Bulking Up

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I've worked out before with out stretching and then with stretching and personally I prefer to stretch. I also recall reading that it was Arnolds 'secret' to getting that serious chest he had when he competed.

There's a lot of contradicting replies here but the nutritionist got back to me with some guide lines to follow and I'll post some of that later cause her reply was a bit lengthy.

I did pick up some no xplod and syntha 6 supplements and they seem to help me with feeling less fatigued during and after my workouts. I've been doing assorted exercises with the dumbbells, resistance bands and the elliptical for over 45 mins at a time. Don't know why I doubted myself previously and felt I could only do less lol. I've really been enjoying it and look forward to keeping at it.

Thanks again for everyone's replies.

Well someone seems to he enjoying his Nitric Oxide. Makes your veins all swoll up don't it? Kinda makes you feel like a beast too. God I love Nitric Oxide.

You really want to get big and cut up? I gots a secret that no one else on here has mentioned. There is two ways of doing it. First which is my favorite. Get a sledge hammer and a tractor tire. Preferably a 15-30lber. Or what ever you are comfortable with. Lay the tire flat. That one is important. Proceed to beat the hell out of the tire with the sledge hqmmer. Beat that tire until you cant lift your arms. It will work all of your back, your shoulders, arms, and chest.

Method two get an axe and a bunch of logs. Split the logs into firewood. You get a work out and finish a chore at the same time.

[I.rar]

Yes! That nitric is great stuff. Wifey said I look like a monster lol.

I'd be down for beating the hell out of a tire but I definitely can't do that in my apartment. I think my neighbors would kill me. And as far as chopping logs, it's wayyy to hot to even think about building a fire down here lol.

[derekxec]

that sledge with tire thing is pretty nice..when i was younger my dads friend had a bunch of beat up cars in his yard and he would let us beat them with sledge hammers lol and man it would make you sooooo tired in a very short time feeling like you worked out for hours haha

[Revival]

Also not stretching before a workout is a bad idea.  You should warm up and stretch any muscle groups you will be working out that day prior to and after working out.  If you aren't stretching before you increase your possibility of injury not to mention you are limiting the motion and flexibility of the muscle groups which again, can lead to injury. 

 

I will disagree with you here.  Studies have shown that not stretching prior to a work out does not increase the chance of injury for that particular muscle group and can actually increase the chance of an injury.  Think of a rubber band.  Compare a fresh new rubber band out straight out of the package compared to one that has been stretched out to its maximum a few times without breaking.  Which one is stronger and which one is weaker? The whole "stretch your chest before doing bench presses" is very old school.  However, i do believe that you should never do weight training "cold".  A warm up could be 10 minutes of some type of cardio to get your blood flowing as it will also increase your heart rate.  I do agree that Yoga is a good idea and can increase flexibility and is highly recommended.  

 

Also, an important thing to remember is that muscle groups usually works in pairs.  When one muscle contracts the opposite muscle relaxes.  Next time you want to stretch your triceps do it once naturally.  Then flex your biceps.  Then stretch your triceps again.  You should be able to tell the difference.  Same thing with hamstrings.  Contract your quads first before stretching your hamstrings.

[deaknh03]

Well someone seems to he enjoying his Nitric Oxide. Makes your veins all swoll up don't it? Kinda makes you feel like a beast too. God I love Nitric Oxide.

You really want to get big and cut up? I gots a secret that no one else on here has mentioned. There is two ways of doing it. First which is my favorite. Get a sledge hammer and a tractor tire. Preferably a 15-30lber. Or what ever you are comfortable with. Lay the tire flat. That one is important. Proceed to beat the hell out of the tire with the sledge hqmmer. Beat that tire until you cant lift your arms. It will work all of your back, your shoulders, arms, and chest.

Method two get an axe and a bunch of logs. Split the logs into firewood. You get a work out and finish a chore at the same time.

Raider, you've been watching too much Rocky IV.

[Montanaro]

aWhat exactly is your goal? to gain muscle weight? gain muscle and low body fat? increase.stamina? Crossfit isnt really muscle building, more of a fitness workout. My goal was gain muscle and lose body fat. I used optimum nutrition serious mass powder on top of regular meals to gain 20+ pounds almost two years ago. My body fat is 15%. Diet is more important than your routine. I supplement with vitamen packs and preworkouts (C4).

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Raider, you've been watching too much Rocky IV.

That is called DIY fitness. If we had snow down here I would definitely do that.

Also Dolph is a freaking beast!

[flyfisher]

No excuses not to train if you just use your imagination a little bit.

 

Some of the training Rocky does in Rocky IV is pretty ridiculous.  Of course they were all on HGH and Stallone freely admits it and advises that everyone over 40 should be as well.  

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I will disagree with you here. Studies have shown that not stretching prior to a work out does not increase the chance of injury for that particular muscle group and can actually increase the chance of an injury. Think of a rubber band. Compare a fresh new rubber band out straight out of the package compared to one that has been stretched out to its maximum a few times without breaking. Which one is stronger and which one is weaker? The whole "stretch your chest before doing bench presses" is very old school. However, i do believe that you should never do weight training "cold". A warm up could be 10 minutes of some type of cardio to get your blood flowing as it will also increase your heart rate. I do agree that Yoga is a good idea and can increase flexibility and is highly recommended.

Also, an important thing to remember is that muscle groups usually works in pairs. When one muscle contracts the opposite muscle relaxes. Next time you want to stretch your triceps do it once naturally. Then flex your biceps. Then stretch your triceps again. You should be able to tell the difference. Same thing with hamstrings. Contract your quads first before stretching your hamstrings.

I will partially agree with you on this. All three tricep heads are not dependent on the biceps to work. Just as the three muscles making up the triceps are not all dependent on eachother. Otherwise you could not isolate the individual heads of the muscles to target them more efficently.

As for prework out stretching. Ive never found it to harm or benefit to much. Never really researched it either though. I personally do it before I lift. I don't like starting out with cold tight muscles. It just doesn't feel right if i dont. I find it relaxing. I also do it post lift as well.

[sarcazmo]

Supplements in general are a waste of time.  There are VERY few supplements with scientific studies done to back them up.  One such supplement is creatine.

 

In truth if you want to 'bulk up' you need to eat A LOT!  

 

If I were you i'd focus on getting stronger.  Olympic lifts are your friend.  Most crossfit gyms have some decent coaches that can help you get started with olympic lifts and you'll really get into some phenomenal shape doing it.  Just make sure no matter what you choose to do you emphasize proper body mechanics to minimize the risk of injury.

[A-Jay]

Supplements in general are a waste of time.  There are VERY few supplements with scientific studies done to back them up.  One such supplement is creatine.

 

In truth if you want to 'bulk up' you need to eat A LOT!  

 

If I were you i'd focus on getting stronger.  Olympic lifts are your friend.  Most crossfit gyms have some decent coaches that can help you get started with olympic lifts and you'll really get into some phenomenal shape doing it.  Just make sure no matter what you choose to do you emphasize proper body mechanics to minimize the risk of injury.

 

 

That's a very broad statement.  Could you expand on it ?

 

Has this been something you've found to be true after years of training with and without certain supplements ?

 

How have you personally been able to reach your physical potential ?

 

My stance is that although not a replacement for proper nutrition, there are some supplements that are beneficial.

 

A-Jay

[Revival]

I will partially agree with you on this. All three tricep heads are not dependent on the biceps to work. Just as the three muscles making up the triceps are not all dependent on eachother. Otherwise you could not isolate the individual heads of the muscles to target them more efficently.

 

 

I think you may have gotten confused by what i was trying to say.  This is what I meant by mucles work in pairs.  For example look at the biceps and triceps:

 

During elbow flexion, the biceps contract and the triceps lengthen.  They work together but have different actions.  

 

Agonist - working muscle

Antagonist - muscle that relaxes 

 

Please remember that I am not trying to argue but there is no way to isloate each head in the biceps nor each individual tricep head.  For example, during a bicep curl, both heads work together but one can be emphasized more depending on the exercise.  Same with a tricep extension.

[sarcazmo]

That's a very broad statement.  Could you expand on it ?

 

Has this been something you've found to be true after years of training with and without certain supplements ?

 

How have you personally been able to reach your physical potential ?

 

My stance is that although not a replacement for proper nutrition, there are some supplements that are beneficial.

 

A-Jay

 

 

Sure.  Most supplement companies hide behind proprietary blends and claim they've found some super duper blend that does xyz and will really help you.  When you ask them for the research they cant produce it.  

 

I've been seriously lifting for the past dozen years or so and there have been 3-4 supplents I've used where i noticed anything.  Caffeine, creatine, protein and to a lesser extent beta alanine.  Is it coincidence that there is numerous scientific studies supporting these claims?  I dont think so.  I've also dabbled in Pro Hormones and AAS and thats the only 'get big quick' way out there.  Even that route its still not an easy thing and not something I'm recommending at all.

 

I'm not sure that the supplements made as big a difference to justify using them.

 

I'm still working on reaching my full potential.  I injured my back pretty bad in a skateboarding accident years ago.  The past few months I've gotten down to brass tacks and have made real progress improving my mobility and overcoming that road block. 

 

Its from personal experience that I talk about olympic lifts.  I promise you will make the most progress from squats, deads, cleans etc.  However there are so many people that dont know how to do it right.  My previous injury has made it difficult for me to perform certain lifts but I get coached and it has really helped.  Its very important to stress proper technique and body mechanics.  My squat really suffers but my deadlift has improved tremendously.  On a good day right now I can rep 275-285 twice and I weigh ~165.  Squatting is a different story as it takes me a LONG time to warm up and even then its difficult for me to hit parallel.

 

I'd highly recommend Kelly Starrets book "Becoming a supple leopard" to everyone on the planet as well as watching his mobility wod videos.  Seriously changed the way I approach lifting and its helping me create a better foundation every day.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I think you may have gotten confused by what i was trying to say.  This is what I meant by mucles work in pairs.  For example look at the biceps and triceps:

 

During elbow flexion, the biceps contract and the triceps lengthen.  They work together but have different actions.  

 

Agonist - working muscle

Antagonist - muscle that relaxes 

 

Please remember that I am not trying to argue but there is no way to isloate each head in the biceps nor each individual tricep head.  For example, during a bicep curl, both heads work together but one can be emphasized more depending on the exercise.  Same with a tricep extension.

I'm following you now. That is a very good point. You are correct.

Im not being combative so please dont take it this that way. As for isolating the three triceps and the biceps. You are correct in that you can not isolate the two bicep heads. That was not what I was implying. As for the triceps. It is possible to isolate the three heads. Other muscles may be involved but it is possible to work the three indpendently. Elbow position can play a huge role in this. There are other various factors too. I was just making a point that is possible. Myself no I don't try an isolate the heads on my triceps. That is way more time and thought then I put into my lifting for very little gain. Using all three together works just fine for my goals. I'm just saying it is possible to do.

You seem quite knowledgeable about lifting and muscle function. I may bounce some ideas and what have off of you at a later time.

[Revival]

I'm following you now. That is a very good point. You are correct.

Im not being combative so please dont take it this that way. As for isolating the three triceps and the biceps. You are correct in that you can not isolate the two bicep heads. That was not what I was implying. As for the triceps. It is possible to isolate the three heads. Other muscles may be involved but it is possible to work the three indpendently. Elbow position can play a huge role in this. There are other various factors too. I was just making a point that is possible. Myself no I don't try an isolate the heads on my triceps. That is way more time and thought then I put into my lifting for very little gain. Using all three together works just fine for my goals. I'm just saying it is possible to do.

You seem quite knowledgeable about lifting and muscle function. I may bounce some ideas and what have off of you at a later time.

Cool sounds good bro!

[flechero]

 

 

In truth if you want to 'bulk up' you need to eat A LOT!  

 

 

 

So glad this was pointed out.  Very few people realize how much you actually need.  Most people start eating "healthy" when they get into lifting but don't realize that they need to up the intake substantially.  Do a little research on your caloric needs and what you burn in the gym and then track every calorie you take in... food and drink.  it will take a couple weeks to get on track and a few months to really get it all dialed in completely.  It can be tough to eat enough healthy food to support lean gains.  It can also get expensive if you don't plan accordingly. 

 

I'd avoid large amounts of cardio until you get this figured out....  there is no mystery as to why runners are skinny!

 

Supplements are mainly a convenience.  99% of the time they are useful in saving you time or effort and could be replaced with real food, a little effort or time in the kitchen. 

 

Just remember, if it were easy, we would all be lean and big!