gaining weight

[B Neal 0]

Just curious, are you saying caution because he sucked from gaining too much wait, or were trying to point out that he gained alot from hard work and diet and improved? I can't really tell.

[Storm 0]

Just curious, are you saying caution because he sucked from gaining too much wait, or were trying to point out that he gained alot from hard work and diet and improved? I can't really tell.

This guy had above average hands and excellent speed. When I saw him next he was just average. It looked like he had gone on a food binge. It just didn't suit his frame. He was not more muscular just heavier and a lot slower.

[Hidious 0]

Seriously, it's very inappropriate to find the words "low reps" in a topic entitled "gaining weight". Low reps (less than 6) WILL NOT make your mass grow as much as higher reps. It will make you stronger.

[TapOrSnap 0]

playing hockey that often will make you lose weight buddy. You're losin way too much water weight

Water weight is irrelevant IMO if yone is thinking long term weight gain. Forget about water weight. Pretty much take water into consideration if you're dehydrated. However, if one were playing hockey 3 times a day and trying to gain weight, you'd better be eating a hell lot all day and every day to pull it off.

Essentially the basic premise as many have hit already is that you have to have a higher intake of calories than the amoutn burned by exercise to gain weight.

At 15, I wouldn't encourage a person to switch to something that'll be stringent and pretty much hardcore. You still have a lot of natural growing.

Make small changes here and there but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on it at your age. Also try to avoid supplements, especially if you're under the age of 18.

Be careful as well. Ronaldo's knee injuries in his 20s were traced back to the amount of work he did when he was younger.

[BGM 0]

You have an ectomorphic body style like my self. Fast metabolism, thin bone structure, can't gain weight etc...

1) This will be come a lifestyle change.

2 )Your going to have to more and it is going to suck. I'm not trying to discourage, rather let you know up front it is not going to be easy. Like someone said above it is going to be a chore to eat, because your not going to want to. Eventually your body gets used to it.

3) Like storm says heavy weight low reps

4) You won't gain weight skating three times a day. Your going to have to cut down cardio significantly. If that's a problem for you, I wouldn't bother trying to gain weight until the off-season. It's not unreasonable to gain 1-2 lbs a week of muscle. How much you eat properly and how hard you work will determine that.

I agree. And having a high metabolism is a blessing--trust me. As long as you use it to your advantage--meaning lean muscle is better than bulky in most sports where you need quickness, agility and endurance. I have been 6'3" since I was 15--weighed 150 back then and I weigh 180 now (I'm 35) but am extremly fit. You will have to cut out cardio which isn't going to happen and a lot of people put on "bad weight" during that time. You can't change your genetics so just keep working on your strength and work on your core and legs.

[usahockey22 0]

Any lifting will cause muscular growth...most of the bodybuilders will tell you that higher reps are the way to go, and there is some merit to that idea if all you are wanting to do is work on hypertrophy (size). However, low reps are much better overall, especially for an athlete. You are a hockey player, not a bodybuilder. You shouldn't be training for absolute muscular symmetry and great muscle mass, you should be training for strength, power, and speed. High reps will not do that for you. If you are doing a set for 12 reps, you could have been using quite a bit more weight at 3-5 reps, and this will do a whole lot more for stimulating strength increases, and will add mass as well.

Gaining weight comes down to diet. Any hard lifting regimen combined with the right diet will put muscle on you. You guys who are saying that low reps won't build mass don't know what the hell you are talking about. Go tell it to hardcore powerlifters or olympic lifters who have more raw strength and power than almost any bodybuilder, and are just as big too, who typically don't do more than 5 reps in a set.

If your goal is to be a good athlete while gaining weight, you need a good diet combined with a hard lifting regimen, meaning low reps, high effort, and basic compound movements. Lower reps and heavy weight for compound movements also really test the body as a whole, and you will increase natural hormone levels favorably for gaining muscle.

As long as you are eating a lot of food, just do a basic heavy lifting program...5x5 of squats, bench, and barbell rows is all you need. Then if you really want, you could do 12 rep sets of pec flyes, leg extensions, pulldowns, and curls if you think it's going to help. Asthetically, many would argue that it does. As far as adding functional strength and improving performance, it really won't do anything.

