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Putting on weight

Haletown said:
At a certain age you will realize that you are not gaining  weight.  The extra fat is really just a biological adaptation to living in a cold northerly climate.

You are not gaining weight.

You are evolving adapting/eating too much.    :salute:

Fixed that for you...Lamarkisim is not a viable theory ;)
 
Are you a smoker? If you are you have to quit smoking first. I quit smoking for a week now and I started eating 3x more then I use to.
 
http://www.gainmusclemass.net/hardgainer-diet/
http://www.gainmusclemass.net/bodybuilding-workout-routine/

I swear I'm not advertising.
 
I was kind of like you... When I decided I was going to enlist I started training. Let me point out that I'm the kind of guy that can eat McDonalds big mac 3 times in a week and not gain any weight! I didn't even play sports at the time... So what i'm trying to say is when I started working out I realized I'm going to end up LOSING weight by training, but I was all wrong.. Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Anyway in the sense of food. For breakfast I eat egg with some vegetables and toast and milk. Seeing you're not able to drink milk I have no advice for that. For lunch I eat grain products, such as rice, spaghetti, pasta with chicken, beef, whatever meat available except for PORK, I DO NOT eat PORK. Dinner time is pretty much the same as my lunch time, because I save some food from the night before. But saying all this I see you can't cook, well LEARN then.. I couldn't cook, I'm not a kitchen kinda person, but if you're truly dedicated and want to gain weight then get off your butt and learn to cook. Now for some work out strategies. Do High-intensity interval training and mix it with using heavy weights and doing less reps as you'll be able to gain strength and lose any lingering fat from the food you should, will be devouring...

Hope I was helpful... Btw I weigh 155 lbs and I'm 6'1' So according to the Canadian Forces it's a healthy weight.
 
Just remember, for all you combat arms types - especially infantry - that your tuna or Myoplex or whatever you take as supplements cannot take the place of IMPs or rations. In a bivouac setting or garrison its fine.
Tactically - your supplements may have to be left behind as the priority  of what you carry is ammo, water and rations or it should be. There may be no room for supplements.
 
In regards to creatine what is better the pills or the powder? Or is there no difference at all and the pills are a little more convenient.
 
ProtectAndServe said:
I was kind of like you... When I decided I was going to enlist I started training. Let me point out that I'm the kind of guy that can eat McDonalds big mac 3 times in a week and not gain any weight!

Hope I was helpful... Btw I weigh 155 lbs and I'm 6'1' So according to the Canadian Forces it's a healthy weight.

Holy crap, you're my doppleganger. Up until about 2 years ago I weighed that, and slowly moved to 6'1", 170lbs (might be partly due to a slow forming beer keg).
 
WEng said:
In regards to creatine what is better the pills or the powder? Or is there no difference at all and the pills are a little more convenient.

When I use it, I use the powder.  monohydrate stuff, 30 mins before the gym.  So far I've only used the GNC stuff.  I use a 2/1 rotation (2 week using it, 1 week not).  I just remember reading somewhere to not use it straight-time, it may fool your body into producing less, who knows.  I'm a better safe than sorry type so...2/1.

:2c:

 
I am 6'1" and this time last year I was no more than 180. The year before that, 165 or so. In the last year I did a lot to try to put on weight without having too much of a calorie surplus. It takes time, lots of proper eating and a lot of training (in the 8-12 rep range for bulk, however lower rep ranges are great for muscle density). As long as you consume more calories than you burn (and believe me, its not easy to figure out how quickly you burn calories through anything other than trial and error) you will put on weight. Protein shakes are not necessary but certainly help for hardgainers. Just make sure you dont get so caught up in gaining weight that you put on the wrong weight. At 200 now, I'd rather be 190 with a lower body fat percentage. My :2c:
 
I've gone from being 6'0 150lbs to 6'1 210lbs in about two years, I think the big thing is to keep on a strict routine. Mine is 2 lower and 2 upper body days a week, each workout takes about an hour depending if I'm super-setting or not. My usual rep count is 12,10,8 with the weight increasing each set. Then another 1-2 days a week of cardio and core.

Also don't be one of those guys that just works out chest and arms. Not only do you look like and idiot but in the real world those muscles aren't that important. Instead do lots of full body movements like cleans, squat, dead lift, bench ect.

I drink a protein shake after most workouts and my calorie intake is about 3,500 a day.

Lately I have been lifting heavy once a week, (5-6 reps max) it has helped me take my bench from about 195lbs x 12 reps to 215lbs x 12 reps in just under 2 months. Same with my squat which is now up to 325lbs.

I have attached my routine, hope this helps.

PS about 3 years ago I broke my leg, had some pretty bad complications which required 3 surgeries and a month in a hospital bed followed by 6 months recovery before I could even walk without a cane. My point is no matter what shape you're in now you can achieve a higher level of fitness through commitment and hard work.
 
Josh_Robertson said:
Also don't be one of those guys that just works out chest and arms. Not only do you look like and idiot but in the real world those muscles aren't that important. Instead do lots of full body movements like cleans, squat, dead lift, bench ect.

Can you explain how a muscular chest and arms aren't important?
As well can you explain what exactly you mean when you say "the real world"?
 
Grimaldus said:
Can you explain how a muscular chest and arms aren't important?
As well can you explain what exactly you mean when you say "the real world"?

Working your arms just makes you look prettier really (there are other benefits but most guys just like to have big guns).  He is saying if you do the big dynamic movements (the big lifts) then other muscles develop as well.  I know quite a few folks that never do targeted bicep or tricep work, that look just like their weightlifting brethren that do targeted bi, tris, chest & back workouts. 

I know the folks he is talking about, I have seen them, hell I was even one of them except all I did was back and bi/tris.  I gained more strength by moving to a proper squat, deadlift, press with some oly movements than I ever did doing isolation work alone.
 
Josh_Robertson said:
Also don't be one of those guys that just works out chest and arms. Not only do you look like and idiot but in the real world those muscles aren't that important. Instead do lots of full body movements like cleans, squat, dead lift, bench ect.
I don't think bench brings that many muscle groups into play. Granted, by changing your grip you can focus on inner/outer/triceps, but I wouldn't put it into the same category as cleans, deadlifts and squats. I'm not bashing bench; it's one of my favourite workouts, but I wouldn't consider it full body though.
 
Grimaldus said:
Can you explain how a muscular chest and arms aren't important?
As well can you explain what exactly you mean when you say "the real world"?

Maybe I should clarify, I didn't say don't do chest and arms... what I meant was: there are guys I see in the gym every day I go who spend 99% of their time working their bis tris and pecs. Not only are they no bigger or stronger than myself in those areas, they ignore the rest of their body. If you're a beginner who's trying to put on weight you probably look at the idea male physique and think "I want massive arms, pecs and maybe a 6 pack for kicks" but they may forget about things that are equally important like legs, back, shoulders ect.

Basically I suggest you do a program that works everything. And not only will your arms/chest get bigger but the rest of your body will too.
Unless you want to look like this guy:
211greg-1.jpg


As for the "real world" there are not very many actions you do in sports or day to day life that isolate single muscles, most things take your whole body. I didn't say never do arms or never isolate (which you would know if you read the routine I attached in my previous post) but my workout's foundations are in full body movements followed by some isolation at the end to target certain things. Not to mention things like cleans, squat, power snatch will drastically increase your explosive power.

Hope that clears things up.

- Josh
 
Josh_Robertson said:
Maybe I should clarify, I didn't say don't do chest and arms... what I meant was: there are guys I see in the gym every day I go who spend 99% of their time working their bis tris and pecs. Not only are they no bigger or stronger than myself in those areas, they ignore the rest of their body. If you're a beginner who's trying to put on weight you probably look at the idea male physique and think "I want massive arms, pecs and maybe a 6 pack for kicks" but they may forget about things that are equally important like legs, back, shoulders ect.

Basically I suggest you do a program that works everything. And not only will your arms/chest get bigger but the rest of your body will too.
Unless you want to look like this guy:
211greg-1.jpg


As for the "real world" there are not very many actions you do in sports or day to day life that isolate single muscles, most things take your whole body. I didn't say never do arms or never isolate (which you would know if you read the routine I attached in my previous post) but my workout's foundations are in full body movements followed by some isolation at the end to target certain things. Not to mention things like cleans, squat, power snatch will drastically increase your explosive power.

Hope that clears things up.

- Josh

I see what you mean now. It just looked like you were implying those muscles were useless at first, just took it out of context.
Also I always get leary when I hear "In the real world" because that can be pretty subjective.

I just saw one of "those"guys at the gym yesterday. He had a huge chest and even bigger tits. I actually couldn't stop staring at them.... massive. Giant arms, legs like straws. 

