(Part 2) Top products from r/Fitness

Background: I was in a similar situation last year, albeit a bit lighter. 5'6" 175lbs, 27 years old, hadn't exercised at all since a weight training class in high school. I'm now a regular solo gym-goer ... still nowhere near being a fitness expert, but I do know some things and I did go through the "noob" phase very recently.

Diet

I can't emphasize enough the importance of good eating habits. In your current situation, losing fat is a major priority, and therefore it is absolutely essential that you adjust your eating habits accordingly. All the exercise your body can handle (at least, in its current state) can't make up for eating at a major calorie surplus every day. (Anecdote: I once lost thirty pounds in four months by maintaining a calorie deficit, and no exercise beyond walking 1mi twice a day.)

Use a TDEE calculator to find out how many calories your body is using, and multiply that number by 0.8 to find out how many you should be eating. Some say subtract 500 instead; you can experiment a bit and figure out what works for you, but the important part is to settle into a healthy and sustainable calorie deficit.

It can be a huge, gigantic, unbelievable pain in the ass to count calories, estimate calories, and deny yourself treats because they have too many calories, but ultimately none of us can escape physics: To lose weight, calories-in must be less than calories-out. It definitely gets easier with time, as what are now strange and inconvenient methods become almost instinctive processes.

Keep a special eye out for liquid calories - it's okay to have some, but make sure they're counted! Coffee with cream and sugar, juice, and alcohol are the three big issues I've seen with people who claim to be counting calories perfectly, setting a healthy deficit, and still not losing weight. It also doesn't help that getting drunk makes it really easy to eat a lot of junk food.

If you don't cook, start cooking. If you do cook, start cooking healthy things with known calorie quantities. A simple $20 kitchen scale is incredibly helpful in putting together meals to target calorie goals.

Exercise

Hiring a personal trainer was incredibly helpful for me. If you can afford it, do it. If you can't afford it, ask if your gym offers any complimentary or discounted "intro" sessions. When I got back into the gym, I had no idea what to do, and I was afraid that whatever I might do, I would get get wrong. Having a professional helping me out made all the difference in getting me started and establishing the right habits. I used to have the same issues you did - not knowing what to do, not being confident that I could do it right, etc. - and I now work out three times a week on my own with full confidence that I'm "doing it right."

You should definitely decide on a routine and stick with it. The getting started section of the wiki has links to some good programs. I highly recommend either Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. I'm doing SL5x5 now and I really enjoy both the simplicity and the results.

As for needing a spotter: Well, it's helpful, but it's not strictly necessary. Let's use SL as an example. It has five exercises: squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, row. If you can't make it through a rep of deadlift, row, or OHP, you can just put the weight back down. If you can't make it through a rep of squat, let the bar sit on the rack and crawl out from underneath. If you can't make it through a rep of bench press, considering the low weights you'll be starting with, just lower the bar to your chest, and roll it down and off your body. (I'm mostly parroting the SL5x5 site right now. It describes this all in much better detail.)

It's also worth noting that you'll be starting at very low weights and gradually increasing them. This will help you develop a sense of when to go for one more rep and how to recognize that your body can't handle another one.

As for your girlfriend's ability to spot you: You'd be surprised. Until you get up to really high weights, a spotter won't have to do a ton of work to help you through a rep you can't finish. Let's say you're trying to do a set of five bench presses at 100 lbs. You make it through four reps but are struggling with the fifth one. At that point, you're still probably capable of pressing something like 80-90 lbs, so she'll just have to help you with the last 10-20 lbs. And of course, if you need your spotter to help you finish a rep, that means the set is over.

Best of luck with your fitness journey, and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Sure, I'll give you my thoughts:

>I adopted an SS workout from another comment, and I gave the first routine a go today (3x5 squat, 3x5 bench, 1x5 deadlift, plus some accessory stuff).

I definitely think that in the long run, this will get you further than your previous plan, and it's a good start. If you want to do SS, I would highly suggest buying the SS book, or buying Practical Programming, which also includes the intermediate program that follows SS as well as some advanced stuff and a wealth of information (basically everything that comes in SS). If you don't want to buy the book or can't, you can find a lot of the information on the SS wiki. Another option is to do Stronglifts and just download the app on your phone for free - they're basically the same program, only StrongLifts does 5x5 (so you do two extra sets).


>I haven't benched in a while. I work alone, and I get a little nervous benching without a spotter. I did a pyramid up to my working set (115, lame I know). I don't think I am capable of much more, but I am not struggling at all after my third set.

You should do a small pyramid to warm up, but not so much that it tires you out for your working sets. Don't be worried about asking for a spot, nobody will mind, especially if you only ask for your last set. If the last set isn't a struggle, you can do more. You gotta get used to pushing hard even without a spotter though. Obviously, don't be stupid about it, but tell yourself that you can do ONE REP at the new weight... and if you can do one, you can do one more. Pay attention to your body, and if you're shaking and fatigued, leave your last rep in the tank.... but remember, if you're eating properly and getting enough sleep and your program says you can do it, then you can do it. Also practice doing the roll of shame awesome a couple times so that you at least feel comfortable if you do have to bail. Also, switch to powerlifting bench form - it is very technical and takes some getting used to, but it's a lot safer for your shoulders and you're less likely to need to bail - you can usually at least get the weight up, even if it's hideous. Obviously work on form at a weight you can handle pretty easily.


>I don't think I can get more weight up, especially with my form being poor from having taken so much time off from bench, would it hurt to increase my reps instead?

Don't worry about how much weight is on the bar. On SS you should be planning to hit PRs regularly on bench, but you can microload with 2.5 or 1.25-pound plates instead of 5s. You probably won't injure yourself shooting for reps, but you won't be following your program, and you won't be getting stronger. You said you had the goal of being proud of your body one day - well be proud of your body isn't just liking how you look, it's also being proud of what you can do, and that means you're going to have to push yourself (intelligently, with good form).

> I could probably for 4x5 or 5x5. I am really spent after that whole routine though, I like it, feels good.

Well, good. StrongLifts is a 5x5 program, but with 5x5 you obviously require more recovery, which means eating more and possibly sleeping more in order to go every other day. Honestly, the SS devotees are adamant that 5x5 is excessive for a beginner program, but Coach Ripp says left and right that beginners can take a lot. If you feel like you could handle an extra set or two on bench and squat, I think it would be fine to add them. Another option would be to add a couple accessories - A COUPLE, not eight a day. If you have a particular body part you would like to show off, go for it. Just keep it reasonable (2-3) and remember to never ever ever sacrifice recovery on your main lifts in exchange for accessories - it's not worth it in the long run. But overall, it sounds like you're on the right track. Work hard, limit the amount of garbage you put into your body, get enough protein and sleep, watch instructional form videos from that megathread from yesterday, and you'll see a lot of progress.

Edit: Also, I meant to address this, and just now remembered:

>115, lame I know

Anyone worth their salt will only judge you based on your form, not how much weight you're putting up. I train at my university gym so I see freshmen in there all the time that are obviously just starting out. I saw this one skinny dude a while back squatting 95 with pretty bad form. Two weeks later or so, saw him again squatting 115 with much better form - mad respect right there. He's obviously making an effort to improve his form, and is pushing hard. There's this other guy I see in there now and then who benches with his friend, and they both have terrible form, and it never gets better -- they lay on the bench like they're taking a nap, elbows and shoulders flared, legs start flailing when they try to push a heavier weight. It's ridiculous. They're obviously following no program, don't spend the time or effort to seek out advice online or do any amount of research to improve their form or even something as simple as googling "how to get stronger and better looking." The people I see moving less weight with good form, I forget almost immediately. It's the train wrecks waiting to happen, with terrible form and higher weight that I remember and silently judge.

That sucks about your testosterone levels. If you're having hormonal issues, that is probably the root of all your problems. Though, you didn't much about what you tried to do in terms of diet and exercise, and being that you're only 17 years old, I presume you aren't all that knowledgeable about fitness yet (at least I sure as hell didn't when I was your age).

First thing to do is calculate how many calories you need to eat to gain weight. Go to iifym.com and plug in your body stats into the iifym calculator and you'll get the numbers and macros for what you want.

Then get a calorie tracker, like myfitnesspal, and make sure you hit your calories and the macros. This is important obviously because it will help you reach your fitness goals, but also because a simple thing like eating enough calories and fat/carb/protein is pretty damn rewarding when you're in such a low place; every small thing you accomplish will seem like a big victory.

The next big step you need to do is get on a strength program like Starting Strength (SS wikia) or any program that incorporates compound lifts, I say SS because I personally know they teach you how to do the moves. I recommend just buying the DVD from amazon for $22.46 (maybe try the Amazon Prime 30 day trial and get it in 2 days). The DVD has videos of how to do the moves properly with instruction from Sensei Rip himself.

The point here is that it's all planned out for you, all you have to do is go to the gym (get access to a squat rack if you don't already) and learn how to do the moves, and do it on the day they tell you to. Personally, I trained this with a buddy who had this program years back, and after adopting the deadlift into my later workouts, I gained 5lbs (150lbs->155lbs) in about 2 months doing it 3 times a week and I wasn't even dieting properly, I was just a bro here pls sho mercy. Those compound movements are no joke, they recruit a shitload of muscles and when you increase the weight you only get bigger, which is why so many people speak so highly of them.

If no one has a solid solution, give it a try, if you already did, then props to you for knowing how to diet and lift at 17 years old (srs, all I did when I was your age was bicep curls lulz). These are, of course, external physical/mental solutions; when it comes to hormones that's an internal chemical and physiological issue which can be more complicated than we think.

Dude, seriously, wall of text.

That said, your problem isn't just working out or eating right or portion control.

It seems your problem is the LACK of a REALISTIC PLAN. Warrior fasting? Not drinking water because you are afraid of water weight? 1000 calorie days? If you continue to do these things, you will end up in a fucking hospital. I may sound a bit dramatic, but I am dead SERIOUS.

If you really want to lose weight, it starts in the kitchen.

You also stated that if you miss a day, you start over, both of these things are kinda part of the problem. I was similar to you in that aspect, I kept trying to do p90X/P90, and I had those days where I couldn't drag myself to workout, and started over, furthest I got was 2 weeks, frustrating isn't it?

So then, that said, lets make a plan, a simple one. Everything I am going to tell you is listed in the FAQ on the right-hand side of the subreddit, to make referencing easier.

• First: We need to approximate your TDEE, thats your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, here is a calculator for ya. It is very simple, just enter the relevant info.
  
• Step 2: Take the number you got for maintenance, and subtract 500 calories from it, or just use the number listed for fat loss. From now on, you can eat how you like, but you cannot go over that number, if you are having trouble counting calories, use myfitnesspal, a food scale, and google.
  
• Step 3: Incorporate a workout routine, making it a habit isn't easy, so you DO NOT want/need to workout everyday. Otherwise you will burn yourself out unnecessarily. I am doing Starting Strength, which requires me to workout 3 times a week, every other day.
  
• NOTE: I DO NOT workout on the in between days, as the rest days are too important towards making any real progress. If you do not like the gym, there are body-weight exercises (such as: calisthenics, yoga, pushups, sit ups, etc) as an option
  
• Step 4: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. You don't need anything fancy, get a $1-2 notebook and a pen. Make separate sections for your nutrition/diet needs and your workout progress. Writing that shit down helps a lot as it tends to help reinforce what you are doing and what you did, since you are trying to lose weight.
  
• Step 5: You also want to note down your weight on a daily basis, make sure you do this at the same time everyday, most people tend to do so in the morning, around wake-up time.
  
• Step 6: Repeat Steps 3-4. Repeat step 1-2 every few weeks with your updated information from your notebook.
  
  SPECIAL NOTE: You should be getting most of your nutrition from your food, seeing as how you can actually cook, this should be a walk in the park. You can still take a multi to balance things out though. Protein powder can help too. The only things I see as unnecessary are the fat burners and the creatine, as I know little on fat burners, and creatine helps increase water weight.
  
  FINAL NOTE: If you are looking for motivation and encouragement, check out /r/getmotivated, print out some of that shit and stick it on your walls, put up some nike just do it posters. Talk to your GF, get her to help you stay on track. As for your friends, I don't know them, so I will say nothing, but I will say this, you have to put your health first, you only get one body, and you are in a position to take better care of it before any permanent damage sets in.
  
  OP, good luck, I really hope you read this, and as for others here, feel free to correct me.

Hey man. I wasn't quite that skinny, I was M/20/5'9"/135lbs. But I decided I wanted to be heavier, so I started tracking calories, trying to eat about 3000 a day and making sure to get minimum of 120g protein. I used MyFitnessPal (Free smartphone/web app). This mass gainer and creatine helped me a TON. They say to use "2 scoops" for the mass gainer but that's absolutely stupid. Just use 16 ounces of 2%/whole milk and ONE scoop, and it still adds up to like 800 calories.

Use a TDEE calculator and aim to go about 500-750 calories above that. A faster bulk will mean more fat mixed in with the muscle, but if you wanna gain weight faster, it's just how you do it.

Best of luck skinnybro! I gained 15 lbs in 6 weeks just between eating more, using that mass gainer, and creatine. Did I gain some fat? Sure, but by the end of it, My dad saw me (after not seeing me for about 2 months) and said "I barely recognized you! You're so much bigger!". So it made a huge difference, and I looked more muscular too, not ripped, but muscular.

> 1. My first concern is the reps. I found myself not able to do as many reps as the trainer wrote on my plan (For example, i had to do 4x15 reps of chest exercises-i pushed 15kg weights with handles away from my ches). I could only do the first 15 but then it gradually got harder and i could do 8 or at most 10. I'm worried i'm not going to make any progress if i don't stick to the plan. What do you guys recommend ?

That's...likely pretty good. You don't gain muscle by doing 15 reps of the same weight all the time. You gain muscle by trying to do 4x15. You can't do all of them. Stop when your form starts getting bad. Next time try again. You'll probably be able to do 1-2 more reps the next time.

When you can successfully do all the reps, then it's time to increase the weight a little bit. With more weight you won't be able to do all the reps right away. You do as many as you can. The next time you do the same thing. Again when you can do all the reps, then you increase the weight...

People working out doing 4x15 reps spend very little time actually doing every one of the 4x15 reps, because when they can do it they increase the weight a little and with more weight, next time they can't do them all again. That's how you gain muscle.

> 3. The 3rd thing is food. My father is a vegetarian so we don't eat meat at home.

You don't necessarily need meat, most people go with it because it's the easiest.
You need protein.
You can find protein in eggs, protein in milk, etc.
You can also buy protein powder:
http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Double-Chocolate/dp/B002DYIZH6/ref=zg_bs_6973717011_4

I'm confused too, but here's what I'm finding:

It looks like there are two kinds: "natural" and "non-natural".

The "subscribe and save" option only exists for the natural one.

The natural one has three favors (vanilla, chocolate strawberry). It's naturally flavored and has 5g of carbs.

The non-natural has like 20 flavors, and only 1g carbs (or maybe 3 grams... The description says one thing but the image of the nutrition label says something else).

They both have 24g protein and 5.5g BCAA. Natural is 130 cals and unnatural is 120 cals.

I know nothing about tastes, but the reviews seem to say both are good.

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding/dp/0684857219

Good read and good to have on his shelves. The remainder id probably hit up a grocery card or a gift card to bodybuilding.com which normally has great deals on supplements. Or if he has a few gear needs such as wraps or a good belt those are great ideas. A solid belt for big lifts is the best purchase I made for my lifting.

One thing is you're warming up with too many reps too close to your work set weight. For squatting 105 on the work sets the warm-up should be more like:

• 45x5x1(or x2)
  
• 65x5x1
  
• 85x3x1
  
• 95x1x1
  
• 105x5x3 (work sets)
  
  You don't want the warm-ups affecting the work sets at all. It should be the right amount of reps/weight to get you in the groove but not really tax your muscles. Doing 5 reps so close to your work set is essentially like adding a 4th work set.
  
  Like the other guy said, don't sweat it, it's day one. Lots of people are gonna have imbalances, especially with bench press because people have way more experience (and consistency) with that compared to squats. Definitely pick up the book if you can. I also found the supplemental DVD immensely helpful - he walks through all the lifts with a whole class of trainees - all ages, shapes, and sizes. You can find the DVD online if you're crafty but I think you should pony up for the 3rd edition of the book, it's a huge wealth of info.

I've been obsessing over peoples progress pics and considering the shape you were in, I bet you get back there in no time.

That said, I'm reading Schwarzenegger's New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. When talking about increasing intensity and scheduling he says that he would do splits like that, but it seemed like he was pushing heavy weight lifting to be done in the morning. I think his point was that it's hard to be consistent with weight lifting after a full day.

As for myself, I got a personal trainer going on a couple months ago and he's got me doing weights in the morning, then a cardio session and coming in after work to pickup another cardio session. Working great for me, someone who's never been quite in the shape you were.

Best of luck!

I would strongly recommend something like this: http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-40-pound-Adjustable-Dumbbell/dp/B000VCDXNS#

You can then also use the plates with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Threaded-Chrome-Barbell-60-Inch/dp/B004EFYPBC/ (For legs, even /r/bodyweightfitness will tell you bars are useful for legs. With a bar at least you can deadlift, at least easier than with DBs -- if you try DL with DBs, don't smash your junk!)

Note that those are all "standard" (ie 1in) bars, vs "Olympic" (2in) bars. Standard are cheaper, but barbells for standard tend to only go up to ~250lbs (decent but not super heavy for legs stuff. You'll have to do volume if you max out at 250+). On the plus side, standard 1in dumbbells have "spin locks" which I find super useful for home gym things.

Going from 30lb-40lbs with those is just the cost of 10lbs worth of plates (which can often be found for $1-1.50 per pound), much less than the cost of a new set of 40lb DBs. Plus, bar if you want one.

Also, 1in plates and handles/bars are almost always, everywhere, for sale on craigslist, often for very cheap.

I have a similar set as the one on Amazon and bought plates as I needed them. I can currently load up 90# on each handle. (Can't do much with it - I use that weight for deadlift progression..)

That's a reasonable start to a home gym -- inexpensive, compact, versatile.

