Help this ME gain some weight :)

insdav3

Senior member
Jan 21, 2002
293
0
0
Hey, I'm 18 years old and i've been skinnier than most people my entire life. I'm 5'10 @ 123 lbs. I (max) bench 170lb on a 'mock bench' and ~140 on the regular bench . Hmmm ... I've tried just about everything that 'works'. Weight gain: What a joke. I took that stuff and still ate full meals and lost 3 pounds. That was a gallon dosage too. I've done creatine ... that mostly helped in strength with benches. I've eaten heavy amounts of foods, the 'right' and 'wrong' stuff, and still either gained a pound, lost a pound, or stayed the same. I tried sitting on my ass on the computer all day and eating as much as I could, but that made me lose 2 pounds. I mean can you imagine what a 123lb @ 5'10 is? It's torture to me. I would hopefully be at 5'10 @ 160

Please help.
-Dave
 

thirdeye

Platinum Member
Jun 19, 2001
2,610
0
76
www.davewalter.net
prbly not the right advice but.......
1) go to college
2) do nothing but drink
3) eat @ mcdonalds all the time

hehe...this plan has helped me gain 25 - 30lbs in 3 years
 

KeyserSoze

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 2000
6,048
1
81
Yeah, I'm sorta in the same boat. I'm 6'2, and only weigh like 150. I need to gain weight. But I wont' take any of those shakes, or powders. I figure those are all chemicals, and I know they are foods that are actually healthy for you, that are just high in calories.

Try banana milkshakes, with honey, and whole milk. Stuff like that.

And on the whole "beer drinking" thing, it kinda sux, cuz you start to develop a beer belly.



KeyserSoze
 

Linia

Member
Feb 6, 2002
42
0
0
I know what it's like. For some time now I've been trying to gain weight. Im 5'4 and (the average height for a woman) and just below 90 pounds. :Q
I dont look sickly or anything, and I'm perfectly healthy (I've even seen a nutritionist regarding my weight/health) but I'd still like to gain some weight. :p
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
Gaining weight (muscle, that is) is a fairly simple formula: you stress the muscles (via lifting), feed them with plenty of protein while they recover.....they get bigger. Simple as that. The catch is that some gain mass faster than others. Do some reading up on how to schedule your lifting on a weekly basis (in a nutshell: lift 4x per week and break it down to where each muscle group has 2 recovery days between lifting sessions...ie mon=upper body, tue=lower, wed=off, thu=upper, fri=lower, weekend off. repeat.)

If you want to gain mass, you should be doing the heaviest weights you can put up 10x per set without hurting yourself. Shoot for 3-4 sets and you should need help on reps 8-10 (a lifting bud can help encourage you as well as keep you from dropping weights on your head BTW) on the last few sets or you're not doing enough weight. You should be pretty floored after you've lifted, if you come home feeling all perky, you didn't do enough.

Remember, putting on muscle mass won't happen overnight; set a schedule and stick with it for a year and you will see results.

Fausto

PS- screw supplements and stuff for the most part. Just make sure you're getting enough lean protein. A big glass of protein mix in milk after working out will give your muscles a good shot of aminos to rebuild and recover. Get this in you as soon as you finish working out as your body is much more effiecient at rebuilding and restocking immediately after you've stressed it (also true for glycogen replacement).

 

azazyel

Diamond Member
Oct 6, 2000
5,872
1
81
Don't worry about it your metabolism will slow down eventually. And remember "Beer is Food".
 

LAUST

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
8,957
1
81
Your problem is your Metabolism... honestly it's gonna be hard if not impossible till you get older and that slows down.

But if it is possible it will be 100% through Diet.... for drink you better start drinking Milk a LOT... stay away from Soda all together, REAL Juice or Milk or Water only.... for weight food Itailian is awesome. For snacks Yogurt is the best, I pound yogurt down like no tomorrow. stay away from fast food alltogether, your metabolism will burn that crap off like "It ain't no thang"
 

Novgrod

Golden Member
Mar 3, 2001
1,142
0
0
Gaining weight is simple:

I started out at 6'4" 155, and three months later i was 6'4" 185 and gaining. Thirty pounds of mostly muscle ain't half bad :)

You don't want to gain fat; you want to gain muscle.

Diet: as much high-protein, high-iron food as you can get. MEAT: steak, chicken, whatever. Milk, peanut butter, cottage cheese; they're all good Eggs, rice, beans good too. Really just make time to eat, no matter what it is.

Workout: the best workouts for gaining bulk are multi-joint exercizes, and you want to do as much weight as you can for no more than 3 sets of 8 (say first set of seven or eight, second of five or six, third of three or four) reps. Give yourself at least a minute between sets. Don't do too little weight--if you can do more, do it. Oh, get somebody to work out with you for spotting.

The best lifts:

Squats. Squats are the most important. Just make sure you work up slowly so you don't screw up your joints, and make sure you get down far enough.

Dead lift: put a bar on the floor. If you can, try to make sure you're a couple inches above the floor (say standing on a plate). with legs straight (not locked) and back straight (think as though you're sticking your chest out) bend at the hips, grab the bar, and stand up. Whatever you do, don't jerk, just pull.

Weighted situps: put a plate of however much weight you can handle on your chest, and sit up :)

dips. Dips get your tricep, your shoulder, and some of your chest. Good stuff.

Bench, shoulder press, upright rows, pullups all good.

Try to add a little weight each time you work out, and don't do more than 10 repetitions a set.

If you work out and you eat, you'll gain weight.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Turn 30 and your problem will be solved.

I was the same weight +/- 2 lbs for 5 years. (5'11 165lbs) In my late twenties I got up to 172 through lifting (I was a rugby player at the time). I turn 33 this month and am creeping ever closer to 190.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
When you get older you'll remember back fondly of when you tried to gain weight as you look down on your gut.

Anyway how many calories do you normally eat a day? Increase that! I fail to believe that with a concerted effort you can not gain weight. Don't eat until you're just "full". Count your calories and keep stepping up the intake. Get a full size weight gainer shake from GNC and drink so much you're about to throw up before bed. Eat mcdonalds and chocholate and candy during the day. Eat a lot when you first get up. Eat lots of high calorie foods constantly so that you are always full.
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
Other lifts I really like:

Seated rows: nothing like that big-ass inverted "V" for a back!

Incline dumbell press (not flys): I've found this really isolates and develops upper pecs. Watch your form on this one tho or you'll hurt yourself.

Lunges are also really good for quads/glutes, but again: watch your form on this. Your kneecap should never break the a vertical line drawn from your toe up. You'll stress the hell out of your knees if you get too far forward doing these.

Military Press: really nails the whole delt as well as traps and upper back in general.

To reiterate: you need to have sufficient caloric intake daily to account for all the calories you burn just walking around and breathing AND what you burned lifing AND everything needed to rebuild all the muscles you just got done wailing on. And don't eat junk. There's a saying regarding nutrition and its relationship to fitness: "Crap in = Crap out"
 

DaviDaVinci

Golden Member
Dec 28, 2000
1,345
0
0
Awesome advices, and funny as heck too!!!!

I'm in the same position but I'm doing better now. There is NO SHORT way of achieving what you want. It WILL take time.
Genes play a big role.

But, best thing to do is to work out the MAJOR muscles. DO squats and benches. Focus on your form. And eat right. Not much else you can do about it.

Davi
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Lets trade bodies for a while - I'll have you 10 pounds heavier this time next month at least! I think the big weight gainers are good. Most of their calories are simple carbs but they also have a buttload of protein in them.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0


<< Gaining weight is simple:

I started out at 6'4" 155, and three months later i was 6'4" 185 and gaining. Thirty pounds of mostly muscle ain't half bad :)

You don't want to gain fat; you want to gain muscle.

Diet: as much high-protein, high-iron food as you can get. MEAT: steak, chicken, whatever. Milk, peanut butter, cottage cheese; they're all good Eggs, rice, beans good too. Really just make time to eat, no matter what it is.

Workout: the best workouts for gaining bulk are multi-joint exercizes, and you want to do as much weight as you can for no more than 3 sets of 8 (say first set of seven or eight, second of five or six, third of three or four) reps. Give yourself at least a minute between sets. Don't do too little weight--if you can do more, do it. Oh, get somebody to work out with you for spotting.

The best lifts:

Squats. Squats are the most important. Just make sure you work up slowly so you don't screw up your joints, and make sure you get down far enough.

Dead lift: put a bar on the floor. If you can, try to make sure you're a couple inches above the floor (say standing on a plate). with legs straight (not locked) and back straight (think as though you're sticking your chest out) bend at the hips, grab the bar, and stand up. Whatever you do, don't jerk, just pull.

Weighted situps: put a plate of however much weight you can handle on your chest, and sit up :)

dips. Dips get your tricep, your shoulder, and some of your chest. Good stuff.

Bench, shoulder press, upright rows, pullups all good.

Try to add a little weight each time you work out, and don't do more than 10 repetitions a set.

If you work out and you eat, you'll gain weight.
>>



Good advice here. Squats are VERY good. They will gain you a lot of muscle mass and bulk. You have to work REALLY hard, and consistently.

I'm 5"10 and 165lbs true weight and go up to 176lbs during the day:)

Seriously BE GLAD your not over weight. If your fit and healthy and work out like the plans above you will be gaining a lot of mass. Eat more food as well. 4-5 smaller portioned meals a day is BEST.
 

ericboo

Golden Member
Feb 2, 2001
1,137
0
0
Novgrod,

Not doubting you, but the only people I knew who could gain 30lbs in 3 months were injecting themselves. 10lbs a year of muscle a year is even tough.

I gave up weights cause they were too heavy. The real answer is get married, and get your wife pregnant. She will make you eat everything she craves. I am 36, 6'1" and closing in on 200lbs.

If you want to make the most power out of your size, take Tae Kwon Do or another martial art. It will boost your confidence.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
I gained 3kg 6.6lbs in a 4 month period, but this was due to my different training routine my coach wrote me. I did 15repsx3 sets of EVERYTHING. It was insane for that month, dam I was tired everyday. I also ate 4-5 meals a day. I don't eat crap and I am the guy that eats 5+ apples a day and OTHER fruits and vegetables. I don't do fizzy drinks only water and still drinks. I don't even drink much. Good clean living and good diet.

Now I haven't gained much weight as my routine is different now. More for strength as I did my bulking up at the end of the season and now I am going in to the start of the Weight Lifting season.......

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't hae gained much more weight if I trained with my other routine. Would have been hard to keep doing it. Very tiring. Especially if your not best at high volume work outs.
 

PlatinumGold

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
23,168
0
71
insdav3

be careful what you wish for.

when i was 18 i was 5'10" and 120lbs. I thought i would never gain weight. now at 36 yrs of age, i am 6' even and 223 lbs.

trying to lose weight too. it's a b!tch tryiing to lose weight man.
 

Novgrod

Golden Member
Mar 3, 2001
1,142
0
0
Novgrod, Not doubting you, but the only people I knew who could gain 30lbs in 3 months were injecting themselves. 10lbs a year of muscle a year is even tough. I gave up weights cause they were too heavy. The real answer is get married, and get your wife pregnant. She will make you eat everything she craves. I am 36, 6'1" and closing in on 200lbs.


I should say that I was about 165 before spring quarter at school, where, for various reasons (mostly dealing with being busy and stressed as hell) I lost weight. I dunno how much is muscle and how much is fat, but i poo you not; it happened. Didn't hurt that my sister made it her personal goal in life to feed me :)

ugh, the thought of 'roids is enough to make me barf.
 

Ultima

Platinum Member
Oct 16, 1999
2,893
0
0


<< When you get older you'll remember back fondly of when you tried to gain weight as you look down on your gut.

Anyway how many calories do you normally eat a day? Increase that! I fail to believe that with a concerted effort you can not gain weight. Don't eat until you're just "full". Count your calories and keep stepping up the intake. Get a full size weight gainer shake from GNC and drink so much you're about to throw up before bed. Eat mcdonalds and chocholate and candy during the day. Eat a lot when you first get up. Eat lots of high calorie foods constantly so that you are always full.
>>



It's true. I weigh 150 at 6'1. I lost 10 pounds since I worked out last summer. I was taking in 4500 calories a day for 2 months and only gained 10 pounds, of which half was fat.