Four weeks to build muscle and lose fat - recommendations?
Discussion
Grateful for any advice chaps....
Background:
At the moment I go to the hotel gym about 3 or 4 nights a week and do some running / rowing / cycling at the weekend.
Typically in 5 or 6 sessions a week I'm probably doing 3 sessions of weights and CV (about 30 mins of each) and the other 2 or 3 are between 30-55 mins of CV.
I'm fairly fit (marathon 3:44 last year, first one). Carrying a bit of flab though.
I want to build a bit more muscle before going on holiday next month.
I don't want to end up huge - I'm 1.8m and 81kg - happy to stay that weight but with more muscle. Electronic scales at home say 24% body fat.
I don't think my current routine is doing much for me in terms of muscle - typically I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps, same routine every time (chest press, bicep curl, lat pulldown, shoulder press).
Any advice? There's so much guff on the internet if you try to search it's hard to know what to believe...
Background:
At the moment I go to the hotel gym about 3 or 4 nights a week and do some running / rowing / cycling at the weekend.
Typically in 5 or 6 sessions a week I'm probably doing 3 sessions of weights and CV (about 30 mins of each) and the other 2 or 3 are between 30-55 mins of CV.
I'm fairly fit (marathon 3:44 last year, first one). Carrying a bit of flab though.
I want to build a bit more muscle before going on holiday next month.
I don't want to end up huge - I'm 1.8m and 81kg - happy to stay that weight but with more muscle. Electronic scales at home say 24% body fat.
I don't think my current routine is doing much for me in terms of muscle - typically I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps, same routine every time (chest press, bicep curl, lat pulldown, shoulder press).
Any advice? There's so much guff on the internet if you try to search it's hard to know what to believe...
Background:
At the moment I go to the hotel gym about 3 or 4 nights a week and do some running / rowing / cycling at the weekend.
- This is all good for all round fitness.
Typically in 5 or 6 sessions a week I'm probably doing 3 sessions of weights and CV (about 30 mins of each) and the other 2 or
3 are between 30-55 mins of CV.
- For building muscle you'll want to lift more and maybe run less if time is short.
- For loosing fat it comes down to diet. Try the 5-2 diet if you can, seen good results on that.
I'm fairly fit (marathon 3:44 last year, first one). Carrying a bit of flab though.
I want to build a bit more muscle before going on holiday next month.
- Time frame is too short.
I don't want to end up huge - I'm 1.8m and 81kg - happy to stay that weight but with more muscle. Electronic scales at home say 24% body fat.
- No way you'll end up huge even if you wanted to and had steriods to help.
- The scales are pretty useless - only reliable way of measuring body fat is an MRI Scan. (* however scales under controlled strict conditions they can give a very rough estimate of changes in bodyfat, but they are many variables that affect the figures given).
I don't think my current routine is doing much for me in terms of muscle - typically I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps, same routine every time (chest press, bicep curl, lat pulldown, shoulder press).
- You haven't mentioned legs or core!! Compound exercises, with good form and lifting heavy - unless the muscles are stressed then there is no reason for the body to start building up.
- Start tracking how much you are lifting. If you can do 4x10 then you are not lifting heavy enough to build muscle. Start increasing weights gradually - and always keep good form
Any advice? There's so much guff on the internet if you try to search it's hard to know what to believe...
- Diet (eat clean, lots of protein, cut down fat and carbs).
- Lift well and lift heavy.
At the moment I go to the hotel gym about 3 or 4 nights a week and do some running / rowing / cycling at the weekend.
- This is all good for all round fitness.
Typically in 5 or 6 sessions a week I'm probably doing 3 sessions of weights and CV (about 30 mins of each) and the other 2 or
3 are between 30-55 mins of CV.
- For building muscle you'll want to lift more and maybe run less if time is short.
- For loosing fat it comes down to diet. Try the 5-2 diet if you can, seen good results on that.
I'm fairly fit (marathon 3:44 last year, first one). Carrying a bit of flab though.
I want to build a bit more muscle before going on holiday next month.
- Time frame is too short.
I don't want to end up huge - I'm 1.8m and 81kg - happy to stay that weight but with more muscle. Electronic scales at home say 24% body fat.
- No way you'll end up huge even if you wanted to and had steriods to help.
- The scales are pretty useless - only reliable way of measuring body fat is an MRI Scan. (* however scales under controlled strict conditions they can give a very rough estimate of changes in bodyfat, but they are many variables that affect the figures given).
