# Actors and muscle



## Doc Rice (Dec 28, 2009)

I read a lot about exercising and what not, and I having a bit of trouble understanding how you build muscle. 

I weigh like 125 pounds. I am 5'9". I want to get up to at least 150, but want to keep going up to 170, and of course I want most of it to be muscle. 

Now in order to do this, I read you have to eat a lot of lean foods and protein and what not. All that is pretty straightforward but I also read that you can, at most, put on like 5 pounds of pure muscle each year. Maximum. That's it. The rest will be fat. So how do actors, some of which barely exercised prior to getting a role, put on muscle quickly and efficiently whilst maintaining a low body fat percentage? Like they need to put on 30+ pounds for a military movie or something and they do it in like a year. Wouldn't they not have a six pack? The best examples I can think of are Ed Norton (in American History X) and Brad Pitt (for Troy). 

From what I've been reading, it'd be impossible to put on like 20 pounds and have a six pack with developed arms.

I exercise already and weight train, but I was just curious if it would be like 4 years to see the desired results. If so, that seems ridiculously long.


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

As a surfer, I wish I were lighter and smaller, do you want to trade???
The best surfers are small, skinny and long. I'm all thick-big butt, legs, and shoulders.
Even when I was healthy, I wore out, before the other guys, because I had to paddle around all that extra weight, and I had to use a thicker longer board to float me-which did not fit into barrelling or steep waves a thinner shorter board would.
I guess I'm saying being muscular is not always advantageous. But, working out is good for you.


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## STKinTHEmud (Jun 21, 2009)

I put on at least 15 lbs. of muscle in 6 months by eating big and lifting heavy. But along with that, I put on about 15 lbs. of fat (because my diet included a good bit of junk). So yes, you can put on more than 5 lbs of muscle in a year, especially if you haven't really been regulating your diet before that. But no, it is impossible to be bulking up and still expect to keep the 6 pack. What most bodybuilders do is to go through periods of mass-gain in which they eat big and don't care about getting a gut and periods of cutting, where they eat normal, but do cardio to cut the fat and keep the muscle, thus bringing back the pack.


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

I seem to remember something about, if you'vr never trained before you can make big gains


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## Cruiser (Jan 9, 2010)

I am 5'11" 185, I have a lean profile, I am an avid cyclist so I have more dense thin muscle than bulky muscle, it isn't something I worked towards it is just my body's make up and the effects of cycling a lot, even through the winter I have my bike on a trainer and ride at least an hour a day. I don't have a six pack and have no desire for one, first of there is actually supposed to be a layer of fat on your stomach naturally, and six pack has far less to do with strength than is is body fat, we all have a six pack it more a question as to whether or not you can see it. Either way though if you are ultimately looking to put on 50lbs and you want it to be all muscle there is no miracle strategy, it will take a very specific diet and a lot of exercise. I would suggest you looking into functional fitness as well, to be quite honest the weight rooms at many gyms are poor machines for exercise and actual strength building, many of they simple target a very specific muscle mass and overall strength requires I much more dynamic approach which will effect all your muscles including stabilizing muscles and and all round strengthening regime.


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## VanDamMan (Nov 2, 2009)

Cruiser said:


> I would suggest you looking into functional fitness as well, to be quite honest the weight rooms at many gyms are poor machines for exercise and actual strength building, many of they simple target a very specific muscle mass and overall strength requires I much more dynamic approach which will effect all your muscles including stabilizing muscles and and all round strengthening regime.


That.

Regarding actors, what would you do if you had a 10 million dollar contract and needed to gain 30 lbs in 3 months?


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## jellybelly (May 10, 2009)

I don't know how accurate this is, but in the current issue of UK magazine Ultra Fit, in an article titled "Weights ARE for mean and women?", it says about realistic mucle gains, "The majority of men can expect to gain 0.5-1kg of muscle per month as a result of a regular (two-three times a week) strength gain weight training programme...Those new to weight training should experience greater initial gains. However, after a few years progress will slow, perhaps to just a 0.5KG per month." 

So with a consistent training programme, you could gain between about 13 and 26 pounds in a year.

But I wouldn't worry about how much muscle weight, just keep at it and following all the good adivce you come across and find out what works best for you. Because ultimately, everyone is different and you might find that in the end you don't want or need to gain the amount of muscle you thought you did. Good luck


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## Doc Rice (Dec 28, 2009)

> Originally Posted by *Cruiser*
> I would suggest you looking into functional fitness as well, to be quite honest the weight rooms at many gyms are poor machines for exercise and actual strength building, many of they simple target a very specific muscle mass and overall strength requires I much more dynamic approach which will effect all your muscles including stabilizing muscles and and all round strengthening regime.


Who said I wasn't into practical strength? I'm into parkour as well, and practical strength is something I need.



> Originally Posted by *VanDamnMan*
> Regarding actors, what would you do if you had a 10 million dollar contract and needed to gain 30 lbs in 3 months?


That's sort of irrelevant. It doesn't matter why they do it. I was curious how they did it.

Thanks for the help all!


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

For one thing they are doing this as preperation for multi million dollar salary paying films so their motivation is very high, for another thing they usually have some of hollywoods top trainers assisting them through almost every session they do, and some work out for 2-4 hours daily which exceeds the amount of time a normal person would work out, since their job depends on it. As for the eating, from what I;ve read they usually stick to lean protein sources, high fibre carbohydrates such as green leafy vegetables, and eat six smaller meals per day instead of 3 larger meals.

Here's an article I came across awhile ago for brad pitts diet and workout routine when he was preparing for fight club, don't ask me how reputable the article is though. http://www.sixpacknow.com/brad_pitt_abs_workout.html


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## rcapo89 (Jun 3, 2009)

Doc Rice said:


> I weigh like 125 pounds. I am 5'9".


You're 5'9" and only weigh 125 pounds?! I'm barely 5'8" and weigh 130 pounds. And I'm not fat in the slightest.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I think some of them are juicers.....and not of the orange variety.

Speaking of oranges!!! PEOPLE! Buy orange juice NOW because the price will go UP! :troll


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## rcapo89 (Jun 3, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> I think some of them are juicers.....and not of the orange variety.
> 
> Speaking of oranges!!! PEOPLE! Buy orange juice NOW because the price will go UP! :troll


My Mom is buying orange juice today. What would I do without my OJ. :roll


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## Doc Rice (Dec 28, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> I think some of them are juicers.....and not of the orange variety.
> 
> Speaking of oranges!!! PEOPLE! Buy orange juice NOW because the price will go UP! :troll


Yeah I've heard rumors of Edward Norton juicing for American History X, but I don't know how true that is...

Orange juice is going up in price? I'm guessing because of all the cold weather they are getting in orange growing states, right?



rcapo89 said:


> You're 5'9" and only weigh 125 pounds?! I'm barely 5'8" and weigh 130 pounds. And I'm not fat in the slightest.


Yeah. I think my BMI is like 19 (or lower), which is getting almost near underweight.


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## Cruiser (Jan 9, 2010)

Doc Rice said:


> Who said I wasn't into practical strength? I'm into parkour as well, and practical strength is something I need.


Easy killer I was simply passing along advice as I thought that was what you were seeking. I only mentioned functional fitness because you original post seems to give me the impression that this is mainly for looks, I apologize if I offended you.


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## Doc Rice (Dec 28, 2009)

Cruiser said:


> Easy killer I was simply passing along advice as I thought that was what you were seeking. I only mentioned functional fitness because you original post seems to give me the impression that this is mainly for looks, I apologize if I offended you.


You didn't offend me. I apologize if I came off a bit rough. It was my attempt at a friendly quip (I hope that's not an oxymoron). Poorly done in hindsight.


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## Cruiser (Jan 9, 2010)

Doc Rice said:


> You didn't offend me. I apologize if I came off a bit rough. It was my attempt at a friendly quip (I hope that's not an oxymoron). Poorly done in hindsight.


No worries m8, one drawback to written word is it can easy be read out of context at times. We'll call it water under the bridge


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