[Anonymous]

Hey guys, I made weight!

You heard me!

And I enlisted yesterday!!

My recruiter said that I can start building muscle now.

I also learned while on vacation that you CAN get taped to check body fat instead of making weight, but the recruiting office I go to doesn’t like to do that because it doesn’t teach you discipline. I’m happier now having lost the 36 (yeah, I’m one pound over my goal!) pounds than to have been taped. It DID teach me discipline, and I feel great. I bought smaller pants yesterday…I can’t believe it! I grabbed a pair that I thought I wouldn’t be able to fit into just to see if I could, and it fit PERFECTLY! I don’t ever remember being this size seeing as I was a big girl until, well, until 3 months ago 🙂 🙂 🙂

Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know that I can build again, so if any of you buff dudes have any tips, I’m glad to hear them (although I really do know how to build, just curious to hear anything new).

[TC2]

Take pictures again soon, so you can track your progress from big girl to fully chiseled muscular beauty. 🙂

[David]

Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Take pictures again soon, so you can track your progress from big girl to fully chiseled muscular beauty. 🙂

I should…my traps have gotten bigger since the pic in my avatar!

[Kitsunekun]

Congratulations!!!!

I knew you could do it (not really)

Here are some tips:

1)What is the best way to pack on muscle mass? Packing on size is easy, as long as the proper techniques are applied. Keep in mind is that everyone has a different body type. Techniques or methods that work for others may not work for you. This next segment will briefly describe some of the insider tips needed to get huge. We’ll begin with training techniques.

Start by training 2 – 4 days per week. Try not to exceed more than approximately 1 hour and a half for the training duration. If possible, keep your workout to an hour in length. This time frame is all you need. Anything longer won’t make you any bigger. By limiting your workout time to 1 hour, you also significantly decrease the risk of overtraining. Try to keep repetition range to about 4 – 12. When it comes to reps, descend with control, but power the weight to the up position (come down slow and up fast). This will help build mass, increase power, and total strength.

Rest time in between sets should be approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Try to center your workouts around key exercise movements. For example, bench press, leg press, etc. Avoid training more than 2 muscle groups at a time. Typically, you want to train muscles that work with each other. For example, chest and triceps or biceps and back. This strategy is ideal and proven effective.

The best way to build lean muscle mass while burning fat is to perform cardio, either before or after a workout. Since the goal is to try to build mass, you only need cardio about once a week or once every 2 weeks max. Performing too much cardio can take away from quality muscle gains and cause you to get smaller in size.

Although it may be inconvenient, it is best to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Usually when people workout, it is mid-day or in the afternoon. By that time, they’ve eaten several meals packed with carbohydrates (the body’s primary source of energy). Those high carb meals are most likely going to be used as a source of fuel for the body. If you limit your fuel (carbs), the body will be forced to burn fuel from its alternate source . . . fat.

Resting the body is just as important as dieting and training. Try to get about 6 or 8 hours of sleep a day. Resting is what actually causes the muscles to grow. Taking days, even weeks off from training will only benefit you. Be sure to experiment with rest periods to find out which works best for your body type.

An important thing to remember, especially if you’re a novice or hardgainer is to be patient. Patience is the key to success when it comes to muscle gains. Do not overtrain. As stated before, spending long hours in the gym will not benefit you. It will only hurt you. Beginners tend to often make this mistake. They see such awesome gains early on. They then think, "The more I train, the bigger I’ll get." This is a big mistake because the muscle aren’t given a chance to grow. Overtraining actually tears the muscles down, causing them to "plateau" and get weak. Remember, success doesn’t come overnight. Always keep a positive outlook on things and be patient.

"The longer I’m out of the gym, the bigger I get. Train less and get bigger!"

– Justin Leonard, ISSA CFT

We all know what a sore muscle feels like. You can think of muscle soreness as a good thing. Muscle soreness is an indication of muscle growth. To feel soreness (usually the following day) as a result of training is perfectly normal. If a muscle is sore, do not train that particular muscle until it has fully recovered. It is ok to train muscles other than the sore muscles, just don’t train the sore one.

When working out, do not favor body parts. This can cause muscular imbalances. For example, having a big upper body and skinny legs is not balance. Proper balance is a necessity. If it gets to the point where muscular imbalance becomes a problem, try priority training. This concept involves training a lacking muscle first or with the most attention. For example, if the legs are not in proportion with the upper body, train them at the beginning of the week instead of training chest at the beginning of the week. For some, training a certain muscle twice a week may be the solution to muscular imbalances.

Gym safety is important. Safety spotters (human or machine) can be a tremendous asset. Do not be afraid to utilize someone who can spot or provide assistance. Always know your limits and don’t push yourself over natural boundaries. Most people would be more than willing to assist as a spotter. You should begin all workouts using high reps and a light weight. Eventually, the weight load will increase causing the repetition range to become lower. When you get to this point, think wisely.

2)Tip 1: Don’t Favor Body Parts

Balance is of the essence. If you do develop muscular imbalances, try using priority training as a remedy. Priority training is when a weak muscle group is trained with first priority.

Tip 2: Avoid Overtraining

Usually, beginning athletes see good results early on in their training endeavors. They then think that doubling the amount of workout time, weight, sets, or reps will contribute to even greater gains. This is a big mistake. The muscles and joints will actually begin to get weaker, due to the effects of overtraining. It may not happen right away, but overtraining can come back to haunt you after years or even months of training. The best way to avoid overtraining is to create a limit that you will not exceed. This can be something as simple as cutting your workout to only 1 hour (recommended) instead of 2 hours, or training 4 days instead of 5 days per week.

Tip 3: Eat High Carb Meals After Workouts

This type of eating replenishes vital nutrients and calories lost during exercise, and ultimately leads to rapid muscle growth.

Tip 4: Know Your Limits

Gym safety is important. Always know your limits, especially when it comes to performing exercises where the muscles can fatigue very quickly. For example, extremely heavy weights or maybe an ending movement in which a high amount of reps are performed. I’m putting emphasis on the spotter. Don’t be afraid to ask for one! You’ve heard it before, "Better safe than sorry! " Try to utilize the help of a partner or friend. If a spotter is unavailable, consult with your gym staff. Nine times out of ten, gym employees are required to possess a personal trainer and CPR certification. They care about the safety of their gym members, and would be more than willing to help. Another option is to choose someone who looks like they know what they are doing. Be careful with this option because looks can be deceiving. Not all big guys or gals know how to spot properly. The last option is to use a machine. This is probably the safest way to ensure you don’t get stuck under a bar. Use judgement and make smart decisions!

Tip 5: Concentrate of Form

I often see people in the gym who use momentum to power up heavy weights. These people can be seen on benches pressing up weight with big arcs in their backs, as well as curling using swinging techniques to power the weight up. This is a big mistake! You’re only cheating yourself. If you think about it . . . what good is it doing? Swinging and cheating weight up is not really putting emphasis on any one muscle group. It is however, putting a severe strain on the back muscles and increasing your risk of injury. That is why you should concentrate on precise technique while keeping a constant link between the mind and the muscle.

Tip 6: Stretch

Why is this important? Because being flexible prevents injury, increases range of motion, promotes relaxation, improves performance, improves posture, and reduces stress. Stretching helps prevent muscular imbalances. It also reduces the duration of muscle soreness as a result of a strenuous workout. What is the best way to stretch? Stretching should be done very slow, controlled, and gradual. Don’t bounce! Each position should be held for about 10 – 30 seconds. Stretching should not be painful. Be sure to stretch the muscles only after they have been warmed up. If you stretch them when they are cold, you increase your chances of injury. To avoid this, you must send warm blood to the muscle being stretched. Your best bet in getting warm blood to the muscles is to do some type of cardiovascular activity. When should you stretch? It is recommended to stretch before, during, and after a workout. The body warms up over the duration of a workout. This is beneficial because each time you stretch, you are able to stretch further over a period of time. The warmer your body gets, the more you are able to stretch. A little secret I learned is to stretch in between sets while I am resting. This way I’m not sitting around. Each minute in the gym is being utilized. By doing this, you’re letting the body rest while increasing flexibility at the same time.

Tip 7: Don’t Let Myths Ruin the Way You Train

I get several questions about full reps and half reps, high and low reps, heavy and light weight, and short or long workouts. There is no right or wrong answer! Every technique, no matter the type, is going to work for someone, somewhere. Don’t always go by what you hear. Try different techniques for yourself and see if they work for you.

Tip 8: Be Patient

Trust me, I know first hand how discouraging physical gains can be if they don’t come as fast as you want them to. Your goal may take some time (months, even years) to accomplish. Don’t let things like high-caliber magazine and TV athletes cause you to give up and lose hope. In fitness, nothing happens right away. Your level of success is measured by how patient you are.

Hope you find this info useful 8)

[Kitsunekun]

Ah, and about dieting: (almost forgot) 😛

1) Protein: minimal of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Some may do better at up to 2g/lb! (Experimentation & cycling your protein intake may be necessary)

2) Dietary Fat: 25-30% of daily calories as dietary fat (with emphasis on Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) and unsaturated fats)For more info, go to EFA article

3) Carbohydrates: Eliminate/Limit refined carbohydrates including most starches (except in special needs). Also eliminate/limit "empty calories" such as salad dressings, sauces, gravies (these hidden calories can pack on unwanted pounds of hideous fat!)

4) Vegetables:Emphasize fibrous vegetables and include them in two meals each day.

5) Fruit: Limit fruit consumption to those lower on the Glycemic Index

6) Water: Pure water consumption each day. Target 1 ounce for each kilogram of bodyweight. Work up to it by carrying a bottle of water with you, everywhere!

7) Fiber:Fiberintake of 30 grams, minimum. For more info, go to Fiber Intake

8 ) Meal Frequency: Eat 5-8 smaller meals each day. Each time you eat there is a "thermic effect" to the body’s metabolic rate. 5-8 of these daily "stokings of the fire" are better than 2-3.

9) Alcohol: Alcohol is one of the greatest bodyfat promoters and testosterone suppressants (though I don’t think you would care about the last 😉 )

10) Simulants: Use stimulants such as caffeine, ephedrine, etc. only in specific conditions when a pick-up is needed (i.e. prior to training). Avoid dependence upon these type agents by cycling their use (if you do choose to use them at all). Remember: Some individuals should NEVER take CNS stimulants as they are contraindicated (check with a health care practitioner) Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate all have caffeine. And cold medicines usually include a heavy dose of CNS stimulants as well. Simply be aware!

[David C. Matthews]

All RIIIIGGHHHT!!!

UberStrawberry may yet become a reality, ne?

[Lu]

Woo ^^ Good luck!

I wish I could too- but I’m far too shy to even admit that I’d like to be a buff gal to even my mother!

And well… going to the gym we have in my town with all those chavs and people that generally hate me and would make fun of me… er >>; that puts me off ~_~;

[Anonymous]

KITSUNE: Thanks for the tips. I did know most of them (as I said, I know how to build but wanted additional info), but appreciate you telling me all this in case I was unaware 🙂

When it comes to reps, descend with control, but power the weight to the up position (come down slow and up fast). This will help build mass, increase power, and total strength.

I lifted and dropped slowly, so I’ll try this!

"The longer I’m out of the gym, the bigger I get. Train less and get bigger!"

My bodybuilder uncle told me this. He asked “Which looks better, a short-distance runner or a long-distance one?”

Alcohol is one of the greatest bodyfat promoters and testosterone suppressants (though I don’t think you would care about the last )

Sure I do. Women have testosterone, too 🙂

I did have a question about stimulants. I bought a metabolism booster, and it works…I get really amped about 5 minutes after taking them that I have to work out even if I wasn’t planning on doing it already. I don’t take it excessively (like taking it when I’m not planning on exercising), but am interested in what you have to say about it…as well as where your info comes from. Thanks 🙂

DC: “UberStrawberry may yet become a reality, ne?” It’s not a matter of “may” but “when.” 😀

KULLI: NEVER be ashamed of being a buff female. Anyone who tells you not to is either jealous or super-intimidated. And if they laugh at you, so what? Screw ‘em. It’s YOUR life…do what YOU want! And with enough working out, they’ll think twice before mocking you. Wear your ovaries on the outside, girl!

[Debido-San]

Yay Yay! Go Strawberry! *lifts my planeteer ring to the sky!*

This will be interesting, and I can say "I -indirectly- know that Female Bodybuilder right there!"

You’re my new favorite marine! Good luck and GO FOR BROKE!

that last part didn’t come out right…

[Author]

Posts