Best exercise & fitness books according to redditors
We found 4,798 Reddit comments discussing the best exercise & fitness books. We ranked the 972 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 4,798 Reddit comments discussing the best exercise & fitness books. We ranked the 972 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Well this seems like a good opportunity to post a few of the lessons I learned in my 20s.
To my former self:
If you're depressed, here's how to turn it around
Fap less, and never to porn
Gratitude
Wealth
Theories
Girls
Career
Flow
Meditation
*****
Edit:
To answer some requests, here's my list of resources.
Wealth/Metaphysics
This audiobook has the best summary I've found of how wealth works
Lifting
How Procrastination works:
How Business works
What innovation actually is and how to do it:
How economics works:
How to get things done:
Task Management tool:
Spiritual Books
How to be a man:
Audiobooks (most of these can be found on audiobook):
Frame Control (Anytime you feel like you're trying too hard or begging for something, you lost the frame)
This is my favourite book of all. They talk about the new type of conscousness which is really really interesting to me. May not apply to all people.
If anyone find this book interesting I'd love to talk about it:
How the world works:
Welcome!
You could probably benefit from reading the wiki.
This is my /r/fitness guide for people with generic fitness goals. It isn't the only way to go about it but everything in it is frequently recommended by people in /r/fitness:
Stronglifts is a beginner program 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.
Progress guide to Stronglifts:
Ignore anyone who tells you at what weights these things should happen. Just follow the program. Your body can do what it can do, trying to match an average or macho idea of what you "should" be able to do instead of what you can do will just get you injured and/or stalling.
If you want to track the changes in your body measure your weight, shoulders, biceps, calves, chest, forearms, hips, neck, waist and thighs, flexed and/or unflexed or whatever combination of those you care about.
Learn to ignore the daily measurements - they will mislead you as to your actual progress and send you on an emotional rollercoaster. The weekly trend tells you what's what.
People often regret not taking enough photos of their progress. Take photos from more than one angle regularly in consistent conditions (lighting, time of day, clothing, pose).
Useful form videos:
Bench Press
Deadlift
Squats
Pendlay/Barbell Rows
Overhead Press
A few requests:
The book "Becoming a Supple Leopard" has a number of great mobility exercises, as well as sections on the theory and how to correctly perform exercises. Highly recommended if you'd like to dig into a book that feels like a textbook.
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837
In English:
"I started with a weightlifting routine I got form a popular book by Mark Rippetoe called 'Starting Strength' and sort of jumped around routines. I kept away from exercises that only work out a single muscle at a time (and instead decided to perform lifts like squats that work out groups of many muscles once, called compound exercises, as advocated in Rippetoe's book and elsewhere). However, I did keep doing bicep curls, an isolated lift."
I can tell you from being an addict who was inches from death, your food addiction a in the same part of the brain as my drinking and I can tell you that I know exactly how you feel. Here is the hardest part for you to accept, and believe me, people around you will argue against it, most of how you got here was out of your control.
You most likely have issues in your brain. Because our "free will" and "you" exists in the brain, people like to conflate the two and associate malfunctions in the reward system to a lack of will power or personal responsibility. The very thing you make your choices with, your brain, is compromised.
I know something that has helped me, no wait, saved my life, and I just recently stumbled upon a book about it, exercise. Before you dismiss it and categorize yourself as someone who doesn't, or can't, exercise, read this book cover to cover. Get the audio book, listen to it on your down time.
If it is not the solution to your problems, I can guarantee you, it is the start to them. Do you want evidence? Read the book. Do you want research? Read the book. Do you want hope? Read the book.
You have to understand that you are fighting against the reward system in your brain. It will tell you things you have to ignore. I recommend exercise not because you mentioned overeating, but because you mentioned depression. The transformation in your body will just be an added bonus.
Of course, we don't all have the means, but therapy is #1. They will help you stay on course. When that malfunctioning part of your brain tells you one thing, your therapist will convinces you that it is a ruse fabricated by an imbalance of neurotransmitters. If you cannot afford one, it is up to you.
Every day. Commit to intense exercise every day. Zero excuse to miss. Not for your weight, for your brain. It is not the magic cure, but it is close. Good luck.
I actually agree with you on some level, but the issue is not so black and white. Have you heard of Hyperandrogenism? It's a condition where some women naturally produce too many androgens such as testosterone, and as a result they perform better in athletics than women who don't. In fact, a group of elite female athletes were tested for this condition and it was presented 140x higher than the general population.
The IAAF introduced a policy to exclude women with hyperandrogenism, or force them to take birth control pills to artificially lower their hormones. It caused much controversy and is now suspended.
This begs the question, where is the line exactly? If women with hyperandrogenism are allowed, then why not trans women? Or if we ban women with hyperandrogenism, why don't we ban men with hyperandrogenism? I bet if you look at cis women who break world records, a few of them will have hyperandrogenism.
When it comes to elite levels of athletics, biology DOES play a factor. For example, the reason why many female gymnasts are so short is not because they grew up tumbling, it's because at higher elite levels of gymnastics they can rotate faster if they're shorter. But does that mean short women have an "advantage" over tall women? Should we split up gymnastics by height?
That's why this issue puzzles me as well. I think it's all very grey and I'm not sure what the solution is.
EDIT: I highly recommend reading The Sports Gene by David Epstein, he does a deep dive on how genetics plays into sports. It doesn't really answer OP's question but interesting nonetheless.
They are pages from the Strength Training Anatomy book: http://amzn.to/fvrM8R (my affiliate link).
Here's the direct link for the affiliate-link-phobics: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736063684
It's a very good book. I highly recommend it.
*Edit: here's the third edition: http://amzn.to/eqvleS ( http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ )
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.
8 seems a little unnecessarily young. I waited until my kid was around 10-11 and bought this book.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763644846/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I really recommend it. It covers a lot of stuff and is very educational.
Big Mouth is a funny show but it's not an educational tool. I mean would you recommend your kid watching American Pie to learn about sex?
I don’t know if anyone can say what your body could look like since everyone distributes muscle and fat differently. All you can really do is diet and exercise in a way that is in line with your goals. For building a curvier, more muscular butt and legs I recommend r/StrongCurves. This is the program created by Bret Contreras and there is a Book by the same name. I am on week 5 and have noticed growth in my hamstrings and booty already. Good luck!
Some people just aren't as talented as others lol. It's like when you put in hard work to achieve something but someone who's a natural also achieves it without much work. There was an interesting book on this topic when it comes to athletics called "The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance"
I highly recommend reading if you ever have the time:
https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Athletic-Performance/dp/161723012X
Yeah studies have shown exercise improves learning ability and retention. On my phone right now but just google it, it’s a big thing now.
edit: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
Strength training is an effective way to burn off fat. I've been doing it for 6 months along with eating pretty healthy and I've lost 30lbs, though I'm much bigger than you. Look at this book for a good routine.
New Rules of Lifting for Women can give you a template plan for building strength unless you are already beyond that sophistication-wise. That emphasizes a lot of compound movements so the workouts aren't by upper and lower body days.
The squat is so hot right now, but the deadlift is the most "functional" lift you can do.
Starting Strength is a great book for learning how to lift weights.
My wife had similar thoughts at first mention. I had her pick up this book from the library: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320934295&sr=1-1
The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Lift like a man, look like a goddess.
It says toning doesn't exist and women can lift weights with all the benefits just like a man. She's much more receptive to it after reading.
No, it is not a valid reason. I am socially insecure as well and had some (what turned out to be invalid) fears about lifting weights.
I joined a gym 11 months ago with the intention of doing cardio for 3 months and then adding weightlifting to my routine. I was worried of not knowing what to do and looking like a dumb ass, so I just kept putting off the weights. I bought Starting Strength and started reading it (good book and I'd recommend it to you). I did my first weightlifting workout on Wednesday of last week and my second this morning.
The basic premise of Starting Strength is that you are weak and inexperienced. It gives you a routine through which you will rapidly gain strength if you follow the program. It will guide you in determining the amount of weight with which you need to be working and it will tell you how to recognize when you're doing too much weight. If you don't do too much weight, then you won't really need a spotter.
Your first workout should be not much more than determining your working weight. You'll start with the bar, empty, and do some squats. Then you'll add 10 lbs and do some more. Then you'll add 10 lbs and do some more. The bar will get "heavy" quickly. Somewhere around 85 lbs for most people, you'll start to slow down. This is your working weight. Pound out two more sets at this weight and you're done.
Then you do an overhead press, starting with the bar. Add 5lbs and do s aset. Add 5 more and do another set. Again, the bar will get heavy and this is your working weight. Pound out two more sets.
Repeat for deadlift, but start at 95 - 135 lbs instead of just the empty bar. Add 10 lbs and do another set. Add 10 more and do another set. When you slow down, you've found your working weight. DON'T do another set. You're done.
The next time you do squats, you'll start with just the empty bar and work your way up to your previous working weight (which was 85 lbs) plus another 10-20 lbs. You always start with just the bar, and you'll always work up from there. A year from now when you can squat 225 lbs, you'll still start with just the bar.
You'll build confidence, and you'll learn your limitations. You'll know if and when you'll need a spotter.
Be careful with people "correcting" your form. The gym is one of the places where everyone is an "expert". If you're worried about your form you should buy a book or hire a legitimate weight lifting coach to teach you.
Becoming a Supple Leopard.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588#
dat dere mobility
sure, it's the 5 days a week routine from here
Anyone interested in a community on this should check out /r/bodyweightfitness
There are also some good books with similar progressions and ideas like You Are Your Own Gym or Overcoming Gravity
Hey bro/sis,
I will give the same advice to men and women here. Get a weight lifting program and some podcasts.
Why podcasts? It will help you get motivated to learn while you lift. Get some TWIT.TV podcasts, maybe a history podcast (The Thomas Jefferson Hour, Dan Carlin's Hardcore History), and something funny or political (The Joe Rogan Experience, No Agenda Show).
Why weight lifting? For guys, you will get big and feel good. For women you will get tone and your butt will look great. Why the difference? That magical chemical called Testosterone. Guys have it and get big, girls don't have it (at least not so much) so they don't get as big.
If you get a complete program, make it simple with big lifts, Squats, Deadlifts, Cleans, Overhead Press, and Bench. DO not get a complicated workout plan from a magazine, they are mostly just filler and worthless, except for those people that are genetically gifted with short recovery times and have hours to workout at the gym.
I went from a 135lb squat to a 235lb squat (3x5) in about two months. It took me another month to get to 260lbs. I feel super great, I enjoy physical activities a lot more, and feel way more confident.
How do you get started?
I used a program called Starting Strength, it's very effective. There are a lot of other exercise programs you can try (Google: Mad Cow, 5x5, or 5/3/1). But Starting Strength is extremely simple and effective. Most of the other big and simple programs are based from Starting Strength.
The biggest change for me was having a predetermined plan, "I am going to start lighter than I think I should, and add 5lbs every time I do this lift." I had a workout notebook and a spreadsheet, this is where I want to be today, this is where I was last week.
Starting Strength Caveats
Resources
Starting Strength Calculator
Starting Strength Book
I've since moved onto a "lighter" program, Jim Wendler's 5/3/1, it gives me more time to pursue jiujitsu and cardio. When you are ready to move on, look at sports specific exercises, bent over rows for a bow draw, and the stair master for hiking.
EDIT
Seriously check out Yoga for Regular Guys as well. It's a very simple non-bullshity yoga routine. It will help with mobility issues and it's a good low-space cardio routine.
EDIT2
Great advice below:
Reasons to meditate from iamadogforreal
Can confirm, I'm a girl, I bought Strong Curves, it is all about butts. The first half of the book is basically "Butt this, glute that, you need a great butt, general fitness, butt butt butt". Well.. it worked, my ass got much perkier after the first programme. I had a nice round bottom. Then running season restarted and I've run most of it off :( Can't wait to restart into my butt training for winter! :D
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Sports/dp/0736092269
I've got a copy, it's really good.
YAAAAAY!!! I'd like to thank my mother, for sliding a book titled It's Perfectly Normal under my door and yelling "IT'S MORE THAN MY MOTHER DID FOR ME" when I had my first period <3
SS, also known as Squat Syndicate, is a best selling gothic fantasy novel written by Mawk Reppetits. The plot resolves around a religious group of heroes, called the AssGuard Companions. They travel across the lands, preaching the ways of their deity - Brodin, and teaching quarter-rep high bar barbell squats to their followers.
^^^It's ^^^this ^^^book. ^^^you ^^^might ^^^want ^^^to ^^^read ^^^the ^^^faq ^^^----->
Don't worry about getting judged in the gym, everyone is doing their own thing and people are happy to help you out.
Take a look at the FAQ of r/fitness. Especially the diet section. Learn about macro- and micronutrients. This is good as well
Free weights are better than machines. You don't need a squat rack to do bicep curls. Use a weight that's appropriate, you are not there to impress anyone.
You don't need a fuckton of supplements, fix your diet first. Instead of spending your cash on testosterone boosters and fat burners consider buying the Starting Strength e-book. Even if you don't want to do that program, the book is great and it explains the essential lifts in detail. Take the diet advice with a
grainrock of salt though.Track your weight, wether your goal is to gain or to lose. Weigh yourself every morning after taking a piss and take a weekly average, weight can fluctuate on a daily basis. Also track your calories (buy a foodscale). Even if you don't want to do that forever, at least do it for a few weeks so you actually know how much energy the food you consume provides. People claiming they can't lose or gain weight because of their metabolism are lying.
Track your lifts. Don't create your own program. Build a habit of going to the gym because motivation will come and go. Take progress pictures because the mirror will not show you the minor changes you make on a daily basis. More is not always besser. Use your rest days for stretching, light cardio and rest. You will have bad days in the gym. It happens. A bad workout is still better than no workout.
Relevant subreddits:
Lifts (start with the empty bar)
Useful apps for your workout are the stronglifts5x5 app (if you are doing that specific program) or JetFit if you want to enter your own workout. Great apps to track calories are myfitnesspal or fatsecret.
Thanks for the link.
I bought the book on Amazon for $12 (shipped) earlier this year, but it's at $14 now. Price Fluctuation
Having a PDF of it, I can look at it on mobile without having to carry the book around.
> a book that has pictures for each movement, the way Strong Curves does, so he can work on form.
Regardless of whether you like the program, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training is invaluable for learning the compound lifts.
For body weight exercises, like pull-up, chin-up, dip, push-up the best route is do negatives at first, and slowly increase number of reps. Basically all of these have the same program (with different numbers) that will lead you from not being able to do single rep, to doing more than enough.
Have a look at:
http://www.50pullups.com/ - for pull-ups
http://www.onefiftydips.com/ - for dips
http://hundredpushups.com/ for push-ups
For clean, jerk and other olympic lifts, you'd better to start with something like Starting Strength or Strong Lifts 5x5 and after finishing it, go from there.
I found the New Rules of Lifting For Women to be really approachable. The writing's engaging with lots of references to studies and science and the exercises are all well explained (with pictures!).
It's been around long enough that you can find videos of each workout online, as well as excel spreadsheets to track your workouts/calories etc in.
(Caveat - I mostly ignored the nutrition chunk of the book so I can't say much about that part.)
sparse, limited diet;
Has the child had any sexual education yet? It may be time to pick up this book for her:
It's Perfectly Normal
Read it yourselves, before you give it to her. Then have her mother sit her down, answer any questions she might have, and tell her seriously that sex is part of almost every healthy, loving adult relationship.
Your wife should be completely honest and straightforward with the child, making it clear that she and you will be having sex. A lot of sex. She needs to tell the child that there's nothing inappropriate or "promiscuous" about what the two of you are doing. You are both adults, in a committed relationship with each other. This is what adults do!
Tell her that you will endeavour to be reasonably discreet about your activities, out of consideration for her delicate sensibilities, but emphasize that you do not have to hide the fact that you have a sex life or be in any way ashamed of it.
Think of it this way - you and your wife are setting an example, for your daughter, of what a healthy committed adult relationship looks like. And that includes regular sex! Because that's how adult human beings pair bond and maintain strong ties with each other. You'll be teaching her that sex and shame are NOT two things that go together.
This is an important lesson, which she'll need to internalize in the next few years as she navigates her teen years and eventually becomes sexually active herself. She should never feel "promiscuous" or ashamed in any way of her sexuality, and neither should you.
She's allowed to find sex "gross" right now. But she's not allowed to be rude about it, to either of you. And she's not allowed to bang on the walls to try to stop you, either!
Good luck! :-)
I think the above poster has a great idea for how to start the conversation with her, but I would suggest against getting her one of her own simply because of how young she is.
For one since she is so young she runs the risk of becoming desensitized and when she does finally have sex it could be more difficult for her to come without it. Another reason is the issue of opening herself up to problems if her daughter ever tells someone about it or shows it to a friend or heaven forbid lets a friend use it. I can see how someone could misinterpret it and before you know it you have CPS at your door and you are being investigated for child abuse.
My best friend is a sex educator and she suggest that you talk with her about masturbation and encourage her to explore herself but that toys at this age is just too young. She suggested I get this book for my daughter and it helped a LOT. It's Perfectly Normal
Seconded. While absolutely not the ultimate compendium of exercises it does label muscle groups with a good anatomical drawing and what exercises works what, does give suggestions on alternative grips, cautionary warnings. It is a very good book.
amazon linky
source: I own a copy
>BULKING 101: HOW TO EAT FOR MAXIMUM MUSCLE GAINS
>As you know, if you’re in the 10 to 12 percent body fat range and looking to put on muscle as quickly as possible, you want to bulk.
>Yes, you’ll gain some fat along the way, but if you do it right, it won’t be excessive, and it’ll come off easily once you’re ready to cut.
>Based on my experience working with thousands of people, the average guy on a proper bulk will gain muscle and body fat at a ratio of about 1:1 (1 pound of fat gained for every pound of muscle).
>In terms of weight gain while bulking, you want to see your weight going up at a rate of 0.5 to 1 pound per week. Any more than that, and you’ll be gaining too much fat.
>If you’re new to weightlifting, however, then you’ll probably gain 2 to 3 pounds per week for the first few weeks while your muscles fill up with water and glycogen. This doesn’t mean you’re gaining too much fat, and you should see this number settle into the 0.5 to 1-pound range within your first four to six weeks on the program.
>When you have your bulk dialed in, you should be increasing reps on your major lifts every week and weight on the bar every three to four weeks.
>CALCULATING YOUR BULKING DIET
>As you know, a proper bulking diet requires that you eat more calories than you burn every day.
>While this sounds like a great idea now, don’t be surprised if you get sick of eating “all of this food” at some point along the way. You won’t be slamming down thousands of extra calories every week like some programs would have you doing, but even slight overfeeding over time can get a little uncomfortable.
>You can also expect to hold more water than normal, as you’ll be eating a substantial amount of carbohydrate every day. This makes you look kind of “puffy.” Again, it’s just part of the “price” you have to pay for optimizing muscle growth.
>So, let’s get to the actual dietary numbers for bulking. Here’s where you start:
> 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day
> 2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight per day, and
> 0.4 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day.
>That’s where you start. For a 150-pound guy, it would look like this:
> 150 grams of protein per day,
> 300 grams of carbs per day, and
> 60 grams of fat per day.
>This would be about 2,340 calories per day (remember that protein and carbs contain about 4 calories per gram and fat contains about 9), which is the right place to start bulking for a 150-pound man.
>Chances are these numbers are lower than other recommendations you’ve seen on the Internet. That’s because many bulking programs out there are just overkill. They put you in a huge calorie surplus with the explanation that you have to “eat big to get big.”
>Well, while it’s true you have to eat more than you normally would to maximize muscle growth, you don’t have to eat nearly as much as some would have you believe.
>GENERAL BULKING RECOMMENDATIONS
>When I’m bulking, I try to be within 100 calories of my daily target, and I err on the high side (it’s better to be over your target than under).
>Don’t think of a bulk as a license to eat whatever you want whenever you want it, as this will inevitably lead to excessive overeating and thus excessive fat storage, which will slow down your gains in the long run.
>You can have a cheat meal every week, but keep it moderate. We’ll talk about why soon, but a high-protein, high-carbohydrate cheat meal is preferable to a high-fat one.
>I recommend eating plenty of meat while bulking because it’s particularly effective for building muscle. Generally speaking, I eat two servings of meat per day (lunch and dinner) and alternate between various types such as ground turkey, chicken, lean beef, and fish.
>ADJUSTING YOUR NUMBERS
>The numbers given in the formula above are starting points, and there’s a chance that you will need to eat more to effectively gain strength and muscle (especially if you have an ectomorphic body that is naturally skinny and lean). Part of the game is finding your body’s “sweet spots” for bulking, cutting, and maintaining.
>Fortunately, this is easy to do. Most guys will find their sweet spots to be within 10 to 15 percent of the targets they originally calculated, but some need to eat more to steadily gain weight (it’s rare for a guy to gain fat too quickly on the above recommendations and have to reduce intake).
>So, if, after seven to ten days, your weight hasn’t gone up despite pushing yourself hard in your workouts, you’re just not eating enough. Increase your daily intake by 100 calories (by adding more carbs, preferably) and reassess over the next seven to ten days. If this doesn’t result in weight gain, increase again and repeat the process until you’re gaining weight at a rate of about 0.5 to 1 pound per week.
>If you’re like most guys, here’s how it’s going to go: you’re going to start with the above formula and gain weight for the first month or two, and then you’re going to stall. You then will increase your daily intake once or twice and start gaining again. At some point, you’ll probably stall again, increase again, and start gaining again. After a bit more progress, your body fat percentage will eventually reach the 15 percent range, and you’ll have a month or so left to bulk before you cut to strip away the fat and repeat the process.
>You can reduce your calories to a maintenance level on your rest days if you want, or you can stick to your bulking numbers. The small reduction won’t make a difference in terms of overall fat storage, but some guys like to take a break from all the eating a couple of days per week.
Matthews, Michael (2014-01-05). Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body (The Build Muscle, Get Lean, and Stay Healthy Series Book 1) (pp. 122-123). Oculus Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
>I've read the FAQ and most essential pieces of info here on fittit, though I find not much seems to apply to me since I am so short and skinny and honestly weak, and my metabolism is very high and I'm vegetarian etc
Bullshit. My nine-year-old brother can only overhead press 25lbs, bench press 35lbs, squat 65lbs and deadlift 85lbs (all for 5). He's still training with a barbell. Don't use the fact that you are currently weak as an excuse to stay weak. You're fighting against yourself.
If you want to be strong/weigh more you need to train consistently and eat. As a vegetarian, things like rice, beans and potatoes are your best friend. They're cheap and can be bought in bulk. Eat A LOT. Buy Starting Strength. Read the hell out of it. Pick a novice program (Starting Strength, StrongLifts 5x5 or Greyskull LP) and follow them and become bigger and stronger.
Good luck. I wish you well.
Edit: Formatting
Understand the reason why you procrastinate. It is not about self control. This article breaks open the one of the biggest underlying reasons why people procrastinate:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html
People procrastinate as a way of regulating their mood. Something about their condition or about the task they are procrastinating is causing them discomfort that they might not even be able to articulate, and procrastinating is a way of dealing with that discomfort in the moment.
One possible way to deal with this (not this specific thing you're procrastinating on, but the big picture) is that you may need counseling or to do other things to help your health to overcome depression or whatever hidden discomfort is causing you to procrastinate. I myself found that when I did not sleep well, I was chronically tired and depressed, but I didn't recognize it, because I masked it with caffeine. Caffeine doesn't give you the missing motivation back. It just keeps you wide awake and not wanting to do the things you need motivation to do. In a lot of cases, insufficient sleep is a major contributor to depression and anxiety.
I fixed my sleep problem to a large extent, using a weighted blanket, sensory deprivation (ear plugs and eye mask when I sleep), black-out curtains, blue-blocker glasses in the evenings, "dark room mode" of Flux (a screen dimming app for MacOS), and red LED light bulbs to light my room at night so I would actually get sleepy. (Now I just need to fix the schedule of my sleep; it's a work in progress.) That really helped.
Exercise also helps address depression, way more than I understood. See the book titled "Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain".
When I reduced my depressive symptoms and improved my sleep, I felt a lot less prone to procrastinating.
Another great book on how to improve yourself and overcome things like procrastination is "Atomic Habits". This is a fantastic book. It explains that self transformation and improvement is not about revolutionary changes, but about establishing habits that get you a little bit of improvement but keeps you on a consistent trajectory of improvement. There's a lot of great stuff in there about procrastination.
If you can't seem to read books all the way through (a problem I had), try listening to the audio book while commuting. This has made a huge difference in my life. I actually finish books that I start now that I use audio books.
EDIT—
Of the various things that motivate people, fear only goes so far. After a while, concern over possibly ruining your life won't motivate you. I know this first hand, because I've procrastinated to the point of harming myself, and knowing that harm would come didn't motivate me to act. There is a much more potent set of motivators, and this won't be easy, but you need to find these and figure out how to view your work through these.
The most potent motivators are purpose, passion, and joy. In the grand scheme of your life, you need to find your purpose, develop a passion, and cultivate joy. There's an old parable about three men laying bricks who are asked what they are doing. The first one says "I'm laying bricks". The second says "I'm building a church". The third says "I'm building the house of God." Of these three, who do you think will do his best work and persist when the going gets tough?—The one who sees a grand, transcendant purpose in every brick he lays.
If you can't find a purpose in the task you are doing, step back. Some folks do boring work that is not rewarding in and of itself, but their "why" is their family. That is their purpose, and to provide for their family, they keep on keeping on. If you don't have a family, make a promise to your future self, and make bettering yourself your purpose. And if that won't do, seriously search for other work to do that you can get a sense of purpose from. I've heard of people who weren't responsible, but who got a dog or some other pet that then gave them a purpose, because that pet gave them joy, and they wanted a good life for this pet they loved so much. These are the stories where someone rescues a dog, but really, the dog rescued them just as much as they rescued it. Love makes all the difference here.
Think of something you take delight in, something that brings you joy, and if what you are doing can be thought of in terms of serving and pursuing this thing that brings you joy, the motivation from your delight may be able to help you overcome that heavy unspoken weight of apathy that causes you to procrastinate.
The Book Starting Strength
People living at higher altitudes gain increased resilience over generations, and not without drawbacks. Examples of early adaptations are increased red blood cell count (increasing heart attack, stroke, and blood clot chance) and changes in organ size. Only after hundreds of years do these tend to normalize into adaptations without increased health risks.
So yes, as the carbon content increases you might see some changes in human biology over several hundred years. However, no individual person will change significantly, only their descendants. And the corollary to that is that, for selective change to occur, people with advantageous traits will need to survive more often than those without.
In other words, if people will adapt, as you claim, it will be because it killed those who didn't, at least a little more often. Why the hell would that reassure me in any way?
The studies linked showed inconsistent effects on relatively small increases in CO2 content; it also states (if you'd read it) that large changes (over 5% concentration) like those found in submarines or low-ventilation spaces have known negative cognitive effects.
So your example of submariners is basically bunk.
Care to try for a third time? Maybe not spouting unsourced, ludicrous claims about humans just magically becoming fine with fundamental changes to our living conditions?
Source for the high-altitude claims: The Sports Gene, a rather good book.
Basic Barbell Training 3rd ed. by Mark Rippetoe
And there are great "How To" videos from
AaronAlan Thrall on YouTube.Bought this book today; Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
. I'm excited to receive it on Sunday and enhance my lifting.
There has been some quality scientific literature on this. The Sport's Gene is where I first saw this issue raised. Epstein does a great job of synthesizing the scientific findings with anecdotal sports references. Apparently it's a huge advantage. It's not just hormonal differences. There's differences in bone density, differences in height, bone structure, hip function, fat to muscle ratio just to name a few, which translate to huge advantages in endurance and strength across a variety of sports. I cannot recall any sport where it was advantageous to be a women over a man, but it's been a few years since I read the book and the trans/man/woman comparison wasn't a major portion of the book.
E: Found a list online of the characteristics Epstein discussed if anyone is curious.
Among the key physical differences between the sexes. Men are / possess
> I now understand that strength and mobility go hand in hand and you really can't have one without the other.
Sure you can. Old time strongmen specifically tried to be inflexible as it allows you to produce more force. Tight muscles are just strong muscles in a very short ROM.
I don't like this "strength and mobility go hand in hand" thing. If you need to perform a specific task, having too much mobility can make you weaker at that task. Mobility is good for general fitness, but not specific fitness.
> What books and resources would be best in my quest to become a true supple leopard?
Losing weight is more about changing your diet than exercising. Of course, exercise helps, but you MUST get your diet in line. Go download My Fitness Pal and start tracking your calories.
If you don't like cardio (I hate it), go lift instead. Get the book "Starting Strength" and hit the weights 3 times a week. If you do that, while keeping your calories in line, you will lose weight with no trouble at all.
Hit up /r/fitness and /r/progresspics to get some good info and inspiration. Best of luck!!
Edit: fixed links
Welcome!
You could probably benefit from reading the wiki.
This is my /r/fitness guide for people with generic fitness goals. It isn't the only way to go about it but everything in it is frequently recommended by people in /r/fitness:
Stronglifts is a beginner program 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.
Progress guide to Stronglifts:
Ignore anyone who tells you at what weights these things should happen. Just follow the program. Your body can do what it can do, trying to match an average or macho idea of what you "should" be able to do instead of what you can do will just get you injured and/or stalling.
If you want to track the changes in your body measure your weight, shoulders, biceps, calves, chest, forearms, hips, neck, waist and thighs, flexed and/or unflexed or whatever combination of those you care about.
Learn to ignore the daily measurements - they will mislead you as to your actual progress and send you on an emotional rollercoaster. The weekly trend tells you what's what.
People often regret not taking enough photos of their progress. Take photos from more than one angle regularly in consistent conditions (lighting, time of day, clothing, pose).
Useful form videos:
Bench Press
Deadlift
Squats
Pendlay/Barbell Rows
Overhead Press
How about a book called Squat Every Day
I own his book, and honestly the illustrations of women are a little disturbing to me. They are frequently shown topless and even when wearing sports bras their nipples are regularly showing through. I mean, I'm all for showing accurate anatomical drawings, but I'm not sure how a careful illustration of a woman's naked breasts is supposed to teach me which muscles are worked in a deadlift ...
I can't recommend this book enough, it's called Strength Training Anatomy, it goes through each lift and tells you what muscle it primarily works and secondarily works.
http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Edition/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1375129750&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=weightlifting+book
Starting Strength:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0982522738/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Far be it for me to discourage anyone from a physical regimen, but the article draws its citations from Kelly Starrett. In the interest of fairness, here's a particularly damning review of Starrett's book.
LIFT HEAVY SHIT.
If you want a good, toned body, you have to lift in some fashion or another. Period. There is no other way. It's how our bodies (and physics) work. The best results will come from lifting the heaviest shit.
Want a nice legs? do Power Cleans. A nice ass? Squat. Nice arms? Bench.
Females who lift look like Hope Solo (NSFW), not this (NSFL). In order to look like the body builder you have to take testosterone and other supplements. No woman's body can look like that naturally.
LIFT HEAVY SHIT
Buy this book to learn how to lift heavy shit.
Advice from a former Clemson U (male) cheerleader:
Goblet Squats going ALL the way down
Bulgarian Split Squats
One Leg Romanian Deadlift
Box Jumps/Stair Jumps/Vertical Leap/Standing Leaps over Hurdles (feet together)
Standing Long Jump
Squat Thrusters or Burpees
Shoulder Press with dumbbells
Deadlift
(these last two above are included because often there is no lack of leg strength and quickness, but that the core does not translate that strength or the arms are not as strong as the athlete believes)
And the semi-controversial one
*Hang Cleans using barbell (I suggest Hang Cleans over Power Cleans because it is motion from your power stance, rather than from a crouch; both a useful but Hang Cleans tend to be neglected by many)
Finally, the most difficult leg day we ever did was all body weight exercises. Our Strength and Conditioning Coach actually served with Mark Lauren, author of You Are Your Own Gym. That is an excellent resource.
Obviously this is all done with proper nutrition, sufficient rest, and on a rotating basis of work and rest days. If you need more on that, it's more than anyone can put in a single reply.
Eventually yoiu would move on to more difficult and complex exercises, such as Hang Clean to Push Press, the Clean and Jerk, Kettlebell Swings, and others. Really you need as dedicated a conditioning program as any other highschool athlete, and while touching up weak links inyour physique is important, most teenagers I've worked with have needed an all around program before focusing on any one area. Most lack a solid core and true balance. Balance meaning (A) actual balance and (B) chest to back, shoulders to lats, biceps to triceps, abs to back, quads to hamstrings, etc.
Go TIGERS!
Better fitness and movement patterns. Walking 20 miles a day for 6 months while putting all your weight on your passive body structures will fuck you up, yo. I suggest reading Becoming a Supple Leopard for general movement patterns, and then Training for the New Alpinism to understand how to get in shape (though from the sounds of it, you probably won't have time for the latter).
If you are looking for gear knowledge, I'd suggest first laying out your gear on GearGrams or LighterPack. Asking "what do you wish you had" doesn't give us much useful to go on, since it doesn't tell us what you are bringing already; and as MadMaxHeadroom said, what you don't bring is just as important as what you do. Using one of these websites to list your gear will give you a useful way to tabulate weight, and will make your gear list easier to share and easier to read.
Once you've done that, I'd suggest posting to one or a few of the long distance hiking subs. I can't find one specifically for the CT, but here are a few, in descending order of activity:
That's an impressive 19-week transformation, great job! Here's a piece of advice you can choose to ignore; instead of avoiding squats for fear of your knees, start doing squats, and use them as a method to fix your knees. That said, don't straight out start squatting like a monster. I'd suggest taking a look at Becoming a Supple Leopard, stabilization and torque, seeing a physiotherapist or doing all of them before getting into it.
Also, if you're going to do the above, it's important to think of it as rehabilitation rather than working out. I had some pretty nasty hip/ass/groin-issues (allthough if you'd asked me before I found out, I'd blame the hips and knees) due to bad form and lack of stretching during my years of thai boxing. Perfect form, slowly increasing resistance (starting very low) and constant awareness of what your body is telling you is what you should be aiming for.
Disclaimer: I'm just a regular guy who doesn't know shit about what kind of problems you're having with your knees.
I don't think your legs look big at all. As said by previous posters, I think your doctor is biased. You mentioned your quads are very tight. I don't know what your issues are specifically, but have you tried mobility work (I know crossfit is big on mobility. I don't do crossfit, but KStar (physical therapist and crossfit coach) wrote a really awesome book about technique and mobility that has helped my joints and functioning in general.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
The fact that no one said Starting Strength... I am surprised... Yes it's great for beginners, but I think it's good for anyone wanting to learn good form and why.
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe
> I'm new to flexibility training and recently (just a week ago) started training for my splits.
If you are one week into a flexibility program then you must consider the splits to be a super extra long-term (dare I say it) "stretch" goal. You have many miles to go and many, many hazards and struggles before you can realistically reach a full split - side or forward.
Knowing nothing about your fitness level I would suggest you start at the beginning and proceed scientifically.
If you already have some basic level of flexibility you are going to want to focus on opening your hips.
The following are some other resources I have found helpful:
Good luck!
Munchkin - $29.99
Apron - $29.71
Lifting for Women - $14.44
----
$74.14 - all are highest or high priority from her bomb list. :)
> strong curves
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
>Besides, some of the best writers only write well when either largely unhappy or severely inebriated.
This is horseshit. Here is what Stephen King, who struggled with massive drug and alcohol addictions, wrote in his book on that bullshit:
>The idea that the creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time. . . . Substance abusing writers are just substance abusers--common garden variety drunks and druggies, in other words. Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit. I've heard alcoholic snowplow drivers make the same claim, that they drink to still the demons.
A famous writer and homeless junkie look no different when passed out on the floor covered in vomit.
OP, check out /r/depression. Go talk to a doctor. I struggled with severe depression years ago and found that activity was key. Exercise has been vital for preventing my depression from coming back. Exercise is pretty much the best thing you could do for your brain ever.
You may be interested in reading John Ratey's Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. He's clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard and I really enjoyed his book, which covers, among other things, the enormous impact exercise has on both mental health and creativity / academic potential.
Definitely worth a read.
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Strong Curves book yet.
Yes, a lot is genetic, butt! you can get a more shapely ass with exercise too!
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269
For anyone interested in source or more drawings. Excellent book.
Bench works the anterior (front) delt.
OHP works the anterior and lateral (middle/side) delt. If you are able to do a back version of it that will work the posterior (rear) delt. If you find this an uncomfortable range of motion try it with dumbbells.
Bent over lat raises target the rear delt.
Standing lat raises target side delt.
Bent over and seated rows target the rear delt. Upright rows target front, side and rear.
If you want to learn more I highly recommend picking up Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1474814537&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=strength+training+anatomy&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51mZtLjh1zL&amp;ref=plSrch
No! Not from a dead hang. Keep a little tension in your arms so they don't go completely straight. Leave a little bend in your arms. The extra few degrees is not going to impact the exercise any. Going completely straight can cause tendinitis in your forearms. If you are worried that a few degrees amounts to cheating, then hang some weigh from a belt and do weighted pull-ups.
edit:
locking our your elbows at the end of a pull-up can cause tendonitis of the distal tendon of the biceps brachii where it inserts at the radius. see. eg. Strength Training Anatomy, by Frederic Delavier
It's simple physiology. The muscles aren't physically short, it's just that we have a thing called the stretch reflex that freaks out when we move our muscles outside a certain range of motion, and causes the muscle to contract in order to stop the motion.
When a doctor whacks our knee with a hammer, they're testing the stretch reflex. The hammer impact causes a small and momentary lengthening of the quads, and the stretch reflex counteracts it by contracting the.
What stretching does is create a "new normal" in terms of RoM for the muscle. It is a retraining of the nervous system, not the muscle tissue, and for this reason, frequency is key.
If you want to read more about it, Glorious Socialist Athletics authors Pavel Tsatsouline and Thomas Kurz have written excellent books about it.
Because aside from the press, almost nothing in that book applies to Olympic weightlifting. Most weightlifters don't deadlift, bench press or low-bar squat with any real frequency. Even the power clean, an actual Olympic lift, is taught way differently in SS than how most Olympic coaches teach it and leads to performing the lift wrongly and inefficiently.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book for powerlifting or general strength training. But it's not good for Olympic weightlifting. Greg Everett's book is much better for that purpose.
Absolutely. Check out the book Becoming a Supple Leopard it's a great resource.
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett. Thank me later.
Mobility. Check out Kelly Starrett's Becoming A Supple Leopard
The first thing you need to do is to get to work, son:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
If you want to get her a book, I suggest this:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
New Rules of Lifting for Women
It's got a lot of good information in there about differences between men and women. It also goes pretty well into how women can train and not "bulk up" like a man unless we work really REALLY hard at it.
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!
Idk if you're interested in a book, but David Epstein's The Sports Gene goes into some detail about it.
If by "supplement" you mean protein powder, there's nothing wrong with that. It might be considered better to get most of your calories and protein from whole foods, but as far as I know, there's no downside to shakes. Getting extra protein from whey supplements is fine.
I shoot for at least 175 grams of protein/day (I weigh about 175). A large amount of my protein comes from just eating a lot of chicken. For breakfast, I have a protein shake with almond milk, oats and blueberries. PB&J for my morning snack. About 1/2lb of chicken breast and some rice for lunch. Another protein shake and a banana before my workout. 1/2lb of chicken breast + rice for dinner. Then another protein shake in the evening, sometimes I put peanut butter into that.
I personally don't consume dairy nearly as much as I used to, because I think it makes me break out. However, if you don't have an issue with this, it's even easier to get your calories and protein by making your protein shakes with whole milk or chocolate milk (which is fucking delicious!). 8oz of milk has like 180 calories and 8g of protein. It helps.
My diet is based on the bulking diet for a 175lb male in Michael Matthews' Bigger Leaner Stronger. It's not identical, but it's pretty close. My diet certainly isn't perfect yet, but I've noticed some gains since I started doing this.
Thinking I can finally start calling myself an intermediate lifter. Going to soon end my current bro split (shoutout to Mike Matthews and his Bigger/Leaner/Stronger Program for helping me get started) and move into a PPLx2 routine that’s based on a GZCL type rep scheme. Sundays are my rest day, but if you’re lifting today I hope you kill it.
Work out 3 days a week with HEAVY weights. None of that high rep, pussy weight shit. Do the big lifts. I'm talking benching, squatting, deadlifting. Do cardio the other two days. Your body doesn't want to change naturally. All it wants to do is keep you alive. That's why you've gotta force it. It's like pushing a boulder up a hill. If you need a good strength program, start with Bigger Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews. Go on www.muscleforlife.com and read some of the articles. Get the book. Lean muscle will increase your testosterone, which adds to your energy and assertiveness. It's a feedback loop and an upward cycle. The rich definitely get richer.
Start eating healthy if you don't already. Lots of greens. Juice them if you can. It tastes nasty at first - but it will get better with time. Eat calorically dense food. I'm talking lean chicken breast, broccoli, mixed veggies, etc. You can eat healthy at a cheap cost, don't think you can't. Skip the sugars. Skip the junk food. Minimize your grains. You're not eating only for your physical health - but for your mental health as well. Read Brain Maker to see how food affects your brain. I attribute a lot of my depression and "brain fog" to eating a shitty diet for 3 years in school. Jerking myself senseless didn't help either.
Don't smoke weed, especially if you have an addictive personality. I wasted a lot of money and a lot of time smoking weed.
You can never replace time. You can replace money. If you can, always choose time over money. Speaking of money, start saving 10% of anything you earn. You will thank yourself later.
Don't fall into petty bullshit. Always think long term.
Drop anyone who is lame, negative, or petty like a hot coal. I don't care if they're the President. You shouldn't have any space for that in your life. No drama. No negativity. Surround yourself with like minded individuals who want to conquer.
Get up EARLY on weekends and get shit done. Don't sleep in until 3pm. That's fucking lame. Get up early and learn how to do a new skill, like start a business. Work HARD on your school work but get it out of the way as early as possible so you can work on what really matters - YOURSELF.
READ outside of class. Most of what you'll read in class will be bullshit. Read Self-Development books. Read Biographies. Read good Fiction. Read business books. Some of my favorites are Think and Grow Rich, 48 Laws of Power, Teddy Roosevelt's biography, and the 10X Rule.
