25
votes
11answers
12k views
I am underweight. How do I gain weight and muscle?
I am a man in my twenties. Although I am 5 feet 6 inches tall, I weigh only 100 pounds. I want to gain weight as soon as possible. How do I gain weight and muscle as fast as possible?
12
votes
5answers
7k views
How many calories to burn daily to see a change in weight within a month
My BMI is 26.8, which means that I am in the overweight category.
When one hits a gym regularly every day, what is the minimum amount of calories that he should burn in order to see a change in his ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
8
votes
4answers
2k views
How to lose fat only in your thigh?
Let's say I am a pretty skinny guy with a fat thigh. Is it possible to lose fat exclusively in some part of the body? For example, is it possible to lose thigh fat while not losing any weight in my ...
42
votes
3answers
5k views
Should I stretch after exercise?
Are there benefits with stretching right after exercising? Does stretching afterwards affect the risk of injury?
111
votes
27answers
23k views
Exercises for a programmer sitting by the PC all day [closed]
What exercises are recommended for people, who sit in front of the PC working for long hours?
11
votes
9answers
4k views
I have extremely bad posture, what can I do?
I work 9 till 5 on my pc, then I go home, use my pc, then play a game or two.
My problem is I'm always sitting in my chair and my posture is starting to get really bad! People say "just sit up ...
14
votes
5answers
5k views
Best exercise to lose belly fat fast
I have had a couple of lower back surgeries in the past but I'm okay to do any activity. During the last 10 years I have gained a little more weight around the mid section but have been actively ...
23
votes
5answers
5k views
How to run without damaging your feet, knees or hips.
I want to start running. However I am afraid of damaging my feet, knees or hips by running on a regular basis. So what are the most important things to have in mind to avoid any dangers for my joints ...
32
votes
8answers
2k views
How can an overweight engineer get back in shape?
One year later - if anyone sees this note, just to say thanks. I now have 10% body fat, 85kg (started at 130!), and I run demi-marathons.
After reading a vast quantity of books and papers (about 60 ...
40
votes
5answers
2k views
Importance of Rest Days
Why are rest days important?
When the weather permits, I jog (or otherwise work-out) every day, but people often tell me I should not, because rest days are important. What is the rationale behind ...
39
votes
8answers
2k views
Is there a best time of the day to exercise?
For weight loss results is there a time of day that is most beneficial to exercise?
14
votes
3answers
4k views
What is tabata? How effective is it?
What exactly is Tabata ? Is it just a form of HIIT ?
What makes Tabata effective in fat burning or providing thermogenic effects ?
13
votes
1answer
503 views
What are the trade-offs of weight versus repetition?
When doing work out with weights, what is the impact of trade-off between
amount of weights working with
number of times an exercise is repeated
For example, I can repeat an exercise 10x3 times ...
12
votes
3answers
439 views
Are calories the only important aspect of a diet?
I've recently started using apps like MyFitnessPal to calculate the amount of energy and nutrients I consume and do some simple number crunching for me. However, all these apps seem to be focused on ...
11
votes
1answer
4k views
Daily stretch routine to increase flexibilty and overall fitness?
Is there a standard (as much as can be standard) stretch routine that if used regularly over a period of time will increase/maintain flexibility and help my overall fitness level?
I have a set of ...
4
votes
3answers
420 views
I am overweight and need to reduce?
I am an IT engineer and most of my time I spend near my PC. I noticed after a few months that I've gained a lot of weight and now it's at 100kg. Sounds too much to me. I have no medical conditions, ...
43
votes
4answers
26k views
Is it healthy to exercise a muscle when it's still sore?
Is it healthy or is it damaging to exercise a muscle while it's still sore from a previous workout?
9
votes
3answers
608 views
Optimal exercises for an abdominal workout
In response to this answer, I was curious what exercises specifically target the abdominal muscles. Answers given so far include:
Works abs directly:
leg raises
rollout
Indirectly:
squats
My ...
17
votes
5answers
2k views
What exercises are good to build up to performing chin-ups?
I can't do a single decent chin-up, are there any easy alternatives that I could build up in quantity as a forerunner to being able to do chin-ups?
Alternatively are there are any weights exercises ...
5
votes
2answers
591 views
Are these Workout Routines right for Body Building
The weightlifting-101 blog post on the stackexchange blog and posts on fitness.SE has helped me learn more about strength training and body building. My goal is body building (to bulk up) in short ...
19
votes
2answers
5k views
Is it a good idea to use an exercise ball as a chair?
Does using an exercise ball help strengthen your core and back muscles?
Are there any concerns or downside with using a body exercise ball as a chair?
35
votes
4answers
4k views
What should I look for in a running shoe?
I like to run outside and therefore need shoes to run. However, there's a massive market for running shoes and I get lost in all of the options. What are some guidelines in selecting a good shoe for ...
45
votes
9answers
2k views
Experiences with 'barefoot' running
I have heard a lot about the 'barefoot' running idea that has seemed to gain a lot of popularity with the book "Born to Run". The main idea is that the human foot has evolved to be very effective at ...
26
votes
3answers
741 views
What are some signs of overtraining?
I'm currently working out 5-6 days a week, typically 3 days of weights and 2-3 of HIIT/Tabata. My focus is on strength and endurance training (not size). When I feel tired I take a day off...some ...
35
votes
3answers
17k views
Effect of Sex/Male Orgasm on Athletic Performance
"Women weaken legs." -- Mickey from Rocky I
I've often heard and have been told from coaches even that one should abstain from any sexual activity, irrespective of whether it is manual or with a ...
17
votes
3answers
1k views
Protein: How much is too much?
I'm currently taking in 100 grams a day of protien via whey powder. I used to take 250 grams when I was training. I've read that you should intake 1 gram per pound of body weight you have when ...
12
votes
2answers
33k views
Stronglifts 5x5: an effective program?
I was recently looking through the Stronglifts 5x5 workout, and I was wondering about its effectiveness. The program has some lofty claims (most do), has a ton of anecdotal evidence supporting it, and ...
19
votes
3answers
12k views
Why is muscle size not proportional to strength?
This guy claims that Olympic powerlifters working in the 1-6 rep range can increase strength without increasing muscle size.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek8.htm
Trained Olympic ...
10
votes
1answer
487 views
Should one generally avoid machines in favor of free weights?
From what I have been told, machines are not recommended for strength training, because they isolate muscles and thereby exclude the smaller stabilizing muscles from developing together with the major ...
9
votes
1answer
436 views
Rotator cuff strengthening for shoulder overuse injury
I like to do a lot of swimming, and recently my left shoulder had been giving me some minor pain and occasional clicking noises.
I went to an orthopedic doctor and I was diagnosed with "Left AC ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the proper way to run?
What is the proper form for running? I find that whenever I run, even for a short distance, I end up hurting my legs. Sometimes my shins hurt, but most of the time after a little running the bottom of ...
6
votes
3answers
3k views
Does being cold help lose weight?
I heard on Doctor Oz once that drinking cold water can help burn calories in a rather passive way since the body will have to work to warm it back up. Would this concept work practically in general? ...
12
votes
9answers
2k views
What are some short 30-minute body-weight lift routines for travel.
I travel a good bit for my job. As a result, the weeks that I travel often involve a lack of physical activity since I am primarily a weight lifter when it comes to exercise and most hotel gyms have ...
42
votes
10answers
2k views
Is there any benefit of “real” running outdoors vs running on a treadmill in gym?
I'm a lazy person, so running while staying in the same place appeals to me.
Are there any benefits to running outside worth considering, besides aesthetics and feeling the wind in your hair?
6
votes
1answer
534 views
What is the most effective plan to get abs?
Studies:
Show the "bicycle" was the most effective exercise.
Shorter weighted ab exercises are greater than longer repetitive ab workouts.
Need to know:
Is it helpful that a certain percent of ...
5
votes
1answer
621 views
Good amount of sets and repetitions for different muscle groups
About 10 years back, when I went to my first gym, the trainers told me to do 3 or 4 sets with about 8 to 15 repetitions on 3 different machines for each group of muscles, depending on the goals I want ...
11
votes
6answers
2k views
What are the pros and cons of running versus walking?
I enjoy going for long -- I mean, ten mile -- walks. Part of this is because I was training for the Susan B. Komen 3-Day Walk about a year ago, and I got into the habit of taking very long walks ...
9
votes
3answers
621 views
How can I gain weight and muscle weight?
I'm a 15 year old teenager, I am terribly underweighted due tot he fact when I was smaller I had nutrition issues (Skipping breakfast on most days, not eating consistent food, eating junk food, etc). ...
4
votes
2answers
357 views
How can I learn essential self care?
I know that it is impossible for anyone to give me a complete answer on how I can lead a healthy, productive life without writing a book, but what I wish to ask is how can someone who possesses no ...
10
votes
4answers
5k views
what is the best thing to eat right before a workout?
I have two related questions:
What is the best time to eat before working out and what is the best thing to eat to get a good workout? Same question for post workout (should I eat immediately or ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
How does sleep affect your workouts?
Are there any documented studies that show how sleep effects your workouts or athletic performance?
It would seem that more sleep would help and less sleep would hinder performance, but that's just ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?
Firstly, is losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time possible? If it is possible, what is the general nutrition and exercise plan to do it?
Secondly, is losing fat and gaining muscle at the ...
3
votes
2answers
270 views
Need to get back into shape. Is there a slightly lighter p90x type-thing?
I need to start working out.
Since a teenager I've been slightly overweight (10-15lbs, nothing crazy) but quite active usually doing Wrestling, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, multiple times a ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
What are some good stretches to help with squatting?
It seems a lot of form problems with the squats are caused by inadequate flexibility - I think mainly in the hamstrings and also the shoulders.
What are some good stretches that can be used to ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Do you need to “feel the burn” to become stronger?
If your goal is increasing strength, must you always train to the point where you feel the burn later?
12
votes
5answers
1k views
How can I get a flat stomach?
I can do plenty of sit-ups and other ab exercises. I also have a house-mate who is a personal trainer so I know I'm doing them right.
However, I can stick to a routine of doing reasonable quantities ...
6
votes
1answer
204 views
Recommended workout duration vs working out with a partner
I've read about / been told / agree with the fact that my workout should not be exceeding around 1 hour, however most of my workouts approach the 90 mins - 2 hour mark because I work out with a ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Is it normal when starting squats to not have flexible enough ankles?
I've read a lot lately that if I want to build a lot of strength and start thinking seriously about putting on some size that I should use squats as a core workout. I'm only 65kg (143 pounds) and have ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Should I consume protein shakes after team sport (cardio)?
I started to consume protein shakes (about 25g with milk and water) after hitting the gym to help me gain muscles. I also play flag football two times a week, where the training is more focused on ...
