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Kinobody Fitness Systems
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Thanks for a great insight in healthy eating and a fantastic website.
I noticed the lack of soy milk and oatmeal in the first meal of the day.
Is there a reason? Did you want to remove carbs from that section?
Thank you for your reply,
Shahin
Glad you like the site!
I don’t consider soy and soy products to be healthy. From my understanding most people don’t absorb/utilize the protein in soy very well. In addition I am weary about the estrogen content in soy products and would rather not put that in my body.
Oatmeal is a great source of complex carbohydrates. I prefer to stick to raw fruits in my day time meals and have denser carb sources such as potatoes/oatmeal/rice in my last meal. This works better for me as a form of calorie/carb control.
hi greg,
how long would it take to put on ten pounds of lean muscle? i’m 5’11 170 and ‘skinny fat’
As a beginner you can gain 10 lbs of muscle in 4-5 months of dedicated training.
Hi, I found this workout and wanted to know what you thought of it. Each move is 5 sets and 5 reps.
Monday: Squat, barbell incline bench press, pullup, weighted situp
Wednesday: Hang clean and press, deadlift, dip, side-lying external rotation
Friday: Front squat, dumbbell bench press, bent-over row, back extension
To me it seems a little low volume, but thats why I’m looking for your opinion. If you think its low volume for building muscle as well, how would you alter it? Thanks
5 sets of 5 reps on each movement is not low volume! That’s roughly 20 sets per workout which is a considerable amount.
Looks like each workout is pretty much full body. This approach can work for beginners. However as you get more advanced you tend to need to give your muscles more rest before you can hit them hard and heavy again.
Hi Greg,
M8, a lot of fantastic stuff you have on your website….. just wondering what your thoughts are on program’s like p90x, insanity and others like that?…
Cheers m8
I don’t P90x/insanity is the optimal way to train if your goal is to simply be lean, strong and muscular. Diet is what should keep you / get you lean. Not an hour brutal exercise circuits. Strength training should be geared towards building strength/muscle with plenty of rest and lower reps (3-8 reps).
Greg,
Thanks for your reply… I have bought your shredded program and am going to follow the guidelines… When I reach my goals, you will have a huge fan here of what you have been able to produce!
Great man! Looking forward to seeing your results.
Greg, thanks for your replies… 1 more if u don’t mind….post workout when shredding, I notice you say nothingafter cardio and just a scoop of whey maybe after strength with no maltodextrin or simple carb… but how would you approach it when you do you strategic cardio after a strength session? Thanks again m8.
I don’t recommend post workout shakes. Just continue with your day until your next meal time. With that said I generally workout before my next meal.
Hey Greg,
I should have asked this question before I asked the one above!!… would it drastically help or hinder attaining shredded status if I was to do strategic cardio after every strength workout??
cheers man
I wouldn’t. If you’re dieting correctly you won’t have the energy to perform strategic cardio daily. You’ll just burn yourself out and jack up your appetite.
Hey man i’m 16 is intermittent fasting (leangains) diet optimal for someone my age ? btw your a big inspiration please respond. Thx.
I’ve gotten my two younger brothers on intermittent fasting. They’re 14 and 16 years old and now they really love it. My one brother used IF to lose weight and get fit. My other brother uses it while building muscle and staying ripped. As long as you eat healthy and get enough food in your 8 hour window I don’t see any problems with it.
M8…
thanks for your fast replies… awesome stuff.
hi!
just wondering whether you think Muscle Control (aka Maxalding) is of any value to getting that defined lean physique?
I’m not very familiar with Maxalding. I do like the Stomach Vacuum exercise.
hey, what are your stats for height, weight, waist, arm, chest measurements etc?
Height – 5’10
Weight – 180
Waist – 32″
Chest – 43-44″
Arms – 15.5″
Hey bro just bought your shredding manual. But i have a question i play basketball and like to do sprint drills so do think this diet will interfere with that?
You will be fine.
