Best products from r/Fitness

We found 1,035 comments on r/Fitness discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 4,589 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

4. Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar

    Features:
  • PULL UP BAR FOR DOORWAY: Plan your home workout regime with Iron Gym Pull up bars, turn any doorway into a personal gym and get the strong, lean body you always wanted, right at home. It instantly attaches to or removes from your door frame and the heavy-duty steel construction supports up to 300 pounds
  • IDEAL FOR UPPER BODY WORKOUT: Iron Gym Pull Up Bars is an ideal upper body exercise equipment with three grip positions, narrow, wide, and neutral. It offers wide grip push- ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, dips, arm and shoulder exercises – every exercise you need to build a powerful upper body
  • HEAVY-DUTY: Constructed with heavy-duty steel, the metal chin-up bar ensures sturdiness and reliability, while the bar handgrip has professional-grade comfort foam for comfortable ergonomic gripping. The indoor gym bar is finished with shiny platinum to give your interiors an exotic match
  • FITS MOST DOORWAYS: Comes in a unit packaging dimensions of 20x3.25x8 inches, it fits up to 35.4-inch-wide door frames. It can be used for an indoor workout, please keep in mind that the doorway should be 24 – 32 inches wide to accommodate the bar
  • EASY INSTALLATION: Our doorframe pullup bar comes with come with safety brackets, a safety manual and assembly tools, making it easy to install and remove in seconds. It uses leverage to hold against the doorway so there are no screws and no damage to the door
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
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19. Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage | Optional Lat Pull-down Attachment and Adjustable Leg Hold-down | Power Cage Only

    Features:
  • 【STRONG ASTM TESTED 800 LBS. WEIGHT CAPACITY】- Don't put your safety in the hands of a squat rack that hasn't been tested. Our Squat Rack was ASTM tested at 2,000 pounds in order to get an official weight capacity of 800 pounds.
  • 【SOLID STEEL LONG SAFETY ARMS】- Other companies provide hollow tubes, not us. Have peace of mind knowing that our safety arms are solid steel rods, designed to handle heavy weight.
  • 【MULTI-GRIP & REVERSIBLE PULLUP BARS】-Wide grip, narrow grip, hammer grip pullups are all available with this power cage. Can be reversed to lower the height of the cage. This is important if you have a lower ceiling.
  • 【STANDARD SIZED 1" HOLES】- Makes your squat rack compatible with standard sized attachments such as J hooks, Dip bars, Weight storage bars etc...
  • 【TWIN SUPPORT BRACES】-Makes this power cage strong and sturdy. Lower brace also acts as a feet support when using the Low Row Cable attachment
  • 【MAX WORKOUT SPACE】- Our ELEVATED and curved support brace means more workout space and nothing to trip over. Get an extra foot of space for your bench.
  • 【TOTAL HOME GYM EQUIPMENT】-Combine with our weight benches or full suite of attachments to build out a total home gym solution
  • 【CUSTOMIZE WITH ATTACHMENTS】- Get J hooks, dip bars, landmine, weight plate storage attachments and others.
Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage | Optional Lat Pull-down Attachment and Adjustable Leg Hold-down | Power Cage Only
▼ Read Reddit mentions

Top comments mentioning products on r/Fitness:

u/todayislegday · 5 pointsr/Fitness

Welcome!

You could probably benefit from reading the wiki.

This is my "please make the decisions for me" guide for people who have standard fitness goals and are overwhelmed by all the information. It is not the only way to go about it but everything in it is frequently recommended by users on reddit and works:

  • Try and get in the mind set that this is for the rest of your life no matter what level of motivation you're feeling at any one moment. Too many people expect long term results from short term goals. If you want to be fit you won't be doing exactly this forever but you should be doing something like it forever.
  • Choose a good gym and start Stronglifts. The original Stronglifts document is also worth a read, as is Starting Strength.
  • The pull/chin up & dip accessories in Stronglifts v1 are recommended if you want to accentuate your arms and back.
  • If you can't get your own equipment or join a gym then read the /r/bodyweightfitness wiki and start one of the Begginer Routines.
  • If you want to improve your cardio then add a low-medium exertion run/cycle after each strength workout. Couch to 5K is a frequently recommended program for gradually increasing your jogging ability.
  • If you want to do more on rest days find a sport you love and do that. Or do yoga or something, for stretching and mild cardio.
  • Basic stretching exercises. Do the deep squats, hamstring stretches and crucifix stretches 2-3 times per day. For more advanced stretching see Starting Stretching and Molding Mobility.
  • If strength and aesthetics aren't your primary goals or you're an experienced lifter, use the newbie program picker to determine an optimal routine for you.
  • Estimate your bodyfat then use the Katch-Mc-Cardle option and include your selected workouts to calculate your TDEE.
  • Subtract between 500 kCal and 20% of your TDEE to lose weight. Add 300-500 kCal to gain weight & muscle. Use MyFitnessPal to ensure you hit that caloric goal each day. You must eat more than your TDEE if you intend to make any serious muscle gain.
  • My personal advice is to create your own menus. If you follow a pre-existing diet plan you will not learn much about nutrition and learning about nutrition is key to long term success.
  • Get a bare minimum of 0.8g of protein per day per pound of lean body mass (calculable from your current weight and body fat percentage). This is a minimum, more is recommended.
  • You're better off eating fresh food as it gets you in better habits and is usually better for fibre and micro nutrients.
  • DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) will likely be a problem for the first week or two, but your body will adapt quickly so long as you stick to the program.
  • Consistency is the key. You do not need to be motivated, you just need to show up and do the workouts. Motivation is fleeting and cannot be relied upon. Convince yourself that the workouts are like going shopping or brushing your teeth - you don't really want to do it, you're not really motivated to do it, it's just something you have to do.
  • If you're at the gym and really not feeling it focus on the fact that the best way to get out of there is to complete your workout as efficiently as possible. Better form and focus will get it done that much quicker.
  • You will not get more ripped/muscled/bigger than you want to. That takes concentrated effort, time and intention. You will not wake up one day and be accidentally Arnold.

    Stronglifts is a beginners programs designed to maximise your strength gains in a relatively safe way and increase the chances you'll follow the program by being relatively easy to learn and follow. It isn't meant to be followed forever though. Failing, stalling and deloading are necessary for any linear program like Stronglifts. Follow the program properly and ignore anyone who says what your progress should be. Your body can do what it can do, trying to match an average or even macho idea of what you "should" be able to do instead of what you can will just get you injured and/or stalling.

    Progress guide to Stronglifts:

  • If you successfully complete an exercises sets with good form add 2.5kg/5lb to that exercise on the next workout (5kg/10lb on deadlifts until you hit 100kg/225lb, then 2.5kg/5lb).
  • If you can't complete your sets with good form repeat the same weight for that exercise next workout.
  • If you try the same weight three times in a row and can't complete it on the third then deload 10% for the next workout and use the same progression as before.
  • When you get to a second deload for that exercise switch to either 3x5 or 3x3 and use the same progression as before.
  • When you get to a second deload at 3x5 switch to 3x3 or Madcow/Texas Method.
  • When you get to a second deload at 3x3 switch to Madcow/Texas Method.

    I'll repeat this bit: ignore anyone who tells you when these things should happen. That doesn't matter. Just follow the program.

    If you want to properly track the changes in your body it's recommended measure your weight, shoulders, biceps, calves, chest, forearms, hips, neck, waist and thighs or whatever combination of those you care about.

  • Record each measurement every day between one and three times. If you record multiple times create an average for each day and use that in future calculations.
  • Create an average for each week by adding up each days weight/average and dividing by seven.
  • Graph the weekly points and pay the most attention to 3 week intervals as weekly and even fortnightly differences can be deceiving.

    The last point is a very important one - people tend to get a bit excited about sudden drops and peaks which are deceptive and caused by things like water weight. Averaged out over a week and then analysed on a three weekly basis you'll get a much better idea of your real progress. The key is to learn to ignore the daily measurements - they will deceive you and send you on an emotional rollercoaster. Some people find this too difficult and shouldn't do it because they simply can't ignore the daily measurement and it negatively impacts their fitness regime. But try it and try yelling at yourself (in your head) that today's measurement doesn't matter. Then analyse the trend every three weeks. The trend tells you what's what.

    People often regret not taking enough photos of their progress. They're easy to delete if you don't want them but you can't regret them into existence so take photos regularly in consistent conditions (lighting, time of day, clothing, angles).

    Useful form/technique links:

    Bench Press

  • Buff Dudes guide (great for beginners)
  • Jennifer Thompson's benching tips
  • Untamed Strength's guide (great advice with a great beard)
  • Crossfit guide
  • Rippetoe's ramblings series
  • So You Think You Can Bench Press series (comprehensive)

    Deadlift

  • Buff Dudes guide (great for beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (beardy=brainy)
  • Rippetoe's series on deadlifting
  • Candito on avoiding common injuries
  • Candito on activating lats
  • So You Think You Can Deadlift series (comprehensive)

    Squats (mostly low bar)

  • Buff Dudes guide (beginners)
  • Omar's Friend Alastair explains the details (great clarifications for beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (this beard is your beard, this beard is my beard)
  • Rippetoe's playlist
  • Candito's low bar guide
  • Candito's form fixes (high bar but applies to low bar)
  • So You Think You Can Squat series (comprehensive)

    Pendlay/Barbell Rows

  • FitnessDudes quick guide (beginners)
  • Pendlay's explanation

    Overhead Press

  • Buff Dudes guide (beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (you should consider having sex with a bearded man)
  • Rippetoe's series on presses
  • 70's Big common form fixes
u/LoCHiF · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Welcome!

You could probably benefit from reading the wiki.

