Weight gaining

Hi guys,

So I'm new but have been using the book to do body weight conditioning etc and I'm progressing with the moves more on a technical level not sure about my strength gains.

I am currently 69kg but would really like to put on weight I would prefer to put on another 8 - 9kg.

Does anyone have an idea 1: how this will effect my strength training and if body weight training will be sufficient to build muscle but also strength.

2: what should I be eating? Supplements or just general non supplemented meals. I have looked around and its been suggested 6 rather than three meals, lots of gym work and eating allot more. However I have heard all sorts about hard gainers (if they exist) having to eat differently but also about all these muscle building diets.

Ideally my ultimate strength goals would be the Maltese and iron cross, ROM Handstand push ups, those flag movements, manner, planche and a host of other techniques.

Any advice or help would be great.

Cheers.

I would suggest over 1g per pound of bodyweight of protein per day to start with. It has been determined eating 3 times or 6 times really doesn't matter, its the total amount along with macronutrient (protein/carbs/fat) profile of your eating.

Around workouts whey protein with fruit juice will help replenish glycogen stores. The rest of the time, a healthy diet focusing on lower glycemic carbohydrates and animal protein sources will help to create a fire for building tissue.

Of course if you really want to gain weight fast, the best method I have tried is a gallon of whole milk a day. It works, but it puts on a lot of fat with the muscle and you have to go through the whole fat burning later on.

I'm actually in the opposite battle as you. I have to actually lose muscle to get weight down, as my fat percentage is already low, but my lean mass is higher than I want it. Losing muscle is a hard, hard thing to do when you are training 4-5 times a week!

The answers to your questions are quite long, and so I would suggest you just read the following article:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1715

If you're really serious and committed to achieving your goals, then you'll take the time to fully read & re-read it, until you get it down perfect.

Don't waste your time on guess work... you'll get nowhere no matter how hard you train! I speak from experience. Get a good fundamental understanding of nutrition principles. That's the only way to succeed!

As for the effectiveness of bodyweight training in relations to building muscle mass, I think looking at most high level or even intermediate gymnasts will answer that question. Of course that depends on how big you wanna get... if it's really big then just go for bodybuilding. If you just wanna be athletically big (like gymnasts), then you're set. Of course you have to know how to design an effective & intense enough training program as well, but generally speaking even a relatively poorly designed training program that still has intensity and volume in it can produce good results in terms of hypertrophy & strength if optimal nutrition is present.

Remember that in terms of building muscle mass, the training is actually the easy part. Everyone can motivate themselves to train a few hours each week, but nutrition is something you have to think about 24/7.

I've done what I can in pointing you in the right direction... the rest is up to you

I have been doing nothing strength wise other than the WOD's and more recently my own steady state cycle. I have gained about 8lbs over the course of the last 3 months (from 184 to 192 @ 5' 6") - all in my upper body.

In my case it sucks as I was already too big and was trying to get my waist down a little (it is down almost an inch). I was hoping my overall weight would drop too so that some of these bodyweight movements would become easier, but it does show that adding muscle is possible with just these routines. As indicated by others, the nutrition is what matters.

- Chris

I am currently 69kg but would really like to put on weight I would prefer to put on another 8 - 9kg.

This does not corelate with your goals....Gymnasts are light and very relative strong.

1: how this will effect my strength training and if body weight training will be sufficient to build muscle but also strength.

Depends on your training...

First if you are beginer you can gain strength and muscle much more quicker then rest.

Second-we know two types of hypertrophy, one is sarcoplasem hypertrophy and other myofibrill hypertrophy (ok it's third to, but you can get from muscle fiber hypertrophy only 5% and it's more about genetics).

2: what should I be eating? Supplements or just general non supplemented meals. I have looked around and its been suggested 6 rather than three meals, lots of gym work and eating allot more. However I have heard all sorts about hard gainers (if they exist) having to eat differently but also about all these muscle building diets.

First get your diet straight then supplements, because without good diet your supplements wont get you anywhere. But (here we go again ) you can support your diet with supplements (if you can't get enough protein-maybe you are a vegeterian,...).

At least 5 meals.

About hard gainers, yes they exsist, but usualy this is just excuse to not eat enough (most people think they eat alot, but when they see me :oops: ).

Ideally my ultimate strength goals would be the Maltese and iron cross, ROM Handstand push ups, those flag movements, manner, planche and a host of other techniques.

big goals, for maltese I mean. Maltese is at least 10 steps harder then iron cross.

I hope I helped

chobbs said:

In my case it sucks as I was already too big and was trying to get my waist down a little (it is down almost an inch). I was hoping my overall weight would drop too so that some of these bodyweight movements would become easier, but it does show that adding muscle is possible with just these routines. As indicated by others, the nutrition is what matters.

- Chris

Yes you can get mucle gain fith body weight. I gained in three months 1kg of muscles (2kg of body weight and no visual fat with all venes poping out). Strenght is very good, better then before (so I gues It was more of sarcoplasm hypertrophy).

I really wish I took a before picture of myself a year ago (I just took one last week before I started my new improved diet to get the last fat off my frame). My gains have been amazing (at least to me) while training gymnastics. I have gained a little bit of size but when combined with a solid diet plan I also lost a lot of body fat. The loss of body fat and the drastic increase in muscle tone makes me LOOK bigger than I am. In other words I am getting what people like to call 'ripped.' Actual gain in size is rather small (compared to the size gains possible by lifting heavy) but the perceived gain in size is quite large. I know I have gained a little size because all of my shirts are starting to get to small!

For food, you need to do some research about dieting for weight gain. Its something along the lines of 10% to 20% increase in your required daily caloric intake to have enough excess to put on muscle while minimizing fat gain.

Here are a few articles I found really helpful.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1793585&cr=

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1795045&cr=

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the information I have been reading the recommended articles and really taking the time to try and structure a diet and training program to go for my goals.

The one conflicting goal that I think was brought up was that as a gymnast I have to be light and to an extent that is what I would prefer, a body tuned more towards performance. However I will be honest and say that I would like to add a bit of extra weight as im quite tall and think slightly vainly perhaps it would be better to have a bit more meat on my bones. I do not want to go towards the body building.

So thanks guys, the advice has been most welcome.

I guess its time for some proper work.

I think my diet is the most difficult thing I have ever done training wise. So be ready to really focus and ignore whatever your friends/family say about your eating habits. I know my friends always poke fun at what (and how I eat) I eat and my parents just think I am nuts!

Good luck and stick to it. Remember once you get a plan set up give it at least 4-6 weeks before you change anything drastic, even if you learn something new, unless you are feeling really bad. The 4-6 week buffer will give your body time to adjust to your new diet and then you will actually be able to see how the diet affected your body and thus make more educated changes.

It will, and should be, an ever evolving process.