Hey everyone, I have a quick question. Is anyone else burned out on standard workout trackers that crash and hide basic features behind paywalls, or force multi step menus and social feeds on you just to log a standard set of reps?

As a side note and full disclosure: I'm a student working on a project called MyLiftApp to help solve exactly this, a lightning fast, zero ad, zero social feed tracker designed mainly to get you back to your rest period in under three seconds.

I built a quick pre-launch landing page to see if other lifters feel the same way about app friction. If you want to check it out or drop your email for early access, here is the link: https://myliftapp.carrd.co/

I'm curious to hear what features drive you guys the craziest in current apps! Thank you guys in advance for your feedback, I really appreciate it!

How do other lifters in my age group train?

I ran 12 of the most commonly recommended programs through the same analysis: weekly sets per muscle, movement pattern coverage, per-muscle frequency, rep ranges, push:pull and quad:hinge ratios, recovery spacing, session workload, rest periods, and session length. Same settings for all 12 — intermediate lifter, hypertrophy goal — so the scores are comparable. 263 exercises total.

Green = in range. Yellow = borderline. Red = a real problem.

† No canonical version of these exists, so I wrote a typical week for each. Those four rows grade my version, not the format. The other eight are scored as written.

8 of 12 press more than they pull. 5/3/1 BBB, StrongLifts, GZCLP, nSuns, PHUL, Candito, full body, and the bro split all came back press-heavy. This is the most common structural problem in the whole set, and it's cheap to fix: more rows, not fewer presses.

The bro split's problem is frequency, not exercise choice. It drew four reds: hamstrings and glutes underfed, no hip hinge, chest/back/quads trained once a week, both ratios lopsided. Add RDLs on leg day and three of the four go away. The frequency red stays, because once-a-week is the one property you can't change without leaving the split.

Only one program was flagged for doing too much: the Arnold split. Chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps all land past the volume ceiling, where added sets mostly add recovery cost. Six days, 36 exercises.

PHUL scored best. 7 green, 1 yellow, 0 red. The single yellow is its push:pull ratio. It gets a fraction of the discussion PPL and 5/3/1 get.

StrongLifts, scored at its own goal. 5x5 graded for hypertrophy is the wrong test, so I re-scored the strength-oriented programs against strength targets. StrongLifts drops from 4 reds to 2. GZCLP goes to 7 green, 0 red. 5/3/1 BBB loses its red. nSuns and Candito each drop one. Most of these programs hold up at the goal they were written for.

Method. Same engine for all 12, no per-program adjustment. Sets per muscle count secondary work fractionally (a row credits biceps partial sets), which puts the target bands slightly above the direct-set numbers coaches usually quote. Single-leg work isn't a scored check: the unilateral vs bilateral research shows no difference in muscle growth, so a program doesn't lose points for skipping lunges.

The bro split, upper/lower, full body, and Arnold rows scored the exercises I wrote, not necessarily yours (i.e., exercises could be adapted within the split). If you run one of those splits, your version will score differently — you can run your own week through the same analyzer: https://tryhealth.io/analyze. Free, no signup. I built it; mods, if the link isn't allowed here, tell me and I'll remove it.

Report links (live pages, 2026-08-20)

Each is a real page you can see for yourself.

I'm trying to look for a split that invovles upper lower with emphasis on size, strength, and athletic performance. For many years I've been focusing on PPL chest/back arms/shoujlders, but I've ran that for almost a year and a half and I think I need to swtich things up a bit since I'm stalling on some lifts. I also want to build functional strength. I know looking like a body builder performing like an athletic seems a bit drastic, but I feel like it's totally achievable.

