Ask a Fitness Model

[thekunk07]

yes, both, but i've taken shots of it for about 10 years.

 

[JonB27]

Originally Posted by Noir.

I've touched on it a bit but it hasn't been a focus in the thread because it's quite a bit easier. Many of the popular lifting programs are great.

I personally have had little luck with total body routines***, so I apply the big 6 as a primary lift whenever I do a routine. So if I have a chest/tri day, I'll have bench and dips. Shoulder presses, deadlifts & pullups, and squats on their respective days.

I'll get around and post a typical routine one of these days if there's any interest. General rules I follow tend to be big to small, and weak to strong. So if my chest is a weak point, I'll hit chest early in the week (perhaps the first workout) and have added calories. Start with a big compound movement (some type of press - usually either BB bench or incline DB bench), then end with crossovers or flies. Legs are a strong point, so I'll typically work them later in the week (or even biweekly - the bastards grow fast). I warm up with some kind of extension (light, maybe 2 sets?) to get the blood flowing followed by either squats or leg press (squats are preferable to me, but I have back issues and the leg press provides more support. have to listen to doctors... sometimes.) and end with something more isolated.

Diet will be key to staying lean, but expect to gain marginal levels of BF if you're trying to build muscle tissue. If you're worried, you can take shorter breaks or throw in additional cardio. Strength will be compromised if your breaks are too short, muscle will be compromised if your kcals are too low, and leanness will be compromised otherwise.

It's kind of a tradeoff where you just try to minimize the downsides. I've had look with a 5-day split and shortish rests (30-45s) for staying lean and still building some muscle, but I don't care about strength too terribly much any more.

With that said, push/pull or upper/lower splits might be an interesting/useful choice because you can let a muscle group rest while you work something else. (i.e. an upper day you could do chest, then back, then chest with shorter rests and perhaps lose less strength.) It's tough to say - find something that fits your schedule and looks fun/interesting, try it for 6 weeks and then come to a conclusion.

I might be able to add something if you could tell me what you're having problems with and what you're doing. If you're "in good shape" already, then it seems to be working

*** I think people new to the gym and women respond very well to total body training. New because it stimulates so many muscle fibers & you aren't used to it, so 3, or even 2, workouts per week let your system adjust more easily to the added stress. Women - I don't know if this is true but I've read they are more slow-twitch dominant & the higher load requirement for total body w/ compound movements somehow make it more efficient. Empirically, this seems to be true in my experience, with more advanced males responding better to some form of split training.


Thanks, this is very useful... It would be great if you could post a typical routine when you get a chance...

I guess my issue with strength is that I've pretty much haven't seen much of an increase with the weight I'm lifting so I figure maybe a change in my routine might help...
-I think my diet is not helping my muscle growth (I work 12 hr shifts very demanding job, sometimes when we have many calls to respond to we go a long time without eating)... Now the more I read through this thread the more I think that diet is my biggest issue.

I'm thinking maybe going to this split:
day 1-chest/back
day 2-legs/core
day 3-shoulders/arms
day 4-full body circuit

 

[Eason]

You guys eat so few calories

 

[James Bond]

Originally Posted by Eason

You guys eat so few calories

I'm somewhere between 4000 and 4500 depending on the day. Leaning out, too.

 

[thekunk07]

refeed today:

2 waffles with a tsp on pb and 1 tspn maple syrup

2 cups oatmeal sweetened with splenda

8 egg omelelette with brocolli

metabolic drive with milk and oats

will be some sliders and wings later.

 

[Noir.]

Originally Posted by JonB27

Thanks, this is very useful... It would be great if you could post a typical routine when you get a chance...

I guess my issue with strength is that I've pretty much haven't seen much of an increase with the weight I'm lifting so I figure maybe a change in my routine might help...
-I think my diet is not helping my muscle growth (I work 12 hr shifts very demanding job, sometimes when we have many calls to respond to we go a long time without eating)... Now the more I read through this thread the more I think that diet is my biggest issue.

I'm thinking maybe going to this split:
day 1-chest/back
day 2-legs/core
day 3-shoulders/arms
day 4-full body circuit

any reason for the FB circuit? If you're concerned about strength, perhaps do chest & back on separate days. (both large muscle groups - i'd imagine you'd tire quite easiliy. I've done a chest/back day before and, while it was alright, I didn't like it as well as some of the other splits) But if you're working long days and working out hard, you have to eat enough to let your body grow.

As long as the workout isn't absolutely silly, diet's almost always the issue

Tally your kcals and see how much you're eating. You'd probably be surprised @ just how low the number really is.

 

[thekunk07]

btw, after 4 full weeks, waist is at 34, weight is at 223 from 236, chest has gained .5 inches, arms .5 also. thighs at 28.75 from 27.75

 

[rjmaiorano]

^^ Thats impressive. Well done.

 

[lance konami]

what is this concept of a "refeed?"

 

[thekunk07]

after 7 or so days of living at a severe carb and calorie deficit, it is supposed to restore glycogen and potentially raise leptin levels.

 

[Noir.]

improves thyroid function as well. "resets" metabolic profile kind of.

 

[wiscogooner]

refeed fri night/yesterday:

PWO ABB Mass Recovery Grape shake (got for free at vitamin shoppe)
12 pancakes, 12 WG waffles w/ maple syrup
1 bowl Edy's FF/SF ice cream
1/3 reg size bag baked sour cream/cheddar ruffles
1 small bag Jack Links beef jerky
36oz lowfat choc milk
3 6oz chicken breasts

and had some pints on Friday night. not the best for a refeed but it was a friend's birthday.

an excess of carbs after doing a moderate to low amount for the last 8 months seriously screwed with my intestines. bloating, gas, etc. good thing the refeed isn't very often. I def didn't enjoy it.

 

[JoelF]

^ Those lists are disgusting, even the word "refeed" itself is kind of nauseating.

 

[thekunk07]

superbowl pigout wasn;t so bad. a few wings, a few sliders, white bean + chicken chilli w/tortillas, ships and salsa w/guac, a big ole' slice of organic carrot cake

 

[why]

Originally Posted by thekunk07

a big ole' slice of organic carrot cake

lolz