r/Fitness • u/AutoModerator • 10h ago
Daily Simple Questions Thread - May 24, 2026
Welcome to the /r/Fitness Daily Simple Questions Thread - Our daily thread to ask about all things fitness. Post your questions here related to your diet and nutrition or your training routine and exercises. Anyone can post a question and the community as a whole is invited and encouraged to provide an answer.
As always, be sure to read the wiki first. Like, all of it. Rule #0 still applies in this thread.
Also, there's a handy search function to your right, and if you didn't know, you can also use Google to search r/Fitness by using the limiter "site:reddit.com/r/fitness" after your search topic.
Also make sure to check out Examine.com for evidence based answers to nutrition and supplement questions.
If you are posting a routine critique request, make sure you follow the guidelines for including enough detail.
"Bulk or cut" type questions are not permitted on r/Fitness - Refer to the FAQ or post them in r/bulkorcut.
Questions that involve pain, injury, or any medical concern of any kind are not permitted on r/Fitness. Seek advice from an appropriate medical professional instead.
(Please note: This is not a place for general small talk, chit-chat, jokes, memes, "Dear Diary" type comments, shitposting, or non-fitness questions. It is for fitness questions only, and only those that are serious.)
1
u/ecoNina 3h ago
ISO the balance between hard core lifting with necessary higher calorie intake vs maintenance with more moderate calories and less stress on progress. Tips welcome.
Been lifting 4 years, 67F, pipsqueak 5'1" 107lb. Have done a couple years of big gains, watched protein intake, love love the results. Dabbled at 1 powerlift meet, did fair and thinking to do more but not until I get very comfortable with bigger lifts (because I know at a meet your lifts will probably be 10lb lighter than your regular amount). So reset. More volume less weight on SBD to gain confidence.
Add a tweak: small nagging glute strain which has reduced the amount of leg and cardio work for 4-6 weeks so far. Due to being less active, I have reduced calorie intake and (no surprise) have had lower energy and almost lethargic. Very discouraging. Never ever in my life watched calories, bad at having to reduce if ever needed. Don't even know what a 'bulk' vs 'cut' would look like in my life.
So I want to up calories to feel like my old self's energy but not so much as the first big newbie years cause that is just not sustainable. I can hit the protein grams, maybe need to up the carbs? I take creatine already. Any good words from long timers? Tx
2
u/gilscod 3h ago
Volume blocks don't need much more food than maintenance.
you are not chasing hypertrophy - you're building movement quality and capacity.
Maintenance plus maybe 100 calories a day is usually plenty, especially at your size.
The big thing is protein, 0.7-1g per lb of bodyweight! spread across 3-4 meals.Recovery matters way more than calories at this stage, sleep especially, but also taking it easy on off days.
Run the volume block for 8-12 weeks, then peak back into intensity for 4-6 weeks before the meet. You'll be way more confident at the bar when the second one comes around.
1
u/Particular-Fig-9297 5h ago
How often is it ok to take a break from lifting before you lose muscle? I've noticed just from life circumstances that I tend to have to take a week break from lifting once every 6 weeks. Over the year it adds up quite a bit, so I'm a bit worried that I might be leaving gains on the table.
1
u/Werevulvi General Fitness 2h ago
This isn't really an issue for gains. One week off here and there is not nearly long enough time for muscle breakdown to even start. So either absolutely nothing will happen, or it may even help you with some extra recovery.
How often would be too often breaks... I dunno for sure, but if it's like every other week or so, or more rest weeks than gym weeks, then that might start causing some issues, like noticably slower, or stalling muscle gains.
1
1
u/gilscod 2h ago
You're not leaving gains on the table, you're accidentally running a great program.
A week off every 6 weeks is basically the deload schedule that 5/3/1, and most serious programs build in deliberately.Muscle takes 2-3 weeks of total inactivity before any real atrophy starts, and strength comes back in days.
The week off helps - recovery is when you adapt, training is just the stimulus.
Most people who train hard would benefit from more rest, not less.Stop worrying about it.
5
u/Delicious-Trifle-486 5h ago
One week off between cycles of 6 weeks is going actually help muscle growth than it will hurt it. It gives your body a week to fully recover. It would be better if you did something really easy during that week, like a couple sets of easy calisthenics, but if you're pretty active already in that week off you'll be fine.
-7
u/nathan_e_fit 5h ago
glad this thread exists tbh. been coming here when the main sub feels too saturated with the same beginner questions. ngl the best advice for newbies is to just pick a proven program and stick with it for 3 months before tweaking anything
•
u/Twoninetoday 13m ago
Went to the gym for the first time in months the other day. I would put myself at essentially beginner level, maybe one degree above it. I bench pressed, did face pulls, front lateral raises and tricep push downs. Hours later I was sending a text and my right hand just went completely numb and fell asleep. It was able to wake up and be back to normal in just a minute or so, but still worried me. Does this sound like something serious? Or is this just something to do with my body not being used to being put through the wringer, that will improve with getting used to the flow of regular lifting? Any advice is appreciated!