I suck at the gym.

[Sgt Rich]

I want to add that in three weeks you probably won't see much change. Keep at it and in a month or two you probably will. You reach plateaus and then one day you outdo yourself. Keep going from there.

[Bell]

I wanna add this. Understand that your body works on a regimine. That's why you work upper ever other day. It takes a couple of days for you to recover. 6 weeks is what it takes to wear a program out. Change the program every 6 weeks or so. Your body gets used to it and starts to cheat. So, you need to change the routine to advance.

[LRS Guy]

Listen to your Squad Leader's advice on fitness. Do I need walk the 15 ft down to your bunk and tell you?

FYI gents, I made this young team leader a Corporal the other day!

[recondo82]

I'm 6'3" also, weighed 155 when I joined the Army, put on about 20 lbs by the time I got out. I just had one of those super metabolisms that prevented any kind of weight gain regardless of how many large pizzas I ate every day. I was in my mid 30s before I hit 200, and after 15 years of trying various high calorie diets and weight gain powders, I hit broke 200 right around 40. I bulked up to 225 and benched the most I have ever benched, but I was soft in the wrong places.

Size will definitely help you lift more, but that has absolutely no translation in real world activities, unless you have the need to lift the back end of a car. When I started training for the Tough Mudder last year, i added a lot of cardio to my routine, and my youthful metabolism kicked back in. I literally consumed over 5,000 calories per day and was steadily losing weight. I hated it...until people started telling me I looked like I was getting bigger. Then I saw my abs for the first time in 7 or 8 years, and I liked it. My speed, my balance, my endurance all increased, and I finally leveled off at 195 after losing 30 lbs. A couple guys from this site can attest to how often I bitched about losing weight, but I honestly would never want to go back to 225. My max bench is 20lbs less than it was, but who really cares? My core is infinitely stronger, and I guarantee that I maneuvered the obstacles at the Mudder much more adeptly than I would have when I was bigger.

Every skinny guy wants to get bigger, but in the end, the benefits of adding 10lbs of lean muscle mass significantly outweigh the benefits of adding 30 lbs of muscle and fat.

[IEDmagnet]

I'm 5'7", 165 now. I'd like to bulk up big time, but I'm content with what I have.

[Purple]

I was always tall and slim - I hate gyms - back then I was 6'5" and 175 lbs - I now do an outdoor cross-fit program Mo-Fr 0530-0630 and love it, and a 225 lbs 61 yo with an annual wellness ranking of a 1.

And so it goes...

Purple

[Chief_Airborne]

Hey, guys...Chief from Kandahar. I've been hitting the gym pretty hard for the past 4 months. I'm 5'7"...about 165lb now. I'm usually around 155 or so. I take Jack3d before my workout, whey right after my workout and casein before I got to bed. I'm probably in the best shape of my life right now...not bad for an old man. I'll be 45 in a couple of months. LOL

Just wanted to chime in...hope you guys don't mind.

Chief

[Gato Rojo]

iBefore I jump in here, I gotta say, Purple, it blows me away that you're able to do cross-fit! You are the MAN, Brother!

For the rest of you youngsters (under 70), take heart!

In '09, I weighed a pretty solid 192 and stood about an inch and a half under my "adult" (pre-FOG) height of 5'- 10.5" (that's 5'-9" for those of my brothers who were not cannon-cockers). I could bench press 4 plates, which I was happy with for my age of 70.

Then I got hit with some unpleasant news (stage IV cancer of the tongue and soft pallet) that kept me out of the gym for 6 months. When you're a FOG and a gym-rat, you hate that because after about 10 days away, you start to lose significant strength.

As soon as I got the mediport removed from my chest, I started hitting it again. But now my weight was now down to 154 (three months with no solid food will shrink your stomach) and I looked like a Bataan Death March survivor; but there was (is) a sliver clout in this, I lost almost all my body fat. I wasn't just cut, I was shredded.

But as for strength, I envied the average 6 week-old kitten.

It's been a struggle trying to regain the lost muscle mass in order to be able to move the same amount of iron because I just can't eat as much as I could before. On the other hand, I've been surprised by the fact that I've been able to gain back to 165 and last week, I was able to get one good rep benching 4 plates again! The best part of this is that I haven't put back much fat and I'm still nice and cut. Mama is VERY appreciative, which, needless to say, makes me grin like a 'possum eaten' yellow-jackets, or a cat lickin' mustard off a wire-brush!

My goal was to get back to 175, but I don't think I'm going to get there, and I'm happy enough with the present state of things that I really don't care.

And one other thing. I'll be 73 in May, I'm undergoing Chemo again and I'm still able to go to the gym and work hard! I

Although my doctors will never understand how I'm in such good shape, I know that it's the result of hanging with my brothers of the silk here on APO, good influence of Paratroopers and Rangers and the Quiet Professionals. Your advice and never say die attitude has been a constant inspiration to me throughout, please accept my gratitude, brothers (and sister.)

AATW!

[danger]

Inspiring, gatorojo, thanks for sharing!

To those who are thinking I'm trying to gain mass as in fat, that literally is impossible. I'm 6'3" 175 pounds, I have zero fucking fat, if I gain anything it's beerpower or lean muscle, and I'm all out of beer.

PSG, have you ever noticed there are only a few original 1st Squad members still standing? SGT J has broken the rest, with the exception of one going to the looney bin..what makes you think I want to push my luck and fuck with that guerilla in it's natural habitat (the gym?) Proud to be a Corporal in your platoon, PSG, I won't let you down.

[danger]

Inspiring, gatorojo, thanks for sharing!

To those who are thinking I'm trying to gain mass as in fat, that literally is impossible. I'm 6'3" 175 pounds, I have zero fucking fat, if I gain anything it's beerpower or lean muscle, and I'm all out of beer.

PSG, have you ever noticed there are only a few original 1st Squad members still standing? SGT J has broken the rest, with the exception of one going to the looney bin..what makes you think I want to push my luck and fuck with that guerilla in it's natural habitat (the gym?) Proud to be a Corporal in your platoon, PSG, I won't let you down.

Update..been working out with my SL and PL for about a month now, on a pretty crazy regiment based on Arnold's '70s workout (bahaha.) It takes about 2.5-3.5 hours in the gym a day, pretty grueling but my body has adjusted to the longer workouts and I'm already getting significantly stronger, have been building mass...I've gained 20 pounds since December, seems to be all muscle because I still don't have adamn ounce of fat on me. 15 more pounds to hit my goal of 200 but I think I'm gunna shoot for 210.

[zanshin]

You could always quit the gym and spend that money on candy bars and beer. I know for a fact that increases mass. If you're worried about getting fat, marry a bitchy woman and she'll give you a big ass honey-do list full of manual labor to stay trim. The beer really helps then.

[AirborneCA]

I was the exact same. I kick boxed for 12 years and was never a weight lifter. I couldnt gain mass and size and in turn I had limited strength. However.com this year I started a great program and packed on tons of muscle. Ask some of the guys on here about my before and after.
Start lifting anything to get a ground base laid for about 3 months.
Then on month four starting lifting two muscle groups at day that coincide i.e. triceps and chest or biceps and fore arms, back neck,(A leg day was just that, all muscle groups) etc... 5-6 sets and ALWAYS shoot for 6-10 reps. The ground rule is if you can lift it 12 or more times it too light and if you cant lift is at least 6 times its too heavy. PERIOD!
Then on the 6th day do a cross fit day. Do this for 3-4 months. On month 4 or 5 start lifting ONLY ONE muscle a day. i.e. just tris, just chest etc... Now that the ground work has been laid you will need more time to build/recover. Keeping the cross fit day on the 6th day of the week and 7th day off.

SUPPS: I was taking 10 G of creatine in the a.m. with a protein shake (VERY IMPORTANT) and 10-20 after the workouts daily. To build muscle multiply your body weight by 1.5 to get your protein intake per day. AND DONT MISS THE PROTEIN!
Im serious, I have tried everything (just like you) and I am 6'5 and WAS 247 of soft gooey deliciousness. And after 11 months of that program I am now 207 and in the best shape of my life. Watch what you eat. I didnt eat shit food and have stuck with it through my MOB. Good luck and lemme know if you try it out.

Pic is myself and the Team Leader.

556455_10151445143520578_519930577_23467943_1871938625_n.jpg.

Also, if youre spending that amount of time in the gym then you are not maximizing your time. Keep it to about an hour with rest between 1:30 to 2:00 minutes in between sets.

[recondo82]

All I know is that the more weight I lose, the bigger people tell me I look. So I can only bench 315 at 195 pounds instead of 335 at 225 pounds. Who cares? Bench press really does not translate into anything in the real world. Lift heavy for strength (6-9 reps) and light (10-12 reps) for muscular endurance. I do both in the same workout. Always go with dumbbells if you can because bench won't strengthen your core, and core stabilization translates to heavier weights you can lift. A strong core translates into just about everything you do in the real world, whether it's pushing, pulling, running or navigating obstacles at the Tough Mudder (lol). CrossFit for the cardio endurance and you are all set.

Vern's plan for working body parts looks good. I would add to not neglect your shoulders, but don't lift too heavy or you'll end up with a shoulder injury that will set you back 6 weeks or more.

[zanshin]

I am 6'5 and ...I am now 207 and in the best shape of my life.

Pic is myself and the Team Leader.

556455_10151445143520578_519930577_23467943_1871938625_n.jpg.

I sincerely apologize for anything I ever might have said to piss you off, bro.

[AirborneCA]

I sincerely apologize for anything I ever might have said to piss you off, bro.

RVN guys always get a pass in my book Brother