so im a typical skinny (5'7 122 lbs) asian dude and ive been working out 5-6/ week concnetrating on different muscle groups every day but im curious if i'll ever get to have broad shoulders and a buff upper body. my goal is 160 by the end of the year. Will genetics hinder my efforts or is it possible to go from real skinny to real buff?
working out vs genetics
- Thread starter quirky
- Start date
Since you have a small frame you'll never get yourself to world-class-bodybuilder proportions without excessive use of supplements and steroids, so just look on the bright side - at least you're not genetically doomed to be fat.
Only suggestions I have are to do a lot of lifting, follow it immediately with intake of protein to build muscles, I suppose you could use creatine or other such things as well.
Only suggestions I have are to do a lot of lifting, follow it immediately with intake of protein to build muscles, I suppose you could use creatine or other such things as well.
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
Gain 38 pounds of muscle in half a year with your body type? Not a frigging chance in hell.
It's going to be slow going but if you keep at it it will happen. Even people with good genetics can't do that. Make sure your program is a good one and eat a LOT of food high in protein. Eat properly and get enough sleep. If you're working out like a champ but sleeping 5-6 hours a night, skipping breakfast, and eating beer and chips for supper you'll never get anywhere!
It's going to be slow going but if you keep at it it will happen. Even people with good genetics can't do that. Make sure your program is a good one and eat a LOT of food high in protein. Eat properly and get enough sleep. If you're working out like a champ but sleeping 5-6 hours a night, skipping breakfast, and eating beer and chips for supper you'll never get anywhere!
i'm 5'9" ~130lbs.. working out for year or two. i wouldnt mind gaining some weight, but i havent really tried. for a thin guy though, i have pretty broad shoulders and i think i look pretty buff for such a light weight. i'm happy.
just dont get discourged and stop working out if you dont notice any changes yet. it takes time. some people sooner than later..
just dont get discourged and stop working out if you dont notice any changes yet. it takes time. some people sooner than later..
kami
Lifer
- Oct 9, 1999
- 17,627
- 5
- 81
A lot of it is genetics, yes. Want to switch genes? I love eating but I can't or else I grow....sideways. I do have very broad shoulders and a huge build though, so my body hides weight easily People ask if I've been working out even though I don't (except for biking for exercise). I got myself down to 185 (I'm 5'11) and this is thin for me. I'm sure I'll put on at least 10 more after this year of college is over. Eating healthy there? yeah right...and the beer, oh the wonderful beer.
Good luck, but you will have to be in it for the long haul cause of your body.
People ask if I've been working out even though I don't (except for biking for exercise). I got myself down to 185 (I'm 5'11) and this is thin for me. I'm sure I'll put on at least 10 more after this year of college is over. Eating healthy there? yeah right...and the beer, oh the wonderful beer.Good luck, but you will have to be in it for the long haul cause of your body.
Workingout has a kinda exponential bell curve to it. When you dont have much muscle on ya as you do now its really hard to get going but if you were to stay dedicated for a couple years you'll definately start to look buff and then it only gets easier once you have a good base until you get to a certain weight and really have to start pushing agian for results like you may feel you do now. Best bet is to just eat alot more and stay dedicated(takes years to get looking good... without juice at least). Probably eat twice as much as you eat now but eat healthy. As in just pack protein into yourself and not too much fat/junk food. As far as genetics go yea they play a significant rolel but not as much as most people think. Most people just lack the dedication to gaining mass(or losing it) cause they have a weak start to begin with and use genetics as an excuse. I'm living proof that alotta talk of genetics is bullshit. I use to be about 5'10, 140lbs. Workedout and ate alot and just stayed dedicated and now I'm 5'11, 200lbs at 16% Bodyfat and I can pretty much choose any size I wanna be between 190lbs and 215lbs and be to that size between 15-20% bodyfat easy and only takes me about 6 months(pushing to below 15% takes some strict diet and exercise at my weight/height). So ya see it does take a long time... it's anything but overnight however you can pretty much sculpt yer body any way you like unless you have some kinda abnormality or permanent injury that prevents it. Just eat, push harder every time and stay dedicated and it'll come. workingout isn't a 2 month thing to do when summer is coming around. It's a 24/7 program(eat, sleep, work) if you actually wanna look good and look better than avg.
...oh and if you do want to get to be a large "bulky" ripped size... you will injure yourself and probalby more than once doing so. If ya wanna get big you gotta push your body beyond what its used to obviously and it wont always be able to cope at every moment. All part of the scene. I've gone through a major lower back injury that took me out for about a year+, a pec tear that took me out for another 6-8 months, tendonitis several times each taking about a month to heal each time and just recently pulled my Lat pretty bad and and am dealing with a slight case of tendonitis once again. It's all part of heavy, heavy lifting. I'm by no means perfect with total prevention to injuries in the first place tho. Stretching is very important
There's one big problem right there. You are training too much. With a fast metabolism you need to work out less, but with more intensity, it gives your body more time to recover and grow. You also need to eat and sleep more.
A HIT type workout might do you a lot of good. See
Cyberpump.com
to gain 60lbs... depends how old you are?
in yer teen years and early twenties you can expect to gain 15-20 solid(lean/muscle) lbs/year however you may gain like 10lbs in 6 months and then only 5 the next 6 months. Doesn't workout perfect month to month. All you can do is workout week in and week out and you get what you get depending on what you do. I just remember starting off at age 16 which IMHO was kinda a waste in certain terms and not having anyone notice anything to look at me till i reached about age 18-19. Took me about 3yrs to go from 140-205 but I wasn't workingout week after week. There were many times I was into it but the large majority of the time I was working hard.
in yer teen years and early twenties you can expect to gain 15-20 solid(lean/muscle) lbs/year however you may gain like 10lbs in 6 months and then only 5 the next 6 months. Doesn't workout perfect month to month. All you can do is workout week in and week out and you get what you get depending on what you do. I just remember starting off at age 16 which IMHO was kinda a waste in certain terms and not having anyone notice anything to look at me till i reached about age 18-19. Took me about 3yrs to go from 140-205 but I wasn't workingout week after week. There were many times I was into it but the large majority of the time I was working hard.
Why even worry about something you can't control? Just work out hard, educate yourself about how to train and eat, get plenty of sleep, and improve your body. Any healthy person has the genetic potential to build their body up to a point that's far superior to the average man on the street.
38 lbs should be a 2-3 year goal.
38 lbs should be a 2-3 year goal.
i think its genetic...only one my of asian friends is build but that took over two-three years and he pushes everything and takes protien. he knows what he's doing and he eats right, three meals a day and snacks
couple of my friends and i signed up for the gym and been working out for the whole summer and i got results, my shoulders are broad and my arms got a bit bigger but i have to stop because my upper body is not proportion to my lower - Johnny Bravo if you know what i mean.
my friend's shoulders is so big that he walks like a huge ape.
i live in chinatown in NYC and i hardly see any buffed up asians, maybe a couple and my friend.
sorry to burst your bubble but like most skinny asians like my friend who's 5'9 and 120-125lbs who eats alot and doesnt gain any weight. working out wont do much but make you stronger.
but hey you'll never know, its different for everyone's body. here's your new goal--PROVE ME WRONG in a year or two
couple of my friends and i signed up for the gym and been working out for the whole summer and i got results, my shoulders are broad and my arms got a bit bigger but i have to stop because my upper body is not proportion to my lower - Johnny Bravo if you know what i mean.
my friend's shoulders is so big that he walks like a huge ape.
i live in chinatown in NYC and i hardly see any buffed up asians, maybe a couple and my friend.
sorry to burst your bubble but like most skinny asians like my friend who's 5'9 and 120-125lbs who eats alot and doesnt gain any weight. working out wont do much but make you stronger.
but hey you'll never know, its different for everyone's body. here's your new goal--PROVE ME WRONG in a year or two
Koing
Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
- Oct 11, 2000
- 16,843
- 2
- 0
ahhhhhh...the joys of good genetics
Just train hard, eat properly and you will get there.
Some people are destined to be ripped but not rather large. My bro is about 5"3 and 121lbs but hes ripped. He'd look MUCH bigger if he was 5"10 and ripped. I'm 5"10 and 165lbs and ripped. I have broad shoulders and I am also asian.
Train hard and I say good 3-5 years and you can start looking great from 3+. I've a little over 3 years now and am much bigger, stronger and more ripped then when I started. If you took part in a lot of sports before I guess that may help.
Good luck.
Just train hard, eat properly and you will get there.
Some people are destined to be ripped but not rather large. My bro is about 5"3 and 121lbs but hes ripped. He'd look MUCH bigger if he was 5"10 and ripped. I'm 5"10 and 165lbs and ripped. I have broad shoulders and I am also asian.
Train hard and I say good 3-5 years and you can start looking great from 3+. I've a little over 3 years now and am much bigger, stronger and more ripped then when I started. If you took part in a lot of sports before I guess that may help.
Good luck.
you will probably never be football player kinda buff; however, you do have the ability to get cut/defined
as long as you look good w/ your shirt off, who cares if you weight 140 or 180
as long as you look good w/ your shirt off, who cares if you weight 140 or 180
bahhh!!!!
soo many people think they eat alot and most aren't even reaching 3000 calories a day and barely reaching the 1g protein for every 1lb of bodyweight ratio thats considered a main building block for growth. And thats just the minimum. Should be more like 1.5-2grams of protein for every lb of bodyweight. I understand that if yer 140lbs yer not gonna be putting down more than 5000 calories/day. No need of course. But you guys that are 120-130lbs do have a rough start... I know how it is cause I was once there. But if you think yer eating alot and not gaining yer wrong cause yer not eating enough or eating properly. Being able to eat a whole large pizza or maybe even 2 large pizzas in one sitting isn't eating alot. Eating 6-8 times a day(every 2-3hrs) 7 days a week is alot. There's a difference. Genetics biggest role is where you start. From there it's just work as it is for anyone else. Some people do start off way better but at a certain point there's a level playing field for everyone and those who get beyond it and have something to look at are always the dedicated ones who never talk about genetics cause they know from extended experience that your body will always respond to whatever you throw at it no matter what genetics you may begin with
soo many people think they eat alot and most aren't even reaching 3000 calories a day and barely reaching the 1g protein for every 1lb of bodyweight ratio thats considered a main building block for growth. And thats just the minimum. Should be more like 1.5-2grams of protein for every lb of bodyweight. I understand that if yer 140lbs yer not gonna be putting down more than 5000 calories/day. No need of course. But you guys that are 120-130lbs do have a rough start... I know how it is cause I was once there. But if you think yer eating alot and not gaining yer wrong cause yer not eating enough or eating properly. Being able to eat a whole large pizza or maybe even 2 large pizzas in one sitting isn't eating alot. Eating 6-8 times a day(every 2-3hrs) 7 days a week is alot. There's a difference. Genetics biggest role is where you start. From there it's just work as it is for anyone else. Some people do start off way better but at a certain point there's a level playing field for everyone and those who get beyond it and have something to look at are always the dedicated ones who never talk about genetics cause they know from extended experience that your body will always respond to whatever you throw at it no matter what genetics you may begin with
You'll need to eat a lot more probably. Make sure it is quality proteins and carbs and enough fat (try flaxseed oil). Work your lats and delts hard. Make sure you are lifting sufficient weight (i.e., weight you can only lift ~6-8 times before failure). Eat adequate protein. If you have a chinup/pullup bar, those can work wonders for the areas you mention. Also, if you find it hard to gain weight, try to avoid too much aerobic activity. Of course these are general guidelines for hard gainers. There are many resources on the web that provide details, and each person is different. While you are likely not genetically predisposed to be massive, with time and hard work you can definitely make gains. My brother had a really hard time gaining mass, and this worked for him. He was 5'9" @ 114. Not sure what he weighs now but he's much larger.
The most important thing you can probably do for somebody looking to get big is EAT and SLEEP. Without the proper diet, dont' expect to see much gains. For somebody looking to put on that much weight you should be looking at around 4000-5000 calories a day. Sleep is the next most important thing you can do. Try to get atleast 8+ hours a day or sleep. Next you should take a good look at your routine, working out 5-6 days a week is starting to get a bit excessive. Try working a 3-4 day split routine.
Day 1
Chest/Tri's
Day 3
Back/Bi's
Day 5
Legs
Day 7
Shoulders/Abs
Try taking a look at sites like WannaBeBig.com, they provide you with excellent advice and routies. I've been working out for about a year and i know what's it's like to try and put on weight, especially since i was a skinny asian too. Currently 6'2 and about 190 lbs, my goals are to put on about 20-30 pounds of lean mass in about a 1-2 year period.
Day 1
Chest/Tri's
Day 3
Back/Bi's
Day 5
Legs
Day 7
Shoulders/Abs
Try taking a look at sites like WannaBeBig.com, they provide you with excellent advice and routies. I've been working out for about a year and i know what's it's like to try and put on weight, especially since i was a skinny asian too. Currently 6'2 and about 190 lbs, my goals are to put on about 20-30 pounds of lean mass in about a 1-2 year period.
There's some reasonable advice in this thread. Broad shoulders will develop if you put enough work into developing all the muscles of the shoulder girdle including pecs and lats. Genes matter but not nearly as much as most posts are implying. Most people can at least create the illusion of broad shoulders by keeping the waistline under control and putting good work into deltoids (particularly the lateral heads that form a cap at the end). A 28-inch natural waist enhances meager delts. But if you let your mid-section expand to Bolo Yeung proportions even massive delts look less impressive.
Keep working out and eating properly. Don't look at a 6'2" dude doing a lat pull and expect you to get that size of upper body. I am asian 5'7" 150lbs with pretty defined upper body, but not the abs (too much lo mein!). As far as vanity goes, for shorties, having defined muscles would look better than being stocky.
yeah seriously, don't look at yourself and try to compare to other people. what other people can do means jack sh1t to you.
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