Fitness AMA from a highly-trained personal trainer

[leoric]

Hey guys! Thought I would do a fitness AMA as a way to contribute in my own little way to the community.

Some background on myself
3 major certifications
NASM-CPT
ACE-CPT
Master Rehabilitation Certified

Please feel free to ask any questions regarding workout routines, fat loss/muscle gaining, diet, supplementation, strength and conditioning for sports as well as injury rehabiliation and prevention.

:)

[Milly]

Whats a program you would run a beginner on?
What do you supplement, currently all I take is a multi, whey isolate and creatine

This is cool of you man , thanks!

[leoric]

Whats a program you would run a beginner on?
What do you supplement, currently all I take is a multi, whey isolate and creatine

This is cool of you man , thanks!

For workout program, it really depe nds on your current mobility / strength level. I would highly recommend focusing on increasing your mobility via dynamic and power stretching. This will help prevent injuries moving forward.

Some good solid workout programs are the classic Starting Strength and 5x5 which are very easily looked up online :)

As for supplementation, multi is key along with a protein supplement (isolate or concentrate, its a extremely minimal difference). Go with the protein you can afford and taste you like for consistency. Isolate and hydroisolate only really matter for those actively competing or advanced training. Dont believe the marketing.

Creatine is great for endurance but remember to keep your water intake high to avoid bloating. Loading on it is unnecessary and is a marketing tactic. Stick to 5g a day.

I personally advice having a preworkout on-hand to increase focus prior to working out. (Given you have no underlying heart conditions)

A great brand I personally use is c4 (in your case, get the c4 ripped variant as you already have a creatine supplement. Other preworkouts and c4 variants have creatine. Ripped does not)
Add some fish oil and a nice joint supplement like glucosamine for overall health :)

[Synth Salazzle]

I have some physical disabilities that make walking/running difficult. I can however use an exercise bike, and things like it.

Have any light work out ideas to get me started before I get into it all hardcore?

And a what's the best fat burning diet plan?

[leoric]

I have some physical disabilities that make walking/running difficult. I can however use an exercise bike, and things like it.

Have any light work out ideas to get me started before I get into it all hardcore?

And a what's the best fat burning diet plan?

Hi! What disability? You can pm me if you're uncomfortable sharing here :)

But if you're currently on the heavy side which make high-impact cardio difficult, the best indication of fat loss is an elevated heart rate while exercising. This means that anything that keeps it up will be good to start with such as the exercise bike or even something like yoga (which i highly recommend even to my bodybuilder clients)

As for the diet, I am really not a fan of diets like keto and atkins since I believe in a balanced diet. The most important thing is finding the diet AND food you're comfortable with and allows you to build consistency.

Start off with basic portion control and finding the aspects of your current diet which you can reduce (not cut-off completely for now) that are bad for you.

I.e. decrease sodas from 2 cans a day to 1 then eventually none

So many people fail because they can't stick to their diet. Also research a ton on healthy recipes like chicken, eggs, etc and find the ones that you love

This'll let you prepare for when you start dieting seriously

[Synth Salazzle]

Hi! What disability? You can pm me if you're uncomfortable sharing here :)

But if you're currently on the heavy side which make high-impact cardio difficult, the best indication of fat loss is an elevated heart rate while exercising. This means that anything that keeps it up will be good to start with such as the exercise bike or even something like yoga (which i highly recommend even to my bodybuilder clients)

As for the diet, I am really not a fan of diets like keto and atkins since I believe in a balanced diet. The most important thing is finding the diet AND food you're comfortable with and allows you to build consistency.

Start off with basic portion control and finding the aspects of your current diet which you can reduce (not cut-off completely for now) that are bad for you.

I.e. decrease sodas from 2 cans a day to 1 then eventually none

So many people fail because they can't stick to their diet. Also research a ton on healthy recipes like chicken, eggs, etc and find the ones that you love

This'll let you prepare for when you start dieting seriously

I don't really wanna go into great detail about it, but basically, my hips don't like to stay in the sockets and walking/running makes it worse. Biking, and other activities where I can sit = A okay for me. I can lift weights even as long as I'm sitting.

I am on the extremely heavy side and am trying pretty hard to change that with little results.

As far as diet goes I'm doing really well. I cut out soda completely months ago but I still have too much of a taste for junk food which is my biggest downfall. How do I cut cravings while giving myself proper nutrition?

[leoric]

I don't really wanna go into great detail about it, but basically, my hips don't like to stay in the sockets and walking/running makes it worse. Biking, and other activities where I can sit = A okay for me. I can lift weights even as long as I'm sitting.

I am on the extremely heavy side and am trying pretty hard to change that with little results.

As far as diet goes I'm doing really well. I cut out soda completely months ago but I still have too much of a taste for junk food which is my biggest downfall. How do I cut cravings while giving myself proper nutrition?

Sorry to hear that Ashoka. It seems to me that low-impact cardio is perfect for you. It'll get easier as the weight comes down but for now stick to the exercise bike, an elliptical or imo the best cardio for fat loss, swimming.

Cravings never truly go away my dear and thats what misconception #1 is. The key is to control them and satisfy them in a way that'll keep you sane without hindering your progress too much.

If you could, please pm me or post here what your meals daily look like.

If its junk food like chips that you're always craving for, then we're the same. I used to eat at least 1 bag a day then i slowly transitioned to cutting it out completely by learning how to bake my own sweet potato chips and treating myself to a bag once or twice a week.

[Synth Salazzle]

Sorry to hear that Ashoka. It seems to me that low-impact cardio is perfect for you. It'll get easier as the weight comes down but for now stick to the exercise bike, an elliptical or imo the best cardio for fat loss, swimming.

Cravings never truly go away my dear and thats what misconception #1 is. The key is to control them and satisfy them in a way that'll keep you sane without hindering your progress too much.

If you could, please pm me or post here what your meals daily look like.

If its junk food like chips that you're always craving for, then we're the same. I used to eat at least 1 bag a day then i slowly transitioned to cutting it out completely by learning how to bake my own sweet potato chips and treating myself to a bag once or twice a week.

That sounds easy enough for a workout. I don't live near any pools or anything but I'll try seeing if there's one near by. I can actually do swimming without my hip coming out of the socket if I'm careful.

I usually cook my daily meals. Yesterday for example for dinner I had sauteed green beans, sauteed carrots, and some home made kani sushi. I usually try to eat stuff along those lines, but some days you just say 'fuck it' and get one of those lean cuisines.

And I crave a lot of chocolate and corn chips rip me. I try to avoid them though.

[leoric]

That sounds easy enough for a workout. I don't live near any pools or anything but I'll try seeing if there's one near by. I can actually do swimming without my hip coming out of the socket if I'm careful.

I usually cook my daily meals. Yesterday for example for dinner I had sauteed green beans, sauteed carrots, and some home made kani sushi. I usually try to eat stuff along those lines, but some days you just say 'fuck it' and get one of those lean cuisines.

And I crave a lot of chocolate and corn chips rip me. I try to avoid them though.

Also be sure to look into hip strengthening exercises and stretches. The article below has some great IT band stretches to help all alleviate the pain.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

The first thing I ask my clients to practice is portion control. One fist of carbs (preferably complex carbohydrates like sweet potatos), one fist of a lean protein (I personally do not recommend chicken breast unless you can stomach it and cook it well consistently, this is why I recommend the thigh part since the macronutrients are very similar only having slightly higher fat content) and a fist or two of vegetables to keep you satiated. This basic eating protocol while decreasing your snacking will already help you lose weight consistently.

Kale chips I find have helped me with the corn chips cravings but they take some getting used to. I also make baked sweet potato fries for my french fry obsession. It's always about finding that substitute and consuming it in moderation. :D

[Todoroki]

What's your opinion on intermittent fasting?

[leoric]

What's your opinion on intermittent fasting?

TBH I never recommend any specific diet or in this case, eating protocol. I've seen literally hundreds of clients throw themselves at whatever is popular at the moment whether it be keto (diet), atkins (diet) or intermittent fasting (eating protocol). Oh unless they have specific dietary needs of course.

