Increasing Muscle Size

[Guest Zolrek]

Because I wont go to the gym for the following;

- I don't like crowds

- I don't want to pay

I work out at home more often now(still lazy, though, but less so then before) - I've just got some bands about a week ago for a extra "toy" to use for working out.

They work pretty good and I'm trying to work myself up to "Normal weight". As of now(and always) I have been underweight although I've actually gained more pounds. I've got the start of a 6-pack which seems too of boosted my weight by a few pounds. Don't get me wrong I'm still a small nerd, but I'm a small /toned/ nerd.

Do you guys work out too for muscle gain? I've got no fat so I don't mean to loose weight - I want to gain it! Although if you want to post about weight loss go ahead.

[Bulldog1948]

Check out "The Total Gym" that Chuck Norris sells. Also, ask them about a nutrional guideline to put weight on while building muscle mass.

Hey, I used the Dyna Gym, which Total Gym bought out; many years ago and it's awesome. You will be suprised how much strengh, even on a small frame,you will gain. You'll be able to out-do Cis men and not break a sweat.

Mike

[Guest Keane]

Ever since I started taking ginseng supplements, I've noticed an increase in my muscle strength and my biceps got bigger. You can get whole ginseng root but I take mine in capsule form because it's easier. $6 for a bottle of 75 at Dollar General. When I used to work out about a year ago without taking anything (vitamins included), I really felt like I wasn't getting anywhere, especially in terms of strength, so I know ginseng helps a little combined with working out.

[Guest Potter]

I train at home with dumbbells and exercises that use your body weight, such as push ups, sit ups and I have a bar for chin ups. Give yourself a schedule, for example every Monday I do this, every Wednesday I do that and Fridays I do some more. It really gets you results. To make sure I build muscle, I drink a protein shake before a work out. But you don't have to drink protein shakes, you can also just eat more protein in your regular diet.

[Guest insanitylives]

There's only so much resistance with those, before you break the band.

I'd suggest getting dumbbells 2,5,10,15lb, assuming you're on the small side by the post. If you can by all means go higher, but don't hurt yourself (it will set you back a good month. Trust me)

i've been at this stuff to both loose weight and gain muscle.

in january i was 5'8 and 190, right now i'm 5'9 and 165~ trying to either loose 5 pounds or replace it. I got cursed with a very "soft" body, if you know what I'm talking about. even when im not "fat" it's still off.

[Guest Raging Shadow]

i lift 8 lb dumbells every night. i started with ten reps and add one every day. i'm up to twenty reps now. I've def noticed an increase in bicep size.

[Flint]

Wish i could gain muscles. But i can't exercise long due to illness and meh. Hmm maybe I could get some stuff for home and just use them occasionally? I'm fatter than I used to be but no muscles.

[Guest Carden]

I go to the gym but when I am not hogging the machines I life weights.

Between the 5-10 lbs dumbbells and doing push ups/pull ups/etc, my arms are looking pretty good. XD Only started a few weeks ago though.

I think someone on this forum told me that to build muscle mass: increase the weight and decrease the reps. To build endurance: decrease the weight and increase the reps.

^.^ Best of luck

[Guest nelo]

I just got some 5 lbs dumbbells. I remember a few years ago I grew out of 3 lb weights really quickly so I just skipped those. I'm totally puny at the moment, and mostly I'm doing this so when I start bowling league again in the fall I'll still be able to... well, bowl.

Besides that, I plan on working on crunches and push ups. Because those used to be the two things I was worst at in Tae Kwon Do. =(

Also, leg lifts are good.

And I also can't remember the name for this one, but where every time you take a step, you bring your knee to the ground. I liked those better than traditional squats that hurt my knees, since I have a bit of joint problems when if comes to my legs.

Now I really need to take my own advice... since I quit Tae Kwon Do a year ago, and for 11 years that was all that was keeping me from turning into a couch potato. And now I am. =(

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Body weight exercises like sit ups, pull ups, and push ups can build a surprising amount of muscle. You can probably get a chin up bar that'll go in one of your door ways for pretty cheap.

Check these out:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler57.htm

Also, if you are working out, make sure you eat enough calories. Any idea how many calories a day you are eating? If you are eating less than 2000 a day, that could keep you from making gains. Muscle is metabolically costly.

[Guest MemoryAlpha]

I do push ups. They get easier over time, and I have some arm muscle. Some.

Also, I lift free weights (sometimes) in the 12 pound range.

I find the basic exercises you can do at home are better than all that fancy gym equipment.

[Guest Darius]

I agree with other people push ups and sit ups work the best. When I was living with my parents I did both every night before I went to bed. I got up to 150 sit ups every other day and roughly 100 push ups on the opposite days. I can't do that many anymore but over time it works great. I'm a small person as well but I was stronger than most of my guy friends.

When I started doing them I did as many as I could the first night and than made a schedule that added 5 more push ups after a week and 25 more sit ups after the same amount of time. You'll find that they get a lot easier to do as long as you keep up with them. And trust me it makes a big difference if you don't motivate yourself to do them.

Darius

[Guest April63]

Push ups and sit ups work great since they use your own body weight, and there are various ways to add or remove resistance with these exercises. Dumbbells are a great way to add resistance, and they open up several other exercises that are easy to perform that don't require a gym membership or expensive workout equipment. Just make sure that you are doing the exercises correctly with proper form so that you don't hurt yourself and the workout is the most effective. If you are using weights, you want to use enough weight so that you can barely complete the twelfth repetition, but you still can do it properly. Eat a balanced, healthy diet that gives you enough energy to build muscle, and still perform aerobic exercise. Part of the buff look is the lack of fat on top of the muscle, and another way to help you look ripped is to simply show off those muscle, regardless of their size. Remember to stretch! Stretching protects the muscles and tendons from strains and sprains, while increasing your flexibility and circulation. Hope this helps.

[Guest Lelouch]

I don't really do much to get a bigger mass since I'm already big to start with. I'm 5'6" and weigh around 140lbs though I think it's mainly fat.

Here's how I look.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs515.snc3/27021_386483744455_584554455_3739457_5522315_n.jpg

[Guest My_Genesis]

Body weight exercises like sit ups, pull ups, and push ups can build a surprising amount of muscle. You can probably get a chin up bar that'll go in one of your door ways for pretty cheap.

Check these out:

http://www.bodybuild...un/mahler57.htm

Also, if you are working out, make sure you eat enough calories. Any idea how many calories a day you are eating? If you are eating less than 2000 a day, that could keep you from making gains. Muscle is metabolically costly.

Thank you so much for posting that link, man!! There are some sweet protein shakes and stuff on there and they've got something for EVERYTHING you can possibly want. They've got one that says:

• Supports the output of growth hormone and local IGF-1 levels*
• Supports the duration/viability of growth hormone pulse mass*
• Promotes mean serum GH levels*
• Increases androgen receptor structure, function, and number*
• Supports testosterone levels*
• Promotes muscular strength and contractility*

I am trying to find somethin that will maximize my height (support growth hormone... who knows maybe I am not done growing) as well as naturally increase T levels. So stoked right now

As for the original topic of this post lol.... I am planning on buying weights just to have around. I am not really muscular right now but I'm not limpy either. I would like to build up my arms and my abs. I am going to buy 5lb. weights, do some reps with those, then move up to 10lbs. Not sure what I'll be doing after that. I'd like to get one of those exercise machines (like the Total Gym) for abs and stuff, but those are pretty expensive!! And I may end up just going to the gym instead.

I would also recommend a pull-up bar that you can but in your door threshold. I would do that but I'm going to be living in a dorm so I kinda can't, lol.

[Guest nelo]

I started working out yesterday and I really am soooo out of shape. I'm so glad to be working on it. I talked to my mom and she said she might have some 10lb weights if I outgrow my 5lb ones. But for now the 5lb ones are hard enough already...

[Guest MemoryAlpha]

I don't really do much to get a bigger mass since I'm already big to start with. I'm 5'6" and weigh around 140lbs though I think it's mainly fat.

Here's how I look.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs515.snc3/27021_386483744455_584554455_3739457_5522315_n.jpg

you don't look fat! You actually look pretty good!

[Guest sarah f]

Go buy some 10, 15, and 20 pound dumb bells. You can start of with the smaller weights and work you way up from there. Put one knee on a chair and lift up. Do that about 20 times with each hand. Then do sit ups with one weight. Then do curls with them. Just keep switching them around and try different things with them. Good Luck

By the way you can have what muscle I have left. There isn't much left but I would be willing to let it go.

[Guest Darius]

The other thing that works to build bicep muscle is to elevate your feet, like on a step or something like that, and do push ups that way. They work great and cost no money to do.

Darius

[Guest Lelouch]

you don't look fat! You actually look pretty good!

Lol thanks. It's my natural built. I haven't started T yet and I'm 19 years old.

[Guest sphere]

I run, do sit ups, and push ups. I still look a bit skinny (though not bone thin) but am pretty strong. I should get a chin bar though, to do some pull ups.

[Guest ScifiComicDUDE]

get a bar bell.....(heavy weights)

its been used for decades and is still effective...

dumbell can help too

[Guest insanitylives]

get a bar bell.....(heavy weights)

its been used for decades and is still effective...

meep. no.

heavy weights when you're out of shape are only going to hurt you because you can tear muscles and/or ligaments. that won't get you in shape, just hurt.

[Guest harvester52]

I do push-ups and different lifts with my 60lb amp. It's in a case that has handles on either side... makes great workout equipment as well as it does sound equipment. XD