Bodybuilders: Best way to build upper body muscle?

[ThatTallGuy]

I'm a super tall skinny 19yr old guy around 155lbs, I have like zero body fat so building muscle isn't too difficult for me. Well I just started a job recently where I do a lot of demo work (Taking apart houses down to the frame, very physical). My arms have gotten bigger as well as my abs getting more tone, and my legs have always been in good muscular shape.

My problem is upper body, specifically pecks and shoulders. I want to build mass there but so far no luck. When I go to the gym, I take a bottle of water with me that has powdered creatine diluted into it and drink I it throughout the workout.

My schedule is flexible enough to work around any kind of workout routine, so I would like any input on the best way for me to build up some muscle mass in my chest and shoulders! Any advice from diet, to workout routine, even to sleep schedule would be welcome.

Thanks!

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Eat more! I'm 160lbs and I'm 11 inches shorter than you. If you start lifting, which is what I'm going to suggest in just a minute, you're gonna have to eat A LOT more in order to gain muscle and get stronger.

You're also gonna have to lift more than just your chest and shoulders. Trust me, you'll want to look proportional. With that said:

Day 1: Bench Press 3 sets of 5. Barbell Rows 3 sets of 5

Day 2: Squat 3 sets of 5. Deadlift one set of 5

Day 3: REST

Day 4: Overhead Press 3 sets of 5. Barbell Rows 3 sets of 5

Day 5: Squat 3 sets of 5. Deadlift one set of 5

Day 6: Accessory lifts-- 6 sets of 10 for biceps, 9 sets of 10 for triceps

Day 7: Rest

^do this. Add 5lbs each time you're doing a workout again. E.g. Day 5 you should be lifting 5lbs more than Day 2. If not this, do Starting Strength OR Stronglifts 5x5. Do not do just whatever you feel like.. it never works out. It's smarter to have a program to follow and to keep you consistent. Again, eat A LOT more. Recovery requires rest, nutrition and intensity. So lift heavy, eat LOTS, and sleep a good amount as well.

After 3-6 months of getting your strength up THEN you can start doing a more bodybuilding focused routine (with more sets and reps to increase hypertrophy). But you have to build a foundation first, so you're benching at least 200lbs for reps and not a mere 100 and expecting size gains.

[That-Guy]

at my 24 hour, there's a guy there who was about 6'2 140 lbs which is damagingly skinny.

after about 2 years, I watched before my eyes a go who got up to 220 and looked great.. so I asked him and he told me this:

He ate everything, what normal people eat 3 meals, he eats double that. He stuck to a diet he found online to build mass and was at the gym 3-5 days a week.

I personally was on the chubby side before I started to work out so a lot of my fat turned into muscle fast but if I could offer any advice, switch your routines.

Go on some workout sites and follow someone's routine for one month, then, find another and do that person's for a month. The worst part of the gym is being bored and doing the same exercises.

[ThatTallGuy]

Nice, I weighed myself in at the gym like 3 weeks ago and I came in right over 6'6 at 150lbs. Would you consider that damagingly skinny? lol

[That-Guy]

Well... I mean, 6'6 is freaking tall and to be 150 is pretty boney.

Unfortunately for you, you have a hard time retaining mass meaning you need to do more work to gain weight.

of course... for me, if I don't keep exercising, I'll put on weight. The grass is always greener right?

So.. get to eating and working out!

[ThatTallGuy]

Well I'm certainly not anorexic or super-duper skinny. My bones don't pop out lol but I do have a hard time gaining weight. I have a decent amount of lean muscle mass and I think my body fat was just over 6% last time I got it checked. Definitely gotta get to the gym more though!

[Anonymous]

hey I have question..I notice that most super skinny girls are super calorie counters or eat really light..Is that the same for really skinny guys? Cause most guys I've noticed skinny or bigger tend to eat the same lol?

[ThatTallGuy]

Well my metabolism is ridiculously high, so I pretty much just eat as much as I can and it doesn't affect me. In fact I worked at McDonald's for like 3 years and I would literally eat there 3 or 4 times a day. I actually lost about 5 pounds over those years. So maybe when I get older I'll have to slow down and watch my diet, but not for now. I'm not one of those preppy stuck up high school chicks like on Mean Girls haha

[Opinion Owner]

lol I was just curious cause sometimes I wonder if guys go through that craziness girls usually have to do to keep their skinny body..their probably are guys that have to watch their diets to be super thin lol I think thin looks good tho with a little muscle so your lucky !

[livi23]

link That might help, I'm kind of clueless when it comes to getting muscle since I can't seem to get much myself :P

Good luck though :)

[Lj236]

Maybe you need to train with me ;p

[Xwtxx]

You can join the army. In basic training, you will gain around ten pounds. This is how a friend of my increase his muscles. Once finish basic, he used the gym regularly. Also, the food diet is different than he had as a civilian.

[ThatTallGuy]

Lol I'm not gonna join the army and change my carreer just to get buff...

[Anonymous]

Wide grip bench press.