What does it mean if I’ve been lifting a year and a half, am continuously getting strength increases weekly, but my weight and body fat has stayed around the same the past year? I’ve been doing small, slow bulk/cut periods over the past year trying to grow, letting my bf raise a little and lower a little as I raised and lowered calories. For some reason after I do a small bulk a few weeks and then cut a few weeks back down the few body fat percents my weight never really changes, but I’m still getting stronger? I mean like 2-3 extra reps in the 5 sets for each move in each workout (working out 3 times a week). I don’t understand how I can be getting so much stronger, but am not gaining any weight when I am letting my body have a surplus of calories half of the time. Most of my meals are turkey sandwhiches with veggies on them, with fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, sometimes baked chips, things like that. I mean I’m eating really good, I drink a lot of water throughout the day, I space my meals + divide the calories between them, somtimes giving more to the meal post workout, I take whey protein after workouts, I’ve tried doing 3 meals a day or 6 meals a day… I’m sure I could come up with more things, but I feel like I’ve realy tried everything, and it’s working great for my strength, but for some reason I can’t put on weight. At the moment I’m 5’9.5, 141lbs, and 9% body fat.
Any suggestions? :/
Give it time! Eventually strength gains will be mostly an increase of muscle size. You may need to add some extra volume 1 or 2 more sets per exercise to force growth. But gaining 1-2 lbs of muscle per month is a very good rate.
Hi Greg,
I am extremly curious to know which all Supplements should i be consuming along with my weight training. Currently i take Whey Protein ( Optimum ), EVP Pre Workout, and Fish Oil.
Do i need Creatine, multi-vitamin, green tea ? I am really ok with the cost, if the ends justify the means. Thanks and really appreciate it.
Mak
Hypergain is a very effective creatine supplement that I as well as a few other fitness bloggers have been using with great success.
Hi Greg,
First of all, awesome advice! – its really helpful to folks like me who need expert guidance.
I’m recovering from a lower back sports injury but am trying to keep up with my fitness program (= stay lean, strong, some mass). Is there an alternative to squats, lunges, deadlifts to limit impact on my lower back. And do you think the results are comparable. (I’m 6 ft, 160 lbs)
I actually don’t strongly push squats, deads and lunges onto people. For most guys I think they’ll get the best look limiting leg training to sprints, intervals and explosive power cleans.
Hi Greg,
I just came across your site not so long ago and spent hours reading through everything. A wonderful website!
Anyway, I’ve got a question about legs training. I am currently on Visual Impact and it’s saying that legs training should be dropped in favour of HIIT cardio, since sprinting and jumping alone will be enough to achieve defined legs without making them too bulky. Is that true? Also, what did you do to achieve toned legs in your vid?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0_LEWhr2dI
I don’t do any leg lifts. Keep my legs fit and in shape from intervals/sprints. With that said I did a lot of leg lifts in the beginning of my strength training career for around 3 years. Depending on your current condition you may benefit from direct leg training. However there will come a point in time where you will need to cut out leg training to avoid over building your legs.
Hi Greg,
first, congratz to your great website, physique, and strenght. Your work is really motivating and inspiring!
As you are a big supporter of visual impact I wanted to ask if I can use Visual Impact with only bodyweight exercises (does it even include bodyweight exercises?) or your shredding programm and if not, if you can recommend any other programm? Because of my work I travel a lot and so bodyweight exercises would be a lot easier.
My current stats:
Height – 6
Waist – 32″
Chest – 35-36″
Schoulders – 44″
I especially want to build some muscle because I am the slim marathon typ of guy.
Thanks for reading and hopefully you can recommend anything.
I have never seen someone successfully follow visual impact with body weight training. If you want to do a body weight routine then VI will be of little help. You would have to make so many adjustments it wouldn’t even be worth it. With that said I do feel the program is a terrific read no matter what training style you choose.
Hey Greg,
Best fitness website I’ve seen yet! How does your shredded program work with people like myself that have a super fast metabolism? I guess I am just afraid of getting skinnier instead of putting on mass. Thank You.
Thanks man! I actually have a new program in the works that should be out in the next month. This will cover my entire approach to fitness and nutrition. Stay tuned.
Hey I’m just curious to how old you were when you started this lifestyle and what age you are currently
I’ve been really into fitness since I was like 14-15. I’m 21 now.
