Building some muscles!

[Allantgy]

Hello everyone!

Im kinda skinny and I bought weights so I can work at home. Ill like to gain some weight but I dont want to look fat, so, anyone can recommed me a week program that I can follow so I can look like Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man? After that Ill like to mantain it, so anyone can explain me please how to do it?

Thank you very much and sorry for my bad english... Im from Venezuela

[Marcina]

You won't get fat unless you eat too many calories (especially the bad kind!!)

 

With freeweights it's important to learn how to use them properly. There's a lot of books and magazines out there that can teach you proper form. An even better way is to get someone to show you. What kind of weights to you have?

[Allantgy]

You won't get fat unless you eat too many calories (especially the bad kind!!)

 

With freeweights it's important to learn how to use them properly. There's a lot of books and magazines out there that can teach you proper form. An even better way is to get someone to show you. What kind of weights to you have?

I bought a simple Barbell and four discs; 2 of 5 pouds and 2 of 10 pounds. I know is not much but for now is what I have

[Richard]

Hey man, this is a great link with a bunch of recommended exercises for each muscle that you want to target.

 

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

 

If you are mainly interested in arms right now, and you want to work with a barbell, you can do:

 

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Biceps/BBCurl.html

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidAnterior/BBShoulderPress.html

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/BBBentOverRow.html

 

If you have a bench then you can do:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BBBenchPress.html

 

In terms of how to do it and maintain it, it's a matter of consistency. Start off lifting your weights, make sure you are doing slow controlled movements. Count the number of times (reps) you can lift the weight. If you can do it much more than 12 times, then I'd say it's too easy and you need to buy some more weights to put on there. I'd aim for between 8 - 12 reps to start off with. If you find it too hard to get 8, take some weight off. If you find it too easy to get 12, put some weight on, so that you are somewhere in between.

 

Depending on what exercises you're doing, you can make your own schedule. But I'd recommend doing each exercise in 3 sets. So if you're doing bicep curls, do as many as you can, say that's 10. Then wait for 30 seconds then do it again, then wait another 30 seconds and do it again. Then go to the next exercise etc. Don't do the same exercise 2 days in a row, give your muscles some time to recover.

 

Hope that helps a little!

[Allantgy]

Thanks a lot richard. The past week I lifted only 5 pounds and some excercises where easy and with others it was difficult. This week Ill put 10 pounds and Ill see how it goes. This helps a lot, thank you very much!

[Allantgy]

One more thing, do I need to eat more?

Usually I take three meals a day, usually in the mornings cereal with fortified soy milk or a sandwich with vegetables or peanut butter. Black tea.

Lunch: sandwich with vegetables or vegetables with legummes or bolognese TVP with pasta. Green tea.

Dinner: Usually cereal with crackers. An infusion of Gingko Biloba or Lotus Embryo.

[Richard]

Yeah I would recommend eating a bit more than that, what is your height and weight?

[Allantgy]

Im 1`80 Mtrs (I dont know how much is that in feet ) And my weight is like 60 Kg. Ill like to gain 20 pounds of muscle. Im not a big fan of abs exercises, actually I have difficulties doing them, so can I gain some muscle and keep my waist and tummy the way it is? And once I get to the 20 pounds goal, do I have to eat the same or I should go back to the diet I described before? Men I have so many questions hehehe

Thanks Richard!

[Richard]

From what I understand, your stomach will stay pretty much the same way that it is now if you don't do stomach exercises. For example, my legs aren't very big because I don't train them as much as the rest of my body, that will be the same for your stomach if you don't train it. It might be good to do some stomach training now and then though; you won't suddenly have massive stomach muscles bursting out all over the place, you can do some without it getting out of control.

 

Once you have put on more muscle, you will need to continue with the new amount of food you're eating and continue training to maintain it, yeah. I'm not an expert though, so maybe somebody else can also give you some more specific advice. I think that whilst you are putting on the muscle is when you need to eat the most, once you are at your target, you can cut back to an extent since you're not trying to add anything, you're trying to remain the same.

[veganeatingout]

Good luck! Just keep at it and don't let any setbacks become reasons to quit.

[Allantgy]

Thank you guys! Ill train hard!

Right now Im going to stick with the 10 pounds barbell because I notice that Im really out of shape and starting with 20 pounds is too much for me just now. Yesterday I tryed abs and I really enjoyed doing them, but today I have a pain in... oh men... in my rectus... does anyone have heard of this?

[Richard]

Hm! I haven't experienced that before, what exercises were you doing for your abs?

 

Don't worry about how much weight you are lifting right now, concentrate on the number of reps. If you are consistent and if you eat enough then you will gradually be able to lift that weight easily and get more reps, then you can go up to a heavier weight and drop the reps whilst you get used to the heavier weight etc

[HCPinGviini]

It could be your tail bone that causes trouble? Sorry, no experts here either. Just my two cents.

[Allantgy]

No is not in my tailbone, is actually... in the "eye"

For the abs I made "Air Bike", Barbel Side bend, Bent-Knee hip raise. That was all I could do

Thank you Richard, this past few weeks have been amazing and the results are starting to show, now I think is time to change my diet. Guess Ill see what are the bulkers eating so I can try myself that

[hilary wright]

How about doing some bodyweight exercises as well such as pushups, chair dips, and chair pullups . . . if your "eye" is still in pain, try just doing strict crunches for a while, focusing on breath and sucking your abs in while doing the movement. To get the feel of this try sitting on the edge of a chair, back straight and feet flat on the floor. Thake a deep breath in, while exhaling lift and pull in the stomach muscles making sure to pull in the lower as well as the upper abs. Placing your hands on your thighs and pushing a little bit while exhaling may also help you to get the feel of this.

[Allantgy]

Thank you Hilary. I dont want a six pack or a perfect body. I want to look like Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man, strong but not a model.