What is the best way to bulk up?

[Slackboy72]

If you want to bulk up beeeeefcake is the answer.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

- weights and proper lifting techniques,
- eating the right foods every 3 or so hours (brown rice/pasta, red & white meat, - broccoli, beans etc),
- plenty of water,
- make sure your breathing is right when working out,
- creatine before each workout,
- protein after each work out,
- workout 6 days a week for atleast an hour each day
- sharing the work load amongst your body evenly (legs one day, shoulders/back another, arms/chest another etc).
- Plenty of rest/sleep in between.
- Give your body time to recover and to allow to grow.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

^6 days a week is a bit much if you're primarily after size/strength gains IMO, the body needs more recovery time than that. I guess if you're mostly doing isolation excercises in a split routine you could do that, but IMO you'd be better off training every second day with mostly compound movements and resting on alternate days.

 

[Thomas]

Yeah I agree. 6 days of weight training is a recipe for disaster. 6 days a week training though (incorporating cardio etc) is fine.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yeah I agree. 6 days of weight training is a recipe for disaster. 6 days a week training though (incorporating cardio etc) is fine.

Yeah weights every second day and cardio on the in between days is fine, though the cardio certainly won't make you any bigger or stronger. (it will improve your aerobic fitness and help you lose extra fat if you have any).
If you sole aim is to put on mass and strength though you're better off spending your rest days resting and stuffing your face with protein.

 

[Tom Shines]

It's not possible to lift weights 6 days a week.

 

[Cliffhanger]

I used to lift six days a week, but it was moderate weights.

I would do upper body three days a week (chest, back, biceps, triceps)
And lower body three days (so squats, dead lifts, weighted lunges, leg raisers, etc)

On upper body day I'd also do a one hour abs and core workout.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I used to lift six days a week, but it was moderate weights.

I would do upper body three days a week (chest, back, biceps, triceps)
And lower body three days (so squats, dead lifts, weighted lunges, leg raisers, etc)

On upper body day I'd also do a one hour abs and core workout.

Different weights, different goals though dude. If you're just after strength/mass you need to lift heavy, and if you lift heavy you need recovery time. Heavy deadlifts 3 times a week will knacker you. I'm squatting 3 days a week and doing deadlifts, bench press, press and cleans every alternate workout and I'm finding I need the recovery time.

It's not possible to lift weights 6 days a week.

well obviously it's possible, the question is is it beneficial? Exceeding the body's capacity for recovery does not do you any good.

 

[Cliffhanger]

True, when I was lifting heavy I was only doing weights three days a week and I never wanted to bulk. My genetics allow me to build muscle quite quickly (which being a girl means it's not necessarily that great) so I can build muscle on moderate weights, even with a deficit.

 

[Joker's Wild]

If you can lift 6 times a week and not feel like a Mack truck has hit you then you are not lifting heavy enough (assuming we are talking about lifting for strength here)

 

[Cliffhanger]

I was targeting different groups though.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

My genetics allow me to build muscle quite quickly (which being a girl means it's not necessarily that great)

Females genrally don't pack the muscle on in the same way as guys even if they train heavy, you'll get strong but you won't get massive. The whole "I don't want to lift heavy weights cause I don't want to get big" fear that a lot of girls seem to have is bullshit, you simply won't get that big unless you start doing roids etc.

 

[Cliffhanger]

My biceps are pretty big for a girl, but you're right I don't build much muscle bulk at all.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

My biceps are pretty big for a girl, but you're right I don't build much muscle bulk at all.

Yeah I wouldn't worry about it, you prolly notice it more yourself anyway... go hard with your training and don't stress about it

 

[RHCP]

If you can lift 6 times a week and not feel like a Mack truck has hit you then you are not lifting heavy enough (assuming we are talking about lifting for strength here)

This.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I was targeting different groups though.

Sorry Cliffy, my comment wasnt directed at you

Lifting weights 6 times a week is fine if you keep it light and focus more on conditioning than trying to build size or strength.

 

[VodafoneWarriors1995]

Pre-season training hasn't been easy. I have been training hard for the past couple of months and I am feeling very good about myself, since I have made progress. I weighed myself and I found out that I weigh 65 kg. Changing my diet was hard, since I love junk food. I am very happy about bulking up and putting on 5 kg. Plus, I feel that I can push 70 kg in time for next season. Since my calf muscles haven't been 100%. I have been getting into weights, as well as eating right. Right now, I am focusing on conditioning as well as improving my endurance.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

If you're trying to bulk up I wouldn't be too worried about not eating junk food, just make sure you are fulfilling your nutritional requirements. Junk food can actually be helpful in maintaining a calorie surplus, which is what you need to do. Eat big and lift heavy if you want to get bigger.

 

[The European Polynesian]

Agreed SpaceMonkey. You should be eating more junk food if you can't put on weight. Be sure to eat enough quality protein to help recover and grow though and quality carbohydrates in the hours prior to training so you can train efficiently, but on top ov that just eat whatever you want to fill out your calories!

 

[melon....]

This. Except I disagree about the cardio part. There's a big stigma around that any small bit ov cardio you do is "catabolic". IMO you need a base level ov cardio to train hard. OP says he's in the offseason as well so I assume he needs cardio for whatever sport he's playing.

High school sports = too easy. Honestly, at the start ov the season everyone is extremely unfit, by the end ov the season it's not too bad. But then everyone sits on their arses all summer and it's back to square one. At least maintain your fitness over the offseason so you are getting fitter and fitter as the years go by. In high school rugby with the low standard ov fitness there is, the fitter you are the better you are, you will just run rings around everybody else, make the rep teams, get the best coaching etc. It's all in your hands how far you want to go.

Cardio is extremelyimportant when bulking up - to burn the excess carbs.

You want muscles to grow and stay big? Drink mega litres of water. As well. muscles need hydration.
And get at least8 hours of regular sleep....not coming home at 3:00am. Most of the growing is done during the time your body repeairs from the damage weights do to it. Weights alone wont grow muscles. Rest is important to achieve this.