Q&A #6

Here's another edition of the Q&A series. If you want a question answered, just message me on Instagram . Questions are always responded to ASAP, and then used later for the email so that everyone can benefit. Have a good day!

"What apps would you recommend for tracking calories?"

The only one I've ever used is MyFitness Pal and it works great. The only other one I've heard good things about is Cronometer, which I've heard provides more detailed nutrient analysis (for all you nerds out there).

"I'm doing a muscle gaining programme 4 days a week and I'm still not gaining any weight. Any ideas?"

You're not eating enough. This is 99.99999% of the issue for just about everyone who struggles to put on mass. If you haven't had to force feed yourself in the past 24 hours then you have your answer.

For more, read this.

"I'm getting pain on an exercise. What should I do?"

1. Establish if you are using good technique

2. See if modifying the exercise helps (i.e. use less weight)

3. See if changing the exercise to a similar one helps (e.g. going from flat bench to incline bench)

4. If none of these works and pain doesn't resolve in a few weeks, consult a good physiotherapist

"What's the best rep range for muscle growth?"

Technically anything from 5 up to 30 reps has been shown to be effective for muscle gain.

Generally speaking though, most of your training for hypertrophy should probably occur in the 6-12 rep range, with periodic forays into higher reps for the sake of variety.

"I'm really enjoying just doing bodyweight exercises. Are there any drawbacks to sticking with this for the foreseeable future?"

Of course there are drawbacks. There are drawbacks to sticking rigidly to any single method. The specific issues with bodyweight training are as follows:

1) It's hard to adjust resistance. There are ways around this, but it's definitely not as easy as just sliding a plate on or off a bar.

2) Lower body training suffers. Sure you can do some single leg stuff, but at a certain point you'll need to lift heavy stuff if you want to make your back and legs any stronger.

If the above doesn't matter to you, then have at it.

"Do you think after lockdown that the way gyms operate will be changed forever?"

The honest answer is I don't know, and I don't think anyone does. We're living in completely unprecedented times. I think there will definitely be some degree of restriction on numbers allowed in gyms for at least a few months, and sanitary protocols may become more strictly enforced going forward.

Hindsight is always 20:20. In a few years time, this could be looked back on as a public health catastrophe that could have been much worse, or a massive overreaction that caused a global depression. I certainly am not qualified to comment on either.

Despite what mainstream media has conditioned you to think - everyone's opinion is not equal, and sometimes the smartest thing you can say is: 'I DON'T KNOW' .