Training & Nutrition - How can I lose upper body muscle?

In my teens and into my late 20's I had always worked out to gain muscle mass. Now that I'm 35, I'd like to lose some of the bulky muscle on my upper body and get leaner/thinner.

Can you give me some advice as to how to go about it? I've still been going to the gym, but I stopped lifting for the upper body. I do mostly cardio at the gym and I still put in as many hours as possible training on the road bike. The only weight lifting I do is for the legs and calfs.

I'm a good climber and can hold my own in the sprints. I just think that losing some extra muscle weight in the arms, chest, and shoulder areas will benefit me on the bike.

thanks

Perhaps not. Your core muscle group (back and stomach) are particularly important in maintaining a stable position on the bike. The neck, shoulder, triceps, and forearm muscles require great stamina (if not raw strength) to maintain correct racing form. Emphasize moderate to low weights and high reps for upper body conditioning.

Just don't do any upper-body exercises and the muscles will atrophy to be the minimum needed for the exertion level. This takes a lot of time, months, years.

The other thing you can do is use up muscle for energy. This requires riding to completely deplete your glycogen and not eating much for the recovery. However, this has detrimental effects on your legs muscles as well. I'm not sure which muscles the body decides to tear apart to replenish your glycogen stores. I would surmise that it does it even all around. However, the muscle that are torn and worn, like the leg muscles, probably get rebuilt more than the upper body ones.

The other thing you can do is use up muscle for energy. This requires riding to completely deplete your glycogen and not eating much for the recovery. However, this has detrimental effects on your legs muscles as well. I'm not sure which muscles the body decides to tear apart to replenish your glycogen stores. I would surmise that it does it even all around. However, the muscle that are torn and worn, like the leg muscles, probably get rebuilt more than the upper body ones.

What's more important is your heart--a muscle, too. In a highly glycogen depleted state, the protein for gluconeogenesis can come from any and all lean body tissue not just muscle.

In my teens and into my late 20's I had always worked out to gain muscle mass. Now that I'm 35, I'd like to lose some of the bulky muscle on my upper body and get leaner/thinner.

Can you give me some advice as to how to go about it? I've still been going to the gym, but I stopped lifting for the upper body. I do mostly cardio at the gym and I still put in as many hours as possible training on the road bike. The only weight lifting I do is for the legs and calfs.

I'm a good climber and can hold my own in the sprints. I just think that losing some extra muscle weight in the arms, chest, and shoulder areas will benefit me on the bike.

thanks


I am trying to do the same thing. I'm 42 yrs old and have a "thick or dense" upper body. I have espescially large abs. I am simply changing my program to lighter weights and higher reps..up to 3 sets of 20. Not sure how long it will take to change. I understand Pilates will help to stretch and "lengthen" the muscles thus creating a leaner appearance.

[QUOTE=DannoXYZ]Just don't do any upper-body exercises and the muscles will atrophy to be the minimum needed for the exertion level. This takes a lot of time, months, years.

+1
Last year I was doing tri's and spent a lot of time working on my upper body/swimming muscles.
I used to do tons of high rep weights on the pecs, lats, triceps, etc.....
I quit that about six months ago to focus on cycling only and I'm amazed at how much upper body tone I still have. At least it's not bulk though. Just lean mass.

The thing that helped me with my biking was upper body muscle mass. I used to have such bad pain in my neck shoulders and traps when biking long distances. When I started weight training involving these muscles I found that the neck and shoulder pain dissapeared

My skinny arse hates you. :D

seeing as there is no such thing as spot reduction, I'd say not so fast when you say you want to lose the muscle/bulk. That will happen as you age naturally. I am 41, and did a lot of weight lifting in my day. I began road biking/racing in earnest at 36, and I value my strength.
I focus on bosu and pilates, to temper the muscle loss with more agility. As I finished my 4th decade, I find that muscle losses happen naturally.

You can't pick your parents, so the same genes that blessed you with the ability to add bulk/muscle as a result of exercise is the same genes that now 'curse' you.

After 5,000 miles a year for 6 years, I have lost 25 lbs and while my upper body will never be 'lean' I have evolved into a leaner overall body.

People will suggest to do shoulder workouts to create that tapered look, or work the core (that is really where its at) but I suspect your mind is wanting a result you can't reverse.

