I have been lifting weights for about a month now.But to be honest i don't kno jacksht about it.I want to build myself as big as i can.But i dont know how much wait i should lift, and how many times i should lift.I've got a little progress so far.My muscles are hard now and i can see it beetter when i flex.i want to know how long it takes to be cut then how long it takes for myselg to get big.

If you want to be cut, then work out regularly with high weights/low reps. If you want to be big, then just eat constantly. As long as you work out regularly, you won't get fat.


peace out.
sph3ric pyramid.

Actually, if being cut is your major goal (moreso than being big), lower weight and more reps is the way to go, as well as watching what you eat. High weight and fewer reps will increase muscle size, but not definition (or not as quickly, at least). Either way, you'll get both, it's just a question of which you want sooner.

As for how much weight to lift- decide how many reps you want to do (consider eight low reps, 10-12 average, and 15 high reps). Then, find a weight that you can do that many reps, where you're barely making the last couple- the idea is to work to muscle failure, where your body is incapable of pushing out another rep. Do three sets. If you want to do, say, 12, and work out one day at a certain weight and find that you can pump out 17, then up the weight for your next set.

Also, if you're lifting weights, don't exercise the same muscle group two days in a row. You can lift every day if you want, but hit different areas of your body- maybe upper body one day, legs and abs the next, alternating, and do each three days a week. Or, you can do a total body workout every other day.. whatever you're more comfortable with. (This doesn't go as much for things with very high repetitions, such as pushups and situps- you can do those every day with minimal breaks and not wear down your body. Obviously, this doesn't mean you're ok to do a bunch of pushups the day after busting out three sets of bench press.. )

True, true. Low weight/High reps seems to work better when you're thinner, though.

Once you up your weight, you'll want to start getting into the high weight/low rep thing. You have to get the right balance, if you want to be big *and* cut. A lot of big guys I've seen are huge muscle-wise, curling over 100 lbs., but their muscle definition is non-existant. They just look fat. You really don't want to be like that.

That said, Spiffy does have it right.

peace out.
sph3ric pyramid.

[This message has been edited by sph3ric pyramid (edited 10-13-2002).]

Thanx for the replys i really appretiate it

muscle definition has very little to do with how you lift. If you want to be huge, lift, get as much protein as possible, drink lots of water, eat, eat, eat. If you want to be lean/cut, do cardio, diet, lift, eat as much protein as possible.

the most common errors for new lifters are workout frequency and diet. If you gain weight easily, watch your diet (but if you gain weight easily, you really shouldn't have a muscle gain problem in the first place). If you don't gain weight easily, eat like a maniac. Some guys have to go up to 6000 kcal a day.

A few points:

Spread your lifting out over a couple of days (4-5 recommended). Divide up your major muscle groups, and do one a day. This provides optimal recovery time (working out more often does NOT help muscle growth. In fact, it hinders it. Unless you're roiding).

Eating everything in sight as a hardgainer (someone who has trouble gaining weight) is a pretty good idea, as long as you eat GOOD food and not junk.

Eating everything in sight as an easygainer is not a terribly good idea if want to be cut. You will get fat along with your muscle. However, many, many bodybuilders use the technique of bulking (eating like a madman for a period of time) and then cutting (lowered calorie counts, lots of cardio, optional ketogenic diet).

And, finally, muscle definition comes from body fat percentage, not lifting technique. More reps, lower weight will generate slow-twitch muscle fibers, which aid in slower, longer activities. Less reps, more weight will generate fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are used for explosive movements. A good comparison would be distance runner vs sprinter. Distance runner is slow-twitch, sprinter is fast-twitch.

I hope there was something informative in this.

I talked to a few track coaches, and they said that as long as you're young, it really doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you are eating and get the calories. Metabolism or something. Of course, this doesn't mean eat junk food all the damn time. Just that eating whatever's on hand will do. Assuming you're young. And if you weight train, you will gain weight *fast*. I was lifting 4 days a week, hour and fifteen min. per session, and I gained around 30 pounds in under 3 weeks.


peace out.
sph3ric pyramid.

start bodybuilding, i like it because its a combo of my 2 loves, lifting weights and eating.