Bulking Up

[Fish-Finger-er]

If you eat too much protein, your body will metabolise it, I recall it takes 8 times more water to metabolise protein than carbs, so drink extra water.

Too much protein is Very bad, so calculate your maximum using an online calculator.

Your minimum reps to failure is 6, studies have shown that less than 6 reps don't have any effect. 20 reps to failure is about right for tone/ stamina training.

Go to a gym and learn to use free weights and cables. kettle bells are also really good.

surely your body metabolises everything you eat, all it is is digesting it and using it for energy/cell repair, etc.

as for the bit about 6 reps, its bollox, total bollox. I got my 1rm deadlift up to about 350-360lbs probably 12 months ago, and then couldnt go any further, was doing like 3 sets of 8, or 12, 10, 8 etc. It's only in this last year, ive started going at it, doing like 1 warm up set of 220lbs x 10, 350 x 6, 400 x 4, 450 x 2, 400 x 4. or just throwin in one warm up set, straight to 450 x 2, then working 1 rep maximums. that has took me from 350 to 470 in 12 months.

also, tone doesnt really exist, its a combination of muscle size, water retention and bodyfat levels.

[kaybs41282]

Protein ordered and on the way and 2 days into healthier eating and weights regime. Is a reduced carb (bread mainly) diet a good idea when hammering weights or will that hamper things?

[Fish-Finger-er]

Protein ordered and on the way and 2 days into healthier eating and weights regime. Is a reduced carb (bread mainly) diet a good idea when hammering weights or will that hamper things?

depends, if your going zero carbs, yea, your going to be low on energy, (although a high protein low carb diet is often used for losing fat, youll struggle to build muscle and lose fat at the same time). but if your still getting the correct number of calories a day, but have swapped out 6 slices of bread, for 2 slices of bread with tuna mayo on them(heavy on the tuna, light on the mayo) and then a protein shake later in the day, then things will be hugely beneficial.

[kaybs41282]

Cool I'll try that. Anything else to avoid like bread. Jacket potatoes?

[Davetrials]

You can still eat bread, just eat better bread, seeded, whole meal etc, if your bulking you wanna be mashing the calories whilst still maintaing a strict workout regime, so you dont just gain useless lard. its a f**king tough process and unless your fully committed your just gonna get fat.

[kaybs41282]

Edit: I'm not going to be working out until 9pm at night so do I have to have the shake immediately after, i.e before I go to bed (I'll be up at the loo all night) or can I have it first thing in the morning which is quite a while after the workout?

Edited October 24, 2011 by kaybs41282

[Krisboats]

Before you go to sleep, although if you're worried about being up all night going for a piss then make it a stronger concentrate, using only half the milk/water you normally would do.