kolleamm Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Pretty straightforward question here. My muscle gains for the last two months have plateaued, or not changing. I'm trying to build more mass to look bigger. Could my lack of gains be associated with not using weights? I generally just do lots and lots of push ups and pulls ups. Lots of people are fairly impressed at the amount I can do, however my body still remains fairly slender. If I start using weights to reduce the reps would this help me gain? Is my program in a way too cardio? Thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites
Macattack Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 You need to do progressive overload. Training Guides - Home | RippedBody.jp Link to post Share on other sites
Maleficent Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I'm no expert here but I think the best way to gain muscle is high weight, low reps. Oh and eat to perform 1 Link to post Share on other sites
deathandtaxes Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 (edited) Just curious - why are you not happy doing lots of push-ups and pull-ups? Edited February 26, 2015 by deathandtaxes Link to post Share on other sites
SycamoreCircle Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 I read some fluffy article on Mark Wahlberg's training regimen for that Michael Bay movie with The Rock. Wahlberg put on major gains for that film. He said he was just stuffing himself and lifting really heavy weight, low reps. This is what I've always seen to be effective. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
fitnessfan365 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Size has more to do with calorie intake. How many cals per day are you taking in? I can almost guarantee that you don't eat enough. Hell, a lot of people don't eat enough to even be at the right calorie deficit when trying to lose fat. Also, stick with big compound movements and do full body workouts 2-3x a week. Get away from BS isolation exercises. Heavy deep ass to grass squats, deadlifts, bench press, standing military press, bent over barbel rows, weighted pull-ups, weighted dips, etc.. Example : Workout #1 - Bench Press (push), Deep squats (lower), Barbel rows (pull) Workout # 2 - Overhead press (push), Deadlift (lower), weighted pull-ups (pull) Use a weight that's around 85-90% of your 1RM for 3-5 reps per set and 3-5 sets per exercise. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Priv Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Use a weight that's around 85-90% of your 1RM for 3-5 reps per set and 3-5 sets per exercise. I think those percentages are waaaaaaay too high for an inexperienced lifter... Other than that should work great. I think Enigma nailed it. Get stronger first for a base, do hyperthrophy work (higherish reps) after. Bodyweight exercises only work so long before they become cardio... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Maleficent Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I think those percentages are waaaaaaay too high for an inexperienced lifter... Other than that should work great. I think Enigma nailed it. Get stronger first for a base, do hyperthrophy work (higherish reps) after. Bodyweight exercises only work so long before they become cardio... I don't know. An inexperienced lifter won't have super high PRs tp begin with... But I wouldn't suggest OP (or anyone for that matter) should just go to a normal gym and start weightlifting PRs. Go to a specialized gym where you will learn proper technique... Link to post Share on other sites
Author kolleamm Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Thanks for the advice everyone, so what would I buy in this case? Or sign up for? Link to post Share on other sites
Maleficent Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 No need for any specialized gyms as long as you stay away from those crap places like Planet Fatness. You can find proper techniques for lifting on YouTube. I learned a ton just watching the pros do tutorials on there before I started lifting. Not a fan to be honest. I'm doing olympic weightlifting though but my gym has a barbell club and when we train we have two trainers with us. They watch our technique and fix it/tweek it/give us tricks all the time (even to the lifters who are more advanced) Maybe I'm just spoiled or I guess it depends on the kind of weightlifting people do but there is no way I'm pushing my PRs at this point without someone watching my technique lol 1 Link to post Share on other sites
PogoStick Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 You'll be better off going to a gym than spending money on equipment. Just find one that you like, is convenient, and in your price range. The key word you're interested in is "hypertrophy". Google and start reading. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Priv Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I don't know. An inexperienced lifter won't have super high PRs tp begin with... But I wouldn't suggest OP (or anyone for that matter) should just go to a normal gym and start weightlifting PRs. Go to a specialized gym where you will learn proper technique... That kind of was my point . Whats a 1rm for a beginner anyway nor does one learn to lift when lifting at 90% of it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 It's important to work out what your 1RM (the maximum you can lift in one rep) for each main lift (deadlift, squat, bench, shoulder), OP, because different % of your 1RM do different things to your body. Some build strength, some build maximum strength and others are good for hypertrophy (size). I agree that you need to get strong before you start going all fancy. Being able to deadlift 2 x your body weight, the equivalent of your own body weight in shoulder press and carrying your own body weight in farmer's walk are benchmarks that are often used for strength. This way it's relative, not absolute since your own weight will affect how much you can lift. This is a very good article (yes I know Priv what you are going to say ) : https://www.t-nation.com/training/from-0-to-100-know-your-percentages Link to post Share on other sites
thefooloftheyear Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Several things.... Muscle hypertrophy is about as individual as fingerprints...Muscle insertions, size of muscle bellies, bone size and various other things that are entirely related to genetics all play in..Some people can get pretty impressive doing very little while others go almost nowhere doing everything right.. So first determine your goals and be realistic...Anyone can improve what they have to work with.. Diet plays a very important part in muscle building..You can bring a thousand guys to the job site(training), but if you dont give them materials(diet/food)...Then nothing gets built..Feed your body with high quality protiens, essential fats, and complex carbs..Its far too complex a topic for this post...again, even though there are certain hard fast truths about dieting, everyone is different... As for training...Just go as hard and heavy as you can while maintaining proper form..Its not rocket science..The form part is where a lot of people get lost....Out of an average 10 guys I see at my gym, maybe 2 are doing the exercise properly...The rest are just flailing away...and going nowhere... And rest is also very important...You cant expect a body to grow(which is a process of repair) without properly resting that part... Heavy squats are considered really full body type exercises...there are others, but these types of movements(even though in the case of squats, which primarily works the legs) assist the body in growth and development in other key areas.. Gym memberships are pretty cheap...You really should join a gym..unless you have the capability to set up a decent home gym...Not many people can get everything they need out of simple bodyweight exercises alone.. Good luck TFY 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Priv Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 This is a very good article (yes I know Priv what you are going to say ) : https://www.t-nation.com/training/from-0-to-100-know-your-percentages Phew... and I was afraid I needed to come out and say it 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hotpotato Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) Do you do the same kind of push ups and pull ups all the time? Have you tried propping, your feet up progessively higher and higher,wide stance, tiger bends, pseudo planches/planches, muscle ups? Calisthenic movement, frank medrano, and calisthenic kings can give you new ideas to spice up that workout. I do mostly calisthenics for my upper body with good results. I do a set of pushups to warmup, then rest, then do another set to failure, rest, pushup to failure, repeat. I do a mix of weights and calisthenics. Edited February 27, 2015 by hotpotato Link to post Share on other sites
hotpotato Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Ya I watch youtube. I also stalk Fb pages of the fit and healthy. They give tips for free basically. Some of them will even answer questions. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
dichotomy Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the advice everyone, so what would I buy in this case? Or sign up for? If you can find a good gym with free weights - dumbbells over 50lbs on rack, and Olympic weights and power cages that's a good place to start. However I am a big fan of home gyms, but a decent safe setup to start is going to run you around a thousand bucks. If your in the U.S.A I like the quality and price point of stuff from online seller NY barbell. A video or book from mark rippetoe will instruct you on proper form. The 5x5 stronglifts program is also a good place to look for a routine to start. Edited March 1, 2015 by dichotomy Link to post Share on other sites
LifeNomad Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) a weight vest would be good to - maybe $20 - $40 on ebay ive seen them at academy really cheap too. Get the heaviest you can afford since you can usually remove the weight and add it back later as you get used to it. your body got adjusted to the pushups/pullups. The weight vest helps not just with pushups/pullups but with squats general body resistence and pretty much cardio if you want to go hardcore. I use a 20 lb weight vest and its awesome. Try doing different variations of pushups/pullups if your getting used to the routine. Try this 30 min routine here - it will have my arms and chest sore a good 2 days after. These are good I came across this variation a few weeks ago and I incorporate it into whatever routine with a 20lb weight vest. This is a good 10 minute routine, I stack this one and sometimes do it twice along with 10 min of other types of pushups. or just youtube "chest workout at home" Edited March 23, 2015 by LifeNomad Link to post Share on other sites
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