Gym help.
- Thread starter watcher13
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I am a woman so I don't have first hand experience but I do know men who liked to gain weight. It's not just about eating more, it's eating more of the right stuff and adding protein (i'd say a whey concentrate or protein blend). Depending on your starting level there are different kinds of exercises. Again, it's not only performing the motion, but choosing the right weight and type of sets. Maybe your gym can help you out with that. And otherwise there's google! Search for words like bulking. Good luck!
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Bicep exercises? Curls, and then you could do curls, and then maybe some curls.
Eat more calories especially protein.
You can't work arms every day as you have to give them time to recover and grow.
Eat more calories especially protein.
You can't work arms every day as you have to give them time to recover and grow.
This is me being biased towards more fullbody 'functional' exercises (or compound exercises) but if you are new I recommend the Stronglifts/ Starting strength program. Then if you want you can add chin ups and or curls.
To avoid injury and just be better all around workout and strengthen your whole body! At least in my opinion just having big biceps doesn't look that good and isn't impressive.
But to your original question, as stated above do curls, chin-ups, and rows. Yes you'll want to take in more calories to gain muscle.
Good luck!
To avoid injury and just be better all around workout and strengthen your whole body! At least in my opinion just having big biceps doesn't look that good and isn't impressive.
But to your original question, as stated above do curls, chin-ups, and rows. Yes you'll want to take in more calories to gain muscle.
Good luck!
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What does being a woman have to do with it?
I'm a woman... With firsthand experience. Lots of it. Whether or not you need to eat more really depends on your current body composition and what you're eating.
As for bicep work... Pretty much curls. Yep. Kind of a waste of time to only do your biceps, though. Read some of the other threads here about working out. There's lots of good info (and lots of bad info... I'd say to form your opinions based on the bodies of the people giving info).
sangheili90
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I wish I had known about decent lifting programs for beginners when I first started out years ago, would have saved a lot of time with spinning my wheels.
A woman's metabolism, build and hormonal structures are different from men's. Since I am not a man I can't say I have first hand experience with being one.
Flex has great advice here, and I would add that the best bicep gains I have made have been by increasing Time Under Tension on the curls (slow contract, hold max contract, slow extend). Also make sure your back is stationary so that what is worked are the biceps.
Look up biceps weight training on the internet to get info on training the inner and outer biceps.
Here's a place to start: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/5-best-biceps-exercises-for-size.htm
Don't go to just this one site--shop around.
Also ask guys/gals with well-defined and large bikes what they did to get there--your questions are compliments that will get you good info.
Flexxx is really right when he says don't work arms every day. I do bikes one day, wait a day, then trikes, wait a day, then shoulders.
-The biceps have a long and short head. The short head is the head that is closest to your body for a reference point. An effective bicep workout should incorporate exercises that target both heads.
-To emphasize tension on the short head of the bicep select exercises where the elbow will be in front of your body e.g. preacher curls, concentration curls, underhand pullups, etc.
-To emphasize tension on the long head of the bicep select exercises where the elbow is behind your midline e.g. incline dumbell curls, hammer curls, etc.
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Our bodies function the same way as men's bodies do. We need the same things to build muscle. The process is no different.
marinera
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Best exercises for biceps are revers curls and any kind of pull-ups/rows. If you want to add beef to your body a simple powerlifting routine is the quickest way. Not necessarily you'll like the outcome though. Maybe you should have more clear what your goals are, you come across as somewhat confused, but maybe it's just me.
Make sure you hit inner, outer and mid muscles. Basically any time your weight starts from the inner/center of your body you're hitting outer muscles, if you start from an angle outward moving toward your body, you're hitting inside muscles, straight forward movement is hitting the mid or head muscle. What it comes down to is the angle of your movement (form) is a major factor in what muscle you hit. Most times people will hit the mid or head and nothing else. Also don't forget triceps.
What is a great work out to follow for those who are just coming back to the gym? Any videos and other things related would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
sangheili90
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This would depend on what your goals are. The latest craze in the lifting world is full body lifting routines, usually performed 3 days per week. This is actually how the old school bodybuilders trained, back in the pre steroid era of the 40s and 50s, and by sticking to the basics they were able to build up solid strength and impressive physiques. This is also founded on science, as muscle protein synthesis occurs up to 48-72 hours after a training session. What this means is simple, if you did some bicep curls on Monday your body will be able to build muscle for up to 3 days, after that there is no longer any growth. You really want to train your body as a total unit instead of in isolation.
My basic template is something along these lines, though you should opt for a variation that is more ideal for you as an individual.
- Knee dominant lower body (front squat, single leg squats, back squats etc.)
- Hip dominant lower body (deadlifts, glute ham raises, hyperextensions etc.)
- Horizontal push (incline bench, flat bench etc.)
- Horizontal pull (rowing variations)
- Vertical push (standing press, push press etc.).
- Vertical pull (chins or pullups)
- any other accessory work, such as bicep curls or rear delts.
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Every persons hormonal balance is different.
I have far higher testosterone than many women. Probably higher than some men. There's really no way to account for that. I suppose one could have their levels checked... but the results of those tests can vary wildly from day to day... from meal to meal... a fatty meal or a bad nights sleep can change ones test levels significantly. No one really uses their test level as a tool unless they're completely controlling it with drugs. It's a non-issue.
the idea that the difference in test levels between males and females is a non-issue is so laughable I wont bother linking you to studies to disprove it, it is literally on the same level as saying the Earth is flat....
it's THAT bad
and unless you have testicles I doubt your test levels are anywhere around a mans....baring some type of genetic abnormality that would be rare enough to make it's inclusion in overall discussion on the matter the only real non-issue
There is not necessarily a difference in overall training recommended for males/females but results will be quite different on the average due to resting test levels.
it's THAT bad
and unless you have testicles I doubt your test levels are anywhere around a mans....baring some type of genetic abnormality that would be rare enough to make it's inclusion in overall discussion on the matter the only real non-issue
There is not necessarily a difference in overall training recommended for males/females but results will be quite different on the average due to resting test levels.
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It's a non-issue in the sense that you can't track it reliably so you can't make adjustments. Jesus Christ. I never said that testosterone levels don't make a difference.
Testosterone levels vary wildly from person to person, obviously most men have higher test than most women. My point is only that your test levels have nothing to do with how you put on muscle. The steps one takes are NO different. I never suggested that your results wouldn't vary depending on your test levels, only that you cannot predict your results (or the speed with which you'll build to address your comment specifically) because there's no way to have a solid baseline to compare with anything. It's not a tool you can use to help you learn how to build muscle... it's just your situation no matter how high or low your test is.
As for my levels... I do, in fact, have a medical condition that causes my testosterone to be much higher than is common in a woman. I also never said it was higher than the average man. I said it was likely higher than *some* men. Simple words. You can read into them whatever you want and make whatever assumptions you want, I suppose... but the statement was very simple.
I'd strongly suggest you make sure you actually understand what you're reading before you run off at the mouth and start talking to people like they're stupid, though.
