107 Comments

1. Kevin
   

   Thats it in a nutshell. Another good post MOD.
2. john
   

   Nice tips! Now how about a real muscle picture!
   http://www.straighttothebar.com/images/posts/071210_pisarenko.jpg
3. Mike OD
   

   Kevin – I see so many people doing things that don’t matter and wonder why they get no results working out for 2 hours a day and sleeping 4 hours a night. Just won’t happen. Lift, Eat, Rest, Sleep….so simple yet no one sees the results. (I think it is more information overload with too many magazines with “pro” routines and endless supplements….the best supplement is whole food!).
4. Mike OD
   

   John – You are just embarrassing me…..I shaved that mustache long ago! lol. For sure, that is muscle and power.
5. Jay
   

   Excellent, simple, to the point. Definite keeper.
6. Mike OD
   

   Jay – Life is simple, we just tend to over complicate things…and then results diminish. Figure out what basics give the big results…and put it into action. Less is more! Kind of like we can build a solid frame and foundation for a house….or just worry about what color drapes we need in the upstairs guest bedroom. If people just put the basics into action, all those supplement companies (minus fish oil of course) and magazines would go out of business…because why do you need them at that point?
7. Scott Kustes
   

   MOD, nice post! The alcohol is one I can especially relate to. With all the stress I’ve had lately, I’ve been tossing back a few too many brews. I decided after my ski trip to lay off for a month. Two weeks in and I’m dropping some fat and just feeling better overall. And I’m not even much of a drinker…a few too many on some weekends, but rarely do I get drunk.

   And you’re right…life is simple. It’s the implementation that people get caught up in and make things difficult, but the answer is always simple. Eat whole foods and do the big lifts: squat, deadlift, and press. That’s enough right there to be in awesome shape.

   Cheers
   Scott Kustes
   Modern Forager
8. Mike OD
   

   Scott – No need to tell an Irish man about alcohol. As for simple muscle building, wish someone gave me that kind of advice when I was 18….could of gone pro! (or something like that)
9. Ben Moskowitz
   

   Nice post!

   I guess the PWO protein + carb solution is an individual thing, depending on how many carbs a person can handle?

   What would you say the upper and lower limits be?
10. Mike OD
    

    Ben – It takes less insulin to put “carbs” into muscle than it does fat, so you don’t need a ton of it. Of course there are lots of variable such as how insulin resistant you are, if the person needs to lose alot of weight first, type of workout, type of diet during the day, carb cycles for the week, etc. Best idea is to start small and then work up from there (10g aminos + 10g carbs). Get more real food protein and “paleo” carbs in the 3 hour window. Most people try to overload postworkout with sugar (the old bodybuilding 40grams Whey with 80g Dextrose/Maltodextrin) and that will not keep most people lean and muscular. Here’s a simple and easy trick…start with 8oz milk pwo. (has a 12g carb/8g protein) Then move into whole foods. See how that works.
11. Ben Moskowitz
    

    Sounds good to me. I guess it would be hard to check if food and exercise are variable though…and then judge performance, body comp, overall feelings…

    I have a feeling that a hearty dinner of fish and sweet potatoes will do the trick either way.
12. Sue
    

    If you have quite a bit of fat to lose is it better to lose the fat first with a low-carb diet and then concentrate on building muscle after?
13. Mike OD
    

    Sue – Building some muscle is key for everyone (as shown in the ageing study) especially for those wanting to lose fat and keep it off! Muscle is a very active tissue and your metabolism stays strong with more muscle fibers vs fat. Now don’t get scared, you wont get huge muscle just enough to look great when you lose the fat around it (aka that “toned” look). In fact muscle fiber is so thin compared to fat, that if you lost 5lbs of fat and gained 5lbs of muscle (the scale would say zero change in total weight), you would go down a couple sizes at least! Resistance training also give a boost to fat burning hormones such as GH. Simple strategies like IF and eating protein+veggies+healthy fat can go a long way to losing weight. Again refer back to weight loss 101 article, but I would suggest some simple strength training at least 2-3x a week (even with a simple resistance band) to get those fat burning hormones going and wake up/build those active Type II fibers. Also just be more active every day with walking or other things to get the heart and lungs going. Weight loss is of course mostly diet, but the resistance training gives it a boost and also helps in the long run as people with more muscle will have a hard time putting fat back on (unless they ate sugar for a month of course).
14. J. Bennet
    

    Regarding Post workout nutrition, I have a question. If a person could clone himself and keep everything the same about diet and nutrition except that one version ate a PWO meal or supplement and the other version didn’t, what would be the difference if any? A pound of muscle? 5? 10? How much of a difference does this make?
15. Ben Moskowitz
    

    So for muscle gain, you would want to eat protein+veggies+fat at maintenance or surplus calories, and for fat loss, protein+veggies+fat at maintenance or less?

    Maybe I was drinking too much milk… but I have a hunch I somehow overdid the fat and calories…and gained weight that wasn’t muscle…

    Anyways, I found out that the answer to my question is answered in detail with the free issue of the Performance Menu (Issue 27, Glycogen Reloading).
16. Scott
    

    Great list MOD. So you follow the same model as De Vany regarding PWO and how it blunts HGH correct? I used to swear by PWO shakes of 2:1 carb/protein (yes, bodybuilding dogma… we’ve all been there lol) but have noticed a significant improvement in recovery by waiting 45-1 hour and then taking in some protein and fruit.

    Also, do you have an opinion on the optimal time for a workout? In the morning when test levels are higher or do you feel its really just a matter of getting the workout in, period? Thanks a lot MOD.
17. Mike OD
    

    Ben – add in Protein+Carb meals in the pwo window (hours) and you have a good strategy.

    Scott – I would think morning to afternoon workouts are ideal, mostly because you have a better chance at doing them fasted and can get large amount of calories in pwo without being too late at night. (or eating too close to bed time). Then again your energy levels matter too…so if you get a better workout in the afternoon than in the AM, you get more out of it. As for pwo see below.

    J.B. – I wish I could do that! I think you have to also take into account the volume and intensity of workouts, and how often. Are they 2x a week? Every day? I definitely think recovery is increased with the pwo quick shot, but would there be a tremendous difference in muscle? Or would there be an increase in muscle but less fat loss because of pwo supplementation? Good questions…and here’s some food for though below:

    Hormonal Responses to Exercise
    These data demonstrate that not only does CHO and EAA ingestion during the exercise bout suppress exercise-induced cortisol release; the stimulatory effect of resistance exercise on myofibrillar protein degradation can be attenuated, most dramatically when the treatments are combined (CHO+EAA). Through an “anticatabolic effect,” this altered balance may better favor the conservation of myofibrillar protein.

