Ectomorphs - Suggested MASS Cycles & Ability to keep NEW GAINS !!

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 12:36 PM

Since there are 3 clear body types I wanted to start a thread about recommended cycles for ECTOMORPHS looking to gain mass and also some questions on the ability to keep these gains.

Question for all the ectomorphs or EX-ECTOMORPHS now

-

- What are the best cycles for bulking ??

- Also in the long run, how much of these GAINS are actually KEPT ??

ie - if you would stop working out for 2 months would you shrink down the feather weight in a heartbeat or will the added skeletal muscle growth actually stick ??

- Lastly is there any gone growth involved during these bulking periods ?

Meaning would the bones in your upperbody - shoulders, rib cage, etc. Actually grow/expand to handle the added muscle mass or I'm I off base here and your skeletal base always stays the same ??

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 01:02 PM

Looks like you need to read into lifting, dieting, muscle, AAS, etc... more as your perception is clearly mistaken.

Diet is where "ectomorphs" grow, not AAS. AAS will help push you along faster and further but will no nothing for you if you do not have a proper bulking DIET down first.

What are your current stats?

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 01:03 PM

I see you Big, u writing up a book or what?

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by legobricks

Looks like you need to read into lifting, dieting, muscle, AAS, etc... more as your perception is clearly mistaken.

Diet is where "ectomorphs" grow, not AAS. AAS will help push you along faster and further but will no nothing for you if you do not have a proper bulking DIET down first.

What are your current stats?

I'm 6 ft, 190lb 12%bf

I have taken my body naturally from 145 to as high as 200, been training for close to 10 years now and consume about 5-6k calories a day.

I'm sure I'll get the .... eat more.... eat healthier ... eat more ... trust me I have friends who awe at the amount of food I consume.

I even drink weight gainers PRIOR to bed ... and NADA ... maybe half a pound after a week.

Back to my questions - Is there any actual skeletal growth - whether on gear or on 8k calories of food ??

**CheddaNips** · 06-19-2008, 01:23 PM

If you mean skeletal growth, then no. You are thinking of aas as a miracle pill. You need to read a ton to understand the full definition of aas and what they do

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 01:27 PM

So would that mean that any KNOWN ECTOMORPH bodybuilder would just shrink back down to his original frame/physique if he were to stop training -

ie this dude -

from 154lbs to 215lbs (5 years)

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

I'm 6 ft, 190lb 12%bf

I have taken my body naturally from 145 to as high as 200, been training for close to 10 years now and consume about 5-6k calories a day.

I'm sure I'll get the .... eat more.... eat healthier ... eat more ... trust me I have friends who awe at the amount of food I consume.

I even drink weight gainers PRIOR to bed ... and NADA ... maybe half a pound after a week.

Back to my questions - Is there any actual skeletal growth - whether on gear or on 8k calories of food ??

No. That is something that has been floating around here for a while. HGH does have the potential to do that but IMO at high doses for long periods of time. So you will be fine with AAS not doing that.

Also AAS will help with gaining muscle but honestly and I know you dont want to hear it, if you are not growing already from your food intake you need to change up your diet and increase it more. If your burning that much and just maintaining then what makes you think your going to grow and keep and gains made? everytime you grow you need to keep increasing your caloric intake to match you new growth. What does your current daily diet look like? You say you get 5-6k cals per day so myself as well as others would like to see what foods you eat. Not doubting you, just trying to figure out if there is something you can change in your diet to help you to start gaining some muscle as well as gaining more with the AAS.

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

So would that mean that any KNOWN ECTOMORPH bodybuilder would just shrink back down to his original frame/physique if he were to stop training -

ie this dude -

from 154lbs to 215lbs (5 years)

Why are you so worried about stopping training and going back to your original size?

YEs if you stop training you are going to experience muscle atrophy. You need to train on top of having a great diet.

**CheddaNips** · 06-19-2008, 01:34 PM

if you cant grow off food, AAS won't help. Its all about diet. Lego hit the nail on the head. As usual

**Dukkit** · 06-19-2008, 01:43 PM

ditto for what Lego said.

**Big** · 06-19-2008, 01:52 PM

Regardless of the body type, if you diet and train and build muscle, then stop dieting and training of course you will lose muscle.

**Dukkit** · 06-19-2008, 01:53 PM

im an ectomorph 6'3. cutting right now so im 210. ive gained 50 pounds overall from my diet in the last 3 years. and then shaped that 50 pounds up with the use of AAS. but i got my diet on point first. so show us your diet and we can help you out.

**Big** · 06-19-2008, 02:00 PM

I too am an ectomorph. In high school I was 6'1'' and 145lbs.

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by legobricks

No. That is something that has been floating around here for a while. HGH does have the potential to do that but IMO at high doses for long periods of time. So you will be fine with AAS not doing that.

Also AAS will help with gaining muscle but honestly and I know you dont want to hear it, if you are not growing already from your food intake you need to change up your diet and increase it more. If your burning that much and just maintaining then what makes you think your going to grow and keep and gains made? everytime you grow you need to keep increasing your caloric intake to match you new growth. What does your current daily diet look like? You say you get 5-6k cals per day so myself as well as others would like to see what foods you eat. Not doubting you, just trying to figure out if there is something you can change in your diet to help you to start gaining some muscle as well as gaining more with the AAS.

I'm gonna round up my diet and post it up in detail,

Mostly it consist of 3-4 food meals with 30-40G of Protein 70G Carbs and 12-15G of Fat >>> between each meal I take a weight gainer of roughly 700 calories and 50G of protein (Currently the one I'm taking is - IDS Smart Gainer ) ... so 6-7 meals in total a day. I also take amino acids upon waking and when I can't get to a meal right away

I understand that food is the building block of muscle growth, and in proof I have taken my body naturally from 145 - to - 190. That is a 45lb increase. (most increases came in the first 2 years though)

Now it seems to me there is a limit to this natural increase as after a while the gains are much much harder regardless of the calories. If it was some simple as just upping you calories intake then there would be no need for AAS ever as one would jack up the calories and grow.

Not trying to make this into an argument of Food vs AAS, nor do I want to advocate a "AAS first" diet second attitude to any ectomorphs lurking this thread. Just asking what kind of GROWTH actually happens under AAS ...

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Big

I too am an ectomorph. In high school I was 6'1'' and 145lbs.

Now ... ?

**Big** · 06-19-2008, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

Now ... ?

Now 6'3'' 248lbs 9%bf. I've got a recent pic in my album, click my name and check it out. Still a long way to go.

You have done great so far putting on the weight you have. Losing gains if you stop training shouldn't be a concern, just don't stop training. Let it become a way of life, once you cycle and see the gains it will be easy to stay motivated.

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Big

Now 6'3'' 248lbs 9%bf. I've got a recent pic in my album, click my name and check it out. Still a long way to go.

You have done great so far putting on the weight you have. Losing gains if you stop training shouldn't be a concern, just don't stop training. Let it become a way of life, once you cycle and see the gains it will be easy to stay motivated.

Thanks Big !

Well it actually is my way of life - have been training for 10 years, only taken maybe 3-4 months off when life got a little hectic.

The question about losing gains was a little misworded, as I know if I stopped training right now I would NOT go down to 145 again ... probably 170 would be my base weight.

Is it the same on gear ?? Where you outshoot your target and then come back down to where your body can keep this new weight ??

I'm sure from you to go from 145 to 248 there must have been some plateaus to overcome, and just adding 2 buckets of weightgainer was not gonna cut it.

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

I'm gonna round up my diet and post it up in detail,

Mostly it consist of 3-4 food meals with 30-40G of Protein 70G Carbs and 12-15G of Fat >>> between each meal I take a weight gainer of roughly 700 calories and 50G of protein (Currently the one I'm taking is - IDS Smart Gainer ) ... so 6-7 meals in total a day. I also take amino acids upon waking and when I can't get to a meal right away

I understand that food is the building block of muscle growth, and in proof I have taken my body naturally from 145 - to - 190. That is a 45lb increase. (most increases came in the first 2 years though)

Now it seems to me there is a limit to this natural increase as after a while the gains are much much harder regardless of the calories. If it was some simple as just upping you calories intake then there would be no need for AAS ever as one would jack up the calories and grow.

Not trying to make this into an argument of Food vs AAS, nor do I want to advocate a "AAS first" diet second attitude to any ectomorphs lurking this thread. Just asking what kind of GROWTH actually happens under AAS ...

Ditch the weight gainers and supplement for whole food like chicken, beef, yams, potatoes, rolled oats, brown rice, etc...... Weight gainers are mainly going to pass thru your system with a relativly fast digestion to where you wont be able to intake the nutrients needed. Trust me, when you swap that out with real food you'll be suprised.

And secondly i think you misunderstood me with the whole food thing and growing. You will grow to your body's natural potential with food in which at that platuea you'll want AAS to surpass that. Even with AAS you will still need to up your calories. Yes it is as easy as upping your cals to grow, AAS will just help push you along faster.

I congratulate your progress so far so keep it up! And as Big stated, consistency is the key but as you said it doesnt seem that will be a problem for you so good luck!

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

Thanks Big !

Well it actually is my way of life - have been training for 10 years, only taken maybe 3-4 months off when life got a little hectic.

The question about losing gains was a little misworded, as I know if I stopped training right now I would NOT go down to 145 again ... probably 170 would be my base weight.

Is it the same on gear ?? Where you outshoot your target and then come back down to where your body can keep this new weight ??

I'm sure from you to go from 145 to 248 there must have been some plateaus to overcome, and just adding 2 buckets of weightgainer was not gonna cut it.

Eventually over time you will lose lots of muscle yes. What weight you will go back down depends on how heavy you are currently, your diet, your lifestyle, etc..... No set answer whether or not AAS will let you be able to hold more if you stopped working out.

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 02:55 PM

Lego are you also a hardgainer ??

How many FOOD meals do you consume a day ??

**legobricks** · 06-19-2008, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Determined_Fuk

Lego are you also a hardgainer ??

How many FOOD meals do you consume a day ??

Normally between 6 and 8 meals a day. My meal count is going to go up to 8 as im going to start some mean ole' bulking. I guess you could say i am a hard gainer? im bout 5'7" and 198lbs and havnet broken 200 yet but that is becuase my diet has been sub-par for so long and within the past few months have learned how to properly diet and what works for me. I switched all shakes except for PWO with whole food and I noticed a HUGE difference. It seems tough at first but once you get the hang of dieting right youll find it easy. For me tho dieting is probably the hardest part of the game.

***Thiago*** · 06-19-2008, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by legobricks

Normally between 6 and 8 meals a day. My meal count is going to go up to 8 as im going to start some mean ole' bulking. I guess you could say i am a hard gainer? im bout 5'7" and 198lbs and havnet broken 200 yet but that is becuase my diet has been sub-par for so long and within the past few months have learned how to properly diet and what works for me. I switched all shakes except for PWO with whole food and I noticed a HUGE difference. It seems tough at first but once you get the hang of dieting right youll find it easy. For me tho dieting is probably the hardest part of the game.

Can you post a sample diet of your 8 meals ??

Also don't you feel stuffed from pushing so much food ?