How to Tone Up/ Bulk Up?

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

I've been needing to get myself motivated to start going to the gym, and I'm starting this upcoming week. I have 3 gyms that belong to my condo association that I have access to for free, and each has different machines for different work outs.

 

I'm looking to add a little bit of muscle, and tone up a little bit.

 

From what I remember, to build muscle you want to be maxing out at the beginning of the week, and work your way down from there. I plan on going 3 or 4 times a week and doing upper and lower body workouts each day instead of going every day and alternating.

 

I don't want to spend any money on supplements, so can anyone help me plan a schedule?

 

I'm not trying to get super rip or anything, but maybe get up to 155 lbs.

I weigh 140-145, 5'8". I look tone as is, just scrawny, and that needs to change a bit, plus I need to get into shape.

 

If you need more info to judge what I need to do I'll add.

 

Thanks.

 

Also if anyone wants to get a few more hours in at a good basement style gym just let me know, like I said, it's free.

[John Bruh]

Weight Gain 4000

 

beefcake!!!!

[John Bruh]

http://www.crab.rutgers.edu/~alroche/3beefcake.gif

[Dr. Pomade]

IMO - based on what I've read and my experience - 80% of what you look like comes down to what you eat. You can be in the gym for two hours every day, but if you eat like shit, you'll look like shit.

 

If you want to gain muscle (i.e., good weight, not bad weight), then you need to be stuffing yourself with protein. At this point, I'd seriously rethink your no supplements stance, as protein powder is really the best way to signifcantly and easily up the amount of protein you're taking in. Also, whey protein powder - the first kind of protein powder you'll want to start with - is actually reasonably priced, so it won't break you.

 

As a rule of thumb, you want to take in daily 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. So, for you, you'll want to be eating at least 145 grams of protein per day. In addition to protein shakes (which, again, is what I'd advise using), you'll want to be eating a bunch of turkey, chicken, tuna, steak, and eggs. However, you have to be careful and sensible about how you eat them - that is, you can't kill your diet by drowning all you food with mayo and fatty dressings and all that other bad stuff. Rule of thumb: if it tastes good, it probably isn't good for you.

 

If you want to stay lean/relatively ripped, you have got to stay away from heavy doses of carbs. Doesn't mean that you can't have a slice of pizza every now and again, it just means you can't having fucking Massey's for dinner three times a week. Similarly, ditch the soda and start drinking lots and lots and lots of fucking water. Drink water even when you aren't thirsty.

 

Again, IMO, it comes down to diet. Sure, you need to be in the gym, and, to bulk up, I would probably work out only three to four times per week. When you work out, you need to be lifting heavy (i.e., four to six reps per set) and lifting to exhaustion (i.e., to the point where you feel fucking dead). Sensibly, you need to give your muscles - which, by working out really hard, you will be systematically breaking down so they can build back up bigger - time to adequately rest and recover.

[Hwilli1647545487]

IMO - based on what I've read and my experience - 80% of what you look like comes down to what you eat. You can be in the gym for two hours every day, but if you eat like shit, you'll look like shit.

 

If you want to gain muscle (i.e., good weight, not bad weight), then you need to be stuffing yourself with protein. At this point, I'd seriously rethink your no supplements stance, as protein powder is really the best way to signifcantly and easily up the amount of protein you're taking in. Also, whey protein powder - the first kind of protein powder you'll want to start with - is actually reasonably priced, so it won't break you.

 

As a rule of thumb, you want to take in daily 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. So, for you, you'll want to be eating at least 145 grams of protein per day. In addition to protein shakes (which, again, is what I'd advise using), you'll want to be eating a bunch of turkey, chicken, tuna, steak, and eggs. However, you have to be careful and sensible about how you eat them - that is, you can't kill your diet by drowning all you food with mayo and fatty dressings and all that other bad stuff. Rule of thumb: if it tastes good, it probably isn't good for you.

 

If you want to stay lean/relatively ripped, you have got to stay away from heavy doses of carbs. Doesn't mean that you can't have a slice of pizza every now and again, it just means you can't having fucking Massey's for dinner three times a week. Similarly, ditch the soda and start drinking lots and lots and lots of fucking water. Drink water even when you aren't thirsty.

 

Again, IMO, it comes down to diet. Sure, you need to be in the gym, and, to bulk up, I would probably work out only three to four times per week. When you work out, you need to be lifting heavy (i.e., four to six reps per set) and lifting to exhaustion (i.e., to the point where you feel fucking dead). Sensibly, you need to give your muscles - which, by working out really hard, you will be systematically breaking down so they can build back up bigger - time to adequately rest and recover.

 

I heart you.

[Kevin R.]

OR, 5 cans of tuna a day will get you the protein you need.

[evan9381]

make sure you get the low sodium tuna. its more expensive, but better for you

[Sam1647545489]

IMO - based on what I've read and my experience - 80% of what you look like comes down to what you eat. You can be in the gym for two hours every day, but if you eat like shit, you'll look like shit.

