[AJ]

Taking off on a 3-4 wk trip down to SA in a couple of days.

Was wondering if it was worth making a token attempt to try to keep in shape via body weight exercises or is it pointless. I've taken 1.5 months off before going globetrotting and my body shedded 10-15lbs. Of course my off and on again casual relationship with diarrhea and lack of protein didn't help either. It really puts into perspective that lifting weights artificially adds bulk that your body would like to get rid of. Staying in shape is high maintenance.

On another note. I'll be moving from Lima to Buenos Aires. If anyone is along that path and wants to meet up give me a shout.

[gringoed]

Where are you going AJ?

If you're traveling that long you'll have to do something to keep that muscle mass. It wouldnt be the worst thing in the world if you lose some though, because muscle memory will make it come back much faster.

Many gyms in SA offer day-passes which is advisable and I know Roosh can elaborate on this more. I personally am picky about gyms and I dont like to feel like I'm working out in a dungeon. I'd rather run in a park or something.

I put P90X on my computer to try some body-weight exercises and it's been great so far, although I'm not a very bulky guy. Still, it will leave you feeling sore the next day or two.

[GermanDude]

Are you guys knowledgeable about "cutting up"? Ive done it before, but never had much body fat to lose (luckily still dont) and its been 5 or so years since I last did it. In other words Im not very knowledgeable about it (lifting weights is not exactly big in Germany in comparison to the US; though its on the rise)....but am thinking this part of the equation (cutting) will probably play a bigger role in my future if I want to stay in good shape (expecting that as I age I'll end up having to do cutting phases more regularly than now to keep the body fat low).

Do you guys do cutting phases regularly? or not really..?

[damok]

here is a fantastic body weight workout, really get you going
http://fitnessblackbook.com/workout-rout...n-my-butt/

I discovered it from this free ebook download. It talks about getting in peak condition prior to a vacation ei. getting cut... worth a read.
http://vacationbodyblueprint.com/

[PartyTime]

I think eating well and excersizing is mostly about discipline. Its a bit harder to have the discipline when your traveling. But its fully possible to stay in shape.

Resistance bands are a good way to work out your muscles while traveling. They are light and small and easy to take with you.

[BaronStanley]

anything is better than nothing. Also taking resistance bands as mentioned is a good idea, gives you more exercise options than just body weight stuff.

[Rocco81]

GermanDude, some of the biggest names in bodybuilding and powerlifting are German bro...check your backyard before asking a bunch of Americans haha

Cutting up is often misunderstood. People assume that you have to do shit tons of reps and that is not always true. You need to do your explosive power motions, to build the size and its good for functional strength too. Do some spriints, jumps, any sport of explosive motions with a little cardio as well (plus healthy diet) and you will get more of a cut look.

I personally think the best way to lift is like an athelete and not a body builder. This will allow you to be more agile and build more functional muscle instead of just being extremely wide, with 0 cardio and mobility like a body builder. Plus the athletic look IMO is more appealling to girls because its a more natural look to a man than having D cup rock hard tits like fucking Gunther Schlerkamp.

[Rocco81]

To the originla poster.

I bought a pair of rubber cables that work pretty well and pack easily. When I travel for work , I try to atleast get in some push ups, and do some curls and shoulders with the cables. They work pretty well actually. If Im feeling real energetic I will do sets of jump squats or some shadow boxing.

[OGNorCal707]

AJ I know where you are coming from, I am not a naturally muscular person at all, but over the past year I've been going to the gym to lift weights every day, with only a day or two off every 2-3 months. I went to Brazil for 3 1/2 weeks this past January, and aside from some infrequent push ups and pull ups, I didn't really work out at all. What was the result?.... I ended up losing almost all the muscle that it literally took me months to gain in the gym, except for my chest, which for some reason seems to rip out, gain/retain muscle more then any where else. It sucks to put in so much time and effort to get ripped, only to take a few weeks off and lose so much of what you've gained, but I have no regrets, I had an amazing time in Brazil, way more fun then if I'd just stuck around here, going to the gym everyday, and doing all the other monotonous shit that is my daily routine.

Anyways, as far as staying in shape on the road, the idea about finding gyms that have day passes, is definitely a good idea, but I'd imagine that this largely depends on where you're traveling and the availability/access to gyms. The most basic shit you can do, that won't really add/keep muscle mass, but keep you strong are the basics: push ups, sit ups, pull ups, chin ups, etc. You can get kind of creative if you have to, I would find a sturdy tree with a big branch to do my pull ups, you can do a form of dips to work your triceps with any basic chain/bench, and you can get really creative and find a rock or something to use for arm curls, shoulder exercises, etc. There are these water weights, that are just collapsable plastic that you fill with water, you can buy off the internet, but they only are up to 15 lbs. a piece, and from the reviews I read, are kind of a pain in the ass to fill/use. It's definitely important that you keep up your protein intake, so I always try to eat a decent amount of meat/sea food with high protein, but you can always bring a can of protein powder with you, if it's that important to you.

[thegmanifesto]

No need for a gym.

Run, jump rope, pushups, pull ups, dips, sit ups, shadow box, stretch.

With that combo you can do enough to make you puke.

[Roosh]

Pay for day passes in Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil. Ask around for gyms. Not that hard at all.

[GermanDude]

@Rocco: I dont haev much of an idea about the bodybuilding scene, but what I meant is that many more guys in the US lifted weights than here in Germany. Concepts such as bulking phases and cutting phases (or eating protein when bulking up) are unheard of by many folks who go to the gym. I think it has to do with college sports (football?) in the US and strength training being used in it (just a guess), whereas in Germany that isnt the case.

When I get on a US/english language bodybuilding/weight trainig forum everyone seems to be familiar with cutting up and bulking up. Over here/on German forums newbies normally have never heard of it (or that they should be getting protein,etc.).

[Biz]

(04-20-2010 05:19 PM)GermanDude Wrote:  

@Rocco: I dont haev much of an idea about the bodybuilding scene, but what I meant is that many more guys in the US lifted weights than here in Germany. Concepts such as bulking phases and cutting phases (or eating protein when bulking up) are unheard of by many folks who go to the gym. I think it has to do with college sports (football?) in the US and strength training being used in it (just a guess), whereas in Germany that isnt the case.

When I get on a US/english language bodybuilding/weight trainig forum everyone seems to be familiar with cutting up and bulking up. Over here/on German forums newbies normally have never heard of it (or that they should be getting protein,etc.).

Bulking and cutting phases are really intended for bodybuilders...everyday people looking to get in shape shouldnt worry about such things, unless they plan to take bodybuilding seriously.

If your looking to "cut up" then be sure to get your diet right. without that you will be busting your ass for minimal results.

[Rocco81]

Biz, that is true unless it is a case of a guy who is really skinny and wants to keep some serious size. That case will need plenty of eating mucho calories and lifting heavy as hell. Once you actually get to put on some size you can keep it, just have to grow.

[AJ]

Got it. Buy day pass, go to gym, don't go to gym, do body weight exercises, bring rubber band, do pushups on trees, use steroids.

I'll figure something out and report it on this board.

Just FYI: don't get cut just to get laid. It doesn't work as well as you'd think. Really. Spending protein money on prostitutes works better.

I'm heading through Lima->Cusco->Puno->LaPaz->Uyuni-> ??? -> Cordoba -> Buenos Aires within the next month

I'm really curious about cordoba. Is it the el dorado of young women?

Probably not going to be able to get my hand stamped to get in but that's why I'll ask "hace esto huele a cloroformo?". Fuck openers and time constraints. A sock, duct tape, and chloroform is my kind of game.

[GermanDude]

I dont see anything wrong with dividing your work out in 3 different phases (bulking up, cutting up & maintainance).

Of course for most people (such as myself) it should be done in a much more moderate way than bodybuilders do it as you have no intentions of becoming huge (which most women dont like), nor do you have intentions of having veines pop out and being truly "cut".

but knowing how to do a cutting phase, to systemtically reduce your bodyfat levels, I think thats a great approach - that way you can decide if its worth the effort/discipline or not - rather than tripping about it like most people do (which helps marketers market ab machines to them telling them by working out their ab muscles, theyll lose bodyfat in every place on their body..which is kinda ridiculous if you think about it lol).

I think if the general public was as educated about losing bodyfat as bodybuilders are (which I c onsider a cutting phase, maybe I shouldnt have used the word "cutting up" as that might imply Im talking about trying to look like a bodybuilder on stage), people would be much more successful at losing weight.

I hope knowing how to do a proper cutting phase every year (for a month - 6 weeks) will help me with staying without a gut for a bit longer than most folks (or well then I would if I didnt know how to do it)...we'll see... thats why I asked on here - was wondering if anyone was around who is big into the whole working out thing and knows more about it (from experience) than I do.

PS: I know diet is absolutely key - Ive done a (4-6 week) cutting phase twice already, but the last one was 4 years ago and I only vaguely remember how I did it (basically kept lifting the way I had done the whole time before, went on a slight caloric deficit of 500 or so, which I adjusted evey week & basically a low fat diet, while keeping the protein high)...

[kingkong]

I don't see the point in trying hard to work out when traveling for four weeks. Proper exercise is stressful and travel is stressful. Too much stress. You'll get sick. If you have easy access to a gym, then sure, but I wouldn't hassle over it.

Fitness doesn't really change much in three or four weeks, anyway. If you're working out correctly (intense, infrequent) and eating well your strength atrophies very slowly. I take a month off every now and then for various reasons and usually come back no weaker. Mile time decays, but bench press and such don't go down too much. The six pack goes nowhere.

In any case, diet *always* trumps exercise. Working out is just the icing on the cake if you're eating properly: avoiding sugar, starch, vegetable oils. Eat quality cuts of meat, greens, and plenty of fat (dairy, coconut oil).

[thegmanifesto]

"If you're working out correctly (intense, infrequent) and eating well your strength atrophies very slowly."

Sure if you eat well, don't drink, don't smoke etc.

Sounds fun.

Me?

I have to work out two intense hours per day just to break even with my smoking/drinking.

[Biz]

(04-20-2010 09:46 PM)Rocco81 Wrote:  

Biz, that is true unless it is a case of a guy who is really skinny and wants to keep some serious size. That case will need plenty of eating mucho calories and lifting heavy as hell. Once you actually get to put on some size you can keep it, just have to grow.

Very true

The mistake most people make is, when they hear the word "diet" they automatically think of losing weight. Whether cutting or bulking your diet needs to be in check to see proper results.

[GermanDude]

@Biz: I used to think the word is only misleading for a german person (over here the word "Diät" means "nutrition to lose weight"). So whenever I first heard "diet" I assumed it meant nutrition to lose weight, when in reality it seems to mean "nutrition (plan/habits/...)".

So Americans misunderstand the meaning of the word "diet" in the same way? (assuming it implies losing weight)?

[TheSmith]

When I was in Europe last summer, I got a monthly pass for the city I was staying in, and just picked up day passes whenever I left town. Still lost weight though, mostly from not eating enough. Working out while you're on vacation is one of the best times to do it.. you don't have to stress so much about fitting your workout in during a busy workday (since you're not working), plus you can join the gym's yoga / dance group classes which are mostly women