Bulking up: for weightlifters

[D_Leotols Toy]

I'm a relatively smaller dude I guess, 5'8" 135-140 lbs. Everything's small on me except, well, my massive shoulders so my friends say I'm Johnny Bravo

Anyways, I'm a light eater as well, barely any meat consumption, but before my 2 surgeries this past summer I weighed close to 160 or 165. Since then I haven't worked out any since other than pushups, but I'm about to get my routine back on and was curious what you guys use to "bulk up"?

 

[Torque8]

Protein shakes...at least 3 per day....NitroTech made by MuscleTech or 5-pounder from Syntrax (one on waking, one as my mid-morning snack and one before bedtime). Pre-workout and post-workout shakes are Vapor and Halo, respectively from MuscleTech. Two other light meals per day and try to keep my protein per day at roughly 1 gram per lb of body weight.

 

[D_Leotols Toy]

Protein shakes, ah yes! I always forget about that. I've searched through vitamin stores, but was really unsure of which to get. How much does MuscleTech run you?

When I was heavy into working out, I would take creatinine shakes post work out, which in my opinion, seemed to help with muscle mass gains as my chest size increased quickly.. Any other supplements such as that that you take?

 

[B_Monster]

Definitely protein shakes and protein from your food

 

[Big Al]

Protein shakes, ah yes! I always forget about that. I've searched through vitamin stores, but was really unsure of which to get. How much does MuscleTech run you?

When I was heavy into working out, I would take creatinine shakes post work out, which in my opinion, seemed to help with muscle mass gains as my chest size increased quickly.. Any other supplements such as that that you take?

If you want to bulk up you need to eat a lot of good, calorie dense food- well above what you're expending on a daily basis. As a vegetarian, you should combine your protein courses throughout the day to ensure you're getting your requirements. This site contains a lot of good recommendations: Protein Combinations for Vegetarians
Taking a B-12 supplement would also be a good idea.

As for physical training, brief, intense, progressive workouts with adequate rest are best. While you should do some form of cardio to maintain optimum health and to promote capillary density, it should be kept to a mimimum if you're trying to gain weight.

You should also note that if you're under stress and don't get enough sleep, this too will affect your gains.

 

[Calboner]

A five-pound container of Optimum Nutrition Natural Whey goes for about $44. A four-pound container of Nitro-Tech protein powder costs about $10 more than that. Muscletech puts a lot of razzle-dazzle into its packaging, but I doubt that the product is worth the additional expense.

 

[D_Leotols Toy]

Yea I think I need to invest in some good ol' whey protein, one without the marketing razzle dazzle. I take daily vitamins every day, so I'm hoping that helps. I drink a lot green tea as well so I think that's not helping my weight gain and I'm quite the cardio fanatic as I have asthma and it helps improve airways for me. But I do need to start doing some progressive weight lifting and pushing myself a little harder than I was before. Just signed the contract to my gym so I shall start sometime this week again

 

[sleepiboi]

I don't do protein shakes, I am all natural as far as that goes, but I do take vitamins as well. I'm a runner, but my football player friends eat a lot of chicken, pasta, milk, peanut butter, etc. I personally eat just whatever since I'm a runner but I am trying to eat healthier to loose some fat lol

 

[D_Leotols Toy]

Chicken is basically all I eat and maybe a steak here and there.

 

[Torque8]

Protein shakes, ah yes! I always forget about that. I've searched through vitamin stores, but was really unsure of which to get. How much does MuscleTech run you?

When I was heavy into working out, I would take creatinine shakes post work out, which in my opinion, seemed to help with muscle mass gains as my chest size increased quickly.. Any other supplements such as that that you take?

With the exception of Black Powder, you can't beat MuscleTech Vapor for a pre-workout shake...am always energized with both. I buy all my shake powders from a local nutritional discount store so that at a minimum, I'm paying 15% less than they'd cost you over the net from discount places such as Vitacost. Syntrax also makes the best tasting Matrix 5 pounders...their Orange Creme is like a melted Dreamcicle. With all the varieties, my gf says that my kitchen counter looks like an annex to a tasting lab....over a dozen open containers and two blenders not to mention a variety of shake cups. By mixing up my drinks, I never get tired of the same flavor repeatedly, much less from day to day.

For taste you can't beat the Nectar shakes (no fat or carbs) from Syntrax...all my buds including friends at bodybuilding.com and clutchfitness.com swear by their fruit flavors.

I also cycle creatine (Volumizer from Apex) every 3 months....one month on and two months off. Do the same with PCBuild but never during the same month.

 

[D_Fletchyer Flagpole]

You'll want to up your protein intake to 1.5 grams of protein per pound bodyweight and up your carbohydrate intake to between 1.5-2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight.

In order to gain muscle, you'll need to increase your carbohydrates to keep your energy levels high, and fuel your workouts, and in order to help shuttle the amino acids from your proteins into the muscle tissue (since carbohydrates increase insulin levels and insulin is necessary to transport the amino acids into the muscle).

Refrain from eating complex carbs after 6:30pm (unless your post workout meal comes after that time) as your insulin sensitivity (body's acceptance of insulin) goes down at night and therefore, you run a higher risk of storing carbohydrate calories at night unless you train, in which case your insulin sensitivity is optimized.

Finally, make sure that you have around 15-20 grams of fibrous carbohydrates, such as green beans or broccoli, at lunchtime and 15-20 grams more at dinnertime. These will help to keep your digestive tract clean and ready to accept new nutrients, maximizing nutrient utilization. Hope this helps!

 

[D_Leotols Toy]

Right on Bigski, that was an insightful yet easy to follow post. Thanks man!

 

[D_Fletchyer Flagpole]

This is part of my training, So I'm glad I could help. Good luck!