Getting big, for the not-so-big...

[DiveDeep]

Firstly, hey, new member here. Ok, looking to put on size, which for me is not easy. Always been on the thin side. Anyways, my wife got me up to a healthy weight (I dropped to a VERY unhealthy weight after two knee op’s and a 20 day gastro bug shortly after…) and my body is holding it nicely. So now I have started working out doing general all body workouts. The question is how I can fit in some serious beach swimming in without losing any bulk I may manage to accrue?

[davie]

Eat more. Its that simple bro.

davie

[smaul]

more whole foods.  enough fat.  don't overdo your swimming, 30 minutes a day is fine, but if you want to grow you'll have to compensate by eating more.

[NoCalBbEr]

I think that swimming is somewhat too intensity of a cadio activity for gain muscle mass..if you look at different body types is long distance athletes they are long and toned.

I'm not saying that swimming is bad but when you gain more muscle mass. Swimming is goiing to be harder and harder. muscles weights 4x as heavy as fat.

you have to eat more calories then you burn in a day. you  have to do it day after day and not do it one day and not the next

[DiveDeep]

Not looking at any great distance swimming. I guess by serious I meant important, not so much intense. I'm training up for a new job as a technical deep diver and want to start it in the best shape possible so I feel a daily swim is important to me, mainly in terms of strength for it, not so much endurance.

So it's really just a case of more food? Do I need to calorie count or just use common sense with what to eat and pack it in?

[davie]

Not looking at any great distance swimming. I guess by serious I meant important, not so much intense. I'm training up for a new job as a technical deep diver and want to start it in the best shape possible so I feel a daily swim is important to me, mainly in terms of strength for it, not so much endurance.

So it's really just a case of more food? Do I need to calorie count or just use common sense with what to eat and pack it in?

You said it, use common sense in general as to what to eat, and ur right....pack it in.

davie

[DiveDeep]

Thanks a lot. 

Is there any point in doing part specific workouts (ie - chest one day, arms the next) or should I just stick to overall body workouts?? Im not trying to get huge, just bigger and fairly toned..

[davie]

U cud do full body, upper/lower, push/pull. a split routine like u mentioned.

Whats ur xcericise history?

davie

[DiveDeep]

I was a competetive cyclist. So was very fit, but very tiny.

Have been doing general overall work of late though, with only commuting cycling, no 5 to 7 hour stints on it anymore!!

[NoCalBbEr]

yes. you need  some weight training. lifting weights  will help you gain size. if you just  eat and swim. you wouldn't gain muscle mass but stay lean.

[DiveDeep]

Been doing weights, just nothing major, and nothing specific. Just overall body.

[smaul]

I did the training for technical deep diving and cannot see how being big would be any benefit to you at all.  You will increase oxygen consumption which is a bad thing.  Fair enough you need to be strong but more than anything you will need stamina.

Which jobs are you looking at?  Completed the training yet?

[mesmorph78]

if you build quality muscle as in hard lean muscle you wont lose it... not water muscle
forget the bulk build quality then slowly gain bulk...

[Overload]

Train hard, eat plenty of good food, don't do too much cardio, and try not to overtrain...then just be patient because it takes time.

[thewickedtruth]

Eat more. Its that simple bro.

davie

davie hit it man..if you just want to get big..put the food down. The better quality the better..but you just want more cals in that your body is using during the day to put on weight. If you're having a problem trying to get enough cals in in the day..

http://atlargenutrition.com/nutrition_detail.php?products_id=18

good stuff right there!

I'm having a hard time breaking into the mid 260's and staying there..so i've started taking maximus to cure that problem along with my other supplements. They also have a MASS STACK that's RIDICULOUS for the hard gainers. Do what you can..and if it's not enough.. go with some great supplementation.

[DiveDeep]

I did the training for technical deep diving and cannot see how being big would be any benefit to you at all.  You will increase oxygen consumption which is a bad thing.  Fair enough you need to be strong but more than anything you will need stamina.

Which jobs are you looking at?  Completed the training yet?

I understand that, not trying to get huge, just, healthy. Weight has always been my enemy, as in not having enough, I have finished most of my training and done the dsat level 1, and am looking at a job off a rig through a friend of mine. Just dont feel like doign anything physical when my body has been such a prick to put weight on.

[thewickedtruth]

let's lay this out simple...

to gain weight..you have to take in more cals than you use..

when you take in more cals than you use..your body grows.. in all directions. It won't just go to muslce no matter what you eat.

You're going to get a little fatter..period. Your body stores LEFT OVER CALS as fat. Carbs, Fat, Protien, virgins..doesn't matter. If you're body doesn't use it it's stored up.

[_bruce_]

If you drink a protein-shake add a tablespoon of good fat(e.g. olive-, macademia-, pumpkinseed oil) to it.

[DiveDeep]

Are there any rules on doing weights before or after the swimming etc??

[Overload]

Are there any rules on doing weights before or after the swimming etc??

Lift weights before cardio.

[candidizzle]

i think swimming can be good for bodybuilders if you do it right...dont go doing butterfly at full speed or try getting a personal best on the 100 yard freestyle....but if you do a nice slow paced breaststroke for 45 mins...that could be a good cardio activity for a bb'er