Another Skinny Guy Thread

[Evil Milkman]

In the last couple of weeks I've decided to start hitting the gym. I'm a fairly skinny guy; I'm 6'2, 150 pounds. I've never really worked out for any extended amount of time, but I feel that I want to start working out as a part of my lifestyle and routine.

I've done my research, and so I know that the best way to put on mass is to eat lots of high quality food (foods high in protein/carbs/fats, about 4-6 meals a day) and to hit the gym using mostly the free weights with higher weight and less repetition. I've since joined a gym, and plan on starting very soon.

My main concerns are specifically WHAT types of exercises I should do to start in the right direction. I suspect that I should contact a trainer at the gym to help me with exactly how to do the particular exercises properly (I do know I should always keep good control of the weights and not rush through the exercises). As I've mentioned, I've read often that the free weights are better to use to get a better body workout (because free weights force you to do all of the work with all the resistance).

About manipulating my diet... Is there any nutritional supplement you would recommend that would work as a meal replacement so that if I'm in a hurry I have somehting to fall back on? Or would a simple whey protein shake 60 minutes before working out suffice? Also, what types of foods do you recommend? I've got the following foods on my list that yield good protein/carbs: cottage cheese, roast beef, eggs, milk, peanuts, chicken, and tuna. I know there must be others...

I guess the point of this post is so that those who know fitness can tell get into a little more detail about what I (and other people reading this post) need to do. I really only want to start off small, with maybe 5-10 pounds of muscle gain over a period of time, whatever it may be. My guess is that I should ask one of the trainers at the gym to show me exactly what and how to do the exercises that will build muscles in my chest, arms, legs, back, and arms. My goal isn't to get really big, only to get stronger and feel better about my physique.

Any tips and advice would be helpful. Also, any questions about what I'm trying to convey in this overly long message are appreciated and welcomed.

Thanks!

[seizei]

I am no expert, but I will offer what I can.

DEFINATELY see a personal trainer for awhile, if you haven't had much experience in the gym. You need to know the correct technique for the exercises you will be doing, or you could injure yourself.

Make sure you warm up before a workout. Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, whatever it takes to get the blood flowing. Then, stretch before your workout, concentrating on the muscles you intend to work that day. When you are done your workout, stretch again, and again concentrate on what you have worked. I have done a study in a kinesiology class that involved exhausting a pair of muscles, and then stretching one often over the next few days, while ignoring the other (was the wrist extensors, the muscles on the top of your forearm). The forearm that was stretched healed faster than the other, and was ready to be worked out again sooner.

Once you've been shown exercises and are familiar with the equipment, get a good routing set up. The trainer can help you with this. Depending on how many times a week you will be going to the gym, you will need up to split up your muscles groups to different days.

For example, if you're training 3 times a week:

monday: chest, abs
tuesday: rest
wednesday: arms, legs
thursday: rest
friday: back, shoulders, abs
saturday: rest
sunday: rest

Don't work a muscle group again until it isn't sore anymore. They need time to heal and rebuild.

As for diet, consistency is the key. Eating a good breakfast is the most important thing you can do. Eating a good post-workout meal is the second most important. Do your whey protein shake right after the workout, not before. Eat again a few hours after the workout.

The idea, in my opinion, is to make your body believe that there will be no shortage of food whatsoever, so it can use excess energy to build your muscles. Skipping meals will make your body say 'crap! might not get any more food for awhile!!!! better break down that stored energy in my muscles just in case!! and pack on some fat too! yeah!!!!'

As for protein, you need to consume approximately 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight, if you want to gain mass. So you need to eat 150 or so g or protein. That doesn't seem too crazy, but Plan9 told me that your body can only absorb 25g of protein at a time.... so you need to have 6 meals during the day that include 25g of protein. That's where protein shakes and bars come in handy, if you are pressed for time.

Be sure that you are taking in more calories than you are putting out - you can try counting calories and measuring your output if you have the time. I think www.bodybuilding.com has a food database.

As for other foods, try tofu, chick peas, beans as well. Try fresh fish instead of canned - some people are freaked out by the mercury levels in canned fish such as tuna. Unless you eat 12 cans a day, you'll be ok with the canned anyway

For exercises, I swear by the site www.exrx.net. Go to http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html for pretty much every exercise you can imagine, with videos and instructions for each one.

Good luck!!!

[Evil Milkman]

Originally posted by seizei
I am no expert, but I will offer what I can.

Thanks a lot! I could use all the help I can get, your help is valued highly, trust me.

DEFINATELY see a personal trainer for awhile, if you haven't had much experience in the gym. You need to know the correct technique for the exercises you will be doing, or you could injure yourself.

This sounds good, but how does this work, exactly? Is there an additional fee attached to having a temporary personal trainer? Do you have to schedule with them, or is it on a first come, first serve basis? Should I call up to the gym to find out what I need to do?

[
Stretch before your workout, concentrating on the muscles you intend to work that day. When you are done your workout, stretch again, and again concentrate on what you have worked.

I have done a study in a kinesiology class that involved exhausting a pair of muscles, and then stretching one often over the next few days, while ignoring the other (was the wrist extensors, the muscles on the top of your forearm). The forearm that was stretched healed faster than the other, and was ready to be worked out again sooner.

This seems like really good advice, and I intended to mention in the OP that I was going to be doing stretching, but forgot. But my question is this: How do you stretch appropriately for the smaller muscle groups? Like the muscle on top of my forearm? This all seems a little confusing to me, but am curious as to how you stretch correctly for the smaller muscles.

Once you've been shown exercises and are familiar with the equipment, get a good routing set up. The trainer can help you with this. Depending on how many times a week you will be going to the gym, you will need up to split up your muscles groups to different days.

For example, if you're training 3 times a week:

monday: chest, abs
tuesday: rest
wednesday: arms, legs
thursday: rest
friday: back, shoulders, abs
saturday: rest
sunday: rest

Sounds like a plan. Should I do at least a little bit of cardio throughout the week, or maybe only on one of my rest days or so? Or should I not worry with doing any cardio because I'm trying to gain muscle mass? If anything, a little bit of cardio work would probably be good for my legs and to strengthen my heart some, but I have no idea.

Don't work a muscle group again until it isn't sore anymore. They need time to heal and rebuild.

Definitely. I was going to ask how long I should rest between workout days, but you said it adequately and reasonably.

As for diet, consistency is the key. Eating a good breakfast is the most important thing you can do. Eating a good post-workout meal is the second most important. Do your whey protein shake right after the workout, not before. Eat again a few hours after the workout.

As for protein, you need to consume approximately 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight, if you want to gain mass. So you need to eat 150 or so g or protein. That doesn't seem too crazy, but Plan9 told me that your body can only absorb 25g of protein at a time.... so you need to have 6 meals during the day that include 25g of protein. That's where protein shakes and bars come in handy, if you are pressed for time.

This will be the toughest part, but I know I can do it. I live at home, so I'll talk to my mother about buying and cooking meals that are higher in protein. Also, is there a good fitness website that sells protein shake mix and/or bars for a good price? Taste matters only some to me, I can usually eat anything. Pointers and information on this would be much appreciated.

Be sure that you are taking in more calories than you are putting out - you can try counting calories and measuring your output if you have the time. I think www.bodybuilding.com has a food database.

Sounds cool, I'll give it a try and see if I can keep up with it.

As for other foods, try tofu, chick peas, beans as well. Try fresh fish instead of canned - some people are freaked out by the mercury levels in canned fish such as tuna.

I haven't tried tofu yet, but would like to. Some beans I like, some I don't. I do like tuna, but won't overdo on it.

For exercises, I swear by the site www.exrx.net. Go to http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html for pretty much every exercise you can imagine, with videos and instructions for each one.

Pretty cool, I'll check this out.

Thanks for all your advice! You've been quite a help.

[ChrisJericho]

Originally posted by Evil Milkman









Also, is there a good fitness website that sells protein shake mix and/or bars for a good price?

If there is a Costco in your area I would check to see if they sell whey protein. The ones here in Seattle just started selling it... 6 pounds for $20 ! Before I was paying $40 for 5 pounds at the local GNC's/ Nature stores. I ltake my whey protein with skim milk because 2% and 1% make it chunky and hard to swallow.

[Evil Milkman]

Costco... I'll run a search for that.

And that's interesting about the skim milk... Last time I made a shake it was a little chunky because I had made it with 2%... Thanks!

[seizei]

gah lost my whole reply while going to another window to upload a pic!!!!!!

oh well, here we go again...

Personal trainer will cost money. My best guess is anywhere from $15-30 per hour. You should be able to swing an orientation for free at the gym you sign up at. They'll show you around the place for 10 minutes or so.

Best, and cheapest bet is to find a friend/acquaintance that has been working out for awhile, and have him/her show you around and demonstrate exercises for you. Otherwise, if you have a university in your area, go check out the kinesiology building and I'm sure you could find a student to help you out for cheap. Trainer is great if you have the money though - might need a few sessions to establish a routine for you, and later reducing that to once a week, eventually once a month, and one day you'll find you have learned alot of stuff to do!

Booking sessions with a trainer is just like making doctors appointments - if you miss one, you're charged anyway.

- As for the stretching, man I could go on for 4 pages about stretching! For your specific question, here is a stretch for the top of your forearm:



Man that looks absurd from that angle never seen a picture of myself doing it! All I'm doing is holding out my arm in front of me, with palm facing down. I grab the top of my extended hand at the base of the fingers, on the knuckles, and pull my hand down and toward me.

Any other muscles you want stretches for, send me a PM. I'll snap a photo of whatever you need, just can't post em all due to bandwitch restrictions

What you have reminded me to do is to make a stretching guide thread. Maybe I'll take pics of my routine and make a web page out of it. Now if I only had free time to do that.... keep your eyes peeled in this forum.

-Cardio - personally, I do it on 3 of my rest days - so they're not really rest days Then again I do a helluva lot of cardio. You shouldn't overdo it, especially if you're already skinny. You could start by doing 15 minutes on a bike/climber/rower/treadmill as a warmup on your workout days. Might be better that way if you're pressed for time, and plus you can actually rest on your rest days!!!

-Not sure about websites for protein stuff... do a search and compare prices is all I can say.

-mmmmmmmm tofu.... one of my favourite foods strangely enough. Check out this thread - http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...threadid=21594. Some good recipes there.

Let me know if any more questions! I love to help!!

[Evil Milkman]

Seizei,

You're a wealth of information... What would I do with the Internet?

Thanks a lot!

[mr_mcrafe]

I'd also like to say thanks to Seizei, your replies have been a great help to me too

[seizei]

my pleasure guys

appreciate the sentiment

[Dostoevsky]

Milkman, it seems you have most of your bases covered but I have one more very important tip that you don't want to overlook. When first starting out w/ free weights it's important to do lower weights and higher reps for the first month or so to condition the tendons and ligaments in your joints for heavier lifting. It's actually pretty dangerous to just jump into the weight room and start throwing heavy weight up. Build up to heavier weight and you'll save some wear on those tendons and ligaments that aren't used to being used.

Good luck

[Evil Milkman]

Dostoevsky,

This seems like good advice to me. I will definitely continue to do lower weights for another 25-30 days or so. Thanks!