r/AskReddit • u/RATGUT1996 • 12h ago
Gym bros, what sacred knowledge of getting Gains do you swear by and will always recommend?
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u/CliveBixby1974 11h ago
Consistency is key.
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u/anonymous_otter28 11h ago
it took awhile for me to learn motivation is a trap. don't think about it or how you feel about it. just do it.
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u/Jahobes 10h ago
And then it will get to a point that missing the gym is like going outside without brushing your teeth.
It's now at that point for me that I cannot miss a gym day unless I have a very good reason.
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u/RVelts 8h ago
I feel like crap all day if I miss my workout due to something outside my control. If I know ahead of time that I am planning a rest day, or have to travel so I can't fit in a morning workout, I feel 100% fine since it was premeditated.
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u/Jahobes 8h ago
Same. It's actually a good problem because I remember how I used to feel like crap trying to get myself motivated for the gym.
Now I have to motivate myself to miss if I need to rest or go to a damn job interview or something.
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u/SPOOKESVILLE 8h ago
That can lead to a slightly unhealthy mindset where you feel like you HAVE to go to the gym and will skip out on things like hanging out with friends. Just always remember that skipping 1 day (or even 1 week) isnât going to ruin your progress, and the gym will always be there but your friends/family/concerts/etc. might not be
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u/NumberOneStonecutter 6h ago
I used to work out like this and then I kind of got sick of the fact that my days consisted of work, workout, dinner, get ready for the next day, bed. I felt like I had no life. I began to take days off to do things with friends.
I also started taking a full week off every few months and I swear the rest helped to push past a plateau like the first time I bench pressed 2 plates or later 2 plates and a quarter - came after I took a week off.
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u/HyperionsDad 4h ago
Taking a week or two off in cross country mountain biking can do the same. Let your legs and heart rest and then you GO.
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u/UnsanctionedPartList 6h ago edited 5h ago
Skipping months because your work schedule has you running into the issue of "only 24 hrs in a day, only 7 days in a week" does catch up though. Ask me how I know.
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u/Austinp-woodworking 7h ago
yeah once you get to the point where you've been on a consistent schedule it fucking itches at you when you have to miss a day.
Ironically, not going on a run or lifting because I'm sick or whatever takes about as much self-discipline as it used to take to actually do it lol
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u/johnsonfromsconsin 10h ago
Hardest part is just getting to the gym. Then all downhill once you start working out.
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u/Silverjackal_ 10h ago
Iâm hoping those magnetic resistance home gyms catch on and get substantially cheaper. I think for like 90% of people they could do more than enough to build a good physique.
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u/TheZac922 11h ago
Yeah this is my go to. And it doesnât have to be âconsistently perfectâ, but not completely falling off the wagon.
I know a lot of people that get paralysis by analysis when they want to start training and procrastinate looking for a perfect program or diet. Then they go hard for about a month before something comes up and they just never stick to it.
Whereas Iâve just kinda stayed with it. Some weeks my sessions are better than others, I take a week off from time to time etc. but Iâve built a pretty good physique by just sticking with it more often than not.
People assume I spend hours in the gym every day but itâs really just about sticking with it.
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u/buzzmemello520 6h ago
Paralysis by analysis is a great way to put it. I'm in pretty good shape, been lifting for over a decade consistently. I have an overweight friend who asked if I was doing "progressive overload on an A/B split", said he had been doing a lot of research, and that he was only training upper body and not legs yet because he wanted to get the right program before he brought legs in, and etc etc etc. Like all that knowledge is fine but you gotta just go into the gym and pick shit up and put it down
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u/RustbeltRoots 10h ago
If I only went on the days it felt ideal, Iâd never do it.
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u/TheZac922 10h ago
I always tell myself that getting a half assed, shitty workout done was better than nothing. But you string enough of those together and youâre still getting progress.
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u/SpeedofSL0TH 9h ago
Whenever I donât want to go workout, I always tell myself the best gains are made on those days. Iâve never regretted going to the gym, but I have regretted not going.
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u/gotsthepockets 7h ago edited 6h ago
One of my favorite quotes in many contexts (fitness included):
You throw a bucket of water on a rock and it doesn't do anything. You let a drop of water fall onto a rock every day and it creates a hole.Â
Consistency beats intensity.
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u/FlaniganWackerMan 11h ago
Most people over estimate what progress they can make in 6 weeks, but vastly underestimate what progress they can make in 6 months.
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u/h00dman 11h ago
As a beginner I really needed to hear this, thank you for sharing it.
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u/Mimmzy 9h ago
More advice for beginner (I hope I'm reading beginner as new to weight training in general and not over explaining)
Try to keep in mind the rule of thirds. One third of the time you will feel like you're making good progress, another third of the time you'll feel like you're making no progress, and the other third will feel just okay about your progress. That's normal and expected and consistency in just showing up is your greatest superpower
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u/Whatever-ItsFine 9h ago
I saved this comment. I think it will come in handy.
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u/driving_andflying 6h ago
Also, for beginners:
--Start easy, start light. Great things come from simple beginnings.
