I'm skinny fat and need direction.
Sorry if this topic has been beaten to death.
Anyway, I need help here. I'm suffering from information overload and don't know what program I should be on. I'd like to get lean before I start bulking. I want to do Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5, but I have limited free weight experience and don't have any partners to correct my mistakes. Would P90X or Spartacus be a good alternative? I have a really flexible schedule and no excuses to be skinny fat.
Any help is much appreciated!
You can always film yourself lifting using your phone to help you fix shitty form, its what I use. Stick with SS or SL for a few months just to build up a decent strength base before considering another program
Scooby the bodybuilder's advice is better for someone who does not want to be a power lifter. P90X is a joke.
FTR, I disagree with Scooby on some stuff. You will still need to do the big three (squats, dead lifts, and bench press).
If you are skinny fat you need to lift heavy weights. Forget trying to lean out for now. Build muscle and keep your diet clean. You will lean out naturally from the gained muscle. 5x5 is where you need to start.
Yes, skip the GOMAD diet. LOL! It's not worth it on so many levels.
5x5 is strength straining...for wrestlers, mma, and boxers. Usually sports that have weight classes. If you want to gain mass you need to count and intake more calories and start off with 6-12 reps 3-4 sets. go on the body building websites, forum.
bodybuilding/fun/mass_gain_diet_tips
I would recommend work outs revolving around the big 3 squat, deadlift, and bench. Throw power clean in their too. then do work outs that compliment those lifts. Start with only the 45 lbs Olympic bar to get your form correct. If your form is bad then you can hurt yourself easily. You will see big big gains if you do it 3x a week, especially if you keep your diet in check.
Whatever you do just don't use the vagina machine, cause that machine is only for woman.
Take whey protein isolate or hydrolysate before and after workouts. Do at least 5 sets of any workout, otherwise you won't see any results. Lift heavy enough while still maintaining good form. Make sure to get plenty of complex carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes, couscous, quinoa, etc.) so that your body doesn't become catabolic and use your muscles for fuel. Lift at least 4 times per week, preferably five. Chicken and eggs are most bioavailable (easily used) by your body as a protein source. Get plenty of sleep, and limit alcohol intake. Stay away from soy, which raises estrogen levels. Don't take any pro-hormones or anything crazy until you have researched what is contained therein and are okay with any side effects. Regarding good form and relevant exercises, I would look on the bodybuilding forums and listen to advice or watch videos by guys who are big and look like you want to look. By extension, don't go to a gym and pay for personal training sessions from a woman or guys who are not big and fit.
So much bro science in this post. Not sure if trolling, but I will bite anyway. Firstly you don't need supplements before AND after workouts. Last 9 months I saw some good results with no supps at all, just proper diet. Don't need to lift heavy, in fact high rep ranges are better for weight loss, which means lighter weights. Your body doesn't become catabolic without complex carbs, muscles only get used as fuel when there is NO other fuel source, including fat stores. You don't need to lift 5 times per week, I saw good results on 3, although more training will speed up results. Sleep is a given, and alcohol is fine once a week in moderation. No-one said anything about pro-hormones here, not sure why you raised it. Are you big and fit? By extension, should he be taking advice from you?
Eat a lot of protein to prevent muscle loss while on a low carb diet. Chicken breasts and lean fish are your best choice.
Check out juggernaut fitness on YouTube
I'd like to cut first just so I can see some change in my body composition and boost my confidence.
@"diverse_kanga", I was going to get started on 5x5 today until you mentioned that high rep ranges are better for weight loss. Why is that, and what kind of a regimen would you recommend?
The optimum rep range for muscle growth is commonly cited as 8-12 reps. Below that is more of a powerlifter range and will help build pure explosive strength but not necessarily size because your muscle fibres don't have enough time under tension to properly tear (and thus regrow). Above that range the weight you are using is likely too light to damage the muscles, although you are more likely training within the aerobic zone (as opposed to anaerobic) which burns more energy and hence you lose weight. Here is a good article to help you decide what is appropriate for you http://www.mensfitness.com/training/your-ideal-rep-range. I would suggest you start out with 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps per exercise, using enough weight to hit failure on the very last rep or just a bit less, focusing on maintaining proper form throughout the whole set. Proper form will be absolutely crucial as you progress with weight. Each week you can try to up the weight which will aide your confidence as you can measure your progress. Then after a few months you will start to see a plateau with how much weight you can increase for that rep range, at that point I suggest you keep upping the weight but drop the reps, but try not to go below 8 reps per set. Always ensure you mix up your exercise split to keep the body guessing. If you are consistent enough and train hard, your body shape will naturally adjust because you are not only burning energy while at the gym, but also while you sleep and the next day while your body is trying to repair itself. Fuel it with the right mix of proteins carbs and fats and your body composition will automatically adjust. But remember, the phrase "you are what you eat" is more true than you realise. Your body composition will naturally trend towards becoming the fuel that you consume. Weight training is just a catalyst for this metamorphosis.
I am starting to become skinny fat as well.
I am an ectomorph who went from "skinny fat" to a strong physique in approx. 6 months. This was during college. I am now what most girls would describe as "fuckable", but that's because I've been out of the workout game for a while. Regardless, this is how I overcame shitty genes and years of a sedentary lifestyle:
1) Forget about all that bro-science workout plans and supplements. First, create a schedule in which you can go to the gym. Stick to that schedule! No matter how tired you are, or how much it would make more sense to go tomorrow instead, STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE. One thing that all those huge guys in the gym have in common is: they GO to the gym.
2) For your first week, do some cardio, stretches, pullups, pushups, crunches...easy body weight exercises to get your blood flowing, heart pumping, and body ready for activity.
3) Develop a workout routine. Focus on muscle groups. For example: one day focus on Chest and Triceps. These two muscle groups tend to work hand-and-hand in most exercises, followed by Back and Biceps the next day, a day for Legs, and a day for Shoulders/Abs. This is my "grouping"... others may disagree, but it has been effective. Find something that works for you, and try to put 10 or so exercises in that routine.
4) Stick to your schedule!
5) Start eating healthy. Try to fit more protein into your diet.
6) Stick to your schedule, be consistent, you will start to see gains.
that's pretty much it.
Duuuudeeee 2014 thread, whyyyyy
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