First time BULKERS apply here ;)

[scribbledsmooth]

Hi ladies! First timer here. I need to start bulking, but I am actually freaked out about it!

I need considerably more muscle; no joke, I can count my ribs between my boobs, and my collarbone is so pronounced it is weird looking. I am lean right now, and it is obvious that there is not enough muscle there for my taste. Not only do I want to add muscle for looks, I also need to add a significant amount of stength for the upcoming MX season.

However, a few things hold me back. 1) my guy hates a "padded" girl- yep, that simple. This has never been a problem before because I am a pretty thin gal, but I worry about his reaction to a bulk. 2) I worry my clothes won't fit. I have been right around a size 3 since I was 16 years old, and I hate shopping. 3) I really have to stick to the cardio to stay in shape for the upcoming MX season. Is it completely counter productive to try to bulk and do cardio at the same time? I don't mind cutting back a bit on cardio, but it can't go away or I may die of a heart attack on the track. Thoughts?

[freebirdmac]

Hi ladies! First timer here. I need to start bulking, but I am actually freaked out about it!

I need considerably more muscle; no joke, I can count my ribs between my boobs, and my collarbone is so pronounced it is weird looking. I am lean right now, and it is obvious that there is not enough muscle there for my taste. Not only do I want to add muscle for looks, I also need to add a significant amount of stength for the upcoming MX season.

However, a few things hold me back. 1) my guy hates a "padded" girl- yep, that simple. This has never been a problem before because I am a pretty thin gal, but I worry about his reaction to a bulk. 2) I worry my clothes won't fit. I have been right around a size 3 since I was 16 years old, and I hate shopping. 3) I really have to stick to the cardio to stay in shape for the upcoming MX season. Is it completely counter productive to try to bulk and do cardio at the same time? I don't mind cutting back a bit on cardio, but it can't go away or I may die of a heart attack on the track. Thoughts?

1) Tell your guy that this is temporary and a must for the physique you want. Let him know how important it is to you. If he doesn't support you, well, who wants someone that doesn't support us?

2) Some clothes probably won't fit. Pants, across the shoulders, waist bands can all get tighter. I hate shopping too but it's something we occasionally have to do. Once you add muscle some things will never fit even when leaned back out. This is something you'll have to adapt to.

3) Choose your cardio days wisely. Cut back as much as you can. Lift first, do not save anything for cardio, don't do cardio the day before legs, etc. Legs need rest to recover and grow. That is the biggest concern. No, you won't die of a heart attack Cardio equipment and the idea of running for exercise is relatively new. Our ancestors simply moved around, walked a lot, and did strenuous chores. Lifting and life can take care of your heart.

[freebirdmac]

Thanks for the welcome Freebird.

Maybe someone could give me some advise? I currently lift three times a week doing full body. I'm relatively new to lifting as heavy as I can. My legs have always been my nemesis. I'm doing HST as I mentioned before but Don't feel like my legs are (mainly quads) feeling like their working hard. I certainly feel it in my upper body and my glutes and hammies. I'm not sure if I should do quads two days and up the volume and do hammies n glutes on the other day and keep the rest of the routine the same? I've just finished one cycle now.

My routine is:
Squat
SL dead lift
Leg press
Calves

Single arm db rows
Ez bar row
Lat pull down

Ez bar shoulder press
Ez bar upright row

Db Bench press

Db curl
Tri push down

I've done three day body spilt before and did feel it more but for a noob I've read it's better to do full body for more gains?

SGLGIRL

There's days I want to eat everything in sight!!! Today, not so much. I'm forcing myself with everything. Just one of those days it all balances out.

You'll feel it more in the weaker areas. Your quads are probably overly strong for your quads and need time to catch up. Yes, full body is great for a newbie as your ability to recover is fast. I usually point people to Allpro's routine http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...4195843&page=1

So my body has decided we are back on the bulking wagon. I'm gonna post up my pics thus far sometime this week. Seriously amazed at my own progress, and looking back at myself 17lbs lighter I look so weak and pathetic. Planning to basically let my hunger guide me through this next bulk, as in make sure I don't really get hungry at any point but without stuffing myself silly, which I know is enough for me to gain slowly. Sticking with 4 day split and using the 30 reps over 7 sets rule to know when to increase.

Any good suggestions for alternatives to deadlifts? My grip is super weak bc of hypermobility in my wrists and fingers so I physically can't deadlift anywhere near as much as I squat. Probably a contributing factor to why I have a relatively weak back.

Also...cracked out 40 unassisted dips yesterday! Pre-bulk, I couldn't even hold myself in the start position.

I swear by versa grips, the pro version. You can also use them for pull downs, curls, bent over rows, etc. Well worth the money and last forever http://versagripps.com

[locolala]

how often do you ladies "fail" on your training during a bulk?

