best way you've found to put on muscle

[dragonfire101]

For me best gains came from following:

Training:

around noon time

hitting each muscle group twice a week using basic exercises

heavy weight, lower reps one day

moderate weight, moderate reps second day

Diet:

6 meals a day

clean carbs, protein healthy fats, cheat meal 1 x week eat what I want

2gm protein per pound body weight

gallon water day

Sleep/Work:

working second shift

8hrs night sleep

1hr nap after training, eating and before work started

Also stresses would be under here: such as less equals more growth... which I believe STRESS is one of the main factors in muscle growth as it taxes nervous system tremendously. At my best growth, I was not responsible for family then, had a shift job knowing when I was getting off work, a less stressful job were it was more physical and less mental work, less bills, less people to worry about less health issues to worry about etc. etc. LESS STRESS MORE GROWTH

 

[NY Muscle]

Diet and gear have been covered. Supps to stay healthy as you cannot gain if sick and not eating.

One bit of advice I wish I had been given years ago: Reduce the weight you think you are going to lift by x amount and slow your damn reps down. This is SOOOOO important for the really young guys. I see such fast bouncing reps with too much weight. Makes me hurt just watching them.

So true, its all about TUT - Time under Tension. I see these guys do 8-10 reps in like 5 seconds. I can't see how that is working a muscle! Try GVT once in a while, takes 60 seconds to complete a 10 rep set!

 

[Bolan]

A long time in the gym......Not hours.....Years.

Bodybuilding is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

 

[MR. BMJ]

For me, it is a combination of the following...in no particular order:

Cosistency + heavy progressive training + high protein intake + caloric surplus of some sort + not getting injured + proper rest/sleep + staying hydrated + knowing your body and being able to make adjustments to the stuff stated above


Oh yeah....and AAS help too, but those are illegal and I only use them in my dreams

BMJ

 

[PsyT]

Interesting that a few of you said train LESS. It took me awhile to learn this for myself but it pays off very well. Three times a week lifting is perfect with fullbody split (for me).

 

[btech]

I agree to the notion that strength gains within a certain rep range = size gains.

I find that the best way to make strength gains is to find the KEY EXERCISES that work for me and keep them as staple exercises. Like many, the Deadlift is my favorite lift. If I go six months without training the Dealdift, my strength in that lift drops, of course. Why not ensure that my Deadlift strength constantly improves by always keeping that lift in my routine? Hammies, glutes, core, back not only stay thick but will slowly improve as my strength slowly goes up.

Same idea goes for any lifts that any individual swears by. Find "Your Lifts". Copyright them, learn your own form for that lift and continue to always kick ass at that lift.

 

[goonstopher]

I agree to the notion that strength gains within a certain rep range = size gains.

I find that the best way to make strength gains is to find the KEY EXERCISES that work for me and keep them as staple exercises. Like many, the Deadlift is my favorite lift. If I go six months without training the Dealdift, my strength in that lift drops, of course. Why not ensure that my Deadlift strength constantly improves by always keeping that lift in my routine? Hammies, glutes, core, back not only stay thick but will slowly improve as my strength slowly goes up.

Same idea goes for any lifts that any individual swears by. Find "Your Lifts". Copyright them, learn your own form for that lift and continue to always kick ass at that lift.

Good thoughts but they really should not vary too much by person. Deadlift was taken away from me by a bad injury and it definitely always helped. Since then I have held more mass but my back never has been as thick.

 

[Gymratforlife]

Adding more weight every work out with same rep range has changed everything for me in a short period of time.

 

[The Wolf]

You lot will probably laugh at this but the best way I found out how to put on size is cardio! Yes thats right! My appetite is increased and as long as I can see my abbs and my weight is going up I know that Im putting on good quality muscle. As long as Im doing cardio Im putting on size without fat and even cutting as well. I used to underestimte cardio but not anymore.

 

[btech]

You lot will probably laugh at this but the best way I found out how to put on size is cardio! Yes thats right! My appetite is increased and as long as I can see my abbs and my weight is going up I know that Im putting on good quality muscle. As long as Im doing cardio Im putting on size without fat and even cutting as well. I used to underestimte cardio but not anymore.

