A while ago, I think sometime last week, I posted here about my first three weeks of exercise. I was very discouraged by the fact that after three weeks of almost daily walks, the walking still didn't feel any easier, and my body still felt really bad while moving. I asked you all when you got over that bump, so I could keep my eyes forward.

Well. Today it was easier!!!ヾ(≧▽≦*)o

I noticed it a bit already on last night's walk, it just... felt a bit lighter in my body! So today, I was brave and walked past the first bench I usually need to rest on on my route! I made it about halfway to the second usual stop, rested at that halfway point instead, and then walked past my usual second stop all the way to... no, PAST the third! I rested at my fourth stop instead!!!

I was out of breath, but I didn't feel so horrible and heavy all over! I still felt good and light!

For most of you, this amount of movement is probably smallbeans, but to me it's a huge accomplishment. I am so, so relieved that the horrible heaviness is not where it ends!

Thank you so so much for everyone who replied to my last post to tell me it would get better. In hindsight, I was going through a heavy depressive spike. A friend told me that I might have been experiencing a psychosomatic symptom of depression, too - they called it Psychomotor Retardation. I'll see my psychiatrist in two days and ask her if that might be true, expertise over WebMD always!

But your words really helped me through. It can be hard to remember that there's an "after". You helped me so much to put one foot in front of the other and have faith that I can get better!

I'll probably walk into walls again sooner or later, and I might come back here for comfort and support. But for now, I finally have more strength to keep on walking!

Btw thank you all for reminding me to sleep properly. I had a tough bout of insomnia for sure, but I'm doing my best to get my circadian rhythm back on track, and I think that helped a lot!

My main workouts have always been a mix of staying active and improving overall fitness, but recently I’ve been thinking about adding more structured strength training.

I feel like strength work is useful for almost everyone, whether the goal is building muscle, improving performance, staying mobile, or just feeling stronger day to day.

I’ve been looking into basic movements like squats, rows, presses, hinges and core exercises.

Most of these seem simple enough to do with a small amount of equipment, which makes it easier to stay consistent.

For people who include strength training regularly, what does your routine usually look like?

Do you follow a program, or do you build your own workouts?

I’m decently in shape, but I want to get better. Currently I’m 225, but wanna get down to around 200ish (I’m 6’4” so it’s distributed but mostly around my waist). I’m a big soccer player, which is shocking considering my username, and I’m going to start playing more. Currently playing in an 11v11 league and a 7v7 outdoor league, want to start into an indoor league. Went a while without doing much because of school (engineering degree and MBA, just finished🙌🏻). I do have access to a gym but I’ve never been able to really get into it and stay engaged/motivated.

What I’m looking for is the most effective exercises to trim around the waist. Also, I’ve seen ads for TENS units that will essentially passively work out your abs. I’ve used TENS units for recovery on muscle injuries. Are those effective and would that help me with my goal? Thanks!

I started a diet 10 weeks ago(120 to 106) and thankfully I’m still young so my skin can bounce back a little easier. So I’m wondering if you guys have any exercises to do at home? An gym membership isn’t an option for me.

Hello everyone!

I've never been very fit, but I used to be getting around fine. But after COVID lockdown, I developed more and more fear of going outside, really retreated into myself and my body got much weaker. After the lockdown, I found myself so quickly out of breath and sweating that it made me even more scared of outside, especially of being seen a sweaty, wheezing mess while I already got grief for being overweight at times.

Still, this year my coach (not physical, more of a general getting-life-basics-back-on-track coach) suggested walking to start. So I don't have to go far away or to a gym, and he can go with me 2-3 times per week.

It's been over three weeks, and I've managed to walk almost every day. At most, I maybe miss out 1-2 days per week. I'm doing 2000 steps minimum, but on busy days, I managed to get up to 7000!

But it's still hard. I still feel so winded when I come home, I still have to sit down a lot. My legs still get shaky and weak. And I'm still all sweaty. I feel quite ashamed of that, and it makes it harder to keep going.

But I know that it only gets better if I keep going.

I think it would really help me to hear from those of you who went through a similar time, maybe. Those of you who felt like it took very long for first results. I'm so scared of never getting better, and the fear and doubt make me want to hide again. Please tell me when it gets better?

Thank you!

I’m currently trying to decide what kind of home gym setup would actually suit the way I train, and I’m realizing that having more exercise options does not necessarily make the decision easier.

My main goal is to train my back, chest and legs without needing several separate machines. I would like to be able to do movements such as lat pulldowns, rows, cable flyes, squats and presses, while still having enough freedom to add smaller shoulder and arm exercises. Since I usually train alone, safety and easy adjustments matter to me as much as the number of exercises available.

Space is limited, so I’m leaning toward one versatile rack or cable-based system rather than filling the room with individual machines. I also want something that will still be useful as my strength improves, instead of choosing a setup that I might quickly outgrow.

It is difficult to know which features will matter after months of regular use and which ones only look useful when comparing equipment online. For those who have already built a home gym, what would you prioritize differently if you were starting again?

I'm a really thin teen (46 kgs) and I just got a gym membership. I'm currently able to do about 20 normal push ups, able to hold a plank for a minute, but can't do crunches or pull-ups.

I've decided I'm really going to lock in and begin a proper regiment.

Could I get advice on a proper way to start?

https://kinesophy.com/trauma-informed-strength-training-with-laura-khoudari/

Laura Khoudari is a writer and leader in trauma-informed strength training and the author of Lifting Heavy Things: Healing Trauma One Rep at a Time. Her work has been widely recognized by the trauma and fitness community, and she has been featured by The New York Times, NPR, BuzzFeed and Outside Online. She has presented her work for Somatic Experiencing International, The Breathe Network, Reebok, Les Mills, as well as at conferences, schools and fitness studios in the United States and Canada. In this interview, she discusses Lifting Heavy Things and the basics of trauma-informed strength training.

I’ve been looking into what it actually takes to build a home gym, and choosing equipment seems like the easy part. The harder part is figuring out how much space each movement needs, where everything should go, and whether the setup will still feel practical once you start training regularly.

I’ve checked basic measurements and planning ideas, but things like storage, floor protection, noise, and moving around the equipment seem harder to judge before actually using the space.

For people who have built a home gym, what part ended up being more difficult than you expected?

One of my friends is about to go through a pretty intense disc replacement surgery and she's an extremely active person. Works out just about daily and her mental health relies heavily on her ability to exercise, weight train, hike and push herself. I'm reaching out to this community in hopes that someone else may have gone through something similar and has tips on how to keep the endorphins up when you physically cannot exercise.

Hi! Recently, I've decided to take up working out as a way to get active after over a year of bedrotting due to severe health issues, and I have zero strength. genuinely, I can't even lift 4lb weights without straining my arms. I have a fast metabolism and am very thin, maybe a little bit protien and iron deficient, but not unhealthy (i'm working on the diet part as best as I can..!), and was hoping for some tips (or if there's any channel or site that I can use) that would help me start. I am mostly looking to gain more upper body and arm strength, so that is my only goal for now. please send any tips!

I’m trying to keep a workout space useful without slowly filling it with equipment that only gets occasional use. Looking through different machines made me realize that footprint is probably just as important as the number of exercises listed.

122.7 Lbs

3 sets plank 1:30

2 sets 15 push-ups

2 sets 50 squats

(I exercise every other day except for the weekends, I've also been trying to eat healthier although I do have an eating problem, in the sense I skip meals.)

(I also would like to hear recommendations for other exercises to include in this, sit-ups and other exercises like that I can't do, my tailbone gets in the way and hurts like hell.)

(I also need pre-workout stretches to do, I have skipped those completely in my 3-4 weeks of exercising so far)

I (51f) fell off my bike and mangled my thumb. Awaiting an MRI to tell me what I did and if I’ll need surgery. My typical workout routine involves dumbbells twice a week to target arms, chest, and back. I can only manage a barre arms workout with 3 lb weights right now. Any suggestions for workarounds to keep strength in my upper body without putting weight on my thumb?

https://kinesophy.com/ethical-components-of-fitness-part-2-squat-challenge-and-persistence-hunt/

How long everyone should be able to hold a squat, and how fast everyone should be able to cover five kilometers on foot.

So I started hitting the gym about 8 months ago, took it easy for a while getting back in to shape. I’ve been doing 3+ miles on a treadmill aside from lifting. I started off with a fast pace, 3.3 - 3.7mph and go 60 minutes non stop. I’ve since increased the incline but it is starting to become easier now.

I started a jog, 5.5mph and can only go for about a minute before dropping back. Right now I kick off a 5.5mpg jog at the top of each 10 minute mark then back down to the walk. I do get out of breath and need to cool down a minute.

Amy I doing this right, or is there a better way to increase my endurance?

Late 40’s male.

The workout itself is not always the hardest part. Finding enough time, traveling somewhere to exercise, and getting started can require more effort than expected.

What made exercise easier to fit into your normal life?

For some people, it is choosing an activity they genuinely enjoy. For others, it is keeping sessions shorter or having a convenient place at home where they can train without much preparation.

Which change removed the biggest barrier for you?

What’s your favorite and which do you recommend for a beginner?

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Hello! I take care of my mother who has dementia and I work a lot and really need to find time to exercise, but I'm having a rough time... My sleep habits are terrible and my cognition isn't what it used to be. I'd love to see if anyone has seen any significant benefits to their sleep and cognition. I read that it does, but I've never heard anyone actually say that it does. I would love to hear other people's opinions on the best habits for these benefits. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m 20F, I’m approx 5’4 and around 225-235lbs I think, i’m not sure, I’m going to buy a scale!

I have never exercised before nor have I ever been knowledgeable on the subject lol, but I have been unhappy with my body since my teens and would like to start putting in the work, I live a pretty sedentary life (I have a job interview tomorrow that will require me to be on my toes all day so hopefully not soon 😆), its a 2 and a half hour walk one way to the nearest gas station, so I barely even walk, but I hope with time, that can seem easy peasy to me!

I think the main things to do are cut calories and eat healthier, which i’m trying to do, I switched out my coke for diet coke and would eventually like to drink water most of the time, as well as cut down on sweets etc of course. I bought a walking pad the other day, I don’t really know much about them but my friend suggested it was a good start, when it arrives I aim to do at least an hour a day on it.

With that being said, does anyone else have any advice that could be useful to me? TYIA :)

Hello,
I have wavy hair but use a overnight curl thingy (the sleepy tie) to make it manageable and have been wearing bonnets for years after my sisters friends recommended them.

I'd like to go to the gym to work out without taking out the curls in the morning but idk the gym etiquette or if its offensive bc im a white passing arab. I was told bonnets are for everyone but idk if wearing them out is different. Im probably overthinking this massively and nobody gives a fuck. But i figure it never hurts to ask.

My other worry is that it might be too hot even if it was good for sleeping. Anyone have experience with this? Sorry if this is worded odd or an obvious answer I am on the spectrum and trying to get into the gym.