How to Grow - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

**big** · 13-06-2005, 08:38 AM

HOW TO GROW

Most people are frustrated with their lack of progress in bodybuilding. Here's a brief outline of my options/recommendations for how best to succeed.

TRAINING
------------
The best training method is dual-factor training. However, this is complicated, and in general for people with less than 2-3 years lifting experience who can't yet deadlift over twice their bodyweight, this is overkill. HUGE gains can be made on a simple single-factor low volume routine with progressive resistance for a long period of time for most people, without the need for dual-factor. Since the vast majority of people are in a chronically overtrained state, a brief deload period is required, followed by a two-day split intense training routine, such as this:

Mon
----
Flat Bench Press 2 x 8
Parallel Barbell Rows 2 x 8
Weighted Chins 2 x 8
Standing Military Press 2 x 8

Thurs
------
Back Squats ATF 2 x 8
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 2 x 8
Calf raise 2 x 10
Weighted ab crunch (hold dumbell on your chest) 2 x 10

These don't include warm-ups, of which you should do a few progressive sets that don't tire you out, but instead warm you up and get your CNS stimulated. Remember to stretch also. The exercise order and reps can be tweaked of course, but do NOT add in a bunch of isolation exercises. Isolation work is great for a 250lbs+ bodybuilder looking to bring up a weak body part, but for the average circa 200lbs lifter who wants to get huge, you don't need to "tone" your biceps with endless curls. You need serious exercises that pack on serious mass... that is compound work like deads and squats - so do NOT swap out squats for leg press or similar. And do NOT add extra volume, or do any "burn-out" sets to feel a pump. Feeling like you've worked a muscle is a false sense of progress. ALL that matters is that you're keeping form strict with full ROM and are adding weight to the bar each week.

Which brings me to the key to the success of this routine - progressive resistance. That is, continually adding small amounts of weight each week. To get bigger, you need to get stronger. Adding small weights each week add up. Adding 1-2kg/week to your squat won't seem to make much difference on a week-to-week basis, but over the course of a year, that's an extra 50-100kg (along with the extra mass to match). That's immense.

Start off with weights that are easy to hit the rep ranges, and load up from there. Be extremely conservative. Your first few weeks on this routine should be relatively easy. The slower you load, the longer you'll be able to load for.

Yes, you will plateau eventually. That is a given. It may be after 4 weeks, or it may be after 4 months+. As SOON as you plateau, you need to change things up. If something doesn't work from one session to the next, it will NOT suddenly start working in another week/month/year's time (with the exception of it just being a one-off bad workout). You can get past a plateau in many ways. Diet is the first thing that should be looked at (see below). Assuming this is good, a brief deload period, followed by a simple change to the program (such as changing the rep range and starting off light again before loading back up) is the next step. If this doesn't work, then an overhaul of the exercises is the next step. The main thing is: do NOT stick with something that isn't working today.

DIET
------
Quite simply, it's all about protein. To grow, you need protein, and lots of it. If you're not growing, assuming your training is effective (i.e. you're still gaining strength), then you're not eating enough protein. If you're 200lbs and want to get to 250lbs+, you need to eat like a 250lbs+ bodybuilder.

You get a lot of 160-180lbs fitness enthusiasts telling you that you don't need large amounts of protein to grow, but look at any seriously huge bodybuilder - the vast majority of them (if not all of them) are pounding down the protein.

Try it. Assuming you're around 200lbs and want to grow, shoot for 400g of protein a day and see what happens.

How do you eat that much protein? From as much whole food as possible, but let's face it, you're unlikely to be able to eat well over a kg of meat amongst other food without hitting the protein shakes. The main thing is to get the protein down you. If that means downing a protein shake with every meal to bump up your protein intake, then so be it.

What about fats and carbs? There are certain amounts of essential fats you need in your diet. These can be obtained from fish oils. As for essential carbs, there are none (arguably aside from post-workout.. see below). Eat carbs depending on your body type. A raging ectomorph will need more carbs than a carb-sensitive endomorph at the same protein level. Green veggies are useful for vitamins and minerals, but let's face it, when you're pounding down the protein, it can be hard to chow down on a ton of veggies too, so just hit a multi-vitamin if you prefer.

Water. Drink as much of it as you can. Keep a bottle of water with you whenever possible, and sip it all day long. Keeping hydrated at all times is vital.

Post-workout nutrition is imperative. You need protein and carbs as soon as possible after workout. The protein for muscle growth, and the carbs to replenish the glycogen depleted from your workout. An ideal ratio for a 200lbs bodybuilder is 60g of protein and 80g of fast-acting carbs (usually dextrose or maltodextrin). Adjust these quantities in the same ratios depending on your size.

SUPPLEMENTS
-----------------
Very few actually work and as a rule, if in doubt, save your money. With the absense of enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, a multi-vitamin tablet is useful. Creatine is also a useful supplement, particularly if there aren't enough red meats in your diet. Other than that, use whatever money you were about to spend on the latest "get big quick" supplement fad and buy a nice juicy steak instead.

GEAR
-------
Keep it simple. If it's your first cycle, just run a single compound, preferably test enanthate, along with a faster acting drug to kickstart the cycle and to bring you into PCT. Nolva should also be run in low-dose during cycle to help prevent gyno. An example first cycle may look something like this:

1-10 Test Enan 500mg EW
1-4 Dianabol 40mg ED
9-12 Dianabol 40mg ED
1-12 Nolva 10-20mg ED

PCT should be run in the following manner after your cycle:
1-2 Clomid 100mg ED
3-4 Clomid 50mg ED
1-3 Nolva 40mg ED
4 Nolva 20mg ED

It is imperative that your diet and training are spot-on for the best results from your cycle. If these are not good enough, you will just be wasting your money and time, and risking your body unnecessarily.

After this kind of simple first cycle, you will learn how your body responds to moderate dose test, how easy you recover, and how you're affected by sides. This will leave you in a better position to add extra substances in future cycles. A second cycle would typically be the same as above, but adding in a second compound - such as EQ, Deca or Tren. These work nicely with test.

Subsequent cycles could see you increasing doses further if necessary, or adding in more exotic drugs, such as GH. But at the end of the day, a HUGE amount of mass has been built with simple moderate dose test/tren cycles for a fraction of the price of these more exotic cycles. My opinion is to stick to the basic cheap mass building drugs until you exhaust all of your gains from them.

Time off between cycles is up to you. I would recommend a minimum of 4 weeks clean after PCT. The shorter your time off, the greater the muscle gains, as you'll be on cycle more often, but also the greater the risks. It depends whether you want to be big or safe. Bottom line: if you really want to be 100% safe, don't do steroids at all.

It is a sensible idea to get blood levels checked regularly, particularly if you run high dose cycles and/or have any medical conditions. Failing this, get your baseline test levels before you do your first cycle.

Follow these recommendations, and I am convinced that you will no longer be disappointed with your bodybuilding progress.

Harry · 14-06-2005, 11:44 AM

Great well thought out post mate.

crazycacti · 15-06-2005, 03:35 PM

'Perfect' - need i say anymore

Tuna_boi · 15-06-2005, 09:58 PM

Very nice indeed, quality post..

SportDr · 16-06-2005, 12:10 PM

Great Post Big,

Just about sums it all up, is it a sticky?? Woulda given rep points but I gotta spread em!!! ....and the rep points ;)

SD

McRoNiX · 16-06-2005, 08:33 PM

wicked man :lift:
nice one

Killerkeane · 28-06-2005, 12:16 AM

Nice post Big, well written

winger · 11-07-2005, 02:10 AM

Nice siggy ;)

andyparry123 · 24-07-2005, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big

HOW TO GROW

Most people are frustrated with their lack of progress in bodybuilding. Here's a brief outline of my options/recommendations for how best to succeed.

TRAINING
------------
The best training method is dual-factor training. However, this is complicated, and in general for people with less than 2-3 years lifting experience who can't yet deadlift over twice their bodyweight, this is overkill. HUGE gains can be made on a simple single-factor low volume routine with progressive resistance for a long period of time for most people, without the need for dual-factor. Since the vast majority of people are in a chronically overtrained state, a brief deload period is required, followed by a two-day split intense training routine, such as this:

Mon
----
Flat Bench Press 2 x 8
Parallel Barbell Rows 2 x 8
Weighted Chins 2 x 8
Standing Military Press 2 x 8

Thurs
------
Back Squats ATF 2 x 8
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 2 x 8
Calf raise 2 x 10
Weighted ab crunch (hold dumbell on your chest) 2 x 10

These don't include warm-ups, of which you should do a few progressive sets that don't tire you out, but instead warm you up and get your CNS stimulated. Remember to stretch also. The exercise order and reps can be tweaked of course, but do NOT add in a bunch of isolation exercises. Isolation work is great for a 250lbs+ bodybuilder looking to bring up a weak body part, but for the average circa 200lbs lifter who wants to get huge, you don't need to "tone" your biceps with endless curls. You need serious exercises that pack on serious mass... that is compound work like deads and squats - so do NOT swap out squats for leg press or similar. And do NOT add extra volume, or do any "burn-out" sets to feel a pump. Feeling like you've worked a muscle is a false sense of progress. ALL that matters is that you're keeping form strict with full ROM and are adding weight to the bar each week.

Which brings me to the key to the success of this routine - progressive resistance. That is, continually adding small amounts of weight each week. To get bigger, you need to get stronger. Adding small weights each week add up. Adding 1-2kg/week to your squat won't seem to make much difference on a week-to-week basis, but over the course of a year, that's an extra 50-100kg (along with the extra mass to match). That's immense.

Start off with weights that are easy to hit the rep ranges, and load up from there. Be extremely conservative. Your first few weeks on this routine should be relatively easy. The slower you load, the longer you'll be able to load for.

Yes, you will plateau eventually. That is a given. It may be after 4 weeks, or it may be after 4 months+. As SOON as you plateau, you need to change things up. If something doesn't work from one session to the next, it will NOT suddenly start working in another week/month/year's time (with the exception of it just being a one-off bad workout). You can get past a plateau in many ways. Diet is the first thing that should be looked at (see below). Assuming this is good, a brief deload period, followed by a simple change to the program (such as changing the rep range and starting off light again before loading back up) is the next step. If this doesn't work, then an overhaul of the exercises is the next step. The main thing is: do NOT stick with something that isn't working today.

DIET
------
Quite simply, it's all about protein. To grow, you need protein, and lots of it. If you're not growing, assuming your training is effective (i.e. you're still gaining strength), then you're not eating enough protein. If you're 200lbs and want to get to 250lbs+, you need to eat like a 250lbs+ bodybuilder.

You get a lot of 160-180lbs fitness enthusiasts telling you that you don't need large amounts of protein to grow, but look at any seriously huge bodybuilder - the vast majority of them (if not all of them) are pounding down the protein.

Try it. Assuming you're around 200lbs and want to grow, shoot for 400g of protein a day and see what happens.

How do you eat that much protein? From as much whole food as possible, but let's face it, you're unlikely to be able to eat well over a kg of meat amongst other food without hitting the protein shakes. The main thing is to get the protein down you. If that means downing a protein shake with every meal to bump up your protein intake, then so be it.

What about fats and carbs? There are certain amounts of essential fats you need in your diet. These can be obtained from fish oils. As for essential carbs, there are none (arguably aside from post-workout.. see below). Eat carbs depending on your body type. A raging ectomorph will need more carbs than a carb-sensitive endomorph at the same protein level. Green veggies are useful for vitamins and minerals, but let's face it, when you're pounding down the protein, it can be hard to chow down on a ton of veggies too, so just hit a multi-vitamin if you prefer.

Water. Drink as much of it as you can. Keep a bottle of water with you whenever possible, and sip it all day long. Keeping hydrated at all times is vital.

Post-workout nutrition is imperative. You need protein and carbs as soon as possible after workout. The protein for muscle growth, and the carbs to replenish the glycogen depleted from your workout. An ideal ratio for a 200lbs bodybuilder is 60g of protein and 80g of fast-acting carbs (usually dextrose or maltodextrin). Adjust these quantities in the same ratios depending on your size.

SUPPLEMENTS
-----------------
Very few actually work and as a rule, if in doubt, save your money. With the absense of enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, a multi-vitamin tablet is useful. Creatine is also a useful supplement, particularly if there aren't enough red meats in your diet. Other than that, use whatever money you were about to spend on the latest "get big quick" supplement fad and buy a nice juicy steak instead.

GEAR
-------
Keep it simple. If it's your first cycle, just run a single compound, preferably test enanthate, along with a faster acting drug to kickstart the cycle and to bring you into PCT. Nolva should also be run in low-dose during cycle to help prevent gyno. An example first cycle may look something like this:

1-10 Test Enan 500mg EW
1-4 Dianabol 40mg ED
9-12 Dianabol 40mg ED
1-12 Nolva 10-20mg ED

PCT should be run in the following manner after your cycle:
1-2 Clomid 100mg ED
3-4 Clomid 50mg ED
1-3 Nolva 40mg ED
4 Nolva 20mg ED

It is imperative that your diet and training are spot-on for the best results from your cycle. If these are not good enough, you will just be wasting your money and time, and risking your body unnecessarily.

After this kind of simple first cycle, you will learn how your body responds to moderate dose test, how easy you recover, and how you're affected by sides. This will leave you in a better position to add extra substances in future cycles. A second cycle would typically be the same as above, but adding in a second compound - such as EQ, Deca or Tren. These work nicely with test.

Subsequent cycles could see you increasing doses further if necessary, or adding in more exotic drugs, such as GH. But at the end of the day, a HUGE amount of mass has been built with simple moderate dose test/tren cycles for a fraction of the price of these more exotic cycles. My opinion is to stick to the basic cheap mass building drugs until you exhaust all of your gains from them.

Time off between cycles is up to you. I would recommend a minimum of 4 weeks clean after PCT. The shorter your time off, the greater the muscle gains, as you'll be on cycle more often, but also the greater the risks. It depends whether you want to be big or safe. Bottom line: if you really want to be 100% safe, don't do steroids at all.

It is a sensible idea to get blood levels checked regularly, particularly if you run high dose cycles and/or have any medical conditions. Failing this, get your baseline test levels before you do your first cycle.

Follow these recommendations, and I am convinced that you will no longer be disappointed with your bodybuilding progress.

cheers mate some good advice. any idea on anything you can use (gear in your post) that will go under the testing radar as i am tested in work

**Jimmy** · 24-07-2005, 09:54 PM

what job you do?

its uncommon for aas testing

its usually only opiates and other recreational drugs

**Jimmy** · 24-07-2005, 09:55 PM

goona stick this one for a while big

winger · 25-07-2005, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy

what job you do?

its uncommon for aas testing

its usually only opiates and other recreational drugs

Yea I am curious too. The 6 panel test is normally for Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, Opiates, & PCP.

Timmy Smooth · 25-07-2005, 02:13 PM

Just got round to reading this thread properly. Outstanding work, Big. This is exactly what newcomers are after when they arrive on forums such as this.

Damian81 · 25-07-2005, 04:00 PM

very informative;)

John · 27-07-2005, 10:12 AM

that was an excellent read.