Author Topic: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?  (Read 2978 times)

Tom

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you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« on: April 14, 2011, 06:29:54 AM »
hi everyone! similar to my posting of "if muscle weighs more than fat" on this site, but i've heard and read over and over again, that one should try to lose their bodyfat before trying to gain muscle.

my bodyfat is roughly around 20 percent and i read that someone like me should always try to get down to 10 percent or so even if that means losing weight and even if that means losing any muscle that i have, and then once around that bodyfat % then i can start building muscle and gaining weight?

of course some of the bigger guys at my gym tell me 'screw that" just get big and as long as your stomach doesn't look like your pregnant and you don't have a triple chin then eat big, lift big, etcetera.

read in a musclemag issue that robert kennedy said that NO bodybuilder whether pro or amateur and regardless of off season winter bulking should NEVER GET OVER 15 % bodyfat, no matter what.

of course my biggest fear at 222 pounds and 20 to 22 percent bodyfat is that i'm going to have to lose 20 pounds to get down to 10 percent and lose any muscle that i have! "hey, i have a 4 to 6 pack, oh wait i look like a runner or a weekend athlete! bummer!

like in my other post, i'm doing the supersetting of opposing bodyparts with little rest in between each exercise and each set and doing 5 minute cool down after each monday, wednesday, friday lifting day and then doing hiit cardio for 25 minutes on the other days of the week, and doing a high protein (250 to 300 grams of protein) and low to moderate carbs ( 100 to 150) a day. trying to accomplish that
bulding muscle and losing bodyfat at the same time trick!

my buddies at the gym also said "screw that superset crap, just do a hardcore regular bodybuilding routine and just keep your rest very short, you'll lose the bodyfat and gain muscle big time, although the bodyfat portion will be slower to lose than if you stuck with your supersetting routine?

what to do? thanks in advance for the replies!

Donny

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2011, 06:35:31 AM »
I doubt very much, if at your present condition, you are up to "HIT" Cardio. I would tell you to go walking for 45 mins a session after your weights at a fast pace.

Tom

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2011, 07:21:13 AM »
uh, thanks for your reply donny i think? LOL! what about the rest?: my workout weight routine and diet?

jpm101

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2011, 09:14:09 AM »
You "screw it" bud's speak some truth. Focus on building muscle mass first because your eating plan of hi-protein and moderate per day carbs seems well suited for your needs. Maybe having the good carbs to 200 max might be a better range for you, though individual metabolism may determine that. So you may want to experiment a bit to see what is best for you. Extra fat loss should be handled well with all this. No need to do something that may be self defeating as  trying to lose fat before gaining muscle.

If you think you need extra cardio (which you probably don't looking at your training protocol) I might suggest interval training rather than 25 minute or longer bouts of cardio. Lot of BB'er seem addicted to endless cardio and wind up looking like skinned rabbits when the whole idea of training is to build muscle mass. . Many forms of interesting interval training, but would suggest the Tabata method for a start. Short and to the point sessions, taking only a few minutes of training time.

SS's work great for some, not so much for others. For example, Arnold S. did the BB row & bench SS's of 10 sets or more on a regular bases. So have many other top men through the years. With SS's, Tri sets, Quad sets, giants sets, one & one half sets, 8X8's, GVT, etc the idea is to keep a fast pace with a moderate weight, the whole workout. Others find success with lower sets like 5X5's,or hardcore power BB'ing, for building ultimate muscle mass. One good thing about keeping a good pace up doing a workout (45 to 60 seconds rest between sets & exercises), it will encourage body fat loss. Not quite sure what is meant by "cool down" after a workout, but I guess you do. Good Luck
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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2011, 09:17:47 AM »
my advice would be dont try do 2 things at once, unless gear is added to the equation...

Tom

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2011, 01:00:07 PM »
thanks for the replies guys so far! did my superset leg and shoulder workout routine this is what it consisted of:

squats 1 x10, with no rest straight to
military smith machine 1 x10, no rest straight to
leg press 1 x 10, with no rest straight to
front dumbbell raises 1 x 10, with no rest straight to
walking dumbbell lunges for about 50 feet or so, with no rest straight to
dumbbell lateral raises 1 x 10.   then i rest for about 2 to 4 minutes and do the whole superset circuit again, rest 2 to 4 minutes and finish it up again for the 3rd and last time.

then did the elliptical for about 10 minutes and 4 sets of 25 crunches on the ab machine.

tomorrow on the true cardio day will do 20 to 25 minutes usually i mixed it up, for instance 5 minutes good pace on the elliptical then i'll jump off and go straight to steep incline fast walking on the treadmill, for about 15 minutes and then hop off on to the stationary bike for a 5 minutes at a good pace, after that i do my ab and core exercise work and i'm done.

my monday lifting: chest and back 3 exercises 3 sets is done the same as my workout routine today with the legs and shoulders, the other lifting day biceps and triceps same thing 3 exercises 3 sets and done in this supersetting circuit training. let me tell you...

this leg and shoulder routine kicks my ass! damn, my heart is beating a mile a minute! don't feel as whipped when i do the other 2 days of lifting!

the plan is to keep doing variations of this type of workout for a few months perhaps until the end of summer where then i start doing a more typical bodybuilding routine, but instead of supersetting i'll just keep the rest periods between sets of exercises short.

Tom

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2011, 01:09:07 PM »
oh yeah, i forgot to mention i'm 45 years old too! most people tell me okay perhaps not most but alot " why are you even lifting weights", and " at your age you should just worry about just being heart healthy and fit ( i.e. thin like a runner), the time for you to be big and muscular is over, blah, blah, blah!

damn i know i'm getting up there, but you would think i was over the hill already!

supplements i'm taking: multi vitamin (opti men), cissus ( for joint repair), fish oils, zma for recovery and sleep right before bed, and a test booster pro hormone, besides the usual whey protein pre and post workout.

Donny

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2011, 01:39:17 PM »
oh yeah, i forgot to mention i'm 45 years old too! most people tell me okay perhaps not most but alot " why are you even lifting weights", and " at your age you should just worry about just being heart healthy and fit ( i.e. thin like a runner), the time for you to be big and muscular is over, blah, blah, blah!

damn i know i'm getting up there, but you would think i was over the hill already!

supplements i'm taking: multi vitamin (opti men), cissus ( for joint repair), fish oils, zma for recovery and sleep right before bed, and a test booster pro hormone, besides the usual whey protein pre and post workout.
Donīt listen to them. Train with weights AND train your heart. You(me too.. because May 29 i am also 45 ) need to keep your muscles working and growing. I got a mate who is also ex army and is a fit Bastard but his upper body looks like a long distance runner. I am now getting him to do some Benches and he kicks my ass running..Great Deal. point is do muscle training and run/bike/walk/swim.. Great for your love life  :P

tbombz

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2011, 02:02:03 PM »
a test booster pro hormone

what is the name of it?

FYI most 'pro hormones' on the market are either complete garbage or they are an anabolic steroid.

Meso_z

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Re: you should always lose bodyfat before trying to gain muscle?
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2011, 10:07:59 PM »
You will still gain muscle either being 4% or 20%. It doesnt matter. The only difference would be visual, since the added muscle will show better if starting in low bf levels.