building muscle supplement

zman17

just looking for some wise people with some experience with building muscle.

i've been going to the gym for 6months and havent got any gains really. im on a good programs that i change every 4 weeks, some of my mates that train with me are building up nicely for 6months training.

does anyone have any advice on a good all in one supplement?
im thinking about ordering this stuff, what do yous think or recommend unstead?http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/complete-all-in-one.html

this might help you give better advice, im 25 years old, 6ft, 80kg, im skinny enough but iv a small belly. very attractive lol

thanks for reading,

xgtdec

Steak and eggs...and lots of it!!

zman17

thanks for the advice but it doesnt really answer my question I got a diet from a trainer and ive stuck to it for 6months,

iv actually lost nearly a stone since i stopped eating rubbish between meals. i dont mind getting rid of belly fat anyway tho.

Leinsterr

If you're bulking then just eat like a fúcking horse and make sure you're hitting your macros. Don't invest heavily in supplements. Yes they have benefits but they arent that important. Having a great diet and no supplements is incomparable to having a horrific diet and just supplements. You dont want to look like you'll buy any shít that people say will build you muscle. Diet first. Supplements later.

xgtdec

just so we're on the same page here...your trying to build muscle for the last 6 months on a diet given to you by a trainer...and you have lost a stone...is that roughly the case?

zman17

xgtdec wrote: »

just so we're on the same page here...your trying to build muscle for the last 6 months on a diet given to you by a trainer...and you have lost a stone...is that roughly the case?

sounds bad, but its not a slimming diet just healthy diet for working out. i used to eat rubbish and drink a few cans of beer every night and do zero exercise, i lost the weight the first month or 2 and my weight hasnt changed since.

no ones answering my question's to be honest, im not asking about food, the topic was that im looking for a good all in one supplement, and what do you recon about the one in the link?

xgtdec

Nothing wrong with the supp in the link, i myself dont like bulkpowders or myprotein products but if you can stomach them then go for it..They are cheaper too so will save you a few quid in the long run!

But if i were you id be more pissed at 6 months in the gym and no gains. I know you said your on a healthy diet and thats cool!!, but can you give a little more details perhaps? As an example i myself am on a healthy diet but its one for cutting fat and not for building muscle, when i want to build muscle my diet stays healthy but changes radically from what it is now. Diet is key here as well as your workouts, can you throw up some details on both?

"no gains" isn't technically true, he might have dropped a considerable body fat %.

Some questions that need to be answered about your programme / diet

Are you struggling to just about hit 5 reps with heavy weights or are you repping empty bars?

Are you eating enough calories? What does your body need for your goal, and what are you getting?

What do you know about macro nutrients? What ratios are you hitting?

What do you need a supplement for? What can you not feed yourself? (This isn't a tainted question, some people just don't realise that they can just eat the right food instead of having a shake, and likewise, sometimes it's just handier to have a shake than eat a tin of tuna).

Need more info than you've given so far to give you proper advice.

zman17

since i wanted to lose my belly and make gains, every 4 weeks or so i change my program from strength- endurance-one in between.
this is what my trainer planned for me.

i start of with cardio for 30min, then do weights.

-for strength i do around 5 reps
-endurance around 15
-12 for in between program.

i dont just change the reps and weights, the whole program gets changed every four weeks.

every week i will have these a few times:
brown rice, white rice, potatoes, pasta, oven chips.
along with either red meat, quiche, poultry or fish. i always have salad, vegatables and poached eggs with them awel


i try not to eat the same dinner everyday expect my breakfast, wheetabix and cornflakes


PAST EXPERIENCE IN THE GYM:
I did the gym for 5months before around 4years ago, it was a different program altogether. i only did 5min cardio before i would hit the weights, i eat a reasonable amount of macro and put on a belly that time , i did make some small gains on my arms i thought. i ended up just looking worse with the weight i put on

thanks for replying guys, im sure yous could be doing other things with your time

My advice - KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid.

No need to go overboard with 4 weekly cycles. Just stick to one of the tried and tested programmes. Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength etc.

If you're not squatting, deadlifting and benching, you're not training. These programmes are popular because they are straightforward and they work. Their ethos is simple.

Lift Heavy. Get the volume (weight * reps) up through the weight side of the equation and keep the rep range low.

Heavy weights grows muscle, but only in combination with a good diet. You can dirty bulk and spend months trying to lean clean, or you can lean gain by eating well and working hard.

Diet seems okay, kill the cereals, sugar loaded. Aim the carbs to be taken after training sessions.

Cardio wont help with bodyfat percentage (getting rid of a belly). Bodyfat percentage is changed by increasing muscle mass and maintaining a calorific deficit. Your body is forced to use its energy stores (fat) in order to keep you going.

Drop the Cardio, or do it after weights, this allows you to lift heavier weights as you won't be fatigued from cardio. Lifting heavier weights promotes muscle growth and testosterone production.

When I mean heavy weights, I mean that after a 5th Squat rep, I have to rack the bar, there is no way I can do one more squat (with perfect form). You take a minute or 90 seconds of recovery and go again.

This means that your work out gets harder in absolute terms every week, you lift an extra 2.5kg on each session, this means you're constantly asking more of your body, and forcing it to adapt, no need to change up beyond that too far.

Stronglifts 5x5 and a good read of Nutrition101 with an emphasis on protein intake and fat/ carb needs in association with a high protein diet should put you in a very strong position to both make gains (lifting heavier weights / getting stronger) and also drop the bodyfat % (belly).

thegreatiam

zman17 wrote: »

i've been going to the gym for 6months and havent got any gains really.

zman17 wrote: »

iv actually lost nearly a stone since i stopped eating rubbish between meals

Building muscle is puttin on weight, losing fat is losing weight.
Pick one, stick to it until you have got to where you want to be then start the other.

To gain muscle eat more calories than you use, eat lots of protein get lots of sleep lift lots of weight.

To lose weight eat less calories than you use. eat lots of protein, get lots of sleep lift lots of weights.

What bodyfat % are you at now and what bodyfat % do you want long term?
Get down to that % then start eating more calories to bulk up.

OR

Bulk up bigger then you want, then eat less calories than you use to cut your body fat down.

Stop trying to do both.

You can lean gain, it's not easy, it requires proper education.

Dirty Bulking followed by Clean Leaning is not suitable for the vast majority of people.

Slow steady progress through eating clean and lifting all around you will see strength gains, bodyfat percentages lower, definition improve and also mean that you don't need to do 'cycles' to achieve your goals.

We are not very good at 'cycling' as humans. Routines are tough to get out of, meaning that when we reach the new 'cycle' period we often struggle to get into it quickly enough.

thegreatiam

Deleted User wrote: »

You can lean gain, it's not easy, it requires proper education.
.

If you are willing to get the education then this is the way to go OP.
http://www.leangains.com/ is a good enough blog to start with, but be aware that you need to control your diet very well, this may be as hard as the workout, if not harder.


I prefer to get down to a reasonable level of BF, Assuming the op has 20%+ get down below that (15% is ideal but 18-20% is fine). Then begin to bulk.

Primarily its psychological. You will be able to see your muscles better at 20% and lower and this will keep you motivated as you will see the gains.
There may be better ways of doing it but as a layman I wouldn't know which would be best.

Bulking first is possible, but you are still going to be in for a lot of effort controlling your diet at the end. And you will have much more of a fat % to get rid of.

Eat right, and eat well and continue with the work outs and you will see gains.

I would also agree with Emmet regarding cycling, I have been on the same programme for months and it's fine. No need to change the workout to 'trick' your body.
My work out is basically 4 or 6 exercises on alternating days.
All based around bench, squat and other compound lifts, its progressive loaded so each workout is a challenge. Its a full body work out so I can see it lasting for an extended amount of time (although I am changing it soon I think but for other reasons)


Oh, and if you go strong lifts 5x5 your "supplement" for gaining bulk will be milk. 2 liters a day ontop of your regular diet i believe.

zman17

well i feel like im learning something today thanks guys

thegreatiam

zman17 wrote: »

well i feel like im learning something today thanks guys

what will you decide?
cut then bulk?
bulk then cut?
or clean bulk?

zman17

im thinking bulk up now, il be playing soccar in september again so it would be a good time to cut if i make the gains i want

Mellor

You gotten some good advice in the previous posts.
But an an additional comment:
Your trainer sounds awful. In terms of the program and the diet.
If you told him your goals and thats what he came back with its terrible service.

El_Dangeroso

xgtdec wrote: »

Steak and eggs...and lots of it!!

You're one of these people aren't you?:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTNhCzmUjlw