New Member - Trying to bulk up...

Hi,

Been lurking around this site for a while now, thought I'd start to contribute a little. Here's some history.

I just started lifting again, after 4 years off earning a degree in computer science at the cost of everything else in my life. Anyways, this past summer I decided to get back into shape ... lost 30 pounds (see bellow). After a good look at my pics in september I decided that I needed to put on some size. Been trying to bulk up for the past 4 months now, and I've put on 18 pounds. I've increased my diet to around 3500 cals a day with tons of protein and I've stoped most cardio (not hockey of course).

Anyways, I'm starting to feel fat! Here's 2 pics of me. The first one was taken in Sep 2002 and the second Jan 2003. My weight in the first one is 160 and the second one is 178. I'm 5'11"

Even in the 2nd pic you're not all that bad as far as BF is concerned. Tell us a little more about your goals. How much weight are you looking to gain? Are you planning on doing in naturally or chemically assisted (we can help you with which ever method you chose)? Tell us a little about your present diet and training program.

Well, I've got various goals. For one, I'd like to weight in at around 175 lean (7% BF) by end of july. Not sure If its a little ambitious. A little longer term I'd like to hit 190 lean in about 2 years. I'm not interested in using any AS over the next 2 years. The area of my body that needs the most work are my legs (i've got chicken legs) and shoulders.

My diet is a little boring, but I've gotten into a routine that fits in with my work schedule perfectly.


7:15 AM - Leftovers from dinner night before.
- Protein shake
10:30 AM - half sub, (turkey & ham, Roasted Chicken, roast beaf)
11:15 AM - Other half of sub
1:00 ish - Protein shake
1:00 - Half chicken + some thing else (usual carb rich)
4:00 ish - Other half of the chicken
7:30 - Dinner fluctuates. I usually try and get in around
1000 Cals with at least 50 grams of protein.
9:30 - Protein shake
- 2 fruit + vegtables usually.

I'd like to use less shake and more food for my protein, but its just not feasible, eating like this keeps me stuffed for the whole day, I find it easy to stomach a shake then eating though...

My workouts occur over my lunch every day, around 12:00 and last for about an hour. I get to gym 4 times a week. I do 1 warm up set for each body part, then do 3 sets of each exercise for 10,8,6 reps.

Right now my workout looks like:

day 1 - Chest + Abs (flat , incline, cable cross, cable abs pulldowns)
day 2 - Arms (Preacher curl, standing curl, skull crushers, dips)
day 3- Back & shoulders : (Wide grip pulldowns, seated row, military press, Standing row)
day 4 - Legs (Squats, Leg press, calf raises)

I've been considering adding deadlifts, but I'm really hesitant as I herniated a lower disk about 5 years ago and have to be smart about my back.

Look forward to your advice.

You are in a position where you have gained 18 pounds with very minimal fat gain from the analysis I can give you judging from the pictures. Brother I can not stress this enough but you are on a hill upwards and the momentum is in your direction. Keep bulking up!!! Add 20 grams of protein to each of meals 2 and 3 and keep lifting heavy.

I aim to get 10,8,6 reps and increase weight for every exercise.

.

I'm 184 now and growing... I'm starting to get worried about my BF big time. Can anyone who's gone through this process before give me some feedback? Some of the research i've done on this site says that its hard to gain more then 15 lbs of lean body mass in 1 year natural... if thats the case, i'm on pace to be 200 pounds by may... thats 40 pounds in 8 months !?! More specificaly at least 25 pounds is fat if the 15 pounds is accurate.

Can anyone with a similiar body type (or who has had one) comment on their weight gain over a bulking period of 8 month? I'm also planning to cut up for the summer (say july, august), anyone have comments on how much weight they lost when they cut up, from say 15% b.f to 8% b.f starting at 184 lbs (i know the calculation here, just wondering how much fat + muscle + water all together, not fat loss).

Thanks for you help ahead of time.