Image 1 — What should I do?
Image 2 — What should I do?
Image 3 — What should I do?
Image 4 — What should I do?

What should I do?

23M, 5’5”, 140lbs. I’ve been lifting for ~4yrs or so consistently.

I’ve been cutting for the past 3mo from almost 150lbs, but I’m not sure if I should keep cutting or if I should try to recomp or what. The next 6 weeks, I will have too many family gatherings plus vacation, so I’m accepting that I will not lose any more weight then. But after that, should I keep cutting or recomp? The original goal was 135, thinking I would have visible abs by then, but I’m realizing now I def won’t, but I’m wondering if that could also be because I don’t have a ton of mass in my abs.

I also do have a goal of being able to bench 225 by the end of the year. My PR is 205x5 which I hit back in Feb or Mar, but have since been doing more hypertrophy. I’ve been having shoulder pain on all pressing movements for the past 1.5mo or so as well (any advice on this?) so I want to take it easy for a bit and work on form.

I am also wondering, is there any muscle group I should prioritize for hypertrophy? I feel like I should be focused on shoulders and chest, but am not sure. Unfortunately, I injured my foot running last week, so I’ll have to take a couple (hopefully no more than this) weeks off from squat / deadlift / really anything that requires me to put weight on it, though I do feel like I need to work on my legs a bit.

If it’s helpful, these are my current top sets for more major lifts:
Squat: 265x4
Bench: 175x10 (haven’t done in a month or so because of injury)
RDL: 235x9
Pendulum squat: 80x7
Chin ups: 40x9
OHP: 85x7 (haven’t done in a month)

Btw my current macros (3mo avg) are ~1663cal/day, 162g protein, 147g carbs, 44g fat. The calories would be a bit lower if I didn’t have family outings, normally I eat 1400 SunMtTh and 1550 WFSat. I had started running a couple months ago (whoever had commented on my last post in this sub, shoutout! this has been very helpful) which has increased my TDEE by ~100-150cals so it is at 1870 right now.

Any advice is appreciated!

u/trumpetkern27 — 3 days ago

Credit card recommendation

  • Current cards: (list cards, limits, opening date)
    • CapitalOne Quicksilver, $5k limit, Nov 2024
    • Prime Store card, $1100 limit, Dec 2023
    • Prime Visa (the one through Chase), $2400, Dec 2023
  • FICO Score:  760
  • Oldest account age: 4yrs, 9mo (FAFSA loans)
  • Income: $60900 (will get a raise of some amount in 2mo)
  • Average monthly spend and categories (according to credit karma):
    • Shopping $563
    • Donations $559
    • Auto & transport: $269 (i presume this is mainly gas, i fill up once/week)
    • Food & dining: $172
    • Groceries: $161
    • Bills & utilities: $78
    • Personal care: $36
    • Entertainment: $16
    • Health & fitness: $16
  • Open to Business Cards: no
  • What's the purpose of your next card? I'd like to travel more, maximize benefits. I don't travel at all now bc it's expensive and I only have 2 weeks of pto, but I'm hoping to get a different job within the next couple years and wouldn't accept something that doesn't have at least 3 weeks.
  • Do you have any cards you've been looking at? Not sure
  • Are you OK with category spending or do you want a general spending card? Doesn't matter, I can get into the whole using different cards for different things thing
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u/trumpetkern27 — 1 month ago

High reps for squat

First off, I’ve been liking the app more and more and seem to be making progress for it. But on leg days, the auto generated program puts what I feel are very high rep ranges for squats. Why is that and is there any way to cap it? It feels like I’m about to pass out and I will often stop due to fear of that before muscular failure.

u/trumpetkern27 — 2 months ago

Encouragement

I too am seeking to find a godly spouse, and often times being single can be discouraging. But I read this yesterday and thought it was very encouraging and was reminded how much greater is all that which God has prepared for those who love Him:

““Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭56‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

How much better is the everlasting name that God gives His children than that of sons and daughters! Press on

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u/trumpetkern27 — 2 months ago