Help for the man in my life?
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Panda_Poptarts
Posts: 971 Member
Hi guys!
My husband went to the gym for the first time EVER with my yesterday, and we got a nice workout in. He's 46 and has always been skinny, but is on the pretty low end as far as muscle development goes.
He's looking to join my workouts, and wants to build muscle. Any tips? Does he need to add some weight first, or is he good if he's eating a surplus and using weights?
He's 5'9.5'' and 155, if that helps.
My husband went to the gym for the first time EVER with my yesterday, and we got a nice workout in. He's 46 and has always been skinny, but is on the pretty low end as far as muscle development goes.
He's looking to join my workouts, and wants to build muscle. Any tips? Does he need to add some weight first, or is he good if he's eating a surplus and using weights?
He's 5'9.5'' and 155, if that helps.
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Replies
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Eat at a surplus and use a progressive lifting program.
Has he lifted before?
Here is a list of beginner lifting programs:
Stronglifts 5x5 - http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
Starting Strength - http://startingstrength.com/
Ice Cream Fitness - https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
You can figure out his TDEE (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) and add 250 calories per day for a slow bulk. 500 calories or more would be what is called a 'quick bulk'.
Slow bulk - Takes longer, but the potential for fat gain is lower.
Quick/dirty bulk - Shorter time frame, but the potential for fat gain is higher.
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He's pretty much in the exact same place that I currently am. For reference, I'm 5'10", and now 157 lbs. Keep in mind that if he's been mostly sedentary for a long time, he's going to see a pretty quick jump in scale weight when he starts a heavy lifting regimen, especially if he supplements with Creatine (which is one of the few supps that are accepted to be a good idea for almost anyone). The main reason I mention this, is because if he suddenly switches to a surplus, it might freak him out to see a five to seven pound jump within a week or two, if he isn't expecting it.0
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Also, I am hesitant to make a caloric or even macro recommendation, because I don't know how much work he's going to be putting in. My daily intake would probably just make him fat, if he were to do something like a 3-4 day per week lifting schedule. Or he could have a higher CO than I do, and it would end up not being enough. He's really going to have to play with it, and most importantly, be consistent while trying to hammer out numbers.0
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »He's pretty much in the exact same place that I currently am. For reference, I'm 5'10", and now 157 lbs. Keep in mind that if he's been mostly sedentary for a long time, he's going to see a pretty quick jump in scale weight when he starts a heavy lifting regimen, especially if he supplements with Creatine (which is one of the few supps that are accepted to be a good idea for almost anyone). The main reason I mention this, is because if he suddenly switches to a surplus, it might freak him out to see a five to seven pound jump within a week or two, if he isn't expecting it.
The last time he was in a gym was literally decades ago lol. Although his work has kept him fairly active. We're going to have to play around with it a bit. I just wanted to make sure that he can start lifting without intentionally gaining weight first. He gains SO SLOW!0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »He's pretty much in the exact same place that I currently am. For reference, I'm 5'10", and now 157 lbs. Keep in mind that if he's been mostly sedentary for a long time, he's going to see a pretty quick jump in scale weight when he starts a heavy lifting regimen, especially if he supplements with Creatine (which is one of the few supps that are accepted to be a good idea for almost anyone). The main reason I mention this, is because if he suddenly switches to a surplus, it might freak him out to see a five to seven pound jump within a week or two, if he isn't expecting it.
The last time he was in a gym was literally decades ago lol. Although his work has kept him fairly active. We're going to have to play around with it a bit. I just wanted to make sure that he can start lifting without intentionally gaining weight first. He gains SO SLOW!
Give this a read, if he's actually serious about putting on muscle mass: http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2010/03/blue-collar-eating-for-mass.html0 -
Absolutely he can start without gaining weight first. He will find as he gets going that his appetite naturally changes to fit his activity level. Maybe direct him to bodybuilding.com, where you can make your own Bodyspace and find free programs, track every lift you do so you can chart your own progress, etc. I never lift without it
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He can certainly eat at a surplus now, noob gains + surplus would be amazing for muscle growth. @samanthaluangphixay suggested a bunch of good novice lifting programs, he should look at starting one of those. Stronglifts can a good iphone app if he decided to go that way. It'll tell you what to lift, how much weight to lift, times your rests, signals you to deload when you fail too much. I have a crappy memory so I love that app.0
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He can certainly eat at a surplus now, noob gains + surplus would be amazing for muscle growth.
This is what I am currently experiencing myself. My surplus is relatively mild (about +250 over my calculated needs), and I've picked up ten pounds in the last two and a half weeks, while the tape measure at the waist, and the calipers have stayed the same. Granted, I know that most of this is inflammation and water retention, but it's still crazy to see how fast it can run at first.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »He's pretty much in the exact same place that I currently am. For reference, I'm 5'10", and now 157 lbs. Keep in mind that if he's been mostly sedentary for a long time, he's going to see a pretty quick jump in scale weight when he starts a heavy lifting regimen, especially if he supplements with Creatine (which is one of the few supps that are accepted to be a good idea for almost anyone). The main reason I mention this, is because if he suddenly switches to a surplus, it might freak him out to see a five to seven pound jump within a week or two, if he isn't expecting it.
The last time he was in a gym was literally decades ago lol. Although his work has kept him fairly active. We're going to have to play around with it a bit. I just wanted to make sure that he can start lifting without intentionally gaining weight first. He gains SO SLOW!
Give this a read, if he's actually serious about putting on muscle mass: http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2010/03/blue-collar-eating-for-mass.html
+1 for this, it's a great resource.
It's important to note that if he's not training hard, but just doing circuits on machines or something, that way of eating will make him fat. Eating to his hunger would be a much better approach.
If he's learning to do the big three compound movements with heavy weight and low reps, following any of the programs that @samanthaluangphixay linked, or working with a real trainer that will help him learn to move real weight, that eating approach will serve him well.2 -
Thank you everyone! I've pointed him in the (hopefully) right direction!1
