Idiot's Guide to Getting Big (or: how to stop s***ting up this forum, skinny whiners)

[RedLantern]

+1

 

[RedLantern]

People who swear by the chiropractor are akin to those who profess the need to "detox."

 

[jessetk313]

Yea I will say from experience that paying to visit a chiropractor is a waste of money. When you walk out you feel great but within about a day or two of normal activity your problems that were previously experienced come right back. Hip surgery is probably the only cure to getting a solid range of motion in my left hip. Not to mention heal the knee pain that is caused from my hip being out of place because it causes more strain on my left knee.

 

[javyn]

I went to the chiropractor a few times, felt great after she popped my back. But she was an intern I used to **** and it only cost me 10 bucks a visit. Would I go back and pay whatever they really charge? Hell no. I'd rather spend it on a massage.

 

[ppllzz]

Originally Posted by thekunk07

why does sf hate isolation exercises and trad hypertrophic training?

+1. isolation is the lazy mans way of getting big. much more bang for the buck. i feel like compound makes you stronger but only because there are few real world activities that only use one muscle at a time

 

[wiscogooner]

I hear snake oil works the quads like nobody's business.

Srsly, I've got a messed up hip as well. (Right leg is slightly longer). In my experience, it's helped a lot to do lifts that work my hip flexors. I just have to make sure I warm up on the elliptical (running's a bit too much impact) for 5 minutes, stretch before, in between sets, and afterward, and cool down after the workout.

Unless you've got a serious injury or malformed hip joint (which you well may, see your doctor)

Otherwise...

Face your weakness, do lifts that work your hip, stretch, and you will get stronger.

 

[jessetk313]

Thanks for the advice wisco im definitely going to try what you said. I have the same problem as you it seems. A messed up hip, which in my case causes my left leg to be longer than my right. Im assuming you wear a lifting belt also?

 

[Opermann]

Having read this thread and having years of lifting experience, I will say that it depends on the person. Everyone is an individual with different metabolisms and different types of muscle fibers. You really need to just learn your body and what works for you. No program is guaranteed to work for everyone. No book has the magical recipe. So here's my humble advice.

Have a look at yourself. What body type do you have? What are your goals? Most guys just want to look good without a shirt, keep healthy and/or perform amazing feats of strength in and out of the gym. Ecto/meso/endomorph bodytypes generally respond similarly to one type of training. Unfortunately, most men don't fall within one particular category so you'll have to do a little experimenting to determine what your body responds to.

Ectomorph Skinny. Little to no muscle tone. Difficult to gain weight. If this describes you, you'll need to work extra hard to gain and keep muscle. Follow the OP's advice and start with heavy strength training and eat like a horse, depending on how fast your metabolism is. Tons of complex carbs, tons of protein. Use heavy weight and low reps to stimulate your predominant slow-twitch fibers. Get extra sleep. If you take a lifting hiatus, you will lose muscle quickly unless you keep up with your diet.

Mesomorph Naturally muscular. Athletic. Low bodyfat. Mesos are the guys who go do a few sets of benchpress and curls and look awesome. They gain weight just by going to the gym and walking around, flexing in the mirror. Pretty much any program/diet works for them, and if they take time off they won't lose much size or strength. If they do, they gain everything back in a few days at the gym. If this describes you, just stop reading and go lift already.

Endomorph Fat. Pudgy. Large-boned. Can't lose weight easily. Endos are exceedingly strong in the gym and manage to stay perpetually gigantic unless they diet. Cardio cardio cardio. They have to watch their diet all the time if their want to lose weight. A good all-around strength/bodybuilding routine works well for this body type, with an emphasis on higher sets and reps. Low-carb diets tend to work well--this also keeps bloating to a minimum.

