Weightlifters, help a skinny guy get big

[porchdoor]

Hey guys, before I begin I would like to say that I'm not trying to workout to help with my tennis; I'm just trying to get bigger and stronger in general.

I'm a 5'10'' Asian kid approaching my 20th birthday, weighing in at 155lbs. I recently went on a two week trip to Vietnam and ended up losing 15lbs, due to the small portions of food during meals. I've been working out for four weeks now and have been able to gain that weight back. But now I'm wanting to get buff.

I've never really worked out before seriously, so I've been asking around about tips and how to work out correctly. From what I've heard from my friend, who's the biggest/cut guy I know personally, he said I need to blast my muscles. I've never really knew how a routine should be put together, but I've made my own that has been showing results. I want to post it here to ask if anything is wrong with it, or if anything can be improved. Here's exactly what I do:

Standing bicep curls: 10-15 reps
Side lateral raises: 10 reps
Front deltoid raises: 10-15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Pushups: 10-15 reps
This thing I saw Bruce Lee do, where he would lie on a bench and raises his legs straight up to where his butt would come up too: 15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Bench press: 10-12 reps
Incline lying dumbbell rows: 10-15 reps
Single arm dumbbell rows: 10-15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Decline pushups: 10-15 reps
Dumbbell triceps kickbacks: 10-15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Incline dumbbell chest flyes: 15 reps
Lying dumbbell rows: 15 reps
Overhead triceps extensions: 15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Dumbbell chest flyes: 15 reps
Two arm dumbbell rows: 15 reps
Straight arm dumbbell pullovers: 15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

Machine-assisted chest flyes: 10 reps
Sitting bicep curls: 15 reps
(Repeat in this sequence for 3 sets, with 1 minute rest)

As you can see, I am focusing on mostly my chest and back because those are the areas that need the most improvement. If anyone has any suggestions regarding to this, I'm open for any kind of help.

Also, the reason I do this sort of circuit training style is to save time. Instead of just sitting and resting, I use those minutes to hit a different muscle group. I don't really know anything about working out, so if this is hindering my goal of getting big, or if it's a better idea to just focus on each workout individually, let me know and I'll abandon this idea altogether.

I also read that it helps to eat as much [healthy] food as I can, as nutrition plays a big role in getting swole. I'm also taking Cell-Tech Hardcore creatine and Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey protein to help me out.

I workout on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. My goal is to first get the body of Bruce Lee, then the body of Michael Phelps, and finally when I'm old I want the body of Christ administered to me as my Last Sacrement.

Let me know what you think of my workout routine!

 

[Swissv2]

sheesh...hope you can last at least a month doing this.

 

[Hot Sauce]

What I would suggest is making a 4 day split. This is a LOT to do all on one day, and you are not giving your muscles enough time to rest in between workout days.

This is an EXCELLENT site that has a sample 4 day split, including different exercises.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt89.htm

And this is an awesome site that explains the purpose of a split, and goes into more detail on why you want to work certain body parts before or after others.
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/john1.htm

Both pages are definitely worth a read.

Good luck.

 

[porchdoor]

What I would suggest is making a 4 day split. This is a LOT to do all on one day, and you are not giving your muscles enough time to rest in between workout days.

This is an EXCELLENT site that has a sample 4 day split, including different exercises.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt89.htm

And this is an awesome site that explains the purpose of a split, and goes into more detail on why you want to work certain body parts before or after others.
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/john1.htm

Both pages are definitely worth a read.

Good luck.

Holy crap man, this is exactly the kind of help I've been searching for. All the splits I've read included the lower body. And with all the tennis, soccer, and running I do, I have to say that my lower body is quite bodacious and splendid. Thanks man!

 

[Hot Sauce]

No problem, sir!

 

[SmoothSailing]

Holy crap man, this is exactly the kind of help I've been searching for. All the splits I've read included the lower body. And with all the tennis, soccer, and running I do, I have to say that my lower body is quite bodacious and splendid. Thanks man!

Unless you work your legs with weights, they will be weak. Don't be one of those fools who can bench as much as they squat.

 

[Rickson]

Always keep in mind that the heavy weight/low reps for mass and lighter weight/high reps for definition is a huge load of crap. Bruce Lee, who was and still is the standard of cut, was one of the strongest men alive during his time. Bruce regularly worked out with heavy weights, but noone ever accused him of being massive. Definition comes from having low bodyfat, not doing light weights for 50 reps. I've seen obese guys who swore they didn't want to get big (too late!) do that stupid multi rep/light weight workout. A lot of good it's doing them. If you want to gain quality size, cut back on the cardio, eat more, and do some resistance training. The truth is that a person looking to gain weight should not do any cardio, but that's not practical for a tennis player. Just do those 3 things I mentioned and you'll be on your way to a bigger body and that's the truth. Heavy weights with low reps for size doesn't mean a damn thing if you're in a calorie deficit and light weights with multi reps for cuts is the biggest load of crap in weightlifting history.

 

[r2473]

1) Lift as heavy of weight as you can lift for 5 to 8 good reps.

1a) Beat your last workout EVERYTIME (i.e. add reps or more weight; try to add weight to the bar as often as you can).

2) Two sets per exercise (for most exercises); 8-12 sets total per workout

3) Lift 3 times per week for no more than 45 minutes per session

4) Eat lots

5) Do compound exercises (squats, deadlift, shoulder press, bench press, etc).

6) Rest lots

7) Take a full week rest every 8 weeks

 

[Gmedlo]

I'd recommend sticking to compound exercises (like those mentioned^^^) to establish a base of strength. You say your legs are strong from tennis/soccer, etc., but honestly, unless you can already squat 1.5x bodyweight, you have a long ways to go. You also need to remember that squats are the best exercise for increasing growth hormone in your body and thereby stimulating overall growth. AND, if you only work your upper body, you aren't going to burn as much fat post workout because you didn't use nearly the amount of muscle you would have if you'd included leg work.

 

[porchdoor]

I'd recommend sticking to compound exercises (like those mentioned^^^) to establish a base of strength. You say your legs are strong from tennis/soccer, etc., but honestly, unless you can already squat 1.5x bodyweight, you have a long ways to go. You also need to remember that squats are the best exercise for increasing growth hormone in your body and thereby stimulating overall growth. AND, if you only work your upper body, you aren't going to burn as much fat post workout because you didn't use nearly the amount of muscle you would have if you'd included leg work.

Noted about the squats. Just read about those and deadlifts, so I'll be sure to include those as well. Also, I guess it's widely understood about splitting your workout in muscle groups, correct?

Also, can anyone else give input about my semi-circuit style of weight lifting?

 

[Rickson]

When you do squats, make sure the bar rests across your traps and not on your neck. Squats are one of the most difficult exercises to master formwise. Ask an experienced gym member or a personal trainer for help on your squatting form. As for your circuit, it's a combination of aerobic and anaerobic training and I already pointed out that you don't need aerobic exercise if your goal is to gain weight. Stick to 2 bodyparts per workout and limit your sets to 2 per exercise. 2 sets of flat bench for 15 reps and 10 reps. 2 sets of incline bench for 15 and 10, etc..

 

[Hot Sauce]

I found squats to be painful for my traps, and front squats to be hard on my shoulders. I find it hard to do without a rack, too. I really want to start gaining some mass in my legs, though. Suggestions, Ricky?

 

[Sleepstream]

I found squats to be painful for my traps, and front squats to be hard on my shoulders. I find it hard to do without a rack, too. I really want to start gaining some mass in my legs, though. Suggestions, Ricky?

DB lunges are a possibility.

 

[S H O W S T O P P E R !]

I think that all your exercises is working away all the vitamins that your body needs to grow. Do these 2-3 times a week and afterwards, drink some milk, Team EAS also works. Also, if you're really skinny, EAT A STEAK. If you constantly diet, you will stay skinny. It doesn't mean eat like a carnivore, just add a little more fat and protein to the mix.

 

[purple-n-gold]

Agree %100 w/ everything Rickson said.Focus on compound movements such as bench press,squats,leg press,and deadlifts.Make these your core exercises for building mass and do chest,legs and back on separate days.
Mon.-chest
Wed.-legs
Fri.-back

 

[Uncle Emmitt]

also if your especially doing weights to improve your tennis you need to do some functional exercises where you mimic tennis type fitness, bouncing medicine ball throws are great as well as balance leg work on discs or bosu ball I would still do leg exercises. Some type of squats and lunges. + more functional core work.

I'm a Tennis pro and PT

 

[Rickson]

And I agree with the Laker fan.

 

[porchdoor]

Great advice from everyone, thanks. I will be implementing it all in my routine.

Let me ask you all what you think of this: Bruce Lee didn't always believe in rest days, meaning he didn't like having set days to rest and set days to workout. He believed that if your body feels energized, you should go and workout. Obviously, if your body is still sore and exhausted he took as many days necessary to rest. What do you guys think of this? I just worked out yesterday, and I felt like working out again today.

 

[Rickson]

You muscles need rest in order to grow. If your chest is sore after a Monday workout and you decide to work your chest again on Wednesday while it's still sore, you'll inhibit growth. Overworking a bodypart hurts muscle growth, not contributes. Rest is when the muscles actually grow so keep that in mind and never workout a sore bodypart if your goal is muscle hypertrophy. If your goal is endurance, you can do whatever you like, but since your goal is growth, don't work out when you're sore.

 

[Tofuspeedstar]

6-8 solid reps if you're trying to gain mass. 10-15 is too many.

You need an organized split. As well.

And basic compound movements are your friend, utilize them

Deadlift
Squat
Bench Press

 

[Rickson]

Do you also believe that when someone jumps off a tall building, he dies before he hits the ground? If you die in your dream, do you die in real life? If you work out a lot then suddenly stop, do your muscles turn to fat?

 

[Uncle Emmitt]

don't do body parts on consecutive days. except abs if you want to

 

[porchdoor]

Thanks guys. It's actually pretty reassuring when you all emphasize on all the same things. Hope to see great improvements in the coming months. Wish me luck.

 

[r2473]

Do you also believe that when someone jumps off a tall building, he dies before he hits the ground? If you die in your dream, do you die in real life? If you work out a lot then suddenly stop, do your muscles turn to fat?

Nobody believes muscle turns to fat. It is just a euphemism for what happens when you stop a fitness training program:

Muscle is always muscle and Fat is always Fat.

You cannot turn one into the other. When you stop any fitness training program, your caloric demand will be reduced.

Most people have a difficult time adjusting to the changes in their fitness program in relationship to food consumption.

Also within 72 hours since your last workout, the body begins a gentle, almost undetectable slide into sloth. In time, muscle mass decreases. Muscles that used to incinerate calories and crank up your metabolism while at rest, do not work as efficiently and hence less calories burned.

The body at this point does not burn fat as efficiently and then Fat gains get accelerated and this process is compounded by a declining metabolism, diminished muscle mass, and failure to adjust your caloric intake.

So muscle doesn't turn into fat at all...

...The Fat just consumes and takes over your Body!

 

[Uncle Emmitt]

r2473 is correct totally

 

[r2473]

You mean muscle can't turn to fat? What a shocker!

I was just explaining the meaning behind a common myth. You put it out there as a joke, but there is something to it. The explanation people give may not be accurate, but you see people who gain muscular size become fat later in life (when they decrease their activity level).

Another common myth is "Don't eat before going to bed".

People who are trying to lose weight hear this warning all the time. And it's often recommended even for people who aren't trying to lose weight. The logic behind this advice sounds reasonable: If you eat and then go to sleep, your body will convert the food you ate into fat rather than using it right away as fuel. Ultimately, you'll gain weight.

Of course, this is a myth. You will lose weight with a caloric deficit and gain weight with a caloric surplus. Gain / loss will be fat or muscle (or a combination) depending on physical activity.

But it is also TRUE. Why? Because people who eat before bed usually eat "bad" foods (chips, soda, ice cream) and they also tend to binge. Few people get a craving for carrots, celery, and no-fat cottage cheese before bed.

So, the myth is actually true in many cases, but not for the reason that the euphemism "Don't eat before bed" suggests. Just as the euphemism "Fat turns to muscle" is true in a sense for the reasons explained above.

 

[Rickson]

R2, I was just messing with tofu because he seems to believe the myth about low reps for mass and high reps for definition. The truth is that beginners shouldn't be training for mass anyway. Novices should focus on good form and do only 1 set of 15 reps per exercise. 15 reps is what NASM recommends because the body can acclimate to the exercise with 15. After a few weeks of 1 set exercises, the novice can move up to 2 sets. I recommend the 1st set to be 15 and the 2nd to be 10. This is where tofu jumped in and said it was all wrong. I'm pretty sure tofu doesn't have my experience in the gym so I had to believe that he believed in that low rep for mass myth. Don't get me wrong, intensity counts for something, but claiming that 10-15 reps being way too many is nonsense. We're not talking about 40 reps, we're talking about 10 freakin reps! I wonder how Ronnie Coleman got so massive doing his 10 plus rep sets. The answer is high intensity, a calorie dense diet, and some serious anabolic drugs!

 

[r2473]

R2, I was just messing with tofu because he seems to believe the myth about low reps for mass and high reps for definition. The truth is that beginners shouldn't be training for mass anyway. Novices should focus on good form and do only 1 set of 15 reps per exercise. 15 reps is what NASM recommends because the body can acclimate to the exercise with 15. After a few weeks of 1 set exercises, the novice can move up to 2 sets. I recommend the 1st set to be 15 and the 2nd to be 10. This is where tofu jumped in and said it was all wrong. I'm pretty sure tofu doesn't have my experience in the gym so I had to believe that he believed in that low rep for mass myth. Don't get me wrong, intensity counts for something, but claiming that 10-15 reps being way too many is nonsense. We're not talking about 40 reps, we're talking about 10 freakin reps! I wonder how Ronnie Coleman got so massive doing his 10 plus rep sets. The answer is high intensity, a calorie dense diet, and some serious anabolic drugs!

I see.

RE the "low rep for mass" myth, I always thought the keys to gaining mass and strength are:

1) Adding weight to the bar

2) Good form

3) Maintaining a caloric surplus

4) Rest

If you do too many reps, it is really hard to add weight. I always try to stay in the 5-8 rep range (except on certain exercises like calf raises, some tricep exercises, and a few others). 10 reps may be reasonable, but it will be just that much harder to add weight. Also, form tends to break down on the later reps, so getting 5 really good reps would seem to be better than 5 really good 2 decent and 3 awful reps (or having to lower the weight to get 10 good reps).

To gain you have to add new stresses to the muscle. So, if you do the exact same thing this time as you did last time, you might as well stay home in bed. If I do 50 lbs X 5 for 2 sets on the bench today, next time I bench I want to be sure I either increase my reps or the weight. When I can get 8 GOOD reps, I add weight. I'll often add weight before I can get 8, depending.

I don't think doing less than 5 reps is good. But doing too many, to me, will just give you a good "pump", but do nothing to actually helping you build muscle.

By the way, I would also recommend a beginner to start with higher reps and work on good form as you suggest above. A beginner needs to start slowly. They can't handle the stresses of heavy weight and need to get used to it. They also need to work on good form.

Anyway, I would like to hear your thoughts on the "low rep for mass" myth to find out just what you find objectionable. I have a feeling we are not far apart. Training isn't that complicated (but people sure like to think it is with all of their fancy bull$hit mumbo jumbo).

 

[Rickson]

R2, intensity is definitely a good thing to stimulate hypertrophy, but 10 reps is actually not too many reps for muscle hypertrophy. 15 may be pushing it, but my problem comes more from the reverse portion of the myth or in other words, a lot of reps with light weight gives you definition. As you know, definition does not come from doing more reps, it comes from having low bodyfat. As for the mass with low reps myth, most people can not, I repeat, can not gain a significant amount of mass in a short amount of time anyway without the help of anabolic drugs. I've seen too many people in the gym who claimed they didn't want to get too muscular and these same people had higher bodyfat than the pro wrestlers of the 1970s. I'd ask them if they were ever overly muscular and some of them would say they actually had a tendency to put on muscle very quickly. They sure fooled me! These people literally could not press or pull 1/3 of the weight I used and I was one of the last people you'd have called massive. The truth is you can not get too muscular without anabolics. I know I couldn't. I'm proud to say I've never done steroids and I never will. Can you gain size without anabolic drugs? Yes, you can. Can you gain too much muscle mass without anabolic drugs? Absolutely not!

 

[r2473]

my problem comes more from the reverse portion of the myth or in other words, a lot of reps with light weight gives you definition. As you know, definition does not come from doing more reps, it comes from having low bodyfat. As for the mass with low reps myth, most people can not, I repeat, can not gain a significant amount of mass in a short amount of time anyway without the help of anabolic drugs.

Agree on both counts.

It is funny to see people doing 20 reps for 3 sets thinking they are getting toned and defined. You can only get 6-pack abs if you have maximum 8% bodyfat. I don't care how many fancy "core" exercises you do.

Mass takes time. You can add weight to the bar pretty often when you start training, but it gets harder and harder. You have to keep up the intensity and work you ass off to beat your previous workout someway. Plate Mates are a good way to keep adding small amounts of weight.

It is a little demoralizing when you see someone you know is using anabolics. They do get big fast. And here I am working my ass off and am still a (relatively) little ****.

Well, lets hope Porchdoor is able to make some gains in the gym. Me, I am beat to **** after this weeks training and am looking forward to a weekend of rest.

 

[Mikael]

OP: in your quest for mass you must always remember one thing:

adding kilos is one thing, adding muscle is another.


And one bit of advice that I don't think anyone has given yet, but which is absolutely essential: rest and relax. Building muscle is a long term investment that your body is only willing to make if it doesn't have more urgent needs (stress).

 

[lawlitssoo1n]

i got this cool book about muscles its soooo helpful, go to barnes and nobles and look for it

 

[Uncle Emmitt]

i like 8-12 reps normally except for calves I sometimes do more and abs

 

[benne]

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Is the best, fastest, shortest, workout that produces the largest amounts of muscle mass in ratio to burning fat. It will get you cut like none other. Helped me lose about 90 lbs total (more fat) over the last 4 years.

look it up on youtube.

Pretty much you use your body weight and minimal weights to get your whole body fatigued/tired, as fast as possible. Search the 300 spartan workout and that's the same idea. the problem is you need to be very healthy as it kills your immune system. People who have mastered HIIT for their body don't do this more than 3 times a week.

I usually go out to the courts, warm my body up, do pushups, pullups, situps, sprints, jump rope, slight jogging, and all of it til I feel like I've worked my body out.

plus it helps your tennis game out tremendously, you'll be more agile on the court, jogging and weightlifting make your muscles slow-twitch fiber and make you slower on the court. it also destroys your muscle memory.





To what Mikael said:

Resting is key, don't destroy your muscles. When you lift your muscles are being broken down, literally, the protein intake puts your body into an anabolic state (muscle reproduction). When you're working too hard and not enough protein and rest, you are just tearing those muscles.


in agreement, one more tidbit: weightlifting in a gym only builds muscle, doesn't necessarily burn fat. exercising WITH larger muscle mass burns more fat.

look it up on the internet, there are tons of studies and great articles on what's good for you.

 

[rum02]

plus it helps your tennis game out tremendously, you'll be more agile on the court, jogging and weightlifting make your muscles slow-twitch fiber and make you slower on the court. it also destroys your muscle memory.

weight lifting actually increases the amount of fast twitch muscle fibres. As long as you don't put too much fat on and you remain flexible, you won't get slower from lifting weights.

 

[Rickson]

HIIT is good for burning calories, but it's definitely not a formula for gaining mass. The key to gaining mass is to consume more calories than expended and that means no HIIT and no cardio of any kind. Lift weights, eat more, and sleep.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

i got this cool book about muscles its soooo helpful, go to barnes and nobles and look for it

OK, so I've looked at 6,749 books at B&N so far. Which one is it?

 

[porchdoor]

OK, so I've looked at 6,749 books at B&N so far. Which one is it?

The Tao of Jeet Kune Do

 

[tennisdad65]

5-10, 155 for a 20 yr old is pretty good..
I am 43 yrs, 5-10, 170, and I wish I could lose 5-10 lbs of fat.

 

[r2473]

The following is advice from Jason Ferruggia


What are 3 to 5 ways to get bigger and stronger?

It can be said that getting bigger and stronger is 1/3 training, 1/3 nutrition and 1/3 hormonal. I will briefly address each of these.

As far as training goes, you need to focus on big compound exercises and you need to strive to continually add weight to the bar. While other trainers or coaches may argue that you can make progress by doing more sets, decreasing your rest periods, or using set extension techniques, the fact remains that the fastest way to get a muscle to grow, or better yet, force it to grow is to add weight to the bar. Do this while training no more than three or four days a week for 45 minutes per workout, hitting each muscle group twice a week or once every five days with adequate volume and you will grow. Avoid isolation movements and machines and make sure you squat, deadlift, overhead press, chin, row and dip.

Train hard but finish all of your reps on your own without having a nervous breakdown in the process by getting too fired up. That is never necessary and is counter productive. Never let a spotter touch the bar and help you grind out extra reps beyond what you could do on your own.

As far as nutrition goes, this is where a lot of guys miss the boat. You have to eat to grow. Studies have shown that sumo wrestlers have more muscle mass per square inch than elite level bodybuilders. And they don’t even lift weights! That is because overeating itself is highly anabolic. Other studies have been conducted where people were fed an additional thousand calories per day for 100 days, without any training whatsoever, and 1/3 of the weight they gained was muscle mass!Now, of course you don’t want to get fat so you need to plan your eating and eat the right foods at the right times. The simplest advice I can give anyone looking to get bigger and stronger is to make sure that breakfast and your post workout meal are the two largest feedings of the day. Eat more calories and carbohydrates on training days, and fewer calories and carbs on off days. Focus on organic, natural food sources, eat tons of fruits, vegetable, nuts, beans and legumes and limit your consumption of animal products.

The third thing that needs to be considered is the hormonal response to training. If your testosterone and growth hormone levels are high you will get bigger and stronger a lot faster than if they are not. Here are a few things that you can do to maximize your anabolic hormone levels:

·Limit your workouts to 45 minutes. After that your testosterone levels are shot and cortisol, which eats muscle and increases fat storage, takes over.
·Avoid stress as much as possible- this causes the release of cortisol.
·Practice deep breathing and meditation- this helps manage stress and blunts the production of cortisol.
·Compete- competition stimulates testosterone production. That is one reason why it’s great to have a good training partner.
·Eat an adequate amount of healthy fats- they have been shown to increase testosterone levels.
·Avoid any animal products that don’t come from organic sources. They are loaded with drugs that will cause your testosterone production to plummet.
·Try to drink red wine instead of beer whenever possible. Beer elevates estrogen levels, and when estrogen goes up, testosterone goes down. Red wine, on the other hand, has been shown to be anti estrogenic.
·Get 8-9 hours of high quality sleep per night. This is one of the absolute best ways to boost your testosterone production and reduce your cortisol levels.
·Have more sex. When you are sexually active your testosterone production goes up. As if we needed another reason…

 

[bumblebee]

i would recommend eating a lot of meat... just massive amounts of meat and carbs. It's easier to lose weight than to gain it. so try to eat.

 

[porchdoor]

Hey guys, thanks for all your help. I'm seeing good improvement with the suggestions you all have made.

Quick question though: I've pretty much exhausted the weights I had at home and needed to move on to something heavier. I've recently gained the confidence to work out at my school's fitness center. Exactly......what do you use to do deadlifts? The squat rack has a rail that prevents the bar to go all the way down. All the other stations pretty much seem to be made to be used for a specific purpose. Is there etiquette to this? Can I just grab a bar from one of the bench press stations?

Any other gym etiquette I should know of? I already almost got in trouble for using a decline bench wrong (supervisor was yelling to figure out who did it, so I ran the hell out of there).

 

[cncretecwbo]

Hey guys, thanks for all your help. I'm seeing good improvement with the suggestions you all have made.

Quick question though: I've pretty much exhausted the weights I had at home and needed to move on to something heavier. I've recently gained the confidence to work out at my school's fitness center. Exactly......what do you use to do deadlifts? The squat rack has a rail that prevents the bar to go all the way down. All the other stations pretty much seem to be made to be used for a specific purpose. Is there etiquette to this? Can I just grab a bar from one of the bench press stations?

Any other gym etiquette I should know of? I already almost got in trouble for using a decline bench wrong (supervisor was yelling to figure out who did it, so I ran the hell out of there).

deadlifts are just on an open space on the floor, i do them in front of a rack so i can rack the bar to change the weights easily.

how did you use a decline bench wrong, though?

 

[porchdoor]

deadlifts are just on an open space on the floor, i do them in front of a rack so i can rack the bar to change the weights easily.

how did you use a decline bench wrong, though?

I'm used to using the guided weights. And I forgot that doing a free bar is harder that using a guided bar, so I used too many weights. I lost control of the bar. Not only that, but because I was used to the guided weights I forgot to clip the ends of the bar. So I lost stabilization while the weights were shifting around on the bar. Trying to regain control, I was stepping all over the bench leaving footprints. It was a pretty embarrassing moment.

 

[kashgotmoney]

You want to split your days up in the gym.
Day 1: Arms.

Day 2: Chest and back

Day 3: Legs

At the end of every work out, do abs.

For workouts for getting big i reccomend this

Day 1: Tricep Extension, 3 sets of 12
Pullups, 3 sets of max
Dumbell Curls, 3 sets of 12
Tricep Dips, 3 sets of 25
3 sets of 150 situps,
3 sets of weighted situps ( go to machine with rope and 2 balls/weights dangling at each end of rope, where tricep pull down is done, and lower it to the lowest, lie down on ground and hold over shoulder with 40 lbs and do 3 sets of 15 situps.

Day 2: Dumbell Press, 3 sets of 15,
Bench press, 3 sets of 12,
Lat Pull down, 3 sets of 12,
Inverted bench press, 3 sets of 8
Shrugs, 3 sets of 15
same ab workout as day 1

Day 3: Squats, 3 sets of 12
Calph Raise, 3 sets of 15
Leg extension, 3 sets of 15
Leg Curl, 3 sets of 15
3 sets of 2 on Max out squat
Same ab workout as day one

Dieting: Breakfast: Muscle Milk and sausage or meat. Lunch, muscle milk and meat with rice or some carbs. and dinner, MEAT MEAT MEAT with water. MORE CALORIES = more muscle, eat as many calories as you can

Snacks, Power Bars..


EVERYONE OUT THERE, dont do steroids lol

 

[Leelord337]

There's this kid who's *** I really want to kick, so the determination and discipline will be there. I'm going into my fifth week doing all this, so hopefully I will be able to keep doing so for for a couple of several months.

haha, lemmie guess ur 16, . i would say keep that goal of having ur own bruce lee body in sight and if u work hard enough and have the determination and dedication anything is possible.

 

[Rickson]

Bumble, your statement is subjective and statistically untrue. Most people actually gain weight easier than lose it. While gaining weight might be difficult for some individuals, gaining bodyfat is definitely easier than gaining quality muscle mass. Conversely, losing bodyfat is much more difficult than gaining bodyfat so if your opinion is that it's easier to lose bodyfat than it is to gain bodyfat, you'd be wrong. If your opinion was about muscle gain being more difficult than muscle loss, you'd be correct.

 

[Spawn of Cthulhu]

For a very simple and yet effective workout, forget about the body splits above. Waterbury's plan to use 3 big exercises is simple and very effective (I haven't seen his book but Cosgrove's The New Rules of Lifting is worth checking out at a bookstore).
I've been lifting for many years (I'm 42) and still do squats, deadlifts, weighted dips and pullups/chins, and the OL lifts (snatches, clean and jerks). There is no reason, especially for someone young who wishes to be athletic, to do focused arm, chest, leg days, etc.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/counting_your_reps_for_more_muscle

 

[porchdoor]

Hey guys! I've been working out nonstop, and I feel great. I've gained 10lbs to be 165lbs. I'm pretty sure this isn't pure muscle, because I think 10lbs of muscle would be A LOT for only about 6 months. I'm promoting myself from being scrawny to healthy and lean. Not to say that I haven't bulked up, but I was extremely skinny. Anyways, even though I'm still small, my chest and shoulders are really coming in nicely. In a little more time, I'll post pictures of my progress so I can get some input to see if I'm making an efficient amount of gain.

Thanks again everybody for all your help. (I really mean it. Starting out, I was working out completely wrong and I probably would have continued to do so without all your help).

 

[Rickson]

You're welcome, porch. Glad I could help.