Want to get ripped - machines only, no free weights

[Yo'Mama]

So here's the deal,

I already run 3x a week (sometimes 7 or 8km but often 10km). I'm slim but do have belly fat. I want to lost it and get some muscle definition. I've got a good frame, 6ft1 and broad shoulders.

I just moved into a new apartment. It has a lot of machines but no free weights. I know free weights are 'better' but I am really busy so probably won't find time to run outside and go to the gym which is a bit of a distance away. I definitely will have time and motivation to go use the gym downstairs.

How well can I do with machines only?

 

[foreverAFC]

So here's the deal,

I already run 3x a week (sometimes 7 or 8km but often 10km). I'm slim but do have belly fat. I want to lost it and get some muscle definition. I've got a good frame, 6ft1 and broad shoulders.

I just moved into a new apartment. It has a lot of machines but no free weights. I know free weights are 'better' but I am really busy so probably won't find time to run outside and go to the gym which is a bit of a distance away. I definitely will have time and motivation to go use the gym downstairs.

How well can I do with machines only?

machines will build muscle just fine, and you can superset machines with bodyweight exercises, like do a set of chest press machine and then immediately do a set of pushups till you get to complete failure, or do some sets on the leg press machine and then do some weightless squats and lunges right after so you can use your whole body and your stabilizing muscles as well.

 

[Yo'Mama]

machines will build muscle just fine, and you can superset machines with bodyweight exercises, like do a set of chest press machine and then immediately do a set of pushups till you get to complete failure, or do some sets on the leg press machine and then do some weightless squats and lunges right after so you can use your whole body and your stabilizing muscles as well.

Cool, thanks man.

 

[Michele l'Arcangelo]

You're never going to get "ripped" or shredded with belly fat.

With all respect, I disagree with foreverAFC.

As you described yourself, you are skinnyfat. That's the worst you could be. No muscle, but still skinny, but still have a lot of body fat.

First, FIX YOUR DIET!
-You can bust your ass all you want in the gym, but you won't look lean/ripped/vascular until you fix your diet and get to a lower body fat percentage. Do your research on this. This is more important than being in the gym.

Second, Find a hypertrophy routine.
-You already do enough cardio, you wouldn't be doing yourself any favors by supersetting machines and calisthenics (especially the same muscle group, size is your goal right?)

-Although machines work, they are not ideal. But you can work with what you have. Using machines, try 10-12 slow reps, 2-4 sets. I prefer 5 second eccentric movements (lowering the load, "negative"), then a explosive or 1 second concentric movement (lifting the load). Plug and play this information into any machine you use.

-Now that you have machines and isolation movements out of the way, get some compound movements in. Do slow, controlled movements! No "kipping"!

Pull-ups + chin-ups
Elevated push-ups
Body weight squat, or one-legged bench squat
Squat
Squat
Squat

Third, always remember, calories in vs calories out.
-You're not going to gain much muscle if you aren't eating enough, and you're just going to get fat if you don't burn enough calories to how much you eat.

-Don't do cardio on your days you're lifting, unless you eat enough.

 

[Yo'Mama]

Thanks man, really appreciate the detailed advice.

I should have clarified, I don't really want to get bigger to be honest, because I'm already tall with a pretty big frame. I just want to get more defined and lower body fat.

I totally hear what you're saying about diet. I have a sweet tooth and have been murdering chocolate and cakes, etc recently. I'm not fat (6ft1 and weigh 84kg) but I want to improve my body a lot, mainly by getting rid of the belly fat (I don't have fat anywhere else, I mean not that looks bad), maybe getting some pec definition, nice arms.

 

[JoeMarron]

Echoing what Michele said, diet is pretty much everything. Consider trying a paleo/primal type diet, basically cutting out grains/excess sugar/legumes at eating mostly vegetables, fruits, meats and possibly dairy. I'm not quite convinced as they are that grains are evil but you gotta admit that it's the easiest thing to overeat. Plus there's nothing you can get from grains that you can't get from meats, fruits and vegetables. I bet grains are where most of your excess calories are coming from and you'd be able to get rid of that belly fat in no time by eating like this.

 

[Michele l'Arcangelo]

Find a HIIT routine then. But still, more importantly, a great physique is made in the kitchen, and not at the gym.

HIIT - high intensity interval training

 

[Yo'Mama]

Find a HIIT routine then. But still, more importantly, a great physique is made in the kitchen, and not at the gym.

HIIT - high intensity interval training

Cheers guys. I just can't cut out my long runs unfortunately. I love them and value what they do for my mental well being even more than aesthetics. But I will mix in tempo and interval runs.

Other than that am going to revamp my diet.

Sincere thanks.

 

[Jay kay]

tools for getting ripped

Strict diet =no sugar, low car, high protein
HIIT = eg. outdoor sprints, treadmill interval
Train abs 2-3 times a week ( eg. cable crunches, hanging knee raises, weighted decline crunches,Ab wheel,Weighted knee raises)
For chest, arms, legs,back and shoulder...do more reps with lighter weight. (although you can still lift heavy and still get ripped)

 

[chath]

tools for getting ripped

Strict diet =no sugar, low car, high protein
HIIT = eg. outdoor sprints, treadmill interval
Train abs 2-3 times a week ( eg. cable crunches, hanging knee raises, weighted decline crunches,Ab wheel,Weighted knee raises)
For chest, arms, legs,back and shoulder...do more reps with lighter weight. (although you can still lift heavy and still get ripped)

listen to this. try this out:

you get one day a week to eat carbs. and it will be brown rice or something like that. no pizza. it will be 100g or less of carbs on that day.

no sugar. no bread. no carbs. less than 20g a day. that's less than 80 calories of carbs per day. so what do you eat? steak and chicken and cheese etc.

100-125g protein daily
200-400g fat based on your activity level
less than 25g carbs.

you will lose all the fat. if you cheat it won't work. one fcking cookie will kick you out of this fat burning mode for a few days. it will be a huge setback.

 

[Gray The Prince]

listen to this. try this out:

you get one day a week to eat carbs. and it will be brown rice or something like that. no pizza. it will be 100g or less of carbs on that day.

no sugar. no bread. no carbs. less than 20g a day. that's less than 80 calories of carbs per day. so what do you eat? steak and chicken and cheese etc.

100-125g protein daily
200-400g fat based on your activity level
less than 25g carbs.

you will lose all the fat. if you cheat it won't work. one fcking cookie will kick you out of this fat burning mode for a few days. it will be a huge setback.

Nice Broscience there.