Alright, I give up.

[dan991]

Alright, here's the deal. I'm a newbie. I'm 27 years old (just turned 27) 5' 8" and 160 lbs (wear a 30 waist.) I use to work out back in highschool, but once I got a good fake ID and could go to the bar, I kinda leaned more twards women and booze instead of continuing to to work out. Anyways, I am now back in the gym, 5 days a week. I do only 1 day of cardio 30 minutes long (sundays) and the rest of the time I am doing a mass building routine. I spend 5 days a week sitting behind a desk (9-5 pm) and for fun I endurance race motorcycles (4-6 hour races) at various race tracks all over the country. More or less, the endurance racing is the only thing in the past that has kept me in a semi decent shape. You would not believe how hard it is to keep a 300 lb. motorcycle going for 3 hours a weekend around road courses. So, that was my only activity. Now, I'm back in the gym, trying to cut up and gain mass, and honestly end up hopefully looking like one of the guys on the cover of muscle and fitness mag. Unfortunately, things like that don't happen overnight. I'm not sure on genetics because I have always been lean and my brother is a "bulk" build, so that kind of goes out the window. I currently am taking the following:

80g whey protein isolate (Isopure no carb) per day, and another 80 g by regular food
EAS HMB (just started)
MRI NO2 (just started)
Multivitamins
EAS Phosphagen Elite (just started)
EAS Cytovytol (just started, during workout)

So, more or less, I'm taking some of this stuff by the recommendations of others. When I use to work out, glutamine was the good stufff, and creatine was just coming out, but I ended up in a bar before it was available on the shelf everywhere. I have absolutely no idea of any of this crap works, other than protein.
My biggest problem is that although I have seen very minor gains, I don't know if it's just because I finally got off my ass, or if this crap is actually working. I just started half of it (less than a week) and have no clue if spending $80.00 on a bottle of NO2 is money I just threw down the toilet that I could have bought other things with . I'm far from lazy, and the endurance racing is a wonderful form of cardio, but having chicken legs doesn't help much in life. Over all, I am fairly lean. I have a small spare tire around my waist, but I'm assuming that it arose from my lack of physical activty. These are my goals:

190 lbs of solid lean muscle mass
Increase Leg mass, especially calf (chicken legs, seriously)
low body fat, get rid of spare tire

Overall, I don't know if it's even a possiblity in a natural way, thus I"m on this forum. Not that I knock the juice, cause I believe anything that works and is beneficial is worth looking into, but maybe I'm just heading in the wrong direction.

I've spent the last 6 hours, yes 6 full hours reading thread after thread, looking at pictures, and I'm completely stumped. I don't know if I should just give up and and join a "mens health club" instead of a Powerhouse type gym and just work on overall "well being" fitness or if I should continue working hard and trying to gain mass This completely sucks I'm so frustrated with this crap I almost think I'm better off eating cheeto's and sitting on my ass all weekend. I realize it isn't easy and it's a lot of work. I don't have a problem with that, but the "game" has changed so much since the last time I played I'm not sure if I should even show up to compete

Help

P.S. Does that NO2 crap work at all?

[KGBnine]

don't get frustrated. In Arnold's encylopedia, I think the most important chapter is called mind over matter. He shows that you have to prep your mind first to have the motivation to visualize and eventually attain your goals. Don't give up, stick with it.

[johnvom]

if you are interested in loosing that spare tire 30 min of cardio a week is not enough. i do at least three a week. also you can kill to birds with one stone(cardio&calves) by swimming since your feet should be pointed. if swimming is not your thing try a stepmill. sorry i cant help you out on your supplement question.......cheetos are great but they got to go, thats what i keep telling myself

good luck

[Veblin]

don't get frustrated. In Arnold's encylopedia, I think the most important chapter is called mind over matter. He shows that you have to prep your mind first to have the motivation to visualize and eventually attain your goals. Don't give up, stick with it.

This is is very true. I'm sort of in the same situation, just shifted forward a few years. I started back into lifting after a long hiatus. I'm now 31, 6'3", 220lbs (alot more of this is bf than I'd like). I used to lift in college, but haven't touched iron since I was 26. I found plenty to divert my attentions away from lifting once I left college.

My motivation seems to come into question everyday, but the one thing that brings it back is the mental image I've sort-of created for my self, of what I'm trying to attain, and then convincing myself that It's worth it.

Hang in there, man.

PS, NO2 products have never worked for me, I've tried afew, but from what I hear, some people find them indespensible, while some others get nothing from them.

[Pale Horse]

IMO NO2 is not worth it.

[Hed]

The best advice i can give you:

Food.


your 80g of protein from food per day isnt enough. you should be getting about 250 from natural food, and another 80-100 from shakes.

keep the calories up, but not just fat calories.

keep the carbs up.

[TheNatural3456]

all you gotta do is follow the big method bro....eat big, rest big, lift big, get big
imo you should be getting more protien that that if you are tryin 2 gain mass...also what type of protien are you taking in ie...tuna,chicken, ect....also how are you eating...whats ur diet look like...how often...gettin big and being lean isnt easy but if ur dedicated its well within your grasp bro...you just gotta visualize and achieve...hope i helped and good luck man

[LimitsAreNothing]

Arnolds encyclopedia is a must! In order for you to acheive your goals you need to understand alot more about the body than you do. (no offense) GO out and get it if your serious about your goals. Also, go read the diet threads! you need to understand your nutritional needs. Weight training without the proper nutrition is a waste of time.

JMO
LAN

[XxElitexX]

I think NO2 is worth it, especially if you are going natural. It will give you an increased pump in the gym and will prolly cut your recovery time in half. Its a hemodialator so it opens up your blood vessels wide for a great pump and hardness. It made me pretty explosive also. During your workout, every 45 seconds NO2 goes into your muscles in a 3-4 seconds spray, thats what gives you your pump. While taking MRI NO2 you will have close to a constant spray of NO2 into your muscles. The L-Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate turns into NO2 once it hits yoru system. Good luck.