I guess I’m around 14%bf. 27m 177cm 72kg That past few months I’ve been doing a 3 day full body workout with 2 15 minute hiit exercises, usually rowing machine. I’ve lost 20kg last year through changing my diet. I’m just not sure if I should focus solely on building muscle or dropping some fat. I’m eating 2500 calories per day right now. Any advice would be super appreciated.
What is your long term goal?
Is there a reason you can’t do both?
It’s really simply a matter of preference, and as dagill mentioned, your long-term goals are relevant to this choice. But you’re not so lean that you can’t continue to make solid progress in gaining muscle while also continuing to lean out. I would continue to pursue both for the time being.
You’ve got a good base for shoulders. As they grow it will help with the tapered look. Also focus on back and chest development, all which are big muscles and will help make you a calorie burning machine.
My personal saying is “the way to a smaller waist is to build a bigger back”.
Look up some programs that incorporate deadlifts, squats, bench, shoulder presses and face pulls for traps.
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I’d really like to have an athletic look, you know it a 6 pack and all
That’s a pretty broad definition. Can you give a specific example?
I’m not trying to be awkward, I just feel you’d be best placed making sure everyone who’s advising you has a pretty good idea where you want to get to.
Go read @jackolee’s log starting at the beginning and see what it took for him to achieve the look he got to compete. He did an awesome job of documenting EVERYTHING
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Thanks! I’ll check it out!
That seems like an extremely achievable physique. Someone like @steigs log may be of interest, although I haven’t been on there recently to see the detail. Also @IronOne, @aldebaran for a few off the top of my head.
I certainly see no reason to bulk to achieve that, I believe it will simply take good dietary control, consistent weight lifting and time.
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I second what was said above. At your current development that build is more then achievable.
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Just run through programs off this site over the course of the year. Hit them hard and physique will take off…
https://www.t-nation.com/training/yearly-strength-plan
Thanks for the tag @dagill2
I agree with what all has been said. It’s really quite basic. That physique will not be hard to achieve. What’s the fastest way is the real question.
In my opinion…
Hit giant sets of 4-5 exercises in the 10-20 rep range for all exercises. Move fast during the giant sets, but allow for recovery between them (3-4 mins).
I love this type of training for trying to beat the system, as in, gain muscle and lean up at the same time. And since your ideal physique is just a few notches above where you are, you can effectively do it. Pretty quickly too. Say, a year? Maybe two. Depends on how dedicated/adherent you are.
Your diet needs to be right. I’d stay in a calorie deficit for faster results. Workout days maybe baseline, but off days stay in a considerable deficit.
Take a bunch of walks if you have time. The effect brisk walks have on body comp and recovery has been magical for me.
Good luck.
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Thanks so much for the advice. Do you really think it would take a year or more? What about 6 months? Not trying to be impatient here, just wondering if it’s a realistic goal.
It’s possible. Shedding the fat will be the easy part as long as you are adherent to your plan. You probably need to add 5-10lb muscle, which is the pet that may take a bit longer especially since you’re attacking two goals at once.
It’s probably doable. You’ll just have to be very strict.
It’s not possible to give a time frame on how someone else might progress. Might be 3 month might be 3 years. Way too many factors can come into play.
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Eh I disagree. A general timeframe is just a guesstimate. As long as some of the variables are given (hard, consistent, adherent) a safe dart can be thrown. It’s not like he’s expecting the physique in 182.5 days. He’s wondering if it’s possible. It is possible, in my opinion.
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I was just making comment how some guys want a exact time frame. In full agreement the op is more then able to get there. In a short time if he puts in the work.
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honestly, if you just diet your fat off, you’ve probably got that much muscle already. You could probably do it in a couple months with a proper diet. The guy in that picture is carrying very little muscle.
This seems like it will be the easiest transformation in T Nation history, lol.
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I think you guys are over estimating how much muscle I have lol