@padrepioammiratore I’m definitely trying to find that balance now. Wellness and strength (and looking good) are the goals right now, but I need sustainability!
Can doing less *really* lead to more results?
- Thread starter 0st
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@0st If you're on a plateau you can deload (or rest) for 1-2 weeks. Everyone's different, test it out for yourself. PS: I achieved fat loss (without too much muscle loss) entirely through diet and home workouts (I primarily lift in a powerlifting style, taking 3 months off was great for the aesthetics I want to build)
@0st Yes, I focused on really keeping a clean diet (I roughly tracked for the first week but kind of kept a "formula" of meals that worked for me, still went out with friends and enjoyed food, I don't really drink). My main movement was walking (did home workouts too). I lost about 9lb of pure fat, strength was still solid (I'm 5'2" so 9lb looks significant on me)
@0st Have you tried doing shorter workouts? I used to do two or three 90 minutes a week (running + lift combo) but those would wear me out too much to do anything the next few days. I also experienced a couple of injuries. Now I do 20-30 minutes, 3, 4, or 5 days a week (depending on how much free time I have and not including cool down which is usually 5-10 minutes). I feel like it’s enough to keep me moving and toning but not so much I’m useless the next day. I also do a different body group each time so I’m usually giving my body a few days of rest in between.
@0st An extremely underrated component to gaining muscle is rest.
We don't grow muscle in the gym. We grow it outside of the gym - during rest and recovery.
If you're constantly putting your body through stress, you're not allowing it the time to repair and build itself back up to be stronger. And you're also likely to be showing up to the gym with some fatigue - meaning you're not working out at your full potential.
I don't know about you, but I tend to hit PRs after taking longer than usual breaks from the gym.
There are some interesting studies that have shown increased results with scaling back the frequency of exercise, but increasing the intensity of your sessions (focusing on less reps and practicing progressive overload and repping to failure).
When you think you're done with a set, take a pause and more often than not, you can squeeze out at least another rep. You want to push just past that barrier. That stress and subsequent rest and recovery are what leads to results.
Will Tennyson has a video where he experiments this theory. For him, it worked.
We don't grow muscle in the gym. We grow it outside of the gym - during rest and recovery.
If you're constantly putting your body through stress, you're not allowing it the time to repair and build itself back up to be stronger. And you're also likely to be showing up to the gym with some fatigue - meaning you're not working out at your full potential.
I don't know about you, but I tend to hit PRs after taking longer than usual breaks from the gym.
There are some interesting studies that have shown increased results with scaling back the frequency of exercise, but increasing the intensity of your sessions (focusing on less reps and practicing progressive overload and repping to failure).
When you think you're done with a set, take a pause and more often than not, you can squeeze out at least another rep. You want to push just past that barrier. That stress and subsequent rest and recovery are what leads to results.
Will Tennyson has a video where he experiments this theory. For him, it worked.
yeshuaislove
New member
@yeshuaislove Sure, here it is
yeshuaislove
New member
georgethinks
New member
@0st Due to life circumstances I moved from 4-6x/week, 1-1.5 hour sessions of strength and cardio to 1 upper/1 lower strength 60min and 1-2x 30min cardio sessions per week and I have had significantly better results. Minimal diet changes, worse sleep/recovery practices, I’m older now, etc. My programming is better, my lifts are better, my aesthetic is better. I always think it’s worth trying something new if you’re dissatisfied with your current regimen or results.
Edit to add: you mentioned you’re 7 months postpartum - you’re still going through hormone changes that can affect your training, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Please give yourself grace, you created a life and gave birth over 9 months, your body needs A LOT of time to recover and adapt to the permanent changes that come with bearing and nurturing new life.
Edit to add: you mentioned you’re 7 months postpartum - you’re still going through hormone changes that can affect your training, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Please give yourself grace, you created a life and gave birth over 9 months, your body needs A LOT of time to recover and adapt to the permanent changes that come with bearing and nurturing new life.
@georgethinks I’m definitely struggling with this, especially comparing where I am no to where I was after my 2nd pregnancy. I know poor sleep is part of it, and insulin issues, but it’s so frustrating to see the weight fall off the first 2 times and then just stick to me this time. It almost makes me regret putting my body through it again 
@hamington Absolutely. I had to pull out from training for my half marathon that year. Spent several months recovering and then got back to it the next year.
faithfulsteward7
New member
@faithfulsteward7 That’s super interesting! Can I ask what your new programming is like? I assume 2 days of a total body routine?