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[Szu]

Could someone give me some advice on my lifting routine? I'm more focused on cutting fat these days, but I enjoy lifting and I figure I may as well tone up while losing weight. I'm sure I'm not doing it efficiently, and would really appreciate some feedback on it.

I'll typically lift three times a week, and my routine is as follows:

-Leg press 5 sets of 5
-Calf extension 5 sets of 10
-Either leg curl or leg extension 5 sets of 5
-Weighted crunches machine 4 sets of 20
-Dips 3 sets of 10
-Back extension 5 sets of 5
-Triceps extension 5 sets of 5
-Bench 5 sets of 5
-Squats 5 sets of 5
-Seated dumbbell shoulder press 5 sets of 5
-Flat dumbbell fly 5 sets of 10
-Shrugs 5 sets of 10
-Bent over dumbbell rows 5 sets of 5 for each arm
-Seated dumbbell curls 5 sets of 5 for each arm

Am I doing too much at once? Should I divide up different muscle groups into different days? All told, going through all this usually takes me about 90 minutes.

Yeah, it's too much.

For one thing, you're doing a lot of leg work before you hit squats. I understand warm up routines, but there's so much volume that it might compromise the most important part of your leg workout.

 

[despire]

Could someone give me some advice on my lifting routine? I'm more focused on cutting fat these days, but I enjoy lifting and I figure I may as well tone up while losing weight. I'm sure I'm not doing it efficiently, and would really appreciate some feedback on it.

I'll typically lift three times a week, and my routine is as follows:

-Leg press 5 sets of 5
-Calf extension 5 sets of 10
-Either leg curl or leg extension 5 sets of 5
-Weighted crunches machine 4 sets of 20
-Dips 3 sets of 10
-Back extension 5 sets of 5
-Triceps extension 5 sets of 5
-Bench 5 sets of 5
-Squats 5 sets of 5
-Seated dumbbell shoulder press 5 sets of 5
-Flat dumbbell fly 5 sets of 10
-Shrugs 5 sets of 10
-Bent over dumbbell rows 5 sets of 5 for each arm
-Seated dumbbell curls 5 sets of 5 for each arm

Am I doing too much at once? Should I divide up different muscle groups into different days? All told, going through all this usually takes me about 90 minutes.

Way too much and the fact that you can do this much in 90 minutes tells me you're not putting the required effort in to make it worth your while at the moment. If you were, you would be training for three hours to do all this.

 

[velociraptor]

So I have been cutting for the past few weeks. It started off well. I was initially able to maintain my strength but last two weeks haven't been great. I've maintained strength on pulling movements and legs, but pushing movements (OHP, bench) have taken a 10% hit.

Now I've lost some body fat but I've also lost some muscle. Maybe I'll continue to cut for a next month to shed a bit more fat but I want to transition into a bulk after this.

What is the best way to go about this, and what is the best routine to maximise strength and hypertrophy for a bulk? I plan to workout at home (equipment: power rack, lat pulldown, cable row, chin-up/dips, Olympic bar and bench) so hopefully no fancy isolation equipment required.

 

[SeanR1221]

Volume work is no joke. After 295x12 on deads I felt like I was going to collapse.

So I have been cutting for the past few weeks. It started off well. I was initially able to maintain my strength but last two weeks haven't been great. I've maintained strength on pulling movements and legs, but pushing movements (OHP, bench) have taken a 10% hit.

Now I've lost some body fat but I've also lost some muscle. Maybe I'll continue to cut for a next month to shed a bit more fat but I want to transition into a bulk after this.

What is the best way to go about this, and what is the best routine to maximise strength and hypertrophy for a bulk? I plan to workout at home (equipment: power rack, lat pulldown, cable row, chin-up/dips, Olympic bar and bench) so hopefully no fancy isolation equipment required.

From my reading, keep a bulk to 12 weeks max and if you're gaining more than 2lbs a week slow it down. Raise calories gradually instead of going all in to minimize fat gains. After the 12 weeks if you want to put on more mass, go through 4-6 weeks of maintaining and then go at it again.

Personally next time I bulk, I'm going super slow. .5/week would be ideal

 

[Jacksinthe]

So I have been cutting for the past few weeks. It started off well. I was initially able to maintain my strength but last two weeks haven't been great. I've maintained strength on pulling movements and legs, but pushing movements (OHP, bench) have taken a 10% hit.

Now I've lost some body fat but I've also lost some muscle. Maybe I'll continue to cut for a next month to shed a bit more fat but I want to transition into a bulk after this.

What is the best way to go about this, and what is the best routine to maximise strength and hypertrophy for a bulk? I plan to workout at home (equipment: power rack, lat pulldown, cable row, chin-up/dips, Olympic bar and bench) so hopefully no fancy isolation equipment required.

I have an old olympic bench with a preacher and leg attachment and that's it. I made my own cable pulldown, pullup bar, London rope and am still scavenging the job for 2" pipe for a homemade shrug bar. For weights I have an Olympic bar and standard dumbbells. You don't need much for a bulk.

Everyone has a different routine that works for building muscle. I respond well to volume and hitting each group once per week dedicating a day to each compound and throw in extra legs with accessories on day 5 with day 6 being solely accessory.

For food - gotta eat big to be big. But eat the right macro breakdown for growth. I ignore "timing", personally. Sometimes I hit my macros in 10 hours, others in 18. Depending on how busy I am at the day job. When it comes to eating "big", don't kill yourself. If your stomach starts moving out past tour chest, slow down, lol.

As for cutting, depending on how long you want to cut for I take 4-6 weeks to slowly reduce my intake to "cutting" levels of calories. I've found this works well when combined with a straight strength routine to keep as much strength as possible through a cut. I'm a special case as I'm diabetic and on insulin so caloric changes for me are generally small from week to week to let my body adjust so I can accurately monitor my glucose, specifically fasted as the glucose output from the liver will change which means I need to adjust my basal (slow delivery, 24 hour base rate) of insulin to compensate for up/down changes from my liver.

This is all just me tho. You will have to find your groove and what works best for you

 

[justjim89]

You do that every time at the gym? If so, yes, you're doing waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. Let me know and I'll suggest something better. Just making sure I understood it right

Yeah, I'm doing all of it generally if I'm lifting.

Way too much and the fact that you can do this much in 90 minutes tells me you're not putting the required effort in to make it worth your while at the moment. If you were, you would be training for three hours to do all this.

I mean, I don't feel like I'm half assing anything. How much time is an appropriate rest time between sets? Because generally I'm not resting for more than a minute. I'm doing the most I feel comfortable doing for each thing usually, what do you mean it would take three hours?

 

[Calderc]

What is the sort of ballpark % breakdown of macros you should aim for on a bulk?

 

[BumRush]

Yeah, I'm doing all of it generally if I'm lifting.



I mean, I don't feel like I'm half assing anything. How much time is an appropriate rest time between sets? Because generally I'm not resting for more than a minute. I'm doing the most I feel comfortable doing for each thing usually, what do you mean it would take three hours?

You should stick to body part groupings. If you're going 3x per week, day 1 would be back / biceps (with DL being your major compound), day 2 could be chest / triceps (with bench press being your major compound) and day 3 legs and shoulders (with OHP and Squats).

The programs in the OP (which work) are laid out in this fashion, and I'd highly recommend trying them out.

 

[Psychotext]

From my reading, keep a bulk to 12 weeks max

I've been bulking six months now, lol. Only 13lb in that time though.

Only in the last couple of months that I've made any meaningful progress.

 

[justjim89]

You should stick to body part groupings. If you're going 3x per week, day 1 would be back / biceps (with DL being your major compound), day 2 could be chest / triceps (with bench press being your major compound) and day 3 legs and shoulders (with OHP and Squats).

The programs in the OP (which work) are laid out in this fashion, and I'd highly recommend trying them out.

Thanks, I'll have to take a look at the OP and figure out a good plan for me. I was just starting to feel like I was putting in way more effort than what I've been getting out, though I have definitely been making some improvements in my physique

I'm not entirely sure if the bar racks at my gym are tall enough for standing OHP, though they probably should be. The way Planet Fitness has them set up is with the bar locked into vertical bars on the sides with stoppers you can set for safety, so I couldn't exactly step out give myself room to do them if need be.

 

[BumRush]

Thanks, I'll have to take a look at the OP and figure out a good plan for me. I was just starting to feel like I was putting in way more effort than what I've been getting out, though I have definitely been making some improvements in my physique

I'm not entirely sure if the bar racks at my gym are tall enough for standing OHP, though they probably should be. The way Planet Fitness has them set up is with the bar locked into vertical bars on the sides with stoppers you can set for safety, so I couldn't exactly step out give myself room to do them if need be.

That's a Smith machine. Doing compound lifts in the Smith machine are significantly easier then with free weights, and they don't engage many of the stabilizer muscles that free weights do. With that being said, if you cannot change gyms (completely understand) it is better than nothing, but in that case, sometimes DBs are better for you than the Smith. Check out the OP, then pop back in here.

 

[Faith]

I did 3 upper and 3 lower body workouts this week. Really at the limit of my regeneration.

 

[velociraptor]

Volume work is no joke. After 295x12 on deads I felt like I was going to collapse.



From my reading, keep a bulk to 12 weeks max and if you're gaining more than 2lbs a week slow it down. Raise calories gradually instead of going all in to minimize fat gains. After the 12 weeks if you want to put on more mass, go through 4-6 weeks of maintaining and then go at it again.

Personally next time I bulk, I'm going super slow. .5/week would be ideal

I have an old olympic bench with a preacher and leg attachment and that's it. I made my own cable pulldown, pullup bar, London rope and am still scavenging the job for 2" pipe for a homemade shrug bar. For weights I have an Olympic bar and standard dumbbells. You don't need much for a bulk.

Everyone has a different routine that works for building muscle. I respond well to volume and hitting each group once per week dedicating a day to each compound and throw in extra legs with accessories on day 5 with day 6 being solely accessory.

For food - gotta eat big to be big. But eat the right macro breakdown for growth. I ignore "timing", personally. Sometimes I hit my macros in 10 hours, others in 18. Depending on how busy I am at the day job. When it comes to eating "big", don't kill yourself. If your stomach starts moving out past tour chest, slow down, lol.

As for cutting, depending on how long you want to cut for I take 4-6 weeks to slowly reduce my intake to "cutting" levels of calories. I've found this works well when combined with a straight strength routine to keep as much strength as possible through a cut. I'm a special case as I'm diabetic and on insulin so caloric changes for me are generally small from week to week to let my body adjust so I can accurately monitor my glucose, specifically fasted as the glucose output from the liver will change which means I need to adjust my basal (slow delivery, 24 hour base rate) of insulin to compensate for up/down changes from my liver.

This is all just me tho. You will have to find your groove and what works best for you

Yeah I plan to bulk slowly. Supposedly 2lb a month is actually the amount of lean mass one can realistically build provided nutrition and training is on point.

I figured a good barometer to go by would be strength. If I'm not putting lbs on my bench, squat or deadlift, then I'm not building muscle.

 

[justjim89]

That's a Smith machine. Doing compound lifts in the Smith machine are significantly easier then with free weights, and they don't engage many of the stabilizer muscles that free weights do. With that being said, if you cannot change gyms (completely understand) it is better than nothing, but in that case, sometimes DBs are better for you than the Smith. Check out the OP, then pop back in here.

Yeah, there aren't any free bars at my gym, just four of those machines and some weighted barbells up to 75 pounds, but you can't change the weights out. Maybe it's part of the whole "No intimidation" vibe they go for. There's even an alarm they sound whenever someone slams or drops weights. I'll have to see what I can substitute with dumbbells, though in that case I'll have to be smarter about the weight I use. A few weeks ago I dropped a damn dumbbell on my thigh cause I was pressing too much over my head. Thinking about the range of movement the machines have, deadlifts, power cleans and OHP would probably be a bit awkward.

