TOPIC: Training for Aesthetics-Worth It In Your Opinion

Dannn wrote: Getting to low body fat % is, by far, the easiest part. Everybody can get abs like boy toy.

What are your goals right now? If you want to loose weight then stick to the compound moves. Do them heavy (4-8 reps, 25-40 reps per body part). You're in a calorie deficit therefore your recovery is greatly reduced. Adjust volume accordingly.

This is how everything fitness related works - you train hard as hard as your recovery allows you, rest, super compensation happens and you come back bigger/stronger/faster/whatever. So ask yourself this: do you really need the extra work at the end to stimulate the muscle? As long as you're a natty, no. Your recovery will ALWAYS be the limiting factor. More is not always better.

FS-Ronin wrote: If anyone more experienced then me read this and thinks I'm crazy, please, by all means, read my log and offer advice, I want to be the best I can be


Currently, I am only doing ISO lifts and am seeing great results, I think it is because I am able to put 100% of my energy into the exact muscle group that I want. I also think the fact that I had been doing compound lifts for 8+ years straight I have some "residual" core strength and size for the lack of a better term. Believe it or not, my back and chest etc.. is better looking now then it was when I was doing compounds.

T Raww wrote: From your signature it seems your trying to lose weight. Thereby do not do too much volume cause you are in a caloric deficiet.
You would benefit from a fullbody routine, upper/lower or p/p/l.
Never heard of the level mid-level stregnth, but if you write some numbers out that would defiently help for helping you out.

AboveAverageDude wrote:

T Raww wrote: From your signature it seems your trying to lose weight. Thereby do not do too much volume cause you are in a caloric deficiet.
You would benefit from a fullbody routine, upper/lower or p/p/l.
Never heard of the level mid-level stregnth, but if you write some numbers out that would defiently help for helping you out.

My 1RM at age 37 and 185 lbs. is 245 on bench. Nothing record breaking but better than the average gym dude. I think my form is really good, no bouncing off the chest or arching of the back.

Terminator wrote: I think it's worth it. I attached a picture of me when I was training for powerlifting and now that I'm training for aesthetics. I was stronger before, but now my muscle diameters are bigger and I have more muscle mass. You be the judge. I think you can see from my expression which training style I feel happier doing

I do a couple of big compound lifts at the beginning and then lotsa isolation work, lotsa volume.

AboveAverageDude wrote:

jimwendler wrote: I don't think you need to choose aesthetics vs strength, at least not until you're a more advanced lifter. There are tons of programs that have you doing heavy compound lifts with some isolation pump work at the end. I'd feel ridiculous if I had a lot of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy without any strength to back it up, but you don't need to completely eliminate higher rep work. Also, as long as you lift, most of the aesthetic look is just having sub 10% bodyfat.

True. And I do a decent amount of deadlifts, bench presses and squats. But I am obsessed with my arms and they usually get their own day at the gym. I do my barbell curls, but later on follow up with isolation movements like spider curls (highly recommended for shaping but not mass). My diet is very much on point.

I think women love my combination of large arms and a (somewhat) lean body. It conveys both strength and attractiveness.

Dannn wrote:

Terminator wrote: I think it's worth it. I attached a picture of me when I was training for powerlifting and now that I'm training for aesthetics. I was stronger before, but now my muscle diameters are bigger and I have more muscle mass. You be the judge. I think you can see from my expression which training style I feel happier doing

I do a couple of big compound lifts at the beginning and then lotsa isolation work, lotsa volume.

I don't mean to undermine your results in any way terminator, but don't you think it's worth mentioning that you're not a natty?

Terminator wrote: I think it's worth it. I attached a picture of me when I was training for powerlifting and now that I'm training for aesthetics. I was stronger before, but now my muscle diameters are bigger and I have more muscle mass. You be the judge. I think you can see from my expression which training style I feel happier doing

I do a couple of big compound lifts at the beginning and then lotsa isolation work, lotsa volume.

Edit: I should mention that I'm not a natty, but I firmly believe the difference in training style would be the same even if I was.

hunk wrote: an attractive male body is athletic with more lean mass than the average guy and low body fat... however you wanna get there doesn't matter... very few girls will care

but there are certain exercises which will add lean mass and shred fat much more efficiently so why waste your time with anything else

"A -list" exercises IMO: push ups, pull ups, squats, dead lifts, clean and press, rows, bench press, sprints, power walking... all of these will either add mass or shred fat quick some of them will do both
im not an expert but I have a nice body