-- Weightlifting & Nutrition Thread -- v9.0 Optimized

General Discussion
2701

I can definitely tell a difference, and that’s pretty big considering you’ve been training for a little over a month.

His rant is “ok” but a lot of other coaches would disagree on some points.

But something that he doesn’t mention in his own rant is that alot of his programs cycle in body part splits sometimes, and in the same program he uses upper/lower and full body splits as well. A friend of mine is doing one of his year long programs now and it cycles to body part splits for short periods of time.

But you are right about one thing, building overall mass is what’s important right now. When you reach a point where you feel you REALLY have weak points, some isolation would be fine.

Something you can do with that program is this…If you can handle the work capacity right now and you feel ok to start adding an exercise or two here and there…you can cycle in different isolatory exercises. example…this month you do some bi’s+tri’s work after every workout…maybe bb curls and overhead extensions or just different arm isolation work at the end. Just one exercise a piece…then next month maybe incline flies and reverse flies one day…maybe some straight arm pulldowns and pullovers, etc etc. This is something I’ve just started doing. I was having a hard time choosing between isolation work between larger muscles and arms…so I am going to cycle between the two of them.

Don’t misunderstand though, only top pro’s really need to isolate muscles all the time and they do so at the expense of joint integrity and flexibility sometimes as well. As a recreational bodybuilder, I really recommend a balanced program with compound lifts to create a well proportioned, healthy physique.

2702

O_O …eeer . all i know is that martial artist are sickos .

i’m starting to do dips , pull ups and push ups now . just to train endurance and strength .

2703

BF is 15% (or 16) right now, I’m 5’9" and 145. Right now I’m hardly following a strict/good diet and program. I only lift currently so I don’t get lazy and out of shape.

2704

Not a joke:

15% is really good isn’t it?

I mean, at 10%, that’s like beach material right?

Again, not a joke. No sarcasm here.

2705

I do MMA, and shitloads of cardio, definetly helps with endurance in fights. Right now I’m on a cutting phase to get in under 170 pounds (right now I’m 173 with 9% bodyfat) for a fight coming up at the end of the year. I compete in mass destruction, reality fighting, and NAGA tournaments that are local to the tri-state or east coast. Anybody from New Jersey here that does MMA, I’m looking for a new school and I am having a hard time finding one (that’s within a feasible distance). I love my old school but the hours aren’t convenient with my new work schedule. If anybody needs some advice on nutrition, working out or MMA let me know, or if you are in the NJ area and need a sparring partner let me know again. I’m pretty muscular, but I’m not about bodybuilding per se (IE going for definition or size in certain areas), I just train really fucking hard for competition and that’s my main concern not muscularity, so keep that in mind. I also train old school, dips, squats, deadlifts, etc. None of that plyometric shit while standing on a balancing ball bullshit. Anything that involves thinking isn’t for me.

2706

Oh, and at 9% bodyfat I can see my abs, but for that shredded beach look you need to come in at under 5%. At least in my case anyways. For that shredded eight pack I find that you have to be in under 5%, but I also don’t tan, and do the things that bodybuilders do to bring out that definition even more. I remember one time I was 3% bodyfat at like 154 pounds (skinnier then, didn’t pack as much muscle), and my abs looked fuckin ridiculous shredded with veinage! The problem is that staying at that low of a bodyfat is really really fucking hard, and long term isn’t good for your body (at least going by reports I’ve read, whether they are true are not I have no idea). I eventually replaced the abs with a nice layer of fat, hey I’m a chef I got hungry. I have since lost that fat, but anyways to answer your question again…

For beach ready abs, I recommend coming in under 5% bodyfat. I also use a Tanita bodyfat scale (set for athlete) so how accurate that is I have no idea.

2707

i thought 3% = dead man , or something ?

2708

What’s a good way to get started in cardio (and general fitness) if you’ve been a fucking couch potato due to mmorpg addiction? I’m a pretty scrawny guy - 5’11’’ 125 lbs - but I’m not really looking to bulk up, just to get into shape.

