For BG fitness fanatics, a question..

[Cream Soda]

Spoiler: show

[SephYuyX]

So if I continue on a low cal diet (not eating any "bulking/muscle" food) when I start lifting here in a few more weeks, will I:
A) Continue to lose weight while maintaining current muscle. (lose fat / maintain muscle)
B) Continue to lose weight while increasing muscle. (lose fat / gain muscle)
C) Stop losing weight while maintaining muscle. (maintain fat / maintain muscle)
D) Stop losing weight while increasing muslce. (maintain fat / gain muscle)
E) Continue to lose weight and muscle.

I dont want to lose any more muscle, but I still want to lose a bit more fat; ultimately shooting for a lower bf% while having a toned / somewhat muscular build. So my logic is that if I continue to diet when I start to lift, i'll keep losing fat while keeping/building/toning muscle.

Yes, No, Failed Logic?

[Hushigoshi]

So if I continue on a low cal diet (not eating any "bulking/muscle" food) when I start lifting here in a few more weeks, will I:
A) Continue to lose weight while maintaining current muscle. (lose fat / maintain muscle)
B) Continue to lose weight while increasing muscle. (lose fat / gain muscle)
C) Stop losing weight while maintaining muscle. (maintain fat / maintain muscle)
D) Stop losing weight while increasing muslce. (maintain fat / gain muscle)
E) Continue to lose weight and muscle.

I dont want to lose any more muscle, but I still want to lose a bit more fat; ultimately shooting for a lower bf% while having a toned / somewhat muscular build. So my logic is that if I continue to diet when I start to lift, i'll keep losing fat while keeping/building/toning muscle.

Yes, No, Failed Logic?

All of the above are possible completely based on your breakdown of macro-nutrients. obviously calories out > calories in means you'll lose weight. However, if you don't have the proper amount of protein in your diet, you will lose muscle which is what you want to avoid.

Read this blogpost one of my co-workers wrote up. Very easy to follow as long as you like math.

http://shrededu.blogspot.com/2012/11...r-to-lose.html

[Guitarman]

So for those of you with a strong grasp of fitness, where did you start? I'm looking to cut and build muscle, basically try to mirror CS's results best I can. But I know nothing about targeting all my muscle groups, the finer points of diet and what not. There's a TON of conflicting information out there, and I don't know where to begin. Any places I can look to get me in the right direction at least?

[Hushigoshi]

1. Clean up your eating habits.
2. Squat. Deadlift. Bench Press. Pull Ups.
3. HIIT cardio
4. ???
5. GAINS

[Cream Soda]

Well, I kinda stared in july of 2010, but it was on and off, and my routine was shit. Even after starting to workout, got into even worse shape, so for all intensive purposes, we'll say I started in October 2010, when I looked like this

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this video is what got me started on what's still the foundation to my current routine today



I put a big focus on compound exercises. For the longest time, I only did compound and currently, I start with compound and then move into isolation; often supersetting in a compound > isolation fashion (weighted pull ups > lat pull down for example or squats > leg extension)

For the first probably year and a half, I was doing full body workouts, being in the gym 2+ hours, 2-3 times a week. Once I was able to dedicate 4 days for the gym, I moved over to a split, which I've been doing the past 6-8 months.

I have what I call my foundation workouts, which I do every time for that body part
Lats - Weighted Pull Up
Legs - Squats
Chest - Dumbbell Bench Press
Triceps - Weighted Dips
etc.

Other than that, I pretty much wing it for the rest of my workout. Sometimes I'll do the foundation exercises and superset them with a random exercise of my choosing. Other times I will put all the energy into the foundation exercises and then wing it from there. Sometimes I will only do the foundation exercises (but not often; though the past few weeks have been doing 10 sets of 10 on squats for my leg workout and calling it a day).

As with anyone else, I love increasing the weight, but for me, I'm a pretty big stickler on not only form, but also going at a slow enough speed. I definitely like to control myself on the negatives, rather than just letting the weight drop down; and I like to use as little momentum or body parts not supposed to be in the exercise (like I don't like to swing during my curls for example).

Here are a couple of examples



Edit:

2. Squat. Deadlift. Bench Press. Pull Ups.

Yeaaaaaah

[Guitarman]

CS thank you very much for that huge post. More than I could have hoped for. I've always wanted a good body, and I definitely think I have the base/frame for it, I just hate going in blind.

[Cream Soda]

No problem, and never let yourself get discouraged and don't worry about others either. As long as you're pushing yourself and making personal improvements, that's all that matters. I'll work out with some people and they'll think they have to match my weight and if they can't do the shit right, it's of no benefit. They're better off lowering the weight, really.
I had a guy with me once who refused to get on the assisted pull up machine, but couldn't do a single dead hang pull up and was only going down half way. He'd also load up as much weight as he can on the bench press, do one or two reps and call it a set.

With me, I'll go in and see people a fuckton stronger than me. I just stick with the weights I can do and not worry about them. I'll go to the gym with my friend Jon sometimes and he's a bit stronger than I am in a lot of departments (only things I beat him in are lats and quads). I'll push myself when I'm with him, but sometimes I just simply have to be humble and say "I'm gonna have to lower that a tad man, I'm not up there yet). Though I will go as heavy as I can, with respect to keeping a good rep range and good form; so he does push me in that aspect

I see him from time to time and he's barely made any gains in the strength department (though has made some admittedly) and virtually the same body fat%.

[RKenshin]

Seconding what CS said, and especially the part about prioritizing form over weight. Proper control and focusing on targeting the right muscles helps you get the most out of the workout, while also making it far less likely to hurt yourself (which can really slow things down).

Too many people make the mistake of obsessing too much over the numbers. It's fine to have goals, compete, to want to make 'progress', or be proud... but it's just not the only thing to focus on.

I actually haven't increased weights very much for many of my exercises over the last year, but I've still put on a good 10+lbs of muscle. I tend to make the exercises harder through slowing down the movement & focusing more on form, before adding on more weight. Have had far less injuries than the previous year that way, and still great results.

And hey, CS, seems we started at just about the same time too! Nov'10.

[Guitarman]

Well like I said, I greatly appreciate all your guys' input. There is just mountains of bad information out there. I want results but I want to do them correctly. What adds a bit of difficulty for me is I tore both my rhomboids years ago, and while they're 99% healed, they are still tender at times. This problem also pulls on my neck and gives my neck a "heavy" feeling. So I have to really be careful about what I do and that I use correct form.

[Omnipotent]

I really want to get into squating and dead lifts more. I just have no break inbetween my physical activities to allow for a couple of days of noodle legs from soreness lol. Tuesday night I have football, Wednesday I have bowling, Friday I have football and Sunday I have softball, I need a good month off from sports to really work on those workouts, I want to give them a go.

[Milkster]

I really want to get into squating and dead lifts more. I just have no break inbetween my physical activities to allow for a couple of days of noodle legs from soreness lol. Tuesday night I have football, Wednesday I have bowling, Friday I have football and Sunday I have softball, I need a good month off from sports to really work on those workouts, I want to give them a go.

You don't have to give up your activities, just
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__...al-with-it.gif

Do you stretch after your workouts? Also know that if you do continue with both, you can't put forth your maximum effort in both unless you want to enter the hell that is overtraining.

[Omnipotent]

I play safety and wide out in my football leagues, and I get paid to play so if I miss a game, I miss money. I am the #1 safety in my league leading the dome with INT's and not allowing any scoring TD's this session (8 games), I need to be on top of my game and I CANNOT have mush legs or I will get rolled, I have a 1 month break coming up, that is when I will hit up the good gym stuff

[Cream Soda]

You'll only get the super doms the first couple times you do the workouts. Then you should be used to them by then to where unless you're doing 10 sets of 10 or something, you'll be fine. On a general leg day, I honestly don't even feel it anymore; same with any of my workouts really. I don't get doms anymore unless I do something extreme.

[Kuya]

So does all this compression/recovery tight fitting sport clothes actually do what it says it does? I'm mostly interested in the stuff because it wicks away moisture, but it also says they reduce muscle fatigue, which if true, would be mega awesome.

[dejet]

How could clothing do that?

Short of it making you work less (squat suits hello) I can't think of a way for it make the biology of rebuilding broken down fibers faster.

[Kuya]

I don't know how that's supposed to work, althoughi did wiki it:

Compression shorts are undergarments usually worn by athletes. They are form-fitting garments and when worn cover the athlete's waist to mid or lower thigh. These garments are often made from a spandex-type material, similar to cycling shorts.

A major benefit of compression shorts are that they keep the thigh muscles warm to reduce muscle strain and fatigue. In addition, there is some evidence that compression shorts may enhance athletic performance.[1] They are also used as a way to keep the male genitalia in place. Compression shorts also help to keep undergarments in place, and for certain sports, like baseball and softball (where they are also known as "sliding shorts"), come with padding at the hips to protect players from injuries due to sliding.

Another major benefit is that many compression shorts are designed to wick sweat away from the body to lessen chafing and the onset of rashes. The friction between the fabric of the shorts sliding past each other may also be less than that of bare thighs rubbing, which may also reduce chafing during things like walking or running when the thighs are adducted.

[Hushigoshi]

I really want to get into squating and dead lifts more. I just have no break inbetween my physical activities to allow for a couple of days of noodle legs from soreness lol. Tuesday night I have football, Wednesday I have bowling, Friday I have football and Sunday I have softball, I need a good month off from sports to really work on those workouts, I want to give them a go.

Do them anyways. You're only going to get "noodle legs" if you go heavy or super high volume , so don't do that?

So does all this compression/recovery tight fitting sport clothes actually do what it says it does? I'm mostly interested in the stuff because it wicks away moisture, but it also says they reduce muscle fatigue, which if true, would be mega awesome.

I wear compression shorts when I workout and during karate training, mostly because I hate the feeling of cotton underwear on my skin getting bunched up and stuff. They wick away sweat just like "workout shirts".

As far as recovery, I got a complete UA compression sleeves for my arms that i wear for a few hours after a heavy upper body workout to keep my biceps/triceps/forearms warm and for constant pressure on my elbows to help with swelling since I can't ice them after a workout sometime. It helps me, but YMMV.

[Teryu]

Re: CS's huge post

Is it possible to do those compound exercises (except pullups obviously) without a barbell and a benchpress? My gym only has dumbbells that go up to 50 lbs and 3 machines in it so I'm kind of at a loss.

[Hushigoshi]

yes

Dumbbell Squat

Dumbbell Front Squat

Dumbbell Deadlifts (imagine he's grabbing to dumbbells on the ground instead of the barbell)

Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlift

Dumbbell Bench Press (Chest Press)

You also have your own body to be creative with. Superset dumbell squats with bodyweight squats. Superset dumbbell chest presses with push ups. etc