Introduce Yourself

Hey Mike, welcome. You'll find everything you need in the nutrition section; you may as well start lifting as soon as possible, there are many good routines throughout this site, just ask and you will be shown some examples ar someone will help you design your own.
 
Thug, no offence, but if you want to be respected and taken seriously, you'll have to work on the grammar thing.
There's no need to act "gangsta" when you're sitting in front of computer asking question about bodybuilding.
 
Good luck guys

Hi to all,

A little about myself, I'm 22, have been lifting weights for on and off for 4 years. I'm 5'8, 206 pounds. My goal is to be about 220-230ish. I'm not sure about measurments, but would love to know. I'm really into bodybuilding, and am now ready to start cutting, and toning. I'm sure I'll ask a million and one questions. So anyone with answer, your fingers are going to be sore, cause I'm planning on learning all I can. This is a great website, and I'm really glad I found it. I feel it's going to help me out a lot. I'm happy to be part of this great family know as the DB.

Cody (TKO) Smith

P.S, I've attached a recent pic, let me know how it turns out. Thanx.

Attached Image(s)

Bodybuilding is much like any other sport.
To be successful,
you must dedicate yourself 100%
to your training, diet and mental approach.
~Arnold Schwarzenegger~

I am new here, my name is Travis...I am 35, and have hypothyroid disease  and I have been working out for 5 1/2 years and in the past 3 have really dedicated myself to trying to be the best I can be.
 
So far I have achieved 17 " arms, 23 1/2 " quads, strength gains, and the stats you see in my signature below...(plus many many more).
 
I have been taking halodrol for 26 days, and this is the first time Ive ever taken anything like this, and my strength has gone thru the roof...and also hasnt affected my thyroid problems as to date.
 
I wanted to know can I take Orastan E and how long do I need to wait to take this....
 
I am planning on participating in my first ever  show in August. Any help would be appreciated
 
have a great day!
 
 

5'5"
156 lbs
bench press>250 lbs
squat>405
7% body fat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v718/aprayerpartner4u/pinguins/myboo0021.jpg

Hello all, my name is Rick and I've actually been lurking  here for a few weeks trying to soak up as much info as I can.  I'm 26 years old, 6 ft. 3 in. and weigh 227lbs.  I did four and a half years in the Marine Corps ending my enlistment in Jan, 2002.  I've let myself go over the past few years using various excuses and you'd think I would know better. But here I go again.  I started working out 2 months ago making a 7 lb gain towards my goal of being 245lbs lost an inch around the waist (course I wouldn't mind losing a couple more).  I would like to say thanks everyone for the great info.  I'll post some pics as I make progress.

Hello ,
 
I'm new here - I'm a 30yr old man from Scotland, UK.

Hello every body, good to see some like minded people when it comes to training.
 
Well my name is gareth, I'm 25 from Dublin in Ireland.
I'm 168 lbs 14% BF? 5'8". I have been training on and off since i was 17. Never really knuckeled down and took it serious because of all the BS out there. But still training, looking to get some real advice and tips for training.
 
To date i've completed, Body for life, LA Muscle 21 day challenge, PHA system, and many more that have been ditched by there author. Next oneto try is optimum anabolics which i'm a bit sceptic on as it's getting bad reviews on other forums.
 
Yours in body building
 
Gareth

I'm new to all this. I mean, I have tried to stay fit, due to military obligation, but the last couple of years, I have seen more fat and less fit. I can pass my PT test, but I still can see I need to lose some weight and tone up. I am 39 Y/O, and I weigh 180 lbs. 5'6. The military deems me as being "overweight." My bodyfat is high, probably 28%. My interests are finding a regime which will allow me to add some muscle, and burn the fat I have, but at the same time, I need to be able to run at least 30-40 minutes every other day, just to keep my "legs" if those in the military know what I mean. However, I have heard that what I am asking for is very hard to do, based on the fact that to build muscle, you need to bulk up, which would eventually be burnt off due to my running. Is this true? And what is the theory regarding 5 meals a day? How do I find what my caloric intake needs to be? All seems really confusing right now, please assist if possible......

Hello,
 
Im 26 and am overweight, I've lost over 40 pounds in the past 3 months. After losing the weight I started feeling alot of energy and wanted to start going back to the gym.
 
When I was 17 I worked out for over a year, went the the Marines, was discharged for sleepwalking. Once this happend I got a temp job stocking at a large store..I ended up with a enguinal hernia. Once that happend I was told I couldnt work out for 8 weeks. Eventually this just became an excuse and I stopped careing about my body. I got married and had 3 lovely kids and forgot to take care of myself.
 
Recently I had a medical scare and a sudden rise in blood pressure, I stopped all soda, fast food, and basically everything bad. After doing this for a few weeks I figured hey not eating crap is becoming a habbit and I will stick with it. I lost some weight and then decided to take it overboard and took my calorie intake to about 400-500 cals a day. I sustained this for a month or so until I started going to the gym and realized what a mistake this was. I am now in the process of ramping my calories back up without having my very slow matabolism freak out.
 
Over the past week and a half I have really been trying to eat more and have more meals. Good news is now about 2 hours after eating something small I am getting very hungry so I guess thats a sign that im burning the food. I dont pig out but have a few grapes and/or half a protien bar for mid morning and mid afternoon meal.
 
I now go to the gym with my wife 6 days a week and am loving every minute of it, I have energy I havnt had for 8+ years and my personal life is getting better as well. Were both there to help each other. Its working great but I want to lose the fat, but gaining some muscle is also a goal, I know it'll take a while but I plan to enjoy it all the way.
 
Enough of my long message, I am glad to be here.

Hiya, im a 29 year old slim male who has just started working out. (3 weeks)
Basically i recently noticed a belly coming on and being self employed and working from home i rarely get a chance to get any excercise.

I am 6ft and weigh in just under 12 stone [&o]

I am looking to get rid of my gut and am wanting to build my abs, turn it into a six pack and increase my upper body size. I have tried following an ebook from menshealth which i downloaded off the internet but could really do with some advice.
 
I have recently shelled out on a youk bench with barbells, a combination of about 50Ks in all sizes and an eliptical trainer to basically keep me fit.
 
I would really appreicate any advice as i am a complete novice. Advice on how often i should train as im currently working out 5 times a week (is that too much) woth pretty basic excercise. I have no idea about the dieting side, suppliements, what breaks to have, how often or what else i should be buying to help.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

hi everyone :) i've been browsing on here for about a week now and after reading several posts from all of you...i've decided this seems like a great place to start...you all know your stuff...
 
i am what's known as "big boned" (oh how i hate that... )
i'm interested in getting started with a lifestyle change so to speak...i am OVER-informed about what i'm suppose to eat, do, think and look like... i am at the point now where i feel guilty about anything i eat...it's a little scary actually...even if it's a veggie burger with light ranch and a salad...whatever...i beat myself up so badly...  and i want to be stronger and smarter than that...  sooooooooo....my questions are as follows... any advice would be greatly appreicated  :)
1. i'm a vegetarian...does this prevent me from getting great results with bodybuilding...
2. those protien powder shakes you all have posted wonderful recipes for...what is the best time to drink them? before working out or after?
3. i work graveshift...any ideas on how i should work my eating/exercising where it would benefit me the most?
 
I know these are simple questions...but like i said...i'm so brainwashed...i need someone to set me straight...to tell me like it is...i need a buddy!!!  thanks for helping me :) tracy in pa

Greetings,
 Physical fitness for my family is one of my biggest goals. I quit cigarettes 4 months ago, pot and meth about a year ago after 15 years of abuse. My wife never did drugs but instead over ate. A year ago I was 135 pounds,now 190 and 21% bf. My wife 255 at 52% body fat. We are each others work out partners and putting in 8-10 hours a week at the gym. We have very different goals,mine are to gain muscle, her's to lose 120 pounds. Our biggest problem now is recovery after hard work outs,and of course lousy diet skills. I've read arnold's encycloypedia of modern bodybuilding and we currently are following the level 1 training program. I think it may be beyond our current fitness level as the leg work out leaves me hurting for a week. Maybe someone can throw some wisdom at me.
Thanks 

Hi there all,
 
My name is J and I'm a 21 yr old bloke from Essex ( just outside of London ) UK. I have currently been training seriously for coming up a year and I am now trying to change my current workouts from jam packed sessions using all muscles to a neater and better program inwhich I group tyhe muscles.
 
My first question to anyone who who may be able to help ...
 
I am planning to break up my current routine so that I do Push and Pull days and woul just like to know if anyone could tell of their experiences of this method, any tips, and also I would like to know what muscles people recommend to group together?
 
Any help would be much appreciated.
Regards,
                J
 
Take Care


[image]local://11442/588CE807D6AA49E8978504B2C30ED3FB.JPG[/image]

Attached Image(s)

ORIGINAL: eevans

Greetings,
Physical fitness for my family is one of my biggest goals. I quit cigarettes 4 months ago, pot and meth about a year ago after 15 years of abuse. My wife never did drugs but instead over ate. A year ago I was 135 pounds,now 190 and 21% bf. My wife 255 at 52% body fat. We are each others work out partners and putting in 8-10 hours a week at the gym. We have very different goals,mine are to gain muscle, her's to lose 120 pounds. Our biggest problem now is recovery after hard work outs,and of course lousy diet skills. I've read arnold's encycloypedia of modern bodybuilding and we currently are following the level 1 training program. I think it may be beyond our current fitness level as the leg work out leaves me hurting for a week. Maybe someone can throw some wisdom at me.
Thanks 

Congrats on your huge lifestyle changes!

Recovery will get faster as you get more experienced.

Have you done all the homework we always suggest on this site?  That is:

Calculated your calorie needs and then adjusted them according to your goals?

Cleaned up your diet to at least "90%"?

Speaking directly to soreness.  What kind of stretching do you do before working out (but after warming up), during the work out, and afterwards?  Post-workout diet?

Cheers!

Z

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

Hey everybody im 18 years old and just joined the forum .  .i have always been active in like 4 sports and lifted here and there but never the right way. I have been trying my hardest the past couple weeks and feel like im doing good and just want to keep on improving. I am going into the marines this falll and have to keep my weight under 196lbs. for my height. I am currently 189lbs. but i do have some extra fat here n there to loose.But i am a very stocky person. I just started taking NO-X and Whey Protein.I hope for the best .

Hello, I am Matt and I am 17.  I am about thirty or forty pounds overweight and I hope to change that.  I have tried other forums and they all use terms I am unfamiliar with or lose me when they start to talk about carbs and calorie counting. 

Hello. I'm Eric and i'm 19. just looking to bulk up over the summer and just be more fit.

HEY!! Wassup db. My name is Jay. I kinda of just stumbled across this site 2 days ago and have been addicted to it since. I have read alot of good info on here and I am sure that I will be receiving alot of good personal info to use for my training and dieting.  About me I am 25 been working out since I was 17, seriously since 19. My goal is not a weight goal but a look goal. I know this site will be of good assistence for me.

 
My name is Kevin.
I am currently deployed in Iraq. Fly UH-60 blackhawks, married with two girls.
I just started working out because I have some free time every day.
I came across this site by looking for info on supplements.
I have found a plethora of info on everything I wanted to know. Thanks
My goals are to gain some mass, lose some weight, and one day look like a gymnast minus the leotards.
God bless.
Kevin

Anybody with some ideas.Ive been working out on and off fora wileand am gettin into it and am thinking about getting on creatine.If some one could let me no wats good and whats not that would be very apreciated!

hey bud! you seem to be the guy to talk to so if u wouldnt mind me askin a couple questions that would be wicked. Im 16 ive been lifting weights fora couple years on and off but ive got back into it and i wana gain size and tone up.Im gonna get on creatine but im not sure what to go with. Ive been looking on the net and everyone says somthing different.The cost i dont care about. Thanks.
 
Brett

Ok im gonna get on creatine can some one tell me what will be the best and most effective for me.

CREATINE IDEAS??? WHATS GOOD AND WHATS NOT???

Hi All,
 
I've lost over 20lbs in the past two years due to work and stress.  About 70% of the weight was lost in the first three months.  Now I'm at a scrawny 150 (5'8"), lowest I've been since high school (damn that was almost 20yrs ago!!).  Once the scale started bouncing below 150 I knew I needed to get some weight and MUSCLE back!
 
My goal is to add back most of my weight, I'd like to be around 165 / 170, and drop body fat to single digits.  Don't really have any goals about how much I want to squat or bench, right now I just want to build strength...CUZ I FEEL SOOO WEAK!!  If I had to choose a focus though, I'd be legs (always neglected b4) and abs (cuz they can look so pretty;). 
 
Just want to stay fit so I've got legs for the snowboard, abs and cardio for the kayak, and....?...I don't know...calves for the motorcycle?
 
Belated thanks for all the info I've sucked up so far from this site.  Lot of stuff out there and it's tough weeding thru all the s*** on the net, mags, and even friends.  Just finished my first week and you guys really helped out getting me started and motivated.  Look forward to giving updates on my progress. 
 
Gracias!
 
FYI - I'm following the Max-Ot program for now but at 6 to 8 reps and ignoring their nutrition split (I'm doing a 40/40/20 ratio).  Supplementing with Whey and Muscle Milk and looking forward to trying Creatine next week.

I have been taking BSN Cell Mass after each workout, they claim there is no loading phase and some other benefits, but there has been alot of skeptics on if the new formula of creatine is any different that the old. I can say that I have noticed an improvment and the soreness of the larger muscles like quads goes away much quicker than without.
 
This also stacks well with the BSN No Explode, but the no explode has caffine in it as well, but I find I can cardio much longer with the no-explode...and want to keep lifting for hours, which could be a bad thing. On thing with both of these....you need to drink lots...and lots....and lots of water.

Hey everyone,

My name is Tim, and I live in South Texas.  I've been lifting for a few months now, and have seen a change that I'm pleased with.  Though I'd love to see more, and get stronger.  Next year will be the first year I play football, and I'm hoping to get 20 lbs in a few months so I can make it as a safety for my highschool football team.  My brother got me into working out early this year, and I've been hooked on it, and I try to work out at least every other night in my garage.  A few free weights, and one machine.  Anyways, I stumbled on this site while trying to look for a Teen BodyBuilding forum, and decided to sign up.  Anyways, I hope I get to meet a lot of you, and I hope some of you will help me in my quest to become a great safety next year, and I hope to somehow return the favor to a lot of you.

[image]http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4539/userbar600209xf.gif[/image]

Hello all,

I'm Eric and I'm from Detroit, Michigan. I'm 22 years old. I work a manual labor job and I always figured it kept me in pretty good shape - I was wrong. I've always been over weight. Six feet tall, 215 pounds when I started. I didn't really care for a while, but my father was diagnosed with colon cancer and that kind of motivated me to get my life straight and get in shape. (My father has since had the cancer removed and is doing fine. :))

I've been lifting regularly for almost 2 months now, and I've made major changes to my diet for that long as well. I cut out 100% of fast food and sodas. I drink juice, gatorade, and a lot of water now. I eat great breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with good snacks in between. I'm now 195-197 pounds (depending on time of day and if I've worked out yet).

My goal is to get down to 180 or possibly lower depending on how I look. I'm not exactly sure how my target weight will look on me, so right now that's my goal. After that I want to start really putting on the muscle and getting a nice body, and becoming a lot stronger than I am right now.

I came across this site from a google search for weight lifting and beginners. I saw a post from a person on another forum that I visited and helped motivate me and get me started with this new life of mine, so I figured it would be a good place to frequent.

I've already read a lot and thank you for the information that you've provided. Cheers :)

Hey there everyone whats up? Well i am 23 years old i used to weight lift in my late teens but have been off for a few years due to injury from car and motocross accidents now i have some extra weight i just dont seem to be able to shed.  I am 6'4 265lbs with a 20% body fat and i am just looking for some advice on what a good cut up solution would be before i get into trying to get lean again. Thanks for reading any comments you have.
 
Matt

Hello! greeting from vegas..  New to this site and glad i stumble upon here.  Looking to get some really great information because seems like A LOT of you guys know what you're talking about.
 
Anyway my name is Mike and i'm 24yo 5'6" 155lb.  I just recently start going back to the gym and currently not taking any supplments.  But i would like to change all that.  I want to take creatine for the first time and NO.. im not really familiar with NO (nitric oxide)  but i heard its the new thing? anyways.. ill be lurking around the forum so i hope to see you guys around =]

hi,

im jermaine. I'm 6'1, 320, I work full time and attend school part time 2 nights a week. I am three years post bypass surgury and have severely plateaued. I went in at 457lbs, got down to 275lb, and have recently gone up to 320lb. I am trying to refocus my eating habits by eating more proteins and excercising. But I need to form a plan. My goal is to get in a comfort range of 215-230lbs safely. I have rejoined the YMCA. I do a run/walk routine on the treadmil for an hour. I usually get about 4miles completed. I have been looking into protien shakes which I can use as a supplement and trying to drink more water. I feel that I am getting bored with the treadmil because I am not sure how to mix up the workout program. I also need advice on when is the best time to take the protein shakes? Any suggestion would be helpful.

thanks

jermaine

Hey Germaine, welcome, and check out the nutrition and training forum.

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"