Not really in a position to change gyms, since it's only $10 a month and it's within walking distance of my house.

 

[Szu]

Yeah, there aren't any free bars at my gym, just four of those machines and some weighted barbells up to 75 pounds, but you can't change the weights out. Maybe it's part of the whole "No intimidation" vibe they go for. There's even an alarm they sound whenever someone slams or drops weights. I'll have to see what I can substitute with dumbbells, though in that case I'll have to be smarter about the weight I use. A few weeks ago I dropped a damn dumbbell on my thigh cause I was pressing too much over my head. Thinking about the range of movement the machines have, deadlifts, power cleans and OHP would probably be a bit awkward.

Not really in a position to change gyms, since it's only $10 a month and it's within walking distance of my house.

Now, I'm curious if you did the squats in the Smith machine.

 

[Jacksinthe]

Yeah I plan to bulk slowly. Supposedly 2lb a month is actually the amount of lean mass one can realistically build provided nutrition and training is on point.

I figured a good barometer to go by would be strength. If I'm not putting lbs on my bench, squat or deadlift, then I'm not building muscle.

Strength + weight is the metric most people use.

You may move in spurts, most people do. Strength + weight might not increase at the same intervals or at the same time. Some weeks you may stay flat with strenght then out of nowhere you're adding weight the next two weeks. Same with bodyweight. Just learn how your body responds.

 

[justjim89]

Now, I'm curious if you did the squats in the Smith machine.

Yeah, I have been. It doesn't feel awkward or unnatural, though. I just put the bar on my shoulders and go straight down as low as I can, then come up. Right now I'm squatting 180, though if the machine makes it easier I suppose it doesn't count.

 

[goober]

What are your thoughts on beta alanine?

 

[Faith]

What are your thoughts on beta alanine?

Useless for our sport IMO. It increases performance in the 60-240 second range.

 

[goober]

Useless for our sport IMO. It increases performance in the 60-240 second range.

hmm okay. i'm trying to find a way to fight fatigue during my workouts. i always get so exhausted halfway through.

caffeine wrecks my gut too so i'm not sure about that

 

[Psychotext]

It's filled with tingles!

Spoiler

Which is why they put it in most pre-workouts I reckon.

...and what do your workouts look like? When you say caffeine wrecks your gut. In what form? Do tablets do it?

 

[Faith]

hmm okay. i'm trying to find a way to fight fatigue during my workouts. i always get so exhausted halfway through.

caffeine wrecks my gut too so i'm not sure about that

What do you eat before your workout?

 

[goober]

It's filled with tingles!

Spoiler

Which is why they put it in most pre-workouts I reckon.

...and what do your workouts look like? When you say caffeine wrecks your gut. In what form? Do tablets do it?

I've been doing 5x5. I haven't tried tablets, but coffee usually messes with my stomach. It does give me tons of energy though.

What do you eat before your workout?

I've been going after work so it's usually about 2-3 hours after I eat lunch. And lunch can vary depending on how busy I am.

 

[No Love]

Happiest I've ever been at the gym. They built a 2nd (!) gym at my apartment with not only a squat rack/power rack for benching/squatting etc, but they have everything else I need. Being able to walk for 1 minute to what amounts to a private gym where I rarely see anyone else and 99% of the time nobody else is deadlifting/benching/etc is pure nirvana. Goodbye 24 Hour Fitness.

Including an indoor rock climbing wall :|

 

[mdsfx]

6-mile, fasted run at a 7:50 pace today. 2 weeks out from race #1 and I'm practicing at least year's race-pace at a longer distance. Going to crush this one.

Leg day tomorrow. Can't wait!

 

[Psychotext]

I've been doing 5x5. I haven't tried tablets, but coffee usually messes with my stomach. It does give me tons of energy though.

Hmm, shouldn't really be getting that tired doing 5x5. You do any cardio work at all? Get out of breath when doing the weights?

...and yeah, coffee gives a lot of people gutrot. Try the tabs.

6-mile, fasted run at a 7:50 pace today. 2 weeks out from race #1 and I'm practicing at least year's race-pace at a longer distance. Going to crush this one.

Rrrrr.... smash it.

 

[BumRush]

Happiest I've ever been at the gym. They built a 2nd (!) gym at my apartment with not only a squat rack/power rack for benching/squatting etc, but they have everything else I need. Being able to walk for 1 minute to what amounts to a private gym where I rarely see anyone else and 99% of the time nobody else is deadlifting/benching/etc is pure nirvana. Goodbye 24 Hour Fitness.

Including an indoor rock climbing wall :|

That's an awesome feeling!

6-mile, fasted run at a 7:50 pace today. 2 weeks out from race #1 and I'm practicing at least year's race-pace at a longer distance. Going to crush this one.

Leg day tomorrow. Can't wait!

Good for you Mikey. I'm proud of you...you have been working really hard at it

 

[TripOpt55]

Happiest I've ever been at the gym. They built a 2nd (!) gym at my apartment with not only a squat rack/power rack for benching/squatting etc, but they have everything else I need. Being able to walk for 1 minute to what amounts to a private gym where I rarely see anyone else and 99% of the time nobody else is deadlifting/benching/etc is pure nirvana. Goodbye 24 Hour Fitness.

Including an indoor rock climbing wall :|

That is awesome. I'm jealous of you and all of the home gym people in here. I really like my gym, but I'd be able work out more often if I had one so close!

 

[GrapeApes]

Happiest I've ever been at the gym. They built a 2nd (!) gym at my apartment with not only a squat rack/power rack for benching/squatting etc, but they have everything else I need. Being able to walk for 1 minute to what amounts to a private gym where I rarely see anyone else and 99% of the time nobody else is deadlifting/benching/etc is pure nirvana. Goodbye 24 Hour Fitness.

Including an indoor rock climbing wall :|

Damn, what type of baller ass apartment you at? The only thing I can do at my complex is abs.

 

[Granadier]

Is there any chance of getting the Strong app into the OP? It's been a great tool for me to keep track of my lifts.

---

Also, this has been my routine for the past 4-5 weeks. I've been seeing solid gains as long as my diet is proper, but I'm wondering if it should be changed up at all. Right now I'm going 3 times a week and doing these lifts. Reps have been a reverse pyramid of 10-8-6 with increasing weight.

Damn, what type of baller ass apartment you at? The only thing I can do at my complex is abs.

It might be his location. I know where I'm leaving now only the higher end complexes have included gyms, but down in Phoenix almost all newer complexes include at least one full gym. (Lower end pricing too)

 

[goober]

Hmm, shouldn't really be getting that tired doing 5x5. You do any cardio work at all? Get out of breath when doing the weights?

...and yeah, coffee gives a lot of people gutrot. Try the tabs.



Rrrrr.... smash it.

I used to do cardio on the elliptical after my workout. It seemed easier than actually lifting weights lol. I just feel like my glycogen gets depleted and I'm sooooo tired

 

[Psychotext]

...and I assume you're working out less than two hours? Odd.

I used to get crazy wrecked doing very high rep leg day, but my heart rate was up in the 150s - 170s for most of it, so that made a lot of sense. Horrible feeling. Lost count of the number of times I'd either throw up, or come very close.

 

[mdsfx]

...and I assume you're working out less than two hours? Odd.

I used to get crazy wrecked doing very high rep leg day, but my heart rate was up in the 150s - 170s for most of it, so that made a lot of sense. Horrible feeling. Lost count of the number of times I'd either throw up, or come very close.

Ugh jesus. Yeah, lifting with a higher heart rate will make me nauseous as hell. This will happen if I do super-sets for too long without breaks.

 

[goober]

...and I assume you're working out less than two hours? Odd.

I used to get crazy wrecked doing very high rep leg day, but my heart rate was up in the 150s - 170s for most of it, so that made a lot of sense. Horrible feeling. Lost count of the number of times I'd either throw up, or come very close.

Yeah less than two hours. Lots of rest in between sets cause I feel fatigued. Whenever I used to do elliptical my HR would go up to the 170s to 180s when I was really pushing myself. I did a HIIT variation

 

[KillerBEA]

Yes, finally able to do pull ups. Maybe someday a muscle up.

 

[velociraptor]

So I'm thinking of using this template for my planned bulk:

PPLPPLx

Push
- Bench Press
- Incline Bench
- Weighted Dips
- Skullcrushers/Tricep Pushdown
- Face Pulls

Pull
- Deadlift
- Weighted chin-ups
- Lat pulldown
- Cable Row
- Barbell curl

Legs + Shoulders
- Squat
- OHP
- Lateral Raise
- Rear Delt Raise
- Abs

On the 'first' session it will be heavy weights, 4-5 reps for compounds. For the second session, will go for lighter weights, ranging from 6-10 reps

Seem OK?

 

[mdsfx]

Yes, finally able to do pull ups. Maybe someday a muscle up.

Nice!!!

 

[Jacksinthe]

Yes, finally able to do pull ups. Maybe someday a muscle up.

No maybe. Make it a goal. If you think you can't then you won't. Other than that excellent work!

 

[KillerBEA]

Nice!!!

No maybe. Make it a goal. If you think you can't then you won't. Other than that excellent work!

Thanks guys! Muscle Ups are most definitely a goal! It felt so amazing to feel my body being pulled up like that.

 

[Psychotext]

No maybe. Make it a goal. If you think you can't then you won't. Other than that excellent work!

I'll never do a muscle up.

Spoiler

I don't have the headroom above my pullup bar!

 

[Faiz]

I'll never do a muscle up.

Spoiler

I don't have the headroom above my pullup bar!

Haha that's exactly what was in my head.

Thinking about putting a bar up outside or it my garage if I think I'm getting to that point tho.

 

[JoeNut]

Yeah, I have been. It doesn't feel awkward or unnatural, though. I just put the bar on my shoulders and go straight down as low as I can, then come up. Right now I'm squatting 180, though if the machine makes it easier I suppose it doesn't count.

I see people doing mad weight on the smith machine but from what i've heard it's bad for you because it doesn't work the muscles you use for balancing and distributing the weight, kind of like leg press as well i suppose

 

[BumRush]

The way I see the Smith machine is this: I would never recommend it for compounds, if you have any access to a better alternative. If you absolutely cannot get a real bar in your hands, it's better than not going to the gym.

 

[Ambitious]

Today, I went running for the first time in about eight months.

I haven't done any cardio at all since then, just a bit of basic strength training at a beginner's level (push-ups etc.). So I didn't expect to make it particularly far.

Back then, I usually had to take breaks after every two kilometers or so, but surprisingly, today I managed to run my entire route without any breaks at all, even though there are several steep hills. In fact, when I returned to town, I didn't want to stop just yet, so I ran an extra lap of two kilometers.

So that's 8.2 kilometers (5.1 miles) in 57 minutes. I don't think I'm gonna repeat this tomorrow, but I'm nonetheless very happy about today.

 

[Psychotext]

Niiiice.

 

[M52B28]

It has been a while since I've posted in here, but I have some questions about my weight fluctuations.

February 29th, I was down to 224 lbs. I thought I was doing well considering I did a multi mile run for the first time.

March 11th, I got on the scale and it said that I was 235 lbs. The next day, March 12th, I got on the scale and it said that I was 229 lbs.

Now, the past week, the scale has been jumping from me being 227 lbs last week to me being 233 lbs today.

I'm confused. I've been active, but I will admit that I haven't been eating too well. I've been going home from time to time (every few weeks for two days.), and I've been over eating compared to how I usually eat.

Anyone have any tips? Is it all down to what I'm eating? Water weight?

 

[mdsfx]

It has been a while since I've posted in here, but I have some questions about my weight fluctuations.

February 29th, I was down to 224 lbs. I thought I was doing well considering I did a multi mile run for the first time.

March 11th, I got on the scale and it said that I was 235 lbs. The next day, March 12th, I got on the scale and it said that I was 229 lbs.

Now, the past week, the scale has been jumping from me being 227 lbs last week to me being 233 lbs today.

I'm confused. I've been active, but I will admit that I haven't been eating too well. I've been going home from time to time (every few weeks for two days.), and I've been over eating compared to how I usually eat.

Anyone have any tips? Is it all down to what I'm eating? Water weight?

To start off, I would say "yes" and "both." Your diet is almost everything. Once you get that locked in and understand how much you need to eat to lose weight, results will come with some patience and determination not to get off track. If I could offer a single recommendation it would be to count calories and stick to the plan. Have you started by using a calorie calculator and calorie-counting app (my fitness pal)?

With that said, unless you've had a MASSIVE binge day, those overnight fluctuations are mostly (if not almost completely) changes related to water. I see significant increases in water weight when i forget to drink enough water for a day or two and when I eat a lot of carbs like on a Saturday free-for-all. I usuall weigh myself on Fridays, just before my refeeds when I've been (mostly) adhering to my diet all week. Because of these fluctuations though, it might be best to weigh yourself more often (maybe morning and night every day) and take averages. There's nothing worse than weighing yourself once a week/month and catching your body at the wrong time (holding onto lots of water) and thinking you haven't accomplished anything.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I'e missed something that someone else could chime in on.

 

[ILoveBish]

Long weekend of very little sleep and tons of eating, up 6lbs to 226.0 this morning. Not a big deal, but I hate my gym so much right now I don't go often enough and it's bothering me so much. Soon tho.

Sweeeet.

Reminds me, when I move I'm going to get the wooden rafters replaced in mine so I have more headroom.

So excited for you my man!

That's awesome, man!

Hoping to do the same and buy a house within the next couple of years. Maybe even next year. A garage with a high enough ceiling for a rack will be an absolute must.

To be able to just walk into my own garage and lift some weights whenever I feel like it is kind of a dream.

Thanks guys. The final walk through got delayed to today after work. Also decided to get 10 45 plates of normal metal and 2 45lb bumper plates. That way I'll have everything I'll need.

Yeah I plan to bulk slowly. Supposedly 2lb a month is actually the amount of lean mass one can realistically build provided nutrition and training is on point.

I figured a good barometer to go by would be strength. If I'm not putting lbs on my bench, squat or deadlift, then I'm not building muscle.

Bolded is wrong. You can make gains on lifts by fixing form and better CNS activation. Muscle growth can be part of it but not always the case.

 

[justjim89]

So, I'm trying to figure out a new lifting plan, since I guess I've been doing too much all at once, but I'm just feeling kinda confused. I'm looking at the the full-body workouts in the OP, but is that all I should be doing? I feel like I could do all that for each day in like 45 minutes. How long should rests be between sets? I think I'm gonna keep using the Smith machines for some stuff, but try to work in some dumbbell exercises, too. I know I ought to incorporate deadlifting or something similar in some fashion, but I know what to do about it. Or something like power cleans, I literally can't think of an alternative that can be done at the Planet Fitness I go to. I'm just kinda confused on what to actually do. Maybe my vocabulary of exercises just isn't big enough.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Yeah, I'm doing all of it generally if I'm lifting.



I mean, I don't feel like I'm half assing anything. How much time is an appropriate rest time between sets? Because generally I'm not resting for more than a minute. I'm doing the most I feel comfortable doing for each thing usually, what do you mean it would take three hours?

You must not be resting barely at all if you aren't stretching the truth about doing 67 sets of exercises in 90 minutes or less.

If you don't need to rest for more than a minute with that kind of volume, you are doing extremely light weights.

I'm sure others have already pointed you to better ideas.

Not really in a position to change gyms, since it's only $10 a month and it's within walking distance of my house.

It's better than sitting at home, of course, but you only get out what you put in with fitness and health, so assuming you have the means to do better, I don't know if placing the utmost priority on convenience and cost is the best idea when it comes to those things.