Need help designing my strength workout. (fitness experts!!)

[rEdHoBBeS]

OK. with summer approaching and nothing major planned, i'm planning on going full steam on working on my body during my break from school. i've lifted before casually and i know all the basic stuff/lingo/etc. however, my main problem is that i'm skinny as a stick. literally. and i hear that muscle is built mainly off of fat. well, i'm in a bit of trouble there, as i HAVE no fat on my arms, which is whut i'm primarily trying to work on. i can curl 15 lbs comfortably, and i really start to strain when i get to around 30-40. i only bench around 100. any help at all to help me get started? Thanks a lot guys :]

[Colin]

how old are you first?

[point-guard]

eat and slp till u are as fat as shaq..den train up..that should help

[kevC]

eat and slp till u are as fat as shaq..

that's not possible

[dave]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com

try there

I have started doin weights lately.... i mainly work on my upper body strength but i am fat so it is pretty easy to turn into muscle hehe

[Guest]

how old are you first?

This is important.............you need to answer this question!

[rEdHoBBeS]

i'm 15

[Filip]

You shouldn't work out @ all in that age in my opinion.
Wait to you get older and finish growing , then you'll also probably have more fat to transform.

[rEdHoBBeS]

also, in response to the person who told me to eat a lot - I DO! i have to say that i eat more than all of my friends. yet my metabolism or something forces me to stay skinny .

[Wall St. Peon]

Fifteen isn't that big of a deal for weight lifting...

Try this:

Day 1:

Bench: 12-10-8-6 (increase weight each set)
Incline Bench 3x10
Flies: 3x10
Dips: 3x20 or 3x15
Seated Rows: 3x10
Low Rows: 3x10
Lateral Pull Downs: 3x12
Back Extensions (roman chair)

Day 2:
Bicep Curls: 12-10-8-6 (don't feel bad about doing only 15...I only curl 35lbs an arm, and I lift regularly)
Pracher Curls: 3x10
Skullcrusher: 3x10
Lateral Raises: 3x10
Tricep Pulldowns: 3x10
Shrugs: 3x10
Forearms: 3x10, each way (wrist down, turning wrist up, wrist up, turn wrist down)

Day 3:
Leg Press: 3x10
Leg Extension: 3x10
Leg Curls: 3x10
Standing Calf Raises: 3x15

Do each one day twice a week, make sure you get water between each exercise - that's very important - and only do the bolded exercises until your body is more used to weight lifting...say, two to three weeks. Make sure you're doing enough weight; if you can do all three sets or whatever fully, without muscle failure (ie you can't do anymore), then you're not doing enough weight and you're not doing yourself any good. Also, and I can't emphasize this enough, make sure you do the exercises right. Don't let gravity bring the weights down, control it. Breath in while you're relaxing the muscles, and exhale while contracting.

You're young, but as long as you do the weigth training correctly, you'll be OK. Again, do them right. If you cannot do them right, you're doing too much weight. If you know someone who lifts fairly regularly, bring them along and show you correct form. Or ask a coach - I'm sure they'd be glad to help, that's what they're there for.

[Wall St. Peon]

Oh! I almost forgot: make sure you do aerobic workouts. I recommend distance running, as it will help your endurance a great deal. Also, after you work out, go shoot around. That way, as you grow stronger, your shot and game develops with your body. Pretty much immediately after...it's a good way to cool down your muscles. Stretching is also important and will help to decrease soreness. For your running, eventually work up to...work up to about 3 miles a day or every other day. For running to do any good, you need to do at least 20 minutes 3 days a week. 3 miles in 20 minutes is about over a 6 1/2 minute mile, so that's a nice leisurely jog. Do that to start, then work up to about 4, and try for 5 minute miles, and then finally, work up to about 6 miles a day...then you can run sub-5 minute miles, and that will help you dramatically during basketball season.

Your training should be very rigorous during the offseason and should be focused the most on correcting technique (in bball and lifting) and endurance. Once the season starts, you can modify your workout to stay in shape, but not to affect your game. For instance, doing a consistant weight for bicep curls and your shoulders so as to not affect your jump shot; if you gain muscle, you have to correct (hence the shooting after lifting)...that's why it's kind of a bad idea to do it during the season.

In case you have noticed, the main thing with any sort of training is building upon levels. Even Gov. Arnold had to start somewhere...he pry curled 15 lbs, too...

Another thing that will help build up muscle is to monitor your diet. DON'T USE SUPPLEMENTS. Eat food that is high in unsaturated fat and eat lots of carbs and protein. Basically, eat a lot of skinless chicken, whole wheat bread, and drink lots of milk and cheese (stuff that is made from milk...no velvetta). Avoid processed foods...sodium and saturated fat are bad. If you want, I can give you a list of beneficial foods, but I have to get to one of my athletic training classes for a lab...football pad fitting .

Hope I helped! It seems like a lot, but it's not that hard.

[Guest]

Have a read of this, its regarding ur age!
http://www.nutritionalsupplements.com/trainingQ24.html!

Mr Shane, WTF is Velvetta?

[Wall St. Peon]

Velveeta's a popular processed cheese. It tastes badass, but it's really bad for you.

[rEdHoBBeS]

thanks a LOT guys. this really helped me out. i'm still wondering though, since i have so little fat in my arms, won't i not be able to build muscle mass there? isn't fat needed to build muscle?

[Wall St. Peon]

Fat is needed, yes, but it needs to be in your diet. Unsaturated fat and protein will aid muscle growth...you don't need it physically on your body. You'll have a better looking physique, and you might have to work harder, but you WILL be able to build muscle. Another thing that helps are foods high in nitrogen...basically, know what you're eating.

Here, check out this site...I did a quick google search and skimmed it, and it looks right. You do need to gain fat, but you probably won't get fat because of your metabolism...so go with high fat foods, but make sure it's unsaturated fat, and increase your calorie intake (foods high in protein and unsaturated fat have higher calorie content).

http://www.musclegaintips.com/ there's the link...give it a read, sorry 'bout the pop ups. Don't buy anything off it.

[Ruff Ryder]

You shouldn't work out @ all in that age in my opinion.
Wait to you get older and finish growing , then you'll also probably have more fat to transform.

I'm fifteen and I've been lifting since I was 13.

You should also do squat. Work on your lower body. I'm headed for the Squat record at our school. I did 300 today easy after about 20 some reps.

[rEdHoBBeS]

20 reps of 300?? is that possible? and here i was, thinking u guys were just a bunch of video-game players

[rEdHoBBeS]

well, reading all your posts, u guys are really being helpful. however, i'm not really trying to become the next mr. world or anything. my primary goal is to just get that "cut" look and to be physically stronger. another goal is to fatten/muscularize my arms more. i'm not trying to look like one of those guys i see all the time at my local gym, carrying 20,000,000 lbs of muscle on their bodies. how can i accomplish this goal?

[Ruff Ryder]

20 reps of 300?? is that possible? and here i was, thinking u guys were just a bunch of video-game players

20 reps before 300. First it was 10 at 150, 8 at 205, 6 at 230, 4 at 260, 2 at 275 1 at 290, 1 at 295, and then 1 at 300.

so it was 33 total reps, I was off a little bit.

and here i was, thinking u guys were just a bunch of video-game players

We thought the same about you...Hey, who says we aren't....

[Colin]

I've been doing a strength and conditioning type class designed for basketball players at a place run by a guy who has doen work with a lot of professional teams, and something really helpful is to do stuff on one of those half exercise balls to try and teach you to be balanced and whatnot while you're working the muscles. Great for improving defensive balance and reaction time.

[Wall St. Peon]

If you do the workout I listed, once you get to the point where you're happy, all you need to do is to continue to work the muscles with that weight and not go higher. You'll keep the muscles you've developed, and you won't be huge. That's what I'm doing...for instance, I'm going to stop doing bench press when I get to 200, and I'll stop on bicep curls when I reach 45lbs per arm.

I'd have squats on there, but I have knee problems, so I restrict my leg work out to activities that don't put too much strain on the knees. The extensions and curls help to strengthen the muscles, thus holding the tendons causing the problem in place. I don't do much weight...something like 24 lbs on extensions and curls. I can do much more, but I don't want to hurt myself.

One other thing you might as well throw into the mix is plyometrics. This will help your quickness...things like bounds, strides, high knee running, skipping, etc. It'll help your flexibility and your quickness. Those coupled with strength training will improve your game quite a bit.

[Matt]

speaking of plyometrics....when i did some kick boxing i did plyometrics for my arms. This dramatically increased my strength but didn't make me 'huge' in the arms. Plyometrics also increases your stamina....i found the exercises really painfull at the beginning (your muscles burn) but really beneficial because of the quick results

[Wall St. Peon]

Plyos don't really strengthen your muscles that much...it helps with flexibility more than anything. Hell, you can work your abs by flexing for 8 seconds while sitting on the couch...do that for ten minutes and it's the equivalent of 20 situps....but you're not really doing much for 'em. It's the same with plyos...they help flexibility (ie range of motion) and also endurance, but they don't do much else. Those mixed with weight training...that'll help quickness, flexibility, and strength.

[rEdHoBBeS]

oh, by the way.. could u clarify how i do some of these exercises? the underlined ones are the exercises i'm not sure about.

Fifteen isn't that big of a deal for weight lifting...

Try this:

Day 1:

Bench: 12-10-8-6 (increase weight each set)
Incline Bench 3x10
Flies: 3x10
Dips: 3x20 or 3x15
Seated Rows: 3x10
Low Rows: 3x10
Lateral Pull Downs: 3x12
Back Extensions (roman chair)

Day 2:
Bicep Curls: 12-10-8-6 (don't feel bad about doing only 15...I only curl 35lbs an arm, and I lift regularly)
Pracher Curls: 3x10
Skullcrusher: 3x10
Lateral Raises: 3x10
Tricep Pulldowns: 3x10
Shrugs: 3x10
Forearms: 3x10, each way (wrist down, turning wrist up, wrist up, turn wrist down)
Day 3:
Leg Press: 3x10
Leg Extension: 3x10
Leg Curls: 3x10
Standing Calf Raises: 3x15

Do each one day twice a week, make sure you get water between each exercise - that's very important - and only do the bolded exercises until your body is more used to weight lifting...say, two to three weeks. Make sure you're doing enough weight; if you can do all three sets or whatever fully, without muscle failure (ie you can't do anymore), then you're not doing enough weight and you're not doing yourself any good. Also, and I can't emphasize this enough, make sure you do the exercises right. Don't let gravity bring the weights down, control it. Breath in while you're relaxing the muscles, and exhale while contracting.

You're young, but as long as you do the weigth training correctly, you'll be OK. Again, do them right. If you cannot do them right, you're doing too much weight. If you know someone who lifts fairly regularly, bring them along and show you correct form. Or ask a coach - I'm sure they'd be glad to help, that's what they're there for.

[Wall St. Peon]

Low rows are where you're seated on a rowing machine (a weight one) and your feet are in front of you...like you're sitting on a rowing machine. Seated rows are seated....just ask someone at the gym you go to, they'll help you on that one.

Lateral pulldowns are the same as pullups; if you can do pullups, they're better for you. Basically, 3 sets of 3 of pullups equal 3 sets of 10 of lat pull downs. Again, just ask someone in your weight room, they'll be able to tell you.

Skullcrushers are tricep extensions. These are hard to explain...you really need tos ee pictures or have somene point them out to you.

Lat raises are when you raise your arms from your side to shoulder level (with your arms bent at the elbow slightly). I'm sure you've done these before, or at least seen them.

The forearms...well, have someone show you.

Basically, ask someone how to do anything you don't know...SOMEONE will know. Remember, form and technique are very important. If you're doing the exercises right, you'll be able to tell when you switch muscle groups because that group of muscles won't be tired.