I do a lot of running and biking and I'm pretty slim (some might call me skinny though). I decided to work out a little in the gym, and when I'm not in the gym I do a lot of pushups, pull ups and chinups.

I'm worried that I will bulk up too much though which will affect my running the most, and probably also my biking. But people tell me I need to take protein shakes (I just drink a glass of milk afterwards instead) in order to get the benefits from a workout. What to do?

I look for tone and fitness as well as weight management. Advice I have often seen to avoid "body building" results is to do high reps with relatively low weights. I do drink shakes which are higher in protein than other ingredients, but not actual "Protien" drinks per se. I use some of the Edge products. So far this advice is working for me.

i've had the same concerns. i use a GNC protein powder to make a protein drink because i don't eat meat and get very little protein. i've also been trying the weight system by that russian guy, pavel trampoline, or however you pronounce his name. he has the opposite approach to the one above; he's an advocate of high weights for very few reps. higher weights than a bodybuilder uses, because you're doing fewer reps than they normally perform. 2 sets of a weight you can lift 5 times. after trying this method, i'm a firm believer in it. i haven't bulked up a bit and, while i'm sure no ah-h-h-h-nold, i'm bench pressing more than i ever have before. look the same, weigh the same, but i'm stronger. his little 100 page book is grossly overpriced, but his methods have worked for me, so i guess i shouldn't complain

Should I do more pushups and pullups instead? My bodybuilding friends tell me they don't bulk you much, if at all, but do help with strength.

i can't answer that. pavel's program only requires deadlifts and one-armed presses. i throw in some bench presses and cycling-specific stuff, but i do that according to his principles; 2 sets and high weights. seems to work for me. i've since dropped my gym membership and bought a simple weight set that i use in the basement, so pullups aren't an option for me

Can someone recommend me a training program that provides no results please?

If you want to truly increase long term strength (not just increase fiber recruitment) you are going to have to gain some muscle mass. Yes it may hurt your running if you currently look like a Kenyan marathoner, but you will look better and be able to open a stuck jar. It’s all about priorities.

Here is my suggestion, add some upper body muscle mass using classical weight training programs and with some extra calories in your diet. Then when you get to the point when your run times level off or increase cut it out. During your post weight training period your legs can cannibalize the muscles of your upper body for protein.

Im just worried about bulking up with the flab. Is there a diet which I could follow that would help me bulk up without all the flab?

It's near impossible to lose fat, gain muscle, and lose weight, all at the same time. Do it in stages. As to which to do first, I don't know what's better. Anyone have any ideas?

Gaining muscle first will help lose fat later, but loosing weight first helps the brain see results and make the effort to continue.

exactly, if you wanna get ripped or be toned you need to bulk up first.... just like a sculptor... you need to get clay before you mold it into anything.

Yeah I have already gained about 7 pounds so far. When should I be concerned with trimming the fat?

exactly, if you wanna get ripped or be toned you need to bulk up first.... just like a sculptor... you need to get clay before you mold it into anything.

I have too much clay already! Does anybody need some?

Update: I have bulked up a bit I guess around 5lbs so far and everything looks good. I dont think there is a need to worry about bulking up too much for most people. I just drank milk instead of all those protein powder stuff and that was it for my "recovery drink". Also, having a good diet helps. I dont think I need to cut with this method because so far my body has stabilized with the bulking

It's near impossible to lose fat, gain muscle, and lose weight, all at the same time.

It is possible. I've done it.

Your body's response to weight training is largely genetic. Some people respond quicker than others to weight training and bulk up faster. Why be worried about bulking up too much? If you get too bulky then simply stop your weight training.

Protein shakes are bull****. Lack of protein is rarely an issue for most people (especially men) eating normally (i.e. not on some goofy diet). Eat a steak.

add dips and do pilates / core workouts. The core will help the most without bulking up.
When you get off the saddle after 4 hours without back pain you'll know your core is good.

Personally I think "lifting weights" is a waste of time. Most of the advice above is spot on - you'll be fine with pullups, dips, pushups and a lot of core. You'll find that helps with building functional muscle, as opposed to "gym" muscle. I climb, and if you look at climbers builds they are very strong, but like cycling there is a penalty for carrrying any extra weight. So they tend to be very lean, though with more upper body than a typical cyclist or runner. Body weight exercises are all you need - with the added benefit of being pretty time efficient.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkBkZpK-fYQ

This guy is toned. I think he's like, 5'4" and 135 lbs and I'm guessing very little body fat. Hell I have over 10 lbs on this guy but he looks twice my size..

Yeah I love beef and I just get a bit more healthy meat.. I dont do all that diet garbage that body builders do (carb sissies ahaha)

Does anybody rememeber that Japanese Hotdog Champ? I think he is the definition of skinny but muscular.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkBkZpK-fYQ

This guy is toned. I think he's like, 5'4" and 135 lbs and I'm guessing very little body fat. Hell I have over 10 lbs on this guy but he looks twice my size..

that guy has a lot of anaerobic strength

I do a lot of running and biking and I'm pretty slim (some might call me skinny though). I decided to work out a little in the gym, and when I'm not in the gym I do a lot of pushups, pull ups and chinups.

I'm worried that I will bulk up too much though which will affect my running the most, and probably also my biking. But people tell me I need to take protein shakes (I just drink a glass of milk afterwards instead) in order to get the benefits from a workout. What to do?

You might be a little skinny, so you decided to hit the weights, but you're scared you might stop being skinny? Huh?

A lot of women have this notion too - "I don't want to lift weights, that will make me get big and gross!". That's insulting to bodybuilders and power lifters, and it doesn't work like that. What if your 260 pound neighbor who hasn't exercised in 10 years told you "I don't want to ride a bike, I'll end up looking like..." and insert your favorite emaciated rider of choice?

Lifting weights is good exercise. Push ups and pull ups are good exercise. Biking and running are good exercise. Variety in your training is just plain awesome.

Lastly, your physical appearance is based much more heavily on your diet. If you ride 50 miles a day, but take in more calories than you burn, you'll never get thin. Likewise, unless you eat like a 200 pound bodybuilder while working out like one, you'll never look like that. Experiment, and keep your caloric intake as close to maintenance as possible, and you won't have any problems with lifting weights. Don't be scared to take in some protein after lifting either - it will help with recovery.

Make sure you keep lifting and eating enough protein when you are cutting, as you will want to minimize muscle loss.

I heard eat x amount of protein for x amount of weight you have on to prevent muscle breakdown in a weight loss plan.

That was a old post from a while ago..

I started eating a good diet and working out semi moderately and so far so good. I dont do the cut and bulk thing like bodybuilders though, just eat a good diet with a bit extra protein without any diet cycles or stuff like that.. The whole cutting and bulking thing seems like unnecessary extra work for my purposes

Unless you have exceptional genetics, I wouldn't worry too much about inadvertent bulking up. After all, the people who do bulk up have to work very diligently and/or take steriods to do so. If you keep up your regular training, strength training, even if it adds a few pounds, will only be beneficial.

Dan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkBkZpK-fYQ

This guy is toned. I think he's like, 5'4" and 135 lbs and I'm guessing very little body fat. Hell I have over 10 lbs on this guy but he looks twice my size..

:eek:

I'll tell you like I tell me female clients who say the same thing - i don't want to get all those bulky muscles: Right before you're about to approach greek goddess, we'll stop. Until then, pick up that damn weight.

my understanding is that the degree to which you bulk up from weight lifting depends mostly on your genetics. It has to do with the mix of muscle fiber types you have, I think it's the fast twitch type that are able to grow in response to weight training. If you dont have very many of that type, you can lift like Arnold but you'll never look like him.

Other factors, such as the style of training, your diet, the amount of cardio you do, also have a fairly minor impact but it's your genetics that determine your degree of bulkitude.

I'll tell you like I tell me female clients who say the same thing - i don't want to get all those bulky muscles: Right before you're about to approach greek goddess, we'll stop. Until then, pick up that damn weight.

That's a great line. I always think what our high schools would look like if it were as easy to "bulk up" as people think -- they'd be full of little Arnolds. Scary.

THe thing is that it's much, much harder for women to bulk-up muscle. They get toner much easier.

As for guys, even the professional bodybuilders has to work out for years to get the muscle-mass that they have. Us cyclists may gain 5-lbs max, but it's worth it to double your strength. :) Go drop off 5-lbs of fat and you'll be fine.

As some others said - bulking up with muscle is not that easy. You have to work very very hard and really focus on what you eat. You are not going to look like a professional body builder working out 1 hour a day 3-5 days a week.
I too recommend functional strength stuff and recommend core performance books (core performance, core endurance or core essentials - or their website). Lots of things that will make you much stronger in ways you can use and you are not going to bulk up and be huge.


GNC would not sell about 90% of what they sell if it was even close to easy to get 'huge'

Bulking up depends on your reps in your exercise and also how much you eat. If you aren't eating above maintenance, how are you going to build new muscle?

when i first started cycling after highschool (about 2 yrs ago) i weighed 185 at 6'1 and lost 15 lbs in a month... my metabolism is very fast and i can eat ribs 3 times a week and not gain a pound... but according to my friends, girlfriend, n family i was TOO thin... so i stopped riding for 2 months... bought a weight gainer shake mix and began to lift heavy lbs at low reps... i gained all my weight back and put on an extra 5 lbs... 9 weeks ago i started my tri workout program and i now lift light weights at high reps... havent lost one pound, eat a lil healthier now, and look good... i lost the pudge from the weight gainer as it all went to my legs... i ride about 400 miles a week, run a lot n swim, and the cardio still hasnt made me lose weight... i think diet, and ur lifting will be ur big keys here... stick to a basic protein powder with no weight additive and start liftin, eat 6 small meals a day and ull eventually start to put on the weight n muscle u want... my 2 cents.

I do a lot of running and biking and I'm pretty slim (some might call me skinny though). I decided to work out a little in the gym, and when I'm not in the gym I do a lot of pushups, pull ups and chinups.

I'm worried that I will bulk up too much though which will affect my running the most, and probably also my biking. But people tell me I need to take protein shakes (I just drink a glass of milk afterwards instead) in order to get the benefits from a workout. What to do?


I do a lot of bodybuilding and i got into cycling to build my fitness up.

If you do a lot of running and cycling, you wont bulk up. Keep your protein high to conserve muscle.

As some said before "you cannto be a pro bodybuilder training 3-5 days a week"

Sure you can, most bodybuilder routines are 4-5 days per week. To be pro you need juice of course of you cannot compete.

I would encourage everyone to gain about 5 pounds of muscle from lifting and see what kind of different it makes. For me, at least, it was pretty considerable.

I would encourage everyone to gain about 5 pounds of muscle from lifting and see what kind of different it makes. For me, at least, it was pretty considerable.Yeah, enough to increase my TT speeds from 23 to 26mph. And increased my top-speed in sprints from 35 to 40mph. Of course during the year that it took to gain that muscle, I also lost 15-lbs of fat as well. :)