Bulk Up As Quick As Possible?
November 2nd was the last day I worked out. But, I wanted to regain past glory and bulk up. On April 1, I joined a health club. Only since the beginning of June, though, have I been able to workout consistently. I don't have the strength I once had, nor do I have the size. I recently stepped on the scales there, weighed 144 pounds, 13 pounds shy of the 157 pounds I peaked at in the late summer of 1999. That was the heaviest I ever weighed, and, as you would expect, this was also when I was at my strongest.
Now, it is 2002, I am getting ready to enter the professional world away from college life. I am tired of being skinny! I weigh 144 pounds but am almost six feet tall. I want to bulk up badly. The only supplement I take is Creatine.
Basically, I am asking you for help. I need some guidance. I would like to know what kinds of supplements a guy like me with my aspirations needs to take and what kind of training regimen to go through.
I would appreciate your assistance and guidance in this matter.
This question comes from a friend that I met during my college years. It is a typical bulking type question, so if that is your goal read on!
Well, congratulations! It seems as if we graduated together. Now let us see if we can answer your question. I feel for you in your struggle to keep active and fit in a busy lifestyle. Believe you me; at times I think that no one knows the feeling more than I. I often say to myself "man you know how awesome I could be if all I had to do was train, diet, and write articles for Bodybuilding.com". Then I remind myself that I am not a professional yet and perhaps that day would come if continue to work hard and follow my dreams.
What I am saying is, Bravo Zulu on your accomplishment of getting back into the gym. Obviously this accomplishment was the baby steps in meeting your goal of bulking up. If I were you I would use a high intensity, moderate to heavy resistance training regimen. I like to get in and out of the gym within an hour max. Basically, I get in there and get to business. You do not see me talking to people or joking and laughing. I realize that the gym is a social thing for some people, but for me it is all business.
Use the core power movements to build strength and mass. These movements are basically what a powerlifter does year round. Squats, deadlifts, bench pressing, and military presses are great exercises. I would use 6-9 sets for the larger body parts such as your back, chest, and legs. For the remaining muscles I would use 4-6 sets. They have already been working secondarily in the other movements performed during training. They are also smaller in size and do not need to be hit as hard. Your repetition range should not be higher than 10 and can be as low as 2-4 repetitions. This is of course if you are using a weight that you can only get 2-10 repetitions with. What I am saying is... do not grab a 10-pound dumbbell and lift it two times.
Supplement wise, I would stick with your creatine use. Take in about 10-20 grams of creatine each day. I would also incorporate a multivitamin, the antioxidants (A&E) for post workout, L-glutamine for recovery and muscle health, most importantly protein shakes. These will allow you to easily get the much-needed protein required for bulking up.
Those supplements are what I would call the bare necessities. There are so many great supplements to try now. I was taking the money issue into consideration when I made these recommendations. I realize that you do not have a whole lot of cash to spend. But, I really recommend you save up and try a good prohormone cycle. The technology is so advanced these days that prohormones can be considered equal to low dosage cycles of steroids. If you are unsure about these products you can wait and read my upcoming article covering my experience on a 6-week cycle of 1AD & 4AD. I will be starting the cycle soon; I cannot wait to see what happens. I am writing a full report on what happened to my body through out the entire cycle. The cycle I choose to use is very economical, costing about 6-7 dollars each day, which is nothing when you think about the gains that are possible and the fact that you are doing something good for yourself. How much money does a fast food meal cost on average? Skip one of those and you can get on a good cycle. Mr. Ryan DeLuca, CEO of Bodybuilding.com, expects me to add about 10 quality pounds in those 6 weeks. When I told my nutritionist Maris Lee what I was about to get on he said, "that is serious" and "it going to be interesting to see what that does to your body".
You did not mention diet but in my opinion, this is one of the more important aspects in obtaining your goal. Go to my page on Bodybuilding.com and check out my articles on protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In a nutshell I would consume at least 300 grams of protein through whole foods and drinks. I prefer food but I know it is not always possible. Because you are a naturally lean body type would also kick up the carbohydrates after training. You can also get away with eating carbohydrates in the AM hours, some people cannot. Consider your self-lucky! Stick with it "good things come to those who wait". Muscle has memory you know, so you will be back to your 157 in no time if you are willing to sacrifice and do as I recommended.
Here is your checklist:
- I must supplement year round!
- I must eat my protein!
- I have a lean body and want to mass up so I must consume carbohydrates during my windows of opportunity.
- I must train intensely and utilize heavy weights.
- I must maintain a positive outlook towards my goals and believe in myself.
- I must do these things everyday to be successful, no matter what!
Good luck! Hang in there! Fight till you can't fight anymore!