Optimal Reps
- Thread starter al77
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Sweetcheeks
Don Juan
Putting on muscle while staying lean
This is extremely difficult.
If you observe how professional bodybuilders cycle their workouts through the year, they CYLCE their workouts and their nutrient/drug intake.
After the majority of the major competitions are over, they go into a RECOVERY phase where they may take some time off training and relax.
They then generally work back into building up the intensity of their workouts through a BULKING UP phase, during whick they put on maybe 50 pounds of MUSCLE AND FAT. This is a GROWTH PHASE.
When competition season nears, they will enter into a CUTTING UP phase, during which they will increase the use of fat burners, diuretics, etc, and will lose maybe 30-40 pounds of the weight they put on.
So, for example, the TYPICAL situation for a bodybuilder might go like this:
1 - competitive season, bodybuilder competes at 240 lbs at 3% body fat
2 - relaxation/light phase, bodybuilder puts on a bit of fat, but gives nervous system and endocrine system a rest
3- Anabolic/bulking phase, bodybuilder focuses on lifting heavy, eating as much as possible, anabolic drug use, ends up at 300 lbs
4- cutting phase. Reduce the weights to save the joints, increase rep range, use "shaping" exercises to fine tune muscle appearance. Will lose maybe 40 pounds of FAT AND MUSCLE.
5- Competition phase again, bodybuilder competes at 250 pounds
Competitors do it year after year. If you look at a bodybuilder off season, they are MUCH larger than when in season, but will look puffy and out of shape. But they are a great deal stronger in the off season.
Drastically cutting fat in a short period of time is catabolic to both fat and muscle. Loss of strenth is inevitable, expected and accepted. The goal is to lose more fat than muscle, and to end up with more muscle than you carried during competition the year before.
If you follow the careers of Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman (the last two MR. OLYMPIAS over the past decade), you will notice that they come in a few pounds heavier every year, and are MUCH larger and stronger, yet less AESTHETIC off season.
I'm NOT SAYING that putting on size while staying lean can't be done, just that you WON'T BE ABLE TO GROW AS QUICKLY as when trying to focus exclusively on size.
Similarly, you WON'T BE ABLE TO CUT FAT AS QUICKLY if you are also trying to build size.
Anabolic hormones (Size building and fat storing) and catabolic (Tissue and fat breakdown/loss) hormones, and the mechanisms that regulate their release, are in constant opposition in the body. Optimizing one will INEVITABLY COUNTERACT the activity of the other.
That said, there is a large range of options in terms of how quickly you want to do one or the other. It IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE, but THERE ARE COMPROMISES REGARDLESS.
This is extremely difficult.
If you observe how professional bodybuilders cycle their workouts through the year, they CYLCE their workouts and their nutrient/drug intake.
After the majority of the major competitions are over, they go into a RECOVERY phase where they may take some time off training and relax.
They then generally work back into building up the intensity of their workouts through a BULKING UP phase, during whick they put on maybe 50 pounds of MUSCLE AND FAT. This is a GROWTH PHASE.
When competition season nears, they will enter into a CUTTING UP phase, during which they will increase the use of fat burners, diuretics, etc, and will lose maybe 30-40 pounds of the weight they put on.
So, for example, the TYPICAL situation for a bodybuilder might go like this:
1 - competitive season, bodybuilder competes at 240 lbs at 3% body fat
2 - relaxation/light phase, bodybuilder puts on a bit of fat, but gives nervous system and endocrine system a rest
3- Anabolic/bulking phase, bodybuilder focuses on lifting heavy, eating as much as possible, anabolic drug use, ends up at 300 lbs
4- cutting phase. Reduce the weights to save the joints, increase rep range, use "shaping" exercises to fine tune muscle appearance. Will lose maybe 40 pounds of FAT AND MUSCLE.
5- Competition phase again, bodybuilder competes at 250 pounds
Competitors do it year after year. If you look at a bodybuilder off season, they are MUCH larger than when in season, but will look puffy and out of shape. But they are a great deal stronger in the off season.
Drastically cutting fat in a short period of time is catabolic to both fat and muscle. Loss of strenth is inevitable, expected and accepted. The goal is to lose more fat than muscle, and to end up with more muscle than you carried during competition the year before.
If you follow the careers of Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman (the last two MR. OLYMPIAS over the past decade), you will notice that they come in a few pounds heavier every year, and are MUCH larger and stronger, yet less AESTHETIC off season.
I'm NOT SAYING that putting on size while staying lean can't be done, just that you WON'T BE ABLE TO GROW AS QUICKLY as when trying to focus exclusively on size.
Similarly, you WON'T BE ABLE TO CUT FAT AS QUICKLY if you are also trying to build size.
Anabolic hormones (Size building and fat storing) and catabolic (Tissue and fat breakdown/loss) hormones, and the mechanisms that regulate their release, are in constant opposition in the body. Optimizing one will INEVITABLY COUNTERACT the activity of the other.
That said, there is a large range of options in terms of how quickly you want to do one or the other. It IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE, but THERE ARE COMPROMISES REGARDLESS.
