# Body Building Thread



## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

This is a thread for anyone trying to body build or is body building (basically people that wants to bulk up and then obviously cut :roll). It's a place where you can discuss body building and hopefully find answers to your questions.


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

Personally I'm kind of a newby. In the summer I did mark rippetoe's beginner program for 3 months and saw pretty good results (25lbs) but then I was suppose to change programs and kind of got lost and lazy and just stopped. I really liked the program because it was really simple. 

I'm starting the program again after like 6 months and for what ever reason I still weigh the same as when I stopped the program . 

But anyways, I joined a bodybuilding forum a long time ago and I don't like alot of the people on the site (go figure :roll) so I'd prefer if I could get help here.

For now I'm looking for a good NO supplement. And don't say NOXplode or whatever because that stuff is stupid! Caffeine and NO don't go together...:no


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> Personally I'm kind of a newby. In the summer I did mark rippetoe's beginner program for 3 months and saw pretty good results (25lbs) but then I was suppose to change programs and kind of got lost and lazy and just stopped. I really liked the program because it was really simple.
> 
> I'm starting the program again after like 6 months and for what ever reason I still weigh the same as when I stopped the program .
> 
> ...


i know a lot on this subject andwould answer any questions you have

by the way what is no2 . never heard of that


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> This is a thread for anyone trying to body build or is body building (basically people that wants to bulk up and then obviously cut :roll). It's a place where you can discuss body building and hopefully find answers to your questions.


currently trying to lose 40lb in 5 months using bodybuilding techniques i.e weight lifting, 6 meals per day, hiit cardio


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

Sorry I ment NO (nitric oxide) I'll change that. . Have you used any NO supplements before? What kind of supplements do you take?

Good luck with the 40lbs, that's quite the task.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

I have used NO, didnt help much. Only sup I use is Jack3d which is pretty much a caffeine shot. My problem bulking is I never do cardio and end up getting fat way too quickly, I just started cutting a week ago and already lost 2.5 lbs!! ooo yea.


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> Sorry I ment NO (nitric oxide) I'll change that. . Have you used any NO supplements before? What kind of supplements do you take?
> 
> Good luck with the 40lbs, that's quite the task.


i honestly dont see any reason to supplemt with NOx. the supplement industy is a major business just trying to make money off people. in reality the only suuplements a person needs in order to gain muscle are:

*multivitamin
*fish oil
*creatine monohydrate 
*protein powder (whey, mr's, weight gainers etc...)

pre workout all you need is slow release carbs for energy and slow release protein to keep you in an anti catabolic state. a weight gainer or mr is perfect for this. or whey, milk and oats mixed together is fine. noX just seems unnessecary and a waste of money to me if im being brutally honest

thanks. supplements im currently taking are just the basics like multivitamin, fish oil capsules, meal replacements twice per day and whey protein with dextrose after my workouts and whey protein with milk at breakfast time


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

paulyD said:


> i honestly dont see any reason to supplemt with NOx. the supplement industy is a major business just trying to make money off people. in reality the only suuplements a person needs in order to gain muscle are:
> 
> *multivitamin
> *fish oil
> ...


Okay, well maybe I won't get an NO supplement and just finish up what I have left. I just like the way it makes my muscles feel while working out :teeth. The industry is kind of a joke... I don't even think there's regulations on them. I think it's funny how companies have like 4 different supplements that they suggest you "stack" together, lol.

I have never got fish oil before but I've always seen people having it as part of their supplements and have just researched and it seems like pretty good.

Do you have any recommendations for fish oil?

Also, what are your thoughts on Kre-Alkalyn as a substitute for creatine mono?

Another thing is I have these multi-vitamins called Optimen (high potency) and they say to take 3 pills a day and almost all of the percentages of recommended values are either 300% or something ridiculous like 3000%. I feel like it's too much and I don't like it. So I only take 1 pill a day. What do you think of this?


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> Okay, well maybe I won't get an NO supplement and just finish up what I have left. I just like the way it makes my muscles feel while working out :teeth. The industry is kind of a joke... I don't even think there's regulations on them. I think it's funny how companies have like 4 different supplements that they suggest you "stack" together, lol.
> 
> I have never got fish oil before but I've always seen people having it as part of their supplements and have just researched and it seems like pretty good.
> 
> ...


yer honestly you only need the basics. theres no point wasting money

i usally just get fish oil capsules. you have to be careful with which ones you buy though, make sure they are from a top class sports nutrition company

ive never heard of kre-alkalyn

high doses of multivitamins can be dangerous. just take a pill that gives you 100% of the rda and then have fruit and veg every day too


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## hiimnotcool (Apr 28, 2009)

I just started working out in the beginning of January. I'm currently trying to bulk up as well. I'm 6'1 and started off at 170 and have gotten to 185 in 7 weeks. Hoping to reach 195 by May then cut down a bit to 190-185 but be lead. I've been taking fish oil, creatine, whey and a weight gainer every day. I typically get in around 3300 calories. I'm doing a program I found on bodybuilding.com that has been working well so far. My lifts are pretty weak at the moment but they've definitely increased quite a bit since I started.

Copied from the site:

The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a light warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm p with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light. 

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.


Squat
Bench Press
Bent Over Row
Overhead Press
Stiff legged deadlift
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:

(2 sets of warm up. 2 working sets at full weight..not 4 total working sets)

The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps. 
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and 
repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

hiimnotcool, 15 pounds in 7 weeks....wow. Is there a lot of fat in that bulking ???


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

I could imagine it'll be almost all fat. It's impossible to gain all that weight in muscle in a short time frame.


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## hiimnotcool (Apr 28, 2009)

Probably a bit of fat but definitely mass as well. I am starting to see my six pack again. I'm quite a bit leaner at 185 then I was at 170 because I was drinking beer everyday so all of that weight was in my stomach. I'd say about 2-3 pounds of that was lean gains....I know it isn't 'most all of it being fat' as brightpaperwarewolf said. Starting creatine can easily make you gain 5-10 pounds just in water weight.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Hey I'm just pointing it out. It's a little more complex because weight can fluctuate from day to day and mass-building is a long-term goal. 

