Confusion: getting muscular and getting the 6-pack

R

Ridzilla

0
Hey, I've been working out regularly (usually 3 miles/day 4x a week, and a little weight lifting) since June of this summer. I'm 16, 5'10" and 136 pounds (started at 145 pounds during June). My goal since June was to become much more muscular and obtain a six pack. The six pack is starting to become visible.

My diet has been very balanced over the past few months, I eat cereal in the morning, and pack a lunch to school (PB&J sandwhich, banana, nature valley granola bar, pretzels, and water), and have dinner.

Recently (since I just got my license), my workout plan had been running 3 miles a day 4x per week, and then lifting at the gym for an hour 3x per week.

Judging from my results over the past few months, I've been losing a lot of weight and don't appear as muscular as I'd like to be...I'd thought of lifting more and eating more (since I thought the more you life the more energy you lose, therefore the more you have to eat), but now i'm worrying that if i lift/eat more my body fat will just go up again.

So, what I want to know is:
-If I lift/eat more, will my body fat % just shoot back up again?
-Recommendations on how I should structure my workout routine, based off of my goal: to get a six pack, to be more lean while appear very musuclar. (Basically, is what I'm now fine? 3 miles/4x week and 1 hr lift/3x week)

Also, I have some questions on how I can speed up the process of achieving my goals. Is muscle milk or complete whey protein worth buying?

Oh btw, can anyone make any predictions on when I'd achieve my goal seeing as im 136 lbs right now?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!
 
Ridzilla said:
Hey, I've been working out regularly (usually 3 miles/day 4x a week, and a little weight lifting) since June of this summer. I'm 16, 5'10" and 136 pounds (started at 145 pounds during June). My goal since June was to become much more muscular and obtain a six pack. The six pack is starting to become visible.

My diet has been very balanced over the past few months, I eat cereal in the morning, and pack a lunch to school (PB&J sandwhich, banana, nature valley granola bar, pretzels, and water), and have dinner.

Recently (since I just got my license), my workout plan had been running 3 miles a day 4x per week, and then lifting at the gym for an hour 3x per week.

Judging from my results over the past few months, I've been losing a lot of weight and don't appear as muscular as I'd like to be...I'd thought of lifting more and eating more (since I thought the more you life the more energy you lose, therefore the more you have to eat), but now i'm worrying that if i lift/eat more my body fat will just go up again.

So, what I want to know is:
-If I lift/eat more, will my body fat % just shoot back up again?
-Recommendations on how I should structure my workout routine, based off of my goal: to get a six pack, to be more lean while appear very musuclar. (Basically, is what I'm now fine? 3 miles/4x week and 1 hr lift/3x week)

Also, I have some questions on how I can speed up the process of achieving my goals. Is muscle milk or complete whey protein worth buying?

Oh btw, can anyone make any predictions on when I'd achieve my goal seeing as im 136 lbs right now?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!
Click to expand...


First thing you need to do is forget about the six pack for a few years. You don't have enough lean tissue to have one at the moment. You need to build your frame and do this you need to eat a calorie surplass and lift heavy weights. You WILL put on a little bit of fat, it won't be much.

Read this.


Testosterone Nation - The Anti-Skinny Fat Manifesto
 
Wow that was a good read, definitely changed my perspective of working out. So now I'm kinda lost...has everything I've been doing since June been worthless?

Alright so here's my new goal: bulk up and gain alot of lean body weight. So you think 160-170 is a reasonable weight to be by summer?

im worried about the calorie surpluss that the articles tells me to do, if I start eating alot more food (healthy food, just greater amounts) will fat just start to cover all of my muscles so I lose the toned look I have now?
 
Ridzilla said:
Wow that was a good read, definitely changed my perspective of working out. So now I'm kinda lost...has everything I've been doing since June been worthless?
Click to expand...

Not at all. Life is about making mistakes and learning. The more mistakes you make the more the learn.

