NewB requesting info on lifting & bulking

[qwik3r]

Hey guys, great forum, i just started about 2 months ago lifting to start to gain mass. I try to go atleast 3-5 days a week. I train all parts of my body but my main concern right now is my chest development and my arms. I want big arms (who doesn't right) I understand about diet etc but my questions are these. My form is not that great with a barbell, i have read that i should stick to DB's when starting out to help stabilize myself, is this correct?

And in regards to my arms, should i lift heavier and do between 5-8 reps instead of say 10-15 reps?

Also i am trying to lose some weight in my stomach to expose my abs, i'm not fat and i can feel near rock solid muscle underneath this little bit of pudge i have but i don't want to screwup my routine by doing too much cardio. After a workout i'll run on the treadmill for a bit or use the bike. I am using a weight gainer and i don't want to be counteracting the effects. I am about 5'6 140lbs 21 years of age. My goal is around 180 shreaded hehe. Anyway, what can i do to kill this bastard stomach? Thanks

[Shad]

alright well its really simple... you cant bulk and slim at the same time. Not true with the sticking with DBs...do whatever you want, its much harder to cheat on a machine than with DB.

So what you wanna do in my opinions is 4-6 reps with around 4 sets..no less than 3 and if you are able to do 6 sets youd best bump up the weight. The idea is to work an all parts of your body before you start looking deformed. Btw wut u feel is "solid muscle" every one has, the idea of it being tight is not enough. Visual results is what your looking for. Bigger Abs = they show more...but they easier once you break the 7% body fat barrier.

never work muscle that are sore.. and a personal rule ive set, i wait 24 hrs AFTER the muscle has stopped being sor before working it out again.

fundamentals of weight lifting

1. Dont overtrain
2. Dont overtrain
3. Dont overtrain
4. gradually increase # of reps or weights every workout, never do the same workout twice. youll never see results if you dont push yourself.
5. pump yourself full of protien in the hours following your workout, drink lots o milk.
6. dont forget to not get stiff and loose your flexibility
7. Dont overtrain


anything im missing guys?...

[Ripped..shirt]

Im in the same boat as you qwiker. I just started weight lifting about a year and a half ago, and am still stuck on what works and what doesn't, im trying to bulk up and also gain strength while im at it. However I have another question i would like to ask the experienced lifters here. what is the best way to gain size? I work at a butcher shop and i lift weights almost every day in some way, shape, and/or form, and so i am pretty strong, but my body doesn't show it, and i have to admit that its getting pretty frustrating, i know im only beginning but i would like to ask you guys your opinions, so that as I progress i can get the best out of my workouts. I do full body exercises,3-4 times a day for 2 hours 1 hour on upper, 1 hour on lower. ne advice is welcome, and I hope you guys have some good advice for me.

[qwik3r]

Thanks for the replies guys and thanks for the advice. That is what my buddy tells me too is that i will counteract the effects of my protein intake and mass building by doing 2 much cardio. But this friggen little bit of probably 5lbs is bothering the crap outa me. I want my abs! Will i ever get them if i just keep up on my ab routine or will i have to lose that weight? I guess i'm just gonna have to achieve my target weight and than slim down maybe 5 or so lbs before next summer and just try to get cut. Hope that works. Thanks guys.

[Songsangnim]

[QUOTE=Shad]alright well its really simple... you cant bulk and slim at the same time. QUOTE]


Actually since he is a newbie (only two months) he CAN gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Granted this effect will taper off after a few more months, but for now he should take full advantage of it.

[TaNkArMs747]

I would rather get 50lbs on my bench in like a few months, and maintain or give or take a few lbs, than gain 30lbs on my bench in the same amount of time and lose 15lbs of fat. I don't think hes going to want to get cutt just yet, I mean if he does he'll find out that a cat don't look as fat without its fur.

[qwik3r]

Correct, i do not want to get cut yet, nothing i hate more than a very skinney kid who didn't have any direction in lifting and just used machines and hes cut to hell but weights 100lbs. I would rather gain size first.

[Ripped..shirt]

i know what you mean qwiker. although im sort of that kid, but not 100 pds. i try to bulk up but nothing seems to work. i seem to stay the same size.. well maybe getting a bit bigger, but im only getting lots of definition, and no size. Dont get me wrong definition is great, but i want the size first than ill work on definiition.

[Aoeteroa]

Hey guys, great forum, i just started about 2 months ago lifting to start to gain mass. I try to go atleast 3-5 days a week. I train all parts of my body but my main concern right now is my chest development and my arms. I want big arms (who doesn't right) I understand about diet etc but my questions are these. My form is not that great with a barbell, i have read that i should stick to DB's when starting out to help stabilize myself, is this correct?

And in regards to my arms, should i lift heavier and do between 5-8 reps instead of say 10-15 reps?

Also i am trying to lose some weight in my stomach to expose my abs, i'm not fat and i can feel near rock solid muscle underneath this little bit of pudge i have but i don't want to screwup my routine by doing too much cardio. After a workout i'll run on the treadmill for a bit or use the bike. I am using a weight gainer and i don't want to be counteracting the effects. I am about 5'6 140lbs 21 years of age. My goal is around 180 shreaded hehe. Anyway, what can i do to kill this bastard stomach? Thanks

Bro seeing as you've just started lifting, forget about getting cut. What you wanna do, being a little fella, is eat, eat an eat. Increase your calories tenfold and get plenty of rest. If you do this and train hard you'll get results.

Once you get some size on you then you can worry about cutting up. Like you mentioned, you dont wanna be some skinny beanpole with a six packl so start eating my friend!

Peace

[Kiaran]

I've started drinking sh*t tons of milk. Seeing that I don't use a single suppliment (not my style), this seems to be working out for me. I go through roughly 2-2.5 gals of milk a week (hopefully you are not lactose intollerant). I also eat around 3000 calories a day (including my milk). It really works and I'd recommend you try it out. Just my opinion though, take it worth a grain of salt. I would have to agree with Shad not to overtrain. It is very easy to do this in the beginning. Listen to your body. If you feel sick, insomnia, irritable, chronic soreness, sharp pain in your joints, then rest an extra day or two bewteen your next workout. Patience is key, diet is more important. If you are bulking, I would say don't be scared of fatty foods. Eat everything you can and then some. Chances are that your body won't store very much fat, it's hungry! Lastly, from my own experience, don't waste your time on exercises that are meant more for shaping/cutting. Stick with the more complex, mass building exercises like Bench Press, Rows, Chin-ups, Should Press, Squats, Deadlifts, Curls and Dips. Again, just my thoughts, take em' or leave em'.

[Shad]

wow.. you guys still dont understand. You cant "tone your muscles" your muscles do not automatically know oh he wants to look cool, lets let the muscle fibers appear. It doesnt work like that. Getting cut just means loosing body fat gradually while maintaining full muscle mass. People generally do this by doing a 75% of their maximum inteisty/difficulty workout, for a long period of time, since this is the recipie of fat burning. By "cutting", you are infact getting rid of bodyfat, letting your muscle show.

Kiaran, ditto here. All natural, use what earth has given, i.e. butcher em cows, eat em fruits. Did you know 4 cups of a mixture of fruit, only contains about 100 calories. Great for slimming or cutting. Also 2 burgers contain about 61 grams of protien, who needs suppliments? btw i go through about the same as u kiaran ;p 2-3 gals a week.

Being "small" with low body fat already makes you cut. But you being small leaves nothing to cut. Therefore what you relaly need to do is cap that body fat, and weight train like a mad mad, just sensibly. That way cutting at later stages will be the easiest thing ever, But focus on gaining muscle mass, dont supress your calories, just eat lots of protien, and carbs.

by the way... work on your abs (make em bigger), people who dont workout and you can see their abs, usually are skinniest weakest little people youll ever come across. Making them bigger will allow you to have a decent amount of body fat but see them :O. Think logically.