Work out questions

[severinsteel]

Hey guys, so this question is for the workout fiends out there. I am looking to get my body ripped, shredded, toned, etc.... I am 6' 3'' and weigh between 205 to 212. My plan is to keep trying to bulk up until December or January of this year, and then try to start loosing the excess fat and get toned. What I am doing now is just trying to get a decent amount of protein in my diet and enough calories to facilitate muscle growth as opposed to weight loss. Nothing really scientific, just trying to eat somewhat healthy meals and little to no fast food. But when I will be trying to lose weight and get more muscle definition, what are some guidelines to follow as far as diet, frequency of meals, cardio, and the number of reps and sets for definition as opposed to bulk? In other words how does one get to look like George St. Pierre (MMA fighter)?

Thanks guys!

[txfrc]

6+ small meals a day. +1000 cal over maintenance for bulk. -500 during cut. find cal needs for your age/weight/metabolism online and adjust to taste.
as much cardio as you can take, if your in GOOD shape, look into HIIT, but only if youve got some endurance and cardio under your belt. lean meats, chicken, fish, leanest ground beef you can find (96/4+), EVOO, ect.
12-15 rep is good. anything less than 8-10 is more powerlifting routine. good website with recipes/info is www.leanbulk.com
do the basic exercises. i wasted my time in the gym for months doing stuff that pinpoints one small muscle.
here are some good exercises: straight bar curls, preacher curls, hammer curls, bentover row with bar, deadlift, lat pulls, tricep vgrip pushdowns, skullcrushers, dumbbell shoulderpress, machine flyes, incline bench, close grip benchpress, ect are where its at.
whats your bodyfat percentage?

[Millul]

-500 sounds a bit extreme to me, start with -200 and see how it goes.
Eat clean, but do not cut out "good" fats (olive oil, salmon, herrings, nuts).

I'd do a routine of 3 exercises per muscle group: 1 big multi-joint exercise and 2 single joint exercises. In the multi-joint one, use a 4x8 seriesrep schee, in the single joint ex, 3x12 in the 1st and 2x15/20 in the 2nd.

Put in 3 to 5 aerobic workouts (I'd suggest low to mid intensity WO, since they help you recover from the weight sessions and do not add stress to your nervous system; keep 'em around the 45 minutes mark)

[Millul]

Keep in mind that those are only suggestion, since I don't now either you nor your level of fitness/GPP/strength, etc etc

[johneeeveee]

It's a lot healthier to lose bodyfat and gain muscle at the same time, rather than bulking up and then cutting down. While he may cut some pounds to make weight, an athlete like George St Pierre stays lean and fit year round and doesn't overeat to gain bulk. He is also genetically blessed.

Putting on muscle is a slow process and there isn't any need to gain fat to do it.

As others have said, concentrate on compound exercises like squats and chins and dips. These targets the largest muscle groups (as well as several at once) and will have a systemic effect on your whole body. They will also help you get fit and increase your cardio efficiency.

[majorledhead]

P90X is a super intense workout program. If you can work up to keeping up with the program and follow their food program your body will have no choice to get ripped. However, it is not for the faint of heart and is very difficult. It was too much for me. You can expect to be sore for 3 months straight if you do it. As a plus, it has some alright guitar based, motivational music to help keep you pumped. Do a search on this forum for some reviews.

[sovtekking]

Just to add another note to some good advise.
-Don't limit yourself to purely lifting or straight running. Neither will really 'get you there' on it's own.
-Don't forget about body-weight excersises. Pullups/pushups/air squats and the like. Too many times you'll see a guy that can bench press a house, but can't run a mile or do 5 pullups.

Give Crossfit or P90x a try. There are multiple gyms in your area and go try each one out. Every crossfit gym has a little different 'feel' and the Workouts are intense and perversely fun. Plus, at most CF gyms, there's always a certified trainer working with you on form and pushing you to go faster. Here's some links if you're interested:

http://www.crossfit247.com/
http://crossfitdowntownwinston.com/
http://crossfitwinstonsalem.com/

[jaydub69]

Well, if you're looking for anonymous suggestions, I would highly suggest not bulking up. By all means, eat well, get in shape. That has made me feel lively, confident and creative. But bulk is completely unnecessary and can actually be a hinderance for a quick step and flexibility.

-john