(workout) What the hell am I doing wrong?

DonkeyMagic · May 30, 2007

are you stretching enough?

limit any workout supplements.

limit calories or at least anything that wont burn off quickly.

Bogey · May 31, 2007

FranchiseBlade said:

I couldn't believe I would be gaining the mass either. That's what I didn't understand.

I am gaining mass, and I'm losing fat. I was never that fat to begin with, but at one point I was about 20lbs. over my goal, and had a small gut. I lost the weight over the course of one year and started surfing more, so I need some strength. I am 5'8" 157lbs.

I am by no means muscle builder style bulky, nor would it be apparent when dressed normally that I am getting too bulky. But when I am in swim trunks, I am noticeably bigger(more visible muscles than before). My wife has also made comments about it.

Perhaps I will need to cut back on calorie intake, but I worry about having the energy needed for all my activity if I cut back too much.
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Dang, 5'8" at 157 and you're worried about gaining mass? I'd suggest just doing the things you enjoy doing and not worry about gaining mass.

SamFisher · May 31, 2007

THe probem I have with workout advice is that everybody, both expert and amateur, seems to have a contradictory opinion and the conventional wisdom always goes about 8 different ways.

In that vein - here's some uneducated off the cuff advice, with no basis in anything other than guesswork: limit your routine to cardio, stretching & calisthenics (push ups (with your arms held in at your waist, not out as traitionally), sit-ups/crunches, and squats should do the trick). That's what m old thai boxing instructor always had us do , where staying around the same weight class, and hence not building too much muscle, was always a concern.

swilkins · May 31, 2007

SamFisher said:

THe probem I have with workout advice is that everybody, both expert and amateur, seems to have a contradictory opinion and the conventional wisdom always goes about 8 different ways.

In that vein - here's some uneducated off the cuff advice, with no basis in anything other than guesswork: limit your routine to cardio, stretching & calisthenics (push ups (with your arms held in at your waist, not out as traitionally), sit-ups/crunches, and squats should do the trick). That's what m old thai boxing instructor always had us do , where staying around the same weight class, and hence not building too much muscle, was always a concern.
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What works for some might not work exactly the same for others.

I don't think ALL opinions are contradictory. There is quite a resemblance in most of of (ex: do cardio, high reps/low weights, eat lean spaced meals, etc...)

I don't think it's rocket surgery.

pradaxpimp · May 31, 2007

SamFisher said:

In that vein - here's some uneducated off the cuff advice, with no basis in anything other than guesswork: limit your routine to cardio, stretching & calisthenics (push ups (with your arms held in at your waist, not out as traitionally), sit-ups/crunches, and squats should do the trick). That's what m old thai boxing instructor always had us do , where staying around the same weight class, and hence not building too much muscle, was always a concern.
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did u have this guy teaching you? I hear he's good

macalu · May 31, 2007

pradaxpimp said:

did u have this guy teaching you? I hear he's good

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Nok Su Kow! Nok Su Kow! Nok Su Kow!

DonnyMost · May 31, 2007

paypal me 10 bucks and ill tell you what to really do.

tested911 · May 31, 2007

FranchiseBlade said:

I am trying to stay in shape, maybe lose some fat, and tone up, but mainly have quick strong flexible muscles for surfing, and general fitness.
QUOTE]

From Wife(Fitness Guru - personal trainer for the past 10 years, all major national certs, Degree , blah, blah, blah )

What is his food intake like? That plays a big percentage in body composition changes. He's doing a lot of activity, and if he's not giving his body enough calories to work from, it will take from his glucose/glycogen stores and muscle mass before he hits his adipose/fat stores.

It's a combination of proper food intake (based on his basal metabolic rate) and the proper intensity during his workout to burn his fat instead of muscle. I would suggest 70% of his max heart rate in order to access his body fat and not his muscles mass.

Then sends me another e-mail

One factor that you may be overlooking is your muscle fiber type. Some people are a predominant fiber (either fast-twitch or slow twitch). Fast twitch fibers tend to be more prevalent in anaerobic-type activities (lifting, sprinting, jumping, etc). Slow twitch fibers tend to be more prevalent in runners, long distance, swimmers and bikers, etc.

What I'm trying to say is we are genetically predisposed to one more than the other. You may just be blessed with genetics that give you more hypertrophy in your muscle.

Another factor is the length of your actual muscle in relation to your tendons or ligaments. Some individuals may have a longer muscle body (which is more like the long, lean look), or a shorter muscle body (this creates the "peak" in the muscle, and a more muscular look.)
From what you've described, I would say you may have a shorter muscle body, which creates a greater look of hypertrophy and mass. These factors do play a part in how much you can mold your body and may limit it to a certain degree.

Let me know if you have any questions for her.
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FranchiseBlade · May 31, 2007

tested911 said:

FranchiseBlade said:

I am trying to stay in shape, maybe lose some fat, and tone up, but mainly have quick strong flexible muscles for surfing, and general fitness.
QUOTE]

From Wife(Fitness Guru - personal trainer for the past 10 years, all major national certs, Degree , blah, blah, blah )

What is his food intake like? That plays a big percentage in body composition changes. He's doing a lot of activity, and if he's not giving his body enough calories to work from, it will take from his glucose/glycogen stores and muscle mass before he hits his adipose/fat stores.

It's a combination of proper food intake (based on his basal metabolic rate) and the proper intensity during his workout to burn his fat instead of muscle. I would suggest 70% of his max heart rate in order to access his body fat and not his muscles mass.

Then sends me another e-mail

One factor that you may be overlooking is your muscle fiber type. Some people are a predominant fiber (either fast-twitch or slow twitch). Fast twitch fibers tend to be more prevalent in anaerobic-type activities (lifting, sprinting, jumping, etc). Slow twitch fibers tend to be more prevalent in runners, long distance, swimmers and bikers, etc.

What I'm trying to say is we are genetically predisposed to one more than the other. You may just be blessed with genetics that give you more hypertrophy in your muscle.

Another factor is the length of your actual muscle in relation to your tendons or ligaments. Some individuals may have a longer muscle body (which is more like the long, lean look), or a shorter muscle body (this creates the "peak" in the muscle, and a more muscular look.)
From what you've described, I would say you may have a shorter muscle body, which creates a greater look of hypertrophy and mass. These factors do play a part in how much you can mold your body and may limit it to a certain degree.

Let me know if you have any questions for her.
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Cool thanks for the info. I do actually have one question for her. It concerns muscle memory. I used to be extremely thin, and couldn't gain weight no matter what I did. Finally after becoming a dancer and having to lift to my partner, and doing that training for a long time every day, I finally broke through and gained exactly enough weight that I wanted to.

Then after I stopped dancing, I wasn't fat, but my body had flab. I had never had that before ever. Finally after starting this diet and smaller amounts of purely cardio exercise I was losing the excess weight, but I didn't feel stronger, and I wasn't gaining any definition at all. I kicked up the cardio, and started doing the exercises mentioned above. I was losing fat, and gaining definition but also slightly more mass than I wanted.

I have heard about muscle memory but don't know anything about it for real. Could that play a part? If so is there anything I should do differently?

I am going to start cutting back slightly on my calories, and increasing or at least being more consistent with the cardio.(some weeks I only get about 2 hours, and some weeks I get up to 8 hours.) The workout part remains consistent, so it could be it is piling on mass on the weeks where my schedule doesn't allow for as much cardio.

Thanks for all your help everyone. Keep up the suggestions if you have any.
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