Very stupid question but do we genetically bias building muscle in some areas very quickly?
My shoulders are crazy levels of jacked to the point that they look like ones that belong on a bodybuilder, but nothing else is popping to that degree (at all). I’m not mad about it but I’m confused given I don’t necessarily intentionally train them that much.
Do heavier weights actually create bigger arm muscles?
I used to have barely any muscle, and then I started doing arms this past year. I love feeling strong but idk if I love having my arms this big 😭
Is there a way to make my arms smaller again?
I know weight lifting increases your TDEE, but out of curiosity, does having DOMS mean your calorie expenditure is higher than on days when you don't have DOMS? (Because your muscles are repairing themselves? Is that how this works? lol)
any alt exercises to barbell squats? i fucking hate squats but i want want grow all those muscles. i do the machines and have been progressing in weight but i have this notion that none of the muscles will actually grow unless i do squats and i really don’t want to do squats lol i can’t for the life of me get the form right and i just don’t enjoy doing them. a split squat + dumbbell is the most i’ll do but even then i struggle with the balance and foot placement
Goblet, DB side loaded squat, skater squat, landmine b stance squat, RFESS, split squat, reverse lunge, forward lunge, walking lunge, forward to reverse lunge, trap bar deadlift, b stance, landmine Cossack squat, landmine/db lateral lunge, iso split squat, single leg leg press, etc. Ton of squat variations. Pick something you like and progress it until you can’t then move on. I didn’t squat for a few years and it’s okay
Does anyone have recommendations for Pilates workout videos online? Are random ones on YouTube alright as a start? Trying to branch out my fitness a bit!
You have to start somewhere! If you get really into it, it’s probably worth doing at least a few classes with an instructor who can check your form, but no harm in easing in.
MIKMILLMOVEMENT is one of my favourite IRL yoga/pilates and I’m psyched she’s started her own YouTube channel. Her accompanying playlists are also great.
So someone mentioned to me that doing upright rows to tackle traps is not ideal because of risk of shoulder impingement. Doing some research, it seems that they may be right and given my previous issue with my shoulder, I'm starting to consider not doing that one. Can anyone shed more light on this? I rarely do this one anyway and typically do shrugs or face pulls as it feels better overall vs barbell/dumbbell.
Upright rows, if we are talking about the same exercise (holding the barbell with arms fully extended and then pulling the barbell up to about collarbone/chin height, elbows even with the bar height, give or take), are actually not even a trap exercise: they're for shoulders.
But yes, they can cause a risk for shoulder impingement because they can put the shoulder in a a vulnerable position (the same one they use to actually test for impingement). To my knowledge there are safer forms of the exercise that can be performed, but I just skip them in general. For traps you're best to stick with just regular rows or variations of regular rows (dumbbell, machine, Kroc, Pendlay, etc.), but not upright rows. Shrugs are also okay, though they're mostly for upper traps.
How much cardio is too much? My rheumatologist looked slightly alarmed when I told her I’m swimming up to 8 hours/week (usually closer to 5) but I don’t feel like I’m over-exerting & I’m not losing dramatic amounts of weight or anything. I just really like swimming.
I’m no expert, but based on my long years of exercising - if your workouts energize and excite you rather than fatigue you or cause stress, then I think you’re fine. Especially something low-impact like swimming should be a safe bet. Good on you for finding something you love!
I usually do somewhere between 6-9 hrs a week, and it doesn't even feel like a lot to me.
Sometimes I think medical professionals are so used to seeing people who don't exercise, that something like 8 hrs might seem excessive to them. Heck, I've done single hikes that lasted 8 hours.
does anyone experience pain around their mid back/shoulder blades while doing rdls? is there something i can do to prevent that from happening? i’ve always had issues with the area around my right shoulder blade but i was wondering if maybe my form could be incorrect
When I started powerlifting. I had made the mistake of pinching my shoulder blades together too much— it’s a common mistake. I found it caused unnecessary strain on muscles that can’t handle heavy DL/RDL loads and I was able to pull better/heavier when I corrected it.
Since I got downvoted, here is an article on the subject as well as a Jeff Nippard video on RDL form where he emphasizes packing the lats, but notice his shoulders are not “pinched” like you might see when squatting, for example.
Idk if this is the problem you are having, but this knowledge helped me get better and I wanted to clarify I’m not speaking out of my ass.
https://www.tucsonstrength.com/deadlift-powerlifting-coaching-tucson/
https://youtu.be/_oyxCn2iSjU?si=WCcQ3ABccKUdtKrO
The armpit cue is good—but to be clear, you should not be retracting your shoulder blades for DL movements. That might be the cause of your pain. The lats should be engaged, but if your shoulder blades are retracted you’re putting too much stress on those muscles. The cue that helped me was to think “long arms”.
You could be rounding your back. Think of pulling your shoulder blades down and together and your chin toward your chest before the RDL. You can use the imagery of squeezing something in your armpit as well if that helps. Make sure the bar or dumbbells are close to your body the entire movement as well.
i don’t know what your typical daily diet is like but you could keep having whatever you usually have just in smaller amounts so you can fit in some veggies instead? for example let’s say normally you would have a type of protein with just rice/pasta, you could have a bit less of rice/pasta and add in some veggies instead of that.
when i was on a cut i was eating a lot of veggies because they are low calorie and it’s really easy to make high volume meals with them! i still eat a lot of veggies because i love them and they are quite filling too
All of my lunches and dinners are very vegetable-heavy. Vegetables have a low caloric density so they are a great way to make large filling meals that still fit within your calorie budget. I eat things like salads, curries, stir fries, and pasta dishes. Super easy to incorporate lots of vegetables into meals like these!
If you post some examples of what you eat in a day, maybe we could offer more specific suggestions!
Ok so I’m just getting into squatting and I realised I need to progress to barbell squats as I simply don’t have the form/motion down Pat. So I started today with body weight squats and oh man - I really struggle doing even ONE and going deep in the squat (A2G). I maybe did 2-3 before I was unable to get up from the squat and had to push on my legs to get back up.
Am I doing something wrong? Is it a matter of building balance and flexibility as well as strength? Did anyone else struggle with doing body weight squats with good form and a deep squat (below parallel)?? Feeling like such a noob honestly
>Is it a matter of building balance and flexibility as well as strength?
Yep! All of the above.
It is very, very common to struggle with this at the beginning. Some things that will help:
* Do some ankle stretches before you squat. (Ones that bring the top of your foot toward your shin.)
* Allow your knees to go forward during the squat, and make sure you're bringing your hips *down* and not just back. (Some coaches like to cue "hips back," but it's possible to overdo this and end up hingeing forward rather than squatting down.)
* Try to keep your weight in the middle of your foot throughout the lift, not all on your toes and not all on your heels.
* If you can't squat as deep as you like, still squat as deep as you can. Your mobility and balance will improve over time.
It may be a matter of building strength, flexibility and/or balance. There are a few things to try to help you - you could try box squats, also try adjusting your stance (trying a wider or narrower stance, adjusting if your toes are pointed more/less out), and you can also try elevating your heels (if ankle mobility is the limiting factor, this helps you achieve depth).
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Welcome to our Daily Simple Questions thread - we're excited to have you hang out with us, especially if you're new to the sub. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small.
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Very stupid question but do we genetically bias building muscle in some areas very quickly? My shoulders are crazy levels of jacked to the point that they look like ones that belong on a bodybuilder, but nothing else is popping to that degree (at all). I’m not mad about it but I’m confused given I don’t necessarily intentionally train them that much.
Yes, genetics has a big influence on where you easily gain muscle
Do heavier weights actually create bigger arm muscles? I used to have barely any muscle, and then I started doing arms this past year. I love feeling strong but idk if I love having my arms this big 😭 Is there a way to make my arms smaller again?
I know weight lifting increases your TDEE, but out of curiosity, does having DOMS mean your calorie expenditure is higher than on days when you don't have DOMS? (Because your muscles are repairing themselves? Is that how this works? lol)
No. Also, your muscles will be repairing themselves after any workout, not just ones that cause DOMS.
Copy that.
any alt exercises to barbell squats? i fucking hate squats but i want want grow all those muscles. i do the machines and have been progressing in weight but i have this notion that none of the muscles will actually grow unless i do squats and i really don’t want to do squats lol i can’t for the life of me get the form right and i just don’t enjoy doing them. a split squat + dumbbell is the most i’ll do but even then i struggle with the balance and foot placement
Goblet, DB side loaded squat, skater squat, landmine b stance squat, RFESS, split squat, reverse lunge, forward lunge, walking lunge, forward to reverse lunge, trap bar deadlift, b stance, landmine Cossack squat, landmine/db lateral lunge, iso split squat, single leg leg press, etc. Ton of squat variations. Pick something you like and progress it until you can’t then move on. I didn’t squat for a few years and it’s okay
I like doing reverse lunges with a barbell. You could also do them on a smith machine.
Walking lunges, leg press.
Does anyone have recommendations for Pilates workout videos online? Are random ones on YouTube alright as a start? Trying to branch out my fitness a bit!
You have to start somewhere! If you get really into it, it’s probably worth doing at least a few classes with an instructor who can check your form, but no harm in easing in. MIKMILLMOVEMENT is one of my favourite IRL yoga/pilates and I’m psyched she’s started her own YouTube channel. Her accompanying playlists are also great.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll do that.
So someone mentioned to me that doing upright rows to tackle traps is not ideal because of risk of shoulder impingement. Doing some research, it seems that they may be right and given my previous issue with my shoulder, I'm starting to consider not doing that one. Can anyone shed more light on this? I rarely do this one anyway and typically do shrugs or face pulls as it feels better overall vs barbell/dumbbell.
Upright rows, if we are talking about the same exercise (holding the barbell with arms fully extended and then pulling the barbell up to about collarbone/chin height, elbows even with the bar height, give or take), are actually not even a trap exercise: they're for shoulders. But yes, they can cause a risk for shoulder impingement because they can put the shoulder in a a vulnerable position (the same one they use to actually test for impingement). To my knowledge there are safer forms of the exercise that can be performed, but I just skip them in general. For traps you're best to stick with just regular rows or variations of regular rows (dumbbell, machine, Kroc, Pendlay, etc.), but not upright rows. Shrugs are also okay, though they're mostly for upper traps.
Thanks for insight! I’ll eliminate it from my routine.
How much cardio is too much? My rheumatologist looked slightly alarmed when I told her I’m swimming up to 8 hours/week (usually closer to 5) but I don’t feel like I’m over-exerting & I’m not losing dramatic amounts of weight or anything. I just really like swimming.
Generally speaking, if you feel fine, you're probably fine. But since you have a medical issue, it's best to ask your doctor.
I’m no expert, but based on my long years of exercising - if your workouts energize and excite you rather than fatigue you or cause stress, then I think you’re fine. Especially something low-impact like swimming should be a safe bet. Good on you for finding something you love!
I usually do somewhere between 6-9 hrs a week, and it doesn't even feel like a lot to me. Sometimes I think medical professionals are so used to seeing people who don't exercise, that something like 8 hrs might seem excessive to them. Heck, I've done single hikes that lasted 8 hours.
does anyone experience pain around their mid back/shoulder blades while doing rdls? is there something i can do to prevent that from happening? i’ve always had issues with the area around my right shoulder blade but i was wondering if maybe my form could be incorrect
When I started powerlifting. I had made the mistake of pinching my shoulder blades together too much— it’s a common mistake. I found it caused unnecessary strain on muscles that can’t handle heavy DL/RDL loads and I was able to pull better/heavier when I corrected it. Since I got downvoted, here is an article on the subject as well as a Jeff Nippard video on RDL form where he emphasizes packing the lats, but notice his shoulders are not “pinched” like you might see when squatting, for example. Idk if this is the problem you are having, but this knowledge helped me get better and I wanted to clarify I’m not speaking out of my ass. https://www.tucsonstrength.com/deadlift-powerlifting-coaching-tucson/ https://youtu.be/_oyxCn2iSjU?si=WCcQ3ABccKUdtKrO
The armpit cue is good—but to be clear, you should not be retracting your shoulder blades for DL movements. That might be the cause of your pain. The lats should be engaged, but if your shoulder blades are retracted you’re putting too much stress on those muscles. The cue that helped me was to think “long arms”.
You could be rounding your back. Think of pulling your shoulder blades down and together and your chin toward your chest before the RDL. You can use the imagery of squeezing something in your armpit as well if that helps. Make sure the bar or dumbbells are close to your body the entire movement as well.
[удалено]
I just toss salad with my two large protein meals.
i don’t know what your typical daily diet is like but you could keep having whatever you usually have just in smaller amounts so you can fit in some veggies instead? for example let’s say normally you would have a type of protein with just rice/pasta, you could have a bit less of rice/pasta and add in some veggies instead of that. when i was on a cut i was eating a lot of veggies because they are low calorie and it’s really easy to make high volume meals with them! i still eat a lot of veggies because i love them and they are quite filling too
All of my lunches and dinners are very vegetable-heavy. Vegetables have a low caloric density so they are a great way to make large filling meals that still fit within your calorie budget. I eat things like salads, curries, stir fries, and pasta dishes. Super easy to incorporate lots of vegetables into meals like these! If you post some examples of what you eat in a day, maybe we could offer more specific suggestions!
Ok so I’m just getting into squatting and I realised I need to progress to barbell squats as I simply don’t have the form/motion down Pat. So I started today with body weight squats and oh man - I really struggle doing even ONE and going deep in the squat (A2G). I maybe did 2-3 before I was unable to get up from the squat and had to push on my legs to get back up. Am I doing something wrong? Is it a matter of building balance and flexibility as well as strength? Did anyone else struggle with doing body weight squats with good form and a deep squat (below parallel)?? Feeling like such a noob honestly
I suspect you just need to do them more. If you're unsure of your form, post a form check video.
>Is it a matter of building balance and flexibility as well as strength? Yep! All of the above. It is very, very common to struggle with this at the beginning. Some things that will help: * Do some ankle stretches before you squat. (Ones that bring the top of your foot toward your shin.) * Allow your knees to go forward during the squat, and make sure you're bringing your hips *down* and not just back. (Some coaches like to cue "hips back," but it's possible to overdo this and end up hingeing forward rather than squatting down.) * Try to keep your weight in the middle of your foot throughout the lift, not all on your toes and not all on your heels. * If you can't squat as deep as you like, still squat as deep as you can. Your mobility and balance will improve over time.
It may be a matter of building strength, flexibility and/or balance. There are a few things to try to help you - you could try box squats, also try adjusting your stance (trying a wider or narrower stance, adjusting if your toes are pointed more/less out), and you can also try elevating your heels (if ankle mobility is the limiting factor, this helps you achieve depth).
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/AutoModerator Welcome to our Daily Simple Questions thread - we're excited to have you hang out with us, especially if you're new to the sub. Are you confused about the FAQ or have a basic question about an exercise / alternatives? Do you have a quick question about calculating TDEE, lift numbers, running times, swimming intervals, or the like? Post here and the folks of xxfitness will help you answer your questions, no matter how big or small. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*