what do i have to do to get bigger

[chigum]

hi all, ive been working out now for over 4 months putting alot of hard work into it, but still not seeing any good results. i lift 12 10 8 6 then 12 i make sure that i try and reach failure on the last set. should i be lifting more weight say heavy loads of 8 resp then 6 its looking from the info i am reading that if i make my muscles explode then i will see bigger results may be no need for 12 10 8 6 12 sets ,, thanks all

[liftw8s247]

The first thing you need to realize that 4 months, is that the lenght of time needed to get you where you want to be.

Is you workout routine set up properly?

My workout days consist of:
Day 1 Back,Bis and abs/Cardio
Day 2 Chest, Tris, little sholder, and abs/Cardio
Day 3 Legs and abs.
Day 4 Rest/Cardio however you body needs.

Sets are usually 4 sets x 10 reps per muscle group.

That is the simple version of what I do for my workouts.

[Pure Dasani]

Here's the split that I'm doing right now - http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/4split1.html

I'm busy so I cut back from 5 days a week training to just 4. You should look into that split. I've been only doing it for a month but I think it's pretty effective.

[zackmurphy]

hi all, ive been working out now for over 4 months putting alot of hard work into it, but still not seeing any good results. i lift 12 10 8 6 then 12 i make sure that i try and reach failure on the last set. should i be lifting more weight say heavy loads of 8 resp then 6 its looking from the info i am reading that if i make my muscles explode then i will see bigger results may be no need for 12 10 8 6 12 sets ,, thanks all

4 months is nothing, especially if your diet is not under control and well-designed for muscle growth.

Based on your question, I strongly recommend reading the stickies on this, particularly the BRIT_BEEF splits, the components of a periodized program, how to structure a program, the articles on mass gain diets and basics of nutrition.... all the basics.

Have no idea what exercises you're doing, how often, whether you're eating right, sleeping enough, using proper form, proper weight increments....

No way to answer your question without that, and if you do some reading first, you'll be able to answer the questions yourself, actually.

Happy reading.

[tcM_Emperor]

Get at least 1 gram of protein per 1 lb of your body weight every day.

Get creatine.

Don't work out for longer then 45 minutes.

Try to get like 40 grams of protein within 20 minutes post-workout.

Do a 2 day, rest day, 2 day, 2 rest days repeat routine.

Those are things I ignored for a long time and wasted like 6 months of working out when I could have made awesome progress.

[JnJ23]

You want to get bigger, EAT BIG/LIFT HEAVY/SLEEP ALOT

[NoChemicals]

Get at least 1 gram of protein per 1 lb of your body weight every day.

Get creatine.

Don't work out for longer then 45 minutes.

Try to get like 40 grams of protein within 20 minutes post-workout.

Do a 2 day, rest day, 2 day, 2 rest days repeat routine.

Those are things I ignored for a long time and wasted like 6 months of working out when I could have made awesome progress.

Short and sweet. I totally agree.

[zackmurphy]

Short and sweet. I totally agree.

"NoChemicals" agrees with "Get creatine"?

Bah. I don't. Beginners need hard work and a solid plan. Creatine masks inadequacies by helping get you gains in SPITE of your program.

From a practical standpoint, I think guys with <1 year under their belts should avoid supplementation. They need to know exactly what works, what creates DOMS and what doesn't (for proper rest and recovery), what helps their strength and what doesn't, etc.

Eat right, yes.
Good program, yes.
Proper meal timing, yes.

[Eric_FXST]

Don't work out for longer then 45 minutes.

I 100% agree with this.
So many people I see in the gym do the 1 set/4 minutes talking- 5 times on way too many exercises. I would say the average lifter spends 1 hour(not bad) to 1 1/2 hours(whoa) in the gym.
One guy looked at me weird last Tuesday when I said I was done after 3 sets of the E-Z Curl. I told him I had just worked back prior.
He then continued on with his 5th and 6th E-Z Curl set. He got there before me and was still working out after I had finished my shower. 1 1/2 hours, at least.

[zackmurphy]

I told him I had just worked back prior.

Most gym-goers would have no idea why this was a relevant statement.

[korrrupt2004]

"NoChemicals" agrees with "Get creatine"?

Bah. I don't. Beginners need hard work and a solid plan. Creatine masks inadequacies by helping get you gains in SPITE of your program.

From a practical standpoint, I think guys with <1 year under their belts should avoid supplementation. They need to know exactly what works, what creates DOMS and what doesn't (for proper rest and recovery), what helps their strength and what doesn't, etc.

Eat right, yes.
Good program, yes.
Proper meal timing, yes.

Well founded view, yes. Realistic? No... everyone wants the quickest, best results 5 minutes ago................Totally agree with you though.

[UltimateWarrior]

Eat Big, Train Heavy, Sleep well.

[zackmurphy]

Well founded view, yes. Realistic? No... everyone wants the quickest, best results 5 minutes ago................Totally agree with you though.

Yeah... had to say it, though.

[NoChemicals]

Good catch zack. Actually, I wouldnt' recommend creatine either but it is an option for them depending on their goals. Creatine does give quicker results if people want faster gains. But what about protein supplements? Would you guys recommend it for beginners?

[AndrewT]

Creatine does help, but with 4 months of training it's best to just lift weights hard, and eat harder! I think too many people make the mistake of working out adequately, but their food intake is sub-par. You really need to eat big to get big. Plus plenty of rest and consistency is the key. You need to be consistent...it'll take time, but it'll come eventually. Keep at it!