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Hey I want to get into bodybuilding but I don't know what exercises I should be doing or what supplements, routines, schedules, etc I should be taking. Some problem areas for me is I want to fix my forward head (I have bad posture), have a more powerful chest as my belly is wider than my

chest (I want a more v-shaped torso) and having a fuller ass. I kind of want a thin (which I am) but more powerful body-shape (which I'm not) in general. Have some pictures (inside the spoilers) so you guys know what you're dealing with. I'm 5ft 6in and am about 130lb.

forum.bodybuilding.com

Check out their workout routines. Buy a gym membership and get a few appointments with a trainer.


IMO start with a 3-day split - pushing movements (chest / shoulders / triceps), pulling movements (back / biceps / rear delts), and legs / abs.




Remember to stretch after you work out and eventually you'll fix your posture.

Jim Stoppani has a really good 12 week program from beginner to advanced bodybuilder workout. I would check that out.

The basis of it is, you start with doing Full body 3 days a week, for the first 3 weeks. The Next three weeks you split upper and lower into four days a week for 3 weeks. And So on and So on.

 NuggzTheNinja wrote:
forum.bodybuilding.com

Check out their workout routines. Buy a gym membership and get a few appointments with a trainer.


IMO start with a 3-day split - pushing movements (chest / shoulders / triceps), pulling movements (back / biceps / rear delts), and legs / abs.




Remember to stretch after you work out and eventually you'll fix your posture.

I agree with all of this, except for the 3-day split. Im currently working with a "professional" body builder (he's an NPC Champ, still competing for his IFBB card, but owns the gym that I go to) and we do a 4 day split.

Legs
Back/biceps
Chest/triceps
Shoulders

But really, if you want to get into more of that BB look, you have to eat for it. By this, I mean 5-7 meals per day, protein at each meal, etc. Usually it's only 5-6 oz. of meat at each meal, but with everything else youre still only taking in 2-3000 calories a day, if you're doing it right.

edit 1. IF/when you check out a personal trainer at a gym, when they are teaching you squats, if they DONT teach you "butt to ankles" full range squats, or say taht going any lower than parallel is bad for your knees, get rid of them right then and there.

Hey buddy.

You have what's commonly referred to by us meatheads as a 'skinnyfat' body. AKA one of the hardest body types to actually build with. Why? I'll explain a bit more below.

Before I red pill you though, I'll say that your physique shows a bit of promise particularly with your chest and deltoids. Your chest appears to have wide, deep insertions which is going to look crazy when developed. Your deltoids are also pretty prominent even now, when they are developed your v-taper will be real good.

You also have the double-edged sword of being a manlet (short brah). Being short, you will make gains VERY quickly, your muscular insertions are SHORT which means you will achieve density extremely fast and within a few years you'll have an impressive physique provided you stay consistent and stay LEAN. Tall guys hate life because unless you're genetically gifted like the pros, tall guys have insertions that are so long it takes ages to look like you actually lift weights. Of course the downside to being short is strictly social inside the gym. You'll have average height guys and tall dudes ripping on you because it's a testosterone fueled zoo, but you know how you get back at them? Get stronger, they'll respect the lifts above everything:

Right-click, View Image below to get the full chart. This is LAW in the gym. NSFW.


So, what characterizes the skinnyfat lifter:

- High body fat percentage despite appearing skinny (it's relative, remember) and low muscle content. This is what your photos appear to show. You are indeed thin, but you are basically totally soft. You aren't lean muscle.

- Skinny limbs with your fat storage being concentrated in your center/lower back, again your photos indicate this.

- This next bit will definitely vary, but usually guys like you don't have the ability to 'bulk' easily because your metabolisms are like a furnace. This is the biggest problem, because you need caloric surpluses to build muscle - and again, the surplus necessary varies based on workout intensity and individual bodies.

- Weak v-taper by default (your shoulder:waist ratio that you seek to improve).

If I woke up tomorrow looking like you, here's what I'd do (and luckily for you, it's simple):

1. Start lifting weights, and eat everything in sight. You have to try eating even when you're not hungry, this isn't about appetite anymore it's about having excess intake to devote to muscle building.

You MAY start putting on some fat in your already problem areas, but that's the risk you take going on a bulk (unless it's a very slight surplus like how I do, which is slow and very tricky but the absolute best way to look good all the time). You need to experiment a bit and figure out how many calories you are visually beginning to improve with as the weeks pass. It takes some time to figure the dieting out. As long as your STRENGTH IS INCREASING STEADILY, YOU ARE IMPROVING.

2. I see your avi, and I gotta say: cut out the dope man. If you actually care about your health and indeed changing your body, stop blazing. Your performance in the gym will depend on it. You're an adult, take responsibility and behave like one.

3. For supplements, let me tell you right now that the supplement industry is largely a huge scam. It's expensive and most of the crap it sells is to newbies such as yourself who buy into the promises on the labels where they use roided out models to sell product to 'nattys' (naturals) like you and I. A lot of guys spend craploads of money and then quit six months out of frustration because their magical bottles aren't doing anything.

The actual aware nattys who are experienced use pretty much only this sort of stack. Most other crap is a scam:

a. Whey Protein (largely optional, but it's excellent gram of protein per $$).

b. Fish oil pills (not necessary of course, but it has a long list of benefits for lifters).

c. Multivitamin (dieting, whether you eat clean or dirty (yes it's a thing), may leave you without certain vitamins. MVs ensure you're covered).

d. Creatine Monohydrate. Boosts you a bit inside the gym, but isn't as overt as a 'preworkout stimulant'. This is pretty much essential.

e. BCAAs. Very optional. Branched chain amino acids are controversial, some guys won't lift without it, some guys only use them on cuts, I don't even bother at all but then again my body is very different from yours so look up on it and decide for yourself once you're deeper into lifting.

Preworkouts, or PWOs, are also pretty unhealthy for you. Their active ingredients are basically only caffeine and they charge stupid amounts of $$ for it. If you get tempted to get a stimulant to hook you up with an edge in the gym, save yourself the money and just buy caffeine pills. Start at 100mg just before you walk into the gym, and adjust dosage as you feel necessary. Never exceed 3/400mg, that's roughly 4 strong cups of coffee in one go, and it will lead to long-term problems.

As far as a program goes, there are tons out there and you'll have to experiment to see what your body responds to. THERE IS NO ONE PROGRAM THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. Bro splits like suggested above aren't always optimal and don't always work for people's schedules.

Me? I don't follow any rigid program. My 'programming' consists of: 1 hour of cardio a day, and then I pick a muscle group that isn't healing from the days prior and then work it that day. Keep them rotated and you stay symmetrical. No program of any kind I've ever used, and look at my avatar. It works.

All of the above is just advice, obviously do whatever you think is best for you but I'm giving you tips that took me quite a while to learn myself.

Also, STAY AWAY from BodyBuilding.com for now. That site may really hurt your morale at the beginning of your lifting. Most posters there have years of lifting under their belt and have kind of . . . lost touch with giving advice to new folks. Go there when you get a year or two of lifting completed that way their sarcasm and tough love doesn't hit you so hard.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:


2. I see your avi, and I gotta say: cut out the dope man. If you actually care about your health and indeed changing your body, stop blazing. Your performance in the gym will depend on it. You're an adult, take responsibility and behave like one.

Most asinine thing I've read all day, but you did say you were a meathead so I don't blame you. That rediculous comment aside, there was actually some decent info in your post.

As for getting into lifting cheesecat the best way to start is just get into a gym and start learning proper technique first and foremost. If you just go balls out initially there is a good chance you'll burn out quick. Building muscle is a process and the start of that process is just getting in there and making sure you work all your muscles. The splitting routine to specific days are a good starting guide and eventually you'll build your own routine that wlrks best for you. But there is a reason lots of people do 3 and 4 day splits and it's because they work.

Chancetragedy wrote:

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:


2. I see your avi, and I gotta say: cut out the dope man. If you actually care about your health and indeed changing your body, stop blazing. Your performance in the gym will depend on it. You're an adult, take responsibility and behave like one.

Most asinine thing I've read all day, but you did say you were a meathead so I don't blame you. That rediculous comment aside, there was actually some decent info in your post.

As for getting into lifting cheesecat the best way to start is just get into a gym and start learning proper technique first and foremost. If you just go balls out initially there is a good chance you'll burn out quick. Building muscle is a process and the start of that process is just getting in there and making sure you work all your muscles. The splitting routine to specific days are a good starting guide and eventually you'll build your own routine that wlrks best for you. But there is a reason lots of people do 3 and 4 day splits and it's because they work.

