When lifting weight, which is best to shape ur body, not necessarily get that much strong, just shape...i know they kinda go hand in hand but...well still i ask...
Lift weights, eat hearty, get strong. Body shaping
no i'm not in that bad of shape, but i definatly would like to start working on tone as well as strength
what i do now is
12@whatever
10@whatever+something
8@10+something
6@8+something
4@6+soemthing
*i'd post a picture but well...seriously that would probably make me look more gay, i was jw
haha what is wrong with wanting tone with strength, i'd rather look more toned then like those guys from worlds strongest men from the netherlands with no vowels in their names
You won't look like those guys unless you put a lot of chemicals in your body or spend 8 hours a day in the gym. Lift a couple of hours at a time, 3-4 times a week and you'll be plenty strong, and your body will right itself provided you eat the right amount. Want thin? Eat less, want bulk, eat more. Simple. Unless you're a high level athlete, it isn't worth all the aggravation. Narcissism gets old fast, but I suppose you have to try it first to find out.
Muscle breaks down into slow and fast twitch. You want endurance, you work out longer at a more sustainable intensity. You want explosive power, you reverse that. Simple.
You won't look like those guys unless you put a lot of chemicals in your body or spend 8 hours a day in the gym. Lift a couple of hours at a time, 3-4 times a week and you'll be plenty strong, and your body will right itself provided you eat the right amount. Want thin? Eat less, want bulk, eat more. Simple. Unless you're a high level athlete, it isn't worth all the aggravation. Narcissism gets old fast, but I suppose you have to try it first to find out.
Muscle breaks down into slow and fast twitch. You want endurance, you work out longer at a more sustainable intensity. You want explosive power, you reverse that. Simple.
True, clear and simple.
But what do you suggest for those famous 12 inch ?
hmm...i thought slow and fast twitch wasn't something you could change...i man you can make ur slow twitch faster, but not like a fast twitch (i only know because of running so perhaps that is all that it applies)
When I was a youngin' I was all worried about the bulk thing, shaping muscles, blah blah blah. I read all the body building mags for info on reps, sets, all that. Waste of time.
Kickaha and Matsu are right. Unless you are already in great shape, and your muscles are used to a regular excercise schedule, getting too particular with your workout isn't going to do much good. Get a really good base of lifting and cardio, hit the gym 3-4 times a week, and keep active on the weekends - biking, hiking, etc.
I'd keep away from the 12-15 reps some people will recommend to "get toned". Most people who do 15 reps of an excercise do not work hard enough to make it effective. It is much harder to do 15 reps to failure than it is to do 8. More muscle burn, more pain to tolerate. I'm not saying that phasing high rep workouts into your routine is a bad idea, just that most people who do 15 reps pussy out from the muscle burn and still have 3-4 more reps in the bank if they *really* wanted to do them.
And trust me, you will NOT "bulk up" if you go to heavier weights. Most people have no idea what kind of work ethic and discipline it requires to get build that kind of muscle. If people bulk up too fast they are eating too much and getting FAT.
BTW, last time I checked you can't shape you body without getting stronger... unless you are trying to shape yourself into a pear.
...BTW, last time I checked you can't shape you body without getting stronger... unless you are trying to shape yourself into a pear...
i belive this is rigth but there is a difference between pure strenght and toned...look at some really toned actors or people in movies and compare them to the beasts of guys you see in worlds strongest man...very different
No, I'm not kidding. My wife and I have been going 2-3 times a week for about a year now. I've gained an immense amount of strength, tone, and overall fitness (my back hasn't hurt once in over six months, where before I was popping muscle relaxants a couple times a week), and haven't appreciably bulked up.
(Go find a picture of Sting somewhere... 50+, yoga practitioner. Lean and wiry, but not skinny.)
Of course I also weight lift a couple times a week, but the majority of the endurance strength has come from yoga, and the majority of the raw strength from lifting.
Pilates/yoga is a system more oriented for core torso muscle strength - you wouldn't believe some of the abs I've seen on *grandmothers* in that class. Perfect six packs. Scary.
I find it works the other way round, I geuss it depends on which type of muscle structure you have...
I go for less reps, heavier weight, however I don't put on size as quick as some, but I am far more defined and better shaped, you know, upside-down-"v" back etc. I find it easier to gain strength than to gain weight, which is what i want, no point in being big if you're not as strong as you look.
The ONLY thing that matters is that you lift to exhaustion. i.e. you should lift a set until you're in pain, and then suck it up and lift more until you nearly faint. Anything less is wasting your time. When you take a shower afterwards you know you've done it right when you can barely hold the soap without fainting. Eat a lot too. Put on muscle, and then run to lose the fat.
It puts on muscle like nothing else. Watch the movie "Pumping Iron." It actually is quite motivating, even if you have no plans about becoming Mr. Olympia.