Throw yourself into as many social activities as possible. I cannot emphasize this enough. You will be around tons of different people and you won't get locked into one worldview. You'll also increase your social skills.
Get as much experience with women as possible. I don't necessarily mean sexual, but if it progresses that way - fine. Have as many girl friends as possible. Not only will you be around feminine energy, but you have a higher chance of meeting other girls who you connect with on a deeper level as well.
Continue with NoFap. 99% of the men (if they can be called that) do not do this. You will be at a supreme advantage if you do. The only time you can ejaculate is with a girl.
Cool Chad is actually Dr. Kelly Starret, author of Becoming a Supple Leopard and Ready to Run. He also is the main guy behind MWOD. This is /r/fitness, the whole point here is to share information.
Great progress! A few unsolicited thoughts on how to break through your road block. This advice comes from stuff you'd find in /r/fitness or /r/startingstrength.
The reason a strength training program (specifically a barbell program that uses compound movements - squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press) is so effective is because it gets your body to squirt out all of these good growth hormones. It's the hormones that trigger all of the changes. It drives this cycle: stress -> recover -> adapt.
Essentially, if you lift 3 times a week and put just a little more weight on the bar each time your body will adjust and be able to do the load for several months without having to change your program.
The gym is the stress part, the food and sleep is the recovery part, and doing both will result in your body adapting to being able to lift more weight.
In so doing, everything gets stronger: your muscles, bones, ligaments, cardiovascular system... you name it. Even your VO2 max goes up, which means you'll be able to run further and faster without even doing cardio in the first place.
As a companion to that whole idea, I'll leave you with this article: Everything You Know About Fitness is a Lie.
Congrats on the progress thus far! Best of luck crushing your goals!
I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years. In my experience, you can eat a healthy diet with or without meat. You can also eat an unhealthy diet with or without meat. If you do decide to try a vegetarian diet, there are some good resources at No Meat Athlete.
The best book covering nutrition for endurance athletes that I have read is Matt Fitzgerald's New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. It gives some straightforward advice on what you need eat in order to run well, regardless of whether you choose to go vegetarian or not.
Super, super sketch. If there's hope that it's actually going to work, there are easier ways of getting the info... The site lists these "factors" that result in having a smaller butt: 1. Hormonal imbalance during time of puberty, 2. Low fat genetics, 3. Low muscle genetics, 4. Natural body shape, 5. Physical activity, 6. Diet, 7. Lower body strength
Well, these actually boil down to the things we already know:
First, genetics can't really be controlled... with time and effort, you can look like the very best version of you. (You can't make yourself look fundamentally different, but you can fulfill your genetic potential.) If you think you have a hormone imbalance keeping you from having a bigger butt, seeing a doctor might help.
Second, muscle is awesome. Check out strength-building programs such as Starting Strength or NROL4W if you have access to a gym with free weights. The compound lifts work multiple sets of muscles at once, and the basic lifts are squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead (military) press. Or look into Convict Conditioning if you want to use your body weight. These programs are balanced. These are well-researched. These are non-gimicky. If you follow the program, you will get stronger.
The complete list of movements to build glutes are listed here at EXRX. They boil down to two main lifts - squats and deadlifts.
The way to build strength and muscle mass is to lift heavy enough that the 3-5th repetition is really hard, and keep lifting more each time. If you never increase the weight, your muscles won't adapt to lift more. Progressive overload builds muscle.
As an aside, doing lots of abdominal work can build your abs, which may make your waist-hip ratio smaller. If you're shooting for a killer butt, overdoing it with extra ab work (on top of the stabilizing work your abs do on heavy lifts) can't help you much in this quest. Spot reduction is a myth. See the "Brittany Spears Effect".
Finally, in terms of diet, you can build muscle if you get enough protein. If you need to lose fat, eating enough protein and cutting out "junk" calories might be enough. If you need to gain fat, eating plenty of calories while you're lifting may be enough. If you don't need to lose fat, just focus on getting enough protein and eat sensibly when you're hungry.
As you build strength in the posterior chain, you'll fill out looking like a goddess with "dat ass".
TL;DR: No need for gimmicks - squats and deadlifts.
My training looks a bit different than the rest of the guys here. I am a more of a runner than anything else. I don't have the build most of the other guys have, I weight 160lbs, but it works for me. I run typically somewhere between 30-50 miles per week. I know there is a big variance there, but I'll do a few weeks of higher mileage, then scale it back for a week or two, then repeat. This worked for me for my ultra endurance running events and it works here too. The only difference is that when I am specifically training for a Spartan event, I add in body weight exercises 2-3 nights per week. Things like pull ups, burpees, planks, and variations really can take you far. I used this book to find and make a routine of body weight exercises.
The most important part is, you have to become the most mentally strong you can be. If you are mentally tough, you can finish this race today. During the log carry of the first lap, I said to myself, "I don't know that I want to go back out for a second lap." I talked myself into going to the transition area and taking it from there. I laid down, ate some salted potatoes (the best endurance food ever) changed my socks, and gave my legs a few minutes to rest. I was able to talk myself back into getting out there, and from there the rest was easy. This was my low point of the race and the only time I wanted to quit, but it happens to everyone nearly every race. Learn how to overcome this and you are golden right now.
Next up: NYC Marathon.
Actually, lifting heavy won't make girls bulky. Build as much muscle as possible and your arms will still look no where near as built as Cameron Diaz! (unless you're like 5% body fat) Just start out slow and build your way up. This is a great resource, though it's pretty much just an eating plan (which I found useless) and exercises you can find online. But it also explains the science behind girl vs guys and heavy lifting, how our hormones don't really equip us to build huge muscle. Good luck!
You mentioned in a previous post that she was diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder and that she is also OCD and ADHD, untreated and unmedicated.
You're not, and have never been, dealing with a "typical" person. Her mental health issues are serious and as of yet, unmanaged. You can't expect typical behaviour from someone with her issues.
u/CagedPika has some good resources for dealing with people with NPD, which I hope he will post.
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder would be a good book for you too.
DBs aren't uncommon when teens marry due to unplanned pregnancy, especially if there is resentment included
First, thank your father profusely for being awesome. Second, don't abuse his generosity by ordering the entire Rogue catalog - start with the bare essentials for full body strength.
Get the book immediately and actually READ it. All of it. You can do this while working on finding the gym equipment. As far as the exact pieces of equipment, just remember that it didn't have to be "the best", just better than you are right now.
Continue to ask questions and do your own research. Good luck!
http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738 this book, as much as i disagree with it as an oly lifter, is ground zero for any kid who wants to start moving some daddy weight. Mark rippetoe will say things you disagree with, but if you follow what he says, You'll be glad you did.
Perhaps you could quantify what you mean by 'a lot of muscle'.
IME, the most effective (and, sadly overlooked) way to gain control of one's weight is to become stronger. And, for most people, this means a lot stronger - modern sedentary life has made them vastly weaker than their bodies are meant to work.
And the most effective way to do that is through weight training. So, when you say 'a lot' stronger, what does that mean? Can you do regular sets (ie 5-8 reps) of bench/squat/deadlifts approaching (75-100%) of your own (lean) body weight?
http://www.stronglifts.com is a good start for beginner weight lifters, as is the Rippetoe's Starting Strength, on which it is based. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
And no, this won't turn you into the incredible bulk. Anyone who suggests that to you knows as much about fitness as a meat eater asking you where your protein comes from :)
And no, running a lot and cutting calories without getting strong first is an slow, painful, grueling and ultimately grossly inefficient way of losing weight, when it works at all. Most people give up, or try on and off for years and years, without seeing much of an effect. My wife trained for a half marathon, in the hopes of losing weight, and lost nothing. You really have to be strong first.
Do you want pity or advice?
If you want pity, this isn't the place to get it.
If you want advice;
Ok this is gonna be long, but hopefully it'll help you and others (typing it out actually helped me too).
First off, even if my post history will end up making me look like a shill I will never stop recommending this book because it inspired the crap out of me: Bigger Leaner Stronger, by Mike Matthews. If you have iBooks you can get a free preview so you can get an idea of what the book is about.
Get it, read it, read it again, do the stuff in it, and you WILL lose weight and get in shape. Since I'm bored I'll give you a quick rundown of what you need to know and do in order to get started.
The one rule to rule them all: you gotta eat less calories than your body burns in 24 hours. That's the ONLY way you will lose weight.
To find out how many calories that is I entered your info into a TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator available online. That told me you need about 2800 calories per day (give or take, it will never be 100% accurate), at least assuming you lead a not very active lifestyle and only walk/jog on the treadmill a few days a week. If you have a more active lifestyle or spend more time in the gym you'll need more calories than that.
If you wanna try it yourself, here are two TDEE calculators you can use:
https://tdeecalculator.net/
http://damnripped.com/tdee-calculator/
Now, keep in mind that 2800 calories is what your body needs every day to maintain your weight. If you want to lose weight you'll need to eat less than that. How much less? Depends on how aggressively you want to lose weight and how low you can comfortably go. I'd say start by cutting out 500 calories from that, if you feel like you can go lower (or if you're not losing weight) then do it, but I wouldn't go lower than 1600-1700 calories or you will not only lose fat, but muscle as well. You don't want that, as the presence of muscle actually helps you lose weight.
Ok so now you know that you need to eat between 1800 and 2300 calories in order to lose weight, but how do you calculate that? Enter MyFitnessPal and a food scale. Download the former, buy the latter, and log EVERY SINGLE THING YOU EAT OR DRINK. Use the scale to know exactly how many servings of something you're having. If what you're eating has a barcode on the package scan that and it will automatically find the product for you, otherwise type the name of the food and choose the one that most closely describes what you're eating.
All of that said, while CICO (calories in calories out) alone will be enough to lose weight, you should eventually figure out your macronutrient (proteins/fats/carbs) intake as well (which the TDEE calculator I linked can also help you with). A calorie is a calorie no matter where it's coming from, sure, but again that's only gonna help you lose weight, not fat. What's the difference? Fat is fat, weight is fat+muscles+water etc. As mentioned before, you don't really wanna lose muscle, so you need to eat the right amount of macronutrients based on your goals (maintaining, cutting, or bulking, in our case cutting)
A high protein diet is necessary to lose weight. Low carb diets like Keto work because they not only keep you from eating more than your TDEE, but because they replace calories coming from carbs with calories coming from protein. Not only does your body use proteins to feed your muscles and help them recover faster, but it takes it a lot longer to process proteins than carbs for example. What that means is that food rich in protein will keep you full considerably longer than foods rich in carbs.
The general rule of thumb is to eat about 0.8 grams to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day, although that can go a bit higher in your (and my, and most people on here) case because we are overweight. That means we can eat up to 1.2-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
In your case, that would amount to 252 to 315 grams of protein every day. Holy shit that's a lot, do you have any idea how much freaking chicken you'd have to eat every day to reach that?? Let's make it easier by starting at the low end, so 252 grams. Still a lot of chicken tho. I would suggest investing in some protein powder (Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard has been my go to since the first time I stepped foot in a gym 12 years ago), it'll make it much easier and cheaper to hit your macro goals. Plus that shit is delicious, get the chocolate flavor, mix it with some low fat milk or almond milk and you'll almost feel guilty drinking something that tastes so good.
Ok now we know how much protein we need, how about fats? First, keep in mind that 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, 1 gram of carbs = 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Knowing that we want our diet to be mostly protein, we can come up with a ratio, maybe a 40/30/30 split? That's 40% of your total calories coming from protein, 30% from fats, and 30% from carbs.
We know we want 252 grams of protein per day, so that's 1008 calories coming from protein. If we're aiming for a total of 2300 calories per day that leaves us with 1292 calories to split between fats and carbs. That means we have 646 calories for fats and 646 calories for carbs. Divide that by 9 calories to get how many grams of fat you'll need (72gr), divide it by 4 calories to find the carbs (161). And there you have it:
Total daily calories: 2300
Protein: 252 grams (1008 calories)
Fats: 72 grams (646 calorie)
Carbs: 161 grams (646 calories)
Again, you may have to eat less calories if you aren't losing weight, and if that's the case your macros will obviously change too. Also, they will change AS YOU LOSE WEIGHT. You'll need less calories when you're down to 200 pounds, or 190 pounds, etc., so you'll have to occasionally update your macros and calorie goals, otherwise you'll stop losing weight. You can also change up those ratios if you feel like you want a bit more carbs and a bit less protein, or more fats and less carbs but try to keep your protein intake fairly high in order to aid weight loss. If you spend a lot of time at the gym you may want to lower your protein intake a bit and allot those calories to carbs, for increased energy.
Last thing I swear, while it doesn't matter where you get those macros and calories from, it helps if you get them mostly from healthy foods (meats, fish, fibrous veggies and fruit, etc.), as they will help you feel full for longer than processed foods, both because your body takes longer to break them down AND because you need to eat more of them in order to reach your macro goals. For example, an average protein bar contains 20 grams of protein, 240 calories and 25 grams of carbs, which is about the same as eating a chicken breast and a couple cups of broccoli. Same amount of nutrients, higher amounts of food, fuller belly.
Ok ok I lied, this is the last thing: don't deprive yourself of stuff you like, it'll make your journey so much harder. Just because you're dieting it doesn't mean you can't eat delicious stuff every now and again. A couple night ago I had a ding dong and the night before a few Cadbury eggs. I have a slice of cheesecake that I'm gonna teach a lesson to tonight. Yesterday I mixed together some greek yogurt with a chocolate protein bar and a spoonful of raspberry preserve, it was delicious and I could sleep soundly knowing that I had to eat it in order to hit my protein goal for the day. As long as it fits within your calorie and macro needs, you can eat it.
I know it's a bit confusing at first, but I figured I'd lay out the "how" and "why" rather than just give you the "what". Hope this helps setting you on the right track :)
I've been weight lifting for bulk for the last 4 months or so and I eat as much as my stomach can handle and it's still not quite enough.
I've never been a heavy person but if you want to lose weight and still eat progressively loading barbells is the way to go. Takes a ton of calories to grow muscle.
I don't understand why so many weight loss programs push the cardio, that method totally works but just lifting weights for strength building seems like the far easier routine with lots of bonuses.
This is very true. It has one of the lowest injury rates of any sport according to Starting Strength.
I swear by supple leopard by Kelly starett. To get a taste of it, check him out on YouTube
Becoming a Supple Leopard 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600837/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZqPhzb5XQWVAD
There is a section about posture in Becoming a Supple Leopard.
while standing:
You threw your money away to begin with, when you fell for the "cleanse". Cleanses are bullshit. You lose a lot of weight in the first 1-3 days, because your body dumps 4-10lbs of water weight you were retaining. Thos IG models photoshop the LIVING SHIT out of their pictures. A lot are also on low doses of winstrol (a more mild steroid that women use to lean out, but not look bulky). Their workout programs, and supplements are bullshit as well. I'd suggest something like strong curves, getting your estimated bf% measured, and using something like a tdee calculator to know what you need to lose fat.
Hi! Everyone is talking about this book by Bret Contreras. It's a great resource for everything you need to know and also has a workout routine designed for those that don't have access to a gym!
You can also find a TON of articles Bret has written on his website. I also follow him on instagram, he posts regularly and I find it helps to keep me motivated.
Hope this helps!
Please take this down, unless you got permission from the author of the book these are taken from (Strength Training Anatomy, by Frederic Delavier) You can use the "Look Inside" feature of amazon to verify.
The book is very good; I have a copy- there are hundreds of such diagrams. One of the better 10$ fitness investments I've ever made.
Also divorcing a BPD woman. A few notes for you:
A BPD cannot cooperate. They must control, they must preserve conflict and must paint someone as an abuser so they appear as a victim. There is no medication for this. Only years of therapy will help, and BPD don't believe there is anything wrong with them so therapy is never a real option.
Get ready to stay on the offensive. Your divorce may cost you an arm and a leg but you can not concede anything or you'll spend the rest of your life reeling backwards.
Pick up a copy of Splitting and follow its advice to a T, even if it seems exaggerated or hokey. Good luck.
From the top of the indicated article:
>The core of building a strong body is the Squat, Deadlift and Bench. Anyone that tells you otherwise is simply ill-informed. As a look at weight category competition powerlifters will show you, you don’t need anything other than these three to get big, strong and ripped.
>
I neglected the Squat and Deadlift for years, not realizing their fantastic all over body training effects. I wish someone had told me years ago.
>
Though more advanced lifters will do these ‘big 3′ in a split-routine, for beginners or those relatively new to these exercises, you’ll make faster progress training all three in the same workout, 3 days a week.
So you see, while he didn't read the /r/leangains FAQ, he is following directions according to Andy's site.
My advice to OP: if you are a beginner and you aren't comfortable doing this, then stop and move to a split. Deadlift on Monday, bench on Wednesday, squat on Friday. If your intensity is appropriately high, there is no need to train these muscle groups more than once a week. You might be interested in reading Beyond Brawn by Stuart McRobert and Body by Science by Dr. Doug McGuff. The former is what helped Martin shape his training philosophy and some of its principles (low frequency/high intensity and constant, linear increases) are clearly evident in both Martin's and Andy's training strategies. The latter is a strength training book that's geared more toward the general population rather than young male bodybuilders. I don't personally care for the super slow, time-under-tension strategy for lifting weights, but the book is an excellent, in depth review of muscle synthesis. Good luck!
>I'm a very skinny guy [...] Purely for gaining muscle/toning up [...] I can't afford a gym membership or any home equipment right now.
Insanity is more of a cardio-vascular workout. If you are very skinny it will certainly get you into very good shape (and maybe shed enough fat to make your muscles more visible), but will not help you gain much muscle. If this is your aim and access to equipment is out of the question you will probably be better off with a bodyweight strength programme such as Convict Conditioning, You Are Your Own Gym or The Naked Warrior (and eating enough).
Disclaimer: I have not used either of these three, but from what I've read in /r/fitness they all seem good enough. If you are interested, take a look at this subreddit, particularly the FAQ.
For time under tension, nobody really knows. People argue all day long about stupid shit like this that probably doesn't even make a 1% difference in your muscular development in the long run. As long as you are doing the reps you will get most of the benefit.
As for type of curl, you should do hammer curls along with at least one type of regular curl. Hammer curls isolate the brachialis more than any other type of curl, whereas normal curls mostly isolate the biceps brachii. Source: Strength Training Anatomy.
"You Are Your Own Gym" is also a book i've been recommended.
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett
Kelley Starret's Deskbound and Becoming a Supple Leopard are great for this.
First things first: There is no magic bullet. Training well requires a multi-prong approach; commitment to a program - any program!(especially commitment to appropriate rest and supplemental exercise!), individual-specific nutrition, technique/skill building. These are all critical to discovering maximum potential.
That said, if you're only ever going to buy one climbing training book, make it this one: Climb Injury Free. Everything else is just icing. This is the most important thing a dedicated climber needs to add to their arsenal. Climbing stresses the body in a lot of really unusual ways and making sure you support the underutilized parts of your body, as well as the over-stressed ones, can make or break your progression. Fucking shoulders, man, take care of them.
An even deeper, though less sport specific, dive into taking care of your body is Becoming A Supple Leopard. Goofy title, best book.
That said, if you want to go further, there are plenty of options for delving deeper and no single book, or routine, is the end-all-be-all.
Rock Climbing Technique, by John Kettle - support your strength by being efficient. Quality movement also helps reduce your chance of injury.
Self-Coached Climber - helping you learn how to learn.
The Rock Climber's Training Manual - great routines and a really solid section on theory, so you can better understand the why's instead of just throwing you at a program. It's mostly geared toward
Big shoutout to the Training Beta Podcast as well. I've listened to the first 50 episodes so far and it's been an incredible learning experience that has taught me so much. If you want to dig in and get to the best information, I suggest you skip most of the interviews with pros (though they're all really interesting) and stick to the interviews with trainers and non-famous individuals who have done something really interesting. Favorites so far include the Anderson Brothers, Jared Vagey (Climb Injury Free author - he's done several episodes), John Kettle, Tom Randall, Steve Bechtel, Justin Sjong, Adam Macke, and Bill Ramsey.
I think I'm missing one that was heavily focused on training with minimal time, but these are a great place to get started.
Links
Here, I found you this book.
I can give you more advice on a routine if you tell me your goals. For a weight training beginner who's looking to get stronger, you can't get much simpler than Stronglifts 5x5. If you're interested in a little more hypertrophy work, something like Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 (basically Stronglifts + accessories) or any of the Strong Curves programs are also good.
If you want a single trustworthy place to look for information about weight training and nutrition, I can't recommend strengtheory and anything written by Greg Nuckols highly enough. Very informative, clear, science-backed, no bullshit, and the Art and Science of Lifting ebooks, if you're willing to put down a little cash, are the best all-in-one resource for someone looking to "keep track of it all" that I know of.
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.
The usual answer for beginners is to get Starting Strength. From what I can tell, it's basically the bible for lifting. I only just got it yesterday so I haven't read it. I started off on a lifting for women book first and now am reading it for general info.
I'd also seriously work on getting a gym buddy/group to work out with. Or, depending on your finances and self motivation, you may want to think about a personal trainer. I have an illness that quickly turned my life very sedentary and I found it was very difficult to keep on a workout schedule without having some other person whom I was committed to meet, and none of my friends (girls) want to do lifting. A good trainer can help both with teaching you the correct ways to do things, and can tailor a workout to your specific goals. Also, spending money can solidify your commitment and make skipping a day less likely. With a "gymbro" you both will keep each other going to the gym, push each other to keep at it when there is tough days, and can make the experience social and fun on top of immensely fulfilling to watch your body morph and overcome obstacles you never thought possible.
Do it. A year ago I got a puppy, both for cuteness and to be forced to exercise everyday. At the beginning I could barely walk around the block without getting tired and sore. I started going to the gym and now I am lifting, can walk much further without hindrance, my energy is up, and I'm overall happier. My looks are only a small part of what I've gained from lifting.
Please do not interpret what i'm about to say as me being an asshole (although I often have been accused as such). I'm trying to help, rather than bullshit you with the equivalent of a participation trophy or a motherly pat on the back.
I'm stating this with love (although it is tough love): If I've ever seen someone that needs r/TheRedPill, its you my friend. I'm not saying that you should become an asshole or be disrespectful to women, but rather that you should focus on building yourself up in the same style. There is absolutely the capacity to be an alpha male within you. And that's what women will find attractive consistently. I'm not saying you should become a macho chump poser that demeans and disrespects women (that's not what a real alpha male does anyway), but rather that you should identify and adopt the characteristics of an alpha male that women find attractive and craft your own new persona. Root out the JW mindset and adopt a new one. Got me?
Its time to work on yourself rather than working on trying to get laid. Its time to grow a pair of balls. Now, rather than simply saying "grow a pair of balls", let me try to help and give some recommendations of how you might go about doing that.
Get a gym membership (maybe check and see if your university has one that you can use free), and try the Starting Strength program. See here: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/
Starting strength will make a man out of you. One tip: Don't use the smith machine. Use a real squat rack. Yes, its required. Yes, with barbells.
Read this book too, its a real eye opener for reading people (including women): https://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Book-Body-Language-Expressions/dp/0553804723/
Read up on affirmations, how to make them and use them, and start using them DAILY, maybe even more often than once a day. You probably don't need a book to research this, a simple google search will do. Harness the power of positive self-talk.
The words you say to yourself in your head or mutter to yourself quietly when nobody else is listening have a huge effect on how you view yourself. And by extension, others (especially women) can sense how much value you perceive that you have, and often will treat you in accord with that value you project.
>My date was kind of rude as she actually took a phone call from her male friend within the first 10-20 minutes of the date, I think she was even flipping through Tinder as we were talking.
This should have been an early warning signal letting you know that she wasn't worth your time. She didn't value your time and presence (and that is likely because you didn't establish your own value to her).
>Of course my problems only make me feel worse as one of my roommates is like extremely fit black young Hugh Hefner. This guy fucks all the time, like weekly.
That is fucking hilarious lol, but I really sympathize with you. I'm sure its torture that he's getting laid every night and you have to listen to the fucking. Is this guy friendly towards you? Is he willing to help with your issues? You never know, he may take some pity on you and help you to work on yourself a bit. Even if he isn't, pay attention closely to his attitudes and interactions with women and with others wherever you can. Don't try to be an exact copy of him, but watch for attitudes, words, and actions that he manifests that feel right for you, and that you could adopt into your own new persona.
>I feel especially shitty as "technically" I'm not a virgin because I fucked who I thought was going to be a women through MeetMe, but it turned out to be a transgender dude, my fault I guess as further inspection of the photos made it more obvious. I was going to leave but I was persuaded by an offer of a blowjob. I figured this was the first time I was offered anything sexual and I was under a lot of family related stress at the time so I said fuck it and got a BJ, and had to reciprocate him in the backside.
This is some 4chan shit right here, so allow me to present the appropriate meme: http://www.lememe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/55556666.png
Don't beat yourself up too bad. Its behind you, and you never have to do this again if this type of hook up is not your style.
>So apparently finding a dude that wants to fuck is incredibly easy, finding a women in my case is like hunting for the holy fucking grail.
Yes, that's the honest to god truth when you don't project enough value to others. The only people you attract are people who are as desperate as you are.
>Don't get me wrong that all I want is sex, yes sex would be awesome, but I'm not afraid to be in a relationship, but at the same time I'm not going to turn down a hookup.
This screams desperation. You need to drop this mindset immediately. (Again, affirmations will help with this)
>My philosophy is just honoring whatever dating arrangement I agree to with a person, I have no religious reasons.
Again, desperation, compliance, submission. These traits will not attract women - at least not desirable ones.
>I tried talking to some women at parties, asked one to dance and she said no, even though she was standing against the wall not doing anything...
Again, you projected a lack of value, she judged you on the surface because of the lack of value you projected, and shut you down.
>...asked another how she was doing and she said good and that was it, and I had a little more luck at my last party as I got to help a girl with her Microsoft Access homework, we high-fived and were both wasted. I asked her if she was single and she said yes, but that she was just visiting and was going back home in a couple of days, so I just shook her hand and said it was nice we met.
That didn't mean she wasn't DTF my friend. She may have just been waiting for you to move on her. Lots of times, women are waiting for a man to confidently take charge when it comes to initiating sex. I'm sure nobody ever told you that (hell, nobody told ME that!!), but it is often true :)
>I'm giving this college thing one more semester before I call it quits. I'm not going to get another degree if it requires me to be miserable and single for another 3 years. I mean I'm charting into 30 year old wizard territory at this point and it scares the shit out of me. My friends have been trying to get me to move to Florida and I just may take them up on the offer.
Changing your location without changing your mindset is not likely to make a significant change to your circumstances. Although, it could offer you the opportunity to a fresh start, which could be helpful :)
>Any advice would be appreciated, I just feel the cult has taken a huge chunk of my life away when I was supposed to learn valuable social skills. I feel like a fucking child or an alien learning how to be human, even though I have been out of the cult for quite some time now, but have really only been away from toxic family for four months.
Yes, that's probably what happened. And its up to you to change it. Nobody else is going to do it for you. So stop wallowing in your own misery and change it. (Respectfully, with tough love, man to man.)
>My plan for next semester is
joining some clubs, going to bars, and going more parties, and trying to strike up more conversations with women in classgetting a gym membership, working on your self esteem and your ability to project your value to the opposite sex, and learning how to interact with women in a way that makes you attractive.>If nothing happens in the second semester I'm just going to say fuck it and move, I'm at a point in my life were I'm tired of going out to eat by myself, shopping by myself, watching movies by myself, and doing everything else by my fucking self. All I did this Thanksgiving was sleep and get drunk. I've read all those articles about "loving yourself first", this isn't a problem about loving myself, I didn't do anything wrong. I'm just so fucking sick of being alone, I don't have a family, I have no one close to me.
I feel your pain man. Now is not the time to give up, but it is time to change your approach.
I was a total neckbeard for most of my life up until the middle of high school. I never had a beard (still can't grow one) or a fedora, but I pretty much only wore baggy white t-shirts and a pair of green sweat pants, my entire social life revolved around videogames, my local comic shop, and Magic: the Gathering. I was always the kid who could draw the best in school, so I did make a few friends because of that, but I had zero self-confidence due to my disgustingly fat body. Then one day I was walking around with my friends and out of nowhere one of them loudly proclaims, "illcoholic, you have man-juggs!" For some reason that comment just pushed me over the edge. I didn't want to be the kid with man boobs anymore, so I started going to the weight room with my friends (most were on sports teams) and did whatever they told me to. It wasn't easy at first, but the initially shitty feeling of physical exertion started to feel really good after a few months. I dropped a ton of weight, got broader shoulders, a haircut (eventually) and people started to notice.
I've never had a "real job" (tattooer/book illustrator here) so I can't offer advice on interviews and stuff like that, but what I can recommend is:
A) Shave the beard (if you have one)
B) Burn the fedora and flame shirt collection (if you have one)
C) Pick up a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, join a gym, and follow the routine.
D) Throw out the junk food/sugary drinks and replace them with chicken and vegetables and water and shit like that.
I really hope some of this helps. I'm rooting for you along with a bunch of other people in this sub. You'll make it, buddy.
This will help with the weights-
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
Counting calories is also a great step. I use Myfitnesspal.com.
The most important thing is to incorporate this stuff into your lifestyle, and feel good about it. You'll never keep it up if you think of it as a punishment.
Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754
So depending on weather Mercury is in retrograde or anterograde, the /r/fitness community is either vehemently pro or against mark rippetoe programming. I for one, years ago, got the basic starting strength routine from this sub reddit and it worked a little bit, but lacked nuance that you cant obtain from a short blurb or spread sheet on a sub reddit aimed towards beginners. . Years later, upon reading this book, i realized a lot more of the hows and whys of the programming. There is a lot more to programming than spread sheets.
This all points to a problem on this sub reddit. People want a simple to follow spread sheet but dont want to expand their knowledge and read some goddamn books. If people read the books, starting strength/practical programming, 5/3/1 etc, there is so much valuable information in there that cant be elucidated in a short reddit post. Its far more wise to spend money on books than is it to spend on supplements.
I encourage lifters of all levels to stop getting your programming from social media and open up a book.
I have a couple questions:
Am I putting myself at risk lifting in my running shoes?
Did you ladies who used the New Rules do all 7 stages as listed in the book or did you mostly use the book to get you started?
How much cardio do you do? I don't want to give up running, but I also don't want to overdo it.
No one should have to go what you did. If my STBX had a younger twin sister, you married her.
I am so glad you are getting out. Save this post somewhere because you will want to occasionally remind yourself what you were going through, when you start to forget the bad stuff and think maybe it was not so bad. Right now it looks like you are in emotional turmoil but at least you are breaking out of the fog. You also might find http://psychopathsandlove.com/how-to-never-get-involved-with-an-abuser-again/ useful. You already found /r/raisedbynarcissists so you might also want to visit /r/bpdlovedones
Since you have recognized codependent behaviors in yourself, you can use the advice in No More Mr Nice Guy (there is a pdf you can browse first) to work on that.
Two useful books on your upcoming divorce:
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Will I Ever Be Free of You?: How to Navigate a High-Conflict Divorce from a Narcissist and Heal Your Family
I am about a year ahead of you, and my head is a much better place now. You can do it.
For those who already use lacrosse balls and are looking for some other options, or potentially more effective items, here is my list of most effective items for different areas.
I also highly recommend checking out the book "[Becoming a supple leopard] (https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837)" By Kelly Starett. (as mentioned in another comment below)
IT Band / Quads/ Shins -[triggerpoint quadballer] (https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-Self-Myofascial-Release-Massage-Quadballer/dp/B000LCC780/ref=pd_sim_200_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=QV9B5KT15B1DGX2DW947) This is significantly more effective then a traditional foam roller..... but that also means it sucks 1000x more while using it.
Calves/ankles/ hamstrings - [Medi-Dyne ProStretch ] (https://www.amazon.com/FootSmart-SmartFlexx-Stretching-Fasciitis-Tendonitis/dp/B005BWG7JA) - Foam rolling has never worked well on my lower legs.. but this is incredible for stretching my calves.
**Chest, abs, Upper back, lower back, delts, triceps* - [rumbleroller foam roller] (http://www.rumbleroller.com/) {I just noticed they now have knobbed balls, so I imagine these would be ideal for neck, arms, shoulders, chest} - The knobs on this roller literally feel like they are tenderizing my larger muscles. It can loosen me up in a hurry.
Glutes, lower back** - [small hard medicine ball.] (http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_1514727_-1?cm_mmc=pla-_-Sports+And+Leisure+Fitness+Accessories+Hand+Exercise+Equipment-_-Google-_-BCG+Medicine+Ball&amp;sku=103368094&amp;gclid=Cj0KEQiAk5zEBRD9lfno2dek0tsBEiQAWVKyuKCbg3HpbBH95wzqTRral6KvXGSc5I-6QBj35NTtRnkaAptr8P8HAQ&amp;kwid=productads-adid%5E104478168558-device%5Ec-plaid%5E263066970473-sku%5E103368094-adType%5EPLA)
lacrosse balls work fine for your glutes, but I feel like it is better used in supplement to something that's able to loosen up a wider area first.
Olympic Weightlifting by Greg Everett.
http://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Weightlifting-Complete-Athletes-Coaches/dp/0980011116
Buy this...
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372545317&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard
3 hours and no recommendation for Becoming a Supple Leopard?
here's a start
There's a lot of scientific evidence for it—I did a quick google and found some stuff, although there are probably better explanations than what I found in a few seconds.
There was a study done in the past five years—at Yale IIRC—that indicated that exercise is equivalent to anti-depressant medication in treating depression.
Here is a psychologist being interviewed about what exercise does to the exerciser's mind.
Here, the American Psychological Association (APA) explains that exercise improves the brain's ability to handle stress, which in turn should reduce anxiety.
There's no cure-all; the one thing you need to do is actually a lot of things that will work together in a perfect storm to reduce and possibly eliminate your anxiety.
About exercise:
I got a lot out of this layman's book about the effects of exercise on the brain (based science from the past 10-20 years); you may want to look at it.
PS: I found this interesting article in The Atlantic about exercise and depression as well; looks pretty good, and it's from last year.
edit: grammar
John Ratey discussed it at length in his book Spark back in 2007/2008
buy "Starting Strength" and do what it says
To expand on the exercise/lift advice:
Strength
---
Buy Starting Strength and/or check out their wiki, their videos and the Art of Manliness playlist for Starting Strength. I personally also recommend some core work each session. Try progressing from 3 sets of 90 second knee-planks, to full planks, to 3 sets of 15 hanging knee lifts to hanging leg lifts and ab roller work.
Once your 1 rep max for the main lifts reach intermediate level or your progression starts to stall after at least 3-6 months, switch to Candito's 6-week Strength Program. You can calculate your 1 rep max via exrx's handy calculator.
Endurance
---
Try the Couch to 5k running program. They also have a free app for iOS and Android. You should be able to run a 30 minute 5k in 2-3 months.
The lifting takes 3-4 hours a week. The running takes 2 hours a week. You'll get great results.
Starting Strength.
A lot of people here love Starting Strength. Get the book and learn.
My first workout was the 20 Minute Circut Workout from military.com. It was a great start to simply START. A springboard.
Don't expect to learn everything at once. Pick one thing to focus on each month (or week).
Maybe you'll like Couch-2-5k to learn about running (a lot of people struggling with depression and anxiety love running). The first week, just focus on putting one foot in front of the other to move at a faster than walking pace. The next week, you might want to learn about running shoes and why certain shoes are better than others. The week after that, research something "awesome post run stretches".
Track your workouts. Some like myfitnesspal, some like fitocracy. These tracking apps can be further springboards to try out new things and are great progress bars to your goal. Make small goals ("be able to do 10 push-ups") under larger goals (sign-up for Tough Mudder next year). Experiment, play, and find what you like.
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Starting Strength Wiki:
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>
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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Nonsense. Did he tell you to get in the kitchen & make him a sandwich after he dispensed that advice?
If you can squat (or can work up to it), you should - regardless of gender.
"There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that produces the level of central nervous system activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat. In the absence of an injury that prevents its being performed, everyone who lifts weights should learn to squat, correctly." - Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength.
Exhibit A.
Exhibit B.
> 34 here. Fat, unattractive, and very shy.
Then change that. Go to the gym, buy this book if you don't know how to use a gym, and work on your shyness. For the last part, it's simply a question of contact with people. I knew someone who was painfully shy in college and is now entirely gregarious because she forced herself to socialize in slow tiers, promising herself that she'd go and speak to one person for 20 minutes, then two people for 20 minutes and so on until she learned how to do it right.
>I guess I'm okay with it, since it's easier to deal with the loneliness then it is to deal with the disappointment and heartbreak that comes with finding someone I like only to have them not feel the same in return.
No, this is called a "pity party" and is representative of your problem: you need to be in an optimal zone in order to have a relationship that works.
It's also unrealistic. The idea that there is simply no one out there for you is nuts.
>I think at this point I've put up too many emotional barriers to ever break down anyhow.
Then go see a psychologist. This is a process, not a sprint.
Buy Starting Strength. It has in depth explanation of the basic barbell lifts (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Power Clean). Your form is probably incorrect all around (At 230 with correct form you should be able to bench more than 100 untrained).
It also contains the routine to follow. No more machines.
Whether or not you hit the wall not only is a matter of training but also having and carrying out a solid in-race nutrition plan. The wall hits people because their lower bodies run out of glycogen, and they haven't sufficiently re-fueled those stores with carbohydrate during the race.
Matt Fitzgerald and the Hanson brothers are among the few experienced running writers who seriously get into fueling during races, and they may be worth a read for finer points.
But in general you need to work on fueling during long runs. Thankfully, Chicago's drink stations use Gatorade (which contains carbs; low-cal drinks like Ultima do not), and if you prefer to fuel that way you can practice hitting the Gatorade every 1.3 miles during training runs. You could also practice with gels or gummy-style fuel like Shot Bloks, but that gets a lot more pricey than Gatorade, and Gatorade has the added benefit of also rehydrating you.
Again, others get into the finer points of marathon fueling much better than I just did, but that's a place to start if you want to avoid the wall.
While not a parent myself, if I wanted to introduce the topic of sex into conversations with my child, I would start with a book that's easy for them to understand. Maybe start with a book like this and let your kids know they can always come to you with any questions.
You have two options here:
Also, dynamic stretching is to be done at the beginning of your workout, and passive at the end.
Dynamic stretching before class. Leg swings, arm swings, leg rotations, etc. anything that has you in motion throughout the duration of the stretch.
Static stretching after class. Butterfly, straddle, splits, etc. anything where you are holding a position. Your muscles must be warm so that they don't panic if you push too far into it.
Stretching Scientifically is a nice reference.
Depending upon your athleticism, body awareness, and ability to critique your own videos, you might not have to get a coach. Greg Everett's book took me a long way. I feel like the reason I suck is 'cause I don't know jack shit about programming, not because I don't know how to do the lifts. So in my experience, learning the lifts isn't that hard, it just takes about a year and a half of diligence.
40 y.o here.
I've noticed that while I'm able to squat large amounts (>300lbs), run, hike, go up and down stairs with no problems, I had the same issues as you.
I've remedied it by being conscious of what muscle groups I use to get up from a 100% squated position. If I consciously tell my glutes and quads to move, no pain in the joints or discomfort. If I'm just picking up toys or the laundry or whatever; I'll squat down and have a hard time getting up because I seem to just rely on the muscles around those joints to move. But if I consciously engage my glutes and quads to stand, it's not so bad.
I'm not sure if it even makes any sense, but it's worked for me.
Also, I've changed the way I do squats where I really go down deep. I spread my legs wider that I've used to and angled my feet out farther. Check out "Starting Strength", helped me with my form and changed how I thought about the muscles you use for most actions.
I've trained in Judo, Aikido, and Ninpo Taijutsu. Been in one, the other, or both for about half of the last 20 years.
Your weight does not preclude your participation in most martial arts, as I'm sure you've seen just about every martial art under the sun suggested here. And I definitely recommend that you choose an art that appeals to you and go for it.
Having said that, if I were in your shoes I'd add a year of conditioning to my weight loss program before I joined any art. You'll simply get more out of the art itself if you show up in shape the first day. Also, if you are 346 pounds, right away you are choosing an art based on your current physical condition and not based on what you think the art can do for you long term. Remember, quality martial arts are a lifetime pursuit. They will still be there waiting for you in a year.
As for the conditioning program: Running and Lifting, via C25k and Starting Strength.
Normally I'd recommend you plow through c25k and get to running a couple 5k's a week, then maintain that while you spend the rest of the year working through Starting Strength. You may find that at your weight, it's not a good idea to start running yet. Certainly make sure you do it on a treadmill if you decide to do it first since that will be easier on your knees.
While you are working on your conditioning programs, spend the next year researching your options for martial arts. Find out what is locally available, which of those options interests you, go and watch a class from each of the candidates. Take your time and try to assess the quality of the instructors, quality of their students, whether the dojo is a blackbelt factory, etc. Learn the issues.
What I have described will keep you very busy for one year. I'm not saying this is a prescription for what you should do, or that it is superior to any other plan you might come up with. I'm just giving you something to think about, how I would approach this from my perspective. I like to have long and short term goals that dovetail together.
EDIT: Another benefit to having a non-martial art conditioning program in place before you start training your art is if you get injured, you have running and/or lifting to fall back on while you are recovering.
Ok, then I would suggest the following. I'm just throwing this out there for you... you may already have a program picked out but I'll give you my personal advice anyway.
I'm more than happy to help you out if you want it. There's no reason to pay for information that's out there for free already.. the biggest challenge is wading your way through a lot of bullshit before you find the best sources of information.
No it won't stunt his growth. I suggest you buy, read, and follow Starting Strength to the T (could be worth your while to do it along with him).
If you get him on the right path early the sky is the limit. That book does a great job of taking strength training and separating the wheat from the chaff - it gets you doing things the right way.
You can ease him into it, maybe instill some safety / 'rules of the weightroom' type-stuff so he knows to treat it seriously (it's going to be really important given his age and presumed attention span). I'd give almost anything to go back in time and start lifting the right way around that age.
Edit: Here's a good research article explaining the misconceptions around training young athletes
Not the most comprehensive from a nutrition standpoint, but if you're getting into lifting and want to know more about form and anatomy, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe is the place to start. Endless detail on the compound movements, how to perform them, and why they work.
Look up the black box summit. Effectively CF splintered over exactly that many years ago, with HQ sticking hard to the everything random line, and then affiliate gyms patting them on the head and going off to do their own thing with some combination of linear progression for strength and skills combined with metcon - so a more traditional S&C structuring. Some dropped all association with CF entirely after that and just started calling themselves S&C gyms.
If you do want to figure it out for yourself Practical Programming and Fit are probably good starters on doing your own programming. If not, then you can find more structured programming from Crossfit Football or affiliate sites rather than HQ, or get custom programming done for you from someone like OPT/Opexfit Training (CF Games first winner).
Practical Programming for Strength https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0982522754/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486268394&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=practical+programming+for+strength+training+3rd+edition&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51TdFrvPEML&amp;ref=plSrch
/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:
Have fun!
Lift heavy things. Starting Strength is good, but if you're a bit intimidated and/or want something geared toward women, I like the New Rules of Lifting for Women. If you're a student, you may have gym access. If you really can not afford a gym (and some offer $20 per month memberships), Convict Conditioning may be the way to go.
The best I ever felt was when I was lifting 3x a week. Now that my schedule has improved I'm going to go back to it. For anyone looking to get started, I highly recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler. He also has a new one called Strong that's supposed to be good as well.
ETA: Just in case anyone is thinking you need a gym membership to lift, if you have a little space and a little cash you can often find used weights cheap on Craigslist.
Hi. Male here, with very similar circumstances. Actually I have two special needs sons and I also provide the financial support to the family (she was fine working but really crazy abusive to the kids when at home), but I also sort of acted as the parent to the kids and cleaned up after the emotional messes she made. Also I had even more reason to fear the legal system than you do because I'm male.
Here's what I did: Downloaded the Tape-A-Talk app on my phone. Memory chips for smart phones are amazingly cheap nowadays, and periodically I'd downloand the audio files to my work computer. Before I came inside I made it a habit to activate the app so it would record what went on. Other times you could tell from the tense atmosphere that there was going to be a blowup. So I'd go to the bathroom or something and turn on the app. Did this for many, many days. I didn't catch even 5% of the craziness, but over time even 5% adds up to enough to convince anyone with an open mind that the BPDer wasn't just having a bad day or was being taken out of context. At first it helped a lot just to know there was a 'witness' that this was happening and it wasn't my fault and it wasn't just my word against hers. I felt a lot better even though divorce seemed impossible. There was some record of my suffering, somewhere.
Collected a lot of these recordings. Couldn't really bear to listen to them at the time, but now that I've initiated divorce proceedings I've been going through them. I'm using a freeware app to cut them down to size for the court. I hired a Family Investigator to basically listen to a mass of her 'greatest hits', talk to various people, and write a report to the court dictating who is fit to be a parent. She, like many BPDers, has recruited and cultivated an extensive 'support network' of professionals and friends who believe her version. Lied about me being alcoholic, a child abuser, a wife beater, etc. But they haven't really heard my story and that's what the CFI does - listen to everyone's story and come to a conclusion.
Without the recordings I would have been dead in the water. Her lawyer is protesting various things about the recordings and the CFI's report, but ultimately family court will listen to all evidence even if it is 'tainted'. I highly recommend you make recordings like this. Even if you choose not to take action it makes a big difference and is saving the lives of my kiddos. State laws on recordings vary, but I'd record him even if it's illegal in your state/country. Even if the recordings can't be used in court itself, they can be used to, say, meet privately with the child advocate where it's just you and them and there's no one to say what actually was done during the meeting. If the child advocate really knows what's going on, it's a lot harder for them to fall under the spell of the BPD's charm.
I'd recommend setting up a meeting with a lawyer to talk about your situation and what options you have. Obviously you have to take precautions to maintain operational security though. I first saw a lawyer over a year before launching the divorce. She didn't believe me either at first, but the recordings convinced her and now it's almost comical in that she's become this sort of avenging fury of justice while I'm restraining her, preaching realism and moderation in the divorce.
There's more stuff - it gets incredibly complicated with a BPDer. If you want to talk message me.
Edit:
I also downloaded This book to my phone, which was helpful. I didn't read it cover to cover, but I skimmed through it to prepare mentally and it did help me anticipate some of the moves in the process.
Also, on reading the suggestions below, under my state's law, it's illegal to record someone's conversation that you're not a party to. Doing it via phone while you're carrying it in your pocket made all of those recorded convo's legal. leaving the phone on the nightstand and recording her behavior with the kids with me not being there is illegal - still useful, but technically illegal and a possible class IV felony. This is why meeting with a divorce lawyer is a good idea, to establish the boundaries of the law.
Yes!! I've been lifting for a few years and it all started with the book the New Rules of Lifting for Women: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398
SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE, comes with programs for 6+ months of efficient and effective training that varies depending on your goals. I recommend everyone start with that, or at least have it in their library as a good resource. Once you have a hold of the basics and good form, then it's a lot of fun cruising around bodybuilding.com's complete (and free!) programs and simplyshredded.com's female interviews, which include the interviewee's favorite programs. I would definitely start with the New Rules of Lifting, though, since it will create a solid strength base which will give you the confidence and good form to be able to play around with your programming later.
Also, Mark Rippetoe's book "Starting Strength" (pretty popular, you can probably find at the library) is dense but very very clear as to the proper mechanics of every basic lift and has a good beginner's program outlined towards the end.
FINALLY, while you don't need to look at those programs, you do need A program and to write down what you do every time you go in. This will prevent you from overworking/underworking certain muscle groups, help you keep track of strength progress, and also allow you in a few weeks/months/years to remember what worked for your body and what did not.
Good luck!!
It sounds like you don't do any strength training at all, so I'd say the easiest way to improve your physique is to eat more protein and lift heavy weights. Go to a real gym and do weighted compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, pullups, and bench presses--or if you don't have access to a gym, you could at least start doing pushups and squats at home.
This will help increase your metabolism and therefore decrease your body fat, and it'll also make your waist look narrower in comparison to your shapely ass and shoulders. :)
It's hard to get enough protein as a vegetarian, but try to add more low-fat dairy, tofu, tempeh, and other non-meat protein sources to your diet, and try to reduce your consumption of grains to compensate.
This book really helped set me on a good path toward my fitness goals: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
Before we jump into using race as it relates to performance, I'm going to recommend that you read a little bit more about the concept of race as a construct and also using race to talk about performance. One book that tackles that second subject a bit is [The Sport's Gene] (https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Athletic-Performance/dp/161723012X). Conveniently, there's also a chapter about sex and sports performance as well.
Here's a fucking link
Sure. But so can having the most commonly asked questions and misconceptions explicitly and simply written down.
Thousands and maybe even millions of people start the journey alone every year and they have even less information.
This book describes the important exercises and programming a beginner would need in detail.
Buy this book
read it.
do a basic 3x5 (3 sets of 5 reps) alternating the two routines in the book (squats, dead lift, bench AND squat, overhead press, cleans)
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.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0982522738?pc_redir=1397432776&amp;robot_redir=1
Wheymen.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837
Stronger by Science books. Their squat, bench, and deadlift manual are probably some of the most in depth and well-researched books out there on the squat, bench, and deadlift.
Juggernaut Training systems books. I personally own the Scientific Principle of strength training, and it really is a great book.
In terms of mobility and rehab work, you can check out the Becoming a Supple leopard, which comes highly recommended by my physio.
Although honestly, most of the information available in said books are also available as free articles on their websites. With citations you can actually follow. Plus, most of the core information in there is already incorporated into the sub's wiki.
Wait. No web links. Nevermind, disregard said advice.
It's difficult to study exercise technique/form in quite the same rigorous & scientific way as we do with medications & diseases. Or perhaps more importantly, people haven't put nearly as much effort & money into the (proper scientific) study of exercise.
Having said that, it's not a data-free zone. I'd recommend Kelly Starrett's book Becoming a Supple Leopard as a fairly comprehensive book that covers proper form for many exercises.
It's not referenced, but Starrett is knowedgeable & widely respected, and the book is excellent.
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
I read a great book called Spark that goes into the details of this.
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Exercise regulates the mood hormones and has been effectively used as a treatment for depression. IIRC he devotes an entire chapter to depression in the book (though it might have been a shared chapter on mood disorders). Super interesting stuff and there's also a lot of info on Alzheimer, anxiety, and a bunch of other neurological conditions affected by exercise.
I have no firsthand experience but I just read this book called Spark: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
In it the author argues strongly that 1) exercise is essential and 2) it changes your brain chemistry and form and 3) it helps many mental illnesses.
It's genuinely a fascinating book and I highly recommend it!
I recommend the book You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren. Tons of ideas on how to do a full-body workout anywhere with nothing (or very common things)
Friggin' awesome.
So, everyone telling you to do cardio is wrong. Objectively so, but they're not doing it out of spite or malice... they're doing it because they don't know any better either. They did what they did, and for a lot of them it was good enough, but the real question is... was it the best and most efficient thing to do? "Cardio," as it's commonly referred to, is really slow, steady-state aerobic training or exercise. It is absolutely not going to help you for two main reasons: 1) You are overweight and deconditioned and 2) you are going into a job where being able to run 10+ miles is NOT a significant factor. Being able to move quickly, hand-to-hand, load bearing equipment/duty load, carrying or moving heavy objects or people, movement to contact runs, getting into various positions, shooting, moving yourself through a three dimensional environment, etc. ARE all tasks you face.
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So what should you do about it? Well, to start off you should get strong. As strong as you can, and do so while eating enough to maintain your training (but NOT enough that you don't slowly lose a LITTLE body fat). Body composition, not body weight, is important. The BMI index is garbage past people who never do anything physical and use their diet to manage their body fat. They're the mopeds of the metabolic world. You don't want to be a moped... you want to be a fighter jet. Not only will the ability to produce force help you across damn near every single job task you have to do (including helping keep your back/joints from being beat to shit before you're 30), but it is the adaptation that takes the longest to attain with the most dedication of energy and resources (time, food, rest). Once you get strong, and as you approach your academy date (2-3 months out), start to titrate in your conditioning load to your strength training. You should focus most on HIIT for your conditioning, as this will be the most effective use of your time. The majority of adaptation for conditioning happens at the cellular level, so you will probably be in tremendously good condition for any law enforcement or military physical fitness test in 8-10 weeks. The strength you gained ahead of time will allow you to run faster, bear more load, subdue people more easily, control situations by physical presence and confidence and will also assist your conditioning work as an important component of endurance.
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I hope you take my recommendation seriously. If you would like explanations, examples, studies, etc. I can provide them, but know that while I do not have law enforcement experience I did spend a LOT of time in the Marine Corps working for a particular community. I know that strength works, and I know that HIIT conditioning works. Mostly because I did it every possible way you could think of, and in retrospect I would throw every other thing I ever did out the window and strength training with conditioning as a supplemental. Strength served me best, in every capacity, through multiple deployments to Afghanistan as a Marine and civilian contractor, on fitness tests, on the range/shoot house/MOUT town, etc. If you're ready to stop exercising, stop wasting your time and energy, and start training... I recommend you start here. I am also training to apply for FLEO, so if you would like an accountability partner let me know. I cannot mentor you with police stuff, but I do have friends in law enforcement who do everything from large SWAT teams to CSI to FBI Special Agent.
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Edit: I screwed up some words.
It would probably be more productive for you to check out some instruction videos and texts first and try to apply them before soliciting feedback on your form from random people.
Here's a good video explaining the differences between two common styles of squat, high-bar and low-bar. Candito Training has a bunch of videos about squat form on his channel as well. Starting Strength is a comprehensive textbook on lifting form with a large chapter devoted to the squat.
I do highly recommend buying the book Starting Strength. I started the program based off research I did online - read up a bit and watched a lot of youtube videos, and then just jumped in the weight room and tried. I finally bought the book 6 months later and immediately began fixing things! All the big lifts are broken down and explained in a way a beginner should be able to teach themselves from scratch. It's a much-loved program on r/fitness and r/xxfitness due to its effectiveness, but the types of lifts are sometimes a bit intimidating when you are new to it. You will find no lack of encouragement on xxfitness though :)
As mentioned, NROLFW is also highly regarded, and I also followed Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer for a while with success and it doesn't require the use of barbells if that is a concern. Just make sure you are ready to up your calorie intake when you start lifting! Woot!
Congrats on the weight loss!! You have a large community waiting with open arms for your next steps and I'm excited for you :D
Books I've read and/or am 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.
>I'm just worried about looking like a twat at the gym
I've been in the same gym now for 18 months. There's a solid core of regulars who use the gym along with the noobies. You can tell the noobies by the way they walk into the gym.. they look sheepish, unsure of themselves and are either skinny-weak or fat-weak and they always look extremely self conscious.
When I look at them, they remind me of me when I started.
What you have to realise is that everyone starts from somewhere. It doesn't matter what age you are, what size you are, what shape you are in.. everyone who uses a gym walked in through the doors on the first day and felt like a twat.
That's why nobody will judge you, nobody will look at what weights you are lifting, nobody will really give a fuck. In fact, most people's only thoughts will be.. 'new person.. fair play to them for starting, I hope they stick it out'. The only pity is that most of them only last a month or two and give up.
The other side of the coin is that a large portion of people who regularly use the gym - might have experience because they've been doing it for so long - but are clueless in terms of making any real progress. I see guys who were there when I started, lifting the exact same weights week in, week out without ever increasing the weight. I see skinny guys doing insane levels of cardio. I see big guys struggling to lift anything over 60kg. I see guys with huge biceps, underdeveloped traps and chicken legs. I see guys doing shit tonnes of dumbell work and zero compound lifts.
In 18 months, I've keenly watched pretty much everyone in there and I've seen maybe one or two people make any progression at all. Most of them are just maintaining their levels and a good few are going backwards by getting fatter or skinnier.
So yeah, you can walk into the gym as a clueless noob and feel like a twat but if you work hard, study what you are doing - both lifting and nutrition -, track everything - calories, macros, lifts - and continue on a program / programs that focus on progressive overload, you'll outperform many of the regulars within 12-24 months.
Get this book and put it on the top of your reading list - it's the Bible for this shit and will pay you back 1000 fold if you follow the advice in it.
Strength Training Anatomy
The first overall source I'd look to for Ex-Sci is a textbook from Mcardle Katch & Katch it's a bit more user friendly for getting into the field.
Another good source for info is the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and they have an Intro to Exercise Science as well. They're a bit more Science and Research Heavy, so they can be good or bad depending on the reader.
To get a good starter for musculature a very helpful one is Strength Training Anatomy This one is only a very colorful and visual source of where the different muscles are and how they're involved with different movements.
Supertraining was mentioned earlier in the thread, and is an Amazing source for how different training variables and methods affect the body.
I've found Exercise Metabolism very helpful in how the body uses different macro-nutrients in various intensities of physical activity.
One of my favorite books is also the Essentials of Strength and Conditioning from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). It's more geared toward programming for athletic pursuits rather than overall physical fitness, but it still does give a great understanding of training variables and the body's adaptations to them.
EDIT: The subject of Kinesiology is touched on in most resources, but you may also want to get a standalone resource for this if you want to really understand the construction and functionality of the musculoskeletal system. The courses I've taken and research I've done have used a lot of different resources, so I don't have a single one personally to include here.
Not a big fan of Matt Fitzgerald, but The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition has some good information in it.
I pretty heavily disagree with the other advice proffered. Yes, you can adapt your body to burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates in the marathon, but you will go slower by doing so. Carbohydrates are just going to give you more energy, flat out, and energy = speed at this distance.
Most ~faster~ marathoners will be taking in at least 400-500 calories during the race, and they are completing it in the low 2 hour timeframe. It's not unrealistic for someone in the 3 hour timeframe to take in 700 calories.
This book by Matt Fitzgerald is a great resource, he summarizes the point in a lot of articles online if you just search for "Matt Fitzgerald Marathon Nutrition"
This book was pivotal for me (https://www.amazon.ca/Stretching-Scientifically-Guide-Flexibility-Training/dp/0940149451). Describes the types of flexibility very well and is scientifically based/referenced.
For the quickest gains work isometric/PNF stretching into your regimen if you can (https://people.bath.ac.uk/masrjb/Stretch/stretching_4.html#SEC34)
Potentially dumb question, but is deadlifting something I can learn myself, or is it highly recommended that I schedule some time with a trainer first before I go out on my own? I've been doing a little research and was recommended giving Starting Strength a read before I attempt it on my own. I've been holding off on doing exercises like this due to the fact that I don't want to mess up my back, but with the way things have been going in the gym, I'm not sure if weighted pull ups or lat pull downs are enough.
Edit: Thanks for the advice guys. It seems as though I might be getting my wires crossed when it comes to what muscles the deadlift works. I ready somewhere that it does, but only to an extent. Still a valuable exercise though, something that I've been meaning to incorporate for a while.
Eu acho que o programa de educação física devia ser alterado. Exercício fisico é absolutamente crucial para um estudante. Li recentemente o livro "Spark" (http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_3/177-6089882-2280667?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420361932&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=spark) e tenho também estado atento aos vários estudos que provam que praticar exercício físico é das melhores coisas que alguem pode fazer.
Dito isto, o plano actual de educação física baseia-se em dança e vários desportos. Acho que todos ganhavamos se em educação fisica se aprendesse fitness e apresentasse vários estudos do efeito do fitness em transtornos tipo OCD, ansiedade, depressão e também os seus efeitos na concetração, circulação sanguinea e em doenças mais específicas.
Exercício Físico é a chave para uma população mais saudável.
There are a handful of other bodyweight books in the FAQ that people here speak really highly of. I've been doing YAYOG for a month, and it's been great for me. I don't want to parrot the whole book, but there's a lot of exercises in there, and more importantly a handful of different routines to keep your muscles guessing.
Pimping out this picture like three times tonight.
Also this one
Both from this book.
I'm seeing a pattern here. You're trying to dodge the fact that you can't back up your ideas by attacking me. It's not working. In fact, it's the lowest rung on this old chart
All I asked was for you to back up your blanket assertion with a bit of evidence or at least logic. Instead you just exploded, which tells me that you don't have any. But I'll even skip the sarcasm and get to your points:
> Where is your vast wealth of evidence?
You made the claim, the burden of proof is on you.
However, there's a bunch of basic reading in our FAQ that back up myself and the others talking to you here. Greyskull LP is a popular beginner's program that has you curl twice a week and do chins in between those sessions. Many people here have seen good results from this program. Never heard of anyone overtraining.
There's also quite a few popular articles you can Google for, often titled something like "The Myth of Overtraining. The quality varies with the author, of course, but some of them are really good.
For fairly advanced stuff, people around here usually tell you to start off with this book.
>Tell me aside from the gym when was the last time you lifted something with your biceps, something heavy how often do you do that?
But we are talking about the gym. I never claimed I did isolation movements in "real-world" work. Why would I? What does that have to do with anything?
This was about someone training for the powerlifting strict curl in competition, anyway. They ARE training to lift heavy things with mostly just the elbow flexors (of which the biceps are only one). It may not be the best "real life" movement, but OP wants to train it for a comp, so it's valid enough.
>Have you ever even trained for strength? Because it doesn't sound like you know what is involved.
The irony of this statement is pretty heavy. As to your query: Yes I have. But this isn't about me. Again, you made the claim. You have to back it up if you want it to stand up to scrutiny.
>So you want a guy who like most people, does not use his biceps on a daily basis, and has little work capacity, to train for strength (block periodization, temporary over reaching, and heavy weight.) To train that way multiple times a week.
I don't want anything in particular of them, and I never said I did. I just wanted you to back up your assertion. The example idea that I gave for this debate was even a light beginner's linear program, starting with a light weight and moving up slowly (after which they'll have a better idea of their own capacity).
Hola! I'm fxpstclvrst, which is not worth pronouncing aloud. I've been here for two rounds. I am a lady that lives in the Dallas area. I've got a smattering of aches and pains, mostly a bad knee and a weak ankle. I did physical therapy last year for my frozen shoulder, and that improved my life so much. My doctor recommended a paleo-like diet to reduce my weight to cut back on my snoring.
Is she pear shaped because that will seriously help? As far as I know (seriously working out for about 6 months so take all of this with a grain of salt), us chicas can do the same workouts as y'all fellas (we can both do StrongLifts 5x5, that's what I do). So you can show her your work out and then just work on lower body (squats and deadlifts and stuff, but I'm sure you already knew this. Squats are a bootyful girl's best friend!). She's not gonna get swole the way you do. She might want to do an abs circuit or something in addition to the DLs and Squats. Ask her what she wants to work on. Flat stomach? Abs/Squats/DLs, Bingo wings? Upper body. Posture, upper body and core, etc.
Get more details as to what she envisions herself like and target those areas, which you will totally know how to do, you athletic bf, you.
Wait also, here is a book you might enjoy: The New Rules of Lifting for Women I haven't read it but it was in the /r/bodyweightfitness sidebar. :)
I'm 5'8" 124 pounds, 37 years old.
Over the last 2 years, I lost 50 pounds and was down to 115 (too skinny!) and ended up looking "skinnyfat" with my extra loose skin. Trying to gain muscle. Not sure how high I will go but willing to keep going until I think I'm looking the way I like, then I can cut.
I feel like I eat a ton and I have gained 9 pounds in the last year, which I guess is good? I've found it more difficult to find resources that help women understand how much we should be trying to gain in a determined amount of time.
I started with the New Rules of Lifting for Women, then moved on to SL 5x5 and now I am doing The Muscle Building Workout Routine - which I am enjoying so far.
It's really hard to do. First and foremost, speak to an attorney. Don't give her any hints that you're planning to divorce her in advance. My post history from a couple of years ago shows all that I went through, including claims that she had already called the police on me (she had not. and I called the police the next day to see how I could protect myself), breaking into my email to get my correspondence with the attorney, and not being honest about large amounts of debt.
I recommend this book - Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with BPD or NPD. It is a good understanding of the steps you can take, and what is and is not within your control during the process. I'm not diagnosing your wife with any sort of certain illness or disorder, but I will say the behavior you describe certainly has a Cluster B flavor to it. In fact, the way you wrote about her objections to therapy are nearly word-for-word what I dealt with over the years when trying to get her to go to couples counseling with me.
Another person in this thread mentioned projection with your wife describing Laura as a Narcissist, and I experienced that as well. I wasn't falling back into the cycle of staying in the marriage yet again to make it work, because I always believed her that things would get better. She finally went to a talk therapist. Once my ex realized that, I was accused of being a sociopath, and that her new therapist agreed with her that I was the cause of all her mental and physical problems. The therapist I had never met, and during her first session.
What truly helped me was individual therapy for myself, and finding a group of people in /r/BPDlovedones who had bizarrely similar experiences to my own over the years. I was pointed there after telling a bit of my story in /r/Divorce and some users suggested I go take a look. It took a lot for me to understand just how toxic the relationship was, and my part in that cycle. Hell, I even had a similar experience in discussing my concerns with her parents, and that being used against me by her.
I also recommend the books Boundaries, and Stop Caretaking the Borderline or Narcissist: How to End the Drama and Get On with Life. Stop Caretaking was probably the best one for giving me concrete examples of how my own behavior and thought patterns were part of the problem.
It took me a long time and many false starts to leave that unhealthy relationship. I wish I had the knowledge, strength, and courage to have done it sooner.
First off, do yourself a huge favor and read this book.
I was in a similar situation as you-- married 11 years, two kids at about 7 and 9 at the time. Ex-wife didn't have substance abuse issues but she spent and spent-- constantly got angry at me that I "wasn't making enough" despite me making 6 figures and her taking time off to raise the kids and work on her second Masters degree.
I know you're doubting yourself and (like a good father) worry about the effect a divorce will have on your two boys... But let me cut through all the chaff and spell it out for you-- leave. Get out.
You've already acknowledged your possible co-dependency. My experience in giving my ex-wife "one last chance" as she promised to seek treatment back fired on me as she just cemented her relationship with the guy she was cheating on my with and took the time to legally prepare. Don't make the same mistake as I did and give yours that chance.
I can't 100% predict what you'll be after your divorce, but it was a huge relief for me to return to a calm, trouble-free home after work. I believe the removal of such a negative influence on my life (and your boys' lives, too-- let's not kid ourselves, her behavior will effect them if not now then certainly later) that I feel I became a better father to my kids. Not always having to be on the defensive will give you more energy to put back into being a dad. Less arguing in front of the kids because you got 80/20 ground beef instead of 90/10 will be less stressful for them.
If you feel your kids will be in harm's way when you start the process, make sure your attorney and court know this. We have 50/50 visitation and there was a lot of "parental alienation" on the part of my ex-wife (BPDs are "perpetual victims," nothing they did brought them to this point in their lives and everyone is out to get them) which after two years after the divorce was finalized is still going on today.
Now my oldest daughter is 12 and wants to live with me full-time; we'll be returning to court soon to hammer that out. The typical BPD is never thinking about the long-game, and that's why-- if properly handled-- they will always lose.
PM me for more info if you want.
I am just now reading https://www.amazon.com/Squat-Every-Day-Thoughts-Overtraining-ebook/dp/B00CE5BCFG and in this book this topic is discussed and also looked on from different perspective with a question how hard a person can go with a training, how feeling of 'tiredness' is a delusion and which people may do Squat Every Day and not die.
He gets into details of human hormone system, brain and genes and I don't remember that but in general what you asked about is a result of genes but also way how they grew up. Some people are high reactive and they are very uncomfortable with unfamiliar things and stress and training is a very big stress for the body. They have been raised reactive and learned to be that way so it's natural for them to follow that pattern in adult life. Some people are low reactive and like to create things, stress and stimulus for themselves to feel that they are alive.
What you wrote is a good reasoning to convince only YOU that you need to train but you don't want to change other people and you don't want to think about what they do and jugde it from your perspective because you never know the whole story and its so complicated that you almost always miss your jugment.
Questions like these are answered here (and other places): Squat Every Day, by Matt Perryman
I'll throw out there the Gospel according to Rippetoe. It was a very literal life changer for me.
Starting Strength is a good place to begin if you want to become fitter. It is probably the closest thing to a bible around here. The FAQ is also a must-read.
Don't be afraid of barbel exercises, it is not only for muscle heads. You can use them for both strength training and weight loss.
Start slow. I actually recommend diet and walking. Just try to walk more every day. Maybe 500 meters the first day, than 600...etc
After you have lost a bit of weight and can walk 5k, start on the couch to 5k program and starting strength
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe can’t be beat. My husband and I did it together a few years ago. You build muscle super fast. It was so much fun keeping a notebook together. Rippetoe breaks down every lift so thoroughly, there’s no gimmicky shortcuts, and he takes a sort of whole body approach that’s way better than “targeting” certain muscles. He’s lasted the test of time when so many other coaches and programs have had their trendy moment and fallen into obscurity.
How long have you been eating and exercising at these levels? How much protein are you getting as a part of your diet?
Getting "defined" means lowering your body fat percentage. This needs to be approached from two directions: dieting to lose body fat and building muscle to reveal when your body fat is low enough. Here's a visual guide of different body fat percentages. At the moment you are on a very calorie restricted diet for the amount of exercise you're doing. That may let you lose weight, but you could be losing a lot of muscle at the same time--you'll get smaller, but not more defined. If you want to focus on revealing muscle, you will probably want to cut back on the cardio, focus on a weight training program, and make sure you're getting enough protein to maintain your muscle mass.
You can still eat at a deficit to lose weight if you're working on a program like Starting Strength or Strong Lifts, but you need to get at LEAST 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass and preferably closer to 1g of protein per pound overall. This will allow your body to keep its muscle and gain strength, which will help you look more defined as you lose weight.
When it comes to TDEE calculators--use them to estimate your sedentary TDEE. Cut 10-20% of this number to choose a healthy calorie deficit for weight loss. On days when you're working out, add back the calories you've burned in your activity. (Don't go crazy on estimating your calories burned, cardio machines and MFP tend to give much larger numbers than are realistic. 300-500 calories is what I normally add on my hard workout days.)
I do starting strength. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738 www.startingstrength.com
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!
I'm a big fan of this book
While technically not a book on sports massage, it is great for doing self myofascial release.
This book might be useful. It has a ton of stretches depending on what issues you're having. Some of it is geared heavily towards the CrossFit crowd, but the stretches, explanations, and pictures are useful.
Two books to buy:
One of the best things you could probably do for yourself is start increasing your motor control and mobility. It helps tremendously to learn how to brace your spine and position your shoulders into a stable position. Once you learn that you will understand how to create the most force off your movements through torque and maintaining tension in your body.
A lot of "good technique" in bjj or lifting or any sport starts with good bone/joint/spinal/body positioning. When you start practicing these proper body position and maintaining them through a full range of movement (i.e. the basic squat), you learn where your joints/muscles/spine need better range of motion and how to train that--your bjj technique will probably improve. An understanding of basic human movements translates into any physical activity through better performance.
That being said...I would say you don't really need weights or kettlebell swings until you've built a good base of physical strength/conditioning. Start with some general physical preparedness (GPP), bodyweight squats, pushups, situps, planks, chinups and pullups + add a little bit of good form running.
You might check out Strong Curves, which is basically an adaptation of Stronglifts geared towards women with a bigger focus on aesthetics than SL5x5.
My wife ran SL5x5 with me for about 6 months, then switched to SC. She hit a ceiling on SL5x5 that she was having a lot of trouble breaking through (mostly owing to the fact that she's a tiny woman and it's just hard to add linear gains when you're as small as she is), which was frustrating to her. Strong Curves is less focused on moving as much weight as possible. She is enjoying it a lot more, and it's working her a lot harder. It's most of the same movements, but it's lower weight/higher reps, and it has you doing supersets, all of which will definitely help produce better aesthetic results.
Hello incognitoplant!
This way, you're slowly losing fat, while giving the body enough resources to build muscle in the same time frame.
Watch your weight once a week:
If you're staying the same weight or losing weight consistently while you're getting stronger at all your exercises: you're doing it right. You're losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time!
Best of luck!
I'll venture a guess that the routine the trainer gave you is probably not that great and utilizes a lot of the circuit machines.
3-4 gym visits a week is perfect for getting into weight training, if you want to mix in cardio I suggest you do it on your rest days so you can really focus on your gym work. Typically most people separate their workouts by Push, Pull, and Leg days. Push for upper body workouts that utilize the chest, shoulders and triceps. Pull for upper body workotus that utilize the back and biceps. Leg day is all lower body work like your quads, hamstrings and calves.
Since you're just starting out, this is the best time to get on a program. There are quite a few different routines out there and they all have different benefits so you need to know what your goals are. Do you want raw strength, general muscle tone etc? I would suggest you look into Strong Curves first. Check out some of the reviews and do a little research to see if it is right for you. If that isn't your cup of tea than I'd also suggest reading up on Strong Lifts 5x5 and even the 5/3/1 routines as these seem to some of the most popular around here.
From my personal experience, and keep in mind I'm a guy, Strong Lifts was a great starting point for getting myself going in the gym since as you get stronger and more used to the program you can start adding in accessory lifts and finding out what works best for you.
IME this is a lost cause, ladies who think this way will squat for a week and then become absolutely convinced that their thighs have "bulked up". I don't try to convince them of anything. Maybe suggest a program like Strong Curves?
You look fine. But if you want to improve your shape, build some muscle.
Glute bridges, side laying abductions and squats will all fill out your hip area.
Look into the Strong Curves program perhaps? You gotta eat to build that muscle though.
It sounds like your problem goes deeper than just the shape of your body. Maybe youshould consider seeing a counselor too?
Try this:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
There's 60+ pages on the squat alone.
And this clearly doesn't require any sort of technical proficiency:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYNYBUd8FZE
Do you even lift?
Starting Strength
Hey bro. (3.5/10)
Real Talk: Your clothes are way too big. You need to size down your clothes a bit, get trendier glasses for your headshape.
Do not listen to the person who likes your fashion - It's not working for you.
Next. Focus on your posture.
Next. You need to start lifting. You need to put on weight and add muscle. You have good bone structure and a little bit of size will make your clothes fit better and it will help get your head in proportion to your body. Your neck seems skinny in proportion to your head, that's because you lack muscle.
Good luck out there.
> I don't see a lot of mention of women doing the program here - I assume you should follow the program the same as what's written, but are there any modifications/considerations that should be made for lady lifters?
The program is the same for men or women. The only thing with female beginners is that sometimes the weight of the bar is a little too heavy to start with. My wife couldn't press or bench 5 sets of 5 with just the 45lbs bar when she started, but our gym has these light bars that come in 5lbs increments from 15lbs to 35lbs, so she used those until she got strong enough for the oly bar.
> Can you recommend good video/tutorials for how to do each of the exercises? I know how to do a squat, and I assume that this program is just a squat with a barbell on your back(?) but what the heck is a barbell row? How do I deadlift properly?
Stronglifts.com has a bunch of articles and videos on form:
Squat
DL
Pendlay rows
Press
Bench press
Here's some good links from the /r/weightroom wiki. Look through /r/fitness and consider posting a form check video, too. I really recommend you get yourself a copy of Starting Strength, it's the go-to reference on proper form for beginners.
> Can someone help me outline my workout and cooldown reps a little more clearly?
The first week or so you can skip the warmups, since the weight will be light enough. Once you get to 60-65lbs:
So let's say you're squatting 95lbs, your routine would look something like this:
2 x 5 x 45lbs (just the bar)
1 x 3 x 65lbs
5 x 5 x 95lbs
If you were squatting 200lbs, you could do something like:
2 x 5 x 45lbs (just the bar)
1 x 5 x 95lbs
1 x 3 x 135lbs
1 x 2 x 185lbs
5 x 5 x 200lbs
As the weight goes up, I've found it convenient to just alternate between adding a 25lbs plate and a 45lbs plate on each side until I hit my work weight (so my warmups are always 45lbs, 95lbs, 135lbs, 185lbs, 225lbs, 275lbs and so on until I hit my work weight.)
The key is to not overthink it: just do two sets with the bar, then add anywhere between 20-50lbs to the bar progressively until you hit your work weight and drop the reps as you go so that you don't tire yourself out and can't finish your work sets.
> Would I benefit from doing a session with a personal trainer to help me with form?
Depends on the trainer... If you can find one that knows about olympic lifting or powerlifting, sure. Otherwise it'll probably be a waste of time/money. You can always take some video and post a form check request on r/fitness.
> I read that the smith machine is a no-no, but can someone confirm that the barbell on the front is part of a power rack and that it should be fine to use for this program?
Stay away from the Smith machine.
The barbell should be fine, but I don't see safety bars on that rack... You need safety bars to squat, period. If you don't have a spotter, you also need safety bars to bench. Safety bars hold the weight when you fail a lift so it doesn't crush you and kill you.
Hope that helps!
First, I'd advise against big changes quickly. Changes should either be big or quick, otherwise they tend not to stick. Your mileage may vary, though; you know yourself best.
Second, most of the info you want is in the FAQ, but I agree that it isn't terrifically well-organised.
Yes, I am a dude. I post here because I get to talk about fitness without too much risk of a Wild Troll appearing and saying "U R T3H GH3Y F4GG0T!," and I learn a lot about women.
Get a copy of this and read it all the way through
I'll summarize it for you. You are a novice lifter. Dont worry about gaining weight since its going to happen. You're 14. Pound milk, eat everything, and lift. I wish I had this book was your age.
As a female, I do the program described in this book
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
Well actually I started out doing Strong Lifts 5x5 before I got the book so I'm doing rows instead of power cleans but it's basically the same thing and I'm switching out the rows very shortly
If she's looking for a routine for weight loss - doesn't really exist, that's all the amount of food you eat
Isolation exercises are essentially exercises that utilize only one joint in the movement. Compound exercises are multi-joint exercises.
Bench pressing and overhead pressing are both compound movements. So are pullups and pushups to a lesser degree. Flys would count (in my book anyway) as isolation because the only joint involved is the shoulder. Triceps pulldowns would be isolation as well, same as any biceps curls.
If you're generally just trying to get in better shape and don't mind put putting around the gym for an hour or so your routine certainly isn't the worst I've seen.
What I will say though is if you want to see real strength gains, you should really try to incorporate more compound movements into your routine. Deadlifts and squats in particular are extremely valuable exercises. They're also both very exhausting exercises.
If it's your form you're worried about and can't afford/don't want to hire a trainer to teach you, pick up a copy of Starting Strength.
That book, plus a smartphone to record your lifts to analyze later.
I'd check out Starting Strength and as /u/dubdubdub2014 mentioned, Stronglifts 5x5. You'll see both of these programs recommended a lot on /r/fitness.
Beyond picking up a copy and reading Starting Strength, 3rd edition, I don't have any personal experience with either program. What I can say is that the author, Mark Rippetoe, does an amazing job at breaking down and explaining the mechanics and progression of learning of each of the lifts in his program. Though I haven't started yet, I decided on Starting Strength over SL 5x5 based on this review.
Whatever path you choose, make sure you learn the proper movements before you start loading up the weight. Learning the right technique initially is a lot easier than unlearning the wrong and then learning the right one later on. Take your time, and if something feels wrong, it probably is.
A barbell (but not a threaded one), squat rack, bench, pullup bar and dumbbells or kettlebells - that's basically all you'll ever need. It's not complicated machinery so it's safe to buy used stuff. Just make sure none of the elements are bent and the whole thing doesn't wobble.
If you need some tips on how to lift, get this book or google some video tutorials by Mark Rippetoe.
Thanks.
is this the book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1343319756&amp;sr=1-1
First on my list for everyone on this subreddit to read is Overcoming Gravity. It doesn't go into great amount of detail on insertions and functions and whatnot, but it does teach you a lot about your body.
In the same vein, I would recommend Practical Programming.
Starting Strength has a bit more emphasis on what does what in general movements. Yeah, it's a barbell training book, but it provides a lot of insight.
More on the physiology side of things, I'd say Skeletal Muscle Function, Structure, and Plasticity. It isn't perfect, but it's pretty good. It also teaches you a bunch about anatomy which is a nice bonus.
That being said, I don't think real anatomy is that important. Personally I've accumulated the things I know about anatomy over time. Only yesterday I learnt where exactly the infraspinatus and teres minor insert at the shoulder, for instance. Because what do you really need that kind of knowledge for? Determining the cause for injuries is just guesswork if you aren't trained for it.
I think it's more important to know about the general groups and what they do; for instance, the glutes do hip extension and the hamstrings do both hip extension and knee flexion. In short, it's more important to know what the muscles do rather than where exactly they insert.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754
This book has been eye opening as far as programming is concerned. I’m not an expert. Not trying to be. Not strong enough to be. But this book has helped me more clearly see the bigger picture and WHY strong people do what they do and WHY it works.
Try googling the Stress-Recovery-Adaptation Model or the Fitness Fatigue Model too.
I bought Rippetoe's book and it had a few different ways to divvy up the TM. The original is only 3 days. It's considered an intermediate program and can be done after starting strength. That made sense to me because SS is also a Rippetoe program. He's got advanced programs in there too, but I won't try to tackle those for a while yet.
There's more than one split, but I'll put it up in my top comment when I can get to my notebook. It's hard to format on my phone.
Watch videos by Eric Helms, Mike Israetel, the Juggernaut Strength Training people: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxEV58PJpZhoYN3L35_48Pg
I can not recommend the linked book highly enough. It's written similarly to the male counter part and the differences in the work outs are actually based on physical differences that the author explains and backs up with studies. There is no bullshit "toning" advice or telling women to shy away from heavy weights, just how to lift for what body part and workout plans. I hope that this helps, I promise there's a great community of women athletes working towards fitness goals for whom smoothies are incidental. I'd also check out r/xxfitness for some women-centric advice and experiences.
Good luck, most of the women I know hate how fitness is marketed to us, you're not the only one frustrated, most of us get it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_4cXizbXKJSYJ3
/r/xxfitness
New Rules of Lifting for Women
go pick this up.
read it. do it.
you will need regular access to a gym, unless you choose to go the bodyweight route instead.
I highly recommend this book:
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder
It's a quick read, and is seriously helpful.
Been there, done that.
How a BPD Love relationship evolves:
http://bpdfamily.com/bpdresources/nk_a101.htm
This is word for word what we went through.
Now we're at this stage:
http://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1321083926&amp;sr=8-1
The start of that book has a list of ~25 or so BPD behaviors in a divorce. She's following 22 of them.
She's working from a script, and you're not part of it.
The person you think you're marrying doesn't exist. No one exists there. Instead, she's little more than a grab-bag collection of needs fears, insecurities, and coping techniques.
I didn't know. You don't have that excuse.
You need her to be in therapy NOW. You both need to go regularly. You MUST go by yourself to a different therapist once a month. That therapist will help you keep your boundaries. A BPD has no boundaries, and without professional help, you will lose your boundaries too.
No slap intended at all. My apologies that it was expressed that way.
It's just the process and the reality of it. In my experience, Family court doesn't care, the lawyers don't care, and unless there is photographic evidence someone is beating / abusing the children, the family court kind of dismisses these complaints about the other spouse as emotional background noise, so to speak.
Here's my peptalk for you:
If taking a bunch of raggedy OLD toys and clothes is all it costs to get her out of your house, don't think of it as money lost - then think of it as tuition for the education you are getting - she's teaching you how she will behave in the future. And when people tell show you who they are, believe them. You can look into getting NEW toys and clothes for the kids. Or make it a new activity, you and the kids check out garage sales on the weekends to get replacement toys.
Go for 50-50 shared joint and legal custody and don't accept anything less. The property division, who gets the microwave - it's all bullshit compared to your relationship with your kids. One bit of advice - don't ever move more than short distance away from where your kids are. Stay in their day-to-day lives. It's so super important.
Maybe others have had different experiences, but that's been mine. The higher earner gets screwed and the drama should hopefully all be ironed out within a few years.
At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, "Is this really worth the cost of what it's doing to me emotionally?"
She's angry, and taking it out on you by trying to grab all the cookies she can. You're absolutely right, the way she is behaving is childish, aggressive, petty, and only serves to make the situation much more hostile. She's wrong for doing that. She and her mother are equating objects and property with value. The kids are the most valuable thing here.
One of life's most basic laws is that every single act of generosity will multiply and return to you many times over. Her actions will have consequences - a good deed is a seed for future kindness; a bad deed is a landmine which will be brought up again and hurt others in the future. She's going to poison her relationship with the kids by these actions, kids aren't stupid.
It sounds like you have been dealing with the emotional rollercoaster for a while. I don't know your situation, but I'd like to suggest you check out the book: https://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254 by Bill Eddy. He's a mediator and it's a fantastic book for explaining why people do the things they do during divorce. I think you'll recognize your ex in a lot of that book.
