Weight gaining "supplements"

[drauma7761]

well I’m sure there’s plenty of bodybuilders out on beyond so here i go. Hopefully some of you can enlighten me. I'm kind of a noob at this so bear with me.

A bunch of buddies are starting up on bsn Cellmass as well as bsn's no-xplode and really recomend it. I've been trying to gain more knowledge about all this stuff for quite a while now to see if it’s right for me. What exactly is in each of these products? I'm aware that bsn makes many products that enhance many aspects of the body. Which ones would be the most useful or keeping in mind that my main goal is weight gaining as well as strength training. I’ve been training for a strong 2-3 years and have gotten to the point where I feel that I’m ready to take the next step in terms of my "fitness". I'm not too concerned about body fat as i have no problems staying skinny lol.. To this point i have only been taking mass gainer. I've yet again hit another plateau and am trying to dig myself out of it ;)

I have (a LOT) of trouble gaining mass but am quite strong for my size. I guess my real goal is to pack on as much weight as possible (isn’t everyone’s?). The main question is for an ectomorphic body type like mine, which supplements would be the most useful for a relatively skinny guy like me. Which supplements should and shouldn’t be used in conjunction with each other for maximum results? I've found myself entering a whole new realm and am feeling completely lost. Also, creatine being one of the most widely debated bodybuilding enhancers, does it really work? I have a large concern over exactly how healthy this stuff is for you…

lol yes I have quite a few questions and I would appreciate all of your FRIENDLY input:guns:
any past experiences with products like no xplode, cellmass, nitrix etc are welcome
thanks a lot in advance.. the more details the better!

[al-ti2d]

i'm currently taking NO-Xplode... its basically just alot of caffeine lol. but it gives an extra energy boost for when you're lifting weights.
I have the same body type as you.. i'm really skinny.
I tried going on weight gainer (muscle juice) but i've found that your diet is the most important aspect of gaining weight. i've gone off of the muscle juice since it was 1. too sweet tasting, and made me wanna puke, and 2. eating more and eating constantly works better for me i find.
i am also stacking creatine with the nitric oxide... i've noticed some gains in my size and i have also found that i'm continuously increasing my weights that i lift each week. I'm overall satisfied with my creatine and nitric oxide. The type of creatine I'm using is Gaspari Nutrition's SizeOn.

I will warn you, however, that since I started taking these supplements... I've had to go to the bathroom 10x as much as I normally would.

[drauma7761]

^^yeah i had to go thru that piss every hour phase for the short period of time when i tried out creatine ethyl ester lol
i've heard that noxplode just gives energy boosts and the weight gaining aspect is really up to how much you put in at the gym when using it.. what exactly is nitric oxide?
i'm always afriad that you see mad results when your on the product but as soon as your off it you go back to square one.

[KRyn]

Stop taking any and all BSN products they are a fucking joke, currently I believe there is a class action law suite against them. They key to gaining weight is to keep your movements as heavy and compound as possible! Squats, Deadlifts, Bench, Presses all that good stuff. Also don't forget to eat, eat and eat some more. When I was bulking I was consuming a minimum of 5000kcal per day of anything I could get my hands on. My next bulk I want to shoot for about 7500kcal a day and really put on some mass.

As far as supplements go pick up some weight gainer *I like Muscle Juice*, a multi vitamin, creatine, fish oils and a Whey protein. I stay away from Whey Isolates as I believe they are a rip off, paying an extra 10-50$ a tub is stupid. Remember to drink lots of water, I was getting around 4L a day. Green tea is great to as Drak will tell you. I like to get at least 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight, more is better. It's also important to make sure you are giving your self enough time to rest in between workouts. Last note that it's not possible to put on lots of mass and stay very very lean. You can do one or the other i.e gain mass or lose body fat.

If you find you have stopped gaining weight it's simply because you are not eating enough. Switch up your routine every 4-6weeks as well.

What does your current training schedule look like?

[MSP Kirk]

+1 Couldn't have said it better myself.


