I want to be a Bodybuilder
 

THIS WILL BE A LONG POST, GET YOUR COFFEE/TEA AND/OR PROTEIN DRINK

Introduction:
Hello Muscle and Brawn community, I am a brand new member this being my first post. And as the title suggests: I WANT TO BE A BODYBUILDER! So naturally I want to surround myself with people like you guys who are in some sort of same mindset as myself. Now I am not a total noobie to training I have trained for over a year now and yes I guess I do got a lot to learn, don't we all, but we all have to start somewhere. I'll be filling in my profile more after this post

Stats:
Height: 5ft 7inches
Age: 21
Weight Pounds: 150lbs
BF: 14%
Started Pounds: Approx 120lbs
Time training: About 13-14months
Supplements in use at moment: Creatine and Whey Protein (gainer type) and L-Glutamine.

Story:

I started just before last summer from being quite a skinny fellow with a "skinny 6pack" to now a more built up kind of guy without one revealing (do I care, no). I've had nice success thus far with overall strength gains and muscle. I'll try get some pics to give you some indication but I'm sure from being a total skinny to this is quite an improvement. I don't care about my fat gains, they can be easily rid of as you know with some cutting.

I'm currently in the middle of bulking up this summer and I want to be bulking up till winter I say or longer, I want to keep gaining weight, put meat on my bones so to speak. I don't mind that I'm gaining fat pounds along with my current weight, you don't get anywhere unless you eat big right? So I'm eating like an animal, eating like someone who probably is around 200lbs lol. I'm on a 5 day split now and I love my training. I really want to be a bodybuilder, maybe not a competitive one, but a nicely built guy, that stands out but is not GIGANTIC, but an animal...yes.

I got 3 questions which should help me on my way:

1. How much on average do you think an intermediate type trainee like myself would gain in muscle mass in about 3 months or even 6 months or even more (please specify)?

2. Is it sensible to keep going like I am for maybe another year so I might be 180lbs or so? But I do realize a lot of that would be fat! And although I'm not afraid of fat I don't want to be too fat, get what I'm saying? Or maybe I should go to winter and cut and then re-bulk?

3. If I was gaining muscle mass mainly I should be doing reps around the 8-12 range, what weight on compounds like Bench, Squat, Deads etc etc should I be doing in terms relative to my max 1 rep %? Around the 70% max 1 rep 8-12 or is it more? I know power-lifting and strength is approx 90% for 6 reps or less, I do read.

Thanks for your time, any more info you need just shoot. I hope you guys will welcome a new optimistic and determined bodybuilder like myself into your community! I will work my ass off, pump pump pump!!! Do whatever I can to get my goals if I can. You want, sweat, pain and tears? I'll give you that! I'll come home in pain and rest and know I've done myself a service. I'll lift heavy and aim to be heavy. I think 30lbs in the past year proves I'm serious, this helped build a frame for me and get me some work in.

I know this was a long post but I don't want to be a kid and go I want to be a bodybuilder and I know nothing.... I'm not like that. I don't expect to be spoon fed my meals from you, I just want to build up with you guys. I read a lot into this stuff and try get my workouts better and improve my lifting as much as I can while building size and strength.

I'll add my current workout split next give me time to type it up, hopefully I can get some positive feedback. Hi community! All I ask is to please answer those 3 questions and anything else you wish to know.

1. This will be hard to answer if you're training hard, sleeping a decent amount a night, and eating a lot you'll gain weight.

2. I started around the same weight as you maybe a little more and we're the same height. I haven't cut yet and I've been bulking since I started and weigh about 170 now. So, yes I think you can bulk till 180 i plan to bulk till at least 180-185

3. I agree 8-12 may be the optimal rep range for muscle growth I think at your level you should at least have some days when you train in low rep range for strength. As a beginner I think everyone should be training for strength. I tend to stay in the low rep ranges 6 or less and I've been growing like crazy.

I'm not an expert but, I hope this helps. Welcome to the forum man!

Hey thanks alot for your warm welcome! Great to see another guy my height and around my same starting stats! :) Do you find you put on a lot of bodyfat while just eating eating and gaining to that 170 pounds you are now or?

As regards the rep ranges I had plenty of those 6 days like benching and squats, they still rising steadily, I just thought to build muscle I'll have to drop the weight to about 70% of my max or so so I be doing around the 8-12 mark? Or maybe perhaps 1 week heavy(85-90%), 1 week lighter (70%ish) and repeat? That's for the main compounds anyway. Getting my workout schedule up in a few mins just sorting a few stuff ^^

Welcome to the forum.

A beginning natural bodybuilder who is training hard and eating right should gain at least 10 to 16 pounds of muscle during his first year of hardcore training. Sometimes a bit more. An intermediate to advanced lifter will gain fewer pounds as the years progress. According to Casey Butt, this is the muscle progression that an average natural bodybuilder can expect:

* Year 1 - 16 pounds of muscle.
* Year 2 - 8 pounds of muscle.
* Year 3 - 4 pounds of muscle.
* Year 4 - 2 pounds of muscle.
* Year 5 - 1 pound of muscle.

I interview and speak with natural bodybuilders on a daily basis. Most of them stick around 190 to 210 in the off-season and compete around 170 to 180 contest weight. If you hit 180, don't worry if any of it is fat. Fat can always be cut...and 180 is still pretty darn lean, all things considered.

I would not cut until you have at least a year or two of heavy lifting under your belt. Build muscle first. Constant cycling holds you back.

As far as training, stick with mainly heavy compound lifts in the 5 to 12 rep range. The longer you train, generally the less you like higher rep sets...at least for me this is the case. Rep range doesn't matter as much as progression. ALWAYS push for more reps/weight on every set of every workout. Never waste a set. Be persistent about hitting the gym. Persistence plus heavy weight plus food equals fast gains.

I didn't gain too much fat. That picture is current so I still have visible abs. As long as your compound lifts are going and that rep range is working for you its all good. I'm also Irish man. Maybe we're long lost brothers? I think if you're eating and resting well you can gain muscle in any rep range.

irish FTW.

Wow thank you so much and thank you for the welcome! Wow that does decline quick huh? I better get my lil ass over to those weights pronto! ha. I'm going to be dedicated I give you my word on that one! :) Let the transformation begin! Ok so around 30pounds or so to gain, should take a good while haha, least I know where I'm heading now.

This is from 5 days ago, it was a body composition analyzer.

Weight: 66.4kg
BMI: 24.1
BMR: 1671 kcal
Fat %: 14%
Fat Mass: 9.4kg
Free Fat Mass(muscle mass): 57kg
TBW (not too sure what that is, maybe water?): 41.8kg

I know these are kg but I'm in Ireland and how it kinda goes here, at least in my gym. Do those sound somewhat ok or anything dangerously bad there?

Damn straight! UP DA REBELS! :D Hi there.

Nice pic dude, you bearly gained any fat (well so I see) nice nice :) I got bit of a belly going, but I'm not fussed, I know its gone when I want it gone :) People generally cry that they gain weight, I cry when I'm not gaining lol :D Yeah man maybe we are long lost bros :)

Well, I tend to not carry much fat on my stomach. Looking forward to seeing you hit some big numbers in the weight room and on the scale man. :biglifter: