New member....gym rat but want to go further.....any advice?

[jennifer778]

"Hey Zeddie...just noticed that you responded to me on here. I said I was going to do the SL 5x5 program but after the first day I felt like I wasn't doing enough. Give me the lowdown on 5x5. If I do it just as it's written for 12 weeks, straight up hardcore, will I gain muscle mass? I want to lean out and gain mass. Should I give 5x5 a chance? Will doing it also give me gains in bis and tris?

Give me the 411 Zed."

Ok chika, IMO the SL 5x5 is the ultimate program for strength and mass regardless of where the person is in training!
Its unfortunate that too many peeps take a look at the program and then write it off cuz it looks like its not enough work. Believe me chika once you get about half way through the program on the first go round you realize that you be a mistaken BIGTIME!.

I cannot recommend strongly enough that you give this program an honest shot for 25 weeks. You do it for 12 weeks then take a week off then hit that bitch again and I promise you that you will never wanna go off the SL 5x5. Thats how good your results will be...IF YOU FOLLOW THE PROGRAM TO THE LETTER!!

As for your bies and tries yes they will get pleny of work but indirectly. All of the pressing movements are gonna build your triceps. The bent over rows and the chin ups are gonna hit your biceps big time too. And believe it or not these compound excersizes are gonna provide much more growth stimulation because you are gonna be moving waaaaaay more wieght then you would wasting your time with isolation work. Big weights = big gains + you get even more benefit to the rest of your bod too.

Now the only thing that you really need to keep in mind is that it is dam hard to loose fat and gain muscle at the same time. That is not to say that it cant be done but it is difficult.
What I would suggest as an alternative is that maybe you try this. Do the 5x5 for the 12 weeks. For the 5x5 to work you do have to feed it!
Then after that 12 weeks go on a natty cut/reduced cal program for like 4 weeks. Then hit the 5x5 again.

Or you could attempt the 5x5 on just a little bit over your maintenance cal requirements. IDK how well this would work tho as I have no experience with that kind of progression. When I do the 5x5 I eat every dam thing that I can pretty much. As long as I keep it mostly clean I have no issue with fat. That is not to say that I dont gain some, but I expect to. In order to gain mass you have to provide the fuel to your bod. Along with that you will get a little bit of fat. I suppose that you could do some cardio on the weekends if you wanted to if that became a problem to you.

Also you need to give your bod the rest it needs to build that mass and strength that you want. This is not gained in the gym. The gym sets the stage for your bod to grow during rest. Once you get to the midpoint of the program if you can get naps in I highly suggest that you do.

As far as I am concerned you just cant beat the 5x5 for fast mass and strength. That really is how I feel about it. But you have to do it exactly the way its written.
I like the SL because its simple and brutally effective and it WORKS!

I think that you would be a good candidate right now cuz you have been working out for awhile. Your bod is used to working out.
I would suggest that you start light in all the excersizes. The first time I did it there were some that I started with the bare bar.
You just leave your pride at the door and go to work.

Here is a link to my log so that you can see where I started on the 5x5 and where I ended. If you cant open it then pm me.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/m...rol-nothing-but-mass-blast-cruise-755449.html

Let me know your thoughts and best regards.

This sounds great. I'm actually sitting in the gym right this second reading this so I will re-read it again when I am done. I don't mind feeding the program because my ultimate goal is bigger muscles. I'm about 23 % body fat.
Here's where I'm scratching my head...how do these women that compete or are fitness models (men too) have really great, shapely muscles with little or no body fat? How do they do that? My mind is boggled. Do they get lean first and then build? Do they feed the muscles and then lean out? I have no desire to compete but I want to look like I do. I don't know how much more simply to put it. How do they get that body???? I need someone to please lay it out for me....step by step. I see them so I know it can be done. I have the drive so I know I can't do it. I feel like I'm trying to learn how to fly a plane or something. I see them in the sky..I know somebody's flying that sucker..I know I can fly that damn thing but I need like step by step instructions. Let's pretend I'm on the short bus.
Can you start me from square one or give me some secrets or starters on how to ultimately get the body I want? I don't care which comes first..the chicken or the egg...I'll be or do either one.
Make sense?

 

[caligirl85]

This sounds great. I'm actually sitting in the gym right this second reading this so I will re-read it again when I am done. I don't mind feeding the program because my ultimate goal is bigger muscles. I'm about 23 % body fat.
Here's where I'm scratching my head...how do these women that compete or are fitness models (men too) have really great, shapely muscles with little or no body fat? How do they do that? My mind is boggled. Do they get lean first and then build? Do they feed the muscles and then lean out? I have no desire to compete but I want to look like I do. I don't know how much more simply to put it. How do they get that body???? I need someone to please lay it out for me....step by step. I see them so I know it can be done. I have the drive so I know I can't do it. I feel like I'm trying to learn how to fly a plane or something. I see them in the sky..I know somebody's flying that sucker..I know I can fly that damn thing but I need like step by step instructions. Let's pretend I'm on the short bus.
Can you start me from square one or give me some secrets or starters on how to ultimately get the body I want? I don't care which comes first..the chicken or the egg...I'll be or do either one.
Make sense?

You have to remember that it takes a lot of time and hard work to get that look...especially if you are natural....if you can gain 5-10 lbs of muscle in a year, as a natural female (outside of noobie gains) you'd be doing amazingly well. Zed is right...most will either lose fat and then build muscle or the opposite. Either way, you need to eat to the goal and be patient with the results.

It's tough to get started with a new diet and program and it's challenging because you are learning a new "language" so to speak and taking numerous opinions and trying to put them into something that works for you. My personal diet preferences are not low carb, unless I'm weeks out from a show but you find what works for you and your body and I would stick with what you have for a period of time, before making any drastic changes. I personally would count and weigh everything to start off with....gives you an idea of how much you are eating. At a glance, I don't think you're eating enough for even the fat loss stage and I would increase your intake but again...just my opinion. At the very least, I would add in a carb up day every 10-14 days and include things like sweet potatos or oatmeal.

Keep working hard!! You'll get there.

 

[jennifer778]

You have to remember that it takes a lot of time and hard work to get that look...especially if you are natural....if you can gain 5-10 lbs of muscle in a year, as a natural female (outside of noobie gains) you'd be doing amazingly well. Zed is right...most will either lose fat and then build muscle or the opposite. Either way, you need to eat to the goal and be patient with the results.

It's tough to get started with a new diet and program and it's challenging because you are learning a new "language" so to speak and taking numerous opinions and trying to put them into something that works for you. My personal diet preferences are not low carb, unless I'm weeks out from a show but you find what works for you and your body and I would stick with what you have for a period of time, before making any drastic changes. I personally would count and weigh everything to start off with....gives you an idea of how much you are eating. At a glance, I don't think you're eating enough for even the fat loss stage and I would increase your intake but again...just my opinion. At the very least, I would add in a carb up day every 10-14 days and include things like sweet potatos or oatmeal.

Keep working hard!! You'll get there.

Thank you for reading and posting. So what or where do you think calorie-wise I should be for losing fat? Also are you saying that I should throw carbs in my diet every 10-14 days? Just making sure I understand. Any other advice? Thanks so much for joining in.

 

[jennifer778]

Todays workout
Lat pull down palms facing me (cables)
Lat pulldowns palms facing away (cables) 60 pbs
Bicep cable concentrated curl 30 pbs each
Reverse flys 55
Assisted dips 45
Db military press 15 pbs
Lateral raise 20

 

[dmk777]

Hey Hun! When I came back to training after injury I started out at 22% bf just like your self . I just worked with it and added 3x40 steady cardio a wk it's still not down to how I'd like it but I'm in now but along as I keep it steady until spring I will then be around the size I want to be and with summer coming up I'd be wearing less so will get rid of my bf so can show off all my hard work lmao. " well we don't work our ass's off to keep it hidden do we" So what I'm saying is you have to options you can turn what you have into muscle but means been patient or you can loose then build. I might be going for a different look to you im going big like pzissle. In feb is when I had the body fat now I know some has changed to muscle I will get it checked soon I like the way I look a helliver lot better than feb.

 

[jennifer778]

Hey Hun! When I came back to training after injury I started out at 22% bf just like your self . I just worked with it and added 3x40 steady cardio a wk it's still not down to how I'd like it but I'm in now but along as I keep it steady until spring I will then be around the size I want to be and with summer coming up I'd be wearing less so will get rid of my bf so can show off all my hard work lmao. " well we don't work our ass's off to keep it hidden do we" So what I'm saying is you have to options you can turn what you have into muscle but means been patient or you can loose then build. I might be going for a different look to you im going big like pzissle. In feb is when I had the body fat now I know some has changed to muscle I will get it checked soon I like the way I look a helliver lot better than feb.

Ok. I guess where I am confused is that I have two goals. Maybe I'm looking at them as one big picture ad what I need to do is look at them as two separate goals.
1) drop a little body fat. I don't have much to go but I'd like to get it done.
2) want to gain bigger muscle mass.

Here's where I need guidance. Apparently I need to accomplish one of them and then the other. Since muscle building is a process and takes more time I personally think it would be best to shed the body fat first. Then I can focus on eating to build and going heavy instead of trying to barely do both at the same time. I want both and will get both but maybe I will get what I'm after by separating them out.

Is that what y'all are saying?

So....my decision is to lean out first. Let's start there.

Suggestions on calories? Should I be eating carbs/grains or is it better not to while tryin to lose?

What about cardio? Should that (along with maintaining my current level of weights-without focusing on adding) be my main focus?

So. If we can let's simplify this. Tips/suggestions for leaning out?

Since I do not have huge amounts to lose I think I should be able to accomplish this fairly quickly.

Hold on to your hats...this thing's about to get cranked up!

 

[dmk777]

Ok. I guess where I am confused is that I have two goals. Maybe I'm looking at them as one big picture ad what I need to do is look at them as two separate goals.
1) drop a little body fat. I don't have much to go but I'd like to get it done.
2) want to gain bigger muscle mass.

Here's where I need guidance. Apparently I need to accomplish one of them and then the other. Since muscle building is a process and takes more time I personally think it would be best to shed the body fat first. Then I can focus on eating to build and going heavy instead of trying to barely do both at the same time. I want both and will get both but maybe I will get what I'm after by separating them out.

Is that what y'all are saying?

So....my decision is to lean out first. Let's start there.

Suggestions on calories? Should I be eating carbs/grains or is it better not to while tryin to lose?

What about cardio? Should that (along with maintaining my current level of weights-without focusing on adding) be my main focus?

So. If we can let's simplify this. Tips/suggestions for leaning out?

Since I do not have huge amounts to lose I think I should be able to accomplish this fairly quickly.

Hold on to your hats...this thing's about to get cranked up!

Lmao love your sence of humour !!

I will let one the other guys answer that for you diets not my strong point but I do see what your saying bout loosing then gaining !

 

[jjtt]

Ok. I guess where I am confused is that I have two goals. Maybe I'm looking at them as one big picture ad what I need to do is look at them as two separate goals.
1) drop a little body fat. I don't have much to go but I'd like to get it done.
2) want to gain bigger muscle mass.

Here's where I need guidance. Apparently I need to accomplish one of them and then the other. Since muscle building is a process and takes more time I personally think it would be best to shed the body fat first. Then I can focus on eating to build and going heavy instead of trying to barely do both at the same time. I want both and will get both but maybe I will get what I'm after by separating them out.

Is that what y'all are saying?

So....my decision is to lean out first. Let's start there.

Suggestions on calories? Should I be eating carbs/grains or is it better not to while tryin to lose?

What about cardio? Should that (along with maintaining my current level of weights-without focusing on adding) be my main focus?

So. If we can let's simplify this. Tips/suggestions for leaning out?

Since I do not have huge amounts to lose I think I should be able to accomplish this fairly quickly.

Hold on to your hats...this thing's about to get cranked up!

I agree, it is better to do one or the other.
Don't complicate things too much though. Bringing in an obsessive or perfectionist mindset to this process can be damaging to your goals and set you up for disordered eating. You must leave emotions out of this process.
If you want to lose fat (you will lose some muscle too) simply adjust your diet. As you know, I prefer grain free. By no means is this low carb though, there are plenty of carbs from sweet potato, fruits and vegetables.
You might want to look into a ketogenic diet if you are hardcore about it. I have never done it, but I believe it involves alternating extremely low carb with periodic carb refeeds.
The models in the magazines most likely use anabolics then go on an extreme cutting diet for the weeks right before their shoot. I think it would be a huge challenge to maintain this look year roundm but by no means is it impossible if you set your mind to it.

 

[zedhed]

Ok then thats the way we shall go or work toward.
Would you like for me to set you up a workout plan?
Also do your know your BMI or how to figure it?

 

[jennifer778]

Ok then thats the way we shall go or work toward.
Would you like for me to set you up a workout plan?
Also do your know your BMI or how to figure it?

PLEASE zed!!! Set me up. I'm ready!! BMI calculator said 21.3. I used a digital thing the other day at the gym and it said 23.2. So somewhere between 21-23.
Can't wait Zed!
Thanks so much!!