PLEASE HELP.
I can't figure out a great routine. I watch videos and then the new videos will discredit the old videos. I need a program. I hired a personal trainer but he destroyed my back and never drew up a program for me. My workouts are all over the place. I have that scapula pinching nerve problems but it's getting better. Can you guys suggest a program for me? I don't care how difficult. I have a bench, power tower, and all the dumbells. Like to do the whole body. Squatting and deadlifting is crap for me until my core and back are better. I can only do 3 pull-ups at a time. Please help bros I'm desperate. I have to be strong for my job. As strong as possible. I'm 230lbs 5'11. Thanks again guys. God bless.
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Stronglifts 5x5 unironically. Start out light with the squats and deadlifts if you're getting fricked up by them, perhaps even with an empty bar. For your core, just a few minutes of planks per day will make you strong and will get rid of all your back problems. Both myself and all of my dyel friends that I've coached had back problems and planking fixed it. Refer to the stronglifts 5x5 website (first thing that comes up when you search "stronglifts 5x5") for all the details you could want regarding the program.
I cannot more highly recommend pull ups for really any lifter. It will resolve your scapula issues, prevent injuries in the future, and make you way stronger on all lifts, especially bench press. 3 pull ups at 230 lbs bodyweight is pretty good, especially for a beginner. Do controlled negatives or use bands to get more reps, or if you can, try weighted pull ups.
Do not concern yourself with intentionally losing weight for a while—being in a calorie deficit, especially as a beginner when your connective tissue is still weak, makes the probability of injury WAY higher than it otherwise would be. You might lose some weight just from hormonal changes and the added energy expenditure of lifting, but it won't be enough to frick you up.
Don't concern yourself with deadlifting big weight for the first few years of your lifting career. As an anecdote, I was able to deadlift 3.5 plates as a little 140 lb high schooler while all my other lifts sucked, but I was constantly fricking myself up because I was still a newish lifter and my connective tissue was not strong yet; it takes around 3-4 years to get tendon maturity. The bench press and the squat are the two main lifts you should be worried about.
t. 535 lb squat, 375 lb bench, 550 lb deadlift @ 200 lbs bodyweight, 5 years lifting. Hit me with any questions you have, and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
Limited by character limit, so cont.
Don't be concerned with finding an "optimal" program. Someone, especially self proclaimed "science based lifters" and other assorted dyels, will ALWAYS nitpick any program presented to them. What matters most is that you continue to lift consistently for long periods of time, as your body will continue to adapt so long as stimulus is provided and material (food) is provided to create and support these adaptations.
I also encourage you to run. Yes, I know that it sucks, but it gets to be fun once it stops hurting, and it will make you stronger and healthier. Get a chest heart rate monitor and wear it while you run, making sure your heart rate doesn't go above your max aerobic heartrate (a simple formula to find this is just [180-your age=MAH]. You will almost certainly have to walk portions (or the majority) of your runs to stay below this heart rate at first, which is perfectly fine. Run on days where you don't lift.
Just started 5x5 tonight, literally an hour ago. Good post
Never thought about the bands. I'll try all fo this. Never heard of 5x5 either. Need to lurk more. I actually like running in the morning because it wakes you up. Feels good the rest of the day. Like a slow steady energy burn. I'll do the pull-ups anyway. Haha. They suck the most because I'm so fat but they seem impactful. Thanks again bro.
start with 3 sets of fork put-downs per day.
plus some cardio.
/thread
Cardio is useless when it comes to losing weight. It's strictly worse than lifting weights, which burns way more calories over many days and induces muscle growth, which increases basal metabolic rate. For fat people, cardio can even be harmful because they will run with shit form and frick up their joints, then eat a little extra dessert because they "earned it," fricking up their calories for the day. I doubt OP would because he seems smart and motivated, but this is the case for 80% of fat people.
3 pull-ups is actually not bad at 230 lbs. Most men can't even do 1 pull-up lol. So, well done on that.
I think the anon who posted a lot ITT already is correct on pretty much everything. Especially the part about not worrying about a program at this point in time. You will become noticeably stronger (and get bigger muscles) just by doing intense compounds (pull-ups, bench press, OHP, squats, etc.).
DO NOT neglect your leg muscles—by working out your legs, the biggest muscles in your body, you will flood your body with testosterone and growth hormone which will cause your upper body to grow even more. It's also just gross and unathletic when people are imbalanced.
He recommended rooning, which is nice and all, but I see fat unathletic people rooning all the time. I recommend sprinting or swimming, or really just finding any physically-involved hobby you like. This can be literally anything that involves you moving and sweating with or without other people.
t. not as impressive credentials as anon but I have the most athletic dog in my neighborhood and we run around at the dog park every day together
THANKYOU BROS!! I know the sticky I'll check it out. Just hoping to get advice particularly to by body type how it is. Thanks again guys. I'll report back
Yeah definitely doing legs. I need to. They're weak. Think of doing chest back and arms 1 day, then legs lower back next day, with 2 days of rest per week. Lite cardio for warmup. I have a treadmill and I love to bicycle. Pickleball and cycle on rest days.
Eat less x failure
As of Jan 1st I've completely changed my diet. No sodas. No added sugar. I have 1 hersheys kiss before each workout. That's it. Upped the meat big time. Got some backyard hens so the eggs are coming along. Any high protein suggestions? Thinking about sardines.
You gotta protect those egg layers from dogs and coyotes bro. Men protect their treasures
Yeah I have a good anatolian shepard mix right now. She does the job. And I lock em up at night. Bought a higher end coop. Had a skunk come by 2 nights and couldn't break in so that's good. Lol. Might get a rooster to help out.
Also I forgot to ask, how much time between each set? Like 30 seconds, 1.5 minutes? What is the best duration?
I like to do 15–30 seconds between warm ups and 1.5 minutes–2 minutes between (and before starting) serious sets. 2–3 warm-up sets, 3–4 serious sets (depending on if I just started working out that muscle group that day, how heavy I'm going [no need to do 3 warm-up sets for pull-ups as opposed to 250 pound squats], and how hard I want to work that muscle group that day). Don't over-think it though.