23M ectomorph trying to gain muscle because I'm tired of feeling like a "little guy". I've been a long distance runner for 10 years, and I've always wanted to gain muscle. Ran D1 in college so I had to prioritize running. Now I want to prioritize lifting, but I'm running the Boston Marathon in April which is an opportunity I can't pass up. I'm 5'11" 155, is it possible to gain muscle and run 50-70 miles / week?

Because they are silent and people aren't going to yell at you for "dropping" the weights when your hands are clearly on the bar for the entire eccentric and you're actively resisting the weight.

Am I just salty (and probably also in the wrong) that I got a noise complaint right when I'm a few sessions away from pulling 405 conventional? Yes.

Oh well back to RDLs as the primary hinge I guess.

i am 24 f and my body looks alright my bmi is 21, but i have super soft arms and legs, i feel like the skin is soft and stretchy and not toned and fit, is it possible to be toned and healthier in general by working out at home or changing lifestyle habits and not going to the gym? i mainly want to protect my body and have it look nice as i grow and age

Hi everyone. I, 24F 154lbs, am struggling to understand what exactly I should be doing in order to lose fat. My overall goal is to tone down, have a flat stomach, and big glutes. I think my current goal is to simply lose fat. Basically, like everyone else, I want my dream body.

I’m pretty well-versed in the gym and nutrition. I’m counting my calories and eating in a 500 calorie deficit, go to the gym 3 days a week (alternating between leg days and arm day A/arm day B), and train until close to failure. I’ve started my gym journey many times (my issue is with staying consistent long term, but I’m determined to keep it up) and have spent a lot of time learning about it.

Lately, I have been feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information online about fat loss. I know the basics are a calorie deficit and strength training for fat loss. However, with my overall goal being fat loss and muscle growth, am I able to build muscle while losing fat? Am I able to build my glutes while also losing fat? Or, am I able to simply retain muscle? I don’t necessarily have much muscle, should I focus on building muscle first? I have also seen people online saying that I should start with cardio for fat loss. Should I be prioritizing cardio over strength training? I of course can add it, but committing to 3 days a week in the gym is something I’m already proud of myself for, if you know what I mean.

Should I be eating in only a slight deficit with a focus on protein to reach my goal? I eat in a 500 calorie deficit, and am cognizant of protein, but I definitely think I could prioritize it more. Is this an issue?

I guess I’m looking for some advice on what my approach should be. Thanks.

I have been working out for about 4 months now. There's definitely progress, but not in the way I was expecting. Instead of growing wider or longer, my biceps just make a very tall bump in the middle of my upper arm. I have very long limbs if that has anything to do with it, idk. Does anyone know why this happens and what exercises or stretches I should be doing?

Hi! I'm a 42M with 21% body fat. I've had over 30 people tell me that I don't need to lose any more weight and that "I look good now" to the point that it's so irritating that I wanted to post on here to see what everyone else's opinions are.

I lost 75 pounds since my heaviest and was pretty easy to drop the weight and then gained a lot of muscle. Then I went to 19% body fat but messed up my knee from lifting too heavy and doing too much cardio, so popped up to 21% body fat while recovering.

I'll go to parties with friends and they try to pressure me to eat their junk food or drink beer and I say "no thank you." Then they ask why and I tell them that I'm trying to hit 15% body fat, and then they keep trying to pressure me into eating and drinking.

I really want 15% body fat so my abs will pop but know it will always take sacrifice when going out.

Does this happen to everyone? Should I just ignore them? Or should I give in and just eat and drink whatever?

Recently, I've decided to switch from weight lifting to calisthenics. I just want to know if it gets any easier because it feels almost impossible. With weight lifting, as long as you train consistently, you will be able to see progress in just a few weeks minimum, but calisthenics is another story. You can't really train hard like you would do with weight lifting because you get injured, which sets you back even further. Please give me the best advice.

how to ACTUALLY make building muscle and gaining strength SIMPLE for BEGINNER LIFTERS? (There is so much information out there on the internet by many different people, especially a bunch of conflicting information by different fitness influencers, about what you should and should not be doing for building muscle and strength. It is honestly so daunting for me to figure out what I should actually do.) How do I know what actually works and what is all that I really need to do for good enough results?

I got a broken foot and still hit the gym 3-4 times a week. Only upper body workout sitting or laying down.