--You don't have to go hard, every time, all the time. A five, or even ten-minute break between sets is acceptable.
--There is no race. You're not there to compete with someone else. The only person you are doing this for, is you.
--*Listen to your body.* If that sharp pain came out of nowhere while you were lifting? See the doctor, ASAP. There is a difference between muscle pain from working out, and injuring yourself from trying to do too much, too quickly.
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u/Dracomortua 4h ago
You deserve more than three upvotes.
For any youngsters starting out ('under thirty'), please don't do juice / gear. Seen way too many guys my age totally messed up long term because of it.
If you only gain ten pounds a year you will find in half a decade you won't fit any clothing... nor vehicles... nor doorways.
Please: there is no rush to getting big. And? Girls don't actually like gigasaur guys.
Source: gym rat since 13 or so? Um... half a century of being an idiot. Do NOT ask me about my rotator cuffs.
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u/Sawendro 3h ago
We've been trying to reach you about your rotator cuff's extended warranty...
(You voided it)
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u/bongo1138 10h ago
I know heâs not super well liked here these days, but during press for Guardians of the Galaxy 1, Chris Pratt said something that stuck with me in a big way. They asked about the difficulty of losing the fat and gaining the muscle, and he said it was hard, but someone asked him what he was doing exactly six months ago today. He didnât know and realized, whatâs hard today will be forgettable in a short amount of time.
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u/lomanity 10h ago
Also actors are on steroids and have training and nutrition dialed in for them, the same process naturally would take MUCH longer
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u/Busy_Monitor_9679 9h ago
I always remember Rob McElhanney talking about how he got his ripped body
"Iâm gonna break it down for you, because itâs actually quite simple, and anybody can do this. Anybody on the planet can do this. First thingâs first: if you have jobâlike a 9-5 jobâquit that. Do you like food? Forget about that. Because youâre never going to enjoy anything you eat. Alcohol? Sorry. Thatâs out. So what you need to doâyou have a chef, right? like a personal chef?âmake sure the chef makes you a lot of chicken breast. And make sure you keep your caloric intake at a certain level. And as you go to your physician 2-3 times a weekâjust to monitor all your testosterone levelsâbecause testosterone is important to building muscle. Youâre good friends with the trainer from Magic Mike? Arin Babaian. So you want to give Arin a call. And you want to make sure heâs at your house and takes you to the gym at least twice a day, because youâre gonna want to do your muscle-building in the morning and then your cardio in the afternoon. Now, do you have a family? Like a significant other or kids? Yeah, forget about them. Youâre not going to have time to deal with them.
So thatâs really all you have to do. And make sure you have a studio pay for the entire thing, because it could become exceptionally expensive. So, I think if you just do all those things, then you too can have an absolutely unrealistic body type, such as me."
Pratt's still correct though, training normally you'll look back and be amazed on how far you've come.
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u/Churlish_Performer 9h ago
Yup. My counterpoint to Pratt is what Kumail Nanjani said when he got super jacked. He said, " I would not have been able to do this if I didn't have a full year with the best trainers and nutritionists paid for by the biggest studio in the world. I'm glad I look like this, but I also understand why I never did before. It would have been impossible without these resources and time.â
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u/MikeShannonThaGawd 9h ago
Plus the steroids
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u/FranceinthePants 8h ago
Yeah, Nanjiani is a pretty egregious case of HGH. He took so much shit his head looks completely different
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u/ElkAlternative3777 8h ago
I think he got some jawline surgery as well
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u/MyUshanka 7h ago
He's definitely had work done on his face. I watched the latest Taskmaster series and his face barely moves when he laughs.
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u/TexasDrill777 10h ago
More time to work out and all that money are great reasons as well
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u/5553331117 9h ago
It really doesnât take a lot of time. 1 hour 3 times a week is plenty. Might leave like 10-15% of âbest possibleâ gains on the table, but thatâs completely negligible. People largely overestimate how much time it takes to workout or how much time is really needed to exercise.
And as Chris said, once you have a groove, what was hard 6 months ago is just normal now.Â
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u/stringrbelloftheball 9h ago
Coincidentally a hugely helpful bit of advice for me also came from christ pratt during that press tour
Basically he was going out to dinner and had a choice on what to eat. Healthy or a burger and realizing that burger would undue all the days hardwork.
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u/screw-magats 8h ago
You can't outrun your fork.
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u/pattyneidert 8h ago
You can, you just have to run a lot farther than most people realize.
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u/RVelts 8h ago
Michael Phelps levels of swimming
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u/The-Sound_of-Silence 5h ago
When I was on a semi-competitive swim team, I could eat pretty much anything. It's the one activity that I think can kinda outrun a diet, if you do it at a high level
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u/DHFranklin 7h ago
Though true we have to be careful with that, that line of thinking leads some to disordered eating.
If you order and eat the delicious healthy thing while giving your self the option of cheeseburger later or later on a nice little treat then you won't make those decisions hungry. It is most important to feed and nourish your body. Don't think to much about it besides that without a nutritionist or dietician.
