How to bulk up?

[hilts]

Are there no freeweights at all? Not even a bench with an Olympic bar?

The difference between a chest press machine and a proper barbell (or dumbell) bench press is night and day. They do similar things in theory but just wait till you're holding a nice heavy bar above you getting ready to press it. Very different feeling.

Really it sounds like you could do with a mate who knows his way around the weights to train with, or a personal trainer just for a few sessions to get you acquainted and shed your fear of free weights. Otherwise you'll be stuck in this crap cycle it sounds like you've gotten yourself into, spending too much time in the gym, not doing enough of the right exercises, wasting your time, money and importantly motivation.

Regarding soreness of muscles you should never get this immediately after a workout. If you do its more likely that you've just hurt yourself. The DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, clue being in the name) should present later. Usually 18/24 hours after a workout I can feel what muscle group I hit.

It sounds like this needs stripping back to basics and for you to start as if you've never set foot in a gym before?

Thanks for the post mate it's not that the gym doesn't have free weights but my problem is this

i wake up at about 5am get to work just after 6am do 5 hours eat dinner get to the gym about 12, do a couple of hours, get back to work eat a bit more, chill for an hour work drive home, have tea by this time it is 8 at night, go to bed about 10 ish

i get two hours in the gym about an hour is running or getting ready, shower etc

that gives me an hour to do weights but the free weights which i am clueless on are being used so i hit the machines, i lift the most i can even till complete failure but am not getting anything out of it, don't even feel sore the day after

was hoping that someone would give me a program to follow on these machines that would show benefits but it appears i am pissing in the wind and am complaining that my feet are wet

my choice appears to be sack it and be a skinny bloke with a gut or just do the cardio and be a skinny bloke with no gut, i have lost the weight just wanted a little muscle and strength as health wise i thnk this is also important

Hilts-Alright pal...Just been reading this mate.Used to be a big weights man myself-Free weights etc however serious question.Have you thought about insanity. I know it isn't weight but believe me mate you will get ripped very fast.I have a picture of myself if you are interested of what I have done in 8 weeks(not in a gay way!!!). I finished insanity and am now doing T25. I am buying some free weights in the new yr to compliment my training regime.
You will put good muscle on doing this pa as it simply isn't just cardio. Also if time is an issue it could be an option.
I do miss the weights though and will be starting again in the new yr.

if i didn't have a dodgy achilles and a daft job i would do insanity without a seconds thought

 

[FantasyIreland]

Hilts you need to eat twice those cals every day.

Start with a large breakfast on waking(eggs and beans on wholemeal/salmon and cream cheese bagel/porridge and protein shake etc.) and eat every 3 or 4hrs there after until bed.

A general guide is 2g of carbs per pound of bodyweight,1.5g protein and 1g healthy fat.Split that amount over your meals each day,keeping the protein steady at about 30g per meal and then adjust the carbs and fats according to need and energy demand.

 

[hilts]

Hilts you need to eat twice those cals every day.

Start with a large breakfast on waking(eggs and beans on wholemeal/salmon and cream cheese bagel/porridge and protein shake etc.) and eat every 3 or 4hrs there after until bed.

A general guide is 2g of carbs per pound of bodyweight,1.5g protein and 1g healthy fat.Split that amount over your meals each day,keeping the protein steady at about 30g per meal and then adjust the carbs and fats according to need and energy demand.

I know i need to eat more if i want to build some muscle, what i am eating now was designed to lose weight which has been very effective, can't eat every 3-4 hours or do a breakfast would have to hit the smoothies or do the shakes, the food bit i can sort although it would have to be over 3 meals, before workout after workout and dinner

would 3 days weights two days running mon to fri as mentioned earlier be okay?

 

[FantasyIreland]

3 days weights is fine,probably optimal,2 running if you have to......

Why cant you eat breakfast or more than 3 'solid' meals?

 

[hilts]

3 days weights is fine,probably optimal,2 running if you have to......

Why cant you eat breakfast or more than 3 'soild' meals?

I get up at 5am most days sometimes 530am cant even eat half a round of toast at that time, never been able to, get to work 6 half six do 4 or 5 hours work(can't eat during this period) have half my dinner, gym, have other half of my dinner chill, back to work, get home between 7 and 8, have dinner bed at 10

 

[FantasyIreland]

Excuses Hilts......

Train yourself to eat,i did.

Start with a protein/fruit shake on waking,make it the night before.Slowly introduce solids,again prepared the night before,and gradually your appetite will increase especially as youre training heavier and harder - youll soon be waking starving!

During the day snack on boiled eggs,almonds,tinned fish,fruit,protein shakes etc. - all can be consumed in a 'toilet' break if need be - no excuses if the desire is there.

Preperation is key,make food the night before.

 

[hilts]

Excuses Hilts......

Train yourself to eat,i did.

Start with a protein/fruit shake on waking,make it the night before.Slowly introduce solids,again prepared the night before,and gradually your appetite will increase especially as youre training heavier and harder - youll soon be waking starving!

During the day snack on boiled eggs,almonds,tinned fish,fruit,protein shakes etc. - all can be consumed in a 'toilet' break if need be - no excuses if the desire is there.

Preperation is key,make food the night before.

In fairness i don't do excuses, i wanted to lose 2 stone in a couple of months i did it, i get six hours kip, am out of the house for 14 hours a days and am generally knackered all week, i could just do nothing but i didnt i ran and did weights 3 times a week, i fucked my leg up, could have given in but i have done exercises for it everyday for 3 months and have started running all over again starting from the beginning, i gave my food intake before and i am eating pretty much everything you mentioned already

I drive buses i don't have a toilet break, if i have never been able to eat in the morning that is life not an excuse, as of now getting up at 5, work, run, weights, work all on sometimes 1000 calories, if i was going to wake up starving it would have happened by now trust me

I wish i could do the weights and running together and all body parts on the same day, this is not possible from this thread, i need to do free weights which thanks to you and others i also accept, so i need a plan on how to do this and have had some good input, think i will get a instructor to show me the ropes

how i get around access i am not sure yet but a workmate says he goes to a gym which is dead during the day so might switch

my only concern food wise is that after getting rid of my body fat i will not put it back on to bulk up, i don't want to be massive just defined and healthy

five days legs run push run pull seems a good starting point

 

[FantasyIreland]

Its as well you don't want to be massive Hilts because you simply wont be on such low cals,i'm not being funny just stating facts.

If you wanted to you could easily drink a protein shake and/or eat a boiled egg or nuts/trail mix while in the cab.
Breakfast was alien to me for years,it was something i never ate as,like you now,i never felt hungry,i persevered finding it a real chore initially(months) but eventually my appetite,and metabolism,responded and i then began waking hungry - You literally have to force food down sometimes.......

However,given your reply,i'd agree with SHB,maybe something similar to 'Insanity' is more suitable to your lifestyle and goals.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Hilts...Bottom line is mate,you can't bulk up unless you put the calories in.

My weights regime used to be 45 mins per session just doing 2 body parts and then leaving them for 72hrs to repair..Again,this is key mate.If you overtrain your damaged fibres then you will never see the results.

Fantasy makes some excellent points. You have to force yourself to eat sometimes. Breakfast is hugely important.Porridge,Fruit..anything mate..just pile it down.Protein shakes are very important aswell to aid muscle growth/repair. I am no expert mate but a little bit of research taught me very quickly. I was lucky I had a good training partner aswell.
I learnt very quickly..just before I went to bed I would eat something as your body is still working and repairing as you sleep and you need the food to help pal.

You say you are worried about putting bad weight back on just doing weights. This is a myth mate. A good weights session of 45 mins where you literally don't stop (unless your partner is in his set) seriously gets your heart rate up which is essence a cardio workout aswell. I reduced my running to once maybe twice per week max when doing weight.
If you dilly dally inbetween sets then you aren't putting it in mate.Really push yourself.

Don't make excuses for yourself mate. It is all about time management. I have 3 kids,work full time-nights afternoons earlies etc but still have found the time to get back in shape.
Since I completed Insanity I have never been in such good shape and at 39 nearly 40 I am delighted to look as I do.

 

[adrianr]

Excuses Hilts......

Train yourself to eat,i did.

Start with a protein/fruit shake on waking,make it the night before.Slowly introduce solids,again prepared the night before,and gradually your appetite will increase especially as youre training heavier and harder - youll soon be waking starving!

During the day snack on boiled eggs,almonds,tinned fish,fruit,protein shakes etc. - all can be consumed in a 'toilet' break if need be - no excuses if the desire is there.

Preperation is key,make food the night before.

In fairness i don't do excuses, i wanted to lose 2 stone in a couple of months i did it, i get six hours kip, am out of the house for 14 hours a days and am generally knackered all week, i could just do nothing but i didnt i ran and did weights 3 times a week, i fucked my leg up, could have given in but i have done exercises for it everyday for 3 months and have started running all over again starting from the beginning, i gave my food intake before and i am eating pretty much everything you mentioned already

I drive buses i don't have a toilet break, if i have never been able to eat in the morning that is life not an excuse, as of now getting up at 5, work, run, weights, work all on sometimes 1000 calories, if i was going to wake up starving it would have happened by now trust me

I wish i could do the weights and running together and all body parts on the same day, this is not possible from this thread, i need to do free weights which thanks to you and others i also accept, so i need a plan on how to do this and have had some good input, think i will get a instructor to show me the ropes

how i get around access i am not sure yet but a workmate says he goes to a gym which is dead during the day so might switch

my only concern food wise is that after getting rid of my body fat i will not put it back on to bulk up, i don't want to be massive just defined and healthy

five days legs run push run pull seems a good starting point

This is where your diet is key, and you shouldn't let it hold you back from packing on some muscle.

You will almost certainly, to some degree, add a little bit of fat whilst you're bulking up. You'll never get your calorie intake perfectly in sync with your calorie expenditure, but it's no worries. As long as you're sensible, you won't wake up having put your gut back on overnight, but also as I mentioned earlier, as the rest of you grows, the level of body fat you can get away with increases.

Plus, you've lost it once, you know you can do it. That's a step up on many people already.