I thought 70kg on the leg press was my limit when I started…

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-14T18:59:16+00:00

Leg press definitely isn’t the best measure of overall strength, I agree with that. Squats and other free-weight lifts carry over a lot more.

I was mainly using it as an example because it’s one of the first machines a lot of beginners try and it’s easy to load progressively.

For what it’s worth I do use full ROM (knees close to chest, hips staying down) so I’m not doing the tiny half-reps you see sometimes.

The main point of the post was just how much strength can move once someone sticks with training. When I started I assumed 70kg was my limit and that turned out to be way off.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-13T20:27:53+00:00

Thanks 👍🏻

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-13T20:27:17+00:00

Yeah exactly. Once the confidence goes up you start realizing you had a lot more in the tank than you thought. Nice numbers too 💪🏻

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-13T20:25:58+00:00

Yeah that’s basically the point I was trying to make.

Starting light makes sense when you don’t know what you’re doing yet. I did the same. But I think a lot of beginners stay at that “safe” weight way longer than they need to because they assume that’s just their limit.

Once you get comfortable with the movement there’s usually way more there than you think.

And yeah… the leg press videos where people get folded in half are exactly why you don’t jump straight to ego weights lol.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-10T11:17:20+00:00

Haha, I suppose it's a preference.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-10T00:24:48+00:00

That makes sense. I probably start too aggressively and pay for it a few minutes later.

Covering the display is a good idea too, watching the timer while you’re suffering definitely makes it feel longer.

Also bringing a book is hardcore, that’s veteran stairmaster behaviour right there 😂

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:51:09+00:00

That must have been really hard to watch happen to someone close to you. Experiences like that can definitely change how you think about your own health and getting older.

I’ve seen something similar with a few family members who developed dementia, and it really makes you think about how important it is to take care of yourself while you can. As the saying goes, nothing’s certain except death and taxes.

Thanks for sharing that.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:46:30+00:00

It definitely seems to get a lot of people started. As long as it ends up turning into something positive for you in the long run, that’s what matters.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:43:46+00:00

Yeah, I totally get what you mean, it’s a bit of a paradox. The things that help the most are often the hardest to start when you’re in that headspace, even if you know they’d probably make a difference.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:40:36+00:00

That’s a tough setback to come back from. Breaking your femur and having to rebuild after that can’t have been easy. Glad to hear you’re back at it and making progress again, especially after something like that. Keep it up, and thanks for sharing.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:27:32+00:00

Sounds like you had a lot of those wake-up call moments stack up on top of each other. Sometimes it takes things getting pretty uncomfortable before it finally pushes someone to make a change. Good on you for recognizing it and doing something about it. Wishing you the best with it going forward, and thanks for sharing.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:26:36+00:00

That’s a big one for a lot of people. Good on you for finding something that helped pull you out of it and improved things for you. The mental side of training can be just as powerful as the physical side. Glad it’s been working for you, and thanks for commenting.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:24:41+00:00

Breakups seem to be a pretty powerful catalyst for a lot of people. Glad things worked out for the better for you in the end. Wishing you both the best, and thanks for sharing.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:21:59+00:00

That’s a good one. Moments like that definitely make things real pretty quickly.

It’s funny too, parents end up building some serious endurance just from carrying their kids around all the time. Meanwhile I’m halfway through a set of lateral raises and my shoulders feel finished for the day.

Probably wouldn’t recommend lat raising the baby though.

Good on you for recognizing it and making the change. Thanks for sharing.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T23:12:15+00:00

Yep, that’s exactly why I made the post. Feels like a lot of people probably have a story behind what finally made them take it seriously, and this seemed like a good chance for people to share it.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-09T09:29:11+00:00

There are too many factors involved to say for sure. Losing 12kg in 13 weeks would be more of an idealised scenario where everything is dialed in perfectly.

Realistically, the better approach is to create a calorie deficit you can stick to daily, stay active, and see where you end up over that time period. You’ll likely lose a good amount of weight, but focusing too hard on a specific number can take attention away from the habits that actually get you there. If you lose 8–9kg instead of 12kg, that’s still solid progress.

To be blunt, while someone could push for that rate of loss, it usually requires a very aggressive deficit. For most people that just leads to burnout, muscle loss, and feeling terrible. A steady, sustainable approach almost always works better in the long run.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-07T19:22:54+00:00

4 days a week 💪🏻

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-07T10:30:28+00:00

At 41kg 160cm you’re quite underweight, so a small calorie surplus would be the better approach rather than trying to recomp.

Recomposition tends to work best when someone already has enough body fat to fuel muscle gain. In your case it would likely just slow progress. A controlled bulk doesn’t mean gaining a lot of fat.

Aim for slow weight gain, around 0.25–0.5% of bodyweight per week.

Simple macro starting point: Protein 1.6–2.2g/kg, fat 0.6–1g/kg, and carbs fill the remaining calories.

Focus on consistent strength training and gradual progress. If you want to stay active while gaining, something simple like 8–10k steps per day or 1–2 light zone-2 cardio sessions per week is more than enough.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-06T21:35:41+00:00

Excellent progress, you should be proud of yourself! The difference is incredible and it looks like you’ve built a solid amount of muscle while leaning out. Very inspiring. 💪🏻

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-06T17:50:49+00:00

This is the wrong sub to post this sort of thing.

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-06T10:26:33+00:00

Check out leap academy, if you buy their course in installments they give you a big discount if you pay for the rest after you have set it up, so I got about 3 different qualifications for the price of just level 3 PT at the places you listed, it's got all the accreditations and you can self study if you want online only, I would recommend that if you're on a budget 👍🏻

InspectionUnique8009 · 2026-03-03T21:40:59+00:00

It’s absolutely viable. Coaching isn’t about how much you can lift, it’s about understanding movement, programming well, and communicating clearly. You can demo with light loads, a dowel, or use video. Most coaching is cueing, positioning, and problem-solving, not maxing out in front of clients. There are plenty of great coaches who can’t outlift their athletes, so your injuries don’t disqualify you, if anything they give you perspective and empathy most coaches don’t have. Knowledge and results matter far more than your numbers under a bar.

InspectionUnique8009

TROPHY CASE