I'm currently 5'9" at 260 lbs. I have been going to the gym for the past 2 weeks and I started off benching 100lbs.

This week (same day as last week) i can only barely bench 80lbs. Now i had a friend of mine coach me through the initial workout and he pushed me extremely hard to the point i could not lift 10lbs and i was very sore all week. This time around I was using my own easier to do routine.

Should I expect my strength (what little i have lol) to come back in a week or 2?

You probably tore muscle fibres that haven't been torn before. It will take a week or two to heal, but you'll likely be stronger as a result.

Stick with it. Just wait until he has you doing squats for the first time and you're crawling up and down the stairs on all fours. It's an exhilarating feeling

Well he may be a good friend, but he sounds like a terrible coach. :blank:

Pushing a guy who has been lifting for two weeks to the point where they can barely lift 10 lbs is just unnecessary at best, and irresponsible and downright dangerous at worst. It doesn't serve a practical training purpose at this point.

Be careful of somone whose training principles are based entirely/mostly on emotional principles. Anyone can make a guy sweat, make them puke, get them to the point where they can't raise their arms, give them "killer" DOMS, or what have you.

Training for you should be about learning form, and building the capacity to safely take on progressively heavier loads. Going backwards from a 100 lb bench press should not be part of the equation.

I'll give your friend the benefit of the doubt, but just going from what you listed here, I'd at least be on the look out for continued signs of what I mentioned.

You probably tore muscle fibres that haven't been torn before. It will take a week or two to heal, but you'll likely be stronger as a result.

Stick with it. Just wait until he has you doing squats for the first time and you're crawling up and down the stairs on all fours. It's an exhilarating feeling

Exhilarating is one way to put it :lol: Not sure if that's the word I'd use though!

If you are working out that hard, making sure you are eating correctly to build back and recover!

well lets just say he's no longer helping me

as for my diet... I think thats why i'm taking so long to recover. I'm trying very very hard to loose 70 lbs by this time next year and i've been eating pretty low calorie wise, something like 1500 max and doing 6 days a week in the gym ( 3 cardio 3 weights) I know i should eat at least 2300 cals BUT when i tried that I gained over 10lbs for some crazy reason without lifting weights, that was just cardio everyday

and i don't know if the pain I had was DOMS, I could not bend my arm at all the following day and took a few more days before i could use it

well lets just say he's no longer helping me

as for my diet... I think thats why i'm taking so long to recover. I'm trying very very hard to loose 70 lbs by this time next year and i've been eating pretty low calorie wise, something like 1500 max and doing 6 days a week in the gym ( 3 cardio 3 weights) I know i should eat at least 2300 cals BUT when i tried that I gained over 10lbs for some crazy reason without lifting weights, that was just cardio everyday

You're overtraining for your size and calorie needs. What will likely happen is you'll go into starvation mode and won't lose anything at all. It's counter-intuitive, but you need to eat more for that level of activity. Stick to your 2300 calories. That 10 pounds is scary, for sure, but you'll find it you stick to the plan, over a few weeks, it'll balance out and you'll have more long term success. There is NO way you will reach your goals with what you're doing now, in my opinion.

well, i'll try my best to stick with the 2300 cals, i just need to start counting calories instead of guesstimating

Gotta use fitday! Once you figure out your baseline it's pretty smooth sailing. Plus if your a creature of habbit and eat mainly the same foods. It becomes a 5 minute process to see your caloric intake for the day.

You have overworked your muscles to the point of exhaustion. Usually taking ice baths will help you recover fast. Just give yourself time to heal.

i figured out the real problem today

I have only been getting 1000-1300 cals per day for the last month and i've only lost 10 lbs but i felt better so i don't bother thinking anything of it. I added everything up in Fitday and that's what I got, so i'm going to slowly up my calorie intake with hopes that i wont gain again and start loosing a lot more weight

And tonight is Back/Bicep night, i'm excited that I get to do my cable rows LOL

and i don't know if the pain I had was DOMS, I could not bend my arm at all the following day and took a few more days before i could use it

OK now that you had that experience, lets' see what your lifting program looks like.

...I have only been getting 1000-1300 cals per day for the last month and i've only lost 10 lbs but i felt better so i don't bother thinking anything of it. I added everything up in Fitday and that's what I got, so i'm going to slowly up my calorie intake with hopes that i wont gain again and start loosing a lot more weight

There would appear to be a high probability you're missing calories somewhere, because weight should be falling off you at ~260 lbs eating like that, and you sure as hell shouldn't be gaining by going up to 2000 calories.

Not a knock against your math skills, depending on food sources and preparation, this can be tricky stuff.

Account for EVERYTHING, and be careful of using Fitday's default numbers that may not match your exact food items, or their serving sizes. Do you own a food scale?

Posting a sample day from your diet, along with Zen's request on the training, would be a good idea.

Dr. Pain, be far less worried about your weight and just focus on your measurements and body fat percentage. In the end, you might lose a bunch of fat but gain muscle and you could end up at a weight you didn't expect but still look AWESOME. Keep that in mind. Don't really focus on the scale.

And definitely look at the stickies about nutrition in the beginners/introduction forum.

I did go down a full pant size so i am happy about that, and the 1000 calories a day is not everyday, i was just eating when i was hungry before.

Here is my workout schedule.


Monday: Chest/Triceps + 30 Mins Fasted LISS

Bench Press: 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Close – grip bench-press 2 sets X 10 Reps
Incline bench-press: 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Skull Crushers: 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Incline Dumbbell Fly: 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Rope pull downs 3 sets x 10 Reps
Tricep superset: 3 Sets X 10 Reps X10 Reps

Tuesday: 30 Mins Fasted LISS

Wednesday: Back/Biceps+ 30 Mins Fasted LISS

T-Bar 3 sets x 10 reps
EZ-Bar Preacher Curls: 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Lean Back Lat Pull-Downs: 3 sets X 10 reps
21’s: 2 Sets X 21 Reps
Cable rows 3 sets 10 Reps
Concentration curls 3 sets X 10 Reps
Dumbbell rows 3 sets X 10 Reps
Superset: Curls/Hammer curls 3 sets X 40 Reps

Thursday:30 Mins Fasted LISS

Friday: Legs/Shoulders+ 30 Mins Fasted LISS

Leg Press 2 Sets X 10 Reps
Arnold Press 2 sets x 10 Reps
Dumbbell Lunges: 2 Sets X 10 Reps
Shrugs: 2 sets x 40 Reps
Leg Extensions: 2 Sets X 10 Reps
Dumbell Upright Row: 2 Sets X 10 Reps
Standing calve raises 4 sets x 20
Superset: Side lateral Raises 3 sets x 10
Front lateral Raise x 10

Saturday: 30 Mins Fasted LISS

Sunday: OFF

Some of the exercises are not labeled properly but I know what they are.


As for diet I know how to count calories properly I just got scared gaining 10lbs i guess and like an idiot cut them too low.

Here is a sample day of me new plan without calories as i'm carefully counting them now (based on the labels, not fitday's defaults)

This all ads up to aprox 2000 calories

Breakfast: Kashi Go-Lean Crunch with skim milk
Snack: Banana and Protein Shake (1 Scoop)
Lunch: Full Can Tuna with no fat mayo served on a whole wheat tortilla and a glass of OJ
Snack: 250ml Pure egg whites with some cheese
Dinner: Chicken Breast with long grain brown rice
Post Workout: Protein shake with glutamine (2 Scoops)

I figure i'll eat this same basic thing everyday to get me started. And yes I need to add some greens.

The main thing i'm really happy about is i've only been eating natural clean foods since Christmas and i feel loads better.

no comments on the diet?

Far too much volume on your weight lifting plan and not enough food IMO.

Get most of your carbs in post workout (I would have a proper meal after the shake) then split the rest between breakfast and pre workout. You have very little fat and zero vegetables. What are the approximate times of the meals you are eating at the moment?

meals are scattered right now, and my workout has been ending at 11:00pm so i've only been having a shack so i dont go to bed full

I think we can see why your arms aren't working too well after some of those days. :)

I'd drop the supersets at the end of most days, and change things to 2 sets for most of the exercises once you get past the second or third exercise for the day. Even with this, there might be some redundancy you could trim.

Focus on being progressive with the up front work, and don't try to drive yourself into the ground by the end of the workout.

On the diet I think you're mostly going to have to go by the results you're seeing and how you're feeling, but I think you're right that you could benefit by working some fibrous vegetables into the mix.

I would start by throwing away the majority of that workout. It is just not tailored for your level of experience.

If you are primarily focused on losing weight right now, then I would look to doing something closer to full body workouts 3 days a week.
I don't like full body workouts myself, but they do serve a purpose.

Stick with lifting on M, W, F.
However, pick some much more basic/compound movements.

Something like

M-Bench, Pulldowns, Deadlift, squats
W-Incline bench, bar rows, cleans, lunges
F-Decline Bench, deadlift, overhead press, squats

A couple of things to think about. This isn't a bodybuilding or strength training workout. This is more focused on getting your heart rate going and keeping it elevated by including many different groups of muscles. If you can, try performing them in a circuit, with around 60-120 seconds in between each lift, and 120 seconds between circuits. Depending on what you feel you can handle, try for 3-5 circuits. If you can't perform them in a circuit, shoot for 3-5 sets of approx 10 reps for each movement. Starting out with 3 sets initially for a couple weeks, then 4, then 5.

The idea is to limit yourself to about 30 minutes for each workout.


Cardio plan looks fine.

I would start by throwing away the majority of that workout. It is just not tailored for your level of experience.

If you are primarily focused on losing weight right now, then I would look to doing something closer to full body workouts 3 days a week.
I don't like full body workouts myself, but they do serve a purpose.

Stick with lifting on M, W, F.
However, pick some much more basic/compound movements.

Something like

M-Bench, Pulldowns, Deadlift, squats
W-Incline bench, bar rows, cleans, lunges
F-Decline Bench, deadlift, overhead press, squats

A couple of things to think about. This isn't a bodybuilding or strength training workout. This is more focused on getting your heart rate going and keeping it elevated by including many different groups of muscles. If you can, try performing them in a circuit, with around 60-120 seconds in between each lift, and 120 seconds between circuits. Depending on what you feel you can handle, try for 3-5 circuits. If you can't perform them in a circuit, shoot for 3-5 sets of approx 10 reps for each movement. Starting out with 3 sets initially for a couple weeks, then 4, then 5.

The idea is to limit yourself to about 30 minutes for each workout.


Cardio plan looks fine.


My level of experience is not at question here. I used to work out and am still in good cardiovascular health. By the end of my workouts i'm not dead or sore or even over tired, my problem was I over did the weight the first day and did not eat enough to recover. I really just needed help with my diet and believe my weight lifting routine is perfect for what i'm capable of doing.

Don't get me wrong though I appreciate the advice very much :)

Full body training gives you ZERO time to recover, I do not know what purpose they would have for building strength

Full body training gives you ZERO time to recover, I do not know what purpose they would have for building strength

I have been mostly doing a three day full body workout during the past 2-3years since I began lifting. I have seen some great strength and muscle gain and have no problem recovering if my nutriton and sleep are dialed in (if I do an eg M, W, F schedule,) and this is lifting hard not a pink dumbell routine;)

I have been mostly doing a three day full body workout during the past 2-3years since I began lifting. I have seen some great strength and muscle gain and have no problem recovering if my nutriton and sleep are dialed in (if I do an eg M, W, F schedule,) and this is lifting hard not a pink dumbell routine;)

The physiology of weight training has to be remembered...muscles grow as a result of a greater load than has been placed on them before, resulting in damage to the muscle fibers. The body responds to this unexpected load by adding additional cells and fibers (protein) to the damaged area to repair and prepare for that load in the future. ANY load you place on your body that falls into this spectrum will result in some growth. Typically, the greater load, the greater damage, and therefore, the greater growth, within reason and as long as it doesn't create insurmountable damage (injury.)

The problem with full body work outs is they take too long, use too much energy, and have too many movements to really get the same intensity as smaller routines. You run out of glycogen and mental energy before you get through it. Most people can't successfully do a fully intense full body workout.

The physiology of weight training has to be remembered...muscles grow as a result of a greater load than has been placed on them before, resulting in damage to the muscle fibers. The body responds to this unexpected load by adding additional cells and fibers (protein) to the damaged area to repair and prepare for that load in the future. ANY load you place on your body that falls into this spectrum will result in some growth. Typically, the greater load, the greater damage, and therefore, the greater growth, within reason and as long as it doesn't create insurmountable damage (injury.)

The problem with full body work outs is they take too long, use too much energy, and have too many movements to really get the same intensity as smaller routines. You run out of glycogen and mental energy before you get through it. Most people can't successfully do a fully intense full body workout.

I am not at all anti splits but i do think if you structure well a full body workout it can work, it doesn't have to be long eg one FBW would be squats, BB rows, bench press and pullups? I usually do six exercises myself and never workout more than an hour at a time