Starting to hit the gym.

[JW.]

For increasing muscle size do I have to increase my body fat percentage , last I know I was at 8% I want to increase chest and shoulder size but I really want to keep my abs in good order...Can I still bulk without putting on bodyfat?

Im geussing, your going to the gym for the first time or haven't been in a while? You should build up muscle by just following your shedule anyway. Just eat healthy and take in alot of proteins.

A bulk is the fastest and easiest way to put on muscle mass the downside of it is, you gain fat as your eating more than you burn. I haven't experimented bulking and cutting yet so I can't tell from own experience if it gives you better results than just eating 'normal' about what you burn. This is what I do though, and im seeing alot of progress. I wouldn't worry to much about bulking etc. yet, just don't miss training to often and eat healthy but take in account that you are training now and you will have to eat more than normal. A protein shake is a very easy way of getting some extra protein in the mornings etc. when eating is hard or your short of time.

 

[T-Rex]

Im interested on trying it how does it go??....

Basis of it here, with a template diet in there too: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cyclical_ketogenic_diet.htm

 

[jamiee26]

My workout: Workout A, Squat, Bench, Barbel row Workout B, Squat overhead, Deadlift, bicepcurls and 50 crunches everyday. On Fridays im planning on going for a 1000m run and increase by 200m each week.

 

[lucky number 7]

Right I'm already noticing a change ... eating healthily and a bit of lifting has me rocking the abs like good old days.

 

[danimonkey90]

Did my chest workout yesterday and I started logging officially this week so I consider it as week 1 then

Week 1 Day 1

Treadmill - Gradient 2.0, Average Speed 8.0km/h, 15 minutes

CHEST

Bench Press 4 sets x 10 reps 30kg
Incline Bench Press 4 Sets x 10 reps 30kg
Decline Bench Press 4 Sets x 10 reps 30kg

so yeah I know 30kg is a laugh for a rugby player but I'm hoping to increase the weight slowly as the weeks progresses Today is back day and I'll log here soon

Current weight : 96kg

 

[Sam Owen]

Did my chest workout yesterday and I started logging officially this week so I consider it as week 1 then

Week 1 Day 1

Treadmill - Gradient 2.0, Average Speed 8.0km/h, 15 minutes

CHEST

Bench Press 4 sets x 10 reps 30kg
Incline Bench Press 4 Sets x 10 reps 30kg
Decline Bench Press 4 Sets x 10 reps 30kg

so yeah I know 30kg is a laugh for a rugby player but I'm hoping to increase the weight slowly as the weeks progresses Today is back day and I'll log here soon

Current weight : 96kg

Well you weigh 96kg brother, you should be aiming to get those weights up and Im sure you will. Progress!!!

 

[danimonkey90]

Well you weigh 96kg brother, you should be aiming to get those weights up and Im sure you will. Progress!!!

Good to know I got your support bro! Same goes to you...how is your training doing?

 

[T-Rex]

Keto is so hard, first day today and I have no energy to do anything. The food you can eat is pretty restricted. I think I'm going to finish up this week and do it again around February, I just can't do it when I'm working a physical summer job like I am at the moment, I need my carbs.

I should drop body fat if I work out hard enough and work hard during the day while keeping at a calorie deficit.

 

[danimonkey90]

Keto is so hard, first day today and I have no energy to do anything. The food you can eat is pretty restricted. I think I'm going to finish up this week and do it again around February, I just can't do it when I'm working a physical summer job like I am at the moment, I need my carbs.

I should drop body fat if I work out hard enough and work hard during the day while keeping at a calorie deficit.

I guess doing cardio on the treadmill has been beneficial for my case in terms of dropping the BF%...or do you have any other kind of cardio training that you like...

 

[T-Rex]

Good to know I got your support bro! Same goes to you...how is your training doing?

Once you get into it, your bench should shoot up pretty quickly. I'm not sure doing all 3 variations (flat, incline and decline) all in one session is wise because bench is a compound exercise.

I'd maybe do flat and incline then flat and decline the next week or some variation of two, and maybe chuck in some incline or flat bench dumbbell flies as well during every session. So something like:

Flat Bench 4 sets
Incline DB Bench 4 sets or Decline Bench 4 sets (alternate)
Incline/Flat bench Flies 4 sets
Cable Crossovers 3-4 sets

That workout will hit all areas of the chest over the alternating 2 weeks, giving mass on the top, middle and lower chest as well as width. Usually a compound plus 2-3 isolation exercises is a good mix.

 

[Sam Owen]

Can I still bulk without putting on bodyfat?

Yeah bro, eat your protein in big servings and do strength work every now and then for chest and shoulders. Hypertrophy for the majority. Get stronger on the bench, try to get use to using wide grip especially for heavy weights. Wide grip is wide but its not that far to push up as oppose to close grip but the reason Ive asked you to familiarise with it, is that so when you go to do a heavy weight (e.g. one repetition max) for strength training, you can go to wide grip for that press. Sure it does target a certain area of the chest but at the end of the day its building strength, making you stronger, making you progress in your hypertrophy sets which results in a bigger chest.

 

[danimonkey90]

Once you get into it, your bench should shoot up pretty quickly. I'm not sure doing all 3 variations (flat, incline and decline) all in one session is wise because bench is a compound exercise.

I'd maybe do flat and incline then flat and decline the next week or some variation of two, and maybe chuck in some incline or flat bench dumbbell flies as well during every session. So something like:

Flat Bench 4 sets
Incline DB Bench 4 sets or Decline Bench 4 sets (alternate)
Incline/Flat bench Flies 4 sets
Cable Crossovers 3-4 sets

That workout will hit all areas of the chest over the alternating 2 weeks, giving mass on the top, middle and lower chest as well as width. Usually a compound plus 2-3 isolation exercises is a good mix.

Yup, I usually do the cable crossovers and dumbells the next week...will try it out

 

[Sam Owen]

Good to know I got your support bro! Same goes to you...how is your training doing?

Yeah brother Im right with you.

My training needs more cardio lol which Ill get around to soon.

Keto is so hard, first day today and I have no energy to do anything. The food you can eat is pretty restricted. I think I'm going to finish up this week and do it again around February, I just can't do it when I'm working a physical summer job like I am at the moment, I need my carbs.

I should drop body fat if I work out hard enough and work hard during the day while keeping at a calorie deficit.

Lol, I looked at that diet and its impressive. So far Im procrastinating towards my start date.

 

[T-Rex]

I guess doing cardio on the treadmill has been beneficial for my case in terms of dropping the BF%...or do you have any other kind of cardio training that you like...

I don't really do cardio because I do physical work for 5-10 hours a day so I get a lot of exercise doing that, although I do do rowing or biking machines for warming up at the gym.

My body fat level is not even high, I just want to get it really low and maybe at this time of the year, in my situation, it is unrealistic to be doing keto. I still have reasonably visible 6 pack which I pretty much managed to keep during my bulk and I've shed some fat since changing to a lower calorie intake so they're getting there.

 

[T-Rex]

Lol, I looked at that diet and its impressive. So far Im procrastinating towards my start date.

It's tough, that's what I can say. I just hate not even being able to eat oats or a chocolate bar every now and then after a hard day working in the sun. Carb up day seems so far away haha

 

[danimonkey90]

speaking of diet and nutrition...are you guys getting any extra supplementation for your workouts ie. protein shakes, multi-vitamin tablets...

 

[T-Rex]

speaking of diet and nutrition...are you guys getting any extra supplementation for your workouts ie. protein shakes, multi-vitamin tablets...

I only take protein shakes at the moment.

 

[Sam Owen]

It's tough, that's what I can say. I just hate not even being able to eat oats or a chocolate bar every now and then after a hard day working in the sun. Carb up day seems so far away haha

Yeah I did 4 months with very very little carbs once and I lost weight BIG time. My waist line was the skinniest I had it in ages.

They say you get a bit uptight without carbs but I dont remember being that way.

speaking of diet and nutrition...are you guys getting any extra supplementation for your workouts ie. protein shakes, multi-vitamin tablets...

Nah you dont need it as long as your eating right. Plus those things cost money on top of your shopping. Here Ive worked out what how much you should be eating in terms of macronutrients, take a look below...

Your body weight 96kg.

96kg x 7grams = 672grams. You should be eating 672grams of carbs a day.

96kg x 1.8g = 172.8grams. You should be eating 172.8grams or more of protein a day.

Eat;less than 50 grams of fat, 3 fruits, 5 veges, 6 carbs, 2 dairy, lean meats 2, 8 fluids, DAILY.

 

[T-Rex]

Yeah I did 4 months with very very little carbs once and I lost weight BIG time. My waist line was the skinniest I had it in ages.

They say you get a bit uptight without carbs but I dont remember being that way.

I feel really drained at the moment, and a little dizzy. I think it will be easier when I'm not working so hard. I don't really feel grumpy/uptight though. At the moment I'm just hitting the coffee (pretty much no carbs) to give me a bit of energy.

I decided I will just do keto for a week at a time, in bursts, which may end up working better for dropping weight quickly, some bodybuilders have done this effectively, and Zyzz claims he did it, I only use him as an example as he has a similar body type to myself. I don't even want to lose much weight really, just a bit of body fat so the week bursts may be better for me. We'll see anyway.

Also, I agree, you don't need supplements if your diet is right, I got a lot bigger just eating a generally high protein diet without the shakes, I just take them now because I'm on a cut and it's harder to get a lot of protein with a lower intake, although not impossible at all, nothing wrong with boosting your protein where you can (within reason).

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I decided I will just do keto for a week at a time, in bursts, which may end up working better for dropping weight quickly, some bodybuilders have done this effectively, and Zyzz claims he did it, I only use him as an example as he has a similar body type to myself.

and cause you're 'miring, brah