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Sick and Tired of feeling weak

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Taurusguy92, May 21, 2010.

  1. Taurusguy92

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    Whenever I bring this topic up people always tell me, oh no you look fine the way you are. Well, they may think that but I don't think that's the case. I don't know but even with all the terrible stuff I eat I'm not all that fat... but I have no muscle or barely any. (Check my pics on my profile for proof) but ya I just want to feel like I have some muscle for once. I know I have to change my eating habits like soon. I tried 2 but my parents kept saying oh you're a growing boy stop not eating as much. But it wasn't that I was just trying to eat healthier. Anyway is there anything you can do to help me? If so I would greatly appreciate it. I have a pull up bar at home, and am probably gonna go back to doing those and might start doing push-ups. And to lose my layer of fat I'm definitely going to start doing Capoeira (Afro-Brazillian dance/martial art) again so that should help. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. My avatar *drools* is my ideal but I know it's almost impossible to get there so I'll settle for close.
     
  2. Spectre

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    Two things you will need to do:

    1) Eat eat eat. Lots! And lots of protein.
    2) Weight lift. Every day (alternate upper body one day, lower body the next, etc). Or every other day. Also you should throw in a little bit of cardio, but weight lifting will be what builds mass.
     
  3. Taurusguy92

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    yes I'm hoping Capo will provide the cardio and I can't lift everyday, but maybe push ups, pull ups, and crunches can help right?
     
  4. Spectre

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    Push-ups will definitely help. It's like weight lifting, but using your own body's weight. It will help to build the pecs and the biceps. Crunches will help to build your lower abs.

    If you can afford a free weight set you can do almost all of the weight lifting at home, and there are countless websites/youtube videos that demonstrate the proper lifting techniques. You could also do a search on these forums as I think people like KaraBulut have linked many different resources. It's all over.

    In any case, one of the important things to remember is to consume protein (protein shakes, a large glass of milk, or some other form of protein) right after you're finished exercising, as there's a short time-window (1h or so) where your muscles will absorb the most nutrients due to increased bloodflow. This will help to build up muscle faster. *In addition to other protein throughout the day*
     
  5. L|L

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    Push-ups and pull-ups, and lean-out. To get that kind of muscle definition (e.g. 6-pack abs) your body fat has to be <10%.

    To echo others, protien will be your friend - LEAN protien.
     
  6. Emberstone

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    10%... right now I hover around 11.

    I understand. I was tall and skinny my whole life, and I decided I just was sick of being tall and skinny, I wanted to be tall and muscular... not bodybuilder muscular, but where I still am muscular. I want to try to put on 10-15pounds of muscle of the next year or so, and if my estimates are right, that is about where I want to be. I want to wear a shirt, and look muscular, but not look like I am smuggling various items in my sleeves and pant legs.
     
  7. KaraBulut

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    The problem is that you have two very different goals- to have muscles and to be lean.

    Based upon your pictures, you have an average to thin body type (often referred to as ectomorphic). You're not the least bit fat but you will have to do some work to put on bulk.

    Martial arts, pushups, pullups and crunches will built muscle tone and strength but they won't add mass. To add mass, you have to eat- both protein and carbohydrate- and lift weights. Free weights will give you the best results. You can use your body weight in exercises like pullups and chinups but it is not as effective as weight-lifting.
     
  8. Taurusguy92

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    Are there any specific weight like not routines but workouts that could help me?
     
  9. Emberstone

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    I would say that doing compound lifts, and you really dont need to worry about lifting heavy, would be a good place to start. light weight allows your body to get used to the routine, and compound lifts will hit more parts of the body. twenty minutes can be good in the early parts of a program to get your body to start to react. bench presses are good, because they hit parts of the upper body. mostly, it will hit your chest but it also touches upon your triceps and your front shoulders. squats are good for hitting lower, and I recommend low weights simply because with a squat, form is everything, and good form with low weight is better than bad form with high weight. just remeber, you need about 2 days rest between working a muscle.

    muscle is not built in the gym, it is built while you recover. the gym merely tears your muscle down enough to stimulate growth through repair.
     
  10. Taurusguy92

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    ok so I should eat like protein stuff right after I'm done and would all the like pushups, situps, pullups count enough that I should eat the protein stuff
     
  11. Gumtree

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    Protein intake in regards to benefiting your workout is quite a complicated process.

    If you don't have much understanding of nutrition, then I suggest a protein shake option, temporarily.

    You'll find most good protein shake's come in 3 different forms, pre-workout, post-workout and before-bed.

    Start with those, and follow the instructions closely.

    This will give you a good starting point and time to do some research.

    Look at the labels of the protein shakes and start looking at their contents and doing some research as to what food/food combinations might equate to the same protein shake.

    Eventually, the aim is to replace the protein shakes with real, substantial food. But before you can do that, you need to have the routine in place and a better understanding of what to eat, and when.
     
  12. starfish

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    This question comes up a lot around here.

    I got involved in weight lifting about a year and half ago. I'm not going to get into the specific as to what exercises to do. Instead here are things I have learned, in random sequential order.

    1. It is all in your head. Your head will stop from reaching your full potential. This is a very hard one to learn to get past. I am starting to get to the point where I can get past the fear of nothing being able to control the weight. Get your mind out of the way and you'll be amazed what you can do.
    2. Power is nothing without control. So start with the basics. For the first six months I did basic body weight exercises. I was learning how to control my muscles and more importantly to listen to what your body is telling you.
    3. Listen to you body. This is very important, especially when it comes to food. Which I'll expand on. This is also important as the pain will tell very important things. You'll feel pain from the muscle fatigue, and try to push through that. When you feel that pain that you have pushed it too, stop. Don't try to be a hero.
    4. Food. Food is very important. Don't skip food, your body needs it for fuel and to build. Just about all body builders and power lifters eat 5-6 small meals every day. This does a couple of things. First keeps your metabolism up and second helps to stop you from over indulging and make bad choices. It is a lot easier to make smart food choices if you don't feel that you are starving. This is where #3 comes into play. As mentioned about your need protein and carbs, you'll need fats also. The trick is the combination of the three. Once you learn to listen to your body it will tell you what it needs.
    5. You will have bad workouts. It happens for all kinds of reasons. You'll have days where you can't lift much, don't feel that pump, or just are not into it. Like I said it happens. Don't let it get you down.
    6. Commitment. Just like anything else in life to be successful you must commit to being successful. My workouts are the #1 priority in my life. Unless someone died or is deathly ill, they can wait.
    7. Rest. Get a good nights sleep and take off a least 2 days a week. I sleep more now than before I started lifting, that is because you body need the time to repair.
    8. Take breaks. No one can run at 110% precent 100% of the time. It is ok to take a Saturday off every couple of months, or a week once or twice a year, and even the occasional light week. The important thing is to start back up. It is also ok to occasionally say damn the torpedos and eat that bacon cheeseburger with chocolate milkshake.
    9. That guy that just benched 315lbs, and you just did 100lbs. He is not your competition, he is your peer so stop comparing yourself to him. Don't strive to out do him, strive to out do yourself.
    10. Put up your damn weight. If you can not put up your weight when you are done then you were lifting too much.
    11. Form is important. As others have said good form is more important than more weight. That said don't beat yourself up if your form gets a little sloppy as you try to move up to higher weight. Just learn from it and strive to get it right on the next rep.
    12. Be proud of yourself. Weight training is hard work and most people don't have what it takes. You have the right stuff, take pride in your accomplishments.