Getting Big - Please Read

[Jimma]

Hi everyone, great forum here. I'm James, I'll post my details and then my query.

16 years old, Male, Melbourne Australia
Height: 175cm (5' 9" ish)
Weight: 60kg (130lbs ish)
Max Bench: 65kg
Max Leg Press: 180kg

I've been doing weights on and off since last year. In my peak, about September of last year, I could bench 60 in ten reps and leg press 200 in ten reps. I've just gotten back into weights after summer holidays (lots of beer and no training) and I'm also back into Rugby training with Australia coming back into winter. Back into weights my lifts are understandably way worse, with ten rep bench at about 50kg and leg press at more like 150kg. That's not my problem. My problem is, no matter how much better my lifts were getting, I never gained size. 60kg is pretty damn small for my height, and that's no good for me. I hear Protein would help, and I want to get some "Max's WPI." A guy at school, his dad owns Max's so I can get it cheaper than retail. So if I start taking this Protein as directed, and train three times a week, these are my questions:

1) What would be a good program? Currently I do about three sets on the following: Leg Press (13 reps), Bench (10), Military (10), Lat Pulldown (10), Curls (10), Dips (10), Back extensions (10), Crunches (10), Squats (10). All this is done over my three days, so not all excercises every day, and I do lots of aerobic work and tackling stuff at Rugby training twice a week. Sometimes I'm limited to as little as 45 minutes at the gym, but at least one session a week can be for as long as I want.

2) Will this make me bigger, and how much so?

Thanks very much to anyone who read all of that, it'll really help me to have these questions answered. If you think you could help, please reply and alos feel free to email me, m4ps@hotmail.com

[Jimma]

Forgot to mention a few things. Firstly, my metabolism is amazingly fast. I ate like 2kg of chocolate Easter morning and the next day my weight was the same, and I drink a lot of beer every now and then and it doesn't affect my weight. Also, my diet is terrible - lots of junk and nothing healthy. Finally, I'm not just light, I'm skinny - as little body fat as you can imagine which means muscles are defined no matter how small.

[Tuna Fish]

Hi Jimma-

Protein will help, but it won't work as a stand-alone supplement. Your diet, overall, must have enough calories to support growth (this means you must have a caloric surplus daily, including enough protein, in order to grow).

Dump the junk food and start to eat better.

Chicken, turkey, tuna & other fish, eggs, meat, nuts etc. are great sources of protein.

Good carbs like wheat/rye bread, brown rice, vegetables etc. should be included as well.

Check out the Diet & Nutrition board for more info- and while you're there, browse thru the recipe board for some good ideas.

Training-wise, keep it brief and intense. 45 minutes is enough time to accomplish what you want, if you do it properly. The exercises you listed are all good starting points, and will serve you well so long as your diet and rest are sound.

You seem to have an ectomorphic body type/metabolism. You will benefit from brief training sessions, and LOTS OF FOOD (as long as it is quality food)- your fast metabolism will not allow you to gain if you underfeed yourself.

Tuna

[Jimma]

Thanks Tuna. This is my new proposed program, what do you think?


100 extra Calories. All calories from:
Fats (30%+)
Carbs 60g+ (1g/kg)
Protein 30g+ (.5g/kg)
Water 3L+
Fiber 45g+
Vitamins Multi


"Starting program:

Mon -
3 X 12 Bench Press Around 55kg
3 X 12 Shoulder Press Around 25kg
5 X 12 Chinups

Wed -
3 X 12 Lat Pulldowns Around 60kg
3 X 12 Back Extensions Around 25kg
3 X 12 Leg Press Around 150kg
4 X 25 Pushups

Fri -
3 X 12 Weighted Dips Around 15kg
3 X 12 Squats Around 40kg
3 X 12 Dead Lifts Around 40kg

SLOWLY DECREASE REPS."

Let me know.