Lifting just for looks

[chucktown04]

What do you guys think the best training exercises/routines are if you are lifting just for looks. I'm 5'11 and 24 and thats what I lift for. I have lifted for about 6 years and have fallen into a bit of a rut. I want to gain strength but I don't want a bulky look. I want a more lean, athletic, efficient look (and 6 pack abs). I guess the male model sort of look Not really worried about the diet and supplementation I have that down pat...just the type of training/exercises you guys think is best for this.

 

[SpyWizard]

food..

that determines your appearance..

you can train hard and get stronger but without enough protein and rest you will not get larger.. with that said, without additional size you cannot get significantly stronger without "supplementation"

 

[SaiBoT]

cardio, diet and fullbody workouts

 

[b fold the truth]

What do you guys think the best training exercises/routines are if you are lifting just for looks. I'm 5'11 and 24 and thats what I lift for. I have lifted for about 6 years and have fallen into a bit of a rut. I want to gain strength but I don't want a bulky look. I want a more lean, athletic, efficient look (and 6 pack abs). I guess the male model sort of look Not really worried about the diet and supplementation I have that down pat...just the type of training/exercises you guys think is best for this.

Is there a reason that you think that you might "get bulky"? Do you feel that you will wake up one day and all the sudden be looking in the mirror with horror after you have brushed your teeth and be like "Oh My Goodness...I'M BULKY!!".

Makes about as much sense as women who don't want to lift weights because they don't want to get TOO BIG.

I train for STRENGTH and I think it would be safe to say that most people would like to LOOK like me (my body anyway).

 

[thebigoz]

What you're asking for is a change in genetics. That's how I see it.

For me, the whole 'I want to get strong but not look big' topic goes in the same basket as the 'I want to bulk and cut at the same time' discussion. You are looking for a happy medium that often doesn't exist. At least, not to the extent that people thing it does.

In my mind, you won't gain a lot of strength without lifting heavy. Lifting heavy and putting on mass usually come hand in hand, assuming your diet and routine are on point.


If I were you, I would focus on a strict diet, good amounts of cardio and lower weight/high rep lifting. As Korin said, I would be doing full body workouts.


Sorry, I just can't imagine training WITHOUT wanting to put on size/lift heavy.

 

[artificialaspirations]

Is there a reason that you think that you might "get bulky"? Do you feel that you will wake up one day and all the sudden be looking in the mirror with horror after you have brushed your teeth and be like "Oh My Goodness...I'M BULKY!!".

Makes about as much sense as women who don't want to lift weights because they don't want to get TOO BIG.

I train for STRENGTH and I think it would be safe to say that most people would like to LOOK like me (my body anyway).

amen bfold. you don't wake up and look like ronnie coleman by accident

 

[b fold the truth]

amen bfold. you don't wake up and look like ronnie coleman by accident

I know that I sure haven't...and I've been at it pretty hard for a while. At 295+ this Winter all I could think about was how much more I needed to grow.

At 195 I felt the same, oddly enough. Strange creatures we are.

 

[musketeer]

Alternate between 5x5 phases of 6-12 weeks and typical bodybuilding type split workouts with higher reps and less rest between sets (5x10-12)

 

[AlarisFortuna]

I know a male model here that probably has the build your looking for and he's always done low weight high reps mixed with a good cocaine diet. Keeps him going in the gym I guess, but he's the model so who am I to judge...

 

[chucktown04]

I didn't mean to sound like I'm worried about getting bulky I was just trying to explain the look I'm going for. I know you really won't gain strength without size. I think I have a good frame to build off of but I'm was looking for suggestions as of the best types of exercieses for building an asthetically appealling look. I should say that I don't want to look like guys in bodybuilder magazines (which I understand would take juicing) but I am looking for more size and strength. I'm not worried about getting bulky especially since I'm not doing AAS right now. Maybe this was a bad question lol.

Thanks for all the great feedback so far! Would it help if I upload a pic and let everyone critique?