MrSwolehouse

Yep! I hit it hard man.. I didn't pick up a weight until I learned enough about the science of building muscle. I refused to be that guy that goes in the gym and just does stuff with no understanding of how this is going to make me hyooge. LOL and it's worked so far. I'm at the point now where it's not about getting stronger so much anymore, but how I work the muslce. I'm really just going for pure hypertrophy now. Working on weak areas.. I'll be starting a log soon and showing more progress.

Here is the program I started using at 125lbs and assisted me in putting on some serious pounds within a very short amount of time. It's all about progression. Very basic and no direct arm work I'll post my current "more bodybuilding style" routine soon. I want to make sure it works first. It's a 3 day/ week setup: M, W, F is how I did it. I believe this is how everyone just starting out should lift. It will instill proper form, knowledge on basics and foundation, and build strength which will.. in the beginning.. bring MASS. (if you eat) Workout A Back Squats 5x5 Chin-Ups or Pull-Ups 5x5 Dips or Bench Press 5x5 Wrist Work 2x10 Calves 2x15-20 Workout B Front Squats 5x5 Rows 5x5 Standing Press 5x5 Deadlifts 3x5 (2 warm-up sets and 1 "stabilizer set") Wrist Work 2x10 Calves 2x15-20 Week 1: A, B, A Week 2: B, A, B Week 3: A, B, etc This was created by Reg Park back in the day.

A long time ago me and my band mates used to all shave under our arm pits and belly's and all that mess. We had the best luck with Nads (I think that's it). It's just like Nair but better. Stuff worked like a charm

The thing with CLA is you must take it at the proper dosage. I always push my customers on the Metrx Brand as it was the actual one done in the original study. Minimum dosage should be 4g/ day. 2g am and 2g pm. The main issue with it for some people is that it's almost too effective at grabbing fat enzymes. Some people who use a low carb diet and utilize more fats to make up for calories get stomach discomfort. Other than that I can never keep the stuff in stock

Try rack pulls instead of deadlifts. This will also put most of the focus on the back which (to me) is awesome! This allows me to really keep up the intensity on both legs and back. I still dead from the floor sometimes but in a romanian style so as to keep the hams out of the equation. Regardless Arnold was 6'2" and squatted like a mofo You do what you feel can be done. Don't listen to someone saying you can't unless you have actually tried. If you truly feel that squatting is doing nothing but hurting you then don't bother. There are some bodybuilders who literally never squat. They utilize the Hack squat and leg press. Is this great for strength? probably not but it WILL build muscle. There's nothing you can't work around bro. If there are guys in wheel chairs showing off amazing muscular physiques then I'll be damned if you or I can't.

Paul Delia conducted a study on dosing and when to take it many years back. It's the same method he had Jeff Willet and Skip LaCour use. Creatine is definitely one of the most researched supplements out due to the fact it's been mass marketed for over 20 years and from the beginning showed results. The problem is it's solubility. People don't realize that when you ingest 20g of monohydrate you really only utilize 3 or so grams!!! It's sad! This is due to it's solubility and it's alkalinity. Once in the stomach most gets wasted. Non-responders could very well just be people that have bodies wasting more than others. The fact is some people can take creatine until they are blue in the face and not get jack shit from it... except diarrhea. However recently I was sent some information on a new creatine from Biospecies that's out now that is already stabilized in liquid form and is 100% soluble. (I run a supplement store and get stuff from all suppliers trying to have us sell their shit lol) This does look promising though, as it also has been alkalynized (sp?) to not get attacked by the acid in the stomach. Therefore you get true gram/gram absorption. Testing remains to be seen though. I honestly only spend my money on a QUALITY MULTI-VIT, BCAA's, Beta-alinine, Glycerol, and Vitargo. Other than that it's all about diet (which I'm still working on now that I'm a new vegan hahaha). There are a couple key supps that really aid in building lean muscle while helping aid in maximum assimilation of nutrients, but I'll dive in to that stuff when I start up my log here soon (and yes I'm talking about natural legal stuff)

And here's a recent relaxed one.. I won't be happy until I get another 20 - 30lbs with less BF. All a matter of consistency and time. Oh and for reference the brown shirt in the blurry pic above is a SMALL. The shirt in this pic here is a large... OH and another fun bit of news.. the shirt in the "rocker" pic is a YOUTH LARGE! haahahhahahahaaaaaa It's hard for people that meet me now to understand how SMALL I was. It's sad!

Found a pic just before I started working out. How do I resize? and yes it's a little blurry, as you can see I wasn't happy about a pic being taken of me Right before I started lifting

Maybe 1.5 years.. I'll get some other before pics up. I don't really have many that show how skinny I was because I was always too embarrassed to be in front of the camera.

Ohhhhh yes, I will be kick starting a log here very soon!

CLA (tonalin) works better than L-Carnitine.. and it has research to back it up. The clinical trials used 4g/ day. If you get CLA make sure it's TONALIN. That's the one proven to work.

I don't even bother with creatine at all anymore. Some people are non responders and I honestly think there are way better supps to spend the money on. But to be honest with you the best way to take creatine is to use the micronized monohydrate and don't do any loading and cruising phases. that's a waste... the ultimate way of using creatine to it's full potential is this: 3 days on then 3 days off. On those 3 days you are taking creatine you will take a total of 25 - 30g a day. then the next 3 days you take NONE. repeat and do this as long as you want.

Thank you for the comments! I have always been high on the energy!!!! hahaha it's funny because when all my friends are getting trashed off alcohol they can't believe that I'm going wild right there with them with none!!! But yes it's gonna be real damn exciting to see how this goes.. I KNOW IT WILL WORK! If "The China Study" wasn't enough proof with the olympic lifter experiment, then the guy I just recently met, who just went vegan 6 months ago I think, is more than enough proof! He's 51 year old and been competing since he was 19. He went vegan and put on weight while LOSING fat and this was off the drugs! He's also helping me as far as a good solid bodybuilder meal plan goes. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I am so stoked! Can I make a training log?? If so, then I can make constant updates on the routines and eating and how my weight is going. So far still holding right at 190lbs but I've also spent this week on a deload so I haven't expected to gain yet. Tomorrow that changes!!!!! Going for the 200lb mark ASAP! -Zac

CHINA?!?? That is awesome!

Thank you.. it's been nausiating forcing down so much food but it's worth it! hahaha

YO! I just signed up here and saw this. I'm in a similar boat as you... but you are definitely better than me hahaha. I just switched over and am still in a mass gaining phase so I'll let you know how it goes! Keep us up to date bro, lets get HYOOOOOOOGE! -zac

Yessssss thank you! Pro's are definitely the one's that can help set someone up for success! I know the best info I have ever received came from one! Time to gain some weight!

WOOOO! Get shredded!

WOOOOOOOOOO! I'm glad I found this site. I literally just went Vegan this past week and I did it cold turkey. I don't like to transition in to anything as it proves to myself I can get shit done! Real quick here's my stats: Name: Zac Age: 28 Height: 5'10" Weight: 190lbs Hometown: Charlotte, NC Hobbies: Getting hyooge, fast cars. Been Vegan: 1 week LOL, I know this is all crazy sounding and I'm sure everyone reading this is thinking "oh god, here we go! he'll be gone in a week!" NEGATIVE! I will be completely honest.. I did not go vegan because I care about animals, which I do, but that's not what has made me give up meat and dairy. I have been wanting to do this for a long time simply for the healthy lifestyle, but I was just too terrified of not being able to put on quality mass. I had always been told that trying to gain weight just wasn't in my structure, that it would be a wasted effort and to just enjoy other things in life. So I put up with so much bullshit in school, getting picked on and dealing with assholes non stop. Well finally a good friend of mine, who is an awesome bodybuilder (went from my size to 260lbs), proved to me it can be done. And it definitely has been getting done!!! Yes I started lifting very late in life compared to most who want a bodybuilder physique, but I feel that I'm attacking it much smarter than most do. I have approached it right from the beginning with proven techniques and quality nutrition (or so I thought haha). I went from 125lbs to now standing at 190lbs. All natural, no drugs and honestly not much in the way of supplementation at all. I really only use 2 or 3 things and protein shakes have never been one of them! I have always relied on whole foods. I literally ate chicken and rice 5 times a day. Breakfast was 8 eggs w/ wheat toast. Before bed meal was 6 eggs w/ 10 caps of fish oil and two tablespoons of Natty Peanut Butter. My weight training all started with your basic Reg Park style 5x5 to get the core lifts up, but I quickly switched to a 5 day, Mon-Fri, routine and started maximizing my gains. Up until just recently I only trained for gaining strength in a linear progression. That worked for a little bit but then I realized it was time for some real hypertrophy. I was stuck at 170lbs for a minute and once I finally talked with my buddy and a couple other truly huge guys they gave me some solid tips that set the next 20lbs in motion. I figure now is the best time to show I can get over 200lbs and do it in a much more healthy manner!!!!! As most, my biggest fear was getting enough protein and it being good enough to create solid muscle! WHAT AN IDIOT I WAS!!!! Once I finally read "The China Study" it all became clear So here I am ready to take it to that next level and truly start attaining a bodybuilder physique!!!! I will need nutrition help/ advice no doubt. Right now I am really just maxing out the basics and using soy for a lot of my protein, don't worry that will change as I get used to this! hahaha.. and of course in return for your help I will do my best to get you guys doing some serious work in the gym!!!! I have scouted around the site and after looking at a lot of the training routines people are doing on here I know there is a lot left in the tank for some of you guys. Some are really missing out on real size. I'll just say this. Don't be like me and believe that all "mass follows strength". It only does to a certain point! I hope I can really be of great use on this site as I know it will be for me THANK YOU!!! -Zac Before: (on the left) http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs187.snc3/19446_758917062079_11801165_42265429_1910213_n.jpg Recent: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs160.ash2/41358_456702743102_617948102_6258833_1010989_n.jpg I'll take some better shots!