Bulking Up FAQ

Acronyms and lingo used in this FAQ and board:

Reps: Repetitions. The number of times you repeat the movements of an exercise in a set.
Set: The number of reps done consecutively between breaks (1 set of 8 reps; 2 sets of 12 reps each etc.).
Compound: An exercise that trains a whole group of muscles.
Isolation: An exercise that mainly trains one muscle.
DOMS: Short for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which is the soreness you experience a day or two after working out.
Split: Dividing your workout between muscle groups (back, legs, arms, upper body, lower body etc.)
Resistance training: Training with weights or bodyweight to make your muscles stronger / bigger.
Overtraining: Training too much.

I want muscles (or I want to bulk up), what should I do?

You should watch this video on bulking up or read this article on bulking up.

Can lifting weights stunt my growth?

No. For an explanation read about weightlifting and stunted growth.

What equipment do I need?

In the beginning your body, a place to do pull-ups and whatever you require for cardio (shoes, rope etc.) will suffice. Later you should at least add a pair of dumbbells. Have a look at home bodybuilding equipment.

What exercises do I need to do and when?

First of all find out your fitness level: Can you do 30 push-ups with good form (2 seconds up, 2 seconds down) and 7 pull-ups without kicking or swinging?
If no, and you are under 17, start with this workout.
If no, and you are older than 17, start out with this plan.
If yes, and you are under 17, this schedule should work best for you.
If yes, and you are older than 17, have a look at this plan.

What if I'm more interested in powerlifting?

Then create your own workout routine with help from this excellent posting.
Or take a look at 21 workout routines.
If you are a teen, please read about teens and heavy lifting

I don't have a pull-up bar (or place) to do pull-ups. How can I replace them?

You can't, because pull-ups are essential for a strong back. You can get a door-mounted pull-up bar and if that is not an option, get creative: A strong branch on a tree, a pipe in the basement or one of those steel structures on playgrounds can all be used for pull-ups. See this article for various alternatives.

But I can't even do a single pull-up!

This excellent article explains how to increase your pullups.

Erm, I can't even really do a push-up!

No worries, start this excellent posting on pushups for the complete beginner or watch this video on pushups for beginners.

Everybody says a beginner needs to do squats!

Squats are a great mass-building, compound exercise that work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, core while enlisting many smaller stabilizing muscles as well but squats are not for everyone.

Can't I just start with the intermediate / advanced workout?

No, because your body has to be conditioned to resistance training first. Have a look at this thread.

So when should I switch to the intermediate / teen workout plan?

Rule of thumb is once you are able to fulfill the above two requirements. Most likely this will take about six months.

I do 50 (100, 500, 1000) dumbbell curls (crunches, lunges etc.) but I'm not getting stronger or bigger!

That's because your muscles need to work against increasing resistance (=weight) to keep growing. This video on how much weight to use explains.

So, how much progress (or how many lbs of muscle) can I expect to see in a year?

Between 5 and 10 lbs - the latter if you are one of the lucky few. From teenagers you often hear anecdotes about having gained 20 lbs in a year, but 15 of those were most likely part of the normal growth process. Also have a look at this chart and read this.

I am doing all I can, but I'm not getting sore.

Soreness (or DOMS) is just one indicator for a good workout. Please read about DOMS and pain.

How often should I change my routine?

If you are a beginner you can keep doing the beginner program without any changes until you reach those two requirements.
If you are intermediate every two months is a good rhythm; it gives your body a chance to work with the exercises you do and makes it easier for you to keep track of progress.

Can't I train my chest (legs, arms etc.) every day to get bigger sooner?

No, your muscles grow when they are resting. More on this right here.

Isnt more better? Dont I get bigger the more I work out?

Up to a point, yes, but be careful. Many bodybuilders are overtraining which results in sub-optimal gains.

My left abs (arm, leg, pec etc.) are bigger (smaller, stronger, looks different) than the other!

We all have a stronger (more dominant) side and nobody is really symmetrical, read about symmetry here.

I dont have time for good nutrition, is it really that important?

Yes! Good nutrition is just as important as the lifting of weights when it comes to gaining muscle mass! Please read the bodybuilding nutrition FAQ or about bodybuilding nutrition here. Of critical importance is your protein consumption, please read about bodybuilding and protein here.

^{Thanks to Mike and Magnus for contributing to this FAQ.}