Good exercise programs or video workouts for weight gain and tone?

[Anonymous]

I'm already in good shape pretty good shape, but I want to get some tone and thicken up a little. I recently started doing P90X but I heard it isn't the best for weight gain, but I'm sure it will improve my overall health and quality of life. I can't afford a personal trainer and don't have to time nor the interest in counting calories or adhering to some special diet, but I eat a pretty balanced diet already.

So what are good workouts for weight gain, that I could do on the cheap? What about Crossfit? I don't know much about it but I was in the Marines, and a lot of the exercises seem similar.

[Theguyoverthere]

A lot of programs include cardio and such because they appeal to overweight people who don't realize that losing weight and gaining muscle at the same time is really tough to pull off.

If you want to lose weight you need a calorie deficit and if you want to gain weight you want a caloric surplus. I recommend weight training with weight gainer. I've been doing it for the past year on a "push pull leg" split at the gym.

If you can't afford a personal trainer I need to ask you if you have gym access. If you don't, lookup a bunch of bodyweight exercises for home. Otherwise, I honestly recommend even a simple planet fitness membership. I got a lot of results at planet fitness alone before changing gyms.

[martyfellow]

Any gym you join will include free sessions with their staff personal trainers. Trying to 'wing it' on your own isn't likely to work once you are at a fairly high level of fitness overall, as in your case.

There are loads of videos and books, but you probably need a program tailored to your level of fitness, your time schedule, and your personal goals. Try to see what you can get for free from any gym.

[Asker]

I just got out of the Marine Corps, so yeah, my fitness level is fairly high. And believe it or not, I've been to a gym a few times. The gym just isn't an obsession.

[martyfellow]

Most gyms give members a few free or very cheap personal training sessions.

I doubt you are going to get much help from videos or books..you need someone to work with you one-on-one!

[iPood]

You need to lift heavy weight to gain mass. Look into starting strength or strong lifts 5x5

[kheserthorpe]

Those are a little more endurance focused then would be ideal for mass gaining.

You can do heavy strength work body weight but you have to adjust the actual exercises. If you want details message me.

You also need to be eating above caloric maintenance to gain mass

[kidthekid]

You can't just put on muscle by lifting heavy by itself. Infact, what you eat and when you eat is actually significantly more important for gaining muscle than the weight lifting itself. you need to spread out your meals and snacks through out the day so your metabolic window never closes. If you want an exercise program geared toward people that only want to gain muscle and not loosing weight, then look up this program called V-shred.

[Anonymous]

Insanity is pretty good.