Yeah, I guess dopeheads outrank meatheads, then? I bet you're the type of guy who thinks inhaling smoke has zero effect on your system, right?





I know fitness threads always devolve very quickly here, so I won't bother adding anything else to this thread. Anyone wants actual advice from someone with the goods to back it up, PM me. Just don't listen to guys like . . . whoever I quoted for fitness advice.

And yet some of the greatest body builders ever smoked dope, to help with recovery. but you'll probably ignore that fact and that's fine.
edit:

http://visionaryathletes.com/training/marijuana-and-bodybuilding/
Good Pros and cons article (morale don't smoke it. vape or eat it.)
http://wellspring-collective.com/marijuana-and-exercise/
http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/exercise/get-high-train-harder-20141113
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-marijuana-affects-working-out-2015-1

Information... The bane of ignorance.

Chancetragedy wrote:
And yet some of the greatest body builders ever smoked dope, to help with recovery. but you'll probably ignore that fact and that's fine.

This right here is true.... Hell, the guy I'm working with now and I have talked about this sort of thing fairly extensively... Basically, what it boils down to is this:

Are you in control of smoking weed? Are you actually losing "important" time?

So as I said, I'm working with an NPC competitor, and he's told me he does smoke on occasion to help him sleep, especially in the last couple weeks before a show.


I wouldn't suggest following Prehistoric's "Eat everything all the time" to bulk advice. Because junk in is pretty much going to equal junk out. In an "ideal" world, you should be eating 6-7 or so "meals" throughout the day of smaller portions than if you were eating 3 times a day. For instance, before money became an issue (im not feeding only myself), my "snacks" and lunch and dinner meals consisted of 5-6 oz. of meat, and around a cup of rice, with veggies. What's funny is, and I dont know if Canadian portion sizes are to american ones yet, but 5-6 oz. of meat somehow looks puny and like you're going to be starving. (and I definitely felt that) but the plus side is, by the time that 2-3 hours has passed and you're feeling hungry, it's time to eat again


You could follow my "advice" or actually do one better, and find an actual nutritionist or trainer with nutrition training (because in my own experience with nutritionists, is that they are all on medical training and absolutely in no way take into account your activities or any variable factors in your current weight and appearance). One other thing that has largely kept me going as well, is find something ELSE that motivates you to be better at it, that lifting weights will help. For me, that is rugby (yeah I know, if you see pics of me I look like the opposite of a body builder but That isn't where I like to compete, I'd much rather strap up some boots and play with odd shaped balls on a grassy field)

 Cheesecat wrote:
Hey I want to get into bodybuilding but I don't know what exercises I should be doing or what supplements, routines, schedules, etc I should be taking. Some problem areas for me is I want to fix my forward head (I have bad posture), have a more powerful chest as my belly is wider than my.

I think you should shy away from bodybuilding, at least for now. Go to a gym, mess around a bit in order to see what exercises you like, then hire a trainer (even if its just for a single session) to help you develop better form.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

I know fitness threads always devolve very quickly here, so I won't bother adding anything else to this thread. Anyone wants actual advice from someone with the goods to back it up, PM me. Just don't listen to guys like . . . whoever I quoted for fitness advice.

You give terrible fitness advice. The advice you give is primarily about looking pretty, which is not what fitness is about. There is a reason lots of gyms lead their trainer interviews with "Are you a bodybuilder?".

I'm gonna do what I always do when this question pops up: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Seriously. I can personally attest to the fact that's it's great for beginners; simple, easy to follow and track your progress and there's some handy (and free tools) for planning your sessions. Join a gym, do some form of 5x5 and that should set you up nicely. I wouldn't get into a 'bodybuilding' type split until you have more of a foundation in lifting. That's just my 2p.

 dogma wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:
Hey I want to get into bodybuilding but I don't know what exercises I should be doing or what supplements, routines, schedules, etc I should be taking. Some problem areas for me is I want to fix my forward head (I have bad posture), have a more powerful chest as my belly is wider than my.

I think you should shy away from bodybuilding, at least for now. Go to a gym, mess around a bit in order to see what exercises you like, then hire a trainer (even if its just for a single session) to help you develop better form.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

I know fitness threads always devolve very quickly here, so I won't bother adding anything else to this thread. Anyone wants actual advice from someone with the goods to back it up, PM me. Just don't listen to guys like . . . whoever I quoted for fitness advice.

You give terrible fitness advice. The advice you give is primarily about looking pretty, which is not what fitness is about. There is a reason lots of gyms lead their trainer interviews with "Are you a bodybuilder?".

Most of the time I give people the benefit of the doubt to state their points, but the second he linked the picture he lost that.

To OP, if you are looking for fitness just go to the gym three four times a week and get some lifting and cardio in, talk to the trainers there they are usually pretty helpful.

Edit: Nevermind. Not worth it. I will completely end up with a temporary vacation if I got with my original thoughts.




Cheesecat: I'd recommend getting a membership to a local gym, and doing some research into trainers in your area. Past that, i'd be very careful what advice you take from this website. There are people that on this site that post in every fitness thread. Some of them give absolutely terrible advice. Some of them claim that injuries only happen to athletes that try to " do things past their capacity".

I'd recommend working with a professional, as what works for different people is completely different. You can sometimes get good advice on the web, but your best bet is meet with someone who's an actual professional, and work with them to learn the ropes. Particularly if you don't ahve any previous serious athletic experience. Weightlifting in particular is rife with horrible advice that can have serious ramifications if you follow it.

 Haight wrote:
Edit: Nevermind. Not worth it. I will completely end up with a temporary vacation if I got with my original thoughts.




Cheesecat: I'd recommend getting a membership to a local gym, and doing some research into trainers in your area. Past that, i'd be very careful what advice you take from this website. There are people that on this site that post in every fitness thread. Some of them give absolutely terrible advice. Some of them claim that injuries only happen to athletes that try to " do things past their capacity".

I'd recommend working with a professional, as what works for different people is completely different. You can sometimes get good advice on the web, but your best bet is meet with someone who's an actual professional, and work with them to learn the ropes. Particularly if you don't ahve any previous serious athletic experience. Weightlifting in particular is rife with horrible advice that can have serious ramifications if you follow it.

QFT, though I will point out that personal trainers can be expensive.

 dogma wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:
Hey I want to get into bodybuilding but I don't know what exercises I should be doing or what supplements, routines, schedules, etc I should be taking. Some problem areas for me is I want to fix my forward head (I have bad posture), have a more powerful chest as my belly is wider than my.

I think you should shy away from bodybuilding, at least for now. Go to a gym, mess around a bit in order to see what exercises you like, then hire a trainer (even if its just for a single session) to help you develop better form.

I don't know if bodybuilding is the right term I just want to exercise so I look and feel better.

Everyone in this thread is wrong. This is all you need Cheesecat.

It will change your life for the better, trust me. I followed this program and it gave me victory and happiness.

 Albatross wrote:

QFT, though I will point out that personal trainers can be expensive.

I can personally attest to this one.

Though I will say that if you are at a good gym, you should be able to go up to a trainer (if they aren't busy) and say, "hey, I'm doing X exercise, can you make sure Im doing it right?" If the trainers are actually any good they probably will, even though they aren't making money off of the couple minutes lookin' at your lift. Maybe my gym is unique in that manner, who knows.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Albatross wrote:

QFT, though I will point out that personal trainers can be expensive.

I can personally attest to this one.

Though I will say that if you are at a good gym, you should be able to go up to a trainer (if they aren't busy) and say, "hey, I'm doing X exercise, can you make sure Im doing it right?" If the trainers are actually any good they probably will, even though they aren't making money off of the couple minutes lookin' at your lift. Maybe my gym is unique in that manner, who knows.

Yeah, there's a few good chaps who work at mine that will give out advice, including one awesome dude that added an extra 20kgs to my bench just by correcting my form slightly!

Yah there are a few trainers at my gym that are dinks but most will help with form/spotting as well, they can mostly tell if your serious and if you are they will help.

Again it's about not going overboard go take some trial memberships at a few gyms and see what/where fits you best cheesecat.

Again the biggest thing about getting going is just deciding to go to a gym and doing something. Since your starting from nothing you have to want it and just get out there and it seems like you do. Also stay positive! That's always helped me even on days I thought I was too tired to lift or train(jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling/whatever).

The body is weak, but the mind is strong and it controls the body!

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Albatross wrote:

QFT, though I will point out that personal trainers can be expensive.

I can personally attest to this one.

As can I. Having managed a gym and been a personal trainer the rates can get quite high, especially with the more experienced trainers. That being said at a lot of gyms you can get one-off sessions, though they will definitely push a plan. Independent trainers are another option, though they can be a bit dodgy.

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

Though I will say that if you are at a good gym, you should be able to go up to a trainer (if they aren't busy) and say, "hey, I'm doing X exercise, can you make sure Im doing it right?" If the trainers are actually any good they probably will, even though they aren't making money off of the couple minutes lookin' at your lift. Maybe my gym is unique in that manner, who knows.

We used to pay the low level trainers to wander around and make themselves available to do exactly that.

feth the gym mate. Just do body weight circuits and cv for now. They are free and will get you your thin but powerful body type.

All varieties of push ups and pull up, sit ups, alternating knees to elbows planks, squats, lunges, box jumps, Find somewhere that you can do pull ups or buy a pull up bar...whatever. Add in some light running sessions to start and slowly build up your mileage and speed.

If you're interested I can pm you a quick training program to get you started.

If you don't mind dying young from cardiac arrest steroids are the way to go

But seriously focus on the basic muscle building exercise to built op strengths of muscles and sinews before doing the more exotic exercises

Been exercising for a couple of days with a friend but I have developed an intense pain in my elbow pit so I'm going to stop using that area till it stops hurting.

Sounds like too many bicep curls!

Is this just DOMS or something more serious?

Probably just tendonitis (tennis elbow) also if it hurts ice it down as well to help reduce any inflammation.

Are you stretching?

 Cheesecat wrote:
Been exercising for a couple of days with a friend but I have developed an intense pain in my elbow pit so I'm going to stop using that area till it stops hurting.

Not to take away from your own assessment, but do you know the difference between soreness and pain?

 dogma wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:
Been exercising for a couple of days with a friend but I have developed an intense pain in my elbow pit so I'm going to stop using that area till it stops hurting.

Not to take away from your own assessment, but do you know the difference between soreness and pain?

No.

 Cheesecat wrote:

 dogma wrote:

Not to take away from your own assessment, but do you know the difference between soreness and pain?

No.

I'm sure you've accidentally cut yourself, stubbed your toe, banged your head into something, etc. That's pain: a sharp, unpleasant sensation which interrupts activity completely. If you're feeling that sort of thing in your elbow, then you should most assuredly rest.

Soreness, on the other hand, is a dull sensation which is often unpleasant until you get used to it but doesn't mean much. It's the sort of thing you just have to push through when you first start lifting (and often later on as well), you just ice and keep going.

 dogma wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:

 dogma wrote:

Not to take away from your own assessment, but do you know the difference between soreness and pain?

No.

I'm sure you've accidentally cut yourself, stubbed your toe, banged your head into something, etc. That's pain: a sharp, unpleasant sensation which interrupts activity completely. If you're feeling that sort of thing in your elbow, then you should most assuredly rest.

Soreness, on the other hand, is a dull sensation which is often unpleasant until you get used to it but doesn't mean much. It's the sort of thing you just have to push through when you first start lifting (and often later on as well), you just ice and keep going.

I think it's pain as I can't straighten my arms without it feeling like someone is clamping hard on my joints, either way I think it'll be gone in a few days.

 Cheesecat wrote:

 dogma wrote:

 Cheesecat wrote:

 dogma wrote:

Not to take away from your own assessment, but do you know the difference between soreness and pain?

No.

I'm sure you've accidentally cut yourself, stubbed your toe, banged your head into something, etc. That's pain: a sharp, unpleasant sensation which interrupts activity completely. If you're feeling that sort of thing in your elbow, then you should most assuredly rest.

Soreness, on the other hand, is a dull sensation which is often unpleasant until you get used to it but doesn't mean much. It's the sort of thing you just have to push through when you first start lifting (and often later on as well), you just ice and keep going.

I think it's pain as I can't straighten my arms without it feeling like someone is clamping hard on my joints, either way I think it'll be gone in a few days.

It sounds like you've jumped into a more intense Arm Day than you were ready for, purely based on your responses here. I would second what Dogma said about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness; it's just a fact of life when starting out. I've definitely had arm days in the past that left me unable to straighten my arms for a day or two after, particularly if I've slept on them. As he says, ice and stretch, and eventually you will learn to love it.

However, if you are genuinely worried about an injury, you should go to your GP, not dakka. A doctor is better qualified than a bro.



Unless your bro is a doctor, obv.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
It's worth pointing out, also, that if you're not used to it, DOMS can hurt like a muthabitch.