Any gym rats here?
 

I've been back to the gym for about 3 months now after a 3 year hiatus. I had to stop going when my son was born. I have no interest in joining a body building forum so I was hoping someone here could help. I'm just curious to see what work out routines you do, what kind of supplements you take, how and what you eat. My goal is to put on size, I'm currently 5'8" 190 lbs. Id guess about 15% body fat. I want to decrease body fat and pack on muscle. Now I don't want to be huge cause I think I'm to short for that. Any help/info would be appreciated.
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I have been back at the gym myself, but probably not a good person to give advice. But if I may, I would say that consistancy is the key. If you can do 3 days a week for a few months, you are going to see some gains. Work hard at it. Excersise is like anything else in life. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

And by the way I am about the same height as you, but 138 lbs of super massive power. :giggle:........No really 138lbs. Joy.

Let me give you some wonderfull advice:
cut and bulk in seperate stages, don't mix the two. Lift like a body-builder and stop when you hit your goal, then cut. Eat food, don't waste money on snake-oil. Track your workouts or you'll like like a ------ for the rest of your life.

I've made some adjustments to compensate for two kids and age. Now 44, the focus is more on cardio and burning calories than mass. An older friend who used to be a power lifter convinced me to remove all the resting from my weight lifting. No chit chat between sets. And complete an entire body workout every time I hit the weights. The benefit to that is you don't have to figure out what body part you're skipping when you miss a workout and where to pick up.

I'm spending about an hour a week lifting weights and swear I'm getting nearly the same benefit I had when I was in there weight training 3 hours per week. I've been on the current weight program for over three years now and my strength is unchanged. You'd need to adjust accordingly for building mass- which may mean another visit, more sets... either way more time. But the key is giving your muscle time to rebuild and grow between your workouts, not repeatedly beating them down without a chance to recover.

So here's what it looks like now:

Two days per week: Weights- 30 minutes, entire body, no rest between sets, push to failure. Two sets per body part (not including warm up), with minimum reps of 7 and max of 15. More than 15 and you need more weight. First weights of the week I start with legs first (always squats- then calves), then shoulders, arms, chest, back and abs. I swap it around for the second weights starting with chest, back and so on.
After weights comes Cardio - 30 minutes on some kind of machine- mix it up. Following the weights with the cardio is a good ass kicker. You should have a ramped up heart rate from the weights and it allows you to jump right on the machine and go.

Two days per week: Cardio only. I run- just getting back into it after some major foot injuries so I'm planning to get up to three days per week. This divides up the weight/cardio days. 30 minute run. ~4 miles per run, lots of hills. Focus on the heart rate. As you know it's only worth what you put into it.

I need to get back into the gym and start taking care of myself again. I've gone through some abusive couple of years.

anyone know how to GAIN weight
like suplement wise
im 5'9" 135lbs
yes very skinny, however i can eat like Rosie O'Donell and not gain a pound
beer doesnt help, milk and protein before bed doesnt either

yeah, lift and eat. You can eat 5000 cals per day and you will gain weight. I was 5'11", 138lb when I started lifting. Quit acting like a ------ and you might gain weight. Aside from protein powder, supplements don't do a god damned thing.

do elaborate on how i act like a ------?

I thought creatine seemed to help me. I noticed the first time I started using it, there were results, but subsequent use was not as effective.

Scandmx5 meet Hustler.

You will figure it out.

I've been working out for several years now...FST-7 has worked great for me; many pro bodybuilders use it, as well as Mr. O (Jay C.) You can google FST-7 and find compete work outs. But it's basically adding on 7 sets to the end of your last set to stretch muscle fascia buy giving you big "pumps" from all the blood. Try and keep things simple when working out keep it at 3-4 sets at about 8 working reps, focus your workout around squats, bench, deadlifts.

I really eat anything and everything I get my hands on, so I really can't help you as far as dieting--eating clean, and cardio always helps. Supplements are pretty basic, BCAA's, Protein, Glutamine, and I use pre-workout called Jacked by USP Labs which is pretty decent, NOShotgun was better I think.

No homo I included a before and after picture...a little over a year progress, 30 pounds gained.

:bowrofl: Yep, this!

I went from 155 to 195 with same body fat using protein powder 3x day plus lots of food and weights. I'd probably be 185 now with that same body fat as above, so IMO the mass stays up to a point.

after deployment... I turned into a huskey.. I need to get back to it, I went from 165lbs. of 10% fat, to 190lbs. of foods. god I feel fat now. JENNY CRAIG, BITCH WHERE YOU AT?!




lol, I need to goto the gym. Thanks to this topic, it brought the realization to me, so I go today.

THIS


I mix a scoop or whey protein and a banana in little blender every morning before hitting the gym...and eat a wholesome breakfast after.