I don't think there is really any substitute for pullups (and its related motions, like cable pulldowns). However, you can still target your latissimus dorsi, albeit from different angles; you can use bent over rows, along with pullovers (which may be easier on a Swiss Ball instead of lying perpendicular on a bench), or inverted rows. They don't match the vertical range of motion of pullups, or recruit as many helper muscles, but they will do as substitutes if you have no other equipment.

Personally, I'd be wary about using household items as makeshift pullup bars, unless you're good enough at engineering or physics to properly analyze them.

In my opinion, the best way to do pullups at home, especially when you have limited funds and space, is to get a door frame pullup bar in the style of the Iron Gym / Iron Gym Xtreme / P90X / EasyEffort. These are not like the old style bars which expand to brace against the inside of a door frame; these are the type which rest on the frame lintel, hang through the doorway, and brace against the frame on the other side. It's easier to understand by seeing how it fits. They support about 136 kilograms / 300 pounds, are easily removable, and require no alteration of your doorway.

The Wiki is really useful for just starting out. lurk around here for general information about fitness. The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding has an answer to almost every question you have.

as far as videos that you could watch there are a few popular channels like Rob Riches or Bradley Martyn. Best advice is find a basic program like starting strength and stick with it for about 3-4 months and stick with it to see results.

What are peoples thoughts on Arnolds beginners plan from New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding?

I wouldn't say I'm a total beginner, but definitely not a seasoned lifter. I picked up the book and really like it, and I like how varied the plan is. I however am only doing it 3 days a week, rather than 6.

Here is the workout for those without the book:

• Day 1 - Chest/Back - Bench Press, Incline Press, Pullovers, Chinups, Bent Over Rows, Deadlifts, Crunches
  
  
• Day 2 - Shoulders, Upper Arms, Forearms - Clean and Press, Lat Raise, Upright Rows, Push Press, Barbell Curls, Dumbell Curls, Close Grip press, Tricep Extensions, Wrist Curls, Reverse Crunches
  
  
• Day 3 - Thighs, Calves, Lower Back - Squats, Lunges, Leg Curls, Calf Raises, Straight Leg Deadlift, Good Mornings, Crunches

The problem is you didn't mention what your fitness goal is.

If you want to be very strong, a power cage is the only way to go. Then a bench, an olympic bar, and weights.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If you want to get strong but aren't real serious about it, you could probably get by with doing dumbbell-only stuff. Like here's a routine:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?p=1266579671#post1266579671

If your workout area doesn't need to stay clean, these from amazon are the cheapest (they'll flake paint a lot) for $180:
http://www.amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE/ref=sr_1_4?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1452290208&sr=1-4&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells

I think you'll also need a bench (for the bench press) and a pullup bar.

Another similar option is BodyBeast - an exercise video using dumbbells and a bench.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If you just want to be in good cardio shape and do exercise videos, you might just want a tv and a mat on the floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If your goal is just weightloss, you might just want a treadmill - and a phone stand or a tv. There's a story going around from a guy who claimed to lose 100lbs by just walking on a treadmill (with an incline) for 1 hour every day for a year, without changing his diet. (It burns less calories than other methods, but doesn't increase your appetite like other methods do, at least that's the theory.)

It kinda just depends on what you want to do.

1. Buy a book of food counts and count your calories and carbs. Cut the calories below 2500/day and the carbs below 100g, and get plenty of protein.
   
   
2. Cut the beers back from every day to 1-2 days per week. (It's not just the empty calories, alcohol also affects the metabolism and lowers testosterone, both of which are contra-indicated for someone that's trying to lose weight and get stronger.)
   
   
3. Buy this book - http://www.amazon.com/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219 - Yes, everybody here promotes Stronglifts / Starting Strength, but with your injuries, doing squats and deadlifts aren't going to work right now, so you need to make sure a) you're doing whatever you need to do to rehab your back, and b) go through that book to find exercises that work for your body.
   
   
4. If riding a bicycle isn't uncomfortable for your back / sciatica, buy one and start riding it around. If there's a social cycling group in your area, by all means join them. (Not the road racing crew, the ride slowly for a while and then stop and hang out for a bit crew.)
   
   Finding a weight routine that works, combined with getting the carbs out of the diet and getting the cravings under control, really helps the moods mellow out.
   
   Good luck dude!

If possible, spend the extra to invest in one that you can hang from the ceiling, and if you aren't that handy have someone install it for you. Depending what you're doing, the free standing ones can be good, but if it's to increase the strength of your punches, a real heavy bag is pretty much where it's at.

A trick I learned from my old Sifu (Master) for if you don't have a punching bag, get yourself some cheap exercise bands, and stand on the middle just like you would for doing curls with it. Get into your fight stance and shadow box away! It pulls down as well as back so you get lots of extra resistance, it adds a lot of speed/strength to punches.

Agree with /u/MacGuffinn -- the problem is not having healthy options nearby. To help, bring snacks with you everywhere. I pretty much never leave the house without a shake, protein bar, or jerky/fruit/nut snack. Keep good food options in your home, office, car, and on your person if necessary. This, for me, is the key to keeping discipline in check. Real food is better than these quick options, so like /u/Realtimes alluded to, planning is key. The grocery store should become your second home. Bringing meals everywhere can become a habit. Good luck.

I bought this book.

http://www.amazon.ca/The-New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding/dp/0684857219

Arnold is great, he is a good writer, you'd think he's a stereotypical choice but there's more. There's lots of glossy photos in the book that i didn't care a ton about but there was good meat in it too like techniques and form and some good motivation i.e how a persons body can go from being a 10HP engine to a 15HP engine, by training where at real motor will just burn out.

If they don't have to be buds, I recommend the Kinivo BTH240. They are my favorite headphones. I've used them for like 4 years now and am on my second pair. I love them so much I have a third pair still in the box on the shelf. They are good for working out (don't even really move a lot when jumping rope), and a charge typically lasts 2.5 days (I use them to listen to podcasts/music like 12 hours and often leave them on overnight), and charge in a few hours.

They even happen to be on sale right now.

Oh wow as if it's nutrition and supplement thursday on the one day I am looking to commit and switch to using supplements!

You gotta know, money's tight so want to get the protein I need on my heavier workout days at least without having to pay for it as the second half of the month is always tough.

I was 250lbs, now 180lbs. Switched to weight training at the start of the year while trying to keep up my cardio but want to lose that last bit of fat and figured supplements could help.

I've heard good things about this- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Protein-Chocolate/dp/B002DYIZH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426761079&sr=8-1&keywords=whey+protein

But not totally sure what it does, when to take it etc. Oh also- HOW to take it? Like what do you mix it with? Milk?

Also what's this casein night stuff?

I've had a good search but it tends to be people's results threads that show up, I just want some pointing in the right direction.

If budget is really a concern, then no equipment workouts, like Convict Conditioning, are the best choice.

If you want equipment, just get a gym membership, it will pay for itself pretty quickly. I bought a $40 dumbbell set thinking that I'd just add on weights as I needed them. You will almost certainly need to buy weights faster than you come out ahead financially. The next step up is 4 10lb plates, which is ~$40, and that brings your weight total to 80lbs. The next is 4 20lb plates, which is ~$80, and brings your weight total to 160lbs. If you're doing squats or deadlifts, you'll outstrip this within a few months if you follow a linear-gains program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength. Consider that StrongLifts has you start squats with just the bar (45lbs) and increases weight by 5lbs each session (3 sessions/week). You're at 160lbs in less than 8 weeks, making your investment of ~$160 at least twice as expensive as most gym memberships for the given time.

If you want to do barbell training, you should also invest in a bench and rack, which can be costly in terms of both space and money. This is a good idea long-term if you can afford it.

My friend got 2 dumbells that adjust from 5 to 100 lbs each on Amazon for under $200. They come with a total of 200lbs of weight.

I'd highly recommend not buying individual weights if you can and save up to buy an adjustable set. Otherwise you'll end up with a lot of weights you rarely touch with a few you use often.


As you get stronger, you'll continually have to buy heavier dumbbells to progress. In my case, I'd need a new 5lbs heavier dumbbell every month or two based on my current progression. I go to a gym though so it's not a problem. (when I bought my only dumbbell, it cost me roughly $1 per lb at Walmart) This is especially true if you're following a primarily dumbbell routine.


EDIT:

I found the set my friend uses:

https://amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE


If you don't already have one, I'd recommend getting an adjustable weightlifting bench to give you access to dumbbell chest pressing, incline dumbbell rows, lying dumbbell incline kickbacks, etc.... I've seen good ones go for around $100-$150.

>all I want is a little boost on my gains

Sadly there is no supplement for this, unless you count protein powder...

Honestly all you need is some plain creatine monohydrate, and solid whey protein.

If you are under 40 you don't need a pre-workout, you should have natural energy and you can just eat a piece of fruit before hitting the gym, all you are paying for in most supplements is caffeine. Granted I would say caffeine is a welcomed boost after a low sleep night.

In summary

• Protein Powder
  
  
• Creatine
  
  
• Caffeine (If you need a boost once in a while)

Good form is insanely important so that you can improve and not hurt yourself. I've been deloading every once and a while on certain lifts when I feel my form hasn't been spot on to improve my technique.

Have you checked out the Starting Strength DVD?

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2

Depends on what she does - but if she lifts:

Liquid Grip

Squat Shoes

Microplates

Creatine - Incredibly cheap

Practical Programming - If she likes to read and if she wants to become more sophisticated with training programming

Foam rollers, water bottles, gym shorts\pants, etc. can be good too!

Not a solution for right now, but for future traveling. These are great bands that can substitute a gym when you are on the go. Might not be as flashy or nice as a fully gym (obviously) but if you want to at least maintain, these will help tremendously.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Exercise/dp/7245456313/ref=sr_1_3?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1468797676&sr=1-3&keywords=resistance+bands

>So, should I be eating a surplus on my rest days/weekends if I'm doing SS 3x a week?

Yes. If you're concerned of gaining too much fat during your bulk, it's recommended that you begin counting Calories once again to prevent under or overeating.

>Also, which protein powder is best to mix into oatmeal?

While I haven't done it with oatmeal, my favorite powder so far to mix with milk and cereal is ON Gold Standard Extreme Milk Chocolate.

Yeah I can imagine your frustration and if you have it as a mental goal its quite hard to let go of it.

I'd say carry on trying to do a Sit-Up every so often as your strength progresses. It might turn out that you will end up being able to do them and its not going to wreck your back just doing 1. But I doubt its a strength issue, probably more to do with flexibility or spinal mobility (both get harder to improve as you get older and if you push your boundries with them you can end up in a lot of pain and trouble).

People hate ab workouts but I really love em, I'm always switching exercises and trying new things. Frog Crunches and Ab Wheels are also a cool thing to try if you haven't tried em.

EDIT: Just to add, I saw someone else here write that having a bigger upperbody than lowerbody will mean you can't do Sit-Ups, thats definatly not true.

2nd EDIT: Also, if you want to work on flexibility (and reduce soreness after workouts) check this routine & video out: http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask-joe-test/44-flexibilitymobility/302-joe-ds-qlimber-11q-flexibility-routine.html

All you need to do is buy a cheap foam roll (I bought this one off Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/) and then do them after workouts. You don't need to do them in the gym you can even do them around an hour after working out when your at home.

My gym doesn't allow chalk but I have been using this gel called Liquid Grip that I found on Amazon. It's basically a chalky alcohol-based lotion that really helps keep my hands dry during workouts. Over the past two months I went from deadlifting ~380 with straps to hitting my PR of 425 without straps!

The previous videos posted about shifting your grip to your fingers are also incredibly helpful.

Here's a link if you're interested:
LIQUID GRIP 1.5oz by Liquid Grip http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009M3OEV2/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Tzyvtb1N3WH8A

A foam roller is a more or less a big log of foam that can be used as a fitness tool or massage device. Placing the foam roller on the ground and rolling different muscle groups over it is very delightful. Using it on the legs and back can offer a great solo massage that is a great release after a hard workout.

I recently bought The Grid and couldn't be happier!

I swore off gym memberships over 5 years ago, figuring that I could spend a lot less money on weights and equipment in my apartment. I bought stuff piece by piece as I needed/wanted/could afford it. Here's what I have now, in total:

• A weight bench similar to this one
  
• A pull-up bar like this one
  
• 2 x 30 lbs kettlebells
  
• 1 x 55 lbs kettlebell
  
• 2 x 25 lbs dumbbells
  
• 2 x 35 lbs dumbbells
  
• 2 x 40 lbs dumbbells
  
• A bike
  
• A bike trainer like this one
  
  Now YMMV, I'm a guy that has never been overweight or out of shape. The one thing I know from trying to help friends that weren't a fortunate as my family is genetically is that I suck at helping overweight folks fix things. It's very hard for me to know what's safe.
  
  That being said, I would recommend starting with a kettlebell. Something that feels substantial without feeling like you can't control it, or at least lift it off the floor with one hand. Start with just putting it between your feet, squatting down and grabbing it with both hands then standing up - rinse repeat for 10 reps. Then move on to doing that with one hand, alternating. Then maybe move up to swings or cleans. A kettlebell is pretty versatile, there are exercises for most parts of your body with just that one weight.
  
  I'm able to put everything away in my closet for when people come over, but think about that before you buy anything like the bench I mentioned. The other thing you want to keep in mind is that having a bunch of weights makes moving that much harder.

i've always liked the encyclopedia of bodybuilding by arnold
and i've always liked flipping thru magazines... muscle & fitness seems to be the best (and it doesnt have 157 pages of adds before the table of contents like some other ones)

I know you have plenty of advice already, but I bought this one in October last year, use it frequently and have no marks on my door. I had the same concerns you do, so I wrapped a few old shirts around it and it works perfectly!

https://imgur.com/a/706rLHJ

You can see the shirts and what the frame looks like. I've used it pretty extensively since getting it.

I've been taking 2 pills on my drive to the gym now for about 8 months. I take them with a huge thing of water. I love em. Cheap, easy, and effective. This is the brand I've been buying. Prolab , never tried anything other than these.

I use blue tooth headphones that hook on my ear. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWIPITS/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_lP7Iub1Q4P9K8 they are awesome. Pretty good sound quality. Fair price. Hold a decent charge. Decent range. Run in them, jump..etc.

Interesting read, I drink a chocolate protein shake with a blended banana and sometimes peanut butter when I'm done working out. The extra chocolate might be redundant for me?

As for the "fad" fitness. People gravitate towards them because they work for a startling number of people. Same reason everyone was doing the Atkins a few years back. It worked for a lot of people. Not everyone has the know-how or patience to sift through all the bad fitness advice and people would much rather have someone lay down the law for them and tell them what they need to do in a nice neat readable format sort of like our FAQ. I also find that the lifestyle change comes naturally when people get serious about any of the above programs.

I highly recommend getting Black Mountain Products Ultimate Resistance Bands Set with Starter Guide on Amazon. It costs about $45 with prime. Bands can be combined and can get you up to between 136-162 pounds (bands give a range of weight on amazon).

It allows you to do various workouts and has a door attachment. You can do presses and work your triceps overhead. It all comes in a small black bag that is easy to transport and store.

I am not affiliated with the company, I just really love this product. I have lost about 15lbs since January using these bands while doing P90x. Would have lost more but I had to stop halfway through to free time for exit exams coming up.

Also another great product is the Valeo Ab Wheel. While Abs are made in the kitchen, not through pure exercise...an ab wheel will work you hard and strengthen your core... not that I recommend getting down on your knees in a hotel room... ick. I don't know if I could even do push ups in one... but I am a borderline germaphobe.

You could also get a jump rope.

Weight loss simply involves expending more calories than you take it. For exercise to be fruitful you need to balance out eating too.

Edit: Added links

I have a cheap, but reliable recumbent bike: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KV1MJU

I think I'd recommend jumping rope, jogging, or doing some HIIT over a recumbent bike, though.

For strength:
A door frame pull up bar: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ND04U4
Push up handles: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OEQ50Y
Set of adjustable dumbbells: http://www.amazon.com/Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Cast-Total/dp/B007WKK5HE

A weight vest or belt, something to add weight to body weight exercises like pull ups, dips, and push ups. These can get spendy (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IU8ZCA), but are a good way to continue progressive overload on body weight exercises.

A bench with incline/decline and leg raise/ham curl piece on the end.

I think all beginners should start with a simple linear strength program before moving onto a more goal specific program. So Starting Strength is a great start.

For bodybuilding you're probably going to want to read Arnie's Encyclopedia.

I love my bluetooth headphones. You can get much sleeker ones for more but I have never had a quality issue with these. They never come off your ears, you don't have to bother with wires, and the battery charge holds ridiculously long. I charge them about once a month and workout 5x a week.

You can spend an extra $50 and get something prettier, but your best bet is still to go with bluetooth headphones for the most convenience.

I just got this one in 36" full round for posture correcting exercises to help me work on my slouch and APT.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374249886&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+roller

If this is your first roller I would definitely go with the full size as it seems that you can do a lot more exercises with a full than a half. I'm 6' 2" and 200lbs and it seems pretty solid to me so you should be alright. Just make sure you don't toss it around and are careful with weights around that thing as it is just foam, no matter how dense it is.

Buy elastic bands.


I take them with me when I go out of town and they provide a pretty good workout. You vary the distance with the different type of bands or just put the band on greater stretch for greater resistance. You can do them anywhere and you can work out every part of your body in multiple ways (youtube will help).


The only downside to resistance bands is that the tension is not consistent with elastic bands. For instance if you were to bench 200lbs, you would feel that 200lb resistance the entire way in both eccentric and concentric phases. With elastic bands if you were to do a similar set up where you do the bench press motion with resistance bands pulling against your arms, you feel increases resistance the more you put the band on stretch (concentric phase) and less resistance as you let the band return to its desired normal length (eccentric phase).


Regardless, I think resistance bands are better than just doing a billion pushups. Combine this with your current equipment that you have and you are set.

Sworkit is an app that will put together a routine (cardio, stretching, or strength). You choose the type and how long, as little as 5 min, and then it guides you through. I find it super helpful to wander off to a less-populated corner of the office and do a short stretch routine.

If you mean something you can do at your desk, maybe one of those desk pedaler things? I think they look awfully silly but I'd really love to have one anyway.

The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding

Written by the Governator, even if you're not aiming to be a bodybuilder, it's absolutely full of great diet and routine advice as well as exercises. It's a great reference that I pick something up from everytime I page through it.

stretch your calves man. a common agitator of fallen arches or plantar fasciitis is tight calves. stretch those puppies out if it's not too sore, and get a foam roller, or one like this if it's in the budget. As for exercises, it sounds like you can do all of the upper body stuff with no problems, but what can you do for lower? can you do body weight squats? would a set of dr. Scholes arch supports help enough? can you ride a bike? Cycling is great cardio.

I bought this scale from amazon.com and love it. I also have their bathroom scale. Both are great quality and work just fine.

General strength with translate to both wrestling and cycling. Keep doing what you're doing.

Bench and overhead press are so similar that I wouldn't do them on the same day. With a 190 bench you should be pressing more than you are. I don't know of any program that would have you do both on the same day.

You could start messing with the rep scheme though. 3x5 is common. But I'd get more well versed on programming and adaption cycles as a start(or rather practical programming). You could still get some noob strength gains, I think.

I'd recommend this pair. My home gym has it and it's great. Each DB goes from 5-100 lbs and the whole thing is $200. The paint chips but besides that it works great.

What does your protein and creatine intake look like? Protein helps significantly with soreness, and proper protein intake while working out is crucial to muscle growth. Without protein, I took forever to recover and it was hurting my schedule because after two days of working a certain muscle group, I still was not ready.

Also, foam rolling is fantastic for muscle soreness. I currently use this and have had spectacular recovery rates compared to before.

Protein and foam rolling are the two things that have helped me significantly in my recovery rate.

Check out Starting Strength -- follow the program and you will most definitely see your strength go up.

Starting Strength - Form

[Practical Programming] (http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407078295&sr=1-2&keywords=starting+strength) - How to plan your workouts

What /u/fitty_sense said is right on. You don't need to change your protein supplement if your only goal is to get more protein. However, if you're in a bulk period, you can take advantage of gainer supplements that intentionally have a high calorie and carb content, in addition to the protein. This way you can sneak in extra calories in addition to what you eat and bulk faster. One I use while bulking is Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass.

If you look at the nutritional info and compare it to your whey isolate, you'll see the difference. The BioX whey isolate has 30g protein/1.5g carb/140 calories per serving. ON Serious Mass has 50g p/250g c/1250 calories per serving. The serving size is actually HUGE though, so I only took half a serving and that was plenty.

Also, "BioX power whey isolate" just means that it is a certain type of protein powder. BioX is the brand, obviously, power is just a filler, so "whey isolate" are the operative words. In general, the protein you find will either be whey or casein (or a blend of both). Whey is considered a "fast" protein, in that it is processed by your body quickly (30 minutes to an hour, I think). Casein is considered a "slow" protein (processed in 3-4 hours). A lot of people swear that one is better and the other is worse, for various reasons, or use the timing knowledge to game the system and try to keep their protein levels high. Personally, I consider the benefits of protein type and timing to be so low that they're not worth the effort to consider unless you're trying to compete in bodybuilding. But if you'd like to learn more, there are plenty of articles describing the difference - here's one, for example.

Finally, "isolate" just indicates that the whey was isolated from other products in the solution, like fat and lactose, to make it more pure. An isolate like that is more ideal for when you're cutting and you need to micromanage your calorie intake but, again, it's typically so marginal that you're better off focusing on large scale components in your diet first.

I seriously cannot recommend this one enough. I've had it for a few years and have been quite rough with it. The other day I accidentally left it on the stove top while baking something in the oven leaving it a bit warped but still working like a charm lol

My two cents.
Follow a plan, with a program where you can measure results.
Think yourself as a beginner, start with 5x5 stronglifts.
The book Practical Programming for Strength Training gives you the basic knowledge you need to know. If you only want to be strong and healthy, is all you need to know.

A bit of a follow-up question. How safe are door frame pull-up bars?

I can't put any screws into the wall, and something like This on amazon. Can it fall off easily?

While I can't vouch for it yet (I'll only be getting mine in January), I'm giving this a try to rev up my desk job:

http://www.amazon.com/DeskCycle-Exercise-Pedal-Exerciser-White/dp/B00B1VDNQA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450882124&sr=8-1&keywords=desk+cycle

It's a little stationary bike you put under your desk and pedal while you work. Large number of reviews, seems to be well rated and looks like a great way to combine work at a desk with a bit of mild exercise. From the reviews it's whisper quiet too. I'm hoping that it'll do the trick for me because I hate sitting at a desk all day.

I recommend something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002YQUP7Q/ref=s9_top_hm_bEIhL_g200_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-12&pf_rd_r=1N0J1HDRXRY1T4SP129V&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=4e554816-2b44-55fc-aad4-88cf26b54fd6&pf_rd_i=3408471

It is installed on top of door frame, doesn't damage the frame and is safer.

Deadlifts:

1] You look really loose at the start of each rep. The one thing I can think of that might help your back position is at the start of each rep to really squeeze through your chest. Rippetoe gives a fairly good explanation of this:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x8f-dwyJsI
  
  If you enjoy that video and haven't already, grab a copy of Rippetoe's DVD which this is stolen from. It's fantastic and has a couple really hot girls in it. Which is a metric for the quality of every product from a man's point of view:
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c
  
  Squats:
  
  1] On those reps (especially the third) it looked like you were leaning too far forward, which was causing you to not balance correctly. Also, your knees buckled in a bit as a result (or maybe that caused it). I'm not sure what the proper solution is but if I were in your shoes I'd try getting my butt out more, really focusing on maintaining a natural arch in my back and spreading my knees out as I squat.
  
  That being said, the camera angle might skew the accuracy of my assessment.
  
  2] Definitely not deep enough. I have a mate who squats exactly like you. He complains that deep squats hurt his knees yet every time he focuses on spreading his knees out rather than moving them forward and back he gets to parallel without hassles. Plus I don't call him names.
  
  3] On your final 2 reps, you'll notice your butt starts to rise before your chest/shoulders. This is bad as it causes some pretty unworkable angles in your back that can really fuck you out of a heavy set. I can't really give any sound advice on fixing this but being aware of it will hopefully help you fix it.
  

Yep they are great and are not permanently attached to anything -- I highly recommend this one for under $30

Oh, I see. Somebody else recommended runners headphones that go over the ear, like these. My first headphones ever, that came with the sony walkman I got for christmas in middle school, were like this and I loved them! Maybe this style would work better for you.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGCJZEC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GHNLK9E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They make a short one. I believe.

Edit: found the short one https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Short-Power-Squat-Deadlift/dp/B00NAHQP90/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1480359386&sr=1-1&keywords=titan+t-2+short

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087T8UOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

• treadmill/stationary bike
  
  
• olympic barbell set. I found mine on craigslist for cheap but there is always:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-Weight-Medium/dp/B004X1688A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1480359293&sr=8-7&keywords=cap+barbell+weights
  
  edit2: https://stronglifts.com/ routine on Monday/Wednesday/Friday
  
  on days that are not M/W/F do 60 to 90 minutes of cardio.
  
  eat less than you currently do, or do the keto, whatever you'd like.
  
  in 6 months post progress pics.

Philips Flexible Earhook Headphones are cheap, comfortable, and they stay in place. They have the added benefit of not totally blocking out environmental sounds so you are not oblivious to the rest of the world while you run.

Well, if you REALLY only care about cost above all else, get some of these and then go down to your local sports sore (preferably locally owned, not big-box) and get some more weights based on how much you need. However, these guys go from 5-45 lbs and come with a stand for $250. I really love my PowerBlocks, but they were like $400 with a stand.

Everything you said is correct, but just for others who read this, they now make ones that come out from the door and allow the full range of motion:

An example: http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001ND04U4

I don't have one, but that's what I've been looking at. Seems like a pretty wide grip though, and I'm not sure if you'd be able to do chinups on it or not. It looks like your shoulders/traps might hit the handles on the sides.

I would buy cast iron plates, if you're looking to get a set that will last you a while. I would consider this over this. The advantage of cast iron (aside from durability) is that it will be easy to find additional plates as you grow.

To me, there is no reason to buy new weight plates. In the US we have a used sporting goods chain where you can easily get used plates for $.59/lb. If you get a good deal on weight plates, you could get new dumbbell handles with spin-lock collars. For dumbbell handles, look for heavy, all metal construction with collars that spin freely.

I've used that one before, its ok for getting out kinks, but I prefer this one. It's better on your back if you're trying to get out knots and roll out the spine, plus its hard enough to put your body weight on; I'm 250+lbs so it holds my weight well. It's a little more costly but it works well.

As I understand, that standard ratio for OHP:Bench:Squat:Deadlift is 2:3:4:5.

And although it's not in your brand, I highly suggest ON Double Rich Chocolate with milk. Fucking delicious. I get 200g of protein daily from these shakes.

I've had good luck with the Iron Gym one. Hasn't messed up my door and it works well.

Link

I recommend Arnold's book. I have been reading it for a while it is five books in one. You will learn about everything. one of the books included is chest exercises with full pictures and instructions.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding/dp/0684857219
Good luck.

I read the ON comments on Amazon, where I buy mine. There are many suggestions regarding the different flavors and which are gluten free etc. You can search the 4k+ comments for the word "flavor"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000QSTBNS
I've only ever ordered the extreme milk chocolate, which is yummy.

They're at pretty much every drugstore I've looked for them at. But I usually just wind up getting these from Amazon. (Amazon search: caffeine pills.)

If you want 100mg instead of 200, just use a pill cutter, these break pretty cleanly.

First thing that comes to mind is getting a pull up bar (especially one like the this one with multiple grips): http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001ND04U4

Between chin ups and multiple arm position pullups (and dips using a chair), you'll hit the majority of your upper body. You can even use your back pack to increase the weight.

Also, have you checked out the side bar at /r/bodyweightfitness ?

You can also get a resistance band set that would allow you to workout your chest standing up. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Bodylastics-Resistance-components-membership-LIVEEXERCISE/dp/B006O09M4K (very versatile and affordable).

I actually own both of those so feel free to ask me about them.

Its probably a safe bet to buy something more well tested like ON Gold Standard.

http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Double-Chocolate/dp/B002DYIZH6

I personally like this one the best: http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Performance-Revolutionary-Roller/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398705650&sr=8-1&keywords=trigger+point+foam+roller

After getting used to that one, I feel like the black, plain jane firm ones, are almost useless in comparison!

I've tried them all and would say the best one is the pvc core with a 1/2" layer of foam around it. Going straight pvc can be a bitch if you roll over a nerve or bone and the all foam ones are too mild.

Something similar to this: TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller with Free Online Instructional Videos, Original (13-inch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zdSBxb9NZJTN6

You're welcome.

Also, if you really want to do cable face pulls and if you're able to invest in some a set of bands, I've enjoyed these: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Exercise/dp/7245456313/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1463690662&sr=1-1&keywords=black+mountain+resistance+bands

Abs are made in the gym, and revealed in the kitchen. You have to build your abs by working them, but you won't actually see them unless you diet properly and reduce your body fat %.

The best all around ab workout is done with an ab wheel.

Also, the Lifeline USA Pullup Revolution can help you do assisted pull ups along with doing negatives. I also have the Iron gym pullup bar. They work great together.

If you want to get something like that, get one that uses magnetic resistance rather than friction like the one you listed. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/DeskCycle-Exercise-Pedal-Exerciser-White/dp/B00B1VDNQA

Elastic bands got me to a level where the people where complimenting me even when I had long sleeves, can work out while watching Youtube, or in the breaks of writing a paper.

For routines I started with this guide and kept looking on the other exercises with cables and dumbbell and adapting for the bands.

On an important side note, did you checked your spine for deviations? Your alignment seems a lot like the younger me, and I'm really glad I started tackling the spine curves problem when I was young.

Two options:

1. Drink your extra calories (shakes, mass gainers, etc)

ON Serious Mass Gainer

2. Gradually increase your food intake.

I started out about your weight (but a bit taller) when I decided to stop being skinny. I tried to eat more but I was an idiot and tried to ramp up my daily calories all at once. Lasted about one day and my stomach couldn't take it.

It's way better to gradually add an extra snack (like peanut butter on toast) here and there then a whole kilo of pasta all at once.

Eat healthy high calorie foods (olive oil, nuts, whole grains etc)

Also: If you start lifting heavy and with some decent volume, you WILL feel hungry after. This will naturally result in a bigger appetite.

If you want to drink your calories, you can do that... but I would avoid relying on liquids for a majority of your intake.

Good Luck!

I think he's talking about something like these, which I use. They're super cheap, decent sound, and don't fall off/out of my ears!

Ok, awesome. Is this the right english version? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Protein-Chocolate/dp/B002DYIZH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397884701&sr=8-1&keywords=optimum+nutrition+whey+protein

Yes, it's okay. In his book The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Arnold says that when he became a serious bodybuilder, he had to split his routine into two parts per day in order to have enough energy to get through all his 3+ hours of lifting per day. He says he would lift in the morning, wait 8-10 hours, then lift again after he had recouped some energy.

These have worked great for me the past couple years:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VCDXNS/

2x20 pound (adjustable) dumbells (or up to 35 pounds on one), and you can easily buy more weights to add if you want/need.

I've used these for years for work and play. Replaceable, retention from the hooks. Comfortable. Don't hurt my ears from buds inside my ear canal.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHS3200BK-37-Flexible-Headphones/dp/B003CJTR82

Grab a copy of Schwarzenegger's Encyclopedia of Body Building. This book is perfect for beginners who need to learn how to build muscle mass. It explains both diet and exercise. There are workout routines in the book that should help you get started.

Buy the Starting Strength book here

Visit the Starting Strength wiki page here

Visit the StrongLifts site here

The Starting Strength DVD was extremely helpful to me; otherwise, read what you can and try it. With repetition, you'll figure it out.

Costco Canada appears to only have vanilla

Your best bet will be Amazon at CDN$79.94 for 2.27kg. And they have nearly every flavor variety.

For just a month... there's no need to add any paperwork to your life.

I'd focus on cardio, doing HIIT cycles of bodyweight. Jump Rope and using [these] (https://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Exercise/dp/7245456313/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1468861909&sr=8-4&keywords=exercise+bands)

There are other gyms that allow 1 month memberships like Planet Fitness. Just notify them before the month is out that you're leaving.

I hope this helps.

this one: https://www.amazon.com/ProSource-Multi-Grip-Chin-Up-Pull-Up-Doorway/dp/B002YQUP7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1525812271&sr=1-4&keywords=pull+up+bar

Pretty good imo, will be setting up a proper one for rings, pull overs and muscle ups when i get home from school

You can search the subreddit and you'll get some previous threads on this topic. For what its worth I use http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kinivo-BTH240-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B00AWIPITS and theyre awesome for the price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YQUP7Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have this one and it's been good so far. If you weigh, say 200lb+, you may be better off investing in a Power Tower or something along those lines--though I've seen heavier guys use doorway pullup bars, I can't speak to the longevity of the bar or door trim. If you get this one, you should tighten the bolts the day after first use and week after first use. You gotta put something (I just threw a couple old socks on mine) to keep the foam from marking the door cause the black will stain (I was able to get it out with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser but YMMV it may have just been abrasive enough to remove the top layer of paint).

Here is the nutritional info
http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Serious-Chocolate-Pound/dp/B000GIPJ0M/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348784465&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=opium+serious+mass

A serving (2 scoops) has 25g of sugars, and 50g of protein. It is mostly carbs, but sugars make up less than 10% of it.

A $45 bag has 20k calories, or 450 calories per dollar in easy to consume powder form. Not bad. Its as cheap as rice, dollar per calorie.

http://www.amazon.com/ProSource-Heavy-Duty-Doorway-Chin-Up-Pull-Up/dp/B002YQUP7Q

id recommend getting that. You can probably find it a tad cheaper but 30 bucks is around the price range. I recommend doing the wide grip and the furthest parallel grip. start by doing every other day and eventually you want to do it every morning everyday. it sounds intense but it's just 20 mins a day.

I recommend these: http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTH240-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B00AWIPITS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Got it from a body builder recommendation on Youtube. It's pretty nice. I personally dislike ear buds too cause it never fits my ears properly.

optimum nutrition's serious mass helped me out a lot. you can get the 12 pound pack for only 40 bucks using the subscribe and save option which u can cancel at anytime. each scoop has over 600 calories with around 125 grams of carbs. i honestly couldn't find a source of calories and carbs that cheap with the amount you get.

Good for the money.
http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-40-Pound-Dumbbell-Set/dp/B000VCDXNS

Using the bands is an option but I prefer the dumbbells with P90X workouts. As for what you "should" start with, it really depends on what your current physical state is. The guide that comes with it will help you figure it out. You will work your way into the heavier weights. Just get started!!

I don't own those exact pair, mine are more like this except they're Sony. There are plenty of cheap options...just need to shop around :)

awesome! I'm assuming the one in your photo is the same as this one on Amazon?

I don't think he made it, it looks like he's using this one.

If you want to make your own, just get a length of 4" PVC pipe. It doesn't have padding, but my god does it feel good.

my guess is that you're not tracking your food intake correctly. It's good that you've made healthier choises...but a calorie is a calorie...and if you eat too many of them it'll hinder your progress.

get yourself a food scale and start weighing in your food.

Honestly any of the ones that wrap on the top of the door frame work. Most around $20 and worth it. Here's one for example, [ProSource Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar, Heavy Duty Doorway Trainer for Home Gym] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YQUP7Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SKMDyb2M4JCE2)

Also check out r/bodyweightfitness as they may have other suggestions

I use this one 18" from here. http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404320265&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+roller

My friend has the 36" one its too long for my needs. I can roll my back out on the 18" one easily.

I got these recently

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0087T8UOE/

Im happy with them, but i know without barbells and a bunch of other equipment i wont be able to follow an optimal program.

There are three things you need in your arsenal:

1. A hard foam roller
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/TriggerPoint-Performance-Grid-Foam-Roller/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473937451&sr=8-3&keywords=grid
   
   
2. A hard ball
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trigger-Point-Performance-Massage-Ball/dp/B003ZG8PEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473937489&sr=8-1&keywords=tp+ball
   
   
3. A stick (like the one you linked to)
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Stick-G-1750-Travel/dp/B000P7PVWU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473937529&sr=8-3&keywords=the+stick
   
   You can get to your whole boy with these three items.
   
