How to "Bulk Up"?

Gunslinger808

Gunslinger808

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Since I retired I've lost 25 pounds (205 to 180) and 2 belt sizes and have been exercising hard.
The only down side is I just don't seem to be gaining mass, I'm stronger and faster than I was, with no lethargy, but just not seeing the development I want.
I eat well but don't go out of my way to eat healthy with no additives (GNC can bite me).
Is it just an age thing or am I missing something?
Not looking to enter a contest, but my muscle mass (read looks) are just not where I want to be.
 
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Gunslinger808,

Are you pounding iron? If not, that's where I would start. You don't have to be Charles Atlas (dated myself didn't I) but if you do a common sense workout with free weights, you will get to where you want to be.

One of the guys I worked with on the PD is a power lifter type, and really helped me in my program. My guy won his weight division in the Police Olympics (National) and placed a couple of other times in several events. He designed a basic program and I took it from there, and I try to lift at least 3 times a week. Great stress reducer and I found myself getting "toned" real quick. Best of luck,
 
If you're retired then you must be "older". You don't say how tall you
are at 180 but you are just not going to be able to carry the
muscle mass you could when much younger. I have done a lot of heavy
lifting all my life, since high school, including lots of competition and
as a result I can barely walk now. All long term lifters see countless
newbys come and go and most of them have very unrealistic
expectations. Not saying you're a newby as you didn't say but it takes
time and hard work to see real results. Strength gains come much
more quickly at first than visible muscle mass. If you are serious about
lifting you must be self motivated, can you train hard alone without a
trainer or buddies? You need to follow a basic heavy low rep routine
on weights not machines. Do you understand what progressive
resistance means? If you eat enough protein you don't really need
supplements but creatine will help you gain strength and mass. With
lifting you make haste slowly. Good luck.
 
"Pounding"? :confused:

I thought you were supposed to "pump" iron?

Did the language change on THAT, too, when I wasn't looking?
 
Out of necessity I got back into the good habit of hitting the gym 3-4 days a week when I was (and still am), rehabbing my knee, two full replacements on the same knee in the last year and half. I always start with some time on the bike and or elliptical but then move to the free weights and machines working almost exclusively on my upper body. My surgeon told me to back it down from every day to every other day and that seems to work better for the weight lifting as well.

At 62 I have no allusions about how much change I can effect and bulking up just isn't going to happen. I am however in the best shape of my life having toned up moving inches from by stomach to my chest. I am lifting significantly more weight than even 6 months ago and feel great after every workout.

Within reason I can eat or drink what I want and still keep my weight static at around 185 (I'm 5'9"). When the weather warms up a tad I will get back into the lap pool where I do 40 laps (1,000 meters), in 30 minutes two or three times a week and that has always enabled me to drop another 5 pounds (or drink a couple more beers). (o;
 
I once fed the NY JETS football team after practice. These guy ate beef and plenty of it. Like tripple and quad quarter pounders. Many of them each.
While there new stadium was being built they practiced at central high school in Bridgeport,ct. I worked days but came in at 10pm to cook for these guys. Play hard, work hard, eat good.

I like the doubles because of the less bread and more beef.

At the GNC they have that gorilla dry mix for drinking for bulking up.

Since I retired and my activity slowed down I was 390#. After radiation I was 345# now I'm 330#. I plan on being 300# by spring. The new harley should keep me out of the kitchen and we have no fast food places here I should be ok. Heck was 200# when I was born.
 
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Protein powder, two raw eggs, 5 grams of creatine and 12 ounces of milk in a blender every morning will do it.
 
As others have said, food is the answer. Lots of meat, eggs, dairy and veggies. You may want to look at some of Mark Rippetoe's articles. He is a proponent of "GOMAD" -- Gallon Of Milk A Day for increasing mass/bulking up.
 
Basically you can't have a negative caloric intake and add muscle at the same time unless you're chemically enhanced. The guys you see losing bodyfat and "gaining" muscle are only defining what they already have if they're natural. Are you down to the bodyfat % that you want to be at now? If so, then start adding protein and calories back in while increasing you resistance training and you'll start getting a bit more muscle and strength. You're not going to add a lot though unless you get on a prescibed TRT regiment because as you age past 40-45 your testosterone level drops precipitously and without testosterone it's just not possible to add much muscle.
 
The old school body builders, Arnold, Frank Zane etc, would eat anything and everything just to take in calories. Arnold talked about putting mayo on everything to increase the cals. Frank ate oil roasted cashews all day long. Their theory was with more calories to burn, they could work out more.

Cleaner food with more nutrients seems like a more sane way to do that, rather than just add mayo and oil to everything. But the key ingredient in the formula is surely to work out, heavy lifting, low reps, if you want bulk. Lighter weight, higher reps if you want endurance and less bulk.

I'm pretty high body fat but I've done high endurance, low weight exercises all my life. So even when heavy, I have a low resting heart rate and can still run quals for any agency. I can't do the pull ups that I could at age 20, but I can run.

I think you lose the bulk and ability to lift heavy with age more than you do the endurance.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Do you have any physical problems that might interfere or that might limit your work out schedule?
I have some lower back issues as well as some leg problems..So I just concentrate on a lot of stretching and free weight's for upper body strength..I use the same amount of poundage, just more rep's..
I have noticed a considerable ability to do more rep's..What started at 50 is now 450 reps..it is still a work in progress and it wasn't overnight..
No easy fix for me..
 
As we age our testosterone level drops. No way are you going to be able to build muscle mass you had when young. Just a fact of life. Still a weight routine can keep you in excellent shape. I've pounded the iron for most of my life. I lift probably half the poundage I used to when younger. Still get a good workout and stay in decent shape. If you want more muscle you have to up the intensity. Enjoy.
 
KLYDE said:
...If you want more muscle you have to up the intensity. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

Interestingly enough, that concept applies to anything. Guitar, shooting, running, lifting, bowling, needlepoint. You can't get better at any of them by watching YouTubes. I know an awful lot of casual guitar owners who believe they simply aren't born with talent. They don't practice but they own every DVD and book available.

"Can't understand why I'm not as fast as Jerry. I've seen all of his videos. I must not have the same genes he does."

We were all born ugly and wet.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Most body builders use steroids which aids recovery, builds muscle, and burns fat. I used to power lift at 235 lbs. Now I weigh 175 and in just ok shape but after 60 it is a goal just to maintain and tolerate joint pain. Warm up and stretch before and after every workout. Work each muscle at least once a week. Make sure your sets go to or close to failure but ALWAYS listen to your body. Don't just do the motion, but focus and think about the muscle you are working on. I like to squeeze and stretch the muscle between sets. Good luck.
 
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