New to muscle building

[Marin Mom]

I have been putting this off and putting this off..............after 1 year of raw I am too skinny (5'9" 123 lb.)especially my upper portion but I do eat plenty. I consume nuts, oil, and avocado daily.

If there were one or two good DVDs to recommend to build myself up a little what would you recommend? I have a rebounder, thigh master and the arm thing that goes with it and a treadmill, all collecting dust! I figure the DVD route is the best way to go, and really don't want to purchase more equipment, unless little weights if necessary.

Thanks so much.

[yogashmoga]

you have the option of using resistance bands. they are inexpensive and yield good results. i've used slim in six and power 90 for muscle gain and enjoyed both (power 90 sounds more like it would meet your goals.)

my FIRST recommendation would be to purchase some personal training sessions at your local gym. this is the best way to be sure you are doing exercises safely and correctly, and they will give you the best insight on how to organize your workouts. if you really don't want to pay for a gym membership or free weights after your sessions, you can ask your trainer to contruct workouts using only resistance bands and equipment you have around your house. i'd say 5 or 6 sessions with a trainer would be sufficient. the knowledge they can provide you with is pretty essential to safe, efficient muscle gain.

[unbent]

Marin Mom,

I have the same problem: 5'9" 135 lbs. Everything I have read on rawbies gaining weight involves lifting heavy weights in short reps. That means using enough weight that you can only do 5-6 reps at a time with it. I believe that I saw it on a video of either Victoria Boutenko or Dr. Brian Clements' wife on youtube.com. Hope this helps.

Andy

[kinteet]

You need one on one personal help thats personal to your own needs!

F1

[firefaery]

Agreed.

I would also put in a plug for functional fitness and bodyweight exercises.

[Draginvry]

Don't build muscle. Build strength.

I prefer bodyweight exercises.

[raweater]

As someone else said, weight lifting in the 4-6 rep range doing major exercises like bench press, squats and deadlifts will help build a lot of muscle. I've put on 25 lbs of muscle so far doing that.

[Nektar]

[QUOTE=Marin Mom;446000]
If there were one or two good DVDs to recommend to build myself up a little what would you recommend?

I doubt that lifting a couple of DVD's is going to build much muscle! :D

Seriously,
To build up your upper body you need to to do some basic lifts with dumbells;
-dumbbell overhead press
-dumbbell bench press
-dumbbell rows
-dumbbell pullovers
-dumbbell side raises

Include pushups and get a chinning bar and work on doing chins and pullups. And add in a couple of lower body exercises such as lunges and dumbbell squats and you have a great routine that will build upper body mass and definition as long as you do the exercises close to failure and progressively increase the weight and/or # of reps.

I highly recommend the book "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips...
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Life-Mental-Physical-Strength/dp/0060193395

Remember, transforming your body is not something you can do in a few weeks. This will take will power, determination and hard work. You will see results in as little as 2-3 months if you follow a strict program such as the one in Bill Phillip's book.

Good luck!

[Marin Mom]

Nektar, thank you so much for the listing of dumbell excerises. I could even see online how they are demonstated.

Before I get the book you mention, is the author sympathetic to the raw food diet? How do I incorporate it into the program? More meals or fewer larger ones? I don't have a big appetite anymore, it seems to take so little to fill me up. Thanks.

[carolg]

I'm also in favor of an "experienced" personal trainer and learned the hard way what experience and getting your $ worth means. I joined 24 hour here. Love it. Got myself personal trainer. He would only give me about 4 exercises in our hour time. I did this training with him for months. I mentioned this and he said that is all we should be working on. So I believed the lied as I now see at their other club trainers doing 10x more in one session then I did in 2-3 weeks of my $ worth. I can't believe I got suckered into my spending choice and didn't know what to look for.

Yes, I learned tons and understand the machines much better and now enjoy watching and continued learning from others being trained while I am near by. I learn too.

Also told my trainer back of leg, hamstring was hurting which he created. He had me doing several crazy jumps. Well, months later I went to chiro and he couldn't help me. Found another chiro and he took xrays and now we are resolving the stiff hip flexor, hamstring, etc. problems with results too.

All said here is that when you are new you don't know what to look for in a personal trainer. Maybe watching other trainers first, seeing how many exercises they are doing with their customers as you monitor a few. By scouting them out first, you are a wiser consummer.

Just my experience.

Actually many times now working out solo so I'm big on my own cardio.

Take care and best to yo.
carol

[michigan roman]

i agree with dumbells for their conveinance , can have them sitting in living room while watching tv exercising . in backyard say if gardening and get some sets in . etc . and i like the hex head type which are just one solid peice as oppposed to the type on threaded bars with plates because the hex heads are easier to store where ever - they dont unloosen like some threaded types . and if it were me ide buy two different weighted pairs . one pair at the weight where i could do say 5/6 standing straight up pressing over head miliitary lifts before tiring . then get another set of lighter ones which you can do the same lift say 12/13 times with . so after you do a bunch of sets with heavier ones can change to lighter ones and still have the strength to get more sets in and as they say get a good muscle burn going . plus the lighter ones you can do other exercises with such as fly's and upright rowing . just search dumbell lifts or near , under images maybe , if you need any technique visuals .

i wouldnt waste money on dvd / trainer , its just ' go hard or go home :D ' .
and the good thing about the lighter dumbells is theyll allow you to do some sets of slow easier movements where you dont have to quickly jerk the weight around in order to use momentum to complete the lift , these slow / easier movents help you to really stretch out the joints and get down deep in the joints and strengthen them . where as to me many lift fast and quick and dont get down deep into joints and leave it weaker there . thats why many always say ' slow and focus on technique ' . but when im in a hurry i say forget technique , as long as i get my sets in im outta here :D , plus its harder to do good technique with the heavier weights so i like having the light ones too .

and without weights do push ups with feet like 2 to 3 feet apart to build shoulders . military lifts also build shoulders . while if you get / make a cheap simple bench (dont need a weight rack on it , could make one out of two by fours and a plywood surface with carpet for padding stapled to it) to do bench presses with the dumbells that builds chest .

[Nektar]

Nektar, thank you so much for the listing of dumbell excerises. I could even see online how they are demonstated.

Before I get the book you mention, is the author sympathetic to the raw food diet? How do I incorporate it into the program? More meals or fewer larger ones? I don't have a big appetite anymore, it seems to take so little to fill me up. Thanks.

Marin Mom,
The book does have a chapter on nutrition but it is based on lean meats, carbs and veggies. It is much better than the typical SAD diet but not in line with our raw preferences. I'd say, eat when you are hungry focusing on fruits, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. Do you have the 80/10/10 Diet by Doug Graham? I can highly recommend it. Doug has been training athletes for many years.

Cheers

[Nektar]

Hi,

Eat food which are rich in fat contents like boiled egg, banana, beef... by eating banana and drinking after have dinner and before sleeping for a month you would certainly get the desired results....

In case you hadn't noticed, this is a RAW Food discussion board! If you can't post suitable comments then please stay away.

Can someone remove that post?

"Drinking after dinner and sleeping for a month"????.......:(

[mongodelight]

We may learn from our strongest animal ancestor the gorilla(benchpress1,8 tons) He eats 30 Kg a day, all vegan, 80% of it a big variety of leafes. We have a very similar genetic so we get the same benefits. But we need to stay in balance, that means that 50% of what we re eating should be sweet fruit, fatty fruit and some nuts and seeds.

If u re not eating enough leafes you get deficient in some mineral groups that are only enough present in dark green leafy veggies. Witout enough of that minerals you can eat tons of avocado, coconut and other rich protein sources and you wont get good results.

But if u start to eat at least 1-2 lbs of a big variety of dark green leafy veggies you will get incredible results. Almost like taking stereoids. Its because the body finally gets enough of these minerals that it so deperatly needs;)

[theresaann]

bodyweight training exercises are so effective, and cheap and fast. 15 min a day gets better results than an hour at the gym and all you need are workout shoes and a floor or the grass.

They are seriously effective. Check out this website and watch this guys video's, he's really something:

wildmantraining.com

When I really do this stuff I drop inches and fat within days, and it's very strengthening to the upper body!!

[firefaery]

another vote for bodyweight training.

wanna know what's REALLY funny? I posted the same thing earlier. LOL. It's like a mantra. Bodyweight training, bodyweight training, bodyweight training...

Seriously though. My husband and I own high end exercise facilities and have for around 10 years. People stay because we emphasize community, make sure that training is FUN and they see results more than they ever have anywhere else. We use functional training and alot of bodyweight exercises. You will see dramatic results quickly, but better than that you will experience fitness. The best part is you can totally do most of it at home and without buying dedicated equipment. Save your money and take the workout outside when you can! In bad weather you can still get a great workout inside. I truly believe there is no reason to go to a conventional gym.

[Marin Mom]

Thanks, checking out bodyweight training now!!