okay, so i believe this is the section where this should go, if not please tell me...


but anyways.. i want to start working out..
3 years ago i was running cross country and could run a 17:30-18:15 3 miles. which i was proud of.. but i never lifted anything to build my upper body.
i want to develop my arms to get bigger, (nothing like huge, but i want to fill out my sleeve..)

i am going to run and do P90X (the P90X i will start next month) i just wanted to see if any of yall had any luck with P90X first, and then ask what would be a good way to build my upper body some..

oh also started running about a week ago, and can run about a 7-8 min mile for only around a mile now, then can't breath (stupid smoking!!!) ( i am currently trying to quite running is helping alot...)

also just wanted to put in there, i am not doing the running or P90X to loose weight, actually i want to gain weight.. i am 5'9" and only weight 145lbs.. i want to try to get into the 160-170 range.

 

My buddy has done P90X before to gain weight and did so using weights. Don't use the resistance bands or anything--get an adjustable set of dumbbells.

He turned me onto it and we're both doing it as a competition. We set goal weights (his to gain weight and mine to lose weight). I'm usually big on going to the gym, but I don't have the time anymore. The home workout is so much more convenient and I work harder doing this than I did at the gym, anyway. I gained a lot of weight last semester (fast food is convenient for a college student), but I'm already down 18 lbs and I've only been doing P90X for about three weeks now. It's a great program. Normally I'd be the guy saying don't waste your money and just go to the gym, but it's sooo much easier being able to workout at home.

 

CrossFit.com

 

If you want to gain muscle, skip on the P90X and (especially) crossfit. A proper diet and weight lifting will help you gain the size you want faster (more efficiently) than high interval/high intensity programs made for leaning out and cutting.

1. A proper diet for what you want (bulking or adding muscle, cutting, maintain, etc.) is key.

2. Lift more than just your arms. Guys that only train chest and arms with narrow shoulders and chicken legs get made fun of by the rest of the gym crowd. Train with the big 3 compound moves. Deadlift, squat, and bench. Learn the correct form and execution of all three and supplement with appropriate isolation work.

When I started lifting, I was 5'9" 155 lbs. I'm currently the same height, but at 191-5 lbs. I made the 1,000 lbs club last spring...

Look up nutrition and training articles on bodybuilding.com and tmuscle.com

 

Lift lighter weights with higher reps for size.

Fewer heavier for strength.

 

P90X isn't the best program out there, but it certainly isn't the worst. It is a program designed for people who don't go to the gym. Wether it's a time issue, or just a general dislike of the gym atmosphere. I personally don't care much for P90X but that's just me. If thats all you got, or the working out at home thing appeals to you, then by all means, have at it. I'm sure you will see reults. The OP seems like someone who is naturally a smaller guy, so pretty much any type of lifting will get him results. One thing that is universal though, unless you are 16, is your diet. Without the proper nutrition, it's gonna be a long, and treacherous road. You might get there eventually, but could of been a lot easier.

And, if all you want is to have bigger arms to fill out your shirt, then go do bicep curls, tricep extensions, and dips. Who gives a crap what other people think. I always found it kind of gay that some guy took the time to check out some other dude's body, then critique it.

 

www.bodybuilding.com has both a store and a "supersite" that are filled with endless hours of workout information. There are tons of write-ups/articles/forums to answer virtually any question you may have.

The basics of gaining (healthy) weight:

-Eat A LOT- that doesn't mean pounding double cheeseburgers every meal, but you should try to eat 4-5 meals a day. It is CRUCIAL that you eat within a half hour to an hour after working out. Thats when your body will benefit from all the nutrients/proteins the most.

-Protein- The rule of thumb is that you should take in 1 gram of protein for every pound that you want to weigh. So you want to weigh 170, then try to eat 170g of protein a day.

-Workouts- If you work out every day, dont work the same part of your body 2 days in a row. The recommended rest period is 2-3 days. Of course you should do the usual workouts, bench press, incline, curls, triceps, etc...However, the workouts that will lead to the biggest gaining are lower back and legs. The reason for this is because when you work those 2 areas of your body, you're releasing testosterone into your body.

A few supplements I would recommend are Cyto Gainer, Optimum Whey Protein, and if you wan't a pre-workout supplement, NO Shotgun is great.

 

Not necessarily. It depends on one's body shape and their overall condition. My buddy is an ectomorph and he puts on a good deal of muscle on P90X. Same as Crossfit, it has a lot more weight lifting than you realize. I was surprised.

Man that one always got me. Back when I actually had time to go to the gym I loved seeing the frat guys come in every day and do benchpress and curls... Different strokes, different folks, though.


x2, especially on the diet. P90X really surprised me, though. I'm a gym-goer and have been for the last four years, but between working and senior-level mechanical engineering courses, I don't have the time this year. P90X is nothing like what I thought it was. I work harder at home now than I did in the gym. Like you mentioned, it's like Crossfit--you are constantly going rather than resting a minute or two between every set. Very difficult.

I'm going to try Crossfit after I finish this first round of P90X. I think the two are pretty similar, but from what I've read P90X is aimed more at a better physique, while Crossfit is aimed at better physical fitness (with which a better physique will eventually come).

 

thanks for some of the tips guys..
i am not a very big gym goer first off, then with school and then work, i don't have that much time to go to a gym, i need to get to bed around 10:00 and no later than 10:30 so i can wake up in time and feel good for school (dang getting up at 5:15 leave the apt at 5:45 drive 20 min to school to start at 6:30...

but anyways.
i do want to get bigger arms, and a broader chest. but i don't want to be huge, well just for one main reason, when i get the money i want to start racing again, and i know several ppl that a bigger (muscle wise) and get arm pump real bad. and personaly i would radther be a good size have tone, and not get arm pump in the 20-30 lap feature..

but then again i want to ge strong enough to be able lift certain parts of the car, like i.e. trannies, lead, the heavy jack, and such stuff as that...

 

Weight Gainers, and NO products are not needed at all as long as you have proper diet. Protein powders are good b/c they are quick, but if you have the money or time, food is better. Just not easy for people to cook a meal and down it after a workout. If you do the protein powder route, Slamma is right, Optimum Nutrition protein is gonna be the best one. It's cheap, mixes easier then any others, and has the same amount of protein. Don't get sold on those other high dollar "Advanced" protein powders.

Like SJ said. It is highly recommended you eat within an hour of working out. This is where you want to put down some carbs and protein. If you read around you will see a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 is the going rate. As 2gm of carbs for every 1gm of protein. Skipping this can lead to decreased energy/stamina for following workouts. Lots of time you won't even know it, but you could of pushed harder.


For workouts, I'm still gonna wait until you chime in, and let us know the type of training you are looking at doing.

For research, I would stick to websites/forums, and magazines that DON'T sell supplements. I would actually just stick to books, but those are harder to come by. I get a magazine every month from Vitamin Shoppe (from the old BB'ing days) saying this, and that are the newest and greatest muscle building supplements. And that if you aren't taking _______ for ________ then you are missing out. All BS man. Don't buy into the supplement hype. Just eat good and clean, put in your time at the gym, and be patient. Nothing happens overnight, except for STD's and mail.

 

Ahaha I just noticed the ad.

It is sad how much they advertise this as an infomercial. It's actually a great workout.

 

Yea, that's why P90X is so popular. Made for the people who can't/don't do the gym scene. Works a lot of muscles, and is high intensity. But also uses some weights, unlike the Bootcamp programs that are bodyweight. I hear good things about P90X, but I just can't work out at home. Atmosphere setting I guess. I do hear that the yoga is an *** kicker though. Gonna have to try it for sure. One of the main differences in CF and P90 is the weights. P90 doesn't do a lot of weighted olympic lifts. Due to the whole at home aspect, you are limited in your equipment. So, for me, that was a deal killer as well. Something just feels good about bars flying around.

Yea, if you like P90X, you will probably like CrossFit. Especially if you get a good CF gym. You will learn a lot of stuff, and be amazed at what someone who is 5'5, 145 lbs can lift. Sure is humbling when that guy doubles your deadlift, then jumps up and knocks out 40 pull-ups without sweating.

 

Haha, yea. I saw that too. Dang internet. Type in one thing, and it's ad pop up. Guess I've been looking at too many threads with the Raptor in it, as I've been getting their ads a lot recently. Now if people would only stop asking why there is a G space M truck advertised on here, it would stop popping up.

 

yea. another thing that is going to help me witht he at-home work-out is my roommate is going to do it with me, so we will be there to push each other, the only diff between him and i is, i want to gain a little muscle mass, and he just wants to loose weight and tone.
for at home we are going to slip the cost for some dumbbells, a pull up bar, and any thing else we need..

and for training, i am not really sure what you mean there..
but my main goal is, to gain some muscle mass on my arms and chest mainly. (my legs are already pretty big from xc and hockey, back in the day...)
but i just really want to tone out and get some more muscle,

oh when i am talking about being small, i just got bored and pulled out the tape measure, and went around my arm w/o flexing and i am only 9 and a half inches round.. and my legs are 13 and a half at the calf and 20 inches around the upper part of my leg, (these are all not flexing and the biggest part of the area..) also i am only at 31 inches around the waist, and around 36 at the chest...

i guess getting my legs bigger wouldn't be bad, but i do want to get my arms bigger

 

That's how it works man. The small guys are jealous that the bigger guys don't have to try, and have big arms. But the big guys are jealous that all the smaller guys have to do is wake up, and they have a flat stomach.

Best thing to do is train for your body type. From the sounds of it, you're looking to get fit, and look fit. So, a type of crosstraining/HIHR (High intensity, high reps) workout with weights would do you good. P90X will work great for you, but from what I understand, you're limited on your equipment. So, sooner or later, I would recommend moving onto a different program that involves more full body weighted exercises. Olympic lifts and stuff along those lines. The fact that you and your RM are doing it together will help as well in the slacking off department. As the biggest problem people have with at home workouts is that they tell theirself that they will do it later. Then later turns into later, then later turns into tomorrow, then tomorrow turns into ..... You get my point. Just stick with it, stay focused, eat right, and motivate each other, and you'll see results.