Originally posted by KRyn
Stop taking any and all BSN products they are a fucking joke, currently I believe there is a class action law suite against them. They key to gaining weight is to keep your movements as heavy and compound as possible! Squats, Deadlifts, Bench, Presses all that good stuff. Also don't forget to eat, eat and eat some more. When I was bulking I was consuming a minimum of 5000kcal per day of anything I could get my hands on. My next bulk I want to shoot for about 7500kcal a day and really put on some mass.

As far as supplements go pick up some weight gainer *I like Muscle Juice*, a multi vitamin, creatine, fish oils and a Whey protein. I stay away from Whey Isolates as I believe they are a rip off, paying an extra 10-50$ a tub is stupid. Remember to drink lots of water, I was getting around 4L a day. Green tea is great to as Drak will tell you. I like to get at least 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight, more is better. It's also important to make sure you are giving your self enough time to rest in between workouts. Last note that it's not possible to put on lots of mass and stay very very lean. You can do one or the other i.e gain mass or lose body fat.

If you find you have stopped gaining weight it's simply because you are not eating enough. Switch up your routine every 4-6weeks as well.

What does your current training schedule look like?

[Oz-]

To continue on what KRyn mentioned, don't just up the amount of caloric intake of your diet. 5000KCal is great, but if its all twinkies then what is the point? You want muscle growth and try to eat a ton of protein, break the amount of caloric intake down into the marco nutrient levels you want to hit (fat/carb/protein) and try to hit them by eating whole foods.

The biggest mistake people make going up or down the scale is to live off supplements. Eat the whole foods and use that "mass gainer" or whey shake to put you up to the macro nutrient level for the day. If you are putting on weight, put it on as clean weight, easier to lean out the extra bf when you are already close.

Change up your routine also, stick to the big muscle group lifts. It might sound weird, but if you want arm development then don't ever stop squatting.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Oz-
Change up your routine also, stick to the big muscle group lifts. It might sound weird, but if you want arm development then don't ever stop squatting.

I agree that squats are the best way to gain weight and improve core strength but how do you figure it aids arm developement?

[civic_rida]

KRyn your puttin down bsn products but yet your suggesting to use muscle juice. Weight gainers suck its what skinny kids take to feel big.

heavyD its like the saying goes train your legs to make your arms grow.

[KRyn]

You are an idiot civic_rida, first of all BSN doesn't make Muscle Juice. Second to gain weight you need to have a surplus of calories over what you use in a day. Most people who are not body builders will have trouble getting enough calories. Weight gainer is a cheap and effective way to make up needed calories.
I don't even understand why you bother to post in this thread. You posted nothing of any importance. I don't understand how drinking weight gainer makes skinny kids feel big?

Oz- by the sounds of it this kid is an ectomorph, he can afford to eat 5000kcal of crap a day and still manage to stay under 15% BF! :nut:

[drauma7761]

mhh well normally i have a short 5 day rotation and i have been going everyday for quite some time now. I hear from a lot of people that i go too often and dont rest enough but i have a lot of time on my hands lol

this is what it looks like pretty simple :P
day1 Bicep Back Traps & Lats
day2 Abs
day3 Triceps & Shoulders
day4 Legs
day5 Chest & Forearms/Wrists

[Oz-]

Originally posted by heavyD


I agree that squats are the best way to gain weight and improve core strength but how do you figure it aids arm developement?

Here is an article by Charles Poliquin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Poliquin) talking about arm measurements, but please take note of the bolded section. This is just a start and an article that I could quickly remember about arm development and how it ties to overall body mass.



The Truth About Bodybuilding Arm Measurements
by Charles Poliquin

When Johnny Weismuller — the first screen Tarzan — first swung across movie theater screens, he was considered to be very muscular. Kids all over the country beat their chests, bellowed their Tarzan cries, and dreamed of building up their arms to look like the apeman's. Too bad his upper arm measurement was a paltry 15 inches in circumference.

Personally, I remember as a kid watching Charles Bronson in a movie called "Cold Sweat." He wore a T-shirt that would've even been tight on Woody Allen, and I remember being awestruck by his muscularity. Now, when I think about that movie, I realize that his arms were probably about 11 or 12 inches around. Nowadays, even six-year-old kids know that a big arm has to be at least 20 inches.

Bodybuilders have always been obsessed with arm size, but even the general public seems to recognize an impressive pair of guns when they see them, and maybe it has something to do with those old movies that we used to watch. I mean, most people wouldn't recognize a well-developed chest or pair of legs if they were on anyone else other than Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch, or the girl next-door who tanned in that little bikini that we could just barely see if we crawled under the hedges and peeked through the little knothole in the fence.

Somehow, arm measurement commands respect. I remember meeting with the Mighty Ducks hockey team and, although some of the players were attentive to what I had to say, others obviously weren't impressed. It wasn't until one of them asked me to show my biceps that they all started listening. After that, I attained immediate status among them, and many of them practically asked me to move in with them and/or date their sisters.

Maybe it's because of the obsession with arm measurement that so many bodybuilders flat-out lie about them. Most arm measurements in the bodybuilding world are so exaggerated, they make Wilt Chamberlain's claims about his sexual conquests seem kind of tame.

If you look at most Weider publications, 20-inch arms are within the grasp of just about anybody who can afford his supplements, and 22-inch arms are about a dime a dozen in the IFBB pro circuit. However, take it from me — this is far from the truth. As the old saying goes, don't piss on my leg and tell me that it's raining.

One of the first authors to tell the truth about bodybuilding measurements was Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones. He published the real arm measurements of elite bodybuilders like Casey Viator, Mike Mentzer, Sergio Oliva, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In "The Nautilus Book, Volume II," Jones recounts that the most muscular arm he ever measured was that of Sergio Oliva. At 20-1/8 inches, Sergio's arms literally dwarfed his head, making him appear the target of some weird, voodoo curse. However, the book was published in the early '70s. Since then, the average bodybuilder has "evolved" considerably, mostly thanks to improvements in nutrition, training methodologies, and — how shall I put it? — "recuperative" methods which come in little bottles that are sold by guys in trench coats and named Guido.

In general, improvements in arm measurement are related to gains in lean body mass. A good rule of thumb is that for every inch you want to gain on your arms, you need to gain roughly 15 pounds of equally distributed body mass. In other words, to make significant improvements in your arms, you have to gain mass all over your entire body.

The human body is a finely-tuned machine that will only allow for a certain amount of asymmetry. Therefore, if you devote your training energies solely to building big arms, you'd eventually reach a point of total stagnation because you weren't training your legs. In other words, no wheels, no wings! Furthermore, if arms grew without some sort of concurrent development in the legs, most bodybuilders would have to walk on their hands.

There are some interesting correlations and relationships when you compare bodybuilders' heights, weights, and arm measurements. For instance, a 5'7" tall bodybuilder who weighs 214 pounds and has a bodyfat percentage of 8% should have arm development between 19-1/4 and 19-5/8 inches. Yet many of these same individuals will claim to have arms that are over 21 inches, a measurement that's quite rare, regardless of height and bodyweight.

I've personally measured the arms of the hulking individuals listed below. All of them had placed in the top eight of a recent show, and the measurements were taken about ten days after the show, presumably when they were at their biggest from all of the post-competition carbs ingested.

Bodybuilder A
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 286 pounds
Cold arm measurement: 20.62"

Bodybuilder B
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 228 pounds
Cold arm measurement: 20.25"

Bodybuilder C
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 214 pounds
Cold arm measurement: 19.62"

Bodybuilder D
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 258 pounds
Cold arm measurement: 18.9"

If I published pictures of these bodybuilders, you'd see that Bodybuilders A and D were famous for their leg development, while Bodybuilders B and C sported larger arms in relation to their lower bodies, which were still quite well-developed by any standard.

Bodybuilder B, though, had the highest ponderal index (weight/height), so his arms were enormous in comparison to all of the other bodybuilders. To put things in perspective, Bodybuilder A would need to weigh about 310 pounds to match the ponderal index of Bodybuilder B.

Let's say that you weigh 176 pounds and stand 5'8" tall. Assuming that your bodyfat is below 10%, your arm should measure roughly 16 inches. If you've calculated it to be 20 inches, you've probably done one of the following things:

• Added the sum of both arm measurements.
• Added your age to your arm measurement.
• Suffered from delusions of grandeur and refused to see that your arm is really an inflated piece of licorice.

If you've done none of these things and still insist that your guns are 20 inches or bigger, you'd better start walking on your hands — your symmetry is bizarre, at best, and such big arms must create an enormous amount of stress on your traps and spine!

Anyhow, the Olympian who keeps bragging about his arms having been over 22 inches (in fact, I think that he may have won an Olympia, or maybe two, or seven) is, in fact, pissing mighty rivers down your leg and insisting that the mother of all rain storms is upon you. At 6'1" tall, this Olympian would have had to weigh about 308 pounds for his arms to be even close to 22 inches around. However, his competition weight was roughly 235 pounds. Of course, maybe his bodyfat was minus 15%...


Measurement Goals

When you first started lifting weights, no doubt your initial goal was to fill up the sleeve of your T-shirt so that when the wind blew, all of that flapping cloth wouldn't inadvertently signal fighter planes to take off. As you grew more experienced, you probably set some concrete goals for yourself.

Traditionally, there have been three different methods for estimating arm growth potential. The first two are wrong:

1) Your arm should be a certain multiple of your wrist measurement (I can't remember what the exact multiple or factor is anymore, but trust me, it doesn't matter). This is what antiquated authors like Stuart McRobert recommend. In practice, it just doesn't work.

For example, if I applied this theory to my own arm development, my arms should never have grown to their present size. Obviously, they did. But it shouldn't have been possible, given my wrist measurement. If I'd taken this advice seriously, I would've psychologically sabotaged my arm development. If I believed that it was limited to a certain amount, based on this silly equation, my arms probably would've stopped growing long ago.

2) Your arms should be a certain number of inches above and beyond your wrist measurement. This advice has long been propagated by bodybuilding authors like Bradley J. Steiner who, with the exception of "my house is on fire," really hasn't said anything new since 1968.

Some authors would say that a realistic goal of arm development is ten inches over your wrist measurement. Again, had I taken this advice to heart, it would've given me an arm measurement of 17 inches, again shortchanging my potential.

3) Your arm size should reflect your ponderal index (how much muscle mass you have for your height). In my opinion, this is the best approach, as it takes into account that arm size is a byproduct of overall mass gains.

Genetic factors play a big part in arm potential. If you come from a family whose members all resemble comedian JJ Walker, chances are that you'll never really have arms that serve as shade for small forest animals.

Generally, three genetic factors ultimately determine arm growth potential:

1) Number of muscle cells
A Canadian study of elite bodybuilders revealed that those bodybuilders with the greatest amount of cells are, in fact, the ones who normally achieve the largest cross-sections of muscle.

2) Length of muscle belly
The lower a muscle inserts (the closer to the elbow joint), the greater its potential for hypertrophy. Just look at Larry Scott's biceps compared to Franco Columbo's biceps. Larry's have a very low insertion point, which gave him great potential for arm growth. Columbo's insertion was relatively high, but his lats inserted very low — and that, of course, was his most famous bodypart.

3) Hormonal make-up
This is obviously the easiest one to circumvent, and that's why steroids are so popular with the genetically challenged.

Regardless of your particular genetic limitation (if you have any), don't simply resign yourself to fate and accept that you'll never have big arms. Anyone, with the proper knowledge in hand, can expect to gain a significant amount of overall muscle — and that, of course, will translate into arm mass.


How to Take Measurements

If you're really going to get serious about developing your arms, you should periodically take measurements to allow you to gauge your progress. For instance, you should definitely take some measurements before you begin a serious arm-training program.

To be accurate, always take your arm measurements "cold" or, in other words, in an unpumped condition. Furthermore, always measure your arms at the same time of day, and in the same state of hydration. It may be initially damaging to your ego, but perhaps that will give you the added impetus to train harder.

The most accurate measurements are done with a flexible steel tape attached to a tension measuring device. Kinesiologists call this a Gullick tape. It allows you to always take measurements with the same degree of tension on the tape, ensuring that your measurements are accurate and not influenced by wishful thinking.

It's also a good idea to let someone else take the measurement for you so that you're not tempted to stick a finger under the tape.

To take accurate measurements, position your upper arm so that it's parallel to the floor, with the elbow pointing directly ahead of you. Measure the arm at its greatest girth, which should be at the peak of the biceps. Make sure that the "circle" formed by the tape is perpendicular to the ground.

The most accurate measurements are, of course, taken by kinesiologists who specialize in kinanthropometry. But if you're conscientious about how you do it, you can get very accurate measurements.

As far as the frequency of measurements, some bodybuilders are so compulsive that they measure their arms every morning. Take my word for it, that method will only lead to anxiety. Arms don't grow on a linear basis — rather, they grow in spurts.

I remember having a conversation with a bodybuilder who was obsessed with improving his pitiful calves which, truthfully, would've looked more at home on a pigeon. As a result, he measured them five times a day. He asked me if I thought that he was too compulsive. I assured him that he wasn't but, at the same time, I cautiously suggested that he double his intake of St. John's Wort and invest in a straitjacket. Similarly, measuring your arms every day will only drive you and everyone around you insane.

From an empirical standpoint, increases in arm size are correlated to progressions in arm-training poundages. Therefore, I recommend that you only take measurements 48 hours after hitting a previously determined arm-training poundage goal. Or, have measurements taken every six weeks by a kinesiologist familiar with kinanthropometry.

Although measurements may seem like an exercise in vanity, they provide a good yardstick (or, in this case, tape measure) of progress and may help spur on your training.

Editor's note: Charles is just putting the finishing touches on his new arm-training book and video. With any luck, both should be available within six weeks or so.

[Darkane]

Poliquin FTW.

But seriously OP.. I bet you eat like a chick. Log everything on here:

www.fitday.com

If it's under 3000 calories, you eat like a girl son.

Even for extreme ecto's gaining weight is possible. I highly doubt you fall into that small Minority.

Canadain nutritional guide reccomends eating 2000cals/d. I cut on 2400 hahah.

I'll chime in more late, KRyn and Oz got er..

[j.ng-]

i am also interested in what products would assist the most in terms of weight gaining for a "hardgainer" like me.
Does anyone know if bsn's nitrix contains creatine?
anyone have any experience with cellmass?

[dj_rice]

I dunno if the website is fucked up but heres a site with FREE Nutrisport Atlas Weight Gainer..sign up and wait a few weeks to see if it actually sends...5KG worth, in fact the whole line of Nutrisport products are $0.00


http://www.sporting-supplements.com/product_info.php?products_id=2016

[drauma7761]

Originally posted by dj_rice
I dunno if the website is fucked up but heres a site with FREE Nutrisport Atlas Weight Gainer..sign up and wait a few weeks to see if it actually sends...5KG worth, in fact the whole line of Nutrisport products are $0.00


http://www.sporting-supplements.com/product_info.php?products_id=2016

I'm not concerned about getting free weight gainer has i have a large amount at home already. so i guess theres no beefy bodybuilders out on beyond that can help me out :rolleyes:

[MaDpOo]

Originally posted by dj_rice
I dunno if the website is fucked up but heres a site with FREE Nutrisport Atlas Weight Gainer..sign up and wait a few weeks to see if it actually sends...5KG worth, in fact the whole line of Nutrisport products are $0.00


http://www.sporting-supplements.com/product_info.php?products_id=2016

ehhh this website looks sketchy... lol