Hey -- for some reason, I feel like this would be a good place to ask this.

 I've recently decided that I need to build muscle mass -- I'm 6'3'', 160, and just feel too damn skinny.

 I've tried to gain weight before, with workouts and dietary supplements and so forth, but no real lasting success. Any tips? What's good in the diet? Any of those GNC supplements worth using? What's a good workout I can do regularly without machines, keeping in mind that I'm starting from "very out of shape" ?

Actually, the fitness/self-defense board might be the right place... but anyway, hope this helps:

- Suppliments are worthless.  All top bodybuilders take steroids, HGH, insulin, etc.  Then they show up on ads for protein drinks as if that's what helped them.

- Don't hurt yourself!!  If you lift using bad form and/or create muscle imbalances you will spend an inordinate amount of time healing after you injure yourself.


If you are serious, but this book: Beyond Brawn, go get it/or get more info at [url]http://www.hardgainer.com[/url].  

Hope this helps.

Well,

It depends on how high your metabolic rate is for starters. Some guys just cant put the mass or pounds on unless they resort to illegal steroids. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

You might build a stronger body but not necessarily a bigger one. Fact of nature that you generally cannot change.

The building block of muscle is PROTEIN. Good clean protein. And if you incorporate alot of this protein... you MUST drink at least 1-2 gallons of water a day to wash the excess out of your body... otherwise you may damage your kidneys. Be alert, be safe, read up on it on the net.

Your workouts should start out light to strengthen the ligaments and then gradually work your way up as time passes. You want size apparently so your workouts should be low rep counts with heavier weights WHEN YOU CAN HANDLE THEM AND DO CLEAN CONSISTANT FULL MOTION REPS. Bad form does NOTHING for you. Full range of motion for the exercise.

Good luck, and you dont need a magic potion to build muscle. Whey protein is good for building and DRINK WATER! Dont skip this!!!! Get your roughage in too as protein tends to clog you up.


Good luck, it is the long haul outlook you need to incorporate into your workout mindset. DONT be discouraged if you are not Joe Armstrong in a day, a week, a month, or a year. Time and dedication is what it takes and you will see results. Just my .02, YMMV.    


Dram out

Here's what I use when I want to add mass:

[img]junior.apk.net/~scotts/dq.JPG[/img]

Eat all the protiens you can get your hands on (beef, eggs, fish ...) and lift weights.  Go out and buy a weightlifting magazine, anyone will have a good beginer work out for you.

Keving67

Yeah man,
If you want to add lots of muscle mass, heavy weights are the key as well as lots of (healthful) food.  
A buddy of mine has packed on a ton of weight (good muscle weight, not beer and donuts weight).  He basically does full body type excercises (deadlifts, squats, farmers' walks, snatches heee heee).  
The key (along with proper form and stretching) is also to keep a written log of what you do.  Instead of 3 sets of 10 or whatever do 5 sets of 5 for each excercise adding weight after each set.  You'll be surprised at how much more weight you can lift when doing less reps.  
Water water and more water, if your pee isn't clear you're not drinking enough.
My friend actually bought from York Barbell (He's from York) a set of 1/2 lb. and 1lb. plates.  With the help of his lift "chronicle" he made sure to add them on each workout.  this way, every time he lifted he did more weight (those "little" weights helped him to put on a crap-load of mass and added 50+ lbs. to his bench and other lifts in less than a year)
If you get a chance try to check out a power lifting type 'zine called Milo.  Lots of tough "non-pretty" excercised have the best effect (farmers walks, carrying huge rocks..seriously, etc.) just look at a farmer, or watch those "world's Strongest Man" comps on ESPN. That's how most built up their mass.
Another great cheap excercise my teacher actually showed me (he's about 6'3" wasp-waisted type guy, when he was younger he did his pull-ups in 10 sets of 10, adding weights around his waist adding up to 100lbs. on the 5th set) is to get two big USGI-type duffle bags the ones with the zipper on the side.  Fill one with about 140lbs. (that's what he used but you can use less) of sand and put that bag into the other, that helps reduce the mess of sand leaking through the zipper.  Now lift it above your head.  hard as hell due to the shifting weight of teh sand.  He deadlifts about 600lbs., and says this is way harder.  I believe him.
If you're starting from "very out of shape"  start with a lot of calisthenics.  Don't forget cardio (running is cheap too) and stretching.  the final thing I would recommend is to read as much as you can, and find something you like to do.  It sounds silly but it helps.
Later,
R

BTW, the sandbag excercise...do only ONE rep.  That's right ONE, trust me that's plenty.
Later,
R