Want to start lifting/bulking. Men's advice, please?

Rekindl3d
Rekindl3d Posts: 6
edited January 7 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I'm interested in building muscle and am not really sure how to get started. If there are any threads that already cover this, please let me know- I did a couple searches, but the results seemed to mostly pertain to 'New Rules of Lifting for Women'..

Here are my stats:

Height: 5'9
Weight: 165
Age: 26

From what I can find online, I'm assuming my body fat percentage is around 18 to 20%.

I don't have the option to work out in a gym right now, but can afford some new equipment for home. How did you get into weight lifting? Are you able to do everything at home? What kind of exercises did you start with, and how many reps per set?
Any advice on the types of equipment & routines I should look into/start with would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I'm doing all-pros routine at the moment. (its on the bodybuilding site, google all-pro routine.)

    I'm doing floor presses and front squats instead of bench and back squats since I'm at home currently.

    Starting Strength/Stronglifts doesn't translate as well without access to a bench/squat rack. I've done it previously.


    i have a standard barbell with 150lbs of plates, and an olympic barbell with 450lbs of plates for the work.
    I use jackstands.
  • Rekindl3d
    Rekindl3d Posts: 6
    I'm doing all-pros routine at the moment. (its on the bodybuilding site, google all-pro routine.)

    I'm doing floor presses and front squats instead of bench and back squats since I'm at home currently.

    Starting Strength/Stronglifts doesn't translate as well without access to a bench/squat rack. I've done it previously.


    i have a standard barbell with 150lbs of plates, and an olympic barbell with 450lbs of plates for the work.
    I use jackstands.

    Nice, thanks. Great advice, this information helps a lot.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Here's the link to the All-Pro routine that Wellbert mentioned:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

    It's a solid routine. If you're trying to bulk, try eating 250 calories over your TDEE for starters with around 1g protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're not putting on weight at that rate, try 500 calories over and see how that goes. If you want to bulk, you have to eat above maintenance to provide your body with the nutrients/calories it needs to build mass.

    Here are a couple of good articles to read about the subject:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-mistakes.html
  • JoshT360
    JoshT360 Posts: 20
    All-Pro routine? I'll look in to it, but i'll stay with what i'm doing. I think bro science is the why to go. I started by reading stuff at scoobysworkshop.com. I try to read everything I can get my hands on.

    Upper Body Day:

    Morning:
    Bench Press, Barbell 3s/13r
    Decline Bench Press 3s/13r
    Incline Bench Press 3s/13r

    Night:
    Triceps Extension 3s/13r
    Biceps Curl 3s/13r
    Barbell Row, Bent-over 3s/13r
    Shoulder Press 3s/13r
    Shoulder Shrug 3s/13r
    Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3s/13r

    Lower Body Day:

    Morning:
    Leg Curls 3s/13r
    Leg Extension 3s/13r
    Calf Raises, Single-Leg 3s/13r
    Squats 3s/13r

    With 2 rest day. Then start over.
  • Rekindl3d
    Rekindl3d Posts: 6
    Here's the link to the All-Pro routine that Wellbert mentioned:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

    It's a solid routine. If you're trying to bulk, try eating 250 calories over your TDEE for starters with around 1g protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're not putting on weight at that rate, try 500 calories over and see how that goes. If you want to bulk, you have to eat above maintenance to provide your body with the nutrients/calories it needs to build mass.

    Here are a couple of good articles to read about the subject:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-mistakes.html

    Excellent links, thanks so much.

    *Edited to say, also really appreciate the info about upping cals & protein.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    Check out craigslist or area thrift shops for weights. I wish I had room for a power rack. I've seen a few for sale for cheap on craigslist.
  • Rekindl3d
    Rekindl3d Posts: 6
    All-Pro routine? I'll look in to it, but i'll stay with what i'm doing. I think bro science is the why to go. I started by reading stuff at scoobysworkshop.com. I try to read everything I can get my hands on.

    Upper Body Day:

    Morning:
    Bench Press, Barbell 3s/13r
    Decline Bench Press 3s/13r
    Incline Bench Press 3s/13r

    Night:
    Triceps Extension 3s/13r
    Biceps Curl 3s/13r
    Barbell Row, Bent-over 3s/13r
    Shoulder Press 3s/13r
    Shoulder Shrug 3s/13r
    Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3s/13r

    Lower Body Day:

    Morning:
    Leg Curls 3s/13r
    Leg Extension 3s/13r
    Calf Raises, Single-Leg 3s/13r
    Squats 3s/13r

    With 2 rest day. Then start over.

    Wow, scoobysworkshop.com seems like a great website to learn from. Thanks. So you are separating your upper body workout days from your lower body workouts? Is there a reason for that?
  • Rekindl3d
    Rekindl3d Posts: 6
    Check out craigslist or area thrift shops for weights. I wish I had room for a power rack. I've seen a few for sale for cheap on craigslist.

    Yeah, definitely. Thanks. I am just about to check CL, seems like brand-new weights can be insanely expensive.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    All-Pro routine? I'll look in to it, but i'll stay with what i'm doing. I think bro science is the why to go. I started by reading stuff at scoobysworkshop.com. I try to read everything I can get my hands on.

    Upper Body Day:

    Morning:
    Bench Press, Barbell 3s/13r
    Decline Bench Press 3s/13r
    Incline Bench Press 3s/13r

    Night:
    Triceps Extension 3s/13r
    Biceps Curl 3s/13r
    Barbell Row, Bent-over 3s/13r
    Shoulder Press 3s/13r
    Shoulder Shrug 3s/13r
    Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3s/13r

    Lower Body Day:

    Morning:
    Leg Curls 3s/13r
    Leg Extension 3s/13r
    Calf Raises, Single-Leg 3s/13r
    Squats 3s/13r

    With 2 rest day. Then start over.

    Wow, scoobysworkshop.com seems like a great website to learn from. Thanks. So you are separating your upper body workout days from your lower body workouts? Is there a reason for that?

    More advanced bodybuilders can stress their bodies more, requiring more recovery time. A newbie can hit pretty much everything every other day for a long time and will just slow their progress by doing a split.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    All-Pro routine? I'll look in to it, but i'll stay with what i'm doing. I think bro science is the why to go. I started by reading stuff at scoobysworkshop.com. I try to read everything I can get my hands on.

    Upper Body Day:

    Morning:
    Bench Press, Barbell 3s/13r
    Decline Bench Press 3s/13r
    Incline Bench Press 3s/13r

    Night:
    Triceps Extension 3s/13r
    Biceps Curl 3s/13r
    Barbell Row, Bent-over 3s/13r
    Shoulder Press 3s/13r
    Shoulder Shrug 3s/13r
    Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3s/13r

    Lower Body Day:

    Morning:
    Leg Curls 3s/13r
    Leg Extension 3s/13r
    Calf Raises, Single-Leg 3s/13r
    Squats 3s/13r

    With 2 rest day. Then start over.

    Wow, scoobysworkshop.com seems like a great website to learn from. Thanks. So you are separating your upper body workout days from your lower body workouts? Is there a reason for that?

    It's so that you can lift on consecutive days without sacrificing rest (which is when the muscle actually gets built); rest upper body on lower body day and rest lower body on upper body day... alternate.

    Some people do a different muscle group once a week and do 5-6 different workouts a week.

    Lifting is lifting but whether or not you gain mass is dependent on diet. You must eat more than your body burns in a day in order to grow new muscle tissue.
  • JoshT360
    JoshT360 Posts: 20
    Wow, scoobysworkshop.com seems like a great website to learn from. Thanks. So you are separating your upper body workout days from your lower body workouts? Is there a reason for that?

    It's so I can go all out on them. chest, back and Legs are big muscles, they uses up a lot of energy. My goal is to break then down so they can rebuild. So I can make them gains. Normally chest and back would have there own day, but I'm trying to cut.
  • jeffsweightloss
    jeffsweightloss Posts: 314 Member
    I'm on a 10 week cycle. I start 2 weeks with light weights/ high reps (20). then 2 weeks increase the weights and go moderate reps (12-15). then 2 weeks increase the weights and go 10 reps. then 2 weeks increase the weights and go 6-8 reps. then 2 weeks 3-5 reps. Each phase you add different variables...like super sets, tri sets, bi sets, rest/pause...things like that. your muscles never get used to it. can make some nice gains with it.
  • Rekindl3d
    Rekindl3d Posts: 6
    This is all great information. I appreciate all of the advice.
  • wmagoo27
    wmagoo27 Posts: 201 Member
    Lots of good workout advice here. Find a program and follow it to a tee and you will see gains as long as you progress. The single most important thing to keep in mind when building muscle is nutrition. BB.com has one of the best muscle building nutrition forums that I have found. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=136691851

    Eat like you're starving, sleep like a baby, lift like a maniac. The gains will come.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    I second CL and GW. practically all our gym equipment and many other things in the house, came from there. (like new quality)
    It takes time to find what you want, close enough location, but it's worth it IMO. Always get a pic and relevant info before you pick up or meet with the person. Also, you may be interested in taking a look around Instructables.com. you can make your own equipment in many cases. weight vests, kettle bells, sand bag with a duffle bag. maybe you don't want to use those long term, but it's great
    in the meantime while you save up for better stuff, and you can try it out b4 you commit to paying a lot of dough.
    there's also ways to make your own leg press and other equipment specific to lifting.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    Without a gym you're going to have to be more creative... Go to a playground dips and pull-ups (+ variations) on the monkey bars. Push-up variations are fun and challenging, sprints (hill-sprints are a favorite) for legs/cardio. One-legged squats can be a good workout for your legs if you aren't accustomed to it. Bear/Spiderman crawls are always a blast. The amount of cardiovascular endurance you'll get from doing these exercises will translate well into high-intensity weight training sessions if you ever do get a gym membership.

    To bulk? Just eat more.
  • sarahdkurtz
    sarahdkurtz Posts: 16 Member
    Bumping for good info!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    More advanced bodybuilders can stress their bodies more, requiring more recovery time. A newbie can hit pretty much everything every other day for a long time and will just slow their progress by doing a split.
    ^ Truth.

    Here's an excellent article by Stuart McRobert (the author of Beyond Brawn and several other books about strength training) about selecting/designing a workout routine (note that he specifically advises against a split routine for novices):

    http://rippedbody.jp/2012/09/10/training-stuart-mcrobert-intermittent-fasting/


    Another article by Lyle McDonald, in which he extensively analyzes/discusses training frequency:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/training-frequency-for-mass-gains.html
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