New pics

[atrain08]

Here are a couple pictures. I'm going to start cutting here in a couple weeks once I figure out what to eat! 5'11" 183lbs. I'm guessing I'm around 11-12% body fat?? I want to get down to at least 8%.

[debrovnik]

I'd say 12/13% bf.

Check out keto diets in the weightloss section.

Good luck!

[Swift08]

I recommend bulking first...? eh that is just my opinion though.


are you trying to be super lean, model status??

[atrain08]

I'm a martial artist so I don't want to get that much bigger(speed reasons). I want some more chest size and a little more arm size, but not much. I really just want to lean down some.
This is the BF level I want to get down to

[Craig Mack]

Originally Posted by atrain08

I'm a martial artist so I don't want to get that much bigger(speed reasons). I want some more chest size and a little more arm size, but not much. I really just want to lean down some.
This is the BF level I want to get down to

that guy really isn't much leaner than you. He has just a better tan, better photographer and more muscle mass.

[atrain08]

He might not be that much leaner, but he is about where I want to be. I don't think it will be that hard for me to lean down to this level. I will just have to hit the cardio hard and cut my carb intake way down.

[iTz-Rounds]

Originally Posted by atrain08

He might not be that much leaner, but he is about where I want to be. I don't think it will be that hard for me to lean down to this level. I will just have to hit the cardio hard and cut my carb intake way down.

You won't look like this guy if you cut.
He has more muscle mass than you.
You need to bulk. =\
But whatever you chose to do, good luck!

[atrain08]

I was using him as a body fat example of what I want. I realize he has more muscle, quite a bit actually.

[Abdominator]

Originally Posted by atrain08

He might not be that much leaner, but he is about where I want to be. I don't think it will be that hard for me to lean down to this level. I will just have to hit the cardio hard and cut my carb intake way down.

Here's a cutting routine that I use pre-contest. It's a carb cycling technique where you rotate the type of carbs you eat over 6 day period and repeat. The benefit is that you stay just shy of ketosis (where your body begins to cannibalize muscle protein for energy), and you can drop 1-2 lbs. of bodyfat per week, while retaining muscle mass.

http://fitness.podarco.com/content/view/59/84/

PM me if you have any questions or comments.

And to follow up on what iTz-Rounds posted, you'll probably need another 10-15 lbs. of muscle mass before you're a Nick Auger's level (muscle density-wise), but the cool thing is, you're young and by the time you're 20 years old, you can definitely be at that level and conditioning. Heck, you should see the pictures of me when I was 18. I was a twig. It took me about 5-6 years of consistent weight training before I finally started to feel comfortable about my physique (where I didn't mind being seen without a shirt on in public), and almost 10 years before I competed for the first time. Things really didn't change dramatically though until I improved my nutrition. When you get a chance, you should post what your current nutrition plan is so that we can critique it. There are a lot of folks here who've had amazing results who I'm sure won't mind steering you in the right direction.

- Skip

[irockj00ssockz]

chest looks best imo

[k0bun]

Originally Posted by atrain08

He might not be that much leaner, but he is about where I want to be. I don't think it will be that hard for me to lean down to this level. I will just have to hit the cardio hard and cut my carb intake way down.

Ok you have a dilemna. You have to decide what's more important to you. Building your body to look like a body builder or being in optimum shape for martial arts. The two do not necessarilly go hand in hand. Active martial artists are not cutting carbs. You can still have an excellent physique training martial arts but the approach is going to be different.