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u/Austinp-woodworking 7h ago
A very similar refrain got me through a lot of tough workouts when I was losing weight. "In a few hours this will just be a bad memory". Every time I felt like stopping my run, getting off the stair master, or quitting a few reps early I'd tell myself that, and it'd help me push through
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u/MetalGardena 11h ago
Discipline makes every day seem the same.
Laziness makes every year feel the same.•
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u/Dufresne85 10h ago
As someone who's just getting back into being in shape, I'd change the last part to "laziness makes every year feel worse".
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u/MoreFeeYouS 10h ago
Unless it's muscle memory gains. The speed of those gains always surprises.
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u/Brandaman 10h ago
I hope youâre right, I fell off massively from the gym after getting a dog and have just gone back. Getting back to speed quickly would be a great bonus
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u/legedu 10h ago
I've reput on the same muscles like 6 times in 20 years. Muscle memory gains are insane.
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u/Josh_Butterballs 10h ago
I made crazy gains in six weeks (visually) as a skinny fat person. I was expecting no one to notice until 3 months because thatâs what everyone online told me. I went consistently 4 days a week, strict diet, etc. the whole nine yards. No love handles anymore, gut has gone away a lot, noticeably bigger arms (not huge at all tho wanna make that clear), face doesnât look chubby). I was not expecting this at all this soon tbh
I know one friend told me skinny fat people have the weight already just not in muscle so that mightâve helped as opposed to just being plain skinny. Dieting also probably helped a lot too as I know that can be tough along with being new to the gym.
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u/kaedewoodworks 10h ago
Really itâs the diet that did it for you. People vastly underestimate what eating correctly and tracking your macros does for hypertrophy and fat loss. Yes, training hard and consistently is important too, but thatâs a bit more obvious than the diet part. I saw a massive difference this summer during my prep phase than I did last year, and really down to being more strict on my diet and tracking everything I ate.
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u/lobster_liberator 7h ago
I always frame it this way:
20 oz coke: 240 calories gained
25 minutes of jogging: 240 calories burned
Exercise is necessary and great for your body but it's also much easier to just not drink a coke from a fat loss perspective. Then apply it to everything else you eat + combine exercise for added bonus.
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u/cyborg_127 4h ago
"You cannot outrun your fork." - "Abs are made in the kitchen."
If you're overeating, going for a jog 3 times a week for cardio isn't going to do a lot. Your diet is just as important as your training to see proper changes.
Cardio exercises help, but only within reason.
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u/alfa_omega 10h ago
Skinny fat guy here, exactly the same for me.
After a month of locking in my diet and training 4/5 times a week love handles are gone, stomach is flat and I can see my abs for the first time since I was about 10 and I also have an actual shape and chest instead of straight down. Amazing what some discipline and consistency can do.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the difference in 6 months is!
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u/Decent_Lab_5814 9h ago
Six weeks is long enough to get impatient; six months is long enough to actually notice.
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u/BorgQuingus67 11h ago
Extrapolating this, they especially underestimate what they can do with years of consistency with training, diet and sleep.
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u/Mollelarssonq 9h ago
My ADHD brain is disappointing in the low progress iâve made doing push ups for 6 days.
Iâll try to keep this in mind lol
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u/FlaniganWackerMan 9h ago
6 days of normal pushups - then go to 6 days of diamond push ups - then go to 6 days of declined pushups and repeat.
You're doing great and forming habits.
You're thinking in terms of visible progress and not great habits. I am convinced every morning we should be stretching, pushups, and some planks.
Because of your comment I am going to make sure I do 6 straight days of pushups when I wake up - don't let me down and keep it up!
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u/deadcomefebruary 8h ago
We are doing a challenge at work that is simply: 20 pushups per day. Thats it. I go to the gym and do other stuff but in addition, i do my 20. In 2 months i have gone from 10-12 as my max consecutive, to a full 20 without stop. Which doesnt sound like a lot, but is almost double what I could do originally. Im female, btw
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u/Hatzmaeba 10h ago
In that case I did a lot wrong, because my gains were absolute zero after 6 months, even though I had a routine, went three times a week and almost always did reps until failure, or close to it. I have no clue what happened.
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u/Ryhnhart 9h ago edited 2h ago
Three times a week is enough for 99% of people, 4-5 is optimal if you're bodybuilding. Competitive is nearly all PEDs, don't try and match their recovery times.
Reps to failure, or one left in the tank for safety, but make sure its muscle fatigue and not sharp pain. Any pain and you stop unless you really know what you're doing.
Recovery for a natural requires good sleep hygiene. 8 hours, same bed time and same wake up time (or close to, we're only human.)
Diet, 0.8 g of protein per lb of body weight (weigh 100 lbs = 80g of protein), unless you're competing. If you are, 2 g per lb is the max without significantly diminishing returns, and you'd be doing PEDs. Anything past 1 g is likely overdoing it for the vast majority of people. edit If you're obese, or want to be specific, go with Lean Body Mass instead of bodyweight.
Calories, make sure you eat excess calories if you're building muscle. Aim for 500 more per day, and adjust from there for preference/competition. Try to cut out the filler foods like snacks, candies, pop, alcohol, etc. They're empty calories and you want the macros. Best to consult an app or trainer on this, it needs to be based on you, and not the average person. edit if you're a smaller person, you don't need to go fullbore 500 more. It will need to be tailored to you.
Creatine, helps with recovery and muscle soreness unless you're a non-responder. Lots of info online about this, I'll let you dig into it if you want.
After all that, if you still aren't seeing gains after 6 months... you're an alien lol. Or, there's a bigger issue and I'd suggest talking to your doctor. Could be something easy like testosterone, or a bigger problem.
Any questions, feel free to ask away.
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u/Trappist1 10h ago
By no means a fitness expert, but did you do multiple sets of each exercise?
Did you attempt to make sure you are working out every opposing muscle group, as sometimes working the opposing muscle will give extra stability allowing you to lift more weight?
For the same reason, are at least some of your lifts, compound lifts, versus working isolated muscles?Â
Are you on a medium to high protein diet? Though, you'd likely still have some gains with even a bad diet.Â
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u/Baxbane 10h ago
Were you tracking/weighing your protein intake well, or visually guesstimating âthis is probably enoughâ?
Eating carbs close to training helps a lot. Going to failure isnât bad, but itâs easy to let form get sloppy which can hinder progress for me.
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u/UnifiedQuantumField 11h ago
Just go. If you've never worked out before, there's nowhere to go but up.
Be systematic and put in a regular effort. You'll notice the difference after about a month. It'll take longer for other people to notice though.
Dietary and "training knowledge" help some. But 90% is just going and exercising on a regular basis.
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u/thepornidentity 11h ago
Yup, that.Â
I tell people all of the time that progress is built on the half assed workout. The days where you showed up, did something, anything, despite feeling not up to it. Every day you don't stay home means you didn't backslide, and that's the key difference between those that make it and those that don't.Â
So feel like shit, feel unmotivated, feel gross and sad, lift tiny weights. And show up anyway. Nobody has to motivate you, your success is dependent on exactly one person over time.
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u/PlzbuffRakiThenNerf 6h ago
This is why I recommend the gym so much. I literally lie to myself and say Iâll just arrive and sit on a stationary bike when Iâm not feeling it. But now Iâm here and warmed up so might as well finish strong.
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u/JeromeBarkly 5h ago
You will never regret not making it to the gym on days you really donât want to go.
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u/Magsays 8h ago
Iâd say diet is one of the main factors. You just canât put on muscle without calories.
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u/ShwAlex 11h ago
Do the bad/easy workouts instead of skipping them. If your goal is getting to the gym 3 days a week, that's 150 workouts per year. Regularly missing 1-2 workouts per week, or "taking the month off" can result in 100 workouts per year instead of the 150 you aimed for. 100 good workouts + 50 "bad" workouts are much better than just 100 workouts in a year. Go do the work, reduce the weight load when you feel like shit, had a bad day at work, did not sleep well. The cumulative benefits of doing them all will add up over time in hypertrophy/strength gains and in discipline gains. Learn about RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and how to use it, and aim for RPE 6-7-8. Always going to failure is too taxing in the long term.
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u/Avalanche_Debris 11h ago
There is no shame in showing up and stretching or doing 2 lifts or jogging for 10 mins, and then going home if youâre not feeling it. But most of the times when I wasnât feeling it and decided to do an easy workout, it somehow turned into a decent workout just because I showed up.
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u/ToosterReeth 10h ago
This is great advice because we're habitual little creatures, and if you show up you'll show up again whereas if you skip there's a high likelihood you'll skip again
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u/Adventurous-Dog420 9h ago
When I was in the Marines it wasn't an option to skip PT, but you could always cheese it. I would wake up in the morning and tell myself I'm going to take it easy because I was tired or hungover. But every time I'd end up just pushing because, "fuck it i'm already doing it."
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u/zaminDDH 10h ago
So many times has the workout that I was inches away from skipping ended up being one of my better and more productive workouts.
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u/External-Age7446 10h ago
Yeah sometimes just gotta make it easier on the brain first then once youâre doing it your body is like this isnât that bad.
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u/johosaphatz 10h ago
I use "expecting a bad workout" days as time to test other exercises and variants. Still doing work and learning but not putting myself through the wringer.
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u/OneBillPhil 9h ago
Yep, a light day or a half assed workout is a lot better than taking the day off. Your body needs a light day occasionally too.Â
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u/DeadYen 11h ago
Learn correct form before you start piling on the heavy weights.
This is obvious, but you wouldnât believe the amount of people I see still using bad form and risking/getting injuries.
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u/cdmurray88 11h ago
As a student physical therapist, I want to correct form all the time, but I know it won't be taken as friendly advice.
If you can't do it slow and controlled, you're not actually strong. You're just involving muscles you weren't trying to target, abusing momentum and tendon reflexes, or not working through your full range of motion.
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u/Possible_Ad_4094 11h ago
But if I slam weights really loud and ignore the controlled descent, that means I'm really, really strong. C'mon PT bro, don't you know that?
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u/BklynDad 10h ago
I have to force myself not to look at people at the back row machine pulling with their lower back and yanking like it's a lawn mower. Ditto the lat pulldown where they are bouncing up and down like a Jack Russel terrier.
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u/Copious-GTea 6h ago
I see some goofy shit and have to remind myself I have no idea what odd specific thing it is someone might be training for. They really might just be training to start their lawn mower.
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u/AGuyWithoutABeard 10h ago
There are plenty of times where momentum and limited ROM are actually very efficient and useful. If you want to build any type explosive power or strength you'll have to use them in your programming. Not every exercise needs to use isolated tempo reps.
I'm guessing you're talking more about stuff like bouncing a bar off the chest for bench or quarter squats, though. Unfortunately PTs have a reputation for being anti-athleticism and anti-resistance training (I have one that actually lifts heavy and she is awesome). The best docs, PTs, and trainers understand that "good form" is a spectrum and perfect form is a myth.
If you're going to give form advice, just make sure you're someone who's adequately experienced in whatever lift you're trying to critique. Unsolicited advice from someone who doesn't lift is the worst.
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u/cdmurray88 10h ago
I'm definitely talking about excessive bouncing.
Power, speed, strength, and endurance definitely have different modes of training.
PTs against resistance training? It's the primary way to build strength and bone health.
And yes, every body is different, so form is different from person to person. Perfect doesn't exist, period.
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u/Possible_Ad_4094 11h ago
I'm in the process of "resetting" right now. In June, I got back into lifting for the first time in almost 10 years. I was so focused on getting back to my old numbers (which should not be the goal of an injured 35 year old), that I didn't pay attention to form. The weights went up fast, but I started videoing a few exercises to review my form and realized that my range of motion sucked. I've dropped everything by around 30% and have been strict on form.
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u/BadDub 11h ago
I used the rear delt machine for the first time after doing weights with no injuries for well over a year and ended up somehow hurting my shoulder đ
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u/carsandgrammar 10h ago
If I'm too fatigued, I cannot do rear delt flyes without screwing up my shoulders. I sit down, set up, do a rep or two, and decide based upon whether things are clicking if I'm gonna bail or keep going.
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u/DickFromRichard 8h ago
Tbh, I think this mentality holds a lot of people back. Learn the basic technique and refine it as you progress.
Too many people get hung up on having "perfect form" at the expense of making actual progress
There are a lot of factors that go into injury, technique is one aspect of a much larger pictureÂ
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u/afrowithlegs 11h ago
Consistency and progressive overload over everything else. Most people don't progress because they switch programmes/get bored/give up if they don't see progress fast enough. It takes 2-3 months to see any kind of visible change for an average, untrained person. Stick with a balanced plan and keep making it difficult every time, the gains will follow.
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u/technofever89 10h ago
I literally just got into an argument with a guy in the Beginner Fitness sub who said progressive overload is dangerous and that no one should do it unless theyâre a powerlifter.
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u/Moam213 10h ago
And how would he suppose one becomes a powerlifter in the first place
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u/peristeratsipra 9h ago
You get chosen and have the news delivered to you through an archangel.
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u/TheOGRedline 6h ago
I assumed a Hagrid type figure would show up. âYouâre a powerlifter, Harry!â
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u/THEAdrian 9h ago edited 4h ago
Most people misconstrue what progressive overload means.
It doesn't mean "add weight to make gains", it means "being able to do more weight or more reps under the same conditions means adaptations are occurring".
So if you CAN do an extra rep with the same weight, that's progressive overload. If you CAN do more weight for the same amount of reps, that's progressive overload. It doesn't mean you force the issue.
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u/shantm79 7h ago
This should be up top. Excellent explanation everyone can understand. I think ppl get tripped up and think it's only adding more weight.
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u/Ink_Smudger 9h ago
So... what? Just do nothing but lift 5lb weights for eternity?
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u/willy_koop 10h ago
Most of my progress has come from being months into doing same exact split with the same workouts, pushing lifts by 2-5 pounds each week, if I can.
The beginning of a new program feels great because your lifts can explode during the first month, but you wonât hit your long term goals hopping programs.
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u/Jimbo19091 11h ago
Consistency. A half assed workout on your bad days is better than no workout. Also creatine
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u/Louv3l 7h ago
Ugh I need to live by this. I keep thinking 2 good workouts is better than 2 good workouts + 1 bad one and I keep missing my 3 days a week routine. It's so stupid
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u/wegnbealrght 11h ago
If u wannna get strong as fuck you gotta EAT!!!!!
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u/BadDub 11h ago
Honestly i thought eating would be easy, but when i calculated my protein intake vs what I need I was only getting half. The thought of eating more doesnât sound appealing
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u/mrdreka 11h ago
That is why most people take protein shake, easy and cheap way to hit your protein needs.
