it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

okay let me start off by saying i am by no means tryign to become a muscle head that all they do is workout, just want to look good naked since summer is here. i have been lifting for the past week or so and have already seen an improvement in strength and mass (not alot of mass but i see a differance). my question is i used to take creatine whe i got out of bootcamp and was lifting but what are some good products out there now? i was looking at BSN NO-Xplode creatien supplement and was wondering if anybody has had any experiance with it. i was reading some of the reviews but the people with the bad side affects sound liek a normal case when drinking too much caffeine or creatine, so they shoudl probly lower their dose, duh. and the cramping sounds like they aren't drinkign enough water since you need water with creatine, duh. but does anybody have any real experiance or other tips/products to use to get the beach muscles looking good?

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Those cramps are from tolerance levels you determine on your own through supplementing it. I'm a non-responder to Creatine, but if it works for you use it. Chances are good you want to stay away from it though simply because you'll have an overall smooth look to yourself rather than hard and defined. One of the best pieces of advice (concerning this topic) was to never bulk and cut, but stay clean all year round. In other words, eat your bodyweight in protein daily and the calories and what not will come with it. You'll be more satisfied with your results especially this time of year. What else.......there's a ton of stuff out there.


I like Tribulus and ZMA. Trib is 'O.K.' and I don't respond until like the 2nd or so week into it, but for those last 2 weeks on it seems to work good. I measure it's efficency through back/shoulder acne. ZMA has zinc which 90% of all athletes are deprived from, not to mention B-6 vitamin which is good for sleep (deep sleep, intense dreams) and mood. Hmmm, there is sooooo much man, haha. Just keep at it. I've been lifting weights for almost 4 years or so and been serious for about 3 or so. Takes time man, don't expect a treasure chest and raging 6 pack in the next month.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Dont use creatine... You dont need it if you are just getting back in anyways... None of that ---- is necessary. If you hit maxes then maybe use something but in the mean time just eat protein - muscle milk is hella good

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

i was under the impression that creatine actually stores water in your muscles, especially when taken in bulk. i had an A&P teacher that said your body creates all the creatine that it can use, so it's basically pointless to take as a supplement. i don't really know the truth to that statement, and i'm not a doctor or a body builder. i do know that i don't respond to it either.

you should however, be eating your weight in protein, in grams of course, everyday.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Best shake I've ever tried.



You make VERY little and you get it naturally from red meats, but no where NEAR the amount you can easily supplement with a powder/pill/whatever. Your muscles are 80% water anyway, and thusly you'll have a smooth look. I'm kind of anti-creatine because it's like a 90s fad that I don't see working too well for most people, but whatever. However, you can benefit from taking it, but it depends if you respond well to it or not. As far as 'you can only use so much', I read a book where their load cycle hit points of 40g of creatine a day :l yea, sooooo.......I'm not sure, ha.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

yeah, like i said, i'm not a doctor, but that teacher was pretty damn smart. personally, i don't think just making myself look bigger is fulfilling. i'd like to get some strength from all that work.

half of the creatine you get from foods, the rest your body produces in the liver. i'd look at different nitric oxide supplements and go that route

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

At most man, you get about 2g if you ate red meat and what not as far as creatine intake goes naturally. Best thing you said was get your bodyweight in protein. Yea, it sucks and kind of a pain, but that's your honest to goodness best thing for diet wise.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

cool, good input thanks.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I just want to lose my beer belly. :-[ I've started skipping breakfast and eating an orange for lunch. I try to holdout for as long as I can without eating dinner. So far today I've had a doughnut, 2 oranges, some seafood salad and a couple pringles....and a redbull/vodka. :6 I want to start working out so bad, but I don't want another monthly bill and I have no equipment. :'( I miss being in shape. :'(

I never seen any "gains" from creatine. Just a waste of money if you ask me. I ate protein shakes and cell-tech and hydroxycut and had enough energy to workout 5 days a week after working an 8 hour day in 120* heat. :S
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Get your diet in order first, because you won't get anywhere eating fast food everyday. Eat lots of good protein, eggs, chicken breats, tuna, turkey, etc... you wil notice a big difference just from changing your diet. Eat veggies and all that stuff too. Some basic things you can do is eat 6 smaller meals a day about every 3 hours, instead of 3 large meals, this will help you keep your metabolism up. You will want to drink lots of water. For suppliments I would just take a multi vitamin and whey protein. Even though it sucks, you going to have to do cardio. Do as much as you can that fits your schedule, example I lift wieghts Monday, Wednesday, Friday... I workout each muscle once a week, so I do a full body workout over the week. Then on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday I do cardio. I'm usually in the gym 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Great site for info...

www.bodybuilding.com

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

You workout 6 days a week? :o Or was that just an example?
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

No need for all those calories if you're trying to LOSE weight. Protein shakes have a TON of useless calories (not useless, but yea, they have a lot) so taking those are kind of not the best source for you. Limit yourself to about 2000 calories a day and just run. I know you live in LasVegas or whatever so be careful with outside excercise. Stay away from weightloss pills because some ramp up your heart rate and what not so if you're cutting calories, running, and speeding up your heart you are in for an ambulance ride. :X Don't want a beer belly? Cut back on your brewski intake. Sorry. Tuna is VERY low in calories and very HIGH in protein. Give that a try. Beef and rice with soy sauce, chicken with General Tso's sauce and rice, these are all good alternatives from those nastly meals. No more doughnuts, no more fast food, not even the salads there. Cut that junk out. Those little things help, like instead of a doughnut you could have had yogurt with cottage cheese and an apple for about 21g of protein and very healthy.


Nothing is stopping you from doing squats and push-ups/pull-ups at your house either though. There are workouts you can do outside the gym so you don't have to worry about another bill. Try to cut some weight first (acutally it really depends HOW much you want to lose and where you want to go with it) and avoid all the heavy muscle building supplements. Sucks, I know, but hey it'll be worth it.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Pretty solid, Pat. You're heavy on cardio though with 3 days at 45mins each.


Doc, depends on the person. Start out with 3 days a week with 20mins cardio to warm up then 40min lift.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Well I don't really count cardio as working out, I mean I usually only jog like 30 minutes give or take. When I lift weights it takes me about 45 minutes to an hour, but I also warm up on the stationary bike for like 6 or 7 minutes before I lift. Oh and that Saturday jog depends on if I am hungover or not lol. I have been trying not to drink as much lately, since it doesnt help my working out at all. I'm just wanting to get into shape since I am going to Vegas at the end of June.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Still working out 5-6 days a week for 45-60 minutes takes ALOT of discipline and energy. When I was younger it wasn't so bad, but lately it seems like the energy just sin't there....and I'm only 25(26 in August). :-\ I want to buy one of those total fitness machines just so I don't have to go to the gym and I can ---- with it whenever I want. Sometimes I get a hair up my ass and want to workout...but that probably has alot to do with the redbull/vodka. :-[
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Werd. Yeah I never do cardio that much I just meant my workouts are 45 to an hour with warm up, I should have clarified better. Depending if I go to the gym or run around the block or lake I'll do like 20-30 minutes 3 days a week of actual jogging.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Jog 3 days a week for 30mins. After couple weeks do push-ups. Gradually introduce new, more difficult stuff.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I'm all about simplicity and consistency. I work out Mon/Wed/Fri, cardio on my off days. Start off each workout day with a protein shake (muscle milk), run 1 mile, lift. I only do major muscle groups, 3 sets of 10, max out on Fridays. My next meal of the day is another shake, then I have a healthy dinner. I still eat fast food, since it's convenient, but I don't do it on the regular. Cardio consists of a 3-4 mile run on Tues/Thurs/Sat. In the winter I snowboard and summer I play baseball/tennis/swim.

I went from 185 lbs and 15% body fat to 205 lbs and 8% body fat in a little over a year. I know it's not the most amazing results, but once again this is a lifestyle change, not a weight loss binge.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

yeah i don't have the equipment either or want another bill. i normally stay at my girlfriends house during the week and she has a pretty nice bench and stuff in the spare bedroom so i decided i should use it since nobody else does. i don't eat alot of fast food, normally eat alot of veggies with dinner. don't eat a whole lot during the day, usually i will just eat dinner since i'm normally too busy to stop for something or just don't feel like leaving work to get anything. i'm not trying to lose weight, i really have no use for a 6 pack unless its in the fridge. at the moment i'm 6' and about 175-180lbs. i guess i'll tyr some differant stuff and see how it works within the next month or so.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I started working out again about a month ago. lift on m/w/f and run any other day I have time. I use free weights and my own body weight. I did put in some research time before hand to learn what areas to target/ect and have seen good results so far.

As far as diets go, I try to eat healthy, it can be hard and expensive but I definitely don't eat fast food/candy/soda. I'm not at the level where I have specific meal plans and count carbs/fat/calories/protein before I can eat anything. I drink protein shakes after I lift w/some whey and fruit but I also take Claritin which has a mild steroid so thats my edge :P

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

A 'steroid' is anything that contains the cholestorol. So if you want, take birth control. ::)



VERY impressive, considering it was done all natural, I assume.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

bench that d16 block out have laying in your garage.

You also need a ------- tan dude, you're whiter than paper.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

i use phosphegen hp, creatine, do alot of jackhammering..

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Never worked out a day in my life, always been chubby haha

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Oh and another thing that I forgot to mention, get as much sleep as possible. Your muscles need time to rest and rebuild. 8-10 hours a night would be nice, but if you work a lot sometimes this just isn't possible.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I went from 155 ish to 170 in three month and lost my little beer belly and body fat here and there

All I did was eating very clean, 5 meals a day with no sweet and no junk food, it was really hard at first but eventually I got use to it. I was working out 5 days a week with no cardio, working all the muscle group everyday, half the weight for warm up set then maxmium weight to the pioint where I can do only 1 set x 10 rep. Yea thats only two set total , i know it sounds crazy but it did work pretty well and gain mass and shape up pretty quick. I got REALLY REALLY tired the first week or so from all those "work" lol but started to get use to it on the second week and actually felt good about it.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I found out my workplace has a fully-stocked gym, so I started some weight training on my lunch break. Figure I'll do 3 days of weights, and 2 days of cardio...not to mention the "extra" cardio I get on the weekends. ;) I haven't been to the gym in at least 8 months, but I still have most of my bulk so it shouldn't be too hard for me to get back to where I was. I'm 215 now, I don't see any issues getting back up to at least 225 or 230 where I used to be. Since I started this job I've noticed my stomach starting to lose it's definition and the spare tire is starting to appear...guess it happens when you get a bench/desk job. Did 50 reps tonight on the gym's ab machine...man do I feel it now :P With any luck hopefully working out will help me quit smoking too. ;D

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I used to bench a clean 345 for 8 no spot no help no cheating. I really miss the gym, I know if I go back I would be roided again inless then a week. And they say roids arnt addictive :l

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Yeah but would the side affects treat my allergies?

Your right though, Claritin doesn't have anything related to steroids. Some water cooler rumors I had heard.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I weigh 135, eat a ton of junk daily, and try to avoid physical activity unless it's enjoyable.

For a few years I've been thinking of doing something about it, but my metabolism is insanely fast. I'm guessing I'm going to have to drown myself in protein and calories (TON of calories) to try and slow it down.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

LMAO, yeah i don't want to be like that at all. i don't have the time or motivation. lol, i have to talk myself into lifting for 30 minutes to an hour. no idea how people spend hours in the gym ::).

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

Body goes catabolic after 42 minutes and takes 2 hours to replenish androgens. Keep it to an hour.


That's pretty good man. I liked watching the steroid monkeys at the gym bench, haha. Never saw THAT much weight though, wow.


JP

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

You are a little late to be getting all tore up for summer. You are sitting good for next summer if you start now though.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

i'll probly loose interest by the end of this one :-[

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I do about 15 to 20 beers a day M.W.F and for my cardio tuesday thursday I get in my car and drive to the store to get more beer, then I go home and start maxing out my drinking asap. I dont take steroids and i dont eat breakfast or lunch but I bulked up pretty good from about 215 to 230 just in 6 months. Im about 6'3. Dont get scared guys it takes alot of commitment but you get used to it.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

haha sounds about like what i do.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

I am the same way and I've found once I started at the gym my metabolism has slowed down a little. Eat 3 big meals a day and let yourself get a little more hungry between meals (opposite of people with low metabolism)... Dont run too much. Basically you wanna try and keep from burning too many calories. Keep the reps down.. Eat protein after working out. I always thought people in gyms had roid rage but its not that bad

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

haha thats exactly me

I worked out a lot at school with another HMT guy and I went from 135 to 149 and gained some muscle mass, but I got mono and lost all weight and muscle and am back to 135 and can't even run a mile. Sicknesses own me.

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

haha :y

Re: it's summer, beach muscle ??
 

the hardest part of trying to gain muscle is actually sleeping enough and eating enough. Going to the gym and pumping iron is the easy part