You are 185 now at let's say 10% since you claim your six-pack was showing. That's 18.5 pounds in fat, 166.5 in mass when not considering other factors such as water. 

You claim 170 for assumption sake 12% body fat. You were in shape before, I can't imagine you gaining more body fat than that amount. That equals to 20.4 in fat, 149.5 in mass. 

You say you only gained 2-3 pounds in lean muscle mass. You have to gain 17 pounds in lean muscle mass in 7 weeks to achieve what you stated. 

Even if there was no fat gain reduction and kept it at 12% at 185, that would be 22.2 in body fat, 162.8 in mass, that would require you to gain 13.3 pounds of muscle mass in 7 weeks, which is not possible.

You have to set realistic expectations for yourself man. That's all I'm trying to say.


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## hiimnotcool (Apr 28, 2009)

I definitely know what you're saying. I agree with you. What I'm saying is that 5-10 pounds of the 15 I've gained is really probably just water weight retention from the creatine I've been taking. My weight fluctuates between 185-190 during the day. Once I cycle off of the creatine I will in all likelihood drop down to 175-80. That would mean I've only really gained 5 pounds of true body weight with around 2-3 of that being muscle and the other 2-3 being fat. Give or take of course.

I'm definitely not 10% either because I can only see abs when I flex. Probably more like 15%. I wish I was 10% though! Hopefully by Summer.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

You need to measure your weight at the same time with same cloths....if you do that you wont fluctuate 5 pounds. 185 to 190 is a big difference.

Ive always heard creatine was supposed to be more of a pro supplement. That until you reach a pretty high level of muscle it wont make much difference....anyone have any suggestions on creatine in regards to someone who is in a kinda advanced beginner stage...


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

hiimnotcool said:


> I definitely know what you're saying. I agree with you. What I'm saying is that 5-10 pounds of the 15 I've gained is really probably just water weight retention from the creatine I've been taking. My weight fluctuates between 185-190 during the day. Once I cycle off of the creatine I will in all likelihood drop down to 175-80. That would mean I've only really gained 5 pounds of true body weight with around 2-3 of that being muscle and the other 2-3 being fat. Give or take of course.
> 
> I'm definitely not 10% either because I can only see abs when I flex. Probably more like 15%. I wish I was 10% though! Hopefully by Summer.


I remember at your best you had full blown abs showing, you definitely has less than 8%. That was the basis of my measurement. I don't think you ever touched 15 unless you completely stopped working out for that period, for some reason I doubt


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## Ape in space (May 31, 2010)

I'm not doing 'serious' bodybuilding like maybe some of you are, but I have been working out for some time to bulk up and gain some more muscle so that I can maybe scare people at night, lol. 

Anyway, I'm happy with my progress for most muscle groups, but I don't really know how to add bulk to my sides, like around my waist. I don't know if there's a really effective exercise to add muscle to that region. Currently I do some exercise where I lie sideways and move my hip up and down, which contracts those muscles. But there doesn't seem to be a way to add weight to this exercise, so I just have to do many reps of it, which I don't think will work for adding mass to the muscle. Does anyone have any advice for bulking up in the side region, other than getting fat (I've already done that before, lol)?


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## hiimnotcool (Apr 28, 2009)

eek a mouse said:


> You need to measure your weight at the same time with same cloths....if you do that you wont fluctuate 5 pounds. 185 to 190 is a big difference.
> 
> Ive always heard creatine was supposed to be more of a pro supplement. That until you reach a pretty high level of muscle it wont make much difference....anyone have any suggestions on creatine in regards to someone who is in a kinda advanced beginner stage...


185 is every morning when I wake up after taking a piss. I sometimes just weigh myself for fun during the day to see how much I've gained due to food and stuff.

Creatine monohydrate is the best stuff to take. I think it would benefit anybody who is into lifting and not just pro's.



Brightpaperwarewolf said:


> I remember at your best you had full blown abs showing, you definitely has less than 8%. That was the basis of my measurement. I don't think you ever touched 15 unless you completely stopped working out for that period, for some reason I doubt


Yeah that was in the Summer of 2009 and I only weighed 143 pounds then. I stopped working out until February of 2010 and lost practically everything I worked that whole Summer for.

From February 10' I worked out until July of 2010 got abs again and gained some mass but weighed 170 at my most. I stopped working out from July 2010 until January of 2011 and during those 6 months I drank beer 5 nights a week and ate like crap so my body fat percentage skyrocketed though my weight stayed the same.

That brings us to today lol...I am completely disappointed in myself when I look in the mirror because I know I let myself go...but I also know that I can be pretty ripped by this Summer I just stick to it.

In 2009 and 2010 all I had were 50 pound dumbbells and got in decent shape......now I have over 300 pounds in Olympic weight plates with a weight bench and squat rack so I have a little higher expectation this go around.

I should just focus on getting lean and aesthetic as possible before Summer and then start a bulk in the Fall. Is it possible to have muscle gain even if you aren't eating like a horse? Like if I cut my calories down to 2800 or so?


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

Ape in space said:


> Does anyone have any advice for bulking up in the side region, other than getting fat (I've already done that before, lol)?


http://www.fullfitness.net/exercises/abs/standing-oblique-crunch

If you don't have access to one of those machines there's other moves for obliques you just have to look up oblique exercises. Another one is where you hold a weight with both of your hands while standing and twist your waist while moving the weight from your lower one side to the other upper side. I don't know the name of the move though or the actual movement. XD


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

Brightpaperwarewolf said:


> I could imagine it'll be almost all fat. It's impossible to gain all that weight in muscle in a short time frame.


