Weight amount and reps for skinny guy suggestions!

kayemali
kayemali Posts: 59 Member
edited November 24 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello guys and girls I was woundering if anyone could help me!

So I'm a slim guy, 5'11, Weigh 60kg so barely average and I am currently trying to bulk up having about 3000 Cals a day from food and optimum nutrition gainer.

However with exercise I was reading online and it was saying for soneone of my size to gain size I need to do 12 reps of a weight where when I get to the 10th rep I should be nearly at fatality and on the 12th can't do no more, I want to know if this is true??

Lastly I want help with my chest, it will just not grow at all, I've been benignity the same weight (55kg) for a year and just can't seem to increase the weight or even grow, can anyone help?

Replies

  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    Meant to say benching the same weight*
  • dstromley90
    dstromley90 Posts: 60 Member
    There's huge difference between Size and strength. That bench number is meaningless if your after size. Fail in 8-15 range and take shortd breaks. Look up intensity boosters like drop sets and forced reps
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
    If you are just starting out lifting then look up a beginner routine. The following site has good information on not only what to do but why you are doing it.

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/

    There is no point complicating things before you really know what you are doing. Focus on the 6 main compound moves.

    Squat, Bench Press, Row
    Deadlift, Pullup/Pull downs, Overhead Shoulder press.

    Those will target all the core muscle groups and will also make sure that you are working in balance, every push has a pull.

    You should be able to complete all your sets/reps without failure but you shouldn't be able to complete another set at that weight.

    When you are able to complete all sets/reps at the current weight you need to increase the weight and start again.

    Concentrate on form before weight on the bar and stick to a basic routine for at least 6 months.
  • armylife
    armylife Posts: 196 Member
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    If you are just starting out lifting then look up a beginner routine. The following site has good information on not only what to do but why you are doing it.

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/

    There is no point complicating things before you really know what you are doing. Focus on the 6 main compound moves.

    Squat, Bench Press, Row
    Deadlift, Pullup/Pull downs, Overhead Shoulder press.

    Those will target all the core muscle groups and will also make sure that you are working in balance, every push has a pull.

    You should be able to complete all your sets/reps without failure but you shouldn't be able to complete another set at that weight.

    When you are able to complete all sets/reps at the current weight you need to increase the weight and start again.

    Concentrate on form before weight on the bar and stick to a basic routine for at least 6 months.

    This. Try starting strength, 5x5, Stronglifts, or similar. Try to avoid exercise ADD. As a person who is not very strong you will not add real size without adding strength. Once you establish that strength base you can then tailor your plan towards hypertrophy, absolute strength, or athletic skill development.
    3000 calories is also a big surplus, how much of that is coming from a weight gainer?
  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    Hey guys, thank you for all your feed back, however I have been going gym for a year now and made small gains bit bigger than I was and my chest has grown but it's just suddenly stopped.

    Also to armylife regarding calories, only 900 comes from the gianer and the rest is food which being chicken, rice, eggs, oats and nuts and avocados.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
    60kg at 5' 11" sounds like you're severly underweight.

    I'm barely 5' 10" and when I was a skeleton in high school I weighed 67kg. I weigh 83kg now and I still consider myself to be pretty skinny (profile pic was probably around 80kg)

    I agree with armylife that you should start a structured strength based program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength. I wasted a long time with 'exercise ADD'. I really wish I had that year back.
  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    jisr
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    60kg at 5' 11" sounds like you're severly underweight.

    I'm barely 5' 10" and when I was a skeleton in high school I weighed 67kg. I weigh 83kg now and I still consider myself to be pretty skinny (profile pic was probably around 80kg)

    I agree with armylife that you should start a structured strength based program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength. I wasted a long time with 'exercise ADD'. I really wish I had that year back.
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    60kg at 5' 11" sounds like you're severly underweight.

    I'm barely 5' 10" and when I was a skeleton in high school I weighed 67kg. I weigh 83kg now and I still consider myself to be pretty skinny (profile pic was probably around 80kg)

    I agree with armylife that you should start a structured strength based program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength. I wasted a long time with 'exercise ADD'. I really wish I had that year back.

    Thing is I've look and I'm just meeting not being underweight and nor do I look it, I'll try get a photo up.

    And fair enough I see what everyone is saying and going to Defo try but as said again, I've gained in everywhere else just not chest! So I don't see why should do all these other core ones if I'm growing everywhere else?? However I will take note and still try all this great feedback
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
    Hey man. As a beginner I would suggest you starting a 5x5 workout. Just type "5x5 workout for beginners" in Google and find one that suits you. A lot of people do "madcow" or "strong lifts". As a beginner lifter size will come quick sense your CNS is new to this type of work (known as "Noob gains") 5x5 is the perfect mix of hypertrophy and strength. Enough volume and intensity for you to see gains and obtain a good base knowledge of form and proper movement in compound lifts. Consistency is what it really comes down to. Find a program, stick with it, and hit those macros. Good luck man!
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
    Forgot to answer your chest question. I would suggest switching to DB press for a few weeks. Also there are multiple variables you can change when hitting a plateau:

    Volume - the number of sets and reps
    Intensity - the amount of weight
    Rest - time between sets

    These are basic changes to what is called "Progressive Overload". Your body will eventually adapt to the workload you placed on it.

    Last plateau I hit for bench I changed from a 3x5 to more volume and less intensity. 4 sets (increasing weight each set) - 15,12,8, AMRAP %60 of weight used for 8 reps (AMRAP - as many reps as possible). After doing this for 3 weeks I came back to my 3x5 sets stronger.

    Change a variable and shatter the plateau. Good luck man.
  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    boomshakalaka911 wrote: »
    Forgot to answer your chest question. I would suggest switching to DB press for a few weeks. Also there are multiple variables you can change when hitting a plateau:

    Volume - the number of sets and reps
    Intensity - the amount of weight
    Rest - time between sets

    These are basic changes to what is called "Progressive Overload". Your body will eventually adapt to the workload you placed on it.

    Last plateau I hit for bench I changed from a 3x5 to more volume and less intensity. 4 sets (increasing weight each set) - 15,12,8, AMRAP %60 of weight used for 8 reps (AMRAP - as many reps as possible). After doing this for 3 weeks I came back to my 3x5 sets stronger.

    Change a variable and shatter the plateau. Good luck man.

    Cheers man I appreciate that! Can you just explain what a DB press is please
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
    Dumbbell press
  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    See this 5x5 workout it seems really good, but everyone has said as a beginner, but I am not as been going gym for a year or more now and seen some gains, but do you still suggest the 5x5 and how long for?
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
    I still do 5x5 for certain workouts. I'm currently doing 5x5 for squats then switch to 4x8-12 for other movements. 5x5 rep scheme isn't just for beginners. It's just a good base for new lifters and an easy rep scheme to understand. Just research progressive overload and understand it. You can make your own rep scheme easily. I like to keep my compound movements heavier than isolation movements.
  • EzRemake
    EzRemake Posts: 128 Member
    At your weight, that's almost a 900 calorie surplus. You're going to put on ALOT of fat.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    One other thing - if your bench press isn't improving, how does this fit into your overall workout?

    The bench press does involve a number of muscles, and if you've already fatigued one of them by an earlier exercise, you may be very ineffectively stressing the others. Sometimes just changing up the order you do your exercises in can help. It's fine (and, in fact, good) to pre-fatigue the largest muscles used in a compound movement, but beginning a compound movement with one of the smaller muscles pre-fatigued means you won't really overload the remaining muscles, because the fatigued muscle will limit you too much.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    kayemali wrote: »
    See this 5x5 workout it seems really good, but everyone has said as a beginner, but I am not as been going gym for a year or more now and seen some gains, but do you still suggest the 5x5 and how long for?

    Yes. I'm running 5x5 now and not a complete beginner and I'm seeing huge benefits from it. I regret not doing it when I was a beginner. Plus, it sounds like you could use a solid base and this will give you that. If anything, maybe the Ice Cream Fitness, which is similar but adds some hypertrophy work.
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
    EzRemake wrote: »
    At your weight, that's almost a 900 calorie surplus. You're going to put on ALOT of fat.
    How can you say this? Everyone has a different metabolic rate.
    rankinsect wrote: »
    One other thing - if your bench press isn't improving, how does this fit into your overall workout?

    The bench press does involve a number of muscles, and if you've already fatigued one of them by an earlier exercise, you may be very ineffectively stressing the others. Sometimes just changing up the order you do your exercises in can help. It's fine (and, in fact, good) to pre-fatigue the largest muscles used in a compound movement, but beginning a compound movement with one of the smaller muscles pre-fatigued means you won't really overload the remaining muscles, because the fatigued muscle will limit you too much.

    True. Working on secondary muscles can help.
  • ajesmum
    ajesmum Posts: 11 Member
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  • armylife
    armylife Posts: 196 Member
    kayemali wrote: »
    See this 5x5 workout it seems really good, but everyone has said as a beginner, but I am not as been going gym for a year or more now and seen some gains, but do you still suggest the 5x5 and how long for?

    @boomshakalaka911 is right in suggesting 5x5 or a similar program. If you want to gain muscle size, you need to gain strength. And as for it being a beginners program think of it this way: Malcom Gladwell wrote in Tipping Point that 10,000 hours it was it takes to master a task. This excludes talent, money, and teachers but is a good starting point. Since there are only 9,125 hours in a year we can assume that unless you lift non-stop you have not mastered the lifts. Some of the people giving you advice have been lifting weights for the better part of 15-20 years and still go back to basic programs at times, because they work. If you are not capable of benching 1.5 times your body weight, squatting 1.75-2 times your body weight, and deadlifting 2-2.5 times your body weight, you are still lacking a lot strength and would be considered a beginner. The reason few people get into the 300/400/500 club and even fewer get into the 400/500/600 club is largely the lack of patience and need to over complicate a program. But, as with all things I could be full of it.
  • chriswalker123321
    chriswalker123321 Posts: 2 Member
    Hey just get hooked up with the Jym system and try Short Cut to Size on bodybuilding. Com
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
    kayemali wrote: »
    See this 5x5 workout it seems really good, but everyone has said as a beginner, but I am not as been going gym for a year or more now and seen some gains, but do you still suggest the 5x5 and how long for?
    You said you're benching 55kg. That would put you well into the beginner category for that lift. I would still highly recommend 5x5 stronglifts (or 3x5 starting strength).
  • Krisfit40
    Krisfit40 Posts: 106 Member
    You need to increase calories and make sure it's all good designed to help you grow. Lean meats and healthy carbs. Sound like you are a hard gainer so you will need to most likely eat a very high carb count every day and just keep adding food until you see the scale start to move. If you notice extra fat gain then dial it down a bit. Rep ranges won't matter if you don't feed for growth. I am 6' and 205 lbs and I have to eat 4200 calories a day to grow. And to answer the other part of your question, yes 12-15 is great for adding size. 60 seconds rest at most to ensure the muscle bellies stay flooded with blood and expand the muscle fascia
  • kayemali
    kayemali Posts: 59 Member
    I would just like to thank everyone for there comment s and suggestion! I did not expect this amount of feedback at all, I can see that nearly everyone is suggestion this 5x5 workout so I am Defo going to try this from money for a good few months and hope to see any changes.

    I would just like to ask does anyone know of any websites (post links) that I can look at so I know the correct amount of reps sets and amount of weight to be lifting and when to increase the weight.

    Once again thank you everyone. X
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    kayemali wrote: »
    I would just like to thank everyone for there comment s and suggestion! I did not expect this amount of feedback at all, I can see that nearly everyone is suggestion this 5x5 workout so I am Defo going to try this from money for a good few months and hope to see any changes.

    I would just like to ask does anyone know of any websites (post links) that I can look at so I know the correct amount of reps sets and amount of weight to be lifting and when to increase the weight.

    Once again thank you everyone. X

    The reps and sets are 5x5. That's why it's called that. The whole program is outlined on the Stronglifts 5x5 website. Have a look.
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