Exercises to build muscle?

[Larsadius Rex]

No need for a huge paragraph so here's my question: I'm not skinny, and I'm not fat- I'm lean. I'm a mesomorph, which means that I have the potential to be very physically fit if I were to actually try to work for it. What are the most core exercises you would suggest to someone like me who has the potential to be very muscular, isn't fat, isn't skinny, eats what he's supposed to eat, and has access to a college gym with almost any exercise machine you can think of?

[Deleted]

Work out max 2 hours or so, and eat as much chicken as you can

and you will grow bigger.

[Soisoisoi]

From what I've seen on Facebook a good gym workout consists of taking selfies on the machines with no sweat or evidence of exercise.


Okay okay, on a more serious note, just don't forget leg day. In fact, make sure you do everything equally.

[rohho]

liamrosen.com/fitness(dot)html#part1
Read this bro, trust me. It's a game changer.
Hit up a beginner routine like starting strength. Once you get a feel of actual weight training, lifting and your own muscles you'll be able to alter the work out to more suit you.
You'll want to start off with compound exercises if you've never lifted before, then you'll move onto isolation when you feel strong enough/feel you need to work on certain muscle groups. As for a good workout for general core muscles, power cleans are great. Some people consider them a beginner exercise, but I found them strange to begin with. Ask around you gym for help, I promise you you'll find people that are more than willing to help.

The thing I linked covers way more than what I said, as I said before, check it out man.

Edit:
Also, eating what you're supposed to eat isn't enough. If you really want to put on muscle, you're going to have to get a lot of protein and eat above maintenance in regards to kcal p/day.

[Revi]

liamrosen.com/fitness(dot)html#part1
Read this bro, trust me. It's a game changer.
Hit up a beginner routine like starting strength. Once you get a feel of actual weight training, lifting and your own muscles you'll be able to alter the work out to more suit you.
You'll want to start off with compound exercises if you've never lifted before, then you'll move onto isolation when you feel strong enough/feel you need to work on certain muscle groups. As for a good workout for general core muscles, power cleans are great. Some people consider them a beginner exercise, but I found them strange to begin with. Ask around you gym for help, I promise you you'll find people that are more than willing to help.

The thing I linked covers way more than what I said, as I said before, check it out man.

Edit:
Also, eating what you're supposed to eat isn't enough. If you really want to put on muscle, you're going to have to get a lot of protein and eat above maintenance in regards to kcal p/day.

http://liamrosen.com/fitness.html#part1 (easier link)

Just skimmed through, but that looked like a great place to start. Heck, it contains a lot of stuff everyone should know, even if they don't plan on working out.

[rohho]

Cheers for the link. Yeah, other than lifting it's just a good stepping stone for general fitness. Deff worth the read imo.

[dixincide]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/docs...ize-e-book.pdf

This has worked wonders for me since I've started.
The best thing you can do to build mass is to work to failure, the best thing to do to build strength is to do drop sets to failure.

Basically:
Mass = High reps lower weight, work through the workout on final set go until you finish the reps (this should be a struggle on the final set) then wait no more than 15 seconds and do as many reps as you can until you can't anymore.

Strength = Lower reps, higher weight. Work through your workout as best as you can and on the final set lower the weight and do one more set at the lower weight until fatigue or you reach the rep count (which mean you might consider more weight)

To be fair though Mass comes from home not the gym, it's all about what you're feeding yourself.

[rohho]

To be fair though Mass comes from home not the gym, it's all about what you're feeding yourself.

'Muscles are made in the kitchen, not the gym.'
Basically this, lifting the weight is only half the battle. Diet is just as important, if not more so.

Also, i'd suggest training for strength until you can bench your body weight, then bulking and going for mass.
Unless you really buy into the whole 'It's not how much you lift, it's how much you look like you lift', in which case go nuts from the get go.

[Darkrulerxxx]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/docs...ize-e-book.pdf

This has worked wonders for me since I've started.
The best thing you can do to build mass is to work to failure, the best thing to do to build strength is to do drop sets to failure.

Basically:
Mass = High reps lower weight, work through the workout on final set go until you finish the reps (this should be a struggle on the final set) then wait no more than 15 seconds and do as many reps as you can until you can't anymore.

