BULKING - A beginner's guide

[unclemac]

Hi everybody just something sort to let everybody know im here.
i found the site a month ago throught a link in one of Spain leading newspapers http://www.elmundo.es/especiales/gps...freaks/03.html
i dont agree with the freak adjetive

About my workout i´ve just started bulking using the OT Max training program so i will let you know how is it going :db:

[Vline3111]

Hi SCHTEEVIE

i'm from malaysia ...i really want serious weight/strength training
the info given in first page give good base for start up ...

my age is 27 5 feet 10" weight approx 86 kg with my waist 34
i goal to lose fat and gaining strength... in past year i have develop my tummy it's bigger than my chest ...

can guide me how to reduse my tummmy and gain 6 packs

thank you..

[corona]

can a woman use this same routine?

[chang]

A woman sure can.

[awoersch]

This plan is very similar to Men's Fitness "The Ultimate Program." My brother found The Ultimate Program and found it was the exact program he was looking for, a year long program for bulking. When I visited him recently, He got me a copy of the program and I have been doing it for three weeks.

The Ultimate Program is divided into four three month phases through the year, laying the foundation,getting big, getting shredded, and refining your body with different exercises in each phase. The different phases are a part of the "periodization-based approach" which basically means changing your work out to break through plateaus.

Since I've only been doing the program about three weeks, I haven't been looking at the specifics of phases 2-4, but I have noticed a striking similarity between Schteevie's program and what I am following. The weekly workout plan structure is the same, four days at the gym and days 3, 5, and 7 for cardio/rest. Day one is chest and Biceps. Day two is legs. Day four is shoulders and triceps, and Day 6 is back and calves. This setup is fairly similar to what Schteevie does. I've heard from a friend of mind who has been big on exercise and working out for several years that working out four days a week is actually better for bulking than everyday. He has done bulking periods. He used to be a swimmer and now hes training for a triatholon.

The Ultimate Program lays out the five or six exercises each day at the gym. I won't go into what those are. The major difference I see is the number of reps. For each exercise there is usually two sets maybe three and one for pull-up. The number or reps per day is the same but it changes over the weeks. For instance, phase one calls for 15 reps per set for the first three weeks, 12 reps per set for weeks 4-8, and 10 reps per set for weeks 9-12. The goal is to steadily increase poundage on the exercises especially during rep transitions. If you can do more than 15, 12 or 10 reps during those weeks you should be lifting more weight. In a week I will probably bump the weight up and move down to 12 reps.

The food regimine is also five or six smaller meals to maintain a high energy level with one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. The Ultimate Program recommends protein after working out and sources include, whey protein, cans of tuna/chicken, low fat yogurt, eggs...

There seems to be a general consensus about many of the best ways to bulk.

[Eman7673]

How long do you typically bulk for, like monthwise?

[RIBSY]

Hey thanks for the info. Im just starting out and I am 6ft2 160lbs your thread is just what i was looking for someone with a plan that is or was close to my size thanks again

[chucksax]

Originally Posted by Vline3111

Hi SCHTEEVIE

i'm from malaysia ...i really want serious weight/strength training
the info given in first page give good base for start up ...

my age is 27 5 feet 10" weight approx 86 kg with my waist 34
i goal to lose fat and gaining strength... in past year i have develop my tummy it's bigger than my chest ...

can guide me how to reduse my tummmy and gain 6 packs

thank you..

Step one: very carefully, follow the advice given at the start of this thread.

Step two: look at everything you eat, and take out as much of the "empty" calories - sugary drinks & cookies & stuff.

Step three: read more stuff on this forum.

[ij-shl]

Originally Posted by SCHTEEVIE

Be sure to stretch the specific muscles during or after a workout for a few minutes. I used to think stretching before was ideal, but lately I have found many sources that say stretching before lifting may actually increase risk of injury. Warm-up sets (as described below) will prepare muscles for load bearing.

I thank your document.
Whole document,I agree.

I do Max-Ot as Wt,HIIT as Cardio.Of course I do LISS.
I do Wt 6 a week HIIT 6 --short duration on Wt day, long(20min) on Cardio day -- Cardio as LISS 2or3 a week.Conpletely rest 1 day is my weekly routine.
I think Wt 4or 3 a week is best.Considering DOMS.

I have Question,"Before stretching" increase getting injured risk,you said
If you can show some articles,tell me the pointer.
I check www.physsportsmed.com site search-engine but it seems no good answer just look article title.

thank you for your reading.

[COBound158]

Originally Posted by SCHTEEVIE

Since I am an ectomorph and not worried much about fat gain, I rounded up and my target daily calorie total to 3000 (I am 155)
As long as the ratios are good, I would rather error on the side of too many calories.
If I notice obvious fat gains, I will scale it back, but so far no issues with that.

At first I couldn't imagine how I would eat that much.
My usual day before was probably 2 crappy meals, making up a total of aprox 1800 calories.
I always used to skip breakfast...

Awesome advice in your post SCHTEEVIE. Any chance you could give us a sample day of what you eat?

[Meister]

Hey, newbie here. I found your guide really useful, but I have one question. I won't have access to a gym for a couple of months and I was wondering if there's anyway to use this guide without using machine exercises (all I have at home is dumbbells and a bench)? If so, what exercise sets do you recommend for each muscle group? Thanks in advance .

[akapablo]

Hi,
Pablo here, 29 male, 5’7” 170lb 20% body fat. I am looking at bulking up soon and was wondering if I should loose all my fat first or start bulking and gradually loose the fat? My goal is to gain muscle mass but have major problems with my mid section. I am thinking of going down to about 10% body fat before I bulk. What is best?
Thanks!!!

[dodus]

Originally Posted by akapablo

Hi,
Pablo here, 29 male, 5’7” 170lb 20% body fat. I am looking at bulking up soon and was wondering if I should loose all my fat first or start bulking and gradually loose the fat? My goal is to gain muscle mass but have major problems with my mid section. I am thinking of going down to about 10% body fat before I bulk. What is best?
Thanks!!!

akapablo: at 20%BF, you'd definitely be better served with a cutting phase first. A more favorable muscle:fat mass ratio will mean more muscle mass gained when you finally do start bulking. At this point, you'd probably be dissatisfied with the additional fat gain.

[rado_guy]

nice info there

[jimmy1]

Originally Posted by Meister

Hey, newbie here. I found your guide really useful, but I have one question. I won't have access to a gym for a couple of months and I was wondering if there's anyway to use this guide without using machine exercises (all I have at home is dumbbells and a bench)? If so, what exercise sets do you recommend for each muscle group? Thanks in advance .

I was in the same boat as you. I decided to get the Ironmaster bench with all of the attachments. That way, I only needed to switch a few excercises around. The only thing i have trouble with now is warm ups for the lats. in other words, I'd recomend looking into the bench if you can. If you can't, I'd suggest doing a search for DB workouts on this site and an excercise search at Bodybuilding.com. You should be able to come up with some replacement excercises.

[shanemac]

Really brilliant site and incredibly helpful thread. Thanks!

I am 6ft and weight approx 160 pounds.

I apologise for my ignorance but I am new to this and am trying to get my plan together for when I start in a couple of weeks. I'm currently trying to do some light training (running, skipping etc) to improve my fitness until I fully start but I do have a few queries:

1) When you say "cardio/abs", what exactly do you mean?

2) What effects does alcohol have on the bulking process?

3) Does missing one or to gym sessions in a week seriously effect the routine? (I have a couple of weddings and birthdays through out my 8 week training period).

4) Is there any other exercises you could recommend to do before actually starting?

Any help would be very greatly appreciated......

[1FastGTX]

Originally Posted by shanemac

1) When you say "cardio/abs", what exactly do you mean?

I assume he means he does cardio and abdominal training in the same session.

Originally Posted by shanemac

2) What effects does alcohol have on the bulking process?

It makes your bulk successful if you are trying to add fat.

Seriously though, it depends on the person. I can't walk past beer without getting fatter.

Originally Posted by shanemac

3) Does missing one or to gym sessions in a week seriously effect the routine? (I have a couple of weddings and birthdays through out my 8 week training period).

No, you need time off anyway once in a while. I would plan your workouts for those weeks so that you are purposely not lifting on the days that weddings/birthdays come up. For example, let's say you normally work out Mon, Wed, and Fri. Now lets say you have a wedding to attend next Friday. Well then simply move Friday's workout to Saturday or Thursday.

I think off days are very important. When I need one, I take one. But I try to schedule them as much as possible and stay consistent with my plan. I figure that a day lost is a day lost forever. I try my best not to miss workouts.

Originally Posted by shanemac

4) Is there any other exercises you could recommend to do before actually starting?

Start now.

(Your question is kind of vague; need more info. Are you planning to start next month or something?)

[shanemac]

Been saying I'm going to do it for about a year now but am actually planning on getting off my arse and start on Thursday 4th May. Alot more confident I can stick to it now because this site is so helpful and I'm starting to get a better idea of what it is I'm trying to achieve and how to go about it.

There are still large problem areas that I don't understand such as food because I'm not completely sure what to avoid plus I'm a really bad cook I know not to eat junk food and things like white bread but what else is an absolute no-no? And what times are good to eat? My workouts will be in the morning before work so do I eat directly after or wait an hour????

So many questions.......

[popbelly]

Is it possible to 'bulk' without increasing b/f%?

[RTE]

Originally Posted by popbelly

Is it possible to 'bulk' without increasing b/f%?

Possible but not proable. You can do a slow bulk, increase calories by 200 each week. So lets say you start at 2200, after a 6 weeks you would be at 3400. During that time, you would watch waist measurement each week, if it increases over 1.25 in from the start cut back 200 calories.

If you don't use some control factor, you can easily take in more calories than you need and that can go to fat.