How Can I Increase Muscle SIZE?

[cobralex297]

I've been lifting frequently and devotedly for a long time.
My strength and capabilities have been increasing regularly, and I am satisfied with them as they will likely continue to increase at this rate.

Some people, it seems, are predisposed for muscle that is cosmetically larger while not necessarily being stronger, while others are predisposed to have smaller muscles generally. My muscles, specifically biceps although this refers to many of them, although they are in appearance smaller than those of many of my friends, are undoubtedly quantifiably stronger, simply as a product of my frequent and prolonged training.

I have a good routine that is well-balanced in terms of the areas it impacts as well as in terms of the fact that it is based long term, not specifically to pump up for a certain time period (like summer). I will experience gains in strength and mass as a result of that and am fine with that.

I've been training for strength and not for visible size, and this is what I've received. Strength and not visible size.

The above being said and with summer coming up as well as just general life, I want to be able to compete with other people I know in terms of visible muscle size.

What can I do to increase the size of my biceps specifically, but other muscles as well, just in terms of them looking larger?

Is it likely that if I am as strong or noticeably and consistently stronger than someone with biceps (just as an example) recognizably larger than mine, at a bicep exercise, is this a function of the fact that I have put on completely lean muscle while they perhaps have not done so?

[cobralex297]

Eh, anyone?

[cobralex297]

bump

[jgood]

Its definately possible to be stronger than somebody who is bigger. Heres a little info the goal of bodybuilding is to appear big but not necessarily lift big. Look at say a Jay Cutler who is huge but cannot lift more than lots of strongmen obviously. It is also possible to be bigger and stronger than you are. To get bigger you have to increase calories for one to promote muscle growth. Next thing you can do is mess with rep schemes .. usually 8-10 per set is pretty good for muscle size where 4-6 is optimal for gaining strength. As far as training you can do supersets of arm exercises, decrease time between sets of an exercise, increase volume .. these are all options you have and you have to find out what works good for you.

[cobralex297]

I'll look into both of those.
In the past my goals have been primarily strength related, but now that I'm with more of my friends when I lift, lifting higher than them isn't always enough. I wanna also look bigger. So I'll screw around with my amount of reps and see where that gets me.

Anything specific I can do to really pump myself up a little faster?

[cobralex297]

bump

[CtotheT]

you need to eat more , i mean 6000 + cals to see any growth, protein shakes aren't going to cut it. Your metabolism is fast and when you work out you are burning many calories you need to eat burgers and fries (serious) and heavy calories fat is an easy way to add extra calories which will put you in an anabolic state. Remember to keep up your carbs also during your workout especially if you are an ectomorph , this will give you energy to expend and not nessisarly calories. An apple or a fruit/ sport drink will help.

[cobralex297]

I can work on bumping up the calories, but won't fat give me a lot of fat, though?
I mean, I'm like 10-11%ish right now I think about, and I don't want to get fatter or that would counteract the tone I have-

would that happen, should I be worried about that?

[gainin_muscle]

I can work on bumping up the calories, but won't fat give me a lot of fat, though?
I mean, I'm like 10-11%ish right now I think about, and I don't want to get fatter or that would counteract the tone I have-

would that happen, should I be worried about that?

You don't want to eat burgers and fries to gain weight. What you need to do is simply count calories every day of the week and weigh yourself each week under the same condition on the same day. Weigh yourself once per week. Average the calories you've had over the week and assess your weight gain/loss each week. Increase calories a few hundred or so each week until you are gaining weight. Then, you'll have a good idea of what you need to gain weight. I'd focus on gaining about a pound per week.

It's easy to get good calories in the form of liquid meals if needed. An example is 2 scoops whey protein, 1 cup of grinded oats, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That's about 700 extra calories right there! No need to eat burgers and fries to get extra calories. The cleaner you eat, the less fat you'll put on. Use a few high intensity cardio for short sessions a week to keep fat off, increase appetite, and increase recovery between weight lifting workouts. Al you have to do is eat to gain!

Use only the best bicep exercises like alternate dumbbell curls, barbell curls, and preacher curls. Use the exercises in which you can lift the most amount of weight over time. Progress in weight lifted.

[grv575]

you need to eat more , i mean 6000 + cals to see any growth, protein shakes aren't going to cut it.

Point taken, but you're going to put the kid off - 6000 is overdoing it to start. Start with 2500-3000 and add from there (3500-4000 / day is a good target) as gaining_muscle suggests.

I can work on bumping up the calories, but won't fat give me a lot of fat, though?

I mean, I'm like 10-11%ish right now I think about, and I don't want to get fatter or that would counteract the tone I have-

would that happen, should I be worried about that?

Fat is not the enemy: http://www.treelight.com/health/nutr...natedOils.html

Only trans-fat (partially hydrogenation vegetable oils) are pure evil. Saturated fat is ok in moderate amounts. And poly/mono-unsaturated are essential. Fats transport vitamins and are involved in tons of cellular processes. Dietary fat consumption also doesn't make you fat - excess sugar, refined flour consumption does.

You don't want to eat burgers and fries to gain weight. What you need to do is simply count calories every day of the week and weigh yourself each week under the same condition on the same day. Weigh yourself once per week. Average the calories you've had over the week and assess your weight gain/loss each week. Increase calories a few hundred or so each week until you are gaining weight. Then, you'll have a good idea of what you need to gain weight. I'd focus on gaining about a pound per week.

It's easy to get good calories in the form of liquid meals if needed. An example is 2 scoops whey protein, 1 cup of grinded oats, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That's about 700 extra calories right there! No need to eat burgers and fries to get extra calories. The cleaner you eat, the less fat you'll put on. Use a few high intensity cardio for short sessions a week to keep fat off, increase appetite, and increase recovery between weight lifting workouts. Al you have to do is eat to gain!

Use only the best bicep exercises like alternate dumbbell curls, barbell curls, and preacher curls. Use the exercises in which you can lift the most amount of weight over time. Progress in weight lifted.

Repped. Great summary of the right approach. I'd recommend getting a food scale and tracking everything you eat on fitday.com. I put this off for years since I thought it would be difficult, but the site makes it pretty easy to do (keeps a database, making it easy to add the same food and input the info).

It gives you graphs which look like this:
(also tracks/graphs your bodyweight progress)

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...#post176771451

[Greg1975]

You don't want to eat burgers and fries to gain weight. What you need to do is simply count calories every day of the week and weigh yourself each week under the same condition on the same day. Weigh yourself once per week. Average the calories you've had over the week and assess your weight gain/loss each week. Increase calories a few hundred or so each week until you are gaining weight. Then, you'll have a good idea of what you need to gain weight. I'd focus on gaining about a pound per week.

It's easy to get good calories in the form of liquid meals if needed. An example is 2 scoops whey protein, 1 cup of grinded oats, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. That's about 700 extra calories right there! No need to eat burgers and fries to get extra calories. The cleaner you eat, the less fat you'll put on. Use a few high intensity cardio for short sessions a week to keep fat off, increase appetite, and increase recovery between weight lifting workouts. Al you have to do is eat to gain!

Use only the best bicep exercises like alternate dumbbell curls, barbell curls, and preacher curls. Use the exercises in which you can lift the most amount of weight over time. Progress in weight lifted.

What you say is good advice. Especially for people our age. But the OP is 16. I remember eating an entire box of cookies in one sitting and not gaining fat when I was 16. Age is a massive factor when considering metabolism. It might not be a bad idea for him to just go ape and eat a **** ton of food, then when he starts gaining fat...taper off. For guys our age it's exactly as you suggest...gradually increase calories or risk inflating the spare tire .

[jgreystoke]

I've been training for strength and not for visible size, and this is what I've received. Strength and not visible size.

The above being said and with summer coming up as well as just general life, I want to be able to compete with other people I know in terms of visible muscle size.

What can I do to increase the size of my biceps specifically, but other muscles as well, just in terms of them looking larger?

The rules of thumb for more size are as follows

Add reps for the same number of sets. Or

Add sets for the same reps count. Or

If you like what you are doing, add downsets(lower poundage higher rep sets) aka back down sets to up the volume. Or

Be stricter about the rest periods. Shorter rests increases the accumulative fatigue and increases size emphasis. Also

Ramping sets(eg 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) for strength, sets across(eg 85, 85, 85, 85, 85, after warmups ) for size.

Not written in stone, but a good guidelines.

Is it likely that if I am as strong or noticeably and consistently stronger than someone with biceps (just as an example) recognizably larger than mine, at a bicep exercise, is this a function of the fact that I have put on completely lean muscle while they perhaps have not done so?

Not likely. The leaner you get the bigger your muscles look, even if they lose a little on the tape! Thus my son's arms are smaller than mine, and he is taller and longer limbed. So you would think they would look a lot smaller. No way, they look a lot bigger, because they are very hard and lean.

So if your arms look smaller than your plumper buddies, they are likely much smaller, that's all. If your buddies got much leaner, their arms would look much bigger again, even if they lost a little girth.

Do something about it, if it bothers you. Try some of the proven rules of thumb for size above, and you'll get visibly bigger, if you eat enough of a clean calorie surplus.

[gainin_muscle]

What you say is good advice. Especially for people our age. But the OP is 16. I remember eating an entire box of cookies in one sitting and not gaining fat when I was 16. Age is a massive factor when considering metabolism. It might not be a bad idea for him to just go ape and eat a **** ton of food, then when he starts gaining fat...taper off. For guys our age it's exactly as you suggest...gradually increase calories or risk inflating the spare tire .

I just don't suggest he eat cookies or fries and burgers...that's all. My approach ensures that he finds the calorie level in which he starts gaining weight. Along with the right weight lifting program, adjusting the calories up over a week or two will not cost him anything. He might lose a little bit of muscle building time, but he won't gain unwanted fat.

But I agree, if he really has a fast metabolism and an acceptable body fat percentage (which we don't know), then he should go crazy with the food if he has a good weight lifting program. I still think quality food builds muscle much better than junk. And I still think he should count calories and see what calorie level causes him to gain weight. Very valuable information for the future.