Bulk, Build, Rip and Weight Gain

[drveghead]

Hello everyone,

Thank you for looking over my thread. I just was wondering if anyone had any good advice into bulking up, adding up a few pounds, then building it up into somewhat ripped muscle.

I'm not looking into becoming a body builder, and not trying to be some some huge guy. I'm just wanting to be a bit more built than what I am, and the more weight the better.

I'm currently at 5'8'', around 141lbs. I have no real fat at all, I have some muscle tone right now, not sure how I got it but it's there.

I don't have the money to just go out and get a gym membership, so tips that can be used at any home would be great, even just some pointers in the right direction.

Thank you again.

[RKM]

Hi,
I go to a gym for 8hrs a week but I'll try to help. Do sit ups, push ups, squats. Also try to do chin ups but you need a horizontal bar that will hold, you can also try dips if you have two horizontal bars. Also if you can put your feet up on the wall so you are standing horizontally and bring yourself up and down. Try to buy some dumbbells. These will greatly aid you. I would buy the ones where you can alternate the weight. Now I will try to explain each exercise.

Sit ups- work out your abdominals. There are many ways you can do them, such as holding your legs stationary and lifting up your body, this a good overall exercise. You can lie on a chair and lift your legs and body at the same time. This is great for upper abs. You can hold your body stationary and lift your legs up. This is excellent for lower abs.

Push-ups- This exercise works out your chest and triceps, and you can isolate each muscle. The more separation in your hands the more you work out your chest and less triceps. The closer your hands the more you work out your triceps.

Dips- are wonderful. They work out your triceps and lower chest. You go down then up. When you are down it is more lower chest and at the top it is more triceps.
http://www.fit-senior.com/acatalog/503m.jpg
There are ways to isolate each muscle. There are also different types of dips. In my room if I place hands at the sides of my bed and my feet up on some piece of furniture I can do triceps dips. Like this:
http://www.cactusjuice.com/media/Videos/Prison-Workout/Behind-the-Back-Triceps-Dips-photo.jpg

Squats- Are all legs. I somewhat neglect legs which is stupid because they are important. Squats are pretty obvious do as may as you can.

Lunges- This is buttocks and they are important.
http://www.newagetaichi.com/index/images/article/newagetaichi_lunges_02.jpg
You are standing up then drop to the position above then get up again and do your other leg. Repeat the process.

Chin-ups are for back and biceps. The farther apart your hands are the more you work out your back. The closer your hands the more biceps it is. Do two of these one wide grip and one close.

This:
http://www.elements4health.com/images/stories/exercises/handstandpush.jpg
The above exercise works out your deltoids (shoulders). Lets call it exercise d since I don't know the name. Be careful with this.

Running or other cardio activity is good.

For each exercise you should do four sets. In each set try to to do the maximum amount of reps you can get. Try to go to failure. Take 1-3 min break in between sets. Take sit ups for example. You start with the ones where you keep your legs stationary and bring your body up. Do the first set, as many reps as you can. Take a break. Do your second set. Take a break. And so on till the fourth set. Then get started on the other abs exercise where you keep the body stationary and lift your legs up. Do the same thing.

I do not know what schedule you have but personally this is the one I would follow. I would base my schedule in 7 day cycles.

Day 1 I would do chest and triceps. It is not recommended that you do both in weightlifting because of overstraining but you will be fine. It takes me 3 hours to do chest and triceps. It should not take you more than a 45min. Start with the push-ups where your hands are widely separated. Do the dips with the two horizontal bars. Then start the push-ups where you keep your hands closer like this:
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/arm-chest-shoulder-exercises-4.jpg
Then do the triceps dips.

Day 2 legs and chin-ups. Start with squats, then do lunges, then wide grip chinups, followed by narrow grip chinups.

Day 3 abs. Do all the three abs exercises I told you about. Also do exercise d.

Day 4, repeat day 1.

Day 5, repeat day 2.

Day 6, repeat day 4.

Day 7, rest, maybe cardio.

Start the cycle all over again.

Take sufficient crabs before you begin your workout, but not so that you get a full stomach. Try to get a good meal with crabs and protein 3hrs before your workout. And you can eat light foods like fruits and juices 60-30 min before your workout.
Increase your protein intake to 100g/day if possible. I get that much from beans alone. So try to eat at least 250g of beans a day. Eat high protein foods right away after your work out. Try to alternate your beans.
Say you eat 300g of beans a day. Eat 100g 3 hours prior to workout, 120g right after and 80 a few hours later. Beans also have a lot of fiber and they are dirt cheap. I would stay off of soy as it may not be healthy. High protein peas and lentils are also excellent foods.


What else?

Try to by the dumbbells with alternating weights. Having ones that go from 10lb to 50 would be an ideal start, but 10-35lb are decent. Buy one of these balls if you can:
http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/images/exercise_ball_push_ups.gif

Also a bar with alternating weights would be great. I would say anywhere from 20-60lbs would be a wonderful start.