Chances are you have more than one trait. For example, I'm a meso-ecto, with an annoying endo trait that allows me to gain weight quickly unless my diet is clean. My muscles respond best to 3-4 days per week of a normal bodybuilding routine, averaging 4 sets per exercise, moderate to heavy weight, and and 6-8 reps. I don't do any special diet due to my slower metabolism, even post-workout protein shakes will stall my fat loss. I do eat lots of cheese and meat normally, so I get plenty of protein. I try to listen to my body and give it what it asks for. I've been fairly successful at this, going from 185 to 215 at a height of 6'2" while reducing my waist from 36 to 34 over the course of about 2 years. My heaviest was approaching 230 but my bodyfat was out of control and I was consuming excessive protein shakes. Now I maintain at about 215 while still filling out a size 44 jacket. I'm running a lot more with my wife lately (she's training for the Chicago Marathon in October) and lifting less, so I have gotten a bit skinnier. After she runs the marathon I'll be back in the gym again, putting up that iron.

The last point I want to make is about time and patience. It takes years to get the body you want naturally, unless you're lucky and have good genetics. Try many styles of lifting--the basic compound strength exercises are important to do, but that doesn't mean you can't do curls if they make your biceps grow. If you get great-looking shoulders from bench pressing, why risk injury and bomb them with military presses? Read, research and experiment to find out what your body responds to, and coordinate your training around that, and let your goals guide you.

 

[Opermann]

Wow, sorry about hijacking your post jarude. Hopefully my advice and experience can be taken in conjunction with yours.

 

[wiscogooner]

Nope. I don't really see a lifting belt as useful, because when you use proper form they're not necessary. Any compund movement should see you contracting your entire body and a lot of times, I feel like a belt encourages you to lift more than you should.

It's the same reason I don't wear gloves. Not because I want to get all kinds of callouses or not be able to do as many reps, but because I want to train my grip as well. Form is key, not how much you can throw up after only having been lifting for a short time. Anyone who's spent any real time in a gym knows gains take lots of time, and no one who matters will be impressed by extremely fast gains.

I always figure I lift to challenge myself, and if I try to do too much too fast I'm fooling myself. It's also a good way to plateau and/or get injured. I have to work with my own limitations. In my case, it meant having to wait a long time to squat because I wasn't flexible enough to do it with good form. Bro ideology isn't the best thing to listen to all the time either. You do need to work hard and just lift and lift heavy, but you also need to be smart if you have physical limitations.

 

[why]

This is the usual problem with these threads: a bunch of morons chime in on something they know little about.

 

[Opermann]

Originally Posted by why

This is the usual problem with these threads: a bunch of morons chime in on something they know little about.

As if there is one secret way to hypertrophy nirvana, and you hold the key.

 

[RedLantern]

^ I don't think that is Why's position. Regardless, that would be no worse of a position to take than this Ecto-Endo-Meso shite...

 

[why]

Originally Posted by Opermann

As if there is one secret way to hypertrophy nirvana, and you hold the key.

No, as if there's decidedly deleterious ways.

 

[BBSLM]

overall solid noob advice. a few issues though.

Originally Posted by jarude

4. Calculate your calorie requirements at this website. Once you have found your BMR, go to this website and multiply your BMR. I recommend "moderate," so you will be multiplying your BMR by 1.55, or 1.6. No biggie. So, for example, I weigh 175 lb, am 22 years old, 5'11", male. That means my BMR is 1908. Since I exercise 5 days a week, which is a "moderate" level of activity according to the previous webpage, I will multiply 1908x1.6. That equals 3052. I'll round up to 3100 calories, just to be sure.
Or just multiply your lean bodyweight x 15 to find maintenance calories, and add ~500-1000 calories to that. much easier.

Divide your protein and fat numbers by 5, as you will be eating 5 meals spaced evenly throughout the day.

eating more than 3 meals a day is needlessly marsupialed unless you cant fit your calories into just 3 meals, which unless you weight 300 pounds, you should be able to do. all the magic things that supposedly happen with increased meal frequency is voodoo horseshit.

Carbs late at night = bad.

incorrect.

6. Drink water. At least 2-4 litres a day. Do NOT drink pop, gatorade, or anything that has more than 0 calories. Exception: PWO shake. Water. Not juice. Not pop. Water.

if it fits into your macros, who gives a ****. drink what you want in moderation.

7. Do NOT use supplements. No Nitrotech XXX Super Mass Gainer, no NO-Xplod, no nothing. Supplements = bullshit.

creatine is gud.