will decide your fat loss is your diet. If you feel you're too heavy to do bodyweight exercises or anything inside a gym without hurting your joints, you can just go for a pleasant 30-45 minute walk daily while strictly controlling your diet, and you'll have to buy a new, smaller set of clothes soon. Once you reach a weight where you feel comfortable about doing some more strenuous exercise, check out the program picker again.

tl;dr: Eat vegies and protein at a caloric deficit. Take progress pics. Do a form of cardio you enjoy. Lift to maintain muscle, buy the Starting Strength book and get lifting. Become Swole.

u/King_Tofu · 2 pointsr/TheLastAirbender

Go for it man! (or miss!) If you ever want to learn more about routines or exercises, come visit us at r/fitness. The FAQ is extensive, and the people emphasize proper form, which unfortunately many weightlifters tend to ignore.

If you want a book on weightlifting, I'd reccomend Rippetoe's Starting Strength

best wishes to you!

u/justsomeguy75 · 2 pointsr/AskMen

"Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe is the book that /r/fitness recommends to everyone. It's like the bible of lifting.

u/danlambe · 2 pointsr/Fitness

It's both a book and a program. The book contains the program and a lot of information on things like proper form on the lifts and costs about 20 bucks. You can find the program for free online, but I highly recommend buying the book. You can pick it up here

u/lanemik · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Starting Strength

Read a decent summary of it here.

Watch the platform videos and read relevant articles from here

Read this and read this before you start your first workout.

Find a good gym if you haven't already. The Monday after you've completed the required reading and understand the lifts and the program, go do it. If you stick to it and eat enough and sleep enough, you can go from a 95lb squat to 315lb squat in 5 or 6 months.

u/adamjeromef · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Read starting strength - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

best $20 you'll ever spend. Anonymous reddit coaching is not what you want.

u/rthomas6 · 2 pointsr/relationships

I'm 27, and this is the advice I would give my 17 year old band nerd self (bari sax player here. Yes, I marched bari sax, it was awesome):

It sounds like you go to a big high school. How many girls have you tried to date? As in, how many girls have you actually asked on a date? One? Five? How can you expect to get into relationships if you don't make your romantic intentions clear? My advice is to get used to getting turned down. It's a hard thing to do, but once you desensitize yourself to rejection, dating gets easier. I mean come on, you don't really expect every girl to want to go out with you, do you? Just some. Let me be more specific: Each week, ask at least one cute girl you see for her phone number (or however people message each other nowadays). Preferably a girl you don't already talk to or know well. Look in her eyes with a bright, warm smile, say hi, make small talk, and ask for her number, or to go on a date. Classmates, cashiers, colorguard members, cheerleaders (probably not gonna happen but see the part about getting used to rejection). If she says no, then just smile and say ok. Literally nothing has been lost. Then when you get a phone number, wait a few days, then CALL HER AND ASK HER ON A DATE. Take it from there.

As for the girl who you love. She told you no. Accept her boundaries, dude. Move on. You want something that she doesn't, and trying to persuade her into changing her mind just hurts your self worth. I would strongly advise you not try to contact her in any way again. Wait for her to talk to you... more than once, preferably, before you respond at all. I think you'll find that she won't try to contact you, and that shows what she really wants from you. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who actually likes you.

Finally, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you try to get into a relationship with someone by first hanging around them for a long while, being super kind and doing a bunch of favors for them, and only then bringing up what you've wanted all along. That's deceptive and underhanded because you've hidden your intentions. If you like a girl and want to go on a date with her, and that's the entire reason you're talking to her, a better thing to say would be "Hey, I like you. Want to go on a date?" For now, I advise keeping potential love interests and friends largely separate, when possible. The reason for this is girls are not machines in which you put kindness coins until they magically want to date you. Ask her on a date. If she says yes, great. If she says no, accept that you're probably never going to be in a relationship. Unless you'd really be satisfied with only EVER being friends, don't actively pursue the friendship, because that's not what you really want.

Edit: Other, semi-related advice I would give my 17 year old self: Buy this book, do it with a gym partner, and thank me in a year.

u/voyvf · 2 pointsr/Fitness

You'll want to grip the bar fairly close to your fingers, rather than in your palm, so that there's less skin to be pinched when you're pulling. Starting Strength (the book, not the program) gives a really good explanation of how to pull with minimal pain and callus formation.

u/wap2005 · 2 pointsr/CysticFibrosis

All work outs have 3 warm up sets at 40%, 60%, 80%.

Workout Days - M,W,F (Rotate Workout 1 and Workout 2 every other time you lift.)



Workout 1: Sets x Reps

3x5 - Squats

3x5 - Dead Lift

3x5 - Overhead Press

Workout 2: Sets x Reps

3x5 - Squats

3x5 - Bench Press

3x5 - Bent Over Row

All Work Outs End With:
3 Planks till failure
3 Sets of Pull Ups till failure

My Stats and Weights (lbs): 5'3", Male, 130lbs

Squats - 145

Dead Lift - 155

Over Head Press - 85

Bench Press - 115

Bent Over Row - 80

Best Sets of Pull Ups - 7/6/5

Best Plank - 3.5 Minutes

This workout routine is from a book called Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (slightly modified for personal preference). This is the routine that is mentioned religiously on /r/Fitness.

u/insertSpork · 2 pointsr/progresspics

Little late here... but the lack of stability you were experiencing is exactly why squats are considered such an important exercise. Free weight, compound exercises are just plain better at developing functional strength than machine exercises because they involve more muscles in stabilization and allow for a more natural range of motion. That's not to say that the leg press is bad, it certainly has its uses as an accessory exercise but you're doing yourself a bit of a disservice not trying to nail your squat form. Your knees and balance shouldn't be a problem once you've got the basics down (and, honestly, the leg press is probably marginally worse for overall knee health).

I'd make a go at learning to low bar squat, there's a lot of good resources out there for it. Anything Starting Strength related (like this video or especially the third edition) is a great place to start for technique even if you're not necessarily keen to do that particular program (most people would recommend something similar to it, though). The folks over on /r/startingstrength are usually happy to do form checks and are a very knowledgeable, respectful, and helpful bunch (granted, they'll also probably encourage you to do the program :P).

u/below_parallel · 2 pointsr/Fitness

You'll get plenty of different opinions but bear with me, because here are mine.

You have a few options available to you. You can go with 1) slim cardio bunny/runner, 2) all aesthetics bro, or the 3) big and strong route. There are obviously an infinite number of variations in between but we'll deal in absolutes here.

Slim Cardio Bunny/Runner
Exercise:
Start buy working up to 30 minutes of running 3x a week with one day of rest in between. If you aren't there yet, work on jog/rest intervals until you are doing 30 minutes straight. You want to use weekly progressions in this manner. First week, 2 min run/2 min walk, until you make it to 30 minutes. Second week, 5 min run/2 min walk. Third week 5 min run/1 min walk. Fourth week, 10 min run/4 min walk. Fifth week, 10 min run/2 min walk. Sixth week, 10 min run/1 min walk. Seventh week 15 min run/4 min walke. Eigth week, 15 min run/ 2 min walk. Ninth week, try for a 30 min run. You can proceed as fast or as as slow as you need to based on the general principle of weekly progression (more work everyweek). Lean toward easier than harder. Exercise is a lifelong goal. This is a marathon not a sprint. No reason to burn out too early. Once you are running 30 min 3x a week, start to track your mileage. Once you work up to ~15-20 miles a week running 3-4 times a week, you can start to incorporate speedwork. Once you get to this level, you'll need to do more research on workouts.

Diet:
Determine what your your maintenance caloric need is and work on keeping a 300-500 calorie deficit daily. As you lose weight, you'll need to modify this. Eat clean, cut out excess refined carbohydrates, eat more veggies and more clean proteins. Rice, whole potatoes, sweet and not (not mashed or processed), and beans are your best choices for carbs.

Aesthetics Bro
Exercise:
Pick any random body part split routine you want, it wont make that big of a difference to a beginner. I'd probably suggest 2 leg days a week, and chest/back day, and 1 arm day a week. Do 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps of whatever exercises you really want, but I would suggest at least incorporating all of the following: squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press, barbell rows, barbell curls, pullups, pushups, and dips as a starting point. Cardio work I would start by doing it twice a week at ~20 min low impact cardio after a lifting session. Low impact meaning ellipitcal, stair climbing, slow jogs, or vigorous walks. The idea is that you don't want to hamper your lifting by doing too much cardio.

Diet
Same as cardio bunny except try to eat even less carbs.

Lastly we reach the big and strong route. If anything, this would be my preferred plan, because strength is arguably one of the hardest elements of fitness to build.

Big and Strong
Exercise:
Pick a linear progression program. There are a few out there, Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, and Gray Skull Linear Progression come to mind. I personally have done both SS(Starting Strength) and Strong Lifts (SL) and I prefer SS over SL. You can get a basic template for SS on the internet everywhere, but you will miss a lot of the subtle and very important concepts if you don't thoroughly read the actual text.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343620149&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

www.startingstrength.com is also a great resource.

At your height and weight, it looks like you should stick with this program for 3-6 months. At the end of the 3-6 months, your 5 rep maxes should be around 250-300 for squat, 160-200 for bench, and 100-150 for shoulder press. Your mileage may vary, but if anything you should be lifting MORE than the ranges that I list and not less. If less, you messed something up.

Diet
Eat as much or more than your current caloric intake. The significant stress on your body from the weightlifting will require quite a bit of energy to recover from. For your size, probably keep it around 3000 cal. You may not see weight gain or loss, but you will see body recomp. Eat clean, but don't need to be anal. Still limit the nasty carbs and make sure you get plenty of clean protein and veggies.

Recovery
Something to keep in mind when you work out. Recovery, meaning sleep, stress management, and proper nutrition is KEY. What many people don't realize is that many performance enhancing drugs actually enhance your ability to recover from workouts. That is the magic. Your body doesn't improve DURING the workout. It does so afterward when it attempts to adapt to the stress that was placed on it. The faster your body is able to recover from a workout, the faster you can stress it again, increasing your rate of improvement. Short of taking performance enhancing drugs, you need to keep your SLEEP, EATING, and STRESS MANAGEMENT in check. That's how you grow.

Supplementation
The only supplementation you should do is pre and post workout protein shakes on the weightlifting programs. You can worry about fancy stuff much later on.

Conclusion
If you follow any of the above simple plans consistently, which is key, you will see results in approximately 3 months. If you don't see anything in 3 months, you screwed something up. You either cheated in the eating, didn't work out consistently, or shit your pants when it comes to recovery (partying and drinking too much, not getting enough sleep, etc.) Another thing to keep in mind, be smart with your progression and your intensity. Work out hard, but don't blow your load too soon. Marathon, not a sprint.

u/fscker · 2 pointsr/loseit

Sorry about that. I forgot how intimidated it made me feel when I first started.

Starting Strength is the name of a book and a workout program by Mark Rippetoe, the coach of legend on reddit. It can be found here

Strong Lifts 5x5 is a strength training program run by Mehdi. It can be found here

u/HPLoveshack · 2 pointsr/NakedProgress

Well, the idea is more to start low and progress to medium-high weight and then rotate between low weight/high reps, medium weight/medium reps, and high weight/low reps for your workouts. But for now, yea, low to moderate weights are essential so that workouts don't completely trash you and you can keep a schedule with good frequency and volume and not burn out or get injured. Gives you lots of time to practice.

Going heavy everyday even once you work up to it is still a bad move for anyone that isn't a projectile testosterone sweating romanian minotaur. It's why people plateau constantly, they buy into the dogma of Heavy all the fucking time! Woo yea hardcore! But they don't have the genetics, nutrition, lifestyle (or steroids) to support it.

If you're serious about weight lifting for fitness go order this book ASAP: Starting Strength

With the amount of useful information on form it contains it would be cheap at twice the price, but it also has one of the best beginner programs for any newbie.

Since you're a vegetarian I won't bother trying to convince you to go /r/paleo but focus on getting your protein intake up and avoid all of that processed junk some vegetarians like to eat. (Soy burgers, rice cakes, wheat crackers, etc.) Eat actual fruits and vegetables. And if you do dairy definitely look into greek yogurts to boost your protein. Fresh berries added to some FAGE 2% is pretty fucking awesome. I really recommend you at least incorporate dairy and ideally fish as well if you're going to lift as it's difficult to gain or even maintain muscle on the standard low-protein, low-calorie vegetarian diet.

And for all of you Starting Strength guys who aren't making any progress on your lifts anymore it's time to get real: 5/3/1.




u/otherbill · 2 pointsr/Stronglifts5x5

If you can spare $20, http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ is essential reading. There's also a companion DVD at http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2/ but YouTube videos work nearly as well.

u/phidda · 2 pointsr/loseit

If you think you are an idiot when it comes to lifting weight, buy or download starting strength. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334523317&sr=8-1 It keeps it simple and straightforward -- no need to guess what muscle you are going to "isolate" on a workout. Great for beginners.

Read it, download the logbook calculator (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Tools_and_Downloads) and join a gym that has a squat rack (a real one, not a machine). If you start now, you will see some real results by July (bathing suit time). Seriously. Start now.

I thought the same thing as you. I didn't play football in HS, and never took a weight training class. Weightlifting is for meatheads, right? Well, I realized that I was way too weak for where I wanted to be and that I could use a little meatheadishness. I tried bodyweight lifthing but frankly, I was so weak that I wasn't seeing the gains.

So I bought Starting Strength, read it, downloaded the workout tracking spreadsheet and started in January. Very happy with my decision because as my fat melts, I am starting to see muscles replace it, which is very satisfying.

u/LucaTurilli · 2 pointsr/seduction

Listen bud, being in shape brings about many more things than just looking good. Looking better OBVIOUSLY will help you attract more females - but it's the confidence and success that training hard brings.

You build character when you train. You've set a goal towards something. No one is making you do it, you are doing it yourself. You are building the quality of persistence. This quality carries over into ALL aspects of your life: work, school, girls, goals, etc. When you hone your qualities of persistence and perseverance, every aspect of your life is likely to improve. Your confidence grows as a result. As your confidence grows, you realize how trivial all of the bullshit you used to worry about is.

long story short, getting in shape carries over into your life. Every improvement in your life shows through in social situations. Women pick up on this - women love when men are confident and comfortable with their lives and themselves. I'd say getting in shape could be the first link the chain of building some important qualities that you apparently don't have. The first being self respect (referring to your comment about getting exes back).

ADVICE:
go here and buy this:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333906091&sr=8-1
FOLLOW IT TO THE LETTER AND DON'T QUESTION ANYTHING IN IT.


Being out of shape is not your problem, being a man is your problem. Become a man and things become clearer. Becoming strong is a very logical step in this process.

u/boxofrain · 2 pointsr/Fitness
  1. Start by patting yourself on the back for a job well done. 50 pounds is nothing to sneeze at.

  2. Follow the program that thyagw cleverly bolded in his comment.
u/captaincope35 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Why not just go for the standard Starting Strength?

u/TheAesir · 2 pointsr/Paleo

Maybe I need to write up something for the FAQ in terms of fitness, but a basic summary of the Paleo/Primal principles for fitness are:

  • sprint
  • lift something heavy

    For point number one, to some research on high intensity interval training. Basically it boils down to going out for 30 minutes a few times a week, and moving in an anaerobic state (sprints, jump rope, anything done in quick bursts really)

    For the second point, I would recommend picking up Starting Strength and reading it. Then I would look into a beginning strength program like:

  • Greyskull LP
  • Starting Strength
  • Reg Parks 5x5
  • Stronglifts
u/redoran · 2 pointsr/Fitness

That's not the plan. (Even the most concise version.) The whole point of starting strength is the form. The methodology. The philosophy.

You can look up the base sets and do them, but you're probably not going to do them well, and you're certainly not going to understand WHY you're doing them.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344021707&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/advocatesdevil · 2 pointsr/pics

Check out Starting Strength. It turns out much of what I was taught in weights class in high school was wrong.

u/Skey91 · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

Dude you're still growing.

As long as you are eating ok and playing sports you will most likely fill out fine. Don't do anything drastic.

If you want a good weightlifting program check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/TriggerImage · 2 pointsr/milliondollarextreme

Read this and also this. There are pdfs of the second link available out there. Aside from that, just make sure you plan things out, both your routine and your diet, and make sure you track your progress.

u/shagwood · 2 pointsr/Stronglifts5x5

starting strength cover

Think about the bar path from the cover of this book as you’re squatting, it’s a great mental cue. And squatting with a straight bar path over mid foot will address most of your squat bio mechanics automatically. If you squat with this bar path, then most likely knee, hip and back angles will all be correct.

u/brb_coffee · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Form over weight. If you are using incorrect form, you will not be building strength effectively. And, of course, you are risking injury (especially with barbell exercises).

I found Starting Strength to be a very worthy (and inspirational) purchase.

u/Baeocystin · 2 pointsr/ketogains

First off, welcome! :)

There is already a ton of good info in the links, and other's posts, but I want to emphasize, as you've mentioned:

Starting Strength, the book, and Starting Strength, the DVD.

The book does a better job than any other program I've seen in explaining exactly what to do, and how to do it. The DVD shows you what good form looks like.

Sure, you can get both from links and YouTube, but as far as I'm concerned, this is some of the best possible money spent, in terms of return on investment. You'll get a good beginner's program, and you'll see exactly what the motions are you need to do.

A good trainer is a big plus, no doubt. The problem is finding a good trainer, and not one that will just try and push hard for you to do a 30-minute circuit and call it a day. And this really is a problem. It took me months upon months to finally find the guys I wanted to train with. The amount of bull pushed in the fitness world is astounding.

My advice for supplements (beyond a basic multi, fish oil, & D) is simple: For your first year of training, ignore them.

First comes form, technique, and newbie gains. That will fill out an entire year. There's enough to learn that you won't get bored. Honest. :)

Eat however you enjoy most that gets you the daily calories/macros you need. Timing details are when you're searching for the last half a percent of gain. Right now is not the time for that. Right now is time to bask in your newbgains and nail down the basics, because the rapid progress a beginner makes is an awesome feeling!

u/a2abfcd4 · 2 pointsr/TheRedPill

Don't do the zyzz workout unless you're on the juice. It's not as efficient training as it could be. I personally like doing GSLP, but you can also do SL5x5 or SS.

These are better for a begginner for sure, because you can hit your body harder more times per week and still grow stronger. Also these all include lifts that raise test.

u/thatwolfieguy · 2 pointsr/keto

If you ever get comfortable with the idea of weightlifting, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Lift 3 days a week about 45 min per workout. this book was hands down the best $30 I ever spent in my quest for fitness. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

The only thing I would advise different from the book is to add some direct arm work into your program (curls, triceps extensions, etc). After years of primarily working the big compound lifts, I have big legs, shoulders and chest, but my arms are scrawny by comparison.

u/dismissed13 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Just a reminder that we're not being hardasses on you because we do squats and think everybody else should suffer as well -- it's been proven again and again that it's THE exercise in weightlifting. I'd strongly recommend Mark Rippetoe's book if you want to get your form down (make the trap pain go away) and become a beast:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373834147&sr=8-1&keywords=mark+rippetoe

u/cgenebrewer · 2 pointsr/Fitness

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

There is the book. You should get it.

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs

There is the wiki. It has basic info. Use YouTube to learn some technique, and ask experienced lifters at your gym or take workshops if you can.
Keep working hard and working smart. It will pay off greatly. And learn about nutrition for lifting. It will help a lot.

u/Thestarmoops · 2 pointsr/careerguidance
u/Blue_Moon_Army · 2 pointsr/AirForce

Get on a workout plan. Pick up a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, and turn it into your new Bible. Read as much as you can on Lyle McDonald's website on exercise and nutrition.

Lyle McDonald is the ultimate guru of exercise and nutrition. He will fill in the areas Mark Rippetoe doesn't when it comes to diet and exercise beyond the beginner phase of training. Mark Rippetoe has great knowledge on barbell lifting, but he's a guy who trains powerlifters primarily. He's not going to teach you anything about dumbbells, machines, cardio and other non-barbell stuff. Mark tends to be kind of a meat head due to his preference for powerlifting as a goal beyond any other exercise goals. Don't follow any of Mark Rippetoe's diet advice. He will make you strong, but also very fat. He's a power over aesthetics guy. Lyle teaches training for a variety of goals, including powerlifting, bodybuilding, endurance athletics, injured training, etc.

Use Mark Rippetoe to build a foundation, then build the muscle castle with Lyle McDonald once you're past newbie level.

u/Abiogeneralization · 2 pointsr/Fitness

A few things I can see from your squat (also, I'm close to a beginner myself so take this all with a grain of salt): I'm not sure from this angle if you're doing a low bar squat or a high bar squat: looks a little high to me. And your wrist position is letting the bar roll around on your back. Your wrists should stay in line with your forearms: like your throwing a punch, not doing a pushup. I found this video helpful at addressing both issues. This is my favorite general squat video. And chalk is important for getting a good grip on heavy weights; I never train without it.

Also hard to tell if you're doing this from this angle but it helped me with any knee issues I was having. When you squat down, you want to start by shoving your butt backwards. That's what should initiate the movement, not bringing your knees forward. You then want to continue the movement by bending your knees forward and outwards, keeping them in line with the 30 degree angle of your feet (I can't see if your feet are wide enough or pointed far enough apart from this angle). BUT don't let your knees go beyond the tips of your toes! Some people train this by putting a block of wood or something in front of their toe to they can train not knocking it over on the way down. You make up for this by shoving your butt out farther so you can get down nice and low, which also helps engage proper hip drive recruitment of the posterior chain muscles. The knees in front of the toes thing is known to cause knee issues.

Important: focus your gaze on a point on the floor just five feet in front of you while squatting. I've started actually putting an object there for me to laser in on. Keep your chest puffed up and your chin low, like you're holding a tennis ball there with your chin.

Your bar path isn't quite vertical; I can see it moving forward as you go down in the video. Some of the things I've suggested should help there. In general, the mental cue to keep the bar over your mid foot is helpful for me.

I think you're going down far enough; It's hard to tell because of your gym shorts. Maybe just a little bit farther would be good. I find it's way easier to get back up when I go down far, even though that's scary! That combined with shoving your butt back will activate hip drive.

Your deadlift form looks pretty good! I can see just a little bit of back rounding on your last couple reps, which is best to avoid. But that can happen as we get fatigued. Try lying down on the floor and doing some back extensions just to feel the muscles your should be flexing hard during the lift to keep your back extended.

Also focus in general a bit more! I can see you glancing at people around the room and the gears in your head turning during your set. It's best to try and get in the zone, blocking everything else out. I worry over and work on form during my warm up sets, but try to just let my body do its thing during the work sets. If there's a form issue, I'll correct it on my next workout instead of trying to change anything between work reps. All I'm thinking during the work sets is, "NO HISTRIONICS - ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP! ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP..."

I'm not sure about squatting barefoot. I know some people deadlift that way, but I haven't heard squatting barefoot recommended. These are great and you can get them for <$60 if you don't care about the color. Made all the difference for me - keeps your ankles and knees stable while letting your push nice and hard.

Embrace the DOMS - love the DOMS. There's a difference between pain and injury. I was getting crazy DOMS for a while, but did my squats anyway. The DOMS were gone by the end of the workout (and then came back twice as hard the next day!). But eventually that stopped and I don't get DOMS much anymore.

Overuse and possible medical issues are no joke. I've never had an injury worse than the time I spent two full days walking around Washington DC in dress shoes. Most doctors don't understand training, but get their advice about your knees anyway. I'd blame your knee issues on your job before blaming them on squatting.

If you haven't already, definitely read Starting Strength no matter what program you're moving towards.

u/speedy2686 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Drinking caffeine doesn't affect your bone density, unless you have some illness I've never heard of.

If you're worried about bone density, anyway, buy a copy of Starting Strength and start lifting. You're at the perfect age for it.

u/blueholeload · 2 pointsr/StartingStrength

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oRu1CbGMY8G06

u/RajamaPants · 2 pointsr/fitness30plus

I'm the same age. Was a casual gym goer, then I discovered Starting Strength and fell in love!

Starting Strength is simple, quick, and the advancement feels and is noticeable. It's a really good program!

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/AnatomicKillBox · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Keeping in mind affordability and portability, a powerlifting spin (and that I’m on mobile, so sorry about formatting):

  1. Dead Wedge. Fantastic for unloading/loading the bar when deadlifting heavy. I use mine every deadlift session (so, at least once a week) https://www.lift.net/product/dead-wedge-deadlift-jack-alternative/

  2. A bar pad. Makes it easier to do hip thrusts without the bruises and pain. https://www.thexbands.com/products/hip-thrust-and-squat-barbell-pad?variant=7422385356863&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI45qX_e713gIVi5-zCh34lQ0lEAQYBSABEgL7yfD_BwE

  3. Resistance bands, small or large. Small ones are great for accessory muscle activation activities. Large ones are great for their transportability - can do lots of stuff on the go - good mornings, overhead squats, bicep curls, scapula retractions... I’ve never used either of these brands, but as examples - Large: https://www.amazon.com/INTEY-Exercise-Resistance-Workout-Powerlifting/dp/B07226JDDD/ref=pd_aw_lpo_200_tr_img_2/133-4722036-0430309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A7DYJRRWKMG0MEJ0CV5J, Small: https://www.amazon.com/Athleema-Resistance-Bands-Light-Medium/dp/B00LYY0YE8/ref=pd_aw_lpo_200_lp_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z099J78N6FSZRMEVEEVC

  4. Liquid chalk. Great for rock climbing, lifting...anything when grip is essential. Also, may be allowed in gyms/areas when conventional chalk isn’t. Lots of different brands and types. Check out a comparison here: http://www.kingofthegym.com/best-liquid-chalk-for-lifting/

  5. Hand care items; manicure gift certificate. Or, if you’re gonna go “all out,” a massage gift certificate.

  6. A month of programming. My gym membership is expensive, since it’s a specialty gym. BUT my programming is through the Juggernaut site and is about $30/month - making it a more realistic possibility for friends/family.

  7. Plate coasters. I got these as a stocking stuffer for my lifting partner. https://www.getrxd.com/getrxd-comp-plate-coasters.html?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk-6EuvX13gIVgeDICh3MBwjbEAQYASABEgI5AfD_BwE

  8. Starting Strength, by Mark Rippetoe. I LOVE this book. I have a background in anatomy, so it’s right up my nerdy alley. If you have a lifting friend who is into the how and why, get them this. https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
u/poorChessProgrammer · 2 pointsr/greece

https://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

tl;dr crossfit = shit, κτίσε δύναμη με deadlift, squat, bench press, press, chin ups, rows.

u/Razraal · 2 pointsr/formcheck

> if I go even further down my back collapses even more....what do I do to fix that?

As u/BR33ZY, you need to deload your squat weight and fix your form while re-progressing.

> Also should I sit back and squat or is it more of a straight down motion? This is the biggest thing confusing me right now.

We're talking about the low bar squat here. It's different from the high bar squat in many aspects.

The idea is to push your hips back and descend untill you hit depth, then push your hips up.

For this it's better to watch and read than to just read.

To watch:

u/coldize · 2 pointsr/loseit

You can always get started with bodyweightfitness but if you truly want to build more lean mass then you are going to have to start lifting heavy things.

From a practical perspective, this means getting a gym membership for 95% of people. But you could also start doing a lot more manual labor.

I think it's ludicrous you think a gym membership is out of your budget. Make it work if you want it, friend. I'd bet my bottom dollar there's an affordable option near you. As a hint, don't just look at big name gyms like Gold's, Vasa, 24 hour, etc. You can often find smaller "garage" style gyms or boxing gyms with weight equipment and they're often way cheaper with less contractual bullshit. Post in your city's subreddit and do some digging.

And if you're interested in educating yourself about how the body builds and uses muscle, I highly suggest reading the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe to learn the fundamentals.

Also, read the sidebar over on /r/fitness

u/brandor77 · 2 pointsr/asktrp

Starting Strength is the place to start. Dry as hell. Read it all the way through. Start light and simple. Do it right, and you will see results by week 2, I promise. It changed my life.

Take an honest look at your diet. Again, start simple. The best place to begin is to start cutting out "dead" food. If it doesn't resemble what it looked like when it was picked or slaughtered, try getting rid of it. Sugar is your enemy. Alcohol is another one - particularly if you are using it to sedate.

This is a long journey, my friend. Take the time to study, make changes in small steps. One day you won't even recognize the man you are today.

Good luck, brother.

u/pmward · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Deadlifts are a completely different movement, with the weight in a completely different position, which activates muscles at a completely different angle. To fully activate the posterior chain in a back squat you must go below parallel.

If you want to learn the nitty gritty differences between the major lifts I recommend this book, and in here he explicitly states the fact that I mentioned, that you only fully activate the posterior chain below parallel in a back squat:
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486673097&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/b--man · 2 pointsr/Anarcho_Capitalism

First, understand that there is no such thing as mental illness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXMJ9lVBvVE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Riet8REzsQ

Then, eat well (+meat, -sugar), sleep well, go do high intensity low duration exercises (something like http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_4 or brazilian Jiujitsu).

Then, find something that you like, that is in demand and that you have some talent. Then hit MMOCs, books, torrents and all that.

u/gunslinger_006 · 2 pointsr/yoga

As a guy who has been in rehab/PT and now an S&C program for a blown lumbar disc: Heed that advice.

However: Having a blown disc isn't the end of the world.

Get imaging and a PT assessment, and if you cleared to do strength building, I highly recommend you do some light powerlifts (squat, deadlifts, bench). Key word here is LIGHT.

This book is extremely good at getting you started on lifting properly:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415384805&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/ruck_it3 · 2 pointsr/RugbyTraining

I'm not an expert so buy the book starting strength before you start lifting. You want high volume/low reps though.

u/NotALlamaAMA · 2 pointsr/StartingStrength

Buy this book and read it.

u/Han_Onyme · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Keep it simple and, more importantly, do not over-think it.
If you are a beginner, just about any well-designed programme will work door at least a few months.

Have a look in r/powerlifting and r/fitness FAQs for comments on the various programmes.

If you want to understand the theory:

u/scipio_major · 2 pointsr/Rowing

Starting Strength is a book/lifting program that's a pretty good starting point for doing barbell lifting.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/

u/joshharoldson · 2 pointsr/homegym

Awesome! I'd highly recommend Starting Strength because it is simple and effective. Only 3 sessions per week, 3 lifts per session, and each session only takes around 1 hour.

This is where I'd start:

  • Buy the book if you can. Read it. Study it.
  • Watch these videos to learn good form for the squat, overhead press, bench, and deadlift. Study them over and over.
  • Then read this quick start guide to Starting Strength.
  • Listen to the first 10 or so episodes of the Barbell Logic Podcast to hear two coaches tell you everything you need to know about starting the program.
  • Read this great article about eating for strength athletes (which you are as soon as you commit to training with a barbell).

    Then once your equipment gets set up, just follow the program, eat enough (seriously, this is damn near the most important thing), don't miss training sessions, and post form checks and ask questions over at r/startingstrength.

    If you do that, as long as you don't have some infinitesimally rare disease, in the next 3, 6, 9, and 12 months you'll get stronger and bigger than you ever imagined. Just do the program. It's going to be hard work, but it really is that simple.

    Good luck!
u/PixelTreason · 2 pointsr/NakedProgress

Your husband sounds like a douche.

I see some serious potential in your body for fitness and a lovely shape! It's already there, shape-wise. You have a great dip in your natural waist, your legs in particular look like they are going to be amazing with some exercise and your butt still looks quite high.

Your body reminds me of mine when I was a bit heavier but you have more muscle already than I did. If you lose weight slowly and do weight training at the same time you may avoid the excessive amount of loose skin that I, unfortunately, did not!

I would advise you to try http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ as it has helped me immensely in my getting fit.
The other thing you could get is a small (they are like, 20 bucks) digital food scale. Amazingly helpful. It's shocking how rarely a measuring device (tablespoon,cup) is accurate. Almost never! I was so wrong on my portions and serving sizes before I got a scale.

Also, I would suggest not just doing cardio classes but weight lifting as well. You could look at something like Starting Strength or The New Rules Of Lifting For Women.
It will reshape your body, making everything tighter and higher instead of just losing weight (which has the danger of making everything droopier and saggier!).

Good luck!

u/AugieSchwer · 2 pointsr/StartingStrength

I recommend purchasing and reading the SS book (https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474557039&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength) and following the program as prescribed. It has loads of other info about barbell training besides just the details of the program. Practical Programming is good, but I wouldn't recommend it for a novice.

If you just started the novice program and are already missing lifts, then did you start the program with too much weight?

Do you want to share your numbers, your age, and body weight?

The SS forums are a great place to ask questions too, but you're gonna get ripped to shreds if you say you're doing the program, but haven't read the book. :P

u/thefoofighters · 2 pointsr/Fitness

If I were you, I'd obtain a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, and actually read it, and follow his advice.

u/fapsolute · 2 pointsr/pics

THE book.

The accompanying site, which has gone through pretty big makeover lately to become more user- and beginner-friendly. Check out the link "Learn More" at the top for a good intro and links to important articles hosted on the site.

Starting Strength is excellent as far as the theory and execution of the lifts, but the program as written can be tough, sometimes too tough depending on your lifestyle and other obligations. Other programs with similar philosophies but more modest workloads include Greyskull LP, 5/3/1 (not great for novices, but super flexible for intermediates), and Madcow 5x5. Ice Cream Fitness 5x5, Stronglifts 5x5 and some others seem to be popular with beginners as well.

u/utahrd37 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Check out Starting Strength -- follow the program and you will most definitely see your strength go up.

Starting Strength - Form

[Practical Programming] (http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407078295&sr=1-2&keywords=starting+strength) - How to plan your workouts

u/ancientwarriorman · 2 pointsr/reactiongifs

Buy this book and read it

Good intro to free weights.

Nutrition comes next. Check out r/fitness, they have a good FAQ.

u/sixandsevens · 2 pointsr/ftm

I've never seen one. There's an FTM fitness sub that's not very active, and I don't use it. But let me leave you with some resources.

First, general healthy living + nerdom: Nerd Fitness (www.nerdfitness.com)

Second, if you want to get into lifting, scrounge your house for change if you have to and buy this book: Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467178753&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength)

I'm lazy about embedding links. It may be worth noting that I have no affiliations with either Nerd Fitness or Mark Rippetoe. Also a disclaimer: Starting Strength is a strength program, not a bodybuilding program; although you'll probably lose fat and put on some muscle as a result, it's basically a side effect of becoming stronger. However, even if you do decide you'd rather train in more of a bodybuilding style, it never hurts to have a good foundation in general strength. Also it's really cool to be able to pick heavy things up and put them down.

Rippetoe taught me 90% of what I know about lifting and programming. I started with basically no knowledge at all, and less than a year later (I started around last September) I can just bang out a 200lb+ squat. (For reference, my max squat before starting T was 190lbs. I realize that T does make a difference in strength performance.) In my time lifting I've seen myself get a little bit leaner--I was already fairly lean by female standards, and losing more weight wasn't really a goal of mine--and I packed on about 10lbs of muscle before starting T, which did loads for my confidence. (T note again: since starting T I've put on another 6lbs.) In the end I would say I did look more masculine, but not necessarily less feminine; as with many trans guys, I'll forever be keeping my birthing hips, but seeing myself develop biceps has been really cool and rewarding. And, to be honest, if you don't get anything else out of it: It's kind of hard to dislike your body--however it looks--when you find yourself performing at a level that you never thought you could.

Feel free to PM me/ask questions/whatever.

PS: Both squatting and deadlifts will do wonders for your back and core. I owe my back to deadlifts. And overhead presses build some beautiful deltoids and triceps.

u/7_legged_spider · 2 pointsr/swoleacceptance

The best tool for guidance is a basic Anatomy and Physiology textbook, to see all of the muscles, their origins and insertions, and how they generate force. However, that's time consuming and somewhat boring, so here are some quick links to books that have information regarding exercise specificity; i.e. what to do for which muscles you want to work out:

  • Arnold's Newer Book

  • Arnold's Older Book

    Still halfway decent and for both genders, despite the title.

  • Starting Strength

    Not such a fan of Rippetoe, as I tend to go the bodybuilder route, and strength is less of a priority, but still a good source.

    --------------------------

    Also, if you're so inclined, a purchasing a single session with a personal trainer to help you sort out your program would do wonders. (Make sure the trainer has some sort of certification, though--B.S. or higher in Sports Medicine/Exercise Science/Athletic Training, ACSM, NCSA, etc.)
u/Talothyn · 2 pointsr/judo

I am a big fan of Mark Rippitoe's starting strength.

https://startingstrength.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in being stronger.

u/MaebiusKiyak · 2 pointsr/loseit

Do yourself a huge favor and don't restrict your exercise to cardio. If anything strength training is much more important and will yield much faster results.

Read this book cover to cover (for serious): http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

Check out r/fitness and r/weightroom.

u/BourbonZawa · 2 pointsr/Fitness

The book Starting Strength can be a big help. And what others have said. Don't be afraid of people either. Trust me when I say no one who is seriously lifting is paying attention to what anyone else is doing.

u/PoppinSquats · 2 pointsr/loseit

Hi,

3rd edition is like literally just about to be released. Don't buy the second edition.

edit: it IS out - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322144628&sr=1-2

Kindle edition should be available in less than a month.

u/SerialMonogamist · 2 pointsr/MMA

To make a very brief comment about a very large subject, most trainers and fighters agree that hi-weight lo-rep compound lifts build the most useful strength for MMA. The idea is to train fundamental body movements, not individual muscles. There's no better way to do that than the old strongman exercises: squat, deadlift, press, and pull.

As a couple others have mentioned, Starting Strength is an excellent book to get started on this:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371684840&sr=1-1&keywords=starting+strength

But these are pretty technical lifts. One bad rep and you can really fuck up your back, or shoulder, or lots of things. So that book is only worth a damn if it's supplemental to somebody teaching you how to squat and deadlift without hurting yourself, how to put weight overhead with good form.

The subreddit at r/fitness is probably a better place for you to learn about this stuff, by the way-- check out their FAQ.

u/Paladin_PDX · 2 pointsr/judo

buy yourself a copy of starting strength it will teach you everything you need to know to begin sport related strength training. basically the exercises that are being mentioned here, squat, deadlift, powerclean, also bench press and overhead press.

to starting strength I have added dips, chins, sprints, and I wish my gym had a climbing rope.

disclaimer: I've been weight training significantly longer than I've practiced judo. I would like to say that there are no exercises that will directly relate to anything. to get better at judo you must do more judo. being strong helps out in a multitude of other life-related things, It's really important to me that I be physically strong. but it hasn't given me much of an advantage in judo. at least not over someone who is generally physically fit. I can deadlift 400lbs, the only time I felt this was applicable in a judo situation was while training turtle turnovers, which I've never actually seen done in competition. I've been owned in newaza by smaller dudes who either haven't lifted in a long time, or don't actively lift. my weight training felt useless.

what I'm saying is, it's not that big of a deal, if you're physically weak, you need to get stronger, but don't expect it to really help your judo that much.

u/romman00 · 2 pointsr/relationships

OP - you should start going to the gym and working out too. You'll gain confidence, have more energy, look better, increase testosterone production -> higher sex drive, be healthier, etc.

You can try to go with your wife, but don't let her dissuade you from going if she isn't supportive (this seems weird to me but maybe she wants to go alone since going with another person is slower, or she thinks you won't be serious about it and would be a waste of her time to teach you). You don't need another person to workout anyway. All you need is Starting Strength, which will teach you the 5 main compound movements. Once you've read this, go to www.stronglifts.com to setup a routine that uses these 5 main compound movements.

This is exactly what I did 4 years ago. I never set foot in a weight training area before. I was a complete and utter noob, but I had drive and wanted to learn how to lift and get stronger. The first workouts were awkward as I learned my way around the gym and how to use the equipment, and I was incredibly sore afterwards. It turns out that you get less sore as your body adjusts to exercise, and awkwardness goes away with just a bit of experience. Within 4 months I had gained noticeable weight and strength - and even knew the lifts pretty well. My friends noticed and started going to the gym with me so I could teach them - they considered me the resident expert on strength training. But really all I did was read Starting Strength, watch some Youtube videos, and do the lifts myself.

You asked how to get back on equal footing - I think doing the above would be a great start. You'll probably eventually surpass your wife on lifts, since men are stronger than women on average. Good luck.

u/ShaolinTiger · 2 pointsr/DotA2

Haha no worries, I'm not super fat actually I'm just really unfit. I just got a treadmill and started Couch-to-5k.

http://www.shaolintiger.com/category/fitness/couch-to-5k-fitness/

My body type scan already rates me as 'heavily muscled'.

I tried the slow carb diet before, but it didn't really work out for me. But yah I've cut out sugary drinks, snacking etc and am trying to eat better. Just want to get into generally better shape.

Resistance training is great of course, I've read http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/faq and http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/faq

I even bought he most recommended book - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

So yah, getting there :)

u/great_bushybeard · 2 pointsr/zurich

I totally get the idea for a coach. I also would like to have someone coach my form. I started with starting strength from Rippetoe, which is a great way to get the basic form, but someone who knows who can watch is nice to have.

u/TillyOTilly · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Starting Strength.

I do 3 days a week, with two routines. Routine A and Routine B, which you rotate through. Week 1: A , B , A . Week 2. B , A, B, etc. Consists of deadlifts, Overhead press, bench press, squats, rows, dips or chinups(I do both). So, I do 4 work outs in each routine. Squats are in both of them.

u/psykotedy · 2 pointsr/progresspics

Personally, I would recommend hitting up /r/bodyweightfitness (they have a loosely defined Beginner Routine in their Training Guide, but you would be good with the recommended Start Bodyweight routine), but you may prefer getting Starting Strength and working with weights instead. A hybrid of the two is most effective because after a certain point, there isn't a whole lot you can do to increase difficulty on your leg workouts without adding weights; to start off, though, you'll do fine with just bodyweight.

Of course, that's just my opinion. Others may have different and/or better advice.

u/happyFelix · 2 pointsr/veganfitness

On the routine you can go to /r/bodybuilding. Just don't tell them you're vegan. :o)

Get 1g per pound of bodyweight of protein (protein powder seems to be the easiest way to do this on a vegan diet) daily.
Get 3-500 kcal above daily maintenance levels to fuel growth.

Use Starting Strength.

Ideally you stay in the 8-12 rep range per set (2-3 sets).
Don't train all muscles on all days. Split it up. One day chest, one day legs, one day shoulders and back, something like that.
You can push yourself more and each muscle group has more time to recover and grow.

You may also find further help on http://veganbodybuilding.com

Have patience. This project will realistically take about 3 years to completion if done right (which is no time really and you'll see continuous improvement from the first months on). You will get more of those gains in the beginning, which should soothe some of that impatience.

u/lapropriu · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Lou Schuler has a youtube channel with some form videos, but not a lot of useful cues, so I didn't find those particularly illuminating. Starting Strength, the book, has a lot of awesome discussion of body mechanics and proper form for the main exercises, which I would be most worried about for getting proper form; if you're more of a visual learner, there's a dvd that goes with it. And here's a youtube playlist for some of the most common exercises. Most of these people are well respected fitness professionals, with blogs and youtube channels that are worth following.

For form, I also wouldn't worry too much about some of the smaller, isolation exercises. Do your best to follow the directions in the book. Make sure you do a good job on the compound movements though, especially as you up your weight.

u/DontPanic- · 2 pointsr/crossfit

FIT is the book I am constantly recommending to CF athletes. It's written by Lon Kilgore (who some of you may know from the 1st and 2nd editions of Starting Strength), Michael Hartman (Well known Olympic Lifting coach and strength and conditioning professor), and Justin Lascek (of 70's Big). The combined experience and knowledge of these guys is fucking awesome, and its presented in a way that anyone can understand. The book breaks down how to effectively program multiple domains of fitness at the same time. Here's the blurb from Amazon...

"Fitness is hard. Very hard. Everyone knows it is, but everyone is also willing to risk time and money on the mythology of easy fitness. If anyone, ANYONE, tells you that there is an “EASY” way to fitness, they just want your money. FIT is a book about how to get fit. It defines what fitness is in measurable, observable, and real-world terms. There is no mumbo-jumbo, just facts, practical information, and a logical approach to creating fitness from the first day of training through the day you reach your goal in fitness. No other training resource provides the reader the programming basics to specialize in one component of fitness or seamlessly program for comprehensive fitness and take the trainee from beginner to intermediate then to advanced and beyond - it’s a book for a lifetime of training. Exercise is dangerous - from 1 yard to 100 miles, 1 pound to half a ton, on land, in the water, on a bike - hazards abound and you need to pay attention to what your body tells you. But the body can adapt to much more than we give it credit for. If you use the concepts in FIT - no excuses, no whining, no shortcuts - and just get to the gym, garage, or wherever, and train hard, you will amaze yourself with results and how fast they are earned."

u/shanahanigans · 2 pointsr/seduction

it's not just about having a gym membership, make sure you use it! The biggest obstacle for me was ignorance of what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

Read this so you understand the what and why.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395930051&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

Watch these so you understand the how.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMAiNQJ6FPc&list=PLNhFKPjedRnRrgZbcM1TbI7YTD0pxqMgH

Never let yourself NOT go to the gym for more than 3 consecutive days. Put in the work for just a couple weeks and you'll see great results!

