realistic goal (and diet help plz)?

[gbrice75]

I think the point that's been missed above is the OP isn't 'just starting' - Tbody and Gucks, you're referencing newb gains. The OP COULD make this if his training has been sub par (which based on weight sounds like it was), however I wouldn't expect these types of gains.

I'd also be concerned about making a huge caloric jump just like that - your body may not be ready for this and could store bodyfat.

My best advice to you is this: don't worry about how much weight you might gain in X amount of months, etc. - just implement a proper diet and training regimen, make the best gains you can and BE CONSISTENT. As long as you make fairly steady gains, I'd be alot less concerned with how much I weighed.

[little_dude]

k thanks gbrice. ye my training has been sub par tbh. its been more so a case of poor diet and training, and training for a few months on then off for 5 months, then on for 2 etc. i have only really been going up and down like 5 lbs over the last year (over christmas i got sick an lost like 5-10 lbs), so i havent really been training at all really, more like a poor exuse of it. but i am now finally gunna get my a$$ in gear and finally train and diet seriously, (so damn sick of being small).

Its not really about the weight, but more so about my size (which reflects my weight), am hoping i can atleast look somewhat like a 145-150 lber (in the time frame) even if i'm the scales dont actually say it :P

Yeah I hear ya about the calorie jump, i think al spend a couple of weeks working my way up to it, thanks

Also with regards to lifts would u suggest the same as above? Thanks

[gbrice75]

bold

k thanks gbrice. ye my training has been sub par tbh. its been more so a case of poor diet and training, and training for a few months on then off for 5 months, then on for 2 etc. i have only really been going up and down like 5 lbs over the last year (over christmas i got sick an lost like 5-10 lbs), so i havent really been training at all really, more like a poor exuse of it. but i am now finally gunna get my a$$ in gear and finally train and diet seriously, (so damn sick of being small).

Its not really about the weight, but more so about my size (which reflects my weight), am hoping i can atleast look somewhat like a 145-150 lber (in the time frame) even if i'm the scales dont actually say it :P

Well, you're not gonna look it unless you ARE it! How you get there is completely dependent on your diet. You can easily get to 150lbs with a dirty diet, but you'll add alot of bodyfat and will be carrying a ton of water. If you keep it clean, idk that you'll add 15lbs of muscle in a few months, but you will look bigger as you add weight for sure.

Yeah I hear ya about the calorie jump, i think al spend a couple of weeks working my way up to it, thanks

Great idea

Also with regards to lifts would u suggest the same as above? Thanks

I'm not 100% sure I understand what Gucks is recommending, but if it's doing that workout 2 days in a row, then taking a day off, then doing it again 2 days in a row, then no, I don't suggest that at all. Gucks, can you clarify what you're suggesting?

[little_dude]

so iyo what would u recommend for lifting gbrice?

[tbody66]

I think the point that's been missed above is the OP isn't 'just starting' - Tbody and Gucks, you're referencing newb gains. The OP COULD make this if his training has been sub par (which based on weight sounds like it was), however I wouldn't expect these types of gains.

I'd also be concerned about making a huge caloric jump just like that - your body may not be ready for this and could store bodyfat.

My best advice to you is this: don't worry about how much weight you might gain in X amount of months, etc. - just implement a proper diet and training regimen, make the best gains you can and BE CONSISTENT. As long as you make fairly steady gains, I'd be alot less concerned with how much I weighed.

I'd been lifting since I was 15 years old and had won Gold Medals in powerlifting, as well as setting records at meets for my age and weight class, and I still made those gains and more at his age. I may have experienced a growth spurt in conjunction with my diet and exercise program, but how would I know, I didn't get any taller. I think over-training is over-talked and rareley done, but under-training is abundant. If little_dude's body is ready to train and grow he needs to be training and feeding it.

[Gucks]

I'd been lifting since I was 15 years old and had won Gold Medals in powerlifting, as well as setting records at meets for my age and weight class, and I still made those gains and more at his age. I may have experienced a growth spurt in conjunction with my diet and exercise program, but how would I know, I didn't get any taller. I think over-training is over-talked and rareley done, but under-training is abundant. If little_dude's body is ready to train and grow he needs to be training and feeding it.

i agree with that alot, ur talking 48hrs for ur muscles to recover. training a muscle group once a week for me isnt about recovery time, but about time. no1 has time 2 work every muscle group every 2/3days. when u start out u recover alot faster aswell. as long as ur diets in check ur not going to over-train urself.

[gbrice75]

I see, thanks for all the help gbrice, i really appreciate it I think al make a workout thread tomorrow to sort out anything else, so i dont have to bother u any more :P thanks for all the help

It's no bother at all, but yes you still should make a workout thread. With it being in the right section, you're bound to get more help on it.

I like to do my last set to failure. I find it a good way to determine if I should up the weight for the following week. If I'm doing reps in the 8-10 range and on the last set I can do 12, then next week I up the weight.

Personally, I think this is flawed. I base bumping up my weight on my FIRST (working) set, not last. Your first set is the set that really counts IMO - you are the best you're going to be for that exercise. Every subsequent set, you're a bit more degradated. This is why i've never seen much value in pyramid sets, and why i've always used reverse pyramids as it just makes sense to me.

I think over-training is over-talked and rareley done, but under-training is abundant.

You're definitely preaching to the choir. As I said, i'm currently training groups 2x a week. I agree 100% that under training is abundant - no way you need 7 days to recover, I don't care HOW hard you train, I just don't buy it. However I wouldn't take overtraining as lightly as you are - I have seen plenty of people training the same parts way too often, and those just happen to be their weakest parts. There's something to that.

ye, gb was reading it a bit wrong :P i wasnt saying keep the same routine every workout, got a bit tangle din my words. but when u start training properly for the first time, u dont want 2 fall into the trap of copying pro's workouts from a magazine and going monday - chest, tuesday - legs etc. u need 2 stick to compound movements, not isolation movements. and u can train each bodypart 2/3 times a week. 3 is pushing imo, but some ppl can manage it for a few weeks at a time. tht was me just working from memory of the exercises i did starting out, rather then doing concentration curls, reverse flys etc. for small muslces.

im gonna disagree with gb a bit on not worrying about wht the scales say. i always believe in having a set goal for a set period of time, u can get caught in a trap of just going through the motions otherwise. eg. u want to gain 15ibs so set yourself the goal of gaining 3ibs for Y weeks, 2ibs for Y weeks etc.

without a short term goal ur not going to make any real progress!

and gb, when did u become a mod? :P i missed tht.

wht ushuld remember when ur asking about workouts aswell is 75% of what u will do gaining muscle is eat! get a diet sorted out and post it up here for ppl 2 help u with.

Agree w/ 2x a week - but not indefinitely. I don't think a person can continue to train like that non-stop. 3x a week is too much for 95% of people IMO. Also to clarify - I wasn't suggesting he not set a goal, goals are what drives us - but what I was saying was don't be overly concerned/obsessed with numbers. Making gains = making progress. Numbers are just numbers.

I got promoted a few weeks ago Gucks, haven't seen you around in a while! =P

i agree with that alot, ur talking 48hrs for ur muscles to recover. training a muscle group once a week for me isnt about recovery time, but about time. no1 has time 2 work every muscle group every 2/3days. when u start out u recover alot faster aswell. as long as ur diets in check ur not going to over-train urself.

48 hours for recovery time is WAY too general to state it as if it's physiological law. For some people, yes, they recover very quickly. I personally know people who train 2x a day (same muscle group, low reps in the am, high at night) and recover enough to do the same workout 3 days later. But there are others (like myself) who recover much more slowly - 48 hours would rarely be enough time for me. 72 hours is cutting it very close, and with legs it never happens - I need at least 5 days for them. But 7 days is kind if ridiculous, again, IMO.

[Gucks]

lol, well congratz then havent been on in about a month as least, had a rough few weeks :P had exams and 1 of my m8s died in the middle of doing exams.

when u gonna be a hall of famer then..? u got my vote anyway

i finnaly cracked 180ibs aswell just 2 let u know ill have 2 let fire know considering he insulted my weight...

[gbrice75]

lol, well congratz then havent been on in about a month as least, had a rough few weeks :P had exams and 1 of my m8s died in the middle of doing exams.

when u gonna be a hall of famer then..? u got my vote anyway

i finnaly cracked 180ibs aswell just 2 let u know ill have 2 let fire know considering he insulted my weight...

Thanks bro!

Jeez, what happened to your mate? WTF?? Literally in the middle of the exams?

I have a while before becoming a HOF'er... have to get Vet status first. If i'm promoted again, it'll be early next year. So, I have about 2 years before HOF'er! Baby steps! Thanks for your vote!

Congrats on 180lbs. I wouldn't mess with Fire right now - he's all dieted down for a comp and probably cranky as hell, lol

[Gucks]

Thanks bro!

Jeez, what happened to your mate? WTF?? Literally in the middle of the exams?

I have a while before becoming a HOF'er... have to get Vet status first. If i'm promoted again, it'll be early next year. So, I have about 2 years before HOF'er! Baby steps! Thanks for your vote!

Congrats on 180lbs. I wouldn't mess with Fire right now - he's all dieted down for a comp and probably cranky as hell, lol

u might have heard about it, it was on the news over there. he fell off the roof of university of virginia.

[Nephets]

. I base bumping up my weight on my FIRST (working) set, not last. Your first set is the set that really counts IMO - you are the best you're going to be for that exercise. Every subsequent set, you're a bit more degradated. This is why i've never seen much value in pyramid sets, and why i've always used reverse pyramids as it just makes sense to me.

I consider the first 2 sets more of a warm up to the working weight for squats deadlifts and bench. I can see your point on the others, like curls and rows.