The New Workout Plan

Couldn't find a dedicated fitness/weightlifting thread on LoPP, but the Search function never works for me so let me know if there is one.

Since getting the third shot and the first Omicron wave subsiding a bit last November, I've been a dedicated gymgoer for the first time since I was fresh out of college and occasionally went to the YMCA. I've been extremely consistant and wanted to share some of my experience and hear yours.

I was pretty good with my diet for the first year of the pandemic but progressively got worse as I had less things to look forward to. Not terrible, but I gained a few pounds. I was still somewhat active.

In 2021 I got more active with walks, hikes, and bike rides. Eventually, I was running 3-4 times a week again which I enjoyed. However, I wasn't seeing any weight loss results which is common when you're just running. It gave me a big appetite and I was eating all the calories back. I kept at it for awhile because I wasn't comfortable with the idea of going inside anywhere.

Once I was planning to get my booster I started trying to reconsider things. Knowing that our government was leaving us completely on our own, I decided I just had to go for it while trying my best to stay safe. I got a membership to a gym about a mile from my house and started going as many times as I could. Since I work from home, I go for 2-3 hours (including a ~20 minute walk there and back) in the middle of my work day around my other obligations. I typically go between 1-3pm, but sometimes slightly earlier or later.

Before the pandemic I had a vinyasa yoga practice that I did for a few years and loved. I like making yoga the foundation of my fitness because it builds a strong core and helps with mobility/pain relief. My gym has yoga on Monday and Wednesday, so I go to both of those pretty much every week. I work these around my leg days so I can use it for leg recovery.

Other than that, I've been experimenting with different self-made lifting programs and going about 5-6 days a week. Sunday is always a rest day. I'll take a Thursday or Saturday rest day if I need it. I also took a whole week off once because I was overloading myself and felt like I needed the recovery. I have asymmetries so my right side is a bit weaker (I'm left handed) which sometimes causes pain after heavy lifts. I need to work in some right-side-only work soon.

When I first started I wanted to do lots of the best compound lifts (squats and deadlifts), but they're obviously hard and you're the most prone to injury in them. Since I experienced a little pain, I've reduced my squads and deadlifts to focus on adjacent lifts (like RDLs, bent over row, Bulgarians/lunges, etc.) and feel that works better for me right now. I will still do squats/deadlifts once a week and know my limits better.

I've also started out with a primary/second muscle group split for each day, I.E. primary chest and secondary triceps. Since I'm in the gym 5-6 days a week, that has let me do a primary day for each major upper body group each week (chest, back, shoulder, tricep), a secondary day for each group each week, and two leg days weekly.

Now that I've been at this a bit, I'm trying to get more efficient. I'm going to experiment with push/pull splits a bit more (since my forearms are becoming a limiting factor). Initially I tried to figure out which lifts I like and now I'm reducing the number of exercises I do to 5-6 exercises a day with 3 sets of each. For a chest and triceps day yesterday this looked like: 1. supported dips, 2. flat bench, 3. incline bench machine, 4. tricep pushdown, 5. tricep single arm pushdown. I'm trying to recognize there are more compound lifts than just squats/deadlifts and build each day around a particular compound (which includes dips, bench, bent over row, etc).

To support all this, I'm trying to move to a super heavy protein diet of around 150g daily (I'm over 200 lbs). I try to get protein from vegan sources as well so I'm not just pounding meat. I have a protein oatmeal with chia/hemp seeds most mornings, protein smoothies, tofu pudding for desserts, lots of stewed/spreaded beans, and then lean meat protein. I also eat tons of snacks and crap and have been drinking a lot of beer lately. So it's been going okay.

My weight is up but I'm probably the strongest I've ever been. If I cut out the alcohol/sugar/binge eating I would likely be seeing sick results. Even if I'm still fat, the body recomposition has been great.

What about you guys? Do LoPPers Lift?

Chrono - I like this topic and I lift a lot. I take Fridays off but otherwise lift everyday.

I spent the past 2 years focusing on getting bigger. Just thought it would be a fun thing to do in the pandemic. I’m up 17 pounds in the past two years but my belt size has stayed the same.

I eat a fair amount of protein each day in order to make sure I’m able to build strength at an appropriate rate. I have 1 protein shake a day and add a scoop of creatine. I eat low sugar Greek yogurt and probably put down 50-55 eggs a week. My snacks include peanuts, beef sticks or cheese.

I have lifts that I stick to each week but mix it up to make sure I’m hitting different angles and getting muscles to stretch differently. Most lifts are 3-4 sets and 8-12 reps or until failure.

I figured you would be the main person of interest Nick. And I could definitely learn a thing or two from you.

My weight fluctuates a lot and last week was a bad week of eating, but I'm up about 8 pounds since November while going down in waist size. I'm finally feeling like I have basic competency in most exercises and decent form all around. Still a few areas I want to work on, but it's all progressing consistency and fairly rapidly for being self directed. There are a few lifts where I probably need to go down in weight and really lock in my form, but I'll do that when it makes sense.

50-55 eggs is WILD. My protein oatmeal is probably close to 40g protein (oats + protein powder + chia seeds + hemp seeds + pumpkin seeds + peanut butter) though which is basically eating 6 eggs every morning. It usually takes me over an hour to eat it all.

I started out really emphasizing a full 3 sets with 12 reps for every lift to prevent injury, but I think at this point I need to find a new balance of weight to reps. I get way too much cardio from my lifts; I'm sweating and huffing and puffing every session. Today, for example, I did squats, deadlifts, leg press machine, leg curl machine, leg lift machine, and glute kickback machine. I did about 40 squats, 25 deadlifts, 3x12 on the press, 3x10 on the curl, 3x12 on the lift, and 2x12 on glute kickbacks for both sides. And this is with me trying to limit my sets! I find it easy to keep going once I get started, even though my lifts the next day suffer. My end-of-week lifts also tend to suffer because common areas like hands, forearms and hips are shot after 3-4 straight days of heavy lifts.

I'm also starting to waste too much time trying to figure out the right weight to lift because I'm not tracking it week to week. I need to write down my current weights and just jump right into it.

I basically need to take some time to build myself a new lifting plan from scratch since it's been 4 months or so. I have a list of exercises that are my favorites for each muscle group that I'm trying to adapt each week based on what I like and new information I'm learning about what's effective. For example, I started incorporating more cable work to focus on shoulders/triceps because I've been reading about the ease of getting more tension through a greater ROM with cables. Front/side raises with cables and single arm tricep pushdowns/kickbacks with the cable are exercises that I find both fun and effective.

Since I waste a lot of time on my phone, my whole Instagram is absolutely plastered with fitness influencers and a bunch of BS. I still think they're great for inspiration, you just have to be a smart person and have a filter for what's fact vs fiction. I don't do everything any influencer says, but I use them as a quick way to absorb a lot of information and pick/choose what works for me. They're also good for a visual form check or just seeing new lifts to copy.

I agree on sticking with the basic then doing slight variations to hit different angles. I don't have a particular body type I'm cutting for. Eventually I'd like to be a lot more cut, but I want to use the fact that I'm carrying extra weight right now to convert that straight into muscle before cutting. I don't want to emphasize glamor muscles. I want to be functionally strong, flexible, and have decent aesthetics.

I make sure to do two leg days a week because I don't want to be an upper body clown. I also love the way a strong lower body feels. In addition to the core exercises of squats and deadlifts, I like doing RDLs, leg press, leg lift and curl, hip thrusts/glute bridge, Bulgarians, and lunges. I should probably do more functional movements like Bulgarians and lunges instead of the leg press/curl machine, but they're hard lol.

I also didn't expect I'd be doing as much arm work as I am, but I love tricep work and it's also important for a lot of other things. I think I have decent arm genetics, so those tend to be easy to work even though they take a long time to grow. I think my back has also gone from 0-100 fairly quick. I'm learning how to isolate chest/shoulders a bit better. Barbell bench press is my least favorite core exercise, so I do a lot of dumbells. I prefer dumbells in general for the extra stability work.

This thread will likely motivate me to share more of my workouts.

I think it’s awesome you’re putting in all this work! I don’t write anything down either. Just kind of have a routine each week and determine how much weight to throw around based on how I’m feeling.

Triceps are one of my favorite muscle groups to work. I use the EZ bar weekly to hit those and have seen results from making sure I have those exercises a consistent part of my routine. Shoulders can be overwhelming because there are so many exercises to do! Adding in super sets though has helped me work all aspects of the muscle group.

I hated the bench press with a straight bar for a while too but adding weight with each rep has kept it feeling fresh each time I do it and a fun challenge.

I went down the Influencer rabbit hole on IG last year so much so my feed was like all shirtless dudes LOl but I’ve cut it down to 3 people that post good work outs and have body types that are attainable. Joe Andrews, Garrett Coelho and Christian Fleenor are the ones I follow at this point. They’re all ultimately just selling supplements and clothing but I like the lifts they share!

Thank you! I was looking at my physique last night and feeling a lot more positive than I sound calling myself "fat" all the time in posts. The progress has actually been huge in a short amount of time and I've really enjoyed the process.

I am a data-driven guy, but I find that personal health data is not that actionable for me. I don't like Fitbits or that kind of tracking because what do you actually do with that info? Calorie counters are bullshit unless you weigh every piece of food you eat, so I feel like the time spent tracking meals is better spent doing something fun or on some healthy meal prep. I have done a few exercises trying to estimate my daily protein intake which have been helpful in seeing just how much you have to eat to meet those goals, but nothing rigorous.

What I want to start recording is my ideal weights for various lifts so I can jump right into lifting the correct weights and progress more quickly. Right now it's a mix of remembering what I lifted last time and experimenting with how I'm feeling that day, which wastes a bit of time.

I like EZ bar skullcrushers but have a bit of trouble getting overhead tricep lifts just right. They always seem to twist my elbows more than I'd like. I will vary overhead tricep extensions with a dumbbell, single arm dumbbell skullcrushers, and EZ bar skullcrushers depending on how I feel. I think starting with a dumbell lift that is more compound and then finishing with machine dips/tricep pushdowns for a final shred is the way to go.

I'm finally targeting shoulders the way I should and they're a hard one! Again, I incorporate a lot of dumbbell work: shoulder press, Arnold press, lateral and front raises. As I mentioned, I'm trying to move to cable finishers for these as well. I am also starting to do more barbell standing shoulder press because it's a good compound lift and I find it very difficult.

Finally doing more bench because I feel much more strong overall. I know it will never be a favorite, but at least I'm doing some. I'm prioritizing more heavy machine lifts to prepare myself for the bench.

Influencers are stupid, but have their place. I'll check those 3 out. I actually get advice from a lot of female influencers because they lift weights that are closer to what I do, plus I like looking at them. No shame in that game. I also follow a few vegan nutrition accounts because I like the part-time vegan thing and enjoy that inspiration.

One thing you mentioned that all the influencers do is creatine, which I'll probably get into at some point. For now I'm not sure I need it since I'm just getting started, but I've read all the stuff where people say any side effects are really overblown and it's safe and effective for basically everyone.

This is all inspiring. I lift wine boxes, work on my feet most of the day, and play with my kids. That's not really a workout plan, but I'm putting one together now.

Yeah, kudos you guys.

I’m a lifelong obsessive athlete, so even at this moment when I’m probably in the worst shape of my life, I’m at least hanging in there. Tough working a super demanding job while also going to school, but hoping to start back up with the workouts. Weather’s gotten great so going to start running a minimum of 2x per week.
The strength training? Been in a long, sustained period of neglect. I hate gyms and gym stuff… but thinking about getting a set of variable weight dumbbells and a pull-up bar. Used to be super into lifting, and have begun feeling like a weak old man… will be tough to snap out of the funk.

I try to do push ups three days a week.

I have to be honest with myself that I would not have been able to make this change at all without the pandemic and my work from home situation. If I wasn't lucky to have a marketing job with few deadlines where I can make my own schedule, I wouldn't be able to do this. At a certain point, I had to stop telling myself that I didn't deserve to do this because I needed to be tethered to my desk every hour of every day or because I shouldn't take advantage of my situation when other people cannot.

The flexibility I have has allowed me to test a lot of things in terms of what schedules and routines work for me. At the same time, the silly adages about being positive with your progress are all true. Consistency is key, any effort is more than none, you can do strength training exercises at home, you can make progress in 20 minutes, and it's never too late to start. Anything you do that doesn't cause an injury will be to your benefit.

And Duff, push ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises ever, so it's a great foundation.

Yesterday I was running behind so I did a quick bicep workout before yoga: standing EZ bar bicep curls, dumbbell hammer curls, concentration curls, then bicep machine to failure.

Tuesday is my big leg day and I'm still feeling it. I hadn't done squats or deadlifts in awhile so I did both: front bar squats and then a bunch of deadlifts. Form felt good, but still feeling that in the back today because that's my weak point. I finished with machine work: leg press, hamstring curl, leg press, and glute kickbacks.

No yoga today, so I will probably do a shoulder/tricep split. Friday I'll do a big back day and then Saturday I'll do tricep/shoulder or something. I don't mind a bit of cardio on a Saturday either. I prefer the elliptical to the treadmill because I feel it works the abs more.

Good stuff everyone. Hopefully this thread can be an inspiration to all of us. I'm by no means an expert, so any level of discussion is welcome. Since diet is also 3/4ths of the battle, food and eating discussion is a welcome complement.

chrondog wrote:

And Duff, push ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises ever, so it's a great foundation.

Joking aside, between this and being back in the office thus being able to take a 45-60 minute walk downtown for lunch everyday I'm looking and feeling less miserable these days.

I got out of all my workout habits during the pandemic. I was big on 25-50 push-ups/crunches/jumping jacks, 100 15lb curls on each arm, and a series of Tai Chi stretches that an old friend showed me years ago. I’ve slowly added all of them back in, but half as many ‘reps’ in each case. My body needs some serious reconditioning before I get back to my 2019 routine. If I can find a way to do it I’ll upload the Tai Chi stretch instructions. They are all very easy and mostly resemble stuff you probably already do, like toe/floor touches.

25 pushups and 65 crunches with a weight every morning
vinyasa yoga ~2-3 times a week, with about 1 out of 3 being high intensity classes
~9 miles (and climbing) on the bike with moderately heavy resistance on the wheel ~2-3 times a week

I have no idea what I'm doing

Vinyasa is my single favorite form of movement. I love it so much. I wish I could get jacked doing it 5 times a week.

It sounds like you want to be lean and have cycling endurance. Seems sensible to me! Different plans for different mans.

I have a massive crush on my vinyasa yoga teacher here in Bologna. Unbelievably attractive Italian woman who has the coolest music taste as well. I've been slyly flirting with her for the past month and have asked her out for a "language exchange" since she really wants to improve her English.

Namaste ragazzi.

I started a calisthenics and Dumbell routine 3x a week. I have been doing it for two months, and since then I have pretty much stopped doing cardio altogether. It feels great, I regret not doing it decades ago. My body is already toning and I have a lot more energy and a more positive vibe. I have equipment at home for all this and wake up at the crack of dawn to workout.

I also swapped doing yoga routines for more traditional static and dynamic stretches endorsed by PT and more western fitness models. I am enjoying this change as well

How sore do you guys get after working out? I do 2 workout routines back to back 3x a week, and I’ve read many complain around my age group that they can’t do one of the routines more than twice a week from soreness. Not sure if it’s that I’m not pushing myself hard enough or I’m just genetically not a sore person after working out? Idk if this is a stupid question.

I get pretty sore because I go pretty hard, but results vary for everyone. I think excessive soreness often has a lot to do with diet as well. If you're not getting enough protein you'll be sore because you can't recover. If you are eating crap you'll have inflammation which will read as "soreness". Sleep is another important recovery tool and people who don't sleep enough after workouts will be sore.

For me, I tend to feel the most sore about 36 hours after a workout. Heavy lifts make me much more sore than many reps. And doing new things will usually make me more sore than doing the same thing over and over.

Yeah in addition to working out I’ve radically changed my diet. Sadly I have been pretty under nourished my whole life. Being raised by an anorexic kind of rubbed off. So I’ve loaded on the protein.

It’s crazy how researching workouts has shifted my lifestyle so much. Much better than therapy or anything else I’ve tried for feeling better.

coyote wrote:Yeah in addition to working out I’ve radically changed my diet. Sadly I have been pretty under nourished my whole life. Being raised by an anorexic kind of rubbed off. So I’ve loaded on the protein.

It’s crazy how researching workouts has shifted my lifestyle so much. Much better than therapy or anything else I’ve tried for feeling better.

That's amazing to hear! I feel the same way.

I know it's a thing that egotistical assholes say, but I don't feel therapy would be effective for me personally. I am incredibly headstrong and I don't see a stranger being able to offer much insight into my psychology, something I've been looking into and thinking about for myself for decades. Not to say it's not important for many people, but the universality of the effectiveness of the "mental health care establishment" is, I think, patently false.

coyote wrote:I also swapped doing yoga routines for more traditional static and dynamic stretches endorsed by PT and more western fitness models. I am enjoying this change as well

I have also heard of other people doing something similar. For many older bodies or people with chronic pain, trying to force yourself into "yoga positions" to keep up with a video or class does more harm than good. Most classes have very little hands on attention as well, so you can end up learning bad form and hurt yourself. "Dynamic stretching" can deliver a ton of similar benefits with less risk.

At the same time, I love my vinyasa. I enjoy the intense flexibility, the mental challenge, and the full body sensation. I've learned to make my practice my own and be selfish. I do it how I want and don't blindly follow the instructor.

chrondog wrote:At the same time, I love my vinyasa. I enjoy the intense flexibility, the mental challenge, and the full body sensation. I've learned to make my practice my own and be selfish. I do it how I want and don't blindly follow the instructor.

This is how I approach the Tai Chi stretches/movements. I never looked as graceful as my ‘instructor’ but I still felt/feel the benefits from doing them daily for 30-40 minutes in my own way.

I got a puppy and I didn't get fat this Winter as a direct result.

I have been averaging 1.5-2 hours of walking a day since mid 2021.

And, I will be opening the pool soon! Gonna be a fit old fucker. HA HA

techno raj wrote:25 pushups and 65 crunches with a weight every morning
vinyasa yoga ~2-3 times a week, with about 1 out of 3 being high intensity classes
~9 miles (and climbing) on the bike with moderately heavy resistance on the wheel ~2-3 times a week

I have no idea what I'm doing

That's fucking great. I got my black belt after about 6 years of training a few years ago. And, I could do 50 pushups and 50 situps in a minute each, after running 2 miles. I look back at the pictures. Damn, I looked good.

Couldn’t work out for over 2 weeks cuz I had Covid. It was really frustrating because I’d just started to get a routine together and had good solid momentum with it.

Started again yesterday and am getting back in but still not 100 percent.

Got a new Peloton last year and I gonna be honest, that shit is hard.

30 minutes feels like a lifetime and I can't really take these instructors trying to push me uphill after 20 minutes of me barely maintaining consciousness.

My wife got me a plan/sub service where you have a trainer track your progress with an app & smartwatch. And that fucking sucks too. The dude sends me texts about how many steps I have taken in the day and about my heartrate and shit. You're supposed to open the app and basically record yourself working out and it's creepy as hell. I hate it.

My company is doing a 10 day contest to see who can get the most steps in and we are all using the same app to track it. They split us up in teams and this one dude from Tech on my team is really into it. Like posting Slacks on a daily basis telling us we’re not walking enough lol.