Ever since I can remember I wanted to be freaky huge and muscular. When I was little I used to watch the Incredible Hulk and go crazy to the point I wasn't allowed to watch it anymore. Later it was Arnold that caught my attention. I wanted nothing more than to look like that. I started training when I was fourteen years old. Without any guidance, I learned mostly by trial and error, copying obscene workout's from Flex and Muscle & Fitness magazines. I would train every bodypart every day, sometimes being at the gym four to six hours per day. I wanted it so bad and had it in my head that the more I do the bigger I will get faster. I'm guessing that I wasted the first two years stumbling around in my pursuit of hugeness. Now sixteen years later I look back and shake my head. What was I thinking? If I would have known what I know now. I see young guys at the gym doing the same crazy stuff that I did, too proud or shy to ask for help. I've put together some help-ful tips to get people on the right track, save them some time, and help them achieve the results them are looking for faster.
1. Less is more.
I never started to really grow until I cut my work-outs back. I train no longer than 1 hour per work-out. The key is intensity. You need to push your body hard within that hour.
2. Consistancy.
Being consistant with your training, rest, and nutritional regimen will give you the best results faster. You're kidding yourself if you train a couple of days then take a week off. Get all of your food in for a week then not the next week. You need to be constantly be training hard, eating to grow, and getting plenty of rest to recover and rebuild.
3. Eating to grow.
Eat several high protein meals through-out the day. Your body needs protein to build and repair tissue. You should be eating every three hours or so. Shoot for 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you are 200lbs, shoot for 200-300 grams of protein per day. You can train like an animal but if you aren't eating enough, or getting enough protein your body can't grow.
4. Drink plenty of water.
Water is important for virtually every bodily function. Being de-hydrated can cause you to feel tight in the back of your head, crampy and tired. Stay hydrated. Shoot for 3L-4L per day.
5. Rest.
Your body needs plenty of time to repair and build. Getting plenty of quality rest will help you recover and prevent over-training. Rest, training, and nutrition are all equally important parts to getting huge.
6. Take a Multivitamin Mineral Supplement.
Nowadays people have a hard time getting all the vitamins and nutrients they need each day from their food. Using a vitamin/mineral supplement will help ensure you are consistantly getting everything you need.
7. Train heavy.
If you can do 15 reps with a certain weight for a certain exercise you are going way too light. Your body has no reason to grow if you are not pushing it harder and heavier. Use weights you can handle for 6-8 reps. and always train to failure. By the last rep. you should not be able to do anymore. Keep breaks between sets down to 2-3 minutes. As I stated earlier training heavy and intense for no longer than one hour per work-out will give you the best results.
8. Split your work-outs up.
Only train a couple of bodyparts per day. I got the best results by doing shoulders/calves, back/triceps, legs, chest/biceps. Only train two days in a row and take one day off. Keep rotating through your bodyparts, each one should get hit once per week. I trained upper legs by themselves because this would take the most out of me. Leg work-outs killed me.
Hopefully this will help get some of you on the right track. I can remember the frustration I used to feel looking in the mirror and jumping on the scale every day. It never came fast enough. Be patient, use these tips as a guide and above all be consistent, eat to grow, train hard, and get plenty of rest. It will come.
All the best!
Hal Wakefield
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