Hit a plateau. Advice? My goal is the "toned" pic (muscle, lifting)
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I think I've made a lot of progress since I started to force myself to exercise, but my results are kinda leveling off.
I wouldn't mind gaining some "healthy weight." I'm at 130 lbs and 5 ft 8 inches now. What exercises or recommendations do you have? Also looking for exercise programs that are fun and motivational if you know of any. I've been using the regular machines but i need some variety, too.
As for my goal, I'm looking to try to be something similar to the "toned" picture (G) in the picture, definitely not D, the body builder type. Maybe in time for next year's beach season, so that way I don't need "fast results" necessarily? Do you think this is realistic, or a good look?
Any helpful advice is greatly appreciated.
Last edited by chimera1997; 10-07-2015 at 08:11 PM..
Reason: program
Thats your problem. Go with a free weight heavy routine, you can find them all over the place. Starting Strength by Ripptoes is a good one. Keep your calories in check, get plenty of protein, do plenty of squats, deadlifts, pull ups...etc, you'll get to where you want to be.
Again, "toned" is nothing more than having low body fat and diet will be your biggest key for that.
If you're looking to add muscle mass now, Starting Strength is a great place to begin, as suggested above. Wendler's 5/3/1 is another good candidate. His "boring but big" routine may work well for you. Boring But Big - JimWendler.com
The best way to add mass quickly is to eat at a caloric surplus and squat heavy at least twice a week (as well as following whatever other program you choose).
+1 on the things the advice already given. use free weights, lift heavy, caloric surplus eating the right type of foods. Diet has always been the biggest factor for me. It's surprisingly difficult to eat enough of the right foods on a consistent basis.
The lifting is the fun part. The eating is a big and expensive chore.
+1 on the things the advice already given. use free weights, lift heavy, caloric surplus eating the right type of foods. Diet has always been the biggest factor for me. It's surprisingly difficult to eat enough of the right foods on a consistent basis.
The lifting is the fun part. The eating is a big and expensive chore.
Minus the part about expense, I've always felt the other way around
1) How many calories on average should I consume? I know it depends on how many calories I burn, would it be maybe 300 calories above maintenance?
2) On days when I don't have time to go to the gym, do you have any recommendations for body weight exercises?
3) On the JimWendler.com website it has the 5/3/1 like you mentioned, and then 5 sets of 10 reps for presses and lat work as an example. Feeling like an idiot, but what does 5/3/1 refer to?
4) What kind of physique should I expect to look like if I can somehow adopt a healthy sustainable routine without spending more than an hour at the gym a day. My concern is I want to get super strong for functional purposes, but still not look extreme (I give credit to those who do, just for me that's not my own look that I'd aspire to). What I mean is, I don't want to look like picture D (bodybuilder) for sure. Maybe something slightly bigger than E?
2) On days when I don't have time to go to the gym, do you have any recommendations for body weight exercises?
I'd recommend you simply make time to go to the gym. That would be preferable.
Quote:
3) On the JimWendler.com website it has the 5/3/1 like you mentioned, and then 5 sets of 10 reps for presses and lat work as an example. Feeling like an idiot, but what does 5/3/1 refer to?
Personally, I tend to prefer Starting Strength as a beginner's program but the Wendler one is excellent as well.
Quote:
4) What kind of physique should I expect to look like if I can somehow adopt a healthy sustainable routine without spending more than an hour at the gym a day. My concern is I want to get super strong for functional purposes, but still not look extreme (I give credit to those who do, just for me that's not my own look that I'd aspire to). What I mean is, I don't want to look like picture D (bodybuilder) for sure. Maybe something slightly bigger than E?
Not to sound flippant but just pick a program and do it. You're not going to look like a professional bodybuilder without years of hard work and anabolics.
In all honesty, I think mature adult men will reach their absolute potential in no more than two years. Guys that you see that look like bodybuilders and credit it to spending so many years in the gym are probably on steroids unless they just have amazing genetic potential. And even if they do have amazing genetic potential, with the right program, they can probably realize it within two years.
Thoughts?
(And just to clarify, by absolute potential, I'm not referring to powerlifters in the heavyweight class that eat themselves to their potential, but guys that have low body fat.)
Are you saying you think you'll get as big and strong as you ever will inside of two years, outside of heavyweight powerlifters/strongmen?
No way. Absolutely not.
I mean in terms of getting to the point to where you plateau and have a significant cost of adaptation or opportunity cost associated with incremental gains.
I think it's definitely possible as long as they were on the right program. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking about taking a reasonably conditioned person to their absolute peak.
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Maybe in time for next year's beach season, so that way I don't need "fast results" necessarily? Do you think this is realistic, or a good look? 