7lb of it could be muscle. its pretty easy to gain a pound of muscle every week at the start


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

eek a mouse said:


> You need to measure your weight at the same time with same cloths....if you do that you wont fluctuate 5 pounds. 185 to 190 is a big difference.
> 
> Ive always heard creatine was supposed to be more of a pro supplement. That until you reach a pretty high level of muscle it wont make much difference....anyone have any suggestions on creatine in regards to someone who is in a kinda advanced beginner stage...


creatine is not for pros its for anyone and everyone. i dont know who told you that creatine wont make much difference until you have a high level of muscle but who ever it was is wrong

creatine can be used by beginners, no problem


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

Ape in space said:


> I'm not doing 'serious' bodybuilding like maybe some of you are, but I have been working out for some time to bulk up and gain some more muscle so that I can maybe scare people at night, lol.
> 
> Anyway, I'm happy with my progress for most muscle groups, but I don't really know how to add bulk to my sides, like around my waist. I don't know if there's a really effective exercise to add muscle to that region. Currently I do some exercise where I lie sideways and move my hip up and down, which contracts those muscles. But there doesn't seem to be a way to add weight to this exercise, so I just have to do many reps of it, which I don't think will work for adding mass to the muscle. Does anyone have any advice for bulking up in the side region, other than getting fat (I've already done that before, lol)?


there's plenty of abb exercises to build the obliques. im sure if you search the net or youtube you'll have no problem finding them

also working lats can build your sides. doing lat pull downs or pullups will make your lats stick out to the side


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

hiimnotcool said:


> 185 is every morning when I wake up after taking a piss. I sometimes just weigh myself for fun during the day to see how much I've gained due to food and stuff.
> 
> Creatine monohydrate is the best stuff to take. I think it would benefit anybody who is into lifting and not just pro's.
> 
> ...


its pretty much impossible to have muscle gain without consuming more calories than you burn each day.
there are only a few scenarios were you could gain muscle without consuming lots of calories :

*genetics. being gifted with super human genetics. unfortunately most of us arent freaks of nature 
*being a beginner. beginners can gain muscle even in a calorie defecit cos there body is not used to the trauma of lifting weights
*steroids 
*muscle memorie. some athletes ''regain'' muscle that they previosuly lost

there is a technique you could use in order to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time but it requires a lot of discipline and muscle gains are extremely slow. its were you cycle your calories. for example on you wieght training days you could be in a calorie surplus and then on your rest or cardio days you could use a calorie defecit


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## uffie (May 11, 2010)

being strong > looking strong


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## shadowmask (Jun 22, 2009)

uffie said:


> being strong > looking strong


^But will *****es still be 'mirin?


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

uffie said:


> being strong > looking strong


Then start a power lifting thread but please don't spam this thread with stupid arguements over which type of exercise is better. Thanks.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

hiimnotcool said:


> 185 is every morning when I wake up after taking a piss. I sometimes just weigh myself for fun during the day to see how much I've gained due to food and stuff.
> 
> Creatine monohydrate is the best stuff to take. I think it would benefit anybody who is into lifting and not just pro's.
> 
> ...


If you want to bulk, you gotta eat A LOT fellow skinny. Also looking at your program, you should look at changing it up to 6-8 reps with heavier weight at some point. Add some direct arm work. Everytime you run, deposit calories back in.

What you did worked before, so don't mess with success, just change it up!


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## uffie (May 11, 2010)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> Sorry I ment NO (nitric oxide) I'll change that. . Have you used any NO supplements before?
> Good luck with the 40lbs, that's quite the task.


I wouldn't think increasing the nitrous monoxide levels in your body to be good or safe long term. Oxygen reactants with nitrous oxide to get peroxynitrite. This substance isnt good in increased amounts for you. O2− + ·NO → ONO2− 

Also, I don't see how nitrous oxide would even give you any muscle gains.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

My Cut Plan: What do you all think?

Im going for 4-6 weeks, currently in week 2.
2200-2400 cal/day

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Low intensity cardio- 1hr

Thursday, Friday, Sat
Chest/tri, Back/bi, legs/shoulders
3 excercises for each group, 5x5, 4x8, 3x10

any tweak suggestions ?

Im not sure if it makes a difference to do all cardio consecutively or if I should spread it out like one day lift next day cardio...


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Add some intense cardio, 20 minutes, sprinting. Or get into BJJ, Muay Thai, sometimes that expends a lot of energy.


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

uffie said:


> I wouldn't think increasing the nitrous monoxide levels in your body to be good or safe long term. Oxygen reactants with nitrous oxide to get peroxynitrite. This substance isnt good in increased amounts for you. O2− + ·NO → ONO2−
> 
> Also, I don't see how nitrous oxide would even give you any muscle gains.


I think it dialates the veins allowing for more oxygen and other nutrients to get to your muscles. This is a plus for me because I can't breather through my nose (which is a more efficient way of getting oxygen than through the mouth) and I have small lungs. I was unaware of the health effects although I'm sure it isn't that big of a deal. If you've never tried it before you should because it makes your muscles feel really good.


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## uffie (May 11, 2010)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> I think it dialates the veins allowing for more oxygen and other nutrients to get to your muscles. This is a plus for me because I can't breather through my nose (which is a more efficient way of getting oxygen than through the mouth) and I have small lungs. I was unaware of the health effects although I'm sure it isn't that big of a deal. If you've never tried it before you should because it makes your muscles feel really good.


Ill pass. Ill stick to whey protein. All this nitrous oxide, creatine w/e stuff is just a gimmick to steal your money. I looked how expensive that nitrous oxide stuff is .