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u/joric6 8h ago
It's not cheap anymore though. I saw 5lb tubs for $100 on Amazon yesterday, those used to cost 50-60
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u/katzenschrecke 7h ago
Even at Costco they went up 50%
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u/erix84 5h ago
I think I paid $70 for a "5lb" bag of Gold Standard at Costco.
My bag weighed almost 6lbs. Weighed it after seeing a bunch of videos of that guy that was weighing stuff at Walmart and Kroger and everything was under weight.
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u/BadDub 11h ago
How many scoops do you do in a day?
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u/ToosterReeth 10h ago
As many as you need to hit your protein goal, that's the only answer that ever matters
Or if you're generally curious about others, I usually have 2-3 (or about 75g)
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u/_bk_adv 10h ago
Itâs gonna depend on the type of protein and brand.
But I used do take mass gainer back in the day. It was about 1400 calories with 4 scoops and water. I would use whole milk instead, throw in some peanut butter, some banana and some other fruits. Ended up being around 2100 calories and I would drink it right before bed.
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u/dgjapc 10h ago
Serious question, how were your shits?
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u/_bk_adv 10h ago
Had to take a fiber supplement. I developed an impaction once and that was absolutely brutal dealing with. Imagine trying to shit out brick of poo the size of a softball.
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u/eightslipsandagully 10h ago
The problem with a lot of mass gainers is they maltodextrin as a bulk source of calories/carbs
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u/dgjapc 9h ago
I recently learned maltodextrin has a glycemic index thatâs nearly twice that of table sugar. Many processed food manufacturers will sneak it into their sugar-free products, but itâs absolutely terrible for blood sugar. Diabetics beware.
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u/johnny-faux 10h ago
blend up a 1,000 calorie shake with 80 grams of protein. makes every thing so much easier!
i blend up bananas, berries, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, oats, peanut butter, chia seeds and protein powder
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u/kurafuto 10h ago
You probably need less protein than you think, and with even lower youre still going to make progress, it just wont be maximal. 0.6-0.8g per lb, and if you're fat (a lot of beginners probably are) its even less. Concistency matters more.
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u/OlaPlaysTetris 9h ago
I wish I could grab little 18 year old me and put this knowledge into his brain. I struggled for like 5 years going to the gym in high school and college to put on decent muscle. I probably weighed 140-150lbs at 6 foot by the time I left college. Since then, Iâve put on like 40 pounds of muscle all because I was finally eating as consistently as I was lifting. Iâll admit my metabolism slowing was also a huge part of that, but just eating a shit ton needed to be front of my mind at that time.
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u/Mighty-pigeon 11h ago
Sleep sleep sleep
Protein Protein protein
Consistency consistency consistency
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u/Konowl 11h ago
I used to go to the gym 5 days a week. Had great results took a lot of time. Friend of mine started going. Iâm like awesome great
To see you here! Sheâs like yeah I need to look good for Cuba in 4 weeks. She was not a petite girl. Iâm just likeâŚ. Good luckâŚ..→ More replies (2)•
u/faithOver 11h ago
Yah.
And then they get disappointed saying diet and working out doesnât do anything for them.
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u/Konowl 8h ago
âYouâre so lucky youâre a guy the weight falls off youâ she says as I literally count caleries eat chicken and vegetables and workout 2 hours a day lol.
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u/anonymouswan1 7h ago
It's just a dig at the effort and work you put in. I go 7 days a week and have for years. I get the same backhanded "compliments" all the the time like "youre a guy so its easy for you to be skinny!". Like no bitch, I eat white rice and chicken every fucking day. Literally nothing but weighed out rice and chicken.
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u/etham 10h ago
The older you get, the more you need to listen to your body. If your knee feels a little weird that day, skip the squats and lunges. If your shoulder felt a little funny going up on that shoulder press, skip that movement entirely. If your lower back is feeling a bit tight and it still doesn't feel right after warming up, back off the deadlifts. Too often injuries come from convincing ourselves that it's no big deal, you'll push through the workout.
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u/rolan56789 11h ago
Unless your training is truly awful, consistency and time matter more than anything else. I've been lifting for about 15 years. Did tons of goofy and "suboptimal" training, but eventually it all evens out.
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u/CheekMuncherMan 7h ago
I've noticed a lot of people repeating the point about consistency which I completely agree with but it is worth stating that training hard does matters too.
The number of people I've seen in the gym who spend literally (in the textbook definition of the word) 10 mins between sets on social media is astounding. Their set lasts about 60 seconds so in total, they spend roughly 10% of their time actually exercising.
These are the same people I've heard complaining to their friends about how they don't see any results.
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u/stoicwarrior17 12h ago
Sleep is number 1. Then diet. Then gym.
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u/tapput561 11h ago edited 11h ago
I forget where I heard this, but it goes something like this.
