How to build muscle

[PinkFloyd]

I've been really skinny my whole life and want some definition. I don't want to be a body builder or anything like that. I just want to have some bulk.

I went to GNC yesterday and bought a bag of 100% Whey protein. That's all fine and good but the problem is that I don't know how to use it. What are some good workout routines to gain abs, pecs, biceps, and triceps?

EDIT: I currently weigh 130 pounds. (59 kg) My height is 5 foot 10 inches (178 cm) and I can bench about 60 pounds. (27 kg) I don't know what I can lift because I haven't curled since I was like 11 or 12. My goal is to have defined abs, pecs, and arms that aren't super skinny.

[JoeDangit]

Weight lifting. I don't take supplements, but I can gain 5 pounds of lean muscle a month without using whey. But if I had a choice, I wouldn't pick GNC. I'd pick like Sport AST or something.

[Dortmund]

Plenty of pasta, rice and chicken to gain some bulk then gym to turn the bulk into muscle. That's what most of my friends seem to do.

[Uranus]

Well, what are you trying to do? How much do you currently weigh and how much can you lift? That can help us understand what stage you are in and where you should start when building muscle and strength.

Are you trying to just get a little bit of muscle and have the average teen strength?
A little bit more?
Body build?
Athletic strength?

Tell us a few more details and I'll try to help.

[PinkFloyd]

Well, what are you trying to do? How much do you currently weigh and how much can you lift? That can help us understand what stage you are in and where you should start when building muscle and strength.

Are you trying to just get a little bit of muscle and have the average teen strength?
A little bit more?
Body build?
Athletic strength?

Tell us a few more details and I'll try to help.

I currently weigh 130 pounds. (59 kg) My height is 5 foot 10 inches (178 cm) and I can bench about 60 pounds. (27 kg) I don't know what I can lift because I haven't curled since I was like 11 or 12. My goal is to have defined abs, pecs, and arms that aren't super skinny.

[Horatio Nelson]

Weight lifting is how you get muscle mass, but you have to eat enough when you workout too, or else it will all just burn off.

I'm not good at making up workout routines, but there are plenty of good websites out there to help with that.

I would definitely include workouts like pull ups, push ups, and sit ups. If you start doing those everyday or every other day, it will help your base strength, so lifting heavy weights won't be such a challenge.

[eli_w]

Chicken and eggs, protein's best friend. Also really damn cheap

I stay away from supplements and pills of all sorts that aren't just general daily vitamins, metabolic and dietary supplements all seem to have a catch, seems like

I always learned that when weight lifting, you want to GO FOR 2 sets of 10 reps each. The weight should be high enough that you can get to rep 7-8 of the second set before you're too weak to finish it. Do that every other day until you can manage the full 2 sets. After that, raise the amount of weight and repeat the process.

It's also important to let your muscles breath, you'll get stronger and quicker, lifting every other day/every 3 days rather than every single day. I'm only speaking in terms of specific muscle groups though, a lot of people do arms one day, legs the next, core the next, repeat, etc

[CosmicNoodle]

I might try and get into weight lifting once I reach my goal weight.

[Uranus]

I currently weigh 130 pounds. (59 kg) My height is 5 foot 10 inches (178 cm) and I can bench about 60 pounds. (27 kg) I don't know what I can lift because I haven't curled since I was like 11 or 12. My goal is to have defined abs, pecs, and arms that aren't super skinny.

So basically you are wanting to body build, in a certain way. I see

5'10, 130, bench 60. Hmmm sounds like you should start out simple and slow.

Eat very nutritious foods, with a good deal of protein per day. Rice, meat(All kinds from chicken to steak). Don't eat too much, but enough to help build muscle.. Go to the gym every day. Probably for an hour.

What I do, is always drink a protein shake right before I head into the gym. Preferably 40-60 grams.

I focus on 3 machines. Abs, arms, and legs. One machine for each. I don't tend to lift standard weights when I'm at the gym. The reason being is I can do that for like 10-15 minutes at home. At the gym I tend to use machines that make you pull against something for arm work. Something like an upright machine, where the handle is above your head and you pull down/away against the weight. I can lift all the weights to place on the machine there.

Legs, I tend to use to separate machines. One where you sit down on a workout chair, and your feet are below a metal bar, and you extend your legs forward by lifting the weight. I tend to find it easy, but very beneficial.

Another leg machine at my gym, not commonly used by many members, I where you sit upright, with the top of your legs/lap covered by a metal bar. And you place your toes on top of the floor bar. NOT your feet. And you lift the bar with your calves, which really burns and builds muscle.

And for abs I use a machine where you sit, and a metal bar is chest level against your chest. And you lean forward and downward, pushing against it with your ab muscles. And you will feel the burn. After about an hour doing those exercises you will feel it.

But yea, start out slow, and build your way up, and these machines are great for beginners, and pros.

[IAMWILL]

Okay, first off you're not going to explode and look like a bodybuilder in a couple months. That takes years of hard work and lots of drugs. Second, you're not going to get defined without first getting kinda big. A "lean bulk" is a myth, you can kinda do it, but you won't build near as much mass than if you fully commit to a bulk and cut later. That said, here's a few things you can do:

Step 1: calculate your TDEE using an onlince calculator, then eat 500 calories above it.
Step 2: Follow a beginners workout program. I recommend Stronglifts 5x5 (http://stronglifts.com/5x5/). If you feel like doing more try out Ice Cream Fitness (http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout), which is a lot like Stronglifts but accessory exercises.
Step 3: Experience mad gainz.

Its a long process, but you can make some serious progress in the first 3-6 months, depending on how consistent you are with diet, training, and rest. I'd focus on major compound movements first (Squad, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlift, and Pullups) before moving on to isolation exercises.

[Horatio Nelson]

Okay, first off you're not going to explode and look like a bodybuilder in a couple months. That takes years of hard work and lots of drugs. Second, you're not going to get defined without first getting kinda big. A "lean bulk" is a myth, you can kinda do it, but you won't build near as much mass thank if you fully commit to a bulk and cut later. That said, here's a few things you can do:

Step 1: calculate your TDEE using an onlince calculator, then eat 500 calories above it.
Step 2: Follow a beginners workout program. I recommend Stronglifts 5x5 (http://stronglifts.com/5x5/). If you feel like doing more try out Ice Cream Fitness (http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout), which is a lot like Stronglifts but accessory exercises.
Step 3: Experience mad gainz.

Its a long process, but you can make some serious progress in the first 3-6 months, depending on how consistent you are with diet, training, and rest. I'd focus on major compound movements first (Squad, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlift, and Pullups) before moving on to isolation exercises.

Super solid advice, because I've experienced it.

I went from needing a spot for 10 reps with a 45 pound bar to a 185 max squat in about 4 months. Same for bench press and deadlifts. As soon as I fully recover from my injury, I plan to further increase my mad gainz. :D It really isn't that hard, the only thing stopping you is commitment and desire.

[dirtyboxer55]

Super solid advice, because I've experienced it.

I went from needing a spot for 10 reps with a 45 pound bar to a 185 max squat in about 4 months. Same for bench press and deadlifts. As soon as I fully recover from my injury, I plan to further increase my mad gainz. :D It really isn't that hard, the only thing stopping you is commitment and desire.

how could you not squat the bar 10 times? were you emaciated?

[Horatio Nelson]

how could you not squat the bar 10 times? were you emaciated?


Quite the opposite actually. I had never squatted in my entire life, so there wasn't much to work with.

[Saint]

how could you not squat the bar 10 times? were you emaciated?

Considering everyone has to start somewhere,that just sounds like an ignorant remark,lol

[dirtyboxer55]

Considering everyone has to start somewhere,that just sounds like an ignorant remark,lol

no its not
most untrained people should be able to squat around 80lbs at least a couple times

[Saint]

no its not
most untrained people should be able to squat around 80lbs at least a couple times

Not sure where you're getting that information from,but there's a variety of factors to consider and that makes each number from each person different. Classifying "most" untrained people in being able to squat 80lbs right off the bat seems pretty ignorant to me.

[dirtyboxer55]

Not sure where you're getting that information from,but there's a variety of factors to consider and that makes each number from each person different. Classifying "most" untrained people in being able to squat 80lbs right off the bat seems pretty ignorant to me.

here's where im getting that information, its called strength standards
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/SquatStandards.html

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some places even state the average guy should be squatting even more than 80 lbs (which i dont blame them because 80 lbs is weak as hell)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/380767-how-much-weight-can-the-average-man-lift/

[Saint]

here's where im getting that information, its called strength standards
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/SquatStandards.html

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some places even state the average guy should be squatting even more than 80 lbs (which i dont blame them because 80 lbs is weak as hell)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/380767-how-much-weight-can-the-average-man-lift/

Look closer on the first site - "The performance standards are adult standards (>18 years old) for a single maximal repetition (1RM) "

As far as i can see,dude who posted earlier isn't 18 from his profile. There's a huge difference in a teens squat and a grown man who squats for the first time. Plus you were saying beginners should be able to squat 80lbs for a few times,however the site seems to state that it's just a 1rm.


I'm not trying to hate,but passing out judgement like how you were is just demoralizing to some and you aren't helping out the cause of them actually trying to get better. 20 lbs or 100 lbs,it's a starting point for some. and there are probably people who could squat 2x their bodyweight easily when they just started out with the bar.

[Plane And Simple]

here's where im getting that information, its called strength standards
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/SquatStandards.html

Inappropriate content Removed

some places even state the average guy should be squatting even more than 80 lbs (which i dont blame them because 80 lbs is weak as hell)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/380767-how-much-weight-can-the-average-man-lift/

Let's try and keep it nice and respectful over here alright? There's no need to insult anybody over something so minor.

[dirtyboxer55]

Look closer on the first site - "The performance standards are adult standards (>18 years old) for a single maximal repetition (1RM) "

As far as i can see,dude who posted earlier isn't 18 from his profile. There's a huge difference in a teens squat and a grown man who squats for the first time. Plus you were saying beginners should be able to squat 80lbs for a few times,however the site seems to state that it's just a 1rm.


I'm not trying to hate,but passing out judgement like how you were is just demoralizing to some and you aren't helping out the cause of them actually trying to get better. 20 lbs or 100 lbs,it's a starting point for some. and there are probably people who could squat 2x their bodyweight easily when they just started out with the bar.

yeah youre right bruh, my apologies to the 1% that cant squat 80. what does your last part even mean? of course there are people who can squat 2x bw after starting out low, everybody should be able to progress regardless of where they start. the reason i spoke with disbelief is that ive been to quite a few different gyms and never seen a guy squatting that low, even if they looked like a beginner, so im inclined to believe its prett rare

[RemxEatU]

You can start with the Lafay method. As protein foods take chicken, eggs, soy milk. To swell a little, take the rolled oats, bananas, etc ... If you want to get a gainer, you can buy some protein powder you put in a shaker with a banana and soy milk.

[athleticteen]

Pick up some weights.