Gaining Muscle Mass

[traceur]

Well I started cutting weight to get to 10% body fat since August. Yesterday i finally got to 10% and am slightly confused on how to gain muscle.

What type of calorie intake am I looking at for gaining muscle?(my maintenance intake is 2800) If my calorie intake changes should my protien intake change? What type of workout schedule would work best? Should I reduce stretching when trying to build muscle? What increases muscle better strength training or plyometrics? What are the best exercises to build muscle? How often should I re test body fat and change calorie intake?

Thanks

[compleks]

Well I started cutting weight to get to 10% body fat since August. Yesterday i finally got to 10% and am slightly confused on how to gain muscle.
At age 14 I wouldn't be deliberately cutting weight.

What type of calorie intake am I looking at for gaining muscle?(my maintenance intake is 2800) Probably about 500calories above maintenance, but experiment and you will find out.

If my calorie intake changes should my protien intake change?
Yes, protein, fat, and carbs should all increase in relative proportions. Generally speaking.

What type of workout schedule would work best?
Depends. What have you been doing/done in the past. Obviously resistance training will be necessary.

Should I reduce stretching when trying to build muscle?
No, arguably you would stretch more.

What increases muscle better strength training or plyometrics?
Trick question. Hypertrophy training increases muscle mass the best. Plyometrics won't really help in size gains.

What are the best exercises to build muscle?
Weight training - Squat, deadlifts, bench, chinups, cleans, rows, presses etc... Big compound lifts.

How often should I re test body fat and change calorie intake?
Up to you. Personally, never. Just use the mirror and make adjustments from there.

Thanks
You're welcome.

[Snowbuddha]

Well I started cutting weight to get to 10% body fat since August. Yesterday i finally got to 10% and am slightly confused on how to gain muscle.

What type of calorie intake am I looking at for gaining muscle?(my maintenance intake is 2800) If my calorie intake changes should my protien intake change? What type of workout schedule would work best? Should I reduce stretching when trying to build muscle? What increases muscle better strength training or plyometrics? What are the best exercises to build muscle? How often should I re test body fat and change calorie intake?

Thanks


remember to up the calorie intake as you gain weight, otherwise you'll have trouble keeping it on. you can benefit from doing a lot of work if you get the food to back it up and have resting days once in awhile.

[traceur]

Thanks for your help.

Compleks, I was chubby before i started cutting. I think it would have been healthier to cut weight than stay fat. I've been doing a total body workout on tuesdays, thurdays and saturdays and after 3 weeks of that I'd retest bodyfat, VO2 max and 1 rep max for squats and bench press and then adjust. For gaining muscle mass is it better to do lots reps with light weights or a few heavier weights?

[anfeyd]

For gaining muscle mass is it better to do lots reps with light weights or a few heavier weights?

Generally, in order to gain muscle you need to continually concentrate on upping the weight lifted- with a layoff period from 4-6 weeks where you cut volume and intensity. As far as voume, there are many theories that float around- I'd experiment and see what your body responds to the best. I definately would not do a million reps with a pansy weight, however.

[compleks]

Generally 3 sets of 8-12 reps for hypertrophy.

[The Laughing Man]

zzzzzzaaaaaaaaooooooo!!

[Gusch]

you could also to look into hypertrophy specific training(HST). It's not really good for building huge amounts of strength, but for increase in muscle mass I found it to be very beneficial.