This is my "please make the decisions for me" guide for people who have standard fitness goals and are overwhelmed by all the information. It is not the only way to go about it but everything in it is frequently recommended by users on reddit and works:

  • Try and get in the mindset that this is for the rest of your life no matter what level of motivation you're feeling at any one moment. Too many people expect long term results from short term goals. If you want to be fit you won't be doing exactly this forever but you should be doing something like it forever.
  • Choose a good gym and start Stronglifts. The original Stronglifts document is also worth a read, as is Starting Strength.
  • The pull/chin up & dip accessories in Stronglifts v1 are recommended if you want to accentuate your arms and back.
  • If you can't get your own equipment or join a gym then read the /r/bodyweightfitness wiki and start one of the Begginer Routines.
  • If you want to improve your cardio then add a low-medium exertion run/cycle after each strength workout. Couch to 5K is a frequently recommended program for gradually increasing your jogging ability.
  • If you want to do more on rest days find a sport you love and do that. Or do yoga or something, for stretching and mild cardio.
  • Basic stretching exercises. Do the deep squats, hamstring stretches and crucifix stretches 2-3 times per day. For more advanced stretching see Starting Stretching and Molding Mobility.
  • If strength and aesthetics aren't your primary goals or you're an experienced lifter, use the newbie program picker to determine an optimal routine for you.
  • Estimate your bodyfat then use the Katch-Mc-Cardle option and include your selected workouts to calculate your TDEE.
  • Subtract between 500 kCal and 20% of your TDEE to lose weight. Add 300-500 kCal to gain weight & muscle. Use MyFitnessPal to ensure you hit that caloric goal each day. You must eat more than your TDEE if you intend to make any serious muscle gain.
  • My personal advice is to create your own menus. If you follow a pre-existing diet plan you will not learn much about nutrition and learning about nutrition is key to long term success.
  • Get a bare minimum of 0.8g of protein per day per pound of lean body mass (calculable from your current weight and body fat percentage). This is a minimum, more is recommended.
  • You're better off eating fresh food as it gets you in better habits and is usually better for fibre and micro nutrients.
  • DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) will likely be a problem for the first week or two, but your body will adapt quickly so long as you stick to the program.
  • Consistency is the key. You do not need to be motivated, you just need to show up and do the workouts. Motivation is fleeting and cannot be relied upon. Convince yourself that the workouts are like going shopping or brushing your teeth - you don't really want to do it, you're not really motivated to do it, it's just something you have to do.
  • If you're at the gym and really not feeling it focus on the fact that the best way to get out of there is to complete your workout as efficiently as possible. Better form and focus will get it done that much quicker.
  • You will not get more ripped/muscled/bigger than you want to. That takes concentrated effort, time and intention. You will not wake up one day and be accidentally Arnold.

    Stronglifts is a beginners programs designed to maximise your strength gains in a relatively safe way and increase the chances you'll follow the program by being relatively easy to learn and follow. It isn't meant to be followed forever though. Failing, stalling and deloading are necessary for any linear program like Stronglifts. Follow the program properly and ignore anyone who says what your progress should be. Your body can do what it can do, trying to match an average or even macho idea of what you "should" be able to do instead of what you can will just get you injured and/or stalling.

    Progress guide to Stronglifts:

  • If you successfully complete an exercises sets with good form add 2.5kg/5lb to that exercise on the next workout (5kg/10lb on deadlifts until you hit 100kg/225lb, then 2.5kg/5lb).
  • If you can't complete your sets with good form repeat the same weight for that exercise next workout.
  • If you try the same weight three times in a row and can't complete it on the third then deload 10% for the next workout and use the same progression as before.
  • When you get to a second deload for that exercise switch to either 3x5 or 3x3 and use the same progression as before.
  • When you get to a second deload at 3x5 switch to 3x3 or Madcow/Texas Method.
  • When you get to a second deload at 3x3 switch to Madcow/Texas Method.

    I'll repeat this bit: ignore anyone who tells you when these things should happen. That doesn't matter. Just follow the program.

    If you want to properly track the changes in your body it's recommended measure your weight, shoulders, biceps, calves, chest, forearms, hips, neck, waist and thighs or whatever combination of those you care about.

  • Record each measurement every day between one and three times. If you record multiple times create an average for each day and use that in future calculations.
  • Create an average for each week by adding up each days weight/average and dividing by seven.
  • Graph the weekly points and pay the most attention to 3 week intervals as weekly and even fortnightly differences can be deceiving.

    The last point is a very important one - people tend to get a bit excited about sudden drops and peaks which are deceptive and caused by things like water weight. Averaged out over a week and then analysed on a three weekly basis you'll get a much better idea of your real progress. The key is to learn to ignore the daily measurements - they will deceive you and send you on an emotional rollercoaster. Some people find this too difficult and shouldn't do it because they simply can't ignore the daily measurement and it negatively impacts their fitness regime. But try it and try yelling at yourself (in your head) that today's measurement doesn't matter. Then analyse the trend every three weeks. The trend tells you what's what.

    People often regret not taking enough photos of their progress. They're easy to delete if you don't want them but you can't regret them into existence so take photos regularly in consistent conditions (lighting, time of day, clothing, angles).

    Useful form/technique links:

    Bench Press

  • Buff Dudes guide (great for beginners)
  • Jennifer Thompson's benching tips
  • Untamed Strength's guide (great advice with a great beard)
  • Crossfit guide
  • Rippetoe's ramblings series
  • So You Think You Can Bench Press series (comprehensive)

    Deadlift

  • Buff Dudes guide (great for beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (beardy=brainy)
  • Rippetoe's series on deadlifting
  • Candito on avoiding common injuries
  • Candito on activating lats
  • So You Think You Can Deadlift series (comprehensive)

    Squats (mostly low bar)

  • Buff Dudes guide (beginners)
  • Omar's Friend Alastair explains the details (great clarifications for beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (this beard is your beard, this beard is my beard)
  • Rippetoe's playlist
  • Candito's low bar guide
  • Candito's form fixes (high bar but applies to low bar)
  • So You Think You Can Squat series (comprehensive)

    Pendlay/Barbell Rows

  • FitnessDudes quick guide (beginners)
  • Pendlay's explanation

    Overhead Press

  • Buff Dudes guide (beginners)
  • Untamed Strength's guide (you should consider having sex with a bearded man)
  • Rippetoe's series on presses
  • 70's Big common form fixes
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/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/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/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/Fitness

The following is probably your best bet. A lot of people treat it like holy scripture, and while it's not, it's a very good starting point.

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

If I where starting on day 1 wondering what to do, I would start by reading Starting Strength. I would then eat a very high protein/fiber/complex carb diet, while using the program for around 9-18 months, depending. I would start very, very light, progress at the minimum speed, and do the maximum of accessory lifts, while doing light cardio on 2-3 of my off days.

Once I had stopped progressing after resetting the problem lifts several times as described in the program, I would take a week or 2 off, and move on to 5x5, which is an advanced version of the program that switches things up a bit. I could keep bulking, and plan to lift using the program for 6-9 months. Note that there are prescribed week-long breaks in both programs, taken every few months, which are important. You can read more as follows:

http://madcow.hostzi.com/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

After that, I would use a periodization based program, something like what I've linked below, to start focusing on bringing up lagging area's, and while you're doing that, I'd really focus on your diet, starting to lean up a bit. Not cutting yet, but being more conscious. After repeating a few cycles of this program, 3 12 week cycles or so with a week rest in between, then I would perform a lighter cycle and really start cutting to the weight you want to be.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shortcut-to-size.html

While you're doing all that, I would learn about how to bulk cleanly, eating real food, read about the effects of insulin on weight gain and performance, and how best to eat to maximize the positive and minimize the negative, and I wouldn't spend a dime on supplements, other than maybe protein powder, joint health, and a multivitamin. The rest of it is 98% marketing hype, and a waste of money compared to just eating a lot of healthy, whole foods.

Some food articles: And yes, I'm linking to a supplement site and suggesting you not use supplements, but the info is still decent. Couple of quick starter articles:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/weik26.htm

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/guest-post-building-muscle-101-master-the-basics/#axzz22saBogRg

I'll say it again, the supplement industry is largely unregulated, so you really don't know what you're putting in your body. They can (and will) make claims with no real backing in reality, don't waste your money. Get to know brown rice, chicken breasts, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, potatoes, tuna fish, legumes, all manor of vegetables, whole oats, and more and you'll be better off. If you need a boost pre workout, drink something with caffeine like coffee or green tea, eat a piece of fruit, and you'll get the same effect. Most of what the "ULTRA PUMP 9000 WORKOUT MEGAFUCKER" drinks are sugars, caffeine, and marginally to non effective ingredients anyway.

Motivation:

http://rosstraining.com/blog/category/the-blog/inspirational/

TL;DR - There is no TLDR, lifting weights takes time, effort, and research to get right, and no one can tell you exactly what you need to do and what's going to work for you. What has helped me over the years includes:

  • Consistency - This is a lifelong pursuit, stay healthy by not pushing to far, to fast, so you can keep lifting for a long time.
  • Diet - You want to get bigger, eat bigger, but eat healthy because again, this is a lifelong pursuit and you need to stay healthy. Understanding how eating affects you is a powerful tool for getting the body you want.
  • Learn the basics of insulin. It is a powerful tool that is already part of you.
  • As above, have patience. To far, to fast, to hurt, won't get you anywhere.
  • Track your lifts, reps, and how you feel if something stands out, in a log or smartphone ap. Same with diet. This info is invaluable for knowing what to do next, and how far you've come.
  • Rest. I take a week off every 2-3 months, and I often come back stronger. With heavy lifting, you need some recovery time.
  • Sleep. Same as above, you break your muscles down in the gym, you rebuild them (bigger and stronger hopefully) as you sleep.
  • Think long term.
  • Set goals.
  • Wireless headphones. Ya really... cords snag, and having music will make your workouts better.
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/gmiwenht · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Yeah, I was fat in my teens and transitioned to being strong in my post-teens, and this is the advice that seems to strike a note with me. The thing is, at that age I really had no idea what the different degrees of freedom were in terms of fitness. Not did I not know, but I also didn't know what I didn't know.

First thing I would do is just make him aware of the body of knowledge that exists in the strength and fitness world. Make it like you are discovering this stuff together more than you are lecturing him. And more than anything make him aware that eating a lot is not a bad thing in and of itself -- gradually teach him about the fact that most professional athletes (e.g. MMA fighters) need to do both, i.e. that there is bulking and there is cutting. And if he eats a lot, that is totally fine, as long as he also lifts big. Teach him about squats and bench, ask him "does he even lift", "squats and oats", etc. get all the memes into his head, nerd out on the fact that deadlifts are one of the most primal forms of physical expression going way back to caveman times (like literally how much shit can you pick up and put it down again), etc.

Most importantly, make him understand how lucky he is -- that a 14 year old is basically like a puppy on steroids -- his body is just now beginning to produce this magic juice that can get him looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger within 6 months if only he just eats big and lifts big too. Fuck diets -- just focus on eating big and just lift shit and put it back down again. You keep a rough progression table (in your head, or maybe even on paper) of his lifts as well as your own, and use the to motivate him. I mean, holy shit, he could legitimately add 5lbs to his lifts every week at the age of 14. If you don't have gym equipment at home, get some primal kettlebells and just start doing this shit yourself, and have him help you. Just get him to start, and I guarantee you once he smells what he is capable of, once the evidence of success overrides any self-doubt instilled by feelings of insecurity, he won't be able to stop. Make this into an obsession for him. Get books like this one, and just read it yourself and tell him stuff that you read from the book. Nerd out on eating and lifting. He will become addicted. And as a bonus, it will bring you guys closer together too.

I watched this documentary a while ago, and it really blew my mind. Now the only reason I bring it up is because it is a documentary about 3 brothers and their journey through life. They grew up together and they lifted together, and there is something to be said about the bond that comes as a result of that. To be clear, I do not recommend even considering steroids, and in-fact I don't think you should even show him this documentary -- but I think it might be a good inspiration for you, to give you a sense of how close you two will become if you just have his back and are there for him at this point in his life. You live together, you eat together, and you should lift together. Coz he is your bro, and your bro needs his bro, bro. Haha, good luck!

u/theoldthatisstrong · 2 pointsr/Fitness

>I did about 4 months of strong curves, two weeks of SL, and have been doing the beginner PPL routine for about two months.

If I'm not mistaken, strong curves does not include the back squat so you've only got a couple of months of squatting, based on these routines. What is often overlooked is that increases in strength, especially at the beginning, is due more to technique improvement and neural-muscular activation and coordination improvement than to building muscle. It's more about learning to use the muscle you already have most effectively, through practice. Strength is a skill and it takes both knowledge and practice to develop. Based on your short training history, more of both will help immensely.

Since it seems you want to continue to lift heavier, I'm assuming that your primary training objective is to increase your strength. I would suggest that you work on both your form for all the lifts as well as practice them. This seems simple and many people think that you can get your form nailed quickly. However, every advanced lifter I've ever heard interviewed maintains that form improvement is something they all still work on. It's an ongoing process.

To start the process I'd highly recommend that you buy and read your own physical copy of Starting Strength. It covers the "why" and "how" of proper barbell training. You'll then be armed with the knowledge of what proper form (and body tension) looks like for all the lifts from a very authoritative source. At that point you can start again and practice, using the method detailed in the book, to really find where your linear progression will finally end, because I don't think you're there yet. Knowledge and practice are the keys to the strength you're after.

I wish you the best of luck.

u/MrBigDicksAdventure · 1 pointr/Fitness

That sucks about your testosterone levels. If you're having hormonal issues, that is probably the root of all your problems. Though, you didn't much about what you tried to do in terms of diet and exercise, and being that you're only 17 years old, I presume you aren't all that knowledgeable about fitness yet (at least I sure as hell didn't when I was your age).

First thing to do is calculate how many calories you need to eat to gain weight. Go to iifym.com and plug in your body stats into the iifym calculator and you'll get the numbers and macros for what you want.

Then get a calorie tracker, like myfitnesspal, and make sure you hit your calories and the macros. This is important obviously because it will help you reach your fitness goals, but also because a simple thing like eating enough calories and fat/carb/protein is pretty damn rewarding when you're in such a low place; every small thing you accomplish will seem like a big victory.

The next big step you need to do is get on a strength program like Starting Strength (SS wikia) or any program that incorporates compound lifts, I say SS because I personally know they teach you how to do the moves. I recommend just buying the DVD from amazon for $22.46 (maybe try the Amazon Prime 30 day trial and get it in 2 days). The DVD has videos of how to do the moves properly with instruction from Sensei Rip himself.

The point here is that it's all planned out for you, all you have to do is go to the gym (get access to a squat rack if you don't already) and learn how to do the moves, and do it on the day they tell you to. Personally, I trained this with a buddy who had this program years back, and after adopting the deadlift into my later workouts, I gained 5lbs (150lbs->155lbs) in about 2 months doing it 3 times a week and I wasn't even dieting properly, I was just a bro here pls sho mercy. Those compound movements are no joke, they recruit a shitload of muscles and when you increase the weight you only get bigger, which is why so many people speak so highly of them.

If no one has a solid solution, give it a try, if you already did, then props to you for knowing how to diet and lift at 17 years old (srs, all I did when I was your age was bicep curls lulz). These are, of course, external physical/mental solutions; when it comes to hormones that's an internal chemical and physiological issue which can be more complicated than we think.

u/ChuckHustle · 1 pointr/Fitness

If it's a highschool gym it probably has a squat rack, and you also probably have a track outside and that's everything you need.

You need to do 3 things to get your program going:

  1. Learn your lifts. In lieu of someone that can hands on teach you how to do the lifts, I (and the FAQ) recommend this book as a foundation. It's how I learned to squat, deadlift, clean and snatch, and I've become quite a strong fellow. Without someone there, I recommend posting videos online asking for critique of your form.

    If you can't afford the book, you can use the internet. But be careful, anyone can post a video of how to squat and a large majority of videos show poor form/ don't get the details right.

  2. Find your starting weights. This is actually pretty simple, once you have your technique down put 95 lbs on (the bar is 45lbs, so add 50 lbs) and do 3 reps (start with just the bar, EVERYONE STARTS SOMEWHERE). Increase by 10 pounds, do 3 reps. Continue doing this until it is either difficult or your form goes to complete shit. Subrtract 10 pounds from this weight and that's your new Work Weight. You only need to do this 1 time.

  3. Setup your schedule. Here is a very simple, bare bones schedule that I recommend. For reference:
  • 10x,5x = 10 reps, 5 reps
  • 5+x = as many reps as you can, but at least 5
  • lightweight = a light warmup weight, very easy
  • mediumweight = a heavier warmup weight, mid difficulty

    A strength day:
  • Squat 10x bar, 10x bar, 5 x light weight, 5x medium weight, 5x work weight, 5x work weight+5lbs, 5+x workweight+10lbs
  • Bench: Same progression as squat
  • Pullups: (If you can do pullups) 30 in as few sets as you can. (if you can't) Jumpup and descend as slow as you can x 10, repeat this until you can do 1 pullup, then do as many sets of 1 as you can. Then as many sets of 2, etc.

    Increases: If you can complete more than 5 on your 5+ set, increase your starting work weight by 5 pounds for the next session. 5lbs may seem small, but it is a good amount and allows you to gradually build up the strength needed to lift heavier. and keeps you from stalling out at heavy weights. For pullups, if you can do 30 in 3 sets, increase it by 5. Repeat until it takes you more than 3 sets to complete all pullups.

    After that, the time is yours, go do curls till your arms explode if you want, but I recommend doing something like 50 burpees as fast as you can or assistance exercises.

    Fitness day: 10x 100m sprint, walk back to the start or 4x400m sprints, walk a lap in between. You get the idea.

    Schedule:
    Monday - Strength
    Tuesday - Rest
    Wednesday - Fitness
    Thursday - Strength
    Friday - Rest
    Saturday - Fitness
    Sunday - Rest

    The schedule seems sparse, but your just starting out and should not be killing yourself in your workouts. Get your body used to the high stress that strength lifts put on it, before you try to workout till you puke. Once your used to it, start customizing it to reach your goals.
u/Rhynegains · 12 pointsr/Fitness

True Minimum:

  • Nothing

    Weight Lifting Minimum:

  • Cage / Rack
  • Bench
  • Free Weights
  • Bar

    Nice to Haves:

  • Good flooring / platform
  • Dumbbells
  • EZ Bar
  • Weight Tree
  • Cable Machine
  • Spin Bike
  • Pullup Bar (if not included in cage)

    ----

    Check out /r/homegym

    You asked about a cage. There's good options out there like Rep Fitness and Rogue. Rogue gets pricy, but great quality.

    A great budget one (that I actually have) is this one from Fitness Reality. It's cheap, good quality, decent strength. Big lifters in competitions or going for high numbers would out pace this cage, but for those of us not going for that this works well. There's some downsides, like it is a bit smaller of a lifting area and if you want to hang your weights for storage it isn't the best (though I still do). There's also no cable attachments directly to this cage like some others have (like Rogue). It's a simple cheap good quality cage.

    A good weight and bar starting set is the Dicks Sporting Goods set. It isn't pretty, and you'll want to replace the bar after a year, but it's worth the price and I still use those weights.
u/NHLmachine · 1 pointr/Fitness

No problem, takes no time at all. In all of those programs and books I mentioned they will tell you exactly what weight to lift and when. There are a handful of programs that pretty much the entire weightlifting community agrees are the best of all time, so your goal should be to use one of those programs as soon as you are able. My favorite of those and the one I would recommend you do is Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. He has a book that goes with it and teaches you everything you need to know to use that program and have a training plan for the next 1-5 years.

The problem is, 5/3/1 works by far the best once you've gotten the basics down and have some weightlifting experience. Things are different when you're first starting out. You're focused on technique, learning the different lifts, timing your sets and reps, etc. You start out lifting little to no weight, but as a beginner you will progress much more quickly than usual. For that reason you should read a good book like starting strength, and then do a beginner program for at least a few months. Once you get that quality experience you can move on to the 5/3/1 and know for a fact you're taking the most proven and intelligent approach you can. It's very relaxing knowing you're doing the right thing instead of worrying about it and jumping from program to program. Get yourself a bench so you can do all 3 of the big 3! Get creative and somehow find a way, don't take no for an answer. You absolutely must find a way to bench press, it's hugely important for growing your upper body (and it's the most important lift for feeling like a manly man).

Here's the stronglift 5x5 book, it's free: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Read that and it should answer all your questions.

u/asev0 · 4 pointsr/Fitness

I don't think many people appreciate just how much of a workout you can get from doing calisthenics. You won't be able to walk into a gym and do heavy lifting, but calisthenics will definitely get you in shape.

Upper body:

  • Pushups (standard with hands at shoulder width; diamond with hands at center forming a diamond to emphasize triceps; wide with hands wider than shoulder width apart to emphasize chest)


  • Pullups, if you have a bar or ledge to use. You can buy something like this that easily swings into your door frame, too.
  • Situps/crunches (and variations), leglifts, jack knives

  • Planks

    Lower Body:

  • Squats (do them slowly; your upward movement should be just as slow as going down. Do not pause to rest at the top. Push yourself to do one more than you can handle, rest, then do another set)

  • Lunges (same thing)

  • Wall-sits


    For a quick workout, I'd recommend doing 'pyramids'. Start by warming up (quick jog around the block, or run up and down the stairs a few times). Then pick a few exercises. Jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups, situps, and leglifts are a good place to start. You can add various add exercises, like different kinds of pushups as you progress. Then start with a number like 15 or 20 (depends on how much you can do and how long you want to exercise). Do 15 of each exercise, then 14 of each, then 13 of each, and so on all the way down to 1.

    This is actually a warmup we would do sometimes at my dojo, and it's one hell of a warmup. It doesn't take too long but it will tire you out.

    Also, you have many things around your house that could be used as 'weights' which would be helpful for squats/lunges/etc. Find a heavy textbook, a gallon of water, etc. As long as you do enough and you do them right, squats with a gallon of water is more than enough to get your legs burning.

    Anyway, good luck and don't let a "lack of resources" stop your progress. You can get a good workout without a gym.
u/MOISTEN_THE_TAINT · 1 pointr/Fitness

Step 1: count calories

Don't change a thing about your diet yet, just track. I use MyFitnessPal because it's easy. Haven't looked at alternatives yet.

Guesstimating is an anti patten, but you know what? It's honestly better than nothing at this point.

Personally I recommend leaving out steps any exercise sessions unless you're doing serious amounts of cardio.



Step 2: WAM (weigh and measure)
Cool, you've tracked for 2-4 weeks. Now, if you cook or meal prep , go on Amazon and buy a food scale. Learn what 4 ounces of chicken looks like. Learn what a tablespoon looks like. Your estimates from the past month will start being far more accurate.

FYI this is the food scale I use. No idea if it's the best, but it does the job: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004164SRA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Step 3: Weigh and measure yourself
Once a week, same time of day and situation. I do It after I poop on Monday morning.

Weight is one measurement, I also recommend a caliper. Depending on your situation, lean muscle mass gain might nullify fat loss. Caliper doesn't lie. Relatively simple so long as you are consistent. Measure multiple areas (chest, iliac crest, arms, thighs).

I bought this caliper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G7YW74/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Step 4: Long haul
You're making a lifestyle change. This isn't "a diet", it's "your diet ". Diet meaning your day in, day out style of eating. Making one better decisions day could mean 500 calories a day. 500 * 7 = 3500, the calories in a pound of fat.

Make allowances

  • eat garbage if you want to. Make it fit your macros.
  • think weekly rather than daily, if you want to go out with coworkers and have some beers, swap out an item tomorrow for a lower calorie item. No big deal.
  • don't be a fucking Nazi. Enjoy life. Long term his is an equation you can balance. Gain 5 - 10 lbs during a Thanksgiving, account for it and realize it'll take 5-10 we is after the new year to lose.

    Sidebar, if your female, account for your cycle and water retention, and a slower rate of fat loss.





u/sacca7 · 1 pointr/Fitness

I'm female, 5'8", 49 y/o. In Nov 2010 I weighed 157. I now weigh 147 and am working on getting down to 140.

I couldn't lose weight and inches without a reliable calorie counter, so I use LoseIt. This is my number one reason for losing weight.

At first I lost weight at 1700 calories a day. Now I'm down to 1500 calories a day. Although many claim it's not possible, I have lost weight (even being pre-menopausal which feels like it just about shuts down the metabolism) getting calories in this proportion: 25% fat; 58% carbs; 17% protein. All carbs are low-medium glycemic carbs or complex carbs. I am mostly vegetarian, including dairy and eggs. I have fish and chicken about 1ce a week each.

I exercise anywhere from 350-1000 calories a day, 6 days a week. I have a heart rate monitor, and that's about as accurate as anything for measuring calorie burn.

I do 30-45 minutes of cardio (On Saturday's I bike 2 hrs outside, 25+ miles) . Since we're coming off winter, this was mostly walking on a steep incline on the treadmill, elliptical, and hard workouts on my indoor trainer for my mtn. bike. I like cardio because it means I can bike, hike, run, swim, etc and have a good time.

I do 15-25 minutes of weight lifting 5-6 days a week. I alternate lower body/core with upper body. Some weeks I didn't lose a pound, but I did take measurements and over 2 months I lost 3 inches off my waist but not so much weight.

I do yoga about 3 times a week in the afternoons on top of my morning workouts. I just like it. It does build strength, especially active yoga like Ashtanga, which I enjoy.

I found the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess to be very, very helpful.

This is just my experience. Best

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/Steven_the_Horse · 1 pointr/Fitness

I'm seeing recommendations to look at YouTube for advice, which is a good idea, but there are a lot of fitness YouTubers who don't have a fucking clue what they're talking about, so just make sure you find a reputable source.

A few channels I really like:

  • Alan Thrall
  • Starting Strength
  • OmarIsuf
  • BroScienceLife

    Totally joking about the last one. Do not take any serious advice from Dom Mazetti. It's good for a few laughs though, and the other three are legit.

    Other than that, I highly recommend buying the Starting Strength book by Mark Rippetoe. I'm completely convinced it's the single best resource available for any gym noob who wants to get into lifting.
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/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/mwl40 · 1 pointr/Fitness

For stretching/mobility with the bands, check out https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492393837&sr=8-1&keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard+2nd+edition. Also, you really just pick exercises up (that use them) as you progress and see what you like. I went 2 + years before using them and have found a few instances they help. I do pull aparts to help engage my back for bench. I do monster walks to help engage my glutes before squat/deadlift. They are extremely versatile and you can use them for just about anything you want, which makes them relatively personal.

Re: chalk, i understand your comment, but even if you arent lifting "big" weight, its likely maximal for you, which means it can still be beneficial. For me, when i am doing my working (non-warm up) sets, I use chalk regardless. It creates a somewhat "one" feeling with the bar in that your grip feels true and strong. Its like being able to "feel" the road as you drive. I like to "feel" the bar and chalk, for me, eliminates those potential barriers (i.e. hand sweat, etc.) that could prohibit me from "feeling" the bar. I hope that made sense.

TLDR: Still give it a shot. Its dirt cheap and you may be surprised.

u/rugbysuperstar · 7 pointsr/Fitness

BMI is bullshit. I am a BMI of 31.1 and am much healthier than average. What you should be measuring is bodyfat percentage. Pick up a pair of these if you want a credible basis to begin your fat loss. If I had to guess, your bodyfat is around 25-35%. It should be much lower, high teens at the most.

Try cutting out foods that have the highest concentration of "empty calories" (ones that cannot be efficiently used for fuel and are stored as fat). These food are ones with very high sugar and simple carbs.

Stop consuming these foods, and slowly begin to introduce whole grains, vegetables, and lean meats into your diet. Don't buy any "weight loss pills", as these are a scam of epic proportions. The most you will see from these is rapid water loss (looks good on the scale), which is unhealthy. Eat a large breakfast, and try to eat frequent, healthful meals. Don't consume large ammounts of food at night or in the late afternoon.


Cheat days are going to be vital to keeping yourself on track. At first, you might need 2 or 3 meals a week but slowly change this to 1. You must not binge, try to keep to only consuming 1 unhealthy, moderately sized meal for your cheats.

I know your situation well, I love food myself. There are many healthy (and tasty) alternatives to your favorite foods. You just have to make an extra effort to include them into your diet.

I hope the advice helps, good luck and feel free to contact me if you wish to know more.

edit: damn this may be harder than I thought, you eat some pretty good food! :)
It seems like you eat out alot, so this may be of some help to you

u/duffman13jws · 1 pointr/Fitness

I saw your $2k budget in another post, so here's my recommendation. I'll clean up the formatting and add links when I get to a computer.

Power rack like a Titan T-3 Short or X-3 Short if you don't want to build a platform to bolt it to. I recommend the short because they're 7' tall, the normal height is ~8ft, and you might run into ceiling height issues.

Alternatively at a budget you can get the Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage for $200. It's not as sturdy, but it's half the price, and comes with a multi-grip pull-up bar

Get the following attachments - dip bars, land mine, Multi-grip pull-up bar. You want a power rack even if you're not squatting because you can bench by yourself with the safeties and not worry about failing a lift. Titan sells rack-specific attachments for these, and anything that fits the Titan T-2 should fit the Fitness Reality rack.

Olympic bar and plates - I'd get a Fringe Sport Wonder Bar personally. Get plates second hand off of Craigslist for no more than .70/lb

Adjustable bench - Titan's will work, but Rep Fitness is the best in the home gym biz as far as build quality goes.

Adjustable dumbbells. I'd get the Power Blocks Urethane set that's expandable to 120lbs. Start with the up to 40lb or 60lb variant and the stand, and then buy expansions if/when you need them.

If you still have money left over, I'd pick up an EZ-B bar too - Amazon is fine for this. I just like them for curls and some other arm movements. Pick one where you like the bend pattern - there are some I prefer to others personally.

EDIT: links added

u/Gridlay · 2 pointsr/Fitness

I am in the same situation mobility wise.

  1. Get some kind of squat shoes, they help a lot.
  2. A good warm up like "Agile 8" is a perfect way to increase your flexibility for the gym session.
  3. It is perfectly okay to squat in a wide stance and place the bar where it feels the best, the hip wide stance ass to grass high bar squat is the first thing people think of of a squat but that is not the only way to squat. Overall squat the way you feel strong, stable, safe and can reach at least a below parallel depth.
  4. Try out LOW bar squat with a wide stance, with a low bar squat you have to bend your upper body more to the ground and less bend your knees to get the bar to the balance point. Here is a video which explains a low bar squat good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhVC_AnZYYM
  5. If you wish work on your mobility, work on your whole body and only do daily mobility work on your weakness. This is a book where you find excelent mobility excirsises for each body part and 14 days pre made full body stretch routines which leaves time for your weakness: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837
  6. If you want to make good progress and get some knowledge about what you do in the gym start to read books, things like "Starting Strength" and "Practical Programming for Strength Training" from Mark Rippetoe, all 5/3/1 books from Jim Wendler, "The Juggernaut Method 2.0" from Chad Wesley Smith, the mentioned "Becoming a Supple Leopard" from Kelly Starrett and more are out there.

    Edit: Got some more information in there.
u/kasittig · 1 pointr/Fitness

Starting Strength is fine, but she could also try NROLFW for a female-focused strength / aesthetics program. There's also Strong Curves if her main goal is to improve the look of her butt.

She should stick to whatever program she picks and not mess around with various squat variations. Women's bodies aren't different enough to merit entirely different programming, she just won't see the huge strength gains that a man would see. If she's not trying to break any weightlifting records, biomechanics won't be a game changer - and if she decides at a later date that she is trying to break some weightlifting records, she should get a good coach who can help her figure out what works best for her body.

edit: she / you could also check out the FAQ on /r/xxfitness

u/Pyrallis · 1 pointr/Fitness

I assume you're referring to a bathroom scale to weigh yourselves, instead of a kitchen scale to weigh your food. (Even then, kitchen scales are good things to have, you should get one if you don't have one already).

Also, are you in North America? You didn't specify.

Generally speaking, a digital scale is going to be better than a mechanical one in both precision and accuracy. I'd stick with digital. If you still can, return your current one. No point in keeping a product you're disappointed with.

Consumer Reports does reviews on bathroom scales. CR does good work. They refuse advertising from product manufacturers, to avoid the appearance of bias in their reviews. They've been around since the 1930s, and they're also behind The Consumerist blog. Their reviews aren't geared toward the enthusiast or high-end hobbyist, but they're great for general product reviews.

I bought a Taylor glass and chrome digital scale after seeing a favorable review of it in CR. I've been happy with it. Mind, CR may have changed or updated their product reviews since I purchased that scale.

In my opinion, checking Consumer Reports should be always be a component of the decision-making process before buying a product.

Two more things to keep in mind. First, your weight is going to fluctuate a lot over time. You probably already knew that. Just making sure. There was a post on Reddit, within the past few months, I think, of someone who weighed himself multiple times a day, for several days, and wrote down the numbers. The amount of variation was amazing. I wanted to find the post again and link you to it, but...I think the Reddit search function doesn't like me. Ever.

Secondly, while you're at it, get a skinfold caliper to measure your bodyfat percentage. That's the more important number. In terms of fitness, your weight without your body fat percentage is useless. The gold standard for finding your BF% is plethysmography--think the Bod Pod™. Minus that, a simple, US$5.00 skinfold caliper will get the job done. I've read that digital BF% meters, which use electrical current resistance, are not very reliable, especially because your level of hydration will skew the results. Skinfold calipers have their flaws, too, but if you learn how to use it well, and apply it consistently, it's best for tracking BF% changes over time.

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/notochord · 12 pointsr/Fitness

XX here, Stumptuous has been the absolute best site for me. Krista, who runs the site, has many great things to say and blogs on everything from squats to "feminine problems" to realistic body image and is generally awesome the entire time!

If your girlfriend like to follow books, the new rules of lifting for women isn't bad. I read through it and it mostly tells you that compound exercises are awesome and diet is important. Plus, there are photos of a woman doing all the lifts so your gf can see proper form.

As for myself, I'll say that the 6 weeks I've spent back in the gym after a long hiatus have really made a positive impact on my attitude and body. I've lost noticeable amounts of body fat, gotten stronger and have more energy. Squatting your own body weight is such a trip and being able to bench it... well maybe that'll happen sometime! (hoping to lose a bit more weight along the way so it's a lower number :P)

Good luck!

u/generalT · 2 pointsr/Fitness

yea definitely, i've been dealing with this for almost 20 years, been to physical therapy twice, avoided surgery thus far. but standard disclaimer that i'm not a doctor, physical therapist, etc, etc, just a dude on the internet.

like you mentioned, i would start with posterior chain mobility. stretch your hamstrings like this or this. lower back with some cat/cow. add in some IT band stretch. don't forget about those illiopsoas!

maybe, if your back will handle it, add in some light supine twists. and, as always, planks for core and lower back strength.

regarding yoga, i would recommend just showing up to a beginner's class. teachers know that everyone's flexibility is different, and (if they're worth their salt) will offer modifications to poses, or offer props to assist with the pose. honestly, a lot of yoga classes i've attended just flow through sun a and/or sun b, which aren't too hard. maybe you could try them at home? but, be careful and modify as you see fit! with yoga, like with anything, consistency is important. i used to go once a week and didn't see much improvement. attending class more frequently, and doing some work at home, has improved my practice tremendously.

some books:

u/dweezil22 · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you want to use that approach, this sub heartily recommends http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It has a smartphone app and a website you can use to enter all your foods. I've been using it for about 3 weeks so far, and it's great. It will help you set a goal for calories and divide it up by protein/fat/carbs etc.

Once you start tracking that, the calorie differences in things will blow your mind. For example, the other night my wife made this beef stew. I had small bowl of that and it was 286 calories, it felt like a good meal and had 32 grams of protein.

During the meal I drank 2 Coors lights, they were 204 calories (and 1g protein, who knew?) and certainly didn't feel as filling as the hearty bowl of stew.

After dinner I had 4 mini kit kat's b/c we have our damn Halloween candy sitting out, they were 280 calories. They CERTAINLY weren't more filling than the stew, or even the beers.

So out of 688 calories, less than half was that stew, and that stew pretty much offered 10x the nutritional benefit of the other garbage I consumed.

Slightly related, I've been pre-making and freezing this Chicken Chili for months now and quite enjoy it. Not only is it healthy, easy and tasty, it only uses canned ingredients so it's also easy to stock up for and pretty damn cheap. A $50 slow cooker and a $15 digital scale will be invaluable tools for you if you go this route.

Edit: While I'm going over diet highlights, for me a protein shake is another easy/lazy way to get a pretty filling and healthy snack in. Lots of people have their favorite, mine is this. It seems to be marketed mainly to women, but it tastes delicious either way when mixed with low fat milk. The $35 seems a bit pricey, but it works out to about $1 a serving which isn't too bad. If price is an issue there are definitely other cheaper brands that are fine. I tried protein shakes years ago and hated them. I probably wasn't mixing them well. One or two of these $7 mixer cups solves that problem easily. Getting two is nice so you don't have to religiously clean a used one.

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/great_bushybeard · 1 pointr/Fitness

> Start with empty bar and ramp weight 5lbs every time you work out. This way you wont injure yourself since you'll be easily able to handle the weight, and you are never using more than just a tiny bit over what you did last time. It feels light at first but in a month or two youll really feel it. But by that point you will also be capable of the heavier weights safely.

I bought this book, which has a very nice introduction to the form of all the "classic" lifts as mentioned elsewhere here. I'm pretty new to doing weights, but started right away with free weights following the recommendations in the book. Basically just start really light and work your way up -- you will get more confident and stronger at the same time.

u/Wphillips1 · -6 pointsr/Fitness

If you're not going to the gym every day and eat a lot of red meat, you shouldn't need any creatine. If you're going every day and lifting heavy it would be good to get about 5 extra grams of creatine a day.
http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Creatine-Unflavored-Servings/dp/B002DYIZEO/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1415508622&sr=1-1&keywords=creatine

Multi vitamins are the most unappreciated supplement in the world! Please get on a daily regimen, it'll do so much good for you.

Get some BCAA's combined with glutamine. It is good for recovery and helps build lean muscle. oldschoollabs.com makes a great BCAA with glutamine and creatine. I like it alot.
http://oldschoollabs.com/vintage-build/

As far as pre-workout, I cannot workout without it. Judging from you being 260 previously, you're not naturally motivated. Not to take away from your weight loss, which is still very incredible!
It will make your workouts much more efficient and make you want to do exercises.

My recommendations are C4 (Watermelon or Fruit Punch), it'll make you a little itchy at first but that's how you know its working.
http://www.amazon.com/Cellucor-Extreme-Fruit-Punch-grams/dp/B008LE8RE8/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1415508422&sr=1-2&keywords=c4

If your sensitive to creatine, there is a creatine free pre workout called volt that is pretty nice. It also happens to be the same parent company that makes the C4.
http://www.amazon.com/Neon-Sports-Pre-Workout-Watermelon-Servings/dp/B00E0NG44E/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1415508452&sr=1-1&keywords=volt

Good luck and keep at it!

u/Firefoxx336 · 3 pointsr/Fitness

I'm 17 so I built my set up knowing I'd have limited space and even more limited funding. For building your own gym the most important thing to remember is that there are tons of people out there who have given up on exercising and have unused equipment lying around. You can take advantage of this by checking craigslist and helping other people reclaim space in their garages.

Remember, your body is an organic system, it doesn't care about the condition of equipment, as long as provides resistance and is safe. That is to say, new weights at Dick's will run you $0.89/lb, potentially lightly rusted weights will run you $0.40 or even less on craigslist. They go fast though, so jump on a deal if you see it and refresh a few times each day. I 250lbs worth of dumbells + a storage rack for $150 a couple days ago. In my area, that's a steal.

Craigslist also graced me with a 4 month old Bowflex Blaze for $150. 79 exercises and about 24 sq. feet taken up by its footprint. I'll take that ratio. The Blaze has a flat bench that can be set to a 45 degree incline for lifting even without the bows. Dips can be done off the side of the bench, toe-raises can be done off of the supporting floor bars. The Blaze is a monster tool. If you're going after a Bowflex (they're the safest apparatus if you're working out solo) I'd keep an eye out for the Revolutions. They run a bit higher but they use real weights and are supposed to be pretty spectacular.

Other than that I bought one of these for pullups in a doorway, and just picked up a speed jump rope for $4/free shipping on Amazon. Cheap cardio. If you've got some more cash though you can pick up almost any common exercise machine for ~$80 on craigslist. Bikes/Treadmills especially.

If you're into the protein/supplements thing give Netnutri.com a look. I have yet to find a cheaper place to buy (60% off retail) and they have an enormous selection with fast shipping. From the research I've done (my uncle co-founded the Taro drug company, he knows his shit, and I've done a ton of anecdotal reading on the bodybuilding.com forums) the best protein available is the Optimum Nutrition Pro, which packs 60g/serving with a mess of aminos. The best creatine supplement is Gaspari Nutrition's SizeOn. And the best nitric oxide is Gaspari Nutrition's Superpump250. My uncle says there isn't nearly so much credible research backing nitric oxide as the other two, and my family doctor advises against using it because it quickly dilates your veins, which means sudden lower blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack. Both endorse protein and creatine though. Creatine has also been credibly linked to increased mental capability. Can't go wrong with fish oil for brains and joints and a solid muti vitamin either. ;)

u/UrbanDryad · 1 pointr/Fitness

If you try too much too soon I think you hit the danger of over training. At best that means less than efficient progress, at worst a serious injury. Your body only has so much capital to extend on exercising, building and repairing muscle tissue, etc. Working out all day, every day is just not going to be as effective as doing smaller workouts over a longer time span.

I think MEatRHIT gave great advice. Use this time to establish a reasonable routine you can stick with. Other than that, read a book.

Also, what are you trying to do when you say 'push myself'? Lose weight? Build strength? Run marathons?

If it's just basic fitness Jillian Michael's has the 30 day shred program, which seems decent for overall fitness for a beginner. Personally, I just started strength training with body weight exercises (also female, 29.) I'm using this book, which has 10 week programs. Longer than you have plotted, but fitness isn't quick in my experience and this is 30 min a day, 4-5 times a week. It's bodyweight, easy to match to your custom fitness level and requires minimal/no additional equipment. I like it so far.

Whatever you do, best of luck.

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/mou5 · 6 pointsr/Fitness

Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein seems to dissolve very easily for me. I've never used a blender, and don't own a shaker bottle - just use a spoon. They label it as "instantized."

  • in water: dissolves completely in ~10 seconds (seems to be no clumps)
  • in 2% milk: dissolves about 95% in ~20 seconds (a few tiny clumps float back to the top, but definitely no "cement mixer" - swirling a bit makes it easy to drink)

    As a side note, it's the first and only protein powder I've ever used, and I think it tastes pretty good. I've heard several people recommend it as one of the best tasting. I assume their other products, such as the casein protein, are good too.

u/1Operator · 1 pointr/Fitness

> "...wanting to begin and having no idea what to do..."

The good news is: doing almost anything active (safely) is better than doing nothing, so you can't go wrong. :)

> "...Would anyone be able to suggest some at home exercises or anything really that could strengthen my lower back and also help me lose weight..."

Without knowing the limitations imposed by your injury, it's difficult to make specific suggestions.

Can you do hip raises without pain?

Can you "superman" without pain?

Can you do walking lunges (with or without carrying weights) without pain?

Can you do wall squats (with a ball or without a ball) without pain?

Can you swim laps freestyle without pain?

Your options for exercise will broaden as your lower back condition improves, so you might be better served by first looking into more options to safely improve your function & mobility. Explore Kelly Starrett's MobilityWOD YouTube channel (as well as his "Becoming a Supple Leopard" book) for some ideas & inspiration.

Good luck.

u/Pseudo_Stratified · 1 pointr/Fitness

I've always hated going to the gym fighting with other people for equipment and altering my exercises around what is available. I also let the distance from my house creep in as an excuse. It resulted in a lot of fuckarounditis and quitting for long periods of time. Best thing I have done was get some proper equipment for my garage. I am addicted now.

I had some weights, a bench, a short olympic bar, and two olympic dumbell bars I got off of classifieds awhile ago. The bar sucked since it was so small. I never got into using it for years. I decided to finally get a real bar and a power rack. I also supplemented my olympic weights a bit. It has made a HUGE difference in the quality of my workouts. The power rack allows me to push myself a lot without the use of a spotter.

Below is the equipment I got and can absolutely recommend all of it. The bar has the perfect amount of knurling to not rip your hands up. The weights are not works of art, but cheap and perfectly suitable.

PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack

Body Solid 7-Feet Olympic Bar

Cap Barbell Free Weights

Lockjaw Olympic Barbell Collar

My bench is kind of a shitty bench that came with all the other junk I purchased earlier. Not sure what would be good if I was in the market right now. You can modify the power rack to hold some of your plates, but a weight tree isn't expensive and laying weights on the floor isn't a problem at first. A pad is pretty much necessary for dead lifts and you can pick up 3/4 inch rubber horse stall mats at those farm feed store for about $45. Get on a program like SS and this is all you need until you decide to move to splits, giving you plenty of time to slowly add more equipment as you find it.

When I finish SS I will pickup the Ironmaster 75 lb Quick-Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System and I already ordered the Powerline PLA200X Lat Attachment, both of which get great reviews.

Overall you will save a ton of money on membership fees in the long run and it's really hard to make excuses to not workout. The equipment is a joy to use.

u/ohnotom · 1 pointr/Fitness

If your seasoning is mainly herbs and maybe lemon juice? Virtually zero calories. Don't bother counting it. For example, My Fitness Pal suggests that 1 tablespoon of Paprika is 19 calories. That's a lot of paprika, not a lot of calories. If you are marinating a meat in some sort of yogurt/creamy/nutty sauce and you cook most of the sauce with the meat? Definitely add it, or at least an approximation of it.

Generally for oil, I use canola / vegetable oil. It doesn't have cholesterol like butter, less saturated fats, and can go to higher temperatures than olive oil without burning (this is the big one for me). I use olive oil and butter (or half butter half canola oil) for times where want to contribute some flavor- this isn't often, but I usually use butter for eggs, etc.

This scale on amazon says it will measure up to 11 lbs. That is probably more than you will ever measure on it, unless you like to measure entire thanksgiving turkeys. As I said, my preferred method of weighing things is putting my plate on the scale, hitting the ZERO/TARE button (it sets the weight of the plate as the "new" zero), and just measuring the food as I put it on the plate. Super easy, super quick, definitely worth it.

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/Lightning14 · 1 pointr/Fitness

I recommend getting a pull up bar (it's great for pull-ups, chin ups, push ups) and doing 3 sets of this workout, with pull ups added in. Starting out, you won't be able to do all the reps recommended, but just find what your limit is and do that. As you get stronger then you can increase. This regimen got me into pretty good shape before I recently started going to a gym and doing Wendler 5/3/1. And as /u/requires_distraction said, read up on /r/bodyweightfitness.

Edit: Also, diet is just as important as exercise. Make sure you're getting about 1g of protein for each pound of body mass, and you can calculate your approximate caloric needs here. I don't know how much detail you want to go into in tracking your diet, but using myfitnesspal to track macronutrients and calories has done wonders for me. Lastly, consider supplementing with creatine. It's a very cheap supplement (4 month supply for $16 on amazon), and has been proven to provide more energy during workouts (resulting in more productive workouts) with practically no side effects, other than the need for increased water consumption during the first week of loading.

u/averagetoabs · 1 pointr/Fitness

So, you have a couple of options here. I presume you don't want to have to buy gym equipment, but just know that if you buy used you can get a squat rack, barbell and some weights for a couple hundred buck. If you do that, you'll have a much easier time. Learn the squat, deadlift and overhead press, and that will provide an amazing foundation for you.

If you really can't do that, then at least invest a chinup bar. Something like this It's like 20 bucks. If you have that, you can start with a basic program of pushups, chinups, and bodyweight squats. For chinups and squats, try to build up to 3 sets of 30 with a minute rest in between.

Once that gets too easy, try making the exercise more difficult. Put your feet up on the coach for pushups. Work up to a one armed pushup. For bodyweight squats, try doing a bulgarian split squat

As for chinups, depends on your body weight, but i'd say once you can do 3 sets of 12 with a minute rest in between, you're probably in pretty good shape.

Do those 3 exercises 3 times a week.

u/Tree-eeeze · 1 pointr/Fitness

Nah, avoid that. Pulley-type systems are not the way to go. And for that cost you can pretty easily find a used powerrack plus weights or even potentially buy new.

A basic powerrack with bench will suit you much better. Something like this.

You really only need a powerrack + adjustable bench + Olympic weight set. There are bound to be a bunch of benches / weight sets on craigslist. I might buy the power rack new but if you see a good used one I'd look into it.

An enterprising individual could aquire all those things for $400 or less. All depends on what you're willing to buy used vs. new. I definitely wouldn't waste $600 on that one in your link - if anything it's limiting the amount of stuff you can do. A plain power rack is extremely versatile and a vital component of a strength training program.

u/puedo_tener_chzbrgr · 1 pointr/Fitness

Like Optamix said, Starting Strength is a good foundation for learning about the basic barbell exercises. However, to gain any appreciable amount of knowledge you're going to have to delve a bit deeper by reading various texts. For example, Lon Kilgore's Anatomy without a Scalpel is a great book to get acquainted with basic human anatomy. I'd suggest you pick up an introductory book on human nutrition as well. The Science and Practice of Strength Training, although a little more on the advanced side, would also make an excellent addition to your library. As far as mobility and prehab/rehab texts go, Becoming a Supple Leopard is one that is often recommended around here. Oftentimes you can get used copies of these on Amazon in decent condition for a good price.

u/nvanprooyen · 1 pointr/Fitness

Another recommendation for something like Stronglifts, Starting Strength etc. I personally just started Stronglifts after a long layoff that basically put me back in the "beginner" category. Like it a lot. Couple notes:


  1. FORM, FORM, FORM. Take the time to learn / perfect form. There's a lot of good resources out there. I would definitely recommend Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength book that breaks down form on the major barbell lifts: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006XJR5ZA/

    If you look on YouTube there's some stuff in the Art of Manliness channel where Rippetoe gives good demonstrations on the squat, bench, dead etc: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rippetoe+art+of+manliness


  2. Intensity. If you're just starting out, try and resist the urge to go too heavy. It's an ego thing for a lot of people. Start extremely light with everything, add weight incrementally and focus on #1.

    Here's a link to the SL site: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
    (SL also has a GREAT mobile app for tracking workouts etc)

    edit>links
u/Jeggerz · 2 pointsr/Fitness

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding/dp/0684857219

Good read and good to have on his shelves. The remainder id probably hit up a grocery card or a gift card to bodybuilding.com which normally has great deals on supplements. Or if he has a few gear needs such as wraps or a good belt those are great ideas. A solid belt for big lifts is the best purchase I made for my lifting.

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/screwyoushadowban · 1 pointr/Fitness

Hey! I know this is old now, but:

As others have said, it depends on your goals. But it also depends on your mindset and habits.

Minus a two year period in college where I went to the university gym I've always had a home gym and I love it. I don't have to worry about "getting motivated" to jump in the car and go to the gym. It's right there! And what if it's the middle of the day and I feel like doing power cleans for no reason? Hey, my barbell and bumper plates are in the next room.

But that's what works for my mentality. Other people think, "Well, the weights are right there, I can go any time, I might as well lift tomorrow". Then there are also people who can't stand working out alone for whatever reason. If you're one of these people a home gym is probably a terrible idea for you, and a gym membership would be better.

Oh, and I recommend scrounging up some cash or getting a part time job and buying a power rack (like this one, try to get it on sale. It's a decent but very basic rack. I don't know if it's available outside the U.S.). A power rack is more versatile, you'll outgrow just a bench press very quickly (I sure did when I was a teen and got one) and a power rack is much safer (especially if you bench at home without a training partner).

Have you checked out /r/homegym?

u/seattle-is-aight · 2 pointsr/Fitness

This is what Mark Rippetoe has to say about training younger people:

> I have no problems with children lifting weights and barbells, doing the Olympic lifts, squats deadlifts, presses, bench presses, sprints, or any other correct and properly coached classic weight training or conditioning movement. There is absolutely no physiological reason not to let them train properly. I have a problem with structured training for children who should probably be encouraged to just play. If they can regard the weight room as a fun place to be, let them play there as long as they are doing the exercises with technical perfection.

The key here is performing the exercises correctly.

You will NOT stunt your growth. This is a rampant myth. Barbell training infact is one of the safest forms of exercise. You are much more likely to stunt your growth playing sports like soccer, unless if you do something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m6vcyQqx_Q

Here's a good starting point on the squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhVC_AnZYYM

Read the entire booking Starting Strength, 3rd edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

It's only dangerous if you are performer the lifts incorrectly. Take videos of your form and post them and ask people to critique for feedback.

Most importantly, BE WARY of advice people give you. There is a TON of misinformation about lifting, and you're going to get a lot of people spreading this information to you because they see you as someone who is younger and thus they need to 'educate' you. Study what the most experienced strength coaches in the world have to say (such as Mark Rippetoe).

u/zoidbergular · 2 pointsr/Fitness

The backlash against either program is laughably excessive around here IMO. Both are effective programs that will get novice lifters much stronger very quickly if they are run correctly, which includes not only the set and rep schemes, but the technique, recovery habits, progression, etc. A very large majority of people do not, spin their wheels for far too long as a result, and then blame their poor results on the programs themselves. A lot of people also just don't like Rip/Medhi, and can be quick to dismiss their content regardless of whether it's valuable or not.

If you're going to listen to one of them, I would advise you to listen to Rip. While he has useful info on his site, Medhi's SL5x5 program along with most of his material is pretty much a direct yet less thorough ripoff of the contents of Rip's Starting Strength book. Medhi is not a qualified coach, however he is a highly effective marketer and spread the appeal of barbell training to a very wide audience. Rip on the other hand has actually been training novice lifters in person for 40+ years, and quite literally wrote the book on barbell training. Even if you don't follow the program, it is an incredibly detailed text that provides full descriptions of how to perform the lifts and why they teach them the way they do. You'd also do well to read the material put out by some of the other SS coaches, as they follow the methods but don't necessarily agree with Rip on every single detail.

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/phuzzyelojique · 1 pointr/Fitness

Overpricing is an understatement.

ON Whey on Amazon as low as $38.24 with subscribe and save (cancel subscription after ordering) and with Amazon Prime you get free shipping: ON Whey

ON Whey on GNC, ON SALE for $56.99, regularly $72.99 no free shipping: ON Whey

tl;dr After shipping, GNC is pretty much twice the cost as you can get ON elsewhere.

Note: Amazon Prime is easy to get for free for several months, it's peppered all over reddit.

EDIT: Looks like it is possible to get free shipping from GNC with signing up for their membership program. Not sure why you'd want a membership with those prices though.

u/lannisteralwayspay · 8 pointsr/Fitness

/u/phrakture is a bit harsh, but he's right. At perfect conditions a male can gain 1-2lbs of muscle mass per month. You gained more than that, and you're a female — considering females don't gain as much muscle mass as males, you simply got a lot fatter. It's a sad truth, but it's the truth.

What you could do is:

  1. Eat less. You don't need to eat 1000cals per day, just lower your amount of calories by 100-200 for a couple of weeks. You still gain weight? Drop more, like 200cals. Maintain weight? Drop a bit, like 100cals. You're losing weight? Well done. Now keep at it.

  2. Switch to a solid routine. This is not beneficial to losing weight, losing weight is mostly (90%) a diet change. But it will help you in the long run. Take a look at this book.

    Have fun!
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/bgd221 · 1 pointr/Fitness

Go with Optimum's Whey Power on Amazon @ http://amzn.to/hoc5cn

It's really high-quality with the full spectrum of amino acids, quick absorbing/digesting for optimal post-workout nutrition, tastes really good, easily mixable, and it's really affordable. I've used it for 4+ years, best protein powder I've used by far. I also like the fact that it has minimal artificial ingredients (if you care about that sort of stuff).

I personally love chocolate mint. It should be a staple in every supplement routine.

u/sksS13 · 1 pointr/Fitness

Eating 5-7 times a day is actually pretty bad for keeping you full. I would limit it to three meals a day. If you're still feeling hungry, add in vegetables into your diet and cut out the nuts. Vegetables aren't very calorie dense and will take up a lot of room in your stomach whereas Nuts are the total opposite; 150g of Almonds alone are roughly 850 calories.

I'm assuming you'd like to drop your bodyfat percentage while retaining as much as your lean body mass as possible. My biggest suggestion is to put in a little more effort now so you don't end up lighter on the scale yet skinnyfat in reality. Here's some information to help you out.

***

TDEE


Try and calculate your TDEE. The best way to calculate it is to track your calories and daily weight every day for 3 weeks or so. Here's something that will help you with that:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/3bx3rl/a_tool_i_made_to_help_find_your_actual_tdee_and/

Once you have your TDEE, you'll want to take that number and subtract 500 calories. The logic behind this is as follows: 1lb of bodyfat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Your TDEE is basically the amount of calories your body needs to maintain your current weight (including calories used to stay alive, exercise, do your job, etc.). If you're below your TDEE by 500 calories everyday for a week, you'll be at a weekly deficit of 3,500 calorie. You'll essentially lose a pound a week. I wouldn't suggest losing weight any quicker than this as your body will start breaking down lean tissue as well to meet your TDEE.

Next take your TDEE-500 calories, you'll want to take 20% of that number and portion that off towards fats. Take that 20% number and divide by 9. This will be how many grams of fats you can consume a day. (Quick bit of info: 1g of Protein = 4 calories, 1g of Carbohydrates = 4 Calories, 1g of Fat = 9 calories)

Take your bodyweight and that will be how many grams of protein you should be eating to help maintain lean body mass.

Carbs are easier: whatever calories remain after accounting for fats and proteins are allotted to carbs.
Take your (TDEE - 500)
Subtract ({Xg of Fats} * 9)
Subtract ({Xg of Protines} * 4)
Divide remainder by 4. This number is your daily carb limit.

Do replace fats with more carbs or proteins hoping it'll make you healthier. Fats are very important for the production of hormones.

***

Putting it into Practice


Get yourself a digital scale off of amazon like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452300889&sr=8-3&keywords=digital+food+scale

Use a website like this one for food information:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Use an app like this one to set your daily macros (grams of Fats, Proteins, and Carbs) and track your daily consumption:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.johnugwuadi.simplemacro&hl=en


u/woohhaa · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Cool, sounds like you have a good nutrition game plan.

I use an Omron Fat Loss Monitor to track my bf%. It initially showed an unrealistically low bf% for me but it is very consistent. I used a tape measure and a bf calculating website to figure up the difference then used that number as my offset. i.e. Omron says 12% tape measure method says 20% so your offset is 8.

The benefit to doing it this way is the Omron is easy and quick where the tape measure pretty much requires my wife to help do it accurately. I try to measure every week or two. After 6 months or so do another tape measure check to ensure your offset hasn't changed. Mine changed by 2 over the course of a year.

Take this advise with a grain of salt, I concocted this method after reading many articles and /r/fitness posts about bf%. It seems reasonable to me.

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/kodachrome64 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Unfortunately, I can't afford physio work right now. Once I got my diagnosis from the sports medicine doc, they gave me the isometric exercises and wished me the best of luck.

I ordered the Kelly Starrett book that mxmxmxmx recommended in another comment. I looked into it, and it seems like the best way for me to go at this point. I'm sure my hips and glutes are a mess, since both school and work have me sitting a lot. When I first tried to squat, I couldn't get near parallel without my psoas feeling like they were going to explode. I've also noticed lately that my right ankle is rotated inward slightly, so this is a dead giveaway that something is out of whack.

I'd be interested in knowing what the specialist finds. I should have the book in a couple of days and I'll be able to begin whatever exercises it recommends. I can let you know about any progress if you'd like.

Also, ouch! I couldn't even imagine using the leg extension machine - for a few months, it hurt just to make that movement without any weight.

Best of luck with your knee - I definitely know the frustration you're going through!

u/ignitusmaximus · 3 pointsr/Fitness

I recommend Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Isolate, its definitely good for the price. On Amazon a 5lb tub is around 55 dollars. Extreme Milk Chocolate is by far the best flavor. You can usually never go wrong with chocolate flavors. Isolate is the way to go, its usually plentiful in protein, while being low on carbs. You'll want to get your carbs from a whole source.

Meal replacements need your macros: Protein, Carbs and Fats. So, some Whey, Oats, and Whole milk, blend. Done. If your calorie conscious, Whey, half oats (or skip the oats for low-carb), fat free milk (or half whole milk, half water), done.

Casual meal replacement use one scoop whey. Post workout, use two scoops. Be prepared though, Whey Protein can add up over time and get pretty expensive. You may go through the whole 5lb tub in a month.

u/blackjack_00 · 2 pointsr/Fitness

I've been obsessing over peoples progress pics and considering the shape you were in, I bet you get back there in no time.

That said, I'm reading Schwarzenegger's New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. When talking about increasing intensity and scheduling he says that he would do splits like that, but it seemed like he was pushing heavy weight lifting to be done in the morning. I think his point was that it's hard to be consistent with weight lifting after a full day.

As for myself, I got a personal trainer going on a couple months ago and he's got me doing weights in the morning, then a cardio session and coming in after work to pickup another cardio session. Working great for me, someone who's never been quite in the shape you were.

Best of luck!

u/vgisverbose · 2 pointsr/Fitness

I started it around the same time I got a bioimpedance fat loss monitor, which was in April. According to it, I've lost almost 10% body fat since then. I don't know how much I trust the monitor but honestly, I love the E/C stack for its appetite suppression. I cycle on it for 8 weeks and off it for 2 weeks. I can tell the difference when I'm off it, hunger wise.

It's nothing crazy but when I'm on the E/C stack, I have to set an alarm to remember to eat when my feeding window opens up. That's pretty useful. I could live without it but the appetite suppression + fat burning makes it pretty worth it.

It makes some people jittery but I have no adverse reactions personally.

u/voiceofnight · 5 pointsr/Fitness

I'm particularly fond of Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Whey in Double Rich Chocolate flavor. I've tried a few others, but this is the best tasting (mix with milk, not water ick) and the easiest to stick with using. You can get it from Amazon with free Prime shipping here

u/menuitem · 1 pointr/Fitness

There's a book which describes it "Starting Strength", Mark Rippetoe. It's very popular here. Basically, it teaches you how to go from a novice lifter to increase your strength as quickly as possible, usually people get to the peak of the program in about 6 months (assuming they follow the program). The workouts are easy to understand and follow; the program calls for doing them 3x a week, and they last about an hour (when you start) to maybe 90 minutes after 6 months.

What I do to motivate myself, while doing Starting Strength is this: only one number matters in my life, and that number is the number of pounds I can squat 3 sets for 5 reps. As long as that number is going up, I am making progress. If it's not, everything must change until it does.

It works.

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/dreuchdail · 1 pointr/Fitness

/r/bodyweightfitness

Ultimate Body Dip Press Stand - $103

  • Dips
  • Inverted Rows
  • Bunch of other stuff like handstand work.

    30 lb Kettle Bell - $30
  • Can do basically any one handed dumbbell exercise.
  • Can add weights to squats, sit ups, dips(with a strap or something), pull ups, chin ups, whatever really, just be creative.
  • Kettle bell-specific exercises(There are a lot more).

    Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - $30
  • Chin ups.
  • Pull ups.
  • Random other stuff(pushing, situps, dips, crunches, etc...)

    This is a decent starter kit for about $163 bucks with free shipping. Allows you to do a lot of different exercises and a lot of different routines. You'll be able to get all around fit and healthy for sure with some dedication, good routines, and a good diet.

    In terms of muscle mass gains, it won't exactly get you massive. No 40 inch biceps or anything crazy. However, you can add quite a bit of muscle mass and strength with this kit and a body weight routine.

    Body weight training and kettle bell training are very effective and a lot of people have had success with them. It's geared towards more functional fitness rather than purely aesthetics though. Not really what everyone would want, but it's cheap, effective, and portable.
u/mlitwa · 1 pointr/Fitness

Just for the rack, or is that for everything.

if everything, you should be able to get a basic 300lb weight set at your current sporting good store for around $300, but check craigslist, as you can get weight much cheaper

for a basic rack, I like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AZW93HRN28RCX

for a bench, I like this http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Athletics-Inc-DA-Bench/dp/B001TJCHES/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

and that should put you around the $800-900 mark depending on if you can get some used weights or not. This pretty much covers the basics, to get you started with Starting Strength


If $800 is just for the rack, then you are probably able to get much better equipment, and I would probably get a package from rogue, as their products are good. So a R3 Rack, weights, bench, and a bar in one package, would come out to about $1500-1700. This would be bumper plates, so would be safe to drop on a platform


other things I would buy

you can get horse stall mat from tractor supply co, and some OSB to make a platform for deadlifting and cleans

A weight tree if conventional weights, or make a weight holder for bumpers, http://board.crossfit.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2060&d=1216003868

u/bran_fIakes · 3 pointsr/Fitness

I agree Starting Strenght it's a great reference to start.

I recommend add this one:

Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier. There it will explain, like a true genius, with awesome pictures how the muscles are involve on each workout, how to avoid injuries and develop a perfect form for your routines.

A MUST HAVE / READ.

u/CephalopodAlpha · 5 pointsr/Fitness

I have to offer a different opinion than the folks before me. I was in exactly this same scenario about eight months ago. I did power lifting back in high school, was in relatively good shape, and then through poor choices during the twelve years after graduating, I ended up at 254 pounds and my doctor informing me that I was beginning to develop a fatty liver. So, I got my shit together and joined a local gym that same week. I knew I was out of shape, so for the first couple of weeks I just focused on hitting the treadmill and starting slow. I also used that time to take stock of the equipment, the people, what I knew how to use and what I didn't. If there were things I had never used before, I just observed others. When I felt ready to jump back into lifting, I started with free weights and cables, because these were things that I knew how to use. If you've lifted before, like you said, then there is bound to be shit that looks familiar that you still remember. I also knew that I would have terrible DOMS for the first few weeks as my muscles adjusted again. So I started light with everything. I wanted to develop a baseline again before I started working a program. I went slow and gradually worked back up to the big compound lifts. I also put a lot of time and effort into technique, breathing, stretching, muscle contraction. If I was going to basically relearn everything, I wanted to do it right. Fast forward to now, and I'm down to 215, and following a modified 5x5 program called Ice Cream Fitness. I'm also in the best shape of my life through eating way better and regular exercise. You can do it. Here are my recommendations:

-Start slow, don't take on too much at once. Too much change leads to stress, stress can lead to failure.

-If you don't know how to use things, observe, or better yet, just ask. You might be surprised that a lot of people are willing to help, even if they have permanent bitch face. It's a gym after all, people are usually focused and are just going to look that way when they are there. You'll do it too. As far as looking stupid, a lot of people are probably just not going to be paying that much attention to you, so don't overthink it. It's easy to feel dumb if you are going to the gym and starting with just the bar, but everyone has to start somewhere, and you're never going to improve until you start. I did it, and it's just something you do and get through. I've gone from just the bar to almost 200+ lb. squats now, and it feels great to see that improvement. Work for you, not for anyone else.

-To help with your anxiety, check into forms of meditation, it can work wonders. You can retrain your brain if you put in the effort. A life lower in stress is a thing that you CAN control, you just need to put in the effort.

-These two books, here and here were, and continue to be, invaluable to me. They are not expensive and they are worth every penny. They will help you learn a lift from the inside out, and they will teach you how to stretch properly. I reference them constantly.

Stay positive, put in the effort, and you will beat your anxiety and be on the road to a happier, healthier life.

u/pokstad · 3 pointsr/Fitness

Stappers (a.k.a. simplefit.org). I follow YAYOG it has a 20 minute workout known as the Stapper. It's very similar to CrossFit, but instead of going for your best time to complete a number of rounds, you are doing the inverse: as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes. Example workout round: bodyweight rows (6 reps), air squats (12 reps) and push ups (8 reps). Great thing is that the entire body gets worked in only 20 minutes. Reduce it to 10-15 for your own schedule.

u/Viginti · 1 pointr/Fitness

Sounds like you're doing great so I'll second the keep it up mantra.

Sounds like you have a plan for your diet like calculating your TDEE and tracking what you eat. I recommend getting a food scale (https://amzn.com/B004164SRA ) if you don't have one. They're hugely helpful.

For the gym you should do the same as you did for the diet...make a plan. Plenty of good lifting programs in the wiki and I'd keep on the cardio as well. Also check out /r/xxfitness. While I haven't looked I'm sure they have some more lady specific programs.

u/PepperJck · 5 pointsr/Fitness

The guy who made it brilliant and very well known. Fads come and go. The douche follow the fad for a superior bro feeling. Just do you and don't worry about anyone else. The body build route is safer since its mostly lighter weights so a lot of lifers prefer them to something that could sideline them for weeks. SS is a great program to get going on until you figure out what you like.

u/misplaced_my_pants · 1 pointr/Fitness

Yeah pacing yourself is key. If someone hasn't linked you yet, you should definitely get yourself a copy of Starting Strength. It's got everything you'd ever want to know about form and starting a strength regimen (including pacing). And there's plenty of info in the FAQ in the sidebar.

Swole.me, nutritiondata.com, and wolframalpha.com are all great resources for your diet as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if your rock climbing gets easier, too. Deadlifts will really work your back and your grip strength.

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/Syncharmony · 2 pointsr/Fitness

Sedentary lifestyle. If you were leading a sedimentary lifestyle then you would be a rock. Not figuratively, literally.

I would start with your plan of walking. The saying of walk before your run is true and especially for overweight individuals. I'd much rather a trainee walk everyday for an hour then jog a couple times a week and have sore shins and knees and feel so crappy from over-exertion that they want to quit. Ease in.

The weight training idea is spot on. Start with just the training and walking until your body adapts to the new demands you are placing on it and then begin to experiment with other forms of cardio at the gym or outside as you wish.

For diet it doesn't have to be over complicated. You already show that you understand the basic concepts. Start with eliminating all the junk that you KNOW is bad intrinsically. Soda, chips, candy, cookies, etc. Aim for eating a real cooked or prepared foods and shop the outside edges of the grocery store for your ingredients. This means meat, fruit, vegetables, etc. I personally believe in keeping carbs low in the beginning of the day and only bringing them up to a 'normal' level in meals post-workout. Protein is your new best friend.

Picking up a copy of SS is a good first step. Even if you don't follow the program it's full of good information. I also recommend Strength Training Anatomy. Outside of that read the FAQs and search websites for information on lifting. It's a lot like dieting where you will find there are basic core movements and ideas that are the foundation which you build upon. Squats, Deadlifts, Bench, OHP, pull-ups, dips, cleans, rows, etc as the lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbs of the lifting world and everything else is the filler you use to tailor to your goals.