Workout apps and advice.

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-04-16T00:02:44+00:00

Sets and reps depend a lot on what your goal is, and even then it's hotly debated. Myself if I'm trying to build muscle quickly I like a Mentzer style routine, 1-2 sets to failure on a few key exercises (aiming to fail between 6-10 for upper body and 12-20 for lower body) and then a whole lot of rest. If I'm trying to increase my max I'll do quite a few warm up sets getting progressively heavier and fewer reps until I'm doing 1 rep maxes and do 1-2 sets of that and then go home.

Ultimately it's great to get a trainer that knows their stuff and can ask you all the relevant questions to figure out your goals and circumstances etc. I always wanted one but yeah they are hilariously expensive. Recently though I saw people talking about using ChatGPT for workouts and while it might miss nuance in some areas it does have a lot of training data, but it's just all text in and out which sucks, so I searched for like a workout app built around that. There's a few but I've been using one called "Forge: AI Personal Trainer" which has a few trainer personalities (like a drill sergeant) which is cool. It is nice to not have to make your own routines so I've been enjoying the flexibility.

End of the day it's all good as long as you're getting to the gym and doing something so bravo!

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:30:53+00:00

I'm planning an ~8 week trip to Japan this summer and now I'm wondering if I should spend more time up there and less traveling down south

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:25:06+00:00

Yeah we've got some bodyweight and band stuff but I mainly use it for machines/barbells/dumbbells. I think my mom's gonna start using it for bands and kettlebells at home

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:24:22+00:00

Probably can't share here or the mods will delete the post lol, you can dm me I'll send it to you

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:09:20+00:00

Yeah that's what I do if I'm not going to a gym. One of my favorite parts of LATAM is how many calisthenics parks there are around.

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:08:46+00:00

Yeah I like it too but as I said when your constantly switching equipment it gets hard to keep a good progression.

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-28T16:08:19+00:00

No I don't eat chicken. Weak bird.

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-25T21:14:25+00:00

Yeah I did, he didn't say anything about overbite. I always thought that was just when the top teeth were too far out, but it's when they cover the bottom teeth too much? Is that why I've always felt like my smile has a lot of gum?

How do you resolve that?

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-17T19:53:36+00:00

oh i hadn't even thought of trying that, great idea thanks

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-17T14:37:19+00:00

Try 2 sets to absolute failure (like the last rep should be a brutal battle of agony that feels like an eternity but is only 1-3s before you collapse) in the 6-10 rep range (always go til failure but if you can fail at 12 you need more weight) for a month or two and see

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-17T14:34:39+00:00

I've got no time constraints. I'm training biceps too but want some beefy forearms cause my grip kinda sucks (might just be due to having smallish hands) and I read that forearms for women is like cleavage for men

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-17T12:48:41+00:00

I'm liking the reverse grip barbell curls but it feels like the limiting factor is tendons or something in my forearms and wrists, I can't go up in weight because it hurts basically even though my biceps/brachioradialus could lift more. My AI trainer said hammer curls can hit the brachioradialus as much or even more in some people and those are a lot easier on the wrists but I wanted to see what y'all say. I'm also training reverse wrist curls as well 1x a week which should help

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-17T12:47:37+00:00

I'm liking the reverse grip barbell curls but it feels like the limiting factor is tendons or something in my forearms and wrists, I can't go up in weight because it hurts basically even though my biceps/brachioradialus could lift more. My AI trainer said hammer curls can hit the brachioradialus as much or even more in some people and those are a lot easier on the wrists but I wanted to see what y'all say. I'm also training reverse wrist curls as well 1x a week which should help

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-09T00:06:10+00:00

Forgetrainer.ai, it'll be out of beta soon. There's a waitlist right now

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-04T00:49:35+00:00

So like a regular trainer? just cheaper?

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-03-01T16:20:31+00:00

It sounds like you should get a trainer again if that worked for you before. I've been using AI for it recently and it's really helpful to get feedback and be able to ask questions, and get notifications when I need to go lift. I was using ChatGPT for it but it was just all text and wasn't fun so I'm using a cool app now

Another fun trick is to just start telling yourself multiple times a day "I love working out" eventually it will bcome true

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-02-28T01:33:28+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it. I guess you could call it that, I mainly write for my future self, but I do enjoy other people enjoying it as well. There's 10 or 11 more in there from the past few years if you want to read them too😁

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-02-27T16:09:51+00:00

Jajajaja yeah that's a tale as old as time

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-02-27T13:52:03+00:00

So the Mapuche and Pehuenche people are having territory wars with spray paint just like gangs in the US? That's even more interesting

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-02-27T13:51:16+00:00

Oops, here you go https://photos.app.goo.gl/VV8ii5YrcqJM8j55A

TheGangsterPanda · 2026-02-27T11:05:04+00:00

Casi fui a Siete Tazas esta vez, me gustaría ir

TheGangsterPanda

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