âIf sleep was invented today, it would be banned as a performance enhancer. Thatâs how important sleep is.â
https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a64943248/mat-fraser-sleep-performance/
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u/Possible_Ad_4094 11h ago
"Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty!" - Master Roshi
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u/_whydah_ 11h ago
Sleep is so incredibly important. People think they can get great gains with cutting sleep, but sleep is when you get a lot of growth hormone released, and when your body recovers allowing for more volume, which stimulates more growth. Sleep is key.
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u/bigdickdaddykins 11h ago
Thatâs because of all the BSers including some of the great like Ronnie who claimed to sleep 2-3 hours a night
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u/siphillis 7h ago
I'd say that shit too if I were trying to thin the competition
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u/Canadia-Eh 9h ago
People who really believe you can function long term on a couple power naps a day are just ignorant about science and the human body.
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u/bloobbot 10h ago
I just started working out a couple weeks ago but have insane insomnia as of lately, such a bummer đ. Feels like all the hard work ive put out is for nothing.
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u/Silverjackal_ 10h ago
So for me, working out actually helped my insomnia a lot. Hopefully it helps yours too. And itâs not for nothing. Itâs not ideal if youâre getting little sleep, but youâll still make some progress.
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u/Mr_Abe_Froman 11h ago
I listened to an ultramarathoning podcast "Science of Ultra Podcast" that ended with "Remember, how you sleep, eat, think, and train matter." On the sleep episode, the host and guest made comments that muscles are built during recovery. Training without fuel and recovery is just inching yourself towards injury. The podcast ended once the host decided he covered every aspect of long distance running, so it is still a great resource.
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u/mrbubbamac 10h ago
Great perspective.
The whole point of building muscles is recovery, and that's what you'll spend most of your time doing
Train right, and then for the other 23 hours a day make sure you are eating and sleeping in support of the work you put in
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u/RedditIsADataMine 11h ago
The thing is, if you workout 5x a week but get 6 hours sleep a night... you're still gonna gain muscle. Sure, it's not optimal.Â
But if you get the absolute greatest sleep every single night but don't exercise.. well you aren't going to spontaneously start gaining muscle.Â
So personally I'd swap those two around in priority order.Â
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u/hotpockets69 11h ago
Ya this is dumb. Canât gain muscle if you arenât hitting the gym. This is making it seem like that part isnât all that important
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u/Gringo_Loco 10h ago
Eh, I think they just didnât elaborate.
Sleep is the most important component to muscle growth and recovery, so I think they are saying that it makes sense to focus on making sure you get ample sleep before cycling through a bunch of different workout styles and methods - not that youâll be able to get the gains without the gym entirely.
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u/Far_Flight9799 11h ago
Just keep going. Even if youâre tired or had a long day. Going for 30-45 minutes and walking on the treadmill is better than not going at all.
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u/brisk187 11h ago
This will be an unorthodox answer. As a former gym rat, gains won't fix your insecurities. Going to the gym for self-improvement or to be more attractive to others are common, completely valid reasons. But true self-acceptance, more often than not, has to come from somewhere outside the gym, your fitness routine, your PRs, or your body image.
I still highly recommend a fitness journey. And yet, there may come a time in your life to let it go. I truly believe there are other ways to connect with the human experience. That's where the real "gains" are. If you do step away from the gym for something else, what that is will ultimately be up to you.
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u/Fast_Set_2835 3h ago
This is true. Started working out like 3 years ago and thought like 90% of my problems and insecurities would be solved once I gained muscle mass and achieved a nice physique. Learned that this isnât true.
Still super glad I started working out. Itâs nice to feel strong and be confident in the way your body looks
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u/josequadrado 11h ago
Eat right, train with intensity, try and get some good sleep. And by right I mean just dont eat like a dumbass. Less sugar, more protein, avoid calories in drinks. Training wise just do basic strenght training to the degree of intensity that you struggle to do the last 2 reps of a set. There's no sacred fucking thing about this. Do it consistently and you will have gains, and by the love god do not overthink this...
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u/Additional_Sea_5238 11h ago
Itâs not hard. It just takes time.
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u/TootCannon 11h ago
And for that reason, you have to find a way to like it or else you wonât stick with it. Fine tune your whole routine - music, outfit, time of day, everything - to be as enjoyable as possible. You need it to become something you like doing within six weeks or itâs not going to happen.
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u/OldGodsAndNew 11h ago edited 11h ago
If you want to get fit but hate lifting weights after trying it for a period, don't force yourself to carry on, try a sport instead - things like rock climbing, swimming or gymnastics will make you jacked but provide a totally different mental stimulus from weightlifting
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u/Slime2278 11h ago
Sounds stupid , but actually train , Iâve seen countless people show up every day and be very consistent but absolutely lack any intensity and grit in their training and are simply going through the motions. I donât know how new you are but as you get more comfortable with training safely donât be afraid to push very hard , diet is a huge factor , sleep and tons of patience. Protein of course is very important but donât neglect carbs! As far as supplements go creatine mono anything else is almost always a waste of time in terms of building muscle.