I completely and totally understand feeling like "WTF?!?! Attorney you're supposed to be fighting for me!!" Here's the reality - the more you want your attorney to fight, the more money they will be charging you and it's a never ending cycle. You can always make more money.
Good luck to you. I am sorry you're going through this. It's like being an emotional burn victim for a couple of years. You carry the scars with you, but you live to fight another day. Sorry for the novel. : )
> Has anyone wrote an email or letter to his/her SO (ex or not) AND SENT IT, and gotten a positive result from it?
Yes. But not in the way you'd expect. I've gotten a response where she wrote down a lot of paranoid accusations after I emailed her a well thought out explanation of the multiple reasons (with documented historical incidents for each reason) we can't be together.
Among other things she accused me of planning to murder her and being a Moriarty-level criminal mastermind. LOL.
Very delusional and paranoid "fantasies".
That email reply from her is an exhibit in divorce court in the child custody case.
So yes, you could say it had an unanticipated positive effect in cutting a potentially long, drawn out process of proving that she's got mental health issues and is not a fit parent.
TLDR: Email response from STBX extremely useful in showing divorce court that she's paranoid and delusional, cutting to the chase in my custody fight.
Other than what I've written above, nothing good can come from emailing your undiagnosed BPD ex.
Also whatever you do, do not admit any fault in writing for anything you did or did not do OK?
She will use that in court against you in the child custody case.
One other thing, just FYI. There is no hope in having an amicable divorce with your BPD ex. It will be pure hell (* I'm you, only 6 months into the divorce process, divorce will take at least 1 year if not 2 or 3)
I recommend getting and reading this book Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder in addition to Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Your Life Back When Someone You Care About Has Borderline Personality Disorder
If you find Deskbound to be interesting and want to further your knowledge and toolbox for increasing your mobility, check out his other book, Becoming a Supple Leopard.
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.
I saw pics of my love handles from vacation so now I'm just maintaining/baby cutting for the next 4 weeks so I maybe look less eauw for B A L I, which I'm getting really excited for.
I'm pretty sure I'm moving to Austin at the end of 2018! My parents are retiring and moving away, and that's the only family here, so there's no reason to stay around. Hmm, or maybe somewhere exotic! Good thing I have time to think about it.
My healthcare somehow fell through the cracks, and it's almost resolved! This is exciting because I need to see a physiatrist and don't want to pay $infinity.
I got this book for Christmas and I'm digging it so far. I don't know a lot of about anything so it feels like a good start. Knowledge gains!
http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Edition/dp/0736092269
Delavier's 3rd Edition of Strength Training Anatomy
Strongly agree.
It’s called New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marathon-Half-Marathon-Nutrition/dp/0738216453/ref=nodl_
Must read IMO.
In my opinion, the key is to focus on long, slow runs and to avoid overeating. Running at an easy pace allows your body to use fat for energy, whereas you rely more on glycogen stores (carbs) at higher intensities. The goal is to burn fat and not replace it, which is why it's important not to overeat. When you consume more calories than you need to recharge your glycogen stores, your body stores the excess as fat.
I highly recommend Fitzgerald's New Rules of Marathon Nutrition. He recommends eating high quality, satiating foods. Also, cut back on foods that have high caloric density, like fried food and sweets, since it's easy to consume too many calories when you eat these foods. Focus on "whole" carbs, like veggies, fruits, whole grains, and starches, and cut back on refined carbs like white flour, white rice, and sugars.
This is the book
Source: my own childhood!
Have you heard of super slow or Body by Science?
You lift heavy weights every 7-14 days and fire all four types of muscle fibers....if you’re lifting several times a week you’re not getting all four to engage or you literally wouldn’t be able to lift.
The whole routine is 5 machines and takes about 15-20 minutes. It’s awesome.
I’ve been lifting like this for a few years and I’ve seen really good gains in terms of numbers and muscle quality measured with my Skulpt.
I’m somewhat new to fasting but this seems like the perfect solution. I just finished a 3 day water fast and I could hardly walk 2.6 miles yesterday. No way I could lift.
My current plan is to lift after a few days of eating more than OMAD.
Dave Asprey has a few podcasts with the doctor who wrote the Body by Science book.
Here’s the book.
Dr. McGuff is a full time practicing ER physician and he isn’t a slick marketer.
Don’t be turned off by that. The science in the book is solid.
The book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" includes a lot of research that describes benefits to morning exercise.
Exercise, especially cardio, can work wonders.
https://www.amazon.ca/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1540418106&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=Spark
>Of course, there is a delayed reward from books and TV- the book is in my mind forever, has given me new insight in the world, entertained me and made me think about things (if it's good).
Sorry, I don't think I explained myself well. When I mean delayed reward I mean that I can stay up all night watching It's always sunny, reading wealth poverty and politics, or playing Xbox. Because it isn't difficult I am always 100% enjoying, with working out you face a large lack of motivation to get to or stay at the gym and while you could play Xbox for 4 hours you wouldn't be able or want to be doing hill sprints for that long. Only once you finish your workout do you feel good about it. Same thing with a job or grades, working and studying suck but that promotion or A is awesome.
>There is no delayed reward from exercise- as soon as you stop doing it, you lose the benefits.
As for future benefits yeah tv shows books and documentaries are great for culture, conversation, and insight. As for working out, I mean there are countless studies about how working out benefits you in the long-run physically and mentally. Here is a book that goes into it
>But your "dedication, drive, passion" is for something that only benefits you, and you do for selfish reasons. Same as my leisure time activities.
Yes, I love to see progress in my body for sure this is a strong feedback mechanism, the same after you read a book and introduce new information to a friend. But, it doesn't just benefit me, it benefits everyone I interact with their is a noticeable change in personality between before and after I exercise or if I took a day or two off. It benefits me SO in regards to the physical relationship. I also feel a responsibility if society will absorb any health insurance costs.
There's an entire book on this topic of exercise and the way it affects our brain: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/
It seems like we have a lot of pedantic individuals in this thread who like to trash-talk studies without even considering the possibility that they may have some merit.
This is based on the information you have been cleared by a doctor that your heart function is normal. Exercise and anxiety have the same physical symptoms in terms of how your heart responds. That is why it scares you. Exercise feels like anxiety in your body but it isn't. In fact, exercise is the anti-anxiety. Reference a book by a neurologist who shows how exercise rewires your brain https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
I have had GAD since I was 15. Years of cycling has taught me how my body feels under physical stress and it actually relives mental stress. I ride 8,000 miles a year, no panic attacks and no meds. I'm not saying exercise will eliminate all your anxiety but it won't hurt. Mindfulness meditation also helped me.
If you are healthy and according to your doctor you are, try exercising and when your panic hits, intellectually override your feelings and push onwards - you will find out nothing will happen and you will teach yourself how your body feels and feelings are not scary. Wear yourself out. Your anxiety will lessen when your exhaust yourself.
Research what exercise can do for anxiety and depression. The results are backed by numerous scientific studies.
Read Spark (here on Amazon). It really breaks down the awesome benefits of exercise on a vast array of mental benefits. It does discuss depression and it is more dependant on the person, but exercise and medication is a powerful combination which he works toward getting the patients to just exercise.
Craigslist is a great place to get cheap weights. I would also suggest getting a pull up bar and this book.
You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345528581/
My friend, You Are Your Own Gym, and you didn't even know it.
Another great read, one that was recommended to me by another guy around these parts, is Power by Fred "Dr Squat" Hatfield. Much more easily digestible filled with great concepts that stand today.
Edit: I figured I might as well help build some libraries while I'm in here.
Top 5 for Brain Gains
https://www.amazon.com/Supertraining-Yuri-Verkhoshansky/dp/8890403802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484762523&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=supertraining
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Practice-Strength-Training-Second/dp/0736056289/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484762523&amp;sr=8-8&amp;keywords=supertraining
https://www.amazon.com/Periodization-5th-Methodology-Training-Tudor-Bompa/dp/073607483X/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484762523&amp;sr=8-20&amp;keywords=supertraining
Those first three are big bucks. So I opted to go to the library, I suggest many of you do the same. Photocopiers are the shit. (Or just gift yourself a $100 book.)
These last two are relatively cheap and extremely helpful. The first a great stepping point for some of the nuances of strength training. Appropriately written by a doctor who squatted a grand, most appropriately titled "Power."
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Scientific-Approach-Frederick-Hatfield/dp/0809244330/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484751012&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=power+fred+hatfield
And it pays to not be a dumbass about the very basics:
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484762523&amp;sr=8-15&amp;keywords=supertraining
From Science and Practice of Strength Training under the heading Exercise Selection for Beginners: "The so-called 3-year rule is popular among experienced coaches. According to this rule, an athlete should use strength-specific exercises and exercises with a barbell, such as barbell squats, only after 3 years of preliminary general preparation."
I have Strength Training Anatomy, which is pretty close
Edit: I also have becoming a supple leopard, which sounds retarded and is kind of a 'how to move correctly' manual. The combination of those two might be what you want.
As a side note if you're interested:
Norwegian Study
Squat Everyday
High frequency training is not for beginners, or even intermediates. You need rest to grow.
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.
When it comes to squats, more often is always better, in my experience.
You may be interested in having a look at this book, which is where the OP's program is taken from.
A typical setup might be something like 2×45, 2×25, 4×10, 2×5 and 2×2.5. If you want to reach 225 or more on any lift, you could also add an extra 2×45.
For working on the bench press, I'd also consider looking for 2×1.25 or a set of fractional plates. These aren't mandatory but they're nice. I have this set here and I love it. This is useful because if you put 1.25 on each side of the bar, it increases the total weight by 2.5 pounds, allowing you to improve your bench by 2.5 pounds each workout. If all you have is 2×2.5, you need to go up in 5 pound jumps, which is fine in the beginning, but harder as you get stronger. I'm currently at 160 for 3 sets of 5, and I can currently add 2.5 more per workout with the same rep scheme. If I tried to go up by 5, I'd stall and I'd need to mess with a more complicated rep scheme. More gyms should have fractional plates!
Also, if you're new to lifting, I recommend looking at a good beginner program. Two popular choices are Starting Strength and Strong Lifts. Either of these will show you how to get a lot stronger quickly, using good technique, and will answer hundreds of questions. They also both have good apps.
People have suggested learning the correct form and I have to emphasize what they said.. especially before loading up that barbell. Eff that machine non-sense because a lot of those isolate muscle groups.. this isn't a bad thing necessarily but you'll get more from those compounds early on.
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A resource that I enjoyed when I first started out was Starting Strength by Mark Ripptoe (if you're old school like me and prefer a good book this is it). YouTube videos are good too but I do not have any references that come to mind... Will edit later if they come to me.
Based on just reading your first sentence it seems your main goal is to lose weight. I would highly advise to focus primarily on nutrition for the first 4-8 weeks then bring in weight training. Weight loss is 80% nutrition based, if you don't master that first all your hard work in the gym will be worthless and your overall goal of weightlifting will likely fail. You can look into paleo, bulletproof diet, slow-carb all of which work well, but the best one is the one you stick with.
Why do you want to weightlift? is it to perform better at a sport, compete in weightlifting events or do you want to look good naked?
Figure out the why to this goal and I can give you a better direction, I would be happy to chat about this because it is a passion of mine and I love to help others out.
As a warning to weightlifting, it can be beneficial but also dangerous if performed incorrectly. 1st being you are unlikely to have the needed mobility to do all of these correctly, 2nd bad form can destroy you. I started kettlebells recently and it took me a month of mobility training to get my squat correct for swings because my hip flexors are so tight. My suggestion is to get your body extremely mobile by doing yoga and the exercises in Becoming a supple leopard. I have spent 100+ hours in the athletic training room because I was reckless in college. Be sure to be patient with understanding form because an injury will be your own fault due to negligence and set you back multiple weeks or months. This will be hard, you will fail, and want to give it up. Be aware of that and make plans on combating them. Set up betting pools with friends, keep yourself accountable. I hope you the best of luck!
here are my go to sources for health and fitness. Ben Greenfield, Bulletproof, Nerd Fitness, Gymnastic Bodies, How to look good naked, NAtural Born Hereos I just read this and it is one of the best books I have read in health, an additictive storyline that teaches you along the way.
Source: NCAA Athlete, Health and Nutrition Enthusiast, Obstacle Course Racer
Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance
Get this book Becoming a Supple Leopard
anything and everything for soreness/mobility is in there.
I would highly suggest reading Kelly Starret's stuff (http://www.mobilitywod.com/ , http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588) if you are working on correcting a mechanical issue with the way your body works. A couple simple tips of his have been very effecting in correcting my hip tilt and slouch.
I've been using this shake recipe, adding protein powder, and replacing the coconut oil with peanut butter. It's a 500 calorie drink, and I seem to workout better if I drink it first. And a tip for using chia seeds - grind a bunch in your coffee grinder and store them that way. They have a consistency like tapioca if you don't grind them first, which I found weird to drink.
Track your calories and set it to "gain weight". I like cronometer. Also, Strong Curves is a great program for building a booty! See also /r/StrongCurves.
I love Strong Curves for this reason! It focuses on waist, butt, arms, & back - everything else follows.
I've fought two torn shoulders, a torn ankle, pretty bad tendonitis in both knees, countless sprained ankles, a sprained knee, broken ribs, etc and I'm only 24. Thankfully the major problems occurred from 19-24 after I finished my competetive career. I'm working towards a comeback so this is very relevant to me.
The first thing you need to do is the equivalent of physical therapy (strengthening exercises), even if nothing is hurt right now. Almost every muscularskeletal problem can be fixed or prevented through increased strength and flexibility in the correct muscles. Your muscles support your joint function, which take a lot of abuse from playing sports. Having strong muscles in the right areas also helps prevent injury.
One big thing I've learned is that almost everything in your body is connected. Foot pain? Possible cause could be as far away as your lower back. Personally, I resolved some of my knee pain from strengthening my glutes. The human body is extremely complex and it's a ton of information to learn. Between years of physical therapy and doctor's visits and reading up on it all, I've become a lot more knowledgeable but still barely know anything.
Your options are 1) find someone who knows what they're doing or 2) learn it all yourself. Personally I have found a really great training gym where all the coaches know a lot about injury prevention and how to exercise to both prevent injury and improve athletic performance. Hopefully you can find something similar for you.
Kelly Starret has a youtube channel a book and a website. Crossfit gets a bad rap (rightfully so I believe), but this guy has very good info. His big thing is mobility, which deals with how the different muscles are connected to joints and appendages. Problems in one thing will affect other things, and he shows how to fix these problems with stretches and pressure therapy/release.
Oh another thing, I have a personal massage therapist, who helps loosen my muscles from heavy training and tells me if she feels any imbalances. So I have a lot of very expensive and knowledgable people helping me, I realize I'm very fortunate. I think without money, it's very difficult to get the best protection and treatment there is out there. :(
But the knees and ankles get the most damage, you can youtube knee and ankle strengthening exercises for basic stuff. That's a good first step. The stuff I mentioned is pretty over the top and specialized
Right here
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett has been a great read so far. It looks like a text book but is a relatively easy read full of amazing information regarding some basic anatomy, mobility and training.
This book is very popular with crossfit-types. There are a lot of mobility exercises here that you can do to assist your T-spine.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
You should check out Kelly Starrett's site MobilityWOD and his book Becoming a Supple Leopard. Some of his videos are behind a paywall now but there are still plenty of free ones. The exercises are a lot more targeted and effective than just plain 'ole stretching.
Also, yoga is a great place to start! I just did 10 minutes a day for awhile and it made a huge difference.
Really sorry that I'm not being more helpful to you OP, but for anyone who hadn't heard about Strong Curves:
Amazon
Template PDF
http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
It's a workout program :) I highly suggest the book! It talks all about nutrition and stuff. It was recommended to me on /r/xxfitness :)
So, since you're all done with your physical therapy, you're totally set to go for some legit strength training.
Glute training is the one thing that bodyweight training doesn't do exceptionally well. At least, there's nothing at the level of say barbell hip thrusts.
https://bretcontreras.com/how-to-hip-thrust/
If I were you, I'd check out Strong Curves by Brett Contreras.
Brett has a Phd and does research on muscle activation and joint angles, and he's known for helping fitness models rock their butt.
If you don't mind that it's "for women" Strong Curves is a really intelligently put together strength training program, with an emphasis on exactly the kind of gluteal muscle hypertrophy you're looking for:
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
I'm going to recommend an exercise program to you called Strong Curves. It's designed specifically for women and focuses on building lower-body strength (specifically in the butt) to enhance our figures.
It has its own subreddit, /r/strongcurves, and the community there is very helpful. The sidebar has tons of useful information to help you get started. If you want to see some butt transformations, just search the word "progress" in the subreddit search and you'll see people going from butts like yours to really very substantial butts.
The SC book outlines about 5 different plans that range from plans for complete beginners, to plans for people without access to a gym, to plans for people that want to go all out. All the exercises in each plan are described in details with pictures in the book. You can also Youtube each exercise for in depth descriptions of how to do each one correctly.
More about the book: you can buy/pirate/borrow/check out from the library. Here's a link to amazon. I found my first copy on piratebay, but bought a used copy online because it's nice to have a physical book to reference.
I've seen a lot of progress using it and I'm a couple months in. The beginner's plan suggests an hour long session 4 times a week. You can totally skip the warmups at first just to get a feel for everything. With a set of dumbells (I have these), it's extremely approachable and very effective. I think it will give you a lot of confidence.
It does. Strong Curves is a book. Many of the exercises can be found by googling and/or spreadsheets other users have created to track their workouts. In fact, googling Strong Curves workout template should yield a link to the website where Bret (the author) offers the spreadsheets for free. Then its just some googling...
A lot of people find they once they've started, they want to read the book. And we always recommend it. (But it is entirely possible to do the program without it)
Hi there!
Have you picked up the Strong Curves book yet? If not, that will be a good place for you to start. The book answers pretty much all of your questions for you and gives you a 3- or 4-times a week workout schedule that takes the thought out of "how often should I do x, y, or z?" as well as tips on what to do about calories and nutrition. The program includes upper body workouts for your arms, shoulders, and core. On active rest days (2-3 times per week on the program,) you can do any kind of cardio training such as HIIT, jogging, walking, or yoga. So if you like cardio, you can do it then. Personally, I like yoga to help keep the muscles limber as they grow.
In short for calories, you have three options:
More information about general fitness tips is available at the great guides at r/xxfitness.
If you have never done any strength training before, especially with free weights, getting a personal trainer is helpful to get started. But since you're not able to do that, google each movement on Youtube to watch proper form so you don't hurt yourself. Each movement is also described in the book.
I agree with u/loonie_toonie_rooney: If you want to look lean and athletic, your best bet at BMI 22 and 30%BF is almost certainly "recomp": You can remove fat and add muscle. This will make you look toned. And the easiest way to recomp is to lift weights.
Don't worry about looking "too muscley"—even men with their much higher testosterone levels have to work incredibly hard to get big (sigh, I have tiny little arms). Women who lift hard typically end up looking like fitness models instead. (Those bodybuilding women who look like guys are either using steroids, or they're 1-in-a-thousand genetic outliers.)
To learn more about weight training and recomp, see r/fitness, and especially their FAQ. A lot of women also say good things about Strong Curves, although you could get perfectly good results with something simpler. And it's possible to make some very nice progress in about 3 months with a good beginner program.
CICO is about looking good with your clothes on. Strength training and recomp is about looking good in less.
Strong Curves is the workout program they talk about all the time over on r/fitness so maybe try that one? You might be able to find it for free online through their guides page.
As I'm sure you've heard before, you can't target fat loss from a particular part of your body. Your best bet is to eat at a caloric deficit to reduce overall body fat - in time you'll start shedding fat from your arms and tummy. Look over the FAQ on fat loss if you're not sure where to start.
As a fellow apple-shape, I totally feel your pain. Stubborn belly fat can feel IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of. One thing that can definitely help achieve a more balanced look though is to focus on lower body weight training. A lot of ladies on the sub seem to have had great success with Bret Contrera's Strong Curves program
Whether or not you get someone random to teach you at the gym, invest in a copy of Starting Strength. I like the paperback version at about $20. It goes into incredible detail about all the major movements. Like seriously 30 pages or something on just deadlift, with tons of diagrams, talk about angles, how it should feel, etc.
I go to a gym where qualified trainers coach me through these movements and I still refer back to the book. It will fuel your love for these movements and conquer their nuances.
Good thing Christmas is coming up.
IIRC, older trainees need more volume (i.e. more reps, more sets) at lower intensity.
You may want to invest in a copy of Practical Programming for Strength Training
From the top review:
>The final chapter will prove extremely useful for current strength training coaches. It includes specific training details for females, youth, and an extensive section on older (35+ years) lifters.
I myself will be buying a copy in near future.
Also, regarding nutrition for older trainees, u/Joshua_Naterman said here:
>So, for you older folks out there: MAKE SURE you are getting your protein in 30-35g doses. If you don't, you may be wasting your protein and missing out on valuable gains.
And, of course, get sufficient sleep too.
Oh wow! Awesome links. I'm going to have to look into some of these ideas. I'm starting New Rules of Lifting For Women. The food plans are what I need to tackle next. Thanks for the motivation!
I bought The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess for my GF a while ago. I think it's pretty good for a beginner.
this book has been a god-send for me. my friend and i jokingly refer to it as "the bible." it gives a great starting plan for lifting and also provides a suggested diet plan. i can't go by the diet plan because i'm vegetarian, but i've learned so much about how weightlifting and proper nutrition go hand in hand. i've been lifting since the beginning of the year. (started with really low weights and have been doing more strength training for the past few months). i've seen way better and way faster progress as soon as i started lifting heavier. now i just need to figure out how to get more protein in my diet. i have a hard time with that because i'm (1) too poor to afford protein rich veg foods and (2) i love carbs, so i'm working on balancing all that out.
Most people start off with Starting Strength or Strong Lifts for gaining pure strength. Note that these programs are designed to gain strength, not work on aesthetics. They will definitely help you look better, but that's not their focus. New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves are more aesthetics-oriented, but they will get you stronger as well, just more slowly.
Personally, I started with Starting Strength, moved into 5/3/1 and am about to start Strong Curves since I would like to focus on aesthetics for a while. I did Erin Stern's program on bodybuilding.com for a couple months, and made some really good progress, both strength-wise and aesthetically, but I couldn't maintain that schedule once classes started up again.
As a beginner to strength training, you should look for a full-body routine since that will take advantage of your "noob gains."
If I, as a man, may make a recommendation:
New Rules of Lifting for Women
BPD is really tough and creates its own set of issues with divorcing. You need to prepare yourself and there are some great resources that can help get you through this. I'd suggest two books, which are both quick reads: Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone With BPD or NPD and Stop Caretaking the Borderline or Narcissist. Document everything and keep a daily journal of events including care of the children. Learn everything you can about BPD and how to help your kids through this. Do not expect cooperation but be thankful when and if it happens. Best of luck to you - it's a tough road and I'm also starting the same journey.
For quick relief, you can try this routine. I use it to loosen up in the morning.
I’d recommend stretching your glutes and hamstrings first though, a lot of back pain stems from tightness in those areas.
In general, I’d recommend owning a copy of [Becoming a Supple Leopard](Becoming a Supple Leopard 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600837/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qVAeAbC2V7R0M), the mobility work in the book is invaluable to your climbing and overall strength.
I read this book Starting Strength to get started.
https://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=starting+strength&amp;qid=1565230919&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
2a. Do everything in that book.
2b. Eat like starving bear.
The end.
I am similar to you. I have ET, and it is very hard for me to gain weight. When I was your age (30+ years ago), I was 6'2" and 128 lbs soaking wet. About 8-9 years ago, I was still no heavier than 135-140 lbs.
Then I read a book called, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It inspired me to start lifting heavy for the first time in my life. There are a lot of ways to go about it, but I followed a super simple plan called StrongLifts 5x5. On top of that, I lowered my carbs a bit and increased my protein and fat intake (this was before keto was such a big thing) and tracked my macros and calorie intake on My Fitness Pal. For the first time in my life, I started to gain weight and got up to a lean 160 lbs in less than a year. I'm sure that I would have continued a "clean" weight gain if I had stuck to my diet and exercise routine. Unfortunately, I got off track for a variety of reasons and lost 10 of the pounds I had gained.
Now I'm considering keto to help with my ET and energy level, even though I'm not lifting and certainly not trying to lose weight.
Bottom line, if I can gain, you can gain. Lift heavy free weights. Don't waste your time on those circuit machines. Track your calories and macros. Get advice from this sub and others as far as what to eat. Stick with it. Get a workout buddy to help you stay accountable and to give you encouragement.
Good luck!
>I feel as though I'm going to be "messing up" alot with clients.
yes. A lot. It's normal
BA in kin would be a waste of time unless you plan on doing physical therapy or want to work in more clinical settings.
I'd suggest reading and messing up with clients; it's the only way you'll learn. Two books that offer fairly different, but great, base beliefs as well as programming are
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe
New Functional Training for Sports 2nd Edition by Mike Boyle
as well as Start with Why
Starting Strength
I can guarantee you that your problem is in your form.
Invest in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Read the squat manual. It's like reading a college textbook, but his advice is really good.
Then, work on your form with an empty bar until your form is perfect. From there start adding weight.
You'll be squatting two plate in two weeks. I promise. Once my form got fixed I was able to train to squatting double my body weight in a couple months.
>I don't know what to do with freeweights and would love a partner for this.
A book that might help you is Starting Strength. It's a great way to start with free weights, and focuses on large movements -- you'll be doing squats and presses rather than arm curls -- so you get the biggest effect for your time.
> Stronglifts has you start at too low of a weight and not enough deadlift frequency and has too much volume overall. You can make changes to the program, but by the time you do, it will be Starting Strength.
>
> ICF 5x5 is supposed to be an “aesthetic” alternative, but it was formulated with the misunderstanding that the major lifts will only make you look like a “fat powerlifter”. The major compound movements will make you grow everywhere. ICF took a program that already has too much volume and added even more volume. Don’t do ICF 5x5.
>
> I’ve never read the Greyskull LP book, but I know the a
Thanks for taking the time - I assume you mean this book?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
The link you posted is really handy, some great videos. All these excercises are the ones my trainer recommended me last year to do.
Zabieram się właśnie do Starting Strength, coby lepiej żelazo targać się nauczyć.
You don't need to go everyday. Your muscle need rest to build after a hard workout, Most effective programs like Starting Strength using only 3 days a week to workout. You also need some fat to build muscle.
Read This
Read This
Everything else is in the FAQ.
(btw don't be fooled by the fact that Starting Strength looks like a lower-body only program. My arms have never looked better, and I used to only lift upper body. Go figure.)
Hey! Your on Big Isle eh? UHH? Sorry Im on Oahu but I've coached these lifts tons. Good resource would be http://startingstrength.com/
and deff Mark's Books http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
If you have any questions feel free to PM me. The form for these is theoretically pretty simple but doing them correctly is important esp when starting like yourself. You don't want to develop bad habits.
Also I know it can be expensive but I do know that most of these gyms offer a student discount. Check out https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiIslandBarbell/ They are pretty cool people.
Also another option may be http://www.fivemountainfitness.com/#!personal-training-fees/csya
They offer private training for 75$ an hour. That's not too shabby and you would only really need an hour MAYBE two to have them walk you through and show you these three lifts properly. I would suggest asking a private trainer to specifically teach you the Starting Strength versions of these lifts and not the Olympic style.
If you ever take a trip to Oahu hit me up, Ill help you as much I as can. Cheers!
Starting Strength (by Rippetoe) has been mentioned. Rippetoe collaborated with Kilgore to put out Practical Programming which gets more into the theory without getting too technical. Kilgore also wrote FIT recently and it's a great introduction book with theory and practical advice.
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&amp;list=PLP2dAm7h_Bz8ZgZSrLGTNDZOLwU4N3zxX
I also found Starting Strength to be pretty helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
People have been saying it and I completely agree so here is where you can buy it on Amazon. It will really help. Also, read the FAQs on /r/Fitness
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1348939442&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
Strength Training Anatomy - 3rd Edition
Amazon - $ 13.37
This book is awesome. I keep it in my gym bag to reference it before I do a workout if I need to. It's broken down by body section and shows different exercises for each body part. The cool thing about it is that it's drawn like an anatomy text book and it shows which muscles you should be feeling during each exercise. It also has injury prevention tips and some good stretches. I REALLY like this book. I mean check this shit out! 2 of the pages on deadlifts
PROS:
Amazing illustrations, exercise instructions, injury prevention, etc.
CONS:
Some exercises I wish were explained a little better.
First stop should be /r/fitness top place.
It's not really literature but I found BioLayne's youtube series really helpful in helping me to progress my training. https://www.youtube.com/user/biolayne He also has a blog which is really good too.
https://www.t-nation.com/ seems to be quite good as well.
Some on my reading list
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Workout-II/dp/1450419895/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Sports/dp/0736092269
http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219/
Getting to ripped is literally just about really low body fat with some muscles.
Check out The New Rules for Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition. It's a good source on dieting for people who don't need to diet. Basically, eat good foods (whole grains, brown rice, non-processed "real foods") and lots of carbs. Good luck!
Here are some nutrition advice books that I copied from a post that /u/slacksonslacks posted a year ago.
Short answer: figure out what you like when masturbating and then do that with someone else who you like and trust and have fun with. Don't set goals or deadlines, just mutually mess around and have fun. Things will become more and more fun; like any sport or hobby, the more you do it the better you get, and everyone has their own style.
Long answer:
Start with mutual masturbation. What feels best, what makes you excited? Talk to your partner, do those things. Ask your partner what they like. Try those things. Touch each other, play with each other, get each other off without penetration. Have fun.
Don't pressure yourselves. Use protection, have a pack of Plan B before you need it (a girlfriend might need it, you can be a real hero!) and have fun.
Also, don't be surprised if your partner loses their erection; guys get nervous too, and it can be a real ego-crusher to him when Mr. Happy doesn't do his thing.
Also - don't mean to insult your intelligence, so please understand that this is a fantastic book that I have recommended to adults. Ok?
Some of this stuff will be things you already know, but some will not be. Most Libraries will have it
Last thing; I recommend watching the Midwest Teen Sex Show - it's something like Saturday Night Live meets Sex Ed, and when I found it (I'm 44 - found this in my 30's) there was stuff I didn't know. They talk about all the nuances of sex that were never covered, and they also are frank and factual and just damned outstanding.
I'm a former Librarian, an Aunt to 4 kids, and the Social Aunt to many more - who explained things to kids with parents who couldn't.
If you have any questions about websites or places to learn more, lemme know. My personal experiences won't help, because we're all very different.
TL;DR - go back and read it. Also, double up on protection
(pill + condom OR IUD + condom OR diaphragm + condom... but always always use a condom!)
Much luck, hon. It's great good fun once you've figured things out and have someone awesome.
Don't forget, if you want to delve deeper into the hows and whys of that, pick up Stretching Scientifically. It is an excellent book, and a worthwhile read if starting stretching doesn't float your boat and you want something even simpler. You can increase your active flexibility by just doing leg raisers and other dynamic stretches everyday.
If you really want to know, here are some tips:
Static Active Stretching:
If you want to improve flexibility, the first thing to do is to tell virtually every coach (from the USA, anyway) and every P.E. teacher you ever had to go fuck themselves.
Because they taught you to stretch wrong.
You do not stretch and hold it to the point of being uncomfortable for as long as you can stand it. This is wrong and mostly a waste of time.
You are uncomfortable because you are (slightly) tearing at your muscles and tendons. You are causing damage. In a way, that is the point; you create micro-tears in the muscle that heal, lengthening the muscle or tendon in question.
Here's the thing though: Your nervous system will fight back. After about 10 seconds of stretching and holding, your muscles will cramp (slightly). You will not notice or feel this, but essentially, the stretch has become non-productive and wasteful at that point. You can only go so far and no farther. This is the first problem with Stretch-and-Hold.
The second problem is muscle memory: Your muscles will 'remember' the motions most often and most strongly repeated. Once your muscles cramp (after about 10 seconds) stretch-and-hold locks you at a less than maximum stretch while still putting stress on the muscle. If you stretch-and-hold for 30 seconds, you got 10 seconds of real stretch (productive), countered by 20 seconds of stretching that was basically moving you backwards from the cramping (nonproductive).
Here's how you stretch for flexibility:
Repeat this daily with the stretching routine or your choice, and you will see noticeable and rapid gains in flexibility.
TIPS:
For anyone here who wants to call bullshit on what I said above, do me one favor before you fire off:
TRY IT.
Peal your ass off the chair, take 5 minutes, do the sets. Then tell me I am wrong.
For the record, this is not my brilliant idea, it comes from here:
Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training by Thomas Kurz
This is the only stretching book you need. If I would have gotten this book BEFORE that damned stretching machine, my life would have far fewer chiropractors in it today.
Buy the book and you will have far fewer questions.
this book changed my life. I have yet to see any other method yield faster results.
http://www.amazon.com/Stretching-Scientifically-Flexibility-Training-Revision/dp/0940149451/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341698076&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=stretching+scientifically+by+thomas+kurz
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&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407938754&amp;sr=1-1&amp;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!
Here is thy sacred text
Though it should be mentioned, if thy brother is on the frugal path, one may find a free pdf through the powers of Googling.
I've just ordered the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain hoping to get some answers to exactly that question.
What exercise, how much and what benefits are shown? I was rather surprised the other day, when I saw that a meta-analysis about prescription stimulants and cognitive performance compared the enhancement from said stimulants (effect size: small) with exercise, and quoted this meta-analysis.
>e.g., physical exercise, the cognitive effects of which have been found to be similarly small; see Chang, Labban, Gapin, & Etnier, 2012, for a meta-analysis.
Full reference >[Chang, Y. K., Labban, J. D., Gapin, J. I., & Etnier, J. L. (2012). The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: A meta-analysis. Brain Research, 1453, 87–101]
I haven't had time to look it up and investigate it yet - but, I must say, it's rather disheartening if the effect size is "similarly small" for exercise. I honestly thought it had quite drastic effects on cognitive performance.
We'll see how (if it does) the book differs in contention.
----------
EDIT:
I grabbed some interesting meta-analyses' for you that may be of your interest:
> Roig, M., et al. (2013). "The effects of cardiovascular exercise on human memory: A review with meta-analysis." Neurosci Biobehav Rev 37(8): 1645-1666.
EXCERPT: "Data from 29 and 21 studies including acute and long-term cardiovascular interventions were retrieved. Meta-analyses revealed that acute exercise had moderate (SMD=0.26; 95% CI=0.03, 0.49; p=0.03; N=22) whereas long-term had small (SMD=0.15; 95% CI=0.02, 0.27; p=0.02; N=37) effects on short-term memory. In contrast, acute exercise showed moderate to large (SMD=0.52; 95% CI=0.28, 0.75; p<0.0001; N=20) whereas long-term exercise had insignificant effects (SMD=0.07; 95% CI=-0.13, 0.26; p=0.51; N=22) on long-term memory.... Strategically combined, acute and long-term interventions could maximize the benefits of cardiovascular exercise on memory."
>Verburgh, L., et al. (2013). "Physical exercise and executive functions in preadolescent children, adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis." Br J Sports Med.
EXCERPT: "Results suggest that acute physical exercise enhances executive functioning. The number of studies on chronic physical exercise is limited and it should be investigated whether chronic physical exercise shows effects on executive functions comparable to acute physical exercise. This is highly relevant in preadolescent children and adolescents, given the importance of well-developed executive functions for daily life functioning and the current increase in sedentary behaviour in these age groups."
----------
A review article that may also be interesting to read called Reviewing on physical exercise and the cognitive function.
I haven't looked for a comparative study re: exercise vs. nutraceuticals/meditation - but that would definitely be interesting to see, so do tell if you find something relevant and share it!
I just have to add, I personally wouldn't recommend Crossfit. I don't have anything against it, and I've never been to a Crossfit gym, but for someone starting out in exercise and fitness I wouldn't advise it. Just from what I've seen it can be pretty intense, and it seems the chance of injury is higher than with other forms of exercise. Having said that, I totally believe it will get you in incredible shape, but it might be better suited for someone who's fairly experienced in fitness/exercising. Just my two cents.
I would start on mastering good form in some basic bodyweight exercises like pushups, squats, and pullups. A book that I've found extremely helpful is You Are Your Own Gym. It's great for beginners and more advanced users alike because he offers good progressions for exercises. But, I'm biased because the majority of my workouts are bodyweight exercises.
TL/DR Try bodyweight fitness but maybe stay away from Crossfit for now.
I'd suggest that you not start slow and ramp it up. Find a good beginner program and get active now. Skip the pussy footing around stage. If you try and 'ease in' and never push yourself, you won't get anywhere.
For example, I'm doing the program in this book. It has a beginner level for me to start at and only takes 30 minutes, 4 times a week. Start there. (And look at your diet or any activity you get up to will be less effective at getting you 'fit'.)
Z&K to their true fans.
I'm rather partial to Science and Practice of Strength Training - V.M. Zatsiorsky
Also, this. (PDF warning.) Gotta get my macros.
Just running and eating salad probably won't get you to your goal. You might want get into resistance training and counting your macronutrients. This site has a good free quiz to get you started with macros. For more information on the science behind good fitness, I recommend Michael Matthew's book, Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body. Good luck, brother.
For a true beginner, I would suggest Starting Strength. 5/3/1 is best to try after your have exhausted linear gains seen in SS. Get the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It explains the movements in detail and gives you a structured routine to follow.
It's on kindle.
I get the fear. Here’s a great book if you want to geek out on proper form. The key is to try and find someone who will work with you (don’t do it alone). A trainer is a good option, but if you feel nervous there are tons of options to go that’s not barbell lifting. Good HIIT training routines with kettlebells, battle ropes, and body weight suspension bands can do wonders. Good luck!
http://www.mashelite.com/squat-every-day-cures-all-ailments/
https://www.amazon.com/Squat-Every-Day-Matt-Perryman-ebook/dp/B00CE5BCFG
http://comebacksupplements.com/maxeverydaysquatprogram/
I used to train like this and it's no more dangerous than any other training regimen.
I train every day unless I travel, and frankly I have less fatigue/soreness and can do more volume this way. If you want science, check these books: Squat Every Day by Matt Perryman and Science of Sports Training by Thomas Kurz
&#x200B;
Basically, overtraining is largely a myth. Yes, you need adequate recovery, but adequate might be less than 24 hours, depending on the load and the type of workouts.
Not the exact book, but I have Strength Training Anatomy. It's essentially the same sort of book, great
readingpictures!this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269
best starting place. Just pictures of people without skin doing exercises with everything that's worked lit up and labelled.
It's much simpler than most of what people here have recommended - also I think a better starting place.
I don't own this and haven't ever read it, but others have recommended it and it's got good ratings on Amazon. I plan to get it at some point.
Strength Training Anatomy
I've read a lot, and my theories on routines and splits have changed, but this has stayed my favorite book Strength Training Anatomy. I love the drawings and details of the anatomy as it relates to lifting. It really gives you a foundation to build on. :)
My favorite anatomy book for lifting is Delavier's Strength Training Anatomy, although some don't agree (like the list above).
As for regular anatomy, Grey's Anatomy.
This: http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/hurricane_xs
This: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Sports/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341654246&amp;sr=1-1
These: http://www.gymworld.co.uk/marcy-20kg-cast-iron-dumbell-set.html
Standard protein just isn't quite enough coming from scratch.
Get cast iron bells. Rubber and plastic are shit, and if you pussy out, the iron can be moved on ebay for something more than complete loss.
Get the book, because parts one and two are useless if you just do curls until your bicep explodes.
AMAB runner here! I found that running didn't flatten my booty, but it didn't build it either. I'm sure I got some great cardiovascular benefits, but I didn't see much change when I looked in the mirror (I was always a healthy weight.) The main change I saw was that my abs were more defined (probably a combination of working my core muscles and losing body fat.)
Recently I started strength training. Squats do work your booty, but it's secondary. The main effort is done by your quads. Deadlifts are more focused on your backside (hamstrings and glutes.)
Some resources:
Good luck quitting smoking and building your booty!
If you feel you're running out of energy it might be just that, and you need to get your nutrition in check. A few people here have alluded to it, but are you fueling correctly for your long runs/in general? A healthy dose of carbs is important the day or two before a run longer than 2 hours (if you're regularly eating a normal amount of carbs your body generally stores enough to get through 2 hours of exercise...). During your runs are you taking gels or other supplements? For 2+ hour runs I take a gel 15 minutes before I go out, then every 45 minutes into the run.
Check out this book -- lots of things to try, particularly the fat load. I did this before my first marathon and the last 10k of the race for me were my fastest mile splits.... And beet juice.
edit* don't try anything new for the first time on race day as you have no idea how it will affect you. always try on a training run first
Thanks for the reply. I actually already subscribe to that podcast but didn't see they covered IF, i'll give it a listen.
As far as the study goes, I wouldn't expect a huge direct benefit to racing. Matt Fitzgerald covers this a bit in his book and suggests that training fasted or on a high fat diet can improve your ability to access and burn fat on race day, but there is also a benefit to taking in carbs before running, giving you the energy to perform best during that workout. He suggests doing some fasted long runs, and some non-fasted long runs.
All that said, I think the benefits of IF are indirect coming from the weight loss on race day, not necessarily any potential peripheral benefits to running fasted.
You're right, sorry for the missing citation!
It is from The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond "the Wall" by Matt Fitzgerald.
Books. There's a book my mom gave me when she didn't want to deal with this stuff herself, and they're fantastic. It's Perfectly Normal was really helpful for me around her age, and it tackles issues like masturbation in a positive but age-appropriate way.
Therapy is an excellent idea. The fact that he's unwilling to talk about his bio father is reason enough. If you suspect abuse then definitely get him some professional support.
I know his response seems too big for the problem but if you look at it from his perspective he just got "caught" doing something he might not fully understand or have embarrassed or shameful feelings about; maybe even some worry about getting into trouble. (Not that you did anything to suggest it was wrong or bad, but kids just get sucked into those tracks of thinking). And then to have to have a talk about it...that night...gah! His preteen head just couldn't handle it. I'm not saying your concern about his response isn't valid; however had the discussion happened the next day or evening he might have been more able to manage his emotions and been more receptive. With my own kiddo often little time and space from a difficult situation helps defuse the emotion and makes him more willing to have a conversation.
Going forward - get a couple of books:
It's Perfectly Normal
Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen
Then open up the conversation again, "the other night when we talked you got pretty upset and that's ok, I understand. I got you a couple of books and marked a few pages that you might want to read. You know I love you and I know these conversations might be uncomfortable for you, but I'm always here to answer questions or give advice. You don't need to feel embarrassed" Leave him the with books, let him know you'll check in with him later in the week to see if he has any questions; make a point to keep it causal.
Later in the week check-in. "Did you have a chance to read any of those books?" Got any questions?"
Then be sure to check in every few weeks. Doesn't need to be naggy; he just needs to know you're there and willing to answer his questions honestly.
Also, be sure read the books before you give them to him. They use a lot of simple language to explain complex topics which is super helpful for all.
BTW: your kiddo is pretty lucky to have you in his life. My personal situation is a bit similar and I will be forever grateful to my Dad for adopting me and raising me as his own. There's nothing better than knowing you have someone in your life that doesn't have to be there, but chose to be.
I have a few thoughts, in no particular order:
Have fun!
Read the following
Fit
Practical Programming
Power, speed, endurance
Olympic Weightlifting
Also, 70's Big is a great resource. As well as Glenn Pendlay's Blog, and the articles section of his website.
Live and die by KISS principle when programming for yourself. My personal opinion is to squat and press heavy twice a week (volume day/intensity). Snatch, clean and jerk twice a week (volume/intensity). Two hard conditioning sessions a week of under 10 minutes.
I bought this book and I quite like it: http://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Weightlifting-Complete-Athletes-Coaches/dp/0980011116/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1323208354&amp;sr=8-1
I know everyone else is saying find a coach, and you definitely should..but the book is only $26 on Amazon and it shouldn't cost you anymore to ship to Toronto.
Link
Otherwise, I could pick it up for you and you could pay me for shipping. It would still cost you $35 probably.
Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches
I can't read Russian but I know for sure Everett is the best in the English language. I can't recommend his book highly enough.
As opposed to the $23 for Starting Strength?
Practical Programming for Strength Training by Mark Rippetoe http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754
Purposeful Primitive by Marty Gallagher http://www.amazon.com/Purposeful-Primitive-Primordial-Inevitable-Dramatic/dp/0938045717
Better than Steroids by Warren Willey http://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Steroids-Warren-Willey/dp/1425103391
Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance by Stuart McGill http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Fitness-Performance-Stuart-McGill/dp/0973501804
As others have noted, Texas Method is the official Rippetoe intermediate training program. It is discussed at length in Rippetoe's Practical Programming.
Common alternatives to Texas Method include Madcow and 5/3/1.
Don't be! Now's the perfect time to subscribe to /r/xxfitness and check out some information. Get the book "New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess" - it introduces you to weightlifting with a great step-by-step guide and inclines your progress as you increase your lifting ability. It also has some tasty recipes and nutritional information.
Pick a program and do it. It doesn't matter what program you pick - you'll gain strength and look better either way. What does matter is that you go to the gym consistently and work hard!
A lot of people on /r/xxfitness like NROLFW as a beginner program.
I agree that the body takes time to gain strength. Don't be doing weights on the same area each day, but only every other day. I do lower body on Mondays and Thursdays, then upper body on Tuesdays and Fridays. The other days I do various forms of cardio like walking uphill on a treadmill, biking, elliptical, etc. I'm female, too, and a book I really like on lifting is The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess.
Best.
I'm not at post-pregnancy state yet, but honestly, start lifting weights. I picked up the New Rules of Lifting for Women and it totally changed my body composition. ( http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398 )
If you stick to eating a mostly clean diet (Try researching Paleo and attempting to stick to it 80% of the time), do cardio and also strength training, you should see a huge difference in within a few months.
Yoga is also great as it works out your core muscles. If you have access to a gym, use the elliptical instead of the treadmill as it helps to focus on your core as well.
Really great for you for wanting to get into the gym! I'd suggest starting with mobility and stretching exercises for your shoulders--carefully. Especially since you say on is less flexible. Please do be careful and take it slowly. GMB Fitness has a shoulder "causes and solutions for shoulder pain deep dive here that you could maybe use to educate yourself about how your shoulder works (or in your case, doesn't).
While you're working on easing into shoulder work, there are lots of other exercises and ways you can do resistance training. A trainer might be able to help you, but be very careful, as not all know good form. One site that is super useful (but can be hard to find your way around in) is exrx.net. It shows how to do each exercise, as well as what exercise works what muscle. They have a great beginner's page.
Personally, I find it key to have a progressive program or plan, as otherwise I do too much of one thing, or get bored. I started with this book and it was awesome. I like it better than the new edition.
Good luck--we're all rooting for you!
I would advise that you keep doing your bodyweight squats. To make them fun, you can take a big exercise ball from your gym and hold it against the wall with your back, so that you kind of roll it down the wall as you squat down. You can also work on step ups - just take a sturdy box or step and go up down up down. You should also think about adding in push ups - you can start doing these with your knees down on the floor to assist, or if that's a bit too difficult, you can start off leaning against a wall and pushing up and away from the wall.
When you feel like you're ready, I would recommend that you pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm not recommending it because it's the end all be all of lifting programs, but because the content will help you learn more about the science behind lifting, why lifting is beneficial for women, how to feed your body during a lifting program, and why you shouldn't be afraid of weights or bulking or any of that. It will last you about 6 months, so you will definitely get your money's worth. For support, there are forums for this over at jpfitness dot com.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1382360144&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=new+rules+of+lifting+for+women
That will cover your basics and get you started. I would also strongly recommend that you read Starting Strength. I've done the traditional New Rules of Lifting program as well, in addition to the one "for women" (hint - any decent lifting program can work for you once you learn proper form - it doesn't have to be something that says "for women" - you're not limited) and enjoyed it.
That said, I don't know how much you weigh now, just that you want to lose a lot. If you have musculoskeletal issues or pain, I can't emphasize proper form enough. It might be worth it to book some time with a trainer who's well practiced in the basic Olympic lifts (careful, I've seen some crap trainers out there...). If something hurts sharply while you're doing it, then please stop and slow your roll. It's normal to be sore after a good lifting workout, and you might even feel like some of your muscles are really achey and sluggish, but nothing should feel like it's in sharp pain or popping or snapping. I guess I'm trying to say that pain isn't necessarily a bad sign, but that you need to monitor yourself for red flag type pain.
Great job. Congrats
Strength training with provide some serious results. Starting Strength and this book are recommended fairly universally by r/fitness.
Note: I can't speak to it's effectiveness of the latter, I am a guy but SS has been great.
It's generally best to go in with a set plan, and there are a lot of programs out there geared specifically towards beginners. This will give you a sense of purpose in the gym and also a way to track your progress.
Here are links to three of the more popular beginner's programs on this sub: Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
If money is a factor, and you don't want to buy a book, Strong Lifts is a free program available online.
I'm so sorry.
Purchase and read Splitting from cover to cover before you do anything. When you initiate the split, things will get worse and you need to know how to protect yourself.
>I'm starting to wonder if I have BPD
You don't have BPD. At worst, it's very common to 'catch fleas' from your BPD partner. If you leave, your BPD-like symptoms will diminish. I would also suggest therapy once you're out.
I got the name of the book wrong. It's this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
You can do a search for high-conflict divorces on BPD loved ones. I lurk there occasionally, but never post. I don't think it would be safe.
Bill Eddy has a great book called "Splitting," about divorcing people with personality disorders. His website also has useful information.
One more thing - saw this mentioned today and it might help you: https://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1480342616&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=book+splitting
What's stopping you from moving all your shit into a storage space RIGHT NOW to keep it safe from her and finding somewhere else to stay until you can find a new job? Then you can move and persue divorce at that point.
Use credit card if you don't have the cash saved, get out NOW and get out FAST.
Read http://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254. Good luck.
Check out Stop Walking on Eggshells.
I'll be completely honest with you. Leaving her may be the easier path in the long run. If you decide to divorce, check out Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Get this book. I got it digitally from my local library:
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder
by Bill Eddy and Randy Kreger
It was a real eye opener for me. They will rush into court looking for "emergency" court orders etc. and it is very important to know how to deal with that. It even includes a chapter on how to find a lawyer who understands how BPDs behave.
Plug for a book I haven't read but have been meaning to- https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Athletic-Performance/dp/161723012X
I think things would improve a lot if the administration involved were very open about risks, and if joining a sport was packaged with accepting delineated risks, both to the parents and the players. Right now, there's no particular difference between signing a 5K waiver and joining lacrosse, even though the risks are vastly different. When you tell a player to do something dangerous, just tell them that it's dangerous and they need to either accept it or not, don't talk about "toughness". If someone doesn't want to slam their head into something, it's their choice, making it about "toughness" derails the whole thing since now you're making it a bad thing to choose not to do a dangerous activity, which is stupid.
I'm not going to disagree that football is one of the more dangerous sports out there. Second only to fighting sports like boxing, probably.
Yeah, headers seem to be pretty bad. The safe sports seem to be tennis and golf and the like. I'm not really sure if there's much of a point with it at that point, not every kid is going to like a sport, not every kid is going to be good at a sport, and not all sports are made equal. While I understand the risks of most sports, all the sports I find interesting are the more dangerous ones (football, lacrosse, MMA, hah)... I think sports should be played because you like them, if you want just the benefits, do fitness or even something like martial arts. Martial arts have a lot less of the "toughness" culture, too, and are often useful in day-to-day life. Martial arts can become dangerous if you want to go farther in them but they don't have to be on the onset.
I think I'd rather I spent more time in sports during my school years, but, at the same time, my coaches were awful, I had a couple hidden health problems, and several times the sport cut into my academics to an unacceptable degree. I'm doing personalized fitness these days and it works a lot better for me and I am getting much, much better results. If my kids are playing sports, I'm monitoring it. There's way too much garbage out there.
The benefit of sports rises the better suited you are to them. This is all very iffy when you remember genetics. They modify how people perform quite significantly yet this is completely ignored in favor of "hard work" and "toughness" narratives. If your kid is "correctly" aligned genetically and has no health problems you won't notice but if you have some issue you'll get a lot of trouble with the current approach to sports because the really only want the best and don't care for the rest. Nobody will actually try to properly develop your kid correctly and they don't know how to anyway. Seriously, read The Sports Gene. There's a particularly interesting story there about a guy who had to try like 5 sports before he found one that made sense, and a bunch of stuff about how different people improve over time (i.e., some people start good but don't advance as fast some are vice versa but the coaches won't care and will just call one lazy and talented and the other hard working). It's very much not one-size-fits-all. The whole "boundaries" and "pushing your boundaries" thing is really weird and individualized and the fact that the average athlete can't study for a test makes me suspicious about whatever the hell they're pushing there.
Make your kid study, a lot more useful and important and will push some boundaries. Studying skills can be applied back to the same sports (how to eat, how to train, psychological effects). It has the same problems in evaluation phase but you generally can't avoid it. Sports are optional, mostly entertainment, knowledge and problem solving is not. Nobody ever seems to talk about work and pushing boundaries involved in academics. I understand doing well on your biology exam or even getting an academic scholarship is not as flashy and exciting as winning a championship but it has a hell lot more relevance to human society and is much more likely to bear fruit.
>Do you have hard evidence to support this?
>I'm not disagreeing with you. I agree with you about his observations.- And this is coming from a black man :)
:)
No, unfortunately this is a very taboo subject because of the implications.
When we recognize that there are observable physical differences between groups of humans, it opens the obvious door to thinking about and researching mental and behavioral differences too. That's scary and verboten to many people. But it should be quite obvious, after all, are we really to think that evolution magically stopped at the brain stem?
We have shit tons of anecdotal evidence, just watch the Olympics or do a little analysis of NFL data. Where's the Asians at the final ten of the 100m dash? You won't even find east Africans in the 100m dash.
Here's an excellent book on the topic: http://www.amazon.com/The-Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Performance/dp/161723012X
The author of this book said that the research was really hard to do because dozens of respected scientists at leading universities were afraid to share their data with him because they were afraid of being called racist for their data.
A while ago I bought Becoming a Supple Leopard and discovered I had been doing press ups wrong my entire life. I had been flaring my elbows out to the side and had my hands too far forward. I can only thing I can think on is my PE teacher back in school told me to do press ups like that. Thats over 30 years ago now.
Basically I have spent the last few months re-learning how to do press ups. Its been really tricky at times, its very easy to fall into old habits. I have enjoyed the challenge though. Its made a dull part of a work out interesting.
Why not post a form check over at /r/bodyweightfitness? There are some great people over there who will be happy to help you out.
Oh and by the way... I can't even start trying to do an L sit. My shoulders are all over the place.
I would say it's worth the money, it was recommended my by brother who used a lot of the techniques in Becoming a Supple Leopard to recover from back surgery. I am not as devoted as I should be, but all of his recommendations I have committed to have helped immensely (getting up every 30min for 2min, adjusting to certain chair positions, and adjusting positions often). He covers everything, even recommended form for using a computer mouse.
I'm just really getting into the mobility side of things, so I don't have a good feel for everything yet. He gives very in depth prescriptive recommendations for mobility workouts, mostly based around foam rolling, bands, and lacrosse balls. He also has some office focused mobility exercises.
Best book I ever read to help with this is [becoming a supple leopard] (http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Edition/dp/1628600837). He goes blow by blow on all Oly lifting positions but for squats he describes your hips and ribcage like two large bowls filled with water. Stand so they are flat and not spilling (straight up and down) squat, return to that position. Squeezing your butt in at the top to straighten them out again. Your form looks good though!
Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. I have a bachelors/masters in Exercise Science and this is a book we used since my first semester.
Becoming a Supple Leopard I have the first edition, so I'm not sure what was added in the 2nd, but this is a great book that isn't so "sciency"
Do you get a pinching feeling? You could be doing damage to your tissues.
Pinching is very bad and if you can you should see a physical therapist about it.
Your legs are probably pushed way back on the hip joint capsules from lifetime of sitting and it's causing issues.
If there's no pinching you can probably correct the problem yourself with some hip mobility exercises.
This book has a lot of great ones - Becoming a Supple Leopard https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600837/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0TkJDb160V4CS
If you dont have it I strongly suggest buying some voodoo floss or its equivalent and foam rollers. In my experience its from tight quads and calves. If you dont I recommend stretching. I usually do couch stretches. I also highly recommend buying "becoming a supple leopard" also by Dr kelly starrett. Its a great book it comes with a pain prescription section thats in the back of the book you look for the area and he usually as 2-3 exercises to fix the area.
Surprisingly, the answer to avoiding back pain isn't "remain as motionless as possible", but rather, exercise. (Genetic predispositions notwithstanding, of course.)
Also, make sure you're keeping your mobility as healthy as possible. For example, if you can't touch your toes without bending your knees, that's something you might want to work on. Another one is squatting down and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
Don't let the fear of what might happen stop you from doing something about it. My dad died at 55 from congestive heart failure, when I was 29. (His dad died similarly at age 54.) I just turned 56 this year, and have been quite a bit more active and focused on general health (not to fanatic levels). And yes, my dad's passing does contribute to some of the motivation behind what I do, but not significantly so.
You may not have chosen your genetics, but you can make lifestyle choices.
Btw, a lacrosse ball can help with keeping the myriad back muscles less chronically tight. I mentioned this in another post, but check out Becoming a Supple Leopard.
I'm not over 50, but one of my friends who was shot through both his femurs tells me this book, Becoming A Supple Leopard, was important to his recovery and regaining his previous strength.
Like anything that endures, good health requires preventative maintenance
These two books are god send for getting into Ortho residency.
Becoming a Supple Leopard
&
Starting Strength
At 5'5" and 110 lbs, you shouldn't have much weight to lose. I'm wondering if you have anterior pelvic tilt and that's what's making your stomach bulge out.
Try Kelly Starrett's bracing sequence detailed in [this article] (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sit-better-live-better-excerpt-from-becoming-a-supple-leopard.html), see if it brings your stomach in. If it does, you know what you need to work on.
If that works for you, it might be helpful to check out Starrett's mobility book. He's also written a book on running that's coming out next month, but obviously I haven't read it yet.
Can't vouch for it personally, but i've heard good things about this
http://www.amazon.ca/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398263888&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=supple+leopard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc - Joe De Franco's Limber 11 mobility Stretches.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
Kelly Starrett Becoming a Supple Leopard
They can be done on your off days. Their pretty much the guru's on mobility. They also say you can do it before your workouts so you can take the experts word for it or some dudes posting on the internet with no proof.
Peace Out Bye!
> 1) ... shoes ...
CF workouts are hard. Your old shoes will probably feel very heavy to you. I say, invest in shoes. I have 4 pairs: Many wear Nanos. I have the 3.0 version. They are good CF shoes because they are very light, have almost no drop from heel to toe, provide ample support, and have a nice toe box and are pretty breathable. Use the foot-sizer at a shoe store to find your true foot size. That's your Nano size. I also use Nike Free 5.0, which I actually like more than the Nanos. The are slightly lighter than the Nanos, they have a very slight heel to toe drop, and they put more demand on your feet, so you get stronger. In addition I have a pair of Mizuno Be. They are the most minimal shoe I can find. I love them, but use with caution. Finally, I have a pair of Adidas adiPower weightlifting shoes. (I take an Olympic weightlifting class which really helps develop the skills for the more advanced lifts.) The adiPowers have a 3/4" heel. They are firm as a rock. They are solely for weightlifting. Do not WOD in them. Don't even walk back to the car in them.
> 2) Is it really as culty
Imagine you are standing in front of a supermarket with your groceries. There are 10 other people also there with their groceries. All of a sudden some dude in the parking lot lights his car on fire, gets naked, hops on a unicycle and vanishes. You and the others rush to put out the fire, and then stick around to give statements to the cops. Now, imagine you show up the next day at the same supermarket and the same 10 people are there. Fire dude rolls back up on a unicycle this time and lights his unicycle on fire. Gets naked, hops on a skateboards and vanishes. Crossfit brings people together in exciting common experience. You talk. You laugh. You strategize. You go home and tell people about it. (People at home will not be as amused by your tales of constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains as they would be about a dude who keeps lighting his rides on fire and getting naked. Note this well.)
> 3) Will they warm me up...How about stretching...
Most boxes do a warmup. Some do stretching. If your box doesn't find a good warmup online. Find a good stretch regimin also. Show up early and do it. This book is considered the bible by many.
> 4) "pukie" ... being pushed to injury.
I had to ask the same question to this forum. Here's the deal. Crossfit's biggest problem is quality consistency for the coaches. Some are great. Some suck. My Olympic weightlifting coach is an actual former Olympian and Olympic coach. He can watch 10 people do a clean and jerk and point out the minute technical flaws in everyone's movements. He sometimes encourages to take weight off the bar. Sometimes to put weight on the bar. He's the real deal. Some crossfit coaches are very good. Some are good at somethings (like motivation) but bad at others (like give poor execution tips.) So. What you do is get that book I recommended and read it. Read all you can or watch youtube videos about all the exercises (you can typically go the the box's website the day before and get the wod for the next day.) LISTEN to you body. The key to crossfit is the intensity. Learn how to push yourself. But also, learn how to pace yourself. Ask the advanced people in the class for tips about how to do the WOD. Most importantly, learn how to set your own limits. If a coach comes up and you are totally gassed, and he or she starts counting down and tells you to get back on the bar. It's ok to not do so. (After a while you will feel guilty if you don't give it your all, but you will know what your all is. You are responsible for you.) Also if a coach's style is just not compatible with your boundaries, you have to talk to him or her. (I did.) For example. I don't speed lift the complicated oly lifts anymore. I also don't do sumo dead-lift high-pulls. I do the complex lifts at a challenging but safe pace. And I do regular sumo dead-lifts instead of the high-pulls (because I like my rotator cuff).
So stick with it for as long as it is effective, do the resets. By the triple reset point you'll have different numbers, and probably a whole new perspective on what you want from another program.
Also I forgot to mention, I've recently picked up kelly starrett's book. This is another tool that I think will eventually be seen as on the same level as SS. I think the guy is pretty brillant, and the book can help with form a lot. Not to mention the other half of the book is mobilization and recovery techniques.
If we're talking mobilizations Becoming a Supple Leopard is the book I would recommend. You can also do the soup can thing with a lacrosse ball.
Just as a supplement you might consider giving this book a read: http://www.amazon.ca/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588.
I'm brand new to Crossfit. I'm about 9 weeks into some intense metcons and strength training...working with my buddy who is a personal trainer.
He introduced me to a guy named Kelly Starrett. This guy wrote a book called Becoming a Supple Leopard. I read that book and watched a lot of his videos on YouTube. He now has a pay site which is cheap, but I stuck more to the free stuff.
I gotta tell ya, this guy changed my life.
I do his mobilization stuff every day before a workout. And a lot of it on breaks I take when I've been on my computer for too long. It's been a life saver.
Also got a green "monster" band from Rogue fitness to do his stuff....which is worth it's weight in gold to me. Especially for arm and leg mobilization stuff.
I'm about 6 foot 1 and around 220-230 right now and still can't touch my toes...my hamstrings are the worst. But after this past 9 weeks of doing what Starrett says, it's changed everything.
Can't recommend him enough. HOURS of YT stuff and that book is a game changer too. (this being my favorite)
See what ya think of the videos before throwing any money down on this book.
I hope that helps!
Gray Cook's book Movement covers everything you just described. That, combined with Kelly Starrett's Becoming a Supple Leopard and you're set. One more book I recommend, Travell and Simons' The Trigger Point Manuel.
This is just skimming the surface though. A thorough understanding of kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology, while not required, will help you understand the theory behind the human body.
Like with any sport you gotta just go for it.
If you are being conscious of keeping your spine straight, abs just slightly flexed, shoulders up, chin up, and glutes firmly tucked, you'll be well on your way to doing any exercise better than most.
You will always see people in the gym with bad form. Again, just mindfully go for it and trust your body to do what you need it do. This book may also help.
Becoming a Supple Leopard
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
if you're serious about mobility i feel like this is an incredible resource
You should check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
I may get shouted at for this but becoming a supple leopard is really good. It's written by a guy involved with crossfit so I wouldn't be surprised if people dislike it, but it's good.
There are older pdf versions of it online, and if you skip to the exercises sections towards the end, you can find loaaaads of things to do with a foam roller, depending on what you're trying to hit.
There won't be a full "routine" because it would take ages. Just do 10 mins a day on 2 or 3 areas you think need it.
As far as causing injury- just look up how to foam roll your back. You'll struggle to injure anything else
edit: just to point out that mobilitywod (recommended in a different post) is the same guy who wrote this book!
You need to get serious about dynamic stretching[1] before athletics and mobility work[2] in general. You can also get your stride examined at any running store (to get the proper shoe fit). Orthopedists are the people you need to see for medical advice.
For marathon/distance running specific advice, check out /r/running and the sidebar they have.
Source: Self-Trained D1 Volleyball, D2 Track.
[1] Fire hydrants, leg swings, iron crosses, scorpions, walking ankle inversions/eversions, etc.
[2] You're going to use tools like foam rollers, lacrosse balls and bands.
EDIT: Oh right, and I have hypermobile joints, so I have to take extra care of them in general.
I'd highly suggest you buy "Becoming a Supple Leopard" from Kstar: http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368219399&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard.
His website, MobilityWOD.com has long been a CrossFitter's best friend for all things mobility (soreness, stretching, smashing, etc.). Foam roller is but one of the tools he goes over (although he seems to prefer Lacrosse ball and other more painful methods now).
Suns out, guns out!
1.
and 2.
Edit: also finished my own Summer reading list if anyone cares.
"Becoming a Supple Leopard", "Pagan Christianity", "Anatomy Without a Scalpel", and "The Official Truth: The Inside Story of Pantera"
For me, I really started noticing after I got below 135. You might be getting to the point where you'd get the results that you're looking for more from focusing more on body composition as opposed to just weight loss. I started really getting happier with my body once I got below 135 and incorporated a resistance training routine (I love Brett Contreras' Strong Curves program and am super happy with the results I've gotten).
Steve is right on i think, just wanted to add that another option is Strong Curves by Bret Contreras, it is aimed specifically at women and includes (and argues for) more intense glute focused training. Because of how it is aimed at women you might have here more intrigued by it but i can't speak from personal experience if its better than something like starting strength for women. Steve do you have any experience with strong curves?
Each workout on Strong Curves follows this template
I recommend having a look at Bret Contreras' and Kellie Davis' book Strong Curves. It's very nicely written and contains a ton of exercises designed to build a butt. Spoiler: weighted glute bridges and hip thrusts give fantastic results and everyone should do them.
Squats, deadlifts and lunges are great too of course! Apparently, though, most people don't engage their glutes properly when doing these exercises. Make sure to squeeze 'em! heheh.
THIS is the definitive guide to getting a nice butt. Don't let the title fool you, is 100% as effective for men. One key a lot of people forget is a nice butt is not just big glutes (squats, DLs etc) but also the line separating the glutes and the hamstring. Well developed glutes and hamstrings are ideal for this.
Bret Contreras is the "Glute Guy" and has written guides on the topic. Apparently he also has a book specifically aimed at women, though I have no idea if it's any good. Please excuse me if I've incorrectly guessed your gender.
There's a book! And you need a gym to do the main program, although there is a home based program in the book as well. If you're super new to all things gym and fitness I'd recommend buying the book. Else, you can search for spreadsheets people made of the program.
Strong Curves - Amazon.com
Dang it that sucks. It all sucks. All I can offer is my recommendation of Strong curves. I bought the book and there's very little or no discussion of new post-partum. (Co-author does have 2 kids and describes how she gained weight with pregnancy, but that's the intro and not part of the important part of the book)
I'm enjoying it because it's very focused on let's get fit, and not really focusing on the why you want to be fit. (for your own sake, to have an amazing booty, to compete in fitness, to do a different training program etc etc) It's still lady focused which is really helpful.
High fives for same height and weight! It looks like you are already sort of doing the [Strong Curves] (http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642) program. It's pretty similar to what you are working on - lower weights/bodyweight movements and one compound lift each day. There's tons of information on this subreddit as well as the fitness one, if you search for it. The book is currently on sale on Amazon, sounds like a perfect Christmas gift to yourself.
As for increasing weight, I increase weight if I can finish my set without struggling. There is no optimal weight, it will just depend on what your strength goals are.
Hah, that was a bit less retarded than I assumed it'd be. But yeah, I think high frequency training is an underrated concept and that there is perhaps too much obsession with overtraining and recovery. I might recommend Matt Perryman's book "Squat Every Day" or (if you're in the mood for angrier, rantier, much less mature discourse) various blog entries by Jamie Lewis [NSFW], and I think he has some books out too, though hell if I can find them. Perryman will sedately explain how a lot of overtraining is more psychological than physiological and how you can work to counteract that, Lewis will yell at you for being a lazy pussy if you aren't willing to lift heavy 7 days a week (he does mostly back his yelling up with sources though).
Alternative viewpoint: Squat Every Day
Do the big 5 lifts for a couple months, when you find a weak-link, add in accessory exercises, which may or may not be on the torture racks.
You'll work every muscle in the body, be in the gym about an hour. download stronglifts 5x5 and/or StartingStrength, pick one, go. Re-evaluate when your squat hits 250x5.
Source: 3 months following Starting Strength, started after 3 months on keto. 37M, 5'10 195lbs to 170 on keto, 170-182lbs(current weight) with lifting, belly is still shrinking, lifts are going up.
Have you seen this? Same thing, no piracy: $9.99
I recommend following Starting Strength and training your large muscle groups while also consuming tons of a food. But I'm just a beginner in that regard.
There's also a variety of subreddit's like GainIt
Good luck
Book - Mark Rippetoe - Starting Strength
Video - Arnold Schwarzenegger - Pumping Iron (also on Netflix)
A copy of Starting Strength. I feel really bad about not giving it back, but I don't know how to get back in touch.
This might help too: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
What gym are you going to? Because it is very reasonable to teach yourself to deadlift and squat solo. Squats in particular are easy to learn, but difficult to master. Do you have any prior injuries, to your lower back in particular? Because if not you really can learn these ok on your own.
Pick up a copy of Starting Strength, it provides excellent, highly detailed descriptions of how to perform these lifts. While the Starting Strength program isn't perfect, it has become the go to beginners program for a reason. Practice them a bit, and then post a form check in /r/weightroom on Friday in the form check thread. While /r/fitness is great for providing postive feedback and a good, supportive atmosphere I would caution against taking any actual technical advice there with even a grain of salt.
Get Starting Strength
It's a really good book and lays out how to get started with the most important weight lifting exercises. Most of what makes the gym scary is being afraid of looking like a dumbass. You can even go late at night if you want, and almost no one will be there.
It's ok if you don't really do much your first couple of times. Just getting in the door will give you more courage for next time.
After going like 3-5 times, you start to want to go so that you can continue whatever weight lifting routine you decide on.
Maybe she meant this book?
Buy this book. Learn the lifts in the first chapters and do the program at the back. Eat all the things.
Move heavy barbells on a regular basis.
If you've never lifted before or are weak, go buy the Starting Strength book and follow that.
Once you do that, don't eat like an asshole.
/thread
I highly recommend you pick up Starting Strength, or Trooper mentioned Strong Lifts has write ups of the squat, deadlift, and bench. Both are a great place to start out if you to get into barbell lifts. You can also head over to /r/fitness.
> Every guy in the gym knows how to do these exercises
With the amount of quarter squats, rounded backs, flared elbows etc you see at the gym, this is absolutely not the case. Like everything else, it's a skill you have to work on. I'v been lifting for years and still am not happy with my squat depth, or form. Miles better than what it used to be though.
If you want to meet up, I would be willing to help get you started. I work out at the LA Fitness on Webster and they have free 3 day passes. They may try and sell you a membership, but I told them I was just there to get a workout in and they left me alone when I used the pass. Send me a pm.
This is what you want:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409172699&amp;sr=1-1
Pick up the book Starting Strength. $24 on Amazon with prime. Squats are the first (of 5) exercises covered.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1473687821&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
I like it because it's perfect for the beginner, has lots of diagrams and photos, and covers a wide range of issues and rookie mistakes.
Even if you aren't specifically using SS5x5, it still will be a great investment. Plus, a physical book is better as a reference material when you don't want to jump on the internet or for reading material before going to bed.
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tuPYAbB4XP5XJ
Buy this book, it is the straight up Bible on how to get strong in the only way that matters, using a barbell.
Keep your program simple, Squats, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Deadlift. Get good at these fundamental lifts before worrying about anything else. Low reps, heavy weights.
And eat A LOT! Your muscles need fuel, and if you are skinny the only place this fuel is going to come from is stuffing your face.
I did some quick stalking and, IMHO, you look pretty good but... If you like the idea of working out, by all means, go for it! My suggestion is to start with something simple and easily understood, such as Stronglifts 5x5. It's what I'm doing right now, and I'm really enjoying it, and the improvements I'm seeing. You'll be embarrassed to start with the empty bar, for sure, but I recommend it. That way, you're not overestimating your abilities, and you get the form correct right off the bat. Here are the resources I used to get moving on SL 5x5:
stronglifts.com - The base program and some details and advice on lifts.
Starting Strength - The single best weightlifting advice you can get short of an actual coach that follows Rippetoe's philosophy (I say "philosophy," but not to sound like a brainwashed meathead, the guy knows what he's talking about, and everything he says makes sense)
Great video on the Overhead Press - The coach in the video actually wrote the book I recommend above. The overhead press has been THE most difficult lift I've done to date on this program.
I only link that one video because it's been hard to find other videos as effectively instructional. Stronglifts.com has a few for the other lifts which are sufficient.
My biggest recommendation: try it once. The endorphin rush afterward will make you crave going back.
Good luck, and have fun!
Starting Strength, a textbook example of a weightlifting program. As in a guy literally wrote a textbook on barbell weight training.
5 pounds is a good place to start. Just keep adding 5's until you can't beat the previous workouts number. Alternatively if you plan on sticking with it for a while check out Starting Strength to learn how to properly do the movements. There is even an excellent beginners program in the book.
I am not a doctor, but
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412998621&amp;sr=8-1&amp;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.
Been working on weight training this off-season. "Starting Strength" seems to be the equivalent of "The Cyclists Training Bible" for general strength training. Everyone should read it. Maybe twice.
My back is my main limiter. I had a bad case of thoracic hyphosis (aka "nerd neck") so I needed to fix that and train up my upper-back muscles in order to be able to safely squat heavy. I'm thinking the added strength and mobility will help for holding my head up after long hours on the bike.
I've brought my Bulgarian squat up from 3x5's at 80 lbs to 3x5's @ 130 lbs. I've also brought my weight up by 7 lbs, so I guess I'll be carrying that around. But it's pretty flat where I live and race so I wouldn't mind trading some W/KG for some raw watts.
I'm planning to continue building strength through base and switch to more speed/power movements during build. I'm going to incorporate the fast lunges described in Maximum Overload (terrible book, fine idea) for blocks of 30s to 5m. I think that will be a good accessory to VO2max intervals. Hard days will get harder, so easy days will need to get easier.
Abandon women; and instead treat yourself and a bro(mance) to:
A Hardcopy of Rippetoe's Starting Strength and your first ~galon of milk
I can give some perspective as a long time cyclist and more recent lifter who then had an ACL injury (not weightlifting related). First off just because you were a strong runner (or in my case cyclist) won't make you automatically good at squats/deadlifts. It'll give you a bit of a head start since you'll have some leg muscles to work with but squats use some different muscles and it used them in a different manner. Lifting heavy causes different muscle adaptations and is a skill in its own right.
As to what strength progress you should be able to see… That's hard to say since you don't have pre-injury totals to look at. Leg press is a good quad exercise but doesn't have a lot of carryover to squats. Most people can leg press more than they can squat but there is no set percentage ratio since training in leg press is different than training in squats.
Personally I was able to get back to my pre-injury squat weight at 6 months. I feel I could have lifted more earlier but I was being extra careful. I'm currently at 10 months and lifting more than I was pre-injury. I'm not dropping my lifting stats as it's meaningless to compare mine to yours since you are new to lifting.
Basically with your inexperience, the only numbers I think you can use as reference are to untrained/novice lifters. That said you are not even a typical untrained lifter since you are recovering from a major injury. The Symmetric Strength Strength Standards can give you some insight but there is no gold standard. So take a look at those and use them as something to aim for, but also don't get upset that you aren't anywhere near novice yet.
With a good program, dedication, and enough protein and calories, you likely should be able to hit novice levels in a 2-3 months. Since you have an injury you are recovering from then it will likely take a little longer, depending on how much you are still limited by your injury. You should of course focus on good form and making sure you don't compensate. Also be make sure to include single leg work as your muscles are likely still imbalanced: Bulgarian split squats, lunges, single leg deadlifts, calf raises, etc..
In general, I think it's really good that you are adding in strength training. One of the best ways to protect that knee from further damage and osteoarthritis is to build up and maintain the muscles that support your leg. IMHO it is important to be stronger than you were before the surgery in order to support that knee.
BTW, if you don't have a program look into Starting Strength and/or Phrak's Greyskull LP. The r/fitness sub has a good overview of programs. They have a big bug up their ass against Starting Strength but honestly while Phrak's has some advantages, SS is a decent place to start and has worked for many lifters. The Starting Strength book is also in my opinion a must read for how well it explains how to execute the main lifts. The r/startingstrength subreddit is a good place to post form checks if you don't have someone to help spot your form. Rippitoe's nutrition advice in the book leaves much to be desired but that's a different topic.
The beginner program link listed in the FAQ basically recommends Starting Strength.
Read it and do what it says. You'll need an olympic bar, some plates, power rack, and a bench.
[Splurge a little....] (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=asap_B0055JD4CW?ie=UTF8)
15 isn't too young, but this community is a bit of 'blowtorch'. A lot of good, helpful resources and advice, a lot of shit, and a lot of angry/upset guys who are trying to redefine themselves.
A better alternative is maybe to show him some of the resources that TRP links to, not necessarily TRP itself.
The Rational Male is a really good resource; the 'best of' posts being a good place for him to start.
Mark Manson's 'Models' is a good book to start with, although I would pair that with 'The Rational Male' book (Manson is just a tad soft on the nature of women IMO, but to be fair he was going for a more mainstream audience). A really good resource, especially for someone as young as he is, is The Book of Pook, arguably the main foundational resource.
I would also tentatively recommend 'Bang' and 'Day Bang' by Roosh V. Now Roosh V is a fuckwit douchebag, but in terms of pickup (which is distinct from TRP) he knows his stuff.
Finally I would suggest Mark Rippetoe's 'Starting Strength' to start him building muscle, or, if he doesn't have access to a gym, a book on bodyweight fitness would be good (there's a subreddit which has recommendations).
Nice, it's time to go get it.
But you need to start with some basic info. Good old fashioned moving weights always has done the most for me. Try Starting strength if you want to get started with a good beginners plan. Understand the lifts, hit the weights, and get some of those sweet sweet novice gains.
www.stronglifts.com
/r/weightroom
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe
And I'm always glad to chat.
It is a workout routine by Mark Rippetoe. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738. It is designed for beginners
Wow that is a small stature. I'd like to be encouraging but the truth of the matter is I feel like I never see males with your build in every day adult life and I could see how it could be a real burden. Actually, I take that back. My father in law isn't much taller. He looks like he's our kid when walking with my wife and I.
My cousin had Leukemia a few years back and he's about the same age (and build) as you but he wants to be FBI some day. I don't have the heart to tell him but I've never met a federal officer who was below 6'2.
You're life is going to be an uphill battle but if you've got one thing going for you, it's that short people live longer.
As far as building muscle and whatnot I HIGHLY recommend Starting Strength Read it cover to cover. It's a treat, the man is hilarious and it's just about the bible for making your body stronger.
I think I'd like to be your friend. gonna PM you.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738 this should be a staple of every person starting the gym. If you're not much into reading, then check out author's YouTube channel.
Always start with a warm up, rowing machine is generally most efficient for the whole body.
5sets x5reps for strenght and slow size progression. If you want to focus mostly on building muscle fast, then go for classic 4x8 or 3x12 approx 3 times a week, day on, and day off, plus weekend off for stretching/foam rolling or anything else that can improve your recovery process, but that's a bonus.
Your goal is a linear progression, meaning you pick a weight that you can complete 1set of 12 repetitions that will challenge you, but not wreck you, because you still have 2 more sets to do. You want to make sure you fully complete every set, without cheating. If you can't do it, that means there is too much weight on the bar. Leave your ego at the door, and drop the weight.
If you can complete all your sets and all your reps with good form, next time you train, you slightly increase the weight, and that will keep you going. At the beginner stage you don't need any fancy techniques like drops sets, iso holds, rest pasues, etc. So don't worry about all that stuff for another year or even two.
For hypertrophy (muscle pump) you want to keep the rest periods between sets to 90 seconds max. Set the timer or just count your breathes.
You will quickly notice that everyone you ask, will give you a different sort of advice, and claim that their plan is the best.
Don't fall for a shiny object syndrome pick a plan and stick with it for 3 months. Track all your numbers, so you know what works and what doesnt.
Take a before picture so you can compare it to your results.
Read up on the diet, but basic premise is that you need to consume more calories that you burn every day in order to put on weight. Aim for 10-15% more kcal than you need. If after a week you see no difference on the scale increase your kcal intake by another 5%
Aim for 1gram of lean protein for every 1lbs of your body weight daily, and eat carbs mostly around the workout time. Clean bulk is always more efficient than eating a lot of crap and then wasting time to burn off the unwanted fat.
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1980881408682147&amp;id=119776444792662&amp;set=a.133423386761301 check out other pics in their gallery in terms of visuals of what to eat and not eat.
Make sure you get your 8h if sleep, because that's when the muscle actually grow. In the gym, very often less is more.
Building bigger muscles in oversimplified terms comes down to the time under tension and mechanical damage that muscle is exposed to, so you want to learn how to contract your muscles properly. Resistance bands are a safe and efficient way to do so. Essentially you want to feel the" burn" in the target muscle.
Additionally you can throw in some creatine (dirt cheap) and very efficient. If you're just starting you will notice gains really fast and you can train to the extreme, since your max won't be big enough to truly tax your central nervous system.
The most important thing is to gather some knowledge first, because you can waste a lot of time doing stuff that's doesn't work. If i had a chance to start again i would have found the best looking personal trainer at the gym, or someone who has clients with the desired results and paid him/her to teach me the basics to significantly accelerate my progress.
Remember that good technique builds the strength, but strength doesn't build good technique. And in this case technique refers to safety and efficiency of moving the load from point a to point b.
Get some good music on your playlist and while you keep your final destination in mind, learn to enjoy the process.
That should be enough to get you started.
If you would like to further deepen your knowledge check this https://www.t-nation.com/
Good luck and have fun plus don't forget to update us in your progress ;)
Please just read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504059251&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
It has everything you'll ever need.
Starting Strength
Why did you choose Strong Curves over say, Starting Strength or Strong to name just two others?
A set of Olympic weights, a power cage, a bench and a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I got all but the book second-hand, so it can be pretty affordable and safe. (All links except book are for illustrative purposes only, not necessarily recommending those specific units)
Starting Strength. Buy the book: It explains in EXQUISITE detail how to do the basics. And the basics are what you need. If you have to go up slower for age and recovery, so be it, but it's the beginner program.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
Personal trainers don't need to know what they are talking about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_trainer#United_States
>A number of certifications are available in the U.S., although a number are not accredited. Most require a high school diploma, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification, and some type of examination.[6]
A 2002 investigation evaluated a random sample of 115 personal trainers using the Fitness Instructors Knowledge Assessment (FIKA) (which measures knowledge in nutrition, health screening, testing protocols, exercise prescription, and special populations). The study described that:[14][15]
>
70% of those surveyed did not have a degree in any field related to exercise science.
Those who did not have a bachelor's degree in an exercise science-related field scored 31% less on average than those with a bachelor's degree or higher in the field.
Those holding one of two specific certifications (the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) certification) scored 83% of the questions correctly on average. Those holding any certification other than ACSM or NSCA answered only 38% of the questions correctly.
Years of experience was not found to be predictive of personal trainer knowledge.
With that said - if I were a personal trainer I would discourage people from doing barbell work, to at least emphasize they need some study. Probably some liability if someone hurts themselves, and some people are morons. At any rate take what trainers say with a lot of salt.