I don't think my current routine is doing much for me in terms of muscle - typically I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps, same routine every time (chest press, bicep curl, lat pulldown, shoulder press).
- You haven't mentioned legs or core!! Compound exercises, with good form and lifting heavy - unless the muscles are stressed then there is no reason for the body to start building up.
- Start tracking how much you are lifting. If you can do 4x10 then you are not lifting heavy enough to build muscle. Start increasing weights gradually - and always keep good form
Any advice? There's so much guff on the internet if you try to search it's hard to know what to believe...
- Diet (eat clean, lots of protein, cut down fat and carbs).
- Lift well and lift heavy.
- It's no secret or rocket science, it's just f'ing hard to do...!*
I absolutely disagree with Brother D that a month is too short to lose fat. It is absolutely enough time to see a noticeable (if not incredible) difference.
What I would focus on is lifting heavy compound weights (look at the StrongLifts 5x5 program) and take a hard look at your diet. My rule for diet is if you think it's bad for you, it almost always is (exception being oily, fatty fish).
What I would focus on is lifting heavy compound weights (look at the StrongLifts 5x5 program) and take a hard look at your diet. My rule for diet is if you think it's bad for you, it almost always is (exception being oily, fatty fish).
Hm. Not that much time but you may notice a difference.
Cut out all sugary and salty stuff.
Avoid alcohol.
Cut out carbs.
Drink lots of water.
16/8 intermittent fasting.
HIIT for 30 minutes a day.
You're going to feel like s
t but 4 weeks isn't long! Take photos before and after. Be amusing to see how much you lose in 4 weeks. 
Cut out all sugary and salty stuff.
Avoid alcohol.
Cut out carbs.
Drink lots of water.
16/8 intermittent fasting.
HIIT for 30 minutes a day.
You're going to feel like s
t but 4 weeks isn't long! Take photos before and after. Be amusing to see how much you lose in 4 weeks. 22s said:
I absolutely disagree with Brother D that a month is too short to lose fat. It is absolutely enough time to see a noticeable (if not incredible) difference.
What I would focus on is lifting heavy compound weights (look at the StrongLifts 5x5 program) and take a hard look at your diet. My rule for diet is if you think it's bad for you, it almost always is (exception being oily, fatty fish).
No worries about disagreeing, I not saying he wouldn't be able to lose fat? I just get the impression that the OP is looking to put muscle mass on and take fat off as he states. - That's pretty tricky for even the most dedicated person to achieve (even without a full time job). What I would focus on is lifting heavy compound weights (look at the StrongLifts 5x5 program) and take a hard look at your diet. My rule for diet is if you think it's bad for you, it almost always is (exception being oily, fatty fish).
If you have personal experience of someone with fat round the mid-section (which they have been trying to lose) going from that to a 6 pack in four weeks? and put on mass at the same time? I just think without doing anything drastic (like li-po), 4 weeks is a little short on the time frame.
As you state quite simply - diet and heavy compound lifing. (I (and I think most others) struggle with the diet side)!
Good luck to the OP and worth taking a before and after photo (don't post it on here thou)!
What hoofy said^!
IMO THE best way to lose fat is through CV work. Yes, weights will contribute to this but nowhere near as fast as CV work.
You're not gonna be building any noticeable muscle in under a month no matter what weight workouts you're doing. You'll proably find that if you burn off some of the flab that you actually already have a bit of muscle lurking under there.
waits for someone to come along and say different....
IMO THE best way to lose fat is through CV work. Yes, weights will contribute to this but nowhere near as fast as CV work.
You're not gonna be building any noticeable muscle in under a month no matter what weight workouts you're doing. You'll proably find that if you burn off some of the flab that you actually already have a bit of muscle lurking under there.
waits for someone to come along and say different....
I got a magazine supplement through with Boxing News a few weeks ago - partly pushing supplements for Maximuscle but also featuring various people engaged in some "Protein Project" which is on the web too, including some videos
http://www.maximuscle.com/proteinproject
A quick flick through showed that they all looked better, more muscular even bigger yet all had lost lean muscle mass. The key to the improved appearance was fat loss.
http://www.maximuscle.com/proteinproject
A quick flick through showed that they all looked better, more muscular even bigger yet all had lost lean muscle mass. The key to the improved appearance was fat loss.
It can be done. I've just done it. Most happy with results.
Currently on sixth week, where I shall be changing sets/reps for shape to density.
Diet is 16/8, mixed in with at first attempted 60% protein split, then 50, now it's more like 45%, easier to stick to, and still seeing changes. Carbs at 20, fat at 35.
Weights were three times a week on a A/B/A, B/A/B routine. With Cardio/Runs on the alternate days, Sunday off.
Next week I shall change the 8 rep and 12 rep sets for 5 rep sets, along with tweaks to rest periods and other stuff. I slowly ramped up the LSD cardio sessions, and added some fun higher intensity stuff.
I've dropped fat and gained muscle.
Currently on sixth week, where I shall be changing sets/reps for shape to density.
Diet is 16/8, mixed in with at first attempted 60% protein split, then 50, now it's more like 45%, easier to stick to, and still seeing changes. Carbs at 20, fat at 35.
Weights were three times a week on a A/B/A, B/A/B routine. With Cardio/Runs on the alternate days, Sunday off.
Next week I shall change the 8 rep and 12 rep sets for 5 rep sets, along with tweaks to rest periods and other stuff. I slowly ramped up the LSD cardio sessions, and added some fun higher intensity stuff.
I've dropped fat and gained muscle.
Halb said:
It can be done. I've just done it. Most happy with results.
Currently on sixth week, where I shall be changing sets/reps for shape to density.
Diet is 16/8, mixed in with at first attempted 60% protein split, then 50, now it's more like 45%, easier to stick to, and still seeing changes. Carbs at 20, fat at 35.
Weights were three times a week on a A/B/A, B/A/B routine. With Cardio/Runs on the alternate days, Sunday off.
Next week I shall change the 8 rep and 12 rep sets for 5 rep sets, along with tweaks to rest periods and other stuff. I slowly ramped up the LSD cardio sessions, and added some fun higher intensity stuff.
I've dropped fat and gained muscle.
thanks for that.Currently on sixth week, where I shall be changing sets/reps for shape to density.
Diet is 16/8, mixed in with at first attempted 60% protein split, then 50, now it's more like 45%, easier to stick to, and still seeing changes. Carbs at 20, fat at 35.
Weights were three times a week on a A/B/A, B/A/B routine. With Cardio/Runs on the alternate days, Sunday off.
Next week I shall change the 8 rep and 12 rep sets for 5 rep sets, along with tweaks to rest periods and other stuff. I slowly ramped up the LSD cardio sessions, and added some fun higher intensity stuff.
I've dropped fat and gained muscle.
What do you mean by A/B/A - is one high weight / low reps or are you talking about working different parts of the body?
Davey S2 said:
Fasted morning cardio I.e on a completely empty stomach.
I'm doing 40 mins a morning 4 days a week and the results have been noticeable. Really sets me up for the day as well.
The afterburner right there! This could easily burn the cal count on the screen X 2. Empty stomach, perfect!I'm doing 40 mins a morning 4 days a week and the results have been noticeable. Really sets me up for the day as well.
Davey S2 said:
Fasted morning cardio I.e on a completely empty stomach.
I'm doing 40 mins a morning 4 days a week and the results have been noticeable. Really sets me up for the day as well.
The afterburner right there! This could easily burn the cal count on the screen X 2. Empty stomach, perfect!I'm doing 40 mins a morning 4 days a week and the results have been noticeable. Really sets me up for the day as well.
NDT said:
What do you mean by A/B/A - is one high weight / low reps or are you talking about working different parts of the body?
Workout A is back(upper, no posterior chain)/chest/biceps. Workout B is shoulders/triceps. I have primary (4x8) and secondary (3x12) ranges. Seen nice changes, now volume is gonna drop but intensity will be kept high for density (strength). For that I'm changing to an A/B/C/A/B/C workout.I'll soon see if that is sustainable in combination with the cardio and HIIT.
Hoofy said:
Who doesn't want pert buttock and pecs?
Oh I'm the darling of the shower cubicle and I look FAAAAABBBBULOUS!didelydoo said:
I believe it's Halb's patented arse/boob/arse work out.
Halb's got back! burwoodman said:
The afterburner right there! This could easily burn the cal count on the screen X 2. Empty stomach, perfect!
Indeed. Now I've actually taken the jump and am experimenting with fasting and training, I do love it. Feels like I've got bundles of energy. I also don't notice the wall...am not sure if this is mental.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff