How do you get big bulky and stocky muscle but look cut?

Answer 1

Building muscle and looking cut are different (but related) concepts. It is possible to have great muscle definition without much bulk, and it's also possible to have gigantic muscles without being very lean. In fact, most athletes fit into one of these groups. Skaters, X-Gamers, and other athletes who run, jump, and fly as part of their sport tend to be very lean, but not very muscular. Powerlifters, strongmen, and even fitness models and contest bodybuilders during their off-season tend to be muscular but less lean.

The fundamentals of each characteristic can be employed simultaneously in order to achieve the look you want, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Building muscle requires a lot of dedication and willpower, as well as a diet plan that promotes muscle growth. Getting cut and lean (losing fat and excess water) requires even more willpower and strict diet. The crux of the matter is that your body needs fuel to push through exercises and to grow muscle mass, but getting lean demands lower caloric intake that tends to starve muscles of their fuel.

The compromising solution, and what many fitness experts recommend, is to stick very closely to a healthy dietary plan. Don't starve yourself, because you'll starve your muscles and stunt their growth. Don't overeat, because you'll sabotage your attempts at getting lean. Instead, compensate for the additional caloric intake required for your muscle growth by increasing your cardiovascular exercise (running, jumping rope, parkour, playing soccer, and so on).

Below is a sample plan that you might consider trying. Remember that every person has different genetics, time constraints, goals, and personalities. Your plan will necessarily deviate from this, but the core principles should be kept. As always, you should consult a physician before beginning any exercise regimen, and a physician or dietitian before making fundamental changes in your eating habits.

Morning (within an hour of waking up): Light cardio for 15 minutes or so, with about 5 minutes of stretching before and after. When finished, eat a healthy breakfast and take any once-daily dietary supplements you have chosen.

Lunch (at least 2 hours after breakfast): Lunch should be like a midday snack. Focus on moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates (pasta or rice, for example) and high protein. A tuna sandwich and piece of fruit is a great choice.

Workout (at least 30 to 45 minutes after lunch): Do your Weightlifting routine for 30 to 90 minutes (depending on your time constraints and fitness goals) in the early afternoon, with 10 to 15 minutes of stretching. Take any protein shakes and such that you normally take.

Snack (20 to 30 minutes after workout): Another high-protein food is recommended here, because this is the beginning of your body's recovery phase. This is also the time when you can treat yourself to a sugary snack if you so desire, but keep it small; a couple cookies or one candy bar is plenty.

Cardio (at least 2 hours after workout): After properly stretching, do cardio for 30 to 45 minutes in the early evening. This will keep up your metabolism, burn those snacking calories and any carbs left over from your workout, and hopefully burn a little bit of excess fat in the process.

Dinner (about 4 hours after workout, at least an hour after cardio): Have a healthy, balanced meal heavy on vegetables and protein (you don't need to take supplements at this time, just be sensible). Chicken and fish are great meats to choose when trying to lower fat intake. Try a stir-fry or chicken salad. If you have any carb dishes (rice, beans, potatoes, pasta, bread, etc), keep the portions small, because you won't be doing much to burn the extra calories until tomorrow, when it will already be turning to body fat.

Bed (at least 2 hours after dinner): Try to reduce your mental and physical stimulation about an hour before bed, as this will help your mind relax (mental health is a large part of physical health). Consider doing meditation or relaxation techniques just before you crawl under the blanket (Yoga isn't recommended at night, because although it's relaxing, it can be physically demanding, which you want to avoid). If you must have a snack before bed, eat some low-fat yogurt or a piece of fruit, avoiding sugary foods like the plague.

Sleep: Try to get at least 8 hours of actual, restful sleep, budgeting an extra couple of hours to account for midnight bathroom trips, noisy family or neighbors, and so on. Most people can function normally on less sleep (about 6 hours), but it's better to try for 8 if your schedule and body allow it. This will give your body (muscles) and mind more time to rest, so you can do it all again tomorrow.

This daily plan only covers about 20 hours of your 24-hour day, which means that you have a few hours of flexibility to meet the demands of your daily life. If you must change the time of your main muscle workout, make it earlier, not later (studies show that morning exercise improves the following night's sleep). Here are a few additional points to remember about the principles behind this suggestion:

1. You need fats in your diet. Whether it comes from peanut butter or dead cows isn't important. Many people try to eliminate nearly all dietary fats from their food, and it's not healthy.

2. Part of getting that clean and cut look, especially when you're carrying a lot of muscle mass, is reducing excess water weight. Believe it or not, drinking more water (a gallon a day of ice-cold water is recommended) and foods with a lot of water in them will help you retain less water because as your body gets accustomed to more water intake, it will perceive less of a need to conserve it. Also, reduce your sodium intake to around 2000mg per day.

3. If you must have snack foods outside of the time frames in the plan, go for plain celery, grapefruit, or other high-fiber foods that cause your body to expend more calories digesting than are in the food itself.

4. Keep it real. Most people can't keep such a strict schedule. People have families, jobs, and hobbies that can't always be shifted around to meet a fitness goal. Give yourself some flexibility, but don't allow yourself to stray from your routine without acknowledging with honesty its impact on your fitness goals.

5. Stay close to your goal. Once you've gotten near your goal, stay close to it. If you can see some definition in your abs now, don't allow yourself to slide backwards. Take proactive steps to maintain your achievement, because it will almost certainly be harder physically and psychologically the next time around.

6. Fitness is not something you do, then stop when it's no longer convenient. It is a lifestyle choice. If you stop living a fitness lifestyle, you will likely stop being fit. Amazingly, this nugget of wisdom seems to surprise people. Your body, mind, and spirit are what make you who you are. If you alter one of them, for better or for worse, you can and will change yourself for better or worse.

7. No matter what, please don't turn to steroids, amphetamines, or other dangerous substances that might seem to advance your goals but ultimately do more harm than good. Too many people, and more every year, are drawn to the appeal of chemical substances to increase performance and results, many of which don't even work. If it's not FDA-approved, it's probably not worth it.