I gained about 15 pounds in a year doing a simple beginner program 3 times a week. This was not at all the center of my life - working and going to school for CS at the same time. I did spend quite a bit of time studying how to do the exercises correctly. With a beginner program, you will start with very low weight (which increases fast) in order to get to practice the exercises.
Focusing on learning how to do the exercises, and going regularly is probably the most important thing to build strength. Plan for the long-term, this is extremely extremely important. Your purpose at first is:
1) to go to learn how to do the exercises well,
2) to go religiously.
Doing these two things are what you reward yourself with the sense of "job well done" for. You will lose strength depressingly fast by not going regularly. 3 times a week for 30 min to an hour is not a big deal.
You can build significant strength without bulking/bodybuilding. Having a lot of strength will make bodybuilding/bulking easier. This is mostly to keep in mind for later, when it is time to shift to an intermediate program.
Stronglifts 5x5 is listed on here.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/getting_started#wiki_adding_exercise
Stronglifts has been very successful for a lot of people, and gets a lot good credit. The program is extremely simple so you do not have to waste time thinking of what to do. The phone apps by the author are exceptional. Negative things about the program are generally complaints that it is a beginner program. There will come a point stronglifts will stop producing gains, and it is time to shift programs. When that time comes it will make quite a bit of sense in your body why. Stronglifts is a great beginner program.
I still do it, with some minor alteration, even though I know I need to shift, because it's good enough for now for me. Easy & meditative and the gains still come. Well lifting heavy weights is hard, but easy in the "flowing like water" sense.
Here's an easy to-do list for you which will work:
>1) Go to stronglifts.com, watch his vides on how to do the exercises, and how to do the program.
>
2) Study the exercises!
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3) Download phone app
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4) Do your first session at the gym
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5) Begin reading Starting Strength. Ignore a lot of the dietary advice.
>
6) Watch videos on youtube & continue improving your form.
>
7) Continue going to workouts religiously.
>
8) Start eating for muscle growth.
I have diet listed last here, because in one sense it is the least important. In order to gain weight, you will have to eat a lot. And a couple months into the program you will need to eat well to make noticeable strength gains. But do not worry about this at first. As you go regularly & get good at the lifts (because that is the goal that matters), after a period of time you will see how not eating/sleeping enough makes you weaker.
It will be quite visceral when you get to higher weights, and after months of (going religiously!) experiencing the difference of days when you eat/rest well vs. not, and the iron will grace you with a powerful visceral drive to change your diet. It's like free motivation at that point. When you have been going regularly for months, then the diet becomes extremely important. Don't worry about it much at first. You will make fast gains even with a crappy diet at the start. But damn sure go to the gym when you are feeling weak, that is what will push your understanding of what to eat.
And again - you can gain a lot strength without bulking much, and that strength will help you bulk. So even if you don't bulk for a few months, it is not a loss. Just keep going.
I will add, for a pre/post workout shake, I get pea protein from https://truenutrition.com/veganplant-proteins.aspx . Pea protein has had some studies place it competitively with whey. I mix it with water & juice, and I will add creatine. My perspective is that not eating animal products slows bulking, though that tends to be hearsay here. Who cares when it's the right thing to do though.
>I've managed to answer questions and rebuttals very thoroughly in the nutritional aspects of Leangains but I've failed miserably in explaining why all those curls and wires and abs workouts are more or less useless acording to Martin.
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe has the answers you seek. As I understand it... you don't want to do accessories like curls and ab workouts because they may interfere with the more efficient compound exercises, especially in recovery time.
Buy these two:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334558891&amp;sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/The-Paleo-Solution-Original-Human/dp/0982565844/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334558900&amp;sr=1-1
Are either NECESSARY for these goals? No. But I'm a believer in no-brainer approaches, and basic strength training + paleo-ish diet will move you in the right direction.
What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish?
Lifting? Cardio? Weight loss?
Some easy tips (which I can help clarify) are:
Do most of your lifting with free-weights and a few cables. Unless you have a pre-existing condition preventing use of free-weights such as barbells or dumbells do NOT build a workout routine around machines or circuit training.
Practice form first. Form is everything. Start with an empty barbell or bodyweight only. Consider splitting the cost of a PT session between you two, but make sure to find a PT that also doesn't advocate training with machines.
Make sure you get your nutrition and out-of-gym habits in good form; if you don't eat right and rest correctly you might as well not even go to the gym for all the time you're wasting.
Find someone experienced in weight-training to help you put together a workout routine, and make sure it focuses largely on compound exercises. (I can help if you'd like; I am experienced in strength-training but carry no certifications, however my advice is free!)
Buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
It is now your new bible.
Focus on squats, deadlifts, powercleans, benchpress and other large muscle group compound exercises.
I'll add more as it comes to me.
Lifting for hypertropy (Body Building) will not translate into good snowboarding. You need a mix of endurance, strength, power, agility, flexibility and nutrition.
Nutrition: Don't eat like shit, I am not big on giving nutrition advice, but eating Paleo works for me.
Flexibility: http://www.mobilitywod.com/ every goddamn day, and squat (unweighted)
Strength: http://startingstrength.com/ (for beginners, Coach Rip has an excellent book)
Power: Two lifts will generate a lot of power, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. The power clean (part of Starting Strength) is also very good. The clean, snatch and power clean will also help your jumping power a lot for you park rats.
Agility: There are a lot of ways to work on agility, I don't do agility specific work.
Endurance: I ride a bike, but you can also run or have angry bees chase you around.
Yes you can do 100 pushups and 100 situps a day, but training correctly with barbells can get you big gains which translate to snowboarding. I do not train specifically for snowboarding or skiing or biking but here is what my daily exercise routine looks like:
Bike 3 miles to gym.
Gym work (5 days a week, skip friday if doing something on saturday, monday if did something on sunday):
Warmup
Mobility WOD
Two Lifts
Crossfit Style Conditioning
Bike ten miles to office (pace here is usually about 16 or 17 mph, including stops for lights, etc)
Bike thirteen miles home after work (I am usually running about 14.5 mph home including stops)
The book describes everything you could possibly need to know about how to do the program, the lifts, the diet etc. It also talks about what the program will accomplish. Here is a link to the book on amazon. It's really really worth a look if you're planning on doing this program.
Also, here is a link to the Mark Rippetoe Q&A on the Starting Strength forums, where the author of the book will answer questions and evaluate your technique if you send in a video.
Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength will probably be one of the most highly recommended beginner programs you'll find.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1343403649&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
First, You are 125 lbs. You really, really need to eat. If you aren't gaining 2 lbs a week you aren't eating enough.
Second, I doubt you have even read SS if you've made this thread so the FIRST thing I would recommend you do is GET OFF /r/fitness or any internet fitness source and READ STARTING STRENGTH. It will answer most questions you have. After you finish reading the book, come back.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
Starting Strength
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
Build a solid strength base, then you'll have a much better base for other physical activites
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
I learned a lot from Dave Tate's videos:
www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/1udskc/dave_tates_form_videos/
Also, get the Starting Strength book. Very little of it is about the actual program of SS - most of it is technical info about lifting form. Full of diagrams and descriptions in incredible detail.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
EDIT: As to your question about bulking and cutting - you can't choose where you lose fat. You want to lose fat around your waist? Eat less. You want to get stronger faster? eat more.
I'd suggest trying pole squats to start with. Try paying attention to the areas in your legs that start to burn throughout the various phases of a squat -- this will help you identify the areas that are underdeveloped.
http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/squat-therapy-4-drills-that-will-improve-your-squat
You can also try putting foam padding underneath your heels and see if that helps you with doing an unassisted squat. Your issue might be a combination of both underdeveloped hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and tibialis anterior muscles, as well as poor hip flexibility and ankle flexibility. Alternatively, you can use some weight plates under your heels like this:
http://www.fitbie.com/sites/default/files/bbell-squat-heelsraiseb-female.jpg
It's quite common for Westerners to be unable to do a flat footed squat due to a neglect of the posterior muscle chain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_position#Resting_position
Here's a good TED Talk about posterior chain underdevelopment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBlM5in2IQA
I would also suggest experimenting with different stance positions. For me, it is much easier to take a very wide stance than to take a narrow stance. Six months ago, I was completely unable to squat unassisted at all. Just keep up with it and you'll get there!
If you want to read up on the biomechanics and leverage variations that affect individual abilities, I'd suggest checking out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Even if you aren't yet ready to do anything using weights, his book provides a useful foundation to the basic mechanics of compound movements.
http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
I would really recommend checking out Starting Strength for the weightlifting component. Buy it and read all of it, but if that is too much, you can get the basics from the wiki.
What type of conditioning exercise do you like? I would just make sure to get some sessions of that at least 30 min 3 or four times a week.
If you're interested in running a 5K, this is awesome: /r/c25k
If you're wanted to gain strength (which I gather from the 8lb barbell comment), Starting Strength is kinda the reddit go-to.
None of the links anyone gives you are gonna be any good though unless you are truly into what you're doing. Do you like running? Sports? Swimming? Is lifting something you think would be fun? If you hate every second of it, you will hate doing it and motivation gets way harder.
Do you have a gym you belong to? What is your current activity like?
I personally wouldn't worry about your BMI, as it is a shitty indicator of everything. It takes no account into your body fat or fitness level, just a ratio of height to weight. I personally threw my scale under my bed and have abandoned it there, replacing it with how my clothes fit and a measuring tape for things like my arms/thighs, etc.
Browse around on the fitness subreddits: /r/fitness, /r/bodyweightfitness, /r/running, /r/weightroom
For someone who is just starting out, I would suggest a beginner program like Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. It consists of basic compound lifts (squat, bench press, overhead press, deadliest, power clean) that'll help build a foundation of muscle. I've been messing around in the gym for years, but actually having a program to follow was better than figuring out what I wanted to do once I stepped foot in the gym. If you can afford it, read the Starting Strength book or watch a bunch of videos on YouTube to learn about proper form technique. If you do decide to go with SS, you're gonna want to start out very lightweight, then add 5 lbs to each lift every single workout until you can no longer do that. The website I linked should explain more. Stick with it for about 2 years or until you can no longer add on weight, then find another program to follow in the /r/Fitness FAQ.
I've also found that when one addiction gets shut down, another might try to take its place. My main addiction has always been porn, masturbation, and orgasm (but primarily porn). When I was a junior in high school, I realized how many hours I wasted watching porn every day. I'm not saying that everyone has this problem; some people can be functional while still being able to join those kind of pleasures, it was just that I couldn't function at all. With that being said, I'm also gonna leave a link to a subreddit that has been helpful to me over the past couple years: /r/NoFap
Good luck on your journey, friend!
Starting Strength Buy that book, read it, start the program. Its a program for gaining strength (and in your case, some lean mass) and it has helped me a lot in life. It will help you conquer the laziness.
I find that waking up really early everyday and having a set routine helps a great deal as well. I wake up at 5am everyday to make sure I get shit done. I meditate, work out, brush teeth, shower, do yoga, breathing exercises and kegels before most other people even wake up. And doing that much stuff that early in the morning not only makes me be more energetic with my time for the rest of the day, but also ensures that I go to bed pretty damn early (like at 9pm) effectively cutting out the time when I am MOST tempted to fap. It takes some motivation, yeah, but it ain't impossible mate.
But do what works best for you. I simply am doing what works for me and my life. Assemble your life in such a fashion that you simply are forced to succeed.
Read this then. Follow it to the letter. Eat at a caloric surplus, making sure you get about one gram of protein daily for how much you weigh.
As cliche as it is on Reddit, Starting Strength 3rd ed. actually does a really good job of teaching you how to do the 4 big lifts (squat, deadlift, bench, power clean) and gives you a newbie program to work with.
If you can get a friend to learn with great! If not, suck it up and find a good personal trainer to give you an hour teaching you and making sure you've got good form. Then just follow the program. You'll level up quickly and feel pretty good about it. The fact that you go in each day with a specific (and increasing) set of numbers is how you stay accountable. Keep track of it online. Fitocracy is a free online site (started by Redditors) that allows you to track your workouts and join in challenges, ask questions, etc.
Spend a week teaching yourself at home, watching videos and hanging out in /r/fitness. Then go spend 3 days a week for a month actually doing a program. Don't cheat, don't skip for that whole month. I bet you keep on going after that.
By all accounts Starting Strength is a great introduction to weight lifting. You should find http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki useful too if you don't want to buy the book.
I should add that I've only just started reading the book, so I can't give you a personal recommendation just yet.
I mean you can squat every day if you want to, many weightlifters do exactly that. But do you need to? Nah. 2-3 times a week is sufficient.
Please tell that to Matt Perryman
Check out this book. The title and marketing campaign are a little hokey but it's chock full of research-backed ruminations on proper exercise and its health benefits. The chapter on global metabolic conditioning might break you out of the aerobic vs. anaerobic paradigm; they're not diametrically opposed but instead necessarily complement each other in any muscular contraction.
Weightlifting with fairly heavy weights lifted to failure is a very effective way. Consult this for the science behind it: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Science-Research-Strength-Training/dp/0071597174/ref=asc_df_0071597174/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312136634064&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1753363811702932736&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033553&hvtargid=pla-454640667578&psc=1
One of the not so obvious advantages is that this approach is sustainable over the long run. I hate exercising. I really just want to get to the gym and get it over with ASAP. If I went to the gym and spent long periods of time on a treadmill, I would get bored and give up on it. In fact, I once had a nice treadmill, but just ended up not using it due to the time and boredom. But I find I am able to do my weightlifting over an extended period of time without giving up on it due to the excessive amount of time that would otherwise have me giving up after a few months.
Yes, check out the book Body By Science. Great book on High Intensity Training that happens to use machines which are particularly good for that type of training (though any type of weight will work). This sub is allergic to the word machine. You'll be fine with them and gain strength and no your joints won't explode from 'weak stabilizers'.
Just take it one day at a time. I know living away from home for the first time can be scary, but you've made it this far and you can do this!
It's natural to wonder if you've made the correct choice, but try to take comfort in following the choices you have made so far. Just follow through with those choices. Going to school is almost always the correct decision to do, and since you left to go to school you're on the right path.
Just focus on your education and learn as much as you can in your classes. Get help from the professors or Teaching Assistants. Your college may even have free therapists if you want to get specific help. Be aware of all the perks you get as a college student.
Over the next few weeks you'll be establishing new routines and habits as you adapt to this new environment. It's going to be new and uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it. I recommend exercise as a habit because it can be as effective as medication for keeping stress under control.
I'd also suggest trying to make friends. It took me a long time in college before I finally found a friend or two I felt I could trust and be myself around, so I feel a little hypocritical giving this piece of advice. But having someone to talk to can be very helpful. Check out what clubs your school has, you're bound to find something that interests you. And if you go to any nerdy clubs (Sci-fi clubs, writing groups, anime clubs, video game clubs) you might be able to ask around and see if there are other Bronies around if those are the kinds of people you are looking for for friends.
You can also always call your parents, I'm sure they'd love to hear from you too as they are also dealing without having you around.
But don't sweat it, you can do this!
Exercise. Helped my depression and anxiety better than anything else.
And not just a couple of miles a week. I mean intense exercise. (I prefer barbell training.)
Try taking up a martial art. The best type of physical activity for improving cognitive function is that which is both physically and mentally challenging.
I recommend skimming through this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
Another parallel story here – law school, smart, lack of progress, etc.
Diagnosed with depression at 35. Once treatment had me somewhat stabilized, I started reading up on depression and mental health. (lifelong habit: must learn all the things. right now. unless required by school or job.)
Anyway, that eventually had me reading Spark by John Ratey (co-author of Driven to Distraction). I was reading for the chapter on depression, and found I related to it quite well. But then I skimmed through the rest, and got to the chapter on ADHD...and was stunned. It was so clearly me. Then started reading all the things on ADHD to make sure I wasn't out to lunch, and made an appointment to see my doc.
Doc talked to me for about 20 minutes, asked a whole bunch of questions, then sent me home with a questionnaire to complete and send back to him. Did that and went back for a follow-up, which was more questions. Ended with confirmation of what I'd known since the day I hit that chapter in Spark.
Now I'd say I'm doing okay – awareness and Adderall are both helping, but it's a long road. I'm confident my career (in particular) would have had a different trajectory if I'd been diagnosed years ago, but I'm still in an okay spot. I've also been able to see how my ADHD has affected me as a spouse and parent – and I'm trying to find ways to be better at both.
Yes, very much so. Exercise has many many benefits for both your body and mind. There is an excellent book on these benefits called Spark that delves into some of the brain benefits and mood elevating effects of exercise.
Anecdotally I have found that many adventure sports enthusiasts believe in helping their fellow athletes as an ethical imperative. Many races emphasize this as a key aspect of the event.
Each of these events are wildly popular and attract people from varying backgrounds.
The two most common tips that I regularly see are Exercise and Meditation.
John Ratey says in Spark that 30 minutes of moderate exercise is best for women with ADHD (he recommends 15 minutes of intense exercise for men)
Meditation can help build up practices to help you build good practices. Dan Harris's new book would probably be a good start. I listened to 10% Happier and found it to be good. You can also listen to him on the 10% Happier Podcast.
That's at least for starters.
Give it some time for the medication to start working before trying much else. I use a couple of supplements through the advice I found on examine.com but I would recommend giving yourself a few months before speaking to your doctor before looking into supplements.
From there it depends on what you struggle with. There are a lot of things to try but just try a few at a time. I've tried doing everything at once and had it all crash down in front of me.
Science-wise, smoking is clearly damaging to the brain, and causes problems in the long run, whatever your self perception.
But it is both a stimulant, and a depressant... a form of medication. You have to learn to get the same effect without it. I recommend listening to music from India with headphones, and good English black tea, not over-steeped. And make sure you're developing your cardiovascular abilities... more oxygen to the brain.
https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
I'll just leave this here though I post it so often, I should start using an affiliates link and earn a few pennies on it.
Edit - fixing link
Look into You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning. You could also visit the people at /r/bodyweightfitness for ideas. If I had little or no dough, I'd be doing push ups, pull ups and chin ups for starters.
bodyweight exercises are perfect for working out at home. Check out You Are Your Own Gym
There are several great books on training either with no equipment or with minimal equipment. Depending on how broke you are, find "alternative means" of acquiring these books:
Convict Conditioning is probably the most popular, and it's basic program is well balanced, simple, and easy to follow. Since you mentioned push ups: Convict Conditioning starts at wall push ups (super easy) and ends with one arm push ups (very difficult), and provides a progression from one end to the other.
I also really like You Are Your Own Gym. It has a great catalogue of body weight exercises that you can pick through.
If you ever do get access to weights, don't let the comments on weight lifting in either book concern you; both are full of hyperbole that should be taken with a grain of salt.
Steven Low : http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/
&nbsp;
Pavel Tsatsouline for strenght
&nbsp;
Bret Contreras : http://www.amazon.com/Bodyweight-Strength-Training-Anatomy-Contreras/dp/1450429297/
&nbsp;
Mark Lauren : http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-Gym/dp/0345528581/
&nbsp;
Etc... Google to find known authors and coachs and avoid pseudo-expert... You don't need to follow a lot of guys, choose just 3-4 very good ressources and it's sufficient.
I'd recommend taking a look at the Body by You book. It's basically the You are Your Own Gym workout, but redesigned specifically for women, with different progressions, etc.
My wife started YAYOG, but didn't make it past the first couple of days due to the difficulty. She's had much better success with Body by You though, and has stuck with it as a result.
Also, if you do end up getting that book, I'd recommend the paper version. It's going to be easier to reference the exercises, plus it has places to log your workouts, etc. And, it's only $.10 more than the Kindle version right now.
I have seen a lot of people over on fitocracy use the book You Are Your Own Gym Seems like a of people like this guys books. Also I have heard good things about the Convict Conditioning.
Linkys
http://amzn.com/0345528581
Also one just for women
http://amzn.com/0345528972
I really like Science and Practice of Strength Training
One of my professors in college once told me that this would be the only book I'd ever need when it comes to programming.
Science and Practice of Strength Training
If you are just starting to train and are serious about it, I definitely recommend getting the book Strength Training Anatomy. It does an excellent job of depicting common strength training exercises, how to do them, and the muscles they target.
Here is an image of the page for the leg press that you might find useful, it should answer your question.
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.
I like Strength Training Anatomy ( http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371269884&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=weightlifting ) It's simple and short, shows you some of the best excises to do for each muscle group along with obviously the anatomy behind it/preventing injury etc.
Even though you can find out a lot of this online (well you can with anything really), I like flipping through this when I'm taking a shit or when I wan't to double check I'm doing an exercise right. Just a really good reference/shitter book
Just get Bigger, Leaner, Stronger. It's become the #1 best selling bodybuilding book because it covers everything you need to get started: diet, training, supplements. No BS.
I think you too, need to go your own way. I don't think it's a marriage ennder, but I feel that you need to build up youself up again. Its al old classic, but hit the gym, go hang with friends - and try to not let it get you down.
Born To Run by Christopher McDougal is all about the virtues of running barefoot and some great storytelling too.
Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews are good books that cover a lot of basics thoroughly. I would recommend only getting one of Matthews books as I've heard they are basically copies with pronouns swapped to be geared toward a different audience.
I basically followed this: https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG
Buy and read this (can be read on your computer if you truly have no device capable of running the Kindle software). https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA
DON'T DRINK THE MILK (that advice is for skinny teens that don't know how to add muscle mass).
Otherwise you can follow Starting Strength (SS) for a good long time and get linear gains. Nothing else really compiles the biomechanical break down of all the lifts in one place and it's a pretty safe way to go about the big, scary lifts if you don't feel like you know what you're doing.
You don't need to ingest special stuff to lift weights. The bible of weightlifting, Starting Strength, doesn't even mention it IIRC. Lifting heavy things is about the best exercise there is.
It is great to hear you have made it through 5th week mark. It means the habit is probably a little bit ingrained into your life style. That is a huge victory.
Speaking of the injuries, try to minimaze them by having a good form. It is easy to say, hard to acchieve though. The strenght training is a long term activity, take your time ..
I have been lifiting for some time (still sticking with 5x5) and the form perfection is a neverending story. I bought [Starting strength] (https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483370221&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength) book two days ago. It is a good book adressing the barb bell lifts (100+ pages about squat etc.) in order to get better technique. The book is very detailed and I tend to skip pages, it is a great source nevertheless.
Lift heavy weights, eat a lot, sleep a lot.
https://www.amazon.de/Starting-Strength-English-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1538156529&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=starting+strength
I highly recommend reading the book and doing the Starting Strength program as laid out. Has worked for literally everyone who has done it properly.
Leaner, Bigger, Stronger
I HIGHLY recommend Mike Mathews' book Bigger, Leaner, Stronger. He has a section in the book with specific workouts, and routines.
He also has great article on Vegan Bodybuilding [here] (http://www.muscleforlife.com/vegan-bodybuilding/)
Here's an excerpt from the article that highlights the important parts in regard to building muscle.
> if you want to maximize muscle growth…
> You want to ensure you’re not in a calorie deficit.
> You want to progressively overload your muscles.
> You want to focus on compound exercises.
> You want to limit your cardio.
> You want to eat plenty of carbs.
> And you want to eat enough protein.
> This last point is vitally important.
I hope his helps, and please feel free to ask me any other questions.
Here is a training book I use: https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG
If you haven't already go read Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Michael Matthews. Located here
Took me about four hours to read the whole book and it changed the way I work out, eat and look at gains. The best part of the book is the first few chapters when he defines all the terms of bodybuilding. You would be surprised how little you actually know.
I am in week two now of his program and it is brutal but fun. Everyone I talk to thinks I am insane (ONLY three exercises most days?! Only four sets of six reps?) but the science of overloading is proven and it has definitely helped me mentally and physically with soreness/gain ratio.
Also, are you keeping a good log of what you are doing and eating? I thought I was eating a lot of calories and protein but after logging for two weeks, I found that I was coming up short in both areas. Only 3200 calories on average and just barely at my protein intake. Low GI carbs had to be increased and a lot of foods I thought were Low GI carbs were actually high GI carbs.
Make sure you stick to your log and log everything you eat. Use calorieking.com to figure out the values of all your foods. Do not forget to include dressings/cheese/bread when computing. I think you will be amazed at how different the actual amounts are than what you thought!
Hope this helps.
Yeah here's an Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XF5BTG/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_xYBavb1WVKFCF
I started out doing Insanity. And that was a kick in my ass. I was 245 and got down to 200. Then went down to 160 through this that and the other (P90X, more Insanity, gyms). Went up and down from 175 to 195 for like two years. Did Keto, did Intermittent Fasting. Did Herbalife. I did a lot of different things and basically I feel like this book is the easiest and most straightforward approach to weightloss. Could not recommend anything more.
Edit: No one really talks about AFTER you lose the weight. And that's where I think people fuck up the most. I've been trying to find equilibrium for years. I feel like now, almost 4 years after I started this journey from Fat guy to kinda fit guy, that I finally understand how to get where I want to be. Book was the final piece of the puzzle.
I use this book: https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG
Really simple guide to working out and eating right. Highly recommend.
Im exactly your height now sitting at 158 lb around 12% BF.
About 4 years ago I was 110 lb so you have a better starting point, at 17. I wish I had started lifting at your age I began my journey at 23 so you will get results quicker but not immediate.
I also have some sort of scoliosis, and I say some some sort because I have never been to a doctor to officially give me a diagnosis but I tell you that before I had this extreme unbalance whereas my right shoulder was way down so when I walked I looked like a zombie.
Weightlifting has improved this DRAMATICALLY I still have the imbalance but is way less, as for substitutes Im not sure man imo I would say for you to try deadlift and squat but with the bar or body only and experiment a lot till you find your perferct position, feet, stance etc then you can gradually go from there
Im not sure about gains in AX1 which I am sure there is gains buuuuut dont set your expectations high you WONT gain lots of weight in only 90 days this is a journey that will take years, be patient, the gains are waiting for you but they are slow......if you set your expectations high you will be dissapointed. I have done MAX SIZE and got decent results BUT even so that I have been lifting for years I wish I had done AX1 first so you are on the right path.
I wouldn't advise to take the route of dirty bulking, I did it and yes I gained weight but most of the fat goes to your belly and in my case face so I had this big waist with skinny rest of the body, it looks idiotic. Eat clean, dont take the mass gainers route.
I didn't start with AthleanX I started with the Bigger Leaner Sronger by Mike Matthews book, I recommend you read it first and even you could try his program which is also science based and then jump into AX1, either one is ok but I would read his book first.
https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1525477971&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=bigger+leaner+stronger
You can read online for $9.99. Seriously it is worth your time. 27 months ago I read the book and began seriously barbell training. I can now deadlift 500 lbs, bench over 300 lbs, OHP 235 lb, and squat 435 lbs at a bodyweight of 175 lb.
Read the book.
here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1410299860&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
$10 for the Kindle version of Starting Strength.
I recently started going to the gym as a total newbie, and I found that using the Starting Strength program has given me really great results.
The book is only $10 on the kindle:
https://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA
The beauty of Starting Strength is that all you need is a power rack for equipment. So any gym that has one will do, and the exercises only take about 45 minutes to go through, three times a week. The progress while on the program is pretty magical.
On weight gain - this part is actually easier than you think. I've been a skinny dude for 26 good years, wondering why I could never gain weight despite years of consistent effort in the gym, then put on 45 good pounds last offseason. Get yourself on a good weight training program that focuses on basic compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press), as well as a power movement (power clean or power snatch).
If you're willing to put in the time, read Starting Strength, which is the book that turned me around. 1000% would recommend. This book has the Starting Strength program, too, which has exactly the parameters I discussed above. Stronglifts 5x5 is pretty good too.
Most importantly, you need to eat a fuck load while you're doing this. Lots of protien (1g/pound of body weight). Keep track of this in a calorie counter (MyFitnessPal is good), and make sure you're gaining on average 1 pound per week (will be more at the start). Be consistent with your work and diet all through your offseason, and it will come.
On tackling - My first couple seasons, I played wing, and was terribly shitty at tackling. I spent a year in the pack, which almost got me there (now full time second row!). Once I put on the weight, my confidence in contact soared and I had no problems making tackles. I even played a game or two back on the wing and still made tackles out there, too. The key thing, I found, was mentally training myself to get low enough. As a tall fella, it's hard for me to get low in tackles... I always knew I needed to get low, but could never actually do it in games. I use a mental cue now to get low - it can really only get me to about hip/waist level, but I have enough leverage in my height that it's good enough for me. Deadlifting will help you a bit in recognizing this motor pattern.
Also, this video really helped me visualize the tackling technique within the context of a game (posted on this sub a few months ago). It's football, but the technique discussed is much more like rugby tackling, rather than typical unsafe gridion type of head charges.
The only disadvantage from it all is nobody can lift me in lineouts anymore :) I lift now, which is great for me, since I sucked at jumping anyway.
Good luck - Lift hard, eat big, and tackle strong. I've been in your almost-exact same situation.
Edit: Just wanted to reiterate a point I noticed in /u/GaryDo's post. Don't forget that size and strength are only a couple of tools inside of your rugby player bag. Important tools if used well, for sure, but there are many other skills that make a great player. You'll need fitness, contact technique, agility, game sense, and all that wonderful stuff. But in the mean time, don't be ashamed to concentrate on one goal.
You might want to check out r/powerlifting as well as the links on the sidebar here. Greg Nuckols who is popular over at r/powerlifting and also with my coach, has a beginner, intermediate, and advanced program you can download for free (you do need to give him your email address). Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe is also quite popular and has a beginner program in it. Finally, u/gczl has created a program that is very popular over on r/powerlifting.
One suggestion I would make is that you find a local powerlifting competition and attend it. It will give you an idea of the flow of a meet and maybe give you an opportunity to meet some local lifters and find out where they train.
For those in the US, it's $9.99. Definitely a good deal if you don't need a hard copy.
www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA
8,95€ on the german amazon.de. Definitely worth it. :)
You can download the Kindle edition and read it directly on your computer.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook-dp-B006XJR5ZA/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=mt_kindle?_encoding=UTF8&amp;me=&amp;qid=
I got the kindle version
Check amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1410941216&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
If OP wants to low-bar squat, all the Starting Strength material is going to be helpful. Check out the book from the library! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/
Low-bar is definitely a weird position... for my first set of warmups, I'm always like "MY BODY DOESN'T BEND LIKE THAT" but by the time I'm halfway through warmups, it's like "O HAI I CAN DO IT!"
I too work a desk job, and I think that low-bar squat posture is helpful in counteracting the rounded-in shoulders that we get from typing all day.
I started with Starting Strength. It’s a book that explains the basic lifts and outlines a basic barbell program. Do that for awhile then move on to a more advanced program.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
it's not just about having a gym membership, make sure you use it! The biggest obstacle for me was ignorance of what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.
Read this so you understand the what and why.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395930051&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
Watch these so you understand the how.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMAiNQJ6FPc&amp;list=PLNhFKPjedRnRrgZbcM1TbI7YTD0pxqMgH
Never let yourself NOT go to the gym for more than 3 consecutive days. Put in the work for just a couple weeks and you'll see great results!
And remember, "learn before you load". Don't be that guy who tries to do too much too soon.
Good luck!
Lou Schuler has a youtube channel with some form videos, but not a lot of useful cues, so I didn't find those particularly illuminating. Starting Strength, the book, has a lot of awesome discussion of body mechanics and proper form for the main exercises, which I would be most worried about for getting proper form; if you're more of a visual learner, there's a dvd that goes with it. And here's a youtube playlist for some of the most common exercises. Most of these people are well respected fitness professionals, with blogs and youtube channels that are worth following.
For form, I also wouldn't worry too much about some of the smaller, isolation exercises. Do your best to follow the directions in the book. Make sure you do a good job on the compound movements though, especially as you up your weight.
On the routine you can go to /r/bodybuilding. Just don't tell them you're vegan. :o)
Get 1g per pound of bodyweight of protein (protein powder seems to be the easiest way to do this on a vegan diet) daily.
Get 3-500 kcal above daily maintenance levels to fuel growth.
Use Starting Strength.
Ideally you stay in the 8-12 rep range per set (2-3 sets).
Don't train all muscles on all days. Split it up. One day chest, one day legs, one day shoulders and back, something like that.
You can push yourself more and each muscle group has more time to recover and grow.
You may also find further help on http://veganbodybuilding.com
Have patience. This project will realistically take about 3 years to completion if done right (which is no time really and you'll see continuous improvement from the first months on). You will get more of those gains in the beginning, which should soothe some of that impatience.
Personally, I would recommend hitting up /r/bodyweightfitness (they have a loosely defined Beginner Routine in their Training Guide, but you would be good with the recommended Start Bodyweight routine), but you may prefer getting Starting Strength and working with weights instead. A hybrid of the two is most effective because after a certain point, there isn't a whole lot you can do to increase difficulty on your leg workouts without adding weights; to start off, though, you'll do fine with just bodyweight.
Of course, that's just my opinion. Others may have different and/or better advice.
Starting Strength.
I do 3 days a week, with two routines. Routine A and Routine B, which you rotate through. Week 1: A , B , A . Week 2. B , A, B, etc. Consists of deadlifts, Overhead press, bench press, squats, rows, dips or chinups(I do both). So, I do 4 work outs in each routine. Squats are in both of them.
I totally get the idea for a coach. I also would like to have someone coach my form. I started with starting strength from Rippetoe, which is a great way to get the basic form, but someone who knows who can watch is nice to have.
Haha no worries, I'm not super fat actually I'm just really unfit. I just got a treadmill and started Couch-to-5k.
http://www.shaolintiger.com/category/fitness/couch-to-5k-fitness/
My body type scan already rates me as 'heavily muscled'.
I tried the slow carb diet before, but it didn't really work out for me. But yah I've cut out sugary drinks, snacking etc and am trying to eat better. Just want to get into generally better shape.
Resistance training is great of course, I've read http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/faq and http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/faq
I even bought he most recommended book - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
So yah, getting there :)
OP - you should start going to the gym and working out too. You'll gain confidence, have more energy, look better, increase testosterone production -> higher sex drive, be healthier, etc.
You can try to go with your wife, but don't let her dissuade you from going if she isn't supportive (this seems weird to me but maybe she wants to go alone since going with another person is slower, or she thinks you won't be serious about it and would be a waste of her time to teach you). You don't need another person to workout anyway. All you need is Starting Strength, which will teach you the 5 main compound movements. Once you've read this, go to www.stronglifts.com to setup a routine that uses these 5 main compound movements.
This is exactly what I did 4 years ago. I never set foot in a weight training area before. I was a complete and utter noob, but I had drive and wanted to learn how to lift and get stronger. The first workouts were awkward as I learned my way around the gym and how to use the equipment, and I was incredibly sore afterwards. It turns out that you get less sore as your body adjusts to exercise, and awkwardness goes away with just a bit of experience. Within 4 months I had gained noticeable weight and strength - and even knew the lifts pretty well. My friends noticed and started going to the gym with me so I could teach them - they considered me the resident expert on strength training. But really all I did was read Starting Strength, watch some Youtube videos, and do the lifts myself.
You asked how to get back on equal footing - I think doing the above would be a great start. You'll probably eventually surpass your wife on lifts, since men are stronger than women on average. Good luck.
buy yourself a copy of starting strength it will teach you everything you need to know to begin sport related strength training. basically the exercises that are being mentioned here, squat, deadlift, powerclean, also bench press and overhead press.
to starting strength I have added dips, chins, sprints, and I wish my gym had a climbing rope.
disclaimer: I've been weight training significantly longer than I've practiced judo. I would like to say that there are no exercises that will directly relate to anything. to get better at judo you must do more judo. being strong helps out in a multitude of other life-related things, It's really important to me that I be physically strong. but it hasn't given me much of an advantage in judo. at least not over someone who is generally physically fit. I can deadlift 400lbs, the only time I felt this was applicable in a judo situation was while training turtle turnovers, which I've never actually seen done in competition. I've been owned in newaza by smaller dudes who either haven't lifted in a long time, or don't actively lift. my weight training felt useless.
what I'm saying is, it's not that big of a deal, if you're physically weak, you need to get stronger, but don't expect it to really help your judo that much.
To make a very brief comment about a very large subject, most trainers and fighters agree that hi-weight lo-rep compound lifts build the most useful strength for MMA. The idea is to train fundamental body movements, not individual muscles. There's no better way to do that than the old strongman exercises: squat, deadlift, press, and pull.
As a couple others have mentioned, Starting Strength is an excellent book to get started on this:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371684840&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
But these are pretty technical lifts. One bad rep and you can really fuck up your back, or shoulder, or lots of things. So that book is only worth a damn if it's supplemental to somebody teaching you how to squat and deadlift without hurting yourself, how to put weight overhead with good form.
The subreddit at r/fitness is probably a better place for you to learn about this stuff, by the way-- check out their FAQ.
Get Starting Strength, read the whole thing, then do the program.
Don't fuck with it. Don't be put off by its apparent simplicity. Don't change it up. Don't think you'll just add a few more sets, etc.
Just Do. The. Program.
And that's it. You'll have several months of linear gains, and by the time you start stalling, and are ready to move to an intermediate program, you'll be far ahead of where you currently are. Assuming you continue to read & study during this time, you'll be well-prepared for the next step.
Hi,
3rd edition is like literally just about to be released. Don't buy the second edition.
edit: it IS out - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322144628&amp;sr=1-2
Kindle edition should be available in less than a month.
The book Starting Strength can be a big help. And what others have said. Don't be afraid of people either. Trust me when I say no one who is seriously lifting is paying attention to what anyone else is doing.
Do yourself a huge favor and don't restrict your exercise to cardio. If anything strength training is much more important and will yield much faster results.
Read this book cover to cover (for serious): http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
Check out r/fitness and r/weightroom.
I am a big fan of Mark Rippitoe's starting strength.
https://startingstrength.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in being stronger.
Absolutely.
I recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409757928&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
It is the bible for powerlifters. Power lifting is really three main lifts, the Deadlift, the Squat, and the Benchpress. The Deadlift and the Squat in particular, build and strengthen your core.
The best tool for guidance is a basic Anatomy and Physiology textbook, to see all of the muscles, their origins and insertions, and how they generate force. However, that's time consuming and somewhat boring, so here are some quick links to books that have information regarding exercise specificity; i.e. what to do for which muscles you want to work out:
Still halfway decent and for both genders, despite the title.
Not such a fan of Rippetoe, as I tend to go the bodybuilder route, and strength is less of a priority, but still a good source.
--------------------------
Also, if you're so inclined, a purchasing a single session with a personal trainer to help you sort out your program would do wonders. (Make sure the trainer has some sort of certification, though--B.S. or higher in Sports Medicine/Exercise Science/Athletic Training, ACSM, NCSA, etc.)
I've never seen one. There's an FTM fitness sub that's not very active, and I don't use it. But let me leave you with some resources.
First, general healthy living + nerdom: Nerd Fitness (www.nerdfitness.com)
Second, if you want to get into lifting, scrounge your house for change if you have to and buy this book: Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467178753&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength)
I'm lazy about embedding links. It may be worth noting that I have no affiliations with either Nerd Fitness or Mark Rippetoe. Also a disclaimer: Starting Strength is a strength program, not a bodybuilding program; although you'll probably lose fat and put on some muscle as a result, it's basically a side effect of becoming stronger. However, even if you do decide you'd rather train in more of a bodybuilding style, it never hurts to have a good foundation in general strength. Also it's really cool to be able to pick heavy things up and put them down.
Rippetoe taught me 90% of what I know about lifting and programming. I started with basically no knowledge at all, and less than a year later (I started around last September) I can just bang out a 200lb+ squat. (For reference, my max squat before starting T was 190lbs. I realize that T does make a difference in strength performance.) In my time lifting I've seen myself get a little bit leaner--I was already fairly lean by female standards, and losing more weight wasn't really a goal of mine--and I packed on about 10lbs of muscle before starting T, which did loads for my confidence. (T note again: since starting T I've put on another 6lbs.) In the end I would say I did look more masculine, but not necessarily less feminine; as with many trans guys, I'll forever be keeping my birthing hips, but seeing myself develop biceps has been really cool and rewarding. And, to be honest, if you don't get anything else out of it: It's kind of hard to dislike your body--however it looks--when you find yourself performing at a level that you never thought you could.
Feel free to PM me/ask questions/whatever.
PS: Both squatting and deadlifts will do wonders for your back and core. I owe my back to deadlifts. And overhead presses build some beautiful deltoids and triceps.
Buy this book and read it
Good intro to free weights.
Nutrition comes next. Check out r/fitness, they have a good FAQ.
Check out Starting Strength -- follow the program and you will most definitely see your strength go up.
Starting Strength - Form
[Practical Programming] (http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407078295&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=starting+strength) - How to plan your workouts
THE book.
The accompanying site, which has gone through pretty big makeover lately to become more user- and beginner-friendly. Check out the link "Learn More" at the top for a good intro and links to important articles hosted on the site.
Starting Strength is excellent as far as the theory and execution of the lifts, but the program as written can be tough, sometimes too tough depending on your lifestyle and other obligations. Other programs with similar philosophies but more modest workloads include Greyskull LP, 5/3/1 (not great for novices, but super flexible for intermediates), and Madcow 5x5. Ice Cream Fitness 5x5, Stronglifts 5x5 and some others seem to be popular with beginners as well.
If I were you, I'd obtain a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, and actually read it, and follow his advice.
I recommend purchasing and reading the SS book (https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1474557039&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength) and following the program as prescribed. It has loads of other info about barbell training besides just the details of the program. Practical Programming is good, but I wouldn't recommend it for a novice.
If you just started the novice program and are already missing lifts, then did you start the program with too much weight?
Do you want to share your numbers, your age, and body weight?
The SS forums are a great place to ask questions too, but you're gonna get ripped to shreds if you say you're doing the program, but haven't read the book. :P
This is a great book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/
Starting Strength
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;sr=&amp;qid=
Awesome! I'd highly recommend Starting Strength because it is simple and effective. Only 3 sessions per week, 3 lifts per session, and each session only takes around 1 hour.
This is where I'd start:
Then once your equipment gets set up, just follow the program, eat enough (seriously, this is damn near the most important thing), don't miss training sessions, and post form checks and ask questions over at r/startingstrength.
If you do that, as long as you don't have some infinitesimally rare disease, in the next 3, 6, 9, and 12 months you'll get stronger and bigger than you ever imagined. Just do the program. It's going to be hard work, but it really is that simple.
Good luck!
