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Gym/Crossfit/Swole bros, lend me your knowledge.

PandaAttack1

PandaAttack1

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I have not set foot in a gym or done any real exercise for the last ~7ish years. Before that I used to do functional training (crossfit vibes) catered for offroad enduro racing. Those times were probably the best I ever felt and looked.

Starting out later this week at a crossfit gym near my house, as soon as my summer flu & crunchy throat leaves me. My short term goals are to get rid of my belly, and then to grow some arms and get fit.

Any advice or knowledge you want to share with a newbie? Do's and don'ts? What to look out for to stay motivated? I'm sure they are going to slap me a diet as well, which is fine.

Thought I'd ask for some thoughts from the fit & strong guys, as I know there's quite a few of you lurking around here.
 
Any advice or knowledge you want to share with a newbie? Do's and don'ts? What to look out for to stay motivated? I'm sure they are going to slap me a diet as well, which is fine.
Click to expand...

Do learn proper technique for squats and other exercises or you won’t have a working back or any knees left.

CrossFit is bad for using proper technique so just be careful.

Maybe mix up your gym with swimming - a great exercise for working the whole body and is more fun than weights.

Other than that, GLHF and don’t become a gym douche.
 
JollyJamma said:
Do learn proper technique for squats and other exercises or you won’t have a working back or any knees left.

CrossFit is bad for using proper technique so just be careful.

Maybe mix up your gym with swimming - a great exercise for working the whole body and is more fun than weights.

Other than that, GLHF and don’t become a gym douche.
Click to expand...
Just a douche? Got you.
 
Don't fall into the habit of over training.
Very easy to do and only slows your progress.

Remember you should be feeling better when you walk out than when you went in.
 
For the fat loss, I suggest you make a food diary for about a week, work out how many calories you are currently consuming and remove things to reduce your caloric intake. I don't know much about crossfit but it looks like a lot of fun. What worked for me is doing exercises I enjoy and adding exercises that support the sports/exercises I enjoyed.

Good luck.
 
yaeger_ said:
For the fat loss, I suggest you make a food diary for about a week, work out how many calories you are currently consuming and remove things to reduce your caloric intake. I don't know much about crossfit but it looks like a lot of fun. What worked for me is doing exercises I enjoy and adding exercises that support the sports/exercises I enjoyed.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
I agree with @yaeger_ tracking and managing your calorie intake is the most important aspect of losing weight. One literally can't exercise enough to make up for bad diet.

I would suggest looking at a calorie tracking app. In my opinion it is much easier than tracking them manually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr7lbmqyveI
 
The age old adage: Abs are made in the gym, and revealed in the kitchen. (I have one, large, ab)

Motivation is nice. But if I had to feel motivated each time I had to do something, I'd probably never do it.
So just do it despite this. If its 5h30 (or whatever), get up. Even if you feel shit for a bit. I have gotten into the habit of not leaving my phone on my bedside table, because I'll just snooze it. Leave it on the other side of the room, so when your alarm goes off, you have to get up. If its 17h00 and you're feeling miff after today's work; just do it anyway.
Step 1 is often the hardest.

In terms of physical; Yeah, over-training catches up quickly as we age. I feel it in my knees first. My brother in law (who is a few years older) doesnt. So to each his own in that regard.
But I'd say the most important is when you do the actual training is to focus on your form (especially with crossfit based exercises; there's a reason those people get berated about bad form). Its nice to have a training buddy to help spot mistakes and improvements. A lot of annoying injuries creep up because of improper form. (A few chiro visits have shown that to me as well). Injuries cause recovery, and then you fall off the wagon. That or you always play catch up. (Slow is smooth and smooth is fast)

Lastly. I fucking hate training. But, the alternative is much worse. So maybe consider this as a long term/ lifestyle way to keep yourself in general shape.

Good luck and let it rip.
 
Last edited:
I am still a beginner but have been going to the gym 4-6 days a week (80% of the year) for the past year. I have seen some significant strength gains and changes to physical appearance.

Yet I still weight the same as last year, ie. doing hard strength training 6+ hours a week was not enough for me to lose weight. I have just started controlling calories this year to cut slightly.

As @heinreich said making it a habit is the most important part. And I would suggest try and make it as easy to fit into your existing schedule.

Eg. if you're not a morning person, don't try to get up at 5am to gym before work if you have another option.
Go to a gym close to you, or on your way home. I'm lucky to have a decent gym in the same building where I work, so I literally have no excuse.
Try go with someone, it makes showing up much easier.

I think form and good technique is so much more important, than going heavier or just trying hard.
It is safer and provides much better stimulus to grow muscles than doing the same exercise with poor technique.

That and planning your workouts as you start learning the movements and machines. It makes your workouts feel much less random and allows you to measure improvements.

I was lost and intimidated for the first month going to the gym. I pretty much stuck to the treadmill and machines I knew how to use. The point is don't worry, I think everyone feels like that and pretty much no-one will judge you.

Here are two YouTube channels I found enourmously helpful to learn good technique:
Jeff Nippard's Fundamentals Series
Jeremy Either

They helped me deadlift 200kg with my back feeling better now than the first time I did 140kg.
Just my two cents.

Good luck @PandaAttack1 stay strong... and get stronger.
 
Seems like everyone has already said everything that's really needed.
From my experience it's just consistency is key, most of the time especially in the beginning it's hard to feel motivated to go but you need to just go anyway. Aslong as you're not injured and you're only a bit stiff or sore you'll always feels better for going than for just spending that time on the couch "recovering".

Crossfit is my preferred training method but it really sucks when I fall out of it for a few months and start up again. That first 2 weeks to 1st whole month is a tough one and everything feels so stiff and sore but you need to keep pushing through that as once you've made it to 2 months is when the joy of all your effort really starts. When you start finishing workouts in the time limit and are able to mentally push yourself as you know you can rely on your body.

If all you can do is 2 sessions a week then start there and gradually increase it to 3 or 4 over time. When I was younger a 3 day week at CF was enough to lose weight and gain muscle although now after seeing a dietician I know I was badly under eating and losing out on more muscle gain but hey atleast I was losing weight so it scratched the right itch at that time. Now eating right the muscle gain is much better but the weight loss is a bit slower, anyways I'm here for the long haul and considering some comps this year so I'd rather have a little extra weight and have energy than the other way round.

Good luck on your journey and hope you're able to stick with it long enough to find a happy place / routine
 
Thanks for all the inputs! There is a few things to go through here.

Looks like one of the major points everyone repeats is to show up. No matter what, show up. Will take this to heart.

My flu has take a turn for the worse. What started as a sore throat is now a snotty nose as well. Wanted to start tomorrow but don't think it is a good idea. I already seem to have excuses BEFORE day one. Ugh.
 
PandaAttack1 said:
I have not set foot in a gym or done any real exercise for the last ~7ish years. Before that I used to do functional training (crossfit vibes) catered for offroad enduro racing. Those times were probably the best I ever felt and looked.

Starting out later this week at a crossfit gym near my house, as soon as my summer flu & crunchy throat leaves me. My short term goals are to get rid of my belly, and then to grow some arms and get fit.

Any advice or knowledge you want to share with a newbie? Do's and don'ts? What to look out for to stay motivated? I'm sure they are going to slap me a diet as well, which is fine.

Thought I'd ask for some thoughts from the fit & strong guys, as I know there's quite a few of you lurking around here.
Click to expand...
Not Cross Fit, nuff said.

Calorie deficit & some exercises you like (factoring in flexibility + strength)
 
Manticor3d said:
I am still a beginner but have been going to the gym 4-6 days a week (80% of the year) for the past year. I have seen some significant strength gains and changes to physical appearance.

Yet I still weight the same as last year, ie. doing hard strength training 6+ hours a week was not enough for me to lose weight. I have just started controlling calories this year to cut slightly.

As @heinreich said making it a habit is the most important part. And I would suggest try and make it as easy to fit into your existing schedule.

Eg. if you're not a morning person, don't try to get up at 5am to gym before work if you have another option.
Go to a gym close to you, or on your way home. I'm lucky to have a decent gym in the same building where I work, so I literally have no excuse.
Try go with someone, it makes showing up much easier.

I think form and good technique is so much more important, than going heavier or just trying hard.
It is safer and provides much better stimulus to grow muscles than doing the same exercise with poor technique.

That and planning your workouts as you start learning the movements and machines. It makes your workouts feel much less random and allows you to measure improvements.

I was lost and intimidated for the first month going to the gym. I pretty much stuck to the treadmill and machines I knew how to use. The point is don't worry, I think everyone feels like that and pretty much no-one will judge you.

Here are two YouTube channels I found enourmously helpful to learn good technique:
Jeff Nippard's Fundamentals Series
Jeremy Either

They helped me deadlift 200kg with my back feeling better now than the first time I did 140kg.
Just my two cents.

Good luck @PandaAttack1 stay strong... and get stronger.
Click to expand...
Be like me - do 8 hours of gym (over 2 sessions) and then 15 hours of stretches (over 5 days)
 
Dom said:
Not Cross Fit, nuff said.

Calorie deficit & some exercises you like (factoring in flexibility + strength)
Click to expand...
Defos not 'nuff said'.

I am probs going to go ham with crossfit as soon as my cold lets up.
 
Last edited:
yes i did this for 3 years straight , had i motorcycle accident recently so started again. but to summarize

so you start your weight low for example

Squat 55 - 60KG then every week you add 2kg , the chances of hitting a plateau is there so if you start to struggle later on just wait 2 weeks and then add 2 kg's again. ( your body will tell you what's going on )

When I started I weighed a 98KG's with around 28% bodyfat at the end of the 1 year I was on 88KG with 12% body fat
At the end of year 2 I was 92KG with 13%-15% body fat
At the end of year 3 I was 94KG with 12% - 14% body fat

I am back at 98KG with 20% body fat(so just started with swimming for now)

So my squats started at 70KG and I ended Up at year 1 ends at 140KG doing my full 5 sets and 5 reps with no issue at all

and this applies to every exercise you do you will gain strength extremely fast and burn fat even faster due to it being COMPOUND movements utilizing your whole body

forget about muscle isolation
forget about cardio

only add 1 more thing in your workout do this only Tuesday and Thursdays for 20 mins

Swimming or water aerobics ( don't over do it )

finally diet is easy to follow

steak
chicken
fish (tuna,skinless hake)
mince can be full fat mince not lean kak (treat yourself)
plain yogurt (very nice with chicken breast and spinach and some spices)

Broccoli
cauliflower
spinach
brown rice
potatoes now and then
tomatoes
pineapple

you catch the drift with the food its easy

eliminate
sugar
bread (unless like wholegrain stuff)
all processed crap
 
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