n00b at strength training and gaining muscle mass

panakattack
panakattack Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been researching strength training and muscle mass and I think I got the hang of it, but I just wanted to get input on if I'm doing it right or not. I could end up gaining all my weight back and not seeing any results, which I'm deathly afraid of.

Right now my weight fluctuates between 173 to 178. I'm 5'7" and 27 years old. I've upped my goal on MyFitnessPal to 0.5 lbs loss instead of 2 lbs which gives me a calorie count of 2,060 (from 1,310). I've been eating a lot of protein rich foods but I eat other things that could potentially sabotage me, but I try to keep in my calorie quota. I don't want to be really big, just defined and not a lot of body fat. Like a Channing Tatum type body.

My weekly strength training routine:
Monday: 30 min Upper Body/ 20 min HIIT Cycling
Tuesday: 30 min Lower Body/Abs
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 30 min Upper Body/20 min HIIT Cycling
Friday: 30 min Lower Body/Abs
Saturday: Yoga
Sunday: Rest

I've been using FitnessBlender videos for all my workouts, except yoga. I walk every weekday to and from work (about 45 minutes).

I know I'm supposed to bulk up first, then see results, but I don't want to bulk up then not see anything happen. Should I keep going with this routine? Should I change somethings? What foods do I really need to avoid to achieve this?

Edit: I would like to be semi "Channing Tatum" by March 2014. And I'm also doing everything without going to a gym. Is this unreasonable?

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    can't really comment on your routine, because you provided a schedule, not an actual routine. it's a decent enough schedule, i guess.

    but.....
    you're not going to bulk or add any substantial muscle while you're still in a calorie deficit.
    channing tatum spent his life making himself into channing tatum. don't be disappointed if you don't become channing tatum by next spring.
  • panakattack
    panakattack Posts: 3 Member
    Sorry for using routine and schedule interchangably. Any suggestions on how long I should be lifting daily?

    I'm changing my calorie count to maintainence so I'm not in deficit anymore.

    And all I need is direction to get to that body that Channing has. So be it if I can't do it by March. I said "semi" for a reason lol
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    Is this unreasonable?

    Very. According to google, Channing Tatum weighs about the same as you, but he's six inches taller and looks to be at about 10%BF. At your height, you'd probably have to weigh 150-160lbs at 10%BF to look like him — not a goal you're likely to achieve in 6 months, much less while cutting and not hitting the gym.

    My advice:

    - Keep cutting at a rate of .5-1lbs/week.
    - Start lifting, like, yesterday. Since you're a noob and you're still gonna be cutting for a while, it almost doesn't matter what routine you do as long as it features compound barbell movements, heavy weights and a linear progression schedule to take advantage of your noob strength gains. Stronglifts, Starting Strength and Greyskull LP are all excellent beginners programs (SS and SL are strength programs, while Greyskull is geared more toward hypertrophy. But again, being a noob and since you're gonna be on a cut, it really doesn't matter which one you choose — you'll see strength and muscle benefits from any one of them.)
    - Reassess after 12 weeks.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    channing tatum... drool....

    i have nothing useful to add....
  • mrsmaslin
    mrsmaslin Posts: 11 Member
    fantastic results can be had from eating at maintenence and doing compound lifts, full body routine x 3 a week. each session shouldn't take you longer than 60 minutes. and cardio isn't necessary, infact it would hinder the muscle growth at first.

    I personally did this for 12 weeks and am now cutting to hopefully reveal the muscles under the fat. and loving the results
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    Edit: I would like to be semi "Channing Tatum" by March 2014. And I'm also doing everything without going to a gym. Is this unreasonable?

    Is it unreasonable? For most people it certainly is. Impossible? No. To achieve the kind of results you are wanting will take some extreme changes and dedication that most people would rather spend time coming up with excuses to avoid.

    There are several ways to achieve the goals you want. I wont tell you specifically what to do although it does sound like you have a good grasp so far as far as your diet/protein intake etc. I will provide a couple of links you can check out and analyze them for yourself and see if these might be for you.

    http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/29/from-geek-to-freak-how-i-gained-34-lbs-of-muscle-in-4-weeks/

    http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2013/05/11/how-to-gain-20-pounds-in-28-days-the-extreme-muscle-building-secrets-of-ufc-fighters/

    http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2013/05/06/how-to-cut-weight-ufc/

    Again, these are all extreme methods for extreme results. These are NOT articles on sustainable weight loss or healthy living

    So after reading those, do you still think your goal is reasonable? Maybe instead of Channing Tatum you can just be a new YOU by June 2014 and then take a self assessment of the results you achieved so far and then take it from there.....Always improving on your own mistakes and what you learned from them. Not Channing Tatums.

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