MY NEW BODY BATTLE..
It could just be because it is my TOM but I really want to change my shape. I feel I have bodybuilder genetics, I can pick up a weight and my muscles expand like you wouldn’t believe (I mean - more than what I desire..) Especially my back, naturally wide I think and coupled with my strength and love for back training come back day, it grows further more 
I just want more detail not size.
I have changed my training dramatically to very light weight, higher sets and reps - going for the pump, even eating less protein down to roughly 0.8/lb of body weight and guess what..I’m growing again! My lats, quads (inner and outer) so for those of you who think you can’t grow on light weight and less calories think again! I do know the body responds to change and especially if it’s been on the same routine for a while, but I change my routine quite regularly. I don’t use any supplements at the moment, not even protein powder - all natural food sources. So I have come to the conclusion that I am just one of those people who can grow muscle no matter how I train, because I tap into the mind muscle connection - once you have that you can achieve amazing things. So I’m chopping down protein because my aim is to lose some muscle and get better balance, I’ll also have to do less exercise to stimulate less muscle fibres and change the angles every other exercise for variety. I know its odd that I want to lose muscle, I’m not that big in the grand scheme of things, I’m 5′8" and a UK size 10, below the national average - which I think is a US size 6. I’d prefer to be a size 8 which I think would make me a US size 4?? But anywho, that is where I’m at. Diet wise I try to get a healthy variety of foods, I’m not caring about being this body fat% or that one simply because I need to just look at myself to know if I’m happy with it or not, and right now I’m OK. Still want to be less but because I’m trying to lose overall size MY focus is just that..overall.
Pictures never show a true representation of how anyone looks unless there are other people in the shot to give an idea in relation. My focus always changes but that is what keeps me active and aiming for something, I know one day I will just want to maintain, but not there yet..
May 26, 2009 at 7:58 am
Hey there. In the begining you mentioned that you increased the sets, as well as the reps. The trick is when wanting to bulk you increase the sets, and lower the reps. For defining stages, you want to LOWER the sets, and INCREASE the reps. When trying to define, it all revolves around your diet, (As you well know) Carido becomes your new mantra, and high rep training. If your doing a lot of sets with a lot of reps, try minimizing the sets. You could be overloading the muscle with the high set count, along with the high rep count. Just a suggestion.
May 26, 2009 at 11:14 am
Lex29us is right about the set count. Also you should give plyometrics and resistiance cardio a try. Those methods are geared to lean muscle. Hell, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do pilates and aerobics. Boxing is another possibility. It seems to me that you just need to put the weights down for a while and try some alternative exercise techniques. Good luck, I wish I had your problems.