Building Muscle

[USMCHokie]

I'm trying to be as serious as I can be about it with minimum funds and time. And I have minimum knowledge about any of it as well.

 

This is most telling. You really do have to put it in the time for this to happen. I'm not talking about 3 hours in the gym every night. But I'm talking about consistent and dedicated effort to fitness. You can't do anything when you're focused on spending "minimal time."

 

Just here looking for advice on top the stuff around the internet, so I can get fit and look a bit stronger. I'm not trying to become the next Arnie.

 

You have no idea how much work it takes to become the next Arnold. But you have to start somewhere, and if you are serious about it, you can't take a casual approach to it...that's just a recipe for disappointing results.

[thefooloftheyear]

I won several local teen bodybuilding competitions having never set foot in a "real gym" other than a few visits with a buddy. I had a decent weight stack, a bench and a squat rack..It can be done. There are many people getting serious results with home based gyms/equipment.

 

If a gym was so important, than everyone that goes there should have their ideal physique, no? Take a look around the average gym. At least HALF of the people there(including some that work out every day), look like they never set foot in a gym. That kills that theory.

 

With your body type, you will be working hard to see minimal gains. You gotta eat well and train as heavy as you can. Keep reps down. Be patient and you will get to see some results.

 

Dont worry about looking like Arnold...This goes back to my point on genetics. NO amount of training, diet or steroids will overcome bad genetics. Period.

 

TFY

[Emilia]

I won several local teen bodybuilding competitions having never set foot in a "real gym" other than a few visits with a buddy. I had a decent weight stack, a bench and a squat rack..It can be done. There are many people getting serious results with home based gyms/equipment.

 

If a gym was so important, than everyone that goes there should have their ideal physique, no? Take a look around the average gym. At least HALF of the people there(including some that work out every day), look like they never set foot in a gym. That kills that theory.

The argument is that most people will make less of an effort at home than even in the gym. You know how many guys have weights at home only to never use them? You visited one with your friend so obviously you set foot in one to learn the basics and apply them at home. Most people will need not only the knowledge but the motivation of others' company too.

[thefooloftheyear]

The argument is that most people will make less of an effort at home than even in the gym. You know how many guys have weights at home only to never use them? You visited one with your friend so obviously you set foot in one to learn the basics and apply them at home. Most people will need not only the knowledge but the motivation of others' company too.

 

Nah...

 

At that time, I just wanted to hang out and see what the gym experience was all about. Didnt teach me anything. If anything all I saw was a lot of people BSing and a few people actually working out. No different today.. If you think for one minute that there arent people getting amazing results working from home then I have news for you. And conversely, there are tons of people that belong to gyms that show little or no progress at all. But lets not argue the point, no.?

 

I belong to a gym now, because I like the variety and frankly its just more convenient than setting up a bunch of stuff in my house. But I assure you that if I had to, I can maintain my fitness level and achieve my goals with a meager selection of home equipment.

 

TFY

[tbf]

steve, you should enjoy being lean and don't bulk up. So many guys bulk up and then during lazy times or with age, the added bulk turns to that much more fat.

[steveT95]

When I say I have minimum time I mean I don't have the time to be driving to a gym for an hour and then back again. I would, however, have the time (and motivation) to do a full workout at home.

 

I am a hardworking person, I don't give up on much. Thing is, if I go to the gym I am less likely to work as hard because I feel watched and would get embarrassed and frustrated quickly.

 

I have been to a gym once before when at a hotel and didn't like it one bit. Everyone was just there to look good whilst working out, not for any real gains.

 

TFY - What gear did you use?

 

What sort of workout did you do?

[steveT95]

I'm sure I will be pretty lean I just need some muscle there. Some pecs and arms would be nice! haha

[USMCHokie]

I won several local teen bodybuilding competitions having never set foot in a "real gym" other than a few visits with a buddy. I had a decent weight stack, a bench and a squat rack..It can be done. There are many people getting serious results with home based gyms/equipment.

 

Home gym = gym, right...?

 

If a gym was so important, than everyone that goes there should have their ideal physique, no? Take a look around the average gym. At least HALF of the people there(including some that work out every day), look like they never set foot in a gym. That kills that theory.

 

Not exactly. You make the mistake in reasoning that if something is important (X) to accomplish something (Y), then anyone that has (X) will automatically accomplish (Y). Rather, the logic should go, if you don't have X, then you can't do Y; not its inverse, if you have X, then you can do Y.

[thefooloftheyear]

When I say I have minimum time I mean I don't have the time to be driving to a gym for an hour and then back again. I would, however, have the time (and motivation) to do a full workout at home.

 

I am a hardworking person, I don't give up on much. Thing is, if I go to the gym I am less likely to work as hard because I feel watched and would get embarrassed and frustrated quickly.

 

I have been to a gym once before when at a hotel and didn't like it one bit. Everyone was just there to look good whilst working out, not for any real gains.

 

TFY - What gear did you use?

 

What sort of workout did you do?

 

OK...I found the book by Arnold I used waaay back..see this link. measly 5 bucks..

Arnold Education of a Bodybuilder | 9780671790417 | Bookbyte

 

Loads of great info there.

 

Go and get yourself a decent bench. One that allows an incline and has attachments for leg curls and leg extensions. You dont need to go new here. Tons are available that people paid lots of $$ for and now want them out of the house. get a weight stack, a curling bar, and get some dumbells. A squat rack is nice and they can be had inexpensively, but they do take up a lot of space. A preacher curl bench is a nice addition as well.

 

Also mix in some basic stuff. Rig up a chin up bar. Get some push up "handles" that allow you to change form and go deeper on your pushups.

 

Dont forget a good belt, you will need that for squats and deadlifts and such. Some like gloves, but I dont. Use your judgement there.

 

That should get you started...For cardio you can do some running. I would recommend sprinting hills and not distance stuff if you want to pack on some pounds. Jumping rope is great too.

 

Good luck.

 

TFY

[thefooloftheyear]

Home gym = gym, right...?

 

 

 

Not exactly. You make the mistake in reasoning that if something is important (X) to accomplish something (Y), then anyone that has (X) will automatically accomplish (Y). Rather, the logic should go, if you don't have X, then you can't do Y; not its inverse, if you have X, then you can do Y.

 

If you want to call my crude bench and plastic weights a "gym" that would be gilding the lilly, but I see what you are saying-I think.

 

The only point here is the OP wants to get in some shape and put on some muscle. All I am saying is it CAN be done without setting foot in an actual gym. You can do it from home and achieve good results.

 

TFY

[steveT95]

I'm guessing with my build I should probably aim for looking toned rather than a brick sh*t house.

 

I weighed this morning and I am currently 136 pounds. I have lost a stone (of muscle) since last september but have recently gained about 7 pounds in the last two months. Fat and muscle.

 

I spoke to my Dad and he said don't bother with Barbells just a good routine with the dumbbells should do my upper body stuff.

 

On top of that I will do sit-ups for my abs and I may try and run once a week. Low cardio excersise but just enough to stay fit.

 

Will also try calorie counting. Not sure how many I should be getting though but will have a look at that.

 

Still slightly considering trying to pick up some of the stuff TFY mentioned.

[tman666]

Steve:

 

You've received some good advice so far.

 

My thoughts are that if you want to reach and exceed your full potential with strength and muscle mass (which don't necessarily coincide, at least colinearly), that you will need to have access to some sort of basic gym equipment with heavy weights: a barbell, plenty of plates (45#, 25#, 10# plates-hopefully you have access to at least 400-500 lbs of plates in total), a squat rack, a place to do pull ups, and a place to do dips. There is no substitute that I'm aware of for a well equipped gym with a training environment that it conducive to hard training and focus.

 

In my humble opinion, if you can manage these basics, you'll have what you need to adequately train for strength/muscle mass. You don't need a gym with a lot of fancy machinery.

 

The strongest people on the planet train the squat, deadlift, and some sort of press. There are a million "assistance" exercises that can (and should) be trained to assist with addressing weaknesses and lagging areas, but a true strength training program is incomplete without some variation of each of the "Big 3".

 

The problem is that at age 18, you probably don't have your own space or much $ to invest in even the most basic of equipment-a squat rack, a barbell, and enough weight to make your training worthwhile are probably the biggest expenses.

 

That said, you can still make big improvements in your strength levels, musculature, and conditioning levels WITHOUT any equipment. Body weight training can and has built some great physiques. The trick is implementing enough variation and stimuli in your training to illicit growth and ensure that all of your muscles are getting trained. I'll admit that I'm not an expert in bodyweight training, but you might look up Calisthenics Kingz and Bar Brothers for some guidance on this.

 

Your diet is the other big piece of the puzzle. As others have mentioned, protein is king when it comes to muscle building. 1 gram per lb of bodyweight per day is a good "minimum" target. You'll also want to eat enough to put on muscle, but not overdo it so much that you start getting fat. It'll take some experimenting to figure out where you need to be in this regard.

 

As far as supplements such as ZMA and creatine monohydrate go, I would forgo spending money on any of that kind of stuff at this point. If you're truly strapped for cash, spend your money on securing a proper gym set up and quality food. Even the supplements that actually do something make such a tiny difference compared to your training and diet that it would most likely be a waste of what little money you have available at this point.

 

Good luck man! Long term consistency is far more important than getting everything absolutely "perfect". Train hard, beat your personal bests (and keep beating them), eat well, stick with it in the long term, and you'll reap the rewards.

[steveT95]

Yeah! Can do attitude!

 

Thanks, man.

[AlexDP]

I'm guessing with my build I should probably aim for looking toned rather than a brick sh*t house.

 

I weighed this morning and I am currently 136 pounds. I have lost a stone (of muscle) since last september but have recently gained about 7 pounds in the last two months. Fat and muscle.

 

I spoke to my Dad and he said don't bother with Barbells just a good routine with the dumbbells should do my upper body stuff.

 

On top of that I will do sit-ups for my abs and I may try and run once a week. Low cardio excersise but just enough to stay fit.

 

Will also try calorie counting. Not sure how many I should be getting though but will have a look at that.

 

Still slightly considering trying to pick up some of the stuff TFY mentioned.

 

So basically you want to get big without squats and deadlifts? Jeez. Those are the most fun lifts, dude!

[steveT95]

Yeah I think I'll get the Barbell anyways and add it to the routine Dad gives me for my arms.

 

Just found this routine:

A

DB squats- 3x5

Push- ups- 3x to failure

DB row- 3x5

DB Curls- 2x8-10

 

B

Db Romanian DL- 3x5

DB Shoulder Press- 3x5

Chin ups- 3x8-10

Overhead DB extension- 2x8-10

 

I don't know what the abbreviations mean. I don't understand the numbers either 2 what x 8 what? Sorry I know I'm been stupid.

[AlexDP]

Yeah I think I'll get the Barbell anyways and add it to the routine Dad gives me for my arms.

 

Just found this routine:

A

DB squats- 3x5

Push- ups- 3x to failure

DB row- 3x5

DB Curls- 2x8-10

 

B

Db Romanian DL- 3x5

DB Shoulder Press- 3x5

Chin ups- 3x8-10

Overhead DB extension- 2x8-10

 

I don't know what the abbreviations mean. I don't understand the numbers either 2 what x 8 what? Sorry I know I'm been stupid.

 

3 sets, 5 reps.

 

DL = Deadlift

DB = Dumbbell

[thefooloftheyear]

I'm guessing with my build I should probably aim for looking toned rather than a brick sh*t house.

 

I weighed this morning and I am currently 136 pounds. I have lost a stone (of muscle) since last september but have recently gained about 7 pounds in the last two months. Fat and muscle.

 

I spoke to my Dad and he said don't bother with Barbells just a good routine with the dumbbells should do my upper body stuff.

 

On top of that I will do sit-ups for my abs and I may try and run once a week. Low cardio excersise but just enough to stay fit.

 

Will also try calorie counting. Not sure how many I should be getting though but will have a look at that.

 

Still slightly considering trying to pick up some of the stuff TFY mentioned.

 

 

136??? Yikes!! How tall are you??

 

TFY

[steveT95]

5 foot 10 or 11..

[steveT95]

How do I figure out how much I should be lifting. The weight of my dumbbells and the weight of the barbell for the deadlifts?

 

I think I am getting somewhere now

[thefooloftheyear]

How do I figure out how much I should be lifting. The weight of my dumbbells and the weight of the barbell for the deadlifts?

 

I think I am getting somewhere now

 

Simple...And this might be the single most important thing you wiil ever learn about building quality muscle. Do about 8-10 reps but the weight you select should be such that you are really trying HARD on the last few reps without sacrificing form. The body is an amazing piece of machinery. It will "adapt" to what you throw at it. I see people in the gym using either too much weight where their form sucks, or too little where they are just "going through the motions"..Either extreme will result in little or no gain...This is critical... As you get accustomed to the weight, just up it until you are back at the 8-10 reps. I always tell people that if you arent making faces or grunting on the last few, then you are wasting your time. I remember Arnold saying something to this effect. That all that seperated Champions from chumps is the last couple of reps. I truly believe this-yet so few people at gyms ever follow this simple edict.

 

5-10/11" and 136? Yep, you are an ectomorph. A guy like you will likely never get "jacked", but that doesnt mean you cant improve your phsyique and fill out a shirt.

 

Good Luck!

 

TFY

[steveT95]

So to start off should I just stick some weights on the barbell and see how I manage the ten reps? If it's easy I increase it, if it isn't I decrease it until I get the balance.

 

I've decided I don't want to be massive, just toned and a bit broader. To just look healthy like I used to would be nice!

 

Thanks

[thefooloftheyear]

So to start off should I just stick some weights on the barbell and see how I manage the ten reps? If it's easy I increase it, if it isn't I decrease it until I get the balance.

 

I've decided I don't want to be massive, just toned and a bit broader. To just look healthy like I used to would be nice!

 

Thanks

 

Thats it...Its not rocket science...Again, you should be straining a bit on the last few reps. Then you know you have it right.

 

TFY

[USMCHokie]

5-10/11" and 136? Yep, you are an ectomorph. A guy like you will likely never get "jacked", but that doesnt mean you cant improve your phsyique and fill out a shirt.

 

Eh, it's possible, even without the Vitamin S; but it will take a long time...with a lot of work...

[thefooloftheyear]

Eh, it's possible, even without the Vitamin S; but it will take a long time...with a lot of work...

 

Its just simple genetics....

 

For the OP to be what I would consider to be "jacked" he'd have to weigh a lean 230-250...At 18 he is still young, but really at that age you kind of "are who you are"..

 

That would mean 100 plus pounds of lean muscle...Even with the best steroids, HGH and training money can buy, he would have to be a freak to pull that off.

 

Who cares? If he can get to 160-170 and be pretty lean hed look great.

 

TFY

[steveT95]

That's the thing. Last summer I was a stone heavier and I looked good and was fairly broad shouldered. It just need some proper work on it to be toned and a bit bigger. I couple of stone from my weight now would be fine.

And to be strong enough to pick a lass up would be nice haha