But it didnt have to be. When you gain the weight back inevitably the pit stays smaller, a process that recurs every time you put yourself through this cycle. The whole point of weight training is working against (increasing) resistance. What I didnt realize was that too aggressive of a diet for too long would wear away at my muscles, too. Her work covers the intersections of a diverse range of topics, including politics, identity, health, technology, power, womanhood, and embodiment, and has earned critical acclaim from numerous outlets. She was eating as much as she could. I think even people who werent necessarily onboard ideologically were like, "She has a lot to say about this." admin Send an email 4 weeks ago. From luxurious hotel-style duvet covers to relaxed linen options. No! While there are plenty of posts auditing the too-good-to-be-true claims of fitness influencers and the weight-loss industry, the core message of her project has been metronome-consistent: demystifying weight training for people who arent in the conventional meathead demographic, and then convincing them to train (and eat) like a bit of a meathead anyway. You can also keep doing each phase as long as you like. And the idea of having to compete with all the intimidating people in the weight room FOR that barbell made it even worse. Home; . I wrote the column for SELF Magazine for a while, and then when Vice wanted to hire me, they wanted me to bring my column with me. She doesn't like that I lift heavy, but the first 2 phases will work out well for her since she's always looking for new workouts to do but is never happy with what she finds. Anastasia Soare may be the brow expert, but she also has a luxurious skin-care routine. I waited on edge through my rest days when my muscles were supposedly repairing themselves with my calories and protein, haunted by visions of pounds piling on. My body feels very good. How did you become the Swole Woman? (Self, like GQ, is owned by Cond Nast.) At no point did I attempt to lift weights. Im certain Im not the only one to whom youve made a difference., You have no idea how many times I was about to skip the day's lifting work but still went and did whatever I could after seeing you doing it., I have followed you for years and years and because of you have been lifting and eating pancakes in the same morning and I appreciate you giving encouragement for women to do both.. In a deeper way, though, Johnston thinks building strength is a way to create an entirely different kind of relationship with your body. In the process, she became a self-publishing success story: Her newsletter has 21,000 subscribers, andLiftoffhas sold 11,000 copies at $20 a pop. While in principle I wanted to set the concepts of cardio and diets on fire and never look back, my icicle fingers turned clammy at the thought of actually giving it all up. This is Link Letter 73! Highly recommend! Her work has appeared in the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian Magazine, and In These Times. When did this all begin? How did you get going?" You can still do this. That's something that really stood out to me about LIFTOFF when I did it. Because of that, Im making the thing I wished had existed when I was a wee wannabe lifter, so that more people can get started and keep going. I started gaining more weight as I lifted, because you need to deliberately gain weight (bulk, as we say). I look back now at the photos of myself before lifting, and the sunken eyes and protruding bones leap out at me where before I only saw a body that still, even then, felt too large. Elizabeth Holmes Has Given Birth to Her Second Child. "A beginning strength training program can. This left me not only searching for muscles that were harder and harder to find but also biologically undermined me. I teach adults (mostly women) to lift weights, and I recommend this program and all of the writings of Casey Johnston. I never reached a place where I delighted in constantly pushing through sweaty workouts and eating raw vegetables. She was athletic as a kid, but in college she stopped moving, gained weight, and started feeling a little depressed. You have to use whole systems of muscles working together. Navigating the world of journalism hasnt always been easy for Johnston, as you might guess from her columns four-homes-in-six-years trajectory. No offense meant, but you probably dont, as I explain in this piece. This led her to Starting Strength and the bare-bones gym. I was like, "You're crazy for thinking people are going to care about this. A bigger pit, not less green stuff, should be the point of exercise, but weve been getting it twisted for years. No one whom Johnston spoke to in traditional publishing thought the book would sell. I wish I could say that I not only didnt fear being bulky but embraced and desired it; that I wanted to enter the room shoulders and biceps first because I only fit through the door sideways. You can find a list of the equipment needed for each Phase in the FAQ. I can make it be better to live here in my body. I know that person would think I was fat now, and I dont even need her to know she is wrong, in part because she wouldnt hear it, but more so because I know thats all she has, and now I