Did some experienced the same? I heard people say stay off let your body heal. My doctor was also okay to do some kickbacks leg movement while laying on the floor

Hey everyone, my name is Hammed, and I’m 15 years old. I’ve been going to the gym for almost a year now, but I’m still struggling with what I think is being skinny fat.
For reference:

Age: 15
Weight: Around 80–85 kg
Training experience: Almost 1 year
Previous weight: Around 70–75 kg

Since I started training, my weight has increased from around 70–75 kg to 80–85 kg. However, I still don’t feel like I’ve built as much muscle as I wanted, and I feel like I have a higher body-fat percentage than I’d like.
I’m confused about what I should do next. Should I keep training and focus on building muscle, change my workout routine, or approach my nutrition differently?
I’d especially appreciate advice from experienced bodybuilders, personal trainers, or people who have been in a similar situation.

My main questions are:
What is the best approach for someone in my situation?
How can I build more muscle while improving my body composition?
What mistakes should I avoid as a beginner?
How important are progressive overload, protein, sleep, and consistency?
If you were in my position, what would you focus on over the next 6–12 months?
I’m not looking for shortcuts. I want to learn how to train properly and make long-term progress.
Thanks in advance for any serious advice!

I've been following programs & decided to make my own upper/lower. I'm loving it. I love big heavy compound lifts. Priority is strength & explosiveness, hypertrophy is still important but it's secondary.

Any advice or changes you'd make??

Monday: Upper A (back emphasis)

* Weighted Pull-Ups 3x 4-6

* Incline Bench 3x 8-12

* T-Bar Rows 3x 6-8

* Dips (bodyweight) 3x

* Lateral Raises 3x 8-12

* Curls 3x 8-12

Tuesday: Lower A

* Back Squat 3x 4-6

* Box Jumps 3x (progress with box height)

* Farmer Carries 3x 30-60 seconds

* Calf Raises 3x 8-12

Wednesday:

Zone 2 cardio 30-60 minutes

Thursday: Upper B (chest emphasis)

* Incline Bench Press 3x 3–5

* Weighted Dips 3x 4–6

* Pull-Ups (bodyweight) 3x

* Overhead Press 3x 6–8

* Lateral Raises 3x 8-12

* Curls 3x 8-12

Friday — Lower B

* Conventional Deadlift 3x 3-6

* Zercher Squat 3x 8–12

* Calf Raises 3x 8–12

Saturday

Zone 2 cardio 30-60 minutes

Sunday

Zone 2 cardio or complete rest day if needed

I'm a 200lbs 5'3 M that is new to lifting, I've always loved a good legs, so I love doing a squat or leg exercise. I recently tried to do weighted squats, I'm too scared to go to local gym, my first experience doing 24kg squat is that my throat feels tight and my ears have a popping sensation when I breath in, it goes away after 20-30 minutes. I don't think 24kg is heavy at least during the exercise, but is what I'm feeling means my body is not used yet to lifting with weights and I should go to lower weight?

This is not medical help by any means just feeling, I just want to know if the experience is normal or sign I should lower the weights

I play football on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I have matches on the weekend so Saturday/Sunday.

Tuesday

1. Flat Machine
2 sets × 6–10 reps

2. Incline Smith Machine
2 sets × 6–10

3. Pec Dec
2 sets x 8–12

4. Lat Pulldown
3 sets × 6–10

5. Machine Chest-Supported Row
3 sets × 6–10

6. Leg Press
2 sets × 6–10

7. Lying Leg Curl
2 sets × 8–12

8. Lateral Raise
3 sets × 12–20

9. Rear-Delt Fly
2 sets × 12–20

10. Incline DB Curl
2 sets × 6–10

11. Overhead Tricep Extension
2 sets × 8–12

12. Back Extension
2 sets x 6-10

13. Calf Raise
2 sets × 8–15

14. Cable Crunch
2 sets × 8–15
______________________________________

Thursday

1. Hack Squat
3 sets × 5–8

2. Back Extension
3 sets × 6–10

3. Bulgarian Split Squat
2 sets × 8–10/leg

4. Incline Smith Press
3 sets × 6-10

5. Cable Row
3 sets × 6-10

6. Calf Raise
3 sets × 8-15

7. Shoulder Press
2 sets x 6-10

8. Hammer Curl
2 sets × 8–12

9. Triceps Pushdown
2 sets × 8–12

10. Copenhagen Plank
2 sets × 20–40 sec/side
______________________________________

Friday

1. Flat Machine/DB Press
2 sets × 6–10

2. Pec fly machine
2 sets x 8–12

3. Lat Pulldown
3 sets × 6–10

4. Cable Row
2 sets × 6–10

5. Cable Lateral Raise
2 sets × 12–20

6. Cable Rear-Delt Fly
3 sets × 12–20

7. Preacher Curl
2 sets x 6-10

8. Overhead Triceps Extension
2 sets × 8–12

9. Hanging Knee Raise
2–3 sets x 10-15

(If there’s a game on sunday)

