To a point yes…like said starting out do the basics work your ass off and you will get results.
Since I’m stuck at PF for now, what would be a good routine to make gains and continue challenging progression?
Pft… Weeping and teeth grinding while feeling the burn? Happens every leg day.
Bring it on!
Honestly… get out of Planet Fitness. What wont they allow their at the one you go to?
Im sure the 5x5 squat program you use will do that 
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There’s no flat bench other then smith machines…
The barbells go up to 60 lbs only… Kind of hard to progress on squat or deadlift with that…
My plan in another month or so is to cancel and go to LA Fitness…
Thats your best bet.
Definitely! The other day I wanted to yell at the staff. This one kid was doing EZ bar curls with 50 LBS, clearly couldn’t handle the weight and was trying to do 21’s. .
He was swinging his whole upper body so fast and so hard I thought you’d hear his back or a tendon just snap! This dude was going until exhaustion, then would rest, and then start doing DB curls, shoulder presses and skull crushers… he was doing biceps for like 40 minutes.
I said this is crazy, the staff does not even try to help knowing this poor kid could just hurt himself. Really had me mad and I didn’t want to approach him as I didn’t want him to feel some type of way.
If I was a trainer or even just gym staff, I would’ve put an end to that.
You know, I do swing my body when approaching failure on bicep curls. Sometimes I may even do this for 10 more reps if I feel like it. This is done with my HIPS, not the lower back though it might look like it, so there is really no danger of injury. The objective is to use momentum to assist so I can continue to keep tension on the biceps when approaching failure or to just maximally fatigue them without having to do a dropset.
I am not saying the kid was doing this with such control or with these objectives in mind. Perhaps he is really a moron. I would have to see it myself. My point is, at your level, it would be best to reserve such judgement until you are more experienced. There is a lot more to all this than what you will read on the internet.
Best you didnt …its consider bad manners anymore to give someone advice out of the blue anymore. It doesn’t matter who you are you could be a guy with 20 plus years in with a 400 plus bench and you would be viewed as
a jackass.
As I understand your perspective on me, I am very aware of what is proper form and what would be momentum movements…
The bar was uneven and he was struggling to lift the weight in general.
I am beginner, but that also does not mean that I am not aware of techniques or what proper form and so on is. I’ve never approached an exercise just guessing, I’ve always learned how to first and ensured I did not pick a weight that could not be handled… I also understand warm up sets etc…
But I got you…
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Yes exactly. Especially at PF with the way their rules and mottos are… I just focus on me and that’s it. I only respond if other approach me for anything.
Kind of messed up how sensitive people can be in the world of fitness… If someone was willing to correct or help me with advice, I’d take it all in and maybe make a friend out of it or an acquaintance.
Actually back in the day in hard core gyms that is what guys would hope for…You would hope that the more experience and successful guys would take notice of you in a good way. @dt79 probably knows what im talking about
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Yes, now people are like afraid to ask someone to spot them on a bench and now all these “fitness clubs” take away the bench and put smith machines… And with PF you almost feel like it’s against their rules to approach someone in such a way.
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I believe this perspective will change in the following years as you gain more experience and watch how developed guys train. However, it doesn’t matter much right now and I’m not trying to put you down. Just keep an open mind and try to find experienced and well developed guys to train with or at least get advice from. If what they tell you conflicts with what you have read, do not disregard it.
Yes of course. No offense has been taken. I’m on here to also learn from those more experienced.
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See, if you obeyed the rule of the 5’s, you wouldn’t have this problem, lol!
Or maybe, less weight for 20 reps…wait, that’s not in the book. Hypertrophy only happens between 6-15 reps. So, stick to ten, get big, stay weak.
Just remember, whatever you do, don’t do side laterals - they don’t do shit for hypertrophy.
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not to mention that natural lifters can’t recover from them
I use body english on EZ bar curls too. Like to do 'em a bit heavier, english them up a bit then control the negative.
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Thats a good attitude 
… most guys wont admit they dont know it all and get Butt hurt over it.