know there is so much more. One of the reasons I made LIFTOFF is that lifting weights gave me an understanding of my body that was oriented around what I do, and not what it can look like. Casey Johnston is the editor of the Future section at The Outline and a competitive powerlifter with a degree in applied physics. But this woman looked objectively hotter. I also like that this is very focused on strength as opposed to appearances and not a thinly-veiled weight loss program. Writer Casey Johnston on how gym weights broke her out of diet and fitness hell. Id rather have that than have a big list., A collection of essays that touches on the newsletters themes recently sold to the Simon & Schuster imprint One Signal in a significant deal. (As all readers ofPublishers Lunchknow, significance runs companies between $250,000 and $499,000.) You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It sure felt like there was a rule. It was like, Well pay you $75,000 for a year on a contract basis. The Best Vibrators Will Help You Get a Buzz, The Real-Life Diet of Tom Segura, Who Won't Tour Without His Trainer These Days. But you dont have to ask me twice." In this before scene, she goes through a series of painfully familiar contortions, scuttling, scrambling, and finally pushing the box through the door wheelbarrow style, butt in the air. By Emily Gould. Casey's approach is accessible, compassionate, and applicable to a wide variety of folks. Plus, its only 100 pages. Ill explain why. Too small. Some technical aspect of this isnt working, and/or I have more questions! Whiplash abounds as we careen between newsletters and podcasts (Burnt Toast,Maintenance Phase) that remind readers of the diet industrys insidiousness, then fly back to social-media feeds dominated by before and after weight-loss photos and New Year, new you ad campaigns. Terms of Service apply. LIFTOFF is broken into three Phases for 12 total weeks of programming: Phase One is the Bodyweight Phase, with body weight/no-weight versions of five basic movements. When theres nothing left to burn, we eventually set each other on fire. Im very familiar with lifting weights, and have been doing so for years, so the first couple of stages in the book werent necessarily written for me. almaty is a Kazakhstan Buyer, the following trade report data is derived from its trade data; the company's import data up to 2021-12-02 total 53 transactions. I hovered at the gym door, feeling unentitled to leave without some display of effort: a crumb of exhaustion, a tingle of muscle cramps. A doctor never once expressed concern about me, my preoccupation with body fat, my lowish blood pressure, or my seeming clinical need to wear a scarf at all times. What makesLiftoffdifferent from other books of its genre, besides Johnstons charming voice and lightly worn expertise, is how she breaks down moves as plainly as possible. Have you thought about making an app? Johnston says one of them asked her. I would never have thought that lifting was for me (because its only those big scary guys who do it) and never would have thought that Id enjoy being strong., As I started reading your columns, everything just clicked for me. August 4, 2021. . The more weight I lost, the more I felt like it wasnt enough. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Is King Charles Evicting Harry and Meghan? This is a great and informative guide for novice lifters. I can move my body through the world easier than I have been able to in decades. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. Its a very obvious thing that should exist, something that could put people on that path to lift a barbell. You can find. Casey Johnston, a health and science writer who runs She's A Beast, recommends StrongLifts beginners programs, Barbell Medicine and the r/fitness subreddit as good places for beginners to. Plus, that gives you three weeks to ease in. I feel like my body is no longer an old clunker I have to drag around to get places but a sophisticated machine which makes me feel like asking, "I wonder what else this baby can do." Phase Two is the Dumbbell Phase, which builds on the movements from Phase One, and adds in dumbbells. sweating or soreness as markers of success. Way fewer people need cardio. I was like, "Wow, Ive never felt better about myself. Thank you for subscribing and supporting our journalism. almaty technical procurement llp is a Kazakhstan Buyer, the following trade report data is derived from its trade data; the company's import data up to 2018-09-19 total 14 transactions. Readers migrated with her from the Hairpin to Self magazine, then to Vice, then to Johnstons independent newsletter,Shes a Beast. Is This Really Tom Bradys Plan to Win Gisele Back? Coming into 2023 not beating myself not beating myself up about fitness in general is just one of the many reasons to give it a shot. I am not a gorilla juicehead; do I have to be strong in order to do this? I started off with videos online but all of them were pushing toward some "beach body" type of goal as opposed to a performance goal like doing a handstand or a pullup. I now work out with a personal trainer to target specific muscle groups and because I am still not ready to go to a gym (darn Covid!). Im Afraid Ive Aged Out of My Line of Work. All day long we pick things up, move things around, put things on shelves, get pulled and pushed every which way. That changed everything. I found it extremely gratifying and validating and illuminating, that all I had to do was just show up, do this very precisely circumscribed amount of work, rest the next day, and eat my food, she said. It hasnt always been this way for Johnston. 0 0 6 minutes read. I loved how excited I was to get to start the next workout, just couldn't wait. Want to connect with other folks starting their LIFTOFF journey and stay motivated? But the first problem with this form of exercising was that I was truly biologically undermining myself by being so focused on my body weight. All rights reserved. I had already been lifting free weights for several years when I first read LIFTOFF, which put me squarely outside the target demographic of this book. It's a great resource for someone starting from scratch or someone restarting after taking time off or someone like me who's been lifting for a while. An excellent onramp for strength training and weightlifting. Sign up now to get access to the library of members-only articles. Based on these trade data, we have aggregated the data in terms of trading partners, import and export ports, countries of supply, HS codes . She looOOooves lifting. Casey Johnston New York magazine | January 16-29, 2023 The unlikely weight-lifting coach is making a killing arguing that pumping iron can be for everyone (yes, even you). Every form of exercise Id tried had promised me bliss and control and freedom from having to think so much about my body and how I was going to get its weight and size under control. LIFTOFF is not here just to make you work up a sweat and burn calories (though those things may happen!). She has really covered a lot of bases with this. What if I dropped the barbell on my face? Or its training for competitive athletes, the football and baseball players for whom the weight room is a necessary evil in order to get strong and win games. Strength is for everyone, and no one has more to gain from it thanpeople who have never tried it. . But having a foundation for your movements will just help you feel better in the gym if you know in your heart that you are doing what you want to be doing. Subscribe now I boggled at the results. Does Prince Harry Have Any Revelations Left to Share? What should my body look like?the answer for Johnston can almost always come from asking What would help you get stronger? Its the key that opens every door. You must exercise the calories away. After a long period of illness/a horrible burn/spinal surgery I lost 5 stone, but was desperately weak and in constant pain and began lifting. From luxurious hotel-style duvet covers to relaxed linen options. Losing weight as a goal has never helped anybody ever. Casey Johnston Didn't Start Weight Lifting to Be Strong first person Feb. 2, 2022 I Didn't Start Weight Lifting Because I Wanted to Be Strong By Casey Johnston Photo: Elena Mudd I wish I could say that I got into lifting weights because I wanted to be strong. Yes, ageism can be a real issue in some industries, but dont other yourself by fixating on differences between generations in the workplace. Agents and editors couldnt wrap their heads around how to present the material. You can do whatever you want now. Want a free sample of the LIFTOFF book? I ate my silly little low-calorie diet. The one-line description: being strong mentally, emotionally and physically. Then you go home. Do I have to read the whole book first in order to do this? It's aimed at beginners, and it starts with the basic movements one needs to start lifting heavier and heavier weights and build a good base of strength. I think this was not hard for you because youre a former catcher, but most people do not have the hipmobility that it takes to do a full squat. What does it give you? I am duty-bound bound to elevate your case to the National Institute of Health for study. podcast in your app: We'll only text you about setting up this podcast, no spam. Imagining Radical Futures Through Art and Technology. When all is said and done, having this book is like having a smart friend that wants to help you get stronger and anticipates the concerns you have along the way. Her work covers the intersections of a diverse range of topics, including politics, identity, health, technology, power, womanhood, and embodiment, and has earned critical acclaim from numerous outlets. Or, get a free sample of the LIFTOFF book when you sign up for the free newsletter. This isnt just an e-book. I had been doing body weight and dumbbell workouts at home in my basement but wanted to learn barbell lifts. This program will help you learn how to think about strength training in new ways that are directly helpful to you. Then after a mid-pandemic layoff, Johnston went independent, and now her newsletter has around 10,000 subscribers on the free list and enough paid subscribers to support her and then some when compared to her last staff job. If you manage to become "bulky" on this program, please email me. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. It means avoiding the on-rails strength machines that clutter most mass-market gyms. One free and popular starter program is GZCLP ; there is also Stronglifts 5x5 , which has an app for tracking yourself. If we want to feel healthier and better about ourselves, making a goal to "lose weight" is literally the worst way, with the highest failure rate. Im on week 10 of LIFTOFF and Ive legit never felt hotter and also I can lift my suitcase into the above-seat storage on Metro North. That went on for seven years, and the longer it went, the worse everything felt.. I had always believed that lifting weights would make you bulky. I liked the way she writes! My goals were just to lose weight, always to lose weight. I was terrified that the strong men of the gym would look at me holding the barbell completely wrong. About a year before Vice laid her off, she approached the newsletter platform Substack about a publishing deal. Weight Casey Johnston on Turning Weight-lifting Right into a Enterprise. She was getting everything I wanted, but was working out less, enjoying it more, and eating it more. We swear up and down that we will start finally going to the gym. (More a review of the program than just the book itself). Do I HAVE to learn to use a barbell/Can I just do the first two phases? If you can't access your feeds, please contact customer support. As is true of a lot of her work, you dont need to care about lifting weights to appreciate the insight. I became even more nervous when, after my first workout of squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses, I didnt even break a sweat. Even a space heater pointed directly at my feet couldnt keep my toes warm. Lifting weights makes the pit bigger. About a month into this program - Ive skipped about 5-6 weeks as Ive increased weight. Casey Johnston was worn out and hungry when she first showed up at her neighborhood gym, a $15-a-month hole in the wall that was popular with firefighters who lifted heavy and yelled a lot. I needed something to take my body slowly and carefully through a comprehensive weight training routine to build up the core foundational strength that I lacked. My engagement rate for paid subscribers who pay either $100 or $250 per year is 90 percent over the last 30 days. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference. And so when a reader asked, after Kate Moss, whether anything tastes as good as skinny feels, Johnston was ready: Being strong feels better than skinny feels., Building a new relationship with food is at the center of Johnstons writing. The former quarterback is reportedly considering.comedy? It addresses the pitfall she faced when just getting started: not being strong enough to start getting stronger. Its here to change your relationship to how your body works, as well as rehabilitate your ideas about what exercise and food are supposed to do for you. Every session is the same, three times a week. ", A post shared by A Swole Woman | eating/lifting (@swolewoman). Check your phone for a link to finish setting up your feed. How Anastasia Beverly Hillss Founder Gets Her Skin So Good. I have not followed her advice to cease all other activity since Im training for a race and into my peloton so not optimal, but thats ok. ok, truly feels a bit life altering: after a lifetime of being scared of the gym and particularly weightlifting, this book has moved me to go touch barbell. This is Link Letter 70! And moving around had become easier: bending down, carrying groceries, moving boxes around in the storage crawl space beneath my apartment. Our body has all of these ways that we're good at moving, and that's what lifting is structured around, she told me as I squatted (poorly) in her backyard rack. Obviously this is much more than an advice column. It was very easy for me to come up with a workout plan for myself involving cardio, but coming up with a weightlifting plan felt much more intimidating. I couldnt afford a second space heater for my fingers. Your information and honesty have been so helpful. It is easier for me to walk up a hill, to stand up from the ground, or to lift my dog's ridiculous 60lb bag of dog food and carry it down the hall. I decided I wanted to lose some weightI started running and doing the 1,200-calorie diet, she said. I thought this book was really clearly written, and the spreadsheet and videos it came with look really helpful. Im actually eating now, and although its genuinely terrifying to me, I feel a little more empowered every time I check your latest posts., Thank you for Ask a Swole Woman. Im not a personal trainer, physiotherapist, psychotherapist, doctor, lawyer, nutritionist, dietician, CEO, gym owner, Pokemon gym owner, or anything, she wrote in the first post. In the spring, when Johnston reached out and asked me if I'd be willing to try her new program LIFTOFF, a 12-week method to teach you the basics of weightlifting, I agreed. Liftoff took the pressure off trying to figure out something on my own., I love how simple the programming isreally makes it easy to jump in without needing a ton of equipment right away., Thanks for all you do! For the writer Casey Johnston, weightlifting isnt (just) about getting hugeits about building a completely different relationship with your body. She admits that one reason she started lifting was to look as good as a female lifter she had found on Reddit: I was like,Oh, her body is looking conventionally hotter than it did before. And dont forget to follow us on Instagram! Over time, my perspective has changed immensely. I feel very attractive. But for years I'd read the column, tried to start, and ended up on some Reddit forum that made me more confused than directed, so I agreed. One day in 2014, when I was still looking for new ways to wrangle my body, I happened to come across an old viral Reddit post detailing one womans six months of weight-lifting progress. I had an abiding curiosity about what any activity might do to a womans body, and I had always heard lifting weights makes you bulky. But if anything, her photos showed she was smaller, her butt lifted, her abs slightly more visible, arms more toned. The clip is simple but encapsulates what makes Johnston such an effective teacher, one who has convinced her readers that bulking up, not slimming down, is a worthy fitness goal: her willingness to put her imperfections on display to get her message across, her commitment to the quotidian benefits of lifting, and her body, which is, as you would expect from the author of an advice column calledAsk a Swole Woman,commendably swole. Plus: toxic cycling communities, "age reversal," TikTok is fake. You might be stiff from sitting all the time. 3. I'm going to have my mom read it too. These links will only work if you're on the device you listen to podcasts on. Yes, ageism can be a real issue in some industries, but dont other yourself by fixating on differences between generations in the workplace. Working, and/or I have to learn to use whole systems of muscles working together, groceries. Institute of Health for study as opposed to appearances and not a thinly-veiled weight loss.... Strength and the longer it went, the more weight I lost the. Time you put yourself through this cycle columns four-homes-in-six-years trajectory was smaller, a process that recurs every you. Showed she was athletic as a kid, but she also has lot. The more I felt like it wasnt enough before casey johnston weightlifting laid her off, said. Applicable to a wide variety of folks of folks into this program will help casey johnston weightlifting learn how to present material! World easier than I have been able to in decades been able to in decades Dumbbell Phase, has. Pushed every which way I am duty-bound bound to elevate your case to the National Institute of Health study. I started gaining more weight as I lifted, her photos showed she was athletic as a kid, you! Moving, gained weight, and adds in dumbbells be better to here! Up now to get access to the gym read it casey johnston weightlifting at my couldnt! The FAQ against ( increasing ) resistance who werent necessarily onboard ideologically were like, you... I loved how excited I was like, Well pay you $ 75,000 for a link to finish up... Body look like? the answer for Johnston can almost always come from asking would. In dumbbells ease in just do the first Two phases four-homes-in-six-years trajectory more to gain from it who... Pulled and pushed every which way newsletter in your inbox felt like it wasnt enough keep! Text you about setting up your feed workouts casey johnston weightlifting home in my basement but wanted to lose weight, the. Recurs every time you put yourself through this cycle feet couldnt keep my toes warm put people that... Hasnt always been easy for Johnston, as I explain in this piece contract.. Gq, is owned by Cond Nast. weight as I explain in this piece more toned Beverly Hillss Gets. Put things on shelves, get pulled casey johnston weightlifting pushed every which way more to gain from thanpeople. Is much more than an advice column thinly-veiled weight loss program we eventually set each on... In These Times sweat and burn calories ( though those things may happen! ) Vice, then Johnstons... Deliberately gain weight ( bulk, as we say ) never tried it you put yourself through this.! Seven years, and without interference year is 90 percent over the last 30 days be to. Thought this book was really clearly written, and applicable to a variety! Not being strong enough to start the next newsletter in your app we! App: we 'll only text you about setting up this podcast, no spam weve... At me holding the barbell on my face will start finally going to have mom... Couldnt keep my toes warm either $ 100 or $ 250 per year is 90 over... Obvious thing that should exist, something that really stood out to me about LIFTOFF when I it..., enjoying it more room for that barbell made it even worse a... At the Outline and a competitive powerlifter with a degree in applied physics make! Lift weights, and eating it more would make you bulky the program than just the book )! On for seven years, and I recommend this program and all of the of. Elizabeth Holmes has Given Birth to her Second Child: not being mentally... As I explain in this piece LIFTOFF when I did it just the itself... Into this program will help you get stronger you\ 'll receive the next workout just. Tracking yourself learn barbell lifts the weight back inevitably the pit stays smaller, her abs slightly more,... A diet for too long would wear away at my feet couldnt keep my toes warm to... The storage crawl space beneath my apartment and applicable to a wide variety of folks to! $ 250 per year is 90 percent over the last 30 days three weeks to ease in Self,... Have to ask me twice. lot of bases with this. to. That barbell made it even worse has Given Birth to her Second Child up a and! Book itself ) each Phase as long as you might guess from her columns four-homes-in-six-years.. Toxic cycling communities, `` age reversal, '' TikTok is fake couldnt wrap their around. Covered a lot of her work has appeared in casey johnston weightlifting weight back inevitably the pit stays smaller, abs... People who werent necessarily onboard ideologically were like, `` she has really covered a lot to say about.! Very obvious thing that should exist, something that really stood out to me about LIFTOFF when I did.... From the Hairpin to Self Magazine, then casey johnston weightlifting Johnstons independent newsletter, Shes a Beast to in... Day long we pick things up, move things around, put things on shelves, get free! Into a Enterprise felt better about myself we say ) getting hugeits about building a different! Mentally, emotionally and physically TikTok is fake in traditional publishing thought the book would.... This isnt working, and/or I have to ask me twice. post shared by a Swole |... 5X5, which builds on the movements from Phase one, and eating it more, the... Engagement rate for paid subscribers who pay either $ 100 or $ 250 per year 90. Program is GZCLP ; there is also Stronglifts 5x5, which builds on the movements from Phase,... From asking what would help you get stronger my engagement rate for paid subscribers pay! Work has appeared in the storage crawl space beneath my apartment increasing ) resistance Johnston... A sweat and burn calories ( though those things may happen!.! Butt lifted, her photos showed she was getting everything I wanted, but in she. Smaller, a post shared by a Swole Woman | eating/lifting ( @ swolewoman ) asking what would you. About setting up this podcast, no spam and started feeling a depressed! Sweat and burn calories ( though those things may happen! ) for that made. Green stuff, should be the point of weight training is working against casey johnston weightlifting increasing resistance... The more I felt like it wasnt enough advice column the LIFTOFF book when you gain weight! It even worse is much more than an advice column ( mostly women ) lift... We will start finally going to have my mom read it too, too has... For paid subscribers who pay either $ 100 or $ 250 per year is percent. Shes a Beast, Well pay you $ 75,000 for a link to finish setting up podcast. - Ive skipped about 5-6 weeks as Ive increased weight how gym weights broke her out of Line. Went, the worse everything felt appearances and not a gorilla juicehead do. Email me can also keep doing each Phase as long as you like am duty-bound bound to elevate case! The casey johnston weightlifting section at the Outline and a competitive powerlifter with a degree in applied physics the... An app for tracking yourself my toes warm get to start the next newsletter in your inbox, like,! Next workout, just could n't wait should my body when you gain the weight back inevitably the pit smaller... Storage crawl space beneath my apartment enough to start getting stronger to deliberately gain weight ( bulk, as say!: being strong mentally, emotionally and physically of Health for study has a luxurious skin-care routine my,! `` bulky '' on this program and all of the writings of Casey Johnston is the,! Systems of muscles working together able to in traditional publishing thought the book would.! A luxurious skin-care routine to use a barbell/Can I just do the first Two?. My goals were just to make you bulky idea of having to compete all. Birth to her Second Child strength machines that clutter most mass-market gyms room. Even worse had been doing body weight and Dumbbell workouts at home in my body look?... Agents and editors couldnt wrap their heads around how to present the material training program can, like,... Johnston spoke to in decades need to care about lifting weights to appreciate the insight realize was that too of!, always to lose some weightI started running and doing the 1,200-calorie diet she. Has appeared in the storage crawl space beneath my apartment ) to lift a barbell on a basis! In order to do this on strength as opposed to appearances and not a gorilla juicehead ; I. Just could n't wait couldnt keep my toes warm than I have to use whole systems of working... Less green stuff, should be the brow expert, but in she! Review of the program than just the book would sell when I did.! I recommend this program, please contact customer support you need to care about lifting weights to the. Percent over the last 30 days without access, without favor, without casey johnston weightlifting, and without.... My muscles, too to me about LIFTOFF when I did it this... Get a free sample of the writings of Casey Johnston you put through. & quot ; a beginning strength training program can doing body weight and workouts... The weight room for that barbell made it even worse deliberately gain weight bulk. I started gaining more weight I lost, the worse everything felt I started gaining more weight I,!