What type of cardio? Sprinting? Walking?

 

[The Wolf]

One day it will be a 1 hr bike ride, the next day hlf hr speed intervals sprints and walking, the day after walking on the treadmill or cross trainer so I have mixed sessions some, low intensity and meduim intensity and once or twice a week higher intesity. The higher intensity ones really up my appetite!

 

[Johnny Smiles]

One day it will be a 1 hr bike ride, the next day hlf hr speed intervals sprints and walking, the day after walking on the treadmill or cross trainer so I have mixed sessions some, low intensity and meduim intensity and once or twice a week higher intesity. The higher intensity ones really up my appetite!

i agree with this too. in my original post i mentioned less cardio helped me gain. what i shoulda said was less time doing cardio and more intensity during cardio. i use to do normal "1 hour of wlaking on incline treadmill with an empty stomach after waking" then changed to short duration INTENSE cario after work out and i am HUNGRY and it has helped alot IMO.

i really like DRAGONFIRE101's comments about stress. before i had a family and kids etc and didn't have such a stressful career i was a much better bodybuilder IMO. don't kno if my wife would agree with that but thats what i think....
-JS

 

[chris250]

You lot will probably laugh at this but the best way I found out how to put on size is cardio! Yes thats right! My appetite is increased and as long as I can see my abbs and my weight is going up I know that Im putting on good quality muscle. As long as Im doing cardio Im putting on size without fat and even cutting as well. I used to underestimte cardio but not anymore.

agree to...Cardio and staying half way lean are important to gaining good muscle mass

 

[5004paloma]

My experience on gaining muscle mass.

Training:

Compound/full body exercises only, i.e. squats, deadlifts, press, rows, bench. They boost test/GH. Don't waste your valuable (and limited) time in the gym on isolation exercises.

Dual Periodization - vital for CNS recovery as well as micro-trauma recovery. Both equal gains in hypertrophy.

YOU DON'T GROW IN THE GYM. Keep training sessions 45-60 min. max. If you must train longer, then use split sessions in AM and PM.

Exercising 3x per week is plenty. Remember the CNS (you only have one) must recover not only the muscle tissue.

Diet:

YOU MUST EAT ABOVE YOUR DAILY CALORIC MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT TO GROW. Research and calculate this number. Until you have a good handle on your eating habits keep track of your intake. I was surprised when I first did this...

Partition your macros when eating above your maintenance so you build lean tissue not fat, i.e. proteins with complex carbs, fats and proteins, never fats & carbs together.

Recovery:

Sleep long and deeply. Sleep in complete darkness - even the glow from a clock can interrupt slow wave sleep.

LIGHT, LIGHT, LIGHT cardio (read brisk walking) can help with recovery on off days. Only enough to slightly raise the heart rate and increase circulation of fluids and nutrients to help eliminate waste and saturate damaged tissue with nutrients.

Glutamine - I found this to be miraculous for tissue repair. Try it. At least 10-20g post workout & 10-20g on off days during LIGHT cardio.

Soft tissue work - research it. Use hard foam rollers to move lymphatic fluid around and help damaged tissue repair.

RESEARCH:

There is ENDLESS information on everything mentioned above. Supplements are something I'm just now experimenting with, i.e. peptides, AAS, etc.

 

[buselmo]

in the past 3 years, there's only one thing i haven't changed...
and in the past 3 years... i've only gained around 12-15 lbs or so and i'm not that big of a guy...
there were 4 weeks where i made my best gains in those 3 years which i've talked about before...

i tried about everything in those 3 years diet and training wise... and the only thing that gave immediate and significant results had nothing to do with both of those things.

 

[NY Muscle]

in the past 3 years, there's only one thing i haven't changed...
and in the past 3 years... i've only gained around 12-15 lbs or so and i'm not that big of a guy...
there were 4 weeks where i made my best gains in those 3 years which i've talked about before...

i tried about everything in those 3 years diet and training wise... and the only thing that gave immediate and significant results had nothing to do with both of those things.

Man thats cryptic... huh?

 

[massnup]

Man thats cryptic... huh?

That would be jacking the doses way up!

 

[MightyJohn]

Eating more, not overtraining, liftiing heavier, resting more