[Hidious 0]

You guys who are saying that low reps won't build mass don't know what the hell you are talking about. Go tell it to hardcore powerlifters or olympic lifters who have more raw strength and power than almost any bodybuilder, and are just as big too, who typically don't do more than 5 reps in a set.

Very good post righ there usahockey22 but i have to defend my point since i hate to be told that i don't know what the hell i'm talking about.

This guy never even talked about hockey performance, beeing stronger, or beeing a better athlete. He asked how to gain weight and the best way to see fast results is by muscle hypertrophy (higher reps) + good nutrition.

Anyway, you're right on about everything.

[usahockey22 0]

I wasn't specifically directing that at you or anyone else, but it is absurd to think that low reps won't build mass. Lower reps should actually be more beneficial for building mass, for a new lifter. Most of the bodybuilding types don't start doing the high reps until they've been lifting a long time and have a good base that is typically the result of lots of eating, and lower rep compound movements (5-8 reps in a set is probably good for a beginner).

If he said he only wants to gain weight, he would need only eat a lot more food. He says he plays hockey a lot, so I would assume (and hope) that his goal is to gain some muscle while improving strength and athletic performance. It is certainly possible (and desirable) to do both.

At the beginning of high school, I weighed about 140 pounds, and didn't fare too well on the ice against bigger guys (I was about 6 feet tall too)...after a couple years of hard lifting and a lot of good dieting, I was up to 195 pounds, most of the weight gained being muscle. I even took some time off playing hockey, though continued to work out, and found that my skating speed had improved simply from hitting squats in the gym. During that time, I looked noticeably larger and more muscular, though my actual strength wasn't too great, even though I had been lifting 5 days a week...I was following a bodybuilding routine in order to gain weight. Now, I am 190 pounds (pretty low bodyfat I bet), but people tell me I look quite a bit smaller than I used to, even though it's only a 5 pound difference. I am much stronger than I ever have been, yet I don't look as muscular...strength does not equal size at all. I would much rather be 5 pounds lighter, with 1.5X as much strength, than 1.5X bigger and slightly more strength. By training for size, my muscles looked inflated, but they were a bit of a waste. If you train for strength and power, much of the adaptation in the body is done by the CNS, tendons, ligaments, bones, and your muscles will certainly grow too, though that mostly comes down to diet and genetics.

If you could have the same strength and power that you have now, while being 10 pounds lighter, then you will be faster on the ice. For hockey, this is more important, though certainly you can't be a shrimp. The original poster sounds underweight, though is still quite young, and not too small considering his height. Most of the top players in college, and most of the NHL guys aren't much more than 200 pounds...well maybe more like 220 in the NHL now, but they have great strength and speed.

Also remember that your power is generated from the ground up...meaning, train legs first and hardest, or the full body with compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and olympic lifts. You could have 18 inch arms and a 500 pound bench press, and what does it matter? Well, you can say that you can bench 500 pounds, but that is worthless in a sports situation where you will need to explode from the legs up. When you throw or receive a check, most of the stability and strength needed will be in the legs and core. Same thing with taking a slapshot or skating.

[willy0314 0]

being that this is a hockey board, and the original poster is most likely a hockey player..... The correct answer isn't train for size, or strength, or power.....If you want to get better you should train for all three. You want to be bigger / stronger / faster.....not just one of the three.

There's a couple articles on bodybuilding.com that break things down this way...and its the way that guys in the NHL do it, so it is correct. Since its the middle of may, you have enough time to do things the right way. You could pack on ten pounds of lean muscle, and get considerably stronger and faster by next season. ( 10 pounds doesn't sound like alot, but it will make a big differance in your appearance and performance )

[cam04 0]

its been several months now and i weigh 149 ...

