Posted: 3/31/2014 12:45:15 PM EDT
| What are the secrets to gaining strength without becoming very bulky in terms of muscle? There are a lot of guys that are very strong, but comparatively 'skinny' compared to body builders. I want to emulate that. I don't want to have huge muscles, but I want to become stronger. It seems that most infantrymen seem to fall into this category. They aren't super massive, but they are functionally strong. |
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Lift heavy weight. Don't eat much caloric excess. You're not going to accidentally grow... people work hard and try to grow... it's not like "fuck. I just stacked on 20lbs of muscle." Bodybuilders run a gram of test and a gram of tren along with 3-10iu I'd growth hormone and insulin to build muscle like that...
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Lift heavy weight. Don't eat much caloric excess. You're not going to accidentally grow... people work hard and try to grow... it's not like "fuck. I just stacked on 20lbs of muscle." Bodybuilders run a gram of test and a gram of tren along with 3-10iu I'd growth hormone and insulin to build muscle like that... I did. Damn Wendler and his 5/3/1. 
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Quoted:
Lift heavy weight. Don't eat much caloric excess. You're not going to accidentally grow... people work hard and try to grow... it's not like "fuck. I just stacked on 20lbs of muscle." Bodybuilders run a gram of test and a gram of tren along with 3-10iu I'd growth hormone and insulin to build muscle like that... And I thought 500mg test was fun. I wish I could accidentally put on 20 lbs of lean mass. |
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Your answer depends on what you mean by "big" and "strong." If you want to deadlift or squat 500+, you can't get away with looking like Brad Pitt. If you want to be good at bodyweight-type stuff and just be generally athletic, there are plenty of Crossfitters who fall into that category. Adding strength will necessarily add some size, but you don't have to prioritize mass building.
Basically, look at pictures of Olympic and power lifters in various weight classes (specifically those in the non-heavyweight classes). Being lighter is advantageous in both of those sports, so you'll see guys who have put a fair amount of effort into minimizing excess mass while maximizing strength. And, like in the chart, train in low reps- singles, doubles, triples. When I was in college I lifted with a guy who was dead set on going into either Army SF or the SEALs (couldn't decide), so he made a point of being able to pass all the physical stuff before joining. Dude would swim in the river all the time, put on a pack on go on jogs for double digit mileage, etc. Was probably 5'9", 175, but would squat about 350. He would just do a couple of reps per set. |
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5/3/1 + Oly + intelligently programmed CrossFit...
Not only will you be strong, but you will have endurance and skills. And you will not explode like a bodybuilder or be big like a powerlifter. If you are starting off, I recommend CrossFit Football and their Amateur SWOD program as maxing linear progression is better before doing 531. If you want to explode like a bodybuilder: 1. Steroids 2. High reps and lots of eating (If you are doing it naturally) |
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Ok, if you're asking this question, it means you're new to anything
and to be honest, it doesn't matter at all what you do or what program you start with. ANYTHING will work, you'll get stronger, you'll gain some muscle and you won't get huge (as others have said, it doesn't just magically happen). AFter a while (weeks to months) you'll realize what you need to work on and what your goals really are and then a better more specialized program for your goals will be appropriate. but you do actually have to go work out and not sit and get paralysis by analysis. |
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Ok, if you're asking this question, it means you're new to anything and to be honest, it doesn't matter at all what you do or what program you start with. ANYTHING will work, you'll get stronger, you'll gain some muscle and you won't get huge (as others have said, it doesn't just magically happen). AFter a while (weeks to months) you'll realize what you need to work on and what your goals really are and then a better more specialized program for your goals will be appropriate. but you do actually have to go work out and not sit and get paralysis by analysis. Yeah, but that's not functional. That's clown answers bro. |
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Yeah, but that's not functional. That's clown answers bro. Quoted:
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Ok, if you're asking this question, it means you're new to anything and to be honest, it doesn't matter at all what you do or what program you start with. ANYTHING will work, you'll get stronger, you'll gain some muscle and you won't get huge (as others have said, it doesn't just magically happen). AFter a while (weeks to months) you'll realize what you need to work on and what your goals really are and then a better more specialized program for your goals will be appropriate. but you do actually have to go work out and not sit and get paralysis by analysis. Yeah, but that's not functional. That's clown answers bro. No, it's not it's true Everyone sits around and says "i'm studying this or that on the internet and i want the prefect program but I don't want to get too big" well shit, no one gets too big (muscular, not fat) by accident. Why is this myth still around??????? and every single program works for a newbie as long as they get into the gym and do ANYTHING. It won't work forever and some programs are certainly more effective and efficient than others, but picking heavy shit up and putting it down of any type, ways and means is better than doing internet analysis forever and worrying about something that isn't going to happen. |
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I'd like to tone by biceps with out getting bulky. What type of machines should I be using? Either calf raises or leg press I'd also like to loose my gut. How many sets on the ab machine should I be doing to burn off the fat around my abdomen? |
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I would start out around 100,000 and work up from there. Quoted:
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I'd like to tone by biceps with out getting bulky. What type of machines should I be using? Either calf raises or leg press I'd also like to loose my gut. How many sets on the ab machine should I be doing to burn off the fat around my abdomen? But first we need to talk supplementation. Then we need to find that fat burning zone.
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But first we need to talk supplementation. Then we need to find that fat burning zone. Quoted:
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I'd like to tone by biceps with out getting bulky. What type of machines should I be using? Either calf raises or leg press I'd also like to loose my gut. How many sets on the ab machine should I be doing to burn off the fat around my abdomen? But first we need to talk supplementation. Then we need to find that fat burning zone. This. Got to make sure those supplements are in line before you do anything else.
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No, it's not it's true Everyone sits around and says "i'm studying this or that on the internet and i want the prefect program but I don't want to get too big" well shit, no one gets too big (muscular, not fat) by accident. Why is this myth still around??????? and every single program works for a newbie as long as they get into the gym and do ANYTHING. It won't work forever and some programs are certainly more effective and efficient than others, but picking heavy shit up and putting it down of any type, ways and means is better than doing internet analysis forever and worrying about something that isn't going to happen. Quoted:
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Ok, if you're asking this question, it means you're new to anything and to be honest, it doesn't matter at all what you do or what program you start with. ANYTHING will work, you'll get stronger, you'll gain some muscle and you won't get huge (as others have said, it doesn't just magically happen). AFter a while (weeks to months) you'll realize what you need to work on and what your goals really are and then a better more specialized program for your goals will be appropriate. but you do actually have to go work out and not sit and get paralysis by analysis. Yeah, but that's not functional. That's clown answers bro. No, it's not it's true Everyone sits around and says "i'm studying this or that on the internet and i want the prefect program but I don't want to get too big" well shit, no one gets too big (muscular, not fat) by accident. Why is this myth still around??????? and every single program works for a newbie as long as they get into the gym and do ANYTHING. It won't work forever and some programs are certainly more effective and efficient than others, but picking heavy shit up and putting it down of any type, ways and means is better than doing internet analysis forever and worrying about something that isn't going to happen. 
Anytime I see the words "functional strength" my eye starts twitching. It's easy to get big bro. I did an extra set of squats and suddenly I looked like Ronnie Coleman. Damn this extra non-functional mass. |
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It's already been said, so here's a handy graph. You want strength without much size? Do the reps below and don't eat too much. http://i.imgur.com/UrF1U.png This seems relevant to my interests. |