Putting Muscle onto a small frame ?

Quigs Snr

Can this be done ?

Years ago (about 4 years ago), I was fit. Involved in a competitive endurance sport and training 9 times a week. 4 years of doing nothing and eating crap/drinking have knocked me out of shape. Now, I'm not that bad, I do play soccer and at the weekend, I was able to manage a 110km cycle.

However, I would very much like to change my general shape. I am about 5 7 or 5 8. Small build, currently at 69kg, my racing weight used to be 66kg and I can go as far as 77kg. Small shouldered, small wrists and ankles. (Despite this I am pear shaped around the middle at the moment, although I carry no fat on my arms and legs, face and belly get it all unfortunately). I am not unhappy with my weight, but I would like to wear it better.

I would like to build deltoids, biceps, triceps and pectorals. Essentially, the cosmetic muscles and obviously also whatever associated supporting groups there are. Bigger quads would be nice, and usefull to as I will be doing some pretty extreme endurance training on thebike this summer.

What should I be doing ? I have joined a gym with good free weights and also some fixed weights. What kind of reps does a small built guy need to do to build up as much size and definition as possible ?

I have heard pyramid routines, etc...... work till exhaustion and all that, anyone out there similar to me had something work for them ? I want quick results.

Stark

(Despite this I am pear shaped around the middle at the moment, although I carry no fat on my arms and legs, face and belly get it all unfortunately). I am not unhappy with my weight, but I would like to wear it better.

Technically all the fat on your belly is an apple-shape. Pear shape refers to fat piling on hips and bottom. This is a sign of insulin resistance and your mood is probably suffering as well. You're exactly like me actually, same height, same weight, same frame You need to cut out sweets and alchohol. Preferably cut out a good deal of starchy carbohyrates as well. (Stick to getting your carbs from vegetables). The Atkin's diet might be good for you.

Working out in the gym is a good idea as this helps lower your insulin resistance and muscle is active tissue burning calories. I just do the weight machines in rotation without worrying too much. For the free weights, you should probably do a class as there's a load of them to remember. There might be a chart hanging up on the wall in your gym.

rs

You can't change the size and shape of your skeleton, so you will always have small joints. But you can significantly increase the size of your chest, back shoulders and thighs.

Bench Press you build up your chest, triceps and shoulders.

Chin-ups to widen your back.

Squats to build your thighs.

You should base your routine around these exercises.

Stick to free weights and smith machines as much a possible, but use other machines where needed.

It will take time, as you are probably not blessed with the kind of genetics to put muscle on quickly. Quick results don't usually happen for regular people and it took me over a year to make significant increases. I had a similar physique when I started, tall but thin arms, legs and joints and carrying all fat on belly.

Diet is also very, very important. You will need more protein and less junk food. Basically, more lean meats (fish, chicken, turkey, pork, steak) and less beer, crisps, sweets, chips, etc.

Quigs Snr

Yeah, even when I was doing serious training, 9 times a week, I still had a slight beergut. Giving up the beer isn't an option, so maybe a major cut down and a lot more work. Even with that serious training, I didn't put on bulk, although that training was geared heavily towards high endurance performance. It was better for me to be light with a good power to weight, so I never really tried to bulk up.

Funny you mention mood being affected ! You may be onto something, I am going to try to find some sites on this, if you have any you can recommend, that would be great.

You mention sweets too, which I didn't in my post. I have been to the vending machine about 3 times today already, I have an addiction to sweet stuff, always feel worse if I don't have something sweet at the end of each meal, even if its one square of chocolate.

Stark

I used to be a sweet addict too, you don't realise how detrimental it is until you start recovery. (have you ever seen the episode of black book when fran gives them up, starts walking around happy saying "this is normal?" then goes back to her addiction? ). Basically there's a cascade reaction from excessive sugar consumption - insulin resistance and adrenal fatigue being two of the major diseases resulting.

www.radiantrecovery.com is the first site I came to, it's pretty tacky but it does give a sensible 7 step process for getting off the sweets. I recommend buying the book "potatoes not prozac". Remember alchohol is sugar too, you may not feel like you can live without alchohol now, but as your addiction improves you'll realise you don't need it and you'll be more confident with people annoying you over it. I've been off the drink for a good while now even though I go out regularly.

It takes 5 days to do a full sugar detox once you've gone through all the other steps but if you try to do it too soon, you will probably fail as the cravings can be very severe (I failed loads of times).

Quigs Snr

Giving up the drink is not really a problem. I didn't drink for 5 years, only started again a few months ago, major life circumstance change, long story, anyway now out for a few pints with friends is something I enjoy doing, I can still go out and not drink in fact thats what I did the last time I was out, but I enjoy having a few as well, I'm sure that will wear off in a while, but until then, I'd like to keep going. Tough gym work though and lots of Bike work will gradually wear down my alcohol consumption through fatigue and other factors (i.e. last weekend, had planned a 110km solo cycle through the mountains, so stayed dry the night before)

Will look at the site, thanks a lot.

Thanks, for your tips too RS. Always preferred free weights myself and got best results from them.