Bulking up

oceansize

hey there,

i've just started going to the gym again.
I'm quite skinny at the moment (in my arms etc) even though i could be a decent shape due to my actual body shape if you know what i mean?

Anyway, i'm sick of being really skinny etc and want to bulk up even a little but, but how do you do that on your wrists arms and shoulders?

I have a holiday in 5 weeks that id like to even feel a bit better about myself on, because i'm not bad looking, i'm just skinny.

What should i be doing in the gym, what should i be eating? should i be pigging out on pasta etc?

If you can give me some basic answers without directing me to the sticky's i can give you more info depending on your answrs.

Cheers

davyjose

Pasta will add size. But not the size you want - not muscle. Without any info I can't offer much help, but generally you wanna work-out hard, rest and eat lots of protein.
Read the Stickies

walt0r

Eat loads. Lift heavy. Sleep more. Join me on my journey in the fitness logs. I'm on a bulk at the moment and am trying to put on 10lbs in the next 5-6 weeks myself (you could probably gain more). Get your ass into gear, you can do it if I can.

walt0r

I'm not trying to be unhelpful by giving you such a short reply. But you see without specifics it's hard to give you advice. I had the exact same problem and it's only in the last year or so I see what was wrong. I mean you can lift as much as you want and train and whatever else it is you do, but if your diet isn't right it's all for nothing. I whinged for years about being a "hard gainer". Everybody can put on weight (if they are in good health) by just eating enough calories. You gotta eat eat eat. If you're skinny, you gotta eat until you're gonna burst. Eat regular meals throughout the day, 6-8 meals. I'm consuming about 5000-6000 calories per day at the moment. Sure, I'm going to gain some fat, but my goal is to put on the size then worry about cutting afterwards. Loads and loads of carbs, bread, pasta, rice and then throw in chicken, meat, chicken, beef and more chicken. Seriously, you think you're eating enough but you never are. It's not until you get your diet in check you'll see results. It's not rocket science. I'm eating a rake of pizza at the moment too for cheat meal. But I'm still in pretty good shape. Just EAT...

Beelzebub

What is your current training and diet like?

PeakOutput

walt0r wrote:

Eat loads. Lift heavy. Sleep more. Join me on my journey in the fitness logs. I'm on a bulk at the moment and am trying to put on 10lbs in the next 5-6 weeks myself (you could probably gain more). Get your ass into gear, you can do it if I can.

dont want to hijack thread BUT....after i get down to 12st i want to add a stone of muscle before christmas.....possible???

justsomebloke

PeakOutput wrote:

dont want to hijack thread BUT....after i get down to 12st i want to add a stone of muscle before christmas.....possible???

easily

this time last year I was 170lbs and at the moment I am up to around 208lbs, now I know it's not all muscle but a fair good whack of it would be, so if you work hard and eat smart there is no reason why you couldn't put on a stone before christmas

walt0r

Technically I doubt it will be "pure" muscle. I mean you're obviously going to gain some fat too, but you'll be in great shape. Easily achieved, that and more if you work hard. I plan on being over a stone heavier with decent bf in the next 8 weeks.

oceansize

Well i've just started back in the gym again, as i said i've got pretty skinny wrists and arms, but my frame is a decent size so mu shoulders could get quite a nice shape.

I'll be hitting the gym 3-4 times per week for an hour and a half to 2 hours.
Should i be running or using the rowing machine? i was on the machine that you push forward and it lifts the weights, but can only do about 25 kilo's atm lol

whats should i be eating then? i went home after the gym last night and pigged out on pasta, fish and 2 breasts of chicken (and 6 sausages)

CerebralCortex

oceansize wrote:

Well i've just started back in the gym again, as i said i've got pretty skinny wrists and arms, but my frame is a decent size so mu shoulders could get quite a nice shape.

I'll be hitting the gym 3-4 times per week for an hour and a half to 2 hours.
Should i be running or using the rowing machine? i was on the machine that you push forward and it lifts the weights, but can only do about 25 kilo's atm lol

whats should i be eating then? i went home after the gym last night and pigged out on pasta, fish and 2 breasts of chicken (and 6 sausages)

Watch the sausages theres probably more fat in them than meat.

Degsy

oceansize wrote:

Well i've just started back in the gym again, as i said i've got pretty skinny wrists and arms, but my frame is a decent size so mu shoulders could get quite a nice shape.

I'll be hitting the gym 3-4 times per week for an hour and a half to 2 hours.
Should i be running or using the rowing machine? i was on the machine that you push forward and it lifts the weights, but can only do about 25 kilo's atm lol

whats should i be eating then? i went home after the gym last night and pigged out on pasta, fish and 2 breasts of chicken (and 6 sausages)

An hour and a half to two hours is too long.if you're trying to build muscle you dont want to be working out for longer than about 40 minutes at a time.The reason is that after a while your body strats to release cortisol whichis a hormone that eats muscle.If you spend too long in the gym you'll be using muscle as fuel and getting nowhere at all.Do three sessions a week,splitting say,arms and chest,back and shoulder and then legs.Hit em hard and heavy,eat lots and sleep well.Dont over-stress your body though or it'll kill your progress.

CarrickD

Degsy wrote:

An hour and a half to two hours is too long.if you're trying to build muscle you dont want to be working out for longer than about 40 minutes at a time.The reason is that after a while your body strats to release cortisol whichis a hormone that eats muscle.If you spend too long in the gym you'll be using muscle as fuel and getting nowhere at all.Do three sessions a week,splitting say,arms and chest,back and shoulder and then legs.Hit em hard and heavy,eat lots and sleep well.Dont over-stress your body though or it'll kill your progress.

Degsy, what do you by "over-stress the body". I work out three times a week and sometimes, say on the second workout, my chest for example still feels a little stiff/sore. Should I workout in this state or is it over-training?

Beelzebub

CerebralCortex wrote:

Watch the sausages theres probably more fat in them than meat.

I think you meant to say protein there.
ie more fat in them than protein.
How much actual meat is in sausages is another matter.

Beelzebub

CarrickD wrote:

Degsy, what do you by "over-stress the body". I work out three times a week and sometimes, say on the second workout, my chest for example still feels a little stiff/sore. Should I workout in this state or is it over-training?

I believe that you shouldn't train a muscle when it's still sore from a previous workout - it hasn't recovered yet.

This is a good case for the Split routine.

A good split routine is as follows:

A: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps in that order.
B: Legs, Back & Biceps in that order.


Week 1
Mon(A), Wed(B), Fri(A)
Week2
Mon(B), Wed(A), Fri(B)
And so on.

P.S. There is no reason why you can't start with routine B!

Degsy

CarrickD wrote:

Degsy, what do you by "over-stress the body". I work out three times a week and sometimes, say on the second workout, my chest for example still feels a little stiff/sore. Should I workout in this state or is it over-training?

I mean your muscles need adequate time to recover or they wont grow.Try to train each body part only once a week and never ever hit the same bodypart two days in a row.

CerebralCortex

Beelzebub wrote:

I think you meant to say protein there.
ie more fat in them than protein.
How much actual meat is in sausages is another matter.

No I meant fat

Transform

Whats your current weight and height and please lay out your current program