    Liquid carbohydrate/essential amino acid ingestion during a short-term bout of resistance exercise suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation.
    In summary, these data indicate that consuming a nutritional supplement before and immediately after heavy-resistance training workouts performed over 3 consecutive days results in different exercise-induced patterns of metabolic and hormonal variables. Specifically, consuming a protein-carbohydrate supplement before and after a resistance training session increases the concentrations of glucose, insulin, growth hormone, and IGF-I while decreasing lactate accumulation.
    

    There are lots of things to think about there as a pwo carb/protein can halt cortisol (muscle breakdown) and enhance protein synthesis. Also the one study shows no decrease in GH levels pwo probably because of high lactate levels from the workout. So if you are doing a high lactate producing strength workout, perhaps there can be an increase of muscle conservation and gain with some sort of pwo supplementation. Of course this is independent to the person. Also there has been talk about preworkout BCAA supplementation giving better protein synthesis response than pwo. You can also say that you build muscle for several days after as well, so how important is the pwo window? For those with high activity levels recovery is a key factor as well. You can also only have a couple workouts a week with pwo (high lactate muscle breakdown workouts) and skip pwo for more non lactate interval training (like sprints). I think there can be benefit but as to the amount of muscle that makes a difference in the long run…it may only be 5-10lbs. If you take a small amount (start small) and see less fat loss than before then you need to change it up (just BCAAs or wait another 30min). It’s hard to believe there is no benefit to pwo supplementation (even if very small). Even Paleo man after the “hunt” would first dig in and eat the liver for recovery (high in sugar). I wouldn’t suggest it daily esp if you want fat loss, but small pwo supplementation 2x a week (plus real food protein+carb later in the pwo window) along with an already low carb diet during the other periods (which will also give more insulin sensitivity) may be a plus for additional muscle. Like I said, there are arguments to both side (although the study above showed no difference in pwo GH levels with supplementation), I however have not seen negative results with a small pwo addition a couple times a week. (I have seen me gain fat in the past when I used to do the 100g dextrose/whey shakes many years ago) If you want quicker recovery, I say add it in and see what happens….if you are more focused on fat loss, don’t use it.
18. The IF Life on Muscle Building « Breakfast
    [...] The IF Life on building muscle No Comments Leave a Commenttrackback addressYou must log in to post a comment. [...]
19. Will G
    

    Awesome article. Concise and right on target.
20. Emil
    

    Great article. What exercises do you suggest for an exercise newbie? I’m striving for a “symmetrical balance of mass in the shoulder girdle, upper chest and back, the calves and lower quads” (i. e. the X-appeal. I probably need a wide variation, so as to promote intensity.

    Cheers,
    Emil.
21. Mike OD
    

    I would always start with the mass builders…the legs. Squats and DL. DL will also help to stimulate the lats. Next up would be pullups….nothing gets a wide back like pullups. We are not talking about like 20 in a row, we are adding weight and keeping the reps in the 5-10 range and working the negatives. After that standing OH presses for the shoulders and some bench or pushups for the chest. Dips (weighted if neccessary) are a great mass builder for the upper body as well. Lots of options. Just remember that more is not always better and you need alot of rest, recovery and food to grow. Lift heavy and don’t go over 10 reps for the most part. Add in some sprints too, never seen a sprinter with little calves. If you are unsure how to do squats and DL properly, find yourself a real lifting gym (not the ones loaded with machines) and hire a trainer for a couple sessions. People get big because of the hormonal response to exercise…and squats and DL are the top 2 to start with in my book. (also I would highly suggest a book called Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, an excellent guide to the lifts and getting strong)
22. Emil
    

    Thanks for excellent reply.

    I’ve been told to avoid bench presses, as they are harmful to the rotator cuffs. Are there any good alternative to bench press?

    Cheers,
    Emil.
23. Mike OD
    

    I’m a bigger fan of dips for the chest. Make sure you can safely do the full range of motion before attempting to add additional resistance. Pushups can also be modified to increase the ROM (with handles or hands on something elevated like blocks) and use weighted vests or other types of resistance (like a backpack with lbs). There are also multiple standing presses (horizontal) that you can do with bands or cables too. If you want to save your shoulder make sure to keep them flexible and stretch them out (I like taking a stick with my hands and swinging it from in front, over the head and all the way around to my back…and then back again. Keep doing reps with your arms straight and bringing the hands in as it gets harder to do.) Do that ROM exercise for the shoulders and you should prevent injuries as most are just due to imbalance and tightness.
24. The IF Life - Intermittent Fasting and Instant Freedom » Too Much Protein a Bad Thing?
    [...] So I know the BIG question people will have is how much protein is too much? Well I don’t want to go by % because that will depend on how many calories are in your diet. If you look at the zone model of 30%, I would say that should be as high as you need to go. If your fat intake is high enough to keep your calorie total up, then you really don’t need a ton of protein to even build muscle. The most I would ever say is up to 1g/lb of bodyweight (assuming your BF is lean). There are lots of other factors in building muscle too besides protein intake, so make sure to master those (see the Muscle Building 101 post) [...]
25. DanfromCHI
    

    Hey guys, I’m trying to gain like 20lbs muscle.
    I’m 155lbs and about 6 feet.
    I’m maxing out benching at 250lb. I do chest one day a week, back and shoulders another day, arms a different day, and a whole circuit the next.
    With a polo shirt on, i look pretty small… seriously (without sounding like a douchebag, my body type is matt damons)… (i need to bulk upi!)
    Shirtless, yeah, i’m semi-cut – but nothing anyone will write home about. I have always (ALWAYS) outlifted my larger counterparts (pound for pound). But, i’m not seeing results… I am a lean eater, a healthy eater, I run occassionally but i would LOVE to put on some muscle for once in my life.
    I feel like it may be my diet (i eat healthy/small portions), or the fact that i run occassionally, but i just want a muscle BUILDING program that shows some significant results.
    ANY help is much appreciated man,
    DOC
26. Mike OD
    

    Dan – pretty much sounds like you got the strength part down…now you just need to eat more and workout less (but up the intensity per session, keep them brief but effective). Putting on the lbs is possible eating healthy. First I would say make sure you are at least getting 0.8-1 gram of protein/lb of bodyweight (since you sound lean anyways). Of course also some fruits and unlimited non-starchy vegetables, healthy carbs (so sugars, breads, pasta or processed carbs) and healthy fats (esp MUFAs, Omega 3s and health Sat fats). But it does come down to if you are not seeing muscle gain…then you need to up your food intake. Looks like you are working out 4x a week too…that is alot. You should be able to workout only 2-3x a week and still put on plenty of muscle. Most people workout too much, don’t lift the proper volume/intensity to stimulate muscle building/fat burning hormones, burn way too many calories with activity levels and then wonder why they are not gaining. A serious lifting program of 3x10s (with a couple warmup sets), 30-60 sec rest, with alternating compound movements 2-3x a week will do plenty for size and gains. For example: Squat/Bench(although I would rather do weighted dips)/Overhead press is workout A, Deadlifts/Pullups/Bent Row(or sub in Power Cleans) is workout B….then alternate workouts A & B during the week only for a total of 2-3 workouts (A/B or A/B/A & B/A/B weeks). You can do your additional secondary exercises and arm exercises on main workout days AFTER you have done the main heavy compound movement that spike your muscle building hormones…don’t do an arm day…those never work. You will get plenty big arms from heavy pushes and pulls…like weighted dips and pullups. You can also mess around with the reps doing a week of 5×5 or 3×8 or 3×10. Don’t over-complicate it and just keep it simple and effective by seeing the progress and adding weight little by little to the main lifts. Remember that you grow outside the gym…not in it. So get your workouts done quick, and then go eat and recover….and grow. When in doubt…if you are not gaining….eat more (no sugar, healthy proteins/fat/carbs) and workout less. Or just do like the Powerlifters do for more size…drink a gallon of whole (not skim) milk a day in addition to your regular meals (no guarantees on how much fat you may also put on in this process). Not something I would recommend full time…but if you are cycling it short term for a mass gain and can handle it with no ill side effects, then it can be a useful tool. Forget supplements….whole food is always your best friend first…and where 90% of your results come from….so spend your money there.
27. The IF Life - Intermittent Fasting and Instant Freedom » More on Muscle Building - Reader Q&A
    [...] got a good and probably common question from a reader about gaining muscle from the Building Muscle 101 post. I wanted to re-post it here as many may not have seen it and other readers may also be thinking [...]
28. The IF Life - Intermittent Fasting and Instant Freedom » More on Muscle Building - Reader Q&A
    [...] got a good and probably common question from a reader about gaining muscle from the Building Muscle 101 post. I wanted to re-post it here as many may not have seen it and other readers may also be thinking [...]
29. The IF Life - Intermittent Fasting and Instant Freedom » More on Muscle Building - Reader Q&A
    [...] got a good and probably common question from a reader about gaining muscle from the Building Muscle 101 post. I wanted to re-post it here as many may not have seen it and other readers may also be thinking [...]
30. DanfromCHI
    

    Mike – I gotta say, this is the advice that I need. Thanks so much for taking the time to help!
    OK, so i’m seriously ANTI lifting legs. I dont care how they look and I hate doing squats… I used to do the power clean and power squat, and I HATED it. I always thought that running/cycling would take care of the calves/quads? Am i way off? Does it help the overall build?
    About whole foods, i eat pretty healthy and was wondering if there are any food products you’d recommend. Or should i just eat more of yje healthy’s?
    Also (another Q?! – sorry to bug ya man!) what rep workout would you recommend? 2-3x a week (chest, shoulders, auxillaries?) High reps?
    Again, I’m looking to build some muscle – i really appreciate the help man..
    DOC
    DanfromCHI
31. Mike OD
    

    Dan – Everyone hates legs….I know I do. But there is something to be said to the fact that people who put on the biggest muscle…do the squats and deadlifts. (and also eat plenty) Almost like your body doesn’t want to grow a big upper part…if it doesn’t have the lower part to support it. The big muscle groups are tremendous for those muscle building hormonal spikes…and legs are #1. You can start off even with just a simple but intense 3×10 sets with 30sec rests and lighter weight plan. Get it over with and move on. But I guarantee you will see better results with squats/DL in your program than not (leg press machine doesn’t count). There’s a reason you see most people avoiding the squat rack….and most people never get any serious muscle gains. Running and cycling are not going to get you the size you are after. (while fun and no reason you can not do…but also take into account the calorie burn and now how much you will need to eat to start putting on muscle…that’s some serious eating!). As for supplements? Like I said…rather see you spend your money on good foods, steaks, eggs, etc. Reps….stay in the hypertrophy range of 8-12 with about 3-5 sets (I like the simplicity of the 3×10 scale personally). Remember to keep the rests short (30sec). You can throw in a week of 5x5s too if you want for variety. Hit the muscles, get the workout done in 30-45min, and then go eat and grow. It’s that simple. If you are not gaining muscle, chances are it’s all about what you are eating…that’s where you get 85%-90% of the results from. No results? Eat more…workout less. At some point you have to start gaining weight…it’s a given. (also be sure to check the main page and today’s post…I did another article on muscle gain because I know alot of people out there are probably just like you and wanting to ask the same questions.)
32. Stephen A
    

    So I’m confused on controlling your insulin. How much sugar does it take to trigger a spike? An apple or similar piece of fruit? I guess I’m looking for an acceptable range that won’t cause a spike.
33. Mike OD
    

    Stephen – Not much sugar. Fruit is more fructose based sugar and has to go through the liver first…so it’s not a sudden rush of glucose into the blood. Hence why you are better off sticking to whole food sources for a slower absorption and not processed foods or shakes loaded with dextrose that just spike your blood glucose and therefore insulin. All the years in the past (long ago) trying to load pwo with dextrose and whey just ended up me putting on more fat than muscle…and big and bloated is not a good look as lean and cut. That and someone who has very low % BF and muscular will always look 20-30lbs heavier than they really are.
34. Yannis
    

    I just Stumble to this site! great read.
35. Mike OD
    

    Yannis – Glad you enjoy! Hope you enjoy the site and all the good stuff we have planned to talk about!
36. MrCooker
    

    Holy cow this was a article I stumbled upon.

    Even though most of the points you mention are the basics, there are quite some people that forget a few points, such as getting enough sleep and getting enough proteins.

    Don’t forget folks, everything starts with the basics!

    Keep on writing articles like this Mike.
37. Mike OD
    

    MrCooker – Glad you stumbled by! Yep, people so often skip over all the basics and then wonder why they don’t see results. The basics build the foundation that is for sure and can work wonders. The site is all about keeping it simple, understand the key points that create the most results, and then just consistent action. Like I tell people who say they are not gaining muscle….eat more, lift heavy, go sleep.
38. Jacob
    

    Good article. I recently lost quite a bit of fat eating mostly paleo. I have gone from 196lbs. to 171lbs. I am now very skinny and want to add mass. I have already followed your advice and have started 2x a week workouts and begun to increase my eating. My question is though do you have some guidelines of some real numbers of grams of protien food has? Or a place I can find this info? I just want to make sure I am eating enough. How many grams of protien are in an egg? How much protien is in a serving of london broil? That is the type of thing I am looking for. I am really focused and really want to see results. Any help would be great. Thanks. Thanks again for the great articles.
39. Mike OD
    

    Jacob – I am sure there are more specific info sites out there like http://www.nutritiondata.com , but in general you can use these guidelines:
    - 7 grams protein/ 1 oz of meat (non fish)
    - 5 grams protein/ 1 large egg (whole)
    - 7 grams protein/ 1.5 oz of fish
    (also a 1lb=16oz for other conversion factors)
    Something about the size of your palm is roughly 3oz. (This is where using a scale to learn how to eyeball portions later may help).
    Great job on losing the fat, and you will gain muscle if you can get enough protein and make sure the calories aren’t too low.
40. Michael
    

    Mike my wife just today showed me your site and it is truly fantastic! You have a true passion for what you do and the information is presented in such a concise manner. I am in my 40′s and have a few questions about chest training:

    1) How often should I train my chest per week and is the bench press the best exercise for this?
    2) I read your building muscle 101 and mostly understand about volume and intensity but for chest would that mean one does 25 – 50 total reps with one exercise such as the bench press or would you recommend more than one exercise for chest development (and would that be 25-50 reps separately for each exercise)?
    3) Should one vary their grip width for bench presses?
    4) How about decline and incline presses?
    5) How about barbell vs. dumbbell?
    6) Should one vary their exercises for chest over time (and if so over what period of time) or can one just keep making gains by increasing the weights used?
    7) Is it beneficial to take a week off from lifting every so often (such as 1 week off every 8-16 weeks or so)?

    I realize one does not need to fixate solely on chest development but currently this is probably my only area I am trying to improve (I am satisfied with the development of my other areas).

    Many thanks,
    Michael
41. Mike OD
    

    Michael – Thanks for stopping by. Personally I like to keep things simple when it comes to exercise. What you want to do for muscle growth is making sure you are making progress progressively. Are the weights going up? Are you varying the exercises too much that you are not able to keep track? I say stick with one main exercise and make sure that your weights/volume is increasing (as stronger muscles make bigger muscles). That being said if you like to do Bench, then stick with Bench. Personally I don’t do bench but favor weighted pushups and dips (which if you look at gymnasts who only do those movements and the development they get). Make sure you are not working out the muscles too much. For example if you do a 2 part workout split 3x a week with workout A on Monday, workout B on Wed, Workout A on Fri…and then start again with workout B on Monday. You can do something that is more like 5×5 or 3×10 with the same weight and short rest periods. When you can finally get all 5×5 or 3×10 then you up the weight. Again the key is to get the muscle to grow and get stronger. You can add in secondary movements if you like after, but I would still just focus on one main movement per bodypart. Free weights are the way to go, Barbell would give you the most resistance loading per bodypart as well. Deloading once in a while is always good for the muscles (and CNS). Hope that kind of answers your question, but stick with one major movement, get strong and increase the weights with it and good things will happen. That and eat, eat, eat.
42. Jack
    

    What should program should I follow if I want to maintain my current physique but decrease the fat exposing more defined muscle?
43. Mike OD
    

    Jack – lift heavy 2-3x a week, no more than 30min. Hit all the major muscle groups to keep strength and muscle. Eat enough protein to not lose muscle (1g/lb lean bw). Skip the pwo shakes. Lower carb intake overall, up the fats a little and then try some more activity to help shed the lbs. You will have to tweak carbs/fat intake to get some sort of calorie deficit or increase your lifestyle activities (aka cardio). Try the workout fasted + add in some slower activity right after for fat burn. All those tricks should get you what you are looking for. Take some fish oil too as it helps save muscle and burn fat.
44. Jack
    

    What would be your recommendation, 15 mins of moderate cardio on a machine post workout? And no insulin spike? When and what should I eat pwo, currently i am doing a banana with roughly 20 grams of protein powder? Thanks for the quick response
45. Jack
    

    Just to give you incite as to what to recommend, I am 6’0″ 165 consider myself in good shape and have been following the Paleo/Zone diet of late and working out 5 days a week? What also be your recommendation for IF?
46. Mike OD
    

    Jack – fat loss will come down to calories eaten and calories burned, so of course diet is going to be key (might want to see the Fat Loss 101 post also for some look into the hormones involved). After the lifting, you can add in 20-30 min of slower type of movement whether it be walking, hiking, cardio in the gym sense, etc. Make it slow to moderate….shouldn’t be too strenuous otherwise you will just tear through muscle in the process. Also wait about 1 hr after the resistance session is done to eat. If you are taking in carbs then pwo (1-3 hours after) is the window to do it. Play with the carb numbers too….lower on non-workout days, a bit higher on workout days. That’s the trick to getting really ripped…is getting enough to replenish muscle glycogen…but not so much to spillover into fat cells. It’s a process to figure out as it is individualistic how we all respond. You should be able to tell after a week if things need to be modified. (Otherwise people like myself are happy to tweak it for you at $100/hr )
47. Mike OD
    

    Jack – Why do you workout 5x a week? Most people workout too much and don’t eat enough to gain muscle. I’d say that your lifting sessions should be at most 3x a week. If you want to keep active doing other stuff then that is ok. As for IF, you may benefit more from the daily window of fasting 16hours, more active people respond better to that scenario. Such as eating 10am-6pm, or Noon-8pm with 3 divided up meals in that time frame. You can always play and adjust as needed.
48. Jack
    

    I appreciate all of the advice and feedback but one more question. If I follow the M-W-F for short intense weightlifting, does that mean I can get away with interval training (sprints) on the off days, or does the cardio you’ve mentioned include only light jogs and bike rides?
49. Mike OD
    

    Jack – I would generally advise less intense training on the off days. 5x a week of heavy weights and high intensity intervals is going to be very very stressful on the CNS. You may burn out with too much of that and your performance will suffer too. You can try it and see what happens. Even competitive athletes will have a week to detrain and relax at 50% effort like every 4-6 weeks. Of course the intensity of training can vary by person to person and some may be able to handle a higher work load than others, but just be on the look out for decreased performance as that is the first sign of CNS fatigue/overload. (and your body telling you to take a break) You may be able to get away with a more intense weekly schedule with build in weeks of recovery at lower effort. It’s all the proper planning and recovery.
50. jason
    

    Just to chip in here with my own experience. I used to workout 5 days a week, sometimes 6 and after awhile I think I became somewhat attached to the routine (I am sure the daily shots of endorphin didn’t hurt!). Awhile back I started doing Rippetoe’s Starting Strength where you only workout 3 times a week, cycling through just 5 basic compounds movement (squat, bench, press, deadlift, powerclean). The kicker is that (1) it follows a very basic linear progression so you have to add weight to all your exercises every single workout and (2) you squat every workout. At first I was a little worry about all the “rest” days I will have to endure on this program (“can’t I do some quick metcon, some light GPP work, some ‘active rest’ in between?”). However, as the weight got heavier and heavier the deeper and as the squat gets in the range of 1.5X BW, I no longer think like that. Quite the opposite! Now I live for my rest days when I can eat and sleep in peace!

    Mike is absolutely right: to get bigger you would need to rest, EAT, sleep, in addition to working out hard. As the saying goes, muscle doesn’t grow in the gym. From my little rippetoe experiment I would just add if you are like me and have trouble “not working out”, the best way to “force” yourself to rest is to make sure that you beat the living crap out of your body when yo do workout. On your lifting days, make it so grueling that you have no choice but to rest the next day or two.
51. Mike OD
    

    Jason – Great story. Thanks for sharing.
52. Alin
    

    Sorry, you guys are ignoring biochem big time. The body will not burn fat stores without lots of aerobic exercise. Aerobics are needed to stimulate creation of fat burning enzymes in muscles. You can lift all the weights you want and you’ll just end up looking like Sumo wrestler without aerobics.
53. Mike OD
    

    Allin – I appreciate your comment and you are correct in a sense, but you are also ignoring every other piece of information on here that does say being active is key to losing weight. So you are correct that one needs activity to burn fat, but you are blinded in actually seeing that recommendation listed on here or any article. Not too mention any biochem about higher intensity training that can help to generate hormonal response that can lead to longer fat burning. That and you posted this comment on a muscle building post?
54. Alin
    

    Sumo wrestlers have intense workouts 4 hours a day that that include picking up and throwing each other around (2-300lbs) and heavy weight lifting, but no cardio work. Their goal is to get as much belly fat as possible because that gives them a low center of gravity and makes it harder for their oponents to throw them out of the wrestling ring. To get the belly fat they work out on empty stomachs and follow the warrior diet/Intermittent Fasting method of large meals after long periods of intense physical activity and fasting. They have done this for centuries and have perfected the art of accumulating massive amounts of belly fat..i.e. fast, exercise then eat large meals and go to sleep.
55. Mike OD
    

    Alin – You are correct, they do workout for very long periods of time and want large belly fat. They also eat tons of calories and make most of it carb based. Also a trick is large amounts of beer consumption to raise cortisol to have fat storage be in the belly area. So like any plan for eating whether 12 hours a day or 6 hours a day….eating a ton of carbs, drinking lots of beer and excess calories will make you fat no matter how often you want to eat. To assume that a sumo wrestlers diet is the same as any IF/WD plan…then you are ignoring all the other variables of macronutrient ratio intake, types of workouts done fasted, length of workouts, and total calories for a day. So you are right in one sense…but your conclusions to IF are not.
56. Mike St. John
    

    Hi MOD,

    I have been visiting this site for quite some time, but this is my first post. I have a couple questions related to age and an appropriate diet for mass gain.

    I am 37 and weigh 155lbs. My bf is 6% at most. I want to gain weight. I am very lean and have been eating in the Zone and doing CF 3 on one off for a few months. This protocal has really leaned me out.
    My goal is to be about 175-180 and I have just started Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program (3 days/ week).
    On many of the Pmenu threads about mass gain, there is discussion about the enormous amount of food that one has to eat to get bigger. 4000-5000 calories seem to be suggested as a starting point. As I read the posts and suggestions, I wonder how much age has to be taken into consideration. At 37, is it recommended that I eat that much along with all of the milk suggested as well.
    I see that in some of your input on the threads that you would drink the gallon of milk if you could to gain size.
    What are your suggestions? Being relatively new to the IF life (16hour fasts for the last month without missing a day) and this site, I do not know your bio very well. Are you at the age where you have to consider eating less or do you believe that muscle bulding can happen in the 30′s without much problem.

    Thanks for all of your time and the thr true value that you provide the training community.

    Sincerely,

    Mike
57. Mike OD
    

    Mike – I’m 36 and I don’t think age should be an issue. However I think most likely you don’t want to bulk too quickly and just add the fat back on. Check out the muscle building post here too. Mass gain is pretty simple….you have to eat more and workout less. If you are doing metcons or high activity…then you probably will need tons of food. If all you want is more size, you will be better off to drop all aerobic conditioning until you can fine tune you eating. When in doubt, get enough protein…time your carbs pwo and fill in fat as calories all other times. It’s not hard, but you just have to start some place…see what results you get…and then adjust either the calories, protein intake or activity level. Milk for me is not something I would do personally….as it would make me have severe breathing issues and just make me put on more fat than muscle most likely. You will bulk up on it….but you have to weigh how much is muscle vs fat.
58. joey
    

    OK so if I want to eat daily from 5pm – 10 pm but I work out in the morning at 6 am does that mean I have to skip my pwo shake of apple juice protein and a banana or I’ll compromise my fast?
59. Thomas
    

    Hi Mike OD,
    I am 5’8″ and 60 kilos +/-1. Tried few times in the gyms and gave up; don’t have to go over why..you would know. I can’t eat that much as suggested; as a matter of fact, I hardly am able to eat breakfast. A filling lunch might dissuade me from dinner. I would not challenge the fact that eating loads of the right foods gives the results. My belief is: there should be some way to make me realize my “dream” body despite my eating “limitation” as I am only looking to put on 10 – 15 lbs max. I would love me looking that different also. I don’t always find myself with gyms within easy reach. What to do?
60. Mike OD
    

    Thomas – you may also want to read the following post about muscle building here. Calorie intake is needed inorder to tell the body to store and develop new muscle. Also you will need enough protein. You can build muscle on working out only 2x a week, don’t think you need any more than that. Start with the big compound exercises like squats, deadlifts to get your muscle building hormones going and then just stick to sets of 6-10 reps per muscle group (with about 3 sets per exercise). Most people workout way too much and wonder why they can’t put on weight. Simple truth is usually eat more, workout less. You can do bodyweight exercises at home like pullups, pushups, dips if need be or get some homemade weights to use. Many options, just need to challenge the muscles, deplete the glycogen and then reload after you are done.
61. Muscle Size and Strength Correlation | Zen to Fitness
    [...] same weight as the last, there is no rush and we cannot force our bodies to get stronger. Just keep eating well for mass and you will eventually get stronger…..Try and spread the days out maybe one on a Monday and [...]
62. Heather
    

    I LOVE your site! I can’t stop reading and reading…for years I’ve wanted to get into fitness modeling and no matter how hard I worked out or how much cardio I did I could never get ‘there’. Even at my lowest weight my BF% was still about 22-23%. So I gave up on it and decided those people that do it are just blessed with good genes. But since I found your site I’ve done 2 days of IF plus a work-out and pwo meal the way you suggest and the other days just protein+fat+veggie and already I can see a difference in my stomach..its crazy! Also, you gave me a link when I posted on another page of yours to something about ‘Leaky Gut’..very very good post I must say.
    I was wondering about compound exercises for women. Are they the same ones you suggest for men? I’ve heard the squat is the king of lower body ex. for men and lunges for women..I have a tendency to very easily build larger muscles in my lower body. Once had a guy at the gym say ‘wow your legs are bigger then mine’ which I stopped my lower body workouts right then and there! I don’t want to look big, just nicely sculpted I guess is the word.

    Thankyou!
    Heather
63. Mike OD
    

    Heather – Don’t use the “genetiks” excuse as you can get those results. WHile some are blessed with a state that makes it easier, it doesn’t mean you can’t get there if you can understand how your body works and how results happen. Lunges are great for men and women. As far as building muscle in the legs, then I would suggest doing more full body workouts and skip breaking up the parts of the body. Also add in some post lifting cardio like activity for 20-30min. You want more muscle breakdown in the legs and watch your intake of carbs (as most muscle size is really glycogen and water). Use carb ups 1-2x a week and stay more in an oxidative fat burning environment and keep your lifting to 3x a week full body with switching up the exercises and hitting all body parts (lunges one day, deadlifts another, squats another). You will get there! (and feel free send me any % of your new found modellng career as a coaching fee. )
64. Heather
    

    Considering you could charge $100+ for that tidbit of information..you’ll be the first to see my progess pics
65. Mike Ralls
    

    My question would be how does IF effect muscle gain? Wouldn’t there be a lack of protein to rebuild muscles when you are on fast days?
66. Mike OD
    

    Mike – Excellent question. Yes I would say that the amount of protein one has to intake will dictate how long their eating windows must be on IF days. Protein intake is key for building muscle and not something we want to overlook of course. Also you can add high fat (lower carbs) to those days to create a better nitrogen retention environment. When in doubt and wanting to put on muscle eating is key, and while some people (like myself) can eat a ton in a short period…..if others have trouble then they have to modify their IF as needed.
67. Paul
    

    This is a great article so simple yet so many people don’t get it.
68. Joel
    

    “You can build plenty of muscle only lifting 2x a week and having the right lifestyle around to support it”

    This took me six years to realize. Throughout highschool I would work out 4-5 times a week, and although I got stronger, my muscles never grew significantly. I took a couple years off of weight training, and started again three months ago with the new realization that NUTRITION was the key. I worked out only twice a week, for half an hour, doing nothing but compound mass-building exercises, and ate a ton of clean food and protein. In just over a month, I had put on 25 pounds! My biceps and calves have grown by more than an inch. If only I had realized the importance of nutrition when I was a 155lb grade 9.

    It really is simple. If you want to get big, workout with COMPOUND MOVEMENTS, and EAT LOTS OF HEALTHY FOOD.
69. Christoph Dollis
    

    Congratulations, Joel! Well done.
70. Mike OD
    

    Joel – so true…how simple it really is…yet most people don’t put the effort into what counts…they would rather believe more complexed routines, working out more and supplements are the answer. Oh well…..wish I had all this realization 10 years ago myself!
71. Acai
    

    Grats, Joel! And thanks for providing these basics, will come in handy hehe
72. You're eating the standard 11 chicken breasts a day right? | Digital Trainer
    [...] IF Life Mike over at The IF Life recommends between 0.6 and 0.8 grams per lean pound and 1.0 to 1.5 grams per lean pound if you are trying to build [...]
73. Remon
    

    Hey Mike,

    I have another question for you. When doing bodyweight excersizes like pullups and chin-ups, do you just have to do as many as you can of them per set? The reason why I ask this is because I slowly want to replace shoulder presses and dumbbell curls with pullups and chin-ups. With normal weight-lifting excersized you’d stick to a fixed number of reps and sets, but is this also the case with bodyweight excersizes or not?

    Btw, two days ago I did a total of 3 sets of 3 pullups / chin-ups and WOW… My muscles still feel sore man! I never have that with normal excersizes!
74. Mike OD
    

    Remon – Even with weight lifting you want varied sets and reps, as it is usually not the same. Or you want progression with the same reps (like a 5×5 strength program that has you increasing weights). With bodyweight exercises if strength increases is your goal, you will want to figure ways to increase the resistance (aka making your body heavier) either with a weight vest, holding weights, backpack of books or whatever. If you are doing something like pullups where you are not doing alot of reps, then you can of course just keep the bodyweight the same until you build up more reps. Remember that you also need to take days off, to make the muscles recover (like training with weights, you don’t do it everyday). If you want a sore chest, do elevated hand (put hands on cylinder blocks or something and do some deep pushups…..esp with additional weight on you (backpack, vest). Your chest will get plenty sore.
75. Cody Maloney
    

    Hey Mike,

    I was just wondering what the best post-workout meal is? After I workout I usually have a protein shake made with milk, frozen yogurt, whey protein, peanut butter, and a banana.
76. Alfie Moor
    

    So many points about eating, only one about training. It was a good point about training, but it should be first, middle, and last.
    Lots of guys you see in the gym, long time, no gains, obsessing over eating. Do you ever see anyone making long term gains without the heavy training?
77. Mike OD
    

    Alfie – No, without lifting heavy enough you won’t put on muscle…but then again most mainstream gyms I go to have plenty of people spending hours a day working out and not gaining much muscle…because they don’t eat enough or spend too much money on supplements. Unless you are taking hormonal “supplement” cycles, the average person doesn’t eat enough…and yes, probably also doesn’t lift heavy enough (as they are buying into too many BS routines in bodybuilding magazines).
78. Alfie Moor
    

    “Spending money on supplements” might be a waste but it doesn’t buy itself prevent muscle growth. You’re talking crazy.
    Most guys “working hard” in most gyms are super setting curls and tris with 40lb until the cows come home.
    Fasting and detox should be off this list, a so called top list – they’re the kind of distractions that keep people from missing out on the keys to gaining.
79. Mike OD
    

    Alfie – ““Spending money on supplements” might be a waste but it doesn’t buy itself prevent muscle growth. You’re talking crazy.”…really did I say it prevents muscle growth? ? Ummmm, No…..what it “can” do is make people think protein powders and bars can replace eating enough calories. Supplements should be a good addition once a solid eating program is already in place. If one can still eat enough calories, fasting can help someones health and insulin sensitivity (as that is what it does). Much of what is talked about on this site is geared for everyday people looking to gain real lean muscle and lose fat, not become bodybuilders (although the same principles do apply).
80. Alfie Moor
    

    You said exactly: “because they don’t eat enough or spend too much money on supplements” – as if spending money on thing has the effect of the inability to build muscle. You should have said “eat too little good, real food and too much supplements” if it’s what you meant.
    “Gain real lean muscle”- muscle is lean! it’s people that gain fat. Anyway this whole thing sounds very six pack oriented. You know, squat some, but make sure to fast to keep the abs showing. The same mirror-centric principles as bodybuilding, just with a different aesthetic.
81. Rick Stewart
    

    I wonder in your considered opinion, why do I need a post workout snack? If I am breaking down tissue into aminos and other particles when I lift, and I have aminos left over from my previous meal (I am an avid IF’er with a 5 hour window from 4-9pm) why do I need to eat immediately after my workout? I lift heavy twice a week (squats, deads, weighted dips, bar rows, weighted pull-ups, etc) so I have several days to restore glycogen supplies. If I work out at noon, and I don’t eat till four, is there a reason to break my fast on lifting days just to eat the obligatory post workout snack?

    Thanks.
82. skustes
    

    Rick, definitely not. I typically let my hunger tell me when to eat. I find that after really heavy lifting sessions like a 10×3 squat or a deadlift workout, I’m hungry within 30-45 minutes. And I mean really “can’t think about anything else my stomach is growling so much” hungry. So…I eat. But on days I hit the track or do a CF metcon, something where my heartrate was very high, my appetite is usually blunted for an hour or more. So…I don’t eat until I’m hungry.

    Cheers
    Scott
83. Mike OD
    

    Rick – there is some added benefit to the pwo window for increasing protein synthesis repair…allowing your muscles to recover quicker, to get more from your next workout and so forth. I would say you may even want to toy with some BCAA “pre” workout (like 10g). There are studies to show that pre-workout aminos may be just as effective as post workout protein (and perhaps more). There may be some advantages to IF on the days you don’t lift….but if muscle gaining is the goal you may want to change your IF on your lifitng days to include some pwo feeding (mostly protein/whole food carbs). Experiment….see what happens.
84. Mike OD
    

    here’s that BCAA study:

    Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise
    Kevin D. Tipton1,2, Blake B. Rasmussen1,2, Sharon L. Miller1,2, Steven E. Wolf1, Sharla K. Owens-Stovall1, Bart E. Petrini1, and Robert R. Wolfe1,2

    1 Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, and 2 Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, Texas 77550

    The present study was designed to determine whether consumption of an oral essential amino acid-carbohydrate supplement (EAC) before exercise results in a greater anabolic response than supplementation after resistance exercise. Six healthy human subjects participated in two trials in random order, PRE (EAC consumed immediately before exercise), and POST (EAC consumed immediately after exercise). A primed, continuous infusion of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine, femoral arteriovenous catheterization, and muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were used to determine phenylalanine concentrations, enrichments, and net uptake across the leg. Blood and muscle phenylalanine concentrations were increased by ~130% after drink consumption in both trials. Amino acid delivery to the leg was increased during exercise and remained elevated for the 2 h after exercise in both trials. Delivery of amino acids (amino acid concentration times blood flow) was significantly greater in PRE than in POST during the exercise bout and in the 1st h after exercise (P < 0.05). Total net phenylalanine uptake across the leg was greater (P = 0.0002) during PRE (209 ± 42 mg) than during POST (81 ± 19). Phenylalanine disappearance rate, an indicator of muscle protein synthesis from blood amino acids, increased after EAC consumption in both trials.

    These results indicate that the response of net muscle protein synthesis to consumption of an EAC solution immediately before resistance exercise is greater than that when the solution is consumed after exercise, primarily because of an increase in muscle protein synthesis as a result of increased delivery of amino acids to the leg.
85. Rick Stewart
    

    After looking at the forums I see you guys covered this subject pretty well. So thanks for indulging my question… yet again.

    But it looks like Scott and Mike OD differ on this issue. Is there any concensus? My goal really is to finally get cut. I’ve been talking about it for 30 years, but now I’m doing it. I think once I get cut, I can add a little more food and start building more muscle. But right now I HAVE to lean out. The light at the end of the tunnel for me is that IF gives me some sort of hope that once I work my a$$ off to get my bodyfat down, I can do IF for the rest of my life and stay lean and healthy- easily.
86. skustes
    

    Rick, I don’t know that Mike and I differ greatly on the matter. The PWO window has been shown to be quite long, much longer than the hour supplement manufacturers tell us we have. I’d say if you’re trying to lean out, you should be letting hunger be your guide instead of trying to cram in calories to fuel muscle growth. Trying to bulk up is a different story…at that point, your goal is to eat as much as you can, regardless of your comfort level.

    As for pre-workout supplements….I can’t comment as I have no experience.

    Cheers
    Scott
87. Mike OD
    

    Rick – I think the only thing that differs in what we say is that I say there may be an protein synthesis advantage to BCAAs preworkout, like 5-10g. That’s hardly much really. Also eat as you want after a workout….but it depends on your workout….if you are doing metcon/sprints…you don’t need pwo immediately esp if fat loss is your goal….if you are tearing down muscle with resistance training, it’s advisable to eat to help rebuild them (as that is the goal when you lift weights…you break muscle down, you rebuild, you come back stronger for the next workout.). If you are lifting the same weights over and over and never progressing, you won’t build more muscle.
88. Rick Stewart
    

    I guess this is where I’m confused. Scott says the window is longer than we’re led to believe. Also there are always aminos circulating in our bloodstream (for up to 3 days after eating, I believe) as long as we eat enough protein when we do eat. And I thought we do most of our repair work at night when we sleep. I just wonder if taking the aminos before lifting weights possibly sets the stage for an anabolic process that is separate from just making aminos available?

    Thanks guys, i value your comments.
89. Mike OD
    

    Rick – Yes, you are building muscle over days….hence why you don’t lift every day. Using the pwo window or preworkout aminos is just a way to accelerate and increase protein synthesis right after a workout, potentially allowing more frequent training without loss of performance….more gains….more muscle building potential. It’s not necessary, but hard to ignore the potential it has for helping to increase muscle gains, as muscle gain is all about a progressive overload with each workout…have to keep giving the body a reason to build more muscle.
90. skustes
    

    Hey Mike, I’ve never used BCAAs. Any suggestions on brand?

