Wanting muscle gains

Cosmic182

Cosmic182

Cosmic182

Soldato
Joined
25 Jul 2006
Posts
3,063
Hi everyone

I've had a few personal problems since around October time of last year, some which are still on going. I joined the gym around January time and went quite a lot up until around April, this week I have started to go again and I have started on machine weights. I'm 6ft 4 and 15 stone, I have a reasonably good base as I work in construction so semi fit. I used to weigh 24 stone so keeping the weight off is fine. The reason for me creating this thread is because I don't really know what I should be doing? I don't feel confident enough for free weights not do I know any routines. I'm trying to bulk my upper half, arms and chest area as for my height they are quite narrow.

I have started doing 2000 meters on the rowing machine followed by 4 sets of 12 on each of...bi cep curls/fly press/chest press/triceps press. I don't know if this routine is useless? Or if it's okay or wether anything else should be added? I also do 20 mile bike rides as well when I can.

My appetite is what I struggle with, I'm wanting to gain muscle but I have very little appetite due some of my personal problems, find it hard to be hungry or eat much. Would whey protein help me?

Any help at all in a somewhat right direction would greatly be appreciated.

Many thanks guys.
 
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I'd say I am somewhere between novice and amateur with weights.
I do it right, but don't take the diet seriously enough.

A few pointers to help you get there:
- Split you gym visits into different body areas. i.e. only do chest once per week etc. Going three times per week is good for a newcomer.
- 80% is food. 20% is gym. Gym provides the stimulous to grow, by damaging muscle fibres, but you MUST be overeating in order to grow AND it must be good food, not takeaway/snacks/beer.
- Protein shakes will help, but as with most gym suppliments they are in support of a good diet. Eat smaller meals often. Eat foods high in protein.
- Get your 8 hours of sleep each night as the body repairs best here.

This forum does contain a lot of good information. I found I required spoon feeding the info at the beginning so don't worry if there is a 'WTF so much to take in feeling!
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
I
- Split you gym visits into different body areas. i.e. only do chest once per week etc.
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Not necessary, a full body, lower volume higher frequency routine will provide a better stimulus for growth.

Eat smaller meals often. Eat foods high in protein.
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Meal size/frequency is largely irrelevant provided sufficient nutrition pre workout is provided. Other than that it's just personal preference and whatever you can adhere to. (TDEE & Calories accounted for of course).

A decent protein requirement is required, 0.7/0.8g/lb of bodyweight is more than sufficient. Far too easy to over consume protein and under consumer carbs and fats.
 
1. Calculate your macros here, and make sure you hit them every day: IIFYM
2. Do a full body routine like this: Fierce 5
3. Profit

DO NOT do any barbell exercises without first watching some tutorials on youtube. You can properly mess your **** up if you lift heavy weights with bad form. I recommend Alan Thrall's videos: Alan Thrall Youtube

Don't waste your money on crazy supplements, just get some whey protein if you need help hitting your protein target, and take creatine and a multivitamin if you want.
 
FutileBreadMachine said:
1. Calculate your macros here, and make sure you hit them every day: IIFYM
Click to expand...

It would be best to track current unchanged caloric intake for 2-3 weeks (with 100% accuracy/consistency) to establish current intake and weight trend. From there calculate whether you need to increase intake to create a surplus or if you are already gaining.

Online calculators can only factor so many variables and quite often I see people saying "XYZ calculator told me to eat 3,000 calories to maintain but I'm gaining weight, help!". This is largely because people over estimate their activity level, don't track properly and also due to the margin of error these calculators have.

Which is why I prefer to advise people to monitor current intake to establish their individual requirements and not take inaccurate figures from a generic calculator :)
 
BennyC said:
It would be best to track current unchanged caloric intake for 2-3 weeks (with 100% accuracy/consistency) to establish current intake and weight trend. From there calculate whether you need to increase intake to create a surplus or if you are already gaining.

Online calculators can only factor so many variables and quite often I see people saying "XYZ calculator told me to eat 3,000 calories to maintain but I'm gaining weight, help!". This is largely because people over estimate their activity level, don't track properly and also due to the margin of error these calculators have.

Which is why I prefer to advise people to monitor current intake to establish their individual requirements and not take inaccurate figures from a generic calculator :)
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Yeah, you definitely have to use some common sense over time, I just use the calculator as a starting point rather than having to do all that maths myself, but the general numbers are close enough to begin with. Once you have your protein and fat minimum requirement, you can just move carbs up or down as required.
 
cainer said:
been there myself so i undestand, but soon your going to want to, and when you do... do it 12 times a day!
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!?! what are you on about? I hope you're trolling. No need to eat 12 times a day, it's easier to eat smaller meals multiple times a day than it is to eat 2-3 big meals.

Cosmic182 said:
Problem is, I have no appetite :( like today I've had nothing to eat. Since a break up I just find it really hard to eat much at all.
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the sad reality is that if you want to gain mass, you'll need to eat :) a LOT. As far as routines go, stop with bicep curls, do 5x5 stronglifts and after a year or so add some isolation exercises if you so wish.
 
I'm not sure if I have the confidence to pick up free weights without asking someone how to do things? I feel if I just went and tried them everyone would be looking at me and thinking wtf is he doing!

5x5 strong lift? Is that 5 different free weight workouts? I am a complete weights beginner.
 
Cosmic182 said:
I'm not sure if I have the confidence to pick up free weights without asking someone how to do things? I feel if I just went and tried them everyone would be looking at me and thinking wtf is he doing!

5x5 strong lift? Is that 5 different free weight workouts? I am a complete weights beginner.
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http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark70.htm ignoring the accessories ;) especially the abb crunch machine as that thing is horrible.

I wouldn't worry, gyms are full of noobs who know heck all, the idea is to read up on each exercise, start with low weight, learn form and start building up strength!

youtube is very helpful, this forum it self has a few topics in regards to form/mobility and so on.

there's nothing to be ashamed of to be honest! it doesn't matter if you lift 10kg or 100kg people will still stare you, I've been hitting the gym for nearly 3 years now and people stare at me the same way they did on day 1! you can't get away from it, learn to ignore it.
 
Cosmic182 said:
I'm not sure if I have the confidence to pick up free weights without asking someone how to do things? I feel if I just went and tried them everyone would be looking at me and thinking wtf is he doing!

5x5 strong lift? Is that 5 different free weight workouts? I am a complete weights beginner.
Click to expand...

5x5 strong lift is documented in quite a few places - just google the hell out of it :)

I've gone from a sedentary person that spends 100% of their time on computers to being confident dealing with weight routines, form, 200 mile cycle rides, etc. It took a couple of years to get to this point but it was nearly all self taught despite having the exact same doubts (and a break up situation) as yourself. It's all baby steps but you'll be surprised by how much progress you will have made when you look back.
 
Cosmic182 said:
I'm not sure if I have the confidence to pick up free weights without asking someone how to do things? I feel if I just went and tried them everyone would be looking at me and thinking wtf is he doing!

5x5 strong lift? Is that 5 different free weight workouts? I am a complete weights beginner.
Click to expand...

There is lots of good advice to be had on here and if you are unsure of anything with regards to form etc then there are plenty of people on here that will give great advice.

But, failing that, does you gym have any Personal Trainers? If so it might be possible for you just to book a few sessions with them to go through your whole set of exercises.

Don't be worried about people looking at you. I am pretty much the 'smallest' person that goes to my gym, but at the end of the day everyone has to start somewhere and everyone is in the gym for their own reasons. I felt massively intimidated the first time I went to my gym, but quickly learned that most, if not all people there, couldn't give a stuff what I was doing and if I needed help with things then people were more than helpful.
 
Thanks guys! Been today and went on free weights! It was a much tougher work out and it felt great :) no one gave me the weird looks either! I'm trying to force food down my neck but not enjoying that part :( is it wise to have a protein shake before and after workout?
 
Cosmic182 said:
Thanks guys! Been today and went on free weights! It was a much tougher work out and it felt great :) no one gave me the weird looks either! I'm trying to force food down my neck but not enjoying that part :( is it wise to have a protein shake before and after workout?
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I tend to use them afterwards because I don't feel sick then. :)

Provided you are not training fasted (8+ hours without food, generally), it won't make a blind bit of difference.

And well done. You have taken your first step into a (being) larger world...
 
Choose energy dense calorific foods if you struggle to eat/with volume.

Eggs, nuts, fish, oils etc to make up your calories. Using lean meats and vegetables alone is difficult to total a large calorie intake without considerable volume.
 
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