GNC growth hormones?

[Antoneo]

So I walk into GNC today and talked to this pretty big guy who seemed to know what he was talking about. I was looking to buy protein powder and said that I was not getting any mass even though I have been hitting the weights about 4 times a week for a year now. I have also been running for a year as well (all of the HS track seasons XC, indoor, outdoor... definitely improved my times). And its not like I just sit in the weightroom doing nothing, I work out for real (might be nothing compared to what some of you guys do but its a lot for me). I am 5' 10" and weigh about 135 lbs, yes very skinny (am asian). I eat constantly, no joke, as long as it doesn't have lots wierd food coloring or is too artificial tasting. So, this situation has been annoying me constantly and I envy those who can put on weight like never before ! I have a small frame and my bones are not big so I am wondering if that is reason why muscles are not developing much. I guess I am sorta cut, and can see veins very clearly while working out (I hear this is normal for skinny guys because of the low bodyfat percentages so nothing to be proud of).

Uhh back to GNC guy... he said that they have growth hormones. Anyone have experience or know what he is talking about? I am really skeptical about this "growth hormones" stuff and dont want to put down money where there is no point (maybe buying protein powder won't help me either?). He said it costs about $50. Any comments/suggestions?

 

[TuffGuy]

i believe they're homeopathic. i don't know hwo well tehy work, but i wouldn't waste my money on them. just start an anotesten/nortesten stack. for a cheaper alternative, find a great earth and get some kaizen products.

 

[PistachioByAzul]

Soy Protein on top of an already balanced diet is what I'd say. Gotta figure, the better weight gain supplements work, the worse they probably are for you. Anything with "horomone" in it is either a scam or too potentially dangerous to justify messing with..

 

[Koing]

I say work out harder.

Do you have a set schedule of WHAT your ACTUALLY GOING TO do? If not then thats where your going wrong.

WRite down your routine and stuff. And how old you are. Trust me you will gain weight if you work out properly. In about 5-6 weeks I can and DID gain 5lbs of muscle mass. My coach made up a different routine at the end of the Weight Lifting season to get me bigger as I was low for my Weight Class.

Eat more protein.

I'm asian and 5"10 and 170lbs. I'm 18.

 

[StageLeft]

Sounds like crap.

Running HURTS muscle gain, not helps it.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that if you're working out properly and are still not gaining muscle you need to increase your consumption of food. Your body simply doesn't have as much as it can take in if you're still that body weight but your current height. You think you eat a lot? Obviously not enough! Step it up with high calorie foods. Given your situation you should get a weight gainer. Suck back 1500 calories each night before bed so that you almost feel sick. You may put on a bit of fat but you also will put on some muscle.

It's also possible you're over training...

 

[Antoneo]

<< Anything with "horomone" in it is either a scam or too potentially dangerous to justify messing with.. >>

See, I was thinking the same thing but I thought if GNC sold it (isn't GNC pretty reputable?) it should be ok. Well frankly I'm confused .

By the way... which is more appropriate for me, the weightgainer mix or protein powder? If this helps.. I have only gained about 5 lbs (maybe not even) after a year of constant working out/running .

EDIT: Oh forgot age, I am 17 years old and actually do have somewhat of a workout list. I don't follow it religiously but every week is the same.

Monday - biceps, chest, abs
Tuesday - triceps, squats, calves
Wednesday - Hard running day
Thursday - biceps, abs, forearm
Friday - legs, chest, triceps

Something like that... Is it possible that I am hopeless and am fixed by my genes?

 

[SludgeFactory]

Don't waste your money on the fake hormones, they don't work. Besides, you're in high school, your body is a testosterone factory right now. To build muscles, you have to take in more calories than you burn. If you haven't added any muscle in a year of working out, then you should increase the amount of food you're eating. Eating 6 times a day will help. Take in 135 grams of protein a day (1 gr/lb of bodyweight) -- protein powder can be used to help get you up to 135 grams if you can't do it with real food alone. Don't forget to train your lower body.

Actually, with all the running you're doing, building muscle and keeping it will be tough. And on the other hand, carrying extra weight would be detrimental to distance running. Maybe you need to decide what's more important to you, running competitively or getting bigger.

 

[rival]

ive got an extra 50lbs of fat on me, want it? $.39 a pound too

 

[Jfur]

<<

Running HURTS muscle gain, not helps it.
>>



If you are trying to gain mass, focus on building muscle even if it means some added fat. Gain weight by eating nutritious foods and lifting. Later, you can trim fat if you have gained that, too.

 

[SludgeFactory]

<< See, I was thinking the same thing but I thought if GNC sold it (isn't GNC pretty reputable?) it should be ok. Well frankly I'm confused >>



The supplement business is one of the sleaziest out there. They will say anything to sell you snake oil. There's nothing wrong with GNC if you know what you're going in there to buy (and realize that you'll most likely pay a lot more for it than if you bought from online stores).

Weightgainer products are protein powder with carbs (sugar) added. I would get the regular protein powder and just eat more complex carbs during the day.

 

[Koing]

<<

<< Anything with "horomone" in it is either a scam or too potentially dangerous to justify messing with.. >>

See, I was thinking the same thing but I thought if GNC sold it (isn't GNC pretty reputable?) it should be ok. Well frankly I'm confused .

By the way... which is more appropriate for me, the weightgainer mix or protein powder? If this helps.. I have only gained about 5 lbs (maybe not even) after a year of constant working out/running .

EDIT: Oh forgot age, I am 17 years old and actually do have somewhat of a workout list. I don't follow it religiously but every week is the same.

Monday - biceps, chest, abs
Tuesday - triceps, squats, calves
Wednesday - Hard running day
Thursday - biceps, abs, forearm
Friday - legs, chest, triceps

Something like that... Is it possible that I am hopeless and am fixed by my genes? >>



Okay mate. Well do more squats. Squats work the bigger leg muscles and you will get more muscle mass quicker.

The running is killing your muscle growth. its a different type of fitness and muscle devolopment. If you do a lot of cardio it isn't go good for your muscle size and strength wise. Studies have shown if you do a lot of cardio you lose baout 5% max strength.

Write yourself or get a friend to write you a good routine. And follow it 'religously' every time. Then you KNOW what your doing. Also record down in a book what you have done number of reps and sets etc.

Also what weights are you squatting and how are you doing them?

Eat more food like Skoorb says. You need to eat more. Your body is still growing and you have a lot of testerone which is a big factor in muscle devolopment. You will get bigger. Give it time. I didn't get big over night or a few months. Taken me about 36 months to starting see 'real' results show up. Also you will see almost no results for yourself for quite some time. As you look at yourself and see yourself every day. But others who don't see you as often WILL see you are bigger or broader as well. My friends who I hadn't seen in a while when they did see me notcied this about me. I thought they were kidding as I 'thought' I looked the same as I did when we were in school together. But to them I wasn't the same size at all.

Train hard and you will see results.

 

[MrBaseball]

I tried andro poppers, but all they did was give me a little more of a temper and some acne. I did not notice any gains in muscle or strength.

Edit- If you want a weight gainer shake, check out Nlarge2 by Prolab at DPS Nutrition

 

[Antoneo]

Wow, a lot of info thanks!


<< and realize that you'll most likely pay a lot more for it than if you bought from online stores >>

Interesting... I believe they had a six pound jug of protein for about $50 and it was buy one of something get another item 50% off (possibly a hot deal for you ferengi out there ) and throw in a gold GNC card another 20% off. I thought that was a great deal but I'll check out online stores... any of them you like in particular?

I used to do ~150 lb squats (ten reps a set, 4 sets) but then my coach told me I was doing em wrong (not low enough+leg position was off) and after that 4 sets of 110 lb squats satisfied me. Ok, will write down and follow workout schedule. Btw, I'm not afraid of gaining any fat, in fact I would love to see that happen but it never does. grrrr....

I won't give up though!

 

[Angrymarshmello]

You sound like an endomorph. (Hardgainer) Running all the time is hurting you, like Skoorb said. You do need cardio but not the amount you get. You're not going to build up anything with the insane amount of running you do.



<< Monday - biceps, chest, abs
Tuesday - triceps, squats, calves
Wednesday - Hard running day
Thursday - biceps, abs, forearm
Friday - legs, chest, triceps >>



That's also your problem. You work each body part once a week. You're working everything twice except for your legs. Hell I don't even see any lat (back) workouts on your list. And squats are not a seperate body part - they're a total body excercise with emphasis (in decreasing order) on your quads, hams, butt, & upper body. It should be done on the day you do your quads & hamstrings. (Legs should not be thought of as one muscle group) I personally do a MWF split, biceps/triceps/forearms on Monday, shoulders, quads/hamstrings/calves Wednesday, and chest, back, and traps Friday. (Abs/lower back worked on M & F) Since summer is coming up, if you want to bulk up, loosen up on the running (not quit it altogether).

Your diet also makes a difference. You need to consume as many calories as you consume, if not more. You also need to eat at least 1 gm of protein per lb of body weight. I'm Asian also and there isn't a high amount of protein in an Asian diet, so I supplement my protein needs through protein shakes. Regarding daily intake of carbs/fat - I honestly don't keep count but fat should be 20-25%, carbs like 40%.

And don't listen to everything the GNC guy says. (Although you shouldn't listen to everything you read on the net either - I'm sure he knows more than I do) He's just trying to get you to buy everything because you're unknowledgeable on the subject. The first time I ever went into GNC I came home with vitamins, creatine, protein powders, and some other stuff. The only stuff I ever used was the protein powder.

 

[Antoneo]

Hmm... I've been wondering, will the weight I gain help get bigger bones? My wrist bones are ridiculously small/thin but I suppose they are proportional to the rest of my body. Any more opinions as to which one I should get: the protein powder mix or GNC's Weightgainer stuff?

 

[Koing]

<< Hmm... I've been wondering, will the weight I gain help get bigger bones? My wrist bones are ridiculously small/thin but I suppose they are proportional to the rest of my body. Any more opinions as to which one I should get: the protein powder mix or GNC's Weightgainer stuff? >>



Your bones at this stage in life won't grow much bigger or change by much at all. Are your parents big? What size are they? Most asians that I have seen have very small bones. Can't change that. I'd advise to drink milk. Milk is always good for you.

I wouldn't bother with any gaine powder drink stuff at all.

Just eat more food. I do everything naturally. No gainer no nothing. Remember it takes 'time' and lots of hard work. Also get someone to help you check your form to make sure its correct. As state by your coach you werne't going low enough. This mean you were working not much of your leg muscles. The lower you go the more you work the muscle through its range and thus making it bigger and stronger. Get squatting more I'd say it'll put on a lot of weight fast in a month on your body mass.

When measuring yourself do measure yourself at the same time every time you do it. Make sure you don't measure youself after a meal or after having alot of food. Measure yourself without food about 10-11am. Best time to weigh yourself as your at your lowest weight and its more true. You haven't had lots of food in you. Otherwise your weight will never be measured accurately.

The difference in weight for me is about 5.5lbs from morning at 10am and 9pm evening. 1l of water = 1kg. Drink lots of water. Most of your body weight is on water retention also. Drink lots of water so your body always has enough. I always have a 2litre bottle of water on my desk with a cup. I drink this throughout the day when on the pc.

It is important to work your back. Do hyper extentions and train your mid section up.

 

[Antoneo]

<< Your bones at this stage in life won't grow much bigger or change by much at all. Are your parents big? What size are they? Most asians that I have seen have very small bones. Can't change that. I'd advise to drink milk. Milk is always good for you. >>

Nooooooooooooo! I guess, I should start getting used to this body now. Well, I guess I take after my mother because she is rather small framed but my father is of average build. My younger brother takes after him though and although he is three years younger than me, he is taller than me by 2 inches. Drink milk... I've been doing that my whole life ::sigh:: guess I'll just be happy with what God gave me.
I guess I'll try eating like 6 meals a day + squats/other workout as well and see what happens in a couple of months . Thanks again guys.