building upper body

john jameson

Hi all just looking for some advice here im looking to put a little size on my upper body over the course of the winter months and im getting an early start on gathering some info
what im looking to do is enhance my chest back shoulders and arms using free weights and body weight im my own diy gym
what im looking for is info on how best to group the exercises together i can do 3-4or 5 nights not looking to spend to long at any one time no more than an hour
look forward to your replys

Jimmy Iovine

Legs as well?

Blacktie.

We need more details. Previous training experience? Age/height/weight?Equipment available? Diet?

Legs already have a workout or not interested in doing them?

john jameson

Blacktie. wrote:

We need more details. Previous training experience? Age/height/weight?Equipment available? Diet?

Blacktie. wrote:

Legs already have a workout or not interested in doing them?

I'm a on off lifter I Followed a spartan rises program for about 8 months progressed nicely then stopped which I regret. Some details about me. I'm 34 years young 5ft10 high of average build and weight 81 kg a lean enough look . My diet is not 2 bad could be better but I hold around the same weight I have a soft spot for a few cans on the weekends . Iv plenty of weights in my shed/gym add a bench with pull up bar and dips bar to hand aswell as diy squat rack my last squat weight was 125kg for 3 sets of 6. As I mentioned above I followed a spartan rises program for quiet a while its a simple strength building program based on heavy compound movements. I got strong alright but not much in the way of size that's why I posted here I can put on some weight so I was thinking of moving to a body building style program over the winter to c if that gets me a bit wider on top as now I'm like a tree trunk shoulders and hips about the same

Todd Toddington III

john jameson wrote:

I'm a on off lifter I Followed a spartan rises program for about 8 months progressed nicely then stopped which I regret. Some details about me. I'm 34 years young 5ft10 high of average build and weight 81 kg a lean enough look . My diet is not 2 bad could be better but I hold around the same weight I have a soft spot for a few cans on the weekends . Iv plenty of weights in my shed/gym add a bench with pull up bar and dips bar to hand aswell as diy squat rack my last squat weight was 125kg for 3 sets of 6. As I mentioned above I followed a spartan rises program for quiet a while its a simple strength building program based on heavy compound movements. I got strong alright but not much in the way of size that's why I posted here I can put on some weight so I was thinking of moving to a body building style program over the winter to c if that gets me a bit wider on top as now I'm like a tree trunk shoulders and hips about the same

Isolation exercises if you want to increase size, compound movements for overall strength. That's I've learned anyway. So do flys for your chest, front/side/rear lateral raises for your front/side/rear delts, curls/hammer curls for your biceps, tricep pull downs for your..., dumbbell rows/pull ups for you back and don't forget your traps with shrugs.


And don't skip leg day

dgtraining

Hi, here is the general advice:

Since you have free weights and squat rack available - get focused on technique so you can hit biggest bang for the buck exercises for you goal (military press, snatch grip deadlifts if possible, bent over rows, close grip bench press etc.) correctly.

Best case scenario - have someone show you or hire a coach.

Spend time to dissect hypertrophy workout programs and see what can be applied to your equipment.

Get informed about calorie and macronutrient requirements to feed and create new muscle.

You have good task in front of you so enjoy the process of learning.

Dtp1979

In conjunction with the correct weight lifting programme, you're diet is most important in this. You have to be eating a calorie surplus to gain size and grow. Have a look at GVT (German volume training)

CPTM

Dtp1979 wrote:

In conjunction with the correct weight lifting programme, you're diet is most important in this. You have to be eating a calorie surplus to gain size and grow. Have a look at GVT (German volume training)

Hey, sorry to hijack the thread. I'm a 6ft, 77kg (up from 72kg). I'm a really hard gainer so am eating every 3 hours and making sure it's a good balance of carbs, greens, healthy fats and of course the 160g protein spread throughout the day. Since February I've steadily gained 400-500 grams a week thanks to the new diet and training regime but I've plateaued at just over 77kg and I'm struggling to eat more of the "good" foods like Turkey breast, egg whites, oats.

Would anyone have an opinion on whether adding a daily "cheat" meal, that breaks all the rules, would be good to add mass? I've always been <10% body fat so it's not something that happens easily. I feel like another Turkey breast in my daily routine would be so hard, so I was wondering if there was any tips on high calorie meals that are middle of the road between healthy and not healthy that would actually be good for hard gainers like me..?

Dtp1979

CPTM wrote: »

Hey, sorry to hijack the thread. I'm a 6ft, 77kg (up from 72kg). I'm a really hard gainer so am eating every 3 hours and making sure it's a good balance of carbs, greens, healthy fats and of course the 160g protein spread throughout the day. Since February I've steadily gained 400-500 grams a week thanks to the new diet and training regime but I've plateaued at just over 77kg and I'm struggling to eat more of the "good" foods like Turkey breast, egg whites, oats.

Would anyone have an opinion on whether adding a daily "cheat" meal, that breaks all the rules, would be good to add mass? I've always been <10% body fat so it's not something that happens easily. I feel like another Turkey breast in my daily routine would be so hard, so I was wondering if there was any tips on high calorie meals that are middle of the road between healthy and not healthy that would actually be good for hard gainers like me..?

Did you try a shake? With some protein power, peanut butter, nuts etc. Calorie dense healthy foods. It's a great way of getting in a lot of calories at once.

Alf Veedersane

CPTM wrote: »

Hey, sorry to hijack the thread. I'm a 6ft, 77kg (up from 72kg). I'm a really hard gainer so am eating every 3 hours and making sure it's a good balance of carbs, greens, healthy fats and of course the 160g protein spread throughout the day. Since February I've steadily gained 400-500 grams a week thanks to the new diet and training regime but I've plateaued at just over 77kg and I'm struggling to eat more of the "good" foods like Turkey breast, egg whites, oats.

Would anyone have an opinion on whether adding a daily "cheat" meal, that breaks all the rules, would be good to add mass? I've always been <10% body fat so it's not something that happens easily. I feel like another Turkey breast in my daily routine would be so hard, so I was wondering if there was any tips on high calorie meals that are middle of the road between healthy and not healthy that would actually be good for hard gainers like me..?

Do you have any idea what your average daily calorie intake is?

CPTM

Yes, I add 1 teaspoon of creatine with protein milk, a banana, and ON Protein gainer each morning as soon as I wake. I tried adding peanut butter once but I thinkin over-did it and was stuffed for the next 5 hours! The guys in the local supplement shop were telling me that there's this Protein Oats powder (comes in what looks like a paint bucket!) that I should try the next time. Any recommendations?

CPTM

Alf Veedersane wrote:

Do you have any idea what your average daily calorie intake is?

On training days (4-5 days a week) I'm up to about 3,200 calories a day, on off days I'm managing to reach between 2,800 and 2,900. Problem is that I'm really stuffed at that point.. Peanut butter is a good suggestion, I was thinking of adding olive oil to my diet, say over my turkey fillet after it's cooked to help with the dryness?

Alf Veedersane

CPTM wrote: »

Yes, I add 1 teaspoon of creatine with protein milk, a banana, and ON Protein gainer each morning as soon as I wake. I tried adding peanut butter once but I thinkin over-did it and was stuffed for the next 5 hours! The guys in the local supplement shop were telling me that there's this Protein Oats powder (comes in what looks like a paint bucket!) that I should try the next time. Any recommendations?

Gainers are all just a mix of oats and protein. You can just add protein to oats and save yourself a boatload of money.

You need to get your calories up. It's much more simple than spending money on gainers marketed as being much more than they are.

Dtp1979

Cook your turkey in a roasting bag. That way the turkey is far less dry. It has transformed turkey for me!

dgtraining

CPTM wrote: »

Dtp1979 wrote:

In conjunction with the correct weight lifting programme, you're diet is most important in this. You have to be eating a calorie surplus to gain size and grow. Have a look at GVT (German volume training)

Hey, sorry to hijack the thread. I'm a 6ft, 77kg (up from 72kg). I'm a really hard gainer so am eating every 3 hours and making sure it's a good balance of carbs, greens, healthy fats and of course the 160g protein spread throughout the day. Since February I've steadily gained 400-500 grams a week thanks to the new diet and training regime but I've plateaued at just over 77kg and I'm struggling to eat more of the "good" foods like Turkey breast, egg whites, oats.

Would anyone have an opinion on whether adding a daily "cheat" meal, that breaks all the rules, would be good to add mass? I've always been <10% body fat so it's not something that happens easily. I feel like another Turkey breast in my daily routine would be so hard, so I was wondering if there was any tips on high calorie meals that are middle of the road between healthy and not healthy that would actually be good for hard gainers like me..?

Your problem is the best problem to have.

I went from 75kg to 95kg with visible abs, similiar height.

Oatmeal pancakes is the meal you are looking for.

But generally, expand your eating habits and rules, forget about turkey breasts and bodyfat and get some steak and potatoes in you. Focus on getting bigger muscles and feeding them. Calories and hypertrophy are your goals so train and eat accordingly.

CPTM

Dtp1979 wrote:

Cook your turkey in a roasting bag. That way the turkey is far less dry. It has transformed turkey for me!

Great idea! The George Foreman is so handy but the turkey is so hard to eat afterwards! I'll try this over the weekend. I might try making up a milk/oats/peanut butter shake in the afternoon and have it with the 3pm meal. Any other nice recipes would be welcomed!

Dtp1979

CPTM wrote: »

Great idea! The George Foreman is so handy but the turkey is so hard to eat afterwards! I'll try this over the weekend. I might try making up a milk/oats/peanut butter shake in the afternoon and have it with the 3pm meal. Any other nice recipes would be welcomed!

Some seeds and nuts will up the calories too

CPTM

dgtraining wrote:

I went from 75kg to 95kg with visible abs, similiar height.

Holy moly, phenominal work, fair play. If I get to the 83 kg mark I'll be delighted. Hopefully before Autumn.

dgtraining wrote:

But generally, expand your eating habits and rules, forget about turkey breasts and bodyfat and get some steak and potatoes in you. Focus on getting bigger muscles and feeding them. Calories and hypertrophy are your goals so train and eat accordingly.

Yes, true, steak and sweet potatoes have been left on the side since the turkey/fish/rice routine started up. They are tastier so I'll add them to the diet 2/3 times a week to get a bit of variety in.

CPTM

CPTM wrote:

phenominal

phenomenal*

dgtraining

CPTM wrote: »

dgtraining wrote:

I went from 75kg to 95kg with visible abs, similiar height.

Holy moly, phenominal work, fair play. If I get to the 83 kg mark I'll be delighted. Hopefully before Autumn.

It was slow process - that took around 2 years with training so think long term. Good luck!

Dtp1979

dgtraining wrote: »

It was slow process - that took around 2 years with training so think long term. Good luck!

Did you have a strict diet? Gain much bodyfat?