    Cheers
    Scott
91. Mike OD
    

    Most taste like crap. I got some cheap that aren’t bad through someone I know who works for a distributor (forget the name off my head), but I would go for just cheapest generic brand name off the shelf…..as most come from the same compounding labs, but have different shiny labels and huge markup. They of course aren’t as important as eating enough real whole food proteins…but they can add in small benefit for the price.
92. skustes
    

    Awesome…gonna check it out. With my heavier training load for the track season, I’d like to see if this can help me recover a touch quicker.
93. Rick Stewart
    

    I’m trying no pwo meal right now to see how that goes, but after a couple of weeks of that I may try 10-12g of aminos before I lift and see how that feels.

    Thanks guys.
94. Dan
    

    You have inspired me to do legs today! ha…I can honestly say I have chicken legs, but if it’s going to help growth and add muscle I am going to have to start doing it at least once a week for now. Just to get things straight, should I only be doing 3 sets of 10 for squats to start? I’ve been doing so much reading, I think I’m confusing myself. I’m thinking putting together a schedule of something like this for today for example…
    – 3×10 Squats, 3×10 Bench, 3×10 Pull ups (def not getting 10 pull ups 3x in a row, but I’ll try)
    Am I thinking right or is this totally wrong?
    I know I’m eating right & enough and I know I take in plenty of protein so I’m not worried about all of that. I’m more interested in cleaning up my workouts and doing things right. I currently hit the gym and do 2 body parts a day so I’ll end up going 3-4x a week. (Back & Bi’s)(Chest & Tri’s)(Shoulders & Legs) and then do some cardio one day.
    Any advice is appreciated! Just a little info about me…I’m 30 yr old, 6’0, 200lbs even..looking to stay in this range, but lose body fat.
    Thank you!
95. Mike OD
    

    Dan – You’ll probably need a little more than just 3x10s for the legs to give them the stimulus to grow. You can mix up some strength and then add in some volume after…like doing 3 sets of 6-8 reps of squat, and then doing 3x10s of lunges. I wouldn’t work out any more than 3x a week for the muscles. Just watch what you eat, get enough protein in and keep calories low on off days, then add in some pwo carbs (but not too much that you just pack on more fat).
96. jenny
    

    have any of you guys heard about the Shakeweight? i saw an infomercial about it and i was wondering if anyone has one or has seen anything about it?
97. skustes
    

    Jenny, we’ve heard of it. It was part of one of our humor posts: http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/2009/08/13/swine-fluand-fun-stuff/ =D No need for silly gimmicks. If you are looking for workouts that you can do at home, check out our bodyweight circuits.

    Cheers
    Scott
98. tanya
    

    that’s funny, i was just about to ask the same thingg…
99. tasha
    

    Maybe this is not the correct location to post since my goal is weight (fat) loss, but what you have posted for training, i.e 5×5 compound movements, is what I’ve been using for training since, late May/early June. I gave up sugar in June and grains in August. My real motivation for giving up sugar (in addition to wanting to lose bf ) originated as a suggestion from an acupuncturist to remedy insane mood swings and painful periods, i.e. pms. Well, the results were pretty amazing; though a bit crabby around that time of the month, the physical manifestations of any sort of cramps disappeared. This motivated the removal of grains the following month, though contrary to what the acupuncturist recommended since she recommended a vegetarian diet. I have lost bf, but I feel like it has definitely slowed down since the initial change in my diet. In fact, I feel that my bf loss has stopped. My body type is a bit odd in that I have defined musculature ( I know I’m mesomorphic, but I suppose we all are), despite bf, (always have) but I maintain belly fat. For a female, I gain muscle very easy and am pretty strong: my legs and arms have definition, I don’t gain much weight in my hips, but I do in the glutes, breasts and abdominals. though my obliques are defined. It’s a bit frustrating since I’m trying to get some sort of balance. At present, I am 5’5 inches and 200 lbs. I’ve lost 15 lbs. since eliminating sugar/grains. However, I began drinking kefir in earnest this past month, after not drinking milk for years (though I eat plain greek yogurt once in a while), for the probiotics. I prepare it at home with raw milk ( a blend of skim and whole). So my real question(s) are (and they may seem weird): could my daily intake of kefir (a blend of skim and whole raw milk) hamper loss of belly fat and do I really need to do any cardio? I hate cardio if it has to do with any equipment in the gym…I ride my bike for errands and swim once in a while, but I love to lift. And I’m looking into bjj…thanks in advance for any input you may provide…and yes, I eat primal/paleo with the hiccups of kefir,sometimes yogurt, and occasional cooking with a some real butter and/or ghee.
100. Ron
     

     what do you think about taking creatine, does it also help the whole muscle building process or is it totally unnecessary?

     

     Mike OD Reply:
     

     Creatine is probably the only thing on the market shown to help with a slight increase in strength (and yes you get a few pounds heavier with more water retention too). Good news it is cheap, just don’t believe the hype of those high creatine supplements saying they are better….they are not. Don’t expect miracles from it, but it can give you a little boost.
101. The best single muscle building exercise : Fitness Spotlight
     [...] efforts. (If you want more details into all the hormones at play again, I suggest re-reading the muscle building 101 article here.) [...]
102. Rakesh
     

     A simplist & powerful method of building muscles….
     I tried it on myself & it produces imaging results….
     i have link to that product if u wana get it..
     http://mhlnk.com/937E3BB5
103. Brian
     

     Mike,

     I have trying out tons of different bulking cycles over the last several years. I am 26 years old, 5’10 and around 171lbs right now. I have been leaning since spring and I am ready to bulk with minimal fat gains. Any advice? I have got advice from some to just eat and eat anything and everything, but others have said only healthy calories.

     Also, as far as lifting I am planning on a 5×5 approach 2 or 3 times a week.

     Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

     Thanks!
     Brian

     

     MikeOD Reply:
     

     Lean muscle gains are possible, but it’s a slow and steady process. Be in it for the long haul, don’t expect miracles to happen over night…and soon enough an extra 10lbs of lean mass is ALOT!

     5×5 will build strength, but limited “size”. I would suggest cycles of hypertrophy too (higher volume sets/reps per body part), as that has and always will work for increasing muscle “size”. For example, sets of 3 x 10s thrown in after major 5×5 movements (although that is alot of volume and will require more recovery time…so it is better IMO to do week;y cycles of higher reps and not combine too much…or do less strength work on those days, such as 3x5s only).
104. How To Build Muscle Fast In Your Arms
     [...] these should be careful while picking up the muscles. The secret as with all successful professional at how to [...]
105. How To Build Muscle Fast On A Bow Flex
     [...] working out and lasts 24 hours (although some researchers suggestions is really a good start off. You want to eat a lot of don’t recognize that [...]