What Makes a Lean Body Workout “Lean?”
Posted by Brad Campbell
3
Aug, 2010
TopFatLossTrainer Q&A: Lean Body Workout Defined…by Brad Campbell
I just finished watching a new episode of the Fantasy Factory, starring crazy man Rob Dyrdek. How can you not like that guy? What I admire about him is the fact that he’s always having fun. It never looks like he’s working because he’s always screwing around, picking on his cousin, Drama, and making some sorta scene.
But the guy is a serious entrepreneur making some serious coin. It’s awesome to see someone who’s so laid back and a little immature like myself…but who’s still killing it doing what he loves–skating and being a goofball.
Anyways, that has nothing to do with this blog post, although Rob did shoot a not so serious fitness infomercial in this episode…which was flippin’ hilarious by the way…and that got me thinking that I should go blast my blog and check in with my fat haters. So in a way, it had a lot to do with this post.
Glad I thought that one out…
So check it, I’ve talked a ton about building a lean body on this blog. I’ve given you one lean body workout after another. You all know my preferred ideal body type for guys is lean and ripped…and for girls, lean and toned with some curves is just gravy. I think we can all pretty much agree on what defines a lean body, BUT what constitutes a “lean body workout?”
That’s actually a great question I just got asked after writing this post: extreme fat loss workout. So what is it about a workout that produces a lean and ripped look that’s so special? How’s this different from, say, a muscle building workout?
To be honest (like I always am), it’s pretty tough to answer that question. Sure, there are some fundamental differences in terms of the kinds of exercises used, the amount of weight, rep ranges, rest periods, etc…but the main difference has to do with mindset.
Someone with a burning desire to get completely shredded has to be willing to go above and beyond during their workouts AND in the kitchen. They have to create an entirely new lifestyle–the lean body lifestyle, if you will.
After all, it’s pretty easy to become a big muscular meathead who lacks symmetry, proportions, definition and athleticism. Anyone can gain muscle mass, but still look soft and round. On the other hand, lots of people lose a bunch of ‘weight,’ but still look like sh*t afterward, because they simply turn into a smaller version of their old self (the “skinny fat” phenomenon).
What’s truly challenging though, is putting on ‘just enough’ lean muscle and maintaining it, while STILL being able to torch enough body fat to highlight that lean muscle mass. It’s a pretty complex process, especially since most people need to lose a lot of fat, but also add some muscle mass to their frame to achieve this ripped look.
And because the amount of leanness I’m referring to is in the single digits for guys and in the upper teens for girls, we ‘lean body lovers’ have our work cut out for us. Before I get too far off track (focus, Brad), let’s bring it back to the original question of what is it about the WORKOUT that makes it an official lean body workout?
Well, that’s why I went off on my tangent. See, it’s not so much about the specific strategies I sprinkle into each lean body workout…but more so about the mindset and attitude you need to have. Because this will translate into the appropriate lifestyle adjustments that are necessary for creating a lean and chiseled body, like Rain or Jessica Alba. The most important of which, is diet. And a much distant second, is workouts…
So why would I call it a lean body workout if it has more to do with proper mindset and dieting? Well, because…assuming you have the right mentality and are focused like a lens on your lean body diet plan, workouts can then have a significant impact on the way your body looks (but only after the first two aspects are squared away).
When they are, here’s some characteristics I think really puts the LEAN in my lean body workouts:
—> Emphasis is on maintaining (or slightly adding) muscle mass, despite having a primary goal of torching every last ounce of unwanted body fat (this differs from a general weight loss workout that simply tries to get pounds off, and usually ends up stripping muscle along with the fat).
—> Usually performance-based, since I strongly believe that the best way to look like a lean, ripped, highly athletic, cover-model worthy stud or hottie, is to BECOME just that (as opposed to trying to look like that, but without ever pushing yourself or working to become more athletic).
—> Incorporates ALL areas of fitness, from strength, to speed, recovery, flexibility, stamina, etc (again, rather than just a workout program that has you simply trying to bench more weight and nothing else…all that does is get you better at benching more weight…not being more functional in everyday life)
—> Takes into account proportions and symmetry, where you’re always striving to chip away at that last layer of lower stomach fat…or broaden your shoulders to enhance your v-taper…or sculpting the booty to look just right in those skinny jeans and stilettos (can I get an amen?)
—> Uses consistent progression and undulating periodization, which is just a fancy way to describe the process of mixing up set and rep schemes in a ‘strategically random’ way. I’ll admit though, that nearly any decent workout program uses these tactics as well…so this is less specific to a lean body workout.
So, the lean body workouts I design take all of these things into account and then some.
This makes them specifically targeted to producing the lean and ripped physique you’re going for, rather than a generalized fat loss or muscle building workout that’ll produce general/average results.
But as I said at the beginning, the main difference is in your way of thinking and your way of eating. I could give you a lot of bogus workouts that could make you look shredded as long as your lifestyle and diet were both ideal for building a ripped body.
The workouts can definitely play a big role, but only when everything else is already in place. And I don’t want you guys forgetting that, since most people tend to overlook the “big things” and assume that it’s all about the workout.
Did that help clear things up? The next clarification I should probably do is what makes an extreme fat loss workout “extreme?” To be continued…
Your Coach,
Brad Campbell
Posted in Lean Body Lifestyle | Random by |
