Starting a Muscle-Gain Program

[Sportsfan486]

Hey guys,

Well, I'm 20 years old, 6'0, about 175 pounds. Right now I'm thin and pretty weak aka out of shape. I'm trying to build muscle and get myself into shape I can be proud of.

I'm trying to develop a diet and free-weight plan that gives me the best chance of success.

Right now my planned diet looks something like...

Early Morning = 2 bowls cereal w/ milk, 1 banana,

Mid-Morning = 1 bowl of oatmeal, 2 eggs

Lunch = 1 protein powder, .5 chicken breast, .5 carrot, .5 cup brown rice

Early Dinner = .5 chicken breast, 2 slices/portions of cheese, .5 carrot, .5 cup brown rice

Either between lunch/dinner or between dinner/late dinner depending on day= 1 can tuna, 2 bags sunflower seeds

Late Dinner = 1 can tuna, .5 carrot, 1 protein powder

I work and go to school full time with a commute, so eating on the same schedule daily is completely impossible but I do the best I can.

For exercising, I plan on hitting the gym on Sunday, Tue or Wed, and Friday and on those days I'll move my nearest meal + second protein powder to immediately after.

At the gym I do a short warmup of 3-4 min of running followed byh stretching and then 2/20 raised leg Crunches and Knee Tucks. Then my weight lifting is all 3 sets of 12/10/8 reps with, in order, Chest Presses, Arm Curl, Lat Row, Shoulder Press, Tricep Pushdowns, and Squats, each with the most weight I can use and still complete the reps. I finish with 2/20 more raised leg crunches and knee tucks and then a cooldown 3-4 jog.

How does that sound as far as a plan? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'm new to this and I really want to be successful, I'm tired of being out of shape.

 

[theleip]

Well you are certainly on the right track and got a good start and base of knowledge. I would throw in protein in that first meal though for starters. Protein first thing in the morning is very important with those good complex carbs.

If going the full body workout route i would up the bar a little. Take out the Tri Pushdowns and put in Dips instead. Also add Deadlifts as there is no lower back work there and they are king. I would not do the stretching before the workout but after as well. Some specific movements patterns or dynamic stretches would be okay (like weightless squats and walking lunges) but if static stretching save that for the end when cooling down. Just a few suggestions, but again not a bad start, can see you have done your research.

Good Luck.