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

workout.lol

161–170 of 290 posts

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

#161
post #98

I do feel like most beginner/intermediate lifters with gym access would be better served just picking a standard full-body workout routine (e.g. GZCLP) and sticking to it. Figuring out which muscle groups you'd like to be targeting with specialized exercises is not something you should be doing as a novice.

“Just picking a standard full-body workout routine” - that’s the issue, I have no idea what the names of standard routines are or where to find them. I’d love to know several. I know none. Like many things, knowing the name or term of what you’re looking for is the gateway - without that you’re stuck floundering.

You can figure out the basics in a couple of hours of reading. You don't need to process it all at once. I started lifting with some dumbbells I found on the street and just practiced moving them around slowly with light weights attached while figuring out which muscles different movements activated, then searched for simple terms like 'dumbbell shoulder exercises'.

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

#164
post #92

I do feel like most beginner/intermediate lifters with gym access would be better served just picking a standard full-body workout routine (e.g. GZCLP) and sticking to it. Figuring out which muscle groups you'd like to be targeting with specialized exercises is not something you should be doing as a novice.

Could you explain why this is considered bad to just pick the muscle groups you want to train as a novice?

"Targeted" exercises tend to be body-builder type stuff which can only really be done with light weights. Instead, bigger compound movements like squat and deadlift can be incrementally trained leading up to much, much heavier weights and they train the body as an integrated whole.

In daily life, the body is used to move with many muscle groups working together. By using a targeted exercise, you can create muscle imbalances and injury is more likely (especially stuff like tendonitis).

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

#165
I'd like to echo the sentiments about this app not providing enough guidance, and also ask the HN community a question: is there an app out there that does provide lots of guidance?

I've been doing 3 days / week GZCL with this for a year: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.braindead.g...

It's a 2/5. It works, kinda. I suffer from moderate ADHD and need an app that requires little decision-making. Big buttons, pre-programmed workouts, etc. It does that pretty well.

co.braindead.gzcl doesn't do several things I want: --Tell me what to do with no ambiguity (GZCL often has "accessory exercises" that are a free-for-all. No, I need the app to tell me exactly what to do. Which exercise, how many reps, what weight, what rest interval). --Explain what's going on. What is "TM"? Why is it always zero? --Facilitate deloading weeks + make reasonable calculations and / or expose the calculations --be FOSS --allow data export --offline-first

Is there anything out there that does this, or a significant subset?

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

#166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the idea is great ("what can you do with the equipment you have") but that also kinda promote a bit of fuckarounditis ( https://leangains.com/fuckarounditis/ ) by asking the user "what muscle do you really wanna target", instead of emphasizing a better approach of lifting overall which is strong "functional" compound movements such as the big 6 (bench press / squat / deadlift / pull ups / rows / overhead press)

That link does a lot of talking without really explaining what you DO have to do.

Well you didn't read it then. It's actually extremely clear about doing DEADLIFT / SQUATS / BENCH PRESS/ CHIN or PULL UPS / OVERHEAD PRESS.

I can understand you may not like the 'troll' / provocative way of writing tho, it's not for everybody

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

#167
post #136

Everyone is very complementary so can I be allowed to be the debbie downer? As a web app, it's neat! Functionally, not a fan as yet. I've lifted for a couple of decades. I put in the muscles for a pull workout I will be doing today and the results are... dumb. "Dumbbell superman" nah not going to do that. Two types of hammer curl? Nah that's a waste of time. "Bayesian hammer curl" wtf, my eye is twitching. Two types…

To this point, Renaissance Periodization has an app with similar functionality, but whose programming is MUCH more sane. And they’re some of the best in the biz. It costs though: https://go.rpstrength.com/hypertrophy-app.

If you’re new to lifting, you can just do starting strength and you’ll be fine.

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

#170
Very nice to be able to look up body weight exercises and get a short video instantly. Very nice.

I wouldn't target weight lifting at all. These people already know everything. Most of them can't hold a horse stance for more than 30 seconds but they can squat with 200 lbs on their back. I used to be one of those people. All bulked up and weak as fuck.

Don't encourage people to lift weights until they can lift their own weight.

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