Quote from: Kevin Peña on November 29, 2012, 05:22:45 PM
Spot reduction doesn't exist. I suggest building up a strength base. Muscle helps you fight gravity. 
As a former multi-sport athlete, body builder and personal trainer, now transitioning M2F, this isn't entirely accurate. It is possible to spot increase or reduce. However it is extremely tricky and difficult, and each comes with certain side effects.
The trickiest concept to fully understand and deal with is that your muscles and endocrine system get bored easily. This is referred to as GAS, or General Adaptation Syndrome. Trying to gain or lose body mass, whether in general or targeted, a simple routine will lead to plateaus in both fitness level and physique. Every time the body does something "new," Be it the range of motion, angle, resistance, repetition, aerobic vs anaerobic; muscle fibers are torn at the cellular level, as the body was not prepared to accomplish that particular action. As the fibers are "repaired" new muscle grows in the torn fibers' location. Depending on the type of activity, it will either be larger mass fiber with increased strength, normally "fast twitch" in its function, but is more prone to accidental injury (sprains and tears;) lean muscle tissue with increased flexibility and endurance, frequently "slow twitch" in function, and while less prone to injury, reduces maximum instantaneous output, (ie. sprint speed or max lift.) In both cases, new muscle is added. Performing the same routine frequently, while it does provide a basic cardiovascular benefit over inactivity and prevents atrophy, quickly loses its "newness" with regard to muscle fiber breakdown and replacement. As it is no longer an unprepared activity, your body already has the structure it needs to complete the task, negating the need for physical (physique) changes. To avoid the effects of GAS, a specific routine should be overhauled monthly (every 3-6 weeks.) This does not mean changing the entire routine at once. It can be done in weekly stages with slight changes, then reverting back a month later. It is why the BFS (Bigger, Faster, Stronger) routine works so well for pro athletes, body builders, and power-lifters. They never do the same combination of sets and reps from one week to the next. However, at the end of their cycle (typically 4-5 weeks) they revert to their week 1 routine. Resistance is paired to relative sets, higher reps using lower weight/resistance and lower reps with increased weight/resistance. Special care must be taken in both approaches to balance opposing muscle groups to continue gains and avoid injuries, (ie. quads and hamstrings, or biceps and triceps.) This has so far been the most effective approach to physique change. While initial gains (whether strength or physique) are lower, the body never plateaus (gets bored) and gains are theoretically infinite, within base human limitations.
Spot increasing can be achieved through targeted isolation exercises with a high amount of resistance (weight) and relatively low number of repetitions. However different techniques must be used. These include full range of motion with a slightly reduced resistance level, and peak contraction (only approx. 65% of full range of motion) with an increased resistance level Both must be used over the course of a weekly routine to achieve results. As stated above, simple variations, such as quantities of sets, repetitions, and resistance levels, should be varied weekly. For example, The Bench Press: Week one might include a every other day (3 per week) workout routine with the first and third days being full range of motion and the second day being a peak lift. The participant may do 5 sets of 5 repetitions with the maximum amount of weight possible to complete the 5th repetition. The second week would involve numeric changes, such as switching to 3 sets with repetitions numbering 10, 8, and 6, with a progressive increase in the weight used per set. This weekly routine change is continued through the workout program to its conclusion in week 4 or 5. The following week, the process restarts, though this time through the program, resistance is normally increased 5-15%. Charting progress greatly helps, as you will have a set of baseline figures to improve upon each time the cycle is repeated. For mass and strength gains, a diet with an increase in calories, proteins, carbs, and fats, in that particular order of importance and increase, with roughly a 50-40-10 percentage ratio (with protein being the 50%) is required. proteins must be consumed within the first 45 minutes after a workout, and simple carbs being consumed within 2 hrs prior to a workout. Your muscles can't perform without available energy; and at the cellular level, this means simple sugars.
