What would be the best exercize for a "beach body"?

impojr
impojr Posts: 52
in Fitness and Exercise
Sorry, I don't know any other way to put this. Or even if I'm posting it in the right place, but I'm guessing this is a righter place than any. I've been working on the healthy eating for the past 2 years now, so now I really want to focus on the exercise part (eating right comes almost naturally). I'm aiming for a body that's thin, but with muscle. I am aware that that makes absolutely positively no sense, so is it okay if I sum it up in a picture?

tumblr_meu4tuAMzn1rjdus2o1_500.jpg

ah, that's the goal.

But yes, I am currently aiming for that... I just don't know how to get there. I now it will take dedication, but I'm ready and willing.

Right now, I workout six days a week.

Monday: Insanity Workout + Gym (Abs, Biceps, Triceps)
Tuesday: Insanity Workout + 7km (4.35mi) Run - this is usually done at a 5min(7 and a half min) pace.
Wednesday: Insanity Workout + Gym (Legs)
Thursday: Insanity Workout + 5km (3.1mi) Run - I try and do 7km but after leg day I feel dead.
Friday: Insanity Workout + Gym (Abs, Laterals, Biceps)
Saturday: Insanity Workout + 7km (4.35mi) Run
Sunday: Rest

I was wondering if anyone knew if this is an appropriate routine for my goals? Thanks for any and all help (and sorry if this is in the wrong place)

Replies

  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    How to get a beach body:
    Step 1: Have a body.
    Step 2. Take it to the beach.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    Low body fat % is what you want, the lower the more your muscles will show. Your workout sounds decent, so if you match it with your healthy eating habits, it only becomes a matter of time.
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    How to get a beach body:
    Step 1: Have a body.
    Step 2. Take it to the beach.

    heheh, I guess I have a lot of bodies then.
    Low body fat % is what you want, the lower the more your muscles will show. Your workout sounds decent, so if you match it with your healthy eating habits, it only becomes a matter of time.

    Currently my body fat is at 10.8%, but I really can't stress my doubt at it's validity. It was taken 5 days ago using special scales at the gym. Hopefully time will tell.
  • cboutin89
    cboutin89 Posts: 79 Member
    How to get a beach body:
    Step 1: Have a body.
    Step 2. Take it to the beach.

    lol
  • niath7
    niath7 Posts: 5
    "Bulking" method, you will find lots of useful info on the net. What you need is gain muscle, not lose more body fat if you are at 10.8%. A general workout plan would be 5-6 sets of 8 reps and lift HEAVY till you can't do more reps. Rest ~1 min per set. Do an over calorie diet. This means you gain weight for get bigger and don't worry, after you finish your "bulking" you can lose the extra fat with an under calorie diet and your muscles will look better. Google!!! Find workouts and diet plans from bodybuilders that know what they do. Check the champions. Phil Heath etc. Actually no1 can tell you what is the best way for you. Read, read, read, read and read. Then fix something that suits you or take a professionals opinion.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    You're hitting abs and arms twice a week but you're not gonna hit your chest and back?
    You don't look like you need to lose weight or anything, drop the insanity, up your calories and do some compound strength training. You aren't going to build an impressive physique just doing dumbbell curls and abs. Hell I don't even do abs and still have a decent set.

    Also keep in mind more days/time in the gym =/= faster results. Your muscles grow during recovery, and are stimulated during the gym; if you want to just look good go to the gym, stimulate your muscles for growth (otherwise known as hypertrophy training) and get out. Some swear by higher frequency training, most commonly by the 3-day Legs/Push/Pull/Rest/Repeat split, but even with that it accounts for 2 days rest in 8 days, whereas your current program has you resting 2 days in 14.

    I'd drop a lot of the long distance running in favor of high intensity interval training, and even that I would only do maybe twice a week just to maintain my current level of conditioning to keep workouts intense. But that's just what I do, do whatever you want.

    TL;DR
    Your workout plan is far from optimal for the goals you have set for yourself.
    Needs more chest/back/legs training and less biceps and abs.
    Rest more.
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    "Bulking" method, you will find lots of useful info on the net. What you need is gain muscle, not lose more body fat if you are at 10.8%. A general workout plan would be 5-6 sets of 8 reps and lift HEAVY till you can't do more reps. Rest ~1 min per set. Do an over calorie diet. This means you gain weight for get bigger and don't worry, after you finish your "bulking" you can lose the extra fat with an under calorie diet and your muscles will look better. Google!!! Find workouts and diet plans from bodybuilders that know what they do. Check the champions. Phil Heath etc. Actually no1 can tell you what is the best way for you. Read, read, read, read and read. Then fix something that suits you or take a professionals opinion.

    Ah, I knew it was something along those lines! I've been looking for some good articles, but I'll just have to try harder.

    Thank you, I'm off to google!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    P90X is good for people who need a specific structured workout to follow
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    You're hitting abs and arms twice a week but you're not gonna hit your chest and back?
    You don't look like you need to lose weight or anything, drop the insanity, up your calories and do some compound strength training. You aren't going to build an impressive physique just doing dumbbell curls and abs. Hell I don't even do abs and still have a decent set.

    Also keep in mind more days/time in the gym =/= faster results. Your muscles grow during recovery, and are stimulated during the gym; if you want to just look good go to the gym, stimulate your muscles for growth (otherwise known as hypertrophy training) and get out. Some swear by higher frequency training, most commonly by the 3-day Legs/Push/Pull/Rest/Repeat split, but even with that it accounts for 2 days rest in 8 days, whereas your current program has you resting 2 days in 14.

    I'd drop a lot of the long distance running in favor of high intensity interval training, and even that I would only do maybe twice a week just to maintain my current level of conditioning to keep workouts intense. But that's just what I do, do whatever you want.

    TL;DR
    Your workout plan is far from optimal for the goals you have set for yourself.
    Needs more chest/back/legs training and less biceps and abs.
    Rest more.

    I usually go to the gym with my dad, and he usually sets out what we do. I keep record, but that's just an overview. We probably do do some back and chest (push ups, back extensions, and barbell bench press if that's chest).

    I may discard the long distance training for HIIT training. I've found an app that gives me a beep everything 15 and 30 seconds, so I could rotate that for 20 minutes and see how that goes. But I do have some concerns about resting. I don't like to rest too much, and when I do I get incredibly antsy and anxious. Before I had my rest day I used to do more running, and the first rest day I planned I went for a 10km bike ride. Am I supposed to feel like that?
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    Yeah it's normal, but keep it up and eventually you'll burn out and not want to lift anymore, or plateau.
    What you're doing now is sprinting in a marathon, sure it looks works great for a little bit but in the long run it's not optimal.
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 576 Member
    P90X and TRX workouts....ditch Insanity...you sure as hell don't need to lose any more weight.

    PS - BEST OF SUCCESS TO YOU and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    Yeah it's normal, eventually you'll burn out and not want to lift anymore, or plateau.
    What you're doing now is sprinting in a marathon, sure it looks works great for a little bit but in the long run it's not optimal.

    Ah. I guess I'll have to find a different hobby.
    I think I'll try adapting my workout to this (I'm going to keep the insanity workouts, but I finish those in 60 days):

    Monday: Insanity Workout + Gym
    Tuesday: Insanity Workout + HIIT Sprints for 20 minutes
    Wednesday: Insanity Workout + Gym
    Thursday: Insanity Workout + HIIT Sprints for 20 minutes
    Friday: Insanity Workout + Gym
    Saturday: Insanity Workout
    Sunday: Rest

    I do insanity in the morning, and then usually gym at night. I hope this is better, but I know I can improve it more. I may end up abandoning Insanity as well, but it's a workout routine thing.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    If you're slim, lift heavy weights. (Heavy = heavy enough for you, as per the reply above.)

    If you've got fat around the mid-section, intense cardio.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Too much cardio!

    Here's my alteration:
    Monday: Weights
    Tuesday: HIIT Sprints for 20 minutes
    Wednesday: ditto
    Thursday: Weights
    Friday: Tuesday
    Saturday: Tuesday
    Sunday: Rest when you're dead. Tuesday.

    Note that Insanity is HIIT so you could do that instead until you finish the DVD.
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    If you're slim, lift heavy weights. (Heavy = heavy enough for you, as per the reply above.)

    If you've got fat around the mid-section, intense cardio.

    this is my mid section at the current moment

    photo11e.png

    well it was Wednesday but it's almost the current moment. Hopefully I don't need to lose fat from there
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Ok, sod cardio. Do weights only. Investigate compound lifts: bench press, dead lifts, squats, shoulder press - using free weights, not machines.

    Also do pull ups.
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
    Adjust you're training program to hypertrophy based. Going by the picture you're a ectomorph and I don't know why you are doing so much cardio, unless you want to keep losing weight and look like skin and bone.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    starting strength or stronglifts 5x5. Ditch cardio. Eat more.
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    I agree, cut out some of that cardio. You need rest days too to build muscle.

    You also need to eat in a slight caloric surplus in order to gain muscle.

    Check out the program Strong Lifts 5x5. It's free and easy and works.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    starting strength or stronglifts 5x5. Ditch cardio. Eat more.

    This or 5/3/1 is another good program. You're try to gain muscle mass so the cardio is counter productive to your goals. Eat at a moderate calorie surplus gain some muscle (and sadly some fat too) and then do a cut before summertime. Your program at the moment is pretty rigorous and unnecessary. You'll get much better results sticking to a modest program 3-5 times a week.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    starting strength or stronglifts 5x5. Ditch cardio. Eat more.

    This or 5/3/1 is another good program. You're try to gain muscle mass so the cardio is counter productive to your goals. Eat at a moderate calorie surplus gain some muscle (and sadly some fat too) and then do a cut before summertime. Your program at the moment is pretty rigorous and unnecessary. You'll get much better results sticking to a modest program 3-5 times a week.
    Vouch for 5/3/1, doing it now and seeing some good gains
  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
    Wow, guys! Thanks for all the replies!

    I just woke up, so that's why I haven't replied.
    This or 5/3/1 is another good program. You're try to gain muscle mass so the cardio is counter productive to your goals. Eat at a moderate calorie surplus gain some muscle (and sadly some fat too) and then do a cut before summertime. Your program at the moment is pretty rigorous and unnecessary. You'll get much better results sticking to a modest program 3-5 times a week.

    eheh. Funny thing. I can't cut before summertime because it is summertime (ahhhhhh!)
    I'm in Australia and the heat's just starting - I'll increase my eating for now and and decrease running and make it HIIT training
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    at your age you need to grow and maximise the gains that you can make now. I'd be eating at a moderate surplus of around 10-15% above maintenance and lift heavy things. (big compound movements)

    You should be bulking for the majority of the year and just do short term cuts when required. For me I do this when I get close to 15% body fat.

Categories