Focus on firming yourself with pilates or bosu and bands and lighten up the lifting to range of motion workouts rather than all out muscle tearing/building ones.

A lot happens at 40 (I didn't believe it, but that seems to be the dividing line)

So revel in your mass and do your bike workouts so you get leaner (it might take several seasons. Oh sure, you can lose weight over a season, but it takes seasons of regular activity and eating right to effect a shape change at this point in your life)

Work the fly machine with a minimum amt of weight and use it as a range of motion exercise for example. Use minimum amt weight dumbells that you saw only the scrawny guys use and emphysize range of motion.

Enjoy the results if you do it right. You know your body the best. My joints like the new routine as well.

I am 41...As I enter my 4th decade, I find that muscle losses happen naturally.

Um, I hate to break this to you. You're entering your 5th decade. ;)

There is a way to lose your muscles with exercise. If you do things wrong your body starts using muscles itself as the energy source. I'd recommend to go to the weighlifters forum and ask that question over there.

[QUOTE=DannoXYZ]Just don't do any upper-body exercises and the muscles will atrophy to be the minimum needed for the exertion level. This takes a lot of time, months, years.

+1
Last year I was doing tri's and spent a lot of time working on my upper body/swimming muscles.
I used to do tons of high rep weights on the pecs, lats, triceps, etc.....
I quit that about six months ago to focus on cycling only and I'm amazed at how much upper body tone I still have. At least it's not bulk though. Just lean mass.


I was a meat head at one time. I haven't touch a weight in a 2 years and it's slowly coming off. It's a lean 185 lbs at 6'2". For me losing fat is easy but losing muscle is hard. Having had a brother with muscular dystrophy, I aint complaining.

, I'd like to lose some of the bulky muscle on my upper body and get leaner/thinner.
i dare you to post this on the bodybuilding forum :D

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/index.php?

Very easy to do. Stop working out on the upper body (at least high weight, low rep wise) and get into an activity that requires a lot of aerobic and anaerobic ability such as running or cycling. The body will naturally lose the "mass". A friend of mine went from being a serious "body-builder" at about 185lb to one heck of a serious marathon runner at about 150lb during one approximately 6-month training season for marathon racing.

How much of that 30-lb weight-loss is fat vs. muscle? So I take it that it's a correct assumption to say that you can lose muscle faster than you can build it?

Whatever advice you take, please do not try the Lance Armstrong Method for Upper Body Muscle Mass Loss. Expensive as hell, and it kind of messes with your friends' and family members' heads.

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I still plan on workout my lower back and abs, and I'll stay w/ low weight and high reps for the rest of the upper body once a week.

thanks

you won't lose muscle if you keep doing weights, even if you perform high reps, unless you're severely reducing your energy intake. Most people maintain leg muscle mass just from riding, even though cycling is super-high reps -- about 12,000 reps in a 3 hour ride. :)

He didn't have very much fat to begin with. He wasn't your typical NFL lineman type, he was more like a running back, therefore I would assume that it was mostly muscle mass that he lost. I would say that you can definitely lose it faster than you can build it.

what the hell is wrong with you? strength is good!

what the hell is wrong with you? strength is good!

Bulk muscle isn't good for long-distance athletes, carrying around all of that extra mass that you are not using only slows you down. Look at Lance, he doesn't weigh 225. :)

Can you give me some advice as to how to go about it?
bed rest

what the hell is wrong with you? strength is good!Something tells me this guy won't be riding very fast or winning many bike races...

http://www.gururacing.com/cycling/TrainingForm/bodybuilder.jpg

Something tells me this guy won't be riding very fast or winning many bike races...

http://www.gururacing.com/cycling/TrainingForm/bodybuilder.jpg
this photo has been altered...where ever you got it from.

and correct, since body mass is in the denominator of the VO2 formula, they are reciprocally related

Something tells me this guy won't be riding very fast or winning many bike races...

http://www.gururacing.com/cycling/TrainingForm/bodybuilder.jpg

I notice that this guy cut off his photo above the calf muscles. Does he have something to hide? :rolleyes:

My skinny arse hates you. :D
+1

Wow, with the load BS being posted in this thread, you should already be toned down, just by wading through it.

However, I suspect you may have sucked a few granules of accurate advice from amonst the rest of th dregs.

My additional "shovel full" of cyber-manure would be to direct your focus and attention away from your body-type and advise you to "aim" your efforts at just being a better cyclist. Bear in mind, any "reimaging" of your body could take the rest of your life to complete.

Bear in mind, any "reimaging" of your body could take the rest of your life to complete.

Maybe not the rest of your life, but patience-testing amount of time.

This happened to me over 4-5 years starting at age 40 after a lot of road running training:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/NoRacer/contrast2.jpg

Now, I'm 48 and look like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/NoRacer/May2005b.jpg

I still have too much muscle for my liking, but I just keep plugging away at the aerobic exercise. I do no lifting.

You want to lose muscle in the upper body? Simple. Just stop working the upper body. Keep doing your heavy leg workouts and go in a slight caloric deficit. Our bodies love to get rid of that "calorie costly" muscle.

And don't do that whole 20-50 rep BS. That won't "tone" your muscle. It doesn't work that way. Either the muscle grows or not. Since you don't want to grow the muscle, don't work it.

Maybe not the rest of your life, but patience-testing amount of time.
...Now, I'm 48 and look like this:
...I still have too much muscle for my liking, but I just keep plugging away at the aerobic exercise. I do no lifting.Damn dude! You look better at 48 than 40! Great job, keep up the good work! :)

You want to lose muscle in the upper body? Simple. Just stop working the upper body. Keep doing your heavy leg workouts and go in a slight caloric deficit. Our bodies love to get rid of that "calorie costly" muscle.

And don't do that whole 20-50 rep BS. That won't "tone" your muscle. It doesn't work that way. Either the muscle grows or not. Since you don't want to grow the muscle, don't work it.
you can train for hypertrophic vs endurance trained muscle

Yeah! BUt he looked like a girlyman....You want to look like a girly man? ;)

I am 22 years old, 6'0" and currently weigh in at 190. I have a very athletic build, pretty proportional top to bottom. I have been riding for 8 years (as well as playing other sports) and now that I have joined a competitive club team, I want to get more serious about cycling. My goal is to shed some upper body muscle mass. I have read the threads and have seen several themes:

1. Stop lifting upper body, and you will loose the weight.
-Well, I don't lift upper body, only lower.
2. Do lots of Cardio
-I've been riding about 150-200 miles/week for months
3. Cut calories
-Over the winter I would like to start lifting lower body so I still need energy, so I can't cut too many calories.

Any words of wisdom to lose upper body muscle mass?

Catabolism + atrophy.

Eat less, ride more. Don't carb load before, during, or after exercising. Put down the Gatorade. You don't need it for an hour ride. You don't need it for a low intensity two hour ride. For longer and/or higher intensity efforts, you're going to need something. The upside is, since you can't possibly keep up with expenditures during exercise, there's still plenty of room for catabolism. Don't put anything in your mouth post-ride, especially if it's high-glycemic food. Munching on high-glycemic foods suppresses the UPP (ubiquitin-proteasome pathway). Google that if you want to know more. In layman, as far as I understand it, if you eat something that your body can readily turn into glycogen to replenish what you've burned through exercise, then you're body promptly ceases to consume fat and muscle to do so.

In summary: do everything you're not supposed to, but not so much so that you can't get in a good quality workout. The best time to do this would be winter and the early "base" part of training. Just don't overdo it. Blow your base, blow your season.

Other methods:
Take a thyroid pill. Excess thyroid often puts people into a catabolic state 24/7.
Cortisol. Either overtrain, stress yourself out, or shoot up with it.
Become diabetic. Insulin is a UPP-blocking hormone.
Introduce some trauma that shocks the system: cancer, AIDS, severe burns, pro-longed lack of sleep.
Sporadic eccentric (negative) lifting. Twice or so month go to the gym with a spotter and way over do it. For good measure, don't eat for 24 hours afterward.
Go to space. Zero gravity does interesting things to the body.

3. Cut calories
-Over the winter I would like to start lifting lower body so I still need energy, so I can't cut too many calories.

Any words of wisdom to lose upper body muscle mass?

If you want to do this at a noticeable rate you're going to be tired. Competitive bodybuilders are always tired because they simultaneously increase the training load while going into calorific deficit - hence their ridiculously low body-fat percentages. Don't work out the upper body - concentrate on training the muscles you want to retain - don't increase your calories, and maybe get a higher percentage of them from protein - and increase either the mileage or the intensity of some of your workouts on the bike.

You'll lose weight. Some will come from fat, some will come from upper-body muscle. The protein you're eating will continue to maintain the muscles you're training. You might find that as the body-fat percentage comes down you don't really need to lose as much of the muscle as you now imagine, so monitor what you're doing and adjust your diet accordingly.

I believe your upper body lean muscle mass is largely determined by genetics, particularly if you aren't lifting. You can reduce your bodyfat % but you're not going to shrink your muscles and turn into Michael Rasmussen.

if you stop working the muscles, they won't necessarily get dramatically smaller, but they will certainly get a helluva lot weaker. With that said, if your going to get serious with cycling, you don't have a need to have incredibly strong pecs, lats, biceps, etc. The way to go about this would be to do minimal upper body training to maintain strength and to simply ramp up your cycling training. Not training the upper body is an option though since you really don't need to have a whole lot of strength to keep your upper body up on the bike. A little bit of strength in the triceps is about it. You can continue to do core strength work like plank, side plank, and various types of crunches and medicine ball ab work.

Kevin Durant is rapidly becoming the next big star in the NBA and one of the tests they do in the NBA version of the NFL combine is a 185lb bench press test (NFL test is 225). Durant couldn't do any!!!!!! somehow that hasn't slowed him down. So in my opinion the solution is to commit to training on the bicycle the way you used to commit to training in the gym and the desired results will come in time, just like they did in the gym.

My technique:

1) Don't change your diet.
2) Keep riding.
3) Stop leg workouts at the gym.
4) Reduce trips to the gym to once or twice a week - and when you do, concentrate on core and shoulders.
5) Ride more.

This is exactly what I did, unintentionally, but simply as the by-product of me taking a significant interest in cycling. I was an avid crossfitter - best shape in my life at 32 yrs old. I was 6'0 and 165lbs - considered myself to be pretty "cut". Hitting the gym 6-7 times a week.

Fast forward today - 8 months after taking up cycling, rode about 2500km this summer. My wife mentioned today that I'm significantly less bulky than I was when I started cycling. I still weigh the same, but I've lost a lot of mass and definition in my arms and shoulders - but my legs have gained quite a bit. I ride 3-4 times a week, usually 60-80km per ride - and still hit the gym MAYBE twice a week, but more like once a week.

[/URL] Exercise is a great way to burn fat all over your body while making you feel better about yourself. Some great upper body exercise to burn fat are walking with arm weights, jogging at least 3 miles and swimming. [URL="http://www.ehow.com/how_4796830_burn-upper-body-fat.html#ixzz10hgzNbLS"]
(http://www.ehow.com/sports/)

I don't understand why you would want to lose muscle - bulk, maybe, muscle extremely rarely if ever.

Unlike most people here, my advice would be to not stop lifting for the upper body. Instead, an old gym coach told me that one should lift lighter weights many times to maintain strength & burn fat/calories while maintaining muscle definition. Muscle bulk is tied to generally greater strength capacity but by switching to, and staying with, lighter weights, you'll gradually lose undesired bulk and still be "strong" with longer endurance.

For example, lift 5 sets with 60% of your "normal" weights rather than 3 with the max you can normally do. Rarely if ever lift heavy weights to exhaustion.

In cycling terms, you want to "spin" not mash, the weights.

In my teens and into my late 20's I had always worked out to gain muscle mass. Now that I'm 35, I'd like to lose some of the bulky muscle on my upper body and get leaner/thinner.

Can you give me some advice as to how to go about it? I've still been going to the gym, but I stopped lifting for the upper body. I do mostly cardio at the gym and I still put in as many hours as possible training on the road bike. The only weight lifting I do is for the legs and calfs.

I'm a good climber and can hold my own in the sprints. I just think that losing some extra muscle weight in the arms, chest, and shoulder areas will benefit me on the bike.

thanks

Try swimming. The force levels are low, and the reps are very high. You should be able to develop more of a lean-muscular look verses the thick-muscular. However, it could take a year or two, be patient.

Try swimming. The force levels are low, and the reps are very high. You should be able to develop more of a lean-muscular look verses the thick-muscular. However, it could take a year or two, be patient.

He posted this almost 5 years ago. I think he's done a pretty good job of losing some of his upper body since then.