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Suggestions on how to build mass [newbie]

B

benny

Guest
Well just recently I just signed up with the local gym as I would like to become fitter, healthier and most importantly gain heaps of mass. I am 19 and weigh about 60kgs.

What equipment should I be concentrating on using? I usually use bench press, lateral pull down and a few other things. I don't really use the treadmills and bikes much only just for a 10 minute warm-up before I hit the weights.

Also about half an hour before I go to gym I will make a protein shake which consists of a banana, 2 tablespoons of skim milk powder, 3 tablespoons of yogurt and a cup of skim milk.

I've also been hearing that I should be using creatine and I’ve been meaning to get some to try it out. Do you recommend this, what will it do for me? Are there brands that you would recommend?

I go to the gym every second day as I heard that I need a day to recover after doing weights, does this sound right?

It would be great if you could suggest something that will meet my goals and also types of food I should be eating and foods that I should avoid at all costs

Also is alcohol something I should totally avoid or is it oks once in awhile?

My main goal is to be able to lift heavy weights and become strong and have bulky muscles and I am willing to put in the work required to achieve this but first I need to know where to start and how I should go about doing it properly.

Anyways that’s it for the time being, I look forward to reading your replies


Thanks in advance
 
benny said:
Well just recently I just signed up with the local gym as I would like to become fitter, healthier and most importantly gain heaps of mass. I am 19 and weigh about 60kgs.

What equipment should I be concentrating on using? I usually use bench press, lateral pull down and a few other things. I don't really use the treadmills and bikes much only just for a 10 minute warm-up before I hit the weights.
did your gym write up a program for you? if you are starting out, i would reccommend following that for at least a few months before starting your own thing. Not only will you be familiar with that 'basic' exercises, but it will also decrease your likelyhood of injurying yourself.


Also about half an hour before I go to gym I will make a protein shake which consists of a banana, 2 tablespoons of skim milk powder, 3 tablespoons of yogurt and a cup of skim milk.
Sound ok.... but no to be obvious or anything, but you might want to but a bit more protein in your protein shake. Try whey (with water) - which is a great protein source post-workout.

I've also been hearing that I should be using creatine and I’ve been meaning to get some to try it out. Do you recommend this, what will it do for me? Are there brands that you would recommend?
Recommend creatine to a newbie? hell no. Unless you are sure you know what you are doing, i definiety would NOT recommend creatine - especially for someone starting out. At least give it a few months before even concidering creatine - at least get to know your body a bit better and get your diet and workout schedule in order first.

I go to the gym every second day as I heard that I need a day to recover after doing weights, does this sound right?
Yes, recovering time is important. Like they say, you grow outside the gym, not in. For someone starting out, a days rest wold probably be addiquate. But as you progress, you might want to concider spliting up your program so that you work out different body parts on different days.

my advice - try out one days rest, as let your body decide on what you need. But yes, definetly at least one days rest.


Also is alcohol something I should totally avoid or is it oks once in awhile?
/quote]
it's not something that is great , but as long as you take it in moderation , have to have some sort of luxuary
 
What equipment should I be concentrating on using? I usually use bench press, lateral pull down and a few other things. I don't really use the treadmills and bikes much only just for a 10 minute warm-up before I hit the weights.

You should be concentrating on heavy compound lifts. So basically lifts that focus on more than one muscle group. Some of the best include:
Squat
Deadlift
Bench
Dips
Pullups
Military Press

You CAN get very big by doing only those excercises. As an example, you could go to the gym 3 times a week, and each day would focus on a different lift of the 'big 3' (squat, bench, deadlift). So monday could be bench day, wednesday squat day, friday deadlift day. You would add in other exercises in these workouts that are appropriate to the muscle being worked.
For example, on bench day you might put dips and military press.
On deadlift day you might put pullups and rows.
On squat day you might put hamstring work.
Ok, that wasn't very clear, but what i'm trying to say is STICK TO THE HEAVY STUFF. Theres no need for sissy machines at the moment. Start out light on the big lifts and increase gradually.

Also about half an hour before I go to gym I will make a protein shake which consists of a banana, 2 tablespoons of skim milk powder, 3 tablespoons of yogurt and a cup of skim milk.

Perhaps move it to an hour before. I tend to feel sick if i eat too close to a workout. It looks ok though. Add a bit more protein.

I've also been hearing that I should be using creatine and I’ve been meaning to get some to try it out. Do you recommend this, what will it do for me? Are there brands that you would recommend?
You don't need creatine at this stage. Chances are, with your diet as poor as it (likely) is, you will see little benefit anyway. The only supp's you need right now are a multivitamin and Whey protein. A good one is Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey. $80 for 5lbs, which lasts 1-3 months.

I go to the gym every second day as I heard that I need a day to recover after doing weights, does this sound right?

That depends. If you are working the same muscle groups (ie benching every second day) you won't see optimal mass gains. I reccomend you split things up like i mentioned before, and then you should be fine to workout every second day. I think you should through in a 2-day rest somewhere in there though.

My main goal is to be able to lift heavy weights and become strong and have bulky muscles and I am willing to put in the work required to achieve this but first I need to know where to start and how I should go about doing it properly.

Nutrition will be the part that will make or break your bulking efforts. Keep your calories high and diet consistent and you will gain fine. Don't, and you'll stay small

And don't forget to work LEGS!
 
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