Starting Strength is a book/lifting program that's a pretty good starting point for doing barbell lifting.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/
Keep it simple and, more importantly, do not over-think it.
If you are a beginner, just about any well-designed programme will work door at least a few months.
Have a look in r/powerlifting and r/fitness FAQs for comments on the various programmes.
If you want to understand the theory:
Buy this book and read it.
I'm not an expert so buy the book starting strength before you start lifting. You want high volume/low reps though.
First, understand that there is no such thing as mental illness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXMJ9lVBvVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Riet8REzsQ
Then, eat well (+meat, -sugar), sleep well, go do high intensity low duration exercises (something like http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_4 or brazilian Jiujitsu).
Then, find something that you like, that is in demand and that you have some talent. Then hit MMOCs, books, torrents and all that.
Deadlifts are a completely different movement, with the weight in a completely different position, which activates muscles at a completely different angle. To fully activate the posterior chain in a back squat you must go below parallel.
If you want to learn the nitty gritty differences between the major lifts I recommend this book, and in here he explicitly states the fact that I mentioned, that you only fully activate the posterior chain below parallel in a back squat:
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486673097&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
Is this the correct starting strength book to buy? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
Starting Strength is the place to start. Dry as hell. Read it all the way through. Start light and simple. Do it right, and you will see results by week 2, I promise. It changed my life.
Take an honest look at your diet. Again, start simple. The best place to begin is to start cutting out "dead" food. If it doesn't resemble what it looked like when it was picked or slaughtered, try getting rid of it. Sugar is your enemy. Alcohol is another one - particularly if you are using it to sedate.
This is a long journey, my friend. Take the time to study, make changes in small steps. One day you won't even recognize the man you are today.
Good luck, brother.
You can always get started with bodyweightfitness but if you truly want to build more lean mass then you are going to have to start lifting heavy things.
From a practical perspective, this means getting a gym membership for 95% of people. But you could also start doing a lot more manual labor.
I think it's ludicrous you think a gym membership is out of your budget. Make it work if you want it, friend. I'd bet my bottom dollar there's an affordable option near you. As a hint, don't just look at big name gyms like Gold's, Vasa, 24 hour, etc. You can often find smaller "garage" style gyms or boxing gyms with weight equipment and they're often way cheaper with less contractual bullshit. Post in your city's subreddit and do some digging.
And if you're interested in educating yourself about how the body builds and uses muscle, I highly suggest reading the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe to learn the fundamentals.
Also, read the sidebar over on /r/fitness
> if I go even further down my back collapses even more....what do I do to fix that?
As u/BR33ZY, you need to deload your squat weight and fix your form while re-progressing.
> Also should I sit back and squat or is it more of a straight down motion? This is the biggest thing confusing me right now.
We're talking about the low bar squat here. It's different from the high bar squat in many aspects.
The idea is to push your hips back and descend untill you hit depth, then push your hips up.
For this it's better to watch and read than to just read.
To watch:
To read:
Cheers!
https://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
tl;dr crossfit = shit, κτίσε δύναμη με deadlift, squat, bench press, press, chin ups, rows.
Keeping in mind affordability and portability, a powerlifting spin (and that I’m on mobile, so sorry about formatting):
I'm the same age. Was a casual gym goer, then I discovered Starting Strength and fell in love!
Starting Strength is simple, quick, and the advancement feels and is noticeable. It's a really good program!
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oRu1CbGMY8G06
Drinking caffeine doesn't affect your bone density, unless you have some illness I've never heard of.
If you're worried about bone density, anyway, buy a copy of Starting Strength and start lifting. You're at the perfect age for it.
A few things I can see from your squat (also, I'm close to a beginner myself so take this all with a grain of salt): I'm not sure from this angle if you're doing a low bar squat or a high bar squat: looks a little high to me. And your wrist position is letting the bar roll around on your back. Your wrists should stay in line with your forearms: like your throwing a punch, not doing a pushup. I found this video helpful at addressing both issues. This is my favorite general squat video. And chalk is important for getting a good grip on heavy weights; I never train without it.
Also hard to tell if you're doing this from this angle but it helped me with any knee issues I was having. When you squat down, you want to start by shoving your butt backwards. That's what should initiate the movement, not bringing your knees forward. You then want to continue the movement by bending your knees forward and outwards, keeping them in line with the 30 degree angle of your feet (I can't see if your feet are wide enough or pointed far enough apart from this angle). BUT don't let your knees go beyond the tips of your toes! Some people train this by putting a block of wood or something in front of their toe to they can train not knocking it over on the way down. You make up for this by shoving your butt out farther so you can get down nice and low, which also helps engage proper hip drive recruitment of the posterior chain muscles. The knees in front of the toes thing is known to cause knee issues.
Important: focus your gaze on a point on the floor just five feet in front of you while squatting. I've started actually putting an object there for me to laser in on. Keep your chest puffed up and your chin low, like you're holding a tennis ball there with your chin.
Your bar path isn't quite vertical; I can see it moving forward as you go down in the video. Some of the things I've suggested should help there. In general, the mental cue to keep the bar over your mid foot is helpful for me.
I think you're going down far enough; It's hard to tell because of your gym shorts. Maybe just a little bit farther would be good. I find it's way easier to get back up when I go down far, even though that's scary! That combined with shoving your butt back will activate hip drive.
Your deadlift form looks pretty good! I can see just a little bit of back rounding on your last couple reps, which is best to avoid. But that can happen as we get fatigued. Try lying down on the floor and doing some back extensions just to feel the muscles your should be flexing hard during the lift to keep your back extended.
Also focus in general a bit more! I can see you glancing at people around the room and the gears in your head turning during your set. It's best to try and get in the zone, blocking everything else out. I worry over and work on form during my warm up sets, but try to just let my body do its thing during the work sets. If there's a form issue, I'll correct it on my next workout instead of trying to change anything between work reps. All I'm thinking during the work sets is, "NO HISTRIONICS - ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP! ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP..."
I'm not sure about squatting barefoot. I know some people deadlift that way, but I haven't heard squatting barefoot recommended. These are great and you can get them for <$60 if you don't care about the color. Made all the difference for me - keeps your ankles and knees stable while letting your push nice and hard.
Embrace the DOMS - love the DOMS. There's a difference between pain and injury. I was getting crazy DOMS for a while, but did my squats anyway. The DOMS were gone by the end of the workout (and then came back twice as hard the next day!). But eventually that stopped and I don't get DOMS much anymore.
Overuse and possible medical issues are no joke. I've never had an injury worse than the time I spent two full days walking around Washington DC in dress shoes. Most doctors don't understand training, but get their advice about your knees anyway. I'd blame your knee issues on your job before blaming them on squatting.
If you haven't already, definitely read Starting Strength no matter what program you're moving towards.
Starting Strength - by Mark Rippetoe
Get on a workout plan. Pick up a copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, and turn it into your new Bible. Read as much as you can on Lyle McDonald's website on exercise and nutrition.
Lyle McDonald is the ultimate guru of exercise and nutrition. He will fill in the areas Mark Rippetoe doesn't when it comes to diet and exercise beyond the beginner phase of training. Mark Rippetoe has great knowledge on barbell lifting, but he's a guy who trains powerlifters primarily. He's not going to teach you anything about dumbbells, machines, cardio and other non-barbell stuff. Mark tends to be kind of a meat head due to his preference for powerlifting as a goal beyond any other exercise goals. Don't follow any of Mark Rippetoe's diet advice. He will make you strong, but also very fat. He's a power over aesthetics guy. Lyle teaches training for a variety of goals, including powerlifting, bodybuilding, endurance athletics, injured training, etc.
Use Mark Rippetoe to build a foundation, then build the muscle castle with Lyle McDonald once you're past newbie level.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
This will give you a good base.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
There is the book. You should get it.
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
There is the wiki. It has basic info. Use YouTube to learn some technique, and ask experienced lifters at your gym or take workshops if you can.
Keep working hard and working smart. It will pay off greatly. And learn about nutrition for lifting. It will help a lot.
Just a reminder that we're not being hardasses on you because we do squats and think everybody else should suffer as well -- it's been proven again and again that it's THE exercise in weightlifting. I'd strongly recommend Mark Rippetoe's book if you want to get your form down (make the trap pain go away) and become a beast:
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1373834147&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=mark+rippetoe
If you ever get comfortable with the idea of weightlifting, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Lift 3 days a week about 45 min per workout. this book was hands down the best $30 I ever spent in my quest for fitness. http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
The only thing I would advise different from the book is to add some direct arm work into your program (curls, triceps extensions, etc). After years of primarily working the big compound lifts, I have big legs, shoulders and chest, but my arms are scrawny by comparison.
Don't do the zyzz workout unless you're on the juice. It's not as efficient training as it could be. I personally like doing GSLP, but you can also do SL5x5 or SS.
These are better for a begginner for sure, because you can hit your body harder more times per week and still grow stronger. Also these all include lifts that raise test.
Rippetoe in [Practical Programming] (http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754) states that an individual should consume a mL of water for every calorie consumed. If you consume 2000 calories, drink 2 liters of water. He avoids making a blanket statement like, "drink a gallon a day."
As someone mentioned, 5/3/1 BBB is an option.
If you've been sticking with every session or weekly progression on your 5x5 you might do well to switch to Texas Method (or similar) for a bit.
I'm still weak and small but I had noticeable increases in my shoulders and arms when I switched to 5/3/1 BBB after a 5x5/3x5 program. I'm doing a 4 day Texas Method style program now and the gains are continuing. As per Practical Programming for Strength Training I'll be rotating through my intensity lifts (when I can't do 1x5, switch to 2x3, then 3x2, then 5x1, then drop weight and back to 1x5) but I still get the volume with the volume days/lifts.
There are a variety of options here, #8 specifically mentions hypertrophy. My program most closely resembles #9 (but with 5x5 for most of my volume lifts).
I don't have experience with it but Andy Baker (author of the above mentioned book along with Rippetoe) has a "Garage Gym Builder" program that works with limited equipment, and has info for assistance exercises which may feed your bodybuilding itch. Andy Baker also has some useful videos on YouTube.
https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
These books support sets of five and gives sound scientific reasoning for it.
Please do not bombard a beginner with information overload! My ex taught me how to lift weights, and we started by going to the gym together and learning barbell movements. That is probably the most incorrectly used equipment in the weight room. I did this for a few months with him, until I felt comfortable enough to go on my own. Teach the basics first! Introduce a little bit of information, slowly over time.
Get her this [book] (https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398) - it changed my life!
Also, you may want to check out [r/XXfitness] (https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/)
Lift heavy things. I recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm just finishing up phase 4 and it really works!
I've heard good things about The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
This article from Nerd Fitness is also pretty inspirational.
If you have a Kindle you can purchase it from Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1583333398
Nook, I'm assuming Barns & Noble would have it online. Other ebook formats I am unsure of.
The "book" i was referencing was just a confusino I had in the link. http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398. It was right next to starting strength, (book title here). Thought it was one phrase.
Check out /r/xxfitness
I also recomend the book New Rules of Lifting for Women or Strong Curves.
I did NROLFW, and really enjoyed it, and at some point in the future I look forward to trying out Strong Curves.
Strong Curves by Bret Contreras. He has an amazing program that is adaptable for any goal, including muscle gain and he breaks down how to calculate your calories for your goals. Or the book 'The new rules of weightlifting for women.' I love both and have linked them on Amazon for you here: Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608642/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o5Dszb8RJXVTA
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_I6DszbVY1A4RJ
New rules of lifting might be more of what you're looking for and it has a great section on optimal protien intake for muscle growth but the strong curves workout is great for the glutes:) good luck!
Have her read the book listed in the sidebar: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
It's a great read for anybody who is a little sensitive or clueless about diet. I honestly bought it more for the lifting stuff, and I hate the voice used in the narrative of this book, but I think it will give her the resources she needs to both understand it AND feel confident about it herself.
this is a really good resource for women to begin lifting
NROLW. Eat big, lift big, feel fantastic.
Also gonna second what m092 said, and then disagree a little bit. In the end, do whichever will make you healthy and happy:
>include someone in your life about what is going on.
If you're the type of person who is going to obsess about diet, that's ok, just make it a good diet. If you can redirect that energy towards a more wholesome end, hopefully you can start behaving as if every time you vomit, you're vomiting all your gains.
Okay, go early, I mean EARLY. If you can, be there when it opens as college gyms tend to get annoying and distracting as the day progresses
SL 5x5 is okay, but I found it narrow in scope and overpriced to expand. However, it tracks progress better than the other apps I've tried. Currently using Perfect Body, but you can't track well in it and you can't modify, just doing it to give a fair finish review.
Admittedly, I have not tried Strong Curves.
My sister swears by this book: https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
She is standard fit/athletic, I'm more of a draft animal.
WEIGHT TRAIN. And dude, you'll love it cuz you'll feel soooo powerful and kick-assy.
I follow a routine found in book called "New Rules of Lifting." It's my and my co-workers bible. There's also "New Rules of Lifting for Women," which is okay, but you know, I like the feeling of following a program designed for dudes, who gain muscle a lot quicker than us womens....Almost like I'm fighting the patriarchy one rep at a time.
Have fun! And congrats on losing all dat weight.
Also sober 3 years. I'm pretty sure 98% of recovering alcoholics are all or nothing people...we struggle with moderation in so many things.
I hate counting calories. Its just another goddamn thing to frustrate me. A few months ago I decided I'd focus on getting stronger rather than lighter. I spent the first month lifting weights 3 times a week but not eating healthy. Fuck it, pizza? Sounds good. Burgers? Yep!
I followed a plan called StrongLifts 5X5. You start off low weight and add 5lbs per workout. Before I knew it, I had some muscle under my flab. Then I started realizing I wanted to SEE those muscles. At that point I started taking my diet more seriously. I learned a lot about how to train and use my food to support that training. I'm not all the way there, but I like the results so far.
I have gotten numerous compliments from coworkers, women have started flirting with me a little, my girlfriend has been VERY happy with the changes AND I have a ton of energy to play with my kids. I also dropped 25lbs and got some definition in my arms and legs. For me, Lifting weights>losing weight
I also incorporate at least one hot yoga class into my routine. The yoga is great for mindfulness (which has been mentioned in other comments). You are stuck in a hot room, sweating your ass off, standing in strange positions and its hard for anything else to invade your thoughts. Even an hour of clear thought is super beneficial. My girlfriend does 2-3 a week, she loves it.
I know a lot of women think that weight training will make you bulky, but its all about choosing what you want. You can hit the weights and keep a slim female figure. I have read some really great things about [Strong Curves] (https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642) and Lift like a Man Look Like a Goddess ( Book Link).
If counting calories doesn't make you happy just try something new. Find a healthy thing that makes you feel good and do THAT thing, then do that and try add another healthy thing. See what sticks and focus on that.
You got this!
Sorry for the wall of text! Sobriety and exercise are 2 VERY important things in my life and I love talking about them.
this book gets some good reviews. I bought it for my wife when she was looking for something similar, the stuff I read out of it seemed pretty good.
I am a few weeks into The New Rules of Lifting for Women and i LOVE IT. I've tried a few other programs, but as a (sort of) beginner, this has worked the best for me. I also read Starting Strength prior to starting/watched a ton of videos to understand how to do the movements. Good luck!!
I'm currently working my way through the workout plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women. So far it's been working great and I can see visible changes!
> I, on the other hand, am seeking out a therapist that specializes in codependency and has some expertise with borderlines. I want to know why I'm drawn to them, and how to stop it in the future. Each day is getting a little brighter as I start asking myself what I would like to do.
Amen to this, brother. You are exactly where I was a couple of years ago. Seeing your own therapist makes a huge difference going forward. If I hadn't done that, I'm sure I would have fallen into the same pattern with relationships. You'll learn what your own weaknesses are and then it's easy to spot when someone is manipulating you because of them. <Spoiler> It probably happens way more often than you even realize. Getting control of this aspect of your life, means getting control of nearly all of your life. You will start living for yourself, likely for the first time in your life.
Good luck to you.
P.S. Be prepared for her to re-neg on things as deadlines draw near. Remember, one of the the most overriding fears for a borderline is Abandonment (whether real or imagined). When it's real, about to be on paper, in court, that you are leaving her, she will flip shit. Anything she rationally understands or agreed to will go out the window. I recommend you and your lawyer both have a copy of this book: http://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
One more thing from my personal experience (yours may vary). My BPD ex-wife suggested we go through divorce mediators rather than a traditional divorce with lawyers fighting each other. I agreed. We wasted 4 months and lots of money on the mediators as she would agree to everything, then when it was time to sign the agreements, she would change her mind on big items. Then we'd start over, she'd become agreeable again, then at the last minute, change her mind again. She can't control her emotions, they control her, she can't help it. Finally, I had to go the traditional route to get it done. I should have done this from the beginning.
I’m so sorry for how hard your life is with this man. You are living on eggshells! You deserve freedom.
I highly recommend the book “splitting“ - it will help you keep yourself safe if/when you undertake the difficult process of leaving a narcissist.
https://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
Good luck! You can do this! I highly recommend posting over on /r/narcissisticabuse
Are you divorcing? Or were you never married?
If so look into this book:
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608820254/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_r2vRBb2RFAE9T
I am in a very similar situation at the moment. We started out in mediation and I believed it was for the kids benefit that I do the every other weekend routine (or, if I decided to take her generous offer, every weekend).
Once I asked for 50% parenting time she completely flipped. I have had several emails where she accuses me of being a danger to the children and recently she threatened to try and take out a restraining order after I drove off when she started to yell at me and charge up to my car to continue to yell at me.
I have several examples of her poor and contradictory behavior in email, and my lawyer has the same information now too. She has reported that she doesn't have enough money to run the A/C in the house, but that same weekend she got a matching tattoo with her boyfriend. She has even gone as far to contact my new girlfriend behind my back to arrange a meeting "for the kids". I am happy that my girlfriend is a licensed therapist and can not only see through her manipulation, but can also help me remain calm and vet my emails so that they follow the BIFF statement detailed in another comment here.
I live in a single party notification state, so I keep audio recordings of each and every verbal conversation so she can't misrepresent the situation after the fact.
In order to keep yourself balanced, make sure you surround yourself with good friends and talk to them. Seeing a therapist is also a good step and will be a positive item to the court. As she loses control over you and you quit reacting to her she will become more angry and more manipulative. Be careful as she will use others against you. Emails which are quite benign that I have sent have been answered with 2 page long invective's that repeat how I am a poor father and that I am snide, condescending and that I am constantly angry.
I recently picked up the following book from the library:
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder
http://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
I have yet to finish it, but it has good information on how you should act, how to help yourself and your lawyer. You will be insulted in court, she will try to make you look like a poor father. The best defense it to know you are a good father and that you can show you are taking the high road.
I'm sorry you have to go through this, it is tough to have someone you thought had your best interests in mind to turn around and attack you with the intimate knowledge of your life. But this is really about protecting yourself and being the best you can be for your children.
I wish you luck.
This is sort of tangential advice, but he (and you, too) might be interested in this book. Divorces can be very messy, but tons of people go through them and survive, and there are many professionals who are used to dealing with high conflict personalities.
Awesome post and great comments, some really good advice all around.
Well done on getting this far friend.
This book may be useful to your right now
Some good ideas here already.
I'd additionally recommend Splitting, by the author of Walking on Eggshells.
https://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
The advice to proceed as though she is borderline I think is sound, it's a hope for the best, but prepare for the worst tactic that can protect you. The advice to lawyer up is good I think, especially since you are able to take custody, best to start on collating data for that now. It's good you have other people behind you, stat decs from them will be invaluable, the more direct quotes statements contain, and precise dates and times, the better.
Hopefully Batmanrebirthed weighs in here, he has been in this situation and his kid seems to have weathered it well, now in his teens, and doing well in terms of friends and coping skills. He divorced a raging psycho too. It can be done and the kids are A-OK (get some therapy for them anyhow IMO, could work for you in court), you sound resourceful and smart, which gives you better odds.
As wife20yrs says, kids complicates the situation and there's no right answers. But if she breaks you the kids have noone making sensible decisions for them. So even if you only get partial custody, at least they have someone stable, sensible weighing in on decisions.
Keep writing stuff out, even the things you write here may be useful. Dates, times, direct quotes, corroborating witnesses.
Don't envy you man, stay around, write - get it out of your head and on to paper, but maybe recycle usernames in case she snoops on your devices.
> I walk around on eggshells all the time.
That key phrase is important. You might be dealing with a borderline personality disorder spouse. I highly recommend you read the book Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Your Life Back When Someone You Care about Has Borderline Personality Disorder. If that resonates with you, then read the follow up book Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Forget dating until after divorce. You need time to heal, and rushing back into a relationship too soon will make you vulnerable to a predator.
As far as guilt goes, marriage takes two committed spouses. Those vows are not one sided. So stop feeling guilty you're the only one trying to uphold them.
Get your own lawyer and put a temporary agreement in place. Don't ever talk to her lawyer about anything.
And read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Splitting-Protecting-Borderline-Narcissistic-Personality/dp/1608820254
>This doesn't make you not racist.
That's just semantics.
> And what are those racial differences?
Let's start with the obvious. Clearly, given the sheer size of the population, Chinese and Indians ought to dominate the Olympics 100m-dash. But they do not. Almost all of the medalists have come from descendants of West Africa. Interestingly, as of late, Jamaicans have outperformed African-Americans despite coming from poverty-stricken environment with inferior training infrastructure. Same story with long distance running and marathons, where East Africans have dominated. These people are at a severe environmental disadvantage, so the case for cultural difference doesn't make sense in this case. So what is the reason? Well, a gene called ACTN3 - sometimes called a "sprint gene" - which is expressed primarily in fast-twich muscle fibers, were found in high frequency among the West-Africans. So, more ACTN3 genes you have, the more likely you will run faster in short distance. On the other hand, slow-twitch fibers aid you in endurance sports - such as distance running - and East Africans tend to have more of them than fast-twich fibers.
If you are interested, have a look at "The Sports Gene" by David Epstein, where he goes into depth on this topic.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Performance/dp/161723012X
The science is already pretty clear on this issue : There are meaningful, statistically significant differences between varying ethnic/racial groups. And this is common sense, if you think about it. The reason Japanese are shorter on average than Dinka people of Sudan is not because they are more poor and nutritionally deficient.
So, the burden is on you to explain to me why there can't be any differences in terms of mental capacity or personality traits between races - of which there are some scientific evidence, although not as conclusive - when there are clear differences regarding physical makeup and ability. If you take animals of the same species and let them evolve in separate environments for centuries, exposed to varying degrees and kinds of selection pressure, they will show significant differences in physical strength and temperaments. Why shouldn't the same law of nature apply to human beings? Not all scientific facts are in favor of liberal/leftist ideology. Just as right-wingers are in denial about climate change, liberals have their fair share when it comes to scientific blind spot.
>I don't think it's so much that the west are the only ones who have done it. It's that the west has done it to far greater effect and has done far greater damage with it than anyone else. And sure, I'll bet if Southeast Asia was in a position to colonize Europe, they would have. I don't see why that should matter, though.
>You're not supposed to "feel sorry" for Southeast Asia as though the region itself has feelings. Individual people were harmed by colonialism, and are still by its lingering effects.
That's just sheer display of ignorance.
You can easily make a case that Mongol Invasion of Europe and other continents in 13th century were more devastating in terms of the number of people died as a proportion of the world population at that time. Do you also feel sorry for all the casualty deaths incurred by Muslim invasion of the West that happened throughout Middle Ages and up until 19th century by the Ottoman Empire? If you do not, you have very partial understanding and biased view of world history.
Yes, the West has done some damage to the world in recent times. At the same time, a lot of great modern scientific breakthroughs and technological innovation of the Western civilization have brought about unprecedented amounts of wealth to this world. People are living longer than ever due to advances in medicine, and we are living in one of the most safest, peaceful, prosperous, and most egalitarian (with regards to human rights) time period than ever before.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Better-Angels-Our-Nature/dp/0143122010
If you have more patience than prejudice, check out the book The Sports Gene which very comprehensively looks at trans athletes, their constantly changing DNA expression (it should be said that the expression of everyone's DNA is constantly changing) and pretty conclusively shows that a trans athlete after conversion has the exactly same hormonal, energy system and skeletal muscle systems as CIS athletes.
Sticking to books the only other one i could recommend that I’ve read is the sports gene . It talks about the 10,000 hour rule and basically how some people are just born to be better at sports.
The other two books i have that i need to read are periodization and supertraining .
Other books I’ve been thinking of reading are the louie simmons/westside barbell collection. Especially olympic weightlifting strength manual .
Or
weightlifting programming .
I’m a powerlifter but i enjoy the olympic lifts i’m just not strong with them (best lifts are snatching bodyweight and c&j 1.25 bodyweight).
>can I please be directed to difinitive studies and explanations on why?
I found this book useful. It's about a host of things relating to physical/athletic performance and biology. There is a chapter dedicated specifically the distinctions between mens and womens performance in sports, along with lots of references to scholarly research on the topic.
It's been a few years since I read it, but some tidbits that stick out in my memory include...
The book is quite interesting for topics other than sex-based differences as well. The chapters on Jamaicans and sprinting dominance and Kenyans and Ethiopians and distance running were fascinating. And there's a chapter about the heritability of endurance among Alaksan sled dogs that was really cool.
Good point. Also worth reading, The Sports Gene by David Epstein. It goes into all of these morphological and biomechanical intricacies in great detail.
Some of the links I posted earlier point this out. The "spindly legs" is a big one--many sources cite the high inverse correlation between calf girth and speed.
Need to do some mobility work to avoid most of those injuries and nagging pain except for fingers I guess. Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett is a great ressource for recovery self-care of joints. Best 30$ you'l ever spendhttps://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524858311&sr=8-1&keywords=supple+leopard
I have his older book on recovery for running as a pdf that I can float to whoever wants it. For you guys that are doing road work. https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Run-Unlocking-Potential-Naturally/dp/1628600098/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1628600098&amp;pd_rd_r=B8N180YPJEF1RQVFAPF3&amp;pd_rd_w=VWd7r&amp;pd_rd_wg=s4Pln&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=B8N180YPJEF1RQVFAPF3
Check out my fav mobility bible, Becoming A Supple Leopard!
Can I make a recommendation? The book Becoming a Supple Leopard is helping me a lot with my impingement problems (shoulders, hips, and ankles) and breaks down exactly how your body is supposed to move, and the ways to correct it if your body is having trouble.
I'd recommend the Starting Strength book
bookhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XJR5ZA
It takes a bit of reading but is well worth it. Rippetoe has a few videos out there as well which are good (just ignore his arrogance if you can).
Thank's for the kind words man. The short answer is I've been following this book. A second book I recommend is Starting Strength which discusses in depth proper form for the key weightlifting workouts (bench press, standing military press, barbell squat, and deadlifts).
Bigger Leaner Stronger taught me everything from managing calories, what to eat, how to manage macros, good vs bad protein powder, supplements, vitamins, work out routines, etc. It is basically my gym bible. But, if you aren't interested in taking the time to read these books (which I HIGHLY recommend), then I'll give you a brief rundown of my workout routine.
Workouts "phases" are broken up into 9 weeks. A typical 9-week phase looks like this:
Weeks 1-3: Regular week lifting at 5 days per week (mon-fri)
Week 4: Strength Week. Only lift mon, wed, and fri, but focus on key workouts (Barbell squat, deadlift, bench press, military press)
Week 5-7: Same as week 1-3
Week 8: Strength week
Week 9: Deload or off week. I either don't work out this week or I do three days at 50% of my working weight (so essentially a light week)
A typical 5 day week looks likes this:
Monday: Chest and Abs. Incline bench press. Incline dumbell bench press. Flat barbell bench press. Face Pull. Three abdominal circuits where one circuit consists of Cable crunch (10 to 12 reps), captains chair leg raise to fail, bicycle crunch to fail
Tuesday: Back and Calves. Deadlift. Bent over barbell Rows. Pull ups. Standing calf raises. Seated calf raises.
Wednesday: Shoulder and Abs. Standing Military Press. Side lateral Raise. Bent over rear delt raise. 3 ab circuits.
Thursday: Legs. Barbell squat. Romanian deadlift. Leg press. Standing calf raise. Seated calf raise.
Friday: Upper body & Abs. Incline bench press. Barbell curl. Close-grip bench press. Alternating dumbell curl. Chest dips. 3 ab circuits.
A typical activity includes 4 warm up sets and three working sets like this:
12 x 50% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
10 x 50% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
4 x 70% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
1 x 90% of my working weight (rest 3 min)
After this warm up is complete, I do 3 working sets. 4-6 reps of my working weight (if i hit 6 reps, I add 10 lbs to a barbell or 5 lbs to a dumbell) Rest 3-4 min. Repeat this 2 more times. A huge key to building strength is progressive overload. If you hit those 6 reps, add more weight. If you hit 6 reps and add more weight but can only do 3 reps with the new weight, drop it back to where you were before. But next week, start with the higher weight.
As far as diet is concerned. Yes. This is the biggest thing. I eat clean. I eat very clean. I don't eat processed foods. I only drink milk and water. I eat vegetables and chicken. Good fats, good protein, and good carbs. I weigh everything I eat to make sure i'm hitting my calories and macros. I track everything in my fitness pal.
A typical meal day for me is protein bar before workout. Protein shake and banana after work out. 2 hardboiled eggs and 175 grams of plain nonfat greek yogurt for breakfast. 4 oz tuna and some triscuit crackers + a carrot for snack. Chicken breast and veges for lunch. Non-sorbate prunes and another banana for a late day snack. Protein shake for dinner. Maybe some more protein and veges.
TLDR
Read bigger leaner stronger. If you don't want to do that then the key items are eat clean and within your calorie limits (you can lose weight by eating in a caloric deficit without even needing to workout). The most important weightlifting exercises are barbell squats, deadlifts, standing military press, and bench press.
As my post title states, I only do cardio 0 to 1 times per week which is hardly anything. It's not necessary for fat loss, but it will help accelerate fat loss and increase cardiovascular health which is important and which is also why I'm going to start adding more cardio.
Best of luck man. That book changed my life. I highly recommend it.
It's hard both ways. At your height and weight, I would recommend bulking up for a year or two before trying to cut. Check out Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strenght program, works wonders.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA
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!
Tricep pushdowns (from Strength Training Anatomy)
Tricep heads
If you want more focus on the lateral head, use the rope attachment and bring your hands down by your sides.
If you want to focus the medial head, use an underhand grip.
If you want to focus the long head, face away from the machine and pull the cable over your head (like a skullcrusher).
I'm actually in my third year of college majoring in human physiology, and I've been lifting since I was 16-17. At this point I feel like I'm just starting to get a really basic understanding of how things work. If you're just trying to get in shape and don't really care about the intricacies of the human body, then honestly the sidebar and this sub has everything you need. Maybe this book would be useful. If you still really want to learn some basics of the human body then I would suggest Khan Academy. It takes years to truly understand the subject well. I've been studying it for three years and I still feel like I don't know shit.
Strength Training Anatomy, 3rd Edition
Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy
Anatomy Companion to You Are Your Own Gym: An Illustrated Guide to the Muscles Used for Bodyweight Training
PT student here - I think the book you are looking for is this http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Edition/dp/0736092269 Author is a French bodybuilder - illustrates which part of the deltoid is activated with varying lateral raises, which part of Pectoral with dumbbell vs. Barbell bench press. I've found it very useful
That is really awesome! I had sort of a similar goal when Man of Steel came out. I'm not into cosplay or anything, but it was my fitness goal to have Cavill's back muscles. I searched for "Man of Steel workout" online (there are a ton of different workouts that claim to be the one Cavill used), and used this one. It's pretty exhausting, and I saw results in months, but it's too intensive to be sustainable long-term. I wouldn't recommend going that route, knowing what I know now. It's better to just have your own fitness goals and work towards them at a steady pace, and be patient. Nowadays, I just go with my own workout using this book, that shows you different lifts for different muscle groups, and I eat better. Good luck man, it's a long, challenging road, but it's worth it.
And while I'm here, here's an interesting bit of weightlifting history: Superman was based on Zishe Breitbart, a Jewish strongman who used to perform feats like breaking chains. He toured the US under the name "Superman of the Ages" and Joe Shuster, the original Superman artist, was a bodybuilder who looked up to him.
Strength Training Anatomy
Exrx as mentioned above me, or a great book is Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
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.
Its definitely worth buying. u/Nimbah u/satthereonashelf Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote it for fuck's sake. Get the updated one though if you do.
The trick is to not copy it word for word, but to study his methods and techniques and adapt your training and nutrition to his ideas. Figure out a way to use them in a way that works for you, because what works for one person might not work for someone else.
Another couple good ones I like:
https://www.amazon.com/Nutrient-Timing-Future-Sports-Nutrition/dp/1591201411/ref=sr_1_1/165-0407129-1672854?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478043820&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=nutrient+timing+book
https://www.amazon.com/Golds-Building-Training-Nutrition-System/dp/0809239477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478043845&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=golds+gym+mass+building
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478043862&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=strength+training+anatomy
Here's a link to the book if you want the rest of the muscles explained
Strength Training Anatomy is a great book to learn from. The entire book is flawlessly illustrated. And while it does lack the personality and style of the Bridgeman books it makes up for that in practical knowledge about how to grow muscles and how muscles get injured and how that might affect one's silhouette and form.
Here's a link to the book on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-3rd-Edition/dp/0736092269
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier is a fantastic reference. It's $14 on Amazon. The illustrations are very good but can be a bit graphic lol.
It will definitely have an effect. To quote Frederic Delavier's Strength Training Anatomy:
>Although bow-leggedness (genu varum) does not present more risk than normal legs, knock-kneed legs (genu valgum) or hyperextended knees (genu recurvatum) may even be a contraindication to weightlifting with heavy weights...
>...If the genu valgum is too great, the articulation is overused. The medial collateral ligament is overstretched and the lateral meniscus along with the articular surfaces covered with cartilage of the lateral condyle of the femur and the lateral external tuberosity of the tibia are subjected to excessive friction, which can lead to overuse pathologies.
You're going to need to train with this in mind. Ideally, I'd see a sports doctor as another user recommended.
Hey man. I'm new to Aikido as well, but have been strength training 3-5 times a week consistantly for over 5 years. What I can tell you is that it will come down to your willingness to just start lifting, or starting a program whether you're doing it 100% correct or not. Over time you will figure out what is correct by how your body responds. By all means be safe and smart by starting with very low weights, but just start.
After reading through your responses to peoples suggestions, u/rolandthedickslinger pretty much hit the nail on the head (even if a bit abrupt) but he's totally right. You're making excuses. Maybe re-read this thread and count how many times you shoot down helpful suggestions. Speaking of suggestions... I've read loads of books when I started trying to wade through the seas of useless fitness info, and the one book that helped me tremendously was Delaviers 'Strength Training Anatomy'. It teaches you all the muscles, groups, and how to safely train them. For more of a program oriented approach, get 'Strength Training Anatomy Workout II' also by Delavier. The illustrations are excellent, and everything is written so well its really easy to understand.
Good luck.
This one is awesome:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Read: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736092269/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1524608979&amp;sr=8-2&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=strength+training+anatomy
Theres one for women too but it's all about the booty. Great books but I need more than 40 butt exercises.
Doesn't cover work out programs. It just breaks down exercises, the correct forms, correct forms for different body types, common injuries and common mistakes.
The illustrations are also awesome. There's one of some guy in jesus sandals doing some lifts. Strait out of the 90's gym wardrobes. Aside from the sarcasm the illustrations are actually very good and highly detailed.
I had the same question a while ago and searched this subreddit. I saw a recommendation for this book: The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition: A Cutting-Edge Plan to Fuel Your Body Beyond ""the Wall"". I highly recommend it. It really helps.
Having said that, here is what I do:
I also drink a double espresso first thing in the morning.
Exactly. Eat the right foods and you'll both lose weight and make running gains. I recommend this book for diet plans. By Matt Fitzgerald.
In the book he describes a really simple way to choose your diet. Categorize foods in groups in this order: 1. Vegetables 2. Fruits 3. Nuts/seeds 4. Fish & Lean meats 5. Whole grains 6. Dairy 7. Refined grain 8. Fatty meats 9. Sweets 10. Fried Foods.
Basically all you need to do is eat more veggies than fruits, fruits than nuts/seeds, nuts/seeds than fish & lean meats and so on. Bias your diet toward the food groups on the top of the list and you'll be good to go.
I don't know if there's an article version of it on the web. I used this book which is a pretty easy read. I bought it and feel like it's well worth the $10, but a quick google search shows that he's written a few articles that are available online. Here is a sort of quick-and-dirty version of what he recommends for the last 48 hours before a race.
Yup -- no problem. Here's an excerpt about it from a book about marathon nutrition (great read either way if you want to get into the nutrition aspect of running -- here's the amazon link).
It goes into the science and idea behind it a little bit... there's also a lot of stuff about it if you google. Anecdotally, when I ran my first full I did a 10 day fat load followed by 3 day carb load, and the last 10k split of my race was actually my fastest 10k split and I did not hit the wall at all, and I beat my goal time. (could totally have been a placebo, but a placebo is still powerful)
These books are very helpful: Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance and The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition.
From a personal point of view: Last year I dropped my weight from 96 kg (212 lbs) to 72 kg (159 lbs). This happened from mid January to the end of June. At this point I was training for my upcoming marathon in September.
I think it's best to lose weight in the early phases of a training program. Another thing to consider is when to eat. Personally I found that I could do most of my easy runs without eating beforehand. When I came back I would just eat what I had planned to eat before, instead of eating before + after. Also, I tracked everything religiously in MyFitnessPal for 8 months. I continued a bit after I reached my goal to be sure I knew what to eat to maintain my weight.
You can see my progress here.
I'm currently a bit heavier after being injured, not able to run, and still eating all the christmas food and cookies! But I started tracking in MyFitnessPal again this Monday. My plan is to be lighter than ever in about 2 months. My goal is around 68 kg (150 lbs). As of this morning, my weight is 76,5 kg (168,5 lbs). For reference, my height is 184 cm (6 feet 7⁄16 inch).
Last time I did this I had no problem with my quality workouts. But maybe I did them too slow compared to what I could have done. I'll have to be a bit more careful this time around, since I know my speed / what I am capable of now.
For someone with Asperger's you will generally want something that has lots of visuals and good information. A book is a good choice (as opposed to just talking) in general because it lets the preteen reference back to it whenever he/she is interested, without having to ask awkward questions.
I happen to be fond of It's Perfectly Normal which is detailed and comprehensive without being overwhelming. It is a bit cartoony, but that allows it to have actual visuals that are accurate, while still being age appropriate and not porn (i.e., they can have drawings of penises instead of photos of pensises).
Strongly recommended.
(If you look at the amazon rating, it's only because a bunch of people put up 1-star reviews because they were offended that the book covers topics like masturbation.)
It's Perfectly Normal
One of the best ones I've found.
I'm sorry you're going through this; in a way, I've been there. My SS was given an iPad at a young age with no restrictions on it, which of course did not set him up for success in this area. I was the one who discovered some inappropriate googling (nothing too extreme, it was actually innocent in a way), so I texted DH, gave him the heads up, and added the child protection stuff myself. That was a year or two ago, and SS11 is just now going to be getting his Safari and YouTube back, but of course with child protection filter and a clear set of rules (no iPad in the bedroom, no headphones without permission). DH has also been good about having talks with him regarding internet safety, etc. BM is clearly uncomfortable with such conversations and generally does nothing.
I guess this isn't necessarily helpful since you are wanting to step away from this, but maybe talk to DH about adding the security stuff yourselves? Or you could perhaps ban the tech from your house until it is addressed?
We also bought my SS this book which I highly recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Perfectly-Normal-Changing-Growing/dp/0763644846
I feel like this comment is all over the place. Good luck!
Buy him "It's Perfectly Normal" and read it with him. It is a great book and our ten year old daughter loved it.
I would really recommend that you look up this book: Stretching scientifically - Thomas Kurz. There is so much BS broscience when it comes to MA and stretching. So much bad stuff gets done because their master did it that way and their master did it etc... with no regard to how effective or bad it is for your body...
Another great resource is this link that has a great wealth of good information regarding all your MA training needs. Just follow the links on the page.
Best of luck to you.
This is kind of terrible advice, depending on the individual in question.
The most broadly successful stretching program tends to involve a warm-up, followed by the dynamic flexibility exercises you mentioned: leg raises to the front, sides, and back for the hips, as an example. This is followed by a workout of some kind (an intense run, strength training, a martial arts class) and, after that, cool down with static stretching.
Despite what /u/shinobi3432 said, you should not push to the point of pain. You want discomfort, and you can hold it there, but never for more than thirty seconds, okay? And, once you've developed both some muscular strength and basic, static passive flexibility, you can throw some isometric stretching in there before you do a static passive stretch.
What should happen is, as your static flexibility range improves, you build up your dynamic flexibility to match it, so that you can utilize your full range of flexibility in motion and with little warm up. That said, you should still warm up before actually training; one or two kicks "cold" will be all right, but you still need a decent warm up before you actually push yourself at all.
If you want details on this kind of stretching program, read Stretching Scientifically, by Thomas Kurz.
Kurz's Column
Amazon: Thomas Kurz - Stretching Scientifically
Dynamic stretching for kicks!
Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps of the following stretch kicks:
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Increase your kicking height over the course of each set. Use your hand as a target for the front, side, and crescent kicks. Ideally, you would also perform this routine first thing in the morning. It generally doesn't hurt to do more, as long as you aren't fatigued.
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Once you reach the desired level of flexibility, you'll only need to practice a couple of times a week to maintain the existing level of flexibility.
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Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhpo9qKxO2c
https://www.amazon.com/Stretching-Scientifically-Guide-Flexibility-Training/dp/0940149451
Gotcha.
I'm pretty weak on stretching as I've always been pretty flexible and haven't put a ton of time into it, but AFAIK, for range of motion issues the main point is making sure you stretch for long enough (like at least a minute or two for a stretch) and actually relax the muscles being stretched while doing it. I'd recommend waiting until after class to do super-serious stretching; it lengthens the muscle fibers which weakens them temporarily and may make you slightly more susceptible to injury. Deep stretches for short periods of time effectively just warm the muscles up (and don't increase max ROM), so are fine to do whenever but won't improve your total flexibility.
I've heard multiple recommendations for [Stretching Scientifically] (https://www.amazon.com/Stretching-Scientifically-Guide-Flexibility-Training/dp/0940149451) by Kurz, but I haven't used it or its programming myself.
Robotic motion: try to make sure your back is straight when you're moving. Unfortunately there are a lot of places it can not be. IME it's important to pay attention to the transitions between the c-spine and t-spine (base of the neck) and t-spine and l-spine (bottom of the ribs). Make sure that you're "stacked" in both of those locations and you're not at the end of your ROM either forward or backward. Try to get power in your movements by rotating your entire upper body using the hips, then back assists and arms add a little bit of snap but do very of the base power generation.
If you want an understanding of the basic types of flexibility/mobility and different types of stretching used to train them, I highly recommend Thomas Kurz' work, particularly his book "Stretching scientifically". You can get a used copy for ten bucks on amazon and if you follow the material you should get some good results
Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training https://www.amazon.com/dp/0940149451/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ImBMwbF4HHYVT
In a nut shell, you want to try to develop strength and flexibility at the same time.
In his book, Kurz talks about different studies done on stretching and lifting. The studies find that static stretching before weight lifting decreases the amount of weight you can lift, while dynamic stretching before hand doesn't. So, to increase flexibility and ROM, dynamic stretch before and static stretch after.
I know a few people that found this book very useful for increasing flexibility. http://www.amazon.ca/Stretching-Scientifically-Guide-Flexibility-Training/dp/0940149451/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346780113&amp;sr=8-1
I do, but probably not as much as I should. I have been meaning to re-read Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training.
Studying Taekwondo for over 20 years, this has been my go-to reference for stretching: https://amzn.com/0940149451 (Thomas Kurz - Stretching Scientifically)
This is his website: https://tomkurz.wordpress.com/
I'd recommend the first exercise in this video for shoulder flexibility, it has helped me a lot. I generally do a short stretching circuit after training two or three times a week. As my flexibility improved the amount of stretching I do has lessened. It is usually composed of the shoulder dislocate in the video, I touch my toes standing and sitting, I stretch my hips and glutes with the butterfly stretch, stretch my quads and hips with the quad stretch, and I also stretch my shoulders/pectorals with the pectoral stretch. Many of these can be found by googling them, though I've gotten most of my stretch work from this book
Also a nice guide.
http://www.catalystathletics.com/articles/article.php?articleID=137
Good for you man. The classic lifts are a ton of fun! Here are some thoughts that you'll hopefully find helpful.
Best of luck mate!
The only way to self-teach them is to film yourself CONSTANTLY.
I would also recommend Everett's book, found here.
What really has to happen is that you, as a trainee, need to understand the mechanics of the movement, visualize it, and furthermore, find cues that make sense to you. A lot of cues are sort of abstract; Don McCauley has a video explaining his "catapult" technique. This shit made zero sense to me, but my friend understood it. When I explained this technique and my interpretation of it to a semi-coach, he put it in different terms/cues, and now they are what I use.
To be honest, there is too much information out there for these lifts. There are different styles in terms of how they're approached and executed, so if you gather information from too many sources, you may find yourself taking in cues and positions from various sources that do not apply to one another. In the end, a lifter has to adapt these movements into things that work for their body and brain. This is where a coach is handy, because he can say, "try this" or "try that." If you're on your own, you have to film yourself, and diagnose what looks awkward and/or sub-optimal, then fix it.
It could be beneficial to mimic a lifter that is in your weight class and roughly the same height; if you try to mimic a lifter, you may fail. But emulation is part of the learning process.
I would start with Everett's book. I think he has an English degree. He's a pretty clear writer and there are a lot of pictures guiding you.
As for the snatch and clean, they feed off one another. Everett teaches the snatch first. In my experience, people gravitate towards one or the other. The same friend who understood the catapult technique has a really awesome bar path in his snatch, and for whatever reason, always has. It puts mine to shame. However, on the other hand, my cleans make him look goofy. It's probably part how we're built, but still, what works for him does not work for me. He also can only split-jerk; I have never felt comfortable in that movement so eventually I started push jerking and that is something that he struggles with.
One thing I will say, is ALWAYS learn the full movement first. IE, learn the full clean first, then the power clean. If you ONLY power clean, you will develop a motor pattern that says "catch the weight here." If you develop the clean first, your instinct will be to get under the bar, which translates into a superior power clean as well.
The same applies to the snatch, assuming you're flexible enough.
I'll add:
This one covers way more than just gymnastics. I was very surprised at the breadth of coverage in this book, from how strength vs hypertrophy works, mobility, developing your own programming and quite a few other things that closely relate to CF.
This book sort of hit the spot with me because I'm trying to be a better oly lifter. I was having trouble with banging my shoulders during heavy cleans. Low and behold, I was looking through this book and found a paragraph on just that topic and on how to correct it.
No problem on the stalking, haha.
Those are good questions about lifting. I've also done a lot of googling on the topic and come away frustrated. I started about 3.5 years ago, and I train mostly for strength. Overall, I think it's been a good thing for my scoliosis. It can be frustrating - lifting is harder when you don't have a straight spine supporting the weight. I've been able to get decently strong and continue to make progress, though (495x1 deadlift, 335x5 squat, and 210ish bench). All my lifts continue to go up each week, although I have had injuries and tweaks along the way. I can't say if it's due to my scoliosis or not, so I just deal with them and keep training.
I think the way scoliosis will impact lifting will be a little different for everyone since everyone's curves are unique. For the most part, I can perform the lifts with minimal modifications. Bench is hard for me because my right shoulder comes out at a weight angle due to my thoracic curve, but I'm still able to get stronger.
I think lifting has made my curves less noticeable, but it's really hard to say. Ultimately, a body with muscle on it is going to look better than one without, and being stronger is going to be better than being weaker. I do struggle with body image issues with the scoliosis from time to time, and lifting has been very helpful for that. I have a lot more confidence, both from having muscle and from knowing that I'm stronger than most other guys walking around on the street.
Are you familiar with the Starting Strength program? I would highly recommend that program. It's a basic barbell program, and it's the most effective way to get stronger. There's a large community on the starting strength forums, which is a great place to ask for advice and post form checks. There are a lot of things grouped under "Starting Strength": "the program" I just mentioned, the methods of executing the lifts, weekend seminars put on by Mark Rippetoe, a coaching certification, an app, an online coaching service, and a series of books. Sometimes starting strength gets flack from bros online, but I would ignore that. Just go to the forums and look at people's training logs - you'll see some big numbers achieved relatively quickly.
The 2 big things for success in the gym are proper form and adhering to a program without giving up or adding stuff to it. For form, the best thing you can do is find an "SSC" (Starting Strength Coach) near you and schedule a training session. They'll teach you how to perform the lifts safely in accordance with the SS model, along with any modifications you might need to make due to your scoliosis. For example, with a lumbar curve, you may have an effective leg length discrepancy and need to shim one of your shoes. They'll be able to tell you that. They'll also be able to help you get started on the novice program.
To find a coach, you can look here: http://startingstrength.org/index.php/site/coaches
Rippetoe himself also puts on seminars, which I mentioned, which you can find a list of here: http://startingstrength.com/coaching/seminars
I also mentioned the starting strength books. The first one to read is "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" (abbreviated as SSBBT). You can get it on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738. This book covers how to perform the lifts, and briefly talks about the novice program toward the end. The book is very dense, and I wouldn't recommend reading it cover to cover at first. I'd read the "how to" parts for each lift first, then go back and fill in the blanks.
The next book is "Practical Programming for Strength Training" (https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754). This covers how to structure a training program. It goes into more detail on the novice program, then lays out different types of intermediate and advanced programming. This one isn't as essential to order right away - you can find the general novice program here: https://www.t-nation.com/training/most-lifters-are-still-beginners (scroll down to "The Program").
I guess that was a long response. Hopefully this info is helpful for you or anyone in the future who might find this thread. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Depending on your location, I may be able to recommend a coach or gym. I wish I knew all of this when I was your age, so don't hesitate to get in touch.
Dealing with knee issues myself from an old injury. I will say do not push a knee issue. It will back fire 100%. I'm having to go back to no weight/ low weight, just the bar to build support muscles to ease my situation. Hams, calves, back, hips all play a part. It's better to work with your limitations with knees and build them up well and stable rather than push weights and have to recoup for months.
From what I can see, your alignment seems off. The bar seems high on your neck, roll it down to on your traps more. The alignment could be unbalancing and straining rather than loading the skeleton and muscles for workout. If that helps.
A book you should check out:
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483635089&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=starting+strength
You are big young guy. 3 things that are working massively in your favor. Buy and read this.
Run the program as written, see a coach and learn to lowbar squat. In 4 months you will be squatting 315 for 5s. Milk the novice gains for everything you can before switching to intermediate programming.
This book and a gym with a barbell is all you need. You won't get hurt, you start light and work your way up.
Edit:sorry, fucked the link up multiple times...
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.
> "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe
This the right one?
I'm in a similar situation as you my friend. I have been doing machines for about 5 or 6 weeks now and I have just started throwing in free weights in my routine and I feel over whelmed and awkward at the gym and extremely self conscious. However I can offer a bit of advice in regards to your form; if your serious about sticking to lifting I would pick up the book "Starting Strength" it's only about 25 bucks and it goes into EXTREME detail in regards to how to properly preform all the major lifts and even offers insight into your diet, routine, and other lifts.
Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404262578&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Starting+strength
I think Mark Rippetoe says it best http://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly
He basically wrote The Book on Strength training, and also worked with Crossfit for a few years so I respect his opinion.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0
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&amp;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).
Practical Programming
or
Starting Strength
Practical Programming is more in-depth. Both of these are your best bet. New gym is necessary.
Se vuoi una guida completa e dettagliata su come fare i fondamentali (stacco, squat, panca piana, military press e power clean) leggiti Starting Strength di Rippetoe. È praticamente una guida precisissima su come farli. Non avrai bisogno di altro per tanti anni.
https://www.amazon.it/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mEvYDbKWKZBSS
I don't think I can recommend this book strongly enough:
Becoming a Supple Leopard 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance
Kelly Starrett also has quite a number of videos on YouTube and on his site, mobilitywod.com. But having that book handy is like having an owner's manual for the human body.
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starret (https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837)
Book that covers all of what you're looking for + interesting title
But it is? The great thing about body mechanics is that it’s indisputable. Although the issue is less about the pressure on the lower back and more about not having the spine straight over the pelvis to create a stable platform to generate torque. That’s just harder to explain to people and it makes more sense for most people to just say don’t cross the feet because it rounds the lower back.
Pull-up Fault
I would recommend everyone purchasing a book called Becoming a Supple Leopard. It has everything needed for any time of form question without any bro-science.
Amazon
I am in the same situation mobility wise.
Edit: Got some more information in there.
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:
does this help?
As Jack Slack would recommend:
Becoming a Supple Leopard https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1628600837/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vtkazb17TSHBT
I highly recommend this book - Becoming A Supple Leopard. It's a shit title, but the book is well worth the investment.
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Every single time I've had pain anywhere in conjunction with training, or just life in general, I've used this book. It hasn't cured everything, but it's always helped - and most of the time I can work through what I would normally have to fix through therapy / doctor's appointments / physio etc.
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It goes through all the major areas of the body, focuses on where the pain is and what it might be, and helps you fix it. All you need is a roller, a lacrosse ball and a voodoo band. I've recommended it to everyone I've ever trained with, and everyone I know who's bought it, loved it.
Nah. Just turned 31, started training a year ago. I've eaten well, started doing yoga and picked up a copy of supple leopard. Never felt better.
I have this percussion massager:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JDUFOAE
it is an older model, no longer made, but they have others. I pulled it out last night after reading this. I don't get much out of it and never did. A yoga teacher "commanded" me to get this 15 years ago. These "machines" are no comparison to the focussed work you would do with a lacrosse ball, theracane, foam roller, Armaid, etc, or that a therapist would do to you with hands, knuckle, elbows.
I would definitely recommend instead get an Armaid. And all of Starrett's books are good. His first one is Becoming a Supple Leopard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600837/
These are expensive books, but quite worthwhile - note the reviews. And absolutely get Sharon Butler's book:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1572240393/
Her website: http://www.selfcare4rsi.com/
Part of the deep tissue massage thing is releasing deep chronic stored tension. But equally important is freeing stuck fascia. So Starrett calls this "smashing and flossing". Working back and forth against the "grain" of muscle tissue to unglue it and restore movement where tissues are supposed to slide across each other. Long-term chronic tension results in the fascia sticking and gluing things together if they are no longer moving.
Chinese Proverb - Moving door does not have rusted hinges.
Chinese Proverb: When healing patient - better not to use knife.
This is very thorough and comprehensive - I am mind-blown by this:
>"...most tissue actually is not PHYSICALLY tight...Most tissue is NEUROLOGICALLY restricted."
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I have yet to read the articles you suggested, but am familiar with Thrall and the FRC.
I look forward to reading the rest.
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Also my wife got me the 2nd edition of Becoming a Supple Leopard - are you familiar with it, if so, would you recommend reading it thoroughly before reading numerous articles online from various sources?
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Thank you so much!
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So flexibility is definitely a problem that can hurt your progress. I'd recommend this book: Becoming a supple leopard by Kelly Starrett. It is a step by step guide on how to identify what your restrictions are and how to fix them. Great book that has helped many (me included).
Becoming a Supple Leopard
Try this book. A lot of it is tight muscles.
Go find Kelly Starrett's Becoming a Supple Leopard. For 2 years, I would get down into a squat position against a wall (using a basketball or similar shape item), and just do small bumps/pulses while deep in a squat. 4 - 5x daily x 1 minute at a time. It helped a lot. That let me get to a point where I could start working on real hip mobility.
Kelly Starret has tons of videos on mobility, correct walking stance etc. Here is one. His book on Amazon is also pretty good.
Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett. Can’t recommend it enough.
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837
The most recommended text for mobility work seems to be: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-2nd-Performance/dp/1628600837
I just finished reading it the first time a couple weeks back. It has some good ideas and techniques I never thought of, I'm already getting a bit more ankle dorsiflexion.
> stretching is already part of the program.
You need to take it a notch higher. Ever heard of Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett? Mobility information/ programming at it's finest. Mid 30's with 9-5 desk job and up until a few months ago (pre-Supple Leopard) most of my afternoons consisted of chiro and physio visits. Then I was watching one of those Alan Thrall videos where he talked about where he gets most of his info from and he recommended Kelly's book. I checked out his youtube and he had these MWOD's thing going on and just seeing this 40+ yo man do things that a lot of people at that age can only dream of was enough to convince me, plus he's a DPT. Also nothing beats doing "executive stretches" on company time!
As a bit of a warning, I'm not saying what I did will help you, or even that you should do it. It's just what worked for me.
I tore my labrum, along with nerve damage some time in 2014(during this time, I went from throwing mid 70s to mid 60s), and I kept pitching while seeing an athletic therapist(helping my velocity get back to mid 70s). The pain got bad in 2015 and I had to stop playing. However, during my time not playing I took the time to strengthen other parts of my body along with my shoulder.
A couple years later, I get an email from a college coach (whose scholarship I had turned down in 2015) asking how my shoulder was and if I wanted to give it another shot. In preparation, I read Kelly Starrett's Becoming a Supple Leopard from front to back. I eventually made my own mobility program. It was a lot of effort, as I'd often times be doing mobility work for 1-2 hours a day. I eventually got to a point where I was throwing mid-80s (which I've never done before). I'd also long toss max distance every 2-3 days, and throwing two bullpens 60+ pitches per week. However, the pain eventually came back.
My point is that without any kind of surgery, with the book, additional strengthening, and lots of effort, I was able to get back into being able to play baseball, but not at a serious level. I'm currently waiting on confirmation from my doctor to get 2 of the 3 surgeries required for my arm as there's nerve damage in my elbow as well.
It is difficult, but you can get back into playing baseball. It's a long process which will require a lot of hard work and learning on your part. I'm not sure where you're from or what your health insurance situation is, but it could also be costly. If you're going to do the surgery and try to get back into baseball, my best piece of advice I can give you is this: Do it for the love of the game. Your mental and physical health are not worth the grueling upward climb required if you're still trying to make it big.
I highly recommend this book, from the maker of Mobility WOD
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405914515&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=supple+leopard
This is the best book ever on self treating and preventing soft tissue injury
Avoid looking down to check your feet when you take the bar out of the rack. Keeping your knees out in the squat will help you stay more upright and will engage more of your glutes.
Pendlay rows, deadlifts, and squats: keep the weight around the middle of your foot. Feel it out. In the row videos I can see you pitch forward, heels coming off the ground. You might need to address ankle mobility if you cannot get in these positions as you're already using an elevated heel.
DL looks okay, but you're going to have to get and stay tighter. When you're lifting 90 lbs or 900 lbs your setup should be the same.
If you're a huge stickler for form as I am, one of the best resources you'll find are Becoming a Supple Leopard and MobilityWOD. You can also find a BaSL torrent on pirate bay, and it might be hosted on 4chan/rs/.
Sounds like a classic case of overtraining. Heart rate elevated? No desire to go to the gym? Trouble sleeping?
Take AT LEAST a week off. That includes your cardio classes. Take 10 days if possible. During your time off, eat a lot and sleep as much as you can. And try not to drink any alcohol. If you're worried about what you're doing to do with all of that extra time, buy a copy of Becoming a Supple Leopard and spend your time reading that and working on your mobility.
Overtraining sucks. I've been there. It was so bad that I landed myself in hospital. Don't let it get to that point. You're not being weak, you're being SMART. Look after yourself, buddy. I promise you aren't going to lose anything by taking a bit of time off. In fact, I can almost guarantee you'll come back feeling stronger. Let us know how it goes.
yes i completely agree / own the book / have gone to his seminars but I personally believe that for 90% of us without a lot of prep work to do these mobility techniques or if you are not an advanced athlete those techniques may be frustrating or provide little benefit.
I was trying to link videos that take very little time and require almost no equipment. i completely believe that MWOD has amazing resources though and highly recommend his book
Sounds like a Valgus Knee Fault. Its usually caused by an issue with your stance.
Try lowering your stance from 45 degrees to 12-15 degrees. Anything past this range will make you more vulnerable to a Valgus fault.
Also try to focus on the first 6 inches of your squat, especially try to focus on driving your knees out as you lower.
Finally, rather than focusing on getting your butt out as you drop, focus on getting your hamstrings out. It will lower the tendency to over extend, which can also lead to a Valgus fault.
Another issue could be how you are coming up. Remember focus on Hips coming UP not forward, and try to match that with your chest coming up.
And of course, focus on knees out the entire time, this will help compensate for the weakness in stability once you get past the first 6 inches of your squat.
Just try to hit several air squats and keep practicing this so you get your movement right.
Edit - The reason you may be going as far as 45 degrees could be a lack of range of motion in your ankle. Check out this video of Kelly Starett explaining the pistol test. The lack of range of motion on your ankle could be further emphasising all of the above stuff I've mentioned which makes your Valgus fault more acute. You could consider trying to use your rest days to work on range of motion in your ankle.
I'd highly recommend Kelly's book, which has been a valuable resource at finding my own form problems and working on improving them.
Edit 2 - I haven't tried this yet but I've seen it recommended that if you still can't get your knees out correctly you can also use the Slingshot Hip Circle. Its a mobility assistant that will help keep your hips and glutes activated and your knees out. Looks like something that is great to use during your warmups. Here's a video of Kelly talking about how he uses it on his athletes to help give them a full range of motion.
https://www.youtube.com/user/sanfranciscocrossfit
there's a few hundred videos from Dr Starrett to get you started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ_b5TNIbPI
Here's one specifically on the importance of foot position.
http://www.mobilitywod.com/
His website
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
Here's his book, which I highly recommend.
I don't have the studies his work is based on if that's what you're asking. But personally, a highly qualified professional employed by the worlds greatest athletes is enough for me.
If you like books, check out "Becoming a Supple Leopard" by Kelly Starrett. It has dozens of ideas on loosening up, and a lot of hints on how to loosen up for specific lifts.
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
I highly recommend this book
I linked that video in another comment, the instructor is Kelly Starrett, who has written a great book on flexibility, mobility, injury prevention etc.
Link Becoming a Supple Leopard
This very well could be hip flexors, but I just want to point out that it might be a hip-impingement issue. I would actually bet that this is hip impingement.
I had/have the same problem. For the longest time I was pounding my hips with mobility exercises trying to loosen up my hip flexors and psoas. But it turned out that I was just running into an impingement at the bottom of my squat. I would have to warm up my hips really well before any squat just so I could hit proper depth. Then later in the day I would be sore "inside my hip", and it is easy to mistake as muscle soreness, but it is actually joint inflammation and aggravation of the joint caused by the impingement.
So I stop doing squats, it gets better, keep doing mobility exercises, decide I'm ready to squat again, pain comes back. After going through this cycle a few times I realized that I wasn't really improving at all and did some research to figure out what the heck was wrong. After some research I figured out what was actually wrong and figured out how to fix it.
For me, I need to get more external rotation of the hip so that I can "get around" the part of my joint that is hitting my femur. So this means doing rolling out my adductors and doing other mobility exercises so that I can really open up my hips in the squat. By doing this I have managed to gain 2-3 more inches of depth and significantly improve my squat form.
Check out these links:
http://fitnesspainfree.com/why-do-my-hips-hurt-when-i-squat-femoral-acetabular-impingement-part-1/
http://fitnesspainfree.com/why-do-my-hips-hurt-when-i-squat-femoral-acetabular-impingement-part-2/
http://startingstrength.com/articles/active_hip_2_rippetoe.pdf
Also if you can afford it I highly recommend picking up "Becoming a Supple Leopard" it has been really helpful for me in diagnosing my issues and coming up with ways to correct my faults in a ton of different movements:
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
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!
mobilitywod is a great resource for this and the book the same guy wrote.
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
I would recommend taking some serious time to study optimum leverages and how to properly move through different ranges of motion. I know that sounds silly since you have reached impressive numbers but if you are getting injured, chances are very high that either you are not moving properly, or you have some critical mobility issues that were never addressed by your coaches. We have only just begun to understand what makes a universal good position for athletes, and the fundamentals that create a safe environment for lifting heavy over a lifetime. This book changed my life http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420228410&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=becoming+a+supple+leopard and teaches you EXACTLY what to do. Since implementing the mobility (second half of book) teachings I have not had a single injury. Now I can recognize when things are STARTING to go bad, and address it before it becomes a big problem.
This is all to say: back way off the weight, and focus on mobility and health. Dont lift for strength anymore. Focus on your body.
Check out this book, this helped me with similar shoulder problems. Check your form as well, I was benching wrong for years.
Often times back pain is caused by muscles and soft tissues being over exerted, this is often due to some nasty posture issues as well as incorrect lifting procedures. I recommend you take a good look at your posture and see if you have improper sitting habits or other such things in your day to day. You wont be able to get rid of back pain unless you stop whats causing it.
Once you have addressed whats causing the problem you can begin to take a look at repairing the damage that you have already caused. Lower back fixes are pretty straight forward but it can worsen the problem if they are not done properly. there are some great exercises with lacrosse balls and rollers that can help loosen up that tissue. A trustworthy massage therapist can do some great stuff as well, just remember to be careful and do your research.
I may recommend some running and low impact stuff just to see where you are and figure out what is causing those pains in your workouts. It will really help to pinpoint what actions are causing the pains in your back. Adjust your posture in those actions and have a look if that fixes anything.
This book's got some good stuff.
Supple Leopard by Kelly Starret.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588
Even Berkhan should read this book!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAX94eA2zrA
Just to reiterate what biscarch said: hip and ankle ROM are huge, specifically (in my opinion) ankle dorsiflexion.
I’ve posted this on here before, but I think an underemphasized factor in getting to a deep squat with an upright back is ankle ROM. If you can’t dorsiflex, your shins will remain more upright. If your shins are too upright, your butt will end up too far back at the bottom of the squat, or you’ll end up with an excessively wide stance to compensate (which is unstable). And the only way to remain balanced if your butt is too far back is to lean your torso forward. If your torso is leaning forward, you won’t be able to hold the barbell.
You mentioned that when you’re wearing Oly shoes you still put small plates under your heels? That says you’ve got pretty tight ankles. I’m in the same boat, man. I’m currently doing the same thing that biscarch mentioned: foam rolling, specifically on my Achilles and calves. It’s… not comfortable, but it helps, along with some of the stretches listed here. It’ll take time and patience, but stick with it and you’ll see results. Definitely check out mobilitywod.com for mobilitly exercises too, it’s by the same guy who wrote Becoming a Supple Leopard
I would either use both plates or none at all. It could be potentially dangerous to have a height imbalance by using one plate. If you are struggling with the heel problem I would suggest using the plates for the time being and concentrate on mobility work.
Kelly Starrett has a book called 'Supple Leapord', which I think is the go to for any mobility/mechanical issues you have with your body. If you are thinking about getting into any strength training prgramme I would highly suggest spending a bit of money on the book and going through the chapters on mobility work/stretching. It really has changed the way I view lifting.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588 - The book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gwgm3s2EQ0 - Video is a little example of the kind of thing he does and it may help your situation in some way.
It appears that dead tree format is your only choice currently.
https://kindle.amazon.com/work/becoming-supple-leopard-preventing-performance/B008QW27R8/1936608588
i'm sorry if that's true :( and feel free to take a break from exercise, but once you get back you might want to get the book Strong Curves, it's exercises designed to make a feminine body. Some ab exercises actually make the waist wider, so it avoids those. The sub is r/strongcurves
sleep comes first 100%
/r/StrongCurves It's a lifting/workout program that focuses more on the ladies. Since ladies can't get as many gains in our upperbody, we should be focusing lowerbody stuff. So Booty gains! It's based on a book Bret Conteras wrote.
There is a book https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
It's $9.99 for the kindle version (the kindle app is free for smart phones). I've never read it but I've heard great things.
But there's also a whole subreddit ( https://m.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves )and lots of info online. Check this out here_are_the_correct_strong_curves_workouts_in
As far as diet, if you eat whatever you want you will still see results but it may hold you back a bit. Honestly, you're young and you can still get away with a relaxed diet...so I wouldn't sweat it too much until you're ready to. I played sports in college and ate whatever I wanted and looked great. I miss those days. But at 21 I really got into lifting, decided to clean up my diet, and I took my physique to a level I didn't know I was capable with. Maybe focus on eating meals with lean protein and fresh food for the most part if you want to fuel your body a little better but still live a little, especially while you've got the metabolism. Often times working out motivates you to want to eat better.
If you were ever interested in tracking your nutrition a little better you can download an app like My Fitness Pal (free) to see how much your eating as well as an estimation of how much you should be eating. You can plug in your stats and it'll give you an estimate.
So in short, you don't necessarily need to change your current diet but it will definitely help you with your goals. Proper nutrition will not only improve your physique, but also your performance, recovery, and overall health. As they often say "you can't outrun a bad diet".
thank you and of course! i was a cardio bunny for years, often sinking an hour on the elliptical 5 or 6 days a week, and was really unsatisfied with my overall appearance. so i started strength training last fall, using dumbbells at home, and was both excited and encouraged by my results to get more serious about it!
more specifically, i've been on bret contreras r/strongcurves program for about 8 weeks. i highly recommend the book, which you can buy on amazon. the first 3 weeks i used the "best butt" at-home bodyweight program, then decided to switch to the "bootiful beginnings" program, which requires weights, once i felt i had a better understanding of movements, muscle activation, and incorporating more equipment. i am beyond thrilled with the results i'm seeing so far, which include growth in my glutes, hams, quads, and arms as well as an overall "tightening up" everywhere else, so i look much leaner.
i mentioned this in another comment, but something i didn't understand at the beginning of my health journey is that our overall body shape and appearance of fitness has so much more to do with body composition than weight. my figure was much more soft and round the first time i hit 132 pounds because i had no underlying muscle and was "skinny fat" with high body fat percentage, but low overall weight. even though my weight is the same on the scale today, i have more lean, muscle mass than squishy, fat mass. if you want to learn more, you can find a wealth of wonderful information about body composition and recompositioning here on reddit in r/fitness and r/xxfitness, but i'm happy to answer any other questions you have and share any additional anecdotal experience!
p.s. supergirl was totally my hero as a child, but as an adult i definitely identify with and aspire to more like catwoman: a powerful and empowered woman who is capable, confident, and content with herself just as she is! i honestly enjoyed wearing catwoman more because i feel like it really showcased my progress and physique and almost nothing beats the feeling you get when heads turn the instant you walk in a room!
It's program for this book (the full body advanced one): https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
No problem! Free weights are definitely going to be better than machines for building muscle and improving balance/posture/etc., lots of studies show this. Actually, one of the reasons I started lifting was because osteoporosis runs in my family, and a new study recently came out showing that machines are basically 100% useless in building bone density. There are some machines that can be handy as accessories, but for the most part you'll have better luck with dumbbells and barbells.
HOWEVER, that's kind of beside the point! It sounds like you have two problems.
For either of these reasons, you're currently experiencing what we usually call "fuckarounditis," the period of time that you look back on a year or more from now and wish you hadn't wasted, and just gotten started on accomplishing your goals. You'll often see posts saying, "I've been lifting for 8 months, but only seriously for the last 3." Those first 5 months were fuckarounditis, the latter three were productive.
If (1): Check out some of these threads. Read, be inspired, and realize you're brave! You can always practice the moves at home in front of a mirror, and work with dumbbells at first. Nobody's expecting you to go nuts on day one. If you want to try stuff with free weights, find a program, and then start small. You can always start with dumbbells, nobody will think twice about it.
If (2): think about your goals. Not sure? Brainstorm some ideas. Since you're already playing around with the bar a little, and the leg press, I'm assuming you have some strength goals. There are some great strength programs out there, some are listed in the FAQ (read the rest of the faq too if you haven't already, it is aweosme). StrongCurves has a beginner program for aesthetics and strength, Starting Strength is more just strength. StrongLifts is very straightforward, and there's a free phone app you can do that helps you track workouts that's pretty sweet. A lot of people on reddit are doing Ice Cream Fitness (ICF), that is also very straightforward, and people seem to really like it (actually, it honestly looks easier to follow than Starting Strength).
So yeah, take a couple days to read over some of those, and see if there's one that sounds interesting. If you do Strong Curves, buy the Amazon book, or for Starting Strength there's a book, or you can find coughtorrentcough the pdf online. For ICF, StrongLifts, and other programs, if there's any move you don't know how to do, just check a tutorial on youtube or on the bodybuilding.com exercise database, which is a great resource).
Still feeling like you're not ready to take that step? Remember this. ;)
I picked mine up at Barnes and Noble but you can find it online too. Here's the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
Yeah, getting into a mindset and routine that minimized the possibility of failure helped a lot.
Lifting is essentially about lifting heavier and heavier things to build strength. I started out reading all of Starting Strength before I even picked up a barbell. The book is very detailed and the program is pretty simple and popular, so altogether it helped keep me from second guessing whether or not my workouts were enough/safe/functional. It focuses on barbell work, but if all you have are light dumbbells at home, you could do very similar movements with them before you decide if you want to invest in heavier weights or a gym membership. Another popular program is Strong Curves, it sounds very good as well, but I'm not very familiar with it myself.
Oh, I love poutine. I've never been a big breakfast person, and I always find myself pretty unsatisfied with small, low calorie meals so I started doing intermittent fasting so I can have one big late lunch/early dinner and some lighter snacks at night if I need them. I don't count calories anymore but did at first to make sure I was not only not over eating, but also to make sure I was eating enough calories each day. I try to eat less junk food, but also don't cut anything out entirely, and having one main meal a day lets me include a more satisfying amount of calorie dense food when I'm really craving it, but also keeps me from sneaking snacks throughout the day. It takes some getting used to and isn't for everyone, but it's what I've found to be the most sustainable and effective.
Strong Curves! An exercise book/sets of plans that focuses on glute strength.
https://bretcontreras.com/wp-content/uploads/Strong-Curves-Workout-Templates.pdf
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
>In terms of exercise, I want to target slimming down my waist and thighs but grow my glutes and abs? How would I even start going about this?
You can't spot reduce fat. You can do some reshaping with overall fat loss (which comes from a calorie deficit) and strength training, but you can only change your natural body shape so much. Make sure that your expectations are realistic. Find a beginner weightlifting program (looks like someone else recommended Strong Curves), eat lots of protein, and stick to an appropriate calorie goal (not too low, not too high). I have a few books with weightlifting programs and I highly recommend getting a book. It will give you some background on the importance of weightlifting.
Strong Curves is $22 on Amazon I've never read it but it is highly recommended by many. I am doing the program from Strong and loving it! It utilizes a variety of equipment and supersets, so it isn't for everyone. The book is a quick read and I liked it.
Like others have said, unfortunately you can't spot reduce. But you can definitely drop some extra weight without losing your butt and chest. If you have access to the equipment (or even some space at home to do a bodyweight workout) you should check out Strong Curves.
I dropped a bunch of weight following the workouts and ended up with a nicer butt because of the squats and others moves. And no, the lifting didn't make me bulky lol.
Yes
I'd check out strong curves. A lot of females like this routine and it helps build the physique you're going for. As far as recomping, I'd just eat maintenance and lift heavy and see where it takes you. If you eat 1g protein per lb of lean mass, that gives you a macro split of 103p 25nc 111f. I prefer to stay under 20 net myself, but to each their own. That puts you at 1511cal not eating back exercise calories. I'd say that's a safe place to start. You should be able to progress on your lifts and stay around the same weight, but these calculators are estimates, so you'll just have to listen to your body. I'm a fan of using nsuns TDEE spreadsheet and logging daily calories and weights to get a good idea of my realistic TDEE, but it takes about 4 weeks to get enough data for a good calculation
Cardio can be achieved via strength training. Try the book Strong Curves I use the plans in that book, and I can say that by the end of a 30 min workout I am sweating and huffing and puffing.
Sure! I bought the book, and I honestly think the book is worth the purchase because there's a lot of good information in there in addition to pictures/descriptions of all the workouts. I knew how to do some of the exercises, but not all of them. There were two in fact that even my trainer had to look at and sort.
What I did was I took the book to him, said I wanted to do this program and could he read the book and then could we do it together. He and I have a really good relationship, He's trained with me through half of my major weightloss (24kg), and now through my beginning bodybuilding, so he knew I was quite firm on finding a new fitness challenge. But the reason I picked him in the first place was because he listened to me when I told him what I wanted to work towards, and he only pushes me in regards to finishing sets or putting in that bit extra when I'm failing, etc. There's all sorts of trainers out there, and I think their willingness to try something like this is a good test factor. He was a bit skeptical at first (in that he wanted to make sure it was a complete program), but when I explained why and he read the science in the book, it's actually sparked some really great conversations between sets.
You can do the exercises at home, as there's a way to do them at home and at the gym, but having him there to do them with me 1-2 times a week really makes a difference. We rack more weight and he can help me set up better (more equipment), and he's great for checking my form and spotting me if I'm tiring hard at the end, which finally happened the past couple of weeks.
Current results as I now went into the second 'round' of doing the sessions and also upped to twice a week PT: I went from lifting 130lbs to 270 lbs for my hip thrusts, 40ish lbs to now 70 lbs for the straight leg deadlifts, I use the 12kg weights now for individual arm stuff as opposed to the 8kg, and my marine presses/etc went way up as well, but I didn't log at the beginning, so I can't tell you other than I added at least 10kg on them.
You can buy the book here at Amazon.
I hope some of this helps.
Plenty of options below $30...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1936608642/ref=olp_f_used?ie=UTF8&amp;f_new=true&amp;f_used=true&amp;f_usedAcceptable=true&amp;f_usedGood=true&amp;f_usedLikeNew=true&amp;f_usedVeryGood=true&amp;qid=1480621843&amp;sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG
I recommend you read "Bigger Leaner Stronger" by Mike Matthews. I started the program in Oct 2015 and was pretty much in the exact same point as you. I was 5'7" 168 lbs.
I wasn't as interested in the weight lifting as much as the nutrition but I read (actually listened via audible.com) to the whole book. As it turned out I really enjoyed the weight lifting aspect.
It took about 8 weeks to get to 150 lbs and was close to 10% body fat. I've been maintaining since because I'd rather be bulking during the holidays (US) and lean during the summer.
As to where to start, the advice from the book is to get down to 10% before bulking. So unless your already at 10%, then you need to start with a cut.
Check out the book: https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Bodybuilding-Weightlifting-ebook/dp/B006XF5BTG
You can also check out his website: http://www.muscleforlife.com/
The book (and website) address all the issues you brought up. Follow the plan and it will work. It's not complicated and allows a fair amount of freedom. Just do it, and it will work, pretty much guaranteed.
Bigger Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews.
You need to squat deeper.
Also look over your shoes. Your legs wobbled a lot. I cant see the shoes but it seems like what happens when you have runners shoes on. I've seen it before.
Also you need to move the squat rack away from the wall a little and then look over the book to get the eye gaze right.
After that you only have to think about taking a deep breath at the top, and making sure you push your chest out. Its a very bad idea to flex your spine when lifting. It should be in the same position at the top as the bottom. The only thing that moves is your hips and knees.
Once you've fixed all that then I cant really tell from this angle but make sure your knees dont go over your toes. It could just be a trick of the mind from the strange angle but it seems like your knees are going over.
The book is 12 bucks on kindle. Buy it if you dont have it.
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Mark-Rippetoe-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA
video on hip drive eye gaze:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B8s0yknGhA
I do Super Slow with a trainer, which involves one heavy set to failure for each body part. Check out Doug McGuff’s Body by Science and Adam Zickernan’s Power of 10 (as in 10 seconds per rep) for the science behind it. I’ve found it extremely effective, and certainly time efficient. Most people do it once a week for 20 minutes, but I go twice a week when I‘m home since I travel a lot.
My advice as a middle school teacher: Anticipation and Deadlifts. Adrenaline causes the shakes, once it starts flowing it's after effects stay for at least 30-45 minutes. So you have to anticipate the other persons attempt to engage you and either redirect, solve or beat them to the point of contention. I recommend solving. It's the most lasting solution. Next, I recommend deadlifting (and other large lifts i.e. overhead press, bench press, squats) because they cause large hormone dumps on your body and they stress (in a safe controlled way) your central nervous system. Do these safely and on a regular basis, at least once a week. In no way shape or form am I telling you to be a bodybuilder. Doing these lifts will not make you a freak of nature (illegal drugs, diet, genetics and freakish devotion do that.) You will however be more familiar with how your body reacts to hormonal changes. With more time you will be able to 'think over' the adrenaline. This is what the special forces are trained to do, use their brain effectively while the adrenaline is surging. Another positive benefit of exercise is your heart will be stronger to move and dissipate the hormones through your body (this is an un-cited guess I'm making so take it with a grain of salt). A third benefit of exercise that comes to mind is the increased endorphins (opioids) that stay with you and contribute to a zen like calm that will help you avoid shakes! Good luck!
For more on chemical signaling in your body and its relationships with exercise and diet I'd recommend this book and lecture. (the lecture is super long and takes a while to get going but worth it IMHO.)
TLDR; Anticipate to avoid adrenaline rush. Deadlift to dissipate and familiarize yourself with it.
The blog post also has a link to an earlier entry with more discussion of cardiac damage. I'm at work so I can't really look for more sources right now.
(edit) A more recent article discussing a study on possible heart damage.
A few sources from Body By Science:
Absolutely... I happened to find keto worked for me (it isn't for everyone) and I used MyFitnessPal.com to track my food. Once I got a handle on what I could eat, and how much of it I could eat, I started to slack off on logging, but kept to "Lazy Keto". I started off at 220-230 and I weigh 168 right now. The last 10-15 lbs are proving to be a challenge so I will probably go back to logging to make sure I am not being too "lazy". I use keto, running and short "Body By Science" intense strength sessions because that combo seems to work best for me. I'm almost 50 though... I wish I had started when I was your age.
You might find this book interesting if you can pick up a copy somewhere... http://www.amazon.com/Body-Science-Research-Strength-Training/dp/0071597174
Thanks for this post.
I just bought a treadmill this summer to help get back into regular exercise.
I read a book called Spark a couple of years ago which has some really cool info about what exercise does for the brain.
Ha! I was just about to do a very similar post.
Here's a list of things I've figured out over the years (I'm 43), in no particular order, natch. They're not all exactly steps or how to's, some are more things to regularly consider (actions eminate from thoughts).
Read Spark by John Ratey. He outlines exactly the issues that you are talking about.
It's true that it is harder to concentrate the day after exercising vigorously. Your body is tired! Try exercising more consistently, but less vigorously.
Great health is definitely vital to performing well with your job. If you’re mentally and physically in great shape then high performance naturally follows. Look to perfect these foundations: Sleep, Diet, Exercise, Mental health and Productivity.
For sleep, make sure you’re getting around 8 hours of ideally uninterrupted sleep a day.
For diet, there are many great ones around, the ketogenic diet is very healthy and good for energy.
For exercise, read this book (it’s not mine). Perfect for enhancing performance through exercise: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485969714&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=spark
For mental health, a nutritious diet goes a long way. Mindful meditation for 20 minutes a day is life changing for a lot of people (research it if you don’t believe me). Also, personal improvement blogs and books have helped me a lot to cultivate a successful mindset, Steve Pavlina has a great blog.
For productivity, the reason I mention this is due to the fact we have limited energy and time each day. By maximizing our productivity we can most effectively use our limited daily resources. Shorter work days may actually lead to more work being done in the long run for example, 7 hours a day 5 days a week is my sweet spot but you may differ so do your research. Working long hours is admirable but in the long-term it can hurt your health and work, working smart is what you should aim for.
Hopefully this helps you out.
This book touches on some of the points mentioned in other comments, and illustrates the connection between morning exercise and better emotional and cognitive function. It's worth a read or listen if you do audio books!
I've always thought this was the best way to curb my ADD along with medicine and if anyone is interested there is an amazing book written by a physician about this subject! Helped me understand a lot: https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514
I agree that of course you should do the type of exercise that you really enjoy. But in case you want more than that, the research that exists in this area and supports that idea that exercise can be a helpful treatment is mostly about aerobic exercise like walking/running/cycling. But that could just mean researchers haven't looked into strength training as much, not necessarily that it isn't as good.
Maybe more helpful is that research indicates that high levels of exercise (defined in the study as burning around 8 calories per pound over the course of multiple exercise sessions in a week) creates the largest decrease in depression symptoms. So I would say do whatever exercise you enjoy and mets your goals that gets you to that level.
Source is the book Spark: Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514