A couple of questions on working out.

Snezy

Snezy

New member
I have worked out in the past, and I've seen good results. Just not the results I've wanted.

I have a few skinny friends who work out tons but can't gain muscle at all. However I feel I'm the opposite. If I consistently work out I get big, and fast. And although it's nice and I know a bunch of people would like this, this is not what I'm after. I would rather be much more toned and ripped than to be a big bulky meat head.

I've actually gained a bit of weight over the last two years and over the last 3 months I've worked most of it off by running almost every day. But I'm ready to start going to the gym again.

What should I do if I want to work out, but avoid getting huge. At first I thought it was lower weight / high rep workouts, but I read a little bit on this forum and that seems that that is a bit of a misconception.

I look okay now, but I wanna get my 6 pack back and nicely toned arms and upper body. Also one thing I forgot to mention, I gain muscle in my chest very easily and I've been trying my best to burn it off. I just want a nice toned flat chest, I don't want the huge pecs that I seemingly can't avoid to develop.

Please help! Thanks in advance for any replies.
 
Hey snezy, welcome to the forum!

What part of the lower weight / high rep workouts are you finding is a misconception.

Can I ask you what type of training you normally do when you 'get big'? What is your set/rep scheme?
 
Hello PLB! I see you're from BC, so am I! Pumped for the game tonight? We got it! (I'm a huge hockey and Canucks fan too).

Anyways, I was looking through Steve's list of misconceptions and he said "-High reps for 'cutting'" was a misconception. Which I thought was not a misconception.

When I was lifting regularly I'd work two muscle groups a day. Typically Chest/Tris, Bis/Shoulders, and Back/Legs. I'd do my ab work outs at home every other day. I would do these three work in consecutive days and then a day for rest. It worked with my school schedule. I would be doing high weight, pushing myself to the limit of my weight every time, and do about 8 reps per set. I found this was great for improving my strength and I saw improvement very quickly. But it did not create the body type I wanted.

I guess I should ask my question more openly. Considering I tend to gain a lot of muscle mass by doing high weight/low rep work outs, how should I work out with the intention of gaining a leaner, and more cut body.

Thanks for the response by the way!
 
8 reps per set is not in the low rep range and fits into the hypertrophy range depending on sets, rest (you haven't said what your sets are) and lifting experience and you shouldn't be getting big if your cutting calories for the fat loss.
 
Like trusylver said, cut calories. Eat less. You can't gain muscle unless you're in a caloric surplus (unless you're new to training, apparently.)
 
Okay

So I should have a calorie deficit and I should be working out with low weight and high reps?

Is that correct? Anything else, or other tips?
 
Hey Snezy

Yep, I'm living in Kelowna! I was so pumped for the game! It's killing me how poorly they do when in Boston... it's like a totally different team. I swear damage is being done with the stress it causes to watch these games :willy_nilly: I'm so glad game 7 is on home ice (although I would have been totally happy for them to win it in Boston!) and I really hope Raymond is OK in the long run... that was a terrible way to get hit. So unfortunate.

Anyway..... :)

I agree that 8 reps is typically in the hypertrophy range, but it does depend on the overall volume. How many sets do you do?
 
No, I don't think you shouldn't be working out with low weight, high rep. Keep doing what you're doing, just be in a caloric deficit. You want to push your muscles to the adaptation response, only you won't be building muscle, it'll be maintaining it, because you won't have the additional calories you need to actually build muscle.
 
I always do 3 sets, but if I can't handle the weight I'll step down.

Okay, I'll try working out as I am with a lower calorie diet. I just don't want to gain any more mass :S

Also, @Fat Lazy Guy

You mentioned this will maintain my muscle but I want to burn some muscle in my chest. Tone it down, will this accomplish what I'm after?
 
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loosing muscle is not usually a good idea but basically if you dont use it and don't eat enough you will loose muscle but give it time with the lifting to see how you feel after you have lost some of the fat.
 
Okay, well I'll workout for a month with a lower calorie diet and see how that goes. Thanks for the replies friends.
 
It has been working! My chest has been tightening up! I guess I gained so much weight there last time because of my diet. Thanks guys!
 
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