Today was an off day for me. Couldn't match the weights I did last monday, even though I increased my cals this week. I felt weak, lol.

What can I do to avoid this from happening in the future?

[megdaig]

how often do you ladies "fail" on your training during a bulk?

Today was an off day for me. Couldn't match the weights I did last monday, even though I increased my cals this week. I felt weak, lol.

What can I do to avoid this from happening in the future?

I think it's just one of those days. I had em. Just remember you can't expect all results be linear. It ain't nothin but a thing and no progress is lost in a single workout.

Only thing you can do to avoid would be to see if you did anything significantly different...if not....then it's just an off day.

[sglgirl]

how often do you ladies "fail" on your training during a bulk?

Today was an off day for me. Couldn't match the weights I did last monday, even though I increased my cals this week. I felt weak, lol.

What can I do to avoid this from happening in the future?

bad sleep, not enough water, body fighting a cold or like Meg said....just one of those days. I had a huge crap-show workout yesterday..no cardio, did not do all my weights, just did not feel into it. Whatever you do, just finish up, walk away and chalk it up to another day done and keep thinking "tomorrow I will be stronger".

[airmansprincess]

How in the world can someone manage to eat 5000 kcal each day, and eating at least a little bit clean? Sounds a little fun though, eating non-stop
Yeah, im getting really curious about this! Maybe i will try it for one week and look what happens. If i try it out i will probably feel really fat..

Have you ask her who bulked up to 5000 calories why she bulked with so many calories?

Im eating 3-4kcal /day depending on weather I go out to eat with friends/big family meals at my moms or eat at home, and still not seeing gains. I am going to get bloodwork done to see if I have hyperthyrodism or something. My body metabolizes food so fast that this whole bulking thing is HARD for me. But Im trying! I just recently adjusted my macros so we will see if that helps at all

[freebirdmac]

Im eating 3-4kcal /day depending on weather I go out to eat with friends/big family meals at my moms or eat at home, and still not seeing gains. I am going to get bloodwork done to see if I have hyperthyrodism or something. My body metabolizes food so fast that this whole bulking thing is HARD for me. But Im trying! I just recently adjusted my macros so we will see if that helps at all

Either you're hyperthyroid, purging, in ED recovery, or you are not eating 3-4kcal/day every day like you think you are.

[airmansprincess]

Either you're hyperthyroid, purging, in ED recovery, or you are not eating 3-4kcal/day every day like you think you are.

been like this all my life, so im thinking thyroid. because if anything im underesimating, i have a bad habit of nibbling and grabbing 1 chocolate here a handful of cheezits there and forgeting to log them.

[megdaig]

been like this all my life, so im thinking thyroid. because if anything im underesimating, i have a bad habit of nibbling and grabbing 1 chocolate here a handful of cheezits there and forgeting to log them.

I'd definitely get the thyroid checked.

I will say...when I don't weigh food or put it in a measuring cup I find that I overestimate. Like what I thought was 6 ounce of chicken was barely 4.

Trust me, just take the time and effort to put everything you typically eat on a scale. Grab your usual handful of cheeze-its...but throw them on the scale and track it. Don't let the scale effect how much you do or don't eat. Just do this for a couple of days to see the true number. Prove to yourself that you really are eating 5k calories and not that "you believe" you are eating 5k. Until you do this you will never know and will be spinning your wheels to gain. If it is 5k, then eat more...even if you have to force yourself via higher calorie foods like nuts and oils.

[scribbledsmooth]

1) Tell your guy that this is temporary and a must for the physique you want. Let him know how important it is to you. If he doesn't support you, well, who wants someone that doesn't support us?

2) Some clothes probably won't fit. Pants, across the shoulders, waist bands can all get tighter. I hate shopping too but it's something we occasionally have to do. Once you add muscle some things will never fit even when leaned back out. This is something you'll have to adapt to.

3) Choose your cardio days wisely. Cut back as much as you can. Lift first, do not save anything for cardio, don't do cardio the day before legs, etc. Legs need rest to recover and grow. That is the biggest concern. No, you won't die of a heart attack Cardio equipment and the idea of running for exercise is relatively new. Our ancestors simply moved around, walked a lot, and did strenuous chores. Lifting and life can take care of your heart.

1) True- I am a little nervous, but hopefully he will understand.

2) I didn't even think about the fact that they may not fit even after slimming down... GREAT point! I am guessing pants will be the first buy.

3) Well, I guess I am not actually worried about the heart attack part, but I am worried about losing "cardio fitness" so to speak. I know that is one of the biggest struggles racing. But, I guess it IS the off-season and I can't expect to build muscle and be susy-cardio at the same time. I will start changing the workout schedule a bit and see what happens.

[happyplace]

3) Well, I guess I am not actually worried about the heart attack part, but I am worried about losing "cardio fitness" so to speak. I know that is one of the biggest struggles racing. But, I guess it IS the off-season and I can't expect to build muscle and be susy-cardio at the same time. I will start changing the workout schedule a bit and see what happens.

So long as you are eating to compensate for cardio, you can definitely bulk and continue to do it. I ran up to 6 days per week during my bulk, including at least 2 runs of 1 hour or more. Didn't hold me back.

[stephanielynn76]

So long as you are eating to compensate for cardio, you can definitely bulk and continue to do it. I ran up to 6 days per week during my bulk, including at least 2 runs of 1 hour or more. Didn't hold me back.

I did "some" cardio during my last bulk and it didn't seem to stifle my gains. I was, however, as happyplace said, eating to compensate for those calories I was burning. This time has been different. I'm training even harder and at a higher intensity than I was last year... and right now I'm not physically capable of handling much cardio in addition to this training. I still try to do Zumba a few times a week just because it's fun and good for my overall mood. But that's it. I have btdt with bulking/cutting/cardio and I've learned that the body adapts to what you do to it. If I do too much cardio in the off season... my body seems to get "used to it." I don't want that. The cardio will be far more effective for cutting if my body isn't so accustomed to it from having done a lot of it year round. I'm not saying I avoid cardio... I just don't make it a priority. When I do it... I do it for fun and I keep the intensity at a lower level. When I get ready to cut... it's on.

[wakechica]

Im eating 3-4kcal /day depending on weather I go out to eat with friends/big family meals at my moms or eat at home, and still not seeing gains. I am going to get bloodwork done to see if I have hyperthyrodism or something. My body metabolizes food so fast that this whole bulking thing is HARD for me. But Im trying! I just recently adjusted my macros so we will see if that helps at all

If you eat food of a higher nutritious value I bet you'll put on weight. So many people live off McDonalds and **** and can't gain weight due to lack of decent nutrition.

[megdaig]

I did "some" cardio during my last bulk and it didn't seem to stifle my gains. I was, however, as happyplace said, eating to compensate for those calories I was burning. This time has been different. I'm training even harder and at a higher intensity than I was last year... and right now I'm not physically capable of handling much cardio in addition to this training. I still try to do Zumba a few times a week just because it's fun and good for my overall mood. But that's it. I have btdt with bulking/cutting/cardio and I've learned that the body adapts to what you do to it. If I do too much cardio in the off season... my body seems to get "used to it." I don't want that. The cardio will be far more effective for cutting if my body isn't so accustomed to it from having done a lot of it year round. I'm not saying I avoid cardio... I just don't make it a priority. When I do it... I do it for fun and I keep the intensity at a lower level. When I get ready to cut... it's on.

It is definitely true with cardio...like running... the more you do it, your body begins to utilize glycogen stores more efficiently (especially as technique gets better) meaning less glycogen used the further/longer you go... not good if you're wanting to be inefficient and burn of as much glycogen as possible. That's exactly what I was thinking during my swim on Tuesday..."I need to be a less efficient swimmer so I burn more calories...I need more drag!"

[sglgirl]

Okay girls....curiousity question for all.

When cutting do you find it more beneficial to decrease calories in small amounts week over week and increase workout intesity/cardio or do you do a huge calorie deficit and run with it for week over week...(ie eat 1800 cal or more per day and then bam drop to 1300 overnight and stay with that for weeks at a time).

Yes, I am second guessing my meal plan for prep....

[freebirdmac]

Okay girls....curiousity question for all.

When cutting do you find it more beneficial to decrease calories in small amounts week over week and increase workout intesity/cardio or do you do a huge calorie deficit and run with it for week over week...(ie eat 1800 cal or more per day and then bam drop to 1300 overnight and stay with that for weeks at a time).

Yes, I am second guessing my meal plan for prep....

Unless you need to lose in excess of 10 pounds all you need to do is create a 250 calorie deficit and keep lifting. In about 4-6 weeks you'll see a difference, not torment yourself dieting, have less risk of losing muscle, and be able to keep carbs at a decent level to prevent carb bloat at maintenance.

[locolala]

A follow up to my previous post about losing strength during my workout... It's happened again. I feel bummed. I just brushed wednesday off, hoping that i'll get better again. However, I didn't even finish my work out last friday because I felt nauseous and about to pass out. All I did then was squats and one set of incline db press. Today, I didn't complete my sets and struggled with weights that were supposedly easy. I felt like puking too. WTH?!?!?! I'm eating at a surplus for sure, although not the healthiest (admittedly) because I can't even eat properly. I got my retainers on last friday and it's a real struggle to eat solid food, esp. veggies. I've been relying on protein powders the past few days.

This is so disheartening. I feel as if I was doing better before, now whenever i work out I feel sick and bored and lethargic. My TOM is over so it's not it. My parents noticed I look pale. I also feel fatter, I feel like I'm not gaining muscle due to the decreased intensity and that this bulk is heading in the wrong direction...

[stephanielynn76]

Unless you need to lose in excess of 10 pounds all you need to do is create a 250 calorie deficit and keep lifting. In about 4-6 weeks you'll see a difference, not torment yourself dieting, have less risk of losing muscle, and be able to keep carbs at a decent level to prevent carb bloat at maintenance.

^^that. Good response.

[sglgirl]

Unless you need to lose in excess of 10 pounds all you need to do is create a 250 calorie deficit and keep lifting. In about 4-6 weeks you'll see a difference, not torment yourself dieting, have less risk of losing muscle, and be able to keep carbs at a decent level to prevent carb bloat at maintenance.

^^that. Good response.

Ironically all I would have to do is cut out PB everyday....on avg that would be 600 cal a day right there.....so now we are on day two and will see what happens by the weekend....lol

[freebirdmac]

A follow up to my previous post about losing strength during my workout... It's happened again. I feel bummed. I just brushed wednesday off, hoping that i'll get better again. However, I didn't even finish my work out last friday because I felt nauseous and about to pass out. All I did then was squats and one set of incline db press. Today, I didn't complete my sets and struggled with weights that were supposedly easy. I felt like puking too. WTH?!?!?! I'm eating at a surplus for sure, although not the healthiest (admittedly) because I can't even eat properly. I got my retainers on last friday and it's a real struggle to eat solid food, esp. veggies. I've been relying on protein powders the past few days.

This is so disheartening. I feel as if I was doing better before, now whenever i work out I feel sick and bored and lethargic. My TOM is over so it's not it. My parents noticed I look pale. I also feel fatter, I feel like I'm not gaining muscle due to the decreased intensity and that this bulk is heading in the wrong direction...

I think you've given all the clues. Your diet is off and protein powders are making you queasy.

[stephanielynn76]

Ironically all I would have to do is cut out PB everyday....on avg that would be 600 cal a day right there.....so now we are on day two and will see what happens by the weekend....lol

R.I.P. Peanut butter

[locolala]

I think you've given all the clues. Your diet is off and protein powders are making you queasy.

i only started loading up on protein powders a couple days ago. i've been feeling this way since last week. i try to keep it healthy 80% of the time but it seems like i have low blood pressure or something.

i can't chew a lot of food right now. i can't even talk properly. It'll be like this for the next 3 months and will make my bulking life really hard

[sglgirl]

R.I.P. Peanut butter

LMAO....I knew you would understand..

[megdaig]

LMAO....I knew you would understand..

I ind I don't crave PB if I just forget about it and don't plan to eat any. That's the only food that opens the flood gates for me.

[sglgirl]

I ind I don't crave PB if I just forget about it and don't plan to eat any. That's the only food that opens the flood gates for me.

I could just eat it all day and nothing else, it is always on my mind

Eventually it will get thought about less.

[megdaig]

I could just eat it all day and nothing else, it is always on my mind

Eventually it will get thought about less.

That's how it was with me...on the mind. I had to find ways to eliminate that. Not on the mind = do not want.

You'll definitely have to figure that out when you cut again

[sglgirl]

That's how it was with me...on the mind. I had to find ways to eliminate that. Not on the mind = do not want.

You'll definitely have to figure that out when you cut again

I am now under 16 weeks out, so I am trying to get my timings and meal diligence on track again....so out with PB for now to cut calories and unnecessary extra fats. I will not have it again until I can be okay with it or when prep is done, whichever comes first..lol

[freebirdmac]

i only started loading up on protein powders a couple days ago. i've been feeling this way since last week. i try to keep it healthy 80% of the time but it seems like i have low blood pressure or something.

i can't chew a lot of food right now. i can't even talk properly. It'll be like this for the next 3 months and will make my bulking life really hard

Do you eat much fat before your workouts? Any new foods or others in larger quantities?

[chrisateen]

Strength gains seems to be going up and yesterday I managed to do 5 parallel pull ups (where knuckles are facing each other) which is a great improvement as before I started the bulk and in my previous gym the bar they had allowed me to do chin ups and was only able to do 3 in a row. When I changed gyms and started bulking 2 months ago I was only able to do 2 parallel pull ups and couldn't do chin ups as they don't have a bar to do chin ups. I know 5 is small compared to you guys on here who can do lots in a row but I'm hoping by the end of 2013 to be able to do about 6 - 8 wide grip pull ups in a row.

Another good thing is how much different I look compared to a year and a half ago when I was 168lbs and was losing weight. I just wish I can stop panicking about the weight gain and enjoy the bulk