Hey Greg,
I was just wondering what you think would be the ideal weight for someone 5’7. I am 5’7 ectomorph frame, usually between 152-155lbs. I do not know BF% for sure, but I am guessing somewhere around 9 or 10, as my abs are completely visible and I have striations in my shoulders and chest. My strength is pretty good for my size, sets of 5 with 85lb dumbbells on incline press, sets of 5 with 100lbs on dips, 80lbs on pullups, 135 overhead press. I just can’t decide if i want to continue to slowly gain more weight or if it would be better to maintain weight but lose more body fat and continue to get stronger. Thanks for your input.
You got some awesome lifts Damon! 155 lbs is probably your ideal size. Try and stay between 155-160 lbs with a 30″ waist.
wht should i do im 18 years of age 146 lbs and 5’6″ how should i get started i bought your get shredded program all i want is some nices abs and a v cut and to lose some weight i can send you picks i just need some one to teach me wht to do how did you start out wht do i need to buy as in workout equipment like the one in the video on your website and protien supplements plz help im trying to be a model for hollister
tevin recently posted..Kinobody – My Self Expression of Extreme Physical Perfection
hey greg i just got a few questions on how i should get started i 19 and weight 139 lb and 5’6″ and a 32 waist what should my weight be and waist size how much weight should i loss or gain what program do i start out with i bought the get shredded program but i just don’t know what to start off with what should i eat how much should i exercise a week i got to get a v cut ab and thin down on my thigh and butt i need this please
You’d probably want to get the waist to about 30″. Get lean first then focus on building muscle. Read my recent articles.
Hey Greg,
So, I’m doing a phase I of Visual Impact (upper body focus, since my legs are in good shape) and am doing it four days a week, push/pull split. Higher reps, pyramid, overall muscle fatigue (you know the drill) but I really want to train for cool body weight stuff (a muscle up, one armed pushup, parallel dip handstand pushup, and one armed chin up).
How do you suggest training for the strength needed for these while still doing the high rep weight training? I really need to keep gaining size in the specifically proportioned way but want to have some impressive feats of strength to show for it.
Thanks man,
Alec
Not really going to happen. You can save the strength feats after finishing phase one. But to achieve those advanced movements you need to train in the lower reps (3-8 reps) with long rest periods.
What is Colton’s full workout routine? I want to do what he is doing.
Correction.. It was a youtube search and not a google search for that “portraying confidence” message.
hey greg, I’m training shoulders in ‘visual impact s phase 1 modality” twice a week, but they don’t seem to grow… I really think I should train them 4 days a week in order to have that adonis index broad shoulders….
what do you think?? can you suggest me a way (workout) to train them 4 days a week????
thanks a lot, let me know…
That’s crazy! You don’t need to train them 4x per week to grow. Two times per week is the maximum frequency I would recommend. They’re probably not big or growing because they are not strong. You should be able to seated db shoulder press 50% of your bw in each hand for 5 reps. If you’re 160 lbs thats 80 lbs db for 5.
Orite Greg, cant believe iive only just came across this website. It has amazing content. I have a couple of questions if you dont mind answering. Im just about to start visual impact muscle building. On phase 1 can a do sprint work instead od doing direct leg work as i am happy with legs. I was going to do push twice week pull once and sprints another day. 3 days recovery. Would that be ok? And also can i do IF, eat meal at 8:30pm then eat at 1 ish next day. I seem to be hungry all time if i eat breaky and have tried IF and seems to curb my hungar. Cheers mate
Yes you can do a sprint/interval workout instead of training legs directly. Yes, that training plan is good. I love IF and hate breakfast. I recommend you follow that as it helps you curb hunger. If you are going to workout before your first meal consider taking 10g of BCAA 10 minutes before.
Hey Greg! This website is fantastic. After reading through it I decided to hit the gym more often, to build muscles as well as loosing a some fat on my body. However I am not sure whether to do HIIT and low intensity cardio first or at the end of the workout. Also should I do both of these exercises in the same day?
Thanks!