There are no substitutes for hard work and proper diet.

And on the protein, don't worry about your weight, how much you're taking and all that. If you have a good diet you just need to throw a little bit more into the mix for recovery and growth unless you are really pushing it.

I've never gotten really big, but am 5'10'' and got up to 190lb of pure muscle before I got married.


Time of day makes a difference for some. I've worked out mornings, nights and midday during different periods. When I hit the gym midday (after school, before work) I had the best results...like 30lbs in 6 months, and pretty cut. This may have been due to sitting around all morning while munching and studying before gym, and then staying moving at work afterwards. YMMV

EDIT: I also mix in some pyramid sets in with my usual decaying sets like y8s describes below.

like rob said, the key is # of reps and lifting to failure. let the # of reps to failure determine the weight. I try to aim for 6-12 per set with a 30-45 second rest. if you find yourself doing 12 and 12 in the first couple sets, add weight so you can only do 6 in the last set. I try to use enough weight so I can do one or two less reps each set. 12-10-8 or something.

lots of protein within an hour or two of the workout and a high protein diet otherwise.

you really dont want to lift more than twice a week. your body takes time to heal--at least two full days without lifting and I would even not do cardio the day after a heavy lifting session.

Did you know that super-magical creatine is in such exotic protein sources as beef, chicken, fish, and pork?

I have gained mass from other supplements than protein ;-)

But truth be told 60% of gains come from diet/supplementation and nothing beats the real thing...other than whey protein post work-out

EDIT: I will have to disagree about how often you lift, 2 times a week is not enough to make significant gains at all, however, your body does need time to rest you can do a split something like this: Monday: Chest/Tri Tuesday: Legs Wednesday: OFF Thursday: Shoulders/Bi Friday: OFF Saturday: Back Sunday: Lagging body part

You will need roughly 48 hours for each body part to repair the microscopic rips in your muscle tissue--depending on supplements used/diet

that's half the secret. The other half is lifting more today than you did yesterday, bitch.

3 times a week of lifting... 3 times cardio for me. Lately I've been doing just cardio though. I care much less about my bench and how much I can powerclean as I get older.

By the time your older, most likely your muscle mass will wash off anyway :)

Not if you use HGH ;)

You cannot prove that supplements did a god damned thing. I wish you could, so I could load up on them...but considering I'm already wrecking bars just on curls, its probably best that I don't. I had to make an e-z curl bar a few days ago and all the had were straight bars...seriously, bro.

I agree that twice a week is too infrequent and I don't think you can crush each muscle group with 2-days of full-body unless you're spending 3-hours in the gym. I hit chest, back, shoulder, arm, legs on alternating days...and I lift harder than anyone you've ever seen live in your life. I put Jay Cutler on the podium bro, seriously.

LOL

You are correct I cannot prove supplements did shit for me...but the weight I gained in such a short period couldn't have been physically possible w.o them mang.

How old are you? Enjoy it while it lasts. I was like that up until about a year ago when I turned 23, then my high metabolism kicked me in the nuts and walked out on me. All throughout high school I was about 135-140lbs and about 5' 10'', by 21 I was hovering steadily around 160lbs at 6' but about a year ago I ballooned to nearly 200lbs, mostly from not doing manual labor like I used to, and the extra time to sit around on my ass and snack. With a "diet" of watching what I eat and a little exercise I have gotten back down to about 180-185 and hold steady. A lot of my weight is muscle mass since I have a pretty small frame, but I have about 15lbs in my gut that I need to burn off. Looks odd having muscle and being small, but with a beer gut. :giggle: My face also shows it a bit, since I used to have a skinny face, now in pictures I can tell I have gained some weight. Little Debbie and beer call my name though, it's hard for me to stop eating, since it is my #1 favorite hobby. Love to cook and eat.

Supplements have never done anything for me. Maybe Muscle Milk helped a little, but not enough that I could really track its effect. I think the best thing for weight loss and muscle building is a good old fashioned diet (stop eating so much junk food!) and some weight lifting mixed with some cardio.

Yes, but not in the high doses taken as a supplement.

Creatine makes me shit everywhere

Doesn't creatine only have temporary effects? Higher water content in the muscle or something like that?

How much creatine are you taking, and how much can your muscle tissue hold?

bingo. It makes you hold water and a sick pump, bro.

I love the gym. Been working out consistently for 6 years now. The first 3 or so years my goal was to just stay fit, not get ripped. A couple years ago I began to get pretty serious about it.

Currently I am 175lbs @ 5'11, that sounds skinny, but I'm freakishly strong. A lot of people are forgetting a big portion of lifting, which is genes, some people just have it easier than others. Depending on genes, and what you want out of your lifting, routines very quite a bit. I can't gain weight for shit. I seem to go up in lifting weight, yet my body weight progresses very slowly, and will drop drastically if I stop lifting.

