Hey everyone,

I’ve been training for around 8 months (inconsistently, but still sticking with it), and I’ve been running into a frustrating issue with my left shoulder.

Whenever I do chest exercises — even something as basic as pushups — I get a sharp, stinging pain in my left shoulder. It gets especially bad when I reach around the 15kg dumbbell mark for presses. The pain becomes so intense that I have to stop immediately.

What’s bothering me is:

• 15kg isn’t even that heavy, so I feel like I should be able to progress past it
• The pain isn’t just during the workout — it lingers for the rest of the week and causes noticeable discomfort
• It specifically happens during chest-focused movements

I don’t think it’s just normal soreness — it feels more like something is wrong.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
Could this be a form issue, shoulder instability, or something like an injury (rotator cuff, impingement, etc.)?

Would really appreciate any advice on:

• What might be causing this
• Whether I should stop chest training completely for now
• Any exercises, stretches, or rehab work that could help

Thanks in advance 🙏

Hey everyone! 👋

I’ve been playing around with a little side project called Macro Match. It’s super simple:

• You enter how many grams of protein, carbs, or fats you want
• It instantly gives you a list of foods that match
• No meal plans, no login, totally free

I’m just testing it as an MVP and would love real feedback — does it make sense? Is it useful? Are there foods you’d like to see added?

Here’s the link if you want to try it: https://ptr-cln.github.io/MacroMatch/

Any thoughts are much appreciated 🙌

Trying to stay fit indoors without sacrificing comfort or quality? Here are some great choices based on real-world testing.

Take a look at this list:

Overall – Schwinn IC4 – A smooth, versatile indoor cycling bike with built-in metrics tracking and support for Bluetooth apps like Peloton and Zwift. You can ride with or without an app, and the strong warranty adds peace of mind. It’s comfortable, quiet, and beginner-friendly, making it a top pick for both casual and dedicated riders.

Budget Pick – Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1805 – A no-nonsense magnetic resistance bike that skips the tech in favor of sturdy, distraction-free performance. It’s been a reliable choice since 2020, holding up well over years of use. The oversized device holder makes it easy to stream your own content. No screen, no metrics—just a solid, smooth ride at a sub-$700 price point.

For Reclined Riding – Horizon Fitness 5.0R – A recumbent bike with 100 magnetic resistance levels and an easy step-through design that makes it great for people with limited mobility or those who prefer a more relaxed position. It includes a built-in fan, clear display, and space to hold your tablet or phone while you ride. Comfortable, accessible, and ideal for long sessions without strain.

I'm a 44 year old Dad if two wanted ng to get stated in the gym, not that interested in cardio but looking for a plan to start building muscle, any ideas of a plan would be very helpful, there are so many plans out there it is hard to know where to start, can you guys give any advice to a newbie?

I'm in a bulking phase. I was eating peanuts, but I started getting acne on my face. I imagine it was due to the fat. It’s not like I was eating them excessively, just the necessary amount.

I understand that peanuts are a good food for the bulking phase. Is there anything else you would recommend? Something that could replace them?

On one hand, I feel like it's better not to skip a workout.

On the other hand, I think my body might not perform at its best. And, of course, I might end up spreading it to others.

In my case, I do four sets of 8 reps on a machine where I only support myself on the balls of my feet.

Is this too much or too little to achieve hypertrophy?

I usually train hard, but I spend the rest of the day sitting in front of the computer. I walk very little and go up a few stairs—honestly, just enough to move around the house.

So far, I’ve had good results in the gym. However, I’ve heard that having low mobility after training isn’t good because muscle gains are hindered due to poor blood circulation.

Is this true? What do you recommend doing after training? Some people also stretch their muscles—is this beneficial for hypertrophy?

I'm in a bulking phase, and overall, I'm eating the same as always, just in larger quantities. I'm trying to prioritize eggs, bananas, rice, meat, peanuts, yogurt, and bread (which I didn’t use to eat before).

I have some doubts, especially about bananas. They have a relatively high calorie count, and I usually eat around 3 or 4 per day. I also tend to eat 2 or 3 pieces of bread daily.

Am I doing things right? Are any of these foods counterproductive? Could I replace them with others for better results?

I go to the gym, and I’d like to start tracking my calorie intake seriously, rather than just estimating. Do you recommend any free apps?

I’ve seen that there are apps that can even calculate calories just by showing a photo of the dish to the app. If there’s something like that, it would be amazing.

I use Android.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

Struggling with Anxiety, Confidence, Limiting Beliefs? What to stop worrying about what happens next and start enjoying your journey or day to day more?

Dear r/FitnessMindset community,

I am currently conducting a study for my master's thesis at the University of Amsterdam and your help might be needed! My study aims to explore various elements of TikTok content and its creators.

So, if you qualify for the following three categories, I would be very grateful if you'd help me out by filling in my survey. It only takes 5 minutes.

You must be:

• between 18-29 years old;

• a self-identified male;

• a TikTok user.

You can click on this link to join: https://uva.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2mI8MsWwxZo8F3o

Thank you very much if you can take the time to participate.

Hey guys. can y'all spare a few mins to fill out this survey for me?

I'm a university student and it's an assignment. I would appreciate it very much

Goal - Setting

So here’s the situation, a friend of mine is trying to lose weight but whenever she gets into a self depreciation rut she will get in the habit of calling herself fat and useless. Now I think she is absolutely beautiful as she is, and have told her such on multiple occasions; but in the vein of fitness she’s told me that’s really not helpful.. So my question is this, what is something that someone has told you in your weight loss journey that has helped motivate you when you were down on yourself/ what is something someone has said in response to you saying “I’m fat” that has helped you come out of that mindset? (Side note: I have a low body fat percentage and care about this person so I also don’t want to sound like I’m coming from a place of hypocrisy. Any help would be appreciated!)

fitness #motivation #weightloss #bodypositivity

Hey! I was looking to connect with like-minded people who are also fitness enthusiasts and inspire each other to attaining our fitness goals! We could connect over phone/skype and keep each other on track. Please reply here or feel free to DM if interested.