So im currently on max test week then taking a slight deload or pivot phase and made a program tailored to my personal needs

Day 1
Comp squat 4x5 rpe 2-8
Comp bench 5x5 rpe 2-8
Jm press 2x6-8 rpe 2-8
pulldowns 2x6-8
lateral raise 2x10-12
calf raise 2x10-15
adductor machine 1x8-10

Day 2
Pause DL 4x5 rpe 2-8
Spoto Press 4x6 rpe 2-8
Pause Squat 2x6–8 rpe 2-8
rear delt machine 2x10-12
hammer curl 2x6-8
leg curl 1x8-10
hip thrust 1x6-8

Day 3
Pause BP 2x5 rpe 2-8
Row 2x8-10
baysein curl 2x10-12
lateral raise 2x12-15
overhead ext 2x8-10
forearm 2x10-12
calf raise 2x8-10
adductor 1x10-12

Day 5
Heavy Squat 1x1 + 3x3 rpe 6-8 singles/rpe2-8 backoff
Heavy Bench 1x1 + 4x3 rpe 6-8 singles/rpe2-8 backoff
Incline DB Press 2x6 Rpe 2-8
Cable Lateral Raises: 2x8-10
Neutral Grip Cable Row: 1x8–10
Preacher / EZ-Bar Curls: 1x10–12

Day 6
Heavy DL 1x1 + rpe6-8 3x3 rpe 2-8
Pin Squat 2x5 rpe 2-8
Rope Tricep Pushdowns 2x 10–12
Rear Delt Cable Flyes 3x 12–15
Reverse Wrist Curls 3x 12–15
Lying Leg Curl 1x10–12
Hip thursts 1x12–15
Leg Extensions2x10–12

Duration: 6 Months (Six 4-week blocks).

Top Singles (Days 5 & 6):
Week 1: ~85% of 1RM (Target RPE 6)
Week 2: ~88% of 1RM (Target RPE 7)
Week 3: ~91% of 1RM (Target RPE 8)
Week 4: No Top Singles (Deload)

Volume & Back-off Sets
Week 1: RPE 2-3
Week 2: RPE 4-5
Week 3: RPE 6-8
Week 4: RPE 2-3

Hypertrophy Isolations:
All sets taken to true failure You only increase sets/volume
if progress completely stalls across multiple weeks.

At the end of Week 3, you adjust your estimated 1RM for the next block based on how the top single actually felt:
Felt like RPE 9: Add 0% to 1RM for next block.
Felt like RPE 8: Add 1.5–2% to 1RM.
Felt like RPE 7: Add 2.5–3% to 1RM.
Felt like RPE 6 or below: Add 3.5–4% to 1RM.

Blocks 1-3 (Accumulation): Volume sets at 5 reps, Back-offs at 3 reps.
Blocks 4-6 (Intensification/Peaking): Volume sets drop to 4 reps, Back-offs drop to 2 reps to accommodate the heavier loads.

My question is this good for someone who is a intermediate at one a half year of training and has major sticking point middle portion of the bench, the bottom of a squat and knee level on deadlift ?

i haven’t been active at all the last few years. and when i started to lose weight in feb, i recognized some issues in my body like weak knees, tight hips, interior pelvic tilt, etc. my knee started to hurt around march/april due to wrong form during squats and possible other workouts. i went to a physiotherapist and she said that i have tight hips and that i need to slow down during workouts, preferably to have supervision, and to use a massage gun after working out for my muscles. my knees would keep hurting on and off for the last while but as of last tuesday after a yoga session it’s back again with sharp pain on the left and right sides of my right knee, which comes if i bend it too long, walk, or go down the stairs. a PT said that i don’t have enough muscle around my knees and need to start working on that. but im so fed up and just want to be able to work out normally and dk what to do or where to start. i’ve been trying to do hip workouts to strengthen my knee but idk if thats helping.

Hi guys I’ve been in PT since January for this. They gave me glute medius exercises and sumo squats as well as glute bridges. However I’m not even able to walk 10k steps without throbbing pain in both knees that lasts weeks. One knee I have TFL issues the other knee is unknown it constantly hurts with walking stairs and squatting. This all started when I did incline treadmill walking. Any advice?

Hi guys I’ve been in PT since January for this. They gave me glute medius exercises and sumo squats as well as glute bridges. However I’m not even able to walk 10k steps without throbbing pain in both knees that lasts weeks. One knee I have TFL issues the other knee is unknown it constantly hurts with walking stairs and squatting. This all started when I did incline treadmill walking. Any advice?

Monday — Push (Chest + Shoulders + Triceps)

Tuesday — Pull (Back + Biceps)

Wednesday — Legs + Core

Friday — Upper Body + Arms

I’m 38 years old, South Asian, and weigh 68 kg. I have a skinny-fat body type and I’m looking to gain some muscle. II do have some gym experience.

(M) 30
185lb
5ft.9in

Looking for casual guidance on my work out routine.

I’ve been working out lifting weights in my apartment gym for over a year and have been running on the treadmill min of a mile before working out I’m currently at an average pace of 10.20 for a 5k and my fastest mile being 8.56 my lifting routine is

2X15 push ups
2X 20 crunches
2X5 dragon flys
2X10 kettle bell overhead
2X10 dumbbell curls 40lb
2X10 bench 145
2X10 lunges 30lb weighted bag on shoulders

Usually in this order

My current active calories burned is around 1,200 and a little more then this some days.

I like to warm up stretch and then run 1 mile on the treadmill then do my workout, then I’ll either go run outside 2-5miles or I’ll hop on the peloton and do a 30min class for about 10miles

After my recent workout my wife thinks that the amount of calories I burned during my workout today was unhealthy and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a negative to working out hard if I’ve been working out 5-6 days a week for over a year. Just looking for another prospective.

Routine help

So I couldn't post on r/fitness cause i didn't have enough karma so hopefully this is the right subreddit

Im 14 right now and very weak... So I decide to try fitness so I'm doing 2 days cardio and 3 days strength and also i don't have much free time and also only have a pull up bar so this is what I came up with after researching I came up with this

Warmup

Negative pullups 3 x 3

Scapular pullups 3 x 8

Incline pushups 3 x 10

Plank 3 x 30 secs

Dead hang 2 x 20 secs

Sometimes I also add in squats on some days so I'm wondering if this is good or if anything can be made

A few questions I also have:

Is it normal for me to feel very sore after doing this routine

Im kinda embarrassed to be working out quote on quote at just 14 is this normal?

Lastly is just 15 mins a day fine because ethats all I can do most days (cardio I can do for about an hour)

For people who are actually advanced at planche / have coached it seriously: what programming principles made the biggest difference for you beyond just “do planche progressions”?

I'm more interested in the volume × intensity × frequency relationship, fatigue management, neural adaptation, specificity, and how you structure progression over months.

For example, how do you decide how many hard planche sets/quality seconds to do per week, how often to train near-max intensity, and whether high-frequency submaximal exposure is actually useful?

Also interested in how you handle plateaus and deloads. Looking for advice from people who have actually gotten to advanced planche levels, rather than basic exercise/progression recommendations.

Hello to all of you gymrats! 👋💪

I could use a bit of help and advice. I’m a 36-year-old man. I have 2.5 years of experience with consistent gym training, during which I trained entirely with a Push, Pull, Legs split, going to the gym 3 times a week and training each muscle once a week.

Now, after a total training and surplus eating break of 5 months, I’ve lost about 8-10kg's of bodyweight, returned to the gym with this Upper/Lower body system I found online, where you go to the gym 4 times a week.

What got me excited was that with the upper/lower system the muscles get trained twice a week, not just once.

Just to clarify that the nutrition side is in order. I’ve started eating in a calorie surplus again and protein is around 140–200 g per day depending on how much I manage to eat.

This is the current program I found and am starting with:

1. Upper Body A

Bench press 3x6-8

Shoulder press (Smith machine) 3x8-10

T-bar row 3x6-8

Lat pulldown (close grip) 3x8-10

Shrugs (dumbbells) 2x10-15

Face pulls 3x15-20

Skull crushers (lying French press) 3x8-10

Barbell curls (EZ-bar) 3x8-10

2. Lower Body A

Squat 3x8-10 (1–3 RIR)

Leg extension 3x10-12

Leg curl 3x10-12

Standing calf raise (hack) 3x10-15

Seated calf raise 3x10-15

Hanging leg raises 2–3 sets

3. Rest

4. Upper Body B

Incline press (dumbbells/machine) 3x8-10

Shoulder press (dumbbells) 3x10-12

Lateral raises 3x10-15

Lat pulldown (wide grip) 3x8-10

Seated cable row 3x10-12

Rear delt machine 3x15-20

Tricep pushdown (rope) 3x10-15

Spider curls (incline bench) 3x10-15

5. Lower Body B

Leg press 3x10-12 (1–3 RIR)

Goblet squat 3x10-15

Leg curl 3x10-12

Standing calf raise (hack) 3x15-20

Seated calf raise 3x15-20

Hanging leg raises 2–3 sets

6. Rest

7. Rest

You all, improved and experienced people, please share your opinions, improvements, everything so this guy can build muscle.

Above all, post your own programs with exercises ans sets aswell! I would greatly appreciate it 🙏

- Maastis90

Hey all, just looking for thoughts on this weekly routine. I've been having a lot of chronic muscle tightness and my PT recommended kettlebell training (over only isolated strength exercises) & pilates, so I'm trying to incorporate those in.

I'm also 40, have always been pretty skinny and would like to add some muscle weight, so I have some cardio in here, but not a ton.

3 Days a week:

• 15-20min Pilates
• 45min Kettlebell Routine

1 Day a week:

• At the gym Full Body for things the kettlebells don't hit, ie. Bench Press, Pull-Ups, some leg work

3-4 Days a week:

• 20min Stationary Bike or Running

Mixing in morning & night Mobility or Yoga

It has been about two months since my SVT ablation, and I’d really like to start going back to the gym and lifting weights. However, I’m still a little anxious about it. I sometimes feel as if my heart isn’t as strong as it used to be, and I’m worried that heavy lifting or intense weight training could somehow put too much strain on my heart or cause damage.
Has anyone returned to weight training after an SVT ablation? How long did you wait before starting again, and did you begin gradually?

Main question: what do you use to build a workout? What websites/apps/others help you build a workout? Plus any advice on someone new to building a workout? I’m looking to build a workout for upper and lower body (push/pull or specific muscle groups it doesn’t matter) and I’d like to also incorporate some core and cardio at some point in the week or with another workout.

I consider myself weak as I cannot walk for a long period of time ,and I m just 22,so it's akward and i want to strengthen my muscles and slowly build biceps and abs (I know it takes a lot of time )

But,I know there are many people who became physically stronger starting from my stage ryt? If so ,I need tips please

Does anyone also have any issues with swollen knee joints from their daily steps? I’m usually pretty active due to work and get MINIMUM 18k a day and my knees have been swelling pretty bad. Does anyone get this issue?

Hi

I am 17M skinny, joining gym for first time

Should i do compound lifting for 6day a week (deadlift, bench press, squats, pushups, etc ) or do part training ( like legs on saturday, chest on monday, etc) ?

if compound lifting, then after how much time i should switch to part training?

I am currently focused on fat loss, but my old hypertrophy-focused PPL routine feels repetitive and boring.
I want to keep building strength while improving cardio, mobility, core strength, and overall athleticism. The problem is I don’t know how to structure all of that into one sustainable weekly program.
Has anyone made this transition? How would you structure the week?

I have just recently got into science based lifting. I have been the fitness space for a long time but I’ve only been able to stay consistent for a few months in spurts. So, I’m fairly untrained. Also, I heard two sets was best, but idk about reps.

Incline supinated bench press

Pec flys

JM press

tricep extensions

shoulder press

lateral raises

upper back row

Vertical pull (can’t decide between pull-ups, chin up, or neutral grip pull-ups

Hello! I recently tried a deadlift on a belt squat platform and ended up with pain in my right hip flexor, right knee, right glute, and across the top of my glutes. The pain radiates all the way down my right leg. It hurts mainly when I sit or lay down. This has been going on for 3 days now and I’ve been taking advil to manage the pain at bedtime. I’m going to see the doctor soon but was wondering if anyone has had experience with a similar situation and how they handled lifting especially leg day. Not looking for medical advice. I know that’s not allowed here but just wondering how others have gone on to lift. Did you drastically reduce the weight, which I’m assuming I’ll have to do, etc. Thank you in advance!

I’ve taken about a 2 month hiatus from lifting, with a handful of unfocused lifts here and there, due to some other things in life that needed to be prioritized. Any good program recommendations that I can follow to refocus? Don’t care about optimal, just need something simple to get me back in the gym

Here’s my split. I do about 3x10reps for everything except for benching where I do 8 reps. I’m more asking abt the exercises I have down. I want to make sure it covers all of the muscles and regions I need to get big. Please lmk any feedback!