Bodybuilding/Powerbuilding/Powerlifting/Crossfit? What to do!?

[DaveWalton]

A question that I thought the guys on this forum would likely be able to answer:

What program is best suited for me if my goal is to gain a respectable/bigger muscular physique while also gaining a good deal of strength and maintaining decent cardio?

Bodybuilding - seems to focused purely on aesthetics (which I've been working on (albeit with a good understanding only recently).

Powerlifting - seems to be focused purely on strength without regards to aesthetics

I'm basically looking for a middleground. I want to build a bigger, more muscular physique but I don't want to focus purely on hypertrophy. I also want to be stronger, but don't want to focus purely on strength without getting much bigger.

I've been looking into crossfit but it doesn't seem like it would get me much bigger.

Any suggestions for a middle-ground training approach that focuses both on strength and hypertrophy much appreciated.

Thanks bros

 

[AllMaxBrian]

You can bodybuild and keep up your cardio at the same time. Don't feel like the definitions are so constraining that you can't suit things to your own goals.

 

[DaveWalton]

You can bodybuild and keep up your cardio at the same time. Don't feel like the definitions are so constraining that you can't suit things to your own goals.

I realize that I can maintain cardio and bodybuild, but my question is what type of training would best suit the goals of getting bigger and stronger simultaneously?

Bodybuilding in itself is about promoting hypertrophy for aesthetic reasons (which is okay if that's your goal). Training differently would make it not pure bodybuilding.

 

[russy_russ]

Do whatever you want... if you want both, then do both.

I balance between bodybuilding and olympic lifting.

 

[pmiller383]

If you follow a true powerlifting routine such as Sheiko or Westside you will get stronger, gain mass, and increase cardiovascular health. To keep yourself looking good all you have to do is keep a clean diet and make sure you are doing GPP work. The same goes for bodybuilding routines such as a 5x5 routine etc. Just remember the type of lifting you do is not going to increase fat mass or make for bulky muscles with a diet that also influences those results. Crossfit may give you more room with your diet, but it isn't going to make you brutally strong. Crossfit however will make you strong with your own bodyweight .

 

[russy_russ]

If you follow a true powerlifting routine such as Sheiko or Westside you will get stronger, gain mass, and increase cardiovascular health. To keep yourself looking good all you have to do is keep a clean diet and make sure you are doing GPP work. The same goes for bodybuilding routines such as a 5x5 routine etc. Just remember the type of lifting you do is not going to increase fat mass or make for bulky muscles with a diet that also influences those results. Crossfit may give you more room with your diet, but it isn't going to make you brutally strong. Crossfit however will make you strong with your own bodyweight .

Not entirely correct. Powerlifting routines greatly increase strength without much gains in strength--this is done via neural control (motor learning, recruitment of more motor units)--it also increases cardiorespiratory efficiency and cardiovascular endurance (which you stated).

 

[pmiller383]

Not entirely correct. Powerlifting routines greatly increase strength without much gains in strength--this is done via neural control (motor learning, recruitment of more motor units)--it also increases cardiorespiratory efficiency and cardiovascular endurance (which you stated).

Im guessing you meant strength w/o much size?

Your accessory work does very little to overload your CNS, but it does cause muscular hypertrophy and increases your muscular endurance. Like I said originally if you follow a routine like Westside without moding it to much you will get hypertrophy.

 

[russy_russ]

Im guessing you meant strength w/o much size?

Your accessory work does very little to overload your CNS, but it does cause muscular hypertrophy and increases your muscular endurance. Like I said originally if you follow a routine like Westside without moding it to much you will get hypertrophy.

In this scenario power is a function of strength and time...