You should expect to get leaner, more toned, stronger and a bit heavier. I believe that you will stop getting stronger after a while of doing this. That is why you need large weights.

You do not have to follow my cycle. Do whatever works best for you. You can do two days in one day if you want. Although try to give each muscle 3 days to regenerate. After that long even if your muscle is sore it has regenerated, or so I've heard.

I believe that eventually the gym will be your fate.

Good luck and keep me updated, ask any questions you would like.
You are welcome.

[drveghead]

Wow... That's a bit more information than I was actually expecting.

I work from 10pm to 7am everyday, so my schedule get's filled up real quick. But, I still have plenty of time to spare at least a hour a day for excersize.

Thank you for your post, it help's a lot as I already knew about push-up's and stuff, but didn't have a schedule behind it on how many rep's and such I should be doing. So your post help's a lot.

What would be a alternative to a pull up bar? I mean like what would I look for when purchasing one? I've heard there is some that lock into the door opening or something like that but I don't even know where to start to find one.

Thank you again for your suggestions. I'll be sure to give it a try, I also smoke which I didn't post here, but I'm trying to quit so I'm getting help from some others on the board. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the fact that I don't put on much weight.

Best Regards!

[Byzantea]

What he said. Also, keep a fitness journal, read books on fitness, eat whole foods, take in approximately 3100 calories per day, and about 100g of protein per day. If you aren't gaining muscle mass doing this, and are seldom sore, add some more protein to your diet. Consider veggie proteins, rice protein, and my favorite: hemp protein. It's dusty but I like it.

[drveghead]

I have noted this all down, I'll have to fix up a routine for the next 2 months or so, and record everything along the way.

Thanks for the information on the actual intake of calories/protein, it helps. I've been told before something like this, for just weight gain period, not for building up mass tho, but it'd be one in the same pretty much.

But, the schedule for today is to get a absessed tooth surgically removed, wish me luck, I may end up crying like a little baby boy even tho I am far from it.

[RKM]

Wow... That's a bit more information than I was actually expecting.

I work from 10pm to 7am everyday, so my schedule get's filled up real quick. But, I still have plenty of time to spare at least a hour a day for excersize.

Thank you for your post, it help's a lot as I already knew about push-up's and stuff, but didn't have a schedule behind it on how many rep's and such I should be doing. So your post help's a lot.

What would be a alternative to a pull up bar? I mean like what would I look for when purchasing one? I've heard there is some that lock into the door opening or something like that but I don't even know where to start to find one.

Thank you again for your suggestions. I'll be sure to give it a try, I also smoke which I didn't post here, but I'm trying to quit so I'm getting help from some others on the board. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the fact that I don't put on much weight.

Best Regards!

How about ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Valeo-Chin-Up-Bar-Excercise-Pull-Ups-Fits-any-Door_W0QQitemZ370061599674QQihZ024QQcategoryZ44081 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&dfsp=32&catref=C6&from=R40&satitle=chin-up+bar&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=L4W+4X4&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=32&fsoo=2

You may also find them on sports equipment stores.
You are welcome.

PS hope you recover fast from your surgery.

[drveghead]

So that's what they are. I'll have to check around to see if I can find one here, probably like at Big 5 Sporting Goods, it's the only place that comes to mind that has weight equipment. As I said, I don't like to order stuff online, so I'm kind of iffy on eBay. Plus, I don't even know how eBay works.

My surgery went well, and it already formed a healthy clot and stopped bleeding, I'll be off to work in about 20 mins.

I was kind of scared in a way because I've heard some people that get surgery in there mouth that they end up getting very sick to there stomach, and develop flu like symptoms, but I guess it's different for me.. thank god for that. Heh.

[evelinadatta]

RKM, I just wanted to say, thanks for all the ideas and the pictures links. These are awesome!

[RKM]

So that's what they are. I'll have to check around to see if I can find one here, probably like at Big 5 Sporting Goods, it's the only place that comes to mind that has weight equipment. As I said, I don't like to order stuff online, so I'm kind of iffy on eBay. Plus, I don't even know how eBay works.

My surgery went well, and it already formed a healthy clot and stopped bleeding, I'll be off to work in about 20 mins.

I was kind of scared in a way because I've heard some people that get surgery in there mouth that they end up getting very sick to there stomach, and develop flu like symptoms, but I guess it's different for me.. thank god for that. Heh.

Wonderful.


RKM, I just wanted to say, thanks for all the ideas and the pictures links. These are awesome!

You are welcome.

[Eclipse27]

Amazing post there RKM! That is incredibly helpful.

[Dirty Martini]

I have some comments and an alternative to what's been suggested, not meant as criticism but another perspective.


There are ways to isolate each muscle.

