HELP- DIET/Supplements/Workout

[Pelagic Predator]

I would appreciate any help from some of you more experienced guys. I'm looking to be in excellent overal fitness, add some lean muscle and get my cardio up. I am 6'4", weigh #191 and have been working out consistently for about 6 years. I hit the gym 4-5 times a week and spend roughly an hour, usually focusing on 1 muscle group per session.

I used to roll Jiu Jitsu and spar MMA, however I couldn't gain any muscle, so I laid off the cardio...that and I got tired of stitches and had a broken hand that kept breaking/giving me trouble.

I eat pretty well, lean meats and veggies, try to stay away from the sweets, no sodas..typical snacks are yogurt, beef jerky, hummus, etc.

I consider myself strong but lean, my max on bench was #300 several months ago, but my squat is disapointing at around #225.

I've had to use weight gainer 2 times a day to be able to pack on any extra muscle(I used to weight #165 6 years ago), and after quitting cardio, I'm not as shredded as I used to be a year ago.
My question for you guys is: what should I do to gain/sustain lean muscle, but be cardiovascularly fit? I have been running before work lately, but I feel like I need some serious cardio to shred any unwanted fat. The only supplement I use besides a multi vitamin is NO xplode before workouts. Can I do cardio after lifting? Before?

My goal: to be about #210, maintain abdominal definition and have cardio. It seems that my body will only do 1 or the other.
Thanks for any info possible. Sorry for the long winded rant.

 

[JJones75]

Re: HELP- DIET/Supplements/Workout

What does your current diet look like?

If you are no longer doing cardio and still eating the same then you are likly is a calorie surplus allowing the body to store fat more easly and if you are eating alot of a carb in your diet then this compounds the problem.

You can do cardio after your workout or before , generaly if you do some high intensity cardio before you workout you can deplete some of the glycogen stores and this will cause you to fatigue a bit faster during your weight training so doing cardio after your workout is better unless you can do cardio first thing in the morning , then do a lower intensity cardio (60% heart rate) for 45 min or more before you eat anything.

Cardio is not needed to get realy lean if your diet is on point , it diet make it faster and cardio will allow you to not be as strict with your diet but it is NOT a "you have to" type thing. I have a close friend of mine just won his IFBB pro body buildijng card in the wheel chair division and he does zero cardio , he trains with weights a reasonably fast pace but his diet is great

 

[northshore440]

Re: HELP- DIET/Supplements/Workout

Gabe,
Trying to get lean and considerable hypertrophic muscle growth at the same time <span style="font-style: italic">NATURALLY </span> can be difficult, especially when one hits the magic 30 year mark.

I also lose size and strength when I start to focus on high intensity, cardio heavy endeavours such as Muay Thai and grappling. Everyone else I talk to is in the same boat.

My solution, and I realize this is not some incredible revelation, is balance. I don't intend to compete in Ironman, nor do I intend to throw a beer keg backwards over a twenty foot wall; One guy is lean and ultra ripped, the other is a gorilla. Go figure.

For me, exercises that push anaerobic threshold and intensity somedays, aerobic thresholds on others, and heavy lifting with proper form in between seem to suit me best.

A good example would be Crossfit type workouts. I'm not trying to get you to drink the Kool-aid here, but if you haven't given them a try, you should. I am certain there are many folks on the 'hide that would cite chapter and verse on the benefits of such a workout.

As far as diet goes, what you eat and when you eat it can be critically important. Different foods illicit different hormonal responses throughout the body, and timing them correctly to coordinate with workouts and rest times can be vital. You've probably heard about insulin response to particular foods. This is not the only one, but it gets a lot of press.

I've already gotten long winded here, so if you want more specific information, pm me.