Posted: 3/27/2008 10:07:28 AM EDT
| anything to do to build up the chest more than doing bench (both flat and inclined) and butterflies? i'm getting plenty of protein (aiming for 90-100g a day) to go along w/my workout and diet but i just don't how to get bigger in the chest area w/o having to take weight gainers. |
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I like the dumbell pullover. It seems to really target deeply. Here is a link to a video and info about. I only use and dumbell and I don't go all the way back and bend my elbows like this guy, I keep my arms totally straight and just go slowly straight behing my head and pullover just directly above my chest. Sometimes I do crunches at the same time. Just google chest exercises and see what you find that you might like. Chest Pullover |
hmmm well that might be a problem. part of the "program" i'm on has me trying to lose as much fat as possible as well as building lean mass, 2 things that don't exactly go hand in hand. w/that said i don't know how i can take on much more protein w/o upping my calorie intake like crazy (and i don't have a lot to go on, i'm not supposed to go over 1800/day). |
AGW is far better qualified than me to address this, but I would think 1800 calories/day is going to make it awfully tough to build lean mass. Is this program the result of working with a nutritionist or a doctor? |
nutrionist i guess. i got my body fat % taken hydrostatically, during the testing they also told me my RMR, which was only aboug 1800. at the same time i was told i'm at 18% body fat, way too much for someone my size (5'6" 158lb). albeit, i was "sandbagging" for 2 months prior to the testing but still, i need to get down to about 12% but want to try and gain/keep my lean muscle (since most dieting/fat burning results in muscle loss). |
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If you're exercising a few times a week, 1800 is close, but a tad low. You can fudge it up to 2000 and be nominal. Don't worry about maximum protein consumption for maximum mass (a major preoccupation, IMO). Your muscle isn't going to whither. In fact, I think you'll probably find more muscle than you ever thought you had when your cuts start showing through. Keep the eye of the tiger. |
| i'm actually exercising 5-6 days a week assuming i'm not traveling out of town on the wkend or something. usually do half hr weights and 20-30 min of cardio, then once in the middle of the week i usually do a day of all cardio, 45-50 min. sundays (the 6th day) is also all cardio, although i guess smacking my punching bag hard enough does work my arms some as well. |
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As an exercise phys major and athlete myself.... Your caloric intake is pretty low for trying to put on mass. Your body needs the energy to build the mass thus why you need carbs and protein going hand in hand. No weight gain is purely muscle mass. If you're training and trying to put on mass you're going to need to up your protein intake and calories. Also, cardio will inhibit your mass gains. Reason why you don't see distance runners with big muscles. Given your body fat percentage already and that you're trying to up your mass your weight may not change much but the relative proportions will and you'll only know that if you keep getting your body fat measured. (I would only trust Underwater weighing if you want to get accurate results) |
see exactly what you're saying, and yes, i definitely don't want my overall weight to come down, just the composition. as for the hydrostatic testing (which is the underwater weighing you're talking about), i will be tested one more time in may at the end of the 12 wk program to see if i've made progress. also, as to balancing losing fat and gaining muscle, the program stipulates that at the end, you get 1 pt for every lb of fat lost but 3 pts for every lb of muscle put on.....w/that in mind, what/can i do to optimally train for that to happen? i thought balancing the cardio and weights was effective but if i'm way off please let me know. thanks guys, appreciate the amt of feedback on this already. |
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Drink whey protien drinks. Like Body fortress, 6 star (both at Wal Mart) or Nitro Tech Hard Core from GNC (harder to mix, I use a frother, if all you have is a spoon, get the first 2) I've been losing weight/gaining muscle for almost 2 years now, that protein gives you 23 grams of protein and only 110 calories (150 for 6 star). Get plenty of protein, cut carbs. Eat something with protein every 2.5/3 hours. (A good high protein/low carb meal, or a protein drink between meals) ETA: Since you're not really in need of loseing weight, just eat nothing but good clean food (Go buy some body building magazines to get ideas) lift weights and work on your entire body, as no muscle will grow in disproportion to another and you'll see results. I know when I joined a gym I weighed 285 and lost 4 inches off my waist in about 2 months without losing any weight. |
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Your cardio will inhibit muscle mass. This is why you don't see bulky distance runners. I would not cut your carbs. As long as you're eating pretty well balanced you should be alright, a protein shake during the day after your workout might be helpful. Avoid protein shakes that have soy in them (soy lecithan might be in it but should be ok) as soy can hurt testosterone levels, hindering muscle mass and effecting you chemically in bad ways. |
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Balance. I run marathons and triathlons and I'm still more then able to add mass. Eat right. Simple. |
so put simply, ya can't really do both at the same time. |
Not really, no. You can do moderate cardio along with weight training and you will burn fat and build strength but if you're trying to look "big" then cardio isn't going to help you. |
| I use the 40/40/20, protein, carbs and fats. I eat 2500 cals a day and am losing fat slowly and healthy while maintaining hard earned muscle. I Lift 5 days a week and do cardio three days a week. Your diet is at least 80 percent of losing fat. I also take in at least 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight, I am 6'2, 205. |
I would agree that on a limited basis you can lose fat and gain strength, but except for very rare occurrences it is very difficult or impossible to both lose fat and gain muscle. You are either cutting, maintaining, or bulking. Pick one. |
In his particular case of losing body fat and wanting to add quality mass its going to be a little harder due to the fact he is trying to address two desired effects. You can gain mass and still have a high end cardio schedule. Your intake and rest is going to have to be balanced in order to be able to sustain a schedule that has both targetted efforts. I obviously have a higher then normal cardio schedule with running 20+ miles a week along with riding 30+ miles on the road bike a week. In order for me to sustain that along with heavy lifting to continue to add mass.... I HAVE to eat right and get plenty of rest. A typical schedule closer to race dates are seeing an easy 40min Swim | 80min Bike | 40min Run split. You are going to need a ton of calories and rest to sustain this kind of training. Now I'm not targeting fat loss keep in mind. My body fat is typically between 7-10 % at any given time. |
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got it. w/that out of the way then... do i need to keep my calories at my RMR level? or should i increase it and also increase my protein like suggested previously to grams per lb i weigh? also, are there any foods i'm not thinking of that's high in protein and low in calories? ie, besides chicken, fish, etc? i've been eating beef jerky as a snack sometimes during the day, how's that for a small jolt of protein w/o taking in a lot of calories? |
Lean beef, egg whites, cottage cheese, protein powder.
It's fine. I wouldn't live on it as the sodium content it typically high, but you'll be fine with adequate h2o intake. |