How do I ....ahem... get bigger? page 5

[YogaBare]

Am I the only one who was afraid to click the thread based on a misinterpretation of the title?

i clicked it BECAUSE of the title

Ditto. Led down the garden path by an "ahem"

[Richard Seekins]

Found this txt from the man him self..

"I have tried on several occasions to increase my muscle mass through a focused program of more intense weight-training and more copius eating. But I’m what we call a “hardgainer”. The most I was ever able to weigh was 169. That extra five pounds of muscle was not only difficult to achieve (and still keep body fat low) it was almost impossible to retain. I had to eat way more (and more often) than I intuitively wanted to and couldn’t skip more than a few hard workouts or I’d start to lose the muscle. I also couldn’t play hard without burning it up. I realized that this was a totally non-Primal pursuit."

[johnny767]

Thanks everyone.

I wish I’d posed this question a year ago

Some Initial thoughts:

Diet

I’m surprised that 3000 calories a day is considered to be too much; according to Fitday, that’s almost exactly what I burn on a normal day (before any exercise at the gym). According to the advice given here; I would actually need to increase to 3600 a day to achieve slow bulk

I ‘m really not sure what to do about what I am eating; I had intended to go through March with carbs below 50 grams a day (thinking Ketosis would burn off some of the fat) and was intending to increase overall calorie intake.

The make-up of my diet doesn’t vary much at all (ever);

Breakfast; tuna/salmon/smoked salmon/mackerel /chicken/sardines/eggs (up to 6 a day) with salad.. Lunch mostly the same. Dinner; steak/chicken/ground beef/pork chops/lamb chops/white fish/salmon/ with steamed vegetables; usually broccoli and cauliflower/cabbage

I’ve recently got hooked on protein shakes; which I’ve started making with coconut milk. Other than stopping the coconut milk, I’m not sure how I reduce fat and increase protein further.

I am going to read up on leangain; and intend to give it a shot.

Workouts

I thought I was pushing myself fairly hard at the gym. I steadily increase the weight (sometimes too ambitious and need to drop back). If I am not satisfied with the number of reps I can achieve; I make myself do my sets until I am satisfied. I find I need at least two or three rest days otherwise my performance deteriorates . I had assumed that if I could do two hard 90 minute sessions a week it would be enough – plus an occasional cardio session. I’m going to have a weights session tomorrow : I’ll record what I do here. I have been doing spin from time to time but will switch to “boot camp”.

I’m 52; I guess I need to modify aspirations and expectations a little. I think my current weight is around 198 lbs (6 “ 1’) is that typical for skinny fat? My waist has gone from 38 to 34 in 12 months.

I’ll get my arm checked out

I’ll really make an effort to get my head around the leangain principle – and the advice given here.


I’ll really commit for the next two months and see what I can achieve; I’ll post progress pictures. Until I know what I’m doing, or am advised to do otherwise, I will;

• Keep my calorie level about where it is now. Keep my carbs at 50 to 70 grams a day for March
• Increase the amounts that I am lifting (and frequency) introduce one boot camp or boxercise session a week
• Start sprinting (when the snow goes).

I’m excited by this!

Oh, and I was convinced that it had actually got bigger since my 265 lb days; I now find out it’s probably just an optical illusion .

[WaylandC]

I think you are a perfect candidate for a leangains approach (metabolic surge sounds like a leangains ripoff).

In my original comment I mentioned both LeanGains.com and Metabolic Surge by Nick Nilsson. He's a natural beast: 19" arms for a 5'9"-5'10" dude.

Him performing 30 reps of deadlifts using 350 lbs with a trap bar in his home gym.

High-Rep Trap Bar Deadlifts - 350 lbs x 30 reps - YouTube

To the OP, johnny767, I can e-mail you the Metabolic Surge program just send me a message. Or you can try reading through LeanGains and follow that style of training. Either should get you where you want to be. Nick (Metabolic Surge author) is an absolute professional and knows his stuff. The same goes for Martin Berkhan at LeanGains.com

I'm 5'10" and around 200 lbs so my daily maintenance is around 2700-3000 calories including activity level. 3000 calories seems like that would be your maintenance so try decreasing it by 250 calories. That's not a lot so it should be easy to accomplish.

If you've been around 3000 for a while now and haven't seen changes, and you're trying to decrease your body fat, the last thing I'd tell you to do is increase your calories.

[cori93437]

Am I the only one who was afraid to click the thread based on a misinterpretation of the title?

Nope.

i clicked it BECAUSE of the title

Ditto. Led down the garden path by an "ahem"

Every time this thread goes back to the top of the page I want to post this...
So here it is.
It'll help you... ahem... get bigger.

[NZ primal Gwamma]

Am I the only one who was afraid to click the thread based on a misinterpretation of the title?

Nope.

i clicked it BECAUSE of the title

i'm gonna go out on a limb and say it looks bigger

Ditto. Led down the garden path by an "ahem"

Every time this thread goes back to the top of the page I want to post this...
So here it is.
It'll help you... ahem... get bigger.

Oh, and I was convinced that it had actually got bigger since my 265 lb days; I now find out it’s probably just an optical illusion .

Men and their JUNK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



hahahahahaha LMFAO................... or LMF head O

[lucy1984]

Hey, I was also afraid to click on this thread from the title - but anyway,

I reckon you look great! Total silver fox

[Neckhammer]

Ditto. Led down the garden path by an "ahem"

And I was just about to provide a link to "the pump".

[cori93437]

And I was just about to provide a link to "the pump".

[YogaBare]

And I was just about to provide a link to "the pump".

Ha - you jest, but some men say that being primal makes their penises bigger... so I was curious

OP, I'm pretty lazy, but I have discovered that a range of physical activity (cycling, walking, swimming, running, body weight exercises) coupled with calorie cycling has tightened me up considerably. Sometimes people overthink things. A wide range of activity plus a weekly calorie deficit works for me

Although that advice is based on gettting wirey and lean. maybe not if you want to get "big". And btw - yes - total silver fox!