r/xxfitness

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I have mostly been keeping track of my lifting progress in my head over the past almost year, but I’d really like to start using an app to track it so I can see all the different metrics. What I’m looking for doesn’t seem like it would be too hard to find, but I can’t really find one that fits the three main points of what I am looking for.

The biggest think I am looking for is the ability to share workouts with someone. My partner and I frequently hit the gym together and go through the same routine, just with different reps/weights, so I want to be able to just create the workout one time but share it so the reps/weights can be edited.

Secondarily, I want to be able to just put the workout info in after the fact, not have to use it while I’m working out to actually log it in real time. I don’t carry my phone with me while working out and it’s annoying to deal with logging sets in the middle of working out.

Hevy seems to be the closest thing to what I am trying to find, but I dislike the “social media” aspect of it. Are there any apps out there that are similar to Hevy without the social aspect?

Oh, and I use iOS, so needs to be available for that. Thanks!

I've heard of gyms adding reformer pilates classes and I wondered how well that'd work, since you need a trained pilates instructor and can't/shouldn't have any old gym instructor fill in. I can see an advantage with a gym for mat pilates though since almost all pilates studios near me are reformer only.

I was reading on another sub where a person was struggling with yoga as a beginner and wanted more instruction and many people recommended going to yoga studios rather than gym yoga classes.

It got me thinking - what experiences have you had in taking group classes at gyms vs specialized studios? In terms of availability, instruction quality, safety, price, etc.

I'm thinking of places like OrangeTheory, Spin Class studios, PureBarre, etc. When are they worth it or not worth it to you? ​Has anyone switched from a gym membership to one of these or vice versa or do you do both?

Hi everyone. I'm a woman, 5'2" (1.58m), 154 lbs (70kg), currently in a weight loss journey. I've lost a good amount through diet changes, but from carrying more weight before, I now have loose/sagging skin, especially on my arms. I'm looking for exercises to tone and improve overall aesthetics as I keep losing.

I go to the gym but don't have a fixed routine yet. My plan is to split the week into 3 upper body days and 3 lower body days, something like:

D1: glutes and calves

D2: back and biceps

D3: quads and hamstrings

D4: chest and triceps

D5: repeat D1

D6: repeat D2 (or vary)

How would you improve this split? I feel like I'm missing something (shoulders? core?). Should I repeat the same split twice a week, or vary the exercises between repeats?

Also: does exercise order matter (compounds before isolation) or does it just matter that the sets are effective?

Thanks in advance for any advice, and especially for anything you wish someone had told you when you started.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently studying Mechanical Engineering and also an avid weightlifter and have been for the last 3/4 years. I have had some not so great gym encounters recenetly where I am unable to reach machines - specifically leg extensions, hipthrust safety bars, lat pulldowns. I am around 5 foot 5 inches, so I wouldn't even necasarily call this short. It's super frustrating.

This inspired me to write my dissertation on this issue and to design a product(s) that overcome this issue. It has been majorly overlooked in gym design and I would love to use my background in engineering to start designing machines that are more accessable.

I was just putting this post out here to see if more people were having similar issues. If you are please let me know, along with your height, the amount of research on this topic is very minimal.

Hi i am 4'11 156 lbs trying to get back into exercising. i am also trying to lose weight but i tried to do that in the past (by jogging almost daily and cutting out all snack foods) but i was not able to have much success so i figured my body probably isn't compatible with weight loss.

i have been working out on and off in the past, mostly jogging and gym workouts, but have never been able to stick to anything. however lately i wanted to get back into exercising so have been trying to walk more. on the weekends i can easily get 10k steps but since i work a desk job during the week i can only get 6-7k if i try. i also started basketball and occasional jump rope. i want an exercise that doesn't feel like a "workout" moreso feels fun or like playing so that i'll actually stick to it!! does anyone have any suggestions? also do i need to add strength training? should i ramp up my activity level slowly or all at once?

another thing i wanted to mention is that i frequently get pains while exercising, like shin & knee pain when running or jump rope, or random joint pains when doing strength training. sometimes the knee pain is so much that i need to stop exercising for a while, which is a bummer as i really want to stick to something.

I've heard a lot of people say that changes in body composition affected their face shape and jawline more than any beauty product did. For those who've gotten significantly fitter, did you notice a difference in your face as well?

Twice a week I walk into the gym ready to conquer leg day. Halfway through squats and lunges , I’m questioning every life decision I’ve ever made. I’m getting stronger, but I still hate leg day with a passion. Please tell me I’m not alone 😂🙃

**repost to follow the guidelines**

Goals and Constraints

I'm a 20-year-old woman whose primary goals are to build muscle, get stronger, and improve my overall fitness while staying relatively lean. Long-term, I'd love to get into calisthenics, but right now I don't have the strength to do basic bodyweight movements like push-ups or chin-ups, so I'm focusing on building a solid strength foundation first.

I know the wiki recommends following established beginner programs, but I've really enjoyed training six days per week on a Push/Pull/Legs split. It's been the first routine I've genuinely looked forward to, and the consistency has helped me stick with lifting. Rather than switching to a completely different program, I'd like feedback on whether my current PPL routine is well-balanced and how I can improve it.

Background

I’ve been consistently lifting for about 2 months (on and off for a few years before that). I’ve never followed a structured lifting program because I was never able to do the “minimum” that they had. I’ve built this routine myself based on exercises I enjoy and what I've learned from others.

What's worked:

• Consistency has been much better than before.
• I'm enjoying training and looking forward to going to the gym.
• I'm seeing gradual strength increases on some lifts.

What's not worked:

• Some exercises feel awkward (especially lateral raises).
• No progress on some lifts (bench press, preacher curls, reverse flys).
• Feel like I am not building any upper body strength (still can’t do pushups).
• I'm unsure whether my exercise selection and overall volume are appropriate.

Diet and Recovery

I'm eating enough to support muscle growth with an emphasis on getting sufficient protein. I used to feel pretty sore after workouts but nowadays it is only a slight awareness of the muscles worked the day before. I get 8 hours of sleep most nights. I don't have a physically demanding job or other major recovery limitations.

Program Details

The goal is to train each muscle group twice per week while emphasizing the main compound lifts and using accessory work for additional hypertrophy.

Progressive Overload

For exercises with a rep range (typically 5-8 or 5-12), I use double progression. I aim to increase reps until I reach the top of the prescribed range for all sets with good technique, then increase the weight by the smallest possible increase and repeat the process. If I can't complete the minimum reps after increasing the weight, I stay at that weight until I can.

Fatigue Management

I generally leave 1-3 reps in reserve on most sets and avoid training to absolute failure except occasionally on isolation exercises. I take one rest day each week.

Current Routine

Push Day

• Bench Press – 3×5-8 @ 55 lb
• Cable Triceps Extension – 3×5-8 @ 22.5 lb
• Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press – 3×5-8 @ 20 lb
• Skull Crushers – 3×5-12 @ 20 lb
  • (Second Push Day: Machine Triceps Dip instead)
• Iso-Lateral Chest Press – 3×5-8 @ 17.5 lb
  • (Second Push Day: Chest Fly instead)
• Lateral Raises – 3×5-12

Pull Day

• Barbell Bent-Over Row – 3×5-8 @ 75 lb
• Incline Dumbbell Curl – 3×5-8 @ 15 lb
• One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3×5-8 @ 35 lb
  • (Second Pull Day: One-Arm Seated Cable Row)
• Lat Pulldown – 3×5-8 @ 75 lb
• Dumbbell Preacher Curl – 3×5-12 @ 10 lb
• Reverse Fly – 3×5-8 @ 50 lb

Leg Day

• Barbell Squat – 3×5 @ 95 lb
• Leg Extension – 3×5-8 @ 120 lb
• Seated Leg Curl – 3×5-8 @ 95 lb
• Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise @ 135 lb
• Bulgarian Split Squat – 3×5-8 @ 17.5 lb

I've also experimented with barbell Romanian deadlifts, cable glute kickbacks, goblet squats, and back extensions, but I'm unsure which to add since leg day already feels pretty fatiguing.

Questions

• Is my overall exercise selection and volume appropriate?
• Are there any exercises that are redundant or missing?
• Which of the extra leg exercises (RDLs, glute kickbacks, goblet squats, back extensions) would you prioritize?
• I'd like to add assisted push-ups and assisted chin-ups to build strength. Where would you fit them into this routine?
• My lateral raises mostly hit my traps instead of my side delts. Any cues or alternatives that helped you?
• Any general tips for building upper body strength as a woman?
• Any other suggestions for improving this routine while keeping the same 6-day PPL structure?

Thanks in advance! I've been really enjoying lifting and would appreciate any feedback.

Hello everyone,

I dropped my usual workout schedule 3 weeks ago (weekends swimming at the beach, heatwaves making the gym close, my bike broke) and was struggling to get back to it this morning. I have not been inactive but not sticking to my routine either. In two weeks I am going on holidays and thought : what's the point of struggling to get back into it if I am gonna lose the habits in two weeks anyway ? So I am thinking of adapting my workout to seasons and I wonder if some of you do that here. Like more swimming in summer, more gym in fall and winter or dance or boxing maybe, a new activity in spring and get back to biking to work. I used to be really neurotic a about my workouts and feel bad if for a few weeks I didn't work out "enough". Maybe I am going towards a more "intuitive" way of moving ? But I am also a bit stressed it won't be enough to build muscle, to see improvement...

When I say I've never run, I really mean it. Last year I started off with 6 x 1 minute intervals which wiped me out. Got it up to 2 minute intervals at a 7'30 pace, and had to tell myself to slow down if I wanted to go further. So I've literally never run. Even tried couch to 5k but I found the progression too fast.

End of last year I worked up to my first ever 5k. While I'm incredibly proud of it, it was ridiculously slow. Nearly a 9 minute pace. But hey I ran a race and have a medal to prove it!!

I picked up running again this month after a break and I'm now running 5ks at a 7:30 pace, the same pace I couldn't do more than 2 minutes at. I can't wait to aim for a 30 minute 5k!!

I just love that I've got another fitness tool under my belt. I can't wait to stack a few more e.g. swimming, lifting heavier, mobility/stability. On mobility, I'd love to also be able to do an asian squat. Anyone got any other "fitness tools/skills" they want to achieve??

So when I see form videos online, the people have these large plates to load on barbells and trap bars, even if the weight is only like 10 pounds. I can see how it's necessary to have a large plate (like 12 inches in diameter? Bigger? Not sure), because it lifts the bar off the ground so you can comfortably hold the bar. Same thing with hip thrusts. The bars are high enough to put your legs under.

But my gym doesn't have large plates until they go up to 45 pounds. Even the 25s are the size of large dinner plates, and the 10s are even smaller.

So if I'm not strong enough yet to load 2 45s on a bar, how can I still do the same exercise? Is there another way to lift the bar off the ground?

Hopefully that made some sense. Any kind responses would be greatly appreciated.

I’m currently using the Muscle and Motion Strength Training app. Are there any alternatives that folks here like?

21 F here trying to lose weight. I'm 167cms and weight 66kgs. I've a lot of fat in my lower body and have hip dips too. Would really like some tips and workout and diet plans for fat loss. Thanks!

Your place to talk about anything fitness shopping and style. Whether you want to ask where to buy the best gym leggings or most supportive sports bra, which shoes or belt to get for your favorite activities, the latest on headsets and sports watches, how many times you should wash your hair when you're working out lots, how to deal with body odor, any skincare questions, or how to stop your makeup running when you sweat through a spin class. This thread can include photos of you in your favorite fitness outfits, or requests to find the perfect app, playlist, or fitness technology so you can kill your workouts.

We also allow sharing promotion codes and sales for fitness-related stuff, keeping in mind that our rules on self-promotion and affiliate links still apply.

Hello! Hope y'all are having a fantastic day. I am a beginner lifter (20F) looking for advice, critique, and suggestions on my current lifting routine. I have been lurking around the gym for a few years but have only been consistent for the past two months. Really excited because I finally feel like I look forward to the gym every day and I can feel the mental health benefits. I have never followed a dedicated program and figured now is a good time to get advice on what I am doing.

My goal at the gym is to get leaner and stronger. I am at a healthy bodyweight, but I think putting on muscle would be the best for me healthwise. When I first started this journey, calisthenics really interested me but at the moment I feel like I need to work on basic strength in order to get there someday. Can't even do a pushup (and forget about a chinup/pullup).

I've been doing push/pull/legs/push/pull/legs/rest every week. Added my current reps and weight to give a general idea of where I am strengthwise.

Push day:

• Bench press 3x5-8 @ 55lb (this one is a STRUGGLE. slowly working on adding reps...)
• Tricep extension on cables 3x5-8 @ 22.5lb
• Dumbbell seated overhead press 3x5-8 @ 20lb
• Skullcrusher 3x5-12 @ 20lb (fixed barbell; on the second push day I do the machine tricep dip instead)
• Iso-Lateral chest press 3x5-8 @ 17.5lb (second push day is chest fly)
• Lateral raises 3x5-12 (been doing dumbbell and machine and neither feels right...everything is going to my traps. really want this exercise to work as I'm trying to get bigger shoulders for a more androgynous look but not sure how to fix it)

Pull day:

• Bent over barbell row 3x5-8 @ 75lb
• Incline curls 3x5-8 @ 15lb
• Bent over one arm dumbbell row 3x5-8 @ 35lb (on second day I do one arm seated cable rows)
• Lat pulldown 3x5-8 @ 75lb
• Dumbbell preacher curl 3x5-12 @ 10lb (been a struggle to go up on weight. feel like I can get a lot of reps with 10lb but barely any at all with 12.5lb)
• Reverse fly 3x5-8 @ 50lb

Leg day:

• Barbell squat 3x5 @ 95lb
• Leg extension 3x5-8 @ 120lb
• Seated leg curl 3x5-8 @ 95lb
• Smith machine standing calf raise @ 135lb
• Bulgarian split squat 3x5-8 @ 17.5lb (why do these SUCK?! sweat like a pig every time)

I've been experimenting with cable glute kickbacks, back extensions, barbell RDLs, and goblet squats for leg day. Not sure which ones I should do and leg day already feels so tiring.

In general I'd like to add resistance band assisted chinups and pushups and some more variety on leg day, but I'm not sure what to cut and add. Feel like I have a good amount of exercises (I'm able to complete everything, and feel like I hit a stopping point at the end) but I don't know if I've chosen the correct exercises or if I should do different things on the different days.

Any advice y'all have would be helpful! Love this community <3

I have a brand new budget rower and I love it. Thing is though, a few minutes in, I feel a dull soreness in one of my knees.

Does this go away if you exercise regularly? Or does it mean that a rower or an exercise bike might not be the most optimal equipment for me?

I’m bummed coz I enjoy it and it’s brand new.

Hi! I am looking for programs to build max strength (not hypertrophy) and then also go through phases of power building. This would be to complement my main sport. Most of what I was able to find online is for general fitness, peripheral heart rate / metabolic training, or hypertrophy. These are nice (I am a huge fan of Caroline Girvan), but too taxing to complement a demanding main sport (swimming).

I’ve looked at Jason and Lauren Pak’s program, and it seems similar to what I’m looking for. However, it’s only available through a paid app, so I can’t evaluate how it’s structured. They ask for your email address to send a sample, and I submitted mine, but I never received anything.

Does anyone know of a training program that focuses on for example building maximal strength first and then transitions into a power-focused phase?

I’d also appreciate any recommendations for YouTube channels, books, or any other resources, as well as vvany feedback or advice you may have. Thanks!

Back when I used to walk around ~10k steps a day regularly i ended up developing knee and foot pain. I went to the doctor and basically his conclusion was I was overdoing it and should take it easy for a bit, but 10k is the amount you’re “supposed” to get so I don’t rly get why I got pain, I’m 22 for the record

edit: i should mention i’ve had issues with wearing down my shoes unevenly in the past, but when i told the doctor this he said it was nothing to be worried about so i left it be