Trying to build more muscle - Page 3

OrangeSS · 10-07-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

I know man; I was doing so good for a few months. I have no excuses now that I get out of work at 3:30. I don't wanna get jacked, I just want to be slim/fit.

Then cardio is the way to go! You have to do at least 45 minutes of cardio for you to actually start burning fat. So anything more than that is what you want. Just take an MP3 player and zone out, works for me.

nUcLeArEnVoY · 10-07-2010, 10:11 AM

I do a lot of fitness research and live the lifestyle; sadly I don't have much to show for it because of past mistakes. (Sticking too long to a routine, not eating right/enough, etc., etc.)

To build muscle, there's only two things you need to do: eat and lift. However, those two things branch into technicalities that can compromise your progress if botched. For example, for the purposes of building mass, you can sit there scarfing McDonalds all day and still put on size (assuming you're getting adequate protein as well), but you'll also maximize fat gain. Fat gain is inevitable when trying to build mass because you need to put your body into a caloric surplus (otherwise known as a hypercaloric diet) where you're taking in more calories than you're spending. If your training is right, most of those extra calories go exactly where you want them to - muscular hypertrophy, while a minimal amount goes to fat stores. Fat gain is just something you gotta deal with, but if you eat a lot of clean foods and don't eat too far over your maintenance calories (the amount of calories you roughly use each day just to maintain your current weight), then you can minimize it. Besides, it takes years to build a good muscular physique, while you can shed body fat in a few months. The ends justify the means.

For foods, you want to pay attention to your three macronutrients (carboyhydrate/protein/fat). Carbs are the body's preferred source of energy, and as far as muscle building is concerned, their use to you is that they fuel your workouts. They give you the energy to pump out that last rep or two. If you want to eat clean, your carbs should come from complex carb sources. These include oats, pasta, yams, potatoes, whole wheat breads, green veggies, etc., etc. These complex carbs provide a steady source of energy and don't spike insulin like simple carbs (candy bars, sugar candies, fruit drinks) do. The energy spike a candy bar gives you is nice, but then it knocks you flat on your face, not to mention it promotes fat storage.

Protein is protein: fish, chicken, meats, etc., etc. The goal is to try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day for the purposes of building muscle. The golden ticket is usually chicken since it contains the least fat, but I go for fish because I love seafood. Red meat is usually looked down upon because of its fat content, but if you get lean cuts such as top round (which are also cheap), then you'll be getting a lowfat protein alternative that is actually more nutritious than chicken. As for protein shakes and powders, I guess you can use them if you need a copout just to meet your daily requirement, but I'd try to minimize them to right after your workout when your body needs nutrition fast. It's always best to eat whole foods than substitute with liquids.

Fats are usually looked down upon, but there are good fats that actually promote fat loss. These are none other than Omega-3s, found in fish oil, olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts and lentils, etc., etc. Try to get at least some good fats every day. Also, saturated fat promotes testosterone, which builds muscle. Yeah yeah, saturated fat is bad, but it does help a bit for your particular goal.

You want to try to eat at least four meals a day with roughly equal nutritional value. You need to eat a ton of protein at each meal to meet your daily requirement if you're only eating four, though. That's why most bodybuilders eat 6-7 meals a day.

As for your workout... if you're new, a full body workout is the best way to go to just get yourself accustomed. Always concentrate on your big lifts (deadlift/bench/squat) since those are pretty much free muscle mass to a newbie. Concentrate more on your form and trying to master those three big lifts than sitting there curling dumbells for three hours like a freakin' moron just to get 'teh big biceps.' After you're adjusted to that, then maybe you can go into a three day split routine. The key is to always switch it up around every 5-7 weeks, or else your body adapts and you stall on your lifts (otherwise known as a plateau). It's the mistake I made. Let me point out, though, that your workout is totally moot if you're not eating enough. You can have the best workout and can bench, squat, row, etc., etc. till' the gah'damn cows come home, but if you're not eating enough, you won't grow.

Any more advice, just ask!

Moreno1 · 10-07-2010, 10:28 AM

That was great advice nuclear! Thanks! I JUST started working out again this tuesday, and I too have made the mistake of not eating enough... I have a super fast metabolism so I have to eat even MORE! and drink lots of water...

Scrapppy666 · 10-07-2010, 10:29 AM

great info there thanks! It's hard to find that info in plain english like you have said it. I might have to jump back into my routine now that the weather is cooling down a bit and I'll be putting the car away for winter.

