Finally…A Non-Bodybuilding Approach to Getting in Great Shape!

Just wanted to say hello…
I also help people but with health , cancer, and eating pure foods…
I like your website…
Cynthia
www.purerawcafe.com
www.myspace.com/cynthiabeavers

Kudos on keeping it entertaining.

You look a lot like David Beckham to me and I consider him the sexiest man on the planet right now!

The muscle-"monsters" are a HUGE turnoff. They are actually quite frightning!

Thanks for the info! Keep it up!

I'm not as good looking as David Beckham, but I'll take compliments where I can get them…thanks!

My goal is shift the thinking of guys away from thinking that the bigger they get, the more women they will attract. Women like regular sized guys who are in good shape.

My gym is filled with obnoxious, bulky meat heads. They yell, they wear terrible 80's clothes, and they are just plain obnoxious. I'm trying to catch people before they get to that phase. It helps to have women commenting on this.

I should put up a poll for women only…to give more evidence to the fact that "too much muscle" is NOT attractive.

Rusty

Hey Rusty…not only are you physically fit and nice looking…you actually have some common sense AND a sense of humor…how very refreshing! Are you married? LOL

You are absolutely 100% dead on! Women are not attracted to the "meat heads" you describe so accurately throughout your blog…we steer clear of them! We find them intimidating, shallow and "full of themselves". They think that their "superior" physique should automatically entitle them to only the beautiful babes in the world.

They need to get over it. Sure women look at them, but not because they think they are hot. After years of being stereotyped as being men of small minds and small…ahem…"feet" you would think they'd get the message.

We look at them for the same reasons that we look at a "hummer" on the street. It big and fascinating but we don't really want one. Well…maybe I would…the hummer I mean! LOL

Great blog…I visit often! Keep it up!

Well, if you are starting a poll…I agree. The WWE is full of these "bulky meat heads" and there's not one "sexy" man there! The "E" in WWE says it all…they are amazing but unnatural specimens. A show piece…"entertainment"…not someone you want to cuddle up with!

T,

You have it right…these guys are not attractive to women, but if you heard the conversations in my gym…most guys are confused about this. Thanks for the input.

Rusty

Cindy,

You have an awesome blog that is entertaining as well. There is so much bland junk out there, that it is nice to see well put together blogs with great content.

For anyone reading this…if you want to see a wildly entertaining blog about relationships, go to Cindy's Blog

Our Cheating Ways

Here is a sample of some great articles she wrote on her site:

Casual Definitions of Casual Sex
Top 10 Reasons Why Men Cheat
Today My Wife Met My Girlfriend!

Warning, once you go to her blog it will suck you in…this is the stuff everybody likes to read about!

Cheers,

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

Just wanted to thank you for all the nice comments and "plugs" to my website and blog! Made my night last nite! If you have any suggestions for me, I'm all ears….I just have a feeling you are a man with a lot of opnions! LOL!

BTW…your blog is awesome! Love to read it every morning!

~Angie

Angie,

Yeah…I have opinions that I'm not afraid to share. I don't know how smart it is to make fun of roided out bodybuilder mongoloids, but it sure is fun!

You have a great blog as well, so I don't mind plugging it…it will help a lot of the female readers out to get a fit women's perspective on stuff.

Rusty

The problem is your focusing on the things in life that don't really matter. When I was a kid I had hopes and dreams. We all did. But over time, the daily grind gets in the way and you miss the things that really matter, even though they are right in front of you, staring you in the face. I think the next time you should ask yourself "Am I on the right track here?". I don't mean to be rude but people like you I really pity. So maybe you could use the few brain cells you have and take advantage of the knowledge I have given you now. Good luck.

I'm offended by your comments on the perfect body. I can see that you are very proud of your body and I'm sure you work very hard to accomplish your goals in fitness, but just because someone doesn't share those same goals doesn't mean that they are wrong. I work very hard for the body I have developed. We definatly have different ideals on what the perfect body is, and is it so crazy to think that every person is different and has a different idea on what the perfect body is? It isn't about right and wrong, it is about preference and personal goals. Believe it or not, there are women out there who are attracted to a more muscular man, just as there are women out there who aren't. And there are women who are attracted to men all across the spectrum. I just don't think it's fair to generalize the fact that since you have a certain goal and some women appreciate that goal that it applies to everyone. I restate that I respect your work ethic in fitness and only ask that you treat others with different goals with the same respect.

Kyle,

Good comment. I'm really just trying to build a site for people who want to get toned without excessive muscle. There are many, many sites on gaining muscle…just trying to fill a void in the fitness "blogosphere".

In regards to women…the nice thing about women is that they are more forgiving about men as far as looks are concerned and yes…there are some women who like massive guys…It just isn't the focus of this particular blog.

Rusty

I just wanna throw my two cents in here. My goals ain't no where near the same as yours but I fully understand that and I respect yours. I did at times get offended about what your comments on bodybuilders (like my dad was) and football players (like I am), but when you think about it the sites I frequent clown on dudes like you too so it's all good. Personally I lift heavy and hard to get strong, size is a side effect that I just happen to enjoy. I really don't care what girls or other people say because they don't understand what it's like to bust your ass like me and my boys do in the weight room to get to our goals. One thing I notice though is what girls find attractive. I know white girls don't like the size or intimidation factors a dude like me, my dad or some of my team mates have, but I notice black girls LOVE the size and the things that go along with it. I think it has somethin' to do with the more violent culture out here in DA HOOD (haha), but that's just somethin' I wanted to throw out there, just for conversation sake.

p.s. I am a meathead but I took some offense to that whole mongoloid thing some female used to describe heavy lifters. I ain't dumb, I got a 158 IQ and graduated high school with a 4.0, so we're not stupid.. all of us that is lol. Cheers

Down South,

If I was in DA HOOD, I would try to be as big and badass as possible…and if I wanted to play football, I'd also do the same thing…and there are certainly a lot of white girls that dig bigger guys.

