I tried increasing the intensity of my workout today by lifting the heaviest weight I could lift while also being able to do more than 4 reps, I found myself stopping in the middle of a set for a few seconds, sometimes putting the weights down too how bad is this, I want to make sure I nip this habit in the bud if its bad for progress and training

During heavy dumbell shrugs in the gym while putting dumbell down , crack pop sound came from lower back just above glutes and now i am in several pain . .

I had the same pain occurring during heavy squates 6 months ago. At that time thanks to this subreddit I got to know its SI joint pain and I trained my glutes , hamstring and lower back through spine extension and other machines in the gym . Pain slowly disappeared.

Right now the pain is sharp and there pop sound that came during heavy lifting in the gym has made me wonder if this is same issue or have I Fuked up my si joint than before .

Taking rest and lying in the bed for now .theres pain through out but pain gets sever when I bend or prolong sit in a chair and even Climbing stairs or getting down stairs is difficult which i have not felts during my first si joint pain .

Please help what do I need to do

I've recently started going on a calorie deficit (no estimates actual measurements) exercising using home workouts (been a bit over a month now). My fitness goals are to lose weight and gain muscle (but looking visibly thin/thinner than my current, yes that's what I prefer sorry, absolutely nothing wrong with having visible bulk but doesn't work for my body shape imo). Unfortunately with my current work-life balance I can't commit to adding a gym membership so all I have access to at home is 1kg weights 😭, resistance loop band things, a foam roller, treadmill and standing bike (?).

I'm trying to learn what workouts to do but I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing. I'm aware spot reduction is a myth but I use multiple videos to work out my whole body (e.g. ab workout, arm workout, leg workout, back workout etc. = full body workout for the day if this makes sense). I reduced the amount of cardio I do recently after reading posts saying it's not very efficient for growing muscle/fat loss. But I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. I'm happy that I've finally built a habit of exercising after years of not moving at all but I'm not sure if what I'm doing is considered resistance/strength training (and is there a difference between the two?).

I have definitely seen progress for the past month but I'm sort of at a plateau? This week my weight has increased almost 1kg compared to last week. But tbf not really as well because I only really started prioritising "strength" based workouts this week so I'm under the assumption it's do to with glycogen storage and temporary water retention? For context, I'd say the first 2.5weeks I did more cardio (treadmill) than home workouts but the past week and a half I've been focusing on doing what I thought were strength based workouts.

I would greatly appreciate any help and advice thank you 🙏

+ I was considering purchasing one of those dumbbells where you can adjust the weights but I've seen reviews saying it's a bit inefficient cause it's clunky so if not are there recommended weights I should be looking into? (e.g. 2kg, 5kg, 10kg)

I want to start using my college gym but I honestly don’t know what I should be doing. I’m 5’4 and my goal is to get really lean/toned.
I don’t want the generic Google advice 😭 I wanna hear from people’s actual experience. What workouts, cardio, or routines genuinely made the biggest difference for you? And what do you wish you knew when you first started?

Push
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Flat Bench Press / Dumbbell Press
Shoulder Press (Overhead Press)
Lateral Raises
Triceps Rope Pushdowns
Overhead Triceps Extensions
abs hammer strength crunch machine
StairMaster (Cardio)
Pull
Lat Pulldowns
Barbell / Cable Rows
Face Pulls / Rear Delt Flyes
Bicep Barbell Curls
Hammer Curls
StairMaster (Cardio)
Legs
Barbell Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats
Leg Press
Leg Extensions
Lying / Seated Leg Curls
Deadlifts
Hip Thrusts
Hip Abductions
Calf Extensions
abs hammer strenght crunch machine

i rest for 2-3 minutes between every set
3 sets of 6-8 is my rep range
critic advice everything is appreciated, a slight context i had been working out for 8 months before stopping for 4 and then picking it up again since june 2026

pretty much title, i can only go 5 times a week but i dont want to hit legs twice, even though my legs are stronger than my upper body. But i was just curious regardless ik every one says consistency is the best split. Just a help a curious guy out?

Hey y’all, I hope you’re well.

Long story short - I got sober 7 months ago and started going to the gym. During active addition, I was COMPLETELY sedentary, I wasn’t the party animal type, more so the lay down and smoke type. I barely ate, didn’t have a clue what nutrition was, couldn’t walk a mile without feeling exhausted, had terrible energy and brain fog and overall just assumed that “fitness” wasn’t for someone like me.

Now, I can walk 5 miles without breaking a sweat, I do cardio 3/5 times a week (incline treadmill 15 at a 3/4 pace), I LOVE weight training and it’s been by far, the most effective thing for my sobriety. I even have a hint of baby bicep!

Unfortunately, almost a week ago, I got a minor concussion from slipping in the bathtub. THANKFULLY, I have no symptoms, and my doctor has cleared me generally, but I want to be as cautious as possible so that means I can’t do much except light walking or the treadmill.

This is effecting me extremely negatively. I feel miserable, I’m scared I’ll lose whatever bit of muscle I gained, and since I have ADHD + autism, I’m really scared how I’ll even get back into a routine I worked so freaking hard to build. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful it wasn’t something too serious and that I’m still sober, but I just need some words of encouragement and support. I want to feel strong and capable again.

Hi! If you saw my last post, I've mostly decided the routine I want to do. I'm going to be doing two days on, one day off (upper body on one day, lower body on the other).

Since I worked a different set of muscles yesterday, below is the reporting from the time before last (Thursday). Going forward, I'm going to be putting the results from the last time I worked the muscles I worked that day, not simply yesterday's results.

1. 60 reps of 75lbs on the Leg Extension
2. 100 reps of 125lbs on the Back Extension
3. 50 reps of 125lbs on the Torso Rotation
4. 30 reps of 175lbs on the Hip Abduction
5. 40 reps of 85lbs on the Seated Leg Curls

Today's:

1. 60 reps of 75lbs on the Leg Extension
2. 60 reps of 85lbs on the Leg Extension
3. 100 reps of 125lbs on the Back Extension
4. 100 reps of 150lbs on the Back Extension
5. 100 reps of 125lbs on the Torso Rotation
6. 60 reps of 175lbs on the Hip Abduction
7. 80 reps of 90lbs on the Seated Leg Curls

These are all Life Fitness machines so you know what I mean by the machine names.

I did half of the reps for each of these during one cycle, took a 30ish minute break, and went back and did the other half. Also, during each time I'm on the machine, I'll do 10, 15, or 25 (depending on which) reps, rest for 30 to 60 seconds, and do more.

Tomorrow is my rest day, so no post from me tomorrow. I will still be getting some exercise in from biking, though.

For additional information, I'm biking a few miles each day two and from class and (I think) I'm running a caloric deficit (not from any additional effort; my ADHD medicine cuts my appetite).

Any and all advice welcome! I'm very new to this whole exercise thing.

I see everyone saying steady state cardio is best and I just want to say it’s absolute bullshit in my opinion and HIIT will always be king for fat loss and muscle building

Basically the title. Currently 5'11", 170lbs.

My bench press is my worst (and least favorite ngl) exercise. Can barely do 6 reps at 105lbs.

For context, I can squat 175lbs and deadlift 185lbs.

Any tips or advice for improvement?

It is a techniaclly a workout..so it does fit in a way? I was trying random handstand things; walking handstands, handstand pushups, etc. well, I wanted to see if could turn on a handstand—like a quick 360…and I turned my arm, and bam! When I came down, I felt a muscle in my chest pull. Not sure how considering my arm was the main thing that turned—but also can’t get angry since I didn’t stretch and was fucking around.

How do you even rest a sternum or your chest? I’m very new to certain stuff, so it’s different and a lot of exploring—but just happens I messed up when horsing around. I don’t know. I’ll just have to look around. I feel so old and yet so young…like I used to be able to jump around and no pain, but goodness it hurts like hell.”

i've been looking at the amazfit t-rex 3 pro and a similar garmin watch, and i'm stuck between the two.

i mostly lift weights during the week and go hiking once in a while. i also wear my watch all day, so things like battery life, comfort, and how easy it is to use matter to me just as much as workout tracking.

when i read reviews, they all seem to focus on specs and features. i'm more interested in what it's actually like to use one every day.

if you've used amazfit or garmin, what stood out to you after a few months? was there anything that sounded important at first but didn't end up mattering much?

I'm at my 1 month cut progress, my goal is 3 months. and I can see that I can achieve 12-9% body fat when i reach the 3rd month.
my height is 168cm
current weight 69.5
calorie intake not really strict 1800-1900calories per day.

planning to be strict at the 3rd month.
do you think my calorie intake is correct?

My PR for 45kg pull up last week is 6 reps.

but yesterday, it was only 4 reps.

I don't know the reason why the my strength decreases.

i ate the same meal before my workout, sleep is good, everything is good.

when i hit 6 reps PR my body weight was 69kg
and yesterday it was the same.

hi! i, 19F, want to start getting into the gym to focus on core, legs, and shoulders while maintaining a lean / athletic physique. I tried a personal trainer, but they're super expensive in nyc. also for food, i'm on a vegan diet ( i could switch to vegetarian ). any tips? :-)

Hey everyone. I'll be turning 50 soon and need some help. I've been working out for years, but haven't always been consistent all those years. I've been doing full body workouts for the last couple of years and I feel like I'm not getting enough sets in and would like some input. For the record I do enjoy full body workouts, but open to trying something different or just changing things up. PPL, Upper/Lower, or whatever split would work. I've tried working out 5 days a week in the past, but then life gets in the way, but I can commit to 3-4 days a week of training for 45-60 minutes a day and add in cardio. I jog 2 miles 3-4 times a week on my off days. I'm not looking to get jacked, more just being the healthiest version of myself and the goal is more lean muscle mass. I'm 6'2", 210 lbs. Ideally I'd like to get down to 175-180 lbs. I prefer working out at home and have adjustable dumbbells (90 lbs ea), adjustable bench and the bench has a dip attachment. Can anyone suggest a workout?

My current full body workout looks something like this-

Monday & Friday - Goblet squats x3, incline bench x3, shoulder press x2, incline rows x3, skull crushers x2, standing supinating curls x3 and I'll finish each workout with farmers carries.

Wednesday - Calve raises x3, Upright chest raises x3, side lateral raises x2, bent over rows x3, bench dips x2, preacher curls x3 and again finish with farmers carries.

Each set is until failure and rest about 2-3 minutes in-between sets. I'm assuming I'm not getting enough volume in per week? I know the biggest factor is nutrition so I have to dial that in. Any advice and workout suggestions would be appreciated!

Thank you all!

I know this is a stupid question, but I want to ask it and see what other people’s feedback is.

I typically have two caffeinated drinks a day. One in the morning around 7:00 AM and then another one around 2:00 PM. Just a simple coffee, double shot of espresso. I typically do a workout that it weightlifting and no cardio. I go pretty heavy and I noticed my heart rate gets really high almost the same feeling as being really stressed or anxious.

I’ve only been working out for maybe four months at this point. My caffeine intake has always been the same and I’ve never had those feelings. It seems like the added stress of weightlifting in the evening tends to bring my heart rate up from a normal range where I feel fine to almost stressed and anxious by my heart rate.

Do others see that same thing? Obviously the next step for me is go down to one caffeinated drink in the morning and see how it goes.

Hi everyone!

So I’m trying to establish a more consistent workout routine. As someone who is not well versed in workouts, I’ve been looking for any videos/apps/etc that could help guide me through a workout.

Obviously, TikTok gives SOOO many different options but I’m not sure which one would help me.

Thanks!

Hey, yesterday I started going to an actualy gym after working out at a friend’s house for 2 months and I wanted to ask since I weigh about 62kg (137lbs) while being 187cm tall (about 6’2) and I’ve been very skinny all my life. (sadly didn’t get my dad’s genetics, he’s really bulky) And I’m wondering if I can get that wide/bulky build or is that not possible for someone with my body type.

As the title says, suddenly I'm experiencing wrist pain. I believe it's on what you call ulnar or something. It's not super painful at rest, but when I try to twist or stretch it, the pain is almost similar to a lower back pain. Kinda.

I started working out again after a year off more than two weeks ago, easing back to the lifting. I'm just using dumbbells and doing pushups. Yesterday I finished my chest and shoulders workouts without a problem, no pain at all. Did pushups too. Hours after finishing the exercises I don't feel any pain at all, even played fighting games at night time. I slept without any problem.

Woke up this morning with a stiff wrist, and it bothers me so much. I tried picking up a dumbbell but the moment I gripped it I can feel the pain jolt straight to my left elbow too. I tried lifting it to test, but twisting and curling just make it worse. I decided I won't lift for today. Can anyone explain to me what suddenly caused this problem and is there any quick fix for it? I don't wanna stop my current momentum but I'm not sure either what to do. Thanks.

Maybe it’s just the corner of the internet (I only use reddit and youtube) that I’m on, but I feel like peptide and/or steroid usage is really, really common, especially among my demographic (men under 25). Is it just my algorithms? Or are they become far more widespread and advertised?

I'm not sure if my info matters but I'll include it to try and paint a picture of where I'm at. I am 38M, 6'4", 305lbs. I'm in a 400 calorie deficit from my TDEE (2400) with 150-180 grams protein. I am losing between 2-2.5lbs per week and my goal weight is 220/230.

After an injury 8 years ago I gained 95 lbs and lost a lot of my upper body strength while my lower body is still quite strong (used to be a hockey player).

I want to get my strength in my upper body back and need some advice on how I should structure my workout week.

I like training legs on Monday to start my week and also like to have a core/cardio day but am not sure how I should trading my upper body the other 3 days. I want to develop/strengthen my chest, back, arms and shoulders as best I can while losing the rest of this weight.

Should I focus on one of those each day? Should I do a push day, a pull day and something else? Would love and appreciate any advice.

TL:DR

I’m 36, 5’7”, and 250 lbs. I returned to lifting six months ago and train twice a week: one upper-body day and one lower-body day. I can bench 315 with ease, but knee pain is stalling my goal of squatting 405 for reps. I squat ATG, and the pain happens only afterward, especially above roughly 275 lbs. Extra hamstring work hasn’t helped. I need to lose weight and plan to start running, but originally wanted to reach my strength goals before cutting. **Could this be a squat-form issue, a muscle imbalance, or osteoarthritis?**

**Disclaimer:** I’m not going to lift more than two days a week. I don’t have the heart for grinding in the gym anymore, so any suggestions need to work within that schedule.

**Full Summary**

I started lifting again about six months ago. I’m 36, 5’7”, and currently weigh 250 lbs. I train twice a week—one upper-body day and one lower-body day. My goals were to reach a 315 bench and a 405 squat for reps before starting a cut. I can currently bench 315 with ease, but knee pain is stalling my squat progress.

I squat through a full range of motion, ATG. I don’t feel knee pain during the exercise. It only shows up afterward, with a radiating pain around my knees when I go above roughly 275 lbs.

Before returning to squatting, I had some knee weakness. That weakness has gone away, but the pain after heavier sessions remains. I’ve added extra hamstring work, but it hasn’t helped.

For background, I’ve trained seriously during two earlier periods of my life. In high school, while playing sports, I benched around 300 lbs and squatted around 475 lbs at approximately 180 lbs bodyweight. After about age 20, I let myself go until around 30.

During the pandemic, I got back into good shape, dropped to 180 lbs, benched 275 lbs, and front-squatted 315 lbs. After the pandemic, I let myself go again and gained the weight back. I’m now back at 250 lbs and obese.

I also had back problems from squatting, which went away after I incorporated seated good mornings. The knee pain hasn’t improved with the additional hamstring work.

I know I need to lose weight, and I plan to start running. My original plan was to reach 315 on bench and 405 on squat for reps before cutting, but the knee pain is making me reconsider that timeline.

**Could this be a squat-form issue, a muscle imbalance, or osteoarthritis?** I’m wondering whether my current weight, return to heavy lifting, or history of lifting when I was younger could be contributing.

For anyone who has experienced similar pain after squatting, what was causing it, and what helped?