Help Developing a Mass Routine

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
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i weigh 160lbs and stand 6’ tall, which as im sure you guessed means im pretty skinny. i used to weigh 145-150lbs two years ago. after two years of not so consistent training i gained about 10lbs, most of which came within my first few months training. may of this year is when i really started to get back into training and ive gotten stronger, just not much bigger.

i eat plenty, usually getting close to 3000 calories, spread over 6-7 meals a day, and id guess my ratio would be something like 50%protein/35%carbs/15%fat.

im looking for some advice on a good workout plan and a good diet to follow for someone who is looking to put on mass. i also would like to get into a running routine, but that is not a priority right now, just something i want to work in my training routine if possible.

ive read and considered the bulk-building workout by Ian King as well as the stripped down hypertrophy workout by Joel Marion. i am not sure which one is better for my current goal which is to put on weight/size first and foremost. as i mentioned earlier, cardio endurance (i.e. running) is something i would like to add into my routine as some point.

unfortunately i do not have my measurements or my BF% but i will get them as soon as i can and post them. my current bench is 145lbs for 5 reps, i havent done squats enough to say what my range is but last set i did was 165lbs for 5 reps, deadlift is 200lbs for 6 reps.

anything else i need to post that will help let me know please and ill post it asap. i appreciate any help you guys give me.

ps. i have been a member of this site for a while and a lurker for even longer. i have learned quite a bit from this site.

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i forgot to mention that i have a decent knowledge of exercises and variations. if you post things i dont know what are, i will either ask or search and find out for myself. i mention this bc i dont want you to think im just a dumbass newbie who cant read or figure out anything for himself. ive done some research and looked at a few different routines, i just need the help of more experienced members to guide/direct me in the right direction. sometimes i dont know which way to go or do things in order to reach my goals. thanks again for any help

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im not currently taking any supplements or vitamins. the protein im drinking is called “body fortress” and i got it from wal-mart. right now im kind of broke so i dont have alot of money for supplements. i do have some creatine i got from this site that i havent started yet, just FYI. i also drink alot of milk, about half a gallon a day, eat plenty of tuna, and brown rice.

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more food, 3000 calories isn’t much

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[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
more food, 3000 calories isn’t much[/quote]

ok, what should i shoot for? and are there any ideas you have i could use to boost my caloric intake? just eat more in general in all my meals?

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shoot for feeling sick. haha idk eat a lot, when you eat its because your body needs to grow. so everytime your hungry just think its muscle saying it wants to come out.

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I don’t have an exact amount I shoot for. I just eat the highest calorie, highest protein meals available to me at any given time. Usually 6-7 times a day.

I average between 4000-5000+ a day.

start at roughly 3500 a day, and bump it up when you stop seeing progress.

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ok great. thanks for the advice guys.

now as far as a workout routine, is there one you would recommend to me that would help reach my goals? maybe the bulk-building workout by Ian King?

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program shouldnt matter , your new to lifting and plenty skinny .

it’s been said more than enough around here…

eat big

lift big

rest

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You might want to give the Rippetoe Starting Strength a go, lots of heavy basic lifts combined with alot more calories will help you no end. There’s a whole thread on Starting Strength in this forum, have a read of it, but basically any prog with lots of compound moves will help if you’re eating enough. Don’t over think things, your main problem is that at 6’ and 160 you need more food.

I would keep a food log for a week, then you will see exactly where your cals are coming from (or not as the case maybe). I would aim to increase the percentage of fats, your quite lean so you can afford to add some cals here. Olive oil, avocados, peanut butter, nuts etc in addition to all the usual protein stuff (tuna, chicken, eggs) will help push your cals up.

I would hold off on the endurance running until you add some substantial body mass as it will hinder you. First, because you will be burning off more cals and therefore have to eat even more and second because your body won’t want to make you heavier as it has to carry that mass whilst running. Adding muscle and endurance running are like trying to go in two directions at once…you will stand still.

If you want to do a little cardio for health, limit it to a few intervals twice a week or an easy cycle for 20mins just to keep your heart and lungs ticking over, but watch your cal intake and make sure you’re not burning off too much.

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ok thanks marlboroman. lol, it seems funny to me that someone who has been lifting for two years is new to lifting but that just tells me that lifting is a life long thing and it takes time.

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420×560 53.9 KB

[quote]Lift and Eat wrote:
You might want to give the Rippetoe Starting Strength a go, lots of heavy basic lifts combined with alot more calories will help you no end. There’s a whole thread on Starting Strength in this forum, have a read of it, but basically any prog with lots of compound moves will help if you’re eating enough. Don’t over think things, your main problem is that at 6’ and 160 you need more food.

I would keep a food log for a week, then you will see exactly where your cals are coming from (or not as the case maybe). I would aim to increase the percentage of fats, your quite lean so you can afford to add some cals here. Olive oil, avocados, peanut butter, nuts etc in addition to all the usual protein stuff (tuna, chicken, eggs) will help push your cals up.

I would hold off on the endurance running until you add some substantial body mass as it will hinder you. First, because you will be burning off more cals and therefore have to eat even more and second because your body won’t want to make you heavier as it has to carry that mass whilst running. Adding muscle and endurance running are like trying to go in two directions at once…you will stand still.

If you want to do a little cardio for health, limit it to a few intervals twice a week or an easy cycle for 20mins just to keep your heart and lungs ticking over, but watch your cal intake and make sure you’re not burning off too much.[/quote]

ok, ill start a food log tomorrow. last week i just started training each body part on its own day and hitting it with 3-4 compound moves, 5 sets, 6-12 reps. chest on monday, back on tuesday, wednesday off, thursday arms and shoulders, and friday legs. i stuck with compound moves for each part.

chest: bench, incline bench, pec deck flye, pushups.
back: deadlift, bent over barbell row, wide grip pullups, close grip cable row.
arms/shoulders: standing barbell military press, cable and barbell upright row, DB laterals to all heads, barbell curl, incline DB curl, superset cable straight bar reverse grip curl with chins, high pulley cable curl.
legs: squat, leg press, standing calf raise.

ive included a decent, meaning the best i have, shot of my back.

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I would highly recommend picking up a copy of John Berardi’s “Scrawny to Brawny” book. You can get it cheap on Amazon.com.

It’s perfect for a skinny guy like yourself. It contains a good nutrition program and a very good training program.

I feel that this is the best place to start when you’re a scrawny bastard. Once you’ve done this program religiously, you will have beefed up and gotten strong enough to progress to more advanced routines.

Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program is a good plan for beginners as well, but I think that you’re much better off with Scrawny to Brawny. It has a better training and nutrition plan.

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Scrawny to Brawny better than Rippetoes?

Heretic! :slight_smile:

It does have a nutrition plan, though, Mark Rippetoe doesn’t talk about diet with the same detail as Berardi. Both books are definitely worth buying, Starting Strength is the reference to own for correctly learning (or, in my case, re-learning) the big compound lifts.

I think the Starting Strength program is awesome, especially if you are used to splits and have never done a pure strength program. Squatting 3x a week will pack on muscle like no other.

Here’s the guide:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/starting_strength_the_guide

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[quote]gsxr6002005 wrote:

chest: bench, incline bench, pec deck flye, pushups.
back: deadlift, bent over barbell row, wide grip pullups, close grip cable row.
arms/shoulders: standing barbell military press, cable and barbell upright row, DB laterals to all heads, barbell curl, incline DB curl, superset cable straight bar reverse grip curl with chins, high pulley cable curl.
legs: squat, leg press, standing calf raise.

ive included a decent, meaning the best i have, shot of my back.

[/quote]

Your routine isn’t bad. I’d add RDL to the leg day and sub weighted dips for one of the chest compounds. The arm/shoulder day has a bit of redundancy with all the curl variations. Ditch the excess BS and increase the intensity on BB curl, incline curl, and chins.

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[quote]tom8658 wrote:
Scrawny to Brawny better than Rippetoes?

Heretic! :)[/quote]

Definitely. It’s more comprehensive in terms of a good training and nutrition program.

Rippetoe’s is a good plan, but I just don’t think it’s that great. Yes, I own the book and like how it goes into every possible detail of performing each lift, but it can be a real sleeper for most beginners who don’t want to read 100 pages on how to squat properly (it’s not that difficult!).

I’ve used a very similar program in the past to gain strength, but I think Scrawny to Brawny has more variety and some other useful informatin that Starting Strength lacks.

[quote]It does have a nutrition plan, though, Mark Rippetoe doesn’t talk about diet with the same detail as Berardi. Both books are definitely worth buying, Starting Strength is the reference to own for correctly learning (or, in my case, re-learning) the big compound lifts.

I think the Starting Strength program is awesome, especially if you are used to splits and have never done a pure strength program. Squatting 3x a week will pack on muscle like no other.

Here’s the guide:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/starting_strength_the_guide [/quote]

Or the OP can buy both books! :wink:

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ok, so i think ill start off with the rippetoe program right now and buy the books later since im strapped for cash right now. im trying my best to keep a detailed nutrition log starting today and go at least a week with it. i might just make it a habit and do it daily, that way ill keep my diet in check.

now i have a question concerning my routine. yesterday i started the “blending size and strength” program by dr. clay hyght, so ive completed two days of his program after today. tomorrow will be my off day and i will pick up again on thursday. now my question is this: should i work with dr. hyght’s program for a few weeks and then go to the rippetoe program or should i start rippetoe next week?

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i forgot to mention that i really appreciate all you guys replying and being cool and helpin me out. thanks!

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[quote]gsxr6002005 wrote:
ok, so i think ill start off with the rippetoe program right now and buy the books later since im strapped for cash right now. im trying my best to keep a detailed nutrition log starting today and go at least a week with it. i might just make it a habit and do it daily, that way ill keep my diet in check.

now i have a question concerning my routine. yesterday i started the “blending size and strength” program by dr. clay hyght, so ive completed two days of his program after today. tomorrow will be my off day and i will pick up again on thursday. now my question is this: should i work with dr. hyght’s program for a few weeks and then go to the rippetoe program or should i start rippetoe next week? [/quote]

I would finish what you’re doing this week and then start rippetoe from next wk…no sense in wasting time. I think as you are quite a lanky build (no offence) you will benefit from doing less volume of lifts and rippetoe works you hard on all the basics.

Scrawny to Brawny is a good book tho’ and worth picking up when you do have some more funds.

I think you’ll find the food log a big help in terms of getting enough food in. Once it’s there in black and white, it’s easier to see where to add stuff.

From your pics you look like you have quite long arms to fill out…could just be me tho’ as I have short ones :slight_smile: