geekcognito

There's a lot of conversation going on on the boards about how a lot of WF members want to gain some weight. As a guy that has a metabolism like a jackrabbit on crack, I know that gaining good muscle weight can be a challenge. It's not enough to eat, you have to eat right. It's not enough to do a few pushups in your bedroom, you have to train right. And it's not enough to sleep when you get tired. You have to rest right because THAT'S when muscles grow.

First off, a little about me. I'm no musclehead 'roid freak. I did, however, spend 8 years in the military (4 years active; 4 years reserves) as a Master-at-Arms (a kind of Navy military police). One of my collateral duties was that of fitness coordinator for a reserve division full of cops, prison guards, firemen, and rescue workers. So these people were already pretty fit to begin with (well, most of them, anyway). I trained with Navy SEALS, EOD, Marines, rescue swimmers, and every one in between.

I'm not bragging, I'm just letting you guys know that I do, in fact, know what I'm talking about. When I joined in 96 I was 17 and weighed 125 lbs. Right now, I'm sitting right at 180 lbs and under 10% body fat. I'm only 5'7"

Like I said, I'm no muscle head. I just went from really skinny to having broad shoulders, a chest I'm not ashamed of, and arms I'm quite proud of. And I work out proportionately. That means I take great care in making sure I don't grow huge arms with no chest or a huge upper body with really skinny legs like you see so many guys doing. I just think it looks really silly.

I'm going to show you the absolute fastest, safest, and most effective way to do the same thing so that, if you really work at it just like I say, you can gain 10 to 15 lbs of real muscle by the time May (and beach weather) rolls around. Nothing will compliment that huge wallet that you're going to have from the advice you get on WF with a set of guns you can show off on the beach.

***I hold no medical responsibility with what you do with this advice. If you go around trying to pick up cars and shit and your stomach shoots through your nutsack, it ain't my fault***

STEP 1: Get your diet straight.

Ok, it's been said a few times in the other threads but I want to reitterate it here: your DIET is the single most important factor in effectively building quality muscle.

I would hardly ever recommend any one just eating anything in sight, but in some people's case it's almost a necessity. It's been branded as the "see food" diet.

I'll pick on Jon for a minute. Jon is a pretty tall guy, but is fairly light for his size. He smokes a lot of cigarettes and has no intention of quitting. However, the largest factor in his diet is the fact that he takes Adderall. Anyone that has ever taken this medication knows that it's hard as hell to eat when you take it. I took it for a month and had to put it down because I could literally feel myself getting weaker as a result of not being able to force food down. For Jon's initial 4 weeks, I didn't hesitate at all to prescribe the "see food" diet. Short of absolutely pigging out on chips and soda (which I told him to cut way back on anyway), his metabolism, and his chemical variables (cigarettes and Adderall) Jon needs to do anything he can just to get the ~1 to 1.5 grams of protein per lb. of body weight per day that he needs to gain some quality mass. Any fat that he gains in addition to the muscle, he can work off with some cardio and diet adjustments that we work out after he gets acclimated to the weight training and diet changes.

So unless you are in the same situation as Jon, you will have to watch your diet a little more closely. Oh sure, you can eat a bunch of fat and shit, but you won't be able to see the muscles you're gaining through all the pudge.

Here's what you should shoot for in your daily diet split:

~40% lean protein (Tuna, Chicken Breast, Steak, High-quality protein shake)

~30% fats (try to go for mostly good fats that are found in fish. contrary to popular belief you NEED fat - it gives you the necessary energy)

~30% carbs (don';t believe the hype - you need carbs unless you want to look like Kate Moss. But go for whole grain bread instead of white, brown rice instead of white, etc)

Cut sweets, chips, soda, alcohol, etc to a bare minimum.

TAKE ONE DAY PER WEEK TO TOTALLY PIG OUT, DRINK, ETC.

I use Saturdays so I can eat anything I want all day and drink all night. This will help you stay on course for the rest of the week.

Drink plenty of water. Drink 1 liter during your work outs. Drink at least a half gallon or so throughout the rest of the day.

Eat 5 or 6 meals a day.

Here's an example of an average day for me while taking in about 200 grams of protein per day:

- Wake up

- Take supplements (discussed later)

- Have a protein shake. 40 grams Whey protein, 5 ice cubes, 1/2 cup of 1% milk, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. I add a banana because I can't ever remember to eat fruit. If I want it to taste like a Reese's peanut butter cup, I'll add some chocolate syrup.

- Go workout.

- Take post-workout supplements (discussed later)

- Have a post-workout shake the same way as described above. ~ 80 grams of protein so far.

- One hour after post-workout shake, I will have my first "food" meal. Usually a can of tuna on four whole-grain slices of toasted bread to make two sandwiches. I use a tiny bit of Miracle Whip, but not too much and I top it off with some relish. ~ 120 grams of protein so far.

- 3 hours later, I'll have dinner. Usually consisting of chicken breast cooked on the ol' George Foreman, some Asparagus, and a baked sweet potato. Damn, I'm making myself hungry. ~160 grams of protein so far.

- About an hour before bed I'll have one last shake or two sliced turkey sandwhiches (enough for 40 grams of protein). The tryptophan helps me sleep. ~ 200 grams of protein.

If you stick with it, you'll see it's not that hard at all to consume enough food if you eat the right things.


Next post: The Supplements

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

josh

what if you are a vegetarian?

crossfittn

wow, I can't believe my post/article spawned this... That's cool and I've seen a couple journals pop up.
Great post, Chuck!

Josh, you could just eat whey protein to compensate for your lack of lean meats. Have a protein shake with every meal. For snacks, have something such as an apple with some almonds.

Chuck, do you know if soy protein is incomplete or not? I know a lot of vegans eat soy protein, but I've heard it's incomplete and is far less beneficial than soy.

Scheme

Nice tips, I am just to lazy to gain weight. I have a fast metabolism so fuck it. I lift with my buddies when I am bored but good information no the less. Bookmarked.

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geekcognito

STEP 2: The Supplements.

The supplement industry is filled with hype and lies. Approximately 80% of the crap on the market consists of stuff you don't need or just doesn't work at all.

You don't NEED any supplement at all. Anyone that tells you that you do is lying. However, there are a few that I have found that work well. I only take supplements from companies that I trust, so many of them come from the same company. I take more than what I'm listing here, but I won't list everything I take because it will just confuse people that are new to the supplement world.

#1 Protein. Get a Whey protein. There are different types, but whey is good stuff because it is the fastest absorbing protein on the mass market. It's extremely effective and I've used it successfully for years. Don't let anyone push anything else on you. I use Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey protein. It's been around a few years and the company is reliable. It really is the best on the market:

Bodybuilding.com - Optimum 100% Whey Protein - With Faster-Acting HYDROWHEY! On sale now!

(No, I don't own Bodybuilding.com and that isn't an affiliate link. I link to them because I have had nothing but good experiences with their prices, service, and shipping. You can easily find anything I list at a local GNC.)

#2 Creatine. Creatine has been popular for about a decade not only for muscle-training, but for almost every sport. It's hard to describe exactly what it does in just a couple of sentences so I'll just link you. Just remember that this is NOT creatine monohydrate; it's creatine-ethyl-ester.

About CEE:

Bodybuilding.com - Creatine Ethyl Ester Information and Product Listing! Creatine Ethyl Ester FAQ!

Here is what I use:

Bodybuilding.com - BSN CellMass - Cellular Infusing Matrix! On sale now!

#3 Nitric Oxide. Sounds scary? Don't worry, it's not. NO has proven to be extremely effective at helping to accelerate blood and nutrient supply to the muscles, which compliments creatine filling the muscles with water. The result? Larger muscles quicker and a more "full" look all day long. This stuff is great.

About NO2:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/no2.html

Here is what I use:

Bodybuilding.com - BSN NO-Xplode - Extreme Nitric Oxide & Creatine Surge! On sale now!

AND three pills, three times a day of this:

Bodybuilding.com - BSN Nitrix - Enhances Size! On sale now!

#4 Multi-vitamins

I use this stuff called Animal Pak, but I don't recommend it to beginners. But check it out if you've been working out for a while.

GNC's Mega Men has everything you need for your daily vitamins and it's high-quality.

