[RKO920]

I have been working out at the gym for 5 months. I do cardio, i do most of the machines for biceps and triceps at the gym and I do bicep curls. I have developed alot of muscle, but I only usually see it when I flex. Anyone know how long it will take to get cut?

[Captain - Charisma]

I go to the gym 3 times a week and do light weights with a lot of reps, I do jogging for cardio which is usually mon - fri.

[j.konig]

Originally Posted by RKO920

I have been working out at the gym for 5 months. I do cardio, i do most of the machines for biceps and triceps at the gym and I do bicep curls. I have developed alot of muscle, but I only usually see it when I flex. Anyone know how long it will take to get cut?

probably varies with different people i assume, what were you like before you started working out (skinny, fat, etc)

[RKO920]

I was like 200 when I started. Now I am at 194 because I recently stopped drinking soda. I never had alot of fat, but I lost some of it and still have some though. I had little muscle before hand.

[Something Savage]

There are so many variable factors to be considered here - diet, nutrition, training frequency, volume of weights used, cables versus free weights, amount of cardio, and the list just goes on.

If you're wanting to keep or build a big frame, focus on the compound lifts. These are the heavy hitters. They're the meat and potatoes, so to speak, of a good lifting regiment. These are your deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and military presses. Without them, you're wasting a lot of time & effort in the long run.

Think of it as a foundation. You can't build a two-story house or a skyscraper with no solid foundation. Bicep curls alone aren't going to amount to much without a wide/thick back, quads, larger traps, broader shoulders, etc.

I'll say it again. Cardio and isolation lifts are the seasonings and side platters. Heavy, compound lifts are your main course.

Dig in.

[Silverthorn]

Has anybody here tried pushing the Tabata protocol into the 10 minute range? I get burned out after 6 minutes pretty much, even though you're only supposed to be able to sustain the effort for 4.

[Rush]

Tabata protocol is 20 secs hard, 10 secs rest right? Haven't tried it although i did have to help out a few of the postgrad students looking at a HIIT protocol of 8 secs hard 12 secs rest (although it was really more 10/10). Tried it out, was easy enough. 20 secs on, 10 secs rest would be a killer though.

[Silverthorn]

Yeah that's it. Added it into my training routine b/c of how much it burns in so short a time. It's a pretty good trick to improve your anaerobic conditioning. I do it prior to my steady cardio workout usually (moderate intensity). Can also send your heart into hyperdrive so might not want to do it if you're not 100% heart-healthy.

[DesolationRow]

Agree with Something Savage (I'm often finding myself saying that around here). Compound lifting is the main thoroughfare, and the isolation workouts are side streets that are great to spend some time on, but in support of your travels on the main artery. Compound lifting is crucial to building substantial muscle mass. The more muscles utilized in one workout routine, the better. If you happen to have a big frame like I happen to, then compound lifting is like taking what should be a good foundation based on size, and taking it to, well, not its full potential--but at least taking advantage of it.

The Tabata protocol is a solid exercise for cardio; I do it regularly for about five minutes, but I don't want to take it any further than that (at least at 20 seconds hard, 10 seconds rest), because while I'm sure it does indeed do wonders for your heart health in a reasonable dose, I'm not personally intrigued by the possibilities that a lot of hardcore enthusiasts of it exclaim to be true. Just basic cardio training with a decent helping of the Tabata protocol for maximum fat loss--or at least maximum as far as I'm concerned I'm willing to go to at this juncture--does it for me. But there's definitely something to the Tabata protocol.

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Something Savage

There are so many variable factors to be considered here - diet, nutrition, training frequency, volume of weights used, cables versus free weights, amount of cardio, and the list just goes on.

If you're wanting to keep or build a big frame, focus on the compound lifts. These are the heavy hitters. They're the meat and potatoes, so to speak, of a good lifting regiment. These are your deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and military presses. Without them, you're wasting a lot of time & effort in the long run.

Think of it as a foundation. You can't build a two-story house or a skyscraper with no solid foundation. Bicep curls alone aren't going to amount to much without a wide/thick back, quads, larger traps, broader shoulders, etc.

I'll say it again. Cardio and isolation lifts are the seasonings and side platters. Heavy, compound lifts are your main course.

Dig in.

Well said.