Your Fitness Journey and Progress

[Luminous]

I've basically adjusted my goals from weight loss (which I'd still love to have happen but having as the main goal just isn't working) to being healthier. Still doing resistance training when I can (basically when I am able to execute with proper form) and trying to sneak healthier foods into my diet. Maybe this will eventually lead to weight loss. Either way, it's healthy.

 

[SD45T-2]

I've basically adjusted my goals from weight loss (which I'd still love to have happen but having as the main goal just isn't working) to being healthier. Still doing resistance training when I can (basically when I am able to execute with proper form) and trying to sneak healthier foods into my diet. Maybe this will eventually lead to weight loss. Either way, it's healthy.

Do you have adequate feelings of inadequacy to start an epic lifting journey?

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Went to a Crossfit class and was in pain for 3 days, almost had to call out cause I was in so much pain. Now that I healed I signed up for more ahahah, went for a tight knit class where we can learn new thins together. Also went to the farmer's market today and bought some salad turnips-which are basically like radishes but they're softer and white and a touch milder. Thought it would be nice to put in, well, a salad. Also got a baguette and some random African seasonings to try and some spicy hot green beans. Immersing myself in the cottagecore aesthetic helps me eat healthier.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Been lifting for 7 months now. Bench has gone from 130 for reps, to 210 for reps. Hip thrusts have gone from like 225 for reps to 415 for reps. Shrugs have gone from less than 150 for reps to 325 for reps. Just started squatting a 2 months ago and already hitting 245 for reps. Hitting lat pulldowns for 190 for reps. Cable curls 130 for reps and cable triceps pushdowns 150 for reps. Trying to do more shoulder work now, as I have comparably weak shoulders.

Started lifting 3 days a week, have now gone to 5 days per week. Can max out a good number of machines in the gym for reps. Have been crushing protein for a while.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Been lifting for 7 months now. Bench has gone from 130 for reps, to 210 for reps. Hip thrusts have gone from like 225 for reps to 415 for reps. Shrugs have gone from less than 150 for reps to 325 for reps. Just started squatting a 2 months ago and already hitting 245 for reps. Hitting lat pulldowns for 190 for reps. Cable curls 130 for reps and cable triceps pushdowns 150 for reps. Trying to do more shoulder work now, as I have comparably weak shoulders.

Started lifting 3 days a week, have now gone to 5 days per week. Can max out a good number of machines in the gym for reps. Have been crushing protein for a while.

Any good tips for working triceps? I feel like my biceps are bulking out nicely but I'm having trouble getting my triceps to catch up. not looking to get super swole or anything, but i would like some nice definition and balance. Like a swimmer's physique... I don't know what half the exercises are called but I've been doing the one where you lift a barbell weight over your head from behind your shoulders. Do I just need to up my reps with those and do less bicep curls so I don't get a muscle imbalance? Triceps are HARD to build

On unrelated note, I realized I'd been focusing a lot on arms and abs but have neglected my chest, so lately I've been focusing on the bench press machine (or whatever that one is called), and the pec deck machine. I love the soreness in my chest after a good workout.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Any good tips for working triceps? I feel like my biceps are bulking out nicely but I'm having trouble getting my triceps to catch up. not looking to get super swole or anything, but i would like some nice definition and balance. Like a swimmer's physique... I don't know what half the exercises are called but I've been doing the one where you lift a barbell weight over your head from behind your shoulders. Do I just need to up my reps with those and do less bicep curls so I don't get a muscle imbalance? Triceps are HARD to build

On unrelated note, I realized I'd been focusing a lot on arms and abs but have neglected my chest, so lately I've been focusing on the bench press machine (or whatever that one is called), and the pec deck machine. I love the soreness in my chest after a good workout.

My current chest and tris day looks like this.

Chest press machine 3 x 10 at 215lbs.

Overhead press machine 3 x 10 80 lbs.

Seated triceps press 3 x 10 275 lbs. This machine looks like this but you can achieve the same thing with bodyweight dips or weighted dips.

Pec fly machine at 185 lbs.

Cable tricep pushdowns at 160lbs.

Cable lateral raises with 30 lbs.

And then to burn out my tris at the end of the workout I've been doing skullcrushers with 70 lbs.

In other news I hit 335 on shrugs with straps today for 3 sets of 10.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

I've avoided it for a while, but I finally wrote out a tentative bodybuilding schedule to follow weekly, Which I'm not going to type out in full right now, but may share later. Up until now, my workouts have been haphazard and unorganized--5 days a week hasn't done me as much good as I'd like without a strict schedule to follow. This is a rough guide and I'll have to actively revise and perfect my schedule depending on which machines are and aren't available at my apartment gym and my work gym (I've also been avoiding getting a membership at an actual gym like Gold's or YMCA). I am also going to try to do light cardio 3 days a week (about 30 minutes a day) when bulking and 4 days a week for 45 minutes daily if need to start cutting.

Still dreading the thought of having to get a true gym membership, for the following reasons
A) financial reasons, I can technically afford one but don't want to add another monthly expense;
B) social reasons, don't really enjoy being around gym rats who hog all of the machines and seem to go to show off and be seen more than to actually work out;
C) extreme social anxiety and dysmorphia prevent me from wanting to be seen by others. I really wish I had a house so I could start building my dream home gym room.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Leg Day done. 606lbs for reps on the sled. Smith machine hip thrusts with 430 for reps. Seated calves with 225, and standing calves with 4 plates a side. Did some other machine work but these are the highlights.

 

[Coriolis]

I kept up a good habit of going to the gym 3 times a week during the academic year, then fell off the wagon last month, primarily due to travel. Got back on today.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

My chest muscles have never been this sore in my life.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

215 on chest press, 285 on seated triceps press, 190 on pec flies. 160 on cable tri press downs.

 

[Coriolis]

My chest muscles have never been this sore in my life.

What chest exercises do you like?

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

What chest exercises do you like?

For chest and triceps day, these are my favorites:

•Bench press (3 sets of 12, 8, 8)
•Chest fly machine (3 sets 12, 8, 8)
•dips, these are murderous but I love them (ideally 2 sets of 10, 8). I want to do weighted dips but can barely handle my own body weight at this point
•skullcrushers (3 sets 12, 8, 8)
•overhead tricep extensions (2 sets of 10, 8)

The beauty of the above is that most of them (with exception of dips and chest flys) can be performed with dumbbells and a simple bench or yoga ball, and you just start with a weight that’s comfortable for your level, whether it be 2.5 lbs or 50 lbs. I currently do most of the above with anything between 10 and 20 lbs, based on what I can handle for a given exercise. Even bench pressing without barbell is possible if you have some barbells and a bench or yoga ball.

My workout routine is between beginner and intermediate, I guess. I’m always learning more.

 

[Coriolis]

For chest and triceps day, these are my favorites:

•Bench press (3 sets of 12, 8, 8)
•Chest fly machine (3 sets 12, 8, 8)
•dips, these are murderous but I love them (ideally 2 sets of 10, 8). I want to do weighted dips but can barely handle my own body weight at this point
•skullcrushers (3 sets 12, 8, 8)
•overhead tricep extensions (2 sets of 10, 8)

The beauty of the above is that most of them (with exception of dips and chest flys) can be performed with dumbbells and a simple bench or yoga ball, and you just start with a weight that’s comfortable for your level, whether it be 2.5 lbs or 50 lbs. I currently do most of the above with anything between 10 and 20 lbs, based on what I can handle for a given exercise. Even bench pressing without barbell is possible if you have some barbells and a bench or yoga ball.

My workout routine is between beginner and intermediate, I guess. I’m always learning more.

Sounds worthwhile. I am trying to shift to doing more free weight exercises vs. machines. I will give some of these a try.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Sounds worthwhile. I am trying to shift to doing more free weight exercises vs. machines. I will give some of these a try.

I recommend watching a few YouTube videos by different fitness people to learn the correct form. This limits likelihood of injury. I also realized my form had been off for certain dumbbell exercises before I watched some tutorials.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

New PR 220lbs on the bench machine for reps (100kg).

And 290 on seated triceps pressdowns.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Starting on Keto, I like talking about what I eat:

Breakfast: Two boiled eggs ala salt and pepper and some iced coffee with oat creamer

Snack: Garlic jalapeno olives

Lunch: Cucumbers tossed in some ancho chili crunch blend, a lil dark chocolate and a few more olives. It's a pretty mean little...dressing?

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Snack 2: Champagne currants

Dinner: Grilled kielbasa and a bunch of veggies with some old bay sprinkled on them

Might make some tea if I'm feeling ambitious-

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Felt super weak today, didn't eat well this weekend. That probably didn't help. Did manage a PR on pec flies of 195lbs.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Nearly into a week of Keto-my day today
Breakfast: Cauliflower mac and cheese from the night before and my iced coffee with caramel creamer

Snack: One oreo(it was the only thing around me at work and I was STARVING)

Lunch: Cucumber avocado tomato salad with the ancho chili stuff

Dinner: Jersey Mike's supreme club in a bowl and an unsweetened iced tea

Keto is a bit hard, and I don't even miss the bread or crunchy stuff or whatever(sweets I can't deny I miss though). It's just how sneaky carbs are, I used MyFitnessPal and I'm getting 40ish carbs a day, which is good in some iterations(some do up to 50), but still, I was going for 20-30). I think it's cause I eat a lot of veg and it's hard to instinctively each so much fat without feeling..unclean. I've been pretty tired on it, but I'm genuinely feeling good inside.

Also bought this dandelion coffee thing cause it was on for 6:99 and why not:

Also confession, I hate it when I see someone and they look like they would weigh more than me and they end up being like 10-20 pounds less. It's probably cause they're taller than me, I'm a short lil avocado who holds most of her weight in her belly.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Fairly heavy leg day. 586 on the sled, 405 thrusts.

Legs started feeling weird so I took it easy on the back half of the workout.