As it says in the subject line i'm looking to put on about 40lbs. At the moment im a 160/5 lb 18 yr old (male). I reckon the 200lb mark is where I want to get to.

 

What I want is to know the "quickest" way to get there. Just general muscle gain is what I need with particular attention to the shoulders as they are under developed compared to my arms.

 

Thanks for any help...

 

ps. I don't really have access to much in the way of weights and the local gym is being demolished (they are going to rebuild it though )

See is your High School or college will let you train in there weight room. You’re going to have to get some weights, especially if you want to bring your shoulders up. How long before your local gym is rebuilt? Are there any other local gyms? Sometimes Police stations and Hospitals have gyms they open to the public, look into that.

Ill be at uni soon enough, they'll have weights etc: their for me to use

"Super Squats", by Strossen.

You need to do exercises that work several muscles at once, particularly ones that focus on the largest muscles.

 

Squats (and variations)

 

Bench Press

 

Dumbbell rowing

 

etc.

 

Use a weight you can manage about 8 times - if you can manage more than 12 with good form, it's time to increase the load. If you can't get to weights, use other ways to add resistance - for example, doing push ups with your feet on a platform a few feet of the ground (on a table, or resting against a wall perhaps).

 

Try to rest a muscle group for 48 hours between strength training sessions. Eat enough protein (around 1.7g a day for each kilogram of your body weight, or about 0.8g a day for each pound of your body weight).

 

Measure your chest, biceps, thighs etc, and keep a record of them each month so you can see how you're improving. That said, it's better IMHO to focus on gaining strength, not bulk.

eat large amounts of protein, fish/tuna, chicken, hamburger, tofu and such. Train hard, swim, you don't need a gym to bulk up use stuff around the house, push ups, with someone on your back, just add weight to your typical calistenics, lift jugs of water, stand in the door way and press agains the door frame,this will tense and strengthen the muscles of the arms b/c as long as you have a good door frame it is not going anywhere, there are many activities to do.

Thanks for the help guys (and girls?).

granmasterchen, I have to disagree with you. Calistenics and isometrics just don't build mass nearly as good as lifting weights. Push-ups and curling milk jugs, yes, but everything else...

yea i agree with tibby on that point, if you want to get 40 lbs heavier, you definitely need to hit the weights, working your entire body. be warned though, it will likely take some time- it took me nearly 3 years to gain 40 lbs, and i was still growing when i started lifting. depends on your body. but definitely, weight lifting is the way to go.

 

also, pressing against a door way wont gain you a whole lot of weight, muscle mass, or much strength, just like holding a weight still wont build you much, because muscles are made to move. of course you will become a little stronger, but the results of pushing or holding something are nothing compared to lifting.

I reckon that I've still got a bit of natural growth left to do, maybe not height wise but chest and shoulders etc:

 

Anyway next question: What equipment should I get, what kind of weights (any brands in particular that are better) and how heavy to start with, and are any of these protein supplementds any real use?