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

uffie said:


> Ill pass. Ill stick to whey protein. All this nitrous oxide, creatine w/e stuff is just a gimmick to steal your money. I looked how expensive that nitrous oxide stuff is .


creatine is definately not a gimmick. its a proven supplement used by many professional athletes. as for the nox im not saying it doesnt work or anything like that im just saying its not nessecary to use. creatine on the other hand is vital and also extremely cheap . you're talking £20 for 100 servings, thats dirt cheap


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

eek a mouse said:


> My Cut Plan: What do you all think?
> 
> Im going for 4-6 weeks, currently in week 2.
> 2200-2400 cal/day
> ...


i dont think the weight training 3 days in a row followed by 4 days rest is a good idea. you'd be better doing it every other day for example mon, wed, fri, or tue, thurs, sat etc....

same with the cardio too

also im not a fan of the low intensity cardio especially for a whole hour, that must be boring. if you switch to 20 mins hiit not only will your sessions be finished in no time but you'll have burnt just as many calories as you did in the whole hour of slow cardio. you'll also rev your motabolism up for 48 hours after the session. and you will have a better chance of sparing muscle tissue also

the goal of cardio is NOT to burn as much fat for fuel during the actual workout. it's to speed up the resting motabolism


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

When I was younger (my late teens and 20s and even early 30s), I used to train on a 4-day split or even a 6-day split, fairly high volume routine but I couldn't get past 155-160 lbs. I'm ~5'11". I then started lifting less and watching my diet a bit more. I reached my peak muscle mass and bodybuild at around the age of 40. I weighed ~170 lbs. and had ~10% (at most) bodyfat. I never did any aerobics. I actually weighed more than 190 lbs. at one time but my bodyfat was too high. My only supplement was creatine. That doesn't seem much but I'm a naturally skinny guy. I'd love to have a build like this guy:


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

Well my routine seems to be working good, havent lost strength (maybe a tiny bit) and lost 2.5lbs (a bit too much) and 2lb this week. 

Damn I feel skinny fat!! the worse...lol


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## VC132 (Sep 1, 2010)

If you haven't already, read some of Lyle McDonald's work. 

He wrote A TON of stuff that's helpful and free of marketing bias.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

Ill check him out, but man do I hate reading about nutrition and biology....
I wish these damn books just told me exactly what to do, although some books are a bit crazy. Like you gotta eat low GI carb at 12:04 and have a carb overload on every 3rd day....blablalba


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Kon said:


> When I was younger (my late teens and 20s and even early 30s), I used to train on a 4-day split or even a 6-day split, fairly high volume routine but I couldn't get past 155-160 lbs. I'm ~5'11". I then started lifting less and watching my diet a bit more. I reached my peak muscle mass and bodybuild at around the age of 40. I weighed ~170 lbs. and had ~10% (at most) bodyfat. I never did any aerobics. I actually weighed more than 190 lbs. at one time but my bodyfat was too high. My only supplement was creatine. That doesn't seem much but I'm a naturally skinny guy. I'd love to have a build like this guy:


That's basically what I am doing, I gotten real lazy with cardio, haven't done in like 3 months, gained 10 pounds like nothing, although I suspect a lot of it is fat. My conditioning suffers though, but I do love being more blown up, even with the added fat.


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## NikNak31 (Feb 25, 2011)

I'm new to the bench press anyone got tips for me on how much to do and how long. At the moment I'm not lifting much at all and not for long. I'm doing maybe 35kg which is the max weight I believe for my bench at home I'll 10 lifts rest then 10 more then 5 then 5 then lower weight for 10 10 10 5. Really not sure if I'm doing it right.By the end my arms are feeling tight, heart is thumping. 
I'm not doing any cardio at the moment cause the weather is terrible for cycling here and I can manage 10 mins on the cross trainer lol before my breathing goes crazy.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

It depends a bit if you are going for strength or size. But I can kinda tell your just doing whatever with not much thought into it and thats a definite way of getting no results. Nutrition also play a huge role, if you dont have the right meal plan you can lift all you want and it wont do a damn thing. 

If the max bench press weight you can get to is 35kg then you wont get very far at all. If you have some space you can buy a bench, barbell set and a changeable weight dumbbell, it will probably cost you about 1-1.5 years of a gym membership. Or go to the gym. 

Since you are talking about bench press ill share my chest routine,
Heavy Day 
5 x5 bench press, Rest 90 sec
4x8 incline DB press Rest 60 sec
3x10 decline press Rest 30 sec

Medium Day
4x8 Bench Press Rest 60sec
3x10 DB flyes Rest 30
3x10 Incline DB flyes Rest 30

You might want to find what works for you but the point is you gotta hit the muscle hard. Arms feeling tight and chest thumping is just the beginning, you should be sweating, red and you feel the muscle heavy and completly pumped with blood.


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## anxiousnervous (Jan 7, 2011)

I'm afraid that lifting weights will cause my muscles to develop so large I won't be able to control them. My high school coach told me that lifting weights would make me become "musclebound", and then one day, if I stopped all my muscle would "turn to fat". Also that my chest muscles would get small tears that could cause a sudden heart attack.


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## Welchsboy (Dec 8, 2003)

I have a question about balance. During training I can do around 6 reps x 220 lbs pull ups, but the bench press I can only do 6x 155 lbs max. My body weight is around 154. Would this be really unbalanced? I feel like I should be able to lift equal weights front and back.

Also on a squat machine (where you sit and push a weight up from upside down) I can do around 6x 360 lbs, but hamstring "pull ups" (where you kneel on a machine and flex the knee) I can do like...6x 120 lbs...that's a REALLY big gap...is that good? :/

I don't look overly freaky or anything so I'm not sure.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Welchsboy said:


> I have a question about balance. During training I can do around 6 reps x 220 lbs pull ups, but the bench press I can only do 6x 155 lbs. My body weight is around 154. Would this be really unbalanced? I feel like I should be able to lift equal weights front and back.


You talking about the pull-up machine? Ideally you want zero weight on it, you should be pulling with your own body weight.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

After reading about the squat machines, I would scale back your weight and work on form. Go to a free-weight class and start light to learn form, machines suck anyway. It might be a blow to the ego, but it's much better to start light and learn everything properly than go heavy without any idea of what you are doing. What you are doing now will cause muscles imbalances down the road.


