Working out

[Yolo Swaggins]

So as most of you probably haven't noticed, I haven't been playing all too much lately. I just finished my first jaunt through mi40 and while I loved the program and got amazing results, it calls for a 6 weeks on, 6 weeks off routine. (the basic reasoning is that after about 6 weeks your body adjusts to your current workout regimen and you have to change it up back and forth for optimal results.)

I'm wondering if anyone else here is building muscle and if so what program(s) they are using to do so. I'm looking for something that uses muscle isolation rather than compound movements as that is the main difference between mi40 and the other programs I've tried (p90x, insanity, etc.) and the difference in results has been dramatic enough that I'm convinced isolation is the way to go for building.

Thanks in advance for any help. Also general workout thread.

[What]

Go to the gym and relocate some lb's. 90% of your gain is gonna come from the basics. Diet is also extremely important if you want to gain and not just tone. Remember, 1 gram of protein per your ideal weight. ie 180 lbs = 180 grams of protein a day.

[Yolo Swaggins]

I have nutrition down pretty solid, I even go so far as to backload my carbs. What I'm really looking for is just another program with it's own sets of exercises for building. the program I'm using is designed to be adopted for 6 weeks then dropped for something else for six weeks then back and forth. I just am looking for something really to fill the gaps between mi40 runs.

Also just for the sake of it my current diet is: (min 1l water with each meal)
morning- fatty proteins and light veg. (lemon juice with water for breakfast)

late morning- strawberry flavored whey with orange juice

lunch/afternoon -lean protein and light veg

midday- more whey orange strawberry drinkage

early evening- fatty proteins

preworkout- whey orange strawberry

postworkout- carbload, primarily complex carbs but usually a serving of simple carbs such as rice as well with a good amount of veggies

late evening- delicious whey drink.

In the past 6 weeks I've literally dropped 10% body fat (down from 24 to 14 which is HUGE) while gaining significant muscle on this diet along with the mi40 program. Now that I have this huge head of momentum I really don't want to stop back and sit on my laurels for 6 weeks till I can rock out again so I'm really looking for something to fill the gap that will push me while sculpting me.

[Nemesis]

are you working out for anything specific, or just to get bigger?

[Yolo Swaggins]

my general end goal is to get significantly bigger and get my body fat down to ~8% while maintaining the golden ratio overall. I'm not going for a competition level look or anything, I'm mainly doing this just to grease the gears of my ego. well that and I'm single and looking to increase the frequency of the sexy times in my life.

[ZERO]

I thought the golden ratio was 1.6 something...

If I recall (1+squrt(5))/2 is the exact number.

[Yolo Swaggins]

yep, shoulders should be 1.6x the waist, and waist height should be 0.45x your total height. Through proper building almost anyone can achieve this ratio though it is more difficult for some body types than others. The adonis golden ratio is basically where your body looks most attractive to most people.

[ZERO]

What I find funny is how they concluded to use that ratio for bodies. The formula (1+squrt(5))/2 producing a golden ratio is based largely off geometry like the fibonacci numbers but was used to design notredame or at least that is what they said in France.

[Spasm]

As someone who has been going to the gym for years best tips I can give are:
Compound lifts are the best lifts; squats deadlifts and benchpress
Diet is extremely important, it can stop a skinny person from ever putting on muscle to the other end a fat person never getting skinny.
Decide if you want muscle mass or muscle strength early on as mass requires a different number of reps. Yes you will still gain mass on low reps just not as much.

8% body fat maintaining it is an unrealistic goal imo. You will be miserable trying to maintain that low of a body fat percent. 10-12 is much more achievable and easier on the body.

[Steamer]

8% body fat maintaining it is an unrealistic goal imo. You will be miserable trying to maintain that low of a body fat percent. 10-12 is much more achievable and easier on the body.

Not when you have an "awesome" metabolism. Trying to maintain one higher is even more difficult.