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u/Improving_Myself_ 8h ago
A great point. TONS of people go to the gym and go through the motions, do reps way too fast, or get into a bad habit of just doing the same weight without ever increasing it. Anyone that has the idea of "my weight" in their head is admitting they're training poorly.Â
A great rule of thumb, and easy to test, is that you should NOT be able to do [reps in a set]+3. Let's say you do a lift for 3 sets of 10. If you were to try doing more than 10, the 11th should be very difficult, the 12th should be almost a failure, and the 13th should actually be a failure with you unable to complete the rep. This is easy to test on any exercise, just do an AMRAP for the first set. If you're able to do rep number +3 or more, you need to do one of increasing the weight, increasing the reps, or slowing down your reps.
I've trained with people who were doing 3 sets of 15 for a lift where I knew they'd been at that weight too long, so I made them do an AMRAP set. They got 35 reps. If you're doing a lift for 3x15 when you can do 35 reps, you're wasting your time. That lift is cardio. Add weight.
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u/Rhoadie 8h ago
This. If youâre not struggling by the last set for a particular exercise and prescribed rep range, then itâs too fucking light.
Me personally, if Iâm not praying to every god in the universe to help me reach the minimum of the rep range on my last set, itâs time to up the weight next go around.
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u/gawdamn_mawnstah 11h ago
Consistency. Even if youre feeling like shit and have a "less than ideal" workout....some workout is better than none.
I find those days I forced myself to go and have a weaker session as motivation for the next day to make up for it...and those are the days I notice the most gains
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u/captain_underpants04 11h ago
progressive overlod honestly changed everything for me
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u/AGuyWithoutABeard 11h ago
Progress is made by doing the boring stuff consistently over time. I think a lot of people who are in the planning stage of getting to the gym are watching feats of strength and flashy, advanced workouts by content creators on social media and they think they need to do that. A basic weightlifting program like 531 for Beginners is all you need to see gains.
Obviously this is on top of adequate rest and nutrition, which should be prioritized over getting a workout in.
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u/75w90 10h ago
Most people think the gym is the answer. When its almost always the kitchen. A calorie defecit gets you results way way faster than a gym routine. And lack of kitchen discipline will never get you the gains you want.
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u/capitarider 11h ago
Ignore all bullshit. Heavy progressive Lifting + creatine + protein+ consistency is all you need.
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u/compchief 11h ago
Peoples mind have different ideas about what training hard means. The body doesnt. Most people who workout dont go at it hard enough and so they gain close to nothing. "I have bad genes" is translated to "i cant handle discomfort", which absolutely csn be genetic. I have never seen a single individual be consistent in training hard gain bad results and i dont know what they are eating or how well they are sleeping.
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u/Awkward_Will_104 11h ago
The vast majority of people would be best served just sticking to the basics, ie compound movements focused on the major muscle groups. When I see obvious noobs in the gym doing wrist curls and shrugs, I cringe. Weâve all got limited time, and your time is best spent on the basics. Master consistency, the fundamentals, and actually realize some gains before you wade into the weeds of accessory lifts.
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u/QuantumHamster 11h ago
What do you consider basic?
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u/OzrielArelius 11h ago
if you do some stretches and warm ups and then squats, lunges, push ups, and pull ups every day you'll be in great shape.
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u/Pitiful-Lifeguard-51 10h ago
Depends what your goals are. No harm in isolating from the very beginning in my opinion. Helps you learn movements better down the line and a muscle is a muscle at the end of the day. It will still grow. I used to preach compounds to my friend when I was younger and couldn't understand why he looked bigger than me. Turns out if you have small arms and want bigger arms, you should probably...train your arms
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u/ballin_buddha 12h ago
If my weight doesnât change after a week, add 100calories
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u/DoctorSatan69 11h ago
A week? That seems like a short amount of time to gain any detectable amount of mass (outside of normal fluctuations due to hydration state)
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u/Ducky555556 11h ago
Low volume, high intensity. Reach failure as much as possible.
Saved me so much time! Makes the gym easy cuz im not there for hours and hours (im lazy)
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u/kurafuto 10h ago
And get a friend to spot you and push you so you can find out what failure actually is.
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u/CeruleanSovereign 10h ago
Is this for losing weight, gaining muscle, or increasing stamina?
When do you increase the volume? How do you know what to start at?
Is it just one set until you can't anymore or ...? Do you do this for each muscle group once a week how often?
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u/Chili_Mug 11h ago
Good form
Progressive overload
Good nutrition
Sleep
Deload phase
Consistency
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u/BoyWhoSoldTheWorld 10h ago
Mind muscle connection is really critical. If you canât contract the muscle youâre targeting, itâs probably not working.
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u/deepinyou33 11h ago
Consistency, putting actual work into your exercise (not the amount of reps but also the amount of work your muscle puts into that rep) and diet.
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u/WhiskeyDreamer28 11h ago
Quality over Quantity. Focus on good form, use weight that makes sense, eat right, and go until failure of perfect form. 5lbs can feel like 50lbs if you put your ego aside.
Source: powerlifter who uses small weights
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u/flyingturkeycouchie 11h ago
Even the shittiest workout is better than a skipped workout.