Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 Im looking at protein supplements at the minute, the MAXIMUSCLE products.
Im going to buy a tub of CYCLONE and some Protein Meal Bars, Has or does anyone else use MAXIMUSCLE products???, any comments would be welcome. Are if their are any other good powders that will give me BULK and MUSCLE, please feel free to list them.... |
Maximuscle products are good, but you pay a hefty premium for them and they won't last long if you take 1 or 2 shakes per day. I'd recommend finding a cheaper alternative protein supplement which is all you really need to start off with - any fitness store like GNC will have protein supplements. All the other stuff that goes into Cyclone won't really help you much if you're just starting out - you'll get the same gains off a much cheaper protein supplement. Move to Cyclone once you've been training at least 6 months and are looking to increase your gains at this point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 Exercise wise Im going to start lifting free weights and also bench weights aswell. Whats the best exercises for the chest, shoulders and back, Want to also exercise my legs, what exercise routines work??? |
Best chest exercises are barbell or dumbbell presses, all of which can be done on a flat, incline and decline bench to target all areas of the chest. Start off with 3 sets of 10-12 reps of a medium weight (don't go too heavy too soon, it'll just lead to injury and you won't lift properly). Take a good 90 seconds rest between each set. Shoulders you can do dumbbell shoulder press, military press (basically a standing barbell shoulder press) etc. Back exercises try seated or bent-over rows, lat pulldowns, pull ups etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 I also want that infamous 6 pack stomach, is their a good and proven way of getting them perfect washboards abs. |
Aaah, the Holy Grail... a 6-pack! Getting visible abs I think is 80% diet, 20% training. Almost all work you do in the gym will work your abs to some degree, so many people don't bother doing specific ab exercises. If you want, do sit ups, leg raises etc to build the muscle, but you'll need to REALLY watch your calorie intake to get your bodyfat % down to make them visible. To be honest you can't really bulk up AND get visible abs - you're better off focusing on bulk initially - eat plenty of protein, complex carbs and unsaturated fats. Once you've built up decent muscle mass you can introduce more cardio and cut down on your fat & carb intake until the fat starts dropping off your stomach and the abs become visible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 I read in another post that it is important that you have a good CORE to work from, core I take it meaning stomach??? |
Core is important, yes, but I don't think you NEED to do specific core exercises if you've got a good general weight training routine. This is because all exercises will help build up core strength so unless you're an athlete or have specific need for a really strong core then you don't need to work it specifically.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 Eating>> Should I be eating 6 meals a day, chicken, pasta etc, and drinking loads of full cream milk to gain some weight, would appreciate some advice on what to eat? |
It's better to eat more regularly than the standard 3 meals a day if you can, as this provides your body with regular protein/calorie intake without overloading it and causing fat storage. I wouldn't drink full-cream milk though as this is high in fat and calorie dense - it'll certainly put weight on you, but not in the right way! Chicken, pasta, wholegrain rice, fish and veg should see you in good shape, with occasional red meat as well. Having a "cheat" meal once a week of less healthy food also won't do any harm and will make you feel better!
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevie100 How much water also should someone drink in one day??? |
General recommendation is 6 - 8 medium glasses of water per day, but remember that tea/coffee etc DOES count towards your fluid intake as it's mostly water and contrary to popular belief the caffeine in tea and coffee does NOT negate the benefit of the fluid you get from drinking it. Don't overdo the water though as this can make you seriously ill as too much water will flush essential nutrients out of your body. I never force myself to drink, but make sure I've always got water available and drink whenever I'm thirsty.