Program suggestions

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After a couple years off from lifting and being active in the gym I’m feeling like I don’t quite know where to start. I need a program, bodybuilding.com seems to be charging a monthly fee for what was once free… and a few internet searches gave me a multitude of conflicting information. Some suggests strong lifts, strong curves, and others saying strong lifts is dead and not an effective program. Every trainer on YouTube is trying to sell something. My initial goal is fat loss, I know I won’t gain much muscle aside from newbie gains on a deficit but I just need a starting point to get back on track. Any good resources to find effective weightlifting programs?

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  • I_AM_ISRAEL
    I_AM_ISRAEL Posts: 160 Member
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    Good free sources? Probably not.
    You seem to know already that you need to be in a deficit to lose bf, so no need to point that out.
    Simply be in a deficit, lift 4-5 days a week if possible, and check weight/ progress photo every week. Adjust calories from there.
  • nay0m3
    nay0m3 Posts: 178 Member
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    @BaDaSsBrUnEtTe I am working with a coach right now after going solo for a few years. Danny Matranga is his name. He offers app coaching as well and has a free 7 day trial if you want to check him out. If you want to connect with me, I also have a few resources I have saved that I can share with you! Soooo good to get back to lifting!
  • BaDaSsBrUnEtTe
    BaDaSsBrUnEtTe Posts: 518 Member
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    nay0m3 wrote: »
    @BaDaSsBrUnEtTe I am working with a coach right now after going solo for a few years. Danny Matranga is his name. He offers app coaching as well and has a free 7 day trial if you want to check him out. If you want to connect with me, I also have a few resources I have saved that I can share with you! Soooo good to get back to lifting!

    Thank you! It’s kind of overwhelming to try and research different programs and decide where to start.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,068 Member
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    Have you read this thread (here)?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Despite the thread title, there are programs in there other than weight lifting, such as bodyweight programs. Many of them are free or cheap (like buy a book). That thread is also a good place to ask questions.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    The thread above has a lot of good programs...and it really depends on what you want out of a program. Strong Lifts for example is a good beginner program for maximizing strength gains...it's not remotely dead, but people tend to run it much longer than it is intended to be run rather than moving on to an intermediate program. Personally, my issue with programs like Strong Lifts and Starting Strength is that I get bored with them...and in general get bored with most cookie cutter programs.

    My favorite off the shelf program I ran was New Rules of Lifting Supercharged...because it's not actually a program. It allows you to put together your own program following a template of movement types and it has templates for general fitness, strength, and hypertrophy so it's easy to run something for awhile and then switch it up...and because the templates are movement type based, there are multiple movements that fit the type so you don't have to be doing the same lift day in and day out (which is what I find boring).

    My best results were with a PT who personalized my programming and I worked with him for a few years...unfortunately, it's also pretty expensive as I was paying $200/month to see him once per week (he'd give me "homework") and then also having to pay the gym membership fee.

    I'm currently using an app called Fitbod and I'm liking it because I just input the split I want to run and the focus (ie strength/hypertrophy/general fitness) and it just spits out a workout for each day including lifts to be performed, sets/reps, weight, etc. The only things I've really had to adjust was the weight used on certain lifts as it started me too low, but the app stores everything and learns you as you go. It's great for fitness though not ideal if you really wanted to get into bodybuilding or powerlifting on any serious level.
  • Mandy_SD
    Mandy_SD Posts: 29 Member
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    Starting out I got a lot of information and programs from Bodybuilding.com. They do have an app called BodySpace that offers programs and tracking for free. I got bored with it and have found Caroline Girvan on YouTube. She is a certified personal trainer and NASM nutrition coach. She has multiple programs and all are free. I'm really liking her so far!!!
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
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    I’ll recommend barbell medicines beginner prescription. It’s free. They have paid stuff too.
  • BaDaSsBrUnEtTe
    BaDaSsBrUnEtTe Posts: 518 Member
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    Thank you to everyone for all of the suggestions. I restarted a weightlifting program that was designed for me years ago, but I am going to look into these as well for future reference.
  • I_AM_ISRAEL
    I_AM_ISRAEL Posts: 160 Member
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    Here you go:
    3 days a week, M,W,F
    Full body
    2 working sets per muscle group
    Rep ranges between 5-30.
    Barbell movements 5-10 reps
    Isolated movements 10-30 reps, feel the stretch and burn.
    Don’t go until failure, keep 3 RIR, then reduce to 2 then 1, with the following weeks.
    Go all out on your 4th week. Deload for a week, repeat for another cycle. Do this for about 3 cycles.
    Add sets only if you aren’t feeling the pump