When to start taking supps?

[nummer31]

hello guys, i'm new in bodybuilding
it has been 4 months now
have been eating lean food and working out
but there's very little muscle gain i notice
should i start taking supps now (age 21)?
like pre and post workout supps
also new in supps consumption
so some experienced suggestion will be appreciated

 

[Jmkt89]

Stats... Diet.... Training... Post up

 

[nummer31]

Height: 5.8
Weight: 60 Kg
Arms: 11.5"

4-5 meals containing
3 meals = 2 x grilled chicken, mixed veggies, kidney beans
other 2 might be Oatmeal or some peanut butter, corn flakes, etc.

Workout 4 days:
Sun: Shoulder and back(light)
Mon: Arms (Bicep+Tricep)
Tue: Off
Wed: Arms (Bicep+Tricep)
Thu: Abs and Legs
Fri: Off
Sat: Chest and Tri(light)

Basically, i prioritize my arms and want to build it up to a certain point
after that i'll start concentrating on other body parts individually as well

 

[oso0960]

nummer31, you've come to the right forum if you'd like to get big guns. Unfortunately, everything you're doing won't get you there. You need to eat big to get big. You need to lift big to get big.

Lots of food with lots of compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, standing overhead presses, Rows, pullups, etc. that should be your priority.

I'd suggest going to the training forum and looking at the stickies. Do a program called "rippetoe's 3x5". Also, learn how to do the compounds correctly!

Supplements? Multivitamin. Fish oil. Protein powder.

 

[nummer31]

nummer31, you've come to the right forum if you'd like to get big guns. Unfortunately, everything you're doing won't get you there. You need to eat big to get big. You need to lift big to get big.

Lots of food with lots of compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, standing overhead presses, Rows, pullups, etc. that should be your priority.

I'd suggest going to the training forum and looking at the stickies. Do a program called "rippetoe's 3x5". Also, learn how to do the compounds correctly!

Supplements? Multivitamin. Fish oil. Protein powder.

So let me summarise ur suggestions:
1. Lift more weight
2. Do compound exercises (i superset my bi and tri days. will that do?)
3. Only supplement: Protein powder

won't i require pre-workout supps to lift more?
and is my meal plan ok?

i cannot seem to find 'rippetoe's 3x5'
could u plz link me to it

 

[oso0960]

Guide to Novice Barbell Training, aka the Official RIPPETOE-STARTING STRENGTH FAQ - Bodybuilding.com Forums

There you go. I highly suggest you read everything and understand everything. It answers all of your questions and will set you on the right track.

 

[CoBra666]

you wanna get bigger then wtf are you doing light days for?? lol rippetoes is a great starting workout. sounds stupid but you gotta work your whole body to get big arms dude. building your legs is one of the best things you can do for your upper body. so say you rock that rippetoe program to the T, your diet is Oso said. eat big. eat protein, lean protein. actual protein is better than protein shakes. you gotta eat till you are sick of eating every day. just eat damn clean or you will get fat. approx 40% protein, %40 carbs, %20 healthy fats

 

[nummer31]

you wanna get bigger then wtf are you doing light days for?? lol rippetoes is a great starting workout. sounds stupid but you gotta work your whole body to get big arms dude. building your legs is one of the best things you can do for your upper body. so say you rock that rippetoe program to the T, your diet is Oso said. eat big. eat protein, lean protein. actual protein is better than protein shakes. you gotta eat till you are sick of eating every day. just eat damn clean or you will get fat. approx 40% protein, %40 carbs, %20 healthy fats

what's the relation between big arms and other body parts?
how come legs is part of the upper body?

 

[Jmkt89]

what's the relation between big arms and other body parts?
how come legs is part of the upper body?

Legs sessions release HGH, test and regulate insulin levels.. If you don't do legs then I think you're mad.. Plus you will look wrong..

Big chest and big back compounds work you're biceps and triceps.. Personally I think arm days are vanity days.. Which is fine but you can't walk round like popeye and think you look the business

Follow what the other guys said..

And EAT till you feel sick and when that sickness goes away.. Do it all over again

I was 63kg at 5' 8.. I'm now 86kg at 5' 10.. Granted that's also come from growing but not 23kg/~50lbs

 

[CoBra666]

best way to put it is to be a big strong tree you need big strong roots and trunk. compound movements like deads and squats are the best building exercises u can do cuz they do alot more than just legs. they release gh and natural test and endorphins to make u feel happy. they are one of the biggest muscle groups in your body. growing them will burn more fat and help you get in overall better shape. deads are also the best thing u could do for your back and your overall body in a single workout.

 

[CoBra666]

if u r suprised by this u also need to do some serious research about training before you start looking into supps. training is the most important part of getting bigger followed by diet. without proper training and diet all the supps, pro hormones, or steroids in the world wont get you big

 

[kagenical]

if u r suprised by this u also need to do some serious research about training before you start looking into supps. training is the most important part of getting bigger followed by diet. without proper training and diet all the supps, pro hormones, or steroids in the world wont get you big

Heh, I disagree theoretically. Put someone on a protein only diet and their body comp will change. Give someone a bomb course of anadrol+sust and they'll gain muscle even at complete rest. I personally believe diet dictates training, and results. But you're absolutely correct in practice. Especially about the supplements thing.

People fail to realize that a supplement, SUPPLEMENTS you. It provides something you SHOULD be getting from your environment (diet) in order to maximize results. I don't recommend anyone take a supplement until they KNOW what they're lacking, what they require, and WHY they aren't (or aren't capable) of getting it.

Otherwise, it's like pissing in the wind and hoping for the best. "My bro said whey will get me srs mass" without logically understanding WHY (you can't get enough protein with your mom's family cooking, for example) it will benefit you... Simply won't benefit you at all, and will be a waste of money and effort.

OP, I have hard to train biceps. My arms just don't grow. I've put 2 inches on my calves and 3 on my quads... And my bicep diameter (incl. tricep) didn't budge at all. What DID work for me was grouping my arm workouts together. Saturday AND Sunday I'd blast my arms, shoulders and upper back. Then the rest of the week was free to focus on deadlifts, chest and squats. This allowed for 6 days rest for these muscles, which is very important. Grilling your arms every 3 days is a recipe for stagnation, at least with my genetics - perhaps you are similar.

You absolutely MUST do the compound exercises as Cobra stated or you will NEVER get the physiological benefit... Never lift light. If you're going to lift light, do a different body part or just rest for an extra day. Light lifting, unless you're lactic acid training or something else, very specific, is a waste of time.

And yes, of course, you've got to eat big, and properly, or just give up.

 

[stevesmi]

I hope you are still around.

the only supplement that you need is FOOD.

also your workout splits are awful no wonder you haven't made any gains. I suggest you start reading up on different splits and find one that fits you.. maybe buy a book or bodybuilder magazine and follow the splits they suggest... i have a log on here where I listed my splits and got very specific about what a typical workout was.

or your last option would be to befriend someone at the gym who you want to look like and follow them for a day or join them in their workouts. you've got a lot to learn but so does everyone else.. this sport is a constant learning experience, once you understand how YOUR OWN body works then your gains will start coming.

 

[nummer31]

I hope you are still around.

the only supplement that you need is FOOD.

also your workout splits are awful no wonder you haven't made any gains. I suggest you start reading up on different splits and find one that fits you.. maybe buy a book or bodybuilder magazine and follow the splits they suggest... i have a log on here where I listed my splits and got very specific about what a typical workout was.

or your last option would be to befriend someone at the gym who you want to look like and follow them for a day or join them in their workouts. you've got a lot to learn but so does everyone else.. this sport is a constant learning experience, once you understand how YOUR OWN body works then your gains will start coming.

could u please link me to it?
i'd like to learn more
to everybody: can i edit my routine to include compounds? and like kagenical said can i do two consecutive days arms and then focus the rest of the days on other muscle/muscle groups?

 

[oso0960]

can i do two consecutive days arms and then focus the rest of the days on other muscle/muscle groups?

If you like to waste time

 

[nummer31]

i got a new one:

MON - Chest/shoulders
warmup with 2 sets of pushups
flat BB bench press - 3x5-8
incline DB bench press - 3x8-12
weighted dips - 2x5-8
(incline) DB flys - 2x8-12
military press - 3x5-8
lateral raises - 3x8-12

TUE - Back
deadlifts - warm up with 2-4 sets, then 3x5
bent-over BB rows - 4x5-8
weighted pullups - 4x8-12
reverse flys - 3x8-12

WED - Cardio & abs

THU - Legs
(front) squats - warmup with 2-4 sets, then 3x5-20
walking lunges - 3x8-12
leg extensions - 3x8-12
unilateral leg curls - 3x5-8
SLDL - 3x8-12
standing calf raises - 4x8-12
seated calf raises - 2x12-25

FRI - Arms
weighted dips - 3x8-12
close-grip bench press - 3x5-8
cable pushdowns (or french press or overhead tricep extensions) - 2x8-12
DB curls - 3x8-12
incline hammer curls - 3x8-12
concentration curls - 2x8-12

WEEKEND - Cardio & abs

please comment on it

 

[oso0960]

I still vote for Rippetoe's 3x5.

Why I don't like that routine:

-Day dedicated to arms
-More pressing than pulling.
-Too much volume.

 

[CoBra666]

I agree with rippetoes. It's s great starter. And as ur body gets accustomed to the workout u can add isolations to it. When I came back from my injury I did rippetoes for 2 deloads. I also did 3x5 for bb curls cuz I am vain. And then added some other isolations too. Db and incline presses on bench day. I do calves when squatting since I already have a few hundred pounds on my back. Etc but rippetoes is a great starter.

 

[CoBra666]

I add that stuff to the end and bb curls on my b workout plus other isos. But the 3 compounds are most important and come first

 

[nummer31]

can smn please add a summary to Rippetoe's routine?
i'm getting dizzy with all the info
all i understood that i have to do this:

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Power cleans

You train on 3 nonconsecutive days per week.

is it correct?

 

[oso0960]

can smn please add a summary to Rippetoe's routine?
i'm getting dizzy with all the info
all i understood that i have to do this:

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Power cleans

You train on 3 nonconsecutive days per week.

is it correct?

I'd ditch the power cleans. It's a great exercise when done properly but it has a huge learning curve. You could do high pulls instead (the power clean without the shoulder racking). I always preferred some type of row personally. Something like Barbell Rows.

Yes you do them on 3 nonconsecutive days.

Your goal is to progress each workout. Progress is made by adding weight to the bar. If you get 135 x 3x5 today, 2 days from now try 140 x 3x5. If you stop progressing, it's time to change things.

 

[Dimitri22]

Legs sessions release HGH, test and regulate insulin levels.. If you don't do legs then I think you're mad.. Plus you will look wrong..

Big chest and big back compounds work you're biceps and triceps.. Personally I think arm days are vanity days.. Which is fine but you can't walk round like popeye and think you look the business

Follow what the other guys said..

And EAT till you feel sick and when that sickness goes away.. Do it all over again

I was 63kg at 5' 8.. I'm now 86kg at 5' 10.. Granted that's also come from growing but not 23kg/~50lbs

That's awesome have you done any cycles?