+

10. Leg Extension
2 sets × 10–15

11. Leg Curl
2 sets × 10–15

If there’s is a game Saturday, no leg work on Fridays

Hi everyone, I hope this is the right place for this post.

I've been active and passionate about fitness for as long as I can remember. In 2025, I was in the best shape of my life, until I started an office job. That same year I got engaged, and I promised myself I'd be in the best shape ever for my wedding.

This past year, though, has been my worst physically. There's been a lot of stress and change: long hours sitting at work, injuries, and moving out, which put more responsibilities on me. Working out used to be something I loved. Now it's a task I dread. By the end of the day I'm so exhausted that I have no energy to move, let alone train.

I'm disappointed in myself. The one good thing from this year is that I now have the best relationship with food I've ever had. But I really don't like how I look right now, and I'm afraid I'll look back at my wedding pictures and regret not working harder.

I only have 3 months left. Any advice is appreciated.

There's not much winning. We know we're supposed to avoid and what we're supposed to do. Eat less sugar. Ok.... We can eat less sweets and switch to lower sugar products but fruits have sugar... And vitamins... And fibre... And stave off scurvy.... But "it's still sugar". Also, some fruits are likely to have pesticides. We are supposed to eat fruit. Nature provides fruit. I am switching from regular pasta to lentil pasta. I am also cutting out pasta sauce. I put olive oil (yes, I know it's high in calories) or hot sauce on pasta or eat it plain. Starch makes people gain weight. Lentil pasta is supposedly healthy... But... It's double the price of a regular package of pasta....And contains half as less pasta. Why do I have to pay 3x more to be healthy? A package of lentil pasta gives me two meals. A regular package if pasta can give me 4 meals. "Eat more vegetables and beans." I am trying to fart less, not more. I want to lose some weight. People in Asia eat rice and dumplings very often. They live longer and healthier. Sonehow these foods are problematic in other parts of the world. It is said that people did not start gaining weight until they started eating bread. I am a bit chubby. I walk a lot. I started going to the gym (free membership). I do some cardio and arm muscle exercises. They say when you build more muscle you lose weight faster. Why is losing weight more difficult for me? I know people who weighed more than I do. They did not exercise and did not become health nuts. Most of them eat the same foods as always. "I eat smaller portions". Some of them walk a lot. Some don't. An adult is supposed to consume over 1,000 caliries a day. They say you need to burn more calories than you eat to lose weigh. Even if you ate 500 calories a day it would take hours to burn those calories. Trying to be healthy is a load of croc.

I recently joined a gym with a sauna. There are no rules and regulations on clothing requirements and such aside from users must sit on a towel. Being my first time in a sauna, what is the general clothing etiquette? Disrobe completely, shorts, shorts and shirt? I typically workout late at night so I’ve never seen anyone else using the sauna. I’ve been a member for 2 months.

Thanks for helpful comments!

I have recently had a very noticeable and very confusing surge in my strength at the gym and I cannot for the life of me figure it out. I'm definitely not mad about it but I'd love to figure it out incase there's something I could be missing that is really helping me and also just for my own sanity.

For example, 3 weeks ago I hit a 1 RM of 275 on my RDL. I tried for 2 and failed. Yesterday I hit a 1 RM of 315 and I think I could have pushed for 2. Also around 3 weeks ago I was topping out at 70 pound dumbbells x5 reps for my incline dumbbell chest press, and today I hit 85 x5. There's other examples too but you get the point.

I'm 42, I haven't changed my current diet or supplements and do both very consistently, I've honestly been trying to stop drinking on weekends and haven't done a great job, my sleep has not changed (6-8 hours/night), my job is the same level of stress, I've actually lost about 10 pounds recently, I haven't changed my pre-workout of a little bit of carbs and sugar and a scoop of pre-workout, I haven't changed what time I go to the gym.

Not trying to flex I'm just baffled and curious if anyone else has experienced this.