Building muscle/mass virtually from scratch

Okay, I'm what can probably best be described as a 'scrawny dude.' about 100 lbs. Only about 5'3 on top of that. As a result I'm not really in the best shape for going out on patrols. This is why A) I'm thinking of being a charity-only hero, and B) Was trying to get a group together, which isn't panning out (but that's a topic for another thread).

Of course, I'd love to be out doing the Thanatos thing, handouts and connecting with people and letting them be heard as real people at night (the connecting with the marginalized is frankly the most important aspect to me), but I imagine its still potentially dangerous out there, skirting around in back alleys in the wee hours, even if I'm not actively trying to bust crime.


So long story short (or at this point slightly longer, I suppose) I need to find the best all around way to get fit.

Obviously I need to do some massive weightlifting, but what are ways to optimize efficiency in getting some mass/ I see stuff on tv and books about work outs and it how it helps you lose weight. But I want more mass, not less. I know its not a quick process, as it is, hence my desire to make it take no longer than necessary.

Also diet. What helps/hurts? As an aside, through stomach/esophagus surgical operations as a child it's extremely difficult for me to build any weight from eating. My parents explained the medical reasons behind that once, but I don't recall. Anyways so I'm not sure how much diet can help? Certainly not useful to add even fatty mass to hide the ribcage.

Not expecting to ever look huge and ripped. Heck, I'll take 'average sized guy' at this point.

Thanks for any help and baring with my ramblings.

Peace.

Regardless of the medical conditions you've listed, your body has to be able to absorb nutrients from the food you are eating. There shouldn't be any problem in protein-rich foods, etc being able to supply your muscles with what the need to recover and grow from any exercising you'll be doing.

Yeah, Crimson Fist is probably right, but I'm gonna need a few more specifics on those medical procedures. I can help you out, but I don't want to be giving any advice without knowing the full picture, first.

stop stop stop.

"Protien rich" can be poisonous.

You need very specific food as does every one.

If you can eat, you can heal and grow.

If you are - even - Mr. Hawking, we, in the fitness pro-community can take care of you.


Please, what are you eating now and when?

Just because you're thin doesn't mean you're useless, and hanging out with homeless crack heads and mental patients does not ensure your safety. Learn to exercise, avoid shitty food, and throw and take punches well. None of this will happen overnight so begin immediately.

Zimmer wrote:

....None of this will happen overnight so begin immediately.

I will agree with Zimmer on this. It will take time but you can gain muscle mass and strength. Another hero gave me some pointers on building toned strong muscles, namely Blue Alpha. But, Enviroman and Flora V. Arbor may be right. The procedures you endured as a child may have some affect as to why your body does not build as well as a person who never had the procedure and that you may require specific foods for your body to build up.

Flora V. Arbor may be onto something. I've only heard compliments of her advice on food intake. Both of these heroes may have the knowledge and wisdom to be able to help you reach your goals in body structure. You may need to take the time to PM Blue Alpha on a possible workout for your type of body structure.

OK Saint, thanks for making me look good, but I am no fitness guru. I know some tricks and things that work, and I really appreciate the endorsement, but I'm no trainer lol. I just told you some things I've tried that might work for you. I'll give advice, but I'm not personal trainer! In fact, look to the left. In my pic, I got some small arms and I'm sucking in about 20lbs of excess gut!

OK, now that I've busted SH's balls (uterus? ) let me just say size does not matter. Strange physiques run in my family-Big guts, narrow shoulders,skinny hips, and barrel chests. My dad's arms are my size, he outweighs me by like 65lbs, and he's alot stronger than me and punches faster and harder. I've known weak buff guys who look like pro wrestlers with a fair diet and a 2 day a week gym program. It's all genetics. Don' feel you have to be big. Just pick a workout you like and stick to it, with a fairly healthy diet.

Here's how I workout. Its for conditioning, not bulk or cosmetics. Take two decks of cards, shuffled together. Make a list of all the excercises you can find (scour the internet, magazines, etc) that you can do with what you have. Bodyweight is obvious, and if you have dumbells, bands, whatever, look into that. Don't feel obligated to buy anything. After you make this list, cut it up so you have little pieces of paper, each with an excercise on it. When you workout, pull a random excercise outta a bag and assign it to a suit. "OK, push-ups (wide stance) for spades, lunges with dumbells for clubs, reverse crunches for hearts, and deadlifts for diamonds." Then you go through the deck without stopping, doing the excercises and using the cards face values for the reps (I do ten on face cards, but hold the last rep for 5 seconds, and aces are one explosive rep) until you are done.

So you it would look like this: "7 hearts: 7 reverse crunches (do them), 3 spades: 3 push-ups....etc. Don't stop until you're done! Consider shuffling in 2 jokers for 30 second water breaks if you need to.

It prevents boredom and improves conditioning. If you don't want to be random assign certain excercises to certain days, or split up your list into seperate 'upper body'-'lower body' bags. And if you do the random thing, be smart. If on Monday you happen to pick 3 leg exercises, and on Tuesday your quads are burning and your calves feel ready to come off, and you pull out 'jump squats,' put it back. Try again until you get chin-ups or something.

@Blue Alpha: I only mean to say you may have an idea about a workout for him just like you had an idea of a workout for me. I'll be starting the workout you told me the beginning of this coming week.

Quote :

OK, now that I've busted SH's balls (uterus? )

Just so it be known, I'm definitely a guy, only a lot more polite and kind than maybe most guys you may know.

OK, I'll stop the girl jokes. I just had to run it into the ground a little more.

And I'm glad I was able to help you, I just didn't want this guy to think I was our resident fitness trainer, then later see me post something like "Ugh! I just ate 2 large pizzas and 10 hot wings! I need a nap!" lol

Starting from scratch I'd do some reading online and take the info you find with a grain of salt, look for stuff said by multiple sources, etc.

The basics of what you want to do aren't complicated -- exercise more than you do now, eat more than you do now, make sure to drink water, stretch, etc. The key part is basically "more than you do now" and keep progressing until you get toward where you want to be.

@Blue: How did you bust my balls? you didn't even mention me. Do you have some kind of a problem with me? If so I'm not aware of it.


@Unnamed: scrawny is just as big of a problem as obesity, when I was 16 I had Bad nerves, and was 5'11" & 122 Lbs.
Proof:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm 42 now. that's 26 years of dedicated training & I'm 200 solid ones now
Proof:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The best thing you can bring to the table is dedication, If you've worked a long day just remember it's better to be tired than tired & guilty. train anyway.

Try to get your protein grams up. but no more than 30 grams every two hours because you'll just pass it. Try to get a gram for every Lb. of body weight is a old school rule.

Get Arnold's encyclopedia to learn the basic exercises, Try to keep your cardio at 20 minutes three times a week, another old school rule.

train heavy & "F*&^ reps"

It will be a long road but as you get older you'll win the battle. But I won't lie, it's gonna be a long road of gains.

Good luck.

Pm me and I'll try to encourage & advise if I can. I have a CPT cert. even though I don't use it.

Quote :

Also diet. What helps/hurts? As an aside, through stomach/esophagus surgical operations as a child it's extremely difficult for me to build any weight from eating.

I'd like to hear more detail on that though before really recommending eating a ton of whatever. Flora is right, you could kill yourself.

Supes: I believe he was referring to Saint Hood when he said "SH"

Oh.

also at Un named: you know if you've got good genetics or train right It may not be that long of a road,

The first time I met KO he was about as big around as a Popsicle stick, then I see him two years later & he's coming in at 6'4" 230!

It can happen.

the first results come on the first day = you sleep HARD

the next results come two days later in the form of pain

...next, pain leaves,

then, six weeks later, every thing get a bit easier
then, strength in one year
then, stronger every three years.
IT WORKS!
YAY!

I'll never forget "Jimmy"

He was this huge Asian guy who I met back when I first started training.

One day he just told me "if you make it thru the first six months, you'll do it forever. After six months you start to see gains yourself & then you get really motivated." I've given other kids that same advice.

Now I'm giving it to you.

YAH!

@ Superhero: Yeah, I was reffering to Saint Hood. Awhile back I asked him if he was a guy or chick (I honestly wasn't sure) and afterwards called him a girl just to joke around. Plus I've busted your balls all the time in fun. Is everything ok?

Oh. Yeah just used to being the "SH" on the board. LOL

OK cool LOL

Superhero wrote:

@Unnamed: scrawny is just as big of a problem as obesity, when I was 16 I had Bad nerves, and was 5'11" & 122 Lbs.
Proof:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm 42 now. that's 26 years of dedicated training & I'm 200 solid ones now
Proof:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Just checked in on this thread again. This is awesome, hahaha, and inspiring.

Ladies and gentlemen,

see the truth of training-not-steroids!!

Look at that photo and know what it takes
and be proud to type in his general direction

SH remind me of my brother. We call him "Seagull-legs".

I've been trying to gain a little weight, as it turns out I'm underweight by about 10 lbs, and I could use some more muscle. Problem is, I can eat all I want to and still lose weight, I don't think my metabolism is working right. I've lost about 18 lbs. over the course of a year, and am trying to get about 10 back, but to no avail.

Underweight according to who?

- Figure how much you have to eat to get the the desired weight, and eat it. Not easy, but possible.
- EAT HEALTHY. If you are unsure, get some help setting up your diet.
- And get the the gym. Build some muscle.

Takes a while, you might feel like you want to trow up a few weeks, but at some point you'll get used to eating enough, and you can follow your stomach again.