GNC - Vitamins & Minerals: BEST-SELLING VITAMINS & MINERALS: GNC Men's Mega Men® Sport Multivitamin

And that's it. Later on, when you're acclimated to your new schedule and diet you can add in some L-Glutamine, ZMA, BCAA's, etc. but I wouldn't worry about them just starting out.


How you're going to take this stuff:

- Wake up

- Eat breakfast (or drink protein shake)

- Take Mega-men vitamins, three Nitrix pills, and one scoop of NO-Xplode with cold water.

- Thirty minutes later, hit the gym.

- At the end of your workout, take one scoop of Cell Mass with three Nitrix pills. Wait NO MORE than twenty minutes after this and have your post-workout shake.

- An hour before your last meal of the day, take one more scoop of Cell Mass with the last three Nitrix pills.


So yeah, if you go out and buy these supplements right now, it will set you back about $150 bucks. That isn't cheap, but I'll guarantee that the money most of you will save by not eating fast food and junk food every month will more than cover it.

Next post: The workouts

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

geekcognito

Man, all the info I've read on Soy is all over the place. Some hail it as the best thing ever (usually the people that manufacture it) and others say that it raises estrogen levels in men (sources I typically trust; i.e. Men's Health).

So I stay away from it.

Good question, Josh. I've never been a vegetarian before so I can't say that I have much personal experience with it but I know you need protein from other places than just powdered protein shakes, even though you can safely get about half of your daily intake from them. I'd look into soy and cassien (milk protein) to make up the differences.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

yoink*gasp*

Soy/Tofu/Legumes become your best friend. Include high quality protein whey and creatine supplements into your diet, and make sure you're getting lots of high quality calories.

__________________

geekcognito

Step 3: The Workouts

Ok, the goal of your first 4 to 6 weeks will be to add some mass to your muscles. That means lots of compound exercises which focus on large muscle groups with low reps instead of concentrating on individual small muscles. This will allow your body to begin to grow in proportion with itself, instead of what you've probably seen most guys do, which is train two or three body parts that they like to train and not the rest. Ever seen someone with large arms and no chest? They look silly. Likewise, there are guys that have a huge upper body and skinny little legs. You want to grow your body proportionately to keep from having to play "catch up" all the time with one particular body part. Makes sense? Good. Here we go:


This is a three day per week workout concentrating on like muscle-groups.

- We are going to go with a "standard" back/biceps, chest/triceps, shoulder/legs workout.

The goal is two-fold: 1) you're going to acclimate yourself and your body to the weights. 2) you're going to find your correct weight ranges for lifting.

- ***These weights are assumed.***

I can't be there to know how much you can or cannot lift so I'm shooting in the dark. But you can figure it out pretty easily for yourself. You want to be able to do the first set pretty easily, the second set with no real trouble, but the third set should be difficult, especially the last two or three reps.

- Listen to your body. If it hurts, you're not using correct form.

Form is EVERYTHING. Lift the weight slowly, breathing out while you do. When setting the weight back down, breathe in, bring the weight down slowly.


Monday - Chest/triceps

Dumbbell bench press:

Warmup: take a light weight (around 25 lbs per hand) for 15 repetitions.

Set 1: 45 lbs per hand x 8 reps
Set 2: 40 lbs per hand x 10 reps
Set 3: 35 lbs per hand x 12 reps

Rest for two minutes.

Incline dumbbell bench press:

Warmup: 20 lbs per hand x 15 reps.
Set 1: 40 lbs per hand x 8 reps
Set 2: 35 lbs per hand x 10 reps
Set 3: 30 lbs per hand x 12 reps

Rest for two minutes

Chest fly's:

Set 1: 15 lbs per hand x 10 reps
Set 2: 15 lbs per hand x 10 reps

Rest for two minutes

Triceps pushdown:

Set 1: 60 lbs x 8
Set 2: 50 lbs x 10
Set 3: 40 lbs x 12

Rest for two minutes:

Skull crushers:

Set 1: 25 lbs x 10
Set 2: 25 lbs x 10


Wednesday - Legs/shoulders/abs

***USE A BELT FOR SQUATS***

Rest for two minutes between each set.

Squats:

Set 1 - a comfortable weight that isn't too light x 12 reps
Set 2 - slightly more (10 lbs or so) x 10 reps
Set 3 - ten more lbs x 8

Leg extensions:

Same as squats

Lying leg curls:

Same as squats

It may seem like I'm not giving you a whole bunch of info on legs, but I can't know what you will be comfortable with. As long as you aren't pushing yourself too hard while at the same time lifting enough weight with proper form that will actually accomplish something you will do fine.


Dumbbell lunges:

Set 1: 25 lbs in each hand x 10 reps
Set 2: 25 lbs in each hand x 10 reps

Shoulder shrug:

Set 1: 45 lbs in each hand x 12 reps
Set 2: 50 lbs in each hand x 10 reps

Dumbbell shoulder press:

Set 1: 25 lbs in each hand x 10
Set 2: 25 lbs in each hand x 10

Dumbbell raise:

Set 1: 25 lbs in each hand x 10
Set 2: 25 lbs in each hand x 10

Friday - Back/bi's

Rest two minutes between each set.

***Be careful to use good form with your back exercises to avoid injury***

Cable rows:

Set 1: - a comfortable weight that isn't too light x 12 reps
Set 2 - slightly more (10 lbs or so) x 10 reps
Set 3 - ten more lbs x 8

Bent over barbell row:

(substitute with two dumbbells if necessary; half weight in each hand)

Set 1: 50 lbs x 12
Set 2: 45 lbs x 10
Set 3: 40 lbs x 8

One-arm dumbbell row:

Set 1: 25 lbs x 8 (do one hand then switch to the other)
Set 2: 30 lbs x 10
Set 3: 35 lbs x 12

Dumbbell curl:

Set 1: 25 lbs per hand x 8
Set 2: 20 lbs per hand x 10
Set 3: 15 lbs per hand x 12

Hammer curl:

Set 1: 25 lbs per hand x 8
Set 2: 20 lbs per hand x 10
Set 3: 15 lbs per hand x 12

Pullups:

(make sure you grip the bar so that your palms are facing you)

Set 1: 10 pullups
Set 2: 10 pullups



Each of these workouts should take you about an hour. Don't rush through them, but don't take more than 2 minutes rest between each set, either.

Sleep is important as hell. That's when your muscles grow, not in the gym. Get 6 to 8 hours each night.

Drink a liter of water during your workouts. Take a few sips between each set.

Don't mess around with running or any other kind of cardio if you are underweight. It will rob the protein you are taking in away from your muscles. You will start cardio in the next 4 weeks or so.

If you need to see how to do exercises properly, type the name in the search bar here:

Bodybuilding.com - #1 Exercises Guide - Over 300 Exercises!

"Section 4; Search exercises by name"



These workouts are a bit "basic" but the reason for that is that they will get you acclimated to the weights and at the same time they consist of exercises that work entire muscle groups, not isolated muscles. This is important because you want to grow proportionately.

Oh, and use Jon's K.I.S.S. method to all of this. Nothing is written in stone. If something hurts or doesnt feel right, check your form and try it again. Don't over plan. Just do it. But do it with good sense, too.

Good luck to you and let me know if you have any questions.


Edit: I deliberately did NOT include abs in this workout. Working out will begin to develop your abs through your core movements that you will be doing from day to day. If you are just starting out with weight training you NEED to refrain from doing abs right away because if they get fatigued too quickly it can hinder your progress in other areas. We'll begin working abs in the next installment; in 4 to 6 weeks or so.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

LEX

good post. Summer's coming up and I hope that you skinny fucks will stop looking like concentration camp escapees. I've been lifting for 2 years now and it's very rewarding especially when you catch women checking you out.

shaggz

Some supporting info:

Do the exercises as chuck described. Avoid machines if at all possible. You get extra benefits from developing your 'stabilizer' muscles that you miss out on using machines. Dumbells are even better than a barbell in regards to stabilizers.

For any carb choices, check out the The Glycemic Index. You want to pick carbs that are low on the index.

Like chuck said, form is everything. If you have to sacrifice form to get your reps in, then you're using too much weight.

angelo

can you take supplements or drink protein shake even if your not into body building?

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znine

Yeah, but (remembering anatomy class) excess protein will turn to fat and sugar if you're not working out. And excess sugar turns to fat. If you're getting really low protein now you should just eat more protein rich foods in your regular diet.

jerxs

You know at one time I was worried about my mass, although never huge I use to pack quite a punch.

These days I could care less, Im not trying to impress anyone, Id say if anything, dont worry about your size as much as your health and if you know how to dance it doesn't matter how big you are, you will drop the biggest and the best of em!

I wouldnt worry about the supplements and what not, just eat healthy and stay active.

__________________

znine

It will be harder, some will say "just eat meat" but if you really want to go without. You can try:

Fish (if you don't count this as an animal)

• Pretty much any fish, tuna is popular as 1 6oz can has about 40g protein

Dairy

• Milk 8-10g protein per 1 cup
• Eggs (if you don't count these as animals) about 6g ea
• Yogurt ~7-13g/cup depends on flavor/brand
• Cheese anywhere from 5-10+ g per ounce. The harder the cheese the more protein (eg Parmesan > Swiss, cheddar > mozzarella by protein content)
• Cottage cheese about 15g/ half cup

Beans

• Tofu 20g/half cup or ~2.5g per oz
• Soy milk about the same as regular milk
• Common beans (pintos, black beans, etc) 6-10g per half cup
• Split peas not sure, probably 6-10g/ half cup
• Soy beans 15g or a bit less per half cup

Nuts

• Peanut butter 8g/2Tbsp
• Other nuts read the label. Pumpkin seeds have really high protein, pecans low, the rest about 5-10g/4th cup serving.

I got the protein numbers from stuff in my fridge and are for cooked amounts. They will vary a bit. For other ideas just search google.

angelo

great info znine. thanks guys.

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nachoninja

simple answer: eat peanut butter sandwiches all day and night

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[R]DeVore

I make triple decker pb&j like 2-3 times a day. I don't think im getting enough protein daily though. 240 grams is the LOWEST I should be getting daily, so I need to pick up something to add more protein.

Chucktown, great information. I'm saving it all to word, and printing it out.

Question, All I have here at the house in some 25 lb dumbells, no bench, nothing. just the dumbells. Should I focus on pushups and regular curls with the dumbells, along with varying the motions I use with the dumbells, or is it essential that I get more weights and a bench?

geekcognito

Well, my personal preference is a gym. For $40 a month or so, you get access to more equipment than you will ever use. I go to a local Gold's Gym and I love it. It's clean, people leave you alone and let you work out in peace, the staff is actually worth a shit, and there's usually not an annoying wait for equipment.

If you are dead set on getting by with a couple of dumb bells, then look into body-weight exercises such as dips, incline pushups, etc. Google around and you will find a lot.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

znine

Friendly tip: Bring an mp3 player to the gym. Play aggressive music that gets you in the mood for lifting. The shit that they play nowadays will make you think about going out to pick flowers then choke yourself with them. When they play "Hollaback Girl" you'll thank me.

geekcognito

Most def. Here's some of what I like at the gym. YMMV

Tool
Old School Metallica
Old School Deftones (the "Around the Fur" and "Adrenaline" albums will get you so hyped up you will want to put your head through the windshield of a Buick)
Alice in Chains ("Facelife" and "Dirt")
White Zombie - ("La Sexorcisto")
Rage Against the Machine

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

ImagesAndWords

Nice, chucktown.. But damn - I was gonna write up a very similar thread on this stuff but you beat me to it.

I've been doing all the stuff you're talking about here for about a year now. Gained 22lbs to my skinny 6'5" frame so far (but I've had to take breaks in my program so that's not constant progress for the full year).

I also use whey protein, BSN Cellmass, creatine, L-Glutamine, Arginine, and Tribulus Testris.
Just bought a can of NO Explode recently but haven't tested it yet.

I have heard you need to be careful with the Nitrix Oxide (regardless of brand) products though. Increased levels of NO (the chemical compound) can cause elevated pressure in your eyeballs and lead to permanent blindness.

__________________

CLKeenan

I just ordered the BSN Nitrix, BSN NO-Explode, and BSN Cellmass from Vitacost.com for $120 including shipping with a 5% discount code (WD59K8) which basically covers the $4.99 standard shipping.

I've order from Vitacost before and have nothing but good things to say. The shipping was fast even with their standard $4.99 method and their prices are unbeatable from what Ive seen. If you can find these supplements at a better price (be sure to include the shipping cost) then please let me know

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CLKeenan

Oh, forgot to ask- how would you change up the diet routine if you work out after work (5pm) every day instead of before?

Thanks!
-Chris

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Xrproto

Good post Chuck. Just about spot on with what I would have said.

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geekcognito

Thanks. Other guys have chimed in with their own tips as well. There are a million different variances one can put on a regimen like this and get similar results. However, I like this plan because it's basic and straightforward.


I don't recommend guys just starting out to count every calorie they take in. That's just a headache and will add to the confusion. Everyone can start doing that after they've adjusted to the new routine enough so that it's no longer confusing.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

Xrproto

I never really could get into calorie counting and I just found it easier to track my protien (mentally) because with that comes tons of calories.

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geekcognito

It's fairly easy to adjust for guys that have 9 to 5's (like I do at this time, unfortunately.) For guys that are going to go for a while like that, I would recommend eating breakfast consisting of "real" food. Eggs are a great source of protein and it's fairly easy to cut out most of the fat in them and still make them taste great.

An egg WITH the yolk in it has about 6 grams of protein. An egg white has about 4. So eat 5 eggs in the morning - 2 with the yolk in and 3 egg whites. With those two yolks in, it will taste just like you have all the yolks in with a LOT less fat.

The easiest way to get the yolk out of the egg is to just grab it out with your fingers when you crack it in the bowl. Whip em and pop in the pan to scramble em. I add cheese 'cause that shit's good. That gets you up to 27 grams of protein. Add two slices of whole grain bread (3g protein apiece) and a cup of 1% milk (8g protein) and you've got 41 grams of protein in the morning. Drink some OJ for good measure.

Here's a variation for your eating/supplement/workout schedule:

- Wake up

- Take supplements (vitamins + 3 Nitrix pills) Wait thirty minutes to eat breakfast. Shower, shit, and shave or something in the meantime.

- Eat breakfast - ~40g protein

- 3 hours later, have a protein shake - ~40g protein (up to 80g)

- 3 hours later, have lunch. Two sliced turkey sandwiches (enough for 40 grams of protein) or two tuna sandwiches. ~40 g protein (up to 120 g)

- 30 to 45 minutes before you leave work, take three Nitrix pills with a scoop of NO-Xplode.

- After work, go directly to the gym and workout.

- Take post-workout supplements (1 scoop of Cell Mass)

- 30 minutes later, (NO MORE) have a protein shake. 40 grams Whey protein, 5 ice cubes, 1/2 cup of 1% milk, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. I add a banana because I can't ever remember to eat fruit. If I want it to taste like a Reese's peanut butter cup, I'll add some chocolate syrup. ~40 grams protein (up to 160 g)

- One hour after post-workout shake, Have dinner. Usually consisting of chicken breast cooked on the ol' George Foreman, some Asparagus, and a baked sweet potato. ~40 grams of protein (up to ~200 g)

- About an hour before bed, take one more scoop of Cell Mass along with the final three Nitrix pills.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

CLKeenan

Awesome! Thanks- I owe you one

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CLKeenan

Just got my supplements yesterday when I got home for my workout so today is the first full day of supplements

Ill keep you guys informed

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geekcognito

Cool, CLKeenan. Just make sure your first day of supps is your first day of working out too!

I realized this past weekend that I wasn't really practicing what I preach and that the past two months, my gym attendance hasn't been what it should. So I started this week off with the same workout I prescribed to you ladies in this thread.

__________________

"Never confuse movement with action." ~Ernest Hemingway

"While you have lost some money, you have also gained some knowledge. So in the end you may have not lossed at all. Good luck bro." ~ Sumitdhawan09

CLKeenan

Well, I've been working out everyday after work since mid-January but I had just been taking protein/weight gaining shakes up until now.

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StrangeProgress

Hey good stuff Chuck. I've recently started working out each day to try and bulk up my lanky 6'3 frame - I got a lot of similar tips from a friend of mine whos been weight training for a few years.

Another handy website with animations of many many weight training exercises is :

Body-for-LIFE Training Demonstrations

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Selkirk

Interesting thread. I know this is a muscle building thread, not a fitness thread, but sometimes it helps to have a goal or a benchmark to compare against.

(All charts for 25yo male)

Army Physical Fitness Test, minimum requirements

• 31 pushups
• 43 situps in two minutes
• 2 mile run: 17:30

USMC Physical Fitness Test, minimum requirements:

• Pull-ups: 3 reps
• Abdominal Crunches: 50 in 2 minutes
• 3 mile run: 31 minutes

STREND, open division, local minimum standards

• Bench Press body weight: 4 reps
• Pull Up: 4 reps
• Shoulder Press 50% body weight: 4 reps
• Chin Up: 4 reps
• Bar Dip: 4 reps
• 3 mile Run: 26 minutes

(World class standards, increase to 8 reps)

Navy Seal Physical Screening Test, minimum requirements

• 500-yard swim using breast and/or sidestroke in less than 12 minutes and 30 seconds
• 10-minute rest
• 42 push-ups in 2 minutes
• 2-minute rest
• 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes
• 2-minute rest
• 6 pull-ups (no time limit)
• 10-minute rest
• Run 1 ½ miles wearing RUNNING SHOES and SHORTS in under 11 minutes

Ango

You say to work out 3 days a week. For example monday, wednesday and friday. Do you take supplements and protein shakes on off days, when you are not working out? If so, when do you take them?

Thanks!

geekcognito

I took this in boot camp and blew it out of the water only to find out that my eyesight is waaaay beyond their acceptance standards. I'm still a little pissed that they didn't let me know that BEFORE I ran the test and got my hopes up.

Oh, and there's a large difference between running in shorts and fucking running shoes like this says than in running in fucking long pants and boots, which we had to do while in RTC. If you can do that shit you are a man.

geekcognito

I work out 3 to 4 days a week. I take supplements every day as recommended. You don't grow in the gym, you grow when you are at rest so nutrition and supplementation is just as important on "off" days as on "on" days.

seocracy

WOW, this really IS the ultimate gay forum!
Bodybuilding too!

On a more serious note, Ive been lifting for a couple years and have found that it is always easier to achieve your goals when you workout with a gym buddy.....keeps you pushing yourself.

Good luck!

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geekcognito

So you act surprised to see that there is a bodybuilding thread on this gay forum and then you don't even link to the gay forum? What's up with that?!

And finally, you're the one calling this a gay forum and you're talking about a gym buddy? Sheesh, man. You must be the biggest young twink on this man on man action, #1 homosexual community forum that wears men's leather thongs.

mattinator

This is big. Very important... took me a few years to learn myself. Although I haven't consistently lifted weights in a while (a few months now)... But I noticed a HUGE difference when I would consistently have some form of protein at least every few hours (shakes, eggs, and/or meat) and get quality sleep ever night. I was getting much better returns on my time in the gym as well as having a much easier recovery time (way less sore). The thing you really have to understand is that you grow when you aren't in the gym. Mostly when you are sleeping, which is why getting a good night's sleep is paramount if you are trying to bulk up. I used to be a fairly big dude (215lbs; cleaned 245 for sets of 3, benched 265 for sets of 4, etc) and was a competitve wrestler in high school (state qualifier). I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I just didn't want anyone thinking I don't have a clue. If you are first starting out though the biggest thing is to be consistent. Pick a workout plan, Chucktown's looks like a great starter, and be consistent. Pick a diet plan, be consistent. After a while you start making small changes and seeing how it works. Be scientific about it and you'll start really seeing what works for you.... just like webmastering... But whatever you do, do something. You can't win if you don't play. Damn I need to get a gym membership...

seocracy

Call me a twink if you must.

But I must insist that you leave my leather thong out of this.

All sodomy aside, a gym buddy is still a good idea, even if its not in a gay way.

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geekcognito

Good idea or no, a young twink gym buddy is still quite gay. Especially if you both wear men's leather thongs. But I will definitely concede that it is a good idea to have someone to work out with. That way one can motivate the other when he feels like skipping a day and vice versa.

It's just that in this gay forum, a term like "gym buddy" can stir up thoughts of man on man action.

Shockt

Funny I was just talking about starting this kind of routine sometime soon. Glad I stumbled across this thread Thanks for the info!