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## WTFnooooo (Mar 27, 2010)

Welchsboy said:


> I have a question about balance. During training I can do around 6 reps x 220 lbs pull ups, but the bench press I can only do 6x 155 lbs max. My body weight is around 154. Would this be really unbalanced? I feel like I should be able to lift equal weights front and back.
> 
> Also on a squat machine (where you sit and push a weight up from upside down) I can do around 6x 360 lbs, but hamstring "pull ups" (where you kneel on a machine and flex the knee) I can do like...6x 120 lbs...that's a REALLY big gap...is that good? :/
> 
> I don't look overly freaky or anything so I'm not sure.


Are you sure you meant pull ups? Seems too much for a person weighing 154 to be doing pull ups with 66lbs attached to them...
Lifting "front and back" involves different muscles, it should never be the same.

The hamstrings/squat issue is normal. People can squat _extreme_ weight.


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## Welchsboy (Dec 8, 2003)

WTFnooooo said:


> Are you sure you meant pull ups? Seems too much for a person weighing 154 to be doing pull ups with 66lbs attached to them...
> Lifting "front and back" involves different muscles, it should never be the same.
> 
> The hamstrings/squat issue is normal. People can squat _extreme_ weight.


 Well, there's a machine that lets you just sit down and do pull ups by pulling on a bar on top, and you use your legs to hold you down. On those I can do 6 x 220 lbs.

If you mean just a free-standing pull up bar hanging in the air, I've tried those with 40 lbs of weight hanging from a weight belt, but more than that and it gets hard to walk around...the belt starts pulling on your groin...

My biggest problem honestly is gaining muscle size. I think I've spent so long struggling to gain any significant size, and it just feels like my body would rather max out my CNS to maximum efficiency rather than make any attempts at hypertrophy...

I am doing reps in the 6-8 range which I've been told is the best for gaining size...and also eating around 2900+ calories daily (this is @ 153-154 lbs, 5'9)...so i'm at a loss as to what I'm doing wrong. Kinda feels like Asians were just designed to be lean/agile and quick rather than big and buff. :mum.


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## uffie (May 11, 2010)

Welchsboy said:


> Well, there's a machine that lets you just sit down and do pull ups by pulling on a bar on top, and you use your legs to hold you down. On those I can do 6 x 220 lbs.
> 
> If you mean just a free-standing pull up bar hanging in the air, I've tried those with 40 lbs of weight hanging from a weight belt, but more than that and it gets hard to walk around...the belt starts pulling on your groin...
> 
> ...


Maybe you're stopping too soon. A lot of people when they work out they stop at the first sign of discomfort. Go through the pain until failure.


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

How long do you guys rest between sets?

I've been resting between one and three minutes between heavy compounds and less for db rows, etc. But I've heard different things from different people.

My lifts are still pretty weak though in comparison to my size, I'm around 6ft 1.7" 187lbs and my current ORM are

Db bench 37kg each hand (I only do db because of a recurring shoulder thing, and also my form on bb sucks the fat one)
Squat 100kg 
Dead 141kg
Military press 59kg
BB row 61kg

I bought my first tub of casein protein about two weeks back, hopefully it'll do something for me! Haven't gained any weight since but I've gone up on a couple of lifts! Anybody tried it?

Also anybody got any good recipes for homemade protein bars? A guy gave me his during the week but it sounds pretty rank so if you've got something better shout it out!


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

JimmyDeansRetartedCousin said:


> How long do you guys rest between sets?
> 
> I've been resting between one and three minutes between heavy compounds and less for db rows, etc. But I've heard different things from different people.
> 
> ...


Why did you choose casein protein? I am familiar with whey which seems to be more commonly used. I have used it for about 3 weeks and combined with almost daily pushups done to exhaustion (no other exercise) I have gone from 130lbs to 140lbs. My target is 150lbs (I am 5'11). 
My goal isn't to get big, it is simply to get healthy and to get some form of exercise everyday.


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

Casein is slow release milk protein. I'm taking it at night time, two scoops before bed = 40 grams of slow release protein for the eight hours when the body usually goes into starvation mode.

I take ordinary whey protein after workouts as well, but I had hit a weight plateau and someone mentioned casein to me.

Good luck with your goals! Your body will likely get used to ordinary pushups pretty quickly, you could try putting a backpack full of books on and doing some. Good craic haha!

And pullups are the ****znitz, just find something to swing off!


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## FlashBulb (Aug 9, 2010)

NikNak31 said:


> I'm new to the bench press anyone got tips for me on how much to do and how long. At the moment I'm not lifting much at all and not for long. I'm doing maybe 35kg which is the max weight I believe for my bench at home I'll 10 lifts rest then 10 more then 5 then 5 then lower weight for 10 10 10 5. Really not sure if I'm doing it right.By the end my arms are feeling tight, heart is thumping.
> I'm not doing any cardio at the moment cause the weather is terrible for cycling here and I can manage 10 mins on the cross trainer lol before my breathing goes crazy.


I always look at it like this. Barbells are for strength. Dumbells are for size/shape.

Bench takes practice to really get the movement down. Your arms are going to be tight because the blood is flowing to them. The bench also hits your triceps so you'll notice a general pump in that area. A good way to avoid hitting the triceps is to not lockout when benching. By not locking out you can put more pressure on the chest and less on the triceps. I prefer it this way, the only problem I find with this is that I tend to fail a lot easier. I never use a spotter (I do everything at home) so getting stuck on bench is something I generally try and avoid.

For weight and all that good stuff I'd say if you can do your body weight you're doing good. But if not it's something to work towards. for reps and sets I normally do 4 sets of flat, incline and decline bench followed by chest dips. I focus at doing a couple of warmup sets of 15 reps then I try and stay at 8 or less reps. I normally take about a minute to a minute and a half of rest. Mostly because I don't have a spotter.


