Just joined a gym

Well I finally got off my ass and decided to get built, got a gym membership to WOW. I want to add about 2-3" to each arm, 1" to each forearm, 3-4" to my chest/back, Define my abs, and a lil more definition to my legs. I'd like to get this done within a year, but I know that probably won't happen unless I live in the gym and eat like a glutton.

I'm 24, 5'6", 157lbs currently.

I just took measurements and they are:

Biceps - R: 13-1/4" L: 12-3/4"

Forearm - R: 11-5/8" L: 11-1/8"...Guess which hand I wank with

Chest - 40"

Stomach at Belly button - 34"

Calf - R: 14-3/8" L: 14-3/4"

Thigh - R: 20-3/4" L: 21-1/4"

I use to play basketball and can jump very high for my height, 36" vertical, and I'm biased to my left leg when jumping, so that's why it's a lil bigger.

Now what should my diet be? How often do I eat? Should I drink protein shake's? When should I take the protein...before, right after, a while after the workout? What kind of excercise's should I start out with?

I'm probably going to do a Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday muscle routine, and do cardio on my off days. From what I've learned on the net I should eat a lil more often, Breakfast - Cereal, oatmeal, Brunch snack - Power bar, granola bar, shake, Lunch Normal meal, Late lunch snack - power bar, granola bar, shake, Dinner - Regular meal. when I talked to my friends co-worker, who is JACKED, he said sometime's he eats up to 5lbs of chicken a day I don't think I can eat that much, nor afford to eat that much, or afford the TP to wipe my ass from eating that much

I'll be working with a personal trainer in 2 weeks and they will take all my measurements and keep track of my progress, but I'm wondering if any of you have any knowledge on the subject, being that I'll be working out for 2 weeks beforehand.

Thanks for the help,
AG

Those measurements are Flexed btw.

First off, if you're trying to bulk up...seriously limit the cardio. If you're trying to gain weight...hell don't even start jogging if you're trying to get on a bus and its moving away. There are many people that will disagree, and I'd disagree to a certain point, but the best way to bulk in my opinion is workout like an animal, and eat like one too. Everything else should be about resting/recouperating for the next workout. Bulking is tough. I'm trying to do it now.

Things I can tell you from my few months of doing this correctly is to eat as much as possible while bulking. Take creatine to speed up the process. Drink as much water as possible. And focus on not only doing the correct type of workouts...but for gods sake...DON'T SCREW UP YOUR FORM!!! I see people trying to do curls with way too much weight, using too much momentum to try and get the weight up. Your form is the key. Using the 'correct' amount of weight and doing a perfectly formed rep is infinitely better than throwing up much more weight.

At your current weight...do what you can to get around 200 grams of protein each day, about 100 grams of fat, and about 310-350 grams of carbs. That will put you at around 3000 calories per day. Over the weeks you might have to adjust that up or down...it all depends upon your body and its metabolism. But try not to dip below 2000 per day.

When you're at the size you want to be at, then you can start cutting...or getting rid of the fat you don't want. Its almost exactly like bulking...you lift heavy weights (contrary to popular belief) but the difference is in your diet. If you can cut 500 calories off of what you normally intake per day, you'll cut, while maintaining your muscle (so long as you get enough protein).

There's sooo much more. If you have questions just ask.

Don't go too hard at first because there is a risk of burning out too soon and also, patience my friend. The gains will come.

9_16 said:

Don't go too hard at first because there is a risk of burning out too soon and also, patience my friend. The gains will come.

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I'm conditioning at first. Light weight high reps for the 1st 2 weeks, as well as working on planning my diet. I know I can bench about 170 right now, but I'll start with 100lbs 15 reps 3 sets, slow burn reps. Curls I'll start with 20-25lbs, same thing slow burn curls. All other excercises I'll find a weight that's not straining but not too easy and slow form focused reps. After my initial period I'll start working on heavier weights staring with 10 reps finishing with 6, upping the weight 2.5-5lbs every set, and upping the weight 5-10lbs weekly. I've been doing a lot of research online and think I have a good outline on what to do to get where I want to be.

I'm already cancelling my WOW membership because my uncle said he'd join another gym with me, the other gym has no time commitment and is cheaper, plus less of a crowd...all pluses to me


I appreciate everyone's help, thanks :D

Keep it up....

Well I went to the gym today and post workout I feel awesome, not really sore but pumped. I'm not trying to get sore just yet, just getting use to lifting again. On a side note there was some nice eye candy at the gym tonight

I bought "The Men's Health Hard Body Plan" at B&N the other night, really cool book. Has a bunch of excercise's, beg/ int/ adv routine's, meals and there nutritional ratings. I'm gonna go by the book for a couple of weeks and see what works and maybe switch some excercise's for others that work for me. It's the learning process.

Protein shake's are fvckin nastee...at least the stuff I got was. Maybe I need to put it in a blender, spoon mixing didn't mix it all and chunks just don't go down smooth...blech. 45g of protein in 1 shake is pretty awesome tho

AnotherGuy said:

I'm gonna go by the book for a couple of weeks and see what works and maybe switch some excercise's for others that work for me. It's the learning process.

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Never lose that attitude. Sticking with a solid program is the way to go. Learn from that, and then try another. The longer a routine has been around, the better.

Good luck.

AnotherGuy said:

Well I went to the gym today and post workout I feel awesome, not really sore but pumped. I'm not trying to get sore just yet, just getting use to lifting again.

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That's a good idea - Too not over do and get used to it again.

AnotherGuy said:

On a side note there was some nice eye candy at the gym tonight

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Most gyms are like that.

AnotherGuy said:

I bought "The Men's Health Hard Body Plan" at B&N the other night, really cool book. Has a bunch of excercise's, beg/ int/ adv routine's, meals and there nutritional ratings. I'm gonna go by the book for a couple of weeks and see what works and maybe switch some excercise's for others that work for me. It's the learning process.

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It is a learning process. Alot of information. I want to stress that your diet will also dictate you muscle gains or fat losses. The battle starts there. Everyone always wants to know about 'roids, the newest supps, some new secret calf routine from fecking Baklava...Diet is key. And get lots of sleep.

AnotherGuy said:

Protein shake's are fvckin nastee...at least the stuff I got was. Maybe I need to put it in a blender, spoon mixing didn't mix it all and chunks just don't go down smooth...blech. 45g of protein in 1 shake is pretty awesome tho

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Shop around for better mixing whey. Or google search for reviews. My pre and post shakes have the viscosity of magma, with all the other stuff I put in there, so that aspect means nada to me.
Not all shakes are created equal...Shaking seems to work the best for me, for mixing. :bottumsup

Good luck

Here's my favorite:

http://www.saveonsupplements.com/100wheyprotein.html

The vanilla flavor is good, and strawberry is good as well. Haven't tried any other flavors. It mixes pretty good as well. At least better than others I have tried. I actually look forward to having protein shakes with this stuff.

yo are you trying to get as strong as you can, are you trying to get more definied or are you just trying to keep in shape?

im2manly said:

yo are you trying to get as strong as you can, are you trying to get more definied or are you just trying to keep in shape?

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Bulking up right now. I'm gonna start lifting heavy maybe next week, right now I'm just getting use to the equipment and the form of the excercise's. When I start my real routine I'll be doing heavier weights with a 3 set 8/6/4 rep routine...I plan on starting with 60% of my max on set 1, then up 5-10lbs on set 2, then drop back to 60% of max or a lil lower with slow more concentrated reverse reps, basically I'll be counting 3-5 seconds on the release side of the rep and it should encourage more microtears and better muscle growth. Every week I'll move up 5-10% more, week 2 for ex would be 65% of max, week 3 70% of max...by the time I hit 80% I will re evaluate my max and start over, should be every 8-12 weeks. This could change depending on how the workouts feel, I want the highest intensity I can handle with smooth concentrated reps, none of that heaving weight look at me weight lifter crap. I'm hoping to add 1" to my arms in 2 month's, I know it's prob not likely but it is possible with the right routine and dedication.

Once I get to the size I'm satisfied with I'll stop bulking and start cutting, cut down on carbs in my diet, retain the protein, do cardio first thing in the morning to hit fat reserves and high rep low weight routine will ensue.

if you want to get the size factor, then you sets should look similar to liek 5 set 3 reps at most 5 sets 5 reps. And i would stay away from machines, and focus alot wit barbell work and once you decide to start cutting, start hitting the dumbells and cables. If you want to bluk reps like 8,6,4 aren't gonna cut it, you need to do low reps and high weight to bulk. Just my .02 and from personal experience


Im2

im2manly said:

if you want to get the size factor, then you sets should look similar to liek 5 set 3 reps at most 5 sets 5 reps. And i would stay away from machines, and focus alot wit barbell work and once you decide to start cutting, start hitting the dumbells and cables. If you want to bluk reps like 8,6,4 aren't gonna cut it, you need to do low reps and high weight to bulk. Just my .02 and from personal experience


Im2

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I think you're both right actually. Yes you do need that very low rep, high weight work. But the best imo is to switch it up a lot. Like one week go slightly lower weight, maybe 6-8 reps. The next week go higher weight and 3-5 reps. Then don't just rotate, and go back to 6-8, then 3-5, but somewhere in between. Basically just do what you can to keep the muscles off balance. What AnotherGuy has said looks pretty good though. At least he knows to concentrate on form, and not on how he looks lifting the weight.

what i do is split it up by months. 2 months i start cutting, 4 months later i start to seriously start cutting so by summer i am in decent shape, then 2 months later i start to build muscle again, and then 4 months later it gets real intense. I always add 2.5 pounds, if not more, to my workouts every 2 weeks, and i usually always use a spotter because i lift to exhaustion. I wouldnt rush into heavy lifting, whish is why i always have a warm up period. Once you become serously ready to put on muscle i would stick with the 2 to 5 rep range with extreme heavy weight. thats what has been working for me. because right now your reps and sets seem kind of in limbo.


Im2

Well It's June and nearly to my goals already.

5'7", 172lbs currently...my doctor measured me and told me I was 5'7" not 5'6"...that was a nice suprise

I just took measurements and they are:

Biceps +2" - R: 15-1/4" L: 14-3/4"...funny how the left is still 1/2" behind, gonna have to keep doing bulk work on that arm while I do light work with the right to get them symetrical.

Forearm + 5/8" - R: 12-1/4" L: 11-7/8"

Chest +1-3/4" - 41-3/4"

Stomach at Belly button +3/4" - 34-3/4"

Calf +1/4"- R: 14-3/4" L: 15"

Thigh +5/8"-3/4"- R: 21-3/8" L: 22"


I stopped doing legs for a while cuz I was going to the clubs and it was killing me to do legs and then dance for hours, I'd be nearly incapacitated the next day. It reflects in my growth, but I have started doing legs again and am going to continue doing so.

I recently got to 200lbs on my bench, not a max but my max in a reg set(6 reps) Which means I must be at a max of over 225lbs because in HS I was maxing out 1 rep at 225 and only benching 170lbs for 6 reps. I don't have a spotter so I have to play it safe and work close to failure but not past it, over the last few months I've become very attuned to my body's limits. I've made these gains without a spotter or partner.

I just took a week off to throw my body off a little and the workout I got yesterday on arms definitely shocked the muscles...hoping for some more growth.

L8r peeps