And remember, "learn before you load". Don't be that guy who tries to do too much too soon.

Good luck!

u/lickymcfool · 2 pointsr/GYM

I started with Starting Strength. It’s a book that explains the basic lifts and outlines a basic barbell program. Do that for awhile then move on to a more advanced program.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/Annabel398 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

If OP wants to low-bar squat, all the Starting Strength material is going to be helpful. Check out the book from the library! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/

Low-bar is definitely a weird position... for my first set of warmups, I'm always like "MY BODY DOESN'T BEND LIKE THAT" but by the time I'm halfway through warmups, it's like "O HAI I CAN DO IT!"

I too work a desk job, and I think that low-bar squat posture is helpful in counteracting the rounded-in shoulders that we get from typing all day.

u/sobuffalo · 2 pointsr/videos

I think Mark Rippetoe says it best http://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly

He basically wrote The Book on Strength training, and also worked with Crossfit for a few years so I respect his opinion.

u/MyDogisLickingitself · 2 pointsr/Fitness

I'm in a similar situation as you my friend. I have been doing machines for about 5 or 6 weeks now and I have just started throwing in free weights in my routine and I feel over whelmed and awkward at the gym and extremely self conscious. However I can offer a bit of advice in regards to your form; if your serious about sticking to lifting I would pick up the book "Starting Strength" it's only about 25 bucks and it goes into EXTREME detail in regards to how to properly preform all the major lifts and even offers insight into your diet, routine, and other lifts.

Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404262578&sr=8-1&keywords=Starting+strength

u/diversification · 2 pointsr/Fitness

> "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe

This the right one?

u/Might_Be_Insane · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength

I'm doing SL5x5 right now, started end of last year. Read parts of starting strength for more detailed instructions on how to do the exercises.

My experience so far: Gained a little bit of weight but not much. First few months I went from 140~145 to ~150 (I'm about 5'9" for what it's worth). I haven't changed my diet too much though, so that is a big factor. I think I've gained quite a bit of strength and I've noticed muscle growth. Especially in my upper legs and back. That's where there's been the most noticeable change. My posture has also improved a lot too.

I don't make it sound amazing or anything, but it's done more for me than any other workout I've done has so far. Take it for what it's worth. May or may not be the right thing for you. tl;dr of SL5x5/SS. Bit of a learning curve to get the ~5 main exercises, but there are only 5 exercises. If you stick to the plan you'll get stronger and start to look better too.

u/Lovely_Lad · 2 pointsr/NewToEMS

This book and a gym with a barbell is all you need. You won't get hurt, you start light and work your way up.

Edit:sorry, fucked the link up multiple times...

u/NardaQ · 2 pointsr/Fitness

You are big young guy. 3 things that are working massively in your favor. Buy and read this.

Run the program as written, see a coach and learn to lowbar squat. In 4 months you will be squatting 315 for 5s. Milk the novice gains for everything you can before switching to intermediate programming.

u/GoLightLady · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Dealing with knee issues myself from an old injury. I will say do not push a knee issue. It will back fire 100%. I'm having to go back to no weight/ low weight, just the bar to build support muscles to ease my situation. Hams, calves, back, hips all play a part. It's better to work with your limitations with knees and build them up well and stable rather than push weights and have to recoup for months.

From what I can see, your alignment seems off. The bar seems high on your neck, roll it down to on your traps more. The alignment could be unbalancing and straining rather than loading the skeleton and muscles for workout. If that helps.

A book you should check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483635089&sr=1-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/sockaddr · 2 pointsr/scoliosis

No problem on the stalking, haha.

Those are good questions about lifting. I've also done a lot of googling on the topic and come away frustrated. I started about 3.5 years ago, and I train mostly for strength. Overall, I think it's been a good thing for my scoliosis. It can be frustrating - lifting is harder when you don't have a straight spine supporting the weight. I've been able to get decently strong and continue to make progress, though (495x1 deadlift, 335x5 squat, and 210ish bench). All my lifts continue to go up each week, although I have had injuries and tweaks along the way. I can't say if it's due to my scoliosis or not, so I just deal with them and keep training.

I think the way scoliosis will impact lifting will be a little different for everyone since everyone's curves are unique. For the most part, I can perform the lifts with minimal modifications. Bench is hard for me because my right shoulder comes out at a weight angle due to my thoracic curve, but I'm still able to get stronger.

I think lifting has made my curves less noticeable, but it's really hard to say. Ultimately, a body with muscle on it is going to look better than one without, and being stronger is going to be better than being weaker. I do struggle with body image issues with the scoliosis from time to time, and lifting has been very helpful for that. I have a lot more confidence, both from having muscle and from knowing that I'm stronger than most other guys walking around on the street.

Are you familiar with the Starting Strength program? I would highly recommend that program. It's a basic barbell program, and it's the most effective way to get stronger. There's a large community on the starting strength forums, which is a great place to ask for advice and post form checks. There are a lot of things grouped under "Starting Strength": "the program" I just mentioned, the methods of executing the lifts, weekend seminars put on by Mark Rippetoe, a coaching certification, an app, an online coaching service, and a series of books. Sometimes starting strength gets flack from bros online, but I would ignore that. Just go to the forums and look at people's training logs - you'll see some big numbers achieved relatively quickly.

The 2 big things for success in the gym are proper form and adhering to a program without giving up or adding stuff to it. For form, the best thing you can do is find an "SSC" (Starting Strength Coach) near you and schedule a training session. They'll teach you how to perform the lifts safely in accordance with the SS model, along with any modifications you might need to make due to your scoliosis. For example, with a lumbar curve, you may have an effective leg length discrepancy and need to shim one of your shoes. They'll be able to tell you that. They'll also be able to help you get started on the novice program.

To find a coach, you can look here: http://startingstrength.org/index.php/site/coaches

Rippetoe himself also puts on seminars, which I mentioned, which you can find a list of here: http://startingstrength.com/coaching/seminars

I also mentioned the starting strength books. The first one to read is "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" (abbreviated as SSBBT). You can get it on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738. This book covers how to perform the lifts, and briefly talks about the novice program toward the end. The book is very dense, and I wouldn't recommend reading it cover to cover at first. I'd read the "how to" parts for each lift first, then go back and fill in the blanks.

The next book is "Practical Programming for Strength Training" (https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754). This covers how to structure a training program. It goes into more detail on the novice program, then lays out different types of intermediate and advanced programming. This one isn't as essential to order right away - you can find the general novice program here: https://www.t-nation.com/training/most-lifters-are-still-beginners (scroll down to "The Program").

I guess that was a long response. Hopefully this info is helpful for you or anyone in the future who might find this thread. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Depending on your location, I may be able to recommend a coach or gym. I wish I knew all of this when I was your age, so don't hesitate to get in touch.

u/SlowSteadyProgress · 1 pointr/steroids

You'll hear it a lot here, but read the wiki. There are books linked in there too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/steroids/wiki/index

It'll help if you keep reading this "Ask anything thread" for awhile too.

On the non-steroids side of things, consider reading something like Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It's very conversational and even entertaining, but will help you nail down form before you lock in the wrong way of doing something. I highly recommend focusing on basic compound barbell lifts before you try anything exotic. You have to build a strong base before you can sculpt it.

u/applepiepod · 1 pointr/funny

If you're looking to get stronger and use barbells (which are better than machines, cause you get compound movement and all), I highly suggest buying starting strength. It is literally the bible of starting out in the gym. Super detailed and everything. Also check out /r/weightroom if you are interested in that sort of stuff. Don't let your fear of the gym prevent you from going--everyone had to start somewhere!

u/jacob_the_snacob · 1 pointr/seduction

have you heard of starting strength before?

nothing like heavy-ass squats and deadlifts to improve your appearance :-)

u/linalgapp · 1 pointr/Fitness

I found the book Starting Strength to be really helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982522738?keywords=startomg%20strength&qid=1449465618&ref_=sr_1_sc_1&sr=8-1-spell
It's got plenty of pictures and clear instructions to guide you through.

u/shupack · 1 pointr/loseit

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0982522738

I bought it in kindle-format, I have it on my phone to look up form info between sets, and to show if anyone asks me about it. After I bought it I found out the hardback comes with an instructional DVD....

u/HawkeyeGK · 1 pointr/AskReddit

This $30 that'll change your life.

Also, this and this and this and this and my very first Amazon order placed August 27, 1998 for this

u/spinozasrobot · 1 pointr/Fitness

Maybe this will clarify things, since perhaps I'm not doing Rippetoe justice:

u/Lambohuracan · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you don't know what "full range of motion" is, you should start educating yourself. This is a great book starting strength

u/badkarma5833 · 1 pointr/OneY

The only reason why I asked about the blood sugar is because my Fasting Glucose always came back normal but my GP randomly threw on a A1C test when I first asked for a T level test and it was 6.0 (pre-diabetic) which was surprising for me since I have always been generally healhty and in shape. At this time I was about 20-25 pounds overweight but I wouldnt think thats enough to trigger pre-diabetes. I have kept my sugar inline ever since. A1C is always below 6. It may be unrelated to the while T issue stuff but im keeping an eye on how my glucose reacts if my T levels go back to normal.

I do highly encourage you to get back into working out. If you can go for strength training and lift weights and minimize cardio and go on a low carb high protein diet go for it.
Great Guide for Strength Training

Also recommend Beach Body Products like P90X and Body Beast.

Il def keep you informed. Il go for some more blood work probably around the end of December or early Jan as these things take time I suppose. Feel free to PM me as well im on reddit often.

u/erdnussmachts · 1 pointr/edefreiheit

>##Starting Strength: A Review Of Mark Rippetoe's Barbell Bible


>Starting Strength is a classic, one of the best barbell-based training books ever written. Now there's a new-and-improved edition that raises the bar even higher.


>People who want to get bigger, stronger, and more athletic frequently approach me for training advice and instruction. After all, most of us agree that "strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general." (A little Mark Rippetoe morsel for you.)

>I wish I had time to train each of these people. I'd love to pull them into a gym, put them under a bar, and guide them through the fundamentals of resistance training. Unfortunately, this approach isn't usually possible. For most of these "help-me-get-bigger" brothers, the best thing I can do is recommend a book. Time after time, I recommend the same one: Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

>###The Gym Bible

>Never heard of it? Extract yourself from the crazy claws of your favorite biceps curl machine and listen up. Starting Strength teaches you everything you need to know to properly program and perform full range of motion barbell exercises, which are the best functional expression of human skeletal and muscular anatomy under a load. Simply put, your favorite isolation exercise ain't squat compared to the squat. If you're not performing barbell compound exercises, you're not getting the most from your strength workouts.

>As Coach Rip says about the deadlift, it's more functional than almost any other exercise because "it's very hard to imagine a more useful application of strength than picking heavy up off the ground."

>The big problem with barbell training, however, is that the majority of people don't know how to do it correctly, even if they've been training for years. Because every aspect of bar movement is controlled by the lifter, barbell training requires an investment in time and education. Starting Strength addresses that issue. Luckily, readers have just been blessed with the recently released Third Edition, and it's fantastic.

>###Under The Book

>The Starting Strength program is one of the most popular programs in America, particularly in high school and college weight rooms. It also has an incredibly high rating on Amazon, having garnered 90% or more 5-star reviews.

>The only complaints with previous editions of Starting Strength were that it needed better pictures and editing. Welcome to the Third Edition. Without reinventing the wheel, it comes with a new look, new photos, excellent illustrations, and updates in the program based on the experiences of thousands of athletes in the four years since the last release.

>###Why Buy?

>If you're new to weight training, this program is one your best possible investments. Furthermore, if you have been using mainly machines or doing calisthenics, not having mastered squats, bench presses, deadlifts or cleans, then Starting Strength will set you straight. Rippetoe's instructions are simple enough for a novice to understand but detailed enough for a strength coach's arsenal.

>The program stresses the basics of effective compound exercises and weight progression with an emphasis on flawless technique. It is appropriate for anyone looking for a solid foundation in strength, muscle, and power. Starting Strength teaches you to train the body as a complete system, not a collection of parts.

>"Exercise is the stimulus that returns our bodies to the conditions for which they were designed. Humans are not physically normal in the absence of hard, physical effort. Exercise is not a thing we do to fix a problem-it is a thing we must do anyway, a thing without which there will always be problems. Exercise is substitute cave-man activity." (Rippetoe 1)

>###Precision Makes Perfect

>Starting Strength puts a very heavy emphasis on lifting correctly, with over 200 pages dedicated to mastering the five most important movements: the squat, press, bench press, clean, and deadlift. You may have thought you knew how to squat, but until Mark has taught you how bar position effects torso angle, lower body joint relationships, why your knees keep caving in, and why you shouldn't look up when squatting, you'll basically never know.

>While the squat, press, bench press, clean, and deadlift are the focus of the program, Mark does recommend ancillary exercises for certain situations. These are typically useful variations of the main lifts to emphasize weak points, as well as other movements that can be used for pre-hab or corrective exercise. Other included exercises - such as the glute ham raise, dip, and row - contribute to functional strength and movement.

>You won't see leg curls or extensions in Rip's pages, however. In the real world or on the athletic field, the hamstrings and quadriceps always function together when we move. The only place where we can purely isolate these muscles is on a machine, so why should we use this equipment? Just because someone made the machine?

>After teaching you everything you will need to know about technique for the bread-and-butter barbell movements, Rippetoe gives you the carrot with his actual program. These workouts are not long, drawn-out affairs, but are designed to stimulate a response of strength and hypertrophy as efficiently as possible. The novice would start with just the main lifts done with two training sessions, three times per week (Rippetoe 296):

>[Bilder und Ausführungen]

>Rippetoe thoroughly outlines the reasoning behind this basic program, with advice on how to warm up, selecting the work load, and how to make adjustments. He also instructs the reader how to advance the program to continue progress.

>Training begins with warm-ups. This includes the general warm-up to produce tissue warmth throughout the body, as well as exercise-specific warm-ups with an Olympic bar. The specific warm-up isn't only for dynamic stretching and tissue temperature, but is vital to mastering training technique. Skilled lifters treat their barbell movements the same way Arnold Palmer treats his golf swing - they use the submaximal weight to prime the movement pattern.

>Many beginners approach their specific warm-ups the wrong way, doing far too many reps and fatiguing themselves before the work sets take place. Starting with the bar, keep the repetitions below five and advance the weight evenly over four or five sets, decreasing the repetitions to two prior to your work sets. Using this method, your squat training would look like this:

>[Tabelle zu Wiederholungen etc.]

>###Rip Riffs On Fat

>Notable (but emphasized much less) is the infamous GOMAD nutrition program. If you're training to gain significant muscle and strength, Mark suggests that most people are far too concerned with their short-term physical appearance and thus won't eat enough. For certain populations, he recommends GOMAD, which is a "Gallon of Milk a Day" in addition to four whole-food meals (this applies to the skinny guys).

>"Make up your mind that, at least for the first year or two, you're not going to worry about body fat levels if you're already lean, because lean is easier to reacquire than strong is to build" (Rippetoe 310). Rip is also keen to note that "getting ripped" isn't as easy as it might seem: "You have seen pictures of big bodybuilders at 6% body fat in contest shape so often that you think it's normal, desirable, and always possible. " This isn't the case - getting anywhere takes work, and often takes longer than you'd first like. The iron game is one you play for life, not for a few months.

>###Sum Of Rip

>This program is so effective that we can say if your squat only goes up by fifty pounds in eight months, then you obviously weren't following the program correctly. Most people aren't trying to be the next world champion bodybuilder, but would like to have some more muscle and functional strength. Simply put, if you aren't a 3 time Mr. Olympia preparing to defend your title, you shouldn't be training like one. Starting Strength will form the basis of a successful lifting career and teach the fundamentals that will make you big, strong (scary), and keep you safe in the weight room.

>If you're getting serious about training and ready to build your best body ever, you don't need to start somewhere. You need to start here.

u/HaircareForMen · 1 pointr/bodyweightfitness

I read that one book that's like considered the barbell bible. Author recommended 30 degrees I believe.

u/SocraticallyPwn · 1 pointr/ketogains

No this one

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=dp_ob_image_bk

It's the current edition.

This book will tell you everything you need to know about starting to train. The squat chapter is 64 pages long and it will explain everything, foot position, angle, grip, where to put the bar... all of it. There's also a starting strength channel on YouTube and you can see real time coaching. It's hard to go it alone but I'm doing it to pretty great effect. At some point in the next month I'll finally make an appointment with a SSC (starting strength coach) and get the issues with my form cleared up. It'll be a couple hours drive but worth it.

u/vcunha47 · 1 pointr/Fitness

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

You can Google the program for free but in his book his goes into detail about how each lift should be done.

u/i5k · 1 pointr/Fitness

Because you are not eating and don't know what you are doing.

My estimation is that you are still untrained, so stop what you are doing and start with a novice program aka Starting Strength and eat above your TDEE. Once you have have hit a plateau then you can try a more advanced program.

Take the time and read this book http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/kazuyosh · 1 pointr/Fitness

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
This is a good book if that's what you are looking for. Just some base knowledge.

u/RedSocks157 · 1 pointr/AskMen

No worries man, everyone starts somewhere. I was a swimmer, when I started lifting everything was outta whack for me too. I recommend reading Starting Strength if you're looking for info on muscle groups, proper exercise motions and stuff!

u/zerthbound · 1 pointr/infp

I'm drinking the Starting Strength Kool-Aid. So far, so good.


u/Lemmiwinks_NO · 1 pointr/DecidingToBeBetter

T-Nation on how to lift and other advice. Great book on lifting - Starting Strength. This site and this book on how to eat. Don't just stuff yourself with pizzas, eating well will improve your life more than anything I know.

u/rockstarmode · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you're just starting out IMO this is what you should concentrate on (in order):

  1. Don't injure yourself. Pick up a book like Starting Strength and really read it. Cover to cover. Seriously. Take video of your lifting form, be critical. If you're lucky you can find someone who knows what they are doing to work out with.
  2. Be consistent. Pick a simple routine you can stick with, something fun and challenging but not so difficult that you dread the next session. Get enough protein but don't eat like a moron. Be conservative with your goals and stick to your schedule, you probably won't see anything substantial happening in the mirror or on the scale for 6-8 weeks.
  3. Be meticulous about tracking progress. Keep a spreadsheet or dry erase board with your weekly schedule and lifts. Write down how much weight you actually use and how many reps/sets you target for each exercise, update this list after completing each exercise, push yourself on every rep. Cross out your numbers and write new ones in HUGE SCRIPT when they go up. Try to go up every other week.
  4. Have fun! If you are discouraged by unrealistic goals (you set goals right?) or boring exercises you'll fail at #2. Find a fitness buddy to motivate you.

    If get those 4 figured out then picking a routine is pretty easy.

    Other things:

  • Keep your workout area tidy, rack your weights when you're done using them, don't hang clothes on your equipment. No one wants to lift in a room with crap all over the place.
  • Evaluate your lifting technique frequently, cheating on your lifts may get you some quick numbers but long term gains are earned the hard way. Every time I plateau I remove weight and reevaluate my form.

    Edit: formatting
u/Miketheguy · 1 pointr/Fitness

Hey! Reddit is a great source, but it looks like you want some detailed information, Have you tried books and google?

In terms of nutrition, this book is a must have for anyone serious:

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Nutrition-Metabolism-Sareen-Gropper/dp/1133104053/

But this site has some pretty good articles as well, as a beginning perspective:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition


In terms of Power/ Motor development/ Performance , I am not really sure outside of powerlifting, but these 2 books are amazing

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-2nd/dp/0982522703

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738


Recovery is actually pretty damn simple - sleep more, eat more, rest and avoid over-exertion. For a more scientific standpoint, this book is a must have

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z

Any more specific advice and you would have to list your goals :)

u/hipswiggle · 1 pointr/Fitness

If I were in your shoes, here's what I would do:

Start SS over again from the beginning. My numbers would be around Squat 135 Bench 95 Dead 135. This is when I would get my form to be rock solid. I would lean my phone against a wall or set it on a stack of plates and record my exercises. I would post these videos on r/fitness and ask for form check. If my form sucks, I would lower my weight to 95 squat, and then progress from there.

I would very seriously track my food (my preference is myfitnesspal). Everything I eat would be tracked on that site. If you don't know the macros of something you ate, try looking it up on wolfram alpha. I would be eating a lot of protein, hopefully 1 gram of protein per pound that I weigh every day.

I would take pictures Thursday night and post them in the Body Fat Friday thread every week to track my progress.

While I'm doing all of this, I would re-read Starting Strength. If I finish the book, I would read it one more time to make sure there is nothing I missed. I'd watch Mark Rippetoe's videos on Youtube and try to find any info I can regarding progression, stalling and plateaus.

u/dannyapplesauce · 1 pointr/crossfit

Biased about what? I mentioned Starting Strength in the post about adding strength into your workouts from the other day. I ran out of room here, but maybe I'll add a list of my favorite resources as well. Feel free to add more of yours too.

u/liljose9999 · 1 pointr/Fitness

Going to the gym 3x per week is the standard. Don't worry about trying to go any more than that.

We could be picky about your routine but it looks pretty good, and is certainly better than what most 17/18-year-olds are doing at the gym. I say stick with what you're doing, and start reading Starting Strength as well. That is essentially the Bible of the fitness worls, and you will probably pick up some helpful pointers about form, programming, etc. along the way.

u/sectorfour · 1 pointr/pics

Not sure if trolling, but in case you're actually curious:

In the preferred nomenclature of the fitness community "X Plates" refers to the number of 45lb (or 25kg) plates on ONE side of the bar.

When I say "2 plate deadlift" it means that there are two 45 lbs plates on EACH side of the bar. Two 45lbs plates plus the two 45 lbs plates on the other side plus the weight of a 45lbs olympic bar equals 225lbs.

This is a good primer if you're just starting out: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/sayheykid24 · 1 pointr/pics

I deadlift close to that much, and I have none of that. If you want to get strong order [this book.] (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738). All it takes is the right form, the right workout plan, and knowing how to cook yourself chicken and salad for dinner haha.

u/CarlJibbs · 1 pointr/lifting

I can't recommend Starting Strength highly enough. The book goes into detail about the what, how, why and when for each of the main lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, press and power clean). It also covers programming and why the program works the way it does.

I definitely recommend the physical copy: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AVD36SFF914G&keywords=starting+strength&qid=1554400494&s=gateway&sprefix=starting%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1


Additionally, there's Starting Strength Online Coaching if you want a virtual coach to program and form check for you. If you're lucky (and want to do the program) there are plenty of Starting Strength coaches around the country.


u/agentargoh · 1 pointr/malefashionadvice

I'd strongly recommend picking up a copy of http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738 and reading it. He approaches form very explicitly. The program starts with just the bar and adds 5 pounds every session. Your form and posture will develop over time.

u/Darter02 · 1 pointr/bjj

I've been doing the Stronglifts 5x5 routine using form tips from the book Starting Strength. One of my favorite exercises for the lower back is doing the Pendlay Row. It's working for me. It may for you as well.

u/Defeneskater · 1 pointr/rollerderby

Seconding the Starting Strength book! I transitioned to Wendler's 5/3/1 program but still refer back to the SS book all the time. The explanations and diagrams are ace.

To answer OP, 5/3/1 is still powerlifting like SS but I work a 4-day split, focusing on one lift a day. Mon is overhead press, Tues deadlift, Wed rest day, Thurs bench press, Fri squat. Plenty of time for your various bits to recover before you're at it again. I use the rest of my hour for assistive exercises, getting in some plyo or derby specific weight work, sometimes HIIT or flexibility - just depends on what I feel like. I'm a big lurker in /r/Fitness (though interesting threads often turn into circlejerkery fairly quick. Fair warning!)

u/bladepsycho · 1 pointr/snowboarding

Yeah, if I can find the time, I'm considering using Starting Strength as my pre-season workout routine for next winter.

u/jmadrox · 1 pointr/strength_training

Regardless of goals, and based on your comment below about being a fast reader, track down a copy of Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength (link below). Sure if you dont want to spend the cash you can find a pdf somewhere, but you can get a kindle version for $10 and its valuable.

It will help you work out some basics and understanding of weigh training. As a beginner I wouldn't recommend anything like 5/3/1, there isnt enough progression. You need a program with workout to workout or week to week linear progression. Your adaptation cycle will still be so short, so make the most of your time in the gym.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

Starting Strength 3x5 workout, or StrongLifts 5x5 will be a great starting place. The routines look boring / few exercises, but trust them. They are all you need at the moment. You will get stronger and bigger, but as a beginner you need to build up a good foundation.


Supplements arent as critical as a good diet. They "Supplement it" (funny that eh?). You need to be eating a solid calorific excess, but dont go to town. Get an app like "My fitness Pal" and enter your body weight, target body weight, and it will help you to calculate your required calorific intake.

Supplements:
Protein powder. 1.7-2g pf protein / kg of body weight daily. always.
Creatine 5g / day every day. one of the best backed supplements.
Pre-workout - only if you need it. Something with stims is helpful if you work out in the morning or feel lethargic, but the benefit is marginal, mostly psychological.

Be careful on your assumptions on Roids. I know some guys on riods, and some natty guys are just as big. Genetics play a big part in it. Dont sweat it. If you go into the area, no one will look down on you. They werent born big. They started at some stage too. They know it, and to be honest, they will be more impressed by you going into the free weights and lifting, more than if you kept to the machines.


u/TheStoicCrane · 1 pointr/TheRedPill

At 17, I wish I knew what I do know when I was at you're age kid. At 17 you have a retardedly high degree of potential for building muscle that when you're my age @27 you'll look like a carved stone statue. If you are serious about lifting and becoming strong & only if you're serious ask your parents to buy the Three books for you below for Christmas ot buy them youself if you have a job:

Starting Strength by Mark Ripptoe

Strength Training Anatomy Workout II by Frederic Delavier

Practical Programming for Strength Programming by Mark Ripptoe

Max your newbie gains using book 1. Learn to bodybuild with book 2. Learn to get beastly strong with book 3. I pretty much just handed you the keys to a shredded body on a silver platter. It's up to you do put in the work.

u/blakethegeek · 1 pointr/loseit
  1. Lifting for strength development is going to be your best bet, which means somewhere in the range of 1-5 reps, for 3-5 sets. I would recommend using a beginner's program like Starting Strength which focuses on big, compound movements. The program is three days a week, usually finished in around 45 minutes.

  2. Never stop walking, even on lifting days. If you are short on time, walk on your non-lifting days. Walking is the best thing for you and it will help you recover from lifting.

  3. Whether or not something counts as lifting sorta depends on how much you can do. If you can only do 5 sets of 5 sit-ups or 5 sets of 5 push-ups, then yes, I'd consider it "lifting" since you are in the range for strength development. If you can do more than 10 reps, you will have to add resistance. This is where lifting weights will benefit you since you can add weights in a linear manner, keeping within the necessary range.

    Good luck!
u/Cammorak · 1 pointr/BTFC

If you aren't an experienced weightlifter, Starting Strength and Stronglifts are both highly recommended. The Starting Strength book has more information than most people ever learn about lifting weights in it. Stronglifts is another popular program based on Starting Strength.

Many people who recomp also swear by Reverse Pyramid Training as advocated by Martin Berkhan (of LeanGains fame).

u/BenKen01 · 1 pointr/crossfit

Get this book:

Starting Strength

Only book on weightlifting you will ever need.

u/Denz3r · 1 pointr/loseit

Jefit is a really nice site that has a lot of the exercises displayed as well as user generated routines. They also have a handy smartphone app you can use to show your routine and track logs of weight lifting. See what other people are doing in their routines (which other people rate as well) and you can get a good idea.

I would check around first at the other link posted on Men's health, you can also try T-nation and bodybuilding.com for some other areas for possibilities

/r/fitness also might have some suggestions on their board for putting together a routine, check the FAQ. If you want to get you routine critique (meaning you make your own and want to see if its good) make sure to put some time and effort before putting it up on some of these sites. Since so many people ask the same question, you might get a lot of flack if you just put a slapdash routine together.

EDIT: A good starting point is a book and website called " Starting Strength " It will help you define core exercises and seek to learn good form. its a great jumping off point and then you can add supplementary exercises as well once you are along.

u/Creative_Circlejerk · 1 pointr/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu

ah okay, well to an extent that explains. Pushups and pull ups are great for building strength, but once you reach the point where you can do 3x20 pushups, 3x10 pullups, give or take, you stop making significant strength gains and it becomes more of a question of endurance - weighted pullups/heavy compound lifts are more effective to build muscle from there. You should try it! its very satisfying to feel yourself improving with time.. But yeah, I've only been lifting half a year, you're probably stronger than me :D but if you're interested, this is a great book to start http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/SimplePace · 1 pointr/Fitness

Most people here will recommend [Starting Strength] (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333987663&sr=8-1). It is better suited for a beginner.

u/MrWinks · 1 pointr/WTF

Not even once.

u/NoCanDoSlurmz · 1 pointr/StartingStrength

Going rate for the paperback is $20.

The hardcover is normally $45, but they're selling it for $23. It came to $27 with shipping for me.

u/Eccentrica_Gallumbit · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you don't know where to start, do yourself a big favor and pick up a copy of Starting Strength. It goes into great detail about how to properly perform the "essential" compound barbell lifts, and is a great starting place for a beginner.

u/h3st · 1 pointr/Fitness

did you even look at the book? what people wrote about it, not just the cover.

it does have a few non-barbell exercises, but those are accessories.

u/badlife · 1 pointr/Fitness

You probably won't see Starting Strength in book stores. You can get it from Amazon here.

Do yourself a favour and look around at a bunch of different gyms first.

u/zayoungbd · 1 pointr/Fitness

Circuit training is generally isolation exercises rather than complex lifts. Complex lifts are good as they engage your entire body. If you are serious about this and want to get in to lifting I would suggest going out and getting the latest version of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Read the entire book as it has detailed break downs of the lifts and why they work. Lifting is a cardio workout as well so you can just do a quick warm up then start lifting.