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

JimmyDeansRetartedCousin said:


> How long do you guys rest between sets?
> 
> I've been resting between one and three minutes between heavy compounds and less for db rows, etc. But I've heard different things from different people.
> 
> ...


rest for as long as you feel nessecary before you are ready for your next lift. there is no time limit. you just do your next lift as soon as you are ready

yes ive tried casein powder before, its very good before bed or inbetween meals. a scoop of whey mixed with 250ml milk is just as good though and probably cheaper. about 200g of low fat cottage cheese is also just as good. another alternative is a peptide belnd which is protein powder that is a mixture of whey, casein and egg protein, although it can be quite expensive


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

alte said:


> Why did you choose casein protein? I am familiar with whey which seems to be more commonly used. I have used it for about 3 weeks and combined with almost daily pushups done to exhaustion (no other exercise) I have gone from 130lbs to 140lbs. My target is 150lbs (I am 5'11).
> My goal isn't to get big, it is simply to get healthy and to get some form of exercise everyday.


casien is release in your system over a period of about 6 hours - meaning that there is protein and animo acids available for the muscle over a long period of time. with whey its extremely fast digesting , perfect for post workout but not a good idea any other time of the day.

if you have whey and its been digested within 2 hours and you wait 3 hours before you eat your next meal then theres 1 hour when your body hasnt had any amino acids available to repair muscle. however if you have casein then your body is never without amino for repairing muscles

bottom line - its easier to gain muscle with casien than whey


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

Trying to figure out the best way to gain muscle has always been an off and on again obsession with me since I was 15 years old. There seems to be several camps each claiming to have the answer. Here are 2 of the major positions/views that I find extremely interesting:

*POSITION 1:*​
*RECOMMENDATIONS *​
What is really known about the science of resistance training is contrary to the opinions expressed in the Position Stand (American College of Sports Medicine). That is, the preponderance of research strongly suggests that gains in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, and endurance are the result of the following simple guidelines:

• *Select a mode of exercise that feels comfortable throughout the range of motion*. _There is very little evidence to support the superiority of free weights or machines for increasing muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance. _
　
• *Choose a repetition duration that will ensure the maintenance of consistent form throughout the set*. _One study showed a greater strength benefit from a shorter duration (2s/4s) and one study showed better strength gains as a result of a longer duration (10s/4s), but no study using conventional exercise equipment reports any significant difference in muscular hypertrophy, power, or endurance as a result of manipulating repetition duration_. 
　
• *Choose a range of repetitions between three and 15 *(e.g., 3-5, 6-8, 8-10, etc.). _There is very little evidence to suggest that a specific range of repetitions (e.g., 3-5 versus 8-10) or time-under-load (e.g., 30s versus 90s) significantly impacts the increase in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance. _
　
• *Perform one set of each exercise*. _The preponderance of resistance-training studies shows no difference in the gains in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance as a result of performing a greater number of sets. _
　
• *After performing a combination of concentric and eccentric muscle actions, terminate each exercise at the point where the concentric phase of the exercise is becoming difficult, if not impossible, while maintaining good form*. _There is very little evidence to suggest that going beyond this level of intensity (e.g., supramaximal or accentuated eccentric muscle actions) will further enhance muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance. _
　
• *Allow enough time between exercises to perform the next exercise in proper form*. _There is very little evidence to suggest that different rest periods between sets or exercises will significantly affect the gains in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance. _
　
• *Depending on individual recovery and response, choose a frequency of 2-3 times/week to stimulate each targeted muscle group. One session a week has been shown to be just as effective as 2-3 times/week for some muscle groups*. _There is very little evidence to suggest that training a muscle more than 2-3 times/week or that split routines will produce greater gains in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance._

http://www.asep.org/files/OttoV4.pdf

*POSITION 2: **Multiple Sets (and more volume) is better for strength and hypertophy than single sets (and less volume):*​
Single vs. multiple sets of resistance exercise for muscle hypertrophy: a meta- analysis.

Krieger, James W The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 24(4):1150-1159, April 2010.

Abstract:

Previous meta-analyses have compared the effects of single to multiple sets on strength, but analyses on muscle hypertrophy are lacking. The purpose of this study was to use multilevel meta-regression to compare the effects of single and multiple sets per exercise on muscle hypertrophy. The analysis comprised 55 effect sizes (ESs), nested within 19 treatment groups and 8 studies. Multiple sets were associated with a larger ES than a single set (difference = 0.10 +/- 0.04; confidence interval [CI]: 0.02, 0.19; p = 0.016). In a dose-response model, there was a trend for 2-3 sets per exercise to be associated with a greater ES than 1 set (difference = 0.09 +/- 0.05; CI: -0.02, 0.20; p = 0.09), and a trend for 4-6 sets per exercise to be associated with a greater ES than 1 set (difference = 0.20 +/- 0.11; CI: -0.04, 0.43; p = 0.096). Both of these trends were significant when considering permutation test p values (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between 2-3 sets per exercise and 4-6 sets per exercise (difference = 0.10 +/- 0.10; CI: -0.09, 0.30; p = 0.29). There was a tendency for increasing ESs for an increasing number of sets (0.24 for 1 set, 0.34 for 2-3 sets, and 0.44 for 4-6 sets). Sensitivity analysis revealed no highly influential studies that affected the magnitude of the observed differences, but one study did slightly influence the level of significance and CI width. No evidence of publication bias was observed. In conclusion, multiple sets are associated with 40% greater hypertrophy-related ESs than 1 set, in both trained and untrained subjects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300012
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661829

And here's one criticism of some of the meta-analysis suggesting superiority of multiple sets:

"It is disconcerting - but not surprising - that all the mathematical and statistical errors in these previously discussed meta-analyses and training studies, as well as the reviews that cited those references for support, continually elude detection by the peer-review process of the publishing journals. The ethical problems in the peer-review process for exercise physiology journals have been previously noted and specifically regarding resistance training."​
"In the interest of full disclosure, one of us (Robert M. Otto) presented the counterpoint to Dr. Alvar's presentation of his three meta-analyses at the 2005 NSCA National Conference. In his counterpoint presentation, Dr. Otto revealed many of the aforementioned mathematical, methodological and statistical flaws in the three meta-analyses, as well as the absence of any logical practical application of their conclusions to resistance training. In the subsequent 30-minute question and answer period, neither Dr. Alvar nor Dr. Rhea attempted to defend any of the obvious flaws in their studies or meta-analyses."​
http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/OttoV2.pdf​


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Welchsboy said:


> Well, there's a machine that lets you just sit down and do pull ups by pulling on a bar on top, and you use your legs to hold you down. On those I can do 6 x 220 lbs.
> 
> If you mean just a free-standing pull up bar hanging in the air, I've tried those with 40 lbs of weight hanging from a weight belt, but more than that and it gets hard to walk around...the belt starts pulling on your groin...
> 
> ...


If you can attach a 40 pound weight and do multiple pull-ups you would've been long graduated from the pull-up assist machine. When you put that much weight, you aren't doing any work, the machine is. When you set it at zero, you are using your weight to pull you up. That's the entire purpose of that machine, for people who can't do pull-ups yet.

That's why you should go to a weight-lifting class. You have to learn fundamentals.


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

How much ab work do you guys do? How many different exercises? Sets? do you treat it like other muscle groups?


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## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

anxiousnervous said:


> Also that my chest muscles would get small tears that could cause a sudden heart attack.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> How much ab work do you guys do? How many different exercises? Sets? do you treat it like other muscle groups?


 Abs are made in the kitchen. and yes theyre a muscle just like any other muscle so you can strengthen them but wont see them if you have fat covering them 

Im gonna focus on what i eat first i just dont have the strength and energy to do any weight lifting. i wish i could be big and muscluar but it aint gonna happen anytime soon.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

Thanks for the info on casein, you guys obviously know what you are talking about!


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

MavenMI6Agent009 said:


> Abs are made in the kitchen. and yes theyre a muscle just like any other muscle so you can strengthen them but wont see them if you have fat covering them
> 
> Im gonna focus on what i eat first i just dont have the strength and energy to do any weight lifting. i wish i could be big and muscluar but it aint gonna happen anytime soon.


Thanks. I was thinking more of how to do it, though because a lot of people just do a lot of reps and exercises, which would get the abs hard but probably not get them bulky as I want so I want to see if just doing like one or two exercises with low reps and heavy weights is what other people use.


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## Maguffin (Oct 23, 2009)

hiimnotcool said:


> I just started working out in the beginning of January. I'm currently trying to bulk up as well. I'm 6'1 and started off at 170 and have gotten to 185 in 7 weeks. Hoping to reach 195 by May then cut down a bit to 190-185 but be lead. I've been taking fish oil, creatine, whey and a weight gainer every day. I typically get in around 3300 calories. I'm doing a program I found on bodybuilding.com that has been working well so far. My lifts are pretty weak at the moment but they've definitely increased quite a bit since I started.


I'm doing the exact workout you posted (but didn't quote, too long) posted at that workout site. Only thing I didn't go the gym this entire week and experienced some lower back discomfort at night. I actually just do body squats instead of the hardcore rack squats but this has been a pretty good routine in my short experience. Just have to go back to the gym.


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## WTFnooooo (Mar 27, 2010)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> How much ab work do you guys do? How many different exercises? Sets? do you treat it like other muscle groups?


Excellent article

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/greg13.htm


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

WTFnooooo said:


> Excellent article
> 
> http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/greg13.htm


Good stuff. Thanks! :yes


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> How much ab work do you guys do? How many different exercises? Sets? do you treat it like other muscle groups?


i keep my abb work very basic. i train them only once per week. i do 2 sets of 12 reps on crunches and 1 set of 12 reps on leg raises


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> Thanks. I was thinking more of how to do it, though because a lot of people just do a lot of reps and exercises, which would get the abs hard but probably not get them bulky as I want so I want to see if just doing like one or two exercises with low reps and heavy weights is what other people use.


yes if you stick to 2 sets of 12 reps on crunches and 1 set of 12 reps on leg raises then you can make your abbs bulky just as long as a 13th rep is impossible for you to do. that will probably mean you'll have to use wieghts to train your abbs

also you'll need a calorie surplus to make your abbs bulky. but then after that you'll need a calorie defecit to strip away the fat so that you can actually see your abbs


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## WTFnooooo (Mar 27, 2010)

Did any of you ever got exertional headaches?
When you push your body to a point your brain veins expand and press on nerves causing a massive pulsating headache moment that lasts for like 30 seconds and then you're left with a normal headache for even a day.
It happens when you're not breathing right or when you use stimulants that make you go beyond healthy limits.

I'm stopping for 3 weeks because of it. That's what I've read, rest solves the problem. I thought it was just a one day thing but 2 days later after the headache it happened again, and worse.
If it happens again after my break I will consider getting a brain MRI.


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

WTFnooooo said:


> Did any of you ever got exertional headaches?
> When you push your body to a point your brain veins expand and press on nerves causing a massive pulsating headache moment that lasts for like 30 seconds and then you're left with a normal headache for even a day.
> It happens when you're not breathing right or when you use stimulants that make you go beyond healthy limits.
> 
> ...


I've had this happen on two seperate occasions back when I didn't really know how to lift and was just doing what ever. It is extremely painful. It's right at the base of the back of the head right? Yeah, you're going to have to stop lifting for a good month because if you start lifting before it's fixed, you'll just hurt it again and have to start recovery again. It sucks! Very frustrating.


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## tew84 (Mar 9, 2011)

i lift weights 3 to 4 times a week . im 5ft7 200lbs. i have a deadlift max of 345. i do front squats i only use 120 to 140 lbs for them cause i work out in my garage and dont have all the fancy racks and have to be careful i dont hurt myself by not doing things properly. i do weighted situps with 55 lbs for 3 sets of 12. i do alot of weighted pushups, regular pushups. i do tricep extensions and i my max bicep curl is 58 lbs for one rep each arm. nothing great and i am by no means arnold schwarzenneger but it makes me feel good. i take multi vitamins, fish oil and magnesium everyday and drink whey protein. i dont really have any particular diet except i stay away from **** like chips and soda and try to stay away from carbs late at night.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Dude, you could easily clean more weight than 140 if you have a deadlift max of 345. Clean into a front squat, go up and back down. Add a little weight, 5-10 pounds incrementally to build confidence, then you could do straight front squats, even if you have to do less to start.


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## tew84 (Mar 9, 2011)

Brightpaperwarewolf said:


> Dude, you could easily clean more weight than 140 if you have a deadlift max of 345. Clean into a front squat, go up and back down. Add a little weight, 5-10 pounds incrementally to build confidence, then you could do straight front squats, even if you have to do less to start.


 i was doing 160 but i stopped when i pulled a muscle in my abdomen. it scared me a bit cause i really dont wanna end up with a hernia. im gonna slowly work my way back up. it was prob just cause i wasnt watching my form.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Cleans help. Because when you power clean, the bar end up in the positioning for a front squat. I'm working at 135 right now, I stalled for a long time at 95 and was afraid to increase the weight, I got injured myself doing it. Someone showed me how to clean and ever since then, I felt more confident to increase weight, made some serious gains in the last month. Definitely something you have to work slow, but sometimes you need to add something different to kick start gains.


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## tew84 (Mar 9, 2011)

do you ever do any cardio? i havent done hardly any in a long time. i need to start doing some at least once a week.


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## WTFnooooo (Mar 27, 2010)

THEuTASTEsOFeINKd said:


> I've had this happen on two seperate occasions back when I didn't really know how to lift and was just doing what ever. It is extremely painful. It's right at the base of the back of the head right? Yeah, you're going to have to stop lifting for a good month because if you start lifting before it's fixed, you'll just hurt it again and have to start recovery again. It sucks! Very frustrating.


Back of the skull mostly, but I also felt it on the right side of the brain, the center, and like above my right-top wisdom tooth, like inside/behind the ear and all around. Pulsating back and forth zon zon zon zon zon shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit I was going crazy!


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Not lately to be honest, the one area I neglected recently.


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## FlashBulb (Aug 9, 2010)

I hate getting sick. It always sets me back a month.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

Damn I never got an exertional headaches and I thought I pushed myself really hard....guess im doing something wrong lol


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## RenegadeReloaded (Mar 12, 2011)

HI i used to practice bodybuilding some years ago. But only a few months.

Now I'm fat again and trying to lose that belly. Im doing gym 4 times/weak and tabata as cardio 2-3 times/week.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

What is everyone's opinion on creatine? If you have used it, what sort of gains have you seen? How much do you use a day?


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

alte said:


> What is everyone's opinion on creatine? If you have used it, what sort of gains have you seen? How much do you use a day?


its a very good product. i can notice a strengh increase within days of taking it. its also very cheap

in the past when i used it i just had 5g per day in my post workout shake


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## WTFnooooo (Mar 27, 2010)

eek a mouse said:


> Damn I never got an exertional headaches and I thought I pushed myself really hard....guess im doing something wrong lol


Do you use pre-workout supplements?
Do you concentrate on breathing or just breath whoever it feels normal?
Do you take creatine?
How long you've been lifting for without more than 2 weeks break?
How often you lift?


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

Those headaches from what I've read sound like your unconditioned craniovascular system taking a beating because you're pushing it to extremes without a proper buildup, lay off the weights or lessen the exertion maybe? Or (this is probably terrible advice) take an aspirin in the morning before you work out :stu Also what's your guys opinion on pre-workouts? I just bought a sci mx's proprietery blend and it's pretty disgusting, it's 1,3 DMAA free though which I felt like I was becoming tolerant to.


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## uffie (May 11, 2010)

im all natural lol and not very big


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## jimbo00 (Nov 28, 2010)

Can anyone help me with the amount of calories I should be eating to help with muscle growth. 
Ive done the BMR/TDEE calculato, Im about 5'6 and 65kg, BMR is 1500 and TDEE is ~2000. 

Ive been trying to eat around 1700 (healthy stuff) with about 30g of protein in each of the 5 meals. I Want to still loose tiny bit of weight aswell. 

Have been seeing alrite results inregards to muscle growth, strength increase and weight loss, but am worried i could be seeing much better results if i eat more ?

Im doing the stronglifts 5x5 program at the moment. 
Do I just need to make sure i keep up with all the protein, or should i be eating more than the 2000 calories per day ? (aswell as making sure i still hve lots of protein in each meal)

Thanks


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

jimbo00 said:


> Can anyone help me with the amount of calories I should be eating to help with muscle growth.
> Ive done the BMR/TDEE calculato, Im about 5'6 and 65kg, BMR is 1500 and TDEE is ~2000.
> 
> Ive been trying to eat around 1700 (healthy stuff) with about 30g of protein in each of the 5 meals. I Want to still loose tiny bit of weight aswell.
> ...


to gain muscle you must increase calories beyond maintenance level by 15-20%.

split your dailly caloreis over 6 meals (5 isn't enough) with about 45% carbs, 35% protein and 20% fats

as for wanting to lose a little bit of weight aswell as gaining muscle forget it, its impossible. to gain muscle you need to be in a calorie surplus. its impossible to lose weight in a calorie surplus


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