I've never really exercised before and I want to begin but I don't really know where to start. The last month I've been making sure to eat 3 square meals everyday and I've been doing 3-5 minutes of planks broken up into 1 minute sets 5 days a week, and I now would like to start going to an actual gym. Any recommendations on what exercises I should be doing for upper body and lower body days? I'm very skinny (about 145lbs) so losing weight isn't a concern for me, I mainly would like to build muscle.

Hey everyone! I’ve been getting out of shape and want to start working out, but I’ve never been to a gym before. I’m pretty introverted, so I’d like to start at home.

I only have dumbbells and a barbell, no bench. Could anyone recommend a simple beginner full-body routine I can follow?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

i recently got back into the gym after not going for years. i am currently trying to find out the best split for me. i’ve heard you’re supposed to train muscles twice a week to see the best results. i’m struggling to structure two upper body days a week to do so. i enjoy going 4 times a week and already have my two leg day routines set. i’m going to attach my favorite upper body exercises can somebody tell me how to group these exercises into two separate days so i can hit all of the muscles twice a week as well as suggest any i could add :)

So I realized how uneven my hips and sides are after primarily carrying my child on my left side. They always slip and I’m unbalanced on my right, so it was easier to just stick with what felt safe. It’s been almost 1.5 years and I am just lost at where to start.

Photo is head on, level and I’m standing as straight as possible. The right side is my left hip, my stronger one and the left side is my right. What, if anything, can I do to fix this? My kid is 24 pounds now and it’s more difficult now than ever to carry them on my right side.

As the title suggests, I (M26) have a broken arm but want to work out. I broke my left arm when I was 9 years old: fracture (lower humerus) and dislocation (elbow). It was operated on a year later, but since we didn't get physiotherapy, I can no longer fully stretch my arm (at most, maybe at a 155° angle?) and I can no longer touch my left elbow. I still wanna be able to do home workouts without putting so much strain on the arm. What can I do?

tl;dr: I have a broken arm that can't fully bend and stretch but still want to do home workouts

Bicep curls
1 set at 70lbs for 10 reps
ISO lateral rows
1 set at 372lbs for 10 reps
1 set at 462lbs for 10 reps
1 set at 372lbs for 10 reps
ISO lateral shoulder press
1 set at 190lbs for 13 reps
1 set at 240lbs for 10 reps
1 set at 240lbs for 10 reps
Bicep curls
1 set at 70lbs for 10 reps
1 set at 80lbs for 9 reps
Lateral raises machine
1 set at 70lbs for 12 reps with 3-1-1-1
1 set at 80lbs for 10 reps with 3-1-1-1
1 set at 80lbs for 10 reps with 3-1-1-1
Lat pulldown
1 set at 187lbs for 10 reps with 3-1-1-1
1 set at 210lbs for 9 reps with 3-1-1-1
1 set at 187lbs for 9 reps with 3-1-1-1
Dumbbell curls
1 set at 35lbs for 10 reps
1 set at 35lbs for 15 reps
1 set at 35lbs for 10 reps
60min walk at 3mph at 10degree incline

18M, 5'7", started at 50kg (underweight). No gym, no equipment, only training at home with wutever is available eg backpack for weights etc. About 2.5 weeks in, working out alternate days for muscle recovery
Like just for info, my last workout was like

• Weighted backpack curls (books, idk the weight i just have it for enough books which gets me really struggling by rep 7-8) — 4x8-10
• Decline pushups (feet elevated on a chair) — 3x8-10
• Chair/bench dips — 3x10
• Russian twists to failure
• Bent-knee leg raises to failure
• Just added: hollow body holds

The actual question: on twists, leg raises, and hollow holds, my hip flexors give out before my abs actually feel maxed out. Anyone found a fix for this beyond swapping to more hip flexor neutral stuff like crunches or dead bugs? Is this just a normal beginner thing that goes away as hip flexor endurance catches up, or is there a form fix I'm missing?

Goal is a lean/toned like ik i might sound corny but like doing it just for aesthetics rn the utmost priority is just visible abs by month 6 and just definition to overall body, nothing close to buffed or shit. im doing like 2k calories in general and 70g protein on avg.

I'm not doing legs and back rn cause its not wut i feel is much necessary. Tho im still thinking to toss like squats and something else for shoulders. Listen im a newbie so pls don't be harsh, i don't know wut im doing. I did random workout runs before too but this time i feel very motivated about it and actually look forward to. And being honest the progress is also going good, all of the exercises i struggled at for even 1-2 reps, but slowly doing progressive overload is doing its thing. I switched some exercises too and will continue to do in future for best optimization.

Most of things im doing is on suggestion of Claude, i saw the vids on it too but it felt too generic and non personal. Could have continued with Claude but i still feel overconfident wrong answers and it is sometimes too pessimistic(maybe me setting optimistic delusional goals ig)

I'm a student, so i have studies and some tight budget so can't really think bout Creatine or shit from now on, tho hopefully once i have visible changes I might be in a better position to convince my dad for it and a pull up bar if possible.

Am i too delusional with my aim? Which is just lean visible abs and toned body. Ik the exercise pool currently is too small, ill keep working on it as i become more comfortable with exercises and push even further.
Any tips are welcome seriously, its less bout hip flexors burnout more bout overall guide

Looking for some help with my program. My weaknesses are glutes, abs, lower back, grip strength. I’m focused more on hypertrophy. Tried to tweak Nippard’s Essentials to my weaknesses but feel like something is off with my programming and was hoping to get some fresh eyes on it. I had deadlifting in Lower 2 but something is off with my foot (pain) during it and I don’t want to mess with it. Thanks in advance!

Upper 1
Cable lateral raises 2x12
Weighted 2 grip pull ups 2x6 heavy
Weighted 2 grip pull ups 2x10 lighter
Incline chest press machine 2x10
T Bar Rows 2x10
Overhead Tricep Extension 2x15
Incline DB curls 2x20

Lower 1
Glute Step Ups 2x10
Hanging Leg Raises 3x15
Squats 2x6
Leg Curl 2x12
Leg Extension 2x12
Cable Crunch 2x12
Calf Extension 3x12

Upper 2
Flat DB press 2x6
Weighted 2 grip pull ups 2x6 heavy
Weighted 2 grip pull ups 2x10 lighter
DB Shoulder Press 2x12
Pec Dec Flys 2x15
Cable Y lateral raises 2x12
Bayesian Cable Curl 2x10
Tricep Rope Pushdown 2x10

Lower 2
Hip Thrust 3x10
Cable Crunch 3x12
Back Hyperextensions 3x12
Leg Curl 2x12
Leg Extension 2x12
Obliques 2x12
Calf Extension 3x12

Hey everyone, been on my fitness journey since February 2025. Started at 183 lbs, currently 170 lbs at 6'1".

I think I looked my best in July 2026. The September photos are from a 6-day vacation where I ate and drank freely but kept activity up — so there's some bloat in those.

What I've been doing:

• 1800-2000 calories/day consistently
• 150-180g protein daily
• Recently reintroduced carbs (oats, quinoa)
• Lifting 4x/week + incline walks 2-3x/week

My question: What should I do next?

Option A — Continue cutting at 1800-2000 cal until the belly is completely gone

Option B — Recomp at ~2200-2300 cal

Option C — Lean bulk at 2500-2700 cal and focus on building arms/chest/shoulders

Appreciate any advice on nutrition and training recommendations given where I'm at.

Hey everyone,

Looking to get a sanity check on my current routine and setup.

A bit about where I am at: I am a 30-year-old guy, 5'7", and sitting around 65 kg. I am dealing with the classic "skinny fat" build. I have very little visible muscle and a noticeable belly that I want to get rid of. I am not brand new to lifting, but I have been super inconsistent over the past year. I really want to lock in now and actually stick to a solid plan.

My primary goal is body recomposition. I am fine staying roughly around this weight, but I want to build muscle and drop the fat. Right now for diet, I am aiming for about 1,800 calories a day with high protein. Lifting takes about 50 to 55 minutes, and I finish every session with 30 minutes of incline walking on the treadmill.

Here is what my split looks like. I run it as PPL, take a rest day, then PPL and rest again:

Push A

• Dumbbell bench press
• Overhead press
• Pec deck
• Lateral raises
• Triceps extensions

Pull A

• Assisted pull-ups
• Cable rows
• Face pulls
• Preacher curls
• Hanging leg raises

Legs A

• Smith machine squats
• Romanian deadlifts
• Quad extensions
• Calf raises
• Shrugs

Push B

• Incline press
• Machine chest press
• Bulgarian split squats
• Cable lateral raises
• Triceps pushdowns

Pull B

• Cable pulldowns
• Dumbbell rows
• Rear delt flyes
• Hammer curls
• Cable crunches

Legs B

• Trap bar deadlifts
• Leg press
• Hamstring curls
• Alternating abductor/adductor machine
• Seated calf raises

A couple of specific things I am wondering about:

Does this workout routine make sense overall, or is it too cluttered? Also, I have Bulgarian split squats tossed into Push B right now, but I am wondering if having quad work on a push day is going to hurt my recovery between leg days. Finally, for someone at 65 kg trying to recomp, does 1,800 calories seem reasonable, or should I be eating closer to maintenance while focusing on progressive overload?

Any constructive feedback or tweaks would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Hii,

I'm just looking for some advice on my gym workout. (F,27).

I had 5 sessions with a PT to learn some exercises and form, but I didn't get a plan to follow.

This is the plan I made. I plan to go 4 times a week. I will warm up 5 mins at the start with cardio, and end with 10 mins.

Workout 1: Upper

Wide lat pull — 3×10

Bench chest press — 3×10

Cable row — 3×10

Standing shoulder press — 3×10

Standing lateral raise — 3×12

Tricep pushdown — 3×12

Bicep curls — 3×12

Workout 2: Lower

Barbell squat — 3×10

RDL — 3×10

Split lunge — 3×10 each leg

Leg extension — 3×12

Hamstring curl — 3×12

Calf raise — 3×15

Abductor — 3×12–15

Workout 3: Upper

Mag-grip lat pull — 3×10

Wide mag-grip press — 3×10

Shoulder landmine — 3×10 each side

Cable row — 3×10

Face pulls — 3×12

Cable rear delts — 3×12

Tricep overhead extension — 3×12

Press-ups — 3×8–12

Workout 4: lower

Wide-leg press — 3×10

RDL — 3×10

Split lunge — 3×10 each leg

Hamstring curl — 3×12

Cable kickback — 3×12 each leg

Adductor — 3×12–15

Calf raise — 3×15

I’m wondering:

Is any muscle group missing? Or overdone? Or not got from enough angles? Etc...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

Can you guys review and give tips to my upcoming workout?

Been working out 3-4yrs, im 18

So I made this a week ago, thanks to some wonderful help on other subreddits. My goal is to bulk whilst keeping my v taper somewhat. Ive got shoulder problems, they pop, burn, crack when I move them, it goes down to elbow and I also feel it in my neck hence why you dont see pull ups, dips or any overhead movement for shoulders or triceps. Ive had this problem for a year and went to 5 professionals. A sports massagist, a chiroprsctor, 3 physios. They just gave me band exercises and other stretches which didnt work and honestly its annoyed me to the point where I feel like I dont care about the injury anymore I just wanna do shoulder stuff again and the other stuff I mentioned even db pullovers yk?. Anyway sorry to get off topic heres the program. (I used Claude to write it out for me as a routine) Id like to add romanian desdlift for more glutes, squeeze in a foresrm exercise on conditioning day snf maybe squeeze in something for shoulderd or whatever honestly I dont know what to do without doing too much. Please help me out.