Really though get some muscle and it will help in a lot of ways. Don't worry about getting "bulky" as you will only gain as much muscle as you want to as once you get to a point you don't like you can just dial back your workouts. A couple of links for you. The first is the story of Staci which is great the second is the latest version of SS. Other than that check out the FAQ here for other suggestions.

u/AdmiralSkippy · 1 pointr/Fitness

3rd edition is what you're after and probably all you'll find. Here's amazon

u/explodyii · 1 pointr/Fitness

Here is a good resource for figuring out the body fat percentages without using expensive equipment. Hopefully that can help you at least guesstimate some numbers and get started.

As far as gyms go, yeah there are big limitations, especially when you are outside of urban settings. If you are lucky, you might find a decent gym through a simple google search (just say "gym near SJY21" and you should get some relevant results with reviews). As a rule of thumb, the chain gyms are annoying outside of some very specific exceptions (on occasion there are some nice 24 hour fitness clubs), but if you are restricted on your results, then beggars can't be choosing. If you do get stuck at such a gym, try going at off-peak hours since equipment is usually limited.

I know you mentioned weight machines, which are far better than nothing, but you might want to judge the gym based more on the number of power racks (cage-like structure with a barbell for exercises like squats, deadlifts, etc) and the quality of the weight area. The reasons for this are enumerated very explicitly in a number of texts, including what seems to be the proverbial bible of /r/fitness. If you want to do weighted exercises, eventually you will likely want to be using free weights, so if that is the direction you end up going, judge based on that criteria. If you end up skewing towards more cardio-based exercise then judge the gym instead by that criteria.

Hopefully you can find something that works and is a comfortable fit for you.

u/jiffwaterhaus · 1 pointr/Fitness

There are several "programs" that outline exactly what you should be doing. You can find guides on the net, but I really recommend getting on Amazon.com and buying this book. Yeah, it's 30 bucks, but it will outline exactly what you should be doing, with great illustrations for form and everything else, with diet recommendations, etc. It shows how to properly test your current strength, and how to safely and properly increase how much you lift. It was really a life changing read for me, and a life change was worth so much more than $30 to me.

But basically what it recommends is 3 workouts per week, let's call them workout "A" and workout "B." "A" is squats and bench press, "B" is squats and deadlifts. To figure out the lifts, start with just the bar, and do a set of 5. Add just a little weight, do another set of 5. Keep doing this until you can not finish a set of 5 with perfect form. Do this for the 3 main lifts. Then you're going to do your workouts A B A one week and B A B the next. Every workout, you do some warmup sets with the bar, then warm up with a little weight, and finally do 3 sets of 5 with your "max" weight. Deadlifts you only do 1 set of 5. After the 2 week cycle ends, add 5 lbs to every lift. Another cycle.

This is the very most basic idea of what the program is about, and I truly suggest that you read more about it and don't just do what I said there because I know I probably am forgetting something crucial. The book also talks about when to add in accessory exercises, like chin-ups, dips, overhead press, etc. Stick with this program for 3 months, and the changes you will see will be drastic.

Realistically, any program designed by someone knowledgeable, that is designed around linear progression, will be good for a novice lifter. Just pick a program, stick with it, and do exactly what the program says (people fuck up every day thinking they're smarter than strength coaches, and attempting to "add" to the program). Good luck! (And look up anterior pelvic tilt for that posture, broseph. It'll help).

u/Gridlay · 1 pointr/Fitness

I recommend to read books from Jim Wendler because Jim is a guy who tells you the truth about training and considers busy people with a time consuming life and don't want you to put the really important part of your life, like your job and kids, aside to train.

I recommend to read his books, he released 3. I would start with the first one (https://www.amazon.com/Simplest-Effective-Training-System-Strength/dp/B00686OYGQ/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8PEBANK0SB4N9DS0SA4N) and if you are interested in it and want to read more I would recommend the last one he published (https://jimwendler.com/products/5-3-1-forever-book). The second book is more of a add on to the first one with some new stuff and training plans but nothing major, still worth the read. Since you have time you can read the book at work and get some basic knowledge how to attack the training.

The hardest part is to learn the lifts correctly but you can do that for sure on your own, Jim tells you how to do these lifts in the first book but a book that could help with that topic is Starting Strength (https://www.amazon.de/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738)

Edit: The most important part about training is consistency and you only achieve consistency by doing those things the way you can manage them. If you go Saturday and monday one week and then friday and monday is not that important.

u/LetsGoBlackhawks2014 · 1 pointr/Stronglifts5x5

Try giving this video a watch and attempting to replicate that setup. This guy is a starting strength coach.

Reason I think this may help you is that your setup may be causing you to have form issues. Other advice would be to read Starting Strength (which stronglifts is derived from). This book has great chapters explaining form (the deadlift chapter is like 50 pages itself even though this is one of the least complicated lifts [which does not mean it is not complicated at all]).

u/reubadoob · 1 pointr/crossfit

Read this CrossFit Journal article from Mark Ripptoe. A quote from the article:
>
> Lots of people will defend the use of the high-bar
> position, often known as the Olympic squat because it is
> usually the style used by Olympic weightlifters. They will
> say that it’s more like the front squat part of the clean,
> so it is better for strengthening the clean. But they’re
> already doing front squats anyway, both as an assistance
> exercise and every time they clean (not to mention
> overhead squats they do every time they snatch, which
> have physiological mechanics similar to the front squat).
> The high-bar squat is a stronger squat than a front squat,
> but not as strong as a low-bar squat, because the more
> horizontal back angle means that more muscle gets
> used. I think many Olympic lifters do high-bar squats
> mainly because Tommy Kono did them that way. But as
> great an athlete as Kono was, that is not really a reason
> to do them. In fact, the vast, overwhelming majority of
> the strongest weightlifters in the world squat with
> the bar on their traps, because that’s the way it’s been
> done throughout the history of the sport of Olympic
> weightlifting, but that is also no reason


He also wrote Starting Strength which I recommend anyone read who wants to fine tune their barbell lifts. He also has a lot of videos on youtube.

u/wearecrabpeople · 1 pointr/Fitness

Thanks for the advice! I see multiple books on Amazon titled "Starting Strength." Is it this one or this? Thanks

u/Mariokartfever · 1 pointr/whatsbotheringyou

No problem.

I was a former fatty, and going to a gym shattered my perceptions of weighlifters. By and large, I have found them to be well informed regarding nutrition and eager to help beginners. Gym people really get motivated by seeing others succeed.

I'd start by going to your local gym with a weightlifting friend, or maybe hiring a good personal trainer and telling them what you want. This book is the bible on lifting weights with proper form, and there and lots of online resources that use its lessons. Other tips:

  • subscribe to /r/Fitness

  • Calories are good! learn how much you need and try to hit that everyday. Remember, if you're not eating extra calories, you won't gain any muscle.

  • Have at least one "cheat meal" a week

  • DO YOUR SQUATS

  • have fun and help others
u/awj · 1 pointr/Fitness

Can buy it from amazon, website is here if you want to read up.

It will be an excellent choice for the strength portion of your goals, but don't feel like you have to do it. If you're enjoying the workout plan you have, that will also help build core strength. I personally find a mix of physical challenges more motivating than pure lifting numbers, so I'd have an easier time sticking with this workout than Starting Strength.

u/Ailodierap · 1 pointr/DotA2

> Do you (or anyone) know where I could find quality information of that type (the more detailed and accurate, the better) ?

Behold the 8000 MMR Guidebook for Fitness.

tl;dr Learn to squat.

u/StingrayVC · 1 pointr/marriedredpill

Starting Strength

If you just try to lose weight now without also lifting, you will lose muscle and it is going to be that much harder to gain muscle later on. Plus the more muscle you the more calories you will burn. Forget the treadmill and hit the free weights.

u/AnthonyAstige · 1 pointr/loseit

Weightlifting is a great safe way to get exercise, especially to set good foundations. [Starting Strength] (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738), as the title implies, is a good book to start with. It can be a bit technical, but it's nice to learn how your body works so you can make it stronger and lessen the probability of getting injured.

It can take a while for the positive physiologic / psycological effects of exercise to occur I think. For me it's when I'm no longer concentrating on what I'm learning and just lose myself in it. Once I get in the groove of things it's a nice way to escape the world and it acts as a stress relieve.

As I understand you don't have to avoid all salts, and the amount that people need vary greatly. The main thing I think is if there are indicators it's hurting you, like high blood pressure. If you're eating unpackaged foods you won't get much salt and can add some. However many preserved foods (canned, frozen, etc) already come with enough salt nutritionally.

You can also keep your cholesterol low without being vegan. If you have other reasons it's fine to be vegan, just a bit more restricting in food choices. Lean meats like fish and chicken breast are fine. Salmon has "good fat". Olive oil isn't bad for you and with some salt may get a flavor that you like back. It will have calories to watch our for, but it's pretty flavorful and could help as you get towards maintenance level calories.

u/pixis-4950 · 1 pointr/doublespeakgutter

herman_gill wrote:

Couch25K is good if your joints can handle it.

There's also a 0-1650 for swimming, and a shortened version which is 0-700. Check out /r/swimming for more info. Easier on the joints too, and you might find you like swimming better than running.

For beginning strength programs Starting Strength is decent as it teaches you all the movements before you start them. But again it's only possible if you have the mobility for it. Even if you don't follow the plan exactly and the progression, it's a good base to learn the movements properly from. The author (Mark Rippetoe) can be a little bit vulgar/strongheaded at times though.

One thing that I would highly recommend is /u/phrakture's Starting Stretching routine.

It's important to take it slow and ease yourself into many things if you're just getting started. You don't necessarily have to follow the speed progressions recommended in the books/guides if you can't.

It's also important to see if you actually enjoy the activity you're doing. I mean I know I love running (especially outdoors) but the people who actually enjoy it seem to be few and far between and it's not for them. A lot of people slave away on the treadmill/elliptical/spin bike and hate every minute of it. I always feel bad for them. A friend of mine used to do that, until she discovered rock climbing and fell in love with it.

Find something you like and can do, ease into it, and do it with consistency. Don't just outright dismiss something either if you don't like it on the first go. Give yourself a two weekish period to ease into it and then evaluate if you wanna keep doing it.

Best of luck!

u/kirkland3000 · 1 pointr/fitness30plus

>Is it necessary to get a personal trainer and pay the crazy fees?

Please please please don't do this. I'm assuming you're asking about trainers at your local gym whose "services" have been pushed on you. More often than not, these trainers are poorly trained, don't really cater to their client's needs and have no motivation to teach you how to train (because they'd lose a client).

Get a good book, watch form videos, and take it slow. I recommend reading Starting Strength (https://smile.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UCWOB64BOC54&keywords=starting+strength+basic+barbell+training+3rd+edition&qid=1569727215&sprefix=starting+strength%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1). It's not without its flaws as a long term training program, and the author's tone (Mark Rippetoe, a man who is half-meme and half-legend) is brash, but it's a solid introduction to strength and fitness.

u/quietmiles · 1 pointr/gainit

If you're a beginner, I wouldn't recommend power cleaning right off the bat. Make sure your deadlift form is perfect before you even think about that. In fact, if you want to do starting strength, I'd really really really highly recommend buying the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

And reading it cover to cover paying extremely close attention to everything Rippetoe has to say about form.

If you're not a beginner feel free to ignore me.

u/queenbeluga · 1 pointr/femalefashionadvice

No problem!!! :) And if you like reading, the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe is like the definitive volume on form for heavy lifting.

u/SRU_91 · 1 pointr/PurplePillDebate

I haven't even read the guys but from what I understand they are (a) MRA and (b) Red Pill. My ideology is (a) anti-feminist but also anti-MRA and (b) against both Blue and Red Pill for the reasons explained in OP.

And practical solutions are in some of the sections I linked you just have to know how to read the thing. I don't dwell on those subjects because I am not successful in dating myself so why would I give other people advice? What I do instead is share my experiences with dating and refer to some of the resources that seem helpful and critique the ones that seem less helpful. I believe there is useful stuff in what I linked you to. For example in the tri-fold solution:

  • learning how to lift with correct form and compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, etc.)
  • learning good fashion
  • learning how to cook, change tires, drive a car, know basic DIY
  • learning how to be financially prudent
  • learning how to be career oriented (i.e. have direction for the future) - and potential support with this (qualifications, references, etc.)
  • learning how to hold conversations with friends/family acquaintances as well as being able to talk to strangers

    ​

    (as a basis which everyone knows anyway)

    And the platitudes I critique but can work I guess:

  • online dating
  • clubs and societies
  • basic hygiene
  • getting out of the house
  • just being confident
  • just being ourselves
  • approaching women
  • having purpose and ambition in our lives
  • looking for self-actualisation in passions of ours that lie outside of dating women
  • going to bars and night clubs
  • hitting the gym
  • consuming works of art, literature or filmography by feminist women with strong female protagonists
  • seeing a therapist/psychiatrist/other related expert
  • *insert meaningless tripe*

    ​

    (note: mentioned in the link I sent you: "Yes ... plenty of us have tried [those things] and for those of us ... who hadn't ... well it is all here for them now.")

    ​

    Also:

  • Concrete Advice

    At [[](https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodMenGoodValues)*my community], we are open to concrete advice as opposed to nebulous inner-game concepts such as self-reflection and the other ones mentioned. For example, I the author of the GMGV Primer have read Mark Rippetoe's fantastic book "Starting Strength". Since some degree of muscularity is attractive to women, that is the way I workout now, but if you suggested that literature to me (without knowing that I had read the book), I would not have considered it platitude advice. Mark Manson's "Models" and Love System's "Magic Bullets" (guides to attracting women) are two relatively inexpensive books I have mixed feelings on (the content has pros and cons) but again, I would not consider that platitude advice. Lifestyle and dating tips that discuss the severely neglected verbal game element of approaching women are especially recommended because most existing "verbal game" is either just*

  1. gimmicky canned material and stupid "routine stackers" that are simply dreadful
  2. so-called "authentic" PUA that denies the legitimacy of verbal game because of number 1. but don't really consider alternatives because you should "just be confident" and let conversation flow freely or some bullshit

    Anything else that deals with propinquity (i.e. specific lifestyle choices that get you closer to women and not just "get a hobby, bro!" simplified bullshit) is considered concrete advice at GMGV. If you are reading this and you don't have any concrete suggestions (because not everyone does), that's fine. Just don't bother giving platitudes, or even advice really. Also, at this point most people normally say they have to know about you personally to give concrete suggestions but it's not true because the fundamentals for being attractive to a wide population of women are always the same click here.

    For that reason, you don't need to know the ins and outs of a person's life to give this advice. For example, Starting Strength is a sufficient foundation for the muscularity aspect (well the barbell training part, not so much for nutrition) - as an example. So far I have never encountered a sufficient foundation for verbal game. However there is a sufficient foundation for body language, which is SOFTEN (smile, open body language, forward lean, touch, eye contact but "nodding" not so much, I believe).