[masterpeice_patrice 4]

at this momment you have to decide wich is more imporant to you. is gaining weight going to improve your game? or is playing hockey 3 times a day going to improve you even more? taking care of your body is a step in the right direction.. you will gain the weight u need but sometimes too much ice time is not good so you will have to sacrifice a little bit. instead of playing 3 times you can play 1 time or 2 the most. the point is to slow down your metablosim so that you can gain weight. the best time to foucs on this is the offseason heck thats what professionals do. too much protien shakes will not do you any good. those are meal replacements and the most u can have are 2 a day post work out and before bed. i suggest you should stay away from any kind of suppliments you are 15 you havnt reached your gentic potential. heavy sets is not the way to go it will only strain your joints and your body will fall apart when you are older. light weights and lots of reps will get you tree trunks for legs. same goes for upper body strength. you will have to dedicate time for stretching thorugh out the day. some say its a myth that stretching does nothing for building muscle mass but it stretches the fibers in your muscles and provides more blood flow into the muscle most important of all it prevents injury. its a win/win situation.

you have to listen to your body and try to understand what it tells you. everyone is diffrent and no one knows abour your body more then you do.

"you are what you eat" always remember that.

[shifter 0]

eat salads with some good dressing!

[jww83 0]

All throughout my time learning about health and physical training in high school and uni, and by also doing a lot of reading of on how to maximise gains etc, not to mention training advice from Australia's leading sports trainer, i understood that to maximise muscle growth, one should aim for heavier weight and do about 8 reps of that weight while working to failure at 6-8 reps in the third set. Whereas, by doing lighter weights working to failure at 10, 12, or 14 reps, one will be toning the muscle and increasing muscular endurance rather than strength and size.

However, quite a few people on this message board, and also on other site around the internet are claiming the opposite, to work for reps and not weight for muscle hypertrophy. Why is there so much conflict in peoples opinions?

[Engine37 0]

Cam04, I'll assume you are pretty serious about hockey, because otherwise you probably wouldn't be posting this thread on MSH.

Like others who have posted, I have been underweight and/or had a fast metabolism my whole life. While I can understand the desire to just gain some pounds, I think that you would be better off training specifically for hockey. While being big can be an asset in hockey, I don't think it's a necessity. The game, especially nowadays, is more focused on skill. Would you rather just be bigger than other players or be able to skate circles around them in games? One of the toughest (and strongest) guys I've ever known looked "skinny" to most people (and he wasn't all that tall either). Tie Domi was one of the toughest guys to ever play in the NHL (IMO), and he certainly wasn't the biggest. The point is that your body will develop over time and you will gain weight...especially if you eat right and train right. Besides, the odds are that you may not be able to gain massive amounts of weight at this point in your life anyway (I know I couldn't hardly gain a pound when I was your age), but building up your hockey skills while you're off the ice can build a lot of confidence in yourself.

There are lots of books and other resources to help you design an off-ice training regimen to help you accomplish your goals in hockey. Don't push yourself too hard, and as others have said be patient. Over-working yourself is just going to burn you out and create the risk of an injury that could haunt you for a long time.

Focus on being healthy, working hard, having fun, and training equally for the different aspects of the game (skating, shooting, checking, mental preparedness/toughness, etc).

[cj190 0]

Good book for that with a funny name "From Scrawny to Brawny" Has meal plans and exerices, with a focus on mass building excercies. Mass building excercises are usually ones that hit many different muscle groups at one time, ie dead lifts, squats, military press, bench press (to a certain degree) And playing 3 times a day is excessive. Its what gave me a sports hernia. Chill out a bit. You will never grow if you don't rest.

[habsfan87 0]

Don't get discouraged over weight too much either, u could be gaining no weight at all but building your BMI and lowering your fat%. I step on the scale every morning and never gain a pound and im 20 so im done growing, it pisses me off alot but you just gotta be patient like said. If you really wanna gain mass you have to have a good meal plan and try to take in about 200g's of protein a day (not just shakes cause ull just shit it out) and lean foods, not fatty. my lifestyle i cant pick and choose what i eat so i just go to the gym and have a shake after a workout and try not too worry about it too much. just make sure your eating something tho.

[nni 0]

you guys act like doing a standard split will make you huge real fast. it wont. muscle takes a severly long time to develop. you could lift heavy for a year, and gain 10 lbs. it really is dependant on your diet and routine. there is no reason not to lift in a standard way. screw hockey specific training, you can do that when you have a solid base. you cant gain weight, then your diet is not in check.

caluclate your calorie requirements for maintenance, then aim 500-1000 calories above that on a daily basis.

40% should be from carbs

40% from protein

20% from fat.

eat 6-7 meals a day.

workout hard, ripptoe is a good program, or do a pyramid program.

honestly focus on developing your entire body, and as you are gaining muscle mass, then add in more hockey centric exercises. yes you dont have to have a huge upper body, but having a well devloped overall body is far more beneficial.

and again, you will NOT get too big, if it was that easy everyone would be huge.

[gxc999 7]

Work the hockey muscles, hamstrings, quads and glutes. The lower back is a good idea as well. Bench pressing is a nice way to show off, but doesn't help your hockey that much. Many of the best players ever were skinny looking guys, who just had big legs...

[ean 0]

hit the compound lifts....squat, deadlift, pullups, and bench.

[nni 0]

Work the hockey muscles, hamstrings, quads and glutes. The lower back is a good idea as well. Bench pressing is a nice way to show off, but doesn't help your hockey that much. Many of the best players ever were skinny looking guys, who just had big legs...

yes having a completely weak upper body is great for hockey, especially on the higher levels. good luck winning any battles in the corners without that. and certainly your shot wont get harder if you have a larger upper body.

jeez man. yes you dont have to huge, or large to be a hockey player, but ignoring your upper body is a sure fire way to limit yourself for the entirety of your career. i am not huge, i have a decent build and i play adult league hockey, and noone knocks me off the puck at all.

i was watching nhl net and they were showing the drafting process of the blues, and when their 1st pick came in the room, he had a balanced body (decent upper body size) and the guys making the decisions were extremely impressed by that.

compound lifts, and dont ignore the upper body.

[cam04 0]

finally gained some weight.....172 thx

[CTK30 0]

Don't forget powercleans

[starsfan71 9]

hey guys I have some questions as I am trying to bulk up and get more power out of my shots and be more physical.

I am 15 almost 16 and I am 5 foot 4 inches and I weigh ony 105-109 lbs. switched from highschool to AA midget hockey and I am trying to pack on more muscle mass, and I read this thread the ony problem is I can't really eat 6 meals a day because food in school is strictly against the rules. Any tips on how I can really build my muscles especially my arms (upper and forearm) thanks.

[CTK30 0]

hey guys I have some questions as I am trying to bulk up and get more power out of my shots and be more physical.

I am 15 almost 16 and I am 5 foot 4 inches and I weigh ony 105-109 lbs. switched from highschool to AA midget hockey and I am trying to pack on more muscle mass, and I read this thread the ony problem is I can't really eat 6 meals a day because food in school is strictly against the rules. Any tips on how I can really build my muscles especially my arms (upper and forearm) thanks.

You eat during lunch

Just do breakfast, lunch at school and then when you get home have a peanut butter sandwich they are great for bulking up, then dinner, then post dinner, and then a bedtime meal

Thats what I do. I think I eat around 5k calories at 195 pounds

I'm going to try and get to 205-210 this off season though, should be pretty big for u18 lol

Gaining muscle is probably 70% diet

Eat a good amount of fiber and drink water, take a vitamin, whey for breakfast and pre WO. I think having a real meal like dinner is better for post WO. I try to time it so I have dinner right after I finish

And do not worry about training arms right now, worry about everything else, your arms will get bigger from training your other body parts, do not be a bench and curl warrior. Just throw in a few sets of curls here and there. Also remember triceps make up 2/3 of your arm. For forearms make a wrist roller, i also find that stick handling drills for awhile works them decently. Heavy lifting also works the forearms.

[jon93 0]

finally gained some weight.....172 thx

wow, congrats man, did you gain any height?

you gained alot of weight bud,

got a summary about the process?