Getting Shredded: Five Things to Know to Get Started | My Muscle Chef

What is Shredding?
Shredding is more than just a buzzword in the fitness and bodybuilding world, it refers to the process of achieving a lean physique characterised by low body fat and prominant muscle definition. When someone is "shredded," that individual will have prominent muscle striations and vascularity.

In the pursuit of a shredded physique, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts will often adopt exercise routines that include a mix of heavy-weight training to build and maintain muscle mass, along with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to decrease body fat and enhance metabolic rate. 

How Do I Get Shredded?

The timeline for getting shredded varies greatly from person to person and depends on a combination of factors such as body composition, bulking strategies, workout strategies, and nutrition. A good starting point is knowing your numbers.

Body Fat %

Understanding your body composition is paramount to devising an effective shredding strategy. By assessing your body fat percentage and muscle mass, you gain valuable insights into whether you should bulk or cut. 

Individuals with body fat percentage below 8 - 17% should consider bulking, whereas individuals whose body fat percentage is above (18% - 28%) should cut. Individuals with lower body fat levels and greater muscle mass typically progress more quickly toward their shredding goals. 

Men should typically aim for 6-13% and women for 14-20% to achieve visible muscle definition. Results vary based on individual starting points and adherence levels, with significant changes typically observable within several months to a year of dedicated training and nutrition.

Smart Bulking: If bulking is required, there are two main types of muscle-building diets you can use - a lean bulk or a dirty bulk.  

A lean bulk involves gradually increasing calorie intake to approximately 200 - 500 calories. This supportsmuscle growth while minimizing fat gain, typically resulting in slower but more controlled progress. Conversely, a dirty bulk involves consuming a significant surplus of calories without much regard for nutrient quality, leading to rapid muscle gain but substantial fat accumulation.

Recent research suggests that lean bulking is more effective than dirty bulking because it does not lead to excessive fat accumulation and supports muscle growth whilst minimizing fat gain. 

Cutting Strategies: Exceeded your bulking goals? You can adopt cutting strategies to trim the fatby increasing water intake to curb hunger, reducing refined sugars and unhealthy fat consumption, and maintaining adequate protein intake to support muscle growth and satiety. 

Strategic Workouts: Experience level in fitness also comes into play with beginners often experiencing rapid initial progress, while seasoned athletes may encounter slower gains that require strategic adjustments. Achieving a shredded physique necessitates realistic expectations and a workout plan that has the appropriate exercises, an optimal number of sets and repetitions, and periods of rest to optimise recovery. Additionally, organising your workouts in advance and tracking your progress can help ensure consistency and progression over time. By planning your workouts strategically, you can make the most of your time in the gym and achieve your desired results faster.

Split routines and full-body circuits are two different approaches to organizing workout sessions:

Split Routines:

• Split routines involve dividing your workouts into different muscle groups, targeting specific areas on different days of the week.

• Examples of split routines include:

  • Push-Pull-Legs Split: This splits workouts into three categories - push exercises (e.g., chest, shoulders, triceps), pull exercises (e.g., back, biceps), and leg exercises (e.g., quadriceps, hamstrings, calves). Each category is trained on separate days.

  • Upper Body/Lower Body Split: This divides workouts into upper body exercises (e.g., chest, back, shoulders, arms) and lower body exercises (e.g., quadriceps, hamstrings, calves). Upper body is trained on certain days and lower body on others.
    

Full-Body Circuits:

• Full-body circuits involve performing a series of exercises that target multiple muscle groups in one session.

• Each exercise is completed for a set number of repetitions or time, with little to no rest between exercises.

Examples of full-body circuit workouts include:

• Bodyweight Circuit: Incorporates exercises like squats, push-ups, lunges, burpees, and planks, targeting various muscle groups without requiring equipment.

• Dumbbell Circuit: Utilises dumbbells for exercises such as dumbbell squats, dumbbell rows, dumbbell chest press, lunges with dumbbells, and shoulder presses, offering resistance for strength training.

Steady-state cardio: Maintaining Mass with Fat Loss

Steady-state cardio refers to cardiovascular exercise performed at a consistent intensity level for an extended period, typically at a moderate intensity where your heart rate is elevated but sustainable. It involves maintaining a steady pace without significant fluctuations in speed or resistance.

Examples of steady-state cardio include:

• Brisk Walking: Walking at a steady pace for a prolonged period, such as walking outdoors or on a treadmill.

• Jogging/Running: Running or jogging at a moderate and consistent speed for a continuous duration, whether on a track, trail, or treadmill.

• Cycling: Riding a stationary bike or outdoor cycling at a steady pace with consistent resistance or terrain.

• Swimming: Swimming laps at a consistent speed in a pool or open water without intervals or sprints.

• Elliptical Training: Using an elliptical machine at a moderate intensity and steady pace for an extended period.

• Rowing: Rowing on a rowing machine or in a boat at a consistent rhythm and intensity level.

Steady-state cardio is often used for improving cardiovascular endurance, burning calories, and enhancing overall health and fitness. It can be a valuable component of a well-rounded fitness program, especially when combined with other forms of exercise such as strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). 

Targeting Fat-Burning Zone:

The fat-burning zone refers to exercising at a moderate intensity level where the body primarily utilises fat as a fuel source. This typically corresponds to a heart rate range of around 60-70% of the maximum heart rate. While exercising in this zone may indeed increase the percentage of calories burned from fat, it's essential to note that total calorie expenditure is often lower compared to higher-intensity exercise. 

Embrace Resistance Training: 

Resistance training is crucial for shredding because it builds muscle, burns calories, promotes fat loss, and enhances overall strength and fitness. It creates a higher basal metabolic rate, leading to increased calorie burn even at rest. Additionally, it improves body composition by reducing body fat percentage while increasing lean muscle mass, resulting in a defined physique. Moreover, resistance training boosts functional fitness and bone density, supporting long-term health and injury prevention.