How to Build Muscle • Hacker News Board

Re: How to Build Muscle

#101

Post by Y201K » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:31 PM UTC

julianshapiro wrote: post #26

finkin1 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen some studies that say the number of reps you do doesn't matter. Can you comment on this? Here's a link to a study: http://jap.physiology.org/content/early/2016/05/09/japplphys... Also, I've never heard of muscles shrinking due to being overworked. Can you elaborate on how this happens?

#1: Reps. When working out for muscle size (as opposed to strength), it's optimal to use a weight that’s light enough to do a set of at least 8 reps with but heavy enough that you can't easily do more than 10 reps [1, 2]. This range of 8 to 10 reps means it's fine if you stop at 8, 9, or 10 reps in any set. Go as high as you can while stopping one rep short of the maximum you feel you could do. Stopping one rep short…

Recent research has shown that progressing with 8-12 reps is not any more optimal for hypertrophy than progressing with 20-30 reps (what people would normally think of as developing "muscular endurance"). The difference in practicing 8-12 reps is increasing strength as well, i.e., participants doing 20-30 reps didn't see significant increases in their 1RMs (despite muscle growth) while those doing 8-12 reps did.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#102

Post by mlvljr » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:33 PM UTC

yakster wrote: post #9

There is a lot of useful advice in that article. However, I am always made weary by people's use of term "muscle growth." What is typically perceived and dubbed as muscle growth is actually simply muscle cells retaining water and sugar as fuels to help accommodate the ongoing increase in physical activity. That is what anyone who begins training observes in the first few months. Think of this as a simple increase in…

finally, a decent comment;

one thing one can notice over years is -- once you've actually added MORE cells, it's pretty easy to pump them with blood / whatever and make look puffy, eveen after years of no training :)

Re: How to Build Muscle

#103

Post by jodrellblank » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:33 PM UTC

douche wrote: post #18

jacques_chester wrote: post #5

Unsurprisingly, there is what looks like a paywall / call-to-spam at the end of the 2nd page. For those who want a non-engineer's guide, I cannot recommend strengtheory.com enough. Greg Nuckols is legitimately strong and legitimately up to date with the research. I'm also struck the idiosyncratic exercise selection. For most beginners a boring group of barbell exercises and a flourish of bicep curls and pullups will…

I haven't found anything easier to get started with and stick with than the 5x5 program. Squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead press and rows to work the major muscle groups. Start light and build up slowly and steadily. Although my strength-building workout of choice has always been sawing, splitting and stacking firewood. Talk about building functional strength...

That's the basis of the http://www.shovelglove.com/ workout - take a sledgehammer as a weight, and do labor-equivalent motions with it.

Shovelling, splitting wood, rowing, churning butter, harvesting food, etc.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#104

Post by jsonmez » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:43 PM UTC

LOL. Just LOL. I hate to be negative. But look at author. Look at his pictures. He's got no clue what it really takes or what he is taking about. Not bad advice, but not great. I've spent 20 years building my physique (http://YouTube.com/simpleprogrammer) and I can tell you that no one has it "figured out." I have learned one thing for sure though. Never trust someone who doesn't look much better than you do.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#105

Post by z3t4 » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:43 PM UTC

on your first day at the gym, do the exersises without any weigt on, then on second day do them with half the weigt, or you will be so sore you dont want to go back. Your body will adapt quickly thoug, after ten sessions it will start to feel nice.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#106

Post by joeyspn » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:45 PM UTC

dragandj wrote: post #23

The only thing worse than no knowledge is just a little knowledge. Although I've always been a "geek" I am into sports since high school - so it is now more than 20 years. Maybe I was just lucky, but I always had good results, even in the era when internet was not there for the information. Never had to take any supplements, and the results were just right. I won't bother you giving advice, because: 1. Everyone's bod…

> You have to build the habit of working out from now on for the rest of your life if you want the results to stay.

This. It's a lifestyle. There are no shortcuts or miracle plans. Just do it for fun and for the overall health benefits. The muscle will come as a nice side benefit.

> Although I've always been a "geek" I am into sports since high school

I've been also working out for 18 years now. It's odd that society still has this stereotype that the geek types don't do sports.

Funny anecdote: one of my best friends and training partner is an ex-professional olympic weightlifter (national team of my country). He's also very geeky and now that his elite sports life has ended is trying to launch web and mobile projects. Recently I have convinced him to start learning programming...

Re: How to Build Muscle

#107

Post by gaius » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

usaphp wrote: post #96

gaius wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At competitive levels the physiques of bodybuilders and powerlifters are VERY different.

Not really, bodybuilders tend to have less fat thus their muscles look bigger. Also Powerlifters lift heavier weights in big part due to a much better technique than bodybuilders. Saying that bodybuilder's muscles are just a junk of stored protein is wrong, they are strong, very strong

Of course they are strong, but they are different sports. A powerlifter would never "cut" before a competition, for example. A bodybuilder doesn't just want to be big, he or she is after a very specific, balanced physique. A powerlifter wants to be strong in the 3 big lifts and doesn't care about any ratios, etc etc.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#108

Post by yakster » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

jacques_chester wrote: post #52

yakster wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is a fact: If you do not have a proper hormonal background, you will not grow. I do not care what you eat, what you do to train, etc. Take a 6 year old girl, give her best workout routine, best nutrition, etc. And take a 16 year old man-youth. I guarantee you that he will grow muscle even if he eats mulch all day. Why? Hormonal background. > Actually, testosterone in males is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituit…

I can repurpose your argument to point out that it is unnecessarily reductive. Two subjects, one eats grass, one eats meat. Who grows more? Two subjects, one trains, one doesn't train. Who grows more? Two subjects, one is hormonally-responsive, one isn't. Who grows more? Two subjects, one is 8, one is 88. Who grows more? Two subjects, one starts with very many myofibrils, one doesn't. Who grows more? Two subjects, on…

> Two subjects, one eats grass, one eats meat. Who grows more?

Once again it depends on the hormonal background. I only eat raw fruits and vegetables. I assure you that I have plenty of muscle, endurance and strength. All of these were built on this diet.

> Two subjects, one trains, one doesn't train. Who grows more?

All things held equal and constant, the one who trains. You are missing my point. If hormones are there, you will literally build muscles from raising a coffee cup a few times.

> Two subjects, one is hormonally-responsive, one isn't. Who grows more?

This misses the point. We are no discussing how to get hormones to change from one state to another. We are discussing two different stationary hormonal backgrounds.

> Two subjects, one is 8, one is 88. Who grows more?

Once again, hormonal background. 8 year old will not grow muscle. He will have more growth hormone, but not testosterone. The former is responsible for growth but in a different sense which is akin to restoration.

> Two subjects, one is tall, the other is short. Who grows more?

Completely irrelevant.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#109

Post by rorykoehler » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

fixxer wrote: post #51

So far, after 20 years of competitive rowing and an office job, I've found the best advice for me is simply don't get injured, remain active (get out!), and cook more. All these fads might work (IF, keto, crossfit), but I think they mostly answer other questions than fitness or health. People want to feel like they are getting results fast... That is rarely sustainable in my experience and observation.

Not getting injured is the one I have always struggled with. As you have correctly pointed out it is probably the most important thing you can do to keep fit. After 17 years of stop start I had gone from potentially world class athlete to unable to even do a sit up without agonizing pain. On the road to recovery again now (2.5 years in), hopefully for the last time.

This time I have invested heavily into medical help to solve the problem from the core and not just from the pain perspective. It seems to be paying off so far and I would recommend the course of action I have taken to anyone else suffering from back problems (severe scoliosis in my case due to office cave man exacerbating underlying imbalances from a serious accident). My regime is chiro, sports massage, a physical therapist who doesn't hold back when doing active release and core strengthening exercises once capable.

Also know when is enough. It took years to start listening to my body and to realize I couldn't train like I used to.

Re: How to Build Muscle

#110

Post by jsonmez » Sat, Oct 01, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

julianshapiro wrote: post #42

dragandj wrote: post #23

The only thing worse than no knowledge is just a little knowledge. Although I've always been a "geek" I am into sports since high school - so it is now more than 20 years. Maybe I was just lucky, but I always had good results, even in the era when internet was not there for the information. Never had to take any supplements, and the results were just right. I won't bother you giving advice, because: 1. Everyone's bod…

Author here. Happy to provide some thoughts on whatever you find to be crap.

You want to get the benefits of hard work without the hard work or time. You can't lift for 3 months, read a bunch of shit and try and sell a fitness product. You need to look the part. That means you have to put in the work and the time. Great start, but you don't even look like you lift weights at all. In 5 years you could have something. Your guide isn't bad, but until you look the part and have actually seen what it takes to develop a real physique, you can talk about the theoretical, but not the practical.