Show HN: Workout.lol – a web app to easily create a workout routine

I agree.

OP made a nice site for exploring different types of movements for a muscle group. That being said the simplicity seems geared towards those just starting out with training but the site surfaces too many (in my experience) accessory exercises and movements I wouldn't try without a PT guiding me.

If you are a true beginner and you are drawn to a site like OP's you're probably looking for a training program. You can find many comprehensive programs online [1] but when you're starting out the information is overwhelming. Whichever routine you choose keep in the back of your mind that the CDC recommends that you engage all major muscle groups in a muscle strengthening activity at least twice a week[2].

Targeting every muscle group individually takes too much time, this is why most resistance training programs include a handful of exercises that train many muscles at once. Those are called compound exercises. Look up each exercise listed in your program and determine if it is a compound exercise. Those are the foundation of your program.

You will probably fail your commitment to whatever program you've chosen in the next 2 weeks. Some days you will need to shorten your resistance workout for whatever reason. The compound exercises are the ones that you should still complete on those days. Some days you will skip the workout entirely. Still try to meet the CDC recommendation for the week by adapting your program and then recommit the following week.

Diet is a tangetial topic, but you will need adequate protein in order to progress your training.

Eventually you will notice a difference between the person you are when you're consistent with it and the person you are when you're not. At that point there's no going back. The workouts get more challenging, but regularly challenging yourself is something you look forward to.

[1]: https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-bu...

[2]: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

I wrote an R script to help me generate my own workouts.

What it actually does is schedule (distribute) the desired muscle groups across days according to your specification of:

  - volume: # sets to do on each workout day of that muscle group  
  - frequency: # days between workout days of that muscle group

The goal is to avoid having some days at the gym be huge (many exercises) while others are small (fewer exercises). The script uses simulated annealing to try to even out the schedule as much as possible.

I am afraid I do not have a website or write-up but the code is here: https://github.com/fabkury/caltre. I have been actually using this script for years and it has made my gym scheduling effortless. I can just focus on the "meta parameters", e.g.:

INPUT:

  muscle group,`X sets per training day`,`train every X 
  days`
  back,9,4  
  chest,9,4  
  quads,8,4  
  biceps,7,3  
  shoulder,6,4  
  abdominal,4,2  
  calf,4,5  
  anterior forearm,5,6  
  posterior forearm,5,6  

OUTPUT: It tells you what to do on each training day, as many days you want (it is an "infinite roll"). Here are 9 days to exemplify:

  day 1:
  chest 9
  biceps 7

  day 2:
  quads 8
  abdominal 4

  day 3:
  back 9
  calf 4
  anterior forearm 5

  day 4:
  biceps 7
  shoulder 6
  abdominal 4

  day 5:
  chest 9
  posterior forearm 5

  day 6:
  quads 8
  abdominal 4
  
  day 7:
  back 9
  biceps 7

  day 8:
  shoulder 6
  abdominal 4
  calf 4

  day 9:
  chest 9
  anterior forearm 5

  day X:
  ...

Kind regards.

> Not with weight on their back.

Yeah, people do worse in real life. They pick up stuff of varying weights all the time at odd angles.

I have to agree. It suggested 13 exercises for me, most of which I've never heard of and have no desire to learn.

I'll stick with squat/deadlift/weighted pullups every day - no need to complicate shit.

source?

I do muay thai and it's essential for clinching and is part of my training anyway.