Trent Reznor of NIN Gained a Ton of Muscle. Did He Ruin His Look?

Agreed you have to look at this though to get the full effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im2I0VA73aw

Well said. The point is to look fit but not like you are trying. Work out 4-5 days a week splitting cardio and weights, eat healthy, don't even worry about the rest…..

I had heard in interviews that Trent Reznor went through a low point in his life around 2002 and for a couple years after that, so maybe he let himself go in that time. His new "look" might have to do with him working out again, but still having a lot of fat to get rid of.

Hey Rusty,

Just wondering, what's your take on having Lean Cuisine meals a few times a day in maintenance mode? (I'm referring to the non-pasta dishes specifically; with chicken and brown rice / veges) They certainly taste good and the small portion sizes really help prevent meals from getting oversized — I find that when I prepare my own food I tend to prepare too much of everything even though my diet is pretty clean. (I also know for a fact that Lean Cuisine targets female consumers). The trouble is, I work out a lot in the mornings so I do get hungry for fuel throughout the day and it's easy to go overboard. But again, I have reached maintenance mode and I'd like to keep a balanced diet for now.

Alright Rusty, thought about this while working out this morning? how big is too big? I want the lean defined muscle look but I'm already a big guy (at 6'6" I know you are 6'3") I was thinking more about arm size, should I get my muscles big enough (as long as I keep them defined) to fill up a shirt sleeve or would it look better to have a lot of slack in the sleeves?

Interesting point … i actually read an article a while back on how anorexia is really prevalent among male rock singers, etc. i'm not really surprised; have you seen how skinny some of those guys get??!! trent reznor looked a lot better before, unfortunately. this bloated look is just … weird. like someone trying to bulk up and not really knowing what they're doing.

Right on again Rusty. The athletic look is much more appealing than the NFL look. I would also like to add something here. Been doing the weights, aerobics and solid diet thing with good consistant results. I recently have been reading about the benefits of stretching, yoga etc. and have been trying to incorporate more intense stretching into my routines. In addition to looking good, it increases flexability, posture, gives you spring, fluidity and gracefullness in your movements and an overall aura of vitality.
Just alittle more spice to supplement a healthy look.
Thanks for allowing me to share.

I agree Rusty, he does look sloppy since adding all that weight. Possible he was on steroids, although I remember my bulk up days and I looked somewhat like that and I wasn't on steroids so who knows. Regardless, he would look better if he dropped all that extra body fat he put on.

I do love the lean look that I've been achieving, so much more confidence and just feel better about myself in general. I do plan on taking your advice and just maintaining my new look for at least 6 months to a year. I can't wait to see how that looks after a while!

My question is this, at some point I can see myself wanting to add 10 pounds of lean muscle to my frame. Definitely not "bulking up"!!!!! I don't want to add an ounce of fat if possible. But just add a little muscle to my frame in the right places.

If I decide to do that, how many times do you think I should hit each body part a week, and what kind of split do you recommend? I'm also wondering what you're advice would be as far as how many calories I should be eating and what supplements I should take if any?

Again, I may not even want to put on any weight, but if I do decide to it would be more for basketball then anything. I'm getting pretty lean and its definitely a lot harder to hold my own in post! That said, it is a ton of fun being in the by far the best shape of any player on the court, being in this kind of shape allows me to run my opponents off the floor. They get so tired trying to guard me it's hilarious.

Thanks for your help!

JayK,

That video is crazy! He looks massive in that video…even bigger than I thought. Great Link!

Raven,

Yeah…except he looks very muscular in a few pics (and that video that JayK linked to). If it was just fat that would make sense, but he added a lot of muscle mass as well.

Km,

Those meals sound like a good way to keep your calories under control. It sounds like a good game-plan to me.

AFDerrick,

It looks fine to have decently big arms that fill out a sleeve. Will Smith in I am Legend still has big arms, but his overall look is very lean so he looks great. Daniel Craig in James Bond has big arms that fill out a sleeve well. I wouldn't stress about it. Also…if you are 6'6" you have to have pretty darn big arms before they look too big.

Katie,

I used to work next to a Guitar Center…it is amazing how skinny some of these guys get. It is kind of a weird deal. I think it is cool when these guys are slim, but not anorexic. Decent role models are Dave Navarro and Anthony Kiedis…they are lean and toned, but not stick-thin.

Joe,

Stretching is good and it is probably something I need to do more of. For some reason it bores the heck out of me, but I know it helps prevent injury. Good reminder.

Brad,

Adding 10 pounds of muscle is easy when you are really lean. Getting slim is the tough part, adding muscle is a breeze to a certain extent (unless you want to force an unnatural amount of muscle on your body). As far as holding your own in the post, you probably just have to take a slightly different approach. There is a slim athletic guy that has been guarding much bulkier guys for years with great success…Kevin Garnett. One of my favorite things he does is turn around and face these guys when he is in the high post position. He does a few jab steps and either blows by them and throws down a nasty dunk -or- he simply quickly gets up for a mean jump shot. I am rooting for him to win the championship this year. I'll maybe do a post on the subject of gaining back some weight. Really all you have to do is stay lean but back off on the cardio and add some volume to the weight lifting along with slightly more calories. The trick is to do this for only 2-3 months at a time, alternated with 1-2 months of what you have been doing to get lean. This way you will never look bulky.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Now I'm not hating on Trent or anything (I'm a huge NIN fan), but hes beginning to look a little soft in that picture. He could do with losing a few pounds, and hes gonna be quickly approaching that age where it'll become harder and harder to maintain that 'BIG' look…

Hey Rusty, speaking of NIN…have you checked out his latest LP, 'Ghosts I-IV'? You can download the first several tracks free from his website or buy the entire album (digital) for $5. I guess this is his way of giving the finger to big record companies (which he has been promoting for a while now).

Gave it a couple of listens a few days ago and it definately sounds sounds like Trent at his most experimental (The Fragile) rather than his harder output. Loved his last LP (Year Zero) as well!

Quninyx,

Thanks for the heads up on the new digital album. I'll need to check that out! I need some new workout music, so this could do the trick. I like Year Zero as well.

He does need to lose some of that weight, before he develops a permanent double chin that he can't get rid of!

Rusty

That would be a great post if you were to write one on adding some muscle back. That sounds good though, and makes sense too. I will just add some calories and cut back on cardio a little bit, and lift in the 8-12 rep range. I could do this for 2-3 months and then go back to normal maintenance or fat loss mode for a month or two, depending on the results I get. I think I should stay lean as I will continue to eat clean about 90% of the time. What do you think of this approach to adding some lean mass?
Monday- lift weights
Tuesday- lift weights
Wednesday- HIIT followed by steady state
Thursday- lift weights
Friday- lift weights
Saturday- HIIT followed by steady state
Sunday- off

So do you think this is enough cardio or should I maybe at another day in there after one of my lifting days?

I play basketball 2-3 times per week year round as well but I didn't include it above.

One last thing, do you think I should take creatine or is that not neccessary? Thanks Rusty!

PS - I'm a life long Celtics fan and I love KG, lets hope they can raise that 17th banner in Boston Garden!

It was pretty well, weird how much he transformed a couple of years ago in terms of bulking up to the point where his neck was nearly gone. However, he looks much slimmer/smaller in recent pictures, particularly his face:

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6994/1271833671lyr3.jpg
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=16c5lit&s=3

so he's hopefully reached/is reaching a happy medium

To Joe - Yoga is great, I did it for a while and you feel like a wet noodle afterwards, but would generally suggest taking a class after working out if your gym offers it. You could also buy one of those videos but that is dumb because of my next point.

Rusty - I can't believe you've never been to a yoga class!! The girls in these classes… and the poses and moves they perform… you'll be in heaven, trust me!! Yoga is one of the best things to come to America from the far east (that and crab ragoons). Just try it once, unless all the women at your gym are ugly, then you might not have fun in yoga.

Thanks for posting the NIN stuff, he is amazing. Some great workout music. His new album is instrumental and it's great, he's putting out the other part of it soon. I read an interview about him and he got back into exercise after rehab as a means of dealing with drug issues and depression. Thanks for posting the Hurt video, that Cash cover is amazing. Also what would you recommed to build up your arms to fill out your sleeves better but not get them to huge?

First time I've seen this — HATE his new look, but I'm not a fan of that type of build. I used to think he was soooo good looking — not anymore. Now I'm sad!

I went to google images, and you can find many pictures of him. You can see the difference in arm and neck size, and I'm sure his chest and back is wider. But he doesnt seem any different than normal guys I see at the gym who work out consistently. By no means would I have him in a conversation with NFL players or steroids. Anytime someone gets back into working out and they choose to add some size, people always jump right for the steroid talk because that person no longer looks like what you were used to. Especially over the course of a few years. I do think the haircut has alot to do with his appearance. Shorter haircuts make the head seem smaller, and the body larger.

If Trent were to lose a good amount of fat, I believe that he will look good again. Take Brad Pitt as an example. This whole blog goes after that Tyler Durden look. But remember him in Troy? He bulked up and put on 20-30 pounds of muscle, but he still looked great. Nonetheless, it was interesting to see women's reaction to Brad Pitt. Just about every women I have spoken to, say they prefer him in Fight Club but loved his Achilles look more than his Seven, Devil's Own and MR. Smith look. So, did Trent ruin his look? We'll have to wait until Trent cuts down to answer that question. But if his transformation proves anything (as well as The Rock's opposite direction), it is that the lean and athletic look is the best look aesthetically, and feels the best as well. When you are very bulky, its as if you are dragging your weight. When you are lean and toned, your muscles carry you. Function=looking good.

Yep! Rusty you are right.. Check out that chin(s).. The double chin just doesn't play the part.. I think lifting weights is a good thing.. You need to be strong and have tight muscles wrapped around your bone structure.. Lean isn't lean without muscle.. However, puffiness is typically from stuffing your body of calories its not burning.. Eat lean and lift Heavy.. I've been lifting really heavy for a few weeks now to build that density (took Rusty's advice) but the tell tell story of the way you look comes from the way you eat.. No need for sugar.. No need for saturated fat.. And if you're eating that, You need to STOP THAT! ha.. A little rhyme.. Why not.. great article rusty.. Sometime you should blog about Camilo Villegas.. He's a pro young golfer boasting the best body on tour.. I think he only weighs about 160lbs (5'9") but that kid looks awesome.. He talks alot about his diet and workout.. Great inspiration and now hes landed the best sponsor on tour.. J. Lindenber and his look is the new look for up-coming golfers.. check this kid out (http://www.golfnewsupdate.com/UserFiles/Image/camilovillegas.jpg) He's got changing up my look on the golf course (which was in dier need of a transition)..
Justin

He really seems like another person, and his head seems bigger, i wonder if has taken steroids. Another example of someone who has ruinned his body. There's someone else i've been wanting to talk about, the rapper eminem, the former "slim" is now a wrestler with a huge huge body, he has totally destroyed his look. I know he was not toned or athletic, but he looked much better slim, thin, skinny, whatever, than he looks now, if you haven't seen him yet, just search for him.

Holy jumpin' he looks enormous in the video JayK linked to! Even his head looks swollen. There's something going on there for sure Rusty.

Ok, Trent in the early 90's was an addict. Period. He admits as much, so that's why he's so skinny. What he looks like now, is what he looks like by eating right and working out regularly. Why is that such a bad thing? Having been addicted in the past I serioulsy don't think he's on steroids. Anyway, it's not like he isn't like every other celeb. with a personal trainer. I'm sure he's taking care of himself.

Brad,

Don't do creatine…it is a waste of money for the most part. Your routine looks good. Just stick with the two days of of cardio for now. Playing basketball will be a great supplement to this. I'm rooting for both KG and Ray Allen…two guys who should have won a championship years ago!

Zana,

He looks a lot better in those pictures! Good to see he looks like Trent Reznor again…just bigger. In a few pictures you couldn't even tell who he was!

AFDerrick,

We do have a lot of beautiful women in Seattle that do Yoga. It is tempting and has almost drawn me in…I just can't imagine spending all of that time when I could be burning 700+ calories doing cardio. Very tempting, but I have remained strong so far and avoided this temptation!

Mike,

Nine Inch Nails are better than ever…I can't wait to hear more stuff! My arms filled out the most when I switched from E-Z bar curls to straight bar curls. Grab an Olympic bar and get strong at 5 sets of 5 reps. Also include dumbbell hammer curls. Those are the two basic bicep lifts that build decent size. For triceps…get strong at all of the various pressing movements and become a maniac at dips. All of that isolation stuff for triceps is kind of overrated.

Lea,

Thank you for giving us a girl's perspective. See guys…not only do you look less attractive when you bulk up, you make pretty girls like Lea sad Just say "No" to excessive muscle! All joking aside Lea…it does help for women to reinforce what I'm talking about. Thanks for the comment!

Sarge,

I agree with the haircut comment. I guess what seemed most shocking to me is that he was lean for so many years and packed on this muscle later in life than most guys. Usually it is the guys in their early 20's that pack on this type of mass…not someone in their early 40's.

Ricky,

No doubt he could look good again. I'm kind of hoping he grows his hair back and leans down a bit. It was a great look for him.

Justin,

Thanks for the heads up on Camilo. I will do a post on him for sure. I may even use that picture. I agree with everything you said about getting lean. I think the best look is created when you get stronger in a slight calorie deficit. Almost everyone eats a ton when they are strength training…they never get to experience the rock hard look that getting stronger while maintaining or losing weight creates.

Helder,

I have to look up Eminem. I'm not a fan of his AT ALL, so I don't know if I can do a post on the guy. He is right up there with Fred Durst as guys that I can't believe ever got famous! Seriously…his lyrics are terrible! "Momma…I'm cleaning out my closet!".

Raven,

Yeah…in that video he really does look like the Hulk! If he was green I wouldn't be able to tell the two apart!

Rusty

Allison,

It drives me nuts that so many creative people are depressed. You kind of wish that they were happier. It's too bad. Hopefully he leans down a bit. He is probably naturally muscular to a certain extent, but common…watch that Youtube video that JayK put up…he is looking bad.

Rusty

well here goes my little thought,
i think its kinda cool for trent to be buff.hes kinda like henry rollins and glenn danzing now.i get so sick of the little emo "gay" look.i mean in all rap videos all the guys are all buff.but the rock guys look alot like chicks.why is that?its like society trys to castrate white males now days.where protrade as weak femine girls in the medeia.so no not all white people are nerds, and not all black dudes are athletes.racism is bad in any form,but we sure take alot of the criticism these days for being "woman like" .so i guess im just trying to say that trent maybe a role model for rockers to look cut and buff instead of like a sick marilyn manson…lol

Rusty, you have to do the 700+ calorie cardio, the weight lifting, and you take the yoga class with the nice-looking ladies afterwards, that way you get the best of all worlds. Anyway my question is I'm taking a multivitamin and glucosamine (for knee joints from the running). Should I worry about these affecting my weight loss?

Ever heard of Caroline Pierce?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk…icbox&ct=5
I wouldn't want to get in a fight with her, but quite motivating.

Shane#1,

His look is interesting. As long as he cuts that "bloat" look, it will be cool if he has a bit more muscle. From the pictures that Zana sent me, he looks like he is leaning out a bit.

AFDerrick,

I like your way of thinking! I can have my cake and eat it too. I'll maybe give your idea a shot. The vitamin and glucosamine won't affect your weight loss at all. No worries there.

Carline Pierce looks like a tough woman! She is very pretty. I like women who are a bit less muscular, but she looks outstanding (I'm just being nit picky…she actually looks great).

Rusty

LOL i'm not an eminem fan either, but it's a good example on how someone can ruin his look getting bloated, no need to waste a post on him, i agree on that.

Okay, that looks like a good plan if I get to that point in the future. That won't be for a long time though, I'm digging the lean look and once I ultimately get to my goal weight I'm just going to maintain that and continue to try and improve muscle density.
Thanks.

Gosh, I love Trent. His music is awesome to push through intense cardio! He looked terrific in the 90s and the bulky look is not suiting his mysterious, gothic personality.

Helder,

For some reason I get the strange urge to want to punch Eminem. He hasn't done anything bad, I just can't tell you why. I guess he reminds me of a lot of the little hip-hop wannabe' kids that I bump into all the time. Those guys drive me nuts!

Brad,

I swear you will school guys in basketball if you stay quick and lean and build your endurance. Go for that look and it will help in your sport as well.

Lorna,

Goth/Industrial guys are suppose to be lean and mean. I hope Peter Murphy doesn't bulk up (the true godfather of goth…main singer of Bauhaus back in the late 70's).

Rusty

Note: For those of you who like Trent Reznor…here are the guys that really paved the way for his brand of alternative-industrial-goth music. I LOVE "dark wave" alternative music…I've been listening to this stuff since the early 80's.

Bauhaus's 1979 hit - Bela Lugosi's Dead

[These guys were doing this dark version of new wave in the late 70's. Back then we called in "Bat Cave" music. About 15 years later they began to call it "Goth" music.]

Front 242 - Headhunter

[These guys really helped make Industrial popular in the "dark wave" clubs back in the mid 80's. Trent had to be influenced by these guys. His early stuff is very similar.]

Cabaret Voltaire - I Want You

[Another "dark wave" dance club classic!]

Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now

[Definitely NOT Darkwave! Trent studied Tiffany to learn what not to do! My little sister loved this stuff…it killed me!]

Hey Rusty. I thought you might like to know that Trent and Peter have worked together on several occasions.

Here is a video of Trent singingBela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus along with Peter Murphy and TV On The Radio. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8W4tslqVSg

And here is a video of Peter singing Reptile by Nine Inch Nails. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elbsomblod4

Sorry to double post, but you can't comment about Trent's influences and old school goth without mentioning Joy Division, whom Trent as refered to as one of his favourite bands on several occasions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVc29bYIvCM
I know Ian's dance moves don't exactly spell goth, but the words in his songs were so real that he killed himself after something like two albums.

hey Rusty…How much body % are you at?? just curious..your pretty darn ripped! im at 13%..where do you think i need too get too starting seeing better results..meaning more cut..lol. I got about half a six pack…Just wonder how low i need too get in your opinion!

Thx Rusty! or should i say Mr ripped..ha..

Matt,

Incredible videos! I love that old Joy Division stuff…Love it! Being a massive New Order fan…by default I loved Joy Division. It is nice to see reference to a video that is not, "Love Will Tear Us Apart". I actually think his dance moves are pretty hip and trippy…one more thing…Peter Murphy has an incredible voice…I forgot how distinctive his voice is.

Dale,

I got down to 5% before the trip to Mexico. That picture was taken 3-4 days into the trip and I was eating like a pig, staying up late, drinking a decent amount of beers. I'd guess I was around 7% in that picture…which is about what I maintain year round. I don't get too hung up on body fat percentage…some people look great at 10% and other look really soft. Just get to the point where your abs look sharp and everything else will look great. If you have a 4 pack…you typically need to lose 5-10 more pounds to get a six pack.

Trif,

That is great you are giving out great free info. I enjoy your blog and know you will do well. I can't really add more to my plate right now as far a competition goes…but that is a great idea! As far as the "intellichat" tool goes…I'm neutral about it. I wouldn't be comfortable with adding it, because I really like to do my best to maximize the website visitor experience. I wouldn't necessarily judge the product just based on that pop-up…it is kind of annoying, but the author Michael Geary is a stand up guy who knows his stuff.

Hulbs,

You are the man…I am amazed at how quickly you have lost body fat and again how quickly you have added muscle. You are going to make others jealous. I have no doubt you will be able to get as lean and defined as you want. Keep up the great work! Perfect strategy by the way.

Rusty

when are you going to do other male celebs weight? ive been waiting to see some who are compared to my weight and hieght at 6'0

Hey Rusty,

Great example of what bulking up too quickly can do a person's appearance. Like you I have never been a fan of the excessively bulk look. It makes you look too bloated and I really can't stand it when the veins literally look like they're going to pop. Luckily since I have a fast metabolism and find it hard to put in weight I don't think this will ever be a problem for me.

I've just got a quick question for you regarding creatine. You say for the most part it's a waste of money. I tried creatine when I was in college and found it really helped give me that little bit of extra energy and stamina to keep going during my workouts. Maybe it was a placebo effect (me sub-conciously thinking I had more energy because I was taking the creatine) but it did seem genuine to me. Is creatine a waste of money at all times?

I've not bought any supplements for a couple of years now but I was considering getting some protein, glutamine (I found it really helped reduce muscle soreness the day after working out last time I tried it), creatine (for the above reasons) and zinc & magnesium (I've read that this is a good supplement). What's your opinion?

Regards,

Tom

Tim,

When I get back from my week long business trip, I'll make it a priority. Those type of posts always get a lot of traffic from Google and increase the readership, but they can take a long time to put together. I promised this a long time ago, so this is long overdue. I'll get to it soon.

Tom,

If you have the money to spare, then creatine isn't a complete waste. I think the biggest benefit would be to take it when you are extremely lean and dieting hard and look maybe a bit too flat. It does put a quick cosmetic pump into the muscles. Protein powder and meal replacement shakes are the best investments, because it is just basically a clean meal…plus many of them are loaded with vitamins you may be missing when dieting.

My main piece of advice is don't get caught in the "supplement trap". If you read the mainstream fitness magazines, you feel like you need to buy 10 different supplements to look your best. You can get there by strategically eating healthy foods. As far as supplements…my favorites are protein shakes of some sort and a really good multivitamin or antioxidant.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

dude that is so funny what you said about fred durst and eimnim,
i freaking hate those guys.its like remember the late 90s and the early 2000s when if you were a walking idenity crisis you could be famous..lol.those wanna bees made me sick.i was the odd ball at the gym with my type o negative songs playing on my ipod,arent you so glad that rap/rock mix stuff is done with…yuke….now all we have to do is get rid of these guys like good charlotte.music has went from thug wanna bees to emo girlish wanna bees.oh yeah one more thing,im off that vegetrian kick i was on for over 3 years.man after reading some of your post i got some of that 100%natrul chicken breast,and dear god that stuff is freaking good1!!!ill as i was eating it i was like chicken,"lets never fight again"good stuff man.i feel like im getting leaner now cause i cut alot of carbs out

I was thinking that perhaps it might be due to medication FOR depression. Certain medications make you gain weight.

Also, given that he's been an addiction wouldn't that kill his seratonin levels anyway? The guy's metabolism is probably knackered by now.

He's probably got to expand before he can shrink back down and there's always a chance he won't be that small again.

Actually, depression and weight gain are two of the more obvious reasons to avoid drug use.

I actually think it's good that he's getting clean and taking the hard route.

Also, I don't doubt that there are eating disorders in the male rock singer ranks - the superskinny look may be because a few are naturally that way but it's also, I suspect, because a lot of them are addicts of some kind.

Meant to mention if you're siting Navarro and Kiedis as examples, both are recovered heroin addicts.

shane#1,

So you came over to the dark side and are eating meat now! Welcome! Chicken is great, but I've been eating a lot more fish recently as well. In fact when I go out to eat, I always look to see if they have some form of non-breaded fish and vegetables.

Fred Durst makes me angry. Just looking at him irritates me. All those slacker wannabe kids that act like they are from the tough part of town drive me nuts.

Futon,

Dave Navarro was really pudgy when he was addicted to drugs. He hired a personal trainer after he left Jane's Addiction and cleaned his act up. He isn't the ideal health role model, but he is working at it.

Good point about Trent Reznor. Perhaps I was a bit harsh, but did you click that video? He isn't just pudgy…he is a muscular freak of nature. Anyway…I really enjoy everything he does and I am one of his biggest fans. If he wants to stay big, I'm still going to his concerts…buying his music, etc. I think he is a musical genious.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Its good Trent started to get it together. It's good when someone has the need to change, wants to change, and then acts on it and begins to change. These days we really lack control. So we have to cheerish what we still have, that we are still able to decide things for ourselves sometimes. Lifting weights can really help put your focus into something else. Since i've been lifting its helped me manage my stress/anxiety. Reguardless of what Trent looks like or does, he is one of the few true musical genious in the world. And if he can be healthier and feel better while doing it, all the power to him!!