Getting Bulky AND Toned (body building)

[arthunter888]

I'm a 21 year old male in decent shape. I'm really new to body building, so please excuse my ignorance. I made a personal goal of making my body muscular (as in big muscles) AND ripped (as in chiseled). From my (limited) understanding there are opposing approaches to each.

Bulking

Maximize weight/exertion with less repetitions.
Exercise only once or twice a week to allow for muscle growth.
Eat more calories than you expend (lots of protein).

Cutting

Moderate weight/exertion with more repetitions.
Exercise at least 3 times a week.
Eat fewer calories than you expend (low on fats, low on carbs?).
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If one were to achieve both goals, I'm assuming that since the approaches are opposite that the only way would be to focus on one goal exclusively for a period of time (6 months?), then work on the other exclusively for a period, right?

Which one would you recommend doing first, and for how long? Also please give tips on what I should be trying to do in terms of exercise routine, and especially diet like things to eat, things to avoid, etc. (for each separate goal of course).

Also, if I'm bulking, then wouldn't eating big all day every day make the neglected muscle groups gets more fatty (I don't have time to work every muscle group)?
thanks

 

[Amebix]

I'm a 21 year old male in decent shape. I'm really new to body building, so please excuse my ignorance. I made a personal goal of making my body muscular (as in big muscles) AND toned/ripped (as in chiseled). From my (limited) understanding there are opposing approaches to each.

Bulking

Maximize weight/exertion with less repetitions.
Exercise only once or twice a week to allow for muscle growth.
Eat more calories than you expend (lots of protein).

Toning

Moderate weight/exertion with more repetitions.
Exercise at least 3 times a week.
Eat fewer calories than you expend (low on fats, low on carbs?).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If one were to achieve both goals, I'm assuming that since the approaches are opposite that the only way would be to focus on one goal exclusively for a period of time (6 months?), then work on the other exclusively for a period, right?

Which one would you recommend doing first, and for how long? Also please give tips on what I should be trying to do in terms of exercise routine, and especially diet like things to eat, things to avoid, etc. (for each separate goal of course).

Also, if I'm toning, then wouldn't eating big all day every day make the neglected muscle groups gets more fatty (I don't have time to work every muscle group)?
thanks

Your right, gaining muscle is going to be a product of lifting heavy and eating big, and getting "ripped" (ie low bodyfat) is going to be a product of dieting and possibly cardio, and its more effecient to focus on one of those goals at a time. Its pretty difficult for someone who isnt on steriods to gain mass and lose fat at the same time. Which one you do first depends on where you are currently. If your 8% bodyfat then bulk, if your something like 20-25% bodyfat then you might want to cut first, as you will get fatter while you gain muscle.

"Also, if I'm toning, then wouldn't eating big all day every day make the neglected muscle groups gets more fatty (I don't have time to work every muscle group)? "

The meaning of this question is hard to decipher. Um, when toning you would be dieting not eating big. Not sure what you mean by muscle groups get fatty. If your eating big all day fat will go to wherever it goes on you (gut, ass, thighs), no matter how hard you work whatever bodypart.

Remember its not a good idea to neglect any muscles from a injury prevention, aesthetic and performance point of view. For example, over devloped anterior deltoids compared to posterior can cause impingement, and overdeveloped quads compared to hamstrings can cause knee pain and posture problems.

BTW you would want to work each muscle group 1-2 a week, not workout 1-2 times a week. If your hard pressed for time, consider a full body 3x a week sticking to heavy compound movements like the squat, deadlift, bench, press, row and chin up.

 

[wizekrak]

Also 'toning' is a bit of a misnomer, most people tend to refer to it as 'cutting'. Basically you keep lifting to minimize muscle loss, but your goal is to strip off body fat. Cutting is mostly a function of diet and cardio. Most people who are trying to do what you're doing bulk first and then cut after. Most people tend to focus one one or the other, but there are some who are genetically gifted who can put on mass without putting on much if any excess body fat.

 

[Dr. Funkenstien]

hulk and bulk

cut and run

im stuck at 163 cause i like how my body looks. id have to eat more to get bigger

 

[arthunter888]

"Also, if I'm toning, then wouldn't eating big all day every day make the neglected muscle groups gets more fatty (I don't have time to work every muscle group)? "

The meaning of this question is hard to decipher. Um, when toning you would be dieting not eating big. Not sure what you mean by muscle groups get fatty. If your eating big all day fat will go to wherever it goes on you (gut, ass, thighs), no matter how hard you work whatever bodypart.

Sorry, this was a typo. I meant "If I'm bulking, then wouldn't....." Bulking requires eating big, but I wouldn't assume that the foods will go just to the targeted muscles, they will continue to add to whatever groups your body naturally tends to add them too regardless of which muscles need repaired most from exercise, right?

 

[p-mo]

Arrrggh- I can't understand your writing. They're like all words but they make no sense in the order that you've put them in!

If your bulking all your muscles will be worked in any given week. After an exercise session it can take up to 2 weeks for a given muscle to completely recover and grow. So if you eat big your food will be going to all the groups you have hit in the past 2 weeks which should be all of them.

I'd recomend bulking first- the extra muscle mass will make cutting easier.

I would always workout 3 times a week whilst bulking- although once or twice might be okay for someone starting out.

Eat lots of protein. Try and avoid sugars (apart from maybe around workout time). Lots of good fats (fish oils, flax, etc).

 

[donkeyPUNCH]

Dr. Funk, how tall are you? I'm curious because I weigh a little more than you but you look a little bulkier than I do...

 

[AgentSquish]

One misconception I have come across from my off and on years in the gym, is that when "Cutting" people tend to use LESS weight and MORE reps. When in fact, muscle put on during a bulk, would tend to be lost during a cut.

Basically, to be "toned", is just to have low body fat. So during a cut, it would be good to keep the weight HEAVY, and stay in the 6-10 rep range for compound lifts, and 12-15 rep range for isolation.

Also, cardio is NOT the determing factor in lowering bodyfat. Burning more calories than you take in, is! So for example, if you're maintance calorie level is at 2900 cals/day, in order to burn 1lb of body fat a week, you would want to eat 2400 cals daily. Because 3500 cals is equivalent to 1lb of body fat, so 500 cals under maintance a day, x7 days would = 3500cals.

 

[arthunter888]

There seems to be confusion on cutting vs. toning. I'm still not sure which is what, so I'll just say that my goals are

1) To get bigger muscles
2) To attain a chiseled look while having big muscles so the muscles stand-out and look appealing

Would #2 be considered cutting or toning, and how is this acheived?

 

[p-mo]

There is no such thing as toning- it was 1980's speak for what we would now call cutting....

 

[arthunter888]

Damn, this is such a complex science. Can anyone recommend a good and cheap beginner's guide to body building that covers BOTH of my goals?

 

[Amebix]

Damn, this is such a complex science. Can anyone recommend a good and cheap beginner's guide to body building that covers BOTH of my goals?

Its not specific to bodybuilding, but Practical Programming by Mark Rippetoe is the best introduction to the science and practice of weightlifting that I'm aware of.