Need Workout Tip/Routine

[Zwieback000]

160lb 6ft tall.

Can someone help me put together a workout routine that works? I want a toned down body. Concentrating on chest, arms, abs, and endurance. BTW, I can't really do freeweights b/c I don't workout with anyone...no spotter. Will this routin work with machines?

Monday/Wednesday - Arms, Chest 50 minutes
Tuesday/Thursday - Back, Abs & Shoulders
Friday - Legs & Abs
Saturday - Whatever I want

In addition, I run 1 mile each day on the tread mill.

 

[FlyGuy]

You don't need a spotter to use freeweights, just don't go to complete failure. Plus, most of the benches for free weights have safety measures in case you try to lift more than you can. Then there are dumbbells which don't require any spotter no matter how heavy the weight because you can just drop them.

Anyway, you probably need to do two things to get the body you want: drop your bodyfat levels and gain some muscle. How much of each depends on your current physique. Normally you can't do both at the same time because they require different training/diet methods but some people can do both. Read the guide to bulking and the guide to cutting to get started. Your current routine reeks of overtraining. For skinny guys its usually best to train each body part once per week.

 

[Zwieback000]

What will overtraining do? Anything negative?

I'm good sized right now, not overweight, maybe slightly skinny but nothing absurd.

What should I do about this?

 

[FlyGuy]

What will overtraining do? Anything negative?

Yes, if you are an ectomorph (which you most likely are) then training too much will not allow your body the time it needs to rebuild muscle - resulting in little to no muscle growth (and even possibly some muscle loss).

Remember that muscle does not grow in the gym, it grows when you rest. So basically the winning formula for most hard-gainers (you and me) is:

1)Work each muscle group ONLY ONCE per week (but blast those muslces as much as possible in one session)

2)Eat a LOT and make sure you get TONS of protien (at least 1-2 grams per pound of bodyweight, and that's the good protien like fish, eggs, chicken, lean beef, etc) You need to eat a lot more to compensate for your body's fast metabolism. You need extra calories for your body to grow, so on the days you work out don't do any cardio. In fact if you want to gain muscle its best to avoid cardio completely. This is why you usually do a fat loss phase to bring down the bodyfat, then switch routines to gain muscle, then if you need to go back on a fat loss phase. Etc.

3)Get as much sleep/rest as possible. 8 hours of sleep per night is optimal.

Read the bulking guide

Also, you probably have a good 15-30lbs of fat distributed on your body even though you may not think so. This layer of fat is more concentrated at the stomach and lower back for men, and it is this layer of fat that prevents you from seeing your "six pack".

 

[semag]

yeah dude... if you're 6ft 160, you're pretty fukkin skinny. You need to put on like 20 lbs.

 

[Zwieback000]

haha thanks.

What should I do to get rid of the extra fat to show the six pack?

I guess Ill just eat more and do hard work out regiments.

 

[FlyGuy]

Unfortunately if you're an ectomorph (skinny guy) then you probably can't put on muscle AND lose fat at the same time because they require different training methods. Training to put on muscle requires a high calorie diet + heavy lifting. Training to lose fat requires cardio and a lower calorie diet, maybe with some moderate lifting to hold on to muscle mass.

The cutting guide has some great tips on losing fat and revealing your six pack.

 

[semag]

Here's just my thought dude.

If you get your bodyfat measured, and you're above 11 or 12% right now, then if you wanna cut up to "show your six pack" you're gonna be losing 10 -15 lbs. Take that from your current weight and you'll be around 145 or 150, and THAT is super skinny. You may be able to see muscles on your body, but if they're really small, it doesn't really do anything.

Basically, in order to see a six pack you need to cut your body fat. Cutting your body fat = losing weight, and losing weight = becoming smaller. You have to start cutting at a point where you really think the weight you lose is just "extra fat."

For example, I went and bulked during the wintertime, and got up to around 190 lbs (I'm 5'10). I started at 180 or so, and was just trying to get stronger and make some gains. I then set up a cutting plan, like I did last year, and have stuck to it and been pretty strict, and have gone from 190 - 173 right now, in about 8 weeks. I have some pictures that kind of show my progress so far to prove it, but I've still got a couple weeks to go, and lemme tell you, getting under 11% or so body fat is hard.

 

[FlyGuy]

semag's on the money

and lemme tell you, getting under 11% or so body fat is hard.

word to that man!