New Years resolutions

If you want to gain mass you need to consume calories, that's it, cut and dry. 1g protein per pound of LEAN body mass won't get it done. Find out what your base metabolic rate is (calories burned a day), it's probably in the high 2k range... bump that up to a CLEAN 3500 a day, lots of eggs, whole milk, chicken, fish, and nuts are fantastic as well. Work out HARD and know when to quit. Then get your ass a minimum 8 hours of sleep a night.

 

SQUAT - SQUAT - SQUAT!!!!!

 

Sorry but that "my metabolism is just too fast" line is just a b/s excuse for not eating enough.

 

If you want to stack on some mass look up Mark Rippetoes Starting Strength. That will put some muscle on your body in a hurry. And don't think oh, i'm not a newb I don't need that. It's a performance workout, you won't be 5% bodyfat, but you'll be stronger than you ever have been and it's easy to lean out from 12% after you've been hitting it hard. Your whole body literally feels different on a daily basis when you start squatting really heavy and releasing all that testosterone.

 

This guy knows his stuff. Rippetoes is a great program for starters, also if you're an intermediate lifter you can try Bill Starr's 5x5 or even German Volume Training (GVT sucks but it kicks ass for gaining weight)

 

I'm not really a resolutions person but here it goes:

1. Laugh more, don't take everything so seriously

2. Keep busy

3. Go into everything with an open mind

4. Go on a vacation this year

 

Lifting goals:

1. Get to a 300lb pull-up

2. Squat 405 for 1 parallel rep

3. Deadlift 500

 

I didn't realize there were so many lifters on LP

After you have these two things down, you can move onto your actual gym regiment. You are going to want high weight, low reps. Don't make the mistake of thinking that benching 150 pounds for 25 reps is better than benching 250 pounds for 3 reps. Your goal is to gain muscle mass. Compound exercises will work best for you to, as they increase testosterone, and this is your muscle building hormone. Never stay with the same routine for too long or else your body will adapt itself; constantly add weight, and constantly switch up the exercises.

 

I have read that ultra-high reps (like beyond ten) work endurance. for example, I can bang out fifty straight pushups. Doing this doesn't make me stronger, I am just working the muscular endurance in the muscles. And I've read that very low reps with very high weight purely work strength, but that in order to gain mass, one should go for around a weight that allows six to eight repetitions...?

 

For example, a lot of the male gymnasts who can hold those extreme strength movements on the rings, in a relaxed pose, they are muscular, but really not that big at all, even though they have extremely high levels of strength. That gaining size takes higher reps of weight (6 to 8) with lots of eating...? Or is this wrong, and I need very low reps with very high weight for mass building?

 

For the big compound exercises (bench press, squat, deadlift, military press, barbell curl, triceps press, etc...) right now I shoot for about five to eight repetitions for about five to eight sets, twice a week.

 

In terms of diet, I eat very healthy most of the time (I rarely if ever drink soda and junk food is kept to a strict minimum), I just don't eat enough at the moment.

Lifting goals:

1. Get to a 300lb pull-up

2. Squat 405 for 1 parallel rep

3. Deadlift 500

 

I didn't realize there were so many lifters on LP

 

By a "300lb pull-up," you mean like wear a weight vest or a weight belt with a literal 300 lbs attached and do a pullup...? Here is an interesting article on some gymnastics exercises to help increase strength: http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/ Coach Sommer also has a book on this stuff out now too: http://www.gymnasticbodies.com/

 

Right now my left shoulder is sprained so I can't really do the military presses until it heals

I have read that ultra-high reps (like beyond ten) work endurance. for example, I can bang out fifty straight pushups. Doing this doesn't make me stronger, I am just working the muscular endurance in the muscles. And I've read that very low reps with very high weight purely work strength, but that in order to gain mass, one should go for around a weight that allows six to eight repetitions...?

 

For example, a lot of the male gymnasts who can hold those extreme strength movements on the rings, in a relaxed pose, they are muscular, but really not that big at all, even though they have extremely high levels of strength. That gaining size takes higher reps of weight (6 to 8) with lots of eating...? Or is this wrong, and I need very low reps with very high weight for mass building?

 

For the big compound exercises (bench press, squat, deadlift, military press, barbell curl, triceps press, etc...) right now I shoot for about five to eight repetitions for about five to eight sets, twice a week.

 

In terms of diet, I eat very healthy most of the time (I rarely if ever drink soda and junk food is kept to a strict minimum), I just don't eat enough at the moment.

 

Sorry you're the victim of this, but you're about to get the wrath of one of my biggest pet peeves. . .

 

Number of reps is so crazy over talked i'm fcuking sick of it! All the bullshit of high reps is toning, low reps is mass, blah blah, fcuk that. Never once does anyone mention slow controlled contractions, negatives, explosive movements, etc.

 

If you aren't an endurance athlete (rower, gymnast, etc) then doing 20 reps is pointless other than to break up the routine.

 

The one thing I see people do the most is go to 105% on a weekly basis thinking this is what makes you stronger... and it's 94% on a flat bench.

 

Here is a thought, GET SERIOUS ABOUT IT!!!

 

Do you just want to put up big weight? If so, F the strict form, arch your back, tuck your elbows down, and huck it up.

 

If you want to force specific muscle groups, then do your best to isolate them and check your LB-Ego at the door. Put 60% of your usual ORM on the bar and hit the bench, preferably an incline. Feet up, if you're in control you don't need them. Elbows out, wide grip (index finger on the ring if you're a decent size guy), and slooow negative. Before you touch your chest (1" over it) explode up as hard and quickly as you can. Rep this 8x with maximum intensity on the explosive movement and tell me you're not spent.

 

I'm positive this one exercise alone will not only fatigue you faster, but leave you very sore compared to your usual workout. Not only because you're changing the workout but because you're forcing specific muscles to work rather than making bench a full body workout. In the end your chest will grow, you'll develop more power, and ultimately be much stronger.

 

Whether you realize it or not, an elbows in bench isn't just chest and tricepts, it also activates the lats, abdominals, even glutes and hams into the push. When you see someone struggle with a heavy bench (especially a rook) their instinct is to arch their back, drive their heels into the ground, and push the weight down (toward their abdomen in a decline press) more than push it up. While they might move the weight, as an exercise this is extremely ineffective.

 

Spend some time studying muscle movement, how to exercise your CNS separately of the muscles, and watch your strength and physique advance at a rate you can't imagine.

Sorry you're the victim of this, but you're about to get the wrath of one of my biggest pet peeves. . .

 

Number of reps is so crazy over talked i'm fcuking sick of it! All the bullshit of high reps is toning, low reps is mass, blah blah, fcuk that. Never once does anyone mention slow controlled contractions, negatives, explosive movements, etc.

 

If you aren't an endurance athlete (rower, gymnast, etc) then doing 20 reps is pointless other than to break up the routine.

 

The one thing I see people do the most is go to 105% on a weekly basis thinking this is what makes you stronger... and it's 94% on a flat bench.

 

Here is a thought, GET SERIOUS ABOUT IT!!!

 

Do you just want to put up big weight? If so, F the strict form, arch your back, tuck your elbows down, and huck it up.

 

If you want to force specific muscle groups, then do your best to isolate them and check your LB-Ego at the door. Put 60% of your usual ORM on the bar and hit the bench, preferably an incline. Feet up, if you're in control you don't need them. Elbows out, wide grip (index finger on the ring if you're a decent size guy), and slooow negative. Before you touch your chest (1" over it) explode up as hard and quickly as you can. Rep this 8x with maximum intensity on the explosive movement and tell me you're not spent.

 

I'm positive this one exercise alone will not only fatigue you faster, but leave you very sore compared to your usual workout. Not only because you're changing the workout but because you're forcing specific muscles to work rather than making bench a full body workout. In the end your chest will grow, you'll develop more power, and ultimately be much stronger.

 

Whether you realize it or not, an elbows in bench isn't just chest and tricepts, it also activates the lats, abdominals, even glutes and hams into the push. When you see someone struggle with a heavy bench (especially a rook) their instinct is to arch their back, drive their heels into the ground, and push the weight down (toward their abdomen in a decline press) more than push it up. While they might move the weight, as an exercise this is extremely ineffective.

 

Spend some time studying muscle movement, how to exercise your CNS separately of the muscles, and watch your strength and physique advance at a rate you can't imagine.

 

 

After 3 sets on Incline today 3 sec negative I was ready to go home...

 

 

You guys are meat heads

Here guys... heres a work out to help you with your goals!

http://poststuff5.entensity.net/010711/fla...ia=exercise.flv

By a "300lb pull-up," you mean like wear a weight vest or a weight belt with a literal 300 lbs attached and do a pullup...?

 

Bodyweight + necessary weight on the weighted pull up belt to reach a total of 300lbs

 

I'm pretty close to this one, hopefully I'll be able to get to 325lbs

Never once does anyone mention slow controlled contractions, negatives, explosive movements, etc.

 

If you aren't an endurance athlete (rower, gymnast, etc) then doing 20 reps is pointless other than to break up the routine.

 

Thanks for the info, however gymnasts are not endurance athletes. They are strictly strength and explosiveness athletes. Also gymnasts do a lot of what you mention, such as slow controlled movements, negatives, explosive movements, etc...for example a lot of the work on the rings is done with straight arms, but it puts such incredible stress on the biceps that they get big and strong anyway.

How's everyone doing? Little reality check time.