- Do you do both dead lifts and squats, or do you feel you can stick to just one and get strong results?
I do both. I love squats, but I really hate deadlifts. I'd toss them in the bushes entirely if it weren't for how effective they were.
Both are necessary. I didnt start squatting and deadlifting until March, and I've seen crazy results.. I ll post a back pic shortly. The deadlift is critical for lower back definition and getting that "thickness". My lower back now pokes how, and gives off more emphasis of my physique.
- I'm currently doing lots of HIIT cardio on the daily while still hitting every body part at least once a week. I know this isn't ideal in your opinion since you feel HIIT kills gains, but I am about 12 pounds overweight and want to get it burned off relatively quickly. I am seeing GREAT results, so I know it works too. My question to you is once I'm down to the weight I desire, can I still gain back the muscle I will inevitably lose in this time? Once I'm down to where I want to be, will toning it down from 7 days a week to 3 days a week be okay?
I would try to transition toward HIIT. Again, the 12 lbs that you say you are overweight by, will not necessarily be resolved by losing 12 lbs. You could incorporate LIIT, increase your lifts, and actually build muscle mass, while the LIIT will burn the fat. I never use weight as a benchmark, its too inaccurate. Look at the pic I posted, at 190 I am bigger than I was at 205. If I used the mentality you are using, I would tell myself that I wa 15lbs overweight, and need to drop it, not necessarily true. i built muscle, while burning fat. Always use the mirror, I have 2 scales at home and havent step foot on any in years. With respect to the second part of this q, cut your cardio down to maybe every other day once you get to your goal. focus on your lifts, again, muscle emphasizes physique, all cardio does is pronounce it more by shedding the layers
- While in my fat burning phase I am taking in 2100 calories a day(2600 was my maintenance). Once I'm at the weight I want to be and it's time to begin focusing solely on building my muscle mass while keeping my fat low, how much should I increase my daily calorie intake by?
I would say keep it at maintenance. Reason being, if you start adding in more calories, you will have to work harder in the gym to burn them off. Again, I look bigger at 190 than I was at 205. As long as you are lifting heavy, taking in 1g per lbm (id encourage you to go to 1.5x), you will build muscle and burn fat.
- To get the v shape below the belly button and above the dikk like this...
Are there particular workouts you do to target those muscles such as abdominal pendulums(aka windshield wipers), or will traditional ab work out, getting to a low enough bf%, and the right genetics bring those in?
- do you prefer crunches or sit ups?
- What works outs do you suggest to work the serratus anterior?
For abs, i think hands down the best exercise is hanging leg raises. For the V taper, weighted oblique extensions. You may have to work up to hanging leg raises as it uses a lot of upper body muscle to hang for 12 reps with no assistance, but its full core workout, minimal cheating - all ab stabilization. Other than that I'll use some standard crunch machinery at my gym (LA Fitness)
aka those tiger-slash-like muscles to the sides of the upper abs
- My desired body type is something close to an Adrian Peterson with slightly more definition in the ab area
Realistic goals under natural means? Any signs of hgh/steroid use in AP? As you can see with these pics, I don't want a body fat percentage quiet as low as yours, so will this allow leeway for more fruits? How much protein should I be looking to eat daily. When my daily HIIT cardio training is done, I should be around 6'1 and 200 pounds.
Again, try to keep protein at a minimum of 1x lbm., try going up to 1.5, anything else is unnecessary and more prone to turn into fat. I cannot comment on athletes, but remember that they have much more at stake than you or I. we dont get paid millions to work out, their salary is contingent on how they perform. Therefore, I would be more inclined to believe that most top performing athletes have or continue to use some sort of PED. But that does not take away from the strict diet/hard work ethic that they have off of the field. They have resources that the average person does not have, therefore anything is possible. But someone like the Rock, yeah, obvious juice head. I can normally tell a juice head when I see one.
Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.
You have nice upper body development but I hate the broscience
