A Desperate Plea!

[Urban mammoth]

Hi everyone

i've just turned 20 and play rugby for Selby RUFC 1st team. I play fly half.

I have a problem, im too lightweight. im 6 foot 3 and weigh 13 stones. I desperately need to bulk up.

Im not too bad up top but I have the skinniest b*****d thighs/calves ever. however I do want overall bulk.

I have tried supplements (maximuscle) and they do work but I just loose concentration and discipline.

I train on a tuesday and thursday, this is mostly aerobic work. I play on saturdays, again a lot of running.

Initially, I was looking for some tips I can do whilst in the season. I am definately looking at a serious bulking up programme from april to september.

Is there any weight trainers on here who can give me diet plans and weight plans and also reccommend me some really good supplements from their personal experience.

or even direct me to a trusted weights forum who will give me some good advice.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Dan

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

Im the same height and am half a stone lighter then you.

I have the opposite problem, my upper body is so weak but my legs are huuuge.

No idea what ive done to get my legs so big, working on my arms atm

[Urban mammoth]

I know I am "normal" weight for my height, but playing rugby you need to be big and strong, im fairly strong but lack bulk and power.

I have been told I could really play at a high standard, I have the skill but lack the bulk/power that is needed.

the kind of explosive power you need for trials is ideal for rugby aswell for big tackles/kicks/acceleration.

TRA does quite a bit of that kind of training, anyone know him/speak to him or does he come on here often??

thanks

dan

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

Oooh you also play fly half, this is very odd.

Im trying to bulk up to move to flanker though, woot.

If you have a look to build up bulk you need different excercises to the ones required for strength building

[Urban mammoth]

flankers are a different breed!! they are mentalists. and also dirty rotten cheats. haha but if they are playing with me then its ok.

[munkee]

Squat Heavy

Bench Heavy

Deadlift Heavy

Eat everything you see

Repeat

Edited February 24, 2007 by Spacemunkee

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

flankers are a different breed!! they are mentalists. and also dirty rotten cheats. haha but if they are playing with me then its ok.

Haha, but it looks so much fun, plus im not quick enough to be any use in the backs anymore lol

[Fish-Finger-er]

Hi everyone

i've just turned 20 and play rugby for Selby RUFC 1st team. I play fly half.

I have a problem, im too lightweight. im 6 foot 3 and weigh 13 stones. I desperately need to bulk up.

Im not too bad up top but I have the skinniest b*****d thighs/calves ever. however I do want overall bulk.

I have tried supplements (maximuscle) and they do work but I just loose concentration and discipline.

right, to give you some basic tips on bulking up.as im in no way a personal trainer, but i do seem to be gettin results myself on a personal level, without using trainers, and even with drinking as much as i do. but basics for you.

Squat like a bitch. 3 times a week should be sufficient. obiviously the weight comes down to your strength but 3sets x 10 reps seems to a be a good base to start on,and simple to remember as well. your last squat of your last set, should be near impossible to do without breaking form.

as for calves, dont see the importance of these in rugby as much. but still. a few ways of going about calve bulk ups as i see it. one is the exercise bike/stepper. on a super high resistance, do it for 5 minute or under blasts. to the point where your calves are burning up.

similar technique. but on a treadmill. maximum incline, at say 7-8 kmph,run it on your tip toes.

or if your gym aint got a dedicated calf raise machine, use the leg press machine. but position your toes on the deck of the machine, lock your legs out, and roll on the balls of your feet(will make sense when you sit at the machine and do it), or could always get a rucksack weighted up on your back, and do individual calve lifts on your stairs at home.

adding angle weights may be beneficial on your leg ones as well. and often a nice quick way to get strength in the calves, which seems to be the rage with all my martial art mates, is to go running, but on your tip toes constantly. not suggested you start jogging, as this aint a way to bulk up(they like to be powerful, but super light) but when your doing your aerobic training(rugby training drills etc,) just try to think about staying on your tip toes when just jogging back to start again, or when warming up etc.

also, although maximuscle does work, theres a lot cheaper alternatives out there, currently using nutrisport 90+ weigh off ebay, believe its got a higher protein content than maximuscle, it certainly tastes better. and at £47 posted to your door, for 5kgs and a free shaker aint to be complained at.

and HASMS, u dont seem like the rugby type at all, and would of never put you at 6 foot 3 and 12.5 stone.

im somewhere around the 6'4 mark(varies between 6'3 and 6'5) and weigh 15 st 12. just for comparison, but then im a hefty bugger too. but only at 16% bodyfat. so work it out.

[Mark W]

I've got decent leg muscles, pretty much just down to me only riding road and doing a lot of sprints/time trials. Just going out there are and doing... shit... forgotten the name of it now, but just like sprint for a minute, rest for a couple of minutes, and repeating stuff like that seemed to do me well. Generally though I just pedalled like a b*****d everywhere, and I soon got extra strength in my legs, plus boosted my stamina.

I can see the importance of strong calf muscles in rugby, with stuff like mauls or scrums when you're having to power down with a crouched leg, I'd have thought strong calf muscles would help you hold your ground or power forward better?

[tank_rider]

I've always had big legs, which is down to the swimming i did when i was younger. Might be worth getting yourself a float and doing some kicking sessions, properly do it till it burns, then ease off for a bit then repeat. Say 2 lengths flat out followed by 2 recovery, should see you get some extra bulk on your legs.

[Gavyn.]

those supplements you can buy are quite good the ones which you add to water if you don't do much excorsize with them you'll get fat and if you do you'll become a tank or steriods

[mtbjosh]

like spacemunkee more or less said, all the excersises you do must be heavier and with less repetitions otherwise youll be going for muscle tone/endurance and you want bulk for brute strength right?

but also with the eat everything you see for getting the size to change into muscle, wont the size go elsewhere if you dont evenly excersise...just a thought. dont want to get hawge legs and then start flabbing up top

[lankyri]

like spacemunkee more or less said, all the excersises you do must be heavier and with less repetitions otherwise youll be going for muscle tone/endurance and you want bulk for brute strength right?

but also with the eat everything you see for getting the size to change into muscle, wont the size go elsewhere if you dont evenly excersise...just a thought. dont want to get hawge legs and then start flabbing up top

cheers ive been looking at building up for the summer, im 6.5 and weight just over 12 stone though but even though i do weights and ride everyday for at least an hour i dont seem to be building up but then again when i have been doing more reps than power so thats where ive gone wrong right im gonna go gym tonight

cheers lads

[kells]

It's already been said but doing squats and deadlift would be good to develop some bulk in your legs.

Then you could do some plyometrics to develop some power

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/legplymo.htm

[Urban mammoth]

are leg presses and squats the same????? apart freom one is sitting down and the other is standing?

[Fish-Finger-er]

are leg presses and squats the same????? apart freom one is sitting down and the other is standing?

in theory yes, they use the same muscle groups, but leg presses tend to be done on a machine(whether it be a line and pulley machine, or just a pivoting one) meaning you dont build up the stabilization muscles the same, as theres no control involved on a machine the same. for example on the leg press machine(line and pulley system) i can do sets of around 20 on the highest weight (168kg) without breaking form from the 1st rep, and without struggling to much. i can however only squat about 65-70kg, and then on the last couple of reps of each set, im breaking form and going skew whiff. purely because i used to depend on the machine, and although i have a whole heap of leg strength, i dont have a developed technique and all the stabilizing mucles which keep you correctly balanced etc are under developed, so in short squats are better than using a leg press machine.

[Urban mammoth]

can squats be done on your own??

should they be done with a squat rack?

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

and HASMS, u dont seem like the rugby type at all, and would of never put you at 6 foot 3 and 12.5 stone.

im somewhere around the 6'4 mark(varies between 6'3 and 6'5) and weigh 15 st 12. just for comparison, but then im a hefty bugger too. but only at 16% bodyfat. so work it out.

Haha I love rugby, shame the college coach is an absolute wanker and makes it shit.

Any tips on bulking up upper body

[ted]

shit... forgotten the name of it now, but just like sprint for a minute, rest for a couple of minutes, and repeating stuff like that

Fartlek training?

[Fishy]

I need to loose more body fat. At the moment, I'm around the region of 5"10-11 and weigh in at about 13 1/2 stone.

I also play rugby, center or flanker. But I'm finding now I can't run as quick, partly because of my bad back. But mostly because I'm a fat b*****d.

All my flab is around my beer belly, and hips. Need to bulk my arms up... Only shit thing is, being 15 you can't use the decent stuff at the gym. And I don't fancy paying £25 quid a month, if I can wait a few months (until i get my student card) and only pay £3 everytime I go.

[-RoBBo-]

I got told the same thing as you, being a fly-half. To get bigger.

Weighed 10 1/2 stone just under 2 years ago.......now 15 1/2 stone. Makes me bigger then most forwards. Winner

[Fuse]

can squats be done on your own??

should they be done with a squat rack?

Yes they can be done on your own, but most certainly with the aid of the rack, something like this:

That way if you're struggling with a rep and you can't physically stand up, you can just drop down and the two horizontal bars will take the weight. Without something like that, or without someone to spot you, you stand a very real chance of hurting yourself when squatting, particularly with big weights.

[Swize]

flankers are a different breed!! they are mentalists. and also dirty rotten cheats. haha but if they are playing with me then its ok.

We have feeling to you know

[B.E.A.U]

hay man. I dont go to the gym but im thinking of starting. Im a kind of built guy im 5ft8 and 12 stone 2. and my mom goes to the gym i might join because i wanna get bigegr but i was talking ot the uy who owns it hes a relaly good guy to talk to and helps my mom outalot about diets and things. He says that all the bulk up drinks and stuff dot actualy do the real job and you are putting things in your body you wouldnt dream of and they seriosly f**k you up. and yes they will get you bigegr but the muscle wont me no where near as hard as it would if you did it properly Im told i should eat lots of chickes an fish and pasta and really push my self if i want to go to the gym

thats just some advice because them drinks are wrong. do it the rightw ay man

[munkee]

Dont bother with leg press, it causes a deficiency in your hamstrings as it overloads your quads. So then when you do decide to start deadlifting and squatting you will be pure shite as you hamstring/glute activiation is wank.

To put it simple work with compound exercises and throw in some single jointed work. For example, perform 4 compound exercises everytime you go to the gym and 2 single jointed movements.

Quick program example:

Day1

Bench press - Chest/Triceps

Chin ups - Back/Biceps

Deadlift (regular) - Lower back/Arse/Hamstrings/Quads/Calfs

Standing calf raises - you guesse what

Day 2

Back squat - Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Hip flexors, Abs, Shoulders, Back.... f**kit.. Everything

Laying dumbell rows (laying face down on a bench) - back

Standing dumbell military press - Shoulders

French press - Triceps

Day 4

Light cardio

Day 5

Wide grip pull ups or Lat pull down if you struggle - Lats/back in general/Biceps

Sumo deadlift (legs wider apart than regular deadlift so your legs are outside of your hands and not inside) - Same as deadlift but more hip dominant

Dumbell bench press - Same as normal bench but recruits more stabilisation

Decline sit ups , weighted

Day 6

Light cardio

Day 7

Front squats - Same as normal squats but more dominant on quads i believe all i know is they are c**ts

Dips - Triceps , also works chest if you lean forward some

Barbell Rows - Back

Standing barbell curls - good ole guns

Barbell Step ups - Step up doing alternating legs.. as good as doing frontsquats

Day 8

Fully off

Thats a stupidly simple program, which will work pretty much everything you need it to. You can try some pretty crazy set/rep ranges im currently doing back squats for 3x10 (3 reps 10 sets) on 100kg and you feel destroyed afterwards. I think a real challenging set/rep range would be to do the first two exercises on ever day as 5x5 (5 sets 5 reps) then the exercises after that on a either 8x3 or 10x3. Then each week increase the load by 2.5% until you reach one month then switch to something new.

Ill put up an attachement when my internet stops being gay with a big pile of programs that you can choose from. Oh and while were on it... dont deadlift like TRA.. your shoulders should be rounded yet maintaining the bottom of your back flat so you dont go giving yourself a f**ked back and shoulders. If you are lifting too heavy your form will go to shit = injury

Edited February 25, 2007 by Spacemunkee