Rookie trying to gain muscle

jobaby894

I can do that, Thanks Springfield19. I was going to start at 1900 per day but I will take your advise and start with 1700. I will also check out the website previously recommended.

shmerek

Lots if great advice in this thread. Also, there are many personal trainers that know jack **** regardless of their certificates.

PippiNe

OP, I'm sorry for hijacking your post, but the responses here have answered so many of my questions. I still have a few more though along this same topic:

How do you determine the duration of your bulks and cuts? Should you be at your ideal weight before you start the bulking/cutting process? I am currently 6 lbs heavier than I want to be and have fat in my problem areas that I'd like to get rid of (waist/lower back & thighs). Approximately how much time do you spend lifting or doing cardio per day to achieve a lean looking body?

Thanks in advance for all your insight! And thank you for the BMR and TDEE calculators. After plugging in my numbers, I can see why I'm having a tough time sticking to the calories I have set for myself and find myself binging way too often.

AJ_G

OP, I'm sorry for hijacking your post, but the responses here have answered so many of my questions. I still have a few more though along this same topic:

How do you determine the duration of your bulks and cuts? Should you be at your ideal weight before you start the bulking/cutting process? I am currently 6 lbs heavier than I want to be and have fat in my problem areas that I'd like to get rid of (waist/lower back & thighs). Approximately how much time do you spend lifting or doing cardio per day to achieve a lean looking body?

Thanks in advance for all your insight! And thank you for the BMR and TDEE calculators. After plugging in my numbers, I can see why I'm having a tough time sticking to the calories I have set for myself and find myself binging way too often.

Duration of a bulk/cut is up to your discretion. Most people have a weight gain or loss goal in mind before they begin and bulk until they hit that goal, then cut back down to their original weight. A 10 lb gain for a woman is usually a good bulk goal in my opinion and from what I've seen. It's best to be close to your ideal weight before beginning a bulk because just by the nature of the bulk you will be adding more fat to your body along with the muscle gain, so it helps to start the bulk in a lean or near lean state.

As far as lifting or doing cardio, many people advise you don't do much of any cardio while you bulk just because you're trying to put on weight so it can be counter productive. It's totally fine to do some cardio while you bulk, just make sure you eat more to offset the calorie burn from the cardio so you're still in a calorie surplus every day. It's very possible and I've seen many people cut without doing any cardio or doing very little cardio. Cardio isn't necessary for a cut, you just have to be in a caloric deficit and you will lose fat. Basically cardio just means you get to eat more during your cut. In terms of body composition, the slower you gain weight and the slower you lose weight, the better off you will be. As far as lifting, make sure you utilize a lifting program who's main goal is hypertrophy (muscle building). Programs like starting strength and stronglifts, and any 5x5 programs are geared towards strength increases as their primary goal. Now you will gain muscle on strength based programs, but ideally you want to go with a hypertrophy based programs with rep ranges from 8-12 reps to failure. It's best to lift a minimum of 3 days a week and always make sure you're lifting heavy (8-12 reps to failure) for all of your exercises.

Springfield1970

I can do that, Thanks Springfield19. I was going to start at 1900 per day but I will take your advise and start with 1700. I will also check out the website previously recommended.

I think you've misunderstood.

You need to ADD 1700 per WEEK to gain half a pound of weight.

That's 250 extra per day on top of your total daily energy expenditure, which hopefully you've worked out from Scooby's website.

Ok, I've put your stats in and put you down for 3-5 hours of moderate exercise (watch you keep this consistent or your calorie needs will change).

It's recommended you eat 1954 per day to maintain. Add 250 and you have 2200.

2200 is your daily bulking calories, but you must be in a good routine to make it work properly. It might be worth trying your 1950 maintaining figure of 1950 and learning the basics of your progressive weights programme (strong curves etc).

You may find you add water, food and glycogen weight when you up your calories, but weigh every day and average out at end of week. Keep records of everything. Weigh your food meticulously.

You'll need to make some mistakes of your own first, but keep reading and learning and KEEP TRACK.

jobaby894

That is what I get for speed reading. Sorry yes and thank you for clarifying that for me. Question... how long did it take you to cut? I know that people are different but would 5 to 6 days a week be too much? I know I have to give my muscle time to rest.

jobaby894

Please don't apologize, if I can help anyone then by all mean; hijack way!

43mmmgoody21

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

3laine75

okay, I need help if anyone would be so kind. I am trying to gain muscle, my weight is 116 and my calorie intake is 1400 . I am not seeing any results. I work out 3 to 6 days a week from 30 minutes to 70 minutes. What am I doing wrong?

ah girlfriend. you need a serious body building coach, like me, not some opinions on a free website. Opinions are only worth that much.

for women, it takes years of hard work and very specific eating in conjunction with your exercise to gain muscle mass without gaining fat. Don't believe anyone but a CPT with credentials, references and clients before you purchase any program or book. Books are worthless with out a trainer! Programs are worthless with out a customized diet.

You must be a salesman's dream

AJ_G

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

How to you train body weight squats progressively?

Springfield1970

That is what I get for speed reading. Sorry yes and thank you for clarifying that for me. Question... how long did it take you to cut? I know that people are different but would 5 to 6 days a week be too much? I know I have to give my muscle time to rest.

Do you mean bulk? I trained 3 x per week, heavily, hitting every muscle group. Did a few cardio sessions to keep my hand in, but it's really not necessary, and made sure I ate all my exercise calories back.

I did it until I felt fat and knew I had to start training for my triathlon season, but still left it too late! I was enjoying it too much I think!

Took about 3 months. Put on 8/9 lb. probably 3lb muscle, 3lb fat, the rest possible heavier bone density, food in gut from eating more, glycogen in muscle and water.

Springfield1970

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

Do you know that progressive weight training means adding weight to the lifts?

You have to damage the muscle to build it, and they soon adapt to the strain you are putting them under, that's why when you first do an exercise you ache the next day but if you don't make it harder, you stop getting muscle soreness. You don't need too much pain, that's detrimental.

The best book I've read so far for women is Bret Contraras Strong Curves. He recommends 4 short sessions per week. I mix and match at the moment, concentrating on my glutes and back right now, where he specialises. It is all explained really well in there.

Springfield1970

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

How to you train body weight squats progressively?

By getting fatter? Lol...

SnuggleSmacks

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

How to you train body weight squats progressively?

By doing different kinds of squats, all the way down to pistols. Although I contend (along with many others) that weighted squats are superior...you can do the progression of various squats with weights as well, so even pistol squats give you more bang than just bodyweight.

JoRocka

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

As long as she is training progressively, bodyweight exercises work just fine

How to you train body weight squats progressively?

body weight squat
Goblet squats
single leg squat
pistol squat
shrimp squat

Adding a little bit of weight to some of those can make them exponentially more difficult. Add 2-5 pounds to the extended leg on a pistol squat- totally different than adding 2.5 pounds to a bar.

Do a little research- there are tons of progressions- Waldo here is pretty much the resident expert on body weight and bulking- he's a genius.

strengthunbound.com

While barbell training is efficient and convenient, most wildly used- it is NOT the only way.

It's recommended you eat 1954 per day to maintain. Add 250 and you have 2200.

2200 is your daily bulking calories, but you must be in a good routine to make it work properly. It might be worth trying your 1950 maintaining figure of 1950 and learning the basics of your progressive weights programme (strong curves etc).

Spring's got most of it- I want to add- this number is not a fixed number- it's more like a moving target- like a RANGE.

And as you gain weight- and start working with more difficult weights/exercises- you'll need to eat more- so think of it as an arch that grows with you that's not a line- but a band.

I used to eat 1500 for maintenance- now it's my cutting weight- as I bulked this past winter- I jumped from 2200- to upwards of 3000 and it was still not enough toward the end.

I would also recommend - invest in some stretchy pants- and some flexible dresses. I pretty much lived in dresses all winter- forget jeans.

Tell you're significant other what you're doing- and ask them to bear with you- you will have fat days and feel miserable- be prepared- it will happen. It's okay- it will pass.

Also- I like setting a window- X is the minimum- Y is the maximum- 4-6 months is a good range- 4 is just long enough to get solid results and have time to tinker- 6 is for longer slower gains. I made it to 5- but I wanted to quit at 3.5- and I pushed through and some of my best gains were the last two months. it's mentally helpful to have a fixed idea- albiet flexible in terms of time- that way you have something to hold you to the course when you're feeling down but some flexibility if you bail early.

mank32

Body weight exercises will not cut it.

Where's Waldo??

:laugh:

I just love saying that

jobaby894

Perfect! I just got on the wesite ( strenghunbound.com), it has got a lot of interesting stuff. Thanks for referring it to me and for the advise. Everyone has been so helpful!

kdiamond

You need to keep the cardio at a minimum, eat 1700 calories extra a week on top of your tdee (which is definitely much higher than 1400) and get lifting heavy 3 x per week, adequate protein, and lots of rest in between to build the muscle.

Bulking is by far the best thing I ever did for my body. I've been fat phobic all my life. Ended up ironically 30% fat and no shape.

I'm about 18% now. It's like Goldie Hawns butt in Death Becomes Her. I've turned the clock back. That's a nice treat as I'm 43 and shouldn't be looking the way I do!

Give me your height, age weight and I'll help you find your numbers. Or go to Scooby's website. Carefully you don't screw up your numbers with too much cardio, it defeats the object of the bulk. You can do all that stuff afterwards when you cut again.

^^^ This x 10000

I was amazed what a bulk could do to my body.

I was 103 pounds and 25% body fat, now I'm 113 pounds and like 18% body fat. IT WORKS. (plus I eat SO MUCH MORE than I ever did)

martinel2099

Learn a good beginners heavy lifting program, Ice Cream fitness is a very popular one, and it's free to learn it.

You can build muscle and look great for free, I'd only recommend finding a good gym that has all the equipment you need. You don't need a silly coach or anything. There's lots of Youtube videos that will teach you all you need to now and again, for free.

alereck

Give me your height, age weight and I'll help you find your numbers. Or go to Scooby's website. Carefully you don't screw up your numbers with too much cardio, it defeats the object of the bulk. You can do all that stuff afterwards when you cut again.

I've been trying to figure this out and keep getting different numbers. If you would be so kind

5'7" 123 lbs 29 yoa
Currently I can only make it to the gym 3x week / 1 hour if it makes a difference

Thanks