Now I do believe that intermittent fasting has a ton of benefits IF and only IF it allows the person to be consistent with it. I myself follow a IF protocol only because it just so happens to fall right into times which are convenient for me. I see so many people doing IF but sticking their face with food just because "oh yeah I can eat anything I want for 8 hours dude".

IF done properly and is easy for the client = Great
IF done wrong as with any other diet = bad (IF happens to be done wrong fairly common though)

For a bodybuilder, IF is something I recommend for the cutting. I've tried it during a lean gain/bulking phase and couldn't eat enough in that window. :D

[Todoroki]

What are your go-to gym songs that get you absolutely hyped to lift?

[salsadog]

Is it better to focus on one area at a time?

I usually focus on legs and chest on the same day but I heard it's better to have a leg day and then a chest day and so on. Does it really matter? I go to the gym 4/week.

[leoric]

Is it better to focus on one area at a time?

I usually focus on legs and chest on the same day but I heard it's better to have a leg day and then a chest day and so on. Does it really matter? I go to the gym 4/week.

4x a week is good. Your training split is usually up to you but a 4x a week does open up to a lot of possibilities. I usually let the client's schedule decide their workout split.

Im going to assume this is for basic fat loss or muscle gain. For 4x a week I usually advice a back/bi chest/tri shoulders / HIIT and leg day. Or another would be a personal fav which is pull, push, legs, push (so forth and so on)

Be smart and avoid working two large muscle groups together unless you only have enough time for 2x a week workouts

---------- Post added at 10:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:44 PM ----------


What are your go-to gym songs that get you absolutely hyped to lift?

Lol id like to ask you the same thing! My playlist is all over the place with rap, rock, and housee!

[salsadog]

[QUOTE=leoric;921134]4x a week is good. Your training split is usually up to you but a 4x a week does open up to a lot of possibilities. I usually let the client's schedule decide their workout split.

Im going to assume this is for basic fat loss or muscle gain. For 4x a week I usually advice a back/bi chest/tri shoulders / HIIT and leg day. Or another would be a personal fav which is pull, push, legs, push (so forth and so on)

Be smart and avoid working two large muscle groups together unless you only have enough time for 2x a week workouts[COLOR="Silver"]


Thanks a lot for this!

Another question:
I have "hip dips" aka:
28555

I'm doing hip abductors because I heard it helps but are there any other exercises I should focus on?

[leoric]

[QUOTE=leoric;921134]4x a week is good. Your training split is usually up to you but a 4x a week does open up to a lot of possibilities. I usually let the client's schedule decide their workout split.

Im going to assume this is for basic fat loss or muscle gain. For 4x a week I usually advice a back/bi chest/tri shoulders / HIIT and leg day. Or another would be a personal fav which is pull, push, legs, push (so forth and so on)

Be smart and avoid working two large muscle groups together unless you only have enough time for 2x a week workouts[COLOR="Silver"]


Thanks a lot for this!

Another question:
I have "hip dips" aka:
28555

I'm doing hip abductors because I heard it helps but are there any other exercises I should focus on?

Ah hip dips is usually addressed with glute exercises. Side lunges, curtsy lunges, fire hydrants and the different variations of glute bridges (narrow, wide, shoulder-width). I would advise you to use the TRX cable while performing these exercises to activate the muscle and familiarize yourself with the movements. :)

[nousha]

Thank you that you're willing to share you knowledge and answer questions. I have some and I hope they are not too stupid, if they are, just ignore them :)
Are there any exercises that help shape the calves and the ankle (I'm a girl, if that's of any importance)? I also have lower feet arch and that often causes cramps, I'd like to strengthen and stretch my feet muscles, are there any exercises about it at all?
And I also have a mine problem with a vertebral disc and I've been told to strengthen my back muscles to help support my vertebral column, could you advise something in that sense?
Thanks again!

[Gremlin]

I tore my quad a while back, and my left knee never really went back to normal. ATM my main leg exercises are squats, leg press, and deadlifts. Do you have any recommendations for exercises/stretches I should try?