Spot decreasing, on the other hand, takes a very different, yet equally complex, approach. These techniques also improve flexibility and endurance. The most obvious is a switch from high weight, low repetitions to low weight and high repetitions (or increased numbers of sets of repetitions.) These increase muscular endurance by causing the body to generate fibers that are more flexible and less likely to tear (again at the individual fiber level.) This is what produces the lean muscle tissue. However, because high repetition, low resistance training is much more difficult to vary in its intensity sufficient enough to avoid GAS, something else must be frequently varied. This is usually accomplished by varying the angles of motion through which the activity is performed, or changes in duration (workout lengths) and surface type (such as running hills and flat ground.) An example would be doing crunches and sit-ups one week, then doing abdominal twists or supine bicycles the following week. The first week is direct contraction. In the second we have a twisting motion, and so on through subsequent weeks. This same concept must be used for all muscle groups targeted. If you're having trouble with ideas for variations, such as on biceps for example, contact me for options. Diet priorities are much the opposite of spot gaining. Trying to lose overall mass and body fat, a caloric decrease needs to occur. This doesn't have to be by a large degree. Even taking in 100 fewer calories than are used daily will provide a loss of mass. However, once a week an "Indulgence Day" (at least 50% more calories, in the same proportions) should be utilized. This will prevent the body from going into a "Storage Cycle" where the body assures itself that it won't starve because it appears that there is a food availability shortage. Caloric proportions for lean muscle growth changes to carbs being the primary, followed by proteins, and then fats last. However, protein consumption should still be within 50% of carbohydrate consumption, or a relatively 60-30-10 percentage ratio, (carbs being the 60%.) You can't build muscle of any type without protein. Unlike with spot gaining, we are not trying to achieve a mass increase, so protein consumption need only be within the first 2 hours, rather than the first 45 minutes, as this is the approximate maximum time that your body is generating new cells at an increased rate post workout. Simple sugars should still be consumed shortly before and during a workout to maintain energy levels, along with an increased need for hydration. A sports drink (such as Gatorade) or power bar and water combo, would effective solutions for this need. Unlike with the spot gaining, instead of post workout protein, pre-workout carbohydrate consumption is of greater performance. This should be done 6-10 hrs before a workout so that the nutrients have had time to digest and are readily available to muscle and joint cells. Eventual replacement of the vast majority of high strength and mass fiber (bulky) with high endurance and flexibility and low mass fiber in targeted areas is possible over time. Classic bodybuilders (Such as during Arnold Schwarzenegger's heyday in the 70's and 80's) would use this approach on their abdomens, achieving a great amount of tone, without adding a lot of bulk, and for some, reducing the area's mass. Initially, if proceeding from inactivity to even a Spot Reduction/Endurance routine, some muscle mass will be added, as all activity is unprepared for by the body. So don't let an initial quarter of an inch increase in bicep measurement (for example) cause you to lose motivation. Once your body finishes an initial adjustment period for the new activity and diet and nutrition changes (typically 2-6 weeks,) desired results will become more apparent.
Whether you use approach A. Spot Gaining, B. Spot reduction, or a mix of the two in different areas, Spot Gaining on the Glutes, (buttocks,) Adductors, and Gracilis (hip and outer thigh muscles) for more curvy hips and butt for example; certain principles must be follow to continue improvement and avoid injury. A warm up, and complete stretching routine before a workout with a light cool down and basic post workout stretch are a must. Hydration and electrolyte (salts and simple sugars) levels and ratios must be adequate. If you're thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. Conversely, too much or too little hydration will alter the electrolyte levels to a dangerous amount. Too little electrolytes commonly cause cramping, and to much (dehydration) leads to increased fatigue, soreness, and excessive muscle and joint damage, (behind the desired amount that is replaced.) Not as frequently discussed, but of equal importance, is resting. At least one day of severely reduced activity per week of exercise is required to let the body recover and recharge itself. A minimum of 5 hrs of sleep daily up to an approximate max of 10 hrs is also important, 8 hrs is the ideal. Don't focus on how much you can do in any one workout, especially when first starting a workout routine, whether its amount of resistance, repetitions, or time and/or distance. As long as your heart rate is elevated for an extended period (12 minutes or more) you are still accomplishing something. Instead focus on general goals with small, weekly & monthly improvement increments, such as: weekly run was a quarter mile longer than the previous week, did an extra 5 crunches compared to last time, or added 10 lbs to the leg press. Skipping a workout due to illness, exhaustion, or temporary conflicting activity (have to attend a funeral for example;) or losing will-power and pigging out (Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts for example,) are not something to be ashamed of and lose all motivation to continue. General adherence to the change in lifestyle (nutrition and exercise routines) and long term motivation are much more important than any given day. Watch out for breaking routing becoming a pattern however, as this can become the new routine subconsciously and become a bad habit that limits or denies results.
Good luck to all of you in achieving your goals. Again feel free to contact me regarding further explanation, specific examples and exercise ideas, or more in depth nutrition suggestions (such as feminizing and masculinizing foods to eat or avoid.)
