I think Dave Palumbo is one of the best examples, because of his insane metabolism, is an example of a naturally skinny guy who gained nearly all muscle. The more he ate and the more drugs he took, the more muscle he gained while remaining shredded for what seemed like year round!
@The_Mighty_Stu How easy is it to maintain a “beach ready” level of leanness, in terms of health/feeling healthy, and being able to stay active, etc.
@Rhye Fairly easy but takes consistency above anything else. Stage readiness CANNOT be held for long.
What in terms of consistency how rigid with training and calorie counting? I guess I mean more, what level of leanness can be had but, still live life comfortably with out having to be too rigid. Can you be beach ready?
I consider myself to maintain that level (lets call it a “blurry 6 pack”) most times of the year and I dont consider it hard IF you are serious about this lifestyle.
I generally “stick to my diet” and never miss a training session. I still will eat off-the-diet stuff every now and then but for the most part I dont even want to because my love for the iron game exceeds my love for momentary taste bud satisfaction.
If you are capable of doing that, once you do a serious, deep cut like Stu did or BrickHead is doing, you will likely never go much beyond Beach Ready ever again for a variety of reasons.
@BrickHead @The_Mighty_Stu @Lonnie123
In regard to training approach is there a point in which these visual appearances will become apparent if following a minimalist approach?
If we take it as a given that to win physique competitions splits are the go to what kind of physique can the average person (obviously body type and genetics will have an effect) build following say a fullbody/powerlifting routine not out of belief that they are better but more so, due to time/equipment?
Pic of Brad Loomis: Does not place well in most shows, natural, follows power lifting routine, IMO it shows. Would this be achievable by most?
No, I don’t believe that physique is achievable by most men, despite possible flaws by bodybuilding standards. Most men do not look like that, and never will, despite how hard they train or how they train, reasons being: genes, lack of discipline necessary for that physique attainment, knowledge or whatever.
1 Like
That’s a rather vague question. Someone with alright genes I believe can gain anywhere from 25 to 30 pounds of muscle. Then some freaks might be able to gain 40 or so pounds of muscle. I’m talking unassisted here. These are my best guesses.
I am not trying to be a wiseass here, as I am not one, and you are a nice guy. But what is your aim? What do you want to accomplish? It seems you are too interested on possible outcomes for yourself rather than simply focusing on your training and nutrition and just seeing what you get out of it.
Do you have pics? What is your goal? How do you train?
@BrickHead You did not come off that way at all. 
Perhaps, using a competition photo was not the best idea. When people ask what would be best to grow mass it is assumed (perhaps rightfully so on a bodybuilding site) the most mass possible as shown by your post. You immediately jumped to 25-30 lbs of muscle maybe 40.
What if someones goal was just to “look good naked” muscular and lean avg height 5’9 lean 160lbs… I hate to say it but, if someones goal was to look like Brad Pitt in fight club 
would you put them on a 6x a week split or would a 3x a week power lifting routine get the job done? I mean it is still “bodybuilding” but, with a different end goal.
**Since you guys I tagged have competed are involved in the sport I was curious as to what can be achievable by most, using a minimalist approach.
@BrickHead Forgot to answer. I am 5’9.5, 178-182 lbs 181lbs this morning, BF is low enough to see abs when flexing some vascularity in shoulders, and separation in legs. I follow a L/P/P routine 2 on 1 off.
**Unlike most or perhaps I am just willing to admit it I do not really enjoy lifting weights. It is for pure vanity reasons. Love being active though. Which is why I am interested in different approaches. If I could maintain even at the cost of having to lose some total weight but, staying lean training in a minimalist approach 3x a week I would.
Just to be clear, a 6x per week split vs a 3x per week “power lifting routine” are most definitely not the same. No bodybuilder who has achieved a great physique got it done with a 3x per week power-lifting style program. Sure a full body program was probably part of their training along the line somewhere, but if you want to look like a bodybuilder, you need to train like a bodybuilder, and eat like a bodybuilder, for a really long time. These two programs will produce two very different physiques.
Ok, so at least you’re admitting your motivations that you just want to look good with no shirt. Totally understandable! Who doesn’t? Just to be honest here, since that’s what you’re asking for, you want to achieve something very, very difficult to do, and admittedly don’t want to work hard for it. Using a “minimalist” approach is a fancy way of saying, “I don’t want to work really hard.” Unless you have insane genetics, it’s just not going to happen.
You also wrote you “don’t really enjoy lifting weights,” and I’ll tell you that every single bodybuilder loves lifting weights and training. Anyone who has a great physique, that wasn’t born with it, loves to train.
The most significant thing you could do to look lean and muscular is go on a serious cut and lose fat. If you want to build a muscular physique a 3x per week full body program wouldn’t be a bad idea, you could still build mass with it and have a good physique no doubt. But when you posted that picture of Brad Loomis, dude, (again not trying to be rude here) you have absolutely no idea how much he killed himself and suffered for like 6 months to look like that. That level of conditioning is in no way attainable in the long term.
I think a Brad Pitt look is certainly attainable, even with a 3x per week full body program, but it’s got to be structured for a well balanced physique. So you wouldn’t want to do a powerlifting routine, you’d want to do a bodybuilding style full body routine. But again a standard bodybuilding program is a split routine. Could be 4,5 or 6 times per week. You could certainly look up some of the thousands of articles on T-Nation to find good split for all of those schedules.
To keep/maintain that conditioning look will also take very serious nutrition control and consistency. This cannot be understated!
I don’t know Brad Loomis and you say he doesn’t place well, but there is a trophy at his feet… so he has what it takes to place/win shows. Not everyone does. Maybe that’s genetics, maybe it’s the hard work… either way he has it.
He has a good blend of size and very impressive conditioning, the combo of which takes a LONG TERM dedication to the lifestyle, followed by a burst of short term dedication that can only really be described as ALL CONSUMING. Towards the end there is basically no room for error for weeks on end (months really) and you must set that as a main priority in your life.
There is a reason I have heard people say things like “I couldn’t do that to my wife again…” about why they don’t compete. It takes over your time, your social life, your sex life maybe (libido can easily disappear at that level), your mental state can and likely will be affected by it
This is not something people who don’t LOVE and LIVE body building are prepared or willing to do. Hell, I only ever really did it once (twice if you count my mock prep) and I consider myself in the top 10% in terms of my love for body building and training
2 Likes
As someone else noted, a “minimalist approach” will get you minimalist results. There is NOTHING minimalist about getting into, or even close to, stage condition and size.
4 Likes
If you don’t enjoy the weight training and want that fight club look, would you consider actually training like a fighter?
twice a week in the gym doing your push pull and twice a week at a boxing gym. You will be the fittest, leanest and most explosive you have ever been and may actually enjoy it!
Just a thought
You can look good with only 3 resistance training days a week, especially if you have a lot of physical hobbies, are generally active in your daily life, and are consistent (not necessarily meticulous) with your diet. You’re sure as hell not going to end up looking like that Brad Loomis guy, but you can look good.
1 Like
Guys, I already said using a competition photo was not the best idea.
I gave my stats (because brick asked), I train hard, I just do not really enjoy it. My goal has always been to look good and I do.
My question was just a general/curiosity one. If ones goal is to not put, on a lot of muscle just look lean/athletic for example olympic divers, or boxers how much weight training has to be done?
It will also help me. I work at a high school so, if I am asked for help and I give a kid an example of what I do it may take the wind out of their sails (it has happened) but, (and I have been asked this) if their goal is to look like Tom Daley and 2x week 5/3/1 will get them there it would be easier.
Not that much. It doesn’t take much to be healthy and look good (not talking stage ready but simply an athletic, decent looking physique). I recommend for ordinary gym rats, busy guys/dads, whatever, three to four days of lifting on an upper-lower split (can even do two upper body days, and just ONE leg day) and do whatever other peripheral activity you like: cardio of all forms, ball games at the park, swimming, hiking, etc.
Use portion control with your diet, no counting with scales and baking cups and have some treats here and there.
It’s really that simple! I suggest you read authors that cater to regular guys, such as Jason Ferrugia, Alwyn Cosgrove, John Berardi, and Craig Ballantyne. Ferrugia has some of the best content for guys like you. Go to his website. Even Tom Venuto has a routine book for ordinary dudes.
I would never recommend a guy just wanting to be healthy and in shape to eat like a hell-bent bodybuilder. It is completely unnecessary and undoable for most men’s lifestyles and interests.
1 Like
Your schedule can look as simple as this:
Sunday: ball games, hiking, jogging, biking, brisk walking, swimming, whatever
Monday: upper body focused workout
Tuesday: same as Sunday
Wednesday: lower body focused workout
Thursday: same as Sunday
Friday: upper body focused workout
Saturday: off
An upper body workout can go like this:
Bench variation
Row variation
Overhead press variation
Lat pulldown or chin-up variation
Tricep exercise
Bicep exercise
A lower body workout can go like this:
Leg curl or GHR
Squat variation
Lunges
Stiff-legged deadlift
Calf raises
Abdominal exercises
See: simple shit. An average man needs five hours of activity per week to be healthy and look alright. Thats it.
1 Like
Thank you.
As of right now I am bigger/leaner than Brad Pitt was. I may not enjoy lifting but, for my goals I knew it had to be done. Goals change and am now willing to sacrifice some size/muscle I just need to figure out my next move.
My question started out just as a general/curiosity one and it seems you have answered it. In your opinion that type of body is achievable with what would be push/pull 2x a week and 2 conditioning sessions?
See my responses above. For your aims, it is ridiculously simple.