    But again, I really don't want to hear about nebulous inner game concepts unless it's to do with a specific discipline like positive psychology or stoic philosophy but with stronger empirical grounding. Because that stuff is interesting by itself anyway. If you have an academic interest in virtue ethics or Buddhist philosophy, Taoism or any related subjects I would love to learn from you.

    ​

    And finally:

    Here are some resources based on the central theme in the 'tutelage section' of the Primer.


u/SmileAndDonate · 1 pointr/powerlifting


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>Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. By using the link above you get to support a chairty and help keep this bot running through affiliate programs all at zero cost to you.

u/lift_heavy_things · 1 pointr/powerlifting

the book for starting strength is https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

Practical Programming is the follow up that will teach you how to program your own intermediate/advanced programs.

u/Ithink_therefore_iam · 1 pointr/Testosterone

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_q7ozCbC065BPB

u/person222 · 1 pointr/self

First, consider seeing a counselor. There's a possibility you may be suffering from clinical depression, which can cause symptoms similar to what you describe. Even if you aren't depressed, it can't hurt to talk to someone.

Second, I was in a similar situation recently, where I was in a new town with no real friends or hobbies, and I started volunteering. It was really great, and I highly recommend it. A quick google of your area will turn up dozens of opportunities, and there's some really worthy causes out there who would absolutely love to have your help, boring or no. Another thing that's been helping for me is working out. As a lifelong unfit nerd, I picked up a copy of Starting Strength recently, and damn if that book isn't the greatest thing.

With regards to hobbies, read this. (Everything Zen Pencils does is gold, of course, but that one is especially good.) It's okay to be shitty at things. There is a tiny tiny percentage of people in the world who are prodigies, who are naturally good at things. You are not one of those people. Neither am I, and probably you will only meet at most one of them in your entire life. The sooner you abandon that poisonous little dream, that somewhere out there there's a thing you can be good at without really having to try all that hard, the healthier your life will be.

Get plenty of sleep. Eat your vegetables. Do shit. I believe in you, man.

u/chiefsfan_90 · 1 pointr/Stronglifts5x5

Start with form. Mark has some great youtube videos and his book Starting Strength changed how I lifted. You are young so learn the right way. If you have the chance go to a seminar on Olympic lifting to get hands on. But 5x5 app is worth the buy you can so add exercises for arms, back, chest etc. Good luck!

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dUh5CbQA0DHSF

u/CudderXx · 1 pointr/scoliosis

Everyone makes it sound like it's so affordable to get yourself a trainer, but if you can't, then I'd recommend you this book that was recommended to me when I was in a similiar postition to yours: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738. It really helps you understand the correct forms you need to do to get the exercise right and much more. Also you can definitely lift more than 5kg, your body is way more stronger than you think it is. But as always, being too cautious is never a bad thing. Good luck!

u/MisterDiddlezz · 1 pointr/gainit

I'm biased, but i think all personal trainers are essentially a scam. I was in your position not too long ago, and I ran a program called starting strength and had amazing results. Buy this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543033365&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

Or you can read up on the free resources online:

https://startingstrength.com/get-started/programs

This is not the only avenue to get the results that you're looking for, and others on this thread will have advice just as good if not better than this. That said, this is a method that will allow you to achieve the results that you want, this stuff actually works

Best of luck

u/rpscrote · 1 pointr/TheRedPill

Making less than the woman is not fatal but it would require immovable frame. Making less than the woman is generally indicative of a greater trend though, which I assume is why this rule of thumb holds true in most cases. If you can know that making more money truly doesn't put her above you because X, Y and Z then you have a chance. OP here needs to make sure he's got X, Y, and Z that he can point to for his inner frame to put him into prize position. OP does not currently have the frame necessary to pull it off, and I agree this will lead to divorce if he does not change.

OP: you need to be able to sit down, list the reasons you are better, more desirable, smarter, etc. than your wife and you need to believe them all. Then you need to take action, every single day, that is congruent with you being that high quality of a person whether she sees it or not.

OP: Lift. Stop making excuses. Not being fat naturally is not an excuse. You'll just end up being a skinny fat, unimpressive looking AFC. Bulk up and get big + muscular, but not fat. It will take time and it will be difficult. That's the point. Eat right. Get at least your bodyweight in grams of protein every day, or even more. There is no way she will not notice once you start filling out and leaning out. Read and practice this: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html. Purchase this book to start lifting correctly: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738.

Lifting regularly and doing it effectively is the single most important thing you can do right now (after maybe talking to an attorney for the worst case scenario before its too late)

u/Warenfetischismus · 1 pointr/IAmA

Yes, deadlifts done wrong are very bad, deadlifts done right are very safe and will give you an insanely strong back.

Here's a good Alan Thrall video on how to do deadlift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1IGeJEXpF4

Also there's a difference between muscle soreness ''pain'' and pain caused by tearing a muscle or a spinal disk injuries, which are rarer than most people think.

You need to keep your back tight and straight through the entire lift, if you can't that means the weight is too heavy.

Start a program like Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456873002&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength+book

u/twulferts · 1 pointr/bodyweightfitness

I'll leave it to someone smarter than me to explain the 'why', but I know for a fact that I couldn't stroll into the gym and squat out 5 reps at my working set weight without hurting myself. Starting with low weight and working up helps get my strength up, and it definitely stretches out the muscles so I can make the full range of motion on the heavier weights.

I'd recommend reading a book that goes into some of this stuff if you're doubting some of the unsubstantiated advice that comes from the internet. Starting Strength is a classic. I'm not an Amazon Affiliate, so I'm not selling you anything.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/logathion · 1 pointr/Fitness

Starting Strength by Rippletoe has some of the best and detailed form information out there.

u/iLikeToBiteMyNails · 1 pointr/askTO

Check out Starting Strength. Best program for newbies IMO. Just make sure you start with light weights and don't start challenging yourself until your form is solid. There are ton's of forums out there for form checks.

​

https://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/Double_A · 1 pointr/motorcycles

>Is it just for beginnings as I assume or is there anything useful experienced lifters can get out of it?

I had been lifting for ~10 years when I finally picked it up. Think of it as a book for people just starting to strength train or want to start actually studying/learning the trade, regardless of how long you've been training. I actually just finished re-reading it last week, I try to brush up once a year on my basics and given my recent bout of tendinitis I figured it was time. Right now I'm 175lbs w/ a 515 lb deadlift and a 425lb squat, and those are real numbers, not half ass squats or hitched deadlifts.

Starting Strength isn't a program, it's like a shop manual for lifting. How to do exercises (also quite a bit on how not to do them), why their done, how to program your routine effectively, etc. He gives a sample routine somewhere in the book but that's about it as far as him telling you when to do what.

As for "Maximum Strength", I haven't read it or heard of it before and the tagline is enough to make me not want to, "Get Your Strongest Body in 16 Weeks with the Ultimate Weight-Training Program." IMO anything that says something to the effect of "get all the plus with none of the minus," which in this case is all the strength w/o the years of training, is bogus.

I also do not like P90x or cross fit.

FWIW, my recommendation

I also liked this book . It's good for info on the Olympic lifts, just be forewarned Greg Everett (the author of this book) disagrees w/ Starting Strength's author on how the clean is initiated. Seems minor but as you'll find out the starting position is very important since it dictates how the rest of the lift goes. Personally, I side with Starting Strength.

u/ElectricRebel · 1 pointr/AskReddit

This advice has been given for other purposes, but do it anyways...

Delete facebook, hit the gym, lawyer up.

Seriously though, all major communication systems have a mechanism to block people. Use the hell out of it. You don't need to waste energy on this. Hitting the gym is useful for other reasons, but this tends to scare bullies away. A girl that can bench and squat more than the average untrained guy (which really isn't hard to accomplish) is someone that will not get messed with. Hitting the gym will also massively boost your self-confidence, your general health, and help you out with the depression (I recommend following the Starting Strength program, which is for both men and women: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738). And lawyer up only if necessary (they are expensive and will often only take the case if you are a sure win). At a minimum, report these people to gmail, facebook, etc. and get their accounts deleted. If shit gets too much (e.g. death threats), take it straight to these people: http://www.statesattorney-annearundel.com/ ((410) 222-1740). They take death threats and threats of violence seriously.

But most importantly, don't let the bastards get to you. These people are weak and pathetic if they have nothing better to do. Usually, people harass others because they have a shitty life. Living better than them is the best revenge. Last: BULLIES ONLY BULLY TO SEE A RESPONSE OUT OF THEIR VICTIMS TO MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL POWERFUL. STOP RESPONDING AND THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GO FIND MORE ENTERTAINING TARGETS.

u/kabuto · 1 pointr/Fitness

Make sure you read about the exercises and learn how to do them before you start. There's an official book about Starting Strength that will teach you everything you need to know.

Starting Strength is more than just doing the exercises. You need to follow the progression and get your diet in order.

u/MiserableLeadership · 1 pointr/Fitness

There's two reasons you can tip forward:

  1. You are letting the bar travel too far forward, which means your overall center of gravity is near your toes, not over your mid-foot, where it should be. Look at the cover of this book to get the idea: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

  2. Your mobility is preventing you from getting into the correct position (e.g., your ankle just doesn't bend that much).

    In the first rep in the video, it looks to me like number 1 is happening. So I suggest on your warm-up sets, experiment with your back angle and how far back you take your hip to find a movement pattern that keeps the bar above your mid-foot at all times.

    Look at the pictures here https://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-technique-squat-form/ to get the basic mechanical idea. There are essentially two ways to bring the bar back over your mid-foot, if it's too far forward: you either sit your hips back further, or you maintain a more upright back angle.

    Once you find a movement pattern that keeps the bar over mid-foot (and is otherwise good), try to learn to be consistent with it. Good luck!
u/dewhard · 1 pointr/yoga

I do both weightlifting 3 times a week and yoga everyday. My motivation for starting yoga is the exact same reason as yours. This is what I've learned.

Compound weightlifting exercises will fix your posture more than yoga will. Because these postural issues are usually created by lack of muscle in certain areas of your body, most likely your upper back. In order to fix this you need to build muscle. The most effective way to do that is barbell exercises because you can control and increment the load easily.

Sorry, despite what many on this subreddit think, yoga isn't very effective at building muscle or strength. It isn't a fix all solution. If you want the most bang for your buck for fixing posture then you'll need to lift. And you should want this because you're 35. You don't have time to waste when undoing years of damage.

Follow the [Starting Strength](Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Od2mDbPWCCCHD) method by Mark Rippetoe. It's a great novice program that teaches you correct form for the most effective barbell exercises.

Having said that, yoga will help, but it'll take months of daily practice before you notice any improvement. After that, there will be severe diminishing returns. It's a very inefficient way to achieve your goal of improving posture. I learned this the hard way.

On the other hand, you'll notice improvement from weightlifting within the first 6 workouts, and it'll compound shortly after that.

u/optimizedMediocrity · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I follow the Starting Strength training program. From what I know about StrongLifts, they are very similar.

Rippetoe and co. have a lot of experience training many people, both men and women. From the Starting Strength website: For the first 3 weeks of lifting, most women will begin with a single 10 lb jump in the squat, two or three 10 lb jumps in the deadlift, and immediate 5 lb jumps in the other exercises – then proceed to 2.5 lb or smaller incremental increases in some movements sooner. After 3 weeks or so, your deadlift should be ahead of your squat. This is pretty general information and the page mentions that everyone is different. Rippetoe has also written about being a novice, and why you want to eek out as much strength as possible before moving to the next phase of training in his article: Who Wants to be a Novice, You Do. I found his book, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, invaluable when training alone.

It is possible that you have been following a progression like this, since you are trying for a 190 lbs. squat after 1.5 months. It is hard to suggest next steps on the internet, but you have a few options. If you have not deloaded, that is a good first option. Setting yourself back 10% will hopefully allow you to surpass your current plateau, while continuing your linear progression. You can add in a 'light' squat day, only adding weight to your squat twice per week.

u/Exodor · 1 pointr/gainit

No, not at all! You should absolutely start going to the gym. But if you want to achieve success there, you'll need to do a lot of work before you get there.

Start with goals. What are they? What do you hope to achieve? Why do you want to start lifting weights to begin with? The answer to questions like these will shape the type of training you do in the short- and long-term.

Since you have no gym experience, Starting Strength is an excellent place to start in most cases for lots of reasons, not least of which because if you do the program properly, you will learn a great deal about proper form and mechanics. Proper form is of absolutely paramount importance; if you don't learn it at the beginning of your journey, you will likely hurt yourself once you start lifting heavier weights. And you'll need to learn it eventually, one way or another, so do it at the beginning.

This is the Starting Strength book. Get it. It's worth it. Even if you don't necessarily use the program, it is an excellent resource.

Spend time reading the /r/fitness wiki...it helped me a great deal when I was starting out a few years ago, and I occasionally refer back to it.

Others here will have much more seasoned advice than me, too. Best of luck to you!

u/fitthrower1 · 1 pointr/fitness30plus

To improve your technique I would recommend Starting Strength

If you are going in today, I'd recommend starting with light weight and be careful of injury. You have a long time to live, don't get hurt at the start.

u/elevul · 1 pointr/TheRedPill

Ugh, don't link random stuff to beginners. Link them what's known as the best beginner program: Starting Strength!

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/hcerberus · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you're looking to get stronger and you need some place to start, I recommend StrongLifts 5x5 or Rippetoe's Starting Strength. Try either them for three months. Switch to a new program if you've changed goals or haven't been making any gains after those three months.

u/phatphace · 1 pointr/Fitness

> Anytime a girl enters the "area" all the guys turn their heads and stare making the whole novice thing that much more obvious.

Sounds awful. One of the most difficult parts about trying new lifts is simply the perceived idea you're being watched, so this adds a new level.

Just remember its a rite of passage to go to the gym and make a fool of yourself by imperfectly executing lifts and making mistakes. Once conquered, it translates to other parts of your life and puts you in a more resilient position to try new things. Many people have been in your position before and pulled through; you'll do just the same.

That said, remember its unsafe to deadlift from a height lower than a 20kg/45lb plate either side of the bar (unless your gym has bumper plates), which is a substantial amount of weight for anyone giving it a first try (60kg/135lb in total). You'd be best building up your high bar or low bar squat to a similar weight in conjunction with back exercises such as Pendlay rows and pull ups.

Make 100% sure you can handle the weight as you might injure yourself, and practice the motion using a broom or PVC pipe as suggested by Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength as well as familiarising yourself with all the deadlift resources available. If possible, bring a knowledgeable friend with you, too. Good luck.

u/SWiG · 1 pointr/Fitness

I believe they are referring to Starting Strength. I'ts a book / weight lifters bible of sorts (depending on who you talk to) http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

u/jamesewelch · 1 pointr/fitness30plus

3 PRs this week!

145lb floor press - hit a bench/chest press PR couple weeks ago at 160

135lb push press - been stuck at 125 for months, think it was a mental block. I really struggle with overhead lifts. (bodyweight)

45lb pull up - used 10/10/25 plates. First time trying this.

Not PRs, but had some really good cleans this week. After reading Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, my form/technique has gotten much better. Not finished reading it yet, really, really big book with lots of info.

u/DrunkColdStone · 1 pointr/Fitness

> What does SS stand for?

Starting Strength. I found it quite helpful when I was starting out, not sure why its listed as a myth.

u/pirateninj4 · 1 pointr/askMRP

5x5 is a great body of training to do as maintenance or for beginners coming in looking to move up into heavier lifts.

But as a long term program, it lacks focus and intensity for advancing past intermediate gains. There are many programs you could use, Mark Rippetoe wrote an excellent book about strength training, I suggest you check it out.

Starting Strength

u/king_of_penguins · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you read Rippetoe's Starting Strength, he covers squat form extensively. In particular, there's a photo of the "squat stretch" -- you put your feet a little past shoulder width apart, pointing 30 degrees outward, and crouch down w/ your arms holding your legs out. See this, or this, etc.

Just do that stretch a few times a day, holding as long as it's comfortable, and after a while you shouldn't have any difficulty getting that low w/ an empty barbell. Then add weight progressively as normal.

u/DPMx9 · 1 pointr/Advice

Sounds like you are using machines for your weightlifting - the best way to gain strength is by using free weights.

I am a fan of Mark Rippetoe:

https://startingstrength.com/

Incidentally, the GOMAD advice you got is part of Rippetoe's advice for beginners that have trouble gaining strength and weight at the beginning of their training.

This is not the only way to so things, but if I were you, I'd learn to squat before anything else.

I bought an earlier edition of the book below quite a few years ago - I still highly recommend it to all people looking for good advice on free weights:

https://smile.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

Only $9.99 if you have a kindle - money well spent.

u/naruto_ender · 1 pointr/dogecoin

If you train regularly, then use this downtime to read and research. If you have not read it already, Mark Rippetoe's book Starting Strength is a pretty good read.

Additionally, try meditation or even yoga.

You can also look at catching up on some good movies or some great books.

And if you are in mood for some light reading, I have sent you a PM with a link from where you can freely download my books on Trivia Quizzing: Vol I, Vol II, Vol III, Omnibus. Each one should not take more than an hour and hopefully you will enjoy them.

u/FireInfusion · 1 pointr/ForeverAlone

I strongly, strongly recommend buying this book. Over 10 weeks, for 3x5 (3 sets, 5 reps), my bench press has gone from 85 lb to 160 lb, squat from 105 lb to 255, and deadlift from 105 lb to 255. All thanks to this book. I'm still making pretty rapid gains too. Luckily, this is a new edition of Starting Strength that was released just a couple weeks ago.


http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322631426&sr=8-2


Also, you'll probably want this one too.


http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522703/ref=pd_sim_b_2


And finally, an interesting and informative article on barbell training and general fitness in Men's Journal. Skip to page 4 if the article gets boring.


http://www.mensjournal.com/everything-you-know-about-fitness-is-a-lie


Good luck!

u/LyleGately · 1 pointr/Fitness

Your body recovers from running much faster than from resistance exercise. You can easily run every single day of the week and not stall out your progress. Even marathon training programs, which aren't necessarily pure beginner programs, have you running six days a week. (I don't run, just linked to the first thing that came up so I doubt that's a popular program).

By contrast, resistance exercises, done at high intensity/weight, require more than 24 hours to recover from. The more advanced you get, the more rest that you need. When you absolutely just start, the recovery window is probably much less than the 48 hours in the Starting Strength program. But, as you progress and the weights get heavier, that window gets larger and larger until eventually you need even more than 48 hours to recover. 3 days a week works with most people's schedules, which is why that's used in SS. You could probably start at every single day, but you'd have to rather quickly (few weeks) move to 3 days a week.

All of that is explained in the book. Also in this book. If you're dedicated to this lifting thing both of those are invaluable.

If you really have that bug in you where you need to be at the gym every single day, those extra days cannot be heavy days. Like I said, at the start maybe, but after a few weeks it won't work out. You can go and run or do whatever else you want that you'll recover from in time for the next SS workout.

u/rm548 · 1 pointr/loseit

I've never thought any gizmo has helped me lose weight.

See if you can find a good book on exercise or nutrition, but I'd suggest this although it is out of your price range by $10. Maybe find a used copy somewhere.

u/EatsMeat · 1 pointr/Fitness

It's $23 on Amazon and only $10 if you have a Kindle.

Take an hour out of your day and mow an old lady's lawn. Or go to the library. He has a website but if your questioning demonstrates that you haven't read the book (and it does) he will delete your post.

He's not the only good resource either. But the principle stands that if you're not willing to put in a little bit of research, you probably wouldn't be very good at it anyway.

u/chriswu · 1 pointr/MMA

Check this book out. I think /r/fitness has a lot of good things to say about this program as well. Just 3 compound exercises so it doesn't take a lot of time. I just started it.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370334846&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=startomg+strength

u/TheFistAndTheFury · 1 pointr/bjj

/r/weightroom's FAQ has a lot of helpful information that covers most of the basics. It's probably a better (or at least more focused for your purposes) resource than /r/fitness's FAQ, though I'm sure there's something to be gleaned from both.

You'll also see Starting Strength recommended pretty much everywhere. The book has a good program in it for beginners (standard template is three sessions per week, but you can easily drop that to two without harming anything), but the meat of the book is the description of the exercises.

While nothing in SS should be taken as gospel (Rippetoe is not the God of Fitness many make him out to be), the text offers a fairly thorough introduction into how strength training generally works. Once you've been lifting for a few years, you'll probably start to learn to tweak things (form, programming, etc.) on your own. Hope this helps!

OH ALSO for the love of god, don't do GOMAD.

u/soveryshallow · 1 pointr/Rateme
>I do a specific muscle group each day 5 times a week

O Is that what your trainer recommended? Don't do that. That is a ridiculous bodybuilder routine that someone does when they are already fit. Please look into those programs - only 3 days a week (cardio on the off days for you) but you lift HEAVY compound lifts that hit multiple muscles at once, so you don't have to do that nonsense that you are doing.

Edit: SS (can also be found in.. torrents)

SL - free but he email all the fucking time

Greyskull

Pick one.
u/dilfybro · 1 pointr/gaybros



  1. Go to /r/fitness and start reading.

  2. Assuming you aren't massively overweight (BF% > 40%), begin a simple, full-body weight training program, invovling progressive resistance. Starting Strength is among the most recommended and offers many advantages. Keep with it, about until you can back squat 1.5x your bodyweight, which will require at least 6 months, at which time you can advance to an intermediate weight lifting method.

  3. Start tracking your diet (every meal) and weight (weekly), using a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Loseit. Even if you are not immediately manipulating your calories, you will need this information to do so once you progress to a cut. Consume daily 1gm of protein per lb of lean body mass you have (example: you weigh 200lbs, you estimate 20% bodyfat, that means you have 0.8*200lbs = 160lbs of lean body mass. This can be difficult, which is why some people use whey protein supplements (which are just a kind of convenience food, and not a drug) or consume massive amounts of milk (like the Gallon of Milk A Day -- GOMAD -- diet). Eating this many calories is about building up your muscle mass, because looking good shirtless involves (a) having a high muscle mass and (b) having a low body fat%.

  4. Once you have gotten up to a squat of about 1.5x your bodyweight, you're probably ready to do you first "cut" -- which just means calorie restriction, to bring down your bodyfat. All told, it's tough to lose more than 1.5lbs per week. But with all your diet tracking and weight tracking, you'll have a good estimate of your daily caloric needs, and armed with the knowledge that 1lb of bodyweight = 3600 calories, you can make a little spreadsheet which will help guide your diet and weightloss (the challenge: constrict your diet by enough calories that you can lose weight without becoming so hungry that you binge, become upset withyourself for bingeing, then quit).

  5. Realize that guys don't get bodies like that without serious reading and book-keeping. You're going to have to track your diet, you're going to have to learn a lot about weightlifting, rest, and nutrition. Get to it.
u/boboTjones · 1 pointr/rollerderby

As one of the guys at my gym once told me, you pay the same fees as everyone else, right? As for figuring out what you're doing, this is a good place to start: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

(I am not saying that you may or may not find a pdf copy of this with a well-tuned web search. I would never suggest piracy.)

u/SquiresC · 1 pointr/Fitness

Buy this.

Strength takes time. Get a workout log, it will help more than you can imagine.

Light headed might be low blood sugar (2hrs can be a long workout) or you were holding your breath.

Lack of sweat could be dehydration, but not everyone sweats when lifting, others drip buckets.

u/WhereintheOK · 1 pointr/tulsa

/r/fitness is a good resource with an excellent "FAQs" section. IMO, lifting is an easier way to get into working out (as opposed to "Insanity" or other high-cardio programs). Sports like basketball, volleyball, racquetball or bicycling are great ways to get cardio while still being fun (I hate running for the sake of running).

Pick a lift program, read about it and start lifting. Top two recommended on /r/fitness are:

  • Starting Strength - This is a program, but it is also an intro to technique for all the major lifts.

  • Stronglifts 5x5 - Literally free and I've been doing this for most of a year and it has been a huge boost. There is a free app also which is incredibly helpful and keeps track of everything, giving you step-by-step guide to your workout.

    These two programs are not mutually exclusive. Lots of overlap.

    A mix of Cardio + lifting is the best combo, but if you're feeling lazy or not motivated, try to first get yourself to do lifting. Lifting burns more calories per unit time (if you're doing it right) and IMO is much more sustainable to keep going long term. With lifting, I've been able to lose and keep weight off over a long period of time.
u/king_of_my_village · 1 pointr/gifs

Starting Strength x a million. Even if you don't plan on following the program, you should read the book before ever touching a barbell.

If you do decide to follow the program, nothing will get you stronger, faster. The most common criticism of the program is that there is no direct arm work. Rotate barbell curls, chin-ups, and lying triceps extensions as accessory movements after doing the 3 main lifts in each workout and boom, problem solved.

u/gELSK · 1 pointr/TheRedPill

// , My knees have finally stopped clicking, as of a few days ago.

Bulgarian split squats and step ups may finally have me ready to try Starting Strength Squats with real weight again.

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

The most important gym equipment is between your ears.

Edit: Your muscle is the natural predator of your fat. Muscle will destroy fat's ability to attack your mind.

u/HKBFG · 1 pointr/martialarts

Everyone who is serious about building power for martial arts should do these five lifts http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

squats and deadlifts in particular will make so much of a positive difference that there is essentially no reason not to do them.

u/Atojiso · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Hey, first off, good on you for wanting to help!

I recently started lifting. One thing I found reassuring was having a program to follow. I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5 and here's a more female friendly summary without all the bro-grunting. And here is the /r/xxfitness FAQ on alternative lifts to ease into whatever she ends up doing. Goblet squats and dumbbell benching are less intimidating than that biiiiiiiiiig metal bar!

If she likes reading Starting Strength is an amazing book that explains precisely how to lift. Another good one is New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Knowledge can make people feel powerful. Even if it's just going to the gym and her watching while you explain what you're doing, or youtube videos on form, it may help.

Also as someone else suggested, she may feel uncomfortable doing new things in front of strangers. Practice lifts at home with a broom handle to get the hang of it first, I did. =)

Good luck to both of you!

u/PrettyCoolGuy · 1 pointr/infp
  1. Skinny does not mean healthy. It doesn't necessarily mean unhealthy, but bear in mind that many skinny people are just as unhealthy as obese people.

  2. IMO, a simple definition of "healthy" is rather hard to pinpoint. But I would suggest a baseline of being able to a mile in under 10 minutes, do 10 pushups and touch your toes when you bend over. If you can do those 3 things you are probably in decent shape. And you probably know enough about how your body works to pursue other fitness goals, like running a marathon. And that's something anyone can do, if they really feel like it.

  3. You don't need to run marathons, though. All you need is 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity. This could be almost anything. A brisk walk. A bike ride. Swimming. Weight lifting. Hiking (bonus points if you carry a pack).

    When it comes to exercise, it doesn't really matter WHAT you did. It matters THAT you did.

  4. Figure out a way to get yourself on an exercise routine. Interested in running? Then check out the Couch to 5K. You could be running your first 5K race in 6 weeks! Hate running? Well, so does everyone else. But if you REALLY hate it, you could look into Starting Strength Or get a bike. Or go hiking.

    It really doesn't matter what you do. But it matters a lot if you do or if you don't.

  5. Learn to cook. I can help you with this. I'm a fabulous cook and nothing I make is "fancy". I just know how to cook really good, really healthy, really easy foods. Yesterday, I made a vegan cream of mushroom soup that would knock your socks off. It was fairly easy and it is very good.

    Cooking will save you money, promote good health and romantic partners LOVE it when you know how to cook.

    I know it sounds like a lot of big changes. But it is really a lot of small changes. Set yourself up for success! Don't try to do too much, too soon. If you make lots of small steps, you'll get there.

    "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
u/ftnsa · 1 pointr/keto

Hey, looking good!

Sounds like the trainer is wanting you to go paleo. IMO if the trainer is too pushy or negative about keto, find another trainer. That is, if you even need one.

It depends on what your goals are (strength? endurance? both?). If general strength is a goal (and that's a great place to start) my unsolicited advice would be to visit Stronglifts and read up there and then perhaps either buy (or get from your local library) Starting Strength and Practical Programming both by Mark Rippetoe and do some research for yourself. There's really no substitute for having a good handle on weight training IMHO. Rippetoe also has demonstration vids breaking down the various exercises - example.

I had been away from weight training for probably 15 years and have just recently started back up with Stronglifts 5X5. It's been great so far.

Good luck!

u/Strippedpanda · 1 pointr/gainit

My workout plan is still Starting Strength.
http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

You can buy the ebook for kindle for 10 bucks. One of the best fitness books I've purchased.

u/sergei_magnitsky · 1 pointr/ForeverAlone

I'm scrawny as shit, and I go to one of the big gym chains. Yeah, there are some stacked people there, but everyone focuses on themselves. Never seen anyone pay attention to skinny people... or fat people for that matter.

If you want to learn some basic lifts, get the Starting Strength book, or use the similar Stronglifts 5x5 workout. Or hell, just start by trying out some machines.

u/flashpan1020 · 1 pointr/Fitness

A couple things:

  • I didn't pay a cent for the program - it's detailed pretty specifically on several websites.
  • Are you insinuating that monetizing a program makes it illegitimate now? Better tell all of the new lifters that saw gains on Starting Strength that it's illegitimate because it costs money somewhere.
u/1286 · 1 pointr/TwoXChromosomes

Lifting heavy weight (like doing squats and deadlifts) tends to release testosterone into the blood stream. There's something about using almost all the muscles in your body to move heavy weight and compels your body to do this.

You may get a libido boost from weight lifting starting a routine.

If you'd like a book to get you started, might I recommend Starting Strength

u/BrutalJones · 1 pointr/strength_training

I understand, that makes more sense now.

If you're serious about making strength gains, I'd highly recommend you read Starting Strength, which is a great primer on the basics of strength training.

Or, as an alternative to that, Stronglifts 5x5 is probably the single most simple, easy to manage program out there. Rather than digging through Medhi's informercial ass website, somebody on this message board summed it up pretty well.

Edit: I forgot to mention that there is also a Stronglifts 5x5 app available for both Android and iOS. That should be all you need, really.

Hope this helps. Cheers