Beginner Here and Want to Build Muscle

[PosingOwl]

Hey Everyone!!!!

I just recently started working out and I need some advise please. Right now I have heard so many different ways to build muscle and get larger than I am. I dont remember whats it called but I am doing a 4 split workout.
2 days on 1 day off, 2 days on 2 days off. Is that the right approach for a beginner who wants to gain mass.

I am also looking at different mass gainer shakes. One that I can preferably find at GNC since its next to my place of work. Also supplements that I should be taking. I heard that there are better ones, but I am taking the GNC recovery pack.

So basically what I am asking is help to create a Workout Plan and any info about shakes and supplements and what I need to get larger than I am.

It is not the best photo I have but the only one at the moment.

[TheFuture42]

To start 2 days on 1 day off is fine so a split for you may look like this:

Monday: legs + abs
Tuesday: chest
Wednesday: off
Thursday: back
Friday:shoulders + traps
Saturdayff
Sunday:arms

Monday:legs+abs
Tues: off
Weds:back
Thurs:shoulders +traps
Fri: off
Sat:arms
Sunday: legs+abs

Mon: off

See the pattern?!

As for supplements you don't always have to clean your pockets out a GNC man! Walmart has quality supplements!

Multivitamin , fish oil, amino acids, cyto gainer, vasodilator/ preworkout, creatine, tribulus and you should see results in no time!!!

Since you are trying to bulk up/ gain weight leave cardio out of your workouts for now!

[PosingOwl]

The way I have been doing it is,

Monday:Chest and Biceps
Tuesday:Legs/Abs
Wednesday:OFF
Thursday:Back and Triceps
Friday:Legs/Abs
Sat/Sun:OFF

Thought the people at GNC were helpful so I went there. I will check out walmart. Those are the only places here in this small town. LOL

[xRyanSwanson]

If you're a beginner, and you're only 5'8" and 145 lbs, I would say start out with a full body workout, 3 times a week, something like Starting Strength.
But, the biggest thing you're going to have to do to see results is alter your nutrition. If you want to gain mass, you're going to need a calorie surplus.

Head over to the Nutrition section, and read the stickies to calculate your BMR/TEE, then increase the totals to maintain a calorie surplus.
Follow a routine and diet for a few weeks, and watch it from week to week. If you don't notice a change in your weight, then increase your calories.

As for supplements, you mention you want to take a mass gainer, and with someone your size that's not a problem. ON has a good mass gainer, 12 lb bag for around $45 - about 1250 calories a serving.
If you need energy, pick up a preworkout supplement. Pick up some whey protein for your post workout. Perhaps some creatine as well, it's not expensive and provides with great results.

But, as I said, it's mostly going to come down to your diet. You can train as hard as you want, and take all the supplements in the world, but if your diet isn't proper, you won't see the results you want.

[austinwichita]

The above posts covered pretty much everything except a multivitamin which I would get first. Also if you have joint problems get a joint supplement.

I take both Animal Pak, and Animal Flex. They smell like **** but they seem to work pretty awesome.

[PosingOwl]

I do admit that I am not eating really healthy. Usually eat pizza or sandwiches at night at work. My dinner are not the healthiest. I was also thought about a full body workout but i figured the 4 split would get me to my goal quicker.

I drink a mass gainer shake after my workouts and I only do about an 30-40 min workouts. I have enough energy I believe.

[XileSK]

Yea you should readup on the various threads about nutrition to make sure your reaching your calories surplus for your bodyweight.

as for workout split, iv only started myself to and under the advice from my friend started with the typical 1 body part per week but felt like i could have been doing more, after doing my own research iv found that beginners should be hitting the same bodypart 2-3 times per week for the best gains and avoiding destroying one muscle group in a session like some of the more seasoned body-builders do, so iv since changed my program, but havnt done it long enough to see if its working better, I expect it will though.

[JTruckenbrod]

Try a proven routine instead of creating your own, such as: The All Pro Beginners Sticky on this forum (I started out with this, it's a good all around to begin with.)

To gain muscle, you must eat. You burn a lot of calories by working-out, you need to compensate for those calories and then some. Pizza and I'm assuming subway sandwiches are not nutrient rich foods to promote muscle gain.

Take multi-vitamins, fish oil and some sort of protein supplement. You can find all of these items on this website for a great cost compared to what you will get in a store... Learned that the hard way. I take Nitro-Tech for my protein shake, contains creatine and I like the results I have gotten so far with it.

If you are just getting into weight lifting, I suggest doing what I did when I started, read read read. There is so much info on this forum/website to take in. It all doesn't need to be applied at once, but once you are feeling comfortable with what you are doing, read some more and add new things whether it be supplements, change in work-out, how you eat, etc.