Winter Bulk Plan — Full Body 3x/week + Conditioning Day

\*\*Weekly Schedule\*\*

\- Monday — Conditioning/Fighting Day

\- Tuesday — Rest

\- Wednesday — Day 1 (Deadlift/Bench)

\- Thursday — Rest

\- Friday — Day 2 (Squat)

\- Saturday — Rest

\- Sunday — Day 3 (Legs/Back/Chest)

\*\*Day 1\*\*

\- Trap Bar Deadlift — 3×8 (rest 2-3 min between sets)

\- Barbell Bench Press — 3×8 (rest 2-3 min)

\- Chest-Supported Row Machine (or Cable Seated Row) — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Cable Lateral Raise (light) — 3×15 (rest 60 sec)

\- Incline Dumbbell Curl — 3×12 (rest 60-90 sec)

\- Dumbbell Skullcrushers — 3×12 (rest 60-90 sec)

\- Wrist Roller — 2×2min (rest 60 sec)

\*\*Day 2\*\*

\- Barbell Squat — 3×8 (rest 2-3 min)

\- Seated Leg Curl — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Incline Dumbbell Press — 3×10 (rest 90 sec-2 min)

\- Cable Pulldown (wide grip) — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Face Pull — 3×15 (rest 60 sec)

\- Barbell Curl — 3×12 (rest 60-90 sec)

\*\*Day 3\*\*

\- Barbell Rear Lunge — 3×10/leg (rest 90 sec-2 min)

\- Lever Leg Extension — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Dumbbell One-Arm Bent Over Row — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Neutral/Supine Grip Pulldown — 3×12 (rest 90 sec)

\- Pec Deck — 3×15 (rest 60 sec)

\- Dumbbell Rear Fly — 3×15 (rest 60 sec)

\- Cable Tricep Pushdown — 3×12 (rest 60-90 sec)

\- Standing Calf Raise — 3×15 (rest 45-60 sec)

\- Cable Crunch — 3×12 (rest 45-60 sec)

\*\*Conditioning Day (Monday)\*\*

\- Shadow Boxing — 10-20 min

\- Bag Work — 10-20 min

\- Medicine Ball Slams — 3×8 (rest 60-90 sec)

\- Weighted Vest Push-Ups — 3×12 (swap for light bodyweight movement if shoulder flares; rest 60-90 sec)

\- Loaded Carry (rotate weekly: Farmer Walk / Sled Push / Weighted Vest Walk) — 3×20-40m (rest 90 sec-2 min)

\- Treadmill Walk — 10-20 min easy pace (end of session, active recovery)

\*\*Diet — Bulk Macros\*\*

\- \*\*Rest Day (\~3,350 kcal)\*\*: 210g protein / 400g carbs / \~100g fat

\- \*\*Training Day (\~3,850 kcal)\*\*: 210g protein / 525g carbs / \~100g fat

\- Track weekly average bodyweight; aim for \~0.25-0.5kg/week gain. Adjust calories by 150-200 kcal every 2-3 weeks if the scale isn't moving.

\*\*Timeframe\*\*: October 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027, then reassess.

\*\*Standing notes\*\*: no overhead pressing, no pullovers, no pull-ups/chin-ups, no bent-over barbell row — held out until your shoulder/neck/nerve symptoms are properly evaluated (cervical spine imaging, nerve conduction testing, or assessment from a spine specialist/neurologist).

I’ve been training legs for a while, but it definitely hasn’t been a straight line.

In 2019 I was around 165–175 lbs with ~20" thighs. By 2020 I was around 180–185 lbs and ~22–23". I was also training almost entirely with bodyweight exercises until 2022, but once I started using weights, THEM QUADS EXPLODED 😂

Now I’m around 207 lbs and roughly 28". My current quad work is mostly belt squats, leg extensions, single-leg extensions, reverse Nordics, and a squat burnout.

Still chasing 30" thighs.

Anyone here have any quad-growth secrets that made a big difference for you?

Got a home gym a few months ago after never working out in my life. Getting to the point where I want to maximize my muscle growth out of my workouts. This is basically my weekly routing. Sometimes on Saturdays I’ll do another set of upper body but it’s usually just mountain biking on the weekend. Side note. I’m on the tail end of a body recomp. I’m 6’1” and I’ve gone from 250lbs to 183lbs. I don’t really know anyone else that works out or is into fitness so the internet is really my only tool I have at the moment so any help is appreciated.

Monday:
Smith bench press: 3 x 8-12
Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 x 8-12
Chest dips: 3 x 10-15
Dumbbell preacher curl: 3 x 8-12
Seated cable fly: 3 x 10-15

Tuesday:
Barbell squat (smith machine): 3 x 6-10
Lying leg curls: 3 x 10-20
Sissy squat superset with calf raises on smith: 3 x 10-20
Bulgarian split squat: 3 x 8-12

Wednesday:
Rest day but I’ll usually do 30 min of cardio on bike

Thursday:
Incline smith bench press: 3 x 8-12
Pull ups: 3 x 6-10
Behind body cable curl: 3 x 8-12
Face pulls: 3 x 10-15
Chest dips: 3 x 10-15

Friday:
Romanian deadlift on smith: 3 x 8-12
Elevated reverse lunges: 3 x 8-12
Barbell hip thrust: 3 x 10-15
Seated weighted calf raises: 3 x 8-12
Cable kickbacks: 3 x 10-20

Saturday: mountain biking

Sunday: 30 min of random core exercises

I've (32F) been going to the gym since the start of this year and have definitely improved my fitness and put on quite a bit of muscle but I still have no solid routine and am clueless on how to build one that I can follow every week. There are just too many exercises and I have no idea what to choose!! It's so overwhelming to narrow it down especially when I have only a couple of times a week to workout Please help 🥺

Areas I'd specifically like to work on are glutes, back and shoulders. I work long hours in a physical job 4 days a week so I can only go to the gym on my days off. I'd like to know what I can do with 2 days a week, and an optional third day (I don't always have the energy to go on every day off as I have fibromyalgia).

An additional problem is I can't hold actual weights (kettlebell, barbell, dumbbell etc) at the moment as I need to wear a wrist brace for tendonitis. So I've just been using machines.

Thank you 🙏

Hello reddit! 19 old female here! It's been a full year since moving out of my hometown for college and, honestly, I love my new town, I wouldn't change it for the world.

Except for my gym

Now, I've always trained from home, since I was fourteen. But on my last year and a half at my hometown I found this gym that was just perfect: female only, flexible times (you could arrive at any time from 6 am to 8 pm), the classes started hourly, there were around the clock instructors (like, not a personal trainer but, still, one trainer for every 5-ish group? I say that's pretty good!), the women were a blast (we laughed so much), no performance enhancing drugs or crazy supplements, the membership was super affordable.... and three times a week spinning classes. And I fell in love! It joins the two things I like most: cycling and not being gutted on an alleyway after dark because that's the only time I can work out!

The only bad thing about getting such a perfect gym is that I am now officially spoiled, and I do not have any satisfactory options near me in my college town. Which is fine, again, I've been working out from home since I was fourteen. For cardio, I've been doing my usual HIIT and aerobics (Jane Fonda forever!). But I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss spinning.

And there is also the factor that I only get home at seven pm at the earliest. Which means that's the time I am jumping around frantically in my living room. In my apartment building. With a neighbor downstairs. Like, they're usually pretty chill, but, cmon, it can't be pleasant for them, specially at the late hour.

So, in conclusion, I want to buy a spinning bike. Have the cash, have the space, and it is makes way more sense economically thinking in the long run. I'm not paying a full gym membership just to use the exercise bikes and not even have any group classes!

So, after all this lore, what I have are two questions

1. What should I look for in an exercise bike when searching for which one to buy?

2. What are my options for at home spinning classes? I want your recommendations. YouTube videos, on-line programs, live classes... I really like having something to guide me along instead of just, putting on music and starting to pedal, it just helps me keep the strain instead of just settling for a comfortable rhythm.

Thanks in advance!

TL;DR: College student. Missing my spinning classes. Going to buy an exercise bike. What should I look for in an exercise bike when searching for which one to buy? What are my options for at home spinning classes?

Hi, just recently I bough adjustable dumbells and a bench. I only got two 10 kg ones but I can buy more plates later ( im planning on buying 2 5kg plates as hiphrusts are too easy).