Which I think is a little silly, IMO, because you never use your muscles in isolation. Why would you exercise them in this fashion? It makes more sense to exercise your body using compound movements, replicating real-life exercise and training your body to develop in concert. The only time I'd do them is to fix a strength imbalance (like if you could only lift 40 pounds with your left arm, but 80 with your right).

You mentioned a lot of the exercises that will do this but I'll list them again (and others) - deadlifts, front & back squats, push ups, bench presses, rows, dips, lunges, cleans, push presses...


Squats- Are all legs. I somewhat neglect legs which is stupid because they are important. Squats are pretty obvious do as may as you can.Squats are actually compound movements, meaning you use your entire body. Your legs, glutes, abs, delts, pecs - everything. Your entire body is working in a squat. The primary force is on your quads but everything is working - it's the beauty of a compound movement.

As for "do as many as you can" that completely depends on your goals. You might want to do 5 sets of 5 reps with heavy weights to build strength. Or you might want to do 3 sets of 20 reps for muscle endurance.


Chin-ups are for back and biceps. And abs and triceps and delts and pecs.


This:
http://www.elements4health.com/images/stories/exercises/handstandpush.jpg
The above exercise works out your deltoids (shoulders). Lets call it exercise d since I don't know the name. Be careful with this.It's called a handstand push-up and it also works your back, delts, pecs, abs, and other stabilizing muscles. It's hard to do, but not impossible. I'd actually go from doing push-ups on the floor, to t-push-ups, to putting my feet on a bench or swiss ball, to explosive push-ups, to handstands. going straight to the handstands is punishment :D


Running or other cardio activity is good. Again, depending on your goals. For bulking? Not a great idea. Running encourages development of your type II muscle fibers and doesn't build your type I fibers which are the ones that give you "bulk" as desired in the OP. Now if you're doing sprints and hills, and not endurance, that's different.


For each exercise you should do four sets. In each set try to to do the maximum amount of reps you can get. What do you define as max reps? Max reps with high or low weight? I can do 100 reps of a 5lb dumbbell or 5 reps of 175 pounds. Each will achieve different goals. If you're going to recommend a strength-building program, it's best to recommend "max you can lift in 5-rep sets" or something of the like.


It takes me 3 hours to do chest and triceps. :stinkeye:

I'm not a big fan of "day 1: chest. day 2: legs. day 3: back. day 4: chest" etc etc. I think you can accomplish some pretty dramatic changes in strength by doing something like this:

day 1: 5x5 - squats, rows, cleans, lunges, push up (or variation), crunches
day 2: off
day 3: 5x5 - deads, bench press, front squat, pull up, dips
day 4: off

repeat the above, adding another day off here & there and taking an extended break every 4 weeks or so.


Increase your protein intake to 100g/day if possible. Agreed, though a better gauge is 1-1.5g of protein per pound of lean body mass to accommodate variations in body size (so if you're 20% fat and 150 pounds, you have 120 pounds of lean body mass and should eat 120g - 180g of protein per day).


I believe that eventually the gym will be your fate. Not necessarily :) We have a home gym and it works perfectly. We have:

- power rack w/dip bars & weight pulley stack
- 2 oly barbell sets
- set of dumbbells going up to 95lbs each (powerblock)
- incline bench
- 2 swiss balls

That's it. Eventually I'd like to get a rowing machine but it won't fit in the current space we have. The set of dumbbells alone was pretty damn cheap, and you can EASILY get used ones on craigslist. Same with oly sets. Just go to craigslist & search for "dumbbell" or "barbell" ... Significantly cheaper than a gym membership! A year's membership alone would pay for a power rack that you'll have for a lifetime.

As for a chin bar, you might consider getting something that will allow you to do dips & leg lifts as well. It's not that expensive but it does take up a little more space. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/IronMan-M-PT-Ironman-3-Station-Power/dp/B0006U64XQ



Random links for you to browse:
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=508031 (includes a program template for you)
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=muscle.building&topic=total.body&conitem=8f1a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=muscle.building&topic=total.body&conitem=b32a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/a/compound_ex.htm
http://www.criticalbench.com/compound-exercises.htm
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/125_fitness_tip.html

[*AHIMSA*]

<< Wants to see Dirty M's muscles. :boobies:

[Dirty Martini]

Ask & ye shall receive. This is from 6 weeks ago though and about 5 pounds of fat more than I have right now.


OK kinda small but you get the idea.

[*AHIMSA*]

You are freakin' SEXY-STRONG. :yes:

[Dirty Martini]

I'm getting there. Thanks for the compliment. :)

[Black Heart]

Wow, DM! You look great!
I had to have 5 weeks off training for an operation and running injury, but am slowly getting back into it. Following your advice about using mostly free weights too, and loving it.

[Libellula]

I love working with free weights :) They're great, and I always feel stronger when I'm done with my workout :)