The things that make a difference when bulking. . . .?

[TooPowerful4u]

I am lookin for some vets on this one. . especially Skip or Homonuculus who im sure can throw something complex or unorthadox in here that’s important.

EXCLUDING the AAS (gear), what factors make a big difference when tryin to add major weight and greatly exceed your genetic potential. I know a lot of the basics, but iv picked up some other stuff here and there that I never used, and im lookin to pick up some more that might help give the extra push here and there and make a difference over time. Even if its something you do personally, post it and leave it for the vets to critique and agree with or rebuttal it. This is what I have so far, hopefully we can get a big list added to it.

- High caloric intake. High protein is a must, and adjust carbs and fats as needed to pertain to the specific person. I personally feel I need high carbs also. Im still torn between the ideas of eatin healthy or if a calorie is a calorie as long as u get your target protein and calories in you.

- Post workout shake 50g whey, 100g malto/dextrose. Iv read adding r-ala will help with obsorption of this, so im gonna start adding it to my post workout shakes when bulking.

- Iv read eating a meal every hour after your workout for 3hrs will load up your muscles with nutrients to help them recover faster. I want to try this as well.

- Casein Protein shake before bed with some fats to slow obsorption, then wake up 4-5hrs in mid of night for another shake then back to bed. I havent gotten this hardcore to wake up in middle of the night, but I plan on it, seems very logical and cant hurt.

Now to sum questions. . .

1. How big of a factor does sleep make when bulking and growin big muscles and why?
2. Are high AAS doses necessary to pack on the MAJOR mass (1g test and up)?
3. Id like some info on how multivitamins and minerals fit into this and would be best used.
Is there any other legal supplimentation I can add that would give added benefit to growing?

[SweatMachine]

Om not Skip or Homonuculus, but I throw my 2cents in just the same.

These are the things that have always worked for me. The main thing is consistancy and by holding that new bodyweight for a period of time, I always felt like the body"learned" to carry it.

high calories=( 650+ calories/meal x 8-10- Protien 2 x bodyweight carbs 4 x bodyweight)- 10g Glutamine before bed- heavy training(powerlifting is great for mass) - no cardio -
plenty of sleep - AAS around 2g/week - bulk cycle of 20 weeks or more -
simple carbs/protein Post Workout- lots of myofacia stretching to provide room and blood flow for the new muscle -

and finally (something I can never seem to find anymore)
A good trainng partner that is twice your size and strength..

Again Im much more of a layman that Skip or Hom. but thru my experience these are the basics that work for most. Maybe the guys can explain why it works better than I can.

One last thing....its mental mental mental..your gotta think HARDCORE!!!

These are strictly my opinions based soley on my experience. Good luck in your quest for size,strength and knowledge.

[crankin'stein]

Re: The things that make a difference when bulking. . . .?

Originally posted by TooPowerful4u
Now to sum questions. . .

1. How big of a factor does sleep make when bulking and growin big muscles and why?
2. Are high AAS doses necessary to pack on the MAJOR mass (1g test and up)?
3. Id like some info on how multivitamins and minerals fit into this and would be best used.
Is there any other legal supplimentation I can add that would give added benefit to growing?

I'm not Skip or Homonu either but I don't see how some more opinions would hurt..... So heres mine...

1. Sleep is a huge factor for many reasons.... You grow while at rest not while at work (sleeping is the most resting you do during the day...)..... GH levels are higher while your sleeping.... Sleep can affect your training intensity..... ETC ETC..

2. Your doses of AAS would be based on you as an individual and your previous experience and use of AAS..... A newbie can pack on mass using only 500mg of test a week, but obviously the more seasoned guys can not....

3. A multivitamin everyday is necessary. Look into getting some flax seed oil to add to shakes.

As far as supps go, keep it to the necessities.... There is far to many big hype products that do dick all...... Keep it to protein, glutamine, and creatine.

Hope this helps some.

[TooPowerful4u]

Hey guys, i never said i was lookin for ONLY skip and homonuculus' replys. I just said that if they did reply, which i was hoping for, it would probably contain something scientific or a few tips or tricks that nobody thinks about, rather than a lot of basics. The things iv gotten so far are great, im hoping for more posts like this, even if its just what works for YOU, and your not sure if it really does make a difference.

[homonunculus]

Well, I'm not Skip or homonun.... OH, wait, hold on...



All the comments above are perfect.

Sleep is huge - without it, your endocrine system does not function normally (which we DO want as much as possible given supp.s). poor sleep means you'll be even more tired from packing in all the food, which may mean skipped meals. Poor sleep = poor training intensity!

I SUGGEST NAPS and staying cool, calm and collected during the day as much as possible. Minimize cortisol, and save your rage for the weights.

I EAT DURING my workouts - up to as much as 2000kcal DURING training. This means:
-Insulin to inhibit protein breakdown and promote glycogen restoration.
-Carbs for glycogen restoration.
-Food in the system for recovery post-workout. No need to wait for absorption, etc.
-You don't miss a meal during that time when you'd be training. Without this, training days can easily be the lowest kcal days. With it, its often the opposite, as is should be.

See crank's answer on high doses. Depends on you.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for bodily function. They are not produced by the body (there are exceptions, e.g., B12 production by gastrointestinal flora). most of us do not eat a "balanced" diet, so this is an insurance policy, but a VERY important one, IMHO.
If you supercharge your car w/ AAS, fill up the tank with food, but still have a bunch of nuts and bolts missing (vitamins and minerals), your car ain't gonna function well.

-R

[TooPowerful4u]

I know this is a big one, but which vitamins and minerals would you say are the most important to have included in my multi, and at what doses do they need to be? Should i take a multi twice daily?

If i do the middle of the night protein shake thing, will that hurt my sleeping period, even if i go right back to bed?

About the eating DURING workouts. . . Iv been told that it isnt a good idea til you near the end of your workout. Your body is pumpin blood to the muscle you are destroying, and if you put something in your stomach, your body will draw blood to it to help digest it, taking away from the bloodflow your muscle your hitting is getting. I usuially have an extra big post workout shake (65g whey, 125g malto) and i start sipping on it little more than half way though my workout, and end up finnishing it 30min after my workout. Then i always follow up with a 1hr post workout solid food meal, but im gonna try a different approach this time, with a MRP shake 1hr later, then 2hr and 3hr post workout meals.

[Trulyhuge]

I remember you posting your workout shake over at promuscle Randy, I was wondering if you have a different one now or if it the same one?
Toopowerful,
I have been getting a 1 hr. nap in the afternoon before work and I feel it helps me a lot! I feel refreshed and rested and it seems like I wake up easier in the morning! EAT< EAT< EAT! I don't think going overboard on AAS is the answer but you have to find what works for you. More is not always better.

TH