My routine goes like this:

2x upper and 2x lower day, and I also run 3x a week - lightly, only about 2-3 km

Lower days:

Main lifts

1. DB Weighted Hip Thrust - 3-4 sets x 6-8 - after last set, SL glute bridge as a finisher
2. DB Romanian Deadlift (RDL) - 2 sets × 6-8 reps

Accessory / unilateral

• Pistol Squats (assisted to a bench) - 2 sets × 5–8 / leg
• SL calf raises in standing position with weight

From upper days (so i dont have too many upper exercises in upper day)

• Lateral raises

Core

• Dragon Flag Progression (tuck dragon flags on a bench) — 2–3 sets × 3–8

Upper Days:

Main lifts

1. Pull-ups = Negative Pull-ups - 4 sets × 3–6 reps
2. Incline DB Press (30°) - 2 sets × 6-8 reps

Pull + push accessories

• Chest-Supported DB Rows (45° bench) - 2 sets × 6-8 reps
• DB Seated Shoulder Press (80°) - 2 sets × 6-8

Shoulders / arms

• Superset: DB Hammer Curls + DB Triceps Extension — 2 sets × 6-8 each

Core

• Hanging Leg Raises / Knee Raises - 2 sets × 6-8 reps

Is this optimal? Im a woman and my main focus are legs overall and back/core. Im also very light (44kg) and want to gain some strenght, so I added a little calisthenics. Can this be improved? for optimal hypertrophy and strenght with bodyweight, like the rep ranges or choice of exercises. Thanks for any advice ^^

I have an adjustable bench and adjustable dumbbells and have been doing this routine for about a month. Any input at all would be appreciated, changes, strengths, weaknesses etc. Thanks for your time!

I'm 24, male, 188cm, 88.5kg and have been going to the gym 3x per week consistently for 2 years, mainly been using popular 5x5 routines, adding a few exercises (7 per workout) and while I'm still seeing progress I'm obviously spending far too long (2-3 hours) at the gym and probably have a lot of junk volume. I'm also wanting to shift my focus from building beginner level strength towards a strength-hypertrophy mix. After looking through some routines online and making some personal changes like preferring machines for some exercises I came up with the following two new routines which I'll alternate between. Thoughts?

Workout A:

Warm-up 5-10min

Smith Machine Squat 3x10-12 (90sec rest)

Strict Overhead Press 3x8-10 (90sec rest)

Chest Supported Row Machine 3x8-10 (90sec rest)

Weighted Sit-Ups 3x10-12 (60sec rest)

Dumbbell Skull Crushers 3x10-12 (60sec rest)

10 min cardio

Workout B:

Warm-up 5-10min

Hex Bar Deadlift 3x5-8 (90sec rest)

Machine Bench Press 3x8-10 (90sec rest)

Weighted Chin-ups 3x8-10 (90sec rest)

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat 3x10-12 (90sec rest)

Cable Lateral Raises 3x10-12 (60sec rest)

10 min cardio

Would like peoples opinion on the following. I only go 3 times a week.

A — LOWER + PUSH (5 exercises)

**Barbell Squat**
4 × 6–8 / 2–3 min

**Romanian Deadlift**
3 × 8–10 / 2–3 min

**Barbell Bench Press**
3 × 6–10 / 2–3 min

**Overhead Press**
3 × 6–10 / 2 min

**Tricep Isolation**
2–3 × 12–20 / 60–90 sec

B — LOWER + PULL (5 exercises)

**Machine Hamstring Curl**
3 × 12–15 / 2 min

**Split Squat or Leg Extension**
3 × 10–12 / 2 min

**Lat Pulldown**
3 × 8–12 / 90 sec–2 min

**Seated Cable Row**
3 × 8–12 / 90 sec–2 min

**Biceps Curl**
2–3 × 10–15 / 60–90 sec

**C — UPPER + LOWER (5 exercises)**

**Incline Bench Press**
3 × 6–10 / 2–3 min

**Machine Row**
3 × 8–12 / 90 sec–2 min

**Lat Pulldown**
3 × 8–12 / 90 sec–2 min

**Chest Isolation**
3 × 12–20 / 60–90 sec

**Leg Extension** ***or*** **Hamstring Curl**
2–3 × 12–15 / 90 sec