I am 18 years old. Lifting for a month. I have wide shoulders and a slim waist, but due to losing 40 lbs recently I would consider myself skinny fat.
My main goal, is to look good naked. Obviously need to put on muscle mass as I don’t have much, but I dont want to get huge like body builders.
Everywhere I post, people argue about doing a program like SS, or just doing a split right away. A lot of people recommend strength programs but just as many have said that if looking good is my goal a split would be optimal. What do you guys think? Here is a picture of me currently.
[quote]Ampedlift wrote:
I am 18 years old. Lifting for a month. I have wide shoulders and a slim waist, but due to losing 40 lbs recently I would consider myself skinny fat.
My main goal, is to look good naked. Obviously need to put on muscle mass as I don’t have much, but I dont want to get huge like body builders.
Everywhere I post, people argue about doing a program like SS, or just doing a split right away. A lot of people recommend strength programs but just as many have said that if looking good is my goal a split would be optimal. What do you guys think? Here is a picture of me currently. [/quote]
First of all, nobody gets huge like bodybuilders BY ACCIDENT. Getting to this point requires 10+ years of dedication, training at least 4 times a week and stuffing yourselves with the right foods - and even then, most people would never get there, so don’t worry.
Starting strength - much like 5x5, which is almost the same program - are good for a beginner because they increase the weight very rapidly. Somebody who just started out can get stronger very easily since there is untapped baseline potential. Once you are have a certain level of strength (let’s say benching bodyweight x 1.1 and deadlifting bodyweight x 2) you have the strength to do whatever you want productively.
If I were you, I would start doing a stronglifts 5x5 routine (www.stronglifts.com) but use the high bar squat (google it). Stick to this for 4-6 months, eat well (a tad more than you need to maintain weight, 0.7-1.2g protein/lbs bodyweight) and do deloads if you have to. Above all, be consistent. I always had the best results when I just followed a program to the letter and did not question things twice a week.
Im with these guys. Lookup a program ans followit to a T. Ive done sl5x5 and it works. Ive tried my own stuff and get mixed results. Goin back to an already proven program once this run im on is completed.
I had a bodybuilder friend make me a routine with the main goal of looking good naked in mind. Him and all his friends are big & aesthetic, and he told me no bodybuilder he personally knows started with a program like SS, they all simply did splits in the beginning.
day one-
bench press 3x5
incline bench press dumbells 3x8
weighted dips 3x8-10
cable crossovers (awesome for shaping) 3x8-10
incline cable flys 3x8-10
superset pushups and tricep extensions and a few other tricep workouts, maybe close grip and reg grip bench with lower weight to finish
day 2
deadlift 3x5
bent over rows 3x8
bent over dumbell flys 3x8
front dumbell raises 3x8-10
military press 3x5
side raises 3x8-10
pullups or pulldowns 3x8-10
cable rows 3x8-10
1-2 sets of 21’s
day 3
five mins on treadmill walking with full incline
squat 3x5
lunges 3x10-15
leg presses (high volume) 3x10
leg extensions 3x10
hamstring curls 3x10
dropset calf raises
day off or cardio and abs for a day or two
repeat
Would this be fine? I’m 5’8 160 lbs about, my main goal is like I said, simply to look good for when I start at a new college in september. I am also pursuing modelling btw and want a routine to help me achieve that model look.
When i’m already looking good, I want to use strength training and gain strength. I know it sounds ass backwards but I have my reasons.
Sets of 5 is strength based. Sets of 8 would be more bodybuilder/ cut. Imo sets of 5 is good on the main lifts n 8 plus reps on your supporting lifts. Stick with it and see what results you get before changing anything.
I’m far from the expert here so don’t take my word for it, but I’m not really that crazy about that split… How many off days are there before repeating, one or two? Either way, you’re working out 5-6 days a week which is a lot for a beginner. There’s also a lot of volume for a beginner. I’m not sure that your bodybuilder friend designed this program with a beginner (and the accompanying work capacity) in mind.
Personally, after working my triceps and anterior delts to the bone on day 1 (esp with those weighted dips), I wouldn’t feel too eager to press the next day. Ditto on doing squats the day after deadlifts.
There are many better-suited splits on the articles on this site. Even better would be to find a pre-made routine for full-body workouts 3x a week that focuses on big compound lifts. Even if you don’t care about the strength just yet, I don’t think many would argue that spending some time building your work capacity and technique would be a bad idea before jumping into a high volume split.
Sets of 5 is strength based. Sets of 8 would be more bodybuilder/ cut. Imo sets of 5 is good on the main lifts n 8 plus reps on your supporting lifts. Stick with it and see what results you get before changing anything.