Here's a question. How much value do you put on a routine doing mostly pull-up / push-up, chair dip type exercises without equipment? Basically all I have access to or the room for right now is a jailcell workout. I've gone thorough p90x 1 1/2 times with decent results using 15-20lb bands. I definitely progressed strength wise and I'm happy with my shoulders, back and tris but the rest still needs work. Would a small bench press be worth the benefits or do pushups really accomplish the same thing?

For the record I'm
5'10 165 (was up to 170 until i fell off the workout wagon)

nUcLeArEnVoY · 10-07-2010, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapppy666

great info there thanks! It's hard to find that info in plain english like you have said it. I might have to jump back into my routine now that the weather is cooling down a bit and I'll be putting the car away for winter.

Here's a question. How much value do you put on a routine doing mostly pull-up / push-up, chair dip type exercises without equipment? Basically all I have access to or the room for right now is a jailcell workout. I've gone thorough p90x 1 1/2 times with decent results using 15-20lb bands. I definitely progressed strength wise and I'm happy with my shoulders, back and tris but the rest still needs work. Would a small bench press be worth the benefits or do pushups really accomplish the same thing?

For the record I'm
5'10 165 (was up to 170 until i fell off the workout wagon)

If you want to add further mass to your chest, then you need to give it more stress. The body makes muscles bigger due to the principle of adaptation. A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle - if you subject your body to a stress that is bigger than what it's used to, then it will have to adjust. If you're eating enough, it adjusts by making the muscle bigger and stronger (the size vs. strength gain is dependent on the weight and amount of reps, though). That's what muscle building is all about. You won't grow doing the same thing. Unless you add weight to your pushups (which is unsafe and impractical), then you need to invest in a bench press to add mass to your chest. There are other chest exercises, though - dips, flys, etc., etc. But the best mass builders are pressing motions (especially on an incline).

Body weight exercises are an excellent way to get used to a movement, but after awhile their effect fizzles out. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people are satisfied with the physique earned from bodyweight exercise mastery. It's usually a very lithe and toned physique (assuming your body fat is low enough), but not jacked-huge. That's what some people like. But if you want to add more, sorry - you need to lift some weights and progress.

sugar'n'spice · 10-07-2010, 12:46 PM

It's a little weird to see men unhappy over their weight and build, usually it's women's thing.....

I guess deep down, we are all the same...

Moreno1 · 10-07-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugar'n'spice

It's a little weird to see men unhappy over their weight and build, usually it's women's thing.....

I guess deep down, we are all the same...

I think it's more about attracting the opposite sex more than anything!

sugar'n'spice · 10-07-2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

I think it's more about attracting the opposite sex more than anything!

Ha ha ha! Maybe if you're young and single but, I am married and I do it for myself....just to be healthy and fell good on the inside and out !

I have 2 teenagers that I want to see grow and maybe marry themselves......one day!

elcamino85 · 10-07-2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

I think it's more about attracting the opposite sex more than anything!

Haha for me the whole muscle thing is so I can get more strength before going into the police academy. I also need to work on my endurance for running. Thanks for all the advice. I am off to make a work out schedule.

sugar'n'spice · 10-07-2010, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcamino85

Haha for me the whole muscle thing is so I can get more strength before going into the police academy. I also need to work on my endurance for running. Thanks for all the advice. I am off to make a work out schedule.

Good luck !!

elcamino85 · 10-07-2010, 01:39 PM

^^Thanks!

justa25thTA · 10-07-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcamino85

Haha for me the whole muscle thing is so I can get more strength before going into the police academy. I also need to work on my endurance for running. Thanks for all the advice. I am off to make a work out schedule.

Kettle Bells will do both for you. Check out Pavel Tsatsouline on youtube.

blake-b · 07-05-2011, 10:31 PM

Just realized how old this thread is... I was going to delete what I wrote but it might help someone.

If you aren't willing to cause yourself discomfort with heavy squatting, deadlifts, bench pressing, and overhead pressing with some chins/rows thrown in, you are cheating yourself. To make new ground, you have to step outside your comfort zone.

You don't have to worry about getting bodybuilder big. That doesn't happen without steroid use. I have never known anyone to gain muscle and say "I'm too big, I need to stop." They like it and they want more.

Diet will be the biggest influence on your goals. I suggest hiring a dietician to give you a diet. I can suggest a couple of online sources who have had marvelous success with people.

www.shelbystarnes.com (he just won at the Michigan NPC show)
www.joshstrength.com

They both charge around $250 for 12 weeks of diet consultation where they basically tell you what/when to eat. Josh even gives a workout. I'm not sure Shelby does.

Lift heavy, eat a lot (more than you think you need), and get plenty of rest. It will come.

Slick1 · 07-05-2011, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeSS

Yea, that sucks! Keeping with it and keeping with a schedule is the hardest part. Get back at it!

I've been hitting the gym for the past almost 2 months and it gets easier to get there the longer you go. When you start seeing results you feel lazy on the days you're recovering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeSS

Then cardio is the way to go! You have to do at least 45 minutes of cardio for you to actually start burning fat. So anything more than that is what you want. Just take an MP3 player and zone out, works for me.

I was doing 2 visits to the gym a day every day. At that time I was doing up to 2 hours in a day on non lift days and on lift days I would do 20 mins on the bike to get warmed up and then lift for about an hour. Started seeing results and have definitely grown some muscle.

I recently started doing burst cardio though. I won't get too into it but basically you do your cardio in less then 20 minutes every other day. You do 3 or 4 intense "sprints" (could be running, bike, elliptical, whatever) for no longer then a minute but you go 100% for that minute so that by the time a minute has passed you couldn't possible take on more step,pedal,etc. You will be fighting for air and that's exactly what you want. You create an oxygen deficit and your body fighting to get air preserves muscle while burning fat.

When you do long cardio sessions you're burning fat WHILE working out but when you're not then your body stores again. By using energy in the workout your body learns to burn fat for fuel the next 48 hours while you're NOT working out. They actually say not to do it every day because the effects are still there that long after. 20 mins every other day. The biggest reason I switched to this was because long cardio burns muscle for energy whereas burst training preserves it.

Do some research cause it's supposed to be THE way to workout. Too early for me to tell so far but I'm going to stick with it and see. Also if you're lifting also then do it before you do the burst and do NOTHING the next day.

10-07-2010, 10:11 AM	#30
nUcLeArEnVoY Oldbie that nobody knows Drives: 2011 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Homestead, FL Posts: 3,459 View My Garage	I do a lot of fitness research and live the lifestyle; sadly I don't have much to show for it because of past mistakes. (Sticking too long to a routine, not eating right/enough, etc., etc.) To build muscle, there's only two things you need to do: eat and lift. However, those two things branch into technicalities that can compromise your progress if botched. For example, for the purposes of building mass, you can sit there scarfing McDonalds all day and still put on size (assuming you're getting adequate protein as well), but you'll also maximize fat gain. Fat gain is inevitable when trying to build mass because you need to put your body into a caloric surplus (otherwise known as a hypercaloric diet) where you're taking in more calories than you're spending. If your training is right, most of those extra calories go exactly where you want them to - muscular hypertrophy, while a minimal amount goes to fat stores. Fat gain is just something you gotta deal with, but if you eat a lot of clean foods and don't eat too far over your maintenance calories (the amount of calories you roughly use each day just to maintain your current weight), then you can minimize it. Besides, it takes years to build a good muscular physique, while you can shed body fat in a few months. The ends justify the means. For foods, you want to pay attention to your three macronutrients (carboyhydrate/protein/fat). Carbs are the body's preferred source of energy, and as far as muscle building is concerned, their use to you is that they fuel your workouts. They give you the energy to pump out that last rep or two. If you want to eat clean, your carbs should come from complex carb sources. These include oats, pasta, yams, potatoes, whole wheat breads, green veggies, etc., etc. These complex carbs provide a steady source of energy and don't spike insulin like simple carbs (candy bars, sugar candies, fruit drinks) do. The energy spike a candy bar gives you is nice, but then it knocks you flat on your face, not to mention it promotes fat storage. Protein is protein: fish, chicken, meats, etc., etc. The goal is to try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day for the purposes of building muscle. The golden ticket is usually chicken since it contains the least fat, but I go for fish because I love seafood. Red meat is usually looked down upon because of its fat content, but if you get lean cuts such as top round (which are also cheap), then you'll be getting a lowfat protein alternative that is actually more nutritious than chicken. As for protein shakes and powders, I guess you can use them if you need a copout just to meet your daily requirement, but I'd try to minimize them to right after your workout when your body needs nutrition fast. It's always best to eat whole foods than substitute with liquids. Fats are usually looked down upon, but there are good fats that actually promote fat loss. These are none other than Omega-3s, found in fish oil, olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts and lentils, etc., etc. Try to get at least some good fats every day. Also, saturated fat promotes testosterone, which builds muscle. Yeah yeah, saturated fat is bad, but it does help a bit for your particular goal. You want to try to eat at least four meals a day with roughly equal nutritional value. You need to eat a ton of protein at each meal to meet your daily requirement if you're only eating four, though. That's why most bodybuilders eat 6-7 meals a day. As for your workout... if you're new, a full body workout is the best way to go to just get yourself accustomed. Always concentrate on your big lifts (deadlift/bench/squat) since those are pretty much free muscle mass to a newbie. Concentrate more on your form and trying to master those three big lifts than sitting there curling dumbells for three hours like a freakin' moron just to get 'teh big biceps.' After you're adjusted to that, then maybe you can go into a three day split routine. The key is to always switch it up around every 5-7 weeks, or else your body adapts and you stall on your lifts (otherwise known as a plateau). It's the mistake I made. Let me point out, though, that your workout is totally moot if you're not eating enough. You can have the best workout and can bench, squat, row, etc., etc. till' the gah'damn cows come home, but if you're not eating enough, you won't grow. Any more advice, just ask! Last edited by nUcLeArEnVoY; 10-07-2010 at 10:21 AM.

10-07-2010, 10:29 AM	#32
Scrapppy666 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black/Black Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,281 View My Garage	great info there thanks! It's hard to find that info in plain english like you have said it. I might have to jump back into my routine now that the weather is cooling down a bit and I'll be putting the car away for winter. Here's a question. How much value do you put on a routine doing mostly pull-up / push-up, chair dip type exercises without equipment? Basically all I have access to or the room for right now is a jailcell workout. I've gone thorough p90x 1 1/2 times with decent results using 15-20lb bands. I definitely progressed strength wise and I'm happy with my shoulders, back and tris but the rest still needs work. Would a small bench press be worth the benefits or do pushups really accomplish the same thing? For the record I'm 5'10 165 (was up to 170 until i fell off the workout wagon) __________________ Pittsburgh Automotive Photography Black on Black 2SS/RS w/ white stripes Dynomax 3" Bullet Catback, CAI Cold Air Intake

10-07-2010, 01:39 PM	#39
elcamino85 Drives: 1985 chevy el camino Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: California Posts: 177	^^Thanks! __________________ First car/love: 1985 chevy el camino currently buying: '05-'06 Pontiac GTO Future: 2010-2012 Camaro

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Camaro Diesel Muscle Car?	KILLER74Z28	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	142	03-14-2014 08:38 PM
MCACN 2010; Getting Things Rolling! Muscle Car Nationals	Bashton	USA - Great Lakes	9	10-04-2010 09:20 PM
Build from Scratch	The_Blur	Camaro V6 LLT Engine, Exhaust, and Bolt-Ons	18	04-23-2010 10:39 PM
Modern Muscle: Rick Bottoms Camaro Build	modern-muscle	Camaro Photos \| Spyshots \| Video \| Media Gallery	63	11-13-2009 03:14 PM
Detroit News panel wants GM to build Camaro concept	Tran	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	12	03-15-2009 05:38 PM

10-07-2010, 10:28 AM	#31
Moreno1 Drives: G5.R Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 2,377	That was great advice nuclear! Thanks! I JUST started working out again this tuesday, and I too have made the mistake of not eating enough... I have a super fast metabolism so I have to eat even MORE! and drink lots of water...

10-07-2010, 12:46 PM	#34
sugar'n'spice Drives: . Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: . Posts: 18,978	It's a little weird to see men unhappy over their weight and build, usually it's women's thing..... I guess deep down, we are all the same...

07-05-2011, 10:31 PM	#41
blake-b Drives: 2009 ZR1 Join Date: May 2010 Location: KCMO Posts: 3,205	Just realized how old this thread is... I was going to delete what I wrote but it might help someone. If you aren't willing to cause yourself discomfort with heavy squatting, deadlifts, bench pressing, and overhead pressing with some chins/rows thrown in, you are cheating yourself. To make new ground, you have to step outside your comfort zone. You don't have to worry about getting bodybuilder big. That doesn't happen without steroid use. I have never known anyone to gain muscle and say "I'm too big, I need to stop." They like it and they want more. Diet will be the biggest influence on your goals. I suggest hiring a dietician to give you a diet. I can suggest a couple of online sources who have had marvelous success with people. www.shelbystarnes.com (he just won at the Michigan NPC show) www.joshstrength.com They both charge around $250 for 12 weeks of diet consultation where they basically tell you what/when to eat. Josh even gives a workout. I'm not sure Shelby does. Lift heavy, eat a lot (more than you think you need), and get plenty of rest. It will come.