Getting ripped fast is the dream of just about everyone that hits the gym. No one wants to work hard for those ripped six pack abs or chiseled chest. And while I’m not usually an advocate of fast results when it comes to fitness, it can be done. When working with clients I generally follow the doctor recommended goal of losing 1 to 2 pounds per week. The reason being is that to lose weight faster than this requires significant calorie reduction. When we reduce our calories dramatically, we stop fueling the one thing that will ensure long term success and lasting results, namely, your lean muscle mass.
Muscle is your strongest metabolic advocate. Muscle requires a great deal of energy to maintain. And when you train and eat to maintain this mass, your body will be required to make up the calorie difference with body fat. Furthermore, after getting ripped you don’t have to fear putting weight back on because muscle mass ensures a high metabolic rate. Getting ripped too quickly however will jeopardize this and force your body to break down some of your muscle to fuel your caloric deficit. This is called catabolism, and should be avoided as best as possible. So how do we avoid catabolism on the path to getting ripped fast? We need to train and eat properly.
Getting Ripped Quickly Defined
We all know what that sleek ripped look is. Muscles are well defined and the opposite sex can’t stop staring. It’s important that people realize that getting ripped and having a body with great definition is a product of one thing…low body fat. So in order to get ripped we need to design a training program and diet that maintain muscle while reducing fat.
Training for Getting Ripped Fast
Training to get ripped abs fast is not about doing crunches until you puke. In fact, abdominal exercises are the least effective exercises for getting ripped. This may sound strange to those struggling to get a six pack, but its true. We cannot isolate areas of the body to remove body fat from. Our genetics determine when and from which locations fat comes off first. So if you have a trouble region, do not isolate that region with exercises, focus on the best exercises for burning fat, period.
The best exercises for getting ripped fast are none other than the same compound movements that get you bigger and stronger the fastest. They are exercises which require the greatest amount of energy to perform, and the greatest number of muscle groups to execute. They are exercises which mimic the body’s most natural movements, pushing, pulling, lifting, squatting, and pressing over head. If using weights, these would be the bench press, the lat row or bent row, the dead lift, the squat, and the shoulder press. If doing bodyweight exercises, you could use pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and handstand pushups with your feet against the wall.
Now that’s it for the exercises themselves. Not too complicated. Performing them properly is the next key to getting ripped fast. Do not be a gym rat. Don’t lift weights for 2 hours while chatting up hotties at the gym. Go with focus, kill your workout, and chat after. The best way to perform these is in a circuit, flowing from one exercise to the next with no rest in between. Lift weights heavy enough that you cannot perform more than 15 reps of any exercise, and light enough that you can perform at least 6 reps. Do the circuit in a way that allows you to maintain your strength the longest, as this will be taxing. When you finish the circuit, rest as short as possible, and repeat again. Do this 3 or 4 times per session, 3 or 4 sessions per week. The workout should take less than 40 minutes to complete, including warm-up, and it will leave you completely exhausted.
But you’re not getting off that easy. Getting ripped fast requires more than 4 days of training a week. You should shoot for 6. On your non circuit days you should include interval training, either on a treadmill or kickboxing. For more details on interval running check out How to Get Rid of Belly Fat Quickly with Interval Training.
Dieting for Getting Ripped Fast
If you are under 35 years old and have the time and energy to train hard 6 days a week, getting ripped fast without dieting is possible, so long as you don’t have a crazy sweet tooth and train properly. But dieting will definitely get you ripped faster than you can through training alone. And for most of us, it’s the essential component of getting ripped fast.
First of all, do not be afraid of food, and do not be afraid to eat. Eating well is essential. Eating carbs is essential to maintain energy and fuel your workouts. Eating fat is essential to signal to your body that you’re not starving, and that burning your body fat for energy is ok. And protein is essential to repair and maintain muscle. Eliminating any one of these will slow your results. Eating regularly, 6 times a day, in well balanced portions of natural and healthy foods is the key to getting ripped fast.
Eliminating carbohydrates that offer little in the way of sustained energy, and fats that your body cannot metabolize well, is the first step. You should opt for whole grain bread instead of white bread, whole grain or wheat pasta instead of white pasta, brown rice instead of white, and oatmeal instead of cereal. Eat vegetables and fruits as much as possible in place of processed foods. And enjoy lean meats like chicken or turkey instead of beef. Eat fish when you can, and have salmon at least once a week. You should calculate your basal metabolic rate, which can be done for you easily online if you google it. Once you know how much energy your body needs each day, reduce your caloric intake by about 4 or 500 calories. This reduction should come primarily from simple sugars and carbs like the ones just mentioned, and from fattening foods. Protein intake, unless it’s excessive, should not be curtailed much.
Supplements for Getting Ripped Fast
Sometimes it’s difficult to consume sufficient quantities of macronutrients when dieting, either because you don’t have time to cook all the time, or because it’s difficult to eat so frequently. In either case, consuming whey protein shakes or casein protein can help you maintain lean weight while you’re cutting calories. Most people will not need this, and if you have the option, natural foods are better options, but for those who cannot eat so frequently or don’t enjoy eating so much, protein shakes and juices can make things easier. Whey protein, milk, a banana, and a bit of peanut butter is an excellent meal replacement that will keep your energy high on the path to getting ripped fast.