 

If you want to gain muscle (i.e., good weight, not bad weight), then you need to be stuffing yourself with protein. At this point, I'd seriously rethink your no supplements stance, as protein powder is really the best way to signifcantly and easily up the amount of protein you're taking in. Also, whey protein powder - the first kind of protein powder you'll want to start with - is actually reasonably priced, so it won't break you.

 

As a rule of thumb, you want to take in daily 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. So, for you, you'll want to be eating at least 145 grams of protein per day. In addition to protein shakes (which, again, is what I'd advise using), you'll want to be eating a bunch of turkey, chicken, tuna, steak, and eggs. However, you have to be careful and sensible about how you eat them - that is, you can't kill your diet by drowning all you food with mayo and fatty dressings and all that other bad stuff. Rule of thumb: if it tastes good, it probably isn't good for you.

 

If you want to stay lean/relatively ripped, you have got to stay away from heavy doses of carbs. Doesn't mean that you can't have a slice of pizza every now and again, it just means you can't having fucking Massey's for dinner three times a week. Similarly, ditch the soda and start drinking lots and lots and lots of fucking water. Drink water even when you aren't thirsty.

 

Again, IMO, it comes down to diet. Sure, you need to be in the gym, and, to bulk up, I would probably work out only three to four times per week. When you work out, you need to be lifting heavy (i.e., four to six reps per set) and lifting to exhaustion (i.e., to the point where you feel fucking dead). Sensibly, you need to give your muscles - which, by working out really hard, you will be systematically breaking down so they can build back up bigger - time to adequately rest and recover.

 

THIS

[Sam1647545489]

OR, 5 cans of tuna a day will get you the protein you need.

 

http://forums.offtopic.com/images/smilies/iough.gif

[Kevin R.]

OR, sucking Sam's cock will get you the protein you need

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Thanks. I know eating plays a key roll into gaining muscle. You gain fat, your body gets used to the added weight and turns it into muscle.

 

I planned on changing my eating habits. I'm not looking for this to be a super quick progression, so are supplements absolutely necessary to see results? I'd rather eat more food than take supplements.

 

Just for the info though, what kind of start off supplements do you suggest, and what are the average prices?

 

I don't drink soda at all. I stick to drinking tea and water, and if I do have soda it is a sprite maybe once or twice a week. I don't want to quit the tea, but will I need to?

[Hwilli1647545487]

OR, 5 cans of tuna a day will get you the protein you need.

 

and all the mercury you could ever want.

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

I hate all fish except shrimp, crab, and lobster. Tuna is not an option.

[Zach1647545520]

http://www.crab.rutgers.edu/~alroche/3beefcake.gif

 

Very funny episode btw. I'll be keeping tabs on this thread as for I too am bulking up. The other day I flexed and a thread came loose on my shirt

[wnaplay1647545503]

Depending on what look you want, you(personally) can tone up quickly if you want to look bigger, you will need to start putting on the weight. Having met you, it would take adding weight to get a bigger size along with molding that weight into muscle as its added by working out.

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Since I'm only going 3-4 days a week, should I do upper and lower in the same day?

[wnaplay1647545503]

Hopefully whatever gym your going to will have a trainer that can answer any questions you have and direct you with whatever your goals are.

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Evan, do you ever just go out and run?

If so I know you live in the same area as me. Are there any nice routes close by that offer a good scenic route. I know of blacklick metro woods. Treadmill running is boring.

 

Also, if anyone else is also doing the same as I am, would anyone be interested in starting a thing like the weight loss thread?

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

And my Gym has not Trainer. I live in a condo, and they have pools and workout rooms, so this is me just doing my thing without trainers. I can't justify getting a gym membership yet, and I don't have the time to drive to and from the gym. I'm crunching getting in the time to work out in general.

[hot_wire]

Update us on how things turn out. I've worked out 3 times a week for the past year (about 45 min sessions) and haven't noticed any major changes. Recently, I've been thinking about trying protein powder since all of my ripped friends are on it. I'm just concerned about side effects of whey protein and my health > building huge muscle.

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Yeah, I'm not shooting for huge muscles, and I plan on getting in the gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Starting on Tuesday.

[trbmiata]

depends on what you want to do...bluk up or lean out? Its tuff to do both at once but possilbe. At 145 I would suggest bulking up first and then cutting and with your weight you can get away with eating more shit than others. In fact your going to be sick of eating while bulking cause your calorie intake should be pretty high. Lots of egg whites and oatmeal in morning. Then brown rice/black beans with chicken X2 a day. Then some fish or lean steak at night with veggies... Dont eat with in 2 hours of going to sleep. You sould be doing very little and even in some cases no cardio to start(depends on your build). Ive always be told to start with your weakest body part at the begining of the week cause of the carb build up over the weekend when you tend to cheat. Thus giving you more energy. As far as lifting it all depends. Just make sure you get max pump or fail or your not going to bulk much.

[dragknee66]

Pick one.. Bulk or Lean. You can either stay your same build now and shape up a bit.. or get more flabby and add muscle.

 

You waited too long basically.. you should just be lean for the spring and summer and hit it hard starting in the fall.

 

Johnny B posted everything that you need to know ^ there too.

[Dr. Pomade]

I planned on changing my eating habits. I'm not looking for this to be a super quick progression, so are supplements absolutely necessary to see results? I'd rather eat more food than take supplements.

 

I think it's cheaper to take supplements (and, by supplements, I mean protein powder/shakes) than it is to eat more food. Sure, if you want to get fat, then you can just eat a ton of junk (e.g., cheeseburgers, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts) - you'll put on a lot of weight in no time. Of course, you'll be a fat ass and look like shit, but you'll be heavier. In order to put on "good weight" (i.e., muscle), you'll need to eat the right things - turkey, chicken, steak, and eggs. (Also, tuna is great, but I saw that you hate tuna. I do too, BTW. I've tried for a few years now to develop a taste to it and just can't.) None of the foods that are good for you that promote muscle growth - the turkeys and the chickens and the steaks - are cheap. In fact, their fucking expensive. Believe me, it is much more economical and easier to go buy some protein powder for $30 and get 40 shakes out of it (at 20g of protein per scoop/shake) than it is to go buy a bunch of turkey breasts and have to worry about making it and then eating all that fucking turkey. Seriously, there's only so much turkey you can eat in a day.

 

Just for the info though, what kind of start off supplements do you suggest, and what are the average prices?

 

Whey protein should become your best friend. In fact, at this point, it's the only protein you need to worry about. Muscleheads will take your fucking ear off about casein protein and soy protein and protein this and protein that; listen, you just worry about whey protein and leave it at that. Now, there's a bunch of different brands of whey protein - EAS, Myoplex, and so on - but they're all the same thing: whey protein. You can find whey protein just about anywhere, from any nutrition store to Kroger. I usually buy EAS whey protein from Target - it usually costs about $24 for a cannister of it. Again, it doesn't really matter what the brand is or who makes it - it just matters that it's whey protein. Buy it and love it.

 

Protein powders don't taste great. Some taste better than others, and some just taste like fucking shit. I like EAS because it doesn't taste like shit. I mix my protein powder with milk because it tastes halfway decent. Some guys drink their protein with water - I can't because I think it tastes like fucking watery hell. You'll find out quick what you like and don't like. Some guys say don't mix it with milk because you'll get fat. Punch those fucking guys in the face and then show them your rock hard abs because that shit is false; drinking it with milk (skim, 1 percent, or 2 percent) actually has several advantages (which involve fancy terms like "casein" protein which I told you not to worry about, so don't).

 

If you go the protein route, then spend a couple of bucks and guy a blender. Seriously - you don't want to try to drink protein powder without a blender. Shit gets all clumped up, and that's never fun. Just buy the blender; you'll use it several times every day, believe me.

 

When to drink your whey protein is key. Here are the two most important times to drink whey protein: just before your workout, and immediately after. And you don't have to drink a lot of it pre-workout; 15g will suffice. As for post-workout, you'll want to consume at least 20g, and maybe 40g. So one shake before, and one shake immediately after your workout. Live by this. As you become a musclebuilding monster, you'll add whey protein shakes at other points during the day, like immediately when you wake up. But, for now, just remember, one before and one immediately after. Fuck, I bet you just put on three pounds of lean muscle just reading this.

 

I don't drink soda at all. I stick to drinking tea and water, and if I do have soda it is a sprite maybe once or twice a week. I don't want to quit the tea, but will I need to?

 

Tea (and coffee) are fine, so no need to quit it. In fact, there are many (including me) who believe that your workout (and gains) can be enhanced substantially by using caffeine in some form before your workout. This type of stuff you don't really need to worry about right now, but, at some point, you may want to add caffeine to your pre-workout meal. At this point, just know that tea is fine to keep on your menu.

[Dr. Pomade]

And my Gym has not Trainer. I live in a condo, and they have pools and workout rooms, so this is me just doing my thing without trainers. I can't justify getting a gym membership yet, and I don't have the time to drive to and from the gym. I'm crunching getting in the time to work out in general.

 

Listen, you don't need a trainer. Nothing against them, but at this point you won't be doing anything that you can't just learn on your own by thumbing through a fitness magazine.

 

What you do need is commitment. This is not me trying to sound like a military recruiter. Instead, I'm trying to say that, in order for this to work for you the way you want it to, then you are going to have to set aside the time to do it right. You said you want to put on 10 pounds of lean muscle - that's not easy to do. In fact, it's quite difficult, and it's going to take time and effort on your part. Just like anything else that's worthwhile in life, it's only going to work if you add the correct ingredients.