   This is myofacial release we are talking about; you will only get flexibility gains from this if you have trigger points that are inhibiting flexibility.

Philips Flexible Earhook Headphones

I swear by these. I've used them for over 10 years, replacing them every 2 years or so, and they're less than $10. Awesome.

www.amazon.com/Philips-Flexible-Headphones-SHS3200BK-37/dp/B003CJTR82/ref=sr_1_1

I've been using Phrak's GSLP, just with adjustable dumbbells, plus a few sets of 1" weights at 1.25lb, 10lb, and 25lb, also from amazon.

Basically you can put this together just with amazon.

Here's the replacements I used:

• Upper body:
  
  • one-arm DB OHP
    
  • one-arm DB bench press, using a couple floor risers similar to this as a bench
    
  • one-arm DB rows
    
  • DB curls, or chinups (if have chinup bar)
    
• Lower body:
  
  • DB swings
    
  • DB clean and push-press
    
  • DB reverse lunges
    
    Increases:
    
    
• for upper body, since all lifts are one-armed, just increase the weight by 1.25lb plate each time (instead of 2.5lb on a bar, it's 1.25lb on a dumbbell). Yes, this means you'll have a slightly unbalanced DB, but 1.25 is very low; it's easy to balance by gripping close to that side
  
• for lower body, increase by 2.5lb per DB (instead of 5lb on a bar)
  
  

Been meaning to order Arnold's Encyclopedia for some time now. Although I'm sure it contains a hefty dose of broscience, the reviews are glowing and it's still 800 pages of the word of Arnold. Thanks for the promo code!

If space becomes an issue - consider these. I love them!

http://www.amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE/ref=sr_1_4?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1452626791&sr=1-4&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells

This is $25 but shipping is free. This is what I use. It works perfectly.

"...Drawing conclusions about training for athletes based on a body of literature devoted to exercise for a few small subsets of the general public cannot be and never has been productive... Empirical evidence is regarded by some people as data resulting from controlled experimentation in a formal study environment... they may regard the absence of an experimentally generated data set as an absence of knowledge... The observation of experienced individuals - in this case, experienced coaches who have dealt with thousands of athletes over decades - are often regarded by academics in the exercise science publishing business as mere 'anecdotal' reports, tantamount to hearsay and innuendo... Exercise science has its problems. The populations it studies are typically small... These people are very seldom trained athletes... Often the methods themselves are poorly constructed... Sometimes the study duration is too short to reveal anything meaningful... In the absence of other data, the informed observations of coaches are the best data we have, and conclusions drawn from them are far superior to extrapolations from very bad exercise studies... In the absence of any meaningful experimental data generated by peer-reviewed studies regarding the long-term effects of barbell training, we are forced to rely on the observations of hundreds of thousands of coaches and athletes who carefully picked their way through the mistakes made during the process of acquiring experience..."
© 2013 "Practical Programming for Strength Training" 3rd edition

which is why you read more than one, generally speaking if a product has several thousand reviews and over a 4 star rating, its going to be fine. But seriously man this is an incredibly basic piece of equipment we are talking about here

if you want a first hand recommendation this is the exact one that I have and it works fine - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007IS74G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this and it's perfect for my needs.

You might want something more elaborate, and they make this kind of style, which has way more options.

Hi there! I use this bike machine which is just the pedals and not the seat. This way you can use your own chair or seat. There is a problem with sliding sometimes so I typically have it against a wall with my chair against a table or something. The calorie counter broke after a few months, but I have had the bike for nearly 2 years now and it works perfectly. I use it an average of 10 hours per week while watching netflix.

Hi there... I'm handicapped and looking to do something for working out my arms and possibly my residual limb. Any advice is appreciated. I'm looking at purchasing this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/7245456313/

Which has a door anchor, in hopes that I can use it from my wheelchair. I also have a ten lb dumbbell to start off with.

Does the linked resistance band set seem legit?

I prefer earphones that hook over the ear for running. I had these for a while and they worked very well. Right now I have these which aren't quite as good but still much better than earbuds.

Workouts won't help you as much as diet. Get good scales; for you and for your food. I love these two:

• http://www.amazon.com/Eatsmart-Precision-Bathroom-Technology-440-Pounds/dp/B0032TNPOE/
  
• http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/
  
  Figure out how many calories you should be be eating to lose weight and keep a good, accurate count of them. I use this app to both calculate my calories and keep track of them: http://www.fatsecret.com/connected/
  
  I'm losing about 2 pounds a week right now, and I have plenty to eat.
  
  It's as simple as it sounds.

Let me google that for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754

> Practical Programming for Strength Training 3rd Edition addresses the topic of Training. It details the mechanics of the process, from the basic physiology of adaptation to the specific programs that apply these principles to novice, intermediate, and advanced lifters.

• Buy a bike
  
• Cycle to the gym. Nice warmup. 5 miles isn't too bad on a bike unless it's crazy hilly.
  
• Squat
  
• Cycle home. Good cooldown.
  
  Crunches are pretty much useless and will make your back hurt easily. Same with supine leg lifts. If you want a six pack, do hanging leg raises to build up those muscles and control your diet to get rid of the fat covering them up. Even if you don't end up going to the gym, get one of these and do the HLR's on it. It will let you add pull-ups to your at-home regimen, too.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/7245456313?cache=8b1c634aa03ccd0c864a409571583171&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1409399315&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

I bought a set of those resistence bands about a year ago for when I travel and can't find a gym. They give a surprisingly good workout even for the most experienced lifters.

Don't spend that kind of money on a foam roller. Here's the one I bought for $19 and it works great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0040NJOA0?vs=1

I have Liquid Grip and the stuff is awesome. Get the smallest thing you can because it will last you forever.

http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Grip-LG-LG15-LIQUID-1-5oz/dp/B009M3OEV2

I've been using this scale for the past 2 months and I've been pretty happy with it.

The only downside is that it's hard to read when you have a bigger plate sitting on top of it. But it's just an annoyance, not a deal breaker.

Not normal for me at least. I don't do too much stretching before squats or deadlifts. At least not static stretching. I'll do some light cardio to get the blood pumping, do some leg swings and then do some third world squats to really loosen things up a bit.

Beyond that, a lot of the lingering soreness can be prevented by fully stretching afterwards. I do all the standard leg stretches combined with several yoga poses (table->cat->cow; caterpillar; modified cobra plus plenty of long child's poses) along with using a foam roller. Foam rollers really are magic and worth the investment. I use one of these are the gym but any works so long as it is fairly hard. Roll over your legs and back. It will hurt a bit like a proper massage hurts in a good way.

The generally accepted mantra is active stretching beforehand and static stretching afterwards.

If you're looking to throw away money, I could post my Amazon wishlist? If you just want to know about programming in general, Practical Programming is good.

If I'm abroad for a long period of time I prefer to take these. Great for getting a pre-beach pump in without being that guy who travels with dumbbells.

You can get one for pretty cheap really, and they're worth every penny. I stalled out for a while, was tight all over, and regularly sore. After getting a foam roller and using it on a regular basis, I'm not as tight, and I'm making progression again on my lifts.

I ordered this one on amazon, I can't see how $20 is too expensive for something so important, especially compared to the cost of other fitness equipment.

I bought Rippetoe's book and it had a few different ways to divvy up the TM. The original is only 3 days. It's considered an intermediate program and can be done after starting strength. That made sense to me because SS is also a Rippetoe program. He's got advanced programs in there too, but I won't try to tackle those for a while yet.

There's more than one split, but I'll put it up in my top comment when I can get to my notebook. It's hard to format on my phone.

I know you asked for ab workouts that don't require equipment, but if you can afford $11 an ab wheel is your ticket to better abs.

I use one of these at home (I don't have enough legroom at work to not utterly pulverize my kneecaps on my desk). It's nearly silent, and has adjustable resistances, the higher end of which are pretty freakin' solid. It's also one of the lowest-to-the-ground models out there, IIRC.

These kinds of pull up systems work really well with minimal risk of falling.

Of course having your own backyard is a blessing that should be utilized to its fullest ;)

I had a roommate who was a big proponent of http://www.amazon.com/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219 , written by Arnold Schwarzenegger. One of the things I remember reading was how important timing was to the workout. Meaning having schedules of working various zones of your body hard on various set days, allowing time for breaking muscles and for recovery. I'm sure this part of the governator's plan is right, considering many serious gym enthusiast friends I've had followed some variation of Arnold's regiment. Eg. Chest / Legs on one day, Arms/Abs next, cardio, then repeat the cycle again with a day of rest on one day of the week. There are many variations of routines you can find online.

Of course, take what I say with a grain of salt, as I personally have no motivation to do physical stuff other than what I do at work (lifting boxes). You can most likely already kick my ass. I might poke one of your eyes during the process however...

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard. I've only tried Double Rich Chocolate and Chocolate Mint but they both taste great. I've been meaning to try Mocha Cappucino, however it's really expensive :(

Here, use one of these

It doesn't put stress on the frame, but rather the wall itself. Your gf might be thinking of the ones that install like a shower curtain rod.

You can buy high quality whey protein powder (like ON 100% Whey) in a 908g container for 32 euros, in 2.3kg container for 56 euros or 4.5kg bag for 100 euros. You can also probably find cheaper brands and better deals, but I only looked here and here.

This may seem very expensive at first glance, but you get 30 scoops (30g) out of the 908g container, 75 from the 2.3kg container and 150 from the 4.5kg bag. At two scoops a day (48g of protein in 60g of powder), the small container would last you two weeks. The total cost would be under 2.30 euros/day. 1.33 euros a day with the big bag.

Assuming you're still eating whatever your parents are cooking on top of that, ask for more chicken, red meat, eggs, peanut butter and milk/other dairy products with the groceries so that you can get even more protein in your diet.

Edited to fix incorrect calculation.

Has anyone used the SS DVD? Is it good?

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342713171&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength+dvd

I have marks DVD starting strength, one of the guys he was training was going "ass to grass", mark told him it wasn't necessary to go that low, and corrected him.

edit:
http://imgur.com/9Sfk8.jpg
after the guy finishes that rep rippetoe says
"Not quite so deep Jim, dont relax to get your depth.
We dont get depth at the expense of lumbar relaxation."
"if it gets excessive, its not necessary to go that deep because you're below parallel"
"everything needs to stay tight, we want you to get as deep as you can get, with a tight lumbar"

he says a bunch of other stuff... but you can just buy it and hear it for yourself.
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1288863118&sr=1-1
its a real cheap dvd and its hella useful.

It came with one of those Gold's Gym kits with the doorway pull up bars and push up handles. Online, it says the whole kit is ~$50 (we bought it for $30 years ago). I'd recommend this. My gym has one and it gets used by a lot of people, but it holds up well. I don't see the point in spending $50 for one.

Running shoes and a running app if you have a smart phone. May not be available depending on the weather.

You can get a 40 pound adjustable dumbbell set (20/20 or ~35 on one) on Amazon for $40-$50. (I used this when starting out, it's cheap and fine quality.)

/r/bodyweightfitness

Maybe a pull up bar if you can install it wherever you live.

Also move away from the second-hand-smoke-source if at all possible.

Coincidentally I just started looking for some bands for travel.
Amazon didn't have many brands but these were well reviewed.
Thoughts?

Good price when you buy it in bulk (12lbs). Has a lot of vitamins which is good since you miss out on essential nutrients not eating real food. I recommend eating real square meals as much as you can and this sparingly.

http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Serious-Chocolate-Pound/dp/B000GIPJ0M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406820152&sr=8-1&keywords=mass+gainer

If it's too much for you try just try powder as usual but toss it in a blender with some other stuff and make a smoothie. You can make big smoothies that can last you a few days.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTH240-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B00AWIPITS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417385035&sr=8-1&keywords=bth+240

$25 + shipping, or free with prime.

8 hours of battery life. Won't come off your head. They may not be the greatest looking headphones but they are built decently well and work as advertised. I don't think you could beat these for the price range in wireless headphones.

This is mine. It works fine- recommend.

I have never found a pair of ear buds that will reliably stay put in my ears. Even the in-the-ear versions tend to fall out after a while (and the sound of my own breathing is super annoying). So, I've settled on these bad boys by Philips that hook over my ears. They sound good enough for the gym, are durable, and cost less than $10:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CJTR82

DONE

Definitely don't regret mine.

Practical Programming for Strength https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0982522754/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486268394&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=practical+programming+for+strength+training+3rd+edition&dpPl=1&dpID=51TdFrvPEML&ref=plSrch

Here, enjoy these wallet gains.

Caffeine is pretty much caffeine. I've always bought [these] (http://www.amazon.com/ProLab-Caffeine-Maximum-Potency-100-Count/dp/B0011865IQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1452375041&sr=1-2&keywords=Caffeine+pills).

Me too. http://www.amazon.com/ProLab-Caffeine-Maximum-Potency-100-Count/dp/B0011865IQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404839816&sr=8-1&keywords=prolab+caffeine

Save your money and buy a bottle of these.

There's a Starting Strength DVD, it's Rippetoe training a bunch of beginners on all the main lifts, I'd pick that up if you've got some spare cash, it really helped me out - Amazon link

Hi all, I'm wondering about a desk cycle machine for home... cycling, but wondering if there's anywhere I could test it out or if it's worthwhile. This would be an example: https://www.amazon.com/DeskCycle-Exercise-Pedal-Exerciser-White/dp/B00B1VDNQA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510334293&sr=8-3&keywords=desk+bicycle&dpID=41GQ3verykL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch.

Here's the one I got from Amazon. Very cheap 100 for 3.85 plus shipping. I mean it's caffeine so it works well hahah

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0011865IQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1412020351&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

It depends how much you're stressing your body on the days you do some phys. Mark Rippetoe's Practical Programming for Strength Training covers the Stress/Recover/Adapt process quite well.

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754

Waiting...for headphones? I like good quality audio as much as the next guy, but when I'm working out it's not real high on the priority list. Just give me something that makes noise.

I go through a few of these per year:
Cheapos

My buddy who plays soccer at D-2 level had this problem. He started using serious mass and it went away. Its liquid calories.

http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Serious-Chocolate-Pound/dp/B000GIPJ0M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289603754&sr=8-1

Make sure you eat along with it though.

Maybe both, how about building it up instead of just do it slowly, like the first purchase buy a cheap bench, barbell and some dumbbells, i tried out a pair of dumbbells that are 60$ and goes up to 40 pounds on each, they hold up well. Meanwhile when you are building up a home gym, you should get the 1 year membership. Here are the dumbbells. http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-40-Pound-Dumbbell-Set/dp/B000VCDXNS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375707402&sr=8-2&keywords=dumbbells

If you're absolutely set on getting ON Amazon is a little cheaper - £47.50 for 2.2kg.

Otherwise go for one of the other suggested powders and spend the savings on cottage cheese :)

Get a foam roller and use it on your IT band, helps with knee pain. Most important thing though is getting good squat form. I recommend practice with body weight squats and replicate that movement with a barbell on your shoulders from the beginning.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375893668&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+roller

If it hurts too much with a foam roller or you don't want to get one, you can try this method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o58Y53Ncthw

That is a good alternative. Also, there is other options that go heavier.

And you can eventually buy heavier plates, I suppose.

Keep it simple and, more importantly, do not over-think it.
If you are a beginner, just about any well-designed programme will work door at least a few months.

Have a look in r/powerlifting and r/fitness FAQs for comments on the various programmes.

If you want to understand the theory:

• Get yourself a copy of https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738 and follow the program. (Get the app for your phone eventually.)
  
  
• In several months, get https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3W8DJE2M19ND8GE7JY1J.

Something like this?

This seems to be only 20 dollars. Would you still recommend building my own?

This one, right: https://www.amazon.ca/OPTIMUM-NUTRITION-Standard-Extreme-Chocolate/dp/B000QSTBNS

Now I just need to find a much smaller size to try it lol

https://www.amazon.com/ProLab-Caffeine-Maximum-Potency-100-Count/dp/B0011865IQ#

There you go, just saved you 45 bucks.

I have an old coworker who has one of these under her desk. She seems to like it!

I've started using Liquid Grip and really like it.

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0982522754

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

These books support sets of five and gives sound scientific reasoning for it.

What's the difference between ON whey isolate and ON Gold standard whey? The isolate is supposed to be better, but looking at the nutrition facts they seem to be about the same. Does it matter which one I get?

https://www.amazon.in/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Protein-Powder/dp/B002DYIZH6/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1549372907&sr=1-5&keywords=whey+proteins

this is the product. Are you sure what you saying is?

Sure, though you might want to invest in adjustable dumbbells which will "grow with you" for a while, so to speak.

http://www.amazon.ca/Kinivo-BTH240-Bluetooth-Headphone-Hands-Free/dp/B00AWIPITS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456846849&sr=8-1&keywords=kinivo+bluetooth

I've had the older version of these for around 3 years now and love them. Little more than what you were looking at but not too pricey.

I have the cheap $10 you find on amazon, it works fine.
http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-VA2413RE-AB-WHEEL/dp/B0007IS74G/ref=sr_1_5?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1451933541&sr=1-5&keywords=ab+roller

As a note, PWO are generally really expensive for what you get. You can generally get the raw ingredients for much cheaper, tailor it to your preferred proportions, and throw it into your protein shake or make your own PWO without getting as many random add-on ingredients that don't really do much that PWO love to throw in.

The main ingredients, caffeine, beta-alanine and creatine are dirt cheap and you can mix them to your own proportions. E.g. C4 $35 for 60 servings comes out to ~$0.58/serving for 1.5g beta-alanine, 135mg caffeine, and 1g creatine.

Doing it yourself with 1.5g beta-alanine =~$0.08, 200mg caffeine =~$0.08, and 5g creatine =~$0.13 or $0.29/serving to get more caffeine and the recommended amount of creatine. You can get it even cheaper ordering in bulk powders.

You'll probably also want to get a cheap food scale ~$10 to get the correct amounts since scoop measurements can be unreliable. Definitely get a scale if you mess with powdered caffeine.

edit: mathed wrong on cost/serving of C4

ur local walmart should have these -

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Flexible-Headphones-SHS3200-28/dp/B003CJTR82/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1

only like 9.99 - been using mine (same brand, 2nd pair) for about 4 years now while working out.