Strength = Lower reps, higher weight. Work through your workout as best as you can and on the final set lower the weight and do one more set at the lower weight until fatigue or you reach the rep count (which mean you might consider more weight)

To be fair though Mass comes from home not the gym, it's all about what you're feeding yourself.

i'd like to chime in and say that some of this info may be a bit misleading,

if you want to build muscle mass, which is akin to becoming stronger, you must lift heavy with a rep-range from 8-10 reps (Example i do 8 reps, failing by the end of 8th rep for each set, i do 4 sets total)

using lighter weights and more reps is more of muscle endurance builder than a muscle mass builder. (using lighter weights, even with high reps do not activate twitch fibers that stimulate growth of muscle mass, whereas heavier weights do).



and as others have said, diet is a key component to building them guns. and everything else.

[rohho]

Using slightly less weight but increasing reps will cause muscle to hypertrophy if done correctly, thus increasing size. Just because you're lifting more weight doesn't necessarily mean you're putting on as much muscle mass as you can be.

This also doesn't mean lift hardly any weight but do 50 reps. 8-12 reps is the general consensus for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. (What bodybuilders do to achieve their muscly looks).

For example, your last rep of a 3x10 work out should leave you basically exhausted. If not, add more weight. If you're reaching failure below 8 reps on each set, lower the weight. If reaching the 10th rep on the 3rd set with ease, raise weight.

[Darkrulerxxx]

heres my workout plan for reference

Chest: db (dumbbell) bench press
db incline press
pec fly machine
dual cable upward lift
dual cable crossovers

Abs: any variation you can do (i'm currently doing a circuit style with plank position, mountain climbers, and infinity leg swing)
cable rope overhead
situps
ab side workout with weights
ab crunches

Back: forward grip pull ups (if you cant do forward grip do chin ups which are reverse grip)
lat pulldown
high row
mid row
full row wide bar
full row handle bar
pull down wide bar on ,at
reverse situps

shoulders: standing barbell shoulder press
db shoulder raise
shoulder press machine
front raise
side raise
shoulder fly machine
upright row barbells
barbell shrugs
dumbell shrugs

arms: bicep curl machine
21s
dumbell bicep curls
hammer curls
tricep overhead
dip machine
reverse pulldown wide bar
tricep extension rope bar
forearm bar pull up
dumbell skull crushers (or easy bar)

Legs: Squats
leg press
lunges
leg extension
leg curls
calf extension
standing calf extension

each day is one muscle group, except chest and abs since chest doesn't have that many different exercises.

OF COURSE, there are many variations you can do (dead lifts is an example) but that is my work out.

[rohho]

Bro, why don't you deadlift? You're shootin yo gains in the foot.

[Tucci]

Compound lifts.

[Darkrulerxxx]

Bro, why don't you deadlift? You're shootin yo gains in the foot.

i dont deadlift due to a bad back. even with good form (i've done it before), my back can be injured easily.

that's due to me being 6'9

[rohho]

i dont deadlift due to a bad back. even with good form (i've done it before), my back can be injured easily.

that's due to me being 6'9

6'9 sheeit, you're excused man.

[Biggles Worth]

No need for a huge paragraph so here's my question: I'm not skinny, and I'm not fat- I'm lean. I'm a mesomorph, which means that I have the potential to be very physically fit if I were to actually try to work for it. What are the most core exercises you would suggest to someone like me who has the potential to be very muscular, isn't fat, isn't skinny, eats what he's supposed to eat, and has access to a college gym with almost any exercise machine you can think of?

Deadlifts, squats, pullups, pushups I think are very important.

[Deleted]

What amount of weight is a good starting point for Deadlifts/Squats?

[Deleted]

Lots of protein, sleep and CrossFit will do the job.

[lookperfection]

Do sports at least two hours per day.

[JLKrombacher]

i dont deadlift due to a bad back. even with good form (i've done it before), my back can be injured easily.

that's due to me being 6'9

That is rough. Thought I had it bad being 6'3". I have learned to say FU form and widen my stance. We are taller guys I think it is excusable if we bring our selves to everyone's level.

Anywho. OT. I would suggest doing some internet research. Perhaps starting with a 4 day work out. Hitting chest and biceps. Back and triceps. Shoulders and traps. Legs. That will give you ample time to recover those muscle groups. "Core" exercises are a joke. I use to do abs on legs day and realized it didn't do much for me. You will get your core workout from squats and deadlifts. Working that intramuscular wall and exerting pressure when doing these two exercises will go along way.

After a few weeks or a couple months (depending on experience) I would move to 5 day work out. This time stressing your complementary muscles. Chest and Back. Biceps and Triceps. Traps and Shoulders. 2 days worth of leg day, one at the beginning of the week and one at the end.

Good Luck.