Guys with my goals do get ripped to shreads in those forums…and girls with similar goals don't feel comfortable in the typical mass building forum. I just wanted to create a friendlier place for those people.

Just to let you know, I'm a HUGE football fan…I also know that you have to be big to play football. The only position that I would have a chance to play at the size I'm at now is kicker…LOL!

Rusty

rusty,

if someone was extremely dedicated to the fight club tone up workout, HIIT cardio 7 days per week, and doing the warrior diet, had good muscle memory from being in shape in the past, do you think it would be possible to lose 40 lbs in two months?

AK,

Yeah…it certainly is possible. It is much easier to reach a point of fitness if you have been there before.

What I mean is that if Brad Pitt, put on 40 pounds of fat…he could get back to being in Fight Club shape quicker than someone who has never been that fit before.

I know I could lose 40 pounds in two months if I gained excess weight and needed to get back in shape. If you are disciplined, you can acheive extraordinary things.

Go for it, because it certainly is possible!

Rusty

My biggest pet peeve with you is that you make it out to seem that anyone with appreciable muscle mass is a meathead, and that it's oh so easy for people to achieve the "meathead" physique.

You say that it's easier to gain LBM than it is to lose fat. That's true in the sense that you don't have to be as strict with your diet when gaining, and that you have to do little to no cardio. That in and of itself is misleading though, because it actually takes much more time to build any level of quality lean mass than it is to lose fat. Anyone can lose ~20 lbs of fat in 3 months or so, but to gain 20 lbs of muscle takes much longer and requires just as much, if not more dedication.

Who do you think puts in more hard work, and subsequently gets more girls, the 145lb lean guy, or the 195 lb lean guy?

That's the end of my rant for now. Feel free to open this up for debate.

-dizzle

Dizzle,

It certainly takes a lot of time and effort to gain muscle…no question about it. My main point is that certain people simply don't want to gain all that muscle. There are tons of sites dedicated to gaining muscle and just not as many that focus on getting lean while staying slim.

Out of the sites that are dedicated to helping people get toned, most of those have really typical "main stream" advice…kind of watered down. A lot of the great advice that I have found has been in the much more "hardcore" forums…Unfortunately, those forums aren't friendly to people who just want to look slim and toned.

I put this site together to give cutting edge advice, but for people who don't want to gain excessive muscle mass. As far as being 195 vs. 145…I guess I'm thinking that most guys would look their best in the middle of that range.

Good comment Dizzle…your points do make sense,

Rusty

A lot of people may misinterpret your information. Guys who are 6'0" weighing 160 should not be trying to get "toned". I think guys similar to this should be trying to add as much mass as possible before even thinking about "toning".

Grant,

I have to disagree with you on one of your points. I don't ever recommend for someone to gain as much muscle as possible…unless they want to become a bodybuilder or look like a bodybuilder. That isn't the focus of this site. There are a ton of places for people to go who want to attain this look.

As far as someone weighing 160 at 6 feet tall…depending upon their frame they would probably want to gain a little muscle…probably between 10-25 pounds if they wanted a Hollywood look. Most likely this would easily be achieved just with a bit of resistance training.

The bodybuilding approach which includes bulking up and then cutting back would work, but I actually recommed looking toned while putting on this moderate amount of muscle. The approach I recommend is a slower process, but they can look good throughout the entire process instead of gaining too much fat during a bulking phase.

Good point though…there certainly are people who are really skinny and it wouldn't hurt for them to gain a bit of muscle…I just don't endorse excessive muscle.

Rusty

I was not referring to the bulking/cutting strategy of the past. I am talking about gaining size with minimal bodyfat. If a skinny person is trying for the Men's Health or Men's fitness cover model look, then he will need to gain some size. From what I have read, a Men's Fitness cover model is 5'10" to 6'0" and weighs anywhere from 180-200LBS. A person weighing 150 should try to put on as much muscle as possible. A routine of 20min of lifting followed by 40-45 min of cardio will not work.
A routine of basic compound exercises 3-4 times per. week and 15-20 min of HIIT would be better for the majority of skinny people.

Grant,

Yeah…I agree with you there. I still believe that weighing 180-200 pounds is a bit big at the 5'10" to 6'0" range, but certainly not excessive.

Rusty

I notice Brad Pitt's physique for Fight Club as the benchmark. Have you compared his Fight Club physique to Edward Norton's American History X physique? IMO if you compare the two physiques side by side, most men and women would pick the Edward Norton's physique.

Grant,

You know what…I will have to feature that in an upcoming post. I think Edward Norton looked great in that movie. I'll do a side by side comparison and maybe have a vote of some sort. Can't go wrong with either physique.

Thanks for the input…Great Idea!

Rusty

PS: That seen where he makes a guy bite the curb still may be one of the sicker things I've ever seen in a movie.

I like the info on your Blog. Specially the Facts and Tips about feeling healthy and by that looking good.

I am a 29 year old 5'10" male asian with a few extra lbs, tan complexion, and starting to loose hair on top. I wear a (french beard) ghottie all time. I work as IT Manager for a Telecom firm. Its like a sitting job.

I like myself to have a lean body with muscles toned but not massive. Also a funky look that could go with a formal office routine.

Advise please.

Just dropping a short line to say HI.
I have been a reader of your blog for some time now and i would like to say that a totally agree with you that fat loss is not as complicated as the "internet gurus" want you to believe and that you can get good results without being on some strict diets or taking bags of suplements etc.

I am starting a blog that also has the goal to give average people sane advice on exercise and nutrition for fat loss. take a look:

http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Trif,

That is great. I really enjoy meeting fellow "bloggers". It is a lot of work to put yourself and your opinions out there, especially "if you go against the grain" a bit. Expect to be challenged, but have fun with it.

You are off to a good start…I wish you great luck in helping many people!

Rusty

Rusty,

I want you to know that I appreciate the support.

It's true, it's hard to get your ideas across because of these guys promoting their supplements and crazy bodybuilding routines that have little use for average people.

In my opinion, what happens is that average people get paralysis from analysis of all that complicated information presented and procrastinate.

People need to know that losing fat is very simple, but not easy.

I hope we can get the message across.

Also I am looking forward to reading new posts from you. I always enjoy them.

Best of luck in helping many people!

Mircea
http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Hey Rusty,

I see that you changed the look of your site. To be honest: You really didn't needed to in my opinion. The previous layout was a lot more professional looking but hey, in the end it's about the content and you've got plenty of it!

btw: where did the search box go?

Remon,

Yeah…it was peer pressure! I am in a mastermind with a group of top bloggers. They told me to switch my theme to a 3 column theme called "Cutline"…but it is harder to read the content.

I switched this back, but there are a few glitches I'm fixing. I'll switch it over to that theme eventually, because there is major SEO benefits…I didn't like the way it looked either!

Rusty

Just wanted to let you know that because I like your content and writing style I linked to your site.

Best of luck in helping many people!

Mircea
http://burn-body-fat.blogspot.com/

Hey Rusty,

Hmm… well i'm sure it's better for the search engines, but if the content is harder to read then that's not quite what you want either, I guess. You could also consider switching to the "Culline" theme, but keep the colors and banner the same? Not saying that you should keep it forever, but it looks good just the way it is now in my opinion Also, I like "Advanced Tips Your Personal Trainer Doesn't Know about" better than "Dedicated To The Slim "Hollywood Look". But, the second tagline does explain the purpose of this site better, it's just not as catchy as the first one

Of course, these are just my opinions. Eventually, it's your site But whatever you do, just make sure you keep writing those brilliant articles! Because as long as you do, I wouldn't care much about the site turning pink or whatever

Remon,

Yep…I'm sticking with this format for longer, because I think it is easier to focus on the content with less distractions.

What is happening is this blog was started back in June and the traffic to my site started to jump through the roof in late September. I have advisors telling me to "widen" my site out to sell AD space in one of the side bars to monetize this site. People think I'm nuts for not having banners, etc. on a high-volume site.

Anyway…it is more important to me that I connect with my readers than it is to make money from my site at this point in time. At some point the traffic will be so high that it will cost me money in bandwidth and to get this site on a high-powered dedicated server, so I'll have to monetize.

Probably "too much information"…LOL!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I'm not a big fan of ads, but I don't think this site should cost you anything, other than time. Placing a couple of ads really isn't a bad idea in the near future because it would allow you to compensate or break even with the financial costs involved running this blog

I just stumbled across your site, and all I can say is thank you! This is the kind of fitness advice I have been looking for.

This site is such a great thing to see amongst the sea of bodybuilding sites and advice that claim that major bulking is the key to a great physique.

This is definitely a place I will be coming back to often.

Graham,

Glad to have you on board as a reader! I really encourage comments, so feel free to comment on a post or another reader's comments, etc.

There are a TON of guys and girls that don't want to look bulky. There are a lot of exciting studies and developments which will help all of us achieve our goals that much quicker. My job is to search, discuss and find experts and methods that are rarely discussed in traditional fitness or bodybuilding magazines.

Good Times!

Rusty

Hello Rusty!

First of all I would very much like to thank you for the wonderful site.
I have been reading it for quite some time now.
I am a person from the younger generation, who you often claim to be wanting more muscle. I have to admit I find your site absolutely fabulous and the theories posted here seem much more logical than the ones on regular fitness sites. Therefore I am a bit different from all the younger guys, since I have been following your advice for several months with great results!

I also have a question to ask.:

I have been doing a weight loss program combo using the different methods you describe on this site. Eat less times per day, fewer reps with higher weights, interval training and so forth.
Now starting from January I would like to make 2 months of intense cardio to prepare for summer. I am not that concerned about my overall muscle mass, because I am fairly satisfied with that. However, my upper chest is a bit undeveloped and I was wondering if maybe by doing a more intense chest workout once a week during this program and drinking a protein shake right after the workout I could improve that state? Just an idea, my main goal still is to lose some last fat leftovers. I can always make a different program for minor mass gaining later.

Well this turned out to be long, sorry about that!

Thanks very much again for the great site, keep up the good work.

Faithful reader from Estonia, currently residing in Denmark.

Jaan

Jaan,

To build muscle mass, you are going to want to focus on a workout that "pumps up" that muscle a bit. I recommend avoiding the pump to get toned, but it is a good way to build muscle.

So…keep your reps and volume low for the rest of your body and do the traditional higher volume bodybuilding approach for your upper chest…15 total sets of 6-12 reps. Maybe do 3 different exercises. Don't do any lifts for the rest of your chest as it will get worked to an extent when you work upper chest. Drink that protein shake right after working out and one hour later eat a traditional healthy meal.

That will do the trick for sure!

Rusty

PS: I have a lot of readers from Estonia now. Another place that I should visit!

rusty:

i just wanted to tell you that you are incredibly hot, sexy, intelligent, honest, motivating, and witty. also, you say you do not have the Hollywood look? i most definitely disagree. i see your picture and you are incredibly good looking much like beckham and brad pitt. awesome site. i also read ALL your articles on ezine. I take your advice very seriously. thanks for everything.

I also wanted to state that you are absolutely right about women not being attracted to bulky guys. They look unnatural and the site of veins popping out is disgusting. I am a 19 year old girl and do NOT find bulky men attractive. I like lean, moderately muscular men with low body fat, defined abs, and sexy, defined jaw (result of low bodyfat). lol.
also, thanks so much for your bluntness about having good fitness role models. It was very inspiring to hear that anyone can have a nice body with discipline and hard work. It would be nice if you could comment back. thanks again.

Lorna,

Thanks for the wonderful compliments. It is always nice to hear good things about yourself. I had my 38th birthday yesterday, but feel like I look better than I ever have.

I need to write more often for you guys. I've slacked off a bit in December, but feedback like this really lets me know that I need to push a bit harder.

I am doing women a service by telling guys the typical look that women find attractive (there are exceptions of course). There will hopefully be a lot more attractive men for the single girls to date in the future. I also want to help women get fit without putting on mass. I don't care what anyone says…Megan Fox has a better body than any female bodybuilder.

Making the World Sexier one Hot Person At a Time!

Rusty

Dear Rusty:

Thanks for replying, just wanted to say that few 38 year olds have bodies like yours and of course, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

Lorna

Lorna,

Thanks again and happy new year!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

I also stumbled across your site today when looking for celebrity body inspiration!

You have a great writing style and I love your fitness philosophy too.

I thought I would contribute by backing up the idea that girls aren't necessarily into big muscles but a toned body instead. A Dolce and Gabbana male model is driving girls crazy; OK he's good looking but he's very toned. His name is Dave Grandy. Take a look at a link I found about him (I'm not associated with the blog): http://niwde.blogspot.com/…supermodel-david.html

Hope you find it good reading!

Do you have an email address, by the way?

Best wishes for 2008!
Dan

Dan,

Thanks buddy… great link by the way. A lot of the fitness industry has lost track of what actually makes for an attractive look…The majority of the industry focuses on excessive muscle and bad fashion for the most part!

I'll go over to that blog to do some reading. I'll contact you, since I have your e-mail address. Keep reading and contributing, we appreciate it!

Rusty

Hey Rusty…the 21 day workout blitz is on track and going well! Mentally it's tough to do the cardio but is paying off. Have had a couple comments that i've lost weight so hopefully i'm getting ripped without losing muscle as i'm more athletic than big and never needed to lose weight. Anyway…off track, am hoping i can pick your brain about blogging and setting something up for myself. i need to get out of the corporate environment, have read through the Pavlina site and obviously inspired by yours and feel i can add value. Hoping you could email me sometime to discuss ideas etc.! i know you're busy so anytime would be appreciated! Thanks heaps Rusty…16 days til Melbourne!

Gators,

I am part of an exclusive blogging group. All of us believe in building "Authority Sites" on subjects we are passionate about. We stress adding value to the internet and building websites that we can be proud of.

The blogging software we use happens to get our posts listed high in Google. It is almost an unfair advantage. I'd feel bad except, I really believe in the message I'm trying to deliver and really just want to help people achieve their goals.

I don't want to include too much more info on my site. I'll send you an e-mail, since I have it from your comment.

Rusty

I just found your website and I am impressed! I'm 43 and have always exercised, but never truly got the results I wanted. I'm going to try your suggestions and see what happens. Your information makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks!

Susie,

That is my younger sister's name, so I already think you must be cool. I'm glad the info makes sense. Getting in shape isn't tough with the right approach. I know what I write about on my website works for the vast majority of people.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Rusty-

Can you do a posting for women about how to look like a Victoria's Secret model? I know that is a standard that men find insanely hot, and I would love to know your take on how the average girl can do that. Thanks!

Kelly

Hey Rusty-

Can you give some tips for females about how to build a "victoria's secret model" body? That would be really great and helpful.

Thanks–

Kelly and Amanda,

Certainly the diet and cardio advice I give here will go a LONG ways towards getting that body type. Sprinting does an amazing job on your butt by the way! I'll try and focus more in this in the future. I'm a big fan of the Victoria's Secret Models!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Just to let you know, I love your website. It is just what a lot of people out there are looking for. Myself I am nearing the end of my senior year here at UNL and finally have moved out of those wonderful years where I could eat anything I wanted and still be skinny as a rail. Your website is definitely a good motivator to get in shape and enjoy doing it. Now I've gotta ask because I've always wondered. Obviously you have quite the physique and have worked hard to get where you are, but most people complain that their daily routine gets in the way of working out and after work is done, that they have no energy. I've never been able to figure out off of your website, are you a trainer or do you just have a lot more drive to hit the gym than most? Thanks again for your site. It's great.

Andrew,

Thanks for the compliment! I write the posts, but what you are going to find is that sometimes there is just as much value in the comments. I like to give a solid tip and then get a conversation going.

The trick to looking and staying defined as you get older is to not do the "bulking up during the winter…and getting cut for summer". Seriously, do what it takes to keep your body fat low year-round and over time you will notice greater and greater muscle definition as you gain strength. Get stronger without getting bigger…you will love the look it creates!

I decided to not become a certified personal trainer, because I simply don't agree with a lot of what is being taught. Look at it this way, if I was a CPT…I simply would be just repeating what I learned. My personality is to question things…I think it is what makes this site worth reading. Wouldn't it be boring if I just re-worded what I learned during my certification. I don't expect everyone to agree with every single point I make, but it should get you thinking.

I know beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that I can help people get quicker results than the typical personal trainer. I'm not saying that all personal trainers are clueless…there are some absolutely outstanding trainers out there.

I actually probably train a lot less than many gym members. I just know how to eat in a way and do cardio in a way that gives your body no option but to get lean. This should be exciting news for you. I can mentor you to get extremely defined. I'm here to help you tweak your workout until you get to your ideal shape and size.

Great Question!

Rusty

Rusty,

There are so many diets and suggestions and tips out there that all contradict each other. How do you decide which one is the best? Is it just a trial-and-error process for you decide what works for you and just sticking with it? I would assume consistency is the most important thing here, but would like to know what your thoughts are.

Thanks!

Karolina,

There are tons of approaches that work to getting lean. A lot of it has to do with what fits your lifestyle and personality. A big thing I recommend is to eat less often and workout on an empty stomach. Just give your body a chance to burn body fat for fuel instead of food calories for food. As long as there are food calories in your system, your body will burn that instead of body fat.

Study after study is proving that it is not necessary to eat 6 meals per day. Your metabolism won't slow down by simply skipping a few meals. It takes a number of days in an extremely fasted state in order for this to happen.

This is the foundation of what I talk about here. Dig into my blog, type in keywords into the search box at the top…I cover many, many topics that should help.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Just wanted to let you know that I've now reached my ideal weight and leaness thanks to you champ! It's amazing how quick these results came. I'm now at 172.5 pounds and b/t 6-7% bf!

So I've lost 25.5 pounds in total since October 07, but more amazingly is the 14.5 pounds I've lost in the last 5-6 weeks (ie. since coming across your site!).

Exactly like you have previously mentioned I do now have a great body but it will take me several months at this weight and bf% to get an 'amazing' body. The skin all needs to tighten up etc.

A quick question. I would like to add a 'subtle' amount of muscle to my frame over the next 12 months (ie. following the principles you outlined in the article in which you referred to the US navy seals etc) but I wanted to know if I am better off staying at this size until I 'tighten up' and then add the bit of muscle in 6 months or so, OR would I be better off adding the muscle immediately and then concentrate and getting 'lean again' once muscle added.

When I say a subtle amount of muscle i'm only talking about b/t 5-10 pounds.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Hulbs

Hulbs,

Stay lean for a while then add those 5-10 pounds of muscle after your skin tightens up. This is a great strategy to insure that your skin is wrapped tightly against your muscles and will help you display even more definition. The 5-10 pounds of muscle growth will be easier after being extremely lean. Just add a bit of volume to your workouts and up the calories for a short period of time. Also, do about 1/2 the amount of cardio. This will only take you 3 months and it will be a breeze!

Congrats on the results!

Rusty

Thanks Rusty,

Appreciate all your input. I'll certainly do as per your reply and wait for skin to tighten before trying to add the muscle.

Our trip to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia is just 3 weeks away now some i'm stoked that I got to my goal weight before than as I had wanted!

Hulbs

Rusty, I need your help! I can't stop binging. Three times this week I've had an entire package of cookie dough!! I can see right now youre imagining me as quite overweight and out of control; the crazy thing is i'm anything but! I have a flat stomach, abs, and an hourglass figure and my friends (who dont know about my binging - obviously) keep hankering at me to get a personal trainer's license. And I'm obsessed with health, nutrition, and fitness: I'm not an idiot, I know this is insanely unhealthy, I know how many calories I'm taking in when I do it, and I know how much cardio it will take to burn it off… believe me. Please give me some advice - honestly I just need someone to talk some sense into me and I've been reading your blog for a while and I know you're going to give it to me straight!! There really isn't anyone for me to talk to about it so I'd love for you to give me some advice. I feel like every time I get close to my "ideal" weight I screw myself over - almost on purpose! Plus I would truthfully love to get my PT license this summer, but I refuse to do it unless I can get over this problem, since I only learn from those who practice what they preach and I'd hate to be a hypocrite.

Oh! And to be clear, these binges happen ON TOP OF my normal, clean diet, so they don't happen out of hunger. And it's not a crazy restrictive diet either; just healthy. And while I am lucky to be young and still have a nice, athletic body, I can't imagine what's going on inside and I know I could have a phenomenal body if I overcame this psychological barrier.

Hi Russ,
I was reading about the rotating diet of a few days on low carbs and then a day on high carbs. I liked the article a lot and was just wondering what a workout on a day of high intensity cardio would look like for you. I realize that you are in better shape than your average person and thus it would vary a great deal between different individuals, but I was just curious how it would go for you so that I can try to get a better idea of what I might want to try. Thanks!!

Katie,

I was going to recommend upping your carbs on your normal diet, but this could be more of a mental barrier. Will you do me a favor and begin reading Steve Pavilna's blog. It will help you a ton! Seriously…read his most popular posts along with his audios, etc. It's all free and could be life changing for you (I know that is saying a lot, but this blog is amazing)… http://stevepavlina.com

Andrew,

I do 20 minutes of sprinting intervals on a level 1.5-2.0 incline. The first 5 minutes I work up to level 10 speed. I alternate level 10 for one minute then 3.8 for one minute, then level 10.2 for one minute 3.8 for one minute, level 10.4 for one minute back to 3.8. I work up to a level that hurts and then repeat that alternating with 3.8. Occasionally I'll get up to a few sets of level 12.

After that tough HIIT workout, I'll hit the stair step machine that has actual stairs like an escalator. I start at level 9 and then just add .2 to .3 in speed every minute until it is tough. I do that for 15-20 minutes. At this point I'm normally done, but sometimes I'll throw in 10 minutes of slow and steady on the exercise bike.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

I am wondering. If I am in pretty good overall shape and still having trouble getting rid of some extra fat on the lower part of my chest (and I am a male)….what is the best way to rid of the most difficult part of the fat for me to lose. I am doing more incline benchpresses, flys, and watching what I eat. Thanks.

Where, oh where, is your gym! A gym full of pumped-up "meat heads" lifting heavy, listening to heavy metal and wearing baggy gym pants is my idea of HEAVEN!

Every gym I've been in for the past five years is a "fitness center" full of boring bodies doing yoga and stairclimbers. There aren't any more serious gyms with serious builders, so far as I can tell.

Keeping people from bulking up with muscle doesn't seem like that much of a challenge. Today, all anyone does is lean body toning at the gym. You seem to be running around with a fire extinguisher during a flood, or rushing to the gunwale of the lifeboat that's already under water.

-BLTim

jsw,

You have to concentrate on diet and cardio to get your body fat down to a lower level. Various chest lifts won't help you lose that fat.

timothy,

Very clever comment buddy. Even though your post disagrees with my blog…how could I not include it? Very good response and I am actually laughing at myself a bit.

As far as finding a seriously hardcore gym to the level you are describing, you typically have to find a Gold's gym or privately owned gym. These are typically located in the outskirts of the major cities, where land is a bit cheaper. These private gyms don't have huge corporate backing like the bigger gyms. My gym still has a certain element to this, but not at the level you are describing.

Although I clown a bit on hardcore gyms, I have had serious workouts in a few. Back when I was into heavy dead lifting and squatting in my mid-20's, I belonged to a Gold's gym in Renton (outside of Seattle). Jesse Marunde, World's Strongest Man competitor, ran the gym with his wife. Unfortunately Jesse passed away this past summer. I only spoke with him a few times, but he was a super cool guy. He gave me tips on how to improve grip strength for dead lifts by doing "suitcase holds" with a barbell in a power rack.

Although I poke fun of bulky guys and gals…it really is all in fun.

Thanks for commenting!

Rusty

Hey man,

I really like your site; I've started using some of the things I've read and it's kicked the crap out of me.

I am training for mountain bike racing this summer, specifically downhill and slalom. Downhill runs are 2-5 minutes long, and slalom races are usually a bunch of rounds of sub 1 minutes runs. I haven't raced in a few years, but I race at a very high level, and I don't want to be held back by not being in proper shape. Obviously, looking good is a secondary objective.

I had a pretty good routine going balancing lifting, cardio and plyos. I need to be explosively fast for a relatively short period of time, and my upper body needs to be able to take the beating of a downhill run.

This is what downhill looks like:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?samhill

That's the best racer in the world right now, so it gives you an idea of what it SHOULD look like haha.

As I said, my training was going pretty well… until I was doing plyos the other morning, rolled my ankle and went down with all of my weight on the outside of my right foot, breaking it. So now I'm in a boot.

The season starts in early May, and would really like to lose as little training time as possible due to this injury. Obviously I can't do plyos, and I can lift for my upper body…but do you have any ideas about what I can do to keep/build leg strength and keep working on cardio without putting too much stress on my foot? My main concern is that it heals fast and properly, but as I said, I really want to be in top physical form for the season. Thanks a lot, I hope you have some ideas.

Trevor

how it going,
1)I am a pole vaulter and need very strong abs without the bulk. I was wondering if you think that the plank would be sufficient for this or if you think that i could build stronger lean abs with a turbulence type training with weighted ab exercises?
2) i am 6 ft 1 in and 150 lbs. I am pretty athletic, however i am skinny but kind of flabby(strange combination but true). Any suggestions on how to get toned without losing weight? (diet or exercise)
3) Soy Vs. Whey Protein?
4) any knowledge on how to get rid of shin splints?
Sorry for so many questions. I think that this website is great.
Jason

Jason,

1) A pole vaulter needs a bit more than just a six pack. I would recommend hanging leg raises…a bunch of different variations. This is going to mimic the ab strength needed in your sport. Then maybe end with planks.
2) 6 foot 1 in and 150 pounds…and you say you are "skinny fat". You probably have the easiest body type to make quick improvements. Gain functional strength by doing 5 sets of 5 reps:

Day 1) Three exercises for a total of 15 sets each for Back and Chest…(a grand total of 30 quality sets of 5 reps)

Day 2) Two exercises a piece for Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps…10 sets each (a grand total of 30 quality sets of 5 reps)

Do your ab work 3 times per week. Hit interval cardio hard for 20 minutes after each workout.

3) Avoid soy protein. It can increase your estrogen levels and contribute to stubborn body fat.

4) Shin Splints eventually go away over time, but I found that an exercise bike can accelerate the process.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

I've been reading your blog for some time now and would just like to say good work. I really like your humorous approach to writing. It's definitely something I need to start including more on my own blog. Particularly, enjoyed the post you did on Patrick Swayze and Road House. I'd never heard of it till a few years ago when it came on light night TV and I decided to give it a watch. It's soooo cheesy but soooo good.

Anyway, good luck with your future blogging. I look forward to more of your great posts.

Tom Parker

Hi, Rusty –

I was wondering if you could do a post about specific exercises to improve posture, specifically addressing shoulders.

I've been trying to find info online, but am just not finding anything helpful — anything that does seem applicable doesn't give recommendations for specific exercises!

Thanks!

Lea

Lea,

I am not an expert on this, but most of the poor posture in the shoulders is due to having overdeveloped front delts compared to the rear delts and back. A great way to remedy this situation is to do seated cable rows with both narrow and wide grips. Pull back slowly and pull those shoulders back. In fact the reason I work back and chest on the same day is to insure that I pull my shoulders back at the end of the workout by doing seated cable rows. I know this isn't a detailed answer, but hopefully it helps a bit.

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I just wanted to drop a line and say that I agree with your fitness theories completely. One poster said he was offended by your remarks about fitness goals and then said he did not care what the ladies think. Well, that shows you that he isn't reading what you are saying. I don't think your blog comes across as attacking bodybuilders either. I see it as advice for people who have different goals from those of bodybuilders.

I'm glad we live in a world that is diverse. Some women do like the bodybuilding look, that's for sure. Yet, in the gym, it does seem like these guys often (not always of course) are trying to impress one another. Also, just as often, I find leaner guys such as myself being smirked at. I have a crawling, snell-like, metabolism. I gain muscle easily, however. Yet, when I do my shoulders get too big too quick and clothes look completely ridiculous on me. That is my personal opinion. So, I prefer to stay lean despite having to do cardio on most days and always watching my diet. I just look better that way.

One last thing, your ideas about what so many women like (not all of course, I won't generalize), also extend to gay men. There is a myth that gay men like the bodybuilder look, but it's not based in reality. Some do, I'm sure of it, but as a gay man, I can tell you that huge muscles are not physically attractive to me nor anyone I know actually. That, of course, is not a scientific analysis of what women or gay men like. Yet, still, I'm sure that if such a study was completed there would be quite a few more proponents of the lean look rather than the huge look.

Anyway, sorry this is so long. Good job.

D

After reviewing this site, you have some great ideas and some great posts. Naturally I disagree with a few things here and there, but I'm sure you would disagree with some of my ideas too.

Great job on the site!

I’m a 26 year old guy and while I used to be quite fit during college, I became relatively inactive over the last 5 years (job, marriage, etc.). Around December last year (almost 5 years later), I made a conscious decision to get back into shape. Around the same time, I stumbled across your blog and while it was quite different to most other fitness sites out there, both in terms of its advice, but also its tone – which was very positive.

Nevertheless, I kept coming back and have since been building your advice into my approach. Man, I haven’t seen results like this ever in my life before! At college, it probably took me a year to get to where I am now (5 months later and with less effort)! I’ve lost about 12cm off my waist (and counting) and the only real challenge has been to keep getting back to the tailor to make my pants smaller!

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the effort you put into this (I seems like quite a lot), and also pose a few random questions/comments that have come to mind as I’ve read your blog over the last few months…
• You mention intermittent fasting and related approaches to eating – I’m a Muslim and we fast every day for a month once a year (sunrise to sunset). In the past though, I’ve always pigged out during the hours you’re allowed to eat and so have always gained weight after by the end of the month. Last year, I took a different approach which was to have a light breakfast at sunrise and a normal supper at sunset (while building in some healthy food choices), and had great results. This year, we’ll be fasting around September or so. My question is around the fact that while we fast, we don’t consume any liquids either i.e. no water. How does this affect the whole fasting for fat-loss equation, and how you recommend combating the downsides given the overall constraints of not eating/drinking anything between sunrise and sunset?
• You’ve also mentioned not doing targeted muscle-building for legs, that overly muscular legs are ugly and that sprinting more than suffices. I totally agree with you except on one point – calves. They’re just so darn hard to build, and when they are reasonably big, I think its the one muscle that may actually make your body look more in proportion. The same applies to forearms. Both these muscles, when reasonably built on a slim person make a huge difference.
• What are your views on vascularity? This is where you have prominent, visible veins. I’m not referring to the ugly bodybuilder type extreme, but the aesthetic and definition provided by, for example, those that run across your biceps, forearms, calves, etc.
• Lastly, in your “James Bond” picture on the front, you seem to have a lot more muscle than one might imagine had they read your posts without seeing your picture!

Best Regards

Hi Rusty,

Thanks for your site it's the piece I was looking for in my fitness quest. My question is I'm 5'7" medium build, right now I'm around 173lbs with about 5 lbs of fat to get off. What is a good weight I should shoot for at my height to look lean but not too skinny?

Thanks for your input,

Fred

Reading your posts I do have to say if your lean then I never see anyone didn't look good with big calves. I think thats the one bodypart you can never get too big.

Slayne,

Awesome job on the progress! I love hearing this type of feedback!
*I'm surprised that you don't get to drink water during the fast. I'm sure there is a good reason for it, but that has to be tough. I would probably recommend a small meal in the morning and a healthy, but large meal at night like you did last time. That will work best in this case.
*You are right about calves. Work them if time allows. The only argument I would have is that tough cardio will slim the calves down quite a bit, so you are kind of fighting against that a bit.
*I don't aim for vascularity…it will happen once you get to low body fat levels. It depends a lot upon genetics. I am neutral on this…I'm pretty vascular, but wouldn't stress out if I wasn't.
*I'm 6'3" and about 185 pounds in that picture. That is pretty slim, but having low body fat creates the illusion of more muscle. As a reference, Will Smith was about 5 pounds heavier than me in "I am Legend" and is an inch shorter. What is funny is that I look like I have less muscle with 2-3% more body fat.
Good comments!

Fred,

Hard to say unless I know your bone structure. I have a friend at 5'7" and weighs 160'ish and looks great. Here is something crazy…Brad Pitt was 155 for Fight Club and is 5'11" tall. So my estimate for you at 5'7" would be between 150-165. As far as calves go, I agree…big calves do look good as do big shoulders.

Rusty

Thanks I think between 160-165 will be good for, I like to emulate the look of Mario Lopez who is 175 at 5'11". One question according to Pavel and you if you do heavy weights and few reps should'nt I be able to squats and deadlifts to get super strong while losing or maintaining weight. I ask because I strive to be fit and functional. I think of it as the "spiderman ideal" which is the strongest relative strength you can get while still improving speed (sprints) and flexibility. Just curious as I've squats and deads will improve overall strength and functionality.

Fred

Hey Rusty, I just got a membership at Anytime Fitness and am interested in getting into the swing of things. The problem is that I played sports in high school but since then have not worked out regularly. I was just wondering if you had any books you could recommend as far as workouts, advice, etc. to get me started. I went in the other day but without a good plan, it seemed like I was just walking around aimlessly. I cannot really afford to pay a trainer for his/her help so I was just going to see if there were any good books out there to help. Thanks!

Fred,

Pavel emphasizes deadlifts more than squats. I agree. I still think that you have to be careful. If you do deadlifts, keep to low reps and pause at the bottom in between reps and "reset" between each rep. Don't do what a lot of bodybuilders do where they do them non stop without pausing. Put the weight down, pause for a second and then pull back up. Also, go slow and steady on the way up, but don't do slow on the way down…set the weight down quickly. You don't want to emphasize the negative part of the lift.

I don't talk about this much, but I did deadlifts a short period of time after I leaned down. I worked up to 3 sets of 3 with 465 pounds at a weight of 190 pounds. I didn't look bulky but it kept my hips, butt, and upper thighs a bit too big. I did this right around the year 2000, when I first read Power to the People.

Andrew,

If I was to just pick one book, that has everything someone would need to get started…I would pick Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. This has been a massively popular book, because it really is outstanding. Seriously…this is a very comprehensive book that is worth every penny.

Rusty

Thanks for all your help so far, I'm working toward 160 just made 170 fo 10 more pounds to go and I now fit in 30X30 pants which is what I fit in during High School I'll try for 29X30 after I make to 160. Thanks I feel great and am actually stronger than ever (just lifted 315 on my deadlift and 200 on bench. I'll keep dieting and working hard.

Fred

Fred,

There is nothing like being super-lean, slim, and strong. You will feel healthy, look better, and you will be much more athletic than when you are heavier. Keep up the great work!

Rusty

i somehow stumbled on your site and thought it was really interesting. but i noticed its very male oriented and since your a guy your tips generally are more weight based etc geared towards men. do you have any suggestions about women ? im in my mid 20s, 5'3, 130-135lbs and wanna lose my last 15-20 and have it stay that way for the rest of my life. please help. are there any particular posts youve written about or websites you know or any general hinky dinks? thanks !!

J,

You do have a good point about this site being a bit more male oriented at times. The diet and cardio advice is unisex for sure, which is good because that will get people 80% of the way to an amazing body.

I do realize that the lifting advice is a bit more male oriented at times, but many of these same principles can be used by women as well. Here are some places to start on my site (believe it or not…there are WAY more articles along these lines). A good thing to do is use the Search Box on the upper right hand corner of my site. I have enough posts, so now you will find many of my older articles through that method.

Balancing Steady State Aerobics With Interval Training

An Aerobic Workout Program That Forces Your Body to Burn Fat

Is Diet OR Exercise More Important for Fat Loss and Getting Lean?

High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain

Why You May Look a Bit Fatter When First Losing Body Fat

Avoid Fat Loss Plateaus by Taking Strategic Breaks from Dieting

Water Retention, the Enemy of Muscle Tone