Working Out

I started working out and I've had a few questions; figured maybe you guys might have some of the answers.

Note: I'm 16 years old and have a high metabolism; I've always been a skinny/moderately built guy. (Built as in muscle.)

Now I'm working towards a six pack, big pecks, and better arm muscle. The only equipment I have is a pull up bar.

1) What's the rule of thumb for waiting after a work out? I've heard always wait one day, but I'm not sure. Today for example I feel fine; not sore at all. Other times I feel sore even after waiting a day.

2) How much is my diet going to affect this goal? (Remember that I have a really good metabolism )

3) What is a generally good workout? And how much of what should I do throughout the day?
What I've been doing is:
situps - approximately 100 - not at once yet
pushups - I usually start with about 35 decline pushups (with my feet on the couch) because I've heard that works your lower pecs. (I've had a decent amount of muscle in my upper pecs, just not my lower.)
pushups 2 - I also do approx. 20 regular push ups
pull ups - I usually go and do a set of about 10 pull ups. I then come back and do a little less than 10. (I can't do near as many as I used to - it has been a long time.)
wall sits (Not sure if that's what they are called - The things where you act like you're setting in an invisible chair) - I do those for about a minute

4) Should I lift?
This summer I could probably afford some weights for my bench. I haven't done it in a while, but I think I can push about 100. Should I do this though? I don't have a spot.

5) About how long do you think it is going to take me to get a six pack?

6) How do I work my sides/other parts of my stomach area. Basically what I mean is I've always been pretty big bones and I feel like even with a 6 pack my ribs would still be visible. Maybe I'm wrong though. (Just the very bottom of them.)

7) What's a good exercise for my back muscle?

Thanks guys

 

I had to take a class and they said to wait one day but that abs didn't matter and you could do them as much as you wished.

 

first of all, do 2 muscle groups a day, not everything.. Back bi, chest tri, shoulders legs. day off. start over. as for food eat everything possible lol, take protein powder you need to feed your muscles

 

Creatine supplements are really good for getting very muscular. In wrestling at a high school level that is what our coach recommends us using. He also does the school weight room and knows what he's doing.

 

No, that is wrong. Abs are muscles, of course they need to rest.

To OP, buy protein powder. Its like $45 for 5 pounds. Don't buy the cheap kind, it tastes like dirty water and its made out of crude materials.

 

Follow this:

Eat -> Exercise until your feel really hot like it burns(rotate muscles and repeat many times, until you can't really do anything more) -> Eat

 

Do exactly what Black tux said, except Eat/drink protein after you workout. You're body needs protein after your tear your muscles so that you can get stronger. As far a a workout goes, I would have to ask my brother..hes a kinesiology major. Pm me if you want me to have him make you nice a workout.

 

Creatine supplements are really good for getting very muscular. In wrestling at a high school level that is what our coach recommends us using.
_____________________
euro pharmacies

 

Forget about supplements for now, you get far more protein from eating meat products than you'll need until your requirement goes up. Which isn't going to be until you're already quite bulked. Better to have a variety of different types of foods rather than sticking to meal supplements like protein shakes.

Instead if you have a blender, I like to mix the following (drinking this right now as I type)

2 tbsp low fat natural yogurt
1 mango
1 banana
1 plum/other
a dozen frozen raspberries
teaspoon of flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 carrot
6 leaves of spinach
1 or 2 eggs
4-6 cubes of ice

After doing weights, and as a meal replacement, it's excellent. You can vary it, but keep it low fat.

 

I am doing insanity you can track my progress here: http://villavu.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74271
(It is on the villavu website, Simba's site)
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I wouldn't stop at 20 pushups either, sure that may make you a little tired after 1 set but wait 5 minutes and do it again.etc.

Your goal is muscle fatigue, once you reach the point you physically CANNOT go any further that is where you stop.

Also don't train ab's everyday, they are muscles just like your Biceps. Over worked muscles DO NOT grow.

 

faggot m8

 

Dude, I did insanity. With it being Majority Cardio, it won't do too much for you Muscle-wise.

If you want to get built, Do P90X, a few friends of mine have done it with Fantastic Results.

It does cost a bit for the equipment, but you don't need to stick to any diet plans, like they say.

Just have every meal the same, Chicken (for the Protein), Rice or Potato (for the Carbs) and some Vegetables (Like Green Beans, or something) ooh, and half a tin of Baked Beans for Fibre and stuff.

also, between meals, drink a Pint of protein shake to keep yourself on top of it all. The Recovery Drink they sell you is sort of a Marketing scam and isn't needed, Just get Whey Protein Powder of any sort and that should do the trick.

Hope this helped.

Oooh, One last thing. The trick to gaining muscle is to Eat you Bodyweight in Protein...

So say you weigh 200 Punds, Eat 200g of Protein per day.

 

Contrary to popular belief, just because it burns and you're exhausted doesn't mean it's effective.

 

Your questions are too generalized. It's only page one and you're getting contradictory answers already. This is what I have to say:

Do your own research, try different kinds of routines and find out what works for you. In the late 1970's, Mike Mentzer, Ray Mentzer, Boyer Coe and a couple others competed with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger by working out 1-2 times a week at 30-45 minute sessions, whereas Arnie and others trained 2+ hours a day, 6 days a week. People's bodies respond differently to stress, and how hard you push while you train, your diet, your mental state and genetics will all play a role. It was Mentzers belief that most people grossly overtrain their muscles, whereas Arnold obviously thought differently. Dorian Yates won Mr. Olympia six times in a row under Mike Mentzer's philiosophy of training (deemed 'Heavy Duty'). Find your happy medium as there's still no wrong way to get the job done. It's good to ask for suggestions, but don't take anything to heart here. A lot of what you're going to find on the internet forums and from people at the gym is Broscience, which is basically contradictory misinformation passed down from bro to bro--I'm seeing a hell of a lot of it in this thread to be honest.

My suggestion is to train ALL muscle groups in good form--nothing is worse than a guy with a big chest, big arms, weak back and chicken legs. Also, if the muscle group you're training that day is already sore before you begin, then you're overtraining and you're not going to get the most out of your workout.
I'll suggest a few of my favorite sites, one as a training philosophy and the other as meal ideas: LeanGains and The Epicurean Bodybuilder and since you're doing bodyweight workouts at the moment, I'd suggest: Bodyrock.Tv(my belief on bodyweight training however, is that you're only going to see results to a certain extent. If you really want to get big and strong, then you need to lift heavy. Bodyweight is great for leaning out though)

Don't work your abs too much. Twice a week is plenty. In order to see your abs, what you really need is a lean body. My nephew for example is weak as hell. Weak as hell. I'm not sure he can even do a couple of quality pushups, but he has a pretty damn good six pack to be honest. And he doesn't play sports. He's in the band. This is because he's incredibly lean, probably 5% body fat.

Just remember that everything is going to vary from person to person and just because something works for someone else, doesn't mean it's going to work for you.

And for the love of bacon (roasted bacon, if you please), don't put anything into your body without extensive research. Protein powder is the only thing I'd really consider 100% safe.

*Edit*
This is also my favorite "fitness" article of all time, written by Martin Berkhan from LeanGains: http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Training It's both funny and true.

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kris-gethin-12-week-daily-trainer-week-1-day-1.html

This is how i started out, do everything accordingly and daily. watch the videos.

 

In all honesty a routine like that isn't going to get you a six pack. You know what will? Proper lifting and an even more proper diet. Having a good diet is 80% of the battle, whilst the remaining 20% is training. I imagine that you'd like to work on whole body aesthetics because having a six pack doesn't necessarily mean your healthy. If you can, sign up to a gym that has proper weight equipment, and begin a routine such as this one:

(A modified version of Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength, designed specifically for gaining muscle volume.)
A
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Chins 15-20 total reps, add weight or use assisted.
Rows 3x5 SUPER STRICT.
Optional: Cable rows, 3x8 bicep work, 3x8 rear delt flyes, do this at your own discretion. If you don't feel like it, don't worry.

B
Front squat 3x5
MP 3x5
Dead-lifts 1x5
Optional: 15-20 reps of dips, 3x8 triceps work.

Alternate between A & B, a higher volume frequency would be optimal for building greater strength and muscle mass, although if you need the recovery day, take it off. (Minimal of 4 days per week!)

Diet wise your going to be needing to eat a specific amount of calories per day, as well as a number of carbs, fats, and proteins specified to your body weights and needs. You can check bodybuilding dot com for all of this required information. If you diet properly, and lift heavy, after a couple of months your going to be seeing great gains, and you'll get hooked on a fitness lifestyle.

 

First of all, your diet is the most important thing of all. Find your maintenance, and +500 calories to that. Make sure you get atleast 1g/per lb. Also, I'd get a gym membership, and work on compound movements. I suggest you go on Starting Strength. Well, that's my 0.02 cents. Good luck!

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs

 

Try not to completely rely on supplements too much. Most importantly, you HAVE to have a good diet, lots of protein especially and try not to over do it, when you feel you have done as much as you can stop.

 

You're going to need to eat a specific amount of calories a day, and don't work your abs too much. Twice a week is plenty. In order to see your abs, what you really need is a lean body.

 

I'm 15 and I have been playing football since I was 7. I've been working out since I was 10 and I do play HighSchool football so I hope I can help from what my many coaches have taught me over the years

1. After lifting you should wait 24 hours. Why? Not simply because you are sore, but your muscles need that time of rest to grow. If you continue to workout every single day, back to back, you will not give your muscles time to grow thus making working out so much pointless

2. I eat anything I can. If you are playing football, I suggest no soda's whatsoever. The reason I eat so much is because the more you eat, the bigger you get. Depending on how steady you work out. WATER is a really important thing when it comes to working out. It will most definitely help you out when you are working out and it will make sure you can do more and make it through your workout.

3. The workout you're doing is perfect. If you are not able to get to weights(which you probably need to be getting to at your age) then your selection of workouts is good. Do some air squats to prepare yourself for working out, it will help in the end. Also add calf raises to the list. All you have to do is face the wall and go up and down on your tip toes but once you start, don't let the back end of your foot touch the ground. Do a LOT of these and it will pay off and make your calves very much ripped. If you are looking for a six pack, crunches is a GREAT way to get it. It is basically a have way push up but you keep your chin to the ceiling and make sure your shoulders leave the ground when you go up.

4. You most definitely need to do some form of lifting weights if you are planning to get stronger. Whether you do some curls and bench presses with hand weights or if you want to get a set. Best thing I think would be to find a gym or go to one near you. If you do not have one around, then yes, buy a set. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SPOTTER, DON'T DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT HANDLE

5. A six pack is fairly easy to achieve depending on how many sit ups and crunches you do.

6. Not sure on this one, but if you continue to eat AND work out at the same time, you will not be able to see your ribs at all because that's how I started off and I was extremely happy when you couldn't see my ribs anymore ^_^

7. I've never heard of working out your back muscle without weights so I'm sorry I couldn't help you with this one