How to look like a Spartan

[EFFORT]

I'm assuming you mean "other than" rather than literally "after"...

HAHA yeah, i wouldn't be in the mood for any cardio after that and perfer going back to sleep.

 

[Crazy Asian]

hey i'm hearing that u'll loose muscle if u run? thats the first time i've ever heard that... but is it also true for swimming? cause i'm on swim team and i swim hardcore for 2 hours a day... then after that we hit the weight room for 30 min.

 

[Throttle]

the point is not that running causes everyone to lose muscle. it's that if putting on muscle is your main goal, you shouldn't pair it with running for cardio.

if you're 15 and swimming hardcore, you'll probably get pretty big, especially if you eat enough, and big in a way that most guys are too ****ing lazy to pull off with weights, which is the kind of back that can only otherwise be built with lots of pullups, pulldowns, and deadlifts.

but recognize that if you want to be a great swimmer, sheer size cannot be your goal, and lifting is merely a means to your true end.

 

[Crazy Asian]

our coach is stressing alot on weightlifting this year cause michael phelps SHATTERED 4 world records last week and he said it was mainly cause of his lifting. he couldn't lift b4 cause of injuries. and you can only get so far with technique alone, and strength actually affects alot more than most people think.

so i want to build muscle AND swim. or is it just like running where i shouldn't pair the two together?

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Lifting will help you gain strength, but if you're swimming that much, you'll need to eat loads to gain SIZE.

I'd prefer a better power:weight ratio

 

[BluEyes]

At your level, which I'm assuming isn't national or international, you can get pretty far on technique alone.

We swim hardcore over here in ozz, and Ian Thorpe is where it's at.

 

[Crazy Asian]

what i'm saying is that all the bigger kids at my school swim faster... it's just a simple fact...theres only one skinny kid that i know who swims really fast also. i know that technique is important, but technique + strength is alot better.

and ian thorpe is the ****

 

[Crazy Asian]

Lifting will help you gain strength, but if you're swimming that much, you'll need to eat loads to gain SIZE.

I'd prefer a better power:weight ratio

i eat an average amount i think. and my weight isn't going up or down. if i start eating more, wouldn't i gain fat instead of muscle?

and one more thing. i thought strong guys were the really big guys with huge muscles. but theres this short kid that's skinny and really really really sipped and strong. how come? can i become insanely strong and not become huge too?
for example, this guy can bench 135 lb 22 times, and i can only do it 3 times. but on the outside i look alot bigger than him ( not in a fatty way )

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Crazy Asian:

First off, eating more won't cause you to gain fat if you eat CORRECTLY. Theres plenty on here (Think WarbossAlex) and on sites like t-nation.com about nutrition, timing, etc.

Secondly, size does not equal strength. You can gain size, yet fail to gain any strength depending on your method of training. A popular example people like to use is bodybuilders. Yes, they're huge, and much stronger than your average guy, but they train for looks rather than strength. Theres a difference. I'm 150lbs right? I've got friends that are easily 20-40lbs heavier than I am, and by no means fat. However, once I get into lifting for a while, I easily outsquat and outdeadlift them. Thats why I mentioned a strength:weight ratio, also called power:weight ratio. You can gain strength without gaining mass (lower reps).

If you're just starting weight training, chances are you will gain some size, no matter how your training goes. However, don't expect to become some huge muscle bound freak.


Also, that kid who can do 135 22 times isn't exactly REALLY strong, but rather has nice muscular endurance.

 

[mrRuckus]

I remember passing up weekly home cooked meals because of my diet... what a ****ing moron.

I remember chugging a protein shake in a car before going to a night club..a shake that tasted like absolute *******.


Just look at menow -raw eggs, oatmeal, peanutbutter, cod liver oil.. sacrifice is still there... never ends.

If success were easy, everyone would do it.

Only the strong survive.


All my protein shakes i make taste awesome. I don't know what the hell you're doing. Hell, they're probably the sweetest foods i eat in the day so they help quench the craving for anything sweet (that rarely pops up anyway).

 

[wolf116]

I know what you mean. I love sitting down relaxing to a nice big protein shake made of:

2 eggs
flax oil
whey
cocoa powder
mixed berries
small amount of milk and water

My favourite drink in the world

 

[DJ in Progress]

it is definately possible to lose body fat and get that toned look in a short amount of time. i have a job that is physically demanding, but pays pretty good for a college kid. at the end of the year i had started to get a beer gut adn was not heavy set, but definately didn't have a defined body. i started work, cut out most of the junkfood, take vitamins and go to work, within a month i had lost a lot of bodyfat and am in the best shape of my life, increased muscle size and a good looking body have done wonder s for my confidence, which previously was kind of low.

 

[OregonDuckJuan]

Yikes.

2-3 cans of tuna a day? That's dangerous.

Really high mercury levels in Tuna.....I would say use some chicken.

I bought some chicken in a can (for convenience) from costco. It's just like tuna in a can, but chicken, and I can mix it on the go with salad, or add vegetables of other sorts and have a chicken salad without the lettuce.

 

[Frink']

Decline bench. A weight plate on your chest. 5 reps. 5 sets.
Five seconds negative motion where you lower yourself to about an inch or two above the declinebench, pause at the bottom for five seconds and do a five second positive. Your abs will grow.

 

[dj ben2]

brilliant as always alex but i have 1 query... you say running instead of walking will screw things up and ill lose muscles the only thing is i love running it makes me feel so good afterwards i love the rush i find walking extremely boring even with music .... i only ever run form about 15-30 mins max i also usually run about 2-4 times a week is there anyway i can keep doing this and escape catabolism?

 

[Warboss Alex]

mate, at your age don't worry about catabolism.. run and enjoy yourself.

 

[Being_the_Don]

But what about bike riding? That's one of my favorite hobbies.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Biking is okay if the pace is controlled.

 

[dj ben2]

warboss thats good but do u say that because u believe at my age it wont affect me or because you believe i need it as im still young