[leoric]

Thank you that you're willing to share you knowledge and answer questions. I have some and I hope they are not too stupid, if they are, just ignore them :)
Are there any exercises that help shape the calves and the ankle (I'm a girl, if that's of any importance)? I also have lower feet arch and that often causes cramps, I'd like to strengthen and stretch my feet muscles, are there any exercises about it at all?
And I also have a mine problem with a vertebral disc and I've been told to strengthen my back muscles to help support my vertebral column, could you advise something in that sense?
Thanks again!

Your foot problem can actually be helped with ankle strengthening and exercises for that will help shape your calves as well.

Standing calf raises are something you can do at home or at the gym. Simply find an elevated ledge (doesnt have to be too high, just shin height is good, enough for you to tiptoe with one leg without your heel touching the floor). Stand on one leg while carrying any weight thats comfortable with you on the same side and tiptoe up and stretch the calf down all the way.

Also the correct shoes are extremely important for correcting your arch. Your local running sports store may help with that.

May i have more information about your disc problem? :)

---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:46 PM ----------


I tore my quad a while back, and my left knee never really went back to normal. ATM my main leg exercises are squats, leg press, and deadlifts. Do you have any recommendations for exercises/stretches I should try?

Have you tried myofacial release with stretching before each workout? Foam rolling can do wonders!

And is it a sharp pain in your knee and during what movements do you feel it?

[Gremlin]

Have you tried myofacial release with stretching before each workout? Foam rolling can do wonders!

And is it a sharp pain in your knee and during what movements do you feel it?

I'll give that a go, thanks! It used to be a sharp pain, its a lot better now though. It mostly feels like my knee is very weak/loose, if that makes sense? It feels worst doing squats.

[leoric]

I'll give that a go, thanks! It used to be a sharp pain, its a lot better now though. It mostly feels like my knee is very weak/loose, if that makes sense? It feels worst doing squats.

Does it happen as your knee moves outwards? If its during squats, i advice you to research how to self myofacial release your achilles. This will allow you to squat with less torque on the knee.

Avoid squatting if you feel something is up for now. :)

[keltika]

Hey guys! Thought I would do a fitness AMA as a way to contribute in my own little way to the community.

Some background on myself
3 major certifications
NASM-CPT
ACE-CPT
Master Rehabilitation Certified

Please feel free to ask any questions regarding workout routines, fat loss/muscle gaining, diet, supplementation, strength and conditioning for sports as well as injury rehabiliation and prevention.

:)

1. What are your views on 'Jump squats' in relation to generic back squats for muscle building?
2. What helpful tips do you have for 'remembering' to eat/supplement at the appropriate times throughout the day?
3. What is your opinion on 'Dips' as opposed to Benching?

[Mama Bear]

leoric, before my most recent pregnancy, I'd lost 35kg through changes in diet and exercise. I was on ~1000 calories/day. When I found out I was pregnant, I obviously had to increase this for baby's sake, and now that I'm breastfeeding I'm needing more still. For comparison, the peak of my milk production was ~67oz/day (1340 calories) with my first.

I'd like to start losing weight again, but don't want to jeopardise my supply, which is almost certain to happen through a calorie restricted diet. Is there any advice you can give for this? At the moment I'm just kinda figuring that I'll have to be patient and wait until I wean in 12-18 months time.

[leoric]

leoric, before my most recent pregnancy, I'd lost 35kg through changes in diet and exercise. I was on ~1000 calories/day. When I found out I was pregnant, I obviously had to increase this for baby's sake, and now that I'm breastfeeding I'm needing more still. For comparison, the peak of my milk production was ~67oz/day (1340 calories) with my first.

I'd like to start losing weight again, but don't want to jeopardise my supply, which is almost certain to happen through a calorie restricted diet. Is there any advice you can give for this? At the moment I'm just kinda figuring that I'll have to be patient and wait until I wean in 12-18 months time.

Hey Bacchus! First of all congratulations!! Tbh this can be best answered by your ob gyn since it is not my area of expertise :) exercises tho which are recommended depending on your method of giving birth (cs, what cut, etc) I can answer :)

Personally I'd just recommend just moderating what you eat and prevent weight gain instead of looking to lose right away. Focus on the new baby :D

---------- Post added at 02:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 AM ----------


1. What are your views on 'Jump squats' in relation to generic back squats for muscle building?
2. What helpful tips do you have for 'remembering' to eat/supplement at the appropriate times throughout the day?
3. What is your opinion on 'Dips' as opposed to Benching?

1.) Jump squats basically engage all the same muscles as the traditional back squat but focus more on training those fast twitch muscle fibers. I highly advise incorporating both into your workout to improve function as well as strength (and muscle.)

Especially if you're an athlete, plyometric exercises are a must.

2.) Honestly keep it simple. Its already been that frequent meals throughout the day doesn't "boost" your metabolism. Its all about the total calories :) eat when its convenient for you. Keep your supplementation intake constant and simple. Protein after workout, all them vitamins in the morning. Get a nice supplement stacker (bottle type thing that can hold diff powders) so u remember to bring all your supps.

3.) Dips and benching are very similar. I've personally given up flat barbell bench presses completely for 2 years now and my chest development is better than ever. I do weighted wide-grip dips instead. I love how its less tension on my shoulders.

P.s. i gave up benching when i was going for 375lbs for 3 reps and when i unracked it, it slipped from my hand and freefell onto my chest, bruising it like hell. Been traumatized ever since :)

[keltika]

Very interesting :p

I have been keen to build more dips into my workout for quite a while - The dip bars in our gym go relatively unused (And on every international chest day there is a huge queue for the benches). I find them insanely difficult to do (I can only do about 8 at bodyweight currently) so it's great to know the chest development should continue!

[Allegra]

Hi!

I've recently been diagnosed with a partial meniscus tear, which sucks because I used to love high impact circuit training for my legs as well as running. The cardio I can bring in with cycling and a cross trainer I guess, but do you know of any exercises that build the legs (glutes especially) that won't compromise my knee while it's recovering (ftr I'm not in pain almost at all, but need to be careful).

[leoric]

Hi!

I've recently been diagnosed with a partial meniscus tear, which sucks because I used to love high impact circuit training for my legs as well as running. The cardio I can bring in with cycling and a cross trainer I guess, but do you know of any exercises that build the legs (glutes especially) that won't compromise my knee while it's recovering (ftr I'm not in pain almost at all, but need to be careful).

There are tons of glute exercises that provide little to no torque on the knees :) donkey kicks, kickbacks with resistance bands and good mornings which build the whole posterior are very good examples. Pull-throughs with the cable machine also similuate a deadlift while placing most emphasis on the glutes. (Attach a rope handle on the low pulley and grab it between your legs facing away from the stack. Move away from the stack slightly and pull through until your torso is upright and squeeze dem cheeks hard)

Be sure to strengthen your abductors and adductors as well! Most of the isolation exercises that strengthen both do not put pressure on the knee.

---------- Post added at 12:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 AM ----------


Very interesting :p

I have been keen to build more dips into my workout for quite a while - The dip bars in our gym go relatively unused (And on every international chest day there is a huge queue for the benches). I find them insanely difficult to do (I can only do about 8 at bodyweight currently) so it's great to know the chest development should continue!

8 is very respectable. Definately above newbie level :) i currently train them similarly to chest in a 6-8 rep fashion with abt 90lbs tagged on to a dip belt but can rep out 47 clean full-range dips at 5'8 210lbs :D love em to death

[leoric]

Still answering all questions about fitness :)

[scornty]

What made you decide you wanted to be a personal trainer?

[leoric]

What made you decide you wanted to be a personal trainer?

Classic incredibly unhealthy fat kid with tons of acne addicted to playing Neopets who wanted to attract girls pretty much! It started out as something I was doing for myself. As I started to make progress, a fellow obese classmate who happened to be a neighbor of mine started going to the gym with me. I taught him the basics (or what I knew at the time since I was like 16) and it really felt good seeing him lose weight.

Went into the corporate world with a marketing degree after and worked for a video game company, a mobile app company (food delivery) and then got a general manager position in a gym. Loved the setting, studied and became a trainer myself :)