How Do I Get Ripped?

Hey,

I’ve been lifting pretty steadily for the past 2 years or so, and have seen myself become stronger and a lot bigger. Previous to lifting, I was a very skinny kid, but I gained a lot of weight through puberty and noticed I was getting slightly heavy so I started lifting. I’m 18 now and weigh around 180 lbs. I don’t really know what my body fat is but if I had to say it would be around 10-15%. I have a lot of natural strength; I’ve only squatted a handful of times but can max out at 425 lbs and the same with dead lifting and I’ve maxed out around 245 lbs.

I started benching at 135 lbs and can get to 205 lbs on a good day. Even after lifting for 2 solid years, I haven’t seen myself become all that much more cut. My arms have gotten bigger and my back has become a little wider, but I still don’t have abs. I have been told numerous times that I have a perfect body to become ripped, but I just don’t know how to take that next step. When I go to the gym and workout I have this amazing drive to lose weight and become more cut, I work myself for a solid 70 minutes with little breaks and 90% of the time I leave the gym absolutely dead.

As a teenager, I think I eat pretty well. I don’t eat that much fast food and I try and consume as much vegetables and fruits as possible during the day. I really want to take my lifting to the next level and become more cut and I was wondering if anyone could give me and suggestions.

Thanks

Read the stickies.

Expect to get flamed for your post.

Don’t post again until you’ve read the stickies.

BTW, your squat and dead numbers do not jibe.

This is not a proper squat.

Here’s a good squat

Here’s a vid of atg squats.

You can really squat 425 but only deadlift 245?

[quote]chimera182 wrote:
You can really squat 425 but only deadlift 245?[/quote]

No, he can’t.

He needs to eat more carrots.

[quote]clynch11 wrote:

As a teenager, I think I eat pretty well.[b][i] I don’t eat that much fast food [/i][/b]and I try and consume as much vegetables and fruits as possible during the day. I really want to take my lifting to the next level and become more cut and I was wondering if anyone could give me any suggestions.

Thanks[/quote]

  1. Expect to get rough responses to your post, since you didn’t read the stickies, and since being 180 lbs isn’t heavy enough to look impressive when lean unless you’re 5’ 7" or so.

  2. That underlined part is your problem. Getting “cut” is diet and overall energy expenditure. “Not that much fast food” is still too much. “Not cheating that much” is still cheating too much.

  3. expect to lose more than you think you have to lose. Eg–if you think you need to lose 18 lbs, you probably have to lose at least 24 or more. If you think you have to lose 10 lbs, it’s probably more like 16 or so, etc.

Squat = power curtsey.

newsflash bud: you ain’t squattin 425.

Putting some weight on the bar and curtseying for the crowd doesn’t count.

get bigger first…otherwise it will be a waste

guess pmpm beat me to it. GMTA.

OP: do yourself a favor. Start with 95 lbs. on the bar and learn to squat properly. If you work your tail off, maybe you will get to a 400+ squat in a year or two.

Well in response to your actual question:
Cut carbs drastically and overall energy intake as well. Try to take in only low glycemic sources besides post workout and try to keep carb intake limited to breakfast and post workout. Also perform some metabolic work. Do a search for the “Tabata Method.”

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
Squat = power curtsey.[/quote]

Is that more functional then?

[quote]matsm21 wrote:
get bigger first…otherwise it will be a waste[/quote]

x2

OP: I assume you transposed the numbers on the squat and meant 245.

If your dead is only 245 after 2 years your not trying hard enough. Or “your doing it wrong.”

An jesus don’t waste some of the most productive years of your life cutting for fucks sake. EAT & start actually lifting heavy.

[quote]chimera182 wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
Squat = power curtsey.

Is that more functional then?[/quote]

Yes, if you’re a ballerina.

To the OP…There are several articles on this site regarding nutrition and getting “ripped.” You will need to be relatively heavy to have enough muscle mass to justify a hard core cut…but, I’m a PL, I have no idea wtf I’m talking about.

[quote]MC sp3 wrote:

Here’s a good squat

[/quote]

I still think they’re a hair shy of deep enough. I’m picky about my form though. To each their own. Some respectable weight regardless.

some of the numbers poeple post on this website are absolutely ridiculous. Squat 425 deadlift 245 and bench 205, for fuck sakes comon.

[quote]elano wrote:
MC sp3 wrote:

Here’s a good squat

I still think they’re a hair shy of deep enough. I’m picky about my form though. To each their own. Some respectable weight regardless.[/quote]

Yeah, that would probably not pass in my state meets - the judges are really strict out here. My depth, when I am good:

y, you want hawt abs?

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
Yeah, that would probably not pass in my state meets - the judges are really strict out here. My depth, when I am good:

370 Squat - YouTube [/quote]

Now that’s a good squat!

Aw come on guys and gals cut me some slack, those were just the first two youtube examples I could find while in the process of wasting 2min of my time on the OP.

I’ll never get those 2min back you know.
Oh crap, just lost another one.

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
chimera182 wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
Squat = power curtsey.

Is that more functional then?

Yes, if you’re a ballerina.

To the OP…There are several articles on this site regarding nutrition and getting “ripped.” You will need to be relatively heavy to have enough muscle mass to justify a hard core cut…but, I’m a PL, I have no idea wtf I’m talking about.[/quote]

Sadly I don’t quite have the build to be a ballerina