Taking gainers without working out?

[nmocc]

Right now I'm about 5'10", 18, 155 lbs. My goal is to get bigger, for the baseball season and to pack on some muscle. i'm one of those hardgainer types, not scrawny, but I definitely could use some more muscle. I had been lifting for a while, then I had to get shoulder surgery from pitching in baseball, which has caused me to not be able to lift at all for a while. My question is...can I/should I take a weight gainer without working out? If I do will it just turn into fat and not muscle, or will taking it while not working out still put on weight in muscle?

[Cody Hooper]

Right now I'm about 5'10", 18, 155 lbs. My goal is to get bigger, for the baseball season and to pack on some muscle. i'm one of those hardgainer types, not scrawny, but I definitely could use some more muscle. I had been lifting for a while, then I had to get shoulder surgery from pitching in baseball, which has caused me to not be able to lift at all for a while. My question is...can I/should I take a weight gainer without working out? If I do will it just turn into fat and not muscle, or will taking it while not working out still put on weight in muscle?

NO, The reason you add Carbs is to help build muscle during recovery and for extra fuel during hard training sessions. Your body wont need it and store it as fat. Can you not workout your legs and focus on core strength and building muscle there until you heal? It sucks because you use your shoulders for almost everything upper body. You may aslo see if you can do light weight lifting and strengthen it back up. I had a bad back and was told not to lift but I did light deadlifts which strengthened the muscles and 3 years later I can lift about anything with out problems. I also took alot of Zinc, Glutamine and some really good vitamins and antioxidants to help the healing.

[TimboBandit]

Take glutamine to speed the recovery process.

[POPPERSTRIKE]

yeah..taking it without working out will make you fat.....

[crzyhorse]

Right now I'm about 5'10", 18, 155 lbs. My goal is to get bigger, for the baseball season and to pack on some muscle. i'm one of those hardgainer types, not scrawny, but I definitely could use some more muscle. I had been lifting for a while, then I had to get shoulder surgery from pitching in baseball, which has caused me to not be able to lift at all for a while. My question is...can I/should I take a weight gainer without working out? If I do will it just turn into fat and not muscle, or will taking it while not working out still put on weight in muscle?

I was a hard gainer at one time, infact when I was your age. I can only relate my personal experience. I don't believe you need the weight gainer, but I'm not sure it will put on fat either. I know that while I was working out, I was able to put on mass, and when I stopped I would lose mass and strength. I aways ate the same (at that age I was just tring to learn) whether I was lifting or not. True, I was always active, and that probably helped.

Now, if your thinking taking the weight gainer will speed recovery, I'd say, maybe a little but not really enought to make it worth your while. Essential vitamins, minerals, oils(omega 3 fatty acids) along with a good diet is probably the best thing you can do, as well as staying as active as you can. Working legs and core would be a great way to stay in shape.

[robby67]

yeah..taking it without working out will make you fat.....

x2

[nmocc]

Cody Hooper said: "NO, The reason you add Carbs is to help build muscle during recovery and for extra fuel during hard training sessions. Your body wont need it and store it as fat. Can you not workout your legs and focus on core strength and building muscle there until you heal? It sucks because you use your shoulders for almost everything upper body. You may aslo see if you can do light weight lifting and strengthen it back up. I had a bad back and was told not to lift but I did light deadlifts which strengthened the muscles and 3 years later I can lift about anything with out problems. I also took alot of Zinc, Glutamine and some really good vitamins and antioxidants to help the healing."
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Yeah I can workout lower body and I do, and core. I do situps, and leglifts, presses, etc with the lower body. But I just can't do anything for my chest or arms...It's healing just not quick enough..blehh. Right now I'm doing surgical tubing exercises to strenghen it back up and I'm taking a multi and glucosamine for joints. But thanks for the insight guys..I'll just hold off until I'm able to lift again to take a gainer. How long does it normally take though to put on some muscle weight? College is coming up, i'm in my senior year now..and I want to pack on before I go to college to play baseball.

[davielawson]

Hey man, sucks that ur not able to train properly.. As the other lads said, you could focus more on your legs, and train light on your shoulders, being very carefull not to cause any furthur damage!

"Weight gainers" is a very misleading term! What infact they do is replenish used muscle glycogen post workout. If an excess of carbs is consumed post workout, your body stores them as lipids in adipose tissue.. The same is true for protein too, though this is not normally a problem as it is a far slower process..

The advice above would lead you to loose body fat - multivits (B complex mainly) Omega 3 etc, these all have an effect on your metabolism, with B vitimans being vital for proper function.

To answer you final question about putting muscle on before college, studies have shown that the leaner you are (lower %bf) the quicker you build muscle.. Given the same circumstances as a person of higher BF. So by becoming lean now, you will be most ready to build muscle when your shoulder has healed..

When you begin to train properly, a "weight gainer" or protein and maltodextrin&glucose is vital for maintaining muscle glycogen stores. Youll notice the effect in the workout following the previous one where you consumed the shake.. Bodybuilding.com has millions of great postworkout articles to help any one understand, from basic to scientist!!!