Ridzilla said:
Alright so here's my new goal: bulk up and gain alot of lean body weight. So you think 160-170 is a reasonable weight to be by summer?
Click to expand...

Perhaps. It's a nice goal to set, but don't get too disheartened if you don't reach it. Even 10-20 pounds of lean mass will make you look bigger.

Ridzilla said:
im worried about the calorie surpluss that the articles tells me to do, if I start eating alot more food (healthy food, just greater amounts) will fat just start to cover all of my muscles so I lose the toned look I have now?
Click to expand...

If you eat a minor surplus, say 10-20% you will probably put on a little fat, but you will still look leanish. Don't worry, you're not suddenly turn into a blob if you are eating healthy and lifting heavy.

Also, and this is a tantalising prospect, there's a possibility, because you're still a bit new to weight lifting that you could simultaneous cut and bulk which means you could actually shed some fat whilst bulking or at least not put on any fat at all. If you do put on a bit of fat don't get scared. When you eventually hit your goal your newly gained lean tissue will help you shed it off in no time.

By the sounds of it you're naturally an ectomorph. Which means it's important to monitor your weight. You may not gain by eating a small surpluss, you may have to eat a bit more than 10-20% over maintenance.
 
Thanks for all the help so far!

If you do put on a bit of fat don't get scared. When you eventually hit your goal your newly gained lean tissue will help you shed it off in no time.
Click to expand...

What did you mean by this?


Also, do you think it's still worth it to do my cardio exercises 4x a week since I'm trying to bulk up?
 
On a clean bulk and good weight training, you shouldn't be gaining much fat at all, if any, hell.. even lose fat. I would say hold off on the cardio to 1 or 2 times max a week. You'll lose some muscle mass if you overdo it, which is the opposite of what you want to do. :D
Rikitikitembo said:
First thing you need to do is forget about the six pack for a few years. You don't have enough lean tissue to have one at the moment. You need to build your frame and do this you need to eat a calorie surplass and lift heavy weights. You WILL put on a little bit of fat, it won't be much.

Read this.


Testosterone Nation - The Anti-Skinny Fat Manifesto
Click to expand...
Wow, I've never seen that article before, it is good stuff! Keeps your eyes on what is important.
 
I might as well just make a whole new routine with this big of a change in perspective. Does anyone have any recommendations on how many times I should go to the gym a week (I go an hour everytime).

Shafted, it looks like you have a similar build....what does your workout routine look like, and around how many calories do you consume per day?
 
Last edited:
I was just going to mention that we do have similar builds. I do full-body workouts 3 times a week so that my muscles can get trained as much as possible for bulking.

It looks something like this:

Day 1:
*Squats
*Lat Pulldowns
*Bench Press
*Deadlifts
*Shoulder Press
*Dumbell Curls

Day 2:
*Straight-Leg Deadlifts
*Weighted Pull-Ups
*Decline Bench Press
*Lunges
*Weighted Dips
*Shrugs or Shoulder Press

Day 3:
*Front Squats
*Incline Bench Press
*Various Rows
*Romanian Deadlifts
*Military Press
*Skullcrushers
 
ShaftedTwice said:
I was just going to mention that we do have similar builds. I do full-body workouts 3 times a week so that my muscles can get trained as much as possible for bulking.

It looks something like this:

Day 1:
*Squats
*Lat Pulldowns
*Bench Press
*Deadlifts
*Shoulder Press
*Dumbell Curls

Day 2:
*Straight-Leg Deadlifts
*Weighted Pull-Ups
*Decline Bench Press
*Lunges
*Weighted Dips
*Shrugs or Shoulder Press

Day 3:
*Front Squats
*Incline Bench Press
*Various Rows
*Romanian Deadlifts
*Military Press
*Skullcrushers
Click to expand...



That routine looks pretty solid.
 
Ridzilla said:
Thanks for all the help so far!



What did you mean by this?
Click to expand...

Muscles burn calories. The more lean mass you have the more efficient you become at burning fat. A big mistake a lot of people make, especially women is when they lose weight they try and do it to fast, losing a whole heap of muscle along with the fat, fixated on the scales they think they are making good progress until it suddenly stops. What's happened is their body has lost it's furnace and it's ability to shed fat.

Ridzilla said:
also, do you think it's still worth it to do my cardio exercises 4x a week since I'm trying to bulk up?
Click to expand...


Are you doing it for sport or any other athletic pursuit? If not, maybe cut back a little bit as someone else suggested.
 
Last edited:
ShaftedTwice said:
Why, thank you :D
Click to expand...

I'm 5'11 and 165 pounds now (your target). The only thing was I had to go the other way. I started at 210 pounds at about 25% BF last year. I was naturally a skinny kid, but I stuffed up - lifting on and off for several years, eating like crap and generally getting the wrong advice from the wrong people. I wish good information was available on the internet back then. :mad:


Just finished the CW 10x3 for fat loss which worked wonders getting the last bit of fat off me. I'm now at 10% bf and going on maintenance for two weeks before clean bulking. My goal is 185, no date just as yet.

I'm going to do full body three times a week, probably something similiar to what you're doing.
 
Rikitikitembo said:
I'm 5'11 and 165 pounds now (your target). The only thing was I had to go the other way. I started at 210 pounds at about 25% BF last year. I was naturally a skinny kid, but I stuffed up - lifting on and off for several years, eating like crap and generally getting the wrong advice from the wrong people. I wish good information was available on the internet back then. :mad:


Just finished the CW 10x3 for fat loss which worked wonders getting the last bit of fat off me. I'm now at 10% bf and going on maintenance for two weeks before clean bulking. My goal is 185, no date just as yet.

I'm going to do full body three times a week, probably something similiar to what you're doing.
Click to expand...
Wow, that's a really impressive goal you have reached there man, congrats! I was basically doing the same thing before as well, eating like crap, barely anything all day and doing half-assed workouts.. This place has really taught me a lot and I can definately see and feel a difference now. Glad to hear that you may be doing something similar to my routine - I personally have gotten the greatest results out of this, the routine that I am on now, if you need any help let me know :D

Sorry for leading the topic a little astray, Ridzilla ;)
 
Are you doing it for sport or any other athletic pursuit? If not, maybe cut back a little bit as someone else suggested.
Click to expand...

Nope, just doin it to kick some ass IN backyard football and to look good on the beach =).

Btw thanks for the routine =D i don't know what some of those are but I'll just google it hah.
 
Not all routines will work the same with others. You should do an upper body/lower body split or full body workouts when you get into weight lifting.
 
I always had a six pack but was pretty skinny (still am fairly) but at the start of June I decided to just try and build muscle and strength and to forget about definition. Since then I've gone from 168 lbs to 191 lbs, can bench twice the amount I could 5 months ago and am starting to look properly muscular and not just 'defined'.

My six pack has faded greatly as I'm bulking but I'm still nowhere near fat or even a bit podgy and I can assure you that a bigger, stronger body is far more impressive than a six pack.

If you keep to your lifting schedule then your body will turn all the extra calories into muscle. I thought it was impossible for my body to do that but it just turned out I'd been doing things wrong for years

Just be patient and have faith (and eat well)
 
Can anyone give me an estimate on how many calories I should have per day? Keep in mind im 16, 136 pounds, and 5'10".

Thanks for that CCR! gave me something to look forward to =D
 
This is a good way to find your daily caloric needs:



Start with say a 500 calorie boost and go up as you progress, but don't start out with a massive amount to begin with or you will be prone to put on a lot of fat.
 
Alright sounds good.

Hey, im just wondering, where will I see most of my growth? I'm buying some expensive pants soon and I dont want to grow out of them really quickly...will going from 136 to 160ish affect my waistline alot?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top