Mass or definition: what to choose at the start?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2015-03-05

I am often asked the question: “I have this height and this weight. Should I start by training for mass, and then for definition? Or, on the contrary, should I focus on getting defined first, and then increase mass?”

Usually, this question is posed by people with a more or less average physique. It’s clear that if a person is genuinely overweight, they realize that they need to lose weight first. If they are underweight, they need to gain weight. But when people’s height-to-weight ratio is close to ideal, but their figure is far from the ideal, the dilemma arises: mass or definition? Soon you will find out the answer.

Let's approach this question from a physiological and anatomical perspective. As we have already established, you probably don't have a large excess weight or a significant weight deficit. Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking this question. However, you have little muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat. That’s what concerns you. You want to build muscle since you have so little, and burn fat since you have so much.

First Mass, Then Definition

Let’s consider this option. If you start by gaining mass, you will increase your muscles to the desired size, but the amount of fat will also increase. There’s nothing to be done about that. A normal result is considered to be when for every 1 kg of muscle gained, you gain 0.5 kg of fat (or a little less).

By the way, I call this option "male." It is psychologically more pleasant for them. Men, in the pursuit of muscle mass, worry less about excess fat. Accordingly, I call the next option "female." But this is all conditional.

First Definition, Then Mass

In the second option, you first lose weight and then build muscle. However, along with fat, your muscles will also decrease. And I remind you that you don't have much muscle as it is. On average, for every 1 kg of fat burned, you lose 0.5 kg of muscle. This means that, in the end, after such a "cutting" phase, you risk being left without both fat and muscle.

So, what should you do? In the first option, you might turn into a chubby blob, and in the second – a person with wasting syndrome? Relax, it's not that bad at all.))

If you are a man and your weight is less than your height minus 100 (for women, height minus 112), then, from a physiological point of view, you are underweight. In this case, you probably need to first gain weight to around height minus 90 (for women, height minus 110), and then cut down.

For example, if you're a guy, and your height is 180 cm while you weigh 75 kg, then it would be better for you to gain mass to 90 kg and then work on definition. If you're a girl, and at a height of 160 cm you weigh 45 kg, then first gain weight to 50 kg and then "cut."

Conversely, if you are a man and your weight is more than your height minus 100 (for women, height minus 112), then you should first work on definition. After that, you can increase muscle mass. As for how much you should cut in this case – I cannot say. That’s something only you can decide. When you feel it's enough, transition to gaining mass. But there’s a third option!

Definition and Mass at the Same Time!

Yes, I believe that it is possible, in some cases, to burn fat and build muscle simultaneously. This has been proven in practice multiple times. But this option is only viable for beginners and only for the first few months.

The fact is that an untrained body responds to loads somewhat differently than a trained one. A trained body has already adapted well to physical strain, making it difficult to build muscle and shed fat since it’s hard to "surprise" it with stressful workouts.

On the other hand, a beginner's body, especially one at zero physical fitness level, perceives any load as stress and reacts to it very vigorously. This means that muscles start to grow even from small loads. And fat melts away just as easily at first. But alas, all of this only lasts the first 2-3 months. The more trained you become, the harder it will be to get your body to do these two things simultaneously.

Conclusions

1. If you are a complete beginner, you can try to kill two birds with one stone: burn fat and build muscle simultaneously. For this, you can choose any of the plans aimed at definition for women or men. It’s quite possible that in the first 2-3 months, you will manage to eat your cake and have it too. But after that, you will have to make a choice.

2. If you already have some experience and your weight is below the physiological norm, focus first on gaining mass. I reiterate that the norm for men is height minus 100, and for women, it is height minus 112.

3. If your weight is above the physiological norm, it’s better to start by cutting.

4. All numbers in this article have average statistical values. They should not be interpreted as absolute truths. Each body is unique, and everyone has their own initial body fat percentage and muscle mass.

I hope this article has helped you in choosing the direction of your training. Good luck!