WEEK FORTY-SIX :: How Can You Gain As Much Mass As Possible? [Archive]

mike15prepster

10-13-2005, 08:27 PM

To gain a lot of mass,it consist of 4 things

They are:

1. Eat Lots of Good, Clean Food.
2. Work-Out Hard.
3. Supplement Properly.
4. Sleep Long.

Even if you are not trying to get the pro bodybuiler physique all this is a good example of what your list to gain your results you want

You may see ads on the computer or on television that says "Gain 25 lbs in 3 weeks" or "Gain 3 inches of muscle on your arms in 3 workouts".Although most of these ads have "real" transformation,nearly all are frauds.Building muscle takes a long time and patience counts.

You may have have heard the phrase"Rome wasn't built in one day" and this is true with your muscles..

Nutrition

This is the most important factor in gaining muscle mass. Remember this: IF YOU DON'T EAT MORE CALORIES THAN YOU BURN YOU WILL NOT GAIN MASS NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRAIN.

Diet is very important in any type of weightlifting.But for gaining the MASS you want then your diet needs to consist of alot of calories.Growth processes demand a lot of calories and you have to do this EVERY DAY. In fact this is where almost everyone fails when it comes to building muscle mass. Don't worry about getting fat. If you're skinny and training hard you will burn the calories easy.

How much calories are we talking about?As a rule you have to eat 20-22 calories per pound of bodyweight.When you gain weight this number will rise.The amount of carbs should come from,carbs/fats/protein,Carbs/ protein/ fats should be 55/25/20%.If you don't gain weight, try to add 500 calories per day. If that isn't enough, add 500 more and so forth.

How many meals?3?9?16?No mostly a bodybuilders diet plan consist of 6-7 meals.3 big meals plus 2-3 smaller meals each day, 3 hours apart.I you eat more than 3 hours apart the body goes into a catabolic state, which means that it is burning muscle for energy!

Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You have been fasting for 8-10 hours and your body is in a catabolic state (eating muscle) so you need to feed it with a lot of food

Here is a example of a breakfest meal

Oatmeal, 16oz w/ milk
Protein shake
5 eggs (whole or just white)
French toast or Hot cakes (4)
Skim milk

TRAINING

Be sure to write down all training routines you do.

Now and then you will have to change your routine,so the muscles don't get use to the same routine.

Tain on monthly cycles. The first month train every other day half the body on the first day, rest day two, second half of the body the third day, rest on day four and so on.Nxt month train 3 on, 1 off, training the whole body over 3 days then taking a day off.The third month go back to training like the first month and so on.

The reason for this is that it keeps up the training intensity and keeps you brning out. If you train 5-6 days a week all year long, you at some point risk burning out or loosing interest in training.

Here is a example:

Training Program First Month

Training split 1 on, 1 off
Day 1: Chest/shoulders/arms
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Back/legs/waist
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Chest/shoulders/arms
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Back/legs/waist
Day 8: Rest
And so on...

Day 1

Chest:
Bench press: 5x12,10,8,6,4
Incline bench press: 4x12,10,8,6
Dumbbell pullover: 3x15,15,15

Shoulders:
Military Press: 4x12,10,8,6
Bent over laterals: 4x12,10,10,8

Biceps:
EZ preacher curl: 4x10,8,6,5
Alternate dumbbell curl: 4x10
Incline dumbbell curls: 4x8,8,6,6

Triceps:
Pulley pushdowns: 4x12,10,10,8
Lying French press: 4x10,10,8,6
Close grip bench press: 4x10,10,8,6

Forearms:
Wrist curls: 3x15,15,15

Day 2

Rest

Day 3

Back:
Wide grip pull downs to the front: 4x15,12,10,8
T-bar rows or one arm dumbbell rows: 4x10,10,8,8
Pulley rows: 4x15,12,10,8
barbell shrugs: 3x10,10,8

Legs:
Squat: 5x15,12,10,8,6
Leg press: 4x12,10,10,8
Leg curls: 4x12,10,8,8

Calves:
Standing calf raises: 4x15,12,10,10
Seated calf raises: 4x15,12,10,10

Waist:
Crunches

Second Month

Training split 3 on, 1 off
Day 1: Chest/arms
Day 2: Legs/waist
Day 3: Back/shoulders
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Chest/arms
Day 6: Legs/waist
Day 7: Back/shoulders
Day 8: Rest
And so on...

Day 1

Chest:
Bench press: 5x12,10,8,6,4 (Last 3 sets perform partials with heavy weight)
Incline dumbbell bench press: 4x12,10,8,6
Decline bench press: 4x10,8,8,6 ( If you have problem with your shoulders avoid this exercise and swap to Decline Flyes)

Biceps:
Alternate dumbbell curls: 4x10,8,6,5
EZ-Barbell curls: 4x10
Incline dumbbell curls: 4x8,8,6,6

Triceps:
Pulley pushdowns: 4x12,10,10,8
Lying French press: 4x10,10,8,6
Close grip bench press: 4x10,10,8, 6

Forearms:
Wrist curls: 3x15,15,15

Day 2

Legs:
Squat: 5x15,12,10,8,6
Leg press: 4x12,10,10,8
Leg extensions: 4x12,12,12,10
Leg curls: 4x12,10,8,8

Calves:
Standing calf raises: 4x15,12,10,10
Seated calf raises: 4x15,12,10,10
Donkey calf raise: 4x12,10,10, 8

Waist:
Crunches

Day 3

Back:
Wide grip pull downs to the front: 4x15,12,10,8
T-bar rows or dumbbell rows: 4x10,10,8,8
Superset:
Pulley rows: 4x15,12,10,8
Dumbbell pullover: 4x10,10,9,8
Deadlift: 3x8,6,4

Shoulders:
Upright rows: 4x12,10,8,6
Bent over laterals: 4x12,10,10,8
Barbell shrugs: 3x10,10,8

NOTES

1. Each workout should last no longer than 1 hour.
2. Take no more than 2 minutes rest between sets.
3. Always try for more weight or reps but NEVER sacrificing good form in your exercises.
4. Keep a training journal, this way you can keep track of your gains in strength.
5. When you train don't just try to lift the weight, try to feel how the muscles work as well - this will increase the intensity. Remember bodybuilding is about making the muscle work as hard as possible, not lifting as much weight as possible these are two different things

mike15prepster

10-13-2005, 08:47 PM

Supplements

Creatine, glutamine, and protein are 3 of the top supplements for gaining lean muscle and strength.EFA's and a good multi-vitamin is also possible

Creatine-Best taken 1/2 hour or so BEFORE a workout and again RIGHT after a workout.

What most people do is take a creatine/juice/protein drink about a half hour before a workout and than another shake right after.

This "bracketing" technique helps set up an anabolic (muscle-building) state for your muscles and helps prevent muscle breakdown from a workout (catabolism).

Other than these 2 opportune times, you can add another creatine serving or two any time throughout the day.

I usually recommend 25 to 30 grams of creatine on a loading phase and 10-20 grams a day on a maintenance phase.

Glutamine-Definitely take glutamine right before bed.

This is where the overwhelming research shows the value of glutamine raising growth hormone levels significantly by taking 5 grams before bed.

Also, another great time is upon waking, when your muscles have been without significant nutrition for up to 6-8 hours.

Another good time for glutamine is about a half hour or hour after working out.

This helps in the recovery/recuperation process from demanding workouts.

So, creatine definitely before and after your workout and glutamine right before bed and right upon waking.

Protein-The best times to take ANY protein drink or protein supplements are as follows.

When Should You Take It?

The most important time is right after a workout.
Your muscles are like a sponge and need instant nutrition for muscle recovery and growth.

Right before bed.
You're about to sleep for 6 to 8 hours. That's a long time without protein.

Could you imagine going throughout your day (when awake) not eating 6 to 8 hours?

Right before bed is important.

Right upon waking.
Same thing, you've just gone 6 to 8 hours without proper nutrition. Your body needs protein quick.

Half hour before a workout.
This sets up the "anabolic window" before your workout and provides your muscles with adequate nutrition so that the effects of weight training (weight training breaks down muscle-called catabolic) are not as severe.

These are the best times for protein. It can be regular whole food or protein supplements, again, based on what you can afford. Protein supplements may be better than whole food in these times because its digested quicker.

Make sure to start at the top and work down. If you can afford 4 servings, you'll really notice the difference in muscle gains and fat loss.

Sleeping
Here is a article that I first read when I visited this website

Sleep & Muscle Growth
By: Brent Vlcek

Probably the most important part of the recovery cycle is sleep. But how many of you get enough sleep? Work, parties, homework and studying try to attack your sleep patterns. A way to tackle this problem is time management, but that is not the subject for this article. Nonetheless, recovery, which is the period during which muscle growth occurs, will not take place without enough sleep.

First, what does rest mean? Rest is the period in between workouts that includes low energy loss activities. Each body part requires a different number of days to recover. Hypothetically speaking, every time you workout, you should be stronger than the previous time, given you have allowed yourself enough rest. It may appear that your muscle have grown during a workout. That pumped feeling is just rushing blood and stretched muscle fibers. How much should one get? That answer is totally up to the individual. So where does sleep equate with the phenomenon of rest? The number one reason sleep is important is because Growth Hormone rises during deep sleep, which often begins about 30-45 minutes after falling asleep. The amount of sleep is also another individualistic temperament. Generally, 6 to 12 hours of sleep are sufficient. As long as you feel rested the next day, then your accomplishments in the sack have paid off (no pun intended). I once read that if you had enough sleep, you should not need an alarm clock to wake up. Also, there's a myth that if you get more hours of sleep before midnight, your sleep will be more fulfilling - something worth trying out. So what can be done if your alarm clock is annoying the $#*@ out of you?

If you had a bad nights sleep, make it up the next time. If you absolutely need to stay up late, take naps during the day. Some of the best bodybuilders in the world take naps, so it's not corny. Twenty minutes of nap time is, as heard from some source, equivalent to 2 hours of sleep. Do not drink caffeine or water before bed. If you must drink something, have a glass of warm milk. There is a chemical in milk, that if activated by heat, causes the body to become soporific. Water will make you go to the bathroom and drinking caffeine before bed is self explanatory. Speaking of water, a warm shower will also aid in your quest to achieve the best sleep possible.

Probably my favorite supplement is ZMA. After taking one ZMA before bed, I wake up, regardless of the number of hours I slept, feeling refreshed and recharged. Claimed to increase testosterone, this supplement is a must in any bodybuilders arsenal. Thermogenics are not going to help your sleep process. If you are taking thermogenics, it is best to take them early in the morning.

Sleep can be broken down into 4 stages - First Stage, Second Stage, Third Stage and Fourth Stage. The 3rd and 4th stages are the most important stages during sleep because they pertain to physical activity. The stages are "completed" with relation to time in sleep. For instance, say a person slept for an hour, they probably would have only reached stage 1. Getting more UNINTERUPTED sleep is key to reaching stages 3 and 4. Furthermore, during slumber, the brain enters rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, so called because the eyes dart back and forth under the lids. During REM sleep, the brain resets chemicals in the emotional centers and clears short-term memory banks, where the day's events are stored temporarily. Without enough REM sleep, people become cranky and depressed; their memory and judgment are impaired; and they perform poorly on tests of reaction time (US News & World Report).

An interesting study found that sleep deprivation caused the body to lose the hormone leptin. "Leptin tells the body when it should feel full; when leptin levels drop, the body craves carbohydrates. That's what happened after a week of sleep deprivation, Van Cauter found. "With the low leptin levels of sleep debt, your body will crave carbohydrates even though you've had enough calories," she says (US News & World Report).

With all this information, the importance of sleep should not be overlooked. Sleep plays a role in protein synthesis, the release of GH and gives you the necessary energy needed for another day in the gym. Although it may be hard to find time during the week to get enough sleep, make it up on the weekends. Follow the above tips and tricks of getting your Zs and you should be one the road to recovery which eventually intersects with Muscle Growth Street.

All of this information will get you gaining lbs of muscle and bigger mass,but remember the sayin"Rome wasn't built in one day".

,Mike Kramer

mike15prepster

10-13-2005, 08:58 PM

Just forgot this.

Arms + 1 1/2"
Chest + 1 3/4 inch
Quads + 1 3/4 inch
Calves +1 3/8 inch
Weight + around 35-40 lbs

bigsmellypoppa

10-14-2005, 08:36 PM

Good post, your workout is poorly balanced though.

belmont316

10-14-2005, 09:46 PM

in my very humble opinion, for me the best way to gain mass is to imagine yourself as a ravenous beast with a perpetual thirst and hunger for protein. the power of the mind induces a craving. i think for gaining mass diet is the biggest part so when i wake up everyday, in my fog, i say to myself. unleash the beast, devastate the feast. that means inhale as many quality foods as you can as often as you can handle it. that and eating before workout and after also something i supplementthat helps me is twinlab amino fuel before and after working out i keep it in my car i take it right before i go in and right after, so its convienent. other than that u must lift like a f'ing savage, with no mercy for anything. u must really learn to motivate yourself, think of all the fat people, the weaklings, the beta males, whatever fuels your desire to lift. for me i just always envision the day that i will be the most ruthless, the most devastating, most ferocious and freakishly powerful son of a b*tch at my gym. that and girls motivate me, sometimes when i lift im only thinking of boobs and moving the weights as if i were moving my hands closer to the boobs. that works for me lol.

anyway, in summary. EAT BIG, LIFT BIG, THINK BIG, GET BIG. thats the program. now get with it.

mlaracuente

10-14-2005, 10:37 PM

sword chucks

10-15-2005, 12:47 PM

no i think its ok, its good to get different viewpoints from people plus alot of what us kids know is learned from people with experience

image101

10-15-2005, 02:01 PM

that and girls motivate me, sometimes when i lift im only thinking of boobs and moving the weights as if i were moving my hands closer to the boobs. that works for me lol.

Wtf?

thebutcher01

10-15-2005, 02:11 PM

Eat Big but clean, lift heavy, use lots of compound movements, drink 2 gallons of water, supplement properly, and steroids never hurt if done right!

lawdog10

10-15-2005, 03:32 PM

Steroids are you f--king crazy if you can't do it clean don't bother doing it period

lilDEX2112

10-15-2005, 08:37 PM

tregun

10-16-2005, 09:01 PM

Steroids are you f--king crazy if you can't do it clean don't bother doing it period

One word: naive.

perldog007

10-16-2005, 09:59 PM

How Can You Gain As Much Mass As Possible?

There are countless ways to gain muscle mass. Various athletic pursuits and vocations will add muscle to the human frame.

I know a man who exclusively overeats. Aged in his late thirties he has not exercised since high school football practice. At 6'5" and 560 lbs he is a monster, capable of freakish displays of strength. He must have about 290 or so pounds of solid muscle. Most of us would not want to carry the rest of that five hundred and sixty pounds in fat just to have that kind of strength.

What we are after here is optimum muscle mass gains in the shortest amount of time while adding the least amount of fat. Let's look at Arnold and Franco Columbu. Both won the Sandow, and both started as powerlifters.

In fact, both of them wrote about how important powerlifting (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Powerlifting) was to their foundation and how the big three ( squat, deadlift, and bench press) continued to be important to their bodybuilding.
What is the best workout for the biggest mass gain?

Now this is a great question. The best workout for Lee Priest may not be the best program for Dorian Yates.

Specifics aside, there are some principles that will apply to all.

Heavy compound movements like the squat and deadlift performed with free weights are known to increase testosterone. These mass builders should be a cornerstone of any program to build serious muscle. Arnold reccomends taking one of the Big Three (Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press) to a one rep max once a week.

Because these movements are impossible or at least of limited value with an injured or weak lower back, we must train the lower back specifically at least once and some would say twice a week.

Heavy weights and relatively low reps are needed. In order to recruit fast twitch fibers and make them bigger, some ballistic lifting will be helpfull. Negatives, the cheating principle and sets to failure will be enlisted. Free weights are considered to be better than machines for developing stabilizer muscles, and dumbells have similiar advantages over barbells.

Stretching before and after working out is beneficial. Stretching the muscle before lifting readies the muscle for action. Stretching after helps the blood gorged muscle grow by making the fibers expand. Arnold knew that stretching his pecs with dumbell flys' after getting a good pump would greatly develop his chest. Even today approaching retirement age, the man has a great chest.

Some bodybuilding.com readers are MMA fighters or practicioners of other martial arts. They have seen people eat three squares (or less) a day, do psycho cardio, and put on muscle without lifting. Could all that stretching have anything to do with it?

If you don't know a good stretching routine, most karate schools can teach you one. Some will even let you take a free class! Arnold's "Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" also has a good stretching tutorial.

The body can adapt to almost any routine so the best workout for gaining muscle is one that is constantly evolving.

Drop sets (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dropsets.htm) are well suited to mass gaining.

Cardio counts (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glen9.). Both Arnold and Franco wrote about how they use running to increase heart and lung capacity and capillary function to build bigger muscles.

So let's take a shot at a serious mass building program for a 6 month off season. Here is an example routine for six months that adheres to the principles we have discussed.

perldog007

10-16-2005, 10:07 PM

Before beginning;

consult with your doctor!
measure yourself, arms, thighs, calves, chest, waist, forearms, neck
weigh yourself
document your one rep max of squat, deadlift, and bench
if possible know your bodyfat
after your physical, record your blood pressure and resting heartrate
write down your goals for this program, be specific and think big

Month 1 & 2

Week 1 , do heavy squats working up to one rep max.
Week 2 , do bench press working up to one rep max.
Week 3 , do heavy squats working up to one rep max.
Every workout, pick one exercise for exaggerated negatives.
Pick one more for cheating extra reps after failure.
Use 70% of max for all sets, reducing only if needed to preserve form.

Day one -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Barbell Bent Over Rows - 8 reps, 3 sets
Bench Press - 8 reps, 3 sets
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns - 8 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell flys - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated calf raises - 15 reps, 4 sets
Swiss ball crunches 25 reps.
After workout - hang from chin up bar, front bends, one favorite stretch.
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day two -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Leg Curls - 15 reps, 3 sets
leg Extensions - 15 reps, 3 sets
Squats - 12 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball crunches 25 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends.
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day three -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Ez-bar Curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Triceps Pulldowns - 8 reps, 3 sets
Ez-bar Reverse(pronated) Curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated Barbell Triceps Extensions - 8 reps, 3 sets
Standing calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 25 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day four -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Barbell Shrugs - 8 reps, 3 sets
Military press - 8 reps, 3 sets
Deadlifts - 10 reps, 3 sets
Lateral side raises - 8 reps, 3 sets
Standing calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 25 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day five -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before cardio - full body stretch routine
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day six -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before cardio - full body stretch routine
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
OPTIONAL! 2 exercises for one lagging bodypart -
If done, add 1 serving Muscle Milk to daily intake
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day seven -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
While relaxing - gentle full body stretch routine
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Month 3

Key Points
We will focus on Dumbells to ward off adaptation and enhance stabilizer muscles.
On day 6 we will get in a bicep workout because everybody wants big guns.

Day one -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell Hammer curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell triceps kickbacks - 8 reps, 3 sets
Pronated dumbell curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Lateral side raises - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated overhead dumbell triceps extensions - 8 reps , 3 sets
Arnold Presses - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball crunches 35 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day two -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell Lunges - 15 reps, 3 sets (both sides)
Dumbell squats - 12 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell side lunges - 15 reps, 3 sets (both sides} {_duh_)
Standing Dumbell calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 35 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, good back stretch
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day three -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
One arm rows - 8 reps, 3 sets
Incline db press - 8 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell flys - 8 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell shrugs - 8 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball crunches 35 reps.
After workout - hang from chin up bar, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day four - db deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, lateral raises, arnold presses, wrist curls

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell deadlifts - 10 reps, 3 sets
Lateral raises - 8 reps, 3 sets
Dumbell stiff legged deadlifts - 10 reps, 3 sets
Arnold presses - 8 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 35 reps.
After workout - hang from chin up bar, hurdler stretch
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day five -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before cardio - full body stretch routine
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day six -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell hammer curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
reverse (pronated) curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Concentration curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
After workout - Hurdlers, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day seven -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
while relaxing - full body stretch routine
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Month 4

Key Points
Alternate between warming up, and pyramiding to max/or drop sets from 80%.
Full body stretching before and after every workout
Crunches and Superman exercises on cardio days along with stretching

powerlifting this month

Day one - squat

Day two - cardio (30 minutes max, 70-80% of age adjusted maxmimum heart rate)

Day three - bench press

Day four - cardio

Day five - deadlift

Day six -
heavy bag - one minute rounds, 1.5 minutes rest until;

the bag's corner throws in the towel
the bag gets knocked out
you score three knockdowns
the bag taps out.

Seriously keep track of how many rounds you can do, throw at least one punch a second. I think you will be surprised at how far you progress in one month of powerlifting and light cardio.

Day seven -
rest

perldog007

10-16-2005, 10:13 PM

Month 5 & 6

These two months are very similiar to Months 1 &2

Week 1 , do heavy squats working up to one rep max.
Week 2 , do heavy bench press working up to one rep max.
Week 3 , do heavy squats working up to one rep max.
Every workout, pick one exercise for exaggerated negatives.
Pick one more for cheating extra reps after failure.
Use 70% of max for all sets, reducing only if needed to preserve form.
All cardio should be done first thing in the a.m. on an empty stomach.

Day one -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Barbell Bent Over Rows - 8 reps, 3 sets
Incline Bench Press - 8 reps, 3 sets
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns - 8 reps, 3 sets
Incline Dumbell flys - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated calf raises - 15 reps, 4 sets
Swiss ball crunches 25 reps, 2 sets
After workout - hang from chin up bar, front bends, one favorite stretch.
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day two -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Leg Curls - 15 reps, 3 sets
leg Extensions - 15 reps, 3 sets
Barbell Lunges - 10 reps, 3 sets
Squats - 12 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 45 reps.
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends.
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day three -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell Concentration curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Triceps Pulldowns - 8 reps, 3 sets
Ez-bar Reverse(pronated) Curls - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated Barbell Triceps Extensions - 8 reps, 3 sets
Standing calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball crunches 25 reps, 2 sets
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day four -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Before workout - full body stretch routine
Dumbell Shrugs - 8 reps, 3 sets
Seated Military press - 8 reps, 3 sets
Deadlifts - 10 reps, 3 sets
Lateral side raises - 8 reps, 3 sets
Standing calf raises - 15 reps, 3 sets
Swiss ball reverse crunches 25 reps, 2 sets
After workout - hurdler stretch forwards & leaning back, front bends, side bends
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day five -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before cardio - full body stretch routine
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
Swiss ball crunches - 25 reps, 3 sets
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day six -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
Before cardio - full body stretch routine
Cardio- 30-45 minutes, 70-80% of age adjusted maximum heartrate
OPTIONAL! 2 exercises for one lagging bodypart -
If done, add 1 serving Muscle Milk to daily intake
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

Day seven -

First thing in the morning - Read 6 month program goals out loud (mind training)
While relaxing - gentle full body stretch routine
Before going to bed - read 6 month goals out loud (mind training)

perldog007

10-16-2005, 10:23 PM

What is the best diet for gaining mass?

The law of caloric balance states that we must consume more calories than we burn to gain muscle mass. Exceptions to this rule exist, but they are beyond the scope of our discussion here.

Traditional bodybuilding demands that a builder bulk in the off season (winter) gain alot of weight, fat and muscle, then shed the fat in a cutting cycle before competition.

Thirty years ago, Arnold figured out that something was not quite right with this program. Arnold quit dieting a week out from the show, while others starved right up until seconds before going onstage. Meanwhile the Oak had been getting carbs for a week. The results speak for themselves.

In his book "Winning Bodybuilding" also way back in the Seventies, Franco Columbu also disagreed with the unabashed bulk. He advocated a more temperate approach than the traditional six month bulk, stating that it attracts fat which is "about as welcome as a shark at a shipwreck".*

Fast forward to the mid 90's. TjorgBjorg Ackerfeldt (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/scott3.htm) is interviewed by Bill Phillips in Muscle Media 2000 online. Ackerfeldt talks about his Anabolic Cycle of Diet and Exercise. According to Ackerfeldt many diets such as high carb, low protein, high fat, low carb, etc all had scientific backing. Ackerfeldt noticed that all the studies were for thirty days or less and hypothesized that the human body responds to change.

Bill Phillips follows the ABCDE program and writes an article proving to the world that this plan is the WORD. TjorgBjorg is never heard from again, possibly abducted by aliens near St. Paul. Many people have a hard time dieting strictly for two weeks, some can't overeat for two weeks, some can't do either. Those that can and do seem to get results.

Fast forward to the 21st Century. Tom Venuto (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/venuto.htm) is the author of the number one diet e-book in the world. Tom tells us that the zig zag method of caloric cycling is the way to go. Alternating high and low calories keeps the body from adapting to a regimen. Prolonged periods of low calories cause muscle sparing in an attempt to protect fat stores. Neither is what we want here.If caloric intake is high for very long, the body begins to gain more fat than muscle.

If we just wanted pure mass at any expense we could do what my huge 560 pound friend does, eat like hell and not worry about it. There are very few bodybuilders who are going to beat him in a deadlift. There are no posing trunks made for his 65 inch waist. He does draw a crowd at the beach, and certain twisted little chicks dig that sort of thing. Anybody want his to follow his program?

The goal is to find your ideal macronutrient ratio and cycle calories. Since we are after mass gain here we want to go heavy on days that we lift and light on rest and cardio days. The zone diet of 40/40/20 is a good macronutrient ratio to start with. Endomorphs can be a bit insulin sensitive and may need less carbs, ectomorphs may need more. Perversely, endomorphs may also need more fat.

It is exactly at this point that a meticulous diet log comes in handy. If you don't know where you have been, you can't know where you are going.

The science behind this approach is relatively simple. After a period of caloric deficit the body is primed to take in large amounts of nutrients and put on some muscle. After gaining some strength, the body will store fat in anticipation of some lean times. When faced with an abrupt deficit in calories, the body will use fat for energy. With adaptation, the body will lower the metabolism by eating it's own muscle and guard it's fat supply.

By not letting the body adapt to high or low calories, we can constantly gain muscle and keep fat at bay. Here is a sample diet for a 180 pound bodybuilder in off season shape with 10% bodyfat. Or an athlete of any size with 162 lbs of lean body mass.

Of course we will keep to six meals a day, and drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of bodyweight at a minimum.

With the workload we have perscribed, our 180 pound bodybuilder with 10% bodyfat needs 3430 calories per day to maintain his weight. We want him to gain muscle, and we want to keep fat bulking to a minimum.

Here is our Smart Bulk Plan

For the first twelve weeks the formula is simple. We want our man to consume 4430 calories per day on the four lifting days, then go down to 2930 on the non-lifting days. This will give us a 30,000 calorie surplus in three months.

In month four it gets a little crazy. Our builder is powerlifting and we want him to eat 4340 calories every day, except on his day of rest, he will only consume 2400 calories. Now our man has consumed 50,000 extra calories since beginning his bulking program. He has gained almost 14 pounds.

In month five, we want our trainee to consume 4100 calories on his lifting days and cut back to 2800 on cardio only days. In four weeks he will lose a few ounces but improve his bodyfat back to below 10%. In month six we want him to consume 4600 calories on lifting days and 3100 on cardio only days.

A sample 2800 calorie day

Meal one - one cup blueberries, 1/2 cup oatmeal with one scoop vanilla Solid Muscle whey 398
Post workout shake - one cup blueberries, one scoop SOlid Muscle, one scoop designer whey 338
meal two - 6 oz lean eye of round, 4 oz potato - 437
meal three - eas Myoplex carb sense MRP bar - 250
Meal four - 2 scoops designer whey - 180
Meal five - one cup brown rice, 8 oz lean eye of round, one tomato. 602
Meal six - one slice whole wheat bread, 3 oz pouch alabacore tuna - 210
snacks 3 oz lean eye of round, 2 ounces light string cheese - 281

A sample 4500 calorie day

meal one - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 6 oz lean eye of round steak, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil - 701 calories 8:30
meal two - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 3 egg whites, 1 egg- 275 calories 11:00
meal three - one bowl mixed field greens with 2 tbsp e.v. olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 8 oz grilled boneless skinless chix breast - 518 cakories 1:45 p.m.
post workout drink - 16 oz 1% milk, 1 serving muscle milk - 458 calories
meal four - one bowl mixed field greens with 2 tbsp e.v. olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 8 oz grilled boneless skinless chix breast, one GNC MRP pack, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 3 oz chunk light tuna in sunflower oil -963 calories - 4:30 p.m.
meal five - TWO SLICES WHOLE WHEAT BREAD, 3 oz chunk light tuna in water- 270 cals - 7:10 p.m.
meal six - Hardee's low carb thickburger, 4.25 oz roasted cashews - 1270 calories - 10:30 p.m.

What are some good mass gaining supplements?

As always, the best supplements are good food and water. If you don't have a solid nutritional base the effects of your workout, and your supplements are going to be diminished.

In keeping with the principle of adaptation, we will identify some supplements as basic and others to be cycled.

Basic Supplements -

Multivitamin (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/multi.html) - manufacturer's recomended dosage
Fiber (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/fiber.html) - at least six grams daily
Flaxseed oil (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/flax.html) - 2 tbsp or more daily
Glutamine (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/glutamine.html) - at least 5 grams taken at bedtime
Whey protein (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/whey.html) - enough added to your diet to get 1.5 grams per lb of lean mass.
Muscle milk (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cs/milk.html) - pre& post workout

Supplements for Months 1,2,4, & 6 -

Endocre3 (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bbs/endo.html) - 10 grams daily.
BSN Nitrix (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bsn/nitrix.html) - manufacturer's dosage.

Supplements for Months 1,3, & 5 -

Ecdysterone (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sf/ecdy.html) - 1.2 grams per day, taken in 300 mg doses with high protein meals.
Methoxy-7 (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sf/meth.html) - at least 600 mg. per day, divided doses.
Ipriflavone (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ipri.html) - 1.2 -2 grams per day divided into four doses.
HMB (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hmb.html) - manufacturer's dosage.

BONUS QUESTION: With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?

On our Smart Bulk our man has gained 14 lbs of muscle and 2 pounds of bodyfat. This will leave our man with 10.21% bodyfat and an easy "cut" to get below 10% with plenty of new muscle left.

* Quote taken from "Winning Bodybuilding" by Franco Columbu.

richirich_99

10-16-2005, 10:25 PM

There is not one way to gain mass taht will work for everyone, but there are a few basic guidelines that will definalty help with putting on mass. THe first is to eat, and eat lots and often. Eat as many clean calories as you can handle. You should try to eat at least 5 times a day, if not 7-8 times. Dont go more than 2 1/2 to 3 hours without eating. Your body will begin to go into a catbolic state. To gain the most mass possible, you have to have your body in an anabolic state as much as possible. For the eating, eat at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight, better yet eat 1.5 to 2 grams per pound. Carbs should come from good clean sources such as brown rice, yams, whole-wheats. Try to eat at least 3 to 4 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. The only times that you really need to eat simple carbs is before and after your workout. Also, dont be afraid of fats, eating healthy fats will tremendously help with gaining mass. good sources include nuts, olive oil, flaxseed, salmon, or you can also take it in supplement form. Just remember, to gain mass you MUST eat more calories than you burn.

Following eating, you MUST train like a madman. When you go into the gym, be mentally and physically focused. Stick to the basics compound movements such a squats, deadlifts, bench. You workout should revolve around these movements. Also, to gain mass, you have to lift heavy and explosive. Dont be afraid to do a few isolation exercises at the end of your workout to completely blast your muscles. Your reps should be in 6-10 range, if you can lift a weight for more than 10 reps its too light. Dont completely avoid cardio, but dont overdo it either. Doing cardio once or twice a week will actually help you gain more mass; just remember to eat the additional calories that you burned doing cardio.
Next is supplementin properly to maximze lean mass gains. The number one supplement must be protein, taking a protein supplement first thing in the morning, right before and after lifting, and before bed are the most crucial times to take it. Another must have supplement is creatine. I would suggest taking about 20 grams while loading, and 10-15 grams every day after that. The best times to supplement with creatine are first thing in the morning, before, and after lifting. Glutamine is a must have supplement as well. Taking glutamine will greatly enhance your gains. Many protein supplements these days have glutamine, which is great, but you can still supplement with it if you feel the need, or your protein supplements dont have it, or if you cant afford protein supplements and are relying on whole foods which is fine. Taking glutamine first thing in the morning, after working out and before bed is the best time to take it. Another very important, and highly overlooked supplement is a good multi vitamin. You should take this every morning to help with muscle gains and overall health. If you feel the need you can also add an EFA supplement.
The next requirement for gaining mass is sleep! You must sleep, and sleep as much as you can. Your muscles dont actually grow while working them, they grown during rest. Sleep at least 8 hours every night, more if you can. Also, if you can take a nap during the day.The more sleep the greater your gains will be.
With the proper supplementing, diet, training, one could expect to gain about 20 to 30 pounds during a six month bulk. Beginner could experience ever more than that. Always remember to mix up your workouts, but never leave out the basics. Mix things up every 4 to 6 weeks or so, otherwise your body will adapt and your gains will tapper off. mixing things up will ensure that your gains will steadily continue.

lawdog10

10-17-2005, 06:28 AM

One word: naive.You can think whatever you want,I would have thought you would know better but guess not. I may be naive but I am also clean. enough said!!!!!

Maddawg

10-17-2005, 07:35 PM

Sleeping long can really help you grow faster and more? I get 6 and a half hours of sleep a day.

perldog007

10-17-2005, 10:48 PM

Does anyone else find it disturbing to see 15 year olds giving advice on these boards?? I would think 5-10 years of experience would be required to actually have tried everything for themselves before recommending anything to the public.

I respectfully have to disagree, one old timer to another. Many of these young bucks have a lot of knowledge. Can't you remember when you were fourteen and knew everything ? ;) . I will sit here all night and read advice from teenagers happily rather than read the newspaper or watch the news and hear about how they got hurt, overdosed, got arrested, etc.

Besides, I have noticed that these days there are quite a few high school aged atheletes getting big and gaining serious mass without gear. My nephew for one. They must be on to something.

All you youngbloods, stay strong, stay clean, and keep posting. My son is a nineteen year old Marine with a decent build. If he had a post, I would read it.

If you young 'builders are getting big, go ahead and let us old timers know what is working for you. We might accidently learn something.

tylerb456

10-18-2005, 01:43 AM

People Will tell you to tape yourself and weight your self. IF you want to gain mass only thing you need to worry about is the weight you stack on the bar each time. I went from 185 to 255 three times in a course of 2 and half months with no supplements.I went from 135 to 185 in the power cling and I went from 225 to 275 in the squat. 25 to 50 on hammer curls and went from 80 to 150 in the tri press down. So it worked for me and i hope it works for you. Always remember to work on form, if you have trouble with an exercise add it to the end of you'r routine and pratice form with liter weights, use the exercises you are most comfortable with for the intenity part of the program.

My routine is a three times a week routine . I call my workout the Push Pull, Legs HIT (High Intensity Training)program. So if you aren't motivated don't use this workout. This workout is a great workout because anyone can do it and you can change everything up. But There are a few Rules. First Rule 1.) No more than one hour and 10 minutes in the gym. only 50 minuted deciated to the weights. Second Rule 2.) You must add atleast 2.5 lbs to each lift each week Third Rule 3.) Never and I mean Never Quit.

One other thing that need to be explained before you see the schedule is the plate workout. I ot this from a friend who wrestled in high school. It takes 10 to 15 minutes. You will start with 16 reps then each set you will work down. You get a plate 25 or 35 pounds. You do 16 incline press,16 shoulder raises, 16 tricep press, 16 squats, 16, aroudn the worlds, 16 side to side, and 16 bent over rows then 100 jump ropes or 100 crunches, bicycles. Then you drop to 15. then to 14. Then the Next week it is 16, 15, 14, 13 until you get down to being able to go all the way down then up the weight. if you need help i have a video that i can show you.

1.)" All Exercises will be performed with weights that are only able to be lift 3-6 times, no more no less. Add 2.5 lbs each week. Only MAX OUT ONCE A MONTH

( Sets and Reps)5 sets of 3 reps or (4 sets of 4 reps this one works the best), or 3 sets of 5 reps

Day One ( Push exercises) Monday
1.) Bench Press
2.) Seated Miliatary Press
3.) Tricep Press
4.) Chest Fly's
5.) Plate work out w/ strechting
6.) 5-10 minutes in the Heat Room
7.) Drink Meal replacement shake

Day Two (Pull exercises) Wenesday
1.) Hammer curls or Incline Hammer Curls
2.) Triceps pull downs on cable machine
3.) Trap Uprow
4.) Cable Cross Over
5.) Power Clinq
6.) 1 mile run or 15-20 minutes on bike 2/strechting
7.) 5-10 minutes in the Heat Room
8.) Drink Meal Replacement shake

Day Three ( Legs) Friday
1.) Squats
2.) Calf Raises
3.) Dead Lift w/ shrugs
4.) Leg press
5.) plate workout w/strechtes
6.) 5 -10minutes in Heat Room.
7.) Meal Replacement Shake

Everything can be eplained. Three days, One day a rest in between to give the muscle time to rest and heal, then two days on the weekend to rest and heal, you can play basketball or run but no weights, watch some football. 4-6 lifts not two many cause over working the body hurts.Also doing on 3 to 6 reps at the most weight that you can do the reps is good because if fully tars the muscle. Cardio or plate work out provides oxygen then strechting keeps you from injury. The heat room sweats all the sodium and bad stuff out and helps the body and mind relax. the meal replacement shake if take with 30 minutes of workout end puts back everything the body needs. Make Sure that you get 6-8 hours of rest every night. Have 3- 4 meals a day and make sure one meal is 45-60 minutes before workout, this meal should have most of you'r daily carbs and protein. Always Eat first meal of the day with 30 minutes of awakening and I suggest Oatmeal. Drink Lots of Juices, and Water. This is a great workout for people who want to gainmass quick easy and don't want to be in teh gym countless hours spending countless amount of money on supplements

Diet.
1.) 3 to 4 meals.
a.) first meal with 30 minutes of weaking up. Suggested oatmeal with little, brown sugar, Fruit, Juices and some milk
b.) second meal lots of protien few carbs and juice or water, Have some Cake, chocolate have a nice snack but not alot of it.
c.) third meal 45-60 minutes ahead of workout. Lots of colorful food, lots, of carbs and protein. Lots of water and fruit.
d.) Meal replacement shake after workout then maybe a extra lite snack before bed atleast one hour before going to sleep.

Supplements:
1.) Suggested you take none do it all naturally.
But the ones i will recommend is Thermo Gain, and Some form of creatine( good with the replacement shake). You should not need to take protein you should eat enough of it.

Well Thanks for letting me share my thoughts hope you like it and hope it works. Don't be embrassed of how much weight you are lifting most guys lifting heavy weights have been lifting for some time. and don't be afraid to try new things.

image101

10-18-2005, 06:23 AM

What's a power clinq?

ho_124

10-18-2005, 08:25 PM

How Can You Gain As Much Mass As Possible
Every guy has probably dreamed of it or at least thought of it. It is probably one of the top goals for a guy, to get big and ripped. I can almost assume that many males, youth, adults and whatever has gone to the gym in hopes of getting big but sometimes with no real results. Or they could just be some gym rat who spends his whole life in the gym but hardly gets any results. And what’s their excuse for not getting that big? “Well I don’t take steroids” or “My genetics are limiting my gains.” There should be no excuse if your doing everything right, if you spend time in the gym and do everything correctly there is no reason why you can’t gain muscle mass. However, it’s not just as easy as taking a walk in the park. You have to watch all elements of your life carefully to ensure muscle growth. This means taking into account your diet, training, sleep ect. Even your diet can be divided into smaller categories that you have to be careful about, for example you have to watch how much water you take in or how many carbs you consume. The diet is probably one of the most important things. More attention should be spent on diet than training. If you think about it training is straightforward. You have a good program, you go to the gym, do the exercises and it’s done. Also when you train you know if you got a good workout. But in your diet, there are so many things that you have to take into account. You have to balance all your foods so you get proper ratios and get proper amounts of food. You also can’t really tell if your eating right unless you realize your not gaining any mass. Therefore you should place more emphasis on nutrition.

What is the best workout for the biggest mass gain?
You’ve probably heard this but, there is no best workout. If there was a best workout then it would be posted everywhere and everyone would use the same workout. Maybe you respond well to certain exercises and you don’t work well with other exercises. Everyone’s body is different. That’s why you have to make your own workout schedule that you like and that works for you. I can only suggest certain techniques and exercises that might work for you, but in the end it will be you changing your workout and picking new exercises. That’s why I don’t like personal trainers (no offence to them, I don’t mean that by hate them personally), they give you a program that is not specific to your needs, so you end up wasting some of your time. You don’t need someone to tell you what to do (unless bodybuilding is like quantum physics to you), its not that hard to make your own workout program if you spend some time reading, all you need to know is the basics. Even if your program is mediocre, your diet will carry you the rest of the way. Basically I will tell you some good techniques for mass gain as well as workout that I like personally. Remember don’t copy it because it might not be best for you. Don’t use everyone one of these techniques I will list below, just use a few and incorporate it into your workout program.

1. Forced reps
- This is a technique where someone helps you complete a rep that you would not be able to complete without their assistance. However don’t overuse this technique. If you do this for every set then you will run a high risk of over training sine these reps really stress your recovery systems.
- These should be done on the last few sets where you are most fatigued. Don’t use them right at the start of your workout. The reasoning is that the last few stressful reps stimulates the building of muscle since it tries to adapt to the stress by becoming stronger and bigger. Doing an extra one or two reps will somewhat “enhance” and take the stimulation further so the muscles grow stronger and bigger than if the trainee had never done the forced reps since it needs to adapt to more stress.
- To use this effectively the person helping shouldn’t help the trainee to a point where the person doing the exercise hardly has to do work. The helper should get the trainee to do most the work to make this method work effectively.

2. Partial reps
- This is a training method where a person does an exercise but only a part of it because that person is to fatigued to do a full repetition. However, don’t take this to the extreme and do eight partials. The very max you should do is 3 maybe even 2. If you do to many partials, you won’t be getting the full range of motion for your muscle and it might not develop properly. You might also run the risk of over training by putting your body under too much stress. Another good this about this is that you don’t need a spotter.
- Again like forced reps, the reasoning behind this is at failure when a trainee can’t do another full rep, the partial rep will take the muscle building stimuli further by taxing the muscles even more than if the partial rep was never executed. It is also useful in helping a person perform an exercise at a higher weight. They shouldn’t be done every set but near the end sets to avoid over training.
- You still must maintain good form.

3. Cheating
- Probably the most known technique for mass gaining. This is similar to partials. This is where you recruit other body parts to help you complete a rep hence the name cheating. They can be useful to further fatigue your body so that your muscles will recover bigger and stronger. It can also help you train at a higher weight. For example if Mr. Guy’s curl is at 40 pounds and he wants to move it up to 45, then cheating will help him do the same amount of reps for 45 pounds than he could perform with 40 pounds.
- Never overuse cheating. Only use on the last few reps at the very max three to two and on the last few sets where you are fatigued. Overuse of cheating can result in injury and overtime if used too much and incorrectly, it may injure and damage body parts. For example if you cheat too much and incorrectly while doing curls, overtime your lower back will get so screwed up and you will have back problems for the rest of your life.
- You should never cheat excessively. By this I mean if your doing curls, then you should never jerk your back too much to help you. It should only be a slight jerk that helps you complete the rep at the hardest part. If you use bad “cheating” form then I can already tell you that you will have problems in the future.

4. Supersets, tri-sets, and giant sets
- These techniques aren’t really mass gainers, but they are good if you have limited time. They don’t really take much away from the effectiveness in which you train, and that’s a good thing.
- To perform this you take two, three or four+ (Superset = 2, tri-set = 3, and giant set = 4+) exercises and do them in a row without rest. Then after that you take a rest and do it again.
- There are a few ways to do these kinds of sets. The first way is to work different body parts for each set. There isn’t a muscular building advantage but it saves time and gives you practically the same workout. This is best done with supersets. With supersets the first set does get you a bit tired but it won’t affect the next set that much. When you get near three and four exercises without rest your performance will suffer. (I like supersets for my arms, if I do biceps it keeps my arms warm and vice versa).
- Another technique for these kinds of sets is doing exercise that target one body part. So if I was doing super sets or tri-sets for my pecs, I would do two or three exercise that works the muscle. This is kind of like pre-exhaust training where sets are done for a certain body part to fatigue it and the reasoning is that if you tax the muscles more, then they will grow back bigger and stronger like some of the techniques above.

5. Pre-exhaust training
- This is a technique where an isolation exercise is performed followed by a compound movement or an exercise that requires at least two muscles. The thought behind this is that it pushes a certain muscle harder and on the second set of the compound movement it recruits the secondary muscle more effectively. Some of you probably have no clue what I said so lets take the hamstrings and lower back for example. If I want to push the hamstrings harder then I do an isolation exercise for it like hamstring curls. Then I do a compound exercise for it like the deadlift. This will push the hamstring harder and let it grow back bigger and stronger. Also since the hamstrings are already fatigued, it recruits the lower back muscles more so the lower back also gets trained harder.
- This can be done throughout your whole workout.

6. Drop sets
- This is a good technique for exhausting the muscle. There are a few ways to do this. The first way is doing one set to failure or very short of it. Then doing another set to failure or nearly short of it. You can do this to two or three sets. I wouldn’t recommend going over four sets. This also saves time and exhausts the muscle so that it grows back stronger and bigger. The second way of doing this is by doing one set only. But lets say you want to do ten reps. So you select a weight you can do maybe five times. Then once you reach failure you go to a lower weight and keep going lower until you reach ten reps. This really exhausts the muscle so that it will stimulate your body to make your muscles grow and get stronger.

ho_124

10-18-2005, 08:26 PM

7. Rest pause training
- This is another good technique. To do this you pick how many reps you want to do for an exercise. So if you pick ten reps then you pick a weight that you can only do lets say 4-5 times. Then you drop the weight and wait for about 15 seconds. Then you pump out maybe two more reps and drop it and wait for another 15 seconds. Do this until you get to your target rep range. This works like all the other techniques, it exhausts the muscle more than not doing rest pause training so your muscles grow back… you know.

8. Burning out the muscle
- This is an awesome technique for further enhancing the muscle building stimuli by exhausting the muscle even more. To do this after you finish a set you take a weight that is a lot lower than what you use. For example if you curl 40’s then you take 15’s at the end. Then you do a bunch of quick but controlled reps with the lighter weight until you totally burn out the muscle.

9. Negatives
- This is a similar technique to forced reps. This technique concentrates on the eccentric movement (negative movement, for bench press this means lowering the weight). You do an eccentric movement down slowly, then since you can’t lift weight up again, someone helps you lift it up slowly.
- You should do at the very max 4 maybe even 3 negative reps. It should also be at the last sets to avoid over training.

10. Strip sets
- This is almost exactly like drop sets but done with barbells on such exercises as bench press or squats. When you complete one set get two people to quickly strip some of the weight off and do another set. I wouldn’t recommend going over 3 sets of these. This also saves time and exhausts your muscle so it can grow back bigger and stronger.

- Basically these techniques work to exhaust the muscle so that it taxes the body more physically. The body responds by building the muscles back stronger and bigger since it is put under more stress than if these techniques weren’t used

Now here are some other things you can use to incorporate into your mass gaining program to get better gains.
1. Compound movements
- This is huge and you might have heard it a lot but it is true. Using compound movements (exercises that recruit a few muscle groups rather than one) will help you put on more mass. The reason is simple, because you work more body parts than if you just do isolation exercises. So for example if you do bench for chest then your triceps get hit as well. Because of this your triceps get worked more so they will grow than if they never were worked while doing chest.
- I would do about 60-70% of your exercises compound movements while doing the other 30-40% isolation exercises. So for chest if you have three exercises do dips, bench press, then maybe flyes. Also for something like biceps it impossible to find compound exercises. The only way is curls so keep that in mind. You shouldn’t do one arm rows to workout your bicep just because it’s compound. Some body parts you can only work using isolation exercises.

2. Change your workout ever 1-2 months
- A lot of people keep the same workout for like a year. This is the worst thing you can do for yourself if your trying to gain mass since your body will adapt to the exercises and you will plateau. This means your gains will drop. Changing up your exercises and doing different movements ensures your body is always being challenged so it will always be trying to grow bigger and stronger to handle the stress. Think about it if I did the same math problem over and over again eventually it would do nothing for me. But if I did different math problems I would get a lot better at math.

3. Change your rep range
- Changing your rep range also ensures that your body won’t adapt to performing a certain amount of reps. This isn’t as big as changing your workout but it still is kind of important. For hypertrophy rep ranges are anywhere from 6-12 reps. So change it up. So if you do bench for 12 reps then maybe next workout change it to 8 reps.

4. Rest between sets and total time in the gym
- First of all your rest between sets should be somewhere from 30 seconds to the max 1 minute and 30 seconds. Most people go by one minute. The reason is that this amount of rest between sets is ideal for hypertrophy or muscular growth while longer rests are best for strength. That’s why power lifters rest for 3-5 minutes. Also spend at the most one hour in the gym. This is good for two reasons .First of all it allows you to go intense for one hour. If you spend two hours on your workout your intensity on the exercises after the one hour will go down since you get tired. If it is kept under and hour it ensures that you worked each body part you were planning to work, effectively. If you spend one hour on chest then another hour on back, your back won’t develop to it’s full potential since you will be too tired in the second hour to work the back for best results. Secondly it prevents over training. If you train over an hour you run the risk of over training. Training over an hour puts the body under a lot of stress, and if all your workouts are over one hour your body won’t be able to recover properly paving the road for over training.

5. Sleep at least 8 hours
- This is kind of unrelated so I’ll make a short point of it. SLEEP AT LEAST 8 HOURS. The reason is because while sleeping your growth hormone is at it’s highest concentration. So if you don’t sleep enough then your body won’t grow to it’s full potential even though you’ve done everything right. Also sleeping properly allows your body to recover properly. Lack of sleep believe it or not is a major reason for over training other than training too much.

Now for the actual workout. There are two workout schedules to give you a better idea how to change up your workout plan. The basic idea is that you want to work the parts of a body part for full development. By this I mean that your pectoral is divided into four parts the upper, lower, inner, and outer parts. You don’t want to neglect any of the parts or else your muscle won’t develop properly or it won’t have a good shape. So if you didn’t work the lower chest in one workout plan incorporate it into your next workout plan. For more detailed information on this go to an article I wrote on an all dumbbell workout in the workout of the week. I highly recommend you read it because it will give you an awesome idea of certain body parts that you should be concerned about. It will tell you the different parts of the muscle that you should worry about. Again I want to stress that my ideal workout will not always be the best for you. Make one that you like and one that makes sense (by this I mean don’t make a workout plan that only works your upper pectorals because that would be stupid). Don’t just follow some 6 month program because your too lazy to make one yourself.