2709

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA. Thank you for revealing you know absolutely nothing about bodyfat measurements. Patently incorrect information abounds.

2710

5% is some hard shit, I mean, that’s strict ass dieting and intense cardio.

2711

plus drugs

2712

lolz.

guys, 3-4% bodyfat is what a typical bodybuilder steps on stage at. It won’t kill you…but it isn’t very healthy, not to mention they are dehydrated as well on stage. And you don’t HAVE to take drugs to get that low in BF, there are natural bodybuilders that get there too…it might just be a little easier with drugs and you tend to lose less muscle during the diet when on some kind of anabolic.

2713

Ha ha ha ha what bitch? I don’t know about bodyfat? I said I use a tanita bodyfat scale REGULARLY, yes there are more accurate ways. The most accurate way is in which you pay someone to plunk your ass in a vat of water, and the amount of water you displace equates to your bodyfat. But am I going to spend $150 to check my bodyfat each time. Fuck no. And bodyfat calipers are highly inaccurate as well. The bodyfat scales made by Tanita (the higher end models) are fairly accurate, I’d say within +/- 2%. And yes, 5% bodyfat is achievable and maintainable, and 2 to 3% bodyfat is achievable…but like I said EXTREMELY fucking difficult to maintain for a long time. Why do you think bodybuilders only do it before a competition? Its not healthy for your body to be at ridiculously low levels of bodyfat for long periods of time, your body NEEDS an essential level, and I believe that level is minimally 2 to 3% for guys, and about 4 to 5% for women.

You say I’m inaccurate about my response but don’t give any information or specifics as to why. Which just makes you sound like a whining bitch. If I am wrong then WHY am I wrong?

Oh, and on the comment of drugs. Hello, I said I was at 154 pounds, who the fuck needs drugs to be at that weight at 5 feet 10 inches? Hmm? Seriously, I need to take fucking steroids to be that skinny? I don’t think so. And yeah, there are cutting drugs out there like Cytomel and Winny V, but one they are WAY too fucking expensive, two they fuck up your thyroid and other hormones, and three I don’t have a reliable source, and don’t need one cause I would never spend that much money.

The best supplement I have ever taken for fat loss is ephedrine, but that’s banned for some comps. Ephedrine is still readily available as an “asthma” supplement, and is effective, and you can still buy it. And its fuck loads cheaper then cutting roids that may fuck you up permanently.

Personally, you are better off spending that money on real food.

Why is that everytime someone gets low bodyfat or gains muscles people start screaming bullshit or they are on roids or chemically dependent? I’m not saying I’m super shredded fucking Ronnie Coleman coming in at 300 pounds of muscle and squatting 2,000 pounds for fucks sake. I’m saying at one point in my life I had very low bodyfat, that was VERIFIED by a Tanita scale, calipers, and other means, and at that point is when I had an shredded and very visible eight pack, which was answering the previous posters question (again I’m only speaking for myself). If my bodyfat goes over 5 to 7% then my abs don’t have great definition, maybe that’s not the case for you or other people, but I can only speak for myself.

And like I said, I’m NOT a bodybuilder. I consider myself a more all-around athlete and could really give a flying fuck about how I look or how strong I am in comparision to other people.

2714

At least Magnus has some knowledge. Pisses me off that people take months and years of hard ass work (weight lifting, cardio, MMA) and not to mention strict nutrition (may I remind you I’m a chef, try making cheesecakes 2 months in on a cutting phase and come back to me) and simply shrug it off as roids, drugs, or bullshit.

2715

Whoa there man, I don’t think anybody was accusing you of taking drugs…(?)

Chaos has a PhD. He is very knowledgeable. Just not very nice sometimes. lol. BF levels and definition vary person to person but the norm is…

10%=visible abs, the lower u get of course the more definition you have, but that applies to all things.

3-4%= BBers on stage. At least the really competitive ones.

Women are a TOTALLY different story however, They are physiologically designed to carry more fat even at their leanest (ass, titties, thighs) They also have smaller bodies with much less musculature than males…so the numbers look a LOT different. *10% of 120=12 (woman) and 10% of 200=20 (man) So the male in this figure is carrying almost twice as much fat but is the same %…get it? Long story short, a woman even approaching 10%BF is pretty fuggin ripped.

2716

Where to begin. First of all at a massive 170 lbs. believe me I’m not under the impression your on roids. Secondly pending height and dosage, you very well could be. And when you start saying your abs aren’t visible over 5-7% you are just patently incorrect. Period. The scale is incorrect more likely, but trust me the numbers your getting are WAY lower than they should be. In fact most people are off by about 3-5% in what they think a BF% looks like.

And as an aside being a chef doesn’t mean you know jack shit about nutrition, it means you know how to cook. Big difference. Finally I seriously doubt you’ve ever been under 5% natural. In fact I’m almost 100% sure you haven’t. I’ve seen lots of natural shows and never seen anyone legitmately under 5% bf. You can see outlinded abs fairly easily in anyone with abdominal musculature to begin with at 12-15% when flexed.

2717

So what do MMA guys do to train?

Punching bags all day? Sparring all the time?

2718

Dumbass, I’m a chef, but I have a degree in Biology with a double major in Sports Medicine. I know how to cook, and what food does to your body. Thats why I make money on the side consulting people on menu creation to meet their desired needs, IE weight gain, weight loss, nutrition for athletes, etc. I know the difference between simple and complex carbs, various proteins, fats, why you should use simple carbs and whey protein after working out etc. And yes you can get under 5% natural, its not a big deal as MANY many athletes who get tested by IOC on a regular basis (almost monthly)by blood and urine tests do so. Just look at gymnists. You can get shredded without roids. I said I, repeat ME, as I stated in my previous text that I cannot see MY abs over 7% bodyfat. That’s just me. I know guys at the gym who have visible abs, but the rest of their body looks like hell, we are all different. When I gain weight I start to gain in right away in my abs and buttocks, thats the way my body stores fat, so obviously when my bodyfat goes from 5% to lets say 9%, I will obviously lose tremendous definition in my abs. Also, I do not tan, like other bodybuilders or people who frequently workout do, the darker you are the easier it is to see definition. I don’t tan, don’t give a shit about spending time in a tanning booth or using tanning lotion. Just because you go to bodybuilding shows doesn’t mean you know shit about anything. I watch porn, doesn’t mean I’m a sex expert. And despite what you believe, not every athlete, bodybuilder or guy who has money, looks, muscularity, or anything for that matter, doesn’t mean they cheated or took a pill to get there. You’re just making excuses for your own damn short comings.

I also know people who have 12 to 15% bodyfat, and their abs ARE NOT visible, so that statement is flawed as hell.

2719

To train? Weight lifting 4 times a week, cardio daily (I use a stepmill and a recumbant bike - High Intensity), sparring 1 to 3 times a week (kind of difficult with work, I usually work like 50 hours a week). I usually dedicate a day just to MMA and spend like 4 to 6 hours at the facility I train at. I find it easier then going 3 times a week for lets say 1 to 2 hours. I also try to go to my kenpo school as much as possible but again, time is short, so maybe once or twice a week at best.

My MMA training and fighting is a hobby for me, not a way for me to make money or what have you. I’m sure there’s guys out there that all they do is train 24/7, now how they pay their bills is beyond me.

Everyone is different, some guys only train maybe once a week or once a month, and don’t really give a shit about what weight class they fall in to. Some guys go crazy and make statistical analysis of their opponents and train based off of video tape and what have you. I fall somewhere in between. My job comes before my hobbies.

2720

You guys are being retarded.

Either way,

Magnus: I’m 10% and I don’t see abs yet :’( I’m using a shitty fat caliper though.