How do I go about getting bigger?

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dave_in_ni
dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
edited November 2017 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
After some advice here folks. I'm at the stage now where I can start to see my abs, I am in pretty good shape for 2 years lifting and considering I was 230lbs down to 170lbs at 6ft tall. However, although I am in fairly good shape I am small. Take my arms for example, I wear a small fitbit bit, I am on the 3rd hole, my 13 year old son who isn't overweight has bigger wrists than me. The term I would use is a small fine frame, kind of like a featherweight boxer, not the look I was after at all when I started lifting.

I happened to go to the swimming pool yesterday, the pool also has a gym and as I was hanging about I met guys coming and going to the gym, now I work out alone at home so have no one to compare myself so I thought I was looking OK with but some of these guys had arms twice the size of mine, and its not to say they where ripped, they had no defined muscle but you knew they lifted, they just looked bigger built all over. That's the look I am after, myself I just look small and watery even though you may be able to see my abs and veins now. Even at my heaviest weight I still looked small yet I bet I weighed more then than these guys I saw yesterday.

Do genetics play a part here or how do I get bigger? I am probably an Ectomorph but unlike and Ectomorph I get fat easily but it all goes straight to the belly and moobs

Replies

  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    You need to build muscle.

    - progressive overload programme
    - Calorie surplus
    - Consistency
    - Patience
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Full-body 3 times week. M-W-F etc. 4 days rest per week.

    Thighs
    Calves
    Chest
    Back
    Shoulders
    Biceps
    Triceps

    Deadlift once per week - 1 set of 12 reps

    1-2 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
    When you get 12 reps on all three sets, add weight.

    Every 4-6 weeks change up some of your exercises.

    Eat 250-500 extra calories over maintenance each day to gain up to 1 lb. a week.

    That's it.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Lean59man wrote: »
    Full-body 3 times week. M-W-F etc. 4 days rest per week.

    Thighs
    Calves
    Chest
    Back
    Shoulders
    Biceps
    Triceps

    Deadlift once per week - 1 set of 12 reps

    1-2 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
    When you get 12 reps on all three sets, add weight.

    Every 4-6 weeks change up some of your exercises.

    Eat 250-500 extra calories over maintenance each day to gain up to 1 lb. a week.

    That's it.

    Not this. What ridiculously specific nonsense.
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Lean59man wrote: »
    Full-body 3 times week. M-W-F etc. 4 days rest per week.

    Thighs
    Calves
    Chest
    Back
    Shoulders
    Biceps
    Triceps

    Deadlift once per week - 1 set of 12 reps

    1-2 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
    When you get 12 reps on all three sets, add weight.

    Every 4-6 weeks change up some of your exercises.

    Eat 250-500 extra calories over maintenance each day to gain up to 1 lb. a week.

    That's it.

    Not this. What ridiculously specific nonsense.

    Try it, you might like it.
  • planemanx15
    planemanx15 Posts: 1 Member
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    Download Stronglifts 5x5 and start doing that program. Worked for me!
  • dill_milk
    dill_milk Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Lean59man wrote: »
    Full-body 3 times week. M-W-F etc. 4 days rest per week.

    Thighs
    Calves
    Chest
    Back
    Shoulders
    Biceps
    Triceps

    Deadlift once per week - 1 set of 12 reps

    1-2 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
    When you get 12 reps on all three sets, add weight.

    Every 4-6 weeks change up some of your exercises.

    Eat 250-500 extra calories over maintenance each day to gain up to 1 lb. a week.

    That's it.

    Not this. What ridiculously specific nonsense.

    What's wrong with his advice? Seems sound to me. Of course there are other options, but this is fine. Won't help with the skinny wrists though. Nothing you can do about that. Lol
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    Options
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Lean59man wrote: »
    Full-body 3 times week. M-W-F etc. 4 days rest per week.

    Thighs
    Calves
    Chest
    Back
    Shoulders
    Biceps
    Triceps

    Deadlift once per week - 1 set of 12 reps

    1-2 exercises per bodypart for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
    When you get 12 reps on all three sets, add weight.

    Every 4-6 weeks change up some of your exercises.

    Eat 250-500 extra calories over maintenance each day to gain up to 1 lb. a week.

    That's it.

    Not this. What ridiculously specific nonsense.

    Agreed! I do deads 3x a week... American, Romanian, and Sumo. 1x12? WTF?
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    I suspect that since you've lost 60lbs that you are still undereating. Been there; done that.

    I've been lifting for 4+ years...I didn't put on any real size until I started eating to build muscle. Muscle isn't built from nothing; you have to give your body the calories/protein to grow.

    Honestly evaluate how much you are eating and see if you need to increase calorie intake.
  • thapainmaker
    thapainmaker Posts: 152 Member
    edited November 2017
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    After some advice here folks. I'm at the stage now where I can start to see my abs, I am in pretty good shape for 2 years lifting and considering I was 230lbs down to 170lbs at 6ft tall. However, although I am in fairly good shape I am small. Take my arms for example, I wear a small fitbit bit, I am on the 3rd hole, my 13 year old son who isn't overweight has bigger wrists than me. The term I would use is a small fine frame, kind of like a featherweight boxer, not the look I was after at all when I started lifting.

    I happened to go to the swimming pool yesterday, the pool also has a gym and as I was hanging about I met guys coming and going to the gym, now I work out alone at home so have no one to compare myself so I thought I was looking OK with but some of these guys had arms twice the size of mine, and its not to say they where ripped, they had no defined muscle but you knew they lifted, they just looked bigger built all over. That's the look I am after, myself I just look small and watery even though you may be able to see my abs and veins now. Even at my heaviest weight I still looked small yet I bet I weighed more then than these guys I saw yesterday.

    Do genetics play a part here or how do I get bigger? I am probably an Ectomorph but unlike and Ectomorph I get fat easily but it all goes straight to the belly and moobs

    Don’t know much about body types but I know I’ve got smaller bones as well. It took me some time to pack on enough muscle to actually start looking “muscley” like 4 years of eating lots of clean food and lifting as heavy as possible.

    I was always focusing on my chest, I always wanted those Arnold pecs. Honestly after a while my pecs became my most prominent looking muscle, not to sound vein but I love the way it makes me look in a beater. So I guess it comes down to motivation and commitment. It really isn’t easy though especially for guys like us that were born with a small frame. Best of luck bro just keep at it and keep those reps in the 3-6 range, once you hit six bump the weight up to something you can only do 1-3 times once u hit 6 do the same thing again..... that’s what I do anyway

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