Am I going about bulking the right way here?

[lonewolf17]

I'm trying to bulk up some more so I joined a gym.

I go about 4 or 5 times a week and alternate what I work on; so biceps/triceps one day, back another, chest the next, ect. I try to do about 8-10 reps with enough weight that I'm about failing by the end. I also try to do sets of 50 pushups nearly every day.

Does this all sound about right for bulking?

Also, whenever I go to the gym I burn between 200-300 calories on the elipitcal. Is this going to ruin all the work I do on the machines?

I'm a bit new at this, so I'm just afraid I'm going bout it all wrong, could use some guidence.

 

[lordson]

my trainer tells me that

with bulk, you need to go as heavy as you can 4-6 reps max

start with a weight in where the first set you can get 6 out, and 6 should be a truggle from there on

if you just started going gym, theres alot you need to learn

just know that its a life-long commitment unfortunately. once you start going, you WILL have to go for the rest of your life if you want to maintain you muscles. if you stop going, your muscles will go back to their original sendentary state.

don't neglect your legs or abs

 

[Steel Driver]

Check out the nutrition section in this link:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

It helped me get started.

 

[lonewolf17]

Thanks for the tips and the link.

Last night I read articles here and on bodybuilding.com for about 3 hours just trying to educate myself some more.

One question I have though, is can you substitute machines for free weight? Becuase I've been using mostly machines, is that bad am I not going to see gains unless I go with free?

 

[lordson]

also, you can't expect to put on only muscle, you're going to have to take a bit a fat packed on as well

my mate is a body builder, and hes freaking HUGE. he gets average man fat% during his off season to bulk up as much as possible, and during competition season he starts dropping off that fat

 

[lonewolf17]

Okay I'll cut down on the cardio to just light for 20 min a few times a week, and I'm still working on diet but I'm going to improve that too.

For reps it seems since I'm bulking I should go for fewer with higher weight (I'm thinking 5-8 failing by the end seems about right for me) but if what Espi says is true I'll switch it up as well, do high and medium as well.

This sound all right then?

But what's the word on machines vs free weight? Because it's a lot more convienent for me to use a machine at the gym I go to, so if there isn't too much of a difference I'd rather do that. But if I'm doing myself a major disservice I'll go to free. But I just need to know the difference, I've read conflicting things. What you guys think??

 

[shaunuk]

lonewolf, you need to be using free weights for the most part.

go with this routine

monday - legs
---
squats 2x5, 1x20
leg curls 3x8-10
calves 3x15

wednesday
---
incline bench 3x5
flat db press 3x6-8
db shoulder press 3x8-10
tricep pushdowns/skullcrushers 3x10

friday - back
---
deadlifts 3x5
lat pulldowns 2x6
barbell rows 2x8
curls 3x10

or something similar.

Don't overanalyse too much. The main thing isn't really the exact semantics of what you're doing...you just need to be doing squats, deadlifts, bench, plus your accessory lifts like db bench, shoulder presses, back work (pulldowns, rows) etc..

And eat your arse off. You need at least 1.5g of protein for every pound of your bodyweight. If you're 150lbs, at least 225g of protein, but better yet is 2g/lb, which is 300g per day.

eat whatever carbs and fats you can shove down you from there.

get yourself in "The Vault" thread as well mate.

 

[lonewolf17]

lonewolf, you need to be using free weights for the most part.

go with this routine

monday - legs
---
squats 2x5, 1x20
leg curls 3x8-10
calves 3x15

wednesday
---
incline bench 3x5
flat db press 3x6-8
db shoulder press 3x8-10
tricep pushdowns/skullcrushers 3x10

friday - back
---
deadlifts 3x5
lat pulldowns 2x6
barbell rows 2x8
curls 3x10

or something similar.

Don't overanalyse too much. The main thing isn't really the exact semantics of what you're doing...you just need to be doing squats, deadlifts, bench, plus your accessory lifts like db bench, shoulder presses, back work (pulldowns, rows) etc..

And eat your arse off. You need at least 1.5g of protein for every pound of your bodyweight. If you're 150lbs, at least 225g of protein, but better yet is 2g/lb, which is 300g per day.

eat whatever carbs and fats you can shove down you from there.

get yourself in "The Vault" thread as well mate.

Hey thanks for this man, I appreciate it. I think you're right, I think I've been overanalyzing like ****, but I'll go with your plan and just make sure my protein and intake is good. Thanks mate!

 

[Mad Manic]

Hey thanks for this man, I appreciate it. I think you're right, I think I've been overanalyzing like ****, but I'll go with your plan and just make sure my protein and intake is good. Thanks mate!

In the end you'll realise it's about training your arse off, eating 5-6 meals a day of quality food and not wasting your money on supps, pills etc. It's about commitment and consistency, time after time. Building a great physique is one of the hardest things in the world.

MM

 

[Throttle]

regarding rep numbers, i'm big advocate of a few sets of low reps w/ high weight BUT only after warming up:

http://www.ironaddicts.com/Warm-ups.html

warming up like this usually involves many more total sets & reps than even espi is talking about, especially for the big compound lifts. but your worksets will still look something like 2x5 or 2x8.