ExRx.net

One of my goals this up comming new years is to get down to at least8% body fat.

My question is, how does one increase muscle mass, but decrease body fat. I want to stay at least 165lbs.

I have a power rack in my house, and dumbells. I can squat, dead lift, bench, do chin-ups. I live on a street that has a huge incline I can sprint up.

I can do a lot of things, but don't know how to "put them together" to create a good routine. I don't want to train blindly...Any suggestions?

I don't want to be a body builder exactly...I just want to be as healthy and as strong as I can be at this weight right now.

What is your starting point, and what's your training experience?

Do you have a lot of fat you want to lose or just a few percent?

Generally, it's very difficult to simultaneously increase muscle mass while decreasing body fat. Therefore the usual plan is to increase to the desired muscle mass first, and then work on decreasing body fat. Or, if body fat is already rather high, decreasing body fat first, then increasing muscle mass, then decreasing any additional fat.

The plan could also be influenced by factors particular to the individual.

John

Juggers, your goal is very unrealistic. First off, 8% bodyfat is very low, and requres some pretty extreme dieting and workouts, Secondly, Fat loss requires a calorie deficit, while adding muscle requires a positive calorie situation. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will be very difficult. Even if you do get down to 8 % and maintain or even gain some muscle, your net bodyweight will still be down a few lbs. A more realistic goal would be to try to gain or maintain muscle, while dropping the fat, and even thats pretty tough for most people to do at the same time. Normal conventions are to drop first, with minimal musle loss, hopefully maintaining, then build back up.
OK, that said, there is a method that might be able to possibly fit your goals. Dr Squat (Fred Hatfield) came out some years back with the ZigZag diet, where you under feed for a period, and then go calorie positive for a period, thus the ZigZag. Here is a good breakdown on what that is.
http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/zigzag.htm
I won't go into training, as this is the diet section, and it is covered in the article, but I agree wholeheartedly that lots of circuits, and complexes should be employed using very short rest breaks, along with some "normal" slower bodybuilding type routines.
Tim

Thanks for the reply guys. I'll try to figure out what I can really do and set a more realistic goal.

Oh and btw thanks for the article...I'll read it and try to apply it my best.

hi juggers!!

increase your calorie intake and do endurance cv training. this doesnt neccessarily mean marathons in 4 hrs.

walking for a few hours is also endurance exercise and shall be very effective. i'm a great believer in hill walking cross training up down flat up up up down down flat etc...;0) i find the best way to start endurance running or any kind of endurance training is to start walking then take it to a jog then run then before you get too fatigued start to jog again and then walk jog run jog walk ( like a maths sine wave )......in a nice easy way that means you are still going to enjoy the training but you are pushing yourself in a kind of running circuit that you can then progress to include hills, which for endurance have to be approached with more technique than speed.

hill running: SLOW DOWN from your flat approach pace and conciously deepen your breathing to ensure you have enough oxygen, make sure your posture is still straight and your feet are not relying too much on the gastrocs and soleus ie. don't run on your toes but don't take it too far back from your heels either.

JOINTS!!!!! knees and hips can be prone to getting sore so DON'T over do it by going to fast downhill OR trying to go too fast uphill you'll knacker yourself, leave the speed for the flats or for downhill roads / non stoney tracks.