Muscle, but not cut. Advice?

[duma]

It has been a year now since I started working out (again). I am lifting twice the amount I did when I first started (in all areas). I notice that I am larger too. However, I don't think it is that noticable.

 

I wonder then, is there a way to get more muscle, and make them stand out better? I realize that you go either big, or cut. But, I am wanting a happy middle to it all.

 

Advice?

[Unclean]

For the natural bodybuilder, any gains of 1lb of muscle per month is good. That will -never- be noticeable to you, so that's why it's a good idea to take photos to see your progress over 3, 4, or 5 months.

 

As far as the 'happy middle' goes, just work out, eat healthy, and see what happens. Usually people that are bulking or cutting have a specific regimen they follow, so if you don't do that, you should get more definition and a larger size, but not too much of either.

 

ZesteR, it sounds like we have another contender in our challenge! Would you be interested in that, duma?

[TheCurse]

it is hard to bulk and cut at the same time. how much bodyfat you carry is dependant on your diet (and genetics of course). you can eat cleaner to reduce how much fat you have but if you really want to cut you need to have a caloric deficit, in which case you wont be building any more muscle. eat more meals per day and make them smaller. cardio will not reduce as much fat as most people think, but it can help. in the end it comes down to diet diet diet. there is a lot of arguement over whether one can 'shape' a muscle to any degree (i.e. bring out certain parts of it, like upper or lower chest area) or if it only grows bigger or smaller as a whole.

 

i say just keep getting bigger until you reach a weight you like and then change your diet to maintenance levels, but thats just me. ive been on a bulk for the last 5 years

 

curse

[duma]

I recently did a % body fat at my work (I work in a hospital). I am on the low end of body fat. I weigh in at 180lbs, and I am 5'10''.

 

I should have taken measurements before I started working out, but I figured I would notice my size when I actually was able. The reason I even asked this is due to the fact that a guy was working out beside me who was realy cut, however, I was lifting almost twice what he was. I started to think that maybe I should drop weight and do more reps.

 

But yeah, thanks for the advice. I don't have a great amount of time to really watch diet. I try to eat well, but I can't eat often. I tell my wife I run so that I can eat like crap.

 

I will just keep plugging at it. I mean I am getting stronger (lifting twice as much), and I know I am getting bigger....

 

ZesteR, it sounds like we have another contender in our challenge! Would you be interested in that, duma?

What challenge?

Edited March 16, 2006 by duma

[duma]

I see your challenge now... I am kinda of freakish really... my legs are very strong, but I am weak up top.

 

calves: I l lift 400 lbs (using two different machines that you extend your foot)

 

seated squat (I dont know what you call it really): 390 lbs.

 

Of course these are on machines... my dad always tells me they are not accurate and I would lift less with free weights...

 

Now, I will not even get into my upper body; it is still a work in progress... but like I have said, I am lifting twice as much as I use to.

[ZesteR]

No need to be ashamed duma

not even a year ago I couldnt bench 105lb. Now I'm up to 160 as my max!

 

Our challenge isnt that demanding, you should def. take a look into doing it!

 

btw, I've been slacking on working out lately. I am moving into new offices at work, and moving 35lb betting machines up flights of stairs. (total 75 machines) I havent been able to find the time nor the energy to have a good workout.

but, that'll all be done in a few days and Ill be back to lifting!

[shep48]

even the pros look like crap during off season,(big but not cut) they lose weight and cut water before shows.

 

and becareful looking at magazines those guys are the best bodybuilders and steroid users in the world. lots of guys lift, lots of guys lift and juice, and only the best of that world make it in the mag.

[ich bin ein berliner]

the advice in this thread seems to be quite accurate. if you want to become 'more cut', you need to try to lose extra fat. i have the same problem that you do, i am on the lower end of the fat % scale also.

 

i am about 12-14% body fat which is healthy... those guys you see with washboard abs and you can see every single muscle in thier body, they have about 6-8% body fat, which is medically unhealthy but its just because of thier metabolism that they are able to look very cut.

 

thecurse said, "cardio will not reduce as much fat as most people think, but it can help."

personally, when i eat healthy, the more cardio i do, the more fat i lose. in my perfect life, i would lift, then do at least 40 mins of hard cardio.

 

for lifting and cardio, its all different for everyone. you just have to experiement with your schedule to change up your workout and see what works best with you.

 

on a side note, ive heard that changing up your lifting workout every few months (2 months) is good for you. by changing your workout it shocks your body. by this i mean, when you do a consistant workout for an extended period of time, your body gets used to it and compensates for lifting. this is when you experience a platau. changing up your workout should increase difficulty and strain on your muscles so that they are able to develop more.

[Lunk]

More reps. Alternate days each week as far as what body part you do each day. IE don't do chest on say Monday and Thursday every week, change it up do it Mon & Thurs one week, Tues & Fri the next. This way your body is less likely to get into a patterned routine. But definately more Reps sets of 12 to 15.

 

BTW The Curse, what are you doing taking pictures of me at the gym to use for your Avatar.

[Bubblegum Bandit]

BTW The Curse, what are you doing taking pictures of me at the gym to use for your Avatar.

 

The guy in The Curse's avatar doesn't have any grey hair? I'm confused, not that that's anything new.

 

I used to change up my routine every couple of weeks. Basically its anything that "shocks" your muscles differently like said before. Don't get into the mentality that every chest day HAS to include the bench press and the same for core exercises for other muscles. If you hit them hard, with correct form, and proper muscle contraction, doing a body part once a week is plenty of workout. Its been said before, the most common problem I think I've seen, besides lazyness, is overtraining.

[whudats]

More reps. Alternate days each week as far as what body part you do each day. IE don't do chest on say Monday and Thursday every week, change it up do it Mon & Thurs one week, Tues & Fri the next. This way your body is less likely to get into a patterned routine. But definately more Reps sets of 12 to 15.

 

Lots of good advice here, like somebody said. I've found that when you want to tone up and get more definition, do like Lunk says. Each week instead of increasing the weight you push, do more reps with shorter breaks in between.

 

And like Bub said, don't overtrain - it's very easy to do. I did it while I was here. It really breaks your body down...