I need help packing on some muscle! - Healthy Lifestyle Message Board

Skigomaniac · 03-10-2005, 11:07 PM

I seem to have this problem (some of you might be jealous, so sorry ahead of time) I've been trying to pack on muscle and it isnt working. I'm 21 years old 5'10" 160 pounds. I want to gain roughly 15 pounds of muscle. No matter what I do I cannot gain weight, If it sit on my *** all day and eat food, I dont gain weight, If I excerise all day for weeks straight my weight still doesnt flucuate. I lifted weights last year for 8 months straight and gained about a pound. My friends pack on weight so much easier than I do and they are unhealthy.

This summer I plan on going overboard and packing on as much muscle as possible so I can be more competitive next year in Freeskiing (extreme) competitions. The problem is I excerise constantly. I ski about 5 hours a day 4 hours a week, I go on mountaineering trips often, I rock climb, I backpack/hike a lot. I feel very cardiovascularly fit. I don't wanna lose my stamina and endurance but I want to gain muscle, the problem is I excerise too much to gain weight. I just started two weeks ago drinking protein/weightgainer shakes in between meals and before bed and also when I wake up in the morning.

I plan on lifting weight this summer aswell as excerise for a few hours a day, is there anyway I can pack muscle on while doing lots of strenous physical activity? Anyone who has had similar problems gaining weight your input would be most beneficial.

Lovergy · 03-21-2005, 10:36 AM

Hmmm, i've been reading a book lately and you want plenty of protien(nuts are good to munch on). The reason you might not be seeing results is because you are losing the same amount of fat pounds ,during exercise, as you are gaining muscle, this is a good thing. At your current height and wieght, you do not want to gain weight, you want to lose/tone the wieght with cardiovascular work outs and gain it with low rep high weight work outs. Also, when you do these workouts you want to do your reps extra slow, this way your muscles respond better to the challenge. This is my knowledge from what i have read.

Skigomaniac · 03-21-2005, 10:17 PM

Hey, thanks a lot for responding this thread has been sitting here dead for a week I didnt think anyone could help me. I wanted to gain weight because after attending the freskiing championships this year I noticed all the riders were built like football players, your body takes some serious punishment dropping cliffs n such aswell as skiing very fast you need strong legs/abs/back. I am fairly healthy ( I just bought a blood pressure monitor) Im usually 115-120/70-75 and my total cholesterol is like 130 I believe. Although I wouldnt mind shedding some excess fat (Im sure I have 5-10 pounds) Is that dangerous? Do you want a little backup fat all the time? Because body builders look like they survive without fat

Lovergy · 03-22-2005, 05:54 AM

Eh, you want a little body fat, but not so much you can pinch it in a roll know what i'm saying? Well to give you and idea from where i stand is: i weigh 132 and i am 6 feet tall, however i have done so much toneing and karate that all my muscles are defined on my body and i can do a lot of things that the "heavier" guys can't. I also have a six pack which is now going on 7 and 8. I also run 18 mph(did the physics on it). You don't have to have big bulky muscles to ski well, you don't want to gain the wieght, you want to build and tone the muscles you have. Also, it is easiar to be heavy and muscular then it is to be light and muscular. I guess if you muscles are strong enough to flip a heavy body in the air or jump over and obstacle then you are in good shape. I myself have to gain about 15 anyways because i am still too light. You on the other hand, in my opinion, should just tone and build the muscles you have, and if you do want to add wieght, make sure it goes directly to your muscles by exerciseing and wieght lifting instead of going to the body fat. Sounds like you are doing good though(if you do want to gain extra weight, eat lots of protien). I hope at least some of this might help you.

Magpiezoe · 03-23-2005, 09:22 AM

The main thing that I've found, that works for me is to make sure I have 1-2 rest for my muscles to build up. It's in Arnold's body shaping booK. I do the heavy aerobics (45-60 min.) on the days I don't lift weights. On the days I do lift weights, I only do 20 min. of aerobics in addition to the weights. Your muscles rebuild on the day they rest.