[r-man]

A friend of mine was complaining recently that his muscles are too heavy. If you know him, you know he's probably right. 

But anyway, I said I'd ask on here if anyone knew anything about decreasing muscle size. Is there a way to tone down and become less beefy?

[Jim]

I don't know you

[SA Chris]

depends on body type / metablolism I think. Some people muscle disappears whne not used (like mine) some stay the same, some turn to fat. Just tell him to exercise less and see what happens. Your "friend" can then decide if he is happy with the result or not.

[r-man]

Not sure what "friend" is supposed to imply. This isn't one of those "My friend" has an STD questions...

Anyway, I doubt exercise less will appeal to someone who wants to climb font8a this year. He doesn't do weights or owt, just endless pullups and campussing. Nevermind. I'll just tell him he's doomed to using jugs for the rest of his life. He won't be disappointed.

[SA Chris]

Not sure what "friend" is supposed to imply. This isn't one of those "My friend" has an STD questions...

exactly the implication. Not meant seriously mind.

I don't think you can change the mass of musle, it's a physical property. Guess you could change training routines instead of doing things like campussing and pull-ups and conentrate more on improving footwork etc and hopefully succeed on less strength orientated problems. Odd one though.

[Jim]

tell your "friend" to go sports climbing and stay off doing pull ups and campussing

[webbo]

lots of pro cyclists try and lose muscle mass.however they usually try and lose upperbody mass,not alot of use for climbing.i suspect the trick for climbing would be lots of running along side climbing and not much eating.

[jwi]

A friend of mine was a 17 stone bodybuilder/weightlifting kind of guy when he discovered climbing. He figured he wanted to go down to 12-13 stone. Which he accomplished in three months or so using the time-tested method of not eating much at all and running everyday. It helps to be hard-headed I suppose.

[a dense loner]

tell simon to climb without headphones

[lorentz]

Has he tried eating less meat? I try to only eat meat pre and post climbing/training for a quick protein hit to aid recovery. I do have a pretty quick metabolism though, so that may also explain why I'm such a scrawny wee fecker.

If it is a metabolism thing, he could try drinking loads of green tea which speeds up the metabolism and is a diuretic, so you piss out your excess water. Don't get dehydrated though. I would have thought that too much running would bulk your legs up. Quads etc are big muscle groups if your legs are "ripped" it's basically more ballast to haul up a boulder. Swimming maybe for cardio hits?

In general, it always come down to the old adage "eat less, exercise more."

[Nibile]

In general, it always come down to the old adage "eat less, exercise more."

that leads to the old adage "oh shit im injured again".
id say eat less OR exercise more.
whatever.

[lorentz]

Quote Nibile eat less OR exercise more.

Well allow me to qualify then between overeating and eating enough to replace calories, nutrients etc used/lost through exercise. But like you say, whatever! Gimme more hairs to split!

[Nibile]

Gimme more hairs to split!

im already quite bald in some spots, so id better not!!!
 

[bouldermonkey]

my understanding is that a fair old whack of CV stuff, and a lack of protein will see your body "eat" muscle.

[Nibile]

youre right, but its very dangerous, first 'cos you get injured, second 'cos your body fight the lack of nutrients by decreasing its metabolism.
why oh why losing muscles?

[richdraws]

Just increase the calorie deficit to lose weight slowly, as in a pound a week. Reduce any big muscle building exercises like weighted pull ups, power pulls etc indefinitely.

It is a slow process losing muscle without either putting it straight back on or injuring over/training oneself in the process. I managed to lose just over a stone or muscle in a year or so. Just a bit at a time. I was 83 kilo I want to get down eventually to 72 ish.

[Paul B]

If this is about who I think it is then it doesn't look (to me anyway) as if his muscle mass is the limiting factor in his climbing, he's got pretty strong fingers and arms (dense and I discussed this not so long ago), just he seems to be pretty inefficient with his feet.

[r-man]

Well, I don't think he's that bothered about the muscle thing - I asked the question partly because he brought it up, but partly also because I was just curious if there was any knowledge about building different types of muscles.

Can you choose whether to build Arnie muscles or Bruce Lee muscles? Can you convert from one to the other by different types of training and/or diet? Or is it all down to genetics?

[Monolith]

I'd imagine you would have to take your individual somatotype into consideration. For example going on 23 years of history and the way in which my metabolism has changed, I need to run some extra miles to maintain my status as an ectomorph. Tell your mate Arnie to get off the couch and go run some 

Oh and obviously keep the saturated fats down.

[Paul B]

Can you choose whether to build Arnie muscles or Bruce Lee muscles? Can you convert from one to the other by different types of training and/or diet? Or is it all down to genetics?

Hmmmm... I've been trying the THINK LIKE ARNOLD BE LIKE ARNOLD approach for years and it doesn't seem to be paying off 

[r-man]

Can you choose whether to build Arnie muscles or Bruce Lee muscles? Can you convert from one to the other by different types of training and/or diet? Or is it all down to genetics?

Hmmmm... I've been trying the THINK LIKE ARNOLD BE LIKE ARNOLD approach for years and it doesn't seem to be paying off 

But have you been thinking in an Austrian accent? Training is all about commitment...

[dobbin]

I am all ze time thinking in ze german accent, and I only developing a bratwurst like penis and a penchant for leather shorts.

[a dense loner]

there are worse aspirations dobbin

[Falling Down]

why oh why losing muscles?

On the money Nibs... why would anyone want to lose muscles ??  <kisses the guns>

[Jim]

cos there heavy, I should know, I carry round 14 stone of em

[Monolith]

I'd like to know how to do the opposite of what this thread seeks to rectify.

Also would like to know of a good method to stop eating whilst sat at an office desk. Why on earth do you get hungrier sitting on your arse than in a job where you're moving about!?

[Stubbs]

cos there heavy, I should know, I carry round 14 stone of em

If your muscles way 14 stone on their own, how much do you weigh in total?

[Jim]

I don't know, the scales just keep saying "one at a time please"

[dobbin]

Jim is so big, when he goes to the beach, the tide comes in...

[Falling Down]

cos there heavy, I should know, I carry round 14 stone of em

I'm not far off... 12 and a 3/4.. plus I'm shorter than thee.  BEEEF!

[ouch]

I'd like to know how to do the opposite of what this thread seeks to rectify.

Also would like to know of a good method to stop eating whilst sat at an office desk. Why on earth do you get hungrier sitting on your arse than in a job where you're moving about!?

If it's anything like my job its because your bored out of your brain