Right workout to get cut?!?!

[TheJake]

I am 19 years old ,5' 11'' 160 lbs. I have drops 35 lbs since summer and have recently started an army style workout involving running, push ups, pullups, sit ups, and dips. I am on a diet of about 2200 calories per day. I started this with one goal in mind. To get cut and have a nice beach body. But i am wondering if i have all the right elements. I run about 19 miles in a 5 day week, consisting of runs of 3/5/4/5/2 miles with an averge 5 mile run of 42 min, so its not incredibly slow. M/w/f I do: 6x30 push ups/6x5 pullups/ 6x10 dips/ and 6x 35 situps. I am wondering if i have these things in right proportions, maybe too much cardio or not enough lifting? I need some guidence. I am getting discouraged becasue my chest doesn't want to sculpt. Any advice would be appreciated.

(sorry for the long post)

--TheJake

Do you ever add reps or sets to you freehand exercises?

How long have you been doing the same workout?

If you are looking to make a change here is an interesting workout.

[TheJake]

I have been doing this workout for about a week and a half now, so far i have lost 5 lbs. before this workout i used to lift on M/W/F with little cardio, but i wasn't seeing the results i wanted so i went to this new routing to step up the intensity. I haven't asdded reps to my workout, this could be a good idea.

[Dins_PR]

make sure you incorporate different types of pushups and abs. My favorite are the diamond pushups, where yo place your hands close together so your thumbs and index fingers touch forming a diamond. These are great, also wide arm pushups, then pushups where you keep your elbows tucked in work the triceps really well.

For your dips, do some fast high rep sets, then some nice 5-count down 5-count up dips.

Abs, do this 20-rep set with no pausing:
-straight leg crunches (flat on ground, not in air)
-indian sit crunches (sit indian style, then lay back and do crunches)
-situp crunches (crunches in situp position, feet flat on floor, knees bent 90 degrees)
-regular crunches (legs in air, knees 90 degrees, calves parallel to ground)
-legs up crunches (legs straight up into air)
-oblique crunches, 20 each side
-flutter kicks

These will kick your butt, especially in cunjunction with a sprint workout. Your running routine looks fine, don't change that one bit. Other than that, your calisthenics look good, do that 3 times a week and you'll be set.

[Gooseneck]

Sounds like you're off on the right foot, however a week is nothing for fitness and change in body composition takes months and years to attain. Stay focused and be persistant and you'll achieve your goals. Stay on the boards to help with guidance and motivation.

[KaiserSose]

Also make sure you are eating enough and getting a lot of protien. Although your goal was clearly to lose weight, putting on weight if it's muscle is a good thing.

[Rats!]

At 5'11" 160lbs. if you're not cut yet, you don't have a lot of muscle mass. That's probably why your muscles aren't "sculpting."

[Your_Crazy]

I would have to agree with Rats!. I'm 5'11" 200lbs and I'm still told I look to skinny.

[Gooseneck]

Originally Posted by Rats!

At 5'11" 160lbs. if you're not cut yet, you don't have a lot of muscle mass. That's probably why your muscles aren't "sculpting."

That's a little presumptious. I am 5'11", about 165 lbs right now and look at my most "recent pics" in the progress pics section and you'll see I have a good deal of mass already. It all depends on the size of your frame, bone structure, etc.

[TheJake]

I was thinking of cutting back some on the cardio and doing more lifting. But i am on this regiment for six weeks, of which im on the second, so i figure i will go with it for 4 more weeks and just finish it. Im sure i need more muscle mass but thats hard to do becasue to lose weight you need a calorie deficit and to gain muscle quickly there needs to be a surplus of calories.(Its not weight in particular im trying to drop its body fat.) I do think i am getting enough calories though, and I usually hit about 170 grams a day, eating 4-5 times a day. I figure the PT might help some.

[cursor]

Originally Posted by TheJake

Im sure i need more muscle mass but thats hard to do becasue to lose weight you need a calorie deficit ...

Keep in mind that creating a calorie deficit doesn't necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. Increasing your activity (sometimes by simply changing the style) can create that need to dip into the body-fat stores.

Originally Posted by TheJake

... and to gain muscle quickly there needs to be a surplus of calories.

Muscle will develop only so fast (you can't speed it up by simply eating more). The closer that you adjust your nutritional intake to match the stress that your body experiences, the more effectively you will grow (without gaining body fat). The more mass you move (vs. cardio-style exercise), the greater your lean mass increase will be. I'd recommend processing some heavy weights (relative to your abilities, of course) at a low repetition range in order to more quickly approach your stated fitness goals.

[Gooseneck]

Good post Cursor.

[midgetcop]

Are his posts anything but good??

[Gooseneck]

Originally Posted by midgetcop

Are his posts anything but good??

Very true. Now the political ones are a different story.

[.V.]

Originally Posted by Gooseneck

Very true. Now the political ones are a different story.

They are good too. Anything that makes us right thinking individuals actually have to think - to help him understand the truth about the world is a good thing.