Vanity project

Sangre

I know a lot of people here train for numerous reason, with their appearance often just being one of them. Its my experience that the most dedicated people train for a reason other than appearance, although I'm sure there are exceptions.

Anyway, my question is, whatever you train for, if you suddenly decided to change the focus of your training to purely aesthetics, would you change your routine and if so, how? Please specify your current routine/goals briefly as well.

I appreciate some people may want to look like an athlete in their chosen sport e.g. powerlifter, if thats the case then you wouldn't change your traininig routine even if training for aesthetics.

No real reason for this thread other than interested in hearing people's thoughts. No doubt "more curls" will be the most common response!

Michael 09

I train primarily for aesthetics so I wouldn't need to change anything. I see health, strength and fitness as a happy by product of my training rather than the other way around. It might sound vain but it's true.

Sangre

Thread title is not used in a perojative way if thats possible with word vanity.

Would you train differently if for strength/fitness then?

Michael 09

Well I'd do a lot more cardio work for fitness. I would also probably work shorter rep ranges for strength.

Tigger

I train to feel stronger faster and bigger than if I didn't train.
I also train to look stronger better and bigger. I don't like to think what I'd look like if I didn't train as I always played a lot of sport and I've used resistance training since I was 17.

ferike1

I have the pictures of what I looked like when I started. I shudder to think how I'd look if I never trained! At first I started training to look good. Now I do it so I can do awesome moves! The looking good is a by product!

Hanley

I'd probably do something more GVT'y to be honest.

ferike1

Can't beat German efficiency eh? I would do curls. All day 24/7

Sangre

hanley wrote:

I'd probably do something more GVT'y to be honest.

Do you think there is a noticeable aesthetic difference between high volume training and strength training?

Generally, do people subscribe to the low rep strength, high rep bulk philosphy?

ferike1 wrote:

Can't beat German efficiency eh? I would do curls. All day 24/7

No doubt you'd do curls, but what about the precious situation?

christmas2012

right now i need to train / excercise to not just tone up but save my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there is heart disease in our family so im so worried although im not obese or anything i felt pains in my legs earlier im wondering is this a sign!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eek:

squod

There's hot chicks in the gym. That is all.

Transform

Sangre wrote: »

I know a lot of people here train for numerous reason, with their appearance often just being one of them. Its my experience that the most dedicated people train for a reason other than appearance, although I'm sure there are exceptions.

Anyway, my question is, whatever you train for, if you suddenly decided to change the focus of your training to purely aesthetics, would you change your routine and if so, how? Please specify your current routine/goals briefly as well.

I appreciate some people may want to look like an athlete in their chosen sport e.g. powerlifter, if thats the case then you wouldn't change your traininig routine even if training for aesthetics.

No real reason for this thread other than interested in hearing people's thoughts. No doubt "more curls" will be the most common response!

Great question

More training volume done at non max weights, greater use of intensity variables i.e. drop sets, super sets etc, tighter diet, changing up the exercise selection more often and generally be more focused on being a sculptor not a wood cutter

ferike1

I'd actually also go for something like Gironda's 8x8, which is purely for aesthetics.

Or I'd go back to the standard 3x8-12 workouts, resting for 1-2 minutes between sets @ 50-80% of ORM. Bread and butter bodybuilding routine

Gummy Panda

Probably do a 4 day split if I was bodybuilding

Monday Upper
Tuesday Lower
Wednesday Rest
Thursday Upper
Friday Lower

3-4 sets with reps 8-12. For nutrition, could try they Layne Norton approach of 4 week bulk, 2 week cut.

Sangre

Interesting thoughts so far. I'd probably increase percentage of workouts dedicated to upper body. Maybe drop to just one lower body session a week.

boomtown84

Training to increase strength, lose fat and get fitter and quicker at the moment so my training mainly consists of a bit of upper strength stuff, loads of posterior chain stuff and loads of conditioning/speed stuff.

If I was training purely for aesthetics I don't think i'd change an awful lot training wise but i'd really clean up my diet. Ya don't necessarily have to be hoooge to be aesthetic. Fit/Strong/Lowish BF% = Aesthetic for me.

+ Arms 3 times a week :-P

blah88

http://jasonferruggia.com/how-many-reps-to-build-muscle/
Interesting article sorta related to the topic.

Higher reps cause more overall systemic fatigue and lead to greater levels of soreness. They also cause more localized inflammation.

That’s why when you embark on a high rep program you may look a bit bigger but most of the initial size you put on is intracellular fluid, increased glycogen storage, edema and just overall swelling from the trauma inflicted.

This systemic fatigue and soreness limits your ability to train more frequently in a fresher state, which limits your ability to build muscle faster.

People get confused and claim that they shrink when they abandon high reps. They are actually right; you will shrink. But it’s not real muscle that you’re losing. It’s just swelling.

I'v noticed this when switching from High volume programs to Low volume strength-orientated programs and always thought I was losing muscle mass. I don't really know what to believe anymore. I will say that anyone I know who has a great physique has always got a great level of relative strength. ( That's strength relative to their bodyweight) If I was to tell someone in one sentence how to get a great physique I'd say ''Be able to bench and chin 1.5x your bodyweight''. Reason being. They'd have to get strong but not get fat to manage these feats. Anyone I know who can do both those things (mainly rugby players) have got teh aesthetics too.