- Joined
- Jan 31, 2026
- Messages
- 712
- Solutions
- 1
- Time Online
- 1d 8h
- Reputation
- 1,158
- Location
- Atlantis
- Guild
- Isreali goverment
thread music: its a banger i know
This thread is for men but women can follow it too
Made a guide for 2 of the most popular and sought after physiques
Muscular Aesthetic
and Lean Aesthetic
contents:
Training principles
Lean Athletic Guide
Muscular Aesthetic Guide
Science behind it
deficit and surplus/ Cut and bulk
Protein intakes
cardio (common myth: wont ruin physiques)
Sleep and Recovery
splits
Evidence and resources
CORE TRAINING PRINCIPLES
Progressive overload:
Progressive Overload is the most fundamental driver of muscle growth
which means you gradually make your workout harder
you can do this by increasing :
Repetitions (reps)
Weight
Sets
How Muscles Grow:
theory of how muscles grow tells us that when we are resistance training it puts stress on our muscles that cause microscopic tears that signals your body to repair the tears and in turn your muscles get bigger. During recovery the body increases Muscle Protein Synthesis which rebuilds your muscle fibers bigger and stronger so it goes Mechanical Tension --> Muscle Damage --> Repair --> New muscle
Role Of Calories
Calories are needed for muscle growth as not having enough calories your body wont build muscle as efficiently
when going to them gym people usually are in a slight surplus but if you are overweight or have a high bodyfat percentage i recommend you go in a deficit of 200-500 don't go into a deficit if your still in puberty as it might hinder your growth
Calculate how much calories you need at
Calorie Calculator
This calorie calculator estimates the number of calories needed each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Learn the kinds of calories and their effects.
www.calculator.net
Macro Calculator
This macro calculator estimates the macronutrient needs of a person based on their age, physical characteristics, activity level, and bodyweight goals.
www.calculator.net
Role Of Macronutrients
Protein
protein provides amino acids which is needed for muscle repair the key amino acid is LEUCINE triggers muscle growth
you get protein from: eggs, chicken, milk, red meat, yogurt, dairy in general, bean (kidney ect), Protein powders (i recommend you get it from naturally not from powers)
You should be having around 1.6-2.2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight
check how much you need at https://www.calculator.net/protein-calculator.html
Carbs
Carbohydrates (Carbs) Is the MAIN energy source while working out since its stored in your Muscles as GLYCOGEN
So carbs are basically fuel for your body and muscles
They also have insulin that helps transport nutrients into your muscles that helps in recovery and performance
you should be eating carbs before and after your workout
Fats
You might confuse Fats with real fat but Healthy fats are need for hormone production
Especially testosterone which is needed for muscle growth
Fats help with cell integrity and recovery
Should be eating around 20-35% of your total calories should be healthy fats
Healthy fats are:
Nuts
Olive oil
avocado
fish
Role of Micronutrients
Even though they don't have much calories they are very very very crucial for muscle growth
Magnesium
crucial for Muscles, Protein synthesis, Energy
Zinc
crucial for testosterone levels, Recovery, immune system
Iron
Essential for Oxygen transport, fatigue (helps to not be fatigued), and performance
Vitamin D
crucial for muscle function and hormone production (testosterone)
Hydration
WATER is FUCKING CRUCIAL
MUSCLES are 70% water
Dehydration reduces strength and endurance
drink 50ml of water per KG of bodyweight
(no calculator for this one gotta use a normal calculator)
Meal Timing
this is not mandatory but is very helpful
Pre-workout eat some light carbs+protein and caffeine(not too much as it just not really good for your heart)
so like eat some banana and yogurt before you workout
Post-workout eat a good meal with Protein and carbs no caffeine now
chicken and potatoes is a good meal add some healthy fats to be optimal
Training Volume:
Volume typically means total amount of work a muscle does during your workout
so basically Sets x reps x weight
here's the difference:
too little volume = not enough to stimulate muscle growth
too much volume = worse performance (fatigue), harder recovery
Training Frequency:
Frequency typically refers too how much you train each muscle per week
you should be training each muscle 2 to 3 times per week
YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING 1X PER WEEK
Training 2 to 3 times per week has better:
Volume distribution
Better recovery
Better sets
Intensity and Rep Ranges
hypertrophy(muscle growth) can occur from ranges 3-50 but this differs from exercise to exercise
Most exercises have it between the ranges of 6-12 this allows muscle growth at a optimal pace
Sets: this can also differ but do around 3-4 sets per exercise
REST: REST is very important after you done 1 set you should be resting 4-5 minutes IS VERY OPTIMAL but not everyone has time for that so i recommend 1-3 minutes
EXERCISE Selection
A balanced split should include:
Compound exercises (hits multiple muscles at once)
Isolation exercises (hits one muscle usually smaller and needs more attention in order to grow)
Recovery
Recovery DOES NOT HAPPEN DURING TRAINING
happens when you:
have 7-9 hours of sleep
eat enough calories and protein
rest days in between sessions
you manage your fatigue (know when to stop)
CONSISTENCY
YOU will not get your dream bod after a day
the most drastic changes happen during 1-3 years of training
but remember you will get healthier and live longer and happier
Lean Athletic
This is the physique seen in sports like soccer, MMA, and other sports (not sumo
)this is easier than the other physique
and is more in your diet than in your workouts
Characteristics :
Visible abs
Low body fat
Defined but not massive muscles
Strong relative strength
High conditioning
BODYFAT
Discalmer: how your body distributes fat is genetic and this chart may vary from the real percentages
The aesthetic physique happens around the percentages of
9-12% + the training
How to achieve it
Calorie deficit
have a deficit of 300-500 calories
if your somehow under 9% bodyfat you have to bulk by increasing 500 calories above your maintenance
what is maintenance?
its how much calories it takes your body to maintain its current muscle and bodyfat and metabolism
how do i know my maintenance?
Go to
Calorie Calculator
This calorie calculator estimates the number of calories needed each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Learn the kinds of calories and their effects.
www.calculator.net
or this link
maintenance calculator
THE TRAINING
Muscle definition comes from having muscle combined with low body fat
The most efficient hypertrophy rep ranges are:
6–12 reps
3–4 sets per exercise
Research consistently shows this rep range maximizes hypertrophy for most people
Focus mostly on compound lifts:
Squat
Bench press
Pull-ups
Overhead press
Deadlifts
Rows
TRAIN EACH MUSCLE 2/3x PER WEEK
Protein
you probably heard this word being throw around left and right here's why u need it
Protein intake strongly correlates with muscle growth and muscle retention during dieting.
you need around 1.6–2.2 g protein per kg bodyweight
or u can go and calculate it at
Protein Calculator
This free protein calculator estimates the amount of protein a person needs each day to remain healthy based on certain averages and recommendations.
www.calculator.net
CARDIO
Add some cardio into your workout
you can do this after your workout
if you do this before you cant perform at 100% after cardio fatigues you.
you should be:
biking
walking
boxing if possible
hitting 10k steps a day
TIMEFRAME
It should take you around
1-2 years if you train and eat and recover optimally
which most growth happens in your first year
Highly Muscular Aesthetic
Usually seen in classic bodybuilding, fitness models, physique competitors
Characteristics:
large shoulders
wide back
thick chest
muscular legs
lean waist
Typical body fat range:
10–15%
How to achieve it
Calorie surplus
200-500 surplus
for maintenance calculating
Calorie Calculator
This calorie calculator estimates the number of calories needed each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Learn the kinds of calories and their effects.
www.calculator.net
its how much calories it takes your body to maintain its current muscle and bodyfat and metabolism
THE TRAINING
Muscle hypertrophy strongly correlates with weekly training volume.
Research suggests optimal volume is approximately:
10–20 sets per muscle per week
Progressive Overload
gradually increasing:
weight
reps
sets
Cardio
do not overdo cardio
1–2 sessions per week is enough
Optimize recovery:
7–9 hours sleep
proper calorie intake
rest days between heavy sessions
SPLITS:
you should be training from 2 to 6 per week but this differs on your split
6 Day split: i recommend Upper lower for 3x frequency but you can also do PPL Push pull legs
5 Day split: i recommend a split done by jeff nippard (science based lifter) its Upper lower Push pull legs
4 Day split: i personally do a 4 day split, and i REALLY recommend Upper/lower/Upper/lower
3 Day split: your only choice here is Full body 3x or if you have good legs from sports do upper lower upper
2 Day split : Full body 2x a week is the only choice for 2x frequency GO hard during your workout
APPS:
going to split this into free and non free
Free
calorie tracking app: Myfitnesspal
workout tracking app: Liftoff
Non-free
calorie tracking app: Macrofactor - Macro tracker
workout tracking app: Macrofactor - Workouts
these 2 non free sync really nice and is very accurate
Recources
Training Frequency & Hypertrophy
Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PubMed
When comparing studies that investigated training muscle groups between 1 to 3 days per week on a volume-equated basis, the current body of evidence indicates that frequencies of training twice a week promote superior hypertrophic outcomes to once a week. It can therefore be inferred that the...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Muscle Building Research - Lean FFMI
Evidence-based science on optimal hypertrophy strategies
leanffmi.com
The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis - Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Protein timing is a popular dietary strategy designed to optimize the adaptive response to exercise. The strategy involves consuming protein in and around a training session in an effort to facilitate muscular repair and remodeling, and thereby enhance post-exercise strength- and...
link.springer.com
Special thanks too: @foidslayer22 @Currycelloser @Histy
EDIT: and since i didnt add exercises i recommend you check out this thread by @Blackpillirony S tier thread
it includes a lot of exercises that i rate
can we reach Must-Reads?
Last edited:
