Advice on bulking up

[lawtoni]

I'm trying to bulk up and increase my strength.
Early days but I've added 2 kilos in 5 weeks. 6ft 4. 85kg

Can you please answer a questions for me? I've heard that you need to eat lots and lots, 2,500calories and more. Understood.

I've also read that your body can only use (for muscle building) ~1.5 gram of protein per lean body mass.

Why then if you are hitting that, do you need to eat and eat and eat? What good will extra calories do?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[LordGrover]

Clean ones.
Don't sweat the small stuff. There is no magic supplement or potion.
Just don't fill up on junk - keep to fresh meat/fish, fruit and vegetables.

[TurboHatchback]

2500kcal is not lots, that's no more than a baseline maintenance calorie level for someone your size. I am a similar height and was a similar weight (now around 96kg), I'm on something like 3500-4000kcal a day. I'm no biologist so can't help with the science of protein intake but I do know that if you don't eat you won't grow. As above, stick to clean eating, minimal processed foods, sugar and white bread. Get plenty of protein in throughout the day (not just in one big lump for dinner), loads of veg, milk, eggs, oats etc.

As for training there is loads of advice out there. I personally favour (particularly for a beginner) a regimen based on training the big compound lifts regularly and generally avoiding machines and isolation exercises. The big lifts will increase testosterone levels and build that solid foundation of strength you need, dumbbell curls etc are fine but should be used on top of a program of heavy compound lifts not instead of it.

I would recommend focusing on:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bent over barbell rows
• Bench press
• Standing overhead (military) press
• Pullups (also weighted)
• Dips (also weighted)

Train all of those twice a week (deadlifts once a week) with proper nutrition, water and sleep and you will put on serious muscle. Do the training without the food and you won't grow, eat the food without the training and you'll grow in the wrong way.

[chris watton]

2 kilos in 5 weeks! Most of that would be fat, I would think.

[lawtoni]

Thanks all, this is all really helpful

I'll try to eat even more. and take on baord the exercise tips

Are there any supplements (pills) you would recommend? Not interested in steroids or anything, but keep to know if anyone has any tips on safe, legal ways to give me a boost?

Thanks again

[chris watton]

lawtoni said:

Thanks all, this is all really helpful

I'll try to eat even more. and take on baord the exercise tips

Are there any supplements (pills) you would recommend? Not interested in steroids or anything, but keep to know if anyone has any tips on safe, legal ways to give me a boost?

Thanks again

Just eat healthy wholefoods and avoid processed foods. You could try protein powder/shakes to supplement your daily protein intake. As Turbohatchback write, if you're training, concentrate mainly on the main compounds he suggests, they are the best for both strength and muscle building.

[TurboHatchback]

lawtoni said:

Are there any supplements (pills) you would recommend? Not interested in steroids or anything, but keep to know if anyone has any tips on safe, legal ways to give me a boost?

I would concentrate on your nutrition first, training second, sleep third and supplements a very distant fourth.

That said I take Creatine Monohydrate and I think it helps slightly, it does make you retain some extra water so if you start taking it and see your weight quickly jump up a kilo or two don't think "Wow this stuff's amazing!" as it's probably water weight. Read the research on it before taking it obviously but basically it increases the amount of stored ATP and the rate of ATP synthesis thus allowing you to train slightly harder, it's not a magic muscle pill.

Protein powders can be used to fill in gaps if you can't get real food for whatever reason but I would always rather have food where possible. There are other supplements that might give you some minuscule benefits but honestly I would focus on the basics and spend your money on good food.

[Jez m]

lawtoni said:

I'm trying to bulk up and increase my strength.
Early days but I've added 2 kilos in 5 weeks. 6ft 4. 85kg

Can you please answer a questions for me? I've heard that you need to eat lots and lots, 2,500calories and more. Understood.

I've also read that your body can only use (for muscle building) ~1.5 gram of protein per lean body mass.

Why then if you are hitting that, do you need to eat and eat and eat? What good will extra calories do?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Im 6ft 4", currently 87kg and have been bodybuilding for last few years.. would love to get down to 85-80kg to give the more toned / cut look. so I'd say if anything you are at a good weight already to start building, you just need to eat more and get to the gym 4-5 times per week.
Im eating 2500 calories per day to lose weight so to add, you'd need to go for at least 3500. Easiest way is to meal prep in advance and switch to eating 4-6 small meals per day.. something like chicken and rice.

[paulwoof]

Please dont just keep eating and following this "You only get big if you eat big" You will just get fat.

Your body can only put on so much muscle over time and anything else will be fat which at some point if you were want to get lean etc you will need to spend months cutting unessceray fat which is a horrible task of being in calorie deficits, Increased cardio and basically being the guy from the snickers advert when hes hungry.

If you wanna be a strong man or a powerlifter then sure crack on and eat everything under the sun but if you want to look more muscular/defined etc although physically you will get bigger you will look worse if you go over the top.

Dont go off internet myths on calories and figure what works for you. Every online calculator for nutrition I have found tells me I need to 3500 Calories plus etc which would make me fat in no time and My current maintenince is about 2600 Calories. Could be slow metabolism/body type/genetics I dont know but everyone is different.

When I bulk I stick to modest calorie surplus of 10-15% at best above maintenince which allows for steady weight gain with minimal fat (although there will always be some)

2kg in 5 weeks works out at 0.88lb a week. Which is not far off what I would be aiming for on a lean bulk. So I would be inclined to keep it at that and slowly increase calories by 50/100 everytime you see another 2kg hit the scales which will allow the ball to keep rolling.

[lawtoni]

Thank-you all

Any disadvantages of blending the fruit, veg, oats etc.. to allow me to consume more/more easily?