rod_barolo said:
Hey guys this wannabe is a little intimidated to post on this lively debate, especially since it was not that long ago that I thought a thread was something to sew a button on with. I preferred to spend my spare time staying fit. So, this is not from an expert but it is what works for me.
Do not run intensly if you want to gain weight.
This is probably the most important point I can add.
Read what you can - I think that Fitness RX is one of the better mags out there.
Every mag is suspect, the programs rarely vary and are usually just designed to sell supplement products. If your are skinny guy/begining weightlifter and you want to gain mass, google starting strength/Mark Rippetoe and start reading.
I would highly recommend a competenttrainer.
Fixed that for you, and easier said than done in the Globo-Gym environment (a certain gym that promotes a "Good" Lifestyle, only requires its trainers to have a Can-Fit-Pro cert, which in essence teachs you how to describe exercises in very fancy terms, and what "machine" exercises to use, but thats as far as it goes).
If you can't do that then do not be intimated and just go up to someone that looks like they know what they are doing and ask questions.
NO, bad idea, even worse, for one, if you get hurt following that persons "adivce", you are up the creek with out a paddle. Second, guaranteed, most of the people who "look like" they know what they are doing, usually get their training advice from such enlightened magazines as Muscle&Fitness and Flex.
Start off with a compliment and you'd be surprised at how much most of these guys like to share.
See, above
No one ever came out of the womb lookin like Arnie. There is a lot to know but none of it is complicated. Trust me on this one. You can waste a lot of time doing things the wrong way.
Actually, learning to do things like deadlifts, squats, presses, power cleans, properly is a bit complicated (not much, but very few of the trainers/patron in most globo gyms, have the requisite skills to teach/practice these). Although doing things the wrong way, does waste time, i agree with you there.
One of the things that may have made this a lively debate is the fact that different things work for different people. So, keep a journal and document. For me I found changing up programs and rep ranges etc very important. Four grams of protein is way too much and very expensive. That much can also be getting close to toxic for the liver on a longer term basis. (not an expert, but informed amature.) I think that there may have been some confusion on the failure/intensity debate. One of the best piece of advice I ever got was from a guy that played pro ball in the U.S. and likely benched like 450 or more. Let say you do 4 sets of 10 reps. You work hard on the first 3 sets but NOT to failure. Then on that last set bring your game. Do some negatives or pyramids (research the web, or ask me or at the gym if you do not know) Playing a mind game here works great for me. Get aggressive!! Play loud heavy metal music and visualize about ripping that fu**kin Taliban coc*sucker's
head off. Competing with your buddy is great. It is also pretty hard to over motivate yourself. Have a big Canadian flag (or whatever works for you) up in your room to remind you. Also while this is very doable without supplements, they have been a great help for me and I would recommend them.
No quibbles, more or less here.
Finally, remember that us skinny guys are the lucky ones. Not only is running such a huge factor in CF fitness
Actually, overall fitness (ala crossfit) is starting to gain a lot of traction. As well, its not so much running per se, but more physical endurance/stamina, that is really important.
the pushups and chin ups are body weight relative. Not as a bragging point, but rather as encouragement for the skinny guys - I can smoke that pro football player on wide grip chin ups.
Sorta right, most of those behomoths don't really practice body weight exercises, so to suggest they "can't" do that well doing pushups/chinups, is a bit of misnomer. There are plenty of videos floating out there on the net showing fairly big guys, who can knock out insane pushups/pullup numbers. Its all about strength-weight ratio.
![[RICE]](/forums/data/avatars/m/24/24610.jpg?1608716123){kind=avatar}
). I've never had a routine, I just do what I feel like doing on that day.
