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Author Topic: Wanna get 6pack for summer - how important are dieting, cardio and ab-excercises  (Read 230 times)
The German Pullup Guy
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« on: January 27, 2012, 10:00:54 AM »

Hello,

I've been working out for four years now and I want to get ripped now.
My current strength and physical data:

Bodyweight: 87kg
Height: 185cm
Bodyfat: ~15%

Squat: 90kg - 3x8-10
Romanian Deadlift: 100kg - 3x8-10
Dumbbell Press: 30kg - 3x8-10
Seated Cable Row: 70kg - 3x8-10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 20kg - 3x8-10

First of all, I've got to say that bodybuilding is my HOBBY and nothing more (I don't want to become the strongest or biggest man on earth - I want to stay healthy and look athletic). I go to the gym three times a week and perform a push-pull workout routine or rather switch to a whole-body-workout to gain strength and to give my muscles a different stimulus. I never had and probably never will have a completely defined nutrition schedule, but I know how much calories and protein I consume (normaly about 2800-3200 calories and 150-200g protein). Don't get me wrong here, but I love to eat well-balanced meals, but I also love to eat pizza, hamburgers and so on. I don't eat much junkfood, but I also don't mind to eat a cheeseburger when I feel to do so. I've never done cardio before since I'm working out (I played soccer years before), because I hate  jogging - it's so boring!

Now to come to my question:
How can I get a sixpack without a diet or rather without changing my eating habits too much? Should I do cardio and extra ab-workouts? I usually don't do extra ab-exercises, because I think that compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are enough to get strong abs. But I'm asking you to get some advices. What would be better for me? Adding two to three cardio sessions/week or would it be more effective to add a fourth workout in the gym?
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    « Reply #1 on: January 27, 2012, 10:37:19 AM »

    If you don't want to modulate your diet at all I would add a single abdominal session per week (with weight - you don't need more, especially considering you do FBW anyway) - this can either be additional or lumped on to the end of one of your current workouts. And then additional cardio 2-4x/week, aiming for about 1000Kcal burn per session (1hr hard running/cycling or similar).

    How have you got "7 posts" but this your only post history?
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    Dille
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    « Reply #2 on: January 27, 2012, 10:43:09 AM »

    Let me put it this way, you wont get 6-pack with only working out with 15% fat percent. Of course it burns calories and can make your abs bigger. You need to lose weight which is done by changing nutrition, starting more cardio or both. Change in nutrition means when you think you're eating too much but if your weight now stays the same meaning you're eating your TDEE(Daily calories needed to maintain current weight) and more cardio would do the trick alone or changing something in your nutrition. Tho you'd get the best results by doing both. I myself do not watch what I eat accurately as I don't find it always necessary. Tho I'm constantly thinking what I'm eating.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Cardio can be anything which rises your heart rate and keeps it there(Soccer is pretty great as it has HIIT effects):

    What is good cardio?


    Cardio wont interfere with your workouts if you wont overdo it.

    Your routine is pretty basic. Everyone has ab muscles so no extra ab-work is not necessary but if you want you can do something for em. Hanging leg raises for example great ab exercise. 2 or 3 cardio sessions would be what I approve.
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    Age: 19 | Height: 180,3cm | Weight: 93kg
    Goal/Current:
    Deadlift= 215kg's/200kg's= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_66Pv-3TvAU
    Squat= 200kg's/135kg's
    Bench press= 120kg's/107,5kg's
    Overhead press= 80kg's/72,5kg's
    Run a marathon this summer
    The German Pullup Guy
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    « Reply #3 on: January 28, 2012, 03:21:57 AM »

    Thank you two for your suggestions! Especially Dille's tip to do cardio in form of soccer or anything similar is great, because I love soccer and I also like to play tennis. I think I'll give it a try and do some cardio for 2-3 times a week, no matter what it is (just 1 hour of serious cardio, right?). Maybe it'll work and I don't need to change my eating habbit. :-)

    Here is my current workout routine:

    Monday (Push)
    Squat
    Dumbbell Press
    Dumbbell Shoulder Press
    Dumbbell Side Raises
    Cable Bent-over Triceps Extension

    Wednesday (Pull)
    Chin-Ups
    Seated Cable Rows
    Romanian Deadlift
    Lever Seated Reverse Flies
    Barbell Curls

    Friday (Push)

    Monday - Pull
    Wednesday -Push
    ...

    So I could perfectly do cardio on Tuesdays, Thursdays and do an ab-workout at the weekend.

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    Dille
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    « Reply #4 on: January 28, 2012, 07:43:36 PM »

    I do cardio workout days and the rest days. Doesn't really matter, one thing tho: If you do cardio after workouts your rest days will be rest days without anything. 0,5-1h cardio sessions, soccer, tennis, jogging, anything will do.
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    Age: 19 | Height: 180,3cm | Weight: 93kg
    Goal/Current:
    Deadlift= 215kg's/200kg's= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_66Pv-3TvAU
    Squat= 200kg's/135kg's
    Bench press= 120kg's/107,5kg's
    Overhead press= 80kg's/72,5kg's
    Run a marathon this summer
    Skorpiozi
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    « Reply #5 on: January 28, 2012, 08:12:37 PM »

    Some bed-time reading to help you get on the right track Grin

    Exercise vs. Diet in Weight-Loss:
    http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/exandwtloss.html

    Importance of proper nutrition:
    http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/why-is-nutrition-important-in-working-out-954629.html
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