I found that for skinny people (most already mentioned) protein is amazing. I also eat a ton of meals per day since I don't seem to ever have a big appetite. I have seen conflicting things about 5+ meals a day, but for me it works, and I do what works. Supplements (minus protein) are mostly bogus, unless they are illegal, in which case they probably work, but will kill your body in the long run. I fell into the N.O. craze and now I'm kind of addicted. I really don't think it helps gain anything at all, but after drinking some of it I feel like if I don't lift something soon I'm gonna kill somebody. It for sure helps with motivation.

Also I don't prefer to work out with someone, but I usually go with someone so they can spot me on the applicable exercises. Sure you can ask someone, but sometimes people ask me at the worst times and I hate it. Like hustler said, if you lift the same thing each day wtf is the point. Use a spotter and do a bit more than usual. You can't increase weight every time (maybe hustler can :o), but you should try and make some progress.

Another huge thing is surprising your body. You can get a routine going, but once you start to progress slowly, and aren't seeing much gain, switch it up. By that I mean try new exercises, do the exercises in a different order, go at a different time (if you can). If you rotate muscle groups you can change up the rotation so you aren't always working out chest the day after arms etc... Just try and keep your body guessing.

This is just stuff I have noticed working for me. Everyone is different, although there are a few universal things.

PS creatine is horse shit :p might help you look big though.. Oh by the way, that weight you gained, it's called water, not muscle.

I was taking the recommended dose at the time. Like I said, it seemed to work the first time, and stopped working. So you can say I was kind of agreeing with you. I would recommend it to a beginner who needs that little motivation to keep him going.

I don't lift now and I am a fat ass. All I wanted to say was that I listened to Dr. Dean on the radio last week and he said too much protein causes cancer. Some weight lifting guy called and asked about suppliments. He said they didn't do anything unless you were extremely serious about it and could actually be dangerous. Be careful and don't buy the snake oil...

Everything causes cancer. Living causes cancer.

Too much of anything is bad...

95% of this whole thread is shit.

I was 147 lbs. 13% BF when I was 17 years old
when I was 21 yrs old I was 221 lbs 5.3% BF

I know my shit and I will help you out even tho you laught at my pictures and called me a fag but I knew deep down inside you were jealous. But I'll forgive you lol

#1 diet and timing is 80% of your workout (keep this in mind)

if you want to bulk you need to eat and alot, when I say eat I don't mean bullshit food.
There's two basic types of food protein and carbs. Duh

there's times where you need simple carbs and times when you need complex carbs same with protein there's slow and fast digesting protein.

I'll give you a quick bulking diet and a cutting diet.

Bulking
7am- 8 egg whites 2 whole eggs
1 cup of plain oatmeal

9:30am- 2 scoops whey protein shake (sugar free, no awesome tasting shake)
20 almonds

12pm- 8oz of chicken
2 cups of broccoli
1/2 sweet potatoe

3pm- tuna can
1/2 avocado
2 slices of wheat bread

5pm- 1 scoop whey protein shake(30 min before gym)
1 Banana

5:30pm- gym

7pm- 2 scoop whey protein shake (right after workout)

7:30pm- 8oz steak or salmon
2 cups of broccoli

10:30pm- 2 scoops casin protein

for the cuttin diet you will eat the same but take out egg yolks, sweet potatoe, cut down to one cup of broccoli, take out wheat bread.

As for your work out you will need

day 1: chest, back of legsand abs
day2: back and traps
day3: off
day4: bis, tris and abs
day5: front of legs, glutes
day6:shoulders, calfs and abs
day7:off

you want 4-5 exercises per muscle and 3 reps per exercise

if your bulking reps are as fallowed 10-8-6
if your cutting reps are 15-8-12

now you could read this and try and fail or you could read it and bust your ass of and look amazing. If you need more details I will gladly help you

don't forget you will never enjoy food ever again you will look as food as a workout

I knew you would end up in this thread :giggle:.....Hardest part in my eyes....my fat ass loves food!

On a serious note, I would'nt mind some more pointers from you on how to properly drop some weight (General nutrition / snack & meal options / etc)From the sounds of it, you had always been skinny and bulked up. In my case I'm a big dude....quite strong but a fatass none the less. I've dieted / exersized off and on my whole life only to always end up back where I started or worse. I really need to find a balance between making the right food choices / portions, something I can live with forever....Any advice would be appreciated :bigtu:

^^^ water is your friend, sodas and juice are not(including diet coke)
the main thing to loosing weight is lowering your carbs, just in case you don't know what carbs are: anything that is not meat( steak, chicken, fish, eggs, etc)

I will make it easy for you,
1- if your going to eat carbs make it a vegetable( not mashed potatoes, fries, etc)
2- try to fill up more on proteins intead of carbs at dinner
3- drop your sweet tooth, want something sweet eat some fruit.
4- protein doesn't mean go eat bacon! I'm talking about grilled meats
5- dieting does not mean starving
6- take the dog for a walk, walk to the store, don't drive everywhere and sit on your ass all day
7- try to eat 6-7 smaller meals per day.
8- at least a gallon of water per day

fallowing little steps are simple and will help you alot, you won't get ripped but you will drop some weight

Hard time believing your clams on your weight and bf IMO, I guess you'd be bigger than a lot of IFBB pros, including David Henry...I'd like to see pictures, and your AAS cycle

I'm glad you don't take the internet serious and aren't butt hurt. lol

My biggest concern is the amount of food you eat. I'm only 5'8" 190 lbs. I think Id feel sick eating all that in one day. I have no problem gaining weight. Just a few months ago I was 208 lbs. That's when I decided that I need to get back on the ball. I want to both bulk and rip (if that's possible) at the same time. I think a lean 190-200 would be perfect for me. I really appreciate your help.
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i believe this is him...

Attachment 201787

THE put faces on the name thread - Page 12 - ClubRoadster.net

Not close to the claims he makes...that's more like 9% BF

http://i46.tinypic.com/2s120j9.jpg

That's 202 pounds at roughly 4% BF

Took some searching, but this be him.

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t39973-2/#post465302
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that's 8.5%
Attachment 201786

7% Attachment 201785

i'm sorry unless hes a midget he is not 200lbs more 260 range

6% no lighting and no water depleting. If I water depleted and I was on stage all tan I would be shredded
Attachment 201783
Attachment 201784

Sure do have a lot of bottles on that shelf.

That guys 5'5" IMO

too much homo in this thread why do you have to start hustler lol

and tuck your thumbs on your Front double Bicep...

figure out what you want be prepared to work for it. all the talk so far has been cycles routines food ect... nothing about mental preparedness and drive. when i hit the gym i'm ready to eat small children for breakfast if not i just don't have the drive i'm 37 6 foot around 240lbs have around 1700lbs for the big three.
and another thing i was warned about miataspeed did not mention this heavy weight does take a toll on your body you start getting in the 400lb plus range be prepared to live with pain for the rest of your life muscles get bigger stronger but your joints take a beating.
Attachment 201782

How many CC's are you pinning weekly?

^^^ yes I got tendinitis in my elbows and was unable to work out for 8 months, that's why I'm 200lbs now but Im slowly recovering and getting back to it

In grad school I did the bulking. The hardest part is eating all of the high quality calories. It gets to the point where eating is a job. You are constantly eating.

Now I'm going the other direction because I don't keep muscle naturally. I really have to work to stay bulked up. I do a modified p90x workout. I've converted most of the workouts in the videos to gym routines. The reason it works is because it isn't easy. It's not a magic show. Lift weights, do cardio, and don't eat and drink a bunch of shit food.

Holy shit, I posted before I got to page three. You homos need to quit posting naked pictures of yourselves. :makeout: I'm sure we can determine which workouts are going to work without all the gay. Hustler got all fired up on page one and his homo pheromone atracted the gayness. :D

That is just wrong, and the parents should be shot, but not killed and then drug behind the car.

I've seen some of the videos and I can't help feeling sorry for the dad (and child) with that much of an inferiority complex to manifest itself into driving a child to do that.

it's a shame parents are jacking that kid up. a child does not make enough testosterone for that kind of muscle build. six pack abs are after puberty. someone is feeding him a little more than flintstone vitamins.

While you guys are talking about bulking, is there any way to get taller?

I am still 19, 160lb, and 5'9". I am the shortest of all my friends/family. I down about a quart of milk every day for the past few years, eat healthily, don't drink caffeine, have good posture, sleep with no pillow, work out at the gym exercising all muscle groups, and hang from a chin up bar a lot. I don't know if any of that works, but I'm getting desperate as I think I've passed beyond the point of no return. The only thing I can think of to improve is more sleep, which is difficult to do. Any suggestions?

High heels

Thanks.

You're lucky. I'm 5'5" (my Dad is 6' but my moms side of the family is very short - Grandpa is 4'11"). Anyway, there was a Korean American pilot I saw way back on the Johny Carson show. He forced himself to grow 2" to get into flight school (or whatever - he wanted to be a pilot but they have a height requirement). I think he did some sort of daily stretching routine.

Seriously, I don't think that you will battle genetics on this one and win.

Fuck.

Hey, be happy. I'm 42, 160 lbs and an inch shorter than you.:facepalm:

OK, an inch and a half.:giggle: