sportzhl24 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Hey there, I've always been scrawny throughout my life and since my breakup I've really wanted change my figure. I definitely don't need to lose weight, just need to gain muscle. I was wondering if any of you could point me in the right direction. I just need a simple workout/diet plan that I could do at home. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks and have a good one. -Harry Link to post Share on other sites
KatZee Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 If you're naturally skinny/scrawny you're body type might not be one that gets "bulky." You can gain muscle but you'll always look thin and not like meaty and broad shouldered like some guys. You can start off with pushups, situps, maybe get a pull up bar to install in a doorway, you can do handstand push ups, burpees, jump ropes, jumping jacks, lunges, bear crawls, mountain climbers, squats, overhead squats with a sandbag, get a weighted vest and do these things wearing weight. To gain muscle you have to eat a lot of protein. Lean protein, chicken, fish, occasionally beef, eggs, beans, fruits/veggies, start making protein shakes daily. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 to build muscle you have to lift heavy, OP. What equipment do you have at home? Link to post Share on other sites
Author sportzhl24 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 to build muscle you have to lift heavy, OP. What equipment do you have at home? Not much of anything, just a doorway pull-up bar. But I do run a few times a week, like 4 miles at a time. And I'm pretty used to push-ups and sit-ups Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Not much of anything, just a doorway pull-up bar. But I do run a few times a week, like 4 miles at a time. And I'm pretty used to push-ups and sit-ups None of those things will build bulk. You need to do this: StrongLifts 5x5: Ultimate Strength & Muscle Building Program StrongLifts 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_K Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 This is exactly where I once was. First up, google 'maximum muscle potential calculator' - there you can input your height and some measurements from your skeletal frame size to determine your maximum potential. This is a good way to set your targets - put them some way below the maximum it comes back with, and understand that if, like me, you've got a fairly small frame, you are never really going to look big. You might get to the stage where you'll look ripped when topless, but with a jumper on nobody will notice. it's 80 percent about diet and 20 percent exercise. Pack your diet with healthy foods and protein, calculate your daily intakes, and stick to a meal plan. If you don't gain, increase the calories. As for home exercise, a pull up bar is great. You can do chin ups and pull ups there, dips on the front of a chair, press ups, various jumps/lunges for your legs, planks and sit ups for your core, and plenty more when you get bored of those. Get a weighted vest or some weights too if you can, because once you can do more than ten reps you need to work yourself harder to gain muscle. Work out three or four times a week for maybe 40 mins a session and you'll see results. Link to post Share on other sites
John83 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The 5x5 program mentioned above is a great program for adding size and strength and is probably the best possible starting place. It covers the 2 most important principals of muscle gain which is optimal volume + strength gains. Id run it for at least a year along with eating enough protein and a slight surplus of calories, just enough to grow, dont eat everything in sight just to gain fast as it always eventually catches up. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
almond Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Watch these seminars - diet is key! This will really help re: understanding the relationship between diet and gains, and how to do it properly. http://www.loveshack.org/forums/mind-body-soul/physical-fitness-health-weight-management/407230-nutrition-seminar-some-great-info-dieting Eat right, train right, lift heavy. Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Yes, diet is very important, but I personally feel (just my humble opinion) that the importance of training has been understated a little bit in this thread. I think that Stronglifts 5x5 is an excellent idea for a beginner looking to bulk up. Size usually follows strength gains, not the other way around. It's going to be difficult to hit your potential muscle mass limits with the set up you have. While pull ups are excellent, it gets more and more difficult to progressively add the loads needed to make continual progress on the rest of your body, especially legs. I think the fastest and easiest way for you to bulk up is to join a good gym. I would seek out gyms that cater to competitive powerlifters, bodybuilders, and other strength-sport athletes. A lot of times, these types of gyms are smaller, hole-in-the-wall iron pits, versus the sparkly, sterilized and neutered atmosphere you see at most "chain gyms". Unfortunately, that might be the only option you have. Your training is what you make of it, but you'll get the most bang for your buck if you find a place with the right atmosphere and mindset. But, if you must train at home, there are ways to get creative with your strength training. I really like the sandbag idea that KatZee mentioned earlier. You can make a "Bulgarian heavy bag" for around 15 bucks. Pull ups are great. There are many push up variations that can be used to build your upper body. Lower body can be built with things like jumps, lunges, sprints, step ups, bodyweight squats, and swings. The key with bodyweight work like this is to use good form, be explosive in your movements, and to find ways to add load over time (whether it be extra weight, more reps, moving a load faster, etc.). Jogging and other low intensity activities will not help you build muscle. If you really, really love running and have a passion for it, don't abandon what you love doing, but just know that it's not doing you any favors on the muscle building front. Again, if you want to maximize your gains, you probably need to get in a gym and learn how to squat, deadlift, press, and row. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I would seek out gyms that cater to competitive powerlifters, bodybuilders, and other strength-sport athletes. A lot of times, these types of gyms are smaller, hole-in-the-wall iron pits, versus the sparkly, sterilized and neutered atmosphere you see at most "chain gyms". Yes. They are cheaper too than the sparkly ones. At least in the UK. You can actually train in these places for very reasonable prices AND they teach you how to lift. Link to post Share on other sites
thefooloftheyear Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Yes. They are cheaper too than the sparkly ones. At least in the UK. You can actually train in these places for very reasonable prices AND they teach you how to lift. X2 The local "chain" type places like Golds and Planet Fitness are filled with skinny tools that spend an hour day doing curls and dicking around with their phones...Forget that garbage..I belong to a more hardcore place..Its not fancy, but its clean, has everything you need and only cost $300 bucks for a year membership.. Tman covered it all.. Recognize your body type and keep goals realistic..Every young kid wants to be as huge as Branch Warren or Phil Heath, but the reality is that those guys are just freaks.. Diet is huge..You need to eat a TON of food to put yourself in muscle building mode..Concentrate on calorie dense and clean foods.I didnt quite understand this until later on..Once I got that down, things went smoothly...Its still a hard road to put on quality muscle. And dont make the mistake a lot of guys do and overtrain..Learn the effects of Cortisol and how it will sabotage any effort you may have to put on size.. Good luck.. TFY 1 Link to post Share on other sites
John83 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Agree 100% on the finding a "hardcore" gym. We have none localy and the gym i train at is well equipped machine wise and does have half decent free weights but we have to make a grap for the 20kg plates as there arent many of them. Would love to have a hardcore gym nearby 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Priv Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Stronglifts or Starting Strenght. Never followed SL, but seems quite similar to SS . Stick with it for as long as you can before moving on to another program. But you shouldn´t have to worry about that for at least a year or so. Also GOMAD (gallon of milk a day). You guys really think it is wise for a newbie to use a hardcore gym? I am a competitive powerlifter, training about 80% of the time in a commercial gym due to logistics reasons and 20% in a hardcore gym with some friends in a nearby city. I would have freaked out a few years ago would I have walked in the hardcore gym. Though the people there are friendly and very helpful IF your'e serious and take their advise. Perhaps more so than a comercial gym. I would say go into any gym you feel comfortable training in as long as it has freeweights and a squatrack. Link to post Share on other sites
Author sportzhl24 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Thanks for all your input. I downloaded the 5x5 and I'm thinking it over. I'm not a huge fan of gyms and would much rather prefer just working out at home but I do want to make real progress. I'm not looking to get extremely ripped or anything, so you guys don't think doing runs/pushups/situps/pullups at home would work? Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 You guys really think it is wise for a newbie to use a hardcore gym? I am a competitive powerlifter, training about 80% of the time in a commercial gym due to logistics reasons and 20% in a hardcore gym with some friends in a nearby city. I would have freaked out a few years ago would I have walked in the hardcore gym. Though the people there are friendly and very helpful IF your'e serious and take their advise. Perhaps more so than a comercial gym. I would say go into any gym you feel comfortable training in as long as it has freeweights and a squatrack. Well I walked into one once off the street and I am a woman. I introduced myself to the coach and I told him I was there to learn how to lift and get stronger. This gym was run on a strict membership basis though, if you were a novice, they trained you how to lift. It can be intimidating for a man I suppose in that SOME of other guys get competitive. As a woman I get dismissed from the start or patted on the head (it's ok, I do stuff for myself not for others). I'm sure some would say these gyms should be men only or whatever, I'm used to that attitude from boxing times. The point is, sometimes when you want something you just need to bite the bullet and do it. Everything can be intimidating. A new job can be intimidating. Presenting to the CEO of the company first time can be intimidating. Sometimes you just have to get on with it. Also, in a commercial gym you just get injured if you don't know how to lift. A lot of people don't including the fitness trainers. I see so many rounded backs... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 so you guys don't think doing runs/pushups/situps/pullups at home would work? It's not even just the type of exercise. It's the progress you make, the motivation you get from the others, what you learn from them. You get to understand how to grow your body, how to get stronger, you learn from others' experiences. There are some very very experienced people in these places. I like being around hard working people. They don't compare physiques like others do in commercial gyms. You are not surrounded by vanity and all that nonsense. Believe me it's a different world. It does depend on though how much you really want it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
ascendotum Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Agree 100% on the finding a "hardcore" gym. We have none localy and the gym i train at is well equipped machine wise and does have half decent free weights but we have to make a grap for the 20kg plates as there arent many of them. Would love to have a hardcore gym nearby My gym is not as bad as having to wait for the 20kg plates (that would be pretty crappy), but it is a well decked out smaller 24hr franchise gym. I would love to pay $300/yr. My first gym was run in a warehouse by some sort of police co-op. Mainly just free weights and so cheap. I don't think any women trained there at all. I loved the place, even though their were quite a few arrogant meatheads. The chain gyms dominate the market where I am + with high property rents where I live there are hardly any cheap hardcore gyms anymore alas. Link to post Share on other sites
John83 Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 My gym is not as bad as having to wait for the 20kg plates (that would be pretty crappy), but it is a well decked out smaller 24hr franchise gym. I would love to pay $300/yr. My first gym was run in a warehouse by some sort of police co-op. Mainly just free weights and so cheap. I don't think any women trained there at all. I loved the place, even though their were quite a few arrogant meatheads. The chain gyms dominate the market where I am + with high property rents where I live there are hardly any cheap hardcore gyms anymore alas. It baffles me as the gym i train at looks to at some point to have made an effort to appeal to more serious gym goers with some items not commonly seen in fitness style gyms,chains,half power rack/squat rack, a few hammer stength machines and a trap deadlift bar but just seems to forgot a good supply of 20kg plates, i think their are 5 pairs total and at busy times that dosent go far. Link to post Share on other sites
Priv Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Well I walked into one once off the street and I am a woman. I introduced myself to the coach and I told him I was there to learn how to lift and get stronger. This gym was run on a strict membership basis though, if you were a novice, they trained you how to lift. It can be intimidating for a man I suppose in that SOME of other guys get competitive. As a woman I get dismissed from the start or patted on the head (it's ok, I do stuff for myself not for others). I'm sure some would say these gyms should be men only or whatever, I'm used to that attitude from boxing times. The point is, sometimes when you want something you just need to bite the bullet and do it. Everything can be intimidating. A new job can be intimidating. Presenting to the CEO of the company first time can be intimidating. Sometimes you just have to get on with it. Also, in a commercial gym you just get injured if you don't know how to lift. A lot of people don't including the fitness trainers. I see so many rounded backs... Haha, yea that's so true. I actually enjoy training in a commercial gym just to look at the rounded backs and bad form at just about every exercise. Guess I am evil . I especially enjoy the huge arms guys with not much else going on curling for an hour. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Haha, yea that's so true. I actually enjoy training in a commercial gym just to look at the rounded backs and bad form at just about every exercise. Guess I am evil . I especially enjoy the huge arms guys with not much else going on curling for an hour. I want to step in but then I think 'meh, you'll have to learn from experience and not assume you know it all from the start' but I really have to hold back Link to post Share on other sites
BOREDouttaMymind Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 theres some dude out west I think named ememorph. I was really skinny too, I weighed 129. after him helping me out and a lot of hard work im up to 170 and not fat. I think he has a webpage called ememorph.com but it might be a new one. if I remember right he was getting so much traffic he had to redo his site. he had lots of helpful and straight to the point info. pretty much, if you want to gain, youll listen to his advice. he told me 90% of skinny guys quit after one week in the gym after they realize they have to completely rework their diet. and its so true. skinny guys want to be big but almost always refuse to eat what is needed to actually get big. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
JDPT Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 As they say: "do work son!!!" Link to post Share on other sites
TraciKp Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Why do all guys try and get big muscles. Listen, guys some of girls prefer skinny guys. Link to post Share on other sites
regine_phalange Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Why do all guys try and get big muscles. Listen, guys some of girls prefer skinny guys. Yeah, my personal favorite is thin with a bit of natural looking muscle definition. Link to post Share on other sites
thefooloftheyear Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Why do all guys try and get big muscles. Listen, guys some of girls prefer skinny guys. Thats fine.. But maybe thats what we want and we really dont care what women think..And some people just get big from heavy training with weights..Even though I am a pretty big guy.(5'6" 213/ 12-14%BF) appearance isnt what its about for me..I like to train heavy and I love the feeling of being very strong. I am fully aware that many women would not find my type of build appealing to them..At the end of the day it doesnt matter.. Skinny sucks anyway...:laugh: TFY Link to post Share on other sites
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