How to bulk up?

[Damocles]

Hi all, 18 year old here.

I'm 6'2 and I weigh a pathetic 11 stone, very depressed and self concious about my body. Really want to do something about it. Have no experience with any exercise other then football and running.

I have no money for a gym, no money for equipment and I couldn't even fund the diet required.
It's not as simple as saving up, because I literally never have money (can't remember the last time I had a few drinks with my mates)

Looking for any advice.

Hi mate,

Bulking up can be easy and cheap!

There are two things to remember here; putting on weight is about eating more calories than you burn off, and you must constantly train whilst you gain otherwise you'll end up as Mr Blobby.

The most surefire way of doing this cheaply is by doing something called the GOMAD diet. This means that for one month, you drink a Gallon Of Milk A Day (or 8 pints of full fat milk). That's around £2-3 a day and gives you an extra 2500 calories.

Whilst you are doing this, you need to build. I'm going to presume that you don't have a home gym knocking around, but it doesn't matter. You already have an 11 stone weight to use and you're sat on it. Bodyweight exercises are a great and surefire way to build muscle.

You should try doing a circuit training course like this:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.simplefit.org/bodyweight-exercises.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.simplefit.org/bodyweight-exercises.html</a>

Bulking up or losing weight is just like anything, you have to have the commitment to do it every day and stick to your regime. Circuit training is an easy 20mins a day which will build your muscle as long as you do it a few times a week and don't just stop eating.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Do you think that's the most sensible response to a guy who clearly has issues about his physical appearance when the stats say he's a healthy weight? You a qualified doctor or dietician?

He has come here asking for advice on gaining weight so I think it is the perfect response. I think everyone in this thread has issues about their physical appearance which is why we are working to improve it. I am not a doctor nor a dietician but someone asks me a genuine question in a thread called "How to bulk up", I will give them an honest answer.

Butit wasn't an "answer" as you're not qualified to make the statement you made. The available official data says he doesn't have a problem. Plus he was talking about muscle bulk not weight.

In fact to me your answer seems deliberately designed to heighten his anxieties. I've experience of this in my family and know how distressing it can be. You seem like a nasty piece of work and that's my honest answer.

 

[Damocles]

I didn't read this thread before today but I've just looked over it and some people are giving out some absolutely terrible advice regarding proper progress. A bunch of myths about metabolism, about cholesterol, reps and diet.

One of the problems with fitness is something we call "bro-science". It's science that comes from guys who have lifted and it has shown gains for them personally, or myths that they have heard that they repeat to others.

If anybody has any questions, I'd recommend that they direct them towards FantasyIreland. He's highly knowledgable, qualified and helpful.

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

I didn't read this thread before today but I've just looked over it and some people are giving out some absolutely terrible advice regarding proper progress. A bunch of myths about metabolism, about cholesterol, reps and diet.

One of the problems with fitness is something we call "bro-science". It's science that comes from guys who have lifted and it has shown gains for them personally, or myths that they have heard that they repeat to others.

If anybody has any questions, I'd recommend that they direct them towards FantasyIreland. He's highly knowledgable, qualified and helpful.

A Few years back i managed to shift all my fat and bulk up seriously over 6 months. Now my diet worked for me and the way i trained but i would never recommend what i did to another person as it seemed to work for me even though most things say it shouldnt

 

[didactic]

Hi all, 18 year old here.

I'm 6'2 and I weigh a pathetic 11 stone, very depressed and self concious about my body. Really want to do something about it. Have no experience with any exercise other then football and running.

I have no money for a gym, no money for equipment and I couldn't even fund the diet required.
It's not as simple as saving up, because I literally never have money (can't remember the last time I had a few drinks with my mates)

Looking for any advice.

Noize I will put here what I was going to put in a PM. Id avoid all this blending of foods with juice advice you are getting and reassure you that at 18 it is easy to build good solid muscle if you are not happy about your weight.

I was in a similiar situation and started training using just my body weight. This is the best tool any person has and once you know what to do with it you are ready do to go. What you want to do since you are not trying to lose weight is make sure you do slow, low rep, low set work outs. This will help you build strength and in turn build muscle = make you heavier.

Your height is perfect and the things you are unhappy about you can change with a routine of

Pushups, Pullups and Dips. You can train your arms using plastic bags with books in them. If not you just need a cloth that stretches for resistence training. If you need programmes for this there are some fantastic ones online. You should be able to lift your body weight so all you need is something solid like a bar in the house/park that you can use to pull yourself up. Start slow doing maybe 10 every 5 minutes you want to work yourself up to about 100/200 a day. This works arms, tris, lats, shoulders, back.

Pressups up will help define your chest and the dips will do your triceps.

Just get a chairput it against a solid surface and turn your back to it. Holding on backwards go down and up. You should feel this on your arms straight away. Remember you want to go slow and make sure you dont do it fast as this is more cardio than strength training. Try work yourself up to about 100 a day of these, same with pressups.

With regards to the food budget dont worry just make sure you keep your diet clean. Pototoes, brown breads, rice, fish tuna, kippers, grilled is better than fried. Chicken, eggs, veggies and where you usually have oils try switch it to olive and throw in peanut butter, nuts and even porridge for breakfast. All very cheap and easy to implement. In your case I would suggest eating before you sleep. Even if its just a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread or a tin of tuna. I usually go for the ones with water. You will put on the weight you want in a defined manner too because you have the genes for it. Dont fret too much most would kill for DNA that gives that the height and weight you have. Just work on what you dont like and improve it.

Give me a shout if you have any questions.

-- Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:56 pm --

Butit wasn't an "answer" as you're not qualified to make the statement you made. The available official data says he doesn't have a problem. Plus he was talking about muscle bulk not weight.

In fact to me your answer seems deliberately designed to heighten his anxieties. I've experience of this in my family and know how distressing it can be. You seem like a nasty piece of work and that's my honest answer.

No it is not stop looking for things where there are no problems. I have been answering question in this thread and in PMs regarding diet and training. Why would I want to increase his anxiety?.

I dont care what you think about me personally but dont make things up I am not doing.

Out of all the replies he got you decide to pick on mine yet this topic is several pages deep and I have not attacked a single poster just answered questions. What is your problem?.

 

[Damocles]

Hi all, 18 year old here.

I'm 6'2 and I weigh a pathetic 11 stone, very depressed and self concious about my body. Really want to do something about it. Have no experience with any exercise other then football and running.

I have no money for a gym, no money for equipment and I couldn't even fund the diet required.
It's not as simple as saving up, because I literally never have money (can't remember the last time I had a few drinks with my mates)

Looking for any advice.

Noize I will put here what I was going to put in a PM. Id avoid all this blending of foods with juice advice you are getting and reassure you that at 18 it is easy to build good solid muscle if you are not happy about your weight.

I was in a similiar situation and started training using just my body weight. This is the best tool any person has and once you know what to do with it you are ready do to go. What you want to do since you are not trying to lose weight is make sure you do slow, low rep, low set work outs. This will help you build strength and in turn build muscle = make you heavier.

Your height is perfect and the things you are unhappy about you can change with a routine of

Pushups, Pullups and Dips. You can train your arms using plastic bags with books in them. If not you just need a cloth that stretches for resistence training. If you need programmes for this there are some fantastic ones online. You should be able to lift your body weight so all you need is something solid like a bar in the house/park that you can use to pull yourself up. Start slow doing maybe 10 every 5 minutes you want to work yourself up to about 100/200 a day. This works arms, tris, lats, shoulders, back.

Pressups up will help define your chest and the dips will do your triceps.

Just get a chairput it against a solid surface and turn your back to it. Holding on backwards go down and up. You should feel this on your arms straight away. Remember you want to go slow and make sure you dont do it fast as this is more cardio than strength training. Try work yourself up to about 100 a day of these, same with pressups.

With regards to the food budget dont worry just make sure you keep your diet clean. Pototoes, brown breads, rice, fish tuna, kippers, grilled is better than fried. Chicken, eggs, veggies and where you usually have oils try switch it to olive and throw in peanut butter, nuts and even porridge for breakfast. All very cheap and easy to implement. In your case I would suggest eating before you sleep. Even if its just a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread or a tin of tuna. I usually go for the ones with water. You will put on the weight you want in a defined manner too because you have the genes for it. Dont fret too much most would kill for DNA that gives that the height and weight you have. Just work on what you dont like and improve it.

Give me a shout if you have any questions.

Exactly what I mean, all of this is wrong or misleading.

 

[didactic]

Exactly what I mean, all of this is wrong or misleading.

No its not explain what is misleading in anything I have said?.

 

[york away to this!]

this is all bollocks. I have bulked up rather well over the last few years on a strict and controlled diet consisting of a wide variety of world quisine washed down with heaps of cabernet sauvignon and refreshing lager.

Hope this helps.

 

[didactic]

Hi all, 18 year old here.

I'm 6'2 and I weigh a pathetic 11 stone, very depressed and self concious about my body. Really want to do something about it. Have no experience with any exercise other then football and running.

I have no money for a gym, no money for equipment and I couldn't even fund the diet required.
It's not as simple as saving up, because I literally never have money (can't remember the last time I had a few drinks with my mates)

Looking for any advice.

Hi mate,

Bulking up can be easy and cheap!

There are two things to remember here; putting on weight is about eating more calories than you burn off, and you must constantly train whilst you gain otherwise you'll end up as Mr Blobby.

The most surefire way of doing this cheaply is by doing something called the GOMAD diet. This means that for one month, you drink a Gallon Of Milk A Day (or 8 pints of full fat milk). That's around £2-3 a day and gives you an extra 2500 calories.

Whilst you are doing this, you need to build. I'm going to presume that you don't have a home gym knocking around, but it doesn't matter. You already have an 11 stone weight to use and you're sat on it. Bodyweight exercises are a great and surefire way to build muscle.

You should try doing a circuit training course like this:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.simplefit.org/bodyweight-exercises.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.simplefit.org/bodyweight-exercises.html</a>

Bulking up or losing weight is just like anything, you have to have the commitment to do it every day and stick to your regime. Circuit training is an easy 20mins a day which will build your muscle as long as you do it a few times a week and don't just stop eating.

This is misleading he is trying to GAIN lean weight which is muscle. Why would he want to do circuit training at 11 stone and 6'2.

May I ask how often you train Damo?.

 

[Damocles]

Exactly what I mean, all of this is wrong or misleading.

No its not explain what is misleading in anything I have said?.

1. Speed of the reps doesn't matter. Cardio or building aren't opposites where you choose one.
2. Olive oil is a complete waste of money for somebody who doesn't have enough unless he's drinking shots of it, and this will give you the shit and dehydrate you.
3. He doesn't need to build strength if he's just trying to pack some muscle on, he can build straight away
4. The time you eat food has no bearing on how it is processed, eating before you wake or after you wake means nothing. There's no benefit to eating big before bed.
5. There's no such thing as fast or slow metabolisms, no such thing as good or bad genes based on his height and weight. You don't know anything about him to tell him about his DNA and how he will build fat. He might put it all on his stomach. He might not. You have no way of knowing.