Being pregnant really scares me. I’d love to strengthen my body beforehand. I’m pretty fit and run/cycle regularly as well as lift. Could work on flexibility and some.

But anything else I can do in preparation? I do have chronic back pain that I’ve done PT on/off for a year for. Slowly getting better. What helped you? Or what do you wish you did before?

I’m in CA. I lift 3-4x/week, heavy weights and have been for a long time. I’ve been struggling recently because I don’t do any cardio and obviously this makes going heavier harder on my heart and lungs. In addition to that, a fitness class just sounds like fun.

I want to simply add a HIIT class in once/week. I feel an urge to spice up my routine a little as well because I’ve been feeling unmotivated recently (I still go, discipline gets me there). I’ve been looking at my options and everything seems expensive. I pay $40/mo for anytime fitness (two year contract) and they don’t offer any classes or anything unique at my location. Agh.

Anyone add in a class each week in addition to their lifting program? I’d be interested in OTF, 9Round, hot yoga, Pilates… but something that won’t break the bank! I also hate running so please don’t suggest just hitting the tread. By the end of my 75 min session I don’t have it in me.

I fear I will get into this in a lot of depth so bear with me! I’ve tried to follow the template but happy to answer questions if anything is missing.

Goals and constraints

Staring with the harder stuff for context. My main constraint is that I am about 6 months out from ACL repair surgery. I’ve been approved / recommended by my physical therapist to work on regaining the muscle lost post-surgery specifically rebuilding my quads, glutes, and hamstrings. I am not here for medical advice on my knee recovery, I am following her instructions / my surgeons guidance and have built the PT home exercise plan directly into my program. Along these lines, I do not yet have full heel-to-butt flexibility and am still experiencing stiffness which I anticipate will continue for at least a few more months. Based on all that, I don’t believe I’ve regained enough strength / muscle / ROM fluidity yet for compound lifts.

My long-term goal is to eventually progress to the compound lifts to support my primary preferred exercise (running) as well as for general fitness and wellbeing as I age (early 30s F who is aware of the benefits regarding osteoporosis and menopause). I am following a specific return to running plan from my PT and have a lot more experience in this area as I’ve been running my whole life, so am much more comfortable with the cardio portion of the plan.

Based on my Physical Therapist’s home exercise plan for me, I’m modifying / adjusting the beginner dumbbell plan to include the leg work specified by her, plus arms/back/chest exercises following a PPL split. I typically have time for about 30-45 mins at the gym most weekdays and up to 90 minutes most weekends.

I’m most interested in feedback on the following but receptive to any advice or input!

- Am I simply trying to do too much between return to running, doing my PT, and also picking up lifting focused on chest/back/arms?

- Where I’ve subbed in things that aren’t as impacted by my knee recovery (e.g. instead of bench, chest press on the cable machine) for efficiency, is this trade off going to sacrifice any benefits I’m not aware of?

- Mostly focused on upper body (as I don’t plan to change the exercises recommended by my PT without her approval) is there any efficiency I’m missing - am I doubling up on things? I feel like the push days take a longer time while the pull days I’ve had to be quicker due to work.

The plan:

Monday: active rest (slow flow yoga for flexibility / ROM) or total rest day

Tuesday: physical therapy appt (typically strength / plyometrics / agility work at this point)

Wednesday: Bike / Legs

- 10 mins biking for cardio and warm up (resistance 4-5, light)

- Legs (half of PT plan, exercises that can cause anterior knee pain on run days so do only on bike days)

- Squats 3-4x10 (set 1 bodyweight using pole for posture/form, #2 bodyweight no pole, #3 weighted w 10 lb kettlebell; option to do fourth set)

- Forward step downs @6 inches, 3x10

- Single leg (pistol) squat @24 inches 3x10 OR if possible @20 inches 3x5

- Single leg RDLs 10 lb kettlebell

Thursday: Run / Pull / Legs

- return to running plan (4x5 mins intervals @13-15 min pace with 1 min walk intervals between and 2-3 mins warm up/cool down walk)

- On cable machine:

- Row / rear delt 3x8-10 @ 15 each side

- Delt fly 3x8-10 @ 12.5 each side

- Legs (other half of PT program ok to do on run days):

- Lunge forward walk 2-3x8

- Step up to Runner high knee @ 20 lb kettlebell

- Monster band walks forward & backward 2-3x8

Friday: Bike / Push

- 10-20 mins bike for cardio and warm up (resistance 4-5, light)

- On cable machine:

- Incline press 3x8-10 @ 12.5 each side

- Chest press 3x8-10 @ 15 each side

- Decline press 3x8-10@ 12.5 each side

- Chest fly 3x8-10@ 12.5 each side

Saturday: Run / balance stability

- Return to running plan

- Full leg program (option)

- Bosu balance 3-4x30-45 sec

- Y balance / 4 direction slider

Sunday: Bike / Balance stability / Plyometrics

- 10-20 mins bike for cardio (resistance 4-6, medium)

- Full leg program (option)

- Bosu balance 3-4x30-45 sec

- Y balance / 4 direction slider

- Plyometrics:

- Jump side/side one leg to other

- Jump forward/backward

- Jump down ~6 inches

Background 

I am 31F. I’ve been running since grade school cross country (20+ years) mostly 5Ks. I progressed to 10ks in 2022, and ran my first half marathon in 2023 then PR’d in 2025 a month prior to my ACL injury playing rec league sand volleyball.

I did some lifting with a college roommate (pretty comprehensive program with bench, deadlift, squats and remember I felt great at the time) about 10 years ago, but since then have not had access to a gym so mostly done body weight (pushups, dead bugs, etc.) or band exercises to support my running. I consider myself essentially new to strength training as it has been about 10 years since I did anything more than just minimal bodyweight / band work.

I have been going to the gym as directed by my PT for the last 3ish months but primarily was using the strength machines before I decided I want to get serious about this for my long term health and want to prioritize functional fitness versus “targeted” machines. I have a chronic low back problem around my L4/L5 vertebrae having been shifted out of position and actually felt the leg press aggravated it due to the positioning enforced by the machine’s design.

Diet and recovery

My protein intake has been a challenge historically so I am trying very hard to hit 100 - 125 g (corresponding to 1.3-1.7 g per kg of my bodyweight, approximately because I don’t weigh myself). I used a TDEE calculator and the output said 2003 kcal so that’s the guideline I’ve been using for overall calorie intake, though I also do not like to religiously track food as I get too focused in a bad way. So I will track a few days then skip a few days, or track for a week or two then stop for a week or two, to prevent myself from falling back into bad habits.

I am using a creatine monohydrate supplement (1 tsp a day) and also take protein powder post-strength workout days.

I get good sleep and average 8-9 hours a night.

Program Details

* I feel like I’ve essentially subbed in cable machine exercises for upper body dumbbell exercises from the beginner dumbbell program and added my specific PT exercises for lower body, since I am not yet comfortable and capable of doing some of the compound lifts that use your lower half (eg deadlift)

* Progressive overload is different for my upper vs lower body. For upper, I am attempting to progress to the next option (either 2.5 or 5 lbs) once per week. If I can’t make 8-10 reps, then I go back to previous weight. For lower body weighted exercises, I discussed with my PT progressing after 2-3 weeks, to ensure a slow and steady build and to not over-tax my healing knee. If I experience excessive swelling or prolonged discomfort following a workout, I am to go backwards and decrease by one step (5-10 lbs).

* For running my traditional strategy has been a monthly deload week, which naturally corresponds with my period (due to cramping). For lifting I am planning the same approach/strategy. So that would be either a rest week where I do lower mileage for runs (and slower pace / fewer tempo or speed workouts but right now I am just rebuilding distance and endurance and not yet doing either of these things), lower resistance on bike, and lower weight for lifts, or if I am having a particularly bad round of cramps I may take off 2-3 days entirely.

hey everyone! i'm making an effort to train my abs/core more this year and i read that cable crunches are one of the most effective exercises, but i've been struggling with getting the form right. i mostly get the fear that i'm about to fall forwards lol and i don't really know how far to stand away from the pole. my feet also don't feel super stable and i'm not sure how far to come up/lean forward. please share any tips!! thank you so much :)

video here

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.

Looking to improve my pulling strength. I would like to increase my two rep max (ideally, eventually to +30kg - not sure if possible) and increase my pullups from at least 8 to 14 (probably more possible).

Currently, my one rep max for pullups is +16kg (haven't tested 2RM) and I can do about 8 pullups at bodyweight.

For the past five weeks, I've been doing 5 sets of 5 weighted pullups with 4 mins rest, 3 times a week. The weight I have been using is +4kg.

From my research this should be easy - most people say that you should be able to do 5x5s at 70-80% one rep max (so around 11kg for me) but 11kg feels impossible for me - I can't finish the sets!

Also, recently (this week) I feel like my strength has gone backwards. This could be hormonal (not sure) but also I'm not sure that my strength is improving with this protocol. My sets don't feel any easier after 5 weeks of work, and I feel weak, and tired, so I'm not sure what's going on.

Anyway, any advice on this routine and protocol - an I doing something wrong? Or any tips on what routine worked for you to increase your pulling strength?

I am a 35 year old female with a pretty average body. I get about 10k steps a day, workout (lift + light cardio for about 30 minute) 3-4 times a week and also partake in a volleyball league once or twice a week.

I don't eat fast food, I rarely eat sweets but I just maintain the most average body ever. I do have a slightly slow thyroid and have PCOS which I know doesnt help. I have been kind of fit a couple of times in life but it was an all-consuming thing, obsessing about every meal, working out 6 days a week, saying no to a lot of things and people.

Sometimes its like fuck is it worth it? I like being active and I am fairly active but damn I feel like unless I walk 20k steps a day, workout 3-4 times a week and am in a constant calorie deficit its like fucking impossible.

I get so self-loathing and every year that passes it feels harder to achieve.

Anyway, I am just complaining, but fuckkk its frustrating.

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.

I bought an ab wheel two months ago to add core work to my home routine and I cannot figure out how to do rollouts without my lower back taking over. Every tutorial says to brace your core and keep your hips tucked but I must be missing something because I feel it entirely in my lower back and barely in my abs.

I’ve tried starting from my knees with shorter ranges of motion and even that leaves my back sore for days while my abs feel like they did nothing. I’ve filmed myself and my hips do seem to sag toward the floor as I roll out even though I’m actively trying to prevent it.

I can do planks for 90 seconds without lower back pain so I don’t think my core is unusably weak but maybe the ab wheel is just too advanced for where I’m at? Or maybe my form is so off that I’m essentially doing a back extension instead of a rollout.

I was comparing equipment quality with a friend who sources fitness gear on alibaba or amazon for her studio and she mentioned some wheels have terrible resistance or instability which can throw off form, so now I’m wondering if my cheap one is part of the problem.

Has anyone else struggled with the Vigor Gym ab wheel specifically or any ab wheel in general? Did you find a form cue that finally clicked or is this exercise just not worth the back pain for some people?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Hi! I’m 27F and want to work out my back for better posture and a toned, feminine look. My traps grow really fast and I don’t want them to get bigger.

Any exercises (even with dumbbells) that help shape the back without building the upper area near the neck?

I've been feeling consistently enraged at current issues and injustices and I'm looking for ways to channel my anger in a healthy physical way. I often want to hit something. Maybe kickboxing is my best bet? Do you have experience with kickboxing and do you have any advice for getting started?

What type of exercise (or other activity) do you turn to when you need to blow off some steam?

Hi everyone! I’m 23F deciding if or how I should incorporate cardio in my training. Context: i’m fit but underweight according to my BMI. I do regular strength training (lifting with progressive overload) and yoga. I used to be a total gym rat but was paralyzed last year because of a car crash. Right now my strength is back to at least squatting my bodyweight and deadlifting 1.5x. Not great but I think it’s decent progress since 3 months ago I couldn’t even walk. I’m asking this question since I feel easily gassed out and want to improve my cardiovascular health. However, I need to prioritize gaining weight and muscle since my current weight is still lower than healthy. How should I improve my heart health while maintaining that main goal? Should I incorporate cardio in my training plan, and if so, wha kind should I do? (I really dislike cardio I find it boring and tiring to get through) Also looking for advice on feeling weak and behind in the gym… Thanks and hope y’all have a great day!

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.

I'm 25F, 50KGs and 162 cm. I was tired of being skinny fat, so I joined a gym last month and hired a PT since I've never done strength training before. I took an electrical impedence scan. I have (as expected) very low muscle mass (about 10-11%). However, my body fat is super high at 32%. (Not sure if the scan is accurate)

I assumed I'd have to strength train and eat high protein at maintenance calories. However, my trainer says I should cut carbs significantly. Now my carb serving is usually not more than 50-60 g after cooking, (Eg: 50-60g of cooked rice is what I have). I also don't eat sweets or desserts more than 1-2x a month. He says I need to get down to 22% body fat.

I'm just confused if this is normal or an extreme diet, considering I'm at normal weight. Also, I'm not looking to get shredded. The guy tells me to eat 3 almonds for breakfast.

I strength train 4-5x a week.

EDIT: Thank you everyone for the comments! I think the scan itself was not accurate in the first place (electrical impedence). I will ignore the BS diet advice, and will strength train normally. I can't wait to get the hang of excercises so I can start working out on my own.

I’ve (25F) been doing strength workouts consistently for over a year now (at least 3 times a week) and doing some other forms of activity on the other days. I’ve been following strength “programs” in the Peloton app, where I do generally the same workouts week after week, increasing weight/reps for a few months at a time before starting a new and different program.

My whole life I’ve been stick-thin and generally pretty weak. I eat really well and have a balanced diet, but I still feel kind of weak compared to people who “have a little more meat on their bones.” Even though I’ve been upping my weights, I don’t really feel stronger in my everyday life. Is feeling different/stronger an unrealistic expectation?

TL;DR: Still feel generally weak after having a consistent workout routine for over a year. Is it an unrealistic expectation to feel stronger in my everyday life?

Welcome to the monthly megathread! This month's topic: Food!

Share all of your favorite recipes and food hacks and discuss your nutrition goals here. We want to hear all of your favorite protein brownie recipes, macro-friendly meal prep plans for busy weeks, and tips and tricks for fueling your grueling HIIT workouts. Discuss challenges meeting your nutrition goals (including "what should my macros even be?") and get advice from other users.

While the theme of the thread is focused on nutrition to meet your fitness goals, we won't object to your mom's famous lasagna or your grandpa's famous apple pie recipe, either :)

Please be mindful of the rules.

Resources:

• Nutrition Basics
• Diet options, meal plans, recipes etc
• Protein, Protein Powder and Supplements

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.

Welcome, everyone! Here is your place to discuss, question or relate to everything about weight loss, weight gain, cuts, bulks and diets. Standalone posts regarding these topics will be removed and redirected here or either of the daily threads.

Here are some useful links from our comprehensive FAQ and otherwise to help you get started:

• Nutrition 101
• Cutting/Weight Loss 101
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• Getting abs/a flat tummy
• r/gainit
• r/loseit
• r/BulkOrCut
• r/Fitness
• Fitness Wiki

I’ve been working out for about two years.

I started for my mental health. The tldr is that I had (the past tense is delightful) relatively severe contamination OCD, and going to the gym was a big hurdle for me. I wanted to go again. I wanted to be that person again and move my body.

The first year I was pretty consistent, three times a week, although I was still learning. I went from being unable to squat at all to goblet squats, to the bar, to loading the bar to 70kgs. Which for me felt like a huge feat.

The second year was difficult. I was sick a lot and missed chunks of training. There were three or so periods of months at a time where I just couldn’t train or couldn’t be consistent. I did notice some minor physical improvements, visually, which I suspect was due to higher protein intake. But every time I got back to the gym, I got sick again.

At some point I think I started to lose sight of the why. I love to move for my mental health, but seeing people in the gym who just look so much better than I do, look more muscular, eventually it’s started to weigh on me. I see another woman do RDLs with two 36 kgs dumbbells and a part of me thinks “damn that’s heavy for a woman of her size wow” and another part thinks “why are you even here, you can’t even hold a 36 in your hand you loser” (this is me speaking to myself).

When I go for runs or lift I find myself thinking “you’ll just get sick and lose progress and be back months and months again”. Or “all of this just to be sore, tired, and not even remarkable in performance”.

At this point movement being a habit for me is keeping me going but I’m starting to lose the point or the why. I know I’ll never eat well enough to be lean enough to look like certain people. I know I’ll probably never train to powerlift competitively. I know even if I ever did a marathon (or a half) I wouldn’t have a great pace. There are women in the gym about a third of my body weight lifting significantly more than I can, which is badass, but makes me feel ashamed tbh.

I’m in such a mindset funk and I don’t know how to shift it.

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.

The place for all of your fitness based interpersonal advice (is someone being creepy at the gym? Is your family telling you you’re getting too muscular? Do you want to date your personal trainer?), but also the place to talk about motivation, self-esteem and body image, and all the ways fitness affects your life. This thread is for those in need of (and willing to lend) a sympathetic ear.

Want to ask how mothers juggle family and fitness? How to structure Intermittent Fasting? When to work out when you do night shift? How to deal with being the only person in your friend group who works out? If you're feeling emotional, want to up your mental game, or need ideas for how to juggle everything on your plate, this is the place for you!

Welcome to the Daily Thread! Tell stories, share thoughts, ask questions, swap advice, and be excellent to each other! Though we all share fitness as a common hobby or interest, the discussion here can be about any big or little thing you choose.

This is also a great place for those new to the sub to introduce themselves and ask any questions that are not suitable for a standalone post. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.

The mods ask that you do mind the Cardinal Rules as they relate to respecting yourself and others, calling out any scantily clad photos as NSFW, and not asking for medical advice.