RaWBLooD
Master Don Juan
Re: Re: Re: In regards to "definition"
wrong, when slow and steady fat loss is made with slow and steady muscle gain , it is most dominantly perceived on individuals who either dont already lift enough or dont lift at all, either way it requires some periods of a deficit to be able to mobilize the fat stores.
MetalFortress
Master Don Juan
Re: Re: Re: Re: In regards to "definition"
Quit repeating myths, please. I don't need someone who doesn't lift trying to tell me how the body works.
RaWBLooD
Master Don Juan
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In regards to "definition"
explain to me why the body would mobilize its emergency fuel while at the same time building up a tissue that eats fuel like a monster.
tell me wich part of what i said is untrue.
explain to me why the body would mobilize its emergency fuel while at the same time building up a tissue that eats fuel like a monster.
line_in_the_sand
Don Juan
I haven't read any other posts in this thread, I'm just gonna skip right to the point:
If you are getting stronger, you'll grow, no matter what rep range you're at (ok, most people will have trouble growing when they go over 20-30 reps).
So what about 1-3 reps? Yupp, more innervation, but you'll still add mass if you keep getting stronger and EAT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT GROWTH. Why powerlifters aren't bigger? I'm gonna quote Doggcrapp: "they have to curb calories to stay in their weightclass." Oh, and by the way, powerlifters ARE big, notice that I wrote "BIGGER".
So here is the secret to increasing your muscle mass:
- Get gradually stronger on key exercises, strength has a high correlation to size (if you eat enough).
- Eat enough.
- Rest (that means sleep 8 hours every night, don't work out with weights more than 3-4 times a week, don't play soccer every day and expect to get (much) bigger).
If you are getting stronger, you'll grow, no matter what rep range you're at (ok, most people will have trouble growing when they go over 20-30 reps).
So what about 1-3 reps? Yupp, more innervation, but you'll still add mass if you keep getting stronger and EAT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT GROWTH. Why powerlifters aren't bigger? I'm gonna quote Doggcrapp: "they have to curb calories to stay in their weightclass." Oh, and by the way, powerlifters ARE big, notice that I wrote "BIGGER".
So here is the secret to increasing your muscle mass:
- Get gradually stronger on key exercises, strength has a high correlation to size (if you eat enough).
- Eat enough.
- Rest (that means sleep 8 hours every night, don't work out with weights more than 3-4 times a week, don't play soccer every day and expect to get (much) bigger).
RaWBLooD
Master Don Juan
bull**** ive done 7 a week for nearly half a year and 6 a week regularly when i fell in a routine with my schoolwork and gym, 5 a week is average dont tell him he cant do that.
and u can play soccer every day if u want, u just gotta eat to compensate fo the calories man !
MetalFortress
Master Don Juan
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In regards to "definition"
That's too easy. You build muscle while you're RESTING. You burn fat while you are WORKING OUT. When you are recovering, the nutrients go to feed your muscles, and when you are working out, you are burning calories.
MetalFortress
Master Don Juan
Shut up. Working out everyday is the fastest way to screw up your progress. Your body needs to rest. Working out 6-7 days per week only works if you're one of those steroid pumped jokers in the magazines.
MindOverMatter
Master Don Juan
- Joined
- May 21, 2004
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Metal when are you gonna realize that this guy doesn't know anything about working out, and that is just using these debates with you to boost up his post count. Report for spam, and put him on ignore like everyone else has.
MetalFortress
Master Don Juan
I know, but I'm bored and debating is fun. Plus I don't want newbies to go off thinking this guy knows what he's on about.
RaWBLooD
Master Don Juan
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In regards to "definition"
Guess what, exercise is fuled by carbohydrates largely.
Fat stores are mobilized all the time, when net fat mobilization is negative, meaning it is used for energy and not put to storage, there is a deficit of calories.
this would be a caloric deficit hence reserves being burnt while working out and nutrients going to muscles when resting,
Guess what, exercise is fuled by carbohydrates largely.
Fat stores are mobilized all the time, when net fat mobilization is negative, meaning it is used for energy and not put to storage, there is a deficit of calories.
RaWBLooD
Master Don Juan
Don't knock it till u try it, our bodies adapt to what we put them through, like cardio where at first running every other day is hard on the body and leaves u sore everyday, and eventually (check olympic athletes) every day many hours of cardio are performed.
Of couse if one is used to 3 days a week jumping into 6 days a week isn't easy, but it can be AND IS DONE by many who find great results.
why is someone on steroids a joker?
MindOverMatter
Master Don Juan
- Joined
- May 21, 2004
- Messages
- 1,889
- Reaction score
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Haha, wow 3 responses, thank god he's on ignore and I don't have to read his retarded sh!t.
Metal: let the newcomers deal with it. if anyone is dumb enough to listen to advice from a guy that posts 32x a day and has yet to post a photo of his progress, then they can't blame anyone but themselves for what happens to them.
Metal: let the newcomers deal with it. if anyone is dumb enough to listen to advice from a guy that posts 32x a day and has yet to post a photo of his progress, then they can't blame anyone but themselves for what happens to them.