I’d do HIIT and then low intensity.
What is your opinion of workouts such as Insanity and p90x? How are these people able to get ripped with bodyweight and low weight exercises, they are not doing density training but still look ripped?
That’s all about low body fat percentage.
Hi Greg,
M8… Absolutely awesome website. Great information that is really simple and effective… Just a couple of quick questions… On your shredded program high carb days, what are your top 2 or 3 carb foods? What do you think of bread and oatmeal?
thanks Greg and all the the best.
I like sweet potatoes, white rice and potatoes. Basically foods low in anti nutrients like gluten and phytates. These foods are starch based and are effective at refilling muscle glycogen which is how carbs should be viewed. Not to mention they taste great.
Is it safe for a 16 year old with about a good amount of strength to use a body part split routine as opposed to full body workouts/ upper lower splits?
Yes it is safe as long as you are using correct weights and performing with proper form. Supervision is recommended.
hey im 5ft7in 152lbs at around 17%fat, just starting dieting and lifting. Personally the fasting technique makes me binge really badly and i was wondering if that was the case for you and any advice you could provide on it.
How long are you fasting? I only recommend fasting for 16-18 hours and having a 6-8 hour eating window. Example – meal 1 at 2:00 and meal 2 at 8:30pm.
Since you’re eating less meals you need to make these meals bigger. 700-1200 calorie meals work best. Get a significant amount of protein in each meal with ample amounts of carbs and moderate amounts of fat. Emphasize natural foods. If you still find yourself binging after consuming a big meal then perhaps fasting is not for you.
Could I replace bench press and incline press with weighted pushups and weighted decline pushups?
Yes that can work. Eventually, it will become impossible to store enough weight in a backpack to challenge yourself. When that day comes you can switch to barbell.
Hey Greg, first of all, very nice website and I also love your articles and now I actually wanted to ask you about a specifical topic as i have been following several of your nutrition plans you published here. Im 22 and6 feet tall and a year ago i was 182 lbs, but i bit overweight, unfortunately i didnt check for my fat, but i guess i was around 20. At this moment i begun to cut down and exercising 3x week, i basically focussed on compoung exercises, i do dips, incline bench, push ups, chin ups, pull ups, shoulder press, rear laterals, barbell curls, bent over rows, and hanging leg raises and twists for the abs. i didnt do anything for the lower body as it already is pretty muscular and well formed because i play soccer since im a kid. Now i cutted down following your get shredded manual, i followed this nicely, i counted macros and kcals, and never had more than a 30%- kcal deficit. Now i got my fat measured, several days cause i didnt trust the results, and im at 8% and 154 lbs, but the thing is, i cant see my abs when unflexed. you think i should focus on clean bulking now, to get up to lets say 165 lbs? Im not the strongest guy, i can incline bench 90 lbs for 4-6 reps if im in a good mood. What you think, what would you recommend to do? Thanks and keep up the good work and the body!
email me a pic at gregoryogallagher@gmail.com
It’s hard to offer advice unless I really know where you’re at.
Hey Greg, I’ve been doing VI, and it’s Awesome! I was just wondering what you reccomend for diet in Phase 3. I just completed phase 2 about 2 weeks ago, and am ready to start phase 3, I know rusty reccomends prograde shakes for breakfast and lunch and a chicken salad for dinner, is that all I am supposed to eat? I was wondering if you could give me any advice for my specific situation too thanks!
The shake/salad diet is only if you are strapped for time and want to lose fat very fast, 2+ lbs per week. I would go more moderate and eat around 20-25% under maintenance. This usually works out to be close to 12 cals per pound when following visual impact. Adjust to keep fat loss around 1-1.5 lbs per week.
Hi Greg,
I’m 17 and weigh in at 147. I’m a second degree blackbelt and am willing to work hard for fitness. I’ve only been working out for about a year and a half now and dropped from a previous 180 (mostly fat) to my current weight. I have pretty toned arms and at times my core also displays some tone. However, I still have a small amount of fat around my kidneys and some around my lower stomach. I eat Paleo and I work out daily. Is there anything I can do in order to speed up the last 3lbs of fat loss or do I just have to wait?
Looks like you’re doing a lot of things right. If you’re still losing fat and getting leaner by the week I wouldn’t change anything. The last bit of fat loss should be slow. If you get to a road block, so you’re no longer doing fat then I’d recommend tracking calories and using refeed days. So 2-3x per week eat 15 cals per pound of bodyweight with low fat, moderate protein and high carbs. On the other days eat at a calorie deficit.
Thanks! I will definitely try that out and let you know how it works
Hi Greg,
I’m glad I came across your website! Its exactly inline with what I would like to get out of my workouts. Unfortunately, I am not even close to where I would like to be.
I was curious to know what your thoughts are on CrossFit? Do you group that under programs like P90X / Insanity (I read your post a few comments up). I’ve been doing it for a few months now, and eventhough I do FEEL myself getting stronger. I really don’t see it.
I’m not in love with crossfit or P90x. If for the average person it gets you to workout and eat healthy then that’s great. But for what I’m looking to achieve it doesn’t quite get the job done. I prefer to focus on intense strength training to build my physique and diet to keep me lean.
Hey man,
Can you please tell me what supplements (pre workout, weight gainers, whey protein, etc.) you use? Thank you.
Currently
Fish oils (2tsp per day)
BCAA (10g before lifting sessions when training fasted)
Calcium/Zinc/Magnesium (1000/50/400)
Vitamin D (4000 IU’s per day)
Black Coffee (2 cups morning and 1-2 cups pre workout in the afternoon)
Hey Greg! Is it possible to get bigger using bodyweight movements? I understand that you use pullups as your main back exercise. Could exercises such as chinups and handstand pushups build bulk?
Yes, bodyweight exercises can be used to gain muscle. However, once you can do an exercise for 12+ reps it’s too easy and will no longer be optimal for building muscle. So you need to progress to challenging movements that you can only do for 6-12 reps.
Do you suggest an addition of external load (weighted backpack) or another progression i.e. (one arm pushups) if looking to build muscle with bodyweight exercises?
I’m not really a fan of weighted one arm push ups. They start to get pretty awkward at that point. I would recommend weighted regular push ups, weighted dips and free weight movements; incline bench, shoulder press.
Hi Greg,
I’ve been reading your blog some time now and I will start Warrior program soon. My concern though is for something else.
What do you believe is the fat to muscle ratio lost when cutting, and suppose you keep lifting heavy, for instance if you loose 1 pound per week, how much is fat and how much muscle?
And in the other hand, when lean bulking, what is the muscle to fat ratio, for instance if you gain 0.5 pound per week, how much is fat and how much muscle?
I’ve searched about this a lot, and most poeple agree that fat to muscle ratio is about 0.7 and muscle to fat ratio 0.5.
Thanks in advance for replying.
If you’re cutting properly there should be very little decrease in the actual muscle tissue. From lower volume and less carbs you might not be as full but you that mass should be regained quickly after maintenance calories and higher training volume. If you maintain your lifts then you won’t be losing muscle. In terms of gaining muscle, it really depends. You will have to track that for yourself. If you’re gaining slowly, 1-2 lbs per month, it could be 75-100% muscle.
Hey Greg,
First of all, I’d like to thank you for your advice about the re-feed days and the IF–it’s worked amazingly for the few weeks I’ve been using it. I’ve seen a definite narrowing in my waist and my abs are starting to come through a bit more. However, I have a question about body fat percentage; I used the calculator that you provided in the Beach Ripped Part 1 section and it gave me an approximate value of 7.5% body fat. Judging by the amount of lower stomach fat I still have, I’m a bit skeptical about this figure. What I’m wondering is if it’s possible to have a body fat percentage in that range and still have lower stomach fat that hides abdominals?
Hey Brady!
Awesome job on the results thus far. That calculator is not going to be accurate for everyone. It’s likely that you have a smaller bone/hip structure so that’s what is throwing the measurement off. If you are actually 7.5% fat you shouldn’t have any visible fat covering your lower abs.
Thanks for clearing up the confusion!
Do you use any pre workout supplements? If not, why?
Nothing wrong with pre workouts but they are a little overrated. I usually just have 1-2 cups of black coffee before training and that does the job.
Good day Greg!
When will you post your superhero phyisique in youtube? you said that you will post it on April 1. Its already pass April 1. Haha, looking forward for that vid!
April 1st, April fools haha!
The real superhero video/pics will come in June, just before the release of the new man of steel movie starring Henry Cavill. I apologize for the delay but I will more than make up for it by getting into ridiculous shape and sharing plenty of tips.
Oh men! i still have to wait 2 more months, anyways, still looking forward for that vid! i got fooled :D
hahaha! I could do it now, but I’m a perfectionist by nature. I’d rather have everything dialed in perfectly first.
Hey Greg. Is there any disadvantage from a muscle building standpoint in using hammer strength machines for rows as opposed to barbell rows? I don’t feel a lot of stimulation with the barbell rows and machines protect my lower back. What is your opinion on the smith machine? Thanks
Yah that’s fine for rows.
But I wouldn’t say it protects your lower back. Rather it takes your lower back out of the movement. If you do rows with a flat back, you actually strengthen your lower back.
Hi Greg!
i have a question. in calistenic exercises (muscle up, one arm chins, stand to stand, the flag, front lever raises, etc) what is your top 5 exercises? can you please rank them from 1 to 5 because i would want train for those.
thanks a lot! :)
One Arm Chins, One Arm (feet raised) push ups, hand stand full range push ups, front levers, stand to stand.
thanks Greg! but im quite surprised that muscle up is not in your top 5. :))
The muscle up is a cool exercise and great for show. The problem is that the pull is much harder than the push. I prefer to separate pulling and pushing for greater benefits.
Hey Greg!
in the exercise “the flag”, what other muscles does it target aside from abs?
thanks :)
Obliques, lats, shoulders, triceps and biceps.
What is your opinion on rep tempo/speed? Fast lift, slow negative? Thanks
I lift predominately for performance and strength gains and let muscle gain take care of itself. So each time I hit a lift I’m going for a personal record. This has been the most effective strategy for me. Using very strict tempo’s makes it exceedingly more difficult to hit personal records. Therefore I concentrate on proper technique only and lift explosively. I power up and lower quickly but with control.
hey saw someplace you had a new workout program? that we can purchase that true or was i just imagining..was a four day split
My latest program I released back in January! It’s the Kinobody Muscle Building Course.
Hi Greg,
I’m 186cm 88.2 Kg, I do have little bit of fat, but my body looks good, I would like to get leaner, toner and bit more muscular, to get to the warrior or Greek god Physique.
What would be the best program to do in order to achieve the warrior or Greek god Physique?
Also how do you measure fat percentage?
And is there any other way to pay other than PayPal?
Thanks
John
If you’re going for the warrior physique I would go with the kinobody shredded program! If you want the Greek God Phyique you will need to build muscle so I would go with the Kinobody Muscle Building Program.
Greg which program do you prefere, Adonis Index or Visual Impat muscle building?
For myself I like VI.
What’s your opinion on full body or upper/lower splits? I have heard these produce more mass gains than splits
Upper/lower splits are fine but from an aesthetics standpoint I don’t think they’re that effective. Most people would benefit from training their upperbody more often than lower. I’d recommend one lower workout per week and two upperbody workouts per week. That will lead to better physical development and balance since legs usually grow pretty easily.
Hi, I’d like to know what do you think of almonds? My goal is to gain muscle mass and i don’t know if they would be effective or not. If they were, how much and when should i take them, before or after the workout? Thanks dude.
Almonds are healthy. They’re not really a protein food, more of a fat source. So you need to treat them as such and include some lean protein with the meal like chicken, turkey, tilapia, greek yogurt or whey protein.
hey Greg
im doing the RPT system, and on chest should i do flat chest presses wide grip
or flat chest presses close grip next to incline dumbell chest presses?
thanks
If you want more triceps emphasis you can do close grip (about shoulder width or slightly narrower). If you want more chest you can do regular bench press, no need for a super wide grip.