I looked at your routine, little too complicated for me. (To each their own of course). When I'm looking at routines I try and keep it a little more simple and taking into consideration;
Amount of time I can spend at the gym may be limited
Availability of the more "popular" machines/weights may be limited since all military gyms are always packed (except airforce ones I've seen)
How well can I modify the routine if I go to the field for an extended period of time
How well would the routine work with a gym with very limited equipment.
How well can I pick up where I left off if I miss a week or two.

Stuff like that.  I'm no fitness guru but some routines I've seen you practically need a degree to follow. I have a friend who's workout routine is like a sodoku puzzle with the different weeks and crap here and there. (Not saying yours is that bad mind you).

As for that fellow in the picture, all I see is a guy who can soak up incomming fire for the section of troops behind him and someone who can punch his fist clean through an enemy soldiers head.
Win win situation  ;)
 
Grimaldus said:
I just saw one of "those"guys at the gym yesterday. He had a huge chest and even bigger tits. I actually couldn't stop staring at them.... massive. Giant arms, legs like straws. 

Exactly my point haha. Sounds like we're on the same page.
 
Grimaldus said:
I see what you mean now. It just looked like you were implying those muscles were useless at first, just took it out of context.
Also I always get leary when I hear "In the real world" because that can be pretty subjective.

I just saw one of "those"guys at the gym yesterday. He had a huge chest and even bigger tits. I actually couldn't stop staring at them.... massive. Giant arms, legs like straws. 

I looked at your routine, little too complicated for me. (To each their own of course). When I'm looking at routines I try and keep it a little more simple and taking into consideration;
Amount of time I can spend at the gym may be limited
Availability of the more "popular" machines/weights may be limited since all military gyms are always packed (except airforce ones I've seen)
How well can I modify the routine if I go to the field for an extended period of time
How well would the routine work with a gym with very limited equipment.
How well can I pick up where I left off if I miss a week or two.

Stuff like that.  I'm no fitness guru but some routines I've seen you practically need a degree to follow. I have a friend who's workout routine is like a sodoku puzzle with the different weeks and crap here and there. (Not saying yours is that bad mind you).

As for that fellow in the picture, all I see is a guy who can soak up incomming fire for the section of troops behind him and someone who can punch his fist clean through an enemy soldiers head.
Win win situation  ;)

That's Gregg Valentino...and I can tell you he did more then just workout his arms, he was a competitive bodybuilder (aka he worked legs too) in the 70s and/or 80s, but then he started injecting synthol into his arms...those arms aren't muscle, he can't flex them they look like blobs.

3 big reasons not to only "Beach muscles"

1. looking so unproportioned will be very comical
2. Not working your legs or back will eventually not only make you look stupid but will hamper you from lifting heavier with your beach muscles.
3. The body likes to generally grow the whole body at a certain pace, yes every individual human has certain body parts that respond to training faster, but generally speaking you will limit the size gains you can make in your upper body if you don't train lower body.


PS to the 6ft1 or 6ft guy weighing 150-155lbs and saying thats a good/normal weight...you must come from a family of small people to think that, at 6ft 175 is a normal weight, 150 is anorexic.
 
MrBlue said:
PS to the 6ft1 or 6ft guy weighing 150-155lbs and saying thats a good/normal weight...you must come from a family of small people to think that, at 6ft 175 is a normal weight, 150 is anorexic.

I agree. The only guys I know who weigh that little are some of my friends who race mountain bikes and/or do cross country racing because they are so concerned about their power to weight ratio... I haven't weighed 150 since I was 14.
 
Ugh, 6'3 and 150lbs...

Eating lots of eggs tuna and bread, protein shakes, cereals and oatmeal, big dinners with lots of meat, and of course, plenty of beers.

Been working out 2-3 days a week for months now, taking creadex (some form of creatine, I ain't no scientist) for the last month.

I just can't gain weight, even the bad kind. It sounds like I'm a sure thing for getting the call April, so May would be leaving. Im going to be stepping everything up and really just stuffing my face with everything I can get my hands on. It's not as easy as it sounds, but there is some great advice in this post and I'll keep y'all posted.
 
If you're lifting hard and you're not putting on weight, you're not eating enough - especially if you're 6'3 150.
You may need to start eating to the point of uncomfortable, or find stuff with a much higher caloric density. If you're not eating nuts, try nuts. Some are better than others for you, and I can't recall which.
Good luck!
 
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