My best friend is an NCAA javelin thrower, and he is a huge source of knowledge about lifting weights. (He can squat 1000 lbs and is 6'0" 200lbs). if you ask me, that's definitely strength without too much bulk. I go to lift weights with him every other time he goes (he goes every day) and I've learned that in 30 mins 3 times a week you can really do a lot to put on strength if you just push yourself.
ast3r3x: I've been lifting for a few years now and the routines people follow change all the time. I remember when I first started, people told me three times a week but work all your muscle groups. I was like, okay. I would do back, bis, tris, chest, abs, shoulders, everything at 12 reps per three set in one five hour gym session, three times a week. I didn't get bulky at all, though I did get real, REAL cut.
Then I was told I should seperate the body parts for different days: monday: chest and tris; tuesday: back and bis; wednesday: rest; thursday: shoulders, abs, cardio; friday: legs. All with 12 reps per three sets. That worked for a bit and I got more bulky then I did cut because of the fact that I was working on the body parts only once a week.
Now I'm told that there's another way to work out and it consists of the above routine except instead of 12 reps per three sets, you max out the weight and push out just three reps per one set. I haven't tried this nor do I intend to, but I've been told it's good for bulking up.
My current routine is chest and tris monday and thursday, back and bis tuesday and friday, and legs when I feel like it. hehe I also run about a mile every time I work out and do minor muscles like shoulders and abs in between those sets since it doesn't take much for them to grow. I also EMPHASIZE form, big time. There are days when I can push out 225 easy, and there are days when I am not motivated to, so I use lower weight, but either way I work on maintaning good form. Lifting doesn't matter unless your form is good. This routine is the perfect balance for me because I stay cut but I also gain bulk.
Basically, find what works for you because everyone's body type is different.
i belive this is rigth but there is a difference between pure strenght and toned...look at some really toned actors or people in movies and compare them to the beasts of guys you see in worlds strongest man...very different
part of that is due to diet. eating smaller, healthier (balance your protiens and carb intake), more frequent meals (5-6 a day) in addition to some combination of weights and cardio. do 3-5 sets of no more than 12 reps. decrease the reps as you increase the weight. as said above, acheiving muscle failure is most important to building mass. more mass, the faster you burn fat. as far as cardio is concerned, more than 20 minutes tends to be a waste for most people unless you are training for a particular sport or event.
i guess this will be my last question and then the thread will die a glor...well it will fade away actually
<side note>
i started lifting differently today i did:
3sets of 8reps
1set of 8reps with lesser weight
1set of 8reps with even lesser weight
</side note>
ok now when you guys lift are you weak that you can't hold soap like said? that used to happen to be but now i just get tired enough that i can't lift anymore but i dont have that feeling of SUPER weakness
No I don;t get that either, you get that the first couple of time syou actually do the excercises correctly, but not after you've done it several times.
I geuss it depends on the excercise, as squats are far slower and more strenuous on more muscles than say for instance, a shoulder press.
Also, try alturnating all the time, as in doing a heavier weight as your first set, then as your second set. I would advise doing no more than 2 sets, if you want to be strong.
Comments
Lift weights, eat hearty, get strong. Body shaping
IIRC, 85% and 65% of your max single lift are about right for 'more' and lower', with reps being from 5-15.
OTOH, these are *after* you get in some shape.
less repts with lots 'o weight= bulk
a happy medium is 8-12 reps (as estimated by phys-ed teachers i've had)
diet is a huge part of weight lifting as well
Originally posted by Matsu
Are you gay?
Lift weights, eat hearty, get strong. Body shaping
no i'm not in that bad of shape, but i definatly would like to start working on tone as well as strength
what i do now is
12@whatever
10@whatever+something
8@10+something
6@8+something
4@6+soemthing
*i'd post a picture but well...seriously that would probably make me look more gay, i was jw
haha what is wrong with wanting tone with strength, i'd rather look more toned then like those guys from worlds strongest men from the netherlands with no vowels in their names
Muscle breaks down into slow and fast twitch. You want endurance, you work out longer at a more sustainable intensity. You want explosive power, you reverse that. Simple.
Originally posted by Matsu
You won't look like those guys unless you put a lot of chemicals in your body or spend 8 hours a day in the gym. Lift a couple of hours at a time, 3-4 times a week and you'll be plenty strong, and your body will right itself provided you eat the right amount. Want thin? Eat less, want bulk, eat more. Simple. Unless you're a high level athlete, it isn't worth all the aggravation. Narcissism gets old fast, but I suppose you have to try it first to find out.
Muscle breaks down into slow and fast twitch. You want endurance, you work out longer at a more sustainable intensity. You want explosive power, you reverse that. Simple.
True, clear and simple.
But what do you suggest for those famous 12 inch ?
As you age, your fibers convert to slow twitch naturally.
Kickaha and Matsu are right. Unless you are already in great shape, and your muscles are used to a regular excercise schedule, getting too particular with your workout isn't going to do much good. Get a really good base of lifting and cardio, hit the gym 3-4 times a week, and keep active on the weekends - biking, hiking, etc.
I'd keep away from the 12-15 reps some people will recommend to "get toned". Most people who do 15 reps of an excercise do not work hard enough to make it effective. It is much harder to do 15 reps to failure than it is to do 8. More muscle burn, more pain to tolerate. I'm not saying that phasing high rep workouts into your routine is a bad idea, just that most people who do 15 reps pussy out from the muscle burn and still have 3-4 more reps in the bank if they *really* wanted to do them.
And trust me, you will NOT "bulk up" if you go to heavier weights. Most people have no idea what kind of work ethic and discipline it requires to get build that kind of muscle. If people bulk up too fast they are eating too much and getting FAT.
BTW, last time I checked you can't shape you body without getting stronger... unless you are trying to shape yourself into a pear.
Originally posted by murbot
...BTW, last time I checked you can't shape you body without getting stronger... unless you are trying to shape yourself into a pear...
i belive this is rigth but there is a difference between pure strenght and toned...look at some really toned actors or people in movies and compare them to the beasts of guys you see in worlds strongest man...very different
No, I'm not kidding. My wife and I have been going 2-3 times a week for about a year now. I've gained an immense amount of strength, tone, and overall fitness (my back hasn't hurt once in over six months, where before I was popping muscle relaxants a couple times a week), and haven't appreciably bulked up.
(Go find a picture of Sting somewhere... 50+, yoga practitioner. Lean and wiry, but not skinny.)
Of course I also weight lift a couple times a week, but the majority of the endurance strength has come from yoga, and the majority of the raw strength from lifting.
Pilates/yoga is a system more oriented for core torso muscle strength - you wouldn't believe some of the abs I've seen on *grandmothers* in that class. Perfect six packs. Scary.
I go for less reps, heavier weight, however I don't put on size as quick as some, but I am far more defined and better shaped, you know, upside-down-"v" back etc. I find it easier to gain strength than to gain weight, which is what i want, no point in being big if you're not as strong as you look.
It puts on muscle like nothing else. Watch the movie "Pumping Iron." It actually is quite motivating, even if you have no plans about becoming Mr. Olympia.
My best friend is an NCAA javelin thrower, and he is a huge source of knowledge about lifting weights. (He can squat 1000 lbs and is 6'0" 200lbs). if you ask me, that's definitely strength without too much bulk. I go to lift weights with him every other time he goes (he goes every day) and I've learned that in 30 mins 3 times a week you can really do a lot to put on strength if you just push yourself.
Then I was told I should seperate the body parts for different days: monday: chest and tris; tuesday: back and bis; wednesday: rest; thursday: shoulders, abs, cardio; friday: legs. All with 12 reps per three sets. That worked for a bit and I got more bulky then I did cut because of the fact that I was working on the body parts only once a week.
Now I'm told that there's another way to work out and it consists of the above routine except instead of 12 reps per three sets, you max out the weight and push out just three reps per one set. I haven't tried this nor do I intend to, but I've been told it's good for bulking up.
My current routine is chest and tris monday and thursday, back and bis tuesday and friday, and legs when I feel like it. hehe I also run about a mile every time I work out and do minor muscles like shoulders and abs in between those sets since it doesn't take much for them to grow. I also EMPHASIZE form, big time. There are days when I can push out 225 easy, and there are days when I am not motivated to, so I use lower weight, but either way I work on maintaning good form. Lifting doesn't matter unless your form is good. This routine is the perfect balance for me because I stay cut but I also gain bulk.
Basically, find what works for you because everyone's body type is different.
Originally posted by ast3r3x
i belive this is rigth but there is a difference between pure strenght and toned...look at some really toned actors or people in movies and compare them to the beasts of guys you see in worlds strongest man...very different
part of that is due to diet. eating smaller, healthier (balance your protiens and carb intake), more frequent meals (5-6 a day) in addition to some combination of weights and cardio. do 3-5 sets of no more than 12 reps. decrease the reps as you increase the weight. as said above, acheiving muscle failure is most important to building mass. more mass, the faster you burn fat. as far as cardio is concerned, more than 20 minutes tends to be a waste for most people unless you are training for a particular sport or event.
<side note>
i started lifting differently today i did:
3sets of 8reps
1set of 8reps with lesser weight
1set of 8reps with even lesser weight
</side note>
ok now when you guys lift are you weak that you can't hold soap like said? that used to happen to be but now i just get tired enough that i can't lift anymore but i dont have that feeling of SUPER weakness
I geuss it depends on the excercise, as squats are far slower and more strenuous on more muscles than say for instance, a shoulder press.
Also, try alturnating all the time, as in doing a heavier weight as your first set, then as your second set. I would advise doing no more than 2 sets, if you want to be strong.