WORKOUT CYCLE - 1

Monday – Biceps, triceps (Super set for arms), and abs
- Alternating dumbbell curls: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This works the main bicep area
- Concentration curls: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This also works the main bicep area and forces you not to cheat
- Barbell outer bicep curl: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This works the outer bicep area
As you might notice, the inner biceps and lower biceps aren’t worked here, but they will be worked next workout.
- Close grip bench press: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This works two heads of the tricep
- Tricep variation dips: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This works all heads of the tricep
- Skull crushers with EZ barbell: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – This also works all three heads of the tricep

- Decline sit ups: 8-15 reps x 3 Sets – Works upper abs (You should know this)
- Decline reverse crunches: 8-15reps x 3 Sets – Works lower abs
- Dumbbell side bends: 8-15 reps x 3 Sets – Works oblique muscles

Tuesday – Legs and lower back (You can superset between calves and lower back to save time)
- Squat medium stance: 6-12 reps x 5 Sets – Works main quad area. Also go all the way down to ensure that the upper quads are worked as well as the hamstrings. Don’t let your knee go over your toes or your knee’s will get carved like Christmas ham.
- Stiff legged deadlifts: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets
- Lunges: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – You should know what this works, if not get a personal trainer now
- Hamstring curls (Optional if you have time): 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – If you don’t know what muscle this hits then… you need to read ALOT.
- Hyperextensions: 6-12 reps x 2 Sets
- Standing barbell calf raise: 8-12 reps x 3 sets - Calves
- Calf raises on leg press machine: 8-12 reps x 3 sets -

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – Chest and back
- Incline bench press: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – Works the upper pectorals
- Dips, pectoral variation: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – Works lower pectorals
- Flyes on flat bench: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – Works outer and inner pectorals

- Pull ups: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets– Compound exercise that works general upper back area
- One arm rows: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – Compound exercise that works general upper back area
- Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row: 6-12 reps x 3 Sets – Compound exercise that works general upper back area
- Seated rows: 6-12 reps x 2 Sets – I like to add an forth exercise since the whole general back area gets worked in these back exercises. The forth exercise ensures that all the muscles are fatigued. If you still don’t understand it’s like this. The pectorals get hit very well on dips, bench press, and flyes. However certain muscles in the back might not get hit as well since it’s almost impossible to isolate those back muscles. Doing 4 exercises ensures that they will get worked effectively.

ho_124

10-18-2005, 08:28 PM

Friday – Rest

Saturday – Shoulders, wrists, and traps (I like to superset with wrists and traps)
Shoulder press: 6-12 reps x 4 sets – Works the anterior head more also works the lateral head
Lateral raises: 6-12 reps x 2-3 sets – Works the lateral head
Bent over laterals: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works the posterior head

Palms up wrist curl: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
Palms down wrist curl: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
Behind the back wrist curl: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
Wrist roller: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
- One note, doing more than this or your wrists would probably be over kill for them.

Behind the back shrug: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works upper traps
Barbell shrug with barbell infront of body: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works upper traps

Sunday - Rest

WORKOUT CYCLE – 2
Monday – Biceps, triceps (superset for arms), and abs
Hammer curls: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works the main bicep area
Inner bicep curl on bench: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works inner biceps
Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl Over Incline Bench: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works lower biceps
- See how I put the lower and inner biceps here? That’s because I didn’t do it in the previous workout so it all balances out

Bench press: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Hits two heads of the triceps
Incline Barbell Triceps Extension: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Hits all heads of the triceps
Single-Arm Reverse-Grip Pushdowns: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Hits two heads of the triceps

Weighted sit ups: 8-15 reps x 3 sets – Upper abs, put something on your feet to keep you down
Flat bench lying leg raise: 8-15 reps x 3 sets – Lower abs
Barbell Side Bend: 8-15 reps x 3 sets – Oblique

Tuesday – Legs and lower back (You could superset between calves and lower back to save time)
Wide stance squats: 8-12 reps x 2 sets – This works the inner quads
Close stance squats: 8-12 reps x 3 sets – This works the outer quads
Standing leg curl: 8-12 reps x 3 sets - Hamstrings
Traditional deadlift: 8-12 reps x 3 sets – For hamstrings and lower back
Good mornings: 8-12 reps x 2 sets – For hamstrings and lower back
Seated calf raises: 8-15 reps x 3 sets – Calves
One legged calf raises: 8-15 reps x 3 sets - Calves

Wednesday - Rest

Thursday – Chest and back
Decline dumbbell bench press: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works the lower pectorals
Incline flyes: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works more of the upper pectorals, works a little bit of the inner and outer pectorals
Bent arm barbell pullover: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Works the general pectoral area

Close grip chin ups: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Compound movement for upper back muscles
Bent over rows: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Compound movement for upper back muscles
Wide grip lat pull down: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Compound movement for upper back muscles
Seated rows with wide grip bar: 6-12 reps x 2 sets – Compound movement for upper back muscles

Friday - Rest

Saturday – Shoulders, wrists, and traps (Superset for wrists and traps)
Seated military press: 6-12 reps x 4 sets – Works more of the anterior shoulder as well as the lateral shoulder
Palms back lateral dumbbell raise: 6-12 reps x 2 sets – Lateral shoulder
Seated rear deltoid row: 6-12 reps x 3 sets – Compound movement for your posterior shoulders

Barbell palms up wrist curl: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
Barbell palms down wrist curl: 6-12 reps x 2 sets
Wrists twists: 6-12 reps x 2 sets – Works all parts of the forearms

Incline bench shrugs with dumbbells: 6-12 reps x 3 sets
Dumbbell shrug: 6-12 reps x 3 sets

Sunday – Rest

For me the workout lasts four months. You shouldn’t copy it unless you really like it and there’s really no point in putting a six month workout plan. This is just to give you a general idea on how to change up your workout plan and how to hit different parts of a muscle.

What is the best diet for the biggest mass gain?
You must understand a few things about gaining mass. It’s not all about workout out. Lifting weights will only carry you so far, the diet will do the rest for you. It will either make or break your mass gain program. If your diet sucks and doesn’t work I guarantee you won’t gain as much mass as you want to. One thing you must understand about gaining mass is bulking. This is a technique used by bodybuilders to effectively gain muscle mass. It has nothing to do with training, but it’s all about nutrition. That’s why eating right is so important. Below I will list important things to keep in mind while bulking, or putting on mass. You must keep all of these things in mind.

1. To bulk you have to count your calories.
- Bulking is basically eating about 500 calories over your maintenance level. If you don’t eat over your calorie maintenance level or just maintain it while training, your gains in muscle will come very very slow. That’s why all those guys you see spending hours in the gym but eat fries and burgers in the cafeteria make slow gains. And if they have some decent definition it took a few years for them to get. So the basic concept to bulking is eating about 500 calories over your maintenance level for muscular gain. However the unfortunate thing about this is that fat gain also results. It can be limited by watching your diet and eating cleanly but it’s something that will happen when mass gaining muscle. So calculate your calorie maintenance level and try to eat 500 calories above it. A general rule of thumb is to calculate your weight in pounds by 17-20. However there are other good ways to calculate it more accurately. Recalculate your calorie maintenance level every two weeks and eat according to your new calorie level.

2. Keep a log of what you eat
- Keeping a log of what you eat is super important. You have to count what you eat in each meal and how many calories it has including the macronutrient breakdown. This is very important to ensure your getting enough calories and ratios and amounts of certain things like protein and carbs. If you don’t write down what you eat then if there is a problem with your diet then you would have no clue since nothing is written down. Writing everything also ensures that you know how much to each day and how much more you need to eat each day.

3. Eating 6 meals a day
- Three meals a day won’t cut it now. First of all your body needs constant nutrition to create an ideal environment for your muscles to grow. Eating this many meals also ensures that you will store less fat than if you ate three meals a day. The reason is because it keeps your blood sugar levels more stable. Also if you wait too long between meals, your body stores fat as a defense against starvation. Another reason is that if you eat three bigger meals, you might store some of it as fat since your body takes in so much food all at once and can’t metabolize it all. So the basic reasons to eat six meals a day is to keep the fat away and supply your muscles with proper nutrition to grow which puts you in an anabolic state.

4. Getting proper macronutrients and proper ratios
- The three basic things you need for your muscles to grow are carbohydrates, protein, and good fats.
- A good ratio would be 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% good fats. Now for a review of the macronutrients. So in your 6 meals 50% of the calories should be carbs, 30% of the calories should be protein and 20% of the carbs should be good fats.

Protein – This is essential for growth. Without it you couldn’t grow muscle and it is one of the most important macronutrients to feed your muscles with amino acids to build muscle. A general rule of thumb is to take 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Some people go 1.5 and even 2 grams per pound of body weight. Good sources of protein include:
- Lean cuts of meat
- Chicken breasts
- Fish and sea food
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Peanut butter
- Cottage cheese
- Milk
- Low fat cheese

Carbohydrates – Carbs are another important macronutrient since they provide the body with the proper energy they need for workouts and recovery. They also spare muscle breakdown. Without carbohydrates the body will look for other places for energy. This means your muscles might be broken down for energy. Carbs are rated on a glycemic index. This measures how fast the carbohydrates are digested. A high G.I carb will result in an insulin spike and your body will store fat. They also supply your body with a short bursts of energy. Low G.I carbs will cause a minimal insulin spike and fuel your body for a longer time. You want to eat low G.I carbs during the day and only eat high G.I carbs after a workout. However fruits are alright during the day, just don’t go crazy on them. A good combo is using fruit with a low G.I carbohydrate source for quick and sustained energy. Good sources of low G.I carbohydrates that should be eaten during the day are:
- Whole wheat breads
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Vegetables
- Whole wheat pasta
- Apples

Fats – Of the three things, fats are least important, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. You should be eating good fats while limiting bad fats. They are important for hormone synthesis and have a variety of other benefits. This means getting your EFA’s or essential fatty acids. These fats include omega 3-6-9. Those are the basic fats you should be eating each day to ensure proper muscular gain. Other fats that are good to eat are MCT’s. They aren’t as important and have a few benefits. Basically you should be concentrating on getting your EFA’s. Omega 3 and 6 are the most important of the three. Some good sources of good fat are:
- Fish
- Olive oil
- Flax seeds and oils (These are huge)
- Fish oils
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Corn
- Soybeans

ho_124

10-18-2005, 08:29 PM

5. Drink at least 10-12 cups of water each day. If you can drink more
- This is a small point but you should be drinking a lot of water. Don’t drink so that your bloated though. Water helps flush out wastes and toxins inside your body. It also helps in metabolic functions and chemical reactions that require water. Water is also especially important if you are on supplements like creatine. To know if your getting enough water see if your pee is clear. If its very yellow you need more water.

6. Eat cleanly
- Eat healthy foods. If you eat burgers because you decide the bread has carbs and the burger has protein then you mise well forget muscle gain. The only thing you will gain is fat if you bulk dirty. Bulking cleanly ensures that you gain minimal fat. This makes it easier when cutting, so you have less fat to get rid of. If you don’t eat right then you will waste time cutting away fat and losing muscle in the process.

7. Eating before bedtime
- Eating before bedtime is important. Think about it our going 8 hours without protein and carbs. This sets you up for muscle breakdown. So to avoid this drink 2 cups of milk or have some cottage cheese. The slow absorbing protein will last you most of the night and the carbs in milk are slow absorbing so they will also last you through the night.

8. Post workout nutrition or post workout shake
- This is so important. What you have right after your workout could affect the state your body goes in. Basically after a workout you want to replenish glycogen stores, stop muscle breakdown, and boost protein synthesis. This is what you should put into your post workout shake.
- First of all for glycogen stores you want to replenish them quickly. This is the only place where you should consume high G.I carbs. Replenishing them rapidly ensures that your body will use the carbs for energy to recovery and not use muscle for energy. You should consume about 40-80 grams of simple sugars to quickly replace glycogen stores. You should use dextrose and maltodextrin in a 50/50 split. Using just dextrose is also fine. You can find both of these sugars in a wine and beer making stores surprisingly. Consuming high G.I carbs also promotes and insulin spike. An insulin spike is also very important which is something I will cover next.
- The second thing is stopping muscle breakdown. This is where the protein comes in. Protein combined with simple sugars work together to rapidly raise insulin levels. Insulin stops muscle breakdown right after a workout which is essential. Protein also supplies your body with amino acids to repair and build muscle. You want to add somewhere from 20-50 grams depending on your size. You don’t need 40 grams if your 120 pounds. That’s how the companies make money. Getting you to take all that protein when you don’t need it so you have to buy more. If you consume 40 grams if your 120 pounds then you will just pee it out. It is also an anabolic hormone which brings me to the next point.
- Protein synthesis means building muscle. Insulin also does this because it is anabolic. That’s why insulin is so important. Another thing that also raises protein synthesis is BCAA or branched chain amino acids. Although I don’t like to use them you might want to give them a try.
- So basically your post workout shake should look like this (The stuff you need)
- 2-3 cups of water
- 20-50 grams of protein depending on size
- 40-80 grams of dextrose/maltodextrin depending on size

- Here are things you can add into your post workout shake
- BCAA- Help in protein synthesis
- Creatine – Help replenish ATP stores after a workout
- Glutamine – Some people swear by it but I think it’s a scam since your diet already provides you with a whole bunch. Do whatever you want to do though, I’m not your mom.

That’s basically it for what your diet should look like. Remember to take into account every little piece of your diet so you don’t screw up. I would say almost 90% of all bulking screw-ups are made in the diet part. If you want I would say you can have 1 cheat meal a week. At the very most 2 cheat meals. This means you can eat one unhealthy meal. Don’t go overboard or else you will totally do the opposite of gain muscle and gain fat. Also if you eat more cheat meals, you might be inclined to have a few more. So try to stay away from them as much as possible.

What are some good mass gaining supplements?
Supplements help with mass gaining muscle. They are good for post nutrition in stopping muscle breakdown and increasing muscle building. They also make meals more convenient. However you have to draw a point with supplements. I would say take at the most 4 supplements. You should need to take 6 or 8 supplements a day for mass gain. Try to go as natural as possible, God made plants and animals but not protein so I trust that the plants and animals will do me good. You don’t need all that crap that people and companies suggest you take where you don’t even know what the words mean. One reason is because these things are relatively new. In a few years down the road these things can have major side effects that weren’t anticipated. Your probably like yea yea your full of crap right? Well take for an example cigarettes. At one point they thought it was good for you and it helped with sore throat. Well it turned to be the most harmful things you can do to your body. Need another example? How about aspartame. It was an alternative to sweetening foods without adding sugar. But now they are finding major side effects to consuming aspartame. Trust me on this one, you don’t need all those complicated supplements. You could be doing yourself so much harm without even knowing. You think those companies care about you? They just want to make money they don’t give a rats ass if you get cancer in a few years. Just try to go as natural as possible. I can almost guarantee you that someday certain supplements will be found to have horrible side effects to them since there are thousands to them. You might not know now, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I see people taking all these supplements like vitamins, chromium, testosterone and other names I can’t even pronounce. But that’s how it is in North American culture. They don’t even know how it’s made or what’s in them. Sometimes they hardly know the science behind it, not everything companies tell you is true. For example if it says helps build lean mass what do they mean by lean mass? They can get away with it even if it helps you build 1 gram of lean muscle mass (trust me I’ve studied marketing techniques and scams in an in depth media course). And if you tell someone there are taking to many supplements and it could cause them harm, they just laugh at you and call you an idiot. So before you get into using a supplement know what’s in it

The basic supplements when mass gaining
1. Whey protein
- This is so helpful after a workout. It supplies your body with the protein you need to stop muscle breakdown and increase insulin. It also helps you get protein when your in a crunch. The best proteins are the trusted companies. My top two picks are:
1. Optimum whey protein
2. Higher power whey protein

2. Creatine
- This is also another useful and popular supplement. It increases ATP stores so you can push yourself harder in the gym and it also is the ultimate lean muscle gainer. You don’t need creatine to make magnificent gains. I go without creatine since as I said above I like to go as natural as possible. Two good creatines would be:
1. Higher power micronized creatine
2. BSN No-xplode

3. Multi-vitamins
- These are something I trust. Multi-vitamins have been around so long and are actually recommended by doctors. They provide your body with the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to build muscle and stay in an anabolic state. However again, they aren’t essential to making mass gains but they do help. Two good multi-vitamins would be
1. Higher power one a day
2. Optimum Opti-men
3. AST Multi Pro 32X – One thing I don’t like is the amount of iron it has. It has almost 100% of the recommended amount you should have each day. Too much iron can cause your blood vessels to rust and it can also cause cancer.

4. Meal replacements
- Meal replacements are also another thing I use. The concept has been around for some time and it uses ingredients that have been around for some time. They are also useful when you need a meal on the go if you don’t have time. However, don’t rely on meal replacements. Like I said the best thing is natural food, which is something you can trust. Four good meal replacements are:
1. EAS Myoplex Deluxe (New Formula) – My favorite, it’s unreal
2. AST Ny-Tro Pro-40
3. Muscle milk
4. Anabolic infusion

BONUS QUESTION: With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?
It varies for everyone. Some people might respond very well to training and the diet and some people might not which is where genetics come in. Just like how genetics limits how tall you can grow, genetics determines how much muscle you can gain when bulking. This is assuming that everything is in check including diet, supplementation, and training.
Generally I would say if you did everything right you could gain about 25-30 pounds maybe even forty pounds. Of course this won’t all be muscle and some of it will be fat. A good clean bulk will maybe consist of 5-8 pounds of fat gained. It could even be 3 pounds if you’re lucky. Again fat gain depends on genetics. Some people never gain fat and some people gain fat like no tomorrow. That’s why you got to watch your diet if your susceptible to fat gain more than others.

DSM18

10-19-2005, 07:27 AM

How long left do I have to post?

Thanks

mivi320

10-19-2005, 06:25 PM

How can you gain as much mass as possible?

Bodybuilding isn't an easy sport. In fact, bodybuilding can seem rather frustrating at times. Despite our absolute best efforts in the gym and the many sacrifices we make, some of us are simply getting nowhere in this game of bodybuilding. Are you tired of being frustrated? Are you tired of being skinny? Are you ready to add some mass? Let's get started!

Goal Setting!

Ask yourself this - why exactly do you want to add some mass to your frame? Is it because you're tired of being a skinny guy who fails to get recognized by the opposite sex? Or is it because you're a competitive bodybuilder trying to move up in weight class? Whatever your situation may be, one thing is clear. You need to set your goal! Goal setting is an effective and proven method that helps you decide what you want to achieve, and then move step-by-step towards achieving these goals! Below are some helpful guidelines that will help you set effective goals:

Be Positive!

State your goals as a positive statement. For example, don't say my goal is to "try and add some lean body mass to my frame," but rather "add as much lean body mass to my frame through hard work and dedication!" Being positive about your goals will ensure that your attitude is positive also, which will go a long way in achieving your goals!

Set realistic goals!

It is very important to set goals that you can achieve. Setting a goal to gain 45lbs. of muscle in one month is clearly a goal that is not sensible. Setting high goals is often counterproductive, and shies the goal setter away from achieving the particular goal.

Do not set goals too low!

It is just as important not to set your goals too low, just as it is extremely important not to set your goals unrealistically high. People tend to set their goals too low because they're simply afraid of failing to obtain these goals.

Calories, Calories, Calories!

In order to gain mass, a calorie surplus must be established. That is, you must eat more than what you burn. In order to do this, we must find out our maintenance caloric level. The equation is rather simple. Take your bodyweight and multiply it by 15. For example, a 150lb. bodybuilder's maintenance caloric level is 2,250 calories because:

150lbs. x 15 = 2,250 calories.

After finding the maintenance caloric level, simply add an additional 500 calories to the maintenance caloric level. Going back to our 150lb. bodybuilder, he would need 2,750 calories a day to gain lean body mass because:

150lbs. x 15 = 2,250 calories.

2,250 calories + 500 calories = 2,750 calories.

A good rule of thumb is to eat the number of calories needed to gain lean body mass for a week, and monitor your progress. If you're not gaining, increase your calories by 300-500 to ensure proper growth!

mivi320

10-19-2005, 06:26 PM

Quality Foods = Quality Muscle

Quality food, nutrient, and mineral intake will guarantee quality gains is muscle mass (given you're eating above maintenance caloric levels). Shoving junk food down your pie hole will get you massive too. In the waistline, that is. Therefore, it's vital to eat "clean" to ensure quality gains in lean body mass while keeping body fat gains to a minimum! Below is a list of "clean" foods that should be eaten regularly when trying to add some serious size:

1. Complex Carbohydrates

Complex Carbohydrates take much longer to digest and are usually chock full with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. They are superior to simple carbohydrates, which are digested very quickly. Mostly all simple carbohydrates are refined (meaning they have undergone some major processing), and contain hardly no vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Aim to get 2-3 grams/pound of bodyweight of complex carbohydrates during your mass gaining phase. Below is a list of complex carbohydrates that should be consumed when adding mass!

Whole grain cereals
Beans
Brown Rice
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Whole grain Bread
Whole grain Pasta
All Fruits
All Vegetables
Potatoes

2. Proteins

Proteins are essential for muscle building. They will provide your body with amino acids, and ultimately aid in your recovery and growth process! The protein requirements for a mass gaining diet are 1.5-2.0g grams protein/pound of bodyweight. Below is a list of proteins that should be included in your mass gaining program:

Lean Beef
Eggs
Egg Whites
Chicken Breasts
Fish
Steak
Milk
Turkey
Pork
Cottage Cheese
Protein powders

3. Fats

Contrary to popular belief, fats are needed in a well-structured nutrition program. The "good fats" have been shown to improve cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease. They will also aid you in your recovery from workouts, and guarantee massive gains in size! Bottom line: Fat should not be avoided. Emphasis should be placed on obtaining adequate essential fatty acids (EFA). The following is a list of "good" fats that should be included in your mass gaining diet plan!

Nuts and Seeds
Natural Peanut Butter
Fatty Fish
Olive Oil
Fish Oil
Flaxseed

What is the best diet for gaining mass?

Well, with the recomemndations I have provided above, one can easily construct a diet plan that is suitable for gaining mass! There is no set "standard" diet for gaining mass that applies to everyone. However, with the recommendations I have provided and with the help of the following guidelines, one can easily construct a diet plan that will pack on some serious size!

The Importance Of Meal Frequency

Bodybuilders and folks looking to add mass should be eating 4-6 times per day, no excuses. The typical "3 square meals a day" protocol simply does not cut it for gaining mass. Spreading your calories out by eating 4-6 times per day also makes it easier to get your recommended quota of calories in for the day. Eating more frequently keeps a steadier flow of nutrients into the body, encourages anabolism, keeps body fat levels in check, increases metabolic rate, and even improves cholesterol levels! Eating 4-6 meals a day, each meal 2-3 hours apart ensures massive size gains!

mivi320

10-19-2005, 06:27 PM

Don't skip out on Pre, During, and Post workout nutrition!

Proper pre-workout nutrition goes a long way in achieving your goals of adding mass. It's arguably one of the most important meals of the day for us bodybuilders. Proper pre-workout nutrition preserves energy stores and takes advantage of increased blood flow to muscle fibers. Ideally, the pre-workout meal before an intense lifting or cardio session should consist predominantly of carbohydrates, coupled with 25-40g protein, and a trivial amount of fat. During the workout, it is not necessary to eat an actual meal. However, supplementing with BCAA, a protein shake, creatine, glutamine, or a liquid carb drink during the workout are ideal. The biggest factor during the workout is to stay hydrated. Dehydration can hinder your performance in the gym drastically, so be sure to drink enough water in between sets! After a brutal training session, you're in a catabolic (muscle wasting) state. In order for the body to recover from the training session, the catabolic state must be changed to an anabolic state. The only way to do this is to give your body what it needs: carbohydrates, protein, and proper supplementation! Generally, the post-workout shake should consist of 0.5g carbs/bodyweight and 0.25g protein/bodyweight for optimal results. It is vital to get protein into your system as fast as possible; therefore, a fast absorbing protein such as whey protein should be included in your post-workout protocol. Fat should be avoided at this time, as it delays gastric emptying. Let's take a look at the proper supplements that should be included in the pre, during, and post workout nutrition protocol!

Whey Protein
-Can be taken before, during, and after workout. Preferably immediately after training!
Creatine
-Can be taken pre, during, or after workout. Preferably, the post workout time frame is the optimal time for creatine supplementation, as it is better absorbed at this time because cells are more receptive to nutrient uptake as a result of training.
BCAA
-Can be taken pre, during, or after workout. I recommend sipping on a BCAA cocktail such as Scivation's Xtend or some bulk BCAA powder during the actual workout to prevent catabolism!
L-Glutamine
L-glutamine is extremely significant in regulating protein metabolism. L-Glutamine decreases the amount of muscle deterioration (catabolism) that takes place in the actual muscle cell. This is key at the post-workout time frame, as the body needs to be brought back into an anti-catabolic state.

Eat before bed!

Between your last meal of the day and breakfast is a long time to go without any nutrients. Therefore, to encourage an anabolic (muscle building) environment, be sure to eat 30-60 minutes before bed to keep a continuous flow of nutrients into your bloodstream. A simple casein protein shake with a few tablespoons of natural peanut butter will do the trick! In fact, the following recipe makes a great pre-bed shake and will pack some serious size onto your frame!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream
12 oz. Skim Milk
1 scoop Casein Protein
2 tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 packets artificial sweetener (optional)

Blend for 45 seconds, drink, and enjoy!

Drink to your health!

Water is the most important nutrient for the body! The slightest effect of dehydration results in a decrease in strength and performance. Severe dehydration can even lead to death! Water is also important when trying to gain mass, as it helps shuttle nutrients into the muscle cells. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 1 gallon of water daily for optimal results!

Breakfast!

Eat breakfast regularly!This is a great time to kick start your body's metabolism, and give it the nutrients it needs to grow after a long night without any food. Be sure to include plenty of carbohydrates, protein, and some fat in this meal! One of my favorite recipes for breakfast when bulking up is protein pancakes!

Protein Pancakes
1/2 cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese
1 whole egg (yolk+white)
4 egg whites
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in blender, and it's ready to cook! Top off pancakes with some fresh fruit or some sugar free maple syrup! Don't forget to include a nice big glass of skim milk!

mivi320

10-19-2005, 06:28 PM

What is the best workout for the biggest mass gain?

To get big, you must eat big and lift big! However, never sacrifice good form for higher poundage. Be sure to leave your ego at the door before heading into the gym. When putting on size, it is rather significant that you keep your rep range from 6-12, depending on what works best for you. Everybody responds differently to various rep ranges, so there is no "standard" rep range for building mass. However, most trainees are able to put on mass just fine when keeping reps in the 6-12 range.

Focusing on compound movements has also been shown to add mass, fast! Deadlifts, squats, bench presses, barbell rows, and military presses are all great compound movements! A compound movement is superior to an isolation movement because you are using more than one muscle to put a heavier workload on muscle being trained.

Below is a program that has worked extremely well for me, and will guarantee unprecedented mass!

Day 1 - Chest and Triceps
Barbell Flat Bench Press 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Dumbbell Incline Press 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Dumbell Flyes 2 sets of 6-12 reps
Overhead Tricep Extensions 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Tricep Pressdowns 3 sets of 6-12 reps

Day 2 - Off

Day 3 - Back and Biceps
Deadlifts 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Pullups 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Barbell Rows 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Seated Cable Rows 2 sets of 6-12 reps
Dumbbell Curls 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Preacher Curls 2 sets of 6-12 reps

Day 4 - Off

Day 5 - Legs
Squats 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Leg Press 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Stiff-legged Deadlift 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Standing Calve Raise 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Seated Calve Raise 2 sets of 6-12 reps

Day 6 - Shoulders, Traps, Abs
Military Press 3 sets of 6-12
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 6-12
Bent Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 sets of 6-12
Barbell Shrugs 3 sets of 6-12
Crunches 3 sets of 6-12
Hanging Leg Raise 2 sets of 6-12

Day 7 - Off

1. Workouts should last a total of 1 hour.
2. Rest periods between sets are to be 2-3 minutes.
3. Each workout, try to add more weight or reps on the exercises, without sacrificing good form.

Warming Up

The warm-up is often neglected by many bodybuilders. Trainees who neglect the warm-up completely and jump right into their heavy set are simply asking for an injury. The main objective of warming up is to increase blood and oxygen uptake in the muscles, and conclusively prepare your body and muscles for a heavier workload. Below is a sample warm-up of a trainee who plans on using 160 lbs. on the bench press for 3 work sets of 8-10 reps:

Warm up set 1: = 45 lbs. x 6 reps
Warm up set 2: = 80 lbs. x 6 reps
Warm up set 3: = 130 lbs. x 4 reps
Working sets: = 3 sets of 160 lbs. x 8-10 reps

Warming up reduces risk of injury, reduces muscle stiffness, increases blood circulation to muscles, improves oxygen usage, and improves contraction of working muscles.

Don't forget to warm-up!

A word on Cardio and Stretching!

Although gaining mass is the main objective, cardio should also be incorporated into the training program. As bodybuilders, we train all of our muscles regularly. However, we sometimes forget about the most important muscle: the heart. Cardiovascular activity should be done 2-3 times a week with this plan, preferably on the "Off days." Do not include cardio on weight training days. On days cardio is performed, be sure to compensate for the calories that were burned by eating more!

The type of cardio is up to you! Playing a pick up game of basketball or running for 30 minutes on the treadmill at a moderate intensity are both great! Bottom line: Get your cardio done!

Stretching should also be included in the training program although it is often avoided (just like warming up) by many bodybuilders. Stretching prevents muscles from tightening, reduces muscle soreness (thus improving recovery), and increases flexibility! Stretching also prevents injuries from occuring! So when is the best time to stretch? After the actual workout! Doing so will prevent the possibility of hampering performance, and after a workout, the muscles are very tight as it is! Don't neglect your stretching!

What are some mass gaining supplements?

There is no supplement for desire and hard work in the gym. However, supplements can be very beneficial in helping you add some mass. But before even thinking about supplements, make sure your diet and training are in check!

When it comes to supplements for gaining mass, I like to stick with the essentials:

Whey Protein
Whey is digested rapidly by the body, and should be taken immediately after a workout to kick start the rebuilding process. I would recommend Higher Power's Whey Protein or Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Protein, as these two whey protein products are proven to be top notch quality!

Casein Protein
Casein, unlike whey protein, is absorbed very slowly. Casein protein can take anywhere from 2-7 hours to fully digest! Therefore, casein protein is great to take before bed to ensure your body is getting the nutrients and protein it needs to grow! I would recommend Syntrax Matrix 5.0 or Cytosport's Muscle Milk for a quality casein protein!

Creatine
Creatine is great for those looking to add mass. It enables you to crank out more reps and sets, lift heavier weights, and train with more intensity in the gym! As a result, muscle growth occurs! Although there have been several new forms of creatine created, I'd recommend sticking with the creatine that has been tested to work time and time again: Creatine Monohydrate. Higher Power's Micronized Creatine or Ultimate Nutrition's Creapure are both great products with excellent prices!

Multi-Vitamins
A quality multi-vitamin is essential for mass gains, and for overall health and well-being. A slight deficiency in a mineral or vitamin will interfere with your goal of gaining mass dramatically. I would recommend AST Multi Pro 32x or Optimum's Opti-men, as both products cover the vitamin and mineral needs of a bodybuilder.

EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids)
Essential Fatty Acids play a key role in general health and mass gains. They strengthen the immune system, stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels, reduce muscle soreness, and improve joints! My recommendations: HFS's Total EFA or NOW's Super Omega 3-6-9.

BCAA and Amino Acids
Supplementing with BCAA (Branched chain amino acids) and Amino Acids will improve muscle recovery, repair, and growth! They have also been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness dramatically! My recommendations: SciVation Xtend or Optimum BCAA!

With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?

One of the biggest misconceptions of bodybuilding is just how much muscle one can add in a certain time frame. On a 6 month bulking cycle, I usually end up increasing by bodyweight by 20-30 pounds. Is all of that muscle? I think not. Some of what was gained muscle water, adipose tissue, and the rest was lean body mass (LBM). The body is only capable of adding a certain amount of muscle mass. If you're gaining 0.5-1.5lbs. per week, you're on the right track! Just remember, gaining purely muscle on a bulking cycle is impossible without the use of certain drugs. Expect to gain a little bit of body fat, but by eating "clean" and following the guidelines I provided, body fat will be kept to an absolute minimum! Remember, increasing muscle mass is a long-term project. A local bodybuilder once told me "Bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint." Take your time with this game of bodybuilding, stay focused, workout like you mean it, and results will follow!

Best of luck with all of your goals,
Mike

Younglifter16

10-19-2005, 07:53 PM

How can you gain as much mass as possible?

"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Introduction

This is perhaps the simplest most generalized question, yet the answer is a very complicated complex one; which takes up multiple text books and researching time, yet still cannot be answered fully. Times are changing; meaning everything else is also, including bodybuilding as a sport, and as a life style. For instance, 30 years ago, if one wasn't blasting there muscles with at least 12 sets, they would be considered a "girly man", but these days, doing anything more then say 4 sets a muscle, they will be frowned upon and be sentenced with the curse of overtraining. How can these training styles change so dramatically in such little time, yet still produce results?

This is just one of the main reasons why this question is so hard to answer. Various things affect what makes one gain the most mass in the fastest amount of time. Therefore, you will see a lot of big corporations and companies try to take advantage, and put out there own unique weight training routine with a clever acronym, sometimes for money even, just to market it around there supplements. Some are actually helpful, while others spread around half truths and manipulate people into purchasing there products. I can go on about this for awhile, but this point is irrelevant to the question at hand, although I felt it should be pointed out anyway.

Moving on, as I stated before, there are many reasons why this question is so hard to answer. This question needs to cover a lot of various things in order to answer it fully (i.e. Human anatomy, exercise physiology, etc). These things can vary very much from person to person, which results in a lot of confusion. Me myself have researched now for years, and have observed my training experience very closely, and from all of this I have a good idea in my head on how one can gain the most mass fastest. After countless articles I have read and studies I looked at, I realized one thing; everything seems to always contradict each other in one way or another.

I'll ask the question one more time to emphasize it, "How can these training styles change so dramatically in such little time, yet still produce results?". I'm not going to be able to explain this in one simple answer, in fact, it may be hard to explain it in simply one post, but I'll try my hardest. Therefore, just bare with me through my ramblings and observations, and make sure you focus on what I'm trying to explain, and this all should be easy to see. With that being said, let's go over this once more. In order to understand how we can gain the mass the fastest, we must see why it is that different trainings work (and how they can be so versatile and different from each other), and how we can get this to work for you. I want you to be able to gain the most mass as possible.

Background Info

Here is where I would like to venture a bit into the scientific parts of exercise physiology (EP), as well as human anatomy/physiology (Human AP). I’m only going to cover the situations and things that are relevant to mass/strength gaining. I also like to ramble a lot and point out observations, so once again bare with me.

First off, let me make a statement. The human body is one of the most complicated things nature made that is on this planet. The body is a system within a system. Through evolutionary processes, your body was made to be able to cope with whatever challenges one may face throughout their lifetime to increase survival, allowing for the ability to reproduce; the process repeats itself over and over. Working out is one of these “challenges” that your body may face. So working out can be looked at as having a negative impact, but leading to a positive impact. I’m not sure where to start with this, so I’m going to give a quick overview of everything and then piece it together bit by bit.

Exercise/Weightlifting Physiology

The Energy Systems

I’m going to start off explaining what happens when one weightlifts. When an individual picks up a weight, a lot of things occur. There are metabolic actions, central nervous system actions (CNS), peripheral (muscle) nervous actions (PNS), etc. This is pretty complicated, which is why a lot of people don’t modify there training to produce really great results, even better then what there already achieving.

First let’s start with energy expenditure. Weightlifting is an anaerobic experience, which means “Living without oxygen”. That is not to taken literal in this case, although it hits the point right on. The role of oxygen as far as energy goes, is to help fuel ATP. What I mean by this is oxygen is needed to allow for chemical reactions to take place which allows for ATP to be created/used. Your muscles always have slight levels of ATP. ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) is probably the biggest key factor when dealing with energy produced within the muscle. ATP is a molecule that has energy stored within the three phosphates, and it can be used when it is broken down. Weightlifting requires the breakdown of ATP for utilization of energy, and the ATP breaks down into an AMP (adenosine monophosphate) molecule, which is just what ATP is, but with only 2 phosphates not 3. Energy is released when the phosphate bond is broken, which is why ATP turns to AMP when energy is needed by the muscle. Since such a large burst of energy is given, your muscles always contain levels (a small amount) of ATP, to allow for an immediate reaction. This is probably once again an evolutionary effect, due to the fact that if one was needed to run for survival, this would be absolutely needed.
ATP can be produced in 3 various ways (or systems), but were only going to focus on two of them, as this post is going to get real long, and those are the only ones which are actually relevant to weightlifting and gaining mass. The phosphocreatine-ATP complex (or phosphagen system), is a pretty important and interesting system. This allows for a quick fix for energy, such as sprinting short distances, or quick bursts of energy. When an ATP molecule is broken down to ADP, the phosphate needs to be added back so you can get ATP again. Creatine Kinase (sounds familiar?) is the enzyme that does all of this, but this “creatine mini-system” will start to wear out after around a good 10 seconds, and another energy system is required.
The next system is the glycolysis/glycogenolysis complex (or glycogen-lactic acid system). This goes back to your diet. Carbohydrates (glucose) can be complex molecules, but are broken down to smaller ones or grouped together so that they can be stored. If not used right away, they can be changed into a form known as “glycogen”, where this molecule will be stored in a muscle, and eventually be used for energy. Glycogen is simply a bunch of glucose molecules bonded together. The glycogen helps the ATP through metabolism, and will cause that burning sensation in your muscles. This is due to the waste product that is given off from this process called “lactic acid”. This is why people think that the burning sensation is required for growth; there partially right. Now that you understand the energy systems, we can understand how to maximize these effects fully to achieve the most muscle mass while working out.

Muscle Fibers/Growth

There are 3 different types of muscle in the human body, but the ones where concerned with (AND WANT TO GET TO GROW!) is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles (striated muscles) are attached to bones by tendons and ligaments (joints), and are the actual muscle fibers.

We’re going to dig a bit deeper though. I’m sure you have heard of the terms slow-twitch, fast-twitch, etc or at least seen them come up. Well I’m going to go into details on what they are so you know which ones are the most susceptible to growth, and which ones to minimize training on. Despite how small a muscle fiber is, its is a VERY complicated thing. I’m going to keep this short and sweet though as I’m already rambling on too much here. A muscle fiber is made up of a nucleus and filaments. A muscle is made up of “Myofibral (myofibers bunched together)”. A myofibril is made up of two filaments, one being “Myosin”, and the other being “Actin”. A myofibril is basically referred to as a muscle fiber.

(continued...)

Younglifter16

10-19-2005, 07:57 PM

What cause the actual contraction in a muscle are the filaments Actin and Myosin. Myosin (thick filament) contracts together with Actin (thin filament) through cross bridges, and use ATP. This is why you’re able to “flex” your muscles or contract your muscles. To make this more complicated, there are different kinds of muscle fibers (isoforms) of myofibrils. A myofibril can be fast-twitch or slow-twitch. Fast twitch fibers contract the fastest and are anaerobic. They also have the tendency TO GROW THE MOST! Slow twitch on the other hand contracts slower, and is recruited more often in aerobic activities. So fast twitch fibers are the ones we want to target. With that being said, pay close attention to the following:

Fast twitch fibers are split into two different isoforms, one being IIA and the other being IIX. Type IIX is the fastest and usually can hypertrophy the most. But bodybuilders tend to have a higher ratio of slow twitch fibers. Why? Because they overkill themselves with too much volume, and sometimes even too many reps. We want to aim to get the most out of our training, not try and get smaller.

There are two types of growth within a muscle, one is Myofibral growth, and the other is Sarcoplasmic growth. Sarcoplasmic growth is the increase in size/function of non-contractile proteins in the muscle; this includes mitochondria, fluids, etc. This will increase the cross area section of a muscle, which is why bodybuilders can be “weaker” then a powerlifter, even though they are bigger. Myofibral growth is the increase in the muscle protein fiber itself (HYPERTROPHY!) This is very important, a lot of people train with too high of reps and volume and get a lot of sarcoplasmic growth, but training with lower reps is the more ideal thing to do as this will lead to a direct increase in protein in the muscle fibers!

So now with all this being said, I’m just going to quickly review the nervous system, so we can finally get on to what can make the most out of our training.

The Nervous System
I’m going to be real quick here. There is the central nervous system (CNS), and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). A motor unit is a motor neuron attached to muscle fibers. When an electrical pulse (action potential) is generated, it activates the motor units. A muscle recruits the motor units, and the motor units start to “fire”, allowing them to contract the muscle. Motor units become more efficient when they start “synchronizing” better, which is why at first you can barely stabilize yourself, but then can easily perform the exercise.

The central nervous system is made up of the spinal cord and brain. They control the nervous system and send out the “signals” for motor units to be recruited. Motor units will generally recruit fast twitch fibers when low reps and heavy weight is performed.

What Will Make Us Gain As Much Mass As Possible - TRAINING

Now were finally up to the good part. I'm going to finally explain how to fully maximize training/dieting/supplementation to achieve the greatest results, so you can indeed “gain as much mass as possible”. I’m going to have to ramble one last time though.

A muscle is made up of myofibrils as I mentioned earlier. The muscle also contains hormones, as well as a sarcoplasm, among other things. When you pick up a weight and perform the exercise (mechanical load), stimulation (MICROTRAUMA) upon the sarcolema (think z-lines) occurs. The weightlifting (the negative portion of the exercises specifically) leads to damage (microtrauma) in the muscle cell, and this is where the fun starts happening. From here, the exercise (more specifically the negative portion) causes a "disturbance" and damages certain parts of the muscle cell. Now the growth is going to finally occur when the “growth factors (hormones)” ooze out and activate anabolic events, such as satellite cell differentiation/proliferation. IGF-1 is one of the anabolic hormones as well as FGF. Satellite cells allow for re-growth of the muscle fiber as they donate there nucleus (to keep it simple).

So now we have an idea of what makes a muscle grow, how do we maximize this though? I’ll explain right now.

FREQUENCY
For a muscle to grow, it must be stimulated (mechanical load), and microtrauma must be placed upon the muscle. This will lead to the anabolic events described earlier. What most people don’t understand is that a muscle recovers (the anabolic activities return to there normal levels) within 48-72 hours. So if you work a muscle once a week, your growth isn’t maximized at all! You are missing out on a good 4 days where you could be getting growth, but are not.

A lot of people are misinformed and think that once a week is enough if they “hit there muscles hard enough so they won’t need to work it again” or because they may “overtrain”. As I said, the muscle is recovered within days, it’s the CNS that still has a toll taken on it (which may or may not lead to overtraining). So we want to be able to maximize our muscle growth potential by INCREASING frequency of hitting a muscle, but DECREASING CNS toll. This will lead for a higher amount of anabolic events taken weekly, allowing us to maximize for growth.

This means that we want to hit each muscle a good 2 times a week (at least). I would recommend 3, but 2 seems to be working great for most people including myself. What we want to avoid though is CNS failure, and were only going to get CNS failure by training to positive “failure”. To minimize CNS fatigue, we can avoid training to failure; this means stopping a rep short or two before hitting failure. Training to failure should only be used as a tool, not in every workout. It’s good to use every so often to get a full effect of hypertrophy, but can lead to more negative damage when used wrong. Also, stopping a rep or two short of failure produces similar results as mechanical load is still placed on the muscle. Also, divide up your volume. If 8 sets for chest works the best for you, you would do 4 sets if you hit chest two times that week. So now we were able to minimize CNS fatigue yet MAXIMISE muscle growth. This will get us to our goals at a way quicker pace.

Cliff notes for gaining as much mass as possible for frequency:
- Train more frequently to lead to longer anabolic periods
- Stop a rep or two before failure to allow for less CNS fatigue to in return allow for us to train more frequently
- The two combined will put mass on an individual a lot faster.

(continued...)

Younglifter16

10-19-2005, 07:58 PM

PROGRESSIVE LOADING
This is perhaps the most important key to putting on mass, and this is why most bodybuilders fail to be able to put on mass. I can write an whole article on this itself, but I’m going to keep this shorter. Progressive load is the key for hypertrophy (muscle growth), keep repeating that over in your head.

A bodybuilder’s worst nightmare is not overtraining. It is the repeated bout effect (RBE). This “effect” is when bouts of exercise are useless for the muscle, so they don’t respond and grow. You can call it a plateau to keep it simple. Most bodybuilders don’t progressive load enough, or a lot, and in return there gains are diminished. They don’t gain fast, and they don’t gain much. What you want to do is be able to go up in reps or weight in every workout (this would be ideal, but of course we can’t keep going up in reps and weights all the time) to promote the most amount of hypertrophy consistently. With more frequent training, this is possible, but other training techniques should be employed as well to promote for strength gain (to allow for progressive load LEADING TO MASS GAINS).

Use of lower rep ranges (around 3-6) will lead to myofibril hypertrophy, this will lead to a direct increase in the size of a muscle fiber. This is a great rep range to use to get “functional” size, allowing for size, yet strength to go along with it. Training in the higher rep ranges to allow for more sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is also smart, as it will cause for large mass gains fast. There should be a balance in between the two. Real low rep ranges (1-3 reps) should be used every so often (just like failure) to allow for strength gains within the nervous system (motor unit recruitment, etc).

Cliff notes for gaining as much mass as possible for Progressive Loading:
- Always try to be adding reps or weight
- Emphasize on the use of the 3-6 rep range to allow for “functional” size
- If progressive loading is stalled, the Repeated bout effect (RBE) will occur, which stalls muscle hypertrophy.

NEGATIVES
This is the most important portion of the exercise, it’s referred to as the “negative” part. It’s the eccentric part of the exercise, for instance, in bench press it is when you bring the weight down to your chest. Most people think positives cause the most growth, but they are wrong. Negatives are superior, and the positives should only be looked at as “primers” to allow for negatives to be done.

Negatives lead to the most microtrauma in the muscle. The microtrauma as we talked about earlier is the most important stimulant for growth. With microtrauma inflicted upon the muscle fibers, the anabolic events will take place, which will allow for our satellite cells to donate there nuclei allowing for more/larger protein structures (muscle fibers). So you want to keep a nice controlled negative (which most people don’t). You don’t want to keep real slow negatives as this won’t cause microtrauma (you would need a lighter weight), but you want to keep them nice and “controlled”. The positive portions of the exercise are useful, but look at them as priming yourself up for the negatives, so it’s best to do a fast/explosive positive.

Cliff notes for gaining as much mass as possible for Negatives:
- Negative causes the most microtrauma leading to anabolic events
- Keep your negatives “controlled” as opposed to cheating yourself out of them
- Fast and explosive positives should be done

Putting it altogether:

Now let’s put all that we learned together right now. We want heavy weight, low reps, high frequency, and controlled negative portions of reps. There are a lot of training programs out right now with cool acronyms, but they never generally follow all these principals, therefore they stop working after awhile. The best programs I seen out are dogcrapp training (DC training, warning: not for beginners), and Hypertrophy-specific training (HST). Both are very sound programs where I have learned a lot from, so check those out as well. Periodization is also a good way to manage all these principals, but that’s another article itself.

So for higher frequency, we can do a lot of things. I’ll outline a few right now:

Example 1:
Monday: Fullbody
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Fullbody
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Fullbody
Weekend: Rest

Example 2:
Monday: Upperbody
Tuesday: Lowerbody
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Upperbody
Friday: Lowerbody
Weekend: Rest

Example 3:
Monday: chest/back/shoulders
Tuesday: Legs/limbs
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: chest/back/shoulders
Friday: Legs/limbs
Weekend: Rest

Example 4:
Monday: Back/Arms
Tuesday: Chest/Legs
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Back/Arms
Friday: Chest/Legs
Weekend: Rest

These are just a few examples. My personal favorite, as well as a lot of other peoples, is choice number 2. This generally is the easiest to put together and design, and works the most effectively. So we got frequency covered, let’s move onto volume.

(continued...)

Younglifter16

10-19-2005, 08:00 PM

You generally want to get in a good 8-12 sets for larger muscles, and 3-6 sets for smaller. If you were to do 10 sets for chest, and use example 2, you would do 4 sets for chest each upperbody workout. I would vary your exercises as well, so this is how it may look:

Upperbody A
Chest:
Flat Dumbell Bench Press 3 sets
Weighted Dips 2 sets

Upperbody A
Chest:
Incline Barbell Bench Press 4 sets
Cable Crossovers 2 sets

I recommend that you “favor” some muscle groups on different days. For example, on upperbody workout A, work all your upperbody muscles, but favor chest the most that day, and do more chest work then back work. Then upperbody B, you would favor the other muscles, like do more work for back that day. This will allow for better results as you can focus more, yet still get your more frequent training in.

Now here comes rep ranges, for rep ranges, we want our compound exercises to have anywhere from 3 to 6 reps. For our isolation exercises, we are better off with higher rep ranges, such as the 7-11 rep range. Now we are going to get hypertrophy in several ways. I would also do an exercise once per week where we focus on pure strength and only do 1-3 reps. I’ll give an example:

Upperbody A
Chest:
Incline Barbell Bench Press 4 sets 4-6 reps
Cable Crossovers 2 sets 8-10 reps
Back:
Barbell rows 3 sets 5-6 reps
One armed rows 2 sets 1-3 reps
Shoulders:
Lateral Raises 3 sets 9-12 reps
Etc

So now we got frequency, rep ranges, and volume covered. Next time is to control your negative, this is a must. Always have a nice controlled (not necessarily slow) negative portion of exercise. Now lets move on to the final thing, progressive loading.

With these low reps and more frequent training, strength increases should come A LOT faster. This will allow for more progressive loading. Add weight whenever you feel you can, while staying in the “rep range” required. I gone for weeks where I can keep adding 5lbs to an exercise and still stay in the rep range. I usually PR on everything, whether it’s as small as one rep, or as large as adding 10lbs to an exercise.

I train very similar to Lyle Mcdonald’s Periodization for bodybuilders. I strongly recommend you read what he has to say, you can find his articles here:
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=17&pageID=198
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=18&pageID=216
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=19&pageID=243

Occasionally, drop sets should be done as they induce secondary growth through fatigue, and heavy negatives should be done to induce primary growth through heavy tension.

Here is my split that I have been using for months now and has been working great:
Upperbody Workout A (sets X reps):
Flat Barbell bench press 3 X 4-6
Incline Barbell bench press 2 X 4-6
Bent Over barbell rows 3 X 4-6
Weighted Pullups 2 X 9-12
Dips 2 X 9-12
DB Militaries 3 X 4-6

Lowerbody Workout A (sets X reps):
Deadlifts 3 X 4-6
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3 X 4-6
Barbell Curls 2 X 9-12
Close Grip Bench Press 3 X 4-6
Skull crushers 2 X 9-12

Upperbody Workout A (sets X reps):
Decline Barbell bench press 2 X 4-6
Incline Barbell bench press 3 X 9-12
Bent Over barbell rows 3 X 9-12
One armed Rows 3 X 4-6
Barbell Military Press 2 X 9-12

Lowerbody Workout B (sets X reps):
Squats 3 X 9-12
Lying Leg curls 2 X 9-12
Dumbell Curls 3 X 4-6
Close Grip Bench press 2 X 9-12

Notes: - I can personally handle all this volume as I accustomed myself to it, beginners will probably need a lot less volume, so use what works best for you.

Okay, so we finally covered the working out aspect to gain as much mass in the quickest amount of time possible. Now let’s move onto dieting and supplementation.

What Will Make Us Gain As Much Mass As Possible – DIETING AND SUPPLEMENTATION

I will not be spending as much time on dieting as I did on training, simply because it is not nearly as complicated. We want to grow the most, which comes from protein synthesis. Protein turnover (protein synthesis – protein breakdown) is what the final outcome is, so to increase protein synthesis other then weight training, we want to eat…A LOT Of protein! Simple enough, you should be eating at least 1.5 grams per pound of protein. These days I get in double my bodyweight in protein. People can much easier when there eating more then there weight in protein, then someone eating at there weight. This is something I observed and noticed myself. So in conclusion, MORE PROTEIN = MORE GAINS!

PROTEIN

I’m going to list some good protein sources, as these are what I try to consume daily:

Red meat/beef
Fatty oil fishes (salmon, etc)
Tuna/chicken
Protein shakes (whey, casein etc)
Etc.

This is simple, just get as much protein as you can.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs is a little harder topic to touch upon. You want to keep glycogen levels (discussed earlier) filled and maximized to allow for maximum strength, leading to maximum muscle gains. To do this, a lot of complex good carbs should be eaten, I’m not going to give numbers, but after you eat all your protein, eat carbs to keep you “satisfied”. If you find your feeling flat, or not strong enough, add in more carbs. Some good carb sources are:

Plain Oats
Whole Wheat pasta
Whole Wheat bread
Brown rice
Sweet potatoes/yams
Barley
Etc.

Those are the staples. Fruits and fibrous leafy vegetables should always be eaten as well.

FATS
As far as fat goes, stay away from the bad fats, as those will cause body fat gains. This includes junk food, potatoe chips, desserts, etc. They are usually in the form of transfatty acids (hydrogenated oils), or too much saturated fats and simple sugars mixed together. Instead, aim for some better sources of fat, such as:

Fishy oils (supplement with fish oil)
Olive Oil
Egg Yolks (occasionly)
Animal fats
EFA’s/flax oil
Nuts (almonds, pecans, etc)
Etc.

Keep in mind fat is needed for hormone production and other vital things, I actually like to keep fat high, just very clean fats with lots of EFA’s. Fish oil is really a must.

The reason why I didn’t touch up on diet that much is because nothing fancy is required. My favorite type of dieting to maintain body fat, yet put on the most muscle is Twin Peak’s Carb cycling plan. Since I am not the creator, I didn’t want to explain it, I strongly suggest this plan is checked out:
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=30&pageID=159
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=16&pageID=181
http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php?issueID=18&pageID=232

Carb Cycling (with high protein) combined with the training routine outlined will indeed lead to the fastest mass gains possible. We are still missing one last thing though, and that’s supplementation.

For the Past 8 months, I have researched supplements extensively. The supplement section is now my favorite part of the forums, when I used to hate it the most. A good supplemental program will help one out so much. I’m going to explain what is needed for any weightlifter, and then explain the hottest/best supplements on the market right now, and what is working for me.

Supplement Basics
Multi Vitamins/Minerals – “Becoming deficient in just one of these essential vitamins or minerals breaks down the metabolic pathway that produces optimum efficiency and performance declines. Not good! Daily consumption of a high-potency multivitamin/multimineral formula may help ensure the presence of essential cofactors necessary for thousands of metabolic reactions.”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/multi.html
This supplement should be taken simply for health, as well as the hundreds of other benefits it provides. At least one multivitamin should be taken daily, preferably in the morning.

Fish Oil:
“Omega-3 is an important nutrient for maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Fish Oils themselves are said to contribute to healthy heart function and joint flexibility as well as supporting brain, nerve, and visual function.”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/fish.html
Fish oil has EFA’s which provides many benefits for fat loss and cholesterol, as well as joint help and other benefits. A good 3-6 grams should be taken daily.
Whey Protein:
“Studies have been conducted that compare whey protein to other sources. They have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup... and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body. Both hormonal and cellular responses seem to be greatly enhanced with supplementation of whey protein…”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/whey.html
This is probably the second most important supplement you can have, next to a good multi vitamin. Whey is one of the greatest stable supplements, and should defiantly be taken, post workout, and when you miss a meal, or want to make a MRP.

Now that we got the stables down, let’s look at the most popular supplements on the market that are effective.

(continued...)

Younglifter16

10-19-2005, 08:03 PM

NEW SUPPLEMENTS

Creatine Ethyl Ester
Now we all know how well creatine monohydrate works, but now, a new creatine form is out, and is known as “CEE”. The results are reportedly a lot better, without the side effects of monohydrate (bloating, cramps, etc). It’s a bit more expensive, but is worth every penny. Usually a creation non responder will respond to CEE.
“Creatine ethyl ester is creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. The attachment of an ester is significant, because esters are found in the fat tissue of animals”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cee.html
The more popular CEE’s on the market are:
Omega Cre-Ethyl Thunder - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/omega/cre.html
Controlled Labs Green Bulge - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/clabs/green.html
Bulk CEE - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/ester.html

I have used bulk CEE for a few months, it worked really well, but the effects wore off a bit, but still worked nicely. It was a lot better then creation monohydrate. I’m currently using Omega thunder, and It’s awesome! It’s the best creation product I ever used, and I heard the results from green bulge are similar.

NO/Arginine Products
This is a relatively new product compared to creatine, and is sweeping the markets and causing a new “fad”. A No/Arginine product causes a pump, as well as other things, which can lead to growth and larger passage ways.
“The fact that nitric oxide increases blood flow should make it of interest to bodybuilders, as increased blood flow will serve to deliver more nutrients to muscles, thus helping muscles become larger when subject to stress. The fact that Nitric Oxide acts to reduce inflammation should also make it of interest to bodybuilders as it has the potential to reduce the pain associated with subjecting muscles to extreme stress”. “
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/no2.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/aee.html
The most popular products right now are:
Controlled Lab’s White Blood - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/clabs/white.html
Omega Nitro Evolution - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/omega/nitro.html
NO2 - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/no2/no2.html

A NO/Arginine product stacked with a CEE product really brings out the effects of both products. Put together, you will have even better results. Currently I am using Omega thunder stacked with white blood, and my workouts are so great these days. I’m gaining mass really quickly, pumps are great, and my strength is going through the roof.

Branch Chained Amino Acids (BCAA)
BCAA’s have been around for awhile, but only recently have become a big hit, due to the fact that people megadose on them. Megadosing seems to maximize the effect of BCAAs a few times folded. I myself will be BCAA overdosing when I get to my cut, to retain or possibly even gain some lean muscle out of the whole situation.
“These amino acids have far reaching effects in the body from building and repairing tissues, to producing chemicals that enable our brains to function optimally.”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bcaa.html
The most popular BCAA out right now is Scivation’s Xtend: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sv/xtend.html
I have tasted this product before (watermelon), and it tasted great. It also has other goodies like high dosed glutamine, and citrulline malate. Watermelon is an always talked about flavor of xtend, as it is very good.
Optimum nutrition has plan BCAA’s for cheap: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/bcaa.html

Sesamin
This is a revolutionary fat loss product, which is actually found in sesame seeds/oil. Sesamin is lowly concentrated though, and you would have to eat pounds of sesame seeds to get the right dosing as a supplement would give you. Sesamin works great for fat loss, cholesterol loss, as well as many other benefits.
“First it boosts hepatic (liver) and muscular mitochondria oxidation of fatty acids as well as boosting peroxisome fatty acid oxidation. Particularly episesamin is extremely potent boosting these two actions buy 2.1 hold and 5.1 hold in rats. When coupled with a diet rich in omega-3 fats (they seem to work synergistically) episesamin boosted them by 12.2 and 20.1 respectively. Now that's freaking impressive. It does this buy causing the DNA transcription of CPT (carnitine palmitoyl transferase) which is the rate limiting quantity in beta oxidation of fats in skeletal muscle and liver cells. So the gist is you burn more fat plain and simple”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/al/sesa.html
The most popular sesamin’s right now are:
Avant Labs Sesathin (original inventor) - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/al/sesa.html
Scivation Sesamin - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sv/ses.html
Man Vapor - http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/man/vap.html

Those are pretty much the big supplements right now. If you dose a sesamin product at one half the recommend dosing, you will limit fat gains severely, allowing one to bulk longer which means, YOU WILL GAIN MASS QUICKER.

BONUS QUESTION
“With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?”

A lot of muscle mass can be expected to be gained with these techniques. I myself have went up 50lbs on my bench from May to September, and I have been training for awhile now and consider myself advanced. I have trained my fare share of people, and when people follow these principles, they usually end up going up in around 40lbs in a good 6 months. That translates to about a bit under 2lbs gained per week. Most is muscle as well. Strength sky rockets through the roof.

As of lately, I have been training a new friend using these techniques, and he’s on his 2nd week now, and his lifts are already going through the roof. He’s increasing around 20lbs on pretty much everything, and he has worked out prior so it’s not all newbie gains. With good training and good dieting/supplementing, a good 30lbs at least (of muscle) I feel can be gained in 6 hard months of training.

I can’t honestly give a solid number that’s truly accurate, as everyone is different. But I will tell you that training right will make you gain fast; just depending on your genetic limits is how fast you will gain.

Conclusion:
So I have outlined everything you need to know to gain mass the quickest. I hope that someone at least learned something from this, and read through all of it even though it’s really long. If something is unclear, I hope someone points it out so I may change it, I tried to do my best to make this short, yet very understandable. Thank you for your time and good luck everyone.

- Younglifter

Blap Blaow

10-19-2005, 08:47 PM

Building quality mass is the ultimate goal of nearly all bodybuilders. It’s what defines the bodybuilder from the average person on the street. It’s what makes or breaks a Mr Olympia. It’s how you are rewarded for proper training, diet and rest. Ultimately, it’s why you’re a ‘body builder.’

WORKOUT

I honestly don’t believe any one workout is batter than another for building mass. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow to help you in designing a solid mass building routine.

a) Rep Range

It is generally agreed that the optimum rep range for growth is somewhere between 6-12, although opinions vary. In order to determine the most effective rep-range for you the key is to EXPERIMENT. While this may seem like wasted time it will allow you to determine the most effective rep range for you as an individual.

It is important to consider how to find a weight that will allow you to squeeze out 6-12 reps. The weight should not be too heavy (where the last rep is going to failure or needs to be assisted) but at the same time not too light (to stimulate maximum growth). A good rule of thumb is to chose a number of reps (say 10) then chose a weight that will allow you to perform 12 reps (where the 12th will be going to failure)- but stop at the predetermined 10 reps.

b) Sets

Again, the number of sets you may chose to perform is a highly personal issue. However, you do not want to take on an excessive number of sets as this can lead to overtraining, excessive DOMS, excessive time in the gym (discussed later) and potential injury. Personally I aim for 9-12 sets per muscle group, depending on how large the muscle group is. This usually equates to spending between 35-60 mins in the gym.

c) Time in the Gym

Why is time spent in the gym important? Surely the more time you spend in the gym the better your gains will be? The simple answer is no.

There are several good reasons to carefully limit your time in the gym. Firstly, excessive training can be hard on the body and requires an increased recovery period. Lengthy training sessions could potentially lead to overtraining, which will do more harm than good for your long term goals. Another strong reason is due to the release of cortisol through the body.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone which is released in response to both physical and mental stress. Don’t let it’s classification as a steroids fool you. It essentially does the opposite of insulin, testosterone and GH in that it is catabolic so promotes the breakdown of bodily tissue; it is therefore obvious why bodybuilders may wish to limit cortisol levels. During the first 30-45 mins of training cortisol levels are negligible, however after this period the effects become more significant. I would therefore recommend a workout session of ideally 45 mins or, if this is not practical, no more than an hour.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson.htm

d) Compound Movements

Not all exercises are created equal. Utilising compound movements as the core of your workout provides numerous benefits to your workout. Compound movements utilise more than one muscle group, thereby building both secondary muscles as well as the one being targeted. They also allow for greater balance and stability since compound movements require stabiliser muscles to be recruited. As well as developing greater overall mass, compound movements provide a solid foundation from which to base your other isolation movements around.

e) Recovery Period

For those looking to maximize size gains looking at your recovery period in between sets can be a potentially important time if utilized properly.

-higher lactate levels: Using this rest interval between sets creates high lactate levels in the exercising muscles3. This forces the body to improve its ability to buffer the accumulating lactate, thereby improving your ability to sustain moderate, near maximal or maximal contractions over a given time period.

-increased growth hormones: High volume, short rest period training has also been found to increase human growth hormone levels when compared to training with longer rest periods 2.

-maximized hypertrophy: In addition, muscular hypertrophy (growth in size) will be maximized using the 1:1 work-rest ratio in conjunction with high training volume and a weight load between your 8 and 12 repetition maximum.

(Taken from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa111.htm)

An ideal rest period between sets for those looking to achieve hypertrophy is between 30-60 seconds.

Blap Blaow

10-19-2005, 08:49 PM

DIET

Diet will make or break a mass building routine, no matter how hard you workout in the gym.

A wise man once said;

Muscles are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek41.htm

a) Calorific Excess

The most basic rule behind putting on mass is simply;

calories in> calories out

What this means is that your body requires energy (from food) to maintain itself, fuel itself and repair itself. It is only once this basic metabolic requirement is met that your body has the surplus energy and nutrients to facilitate growth. Quite simply, if you do not eat enough you cannot grow.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm

Using a calorie/macronutrient intake calculator will help you figure out roughly what you need to be eating per day. In order to GROW you need to ADD calories on top of this basic level. The amount of calories you decide to add will depend on how lean you want your mass gain to be- but I do think that’s a topic to be discussed here.

b) Dynamic Calorific Needs

After you figure out your calorific requirements for growth you need to realise that this is a very specific number based on your current situation. As you grow your body will require more and more fuel to maintain itself and grow some more. In order to make sure you do not reach a plateau in your mass gain I would recommend re-checking your calorific requirements every 2-4 weeks based upon your new weight. That way you can make sure you stay ahead of your body.

c) Sourcing Calories

Now that you know how many calories you need, it’s time to source them. The basic food groups are; proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and all of these need to be included to optimal growth and health.

-protein

1 Gram = 4 Calories

Muscle is essentially protein. Therefore in order to build muscle you need to ensure an adequate supply of protein in your diet. This not only means a net overall protein intake, but also a continuous protein intake throughout the day. By eating 6 meals a day, spaced out every 2-3 hours you ensure that your body is always supplied with protein for growth and repair.

It is generally recommended that you should be looking to consume at least 1- 2 grams of protein per lb bodyweight.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catprot.htm

-carbohydrates

1 Gram = 4 Calories

Carbohydrates should generally be taken from complex (low GI) sources. This means that they are digested slowly and absorbed over a longer period of time, provoding a continues release of carbohydrates into the body. Carbohydrates are also the body’s fuel of choice so are vital to those leading a particularly active lifestyle.

-fats

1 Gram = 9 Calories

Fats are essential for hormone synthesis and go to form an important part of cell membranes. The body’s central nervous system consists of fat-based membranes and nearly half of the dry weight of the brain is from fat based molecules. Fats are therefore essential to any diet, let alone that of a bodybuilder as such should be selected and consumed with the same considered approach as other macronutrients.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gastelu5.htm

d) Meal Frequency

As stated earlier, eating your required number of gross calories and macronutrients per day is simply not enough. Eating smaller meals more frequently has numerous benefits;

-You speed up your metabolism. Your body will get used to the higher meal frequency and as such will essentially be 'running hot' more consistently. As such excess calories (which aren’t used as fuel or for muscle growth) are more likely to be burned off rather than stored as fat.

-You can eat more. For a lot of people eating 3000+ calories a day is not easy. Three or four large meals may put people off following this route but by dividing your meals up into smaller but more frequent portions you will be able to eat more overall.

-You maintain an anabolic state. What this essentially means is that your body is provided with a continuous supply of protein with which to build muscle. If your body runs out of protein (as can occur with less frequent eating) it does the reverse and starts breaking down muscle tissue.

Generally I would recommend you split your calories equally between meals. It is also important to plan your meals so that you can also achieve your desired macronutrient levels and calorie intake.

If you find it difficult to incorporate the necessary number of meals in your day you can always opt for MRP’s and protein bars. These are available commercially but I find it cheaper and better to make my own. That way you know exactly what’s in there and can tailor the recipe to suit your needs.

An example of a simple homemade meal replacement shake would be;

• Bananas
• Natural peanut butter
• Your favorite whey powder
• Oats

Blend until smooth and drink!

e) The Effect of Cardio on Diet

Cardio requires energy, and a lot of it usually. This has a serious impact on our meal plan as this energy is taken from our food- that valuable resource we are trying to guzzle every couple of hours in order to facilitate growth. By regularly performing cardio in your routine you risk not having enough calories for great mass gains, right? Well, yes. BUT this can easily be overcome by increasing your calorific intake to accommodate for the extra physical activity. I also believe that cardio has a far greater benefits than obstacles. Consistent cardio results in;

• Increased metabolic rate which in turn helps reduce bodily fat storage throughout the day.

• Increased appetite making it easier to eat more later on and increase calorific intake overall.

• Stronger cardio vascular system which not only improves general health but also allows for more intense weight training sessions.

• Promotes endorphin release and so helps you enjoy staying in shape.

• Increases insulin sensitivity. As already stated insulin is an important storage hormone and increasing your sensitivity to it can be extremely useful if taken advantage of.

To me, cardio is well worth that extra effort and can be great in helping you make some massive gains.

Blap Blaow

10-19-2005, 08:50 PM

HYDRATION

I honestly believe this deserves a title of its own instead of being lumped under with diet. The reason? Correct hydration can be invaluable in helping you make great gains.

- promotes healthier joints. The synovial fluid which lubricates joints is largely made up of water. The less water that is available to you, the less protection your joints will have. This may result less effective workouts and injury down the line.

- For those of us that like our supplements, water is essential in their correct functioning. Creatine works by increasing cell volumization thereby providing a more anabolic environment for growth. Similarly, NO products require correct hydration for them to be fully effective. No point wasting all that money because you didn’t drink enough of that very inexpensive liquid.

- promotes healthy digestive system. Water is required to both maintain a healthy urinary tract and provides a medium in which foods can be digested and metabolized

- helps in providing energy. Water contains no calories, but it is the medium in which all of the body’s chemicals reactions take place. This includes energy generation in cellular mitochondria; the ‘powerhouses’ of the human body.

- transports nutrients into cells whilst transporting metabolic waste. Water also assists in the forming the structure of proteins and glycogen. Muscle contraction requires water and dehydration can result in cramping.

These are just SOME of the benefits of taking in enough of that H2O. Correct hydration is something to be taken extremely seriously when trying to pack on mass.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/behar12.htm

SLEEP

Sleep is potentially the body’s best time to grow and repair- perfect for the bodybuilder! Metabolic activity at a minimum (you’re not doing anything whilst you sleep) therefore providing your body with the opportunity to use energy for growth. Simultaneously, the body’s production of growth hormone is at it’s peak whilst asleep. Whilst all of this is going on blood flow to the muscles is increased, resulting in an increased flow of macronutrients to bodily cells.

On top of this the human immune system requires proper sleep to optimal functioning. The less sick you get, the better and more consistent your workouts and diet will be.

What does all of this mean? Sleep is VITAL in successful recovery and growth.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi16.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi69.htm

WHAT ARE SOME GOOD MASS GAINING SUPPLEMENTS?

Water!!!
Not a supplement? Well it is if you’re consuming far more than you need to live for it’s bodybuilding and health benefits. See the previous section on how water can help you!

Whey Protein
A mainstay of many bodybuilder's diets. Whey is the ideal post workout supplement as it is rapidly absorbed a utilized by the body and so available for growth and repair in a matter of minutes. It also forms a quick and convenient form of protein when solid meals are not so easy. Ultimately you should not look to have any more than half of your protein intake from liquid (whey) meals. If you find you have to you may need to re-plan you entire diet and workout.

Multivitamin
Provides the essential vitamins and minerals required for a healthy metabolism.
Whilst a healthy diet may be rich in nutrients the levels are often insufficient for an athlete expending large amounts of energy on training. Therefore supplementation may prove to be very beneficial.

BCAA's
Branch Chain Amino Acids help in recovery and endurance as well as helping to synthesize new muscle growth and development. They should not be used to replace regular dietary protein; however they can be useful for the more experienced bodybuilder to increase endurance, prevent/minimize DOMS and provide the opportunity for an overall better workout.

Creatine Products
These have now been around for years and their impact is still being felt. Again, not a substitute for a good diet/recover/training plan but can be extremely useful in their own right.

The following list of benefits is taken from the Creatine Super Feature on bodybuilding.com (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gastelu8.htm);

• Promotes greater gains in increasing FFM (Fat Free Mass, which includes muscle mass).
• Increases muscle fiber size; hypertrophy.
• Increases muscle mass.
• Increases myosin.
• Improves maximal strength.
• Improves maximal power.
• Improves single-effort sprint performance.
• Improves worked performed during repetitive sprint performance.
• Improving performance during exercise of high to maximal intensity

While none of these benefits mean creatine will pack on lean muscle mass for you, they do mean that creatine will improve the quality of your workout which will in turn help you achieve the body you desire.

Cell Volumizers
Essentially cell volumizers (NO precursors) give you better 'pumps' in the gym. What this means for your gains is increased blood flow to muscles.

Upon consumption of you post-workout shake your blood will be rich in nutrients and the effect of the cell volumizers will increase the efficiency at which your muscles are fed.

BONUS QUESTION: With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?

Like most things in bodybuilding, this is a highly personal issue. Personally, I look to put on about around 0.5lbs a week on a CLEAN bulk. This means that I aim to put on as much muscle as possible whilst minimising fat gains. Whilst this is may not be the most efficient way of putting on mass, I believe it is the healthiest and serves my interests and goals best.

For those that don’t mind putting on a little ‘extra padding’ whilst bulking I suggest that between 1-2lbs a week is achievable without excessive fat gains. Again, this is a highly personally issue and will depend largely on diet, recovery, training, supplementation, metabolism and body type.

Ultimately all of the above must be taken into account along with deciding on long and short term goals before any decision on what kind of mass gain you want is made.

Thank you for reading

Blap Blaow

10-19-2005, 08:56 PM

Hey,

can I just say I'm openly admiting to plagurising MY OWN WORK here (specifically the 'Lean Mass Gain' TOTW). This is only true for certain sections, however, and I've done it because those sections were directly relevant and I honestly don't feel I could've written them any better (I have made slight alterations here and there though).

If this is against the rules I apologize and accept the consequences.

Good luck all

lilDEX2112

10-19-2005, 09:20 PM

U want to gain mass! WEll u got to know a couple things to gain it. When u wake up in the morning take a good look at urself in the mirror. Take a piss, and then get ready to eat a nice clean hardy mass meal to fuel dem muscles boy! After that do what u got to do until ur workout roles around that day. Before it hits be thinking about grippin that bar and grabbin those weights. U know when u look in the mirror at the gym and are more pumped than them basketball in the other room ur feelin the growth. After that, drink some protein, grab some carbs and keep pumpin dem muscles up with the gas. Ur tank is empty, prices are high, but still pump that gas in there. Thats all i got to say folks. Go to the gym and put on some head phones and dont let anyone get to u. Dont be afraid to train hard in front of others. Let them take the 5 min breaks into between sets. Ur there for one reason. Get that MASS BOY!

bigcalves

10-20-2005, 09:20 PM

How Can You Gain As Much Mass As Possible?

Bulking up is a part of bodybuilding. All the pro's and amateurs bulk up and then cut down for a competition. Without bulking up, your progress would come to a snail's pace. When 'bulking' you should focus on gaining as much muscle as you can, while keeping fat gain at a minimum. Your best judge is you. And your friend is the mirror. Do not base your resutls on weight, charts and logs. Sure those are necessary, but are not the prime factor on determining your progress. Before you start keep a log of all your lifts, and measurements. Record your progress every 2 weeks and that way you can determine if you are heading down the right path.

When bulking up you should keep body fat at a minimum. Gaining more than 2lbs per week is bad, and it means you are over eating and you should cut your calories by 200 or 400 calories to ease off the fat gains. Our goal is to gain muscle and not fat. Let's be realistic, fat will come but you shouldn't gain more than 4-7% fat on your whole bulk. If your gianing 10%+ you are surely overeating, or consuming junk food. Again, the mirror is your best friend. When bulking i monitor my fat gains and when i gain too much fat i can usually tell why it is. Learn to listen to your body and not the scale. Do not overbulk, because if you do, you will have a hard time loosing it all off. Plus with all the cutting you will do, you will loose more muscle which will lead you to no where. Like i said, it's not wise to base it on the scale or a program, always determine your progress through looking in the mirror.

Although weight training is necessary to gain muscle, the right diet is needed. Nutrition is about 80 percent of bodybuilding. So no matter how much you train, and how many sets you do, if you don't feed and rebuild your body, it simply won't grow. I see tons of people in the gym with perfect routines, going day by day, always the same. I know that their diet sucks, but again i see them editing their routines and following the next best workout program. The other factor that seems to be over looked is rest. You need 8 hours of good quality sleep. Don't expect to grow while you watch TV until midnight and then wake up at 6 for work or school. Your body needs to repair. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) kicks in within 2 hours of your sleep and repairs broken down tissue, or you muscle. That way you get bigger and stronger. When you cut down your sleep, you are taking away 2-4 hours of the main building process, and that is no good in trying to get more muscle. You need trainign, diet and rest to get big. Once begin to master these components your gains should be comming in quite nicely.

Diet For Mass

When bulking up, you need an organized eating plan. Also you have to educate yourself about carbs, protein and fats. You need to know how calories work, and how to calculate your meals. First off your going to need to form a ratio. Through years of experience, i've found that 50/30/20 (carbs,protein,fat) works best for gainign quality weight. Now since the body get's used to the amount of food your giving it, you will have to UP the calories by 300 every 2 weeks. The first week that you start bulking you will go +500 calories, and then 300 calories every 2 weeks from then on. The 300 calories will be the same ratio as your diet. You will bulk up for 14-16 weeks, or until you decide to cut down. Let's say you were eating 2000 calories before you started. Thats your maintenence. First you will add 500 for the first 2 weeks, and then 300 for every other week. So it will look something like this. This is only a model, so add 500 calories to your maintenance calories.

Starting at 3000
Weeks 1-2 = 3,500 cal
Weeks 3-4 = 3,800 cal
Weeks 5-6 = 4,100 cal
Weeks 7-8 = 4,400 cal
Weeks 9-10= 4,700 cal
Weeks 11-12= 5,000 cal
Weeks 13-14= 5,300 cal
Week 15-16 = 5,500 cal

You can stop at anytime if you feel you reached your goal, or are gaining too much fat. Let the mirror be your judge. Don't follow the scale or a program. It would be fooish if you are happy at week 13 and you continue to week 16 and gain 5 or more lbs of fat. Always look in the mirror. Having logs and looking at the scale is fine too, it's actually necessary, but always let the mirror be your main source for judging your progress. Now since you know how many calories you have to eat, it's time to see what you will be eating. Carbs, protein and fats are what your diet is made out of. You know the ratio you need, now we need to figure out what of each you will be having and what foods are great sources of each macronutrient.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are needed for energy. You need alot of carbs, since they make 50% of your diet. Going too high on carbs will result in fat gain. Too little carbs will results in using other macronutrients as enegry which is also bad. You need to balance it out, and 50% is exactly what will do the trick. In the world of carbs, there are simple and complex carbs. Eat simple carbs consisting of dextrose for after workout only, otherwise avoid these carbs as they result in insulin spike and fat again. Feel free to eat alot of fruits though. Next are complex carbs which are great for bulking. They are slowly released into the body not greating a spike, and perfect for your diet. Now here are some great sources of carbohydrates.

SIMPLE CARBS- Dextrose, Fruits, Sugar, High fructose corn syrup, Sports drinks, Candies, etc..

COMPLEX CARBS- Brown rice, 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Oats, Pasta, Spaghetti, Beans, Veggies, etc..

Protein

Protein is very important. Protein builds lean muscle tissue, and that's how you get big. Without protein, it's like trying to drive a car without gas, or on the fumes. You need 1-2grams per lb of bodyweight, and 30% of your diet will be just enough to get you big. With a diet rich of protein, you will grow and feel better. Protein is found in meats and poultry. Be careful and avoid meat with the white stuff on it. That is saturated fat, and no good for your body or health. Red meat is perfect for getting big, but also contains saturated fats. Eat beef only 2-3 times per week and becareful and cut off all the visable saturated fat. Tuna and other fish are great for lean protein. Since not all of us can eat meat all the time, whey protein is perfect for supplementation. Whey saved my diet when i started my job. It was 8 hours and i had a 1 hour break in between and i was able to eat a big meal. But i also needed two smaller ones in between. So i got my cantiene and put 2-3 scoops of whey and i also had a banana or something to fullfill my diet requirements. I strongly suggest that you pick up a tub of Whey Protein.

Protein Foods- Tuna, Salmon, Chicken Breast, Beef, Pork Chops, Turkey, Egg Whites

Fats

Fats are often overlooked in todays 'athlete' diets. Since the 90's fats got a bad reputation. So in everyone's mind, fat equals fat around your belly. In reality, fat from food and stored fat on a body are two different things. Everyone needs fat in their diet. From active to non active people, fat is needed. Since we are trying to get bigger, fat is 20% of our total intake. Don't worry it will not magically stick to your belly. There's different kinds of fat. There is Saturated, and Unsaturated fat. The saturated fat has a sub category of Trans fats, while the Unstaturated fats have Poly and Mono. You should avoid Saturated fats, and avoid Trans fats at all costs, since all they do is clog arteries and have 0 beneficial results in your body.

Poly and Mono are helpful and help the body and are also prooven to raise natural testosterone. Something that every lifter can appriciate. These 'good fats' belong to the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) which are needed for your body and are quite good for you, with little to no bad benefits. Salmon and fish are excellent sources of protein and the fat that we want. There's virtually no Saturated fat in fish and that is good to keep your bulk diet clean. Be sure to consume alot of nuts and cook with olive oil. These will give you pure EFA's and will be very good for your body and healthy for your system. Please don't overlook fat, because it plays an important role in any diet, bulking or cutting.

Good Fats- Nuts, Olive oil, Fish, Seeds

CONTINUE...

bigcalves

10-20-2005, 09:21 PM

CONTINUED

Foods To Avoid

Sure we are bulking. But i strongly suggest do not go out and load up on fast food thinking that you loaded up on calories and will get big. Well you are right on one thing, you will get big, but the only measurement that will change will be your waist. We don't want that. So even though we are consuming a high amounts of calories, that doesn't give us the right to pig out. It's ok to have a cheat day once every 1 or 2 weeks, but don't overdo it or you will gain extra fat which when cutting time comes around is no fun. It means you will cut longer, loose more muscle and have a bussy schedule. So take it nice and slow, stick to basic foods from each group, nothing too extreme and remember to listen to your body. Even if it's time to chage the calories a bit, if you still feel that you are making gains, then don't change it. It's about looking in the mirror and determining how you've progressed. If you gain fat a little faster, then have fewer cheat meals. Do not hesitate to tweak your calories, or do a carb load depending on how you feel. After all it's your body and everyone reacts differently.

There are some bad carbs.Ok now it's time to seperate the bad from the good. When eating carbs becareful not to over eat on the simple carbs. Simple carbs are excellent for after a workout because they will go in your system for energy or muscle rebuilding fast. But when you are not doing anything and have large amounts of simple carbs (High GI) you are asking for fat loss. Since it all goes in your system and your body doesn't need it. Avoid foods like candy, pure sugar and foods containing alot of sugar. Ice cream, pizza, potato chips and twislers are all bad for you and won't give you the gains you are looking for.

As for protein, you can't really mess up that bad. Just make sure you are eating clean, lean protein. Don't eat fatty steak everyday and wonder why you are gaining fat fast. Avoid the white stuff (Saturated Fats) and be sure to eat alot of fish and chicken breast. Be sure to avoid mixed beef that is full of Sat. fat and other bad stuff. Also avoid meats that are generally high in fat and feel greasy when eating. Chicken is good, but don't buy fried chicken or chicken strips that have 20% real chicken in them. Also avoid pork. Sure pork chops are good for red meat, but other than that pork is bad and pretty fattening. Meats like lamb and duck are greasy and don't have good protein in them. Besides from chicken breast, tuna and the occaisional red meat fix, all other meats have too much Sat. fat for large consumption.

Fats are always overlooked and to people they are the same. Wrong. There are bad and good fats. I already explained the benefit and what and where good fats come from. Now it's time for the bad fats. They are found in red meat. Beef, pork, lamb. You name it, and it's there. Saturated fats are usually found looking white at room temperature and if you taste them they feel very greasy. Avoid them at all cost since they are no good for you. They clog up arteries, and the leading causes of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol and death. Cheese and eggs also contain this type of fat, like the red meat it come's from an animal. Aside from red meat and diary, Saturated fats are found on artificial products such as potato chips, fast food and junk candy. The Saturated fat from these products comes from low quality, cheap oils that companies use to lessen the cost, increase the greasy taste and cause major problems to today's society. Avoid these bad fats.

Increasing Appetite

There are several methods of increasing your appetite. First a short but intense run in the morning will help you eat all your meals. Try running for 10 minutes at full speed until you can't run no more. Don't worry it won't hinder your gains, as for anything it will help with your leg development. After your run you will feel hungry and that feelling will stay for the whole day. Also, eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism fast. By doing that you will burn your food faster, so you will feel hungry and less full. Also you meals will get smaller, which is good especially when you pass 4,000 calories. I cannot imagine splitting 3 meals for 4,000 calories. Also there are alot of supplements you can take that increase appetite and metabolism. A fat burner in a small dose will not hinder your gains but will make you a little jumpy and hungrier. Also caffiene and similar energy boosting supplements will help in creating a bigger appetite. Always remember that if you don't feel like eating, but throwing up, then it's wise to take 1 more hour of free food time. Listen to your body and that will prevent you from harming it.

Supplements for Bulking

Although diet, training and rest are key, supplements can play an important role in bulking. They will give you the extra boost you need. By taking supplements you can increase your gains. Not anything dramatic, but still it's well worth it to invest in supplements. They can give you a extra boost when you need it in the weightroom or shorten your recovery time. No matter what, i strongly suggest supplements, and the best place to get them for an affordable price and excellent quality is Bodybuilding.com's store. There you will find everything you need, filled with tons of articles and places that can give you a very close look in the world of supplements. Although famous, these few supplements are very effective and not that expensive.

Whey Protein
No matter how hard you try, nothing replaces good old whey. It has a fast digestion rate, and comes in very pure form. By taking whey, you can increase your protein uptake by 50-150 grams per day which is very time saving and efficient. Whey is a must for after a workout since your muscles are tired and need to be replenished. Also when you wake yup, whey is the best choice for protein in my opinion.

Creatine
Creatine is used by tons of people world wide. It is safe, 100% natural and effective. From Olympians to gym rats, people use creatine. It gives an extra boost when working out. It can also help you gain more muscle and better your lifts. It boosts up the ATP energy which is responsible for short, drastic muscle movements. Perfect for weightlifters all around, creatine is a must for bulking up.

L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine is an amino acid. It is a 100% natural and safe supplement. It is used mainly for recovery. It can help you recover faster from the hard leg or back workout that you had. That way intensity and recovery for your workouts is at an all time high. L-Glutamine also helps maintain a positive Nitrogen balance which is very healthy for your body.

Multi-Vitamins
These days everyone takes Multi-Vitamins. That is a very smart choice. Since we all need vitamins, and we can't always eat every fruit out there, so Multi-Vitamins are a very wise choice for any diet. Since you are bulking, you need vitamins to maintain your body healthy. From all the workouts and stress that you put on it, it's a must that you have vitamins to replenish and rebuild. Always a must for every bodybuilder.

The Workout

Now the workout is pretty typical. Avoid cardio or do it once or twice a week to keep your heart in health. Don't be worried about the fat now, focus on heavy compound movements. Have a normal split of 5 workout days, and focus on heavy compounds. Especially squats, and deadlifts. Don't forget to workout your back and legs as those are very critical for your hormone production and how your body metabolizes food. Focus on heavy reps. Go between 4 and 10 reps. No point to go low on biceps, but on deadlifts you can go to 2-4 reps for heavy mass. Here's the routine.

MON- Chest and Abs
TUE- Legs
WED- Shoulders and Traps
THUR- Bi's & Tri's
FRI- OFF
SAT- Back
SUN- OFF

BONUS QUESTION: With proper training, diet, and supplementation, how much muscle mass can one expect to gain during a 6 month bulk?

If you do what I tell you in this program, you could gain around 30lbs in 6 months. It can be pretty clean with minimal amounts of fat. It always depends on the person, lifting experience and genetics. Also taking extra 'supplements' can change things, but according to my article you could gain around 30lbs in 6 months naturally, without gaining too much fat or having bad health problems. Just make sure to do some cardio to maintain good heart health and cardiovascular health. Bulking can be hard, but I think cutting is harder for me, so enjoy your time eating alot of food, lifting heavy and having tons of energy!

Good Luck!