Bulking up - Weight lifting question

MagicToaster

I've been going to the gym for about a month now with the goal of gaining a bit of weight. I usually find a weight I feel I can do the movements properly for the duration of my reps -3 sets of 10.

I can lift heavier weights, but I can maybe do 4-6 reps before I start feeling that I'm not doing the exercise properly.

My question: Which will help me gain more weight -lifting a challenging weight that I can complete a full set of reps or doing low reps at an even higher weight?

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong, but I'm just getting started.

Tube

It doesn't really matter. What's more important is progressive overload. If you're gradually increasing the weight, you're doing things right. If you're not, you won't make progress. The rep range isn't going to be a huge factor. If you're having problems regularly increasing the weight you should eat more.

Seventk

Depends on the workout as well. Doing a 5x5 will target different makeups of the muscle group compared to a 3x15 and 4x10. Form is a contributing factor to target the proper muscle group as well as prevent injury. Don’t be that guy trying to do a deadlift with 400lbs with your back arched etc. Eat a lot, eat healthy foods and you will see gains. Also, I would vary the workout sometimes as well. Don't stick to a 4x10 for 3 years and expect massive changes. Do a 4x10 for a while then switch to a 5x5 or 3x15 etc. You can also add circuit superset workouts to add change too. (Deadlift immediately to Hack Squats 60sec rest then do it again etc) Changing the workouts can make differences as well by isolating the group (dumbbell press) over doing a compound movement i.e. barbell bench.

Bruan

I've lifted weights for a few years, but I recently read a beginner's weightlifting book that blew my mind. It's backed by pretty thorough research, and the kindle edition is pretty cheap! (Most of my experience was going through websites or learning from friends' workouts.)

Starting Strength, 3rd Edition.

To give you a real quick summary, author recommends the following major exercises:
Squat
Press (standing overhead barbell press)
Deadlift
Benchpress
His argument being that these movements work out your entire body in unison, as opposed to isolated exercises. (curls, etc)

The book is incredibly detailed in regards to how your form should be and what you should be shooting for in terms of weight/rep range.

I can't recommend this book enough. There is so much bad information out there, you could risk hurting yourself (incorrect form or overtraining) that you should start with some research first.

hsu

The usual response is that, if you can completely every single rep of every single set, you should add more weight the next time out.

For example, if you are doing 3 sets of 10 reps for your bench press, it means the next time you do your bench press, you should add more weight, say 2.5 lbs more on each side.

Adding more weight usually means you will not finish all 30 lifts, but instead only finish 25 lifts (as an example), as in set 1 you did 10 reps, but set 2 you only did 8 reps, and set 3 you only did 7 reps. You keep doing this weight until you do 3 sets of 10, which means you get to add more weight next time.

Seventk

Bruan wrote: »

I've lifted weights for a few years, but I recently read a beginner's weightlifting book that blew my mind. It's backed by pretty thorough research, and the kindle edition is pretty cheap! (Most of my experience was going through websites or learning from friends' workouts.)

Starting Strength, 3rd Edition.

To give you a real quick summary, author recommends the following major exercises:
Squat
Press (standing overhead barbell press)
Deadlift
Benchpress
His argument being that these movements work out your entire body in unison, as opposed to isolated exercises. (curls, etc)

The book is incredibly detailed in regards to how your form should be and what you should be shooting for in terms of weight/rep range.

I can't recommend this book enough. There is so much bad information out there, you could risk hurting yourself (incorrect form or overtraining) that you should start with some research first.

Bodybuilding.com is another good place to look. But like Braun has said. There is a plethora of bad infomation. Just do research and find what works for you.

Dr. Frenchenstein

I've read that altering the way you lift can also add to gains. like if you lift the weight and lower the weight in a slow controlled fashion, that's one way. Exploding through the lift motion, and taking 2-3 seconds to lower the weight is another way, that may contribute to more muscle growth. again... i read this in men's health (however a trainer also told me to do it though, so i think it has at least some credibility) so take it with a grain of salt. know that you might need to drop back in weight to accomplish this though.

All in all, if your form is going south, stop the excercise. maybe you are adding too much, too quickly? i try to add in 10lb increments. if you can still do all 10 reps, pop another 5 on each side. not being able to do all 10 is ok too, as long as you are doing as many as you can with good form, you are still working towards your goal.

Fantasma

You need to add something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Nutrition-Colada-Shake-5-1-Pounds/dp/B00028O51K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373902566&sr=8-1&keywords=gain+fast

Cabezone

Don't add any supplements to your diet. They are a waste on anybody but the very dedicated weight lifter.

EDIT: I also recommend, if you're just casually lifting, that you use dumbbells and ignore the bars for now.

tinwhiskers

What are you doing for exercises. Cause you're gonna be waiting a long long time to gain weight if all you are doing is benching 3x10 reps at a crack. I mean the sorta 'standard' as much as there is one for starting lifting is 5x5 and 3 different lifts a session.

Dr_Keenbean

After years of dicking around and spending way too much on supplements, shit like curls bars, etc I recently landed on the perfect workout for me. I'm not really after bulking up since I've already done that but this should accomplish that if you eat a lot. Also you will get strong as fuck.

Workout 1:
Squats - 5 x 5
Bench press - 5 x 5
Bent-over rows - 5 x 5

Workout 2:
Squats 5 x 5
Standing military press - 5 x 5
Deadlift 1 x 5

All are done with a barbell. I always alternate. I work out M-W-F. I do 1-2-1 on odd weeks and 2-1-2 on even weeks with a day of rest between each (2 days for the weekend). Every time I do an exercise I try to add 5lbs. I don't bother with warm ups but my muscles are used to it by now.

Start with just the bar on week 1 to get your form down, eat shitloads, and watch yourself transform. Take a picture in the mirror (duckface optional) every week or 2 and be amazed.

Full disclosure - every now and then I do curls with dumbbells because I'm vain and want bigger biceps for a little bit. Usually so if I run into someone I haven't seen in years they'll go 'DAMN!' and I'll feel good about myself.

With all that said, everyone's physiology is different. Though I suspect if your goal is to gain weight and bulk up yours is probably similar to mine.

Nova_C

You'll want to get a workout buddy, or someone who you can get to spot most if not all of your exercises. If you want growth, you're going to need to go to failure. Go until there is nothing left in the tank. The only way this is safe is with a spotter.

EDIT: You don't need to go to failure all the time, but if you do, say, four sets of presses, go to complete failure on the last one, if not the last two sets.

Peen

Nope, not true. Going to failure all of the time is a way but is isn't the only way. Gradually increasing the weight that you use and making an effort to lift more than you lifted last time every time you go to the gym works too and won't screw up your recovery.

Heavy compound exercises and lots of food (protein in particular) will make you grow. Not all at once, but quick enough. Squat, bench, deadlift, row, press overhead, rinse, repeat.

Scadilla

You need to vary your work out from day to day and over time otherwise you'll plateau and stop seeing gains. Try to balance muscle groups for each day of the week to give them time to rest. For example:
Mon, Thurs:Arms, shoulders and chest
Tues, Fri: Legs and back
Wed, Sat: Abs and Cardio/Aerobic(although some people will shit on any aerobic activity if you're trying to gain, but I think it's great for over all body health)

Work out with a lighter(comfortable) load and higher reps if you're just starting out and increase weight and sets and decrease reps ever 4-6 weeks. New guys are always prone to injuries in the shoulders, hips and knee joints if you're using bad form with heavy weights. Your stabilizing muscle aren't going to spring up over night.

Like Seventk said; you need to eat a lot of protein like chicken and tuna to help you gain. If you cut out a lot of carbs and fatty foods you need to replace those fats with supplements like fish oil and flax seed, but this depends more on how strict you are with your diet.

If you remember one thing it is to be patient and persistent. Don't rush your progress. If you do everything right you'll get there soon enough. It's fine if you miss a day or two due to laziness or busyness, but always get back on that horse.

Some resources:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/faq#wiki_getting_started
http://www.rohitnair.net/pp/
http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/ (a lot of these are rife with suggested supplements so tread lightly)

LostNinja

I used to work as a personal trainer and got my Bachelors degree in a fitness related major. To stimulate hypertrophy (making muscles bigger) the ideal rep is around 17-18 reps at 85% of your max for 3 sets, this basically means that at the end of each set you could do one or two more reps before you hit failure (but you won't). It should be noted that this is for making your muscles bigger not necessarily stronger. To increase strength you should be doing something like 3 sets of 3-5 reps at 90-95% of your max. You should set your workout up into phases, such as doing the hypertrophy phase for no more that 4-6 weeks then moving on to the strength building phase for the same amount of time, and them doing a maintenance phase (3-5 sets of 5-10 reps at 70% max) for an equal amount of time before moving back into your hypertrophy phase.

One thing I would recommend if you are just starting out is to look into what types of group fitness classes your gym offers (i have always been partial to boot camp style classes, especially for those looking to burn fat or just be in generally better shape) working out in a group setting like that gives a strong support system and may help of stick with your workout as opposed to dropping it a month or two in as is what happens with the majority of those who just start out.

Kakodaimonos

A month in is too soon to be worrying about tweaking your program to target mass over strength. You're going to gain both for at least 6 months to a couple of years, depending on genetics and how hard you work.

Just do one of the basic programs that has you doing squats, deadlifts, standing press, bench press and rows/pullups. Add in whatever assistance work you want to do, but only after you complete the main lifts.

And have fun.

Bruan

As you can see, many opinions vary on how to work out, how to eat, and all this other stuff. As someone who's lifted for a few years, dabbled in a variety of exercises and workout routines, and suffered a myriad of overtraining and bad-form injuries, I really recommend that you get some good books about this stuff. You owe it to yourself to take care of your body. If you're young, you can survive overtraining or recover from injuries, but as you get older, that is really going to break you off.

Obviously, you can't get any sort of book- but try to look for ones that have solid reviews and are backed by research. That way, you know the advice you're getting isn't completely insane or anecdotal.

One warning I do have though; if you consider olympic lifts, or some sort of crossfit workout that incorporates olympic lifts - be extremely careful. Some of them, if your form is even a little off, you can hurt yourself a great deal.

Good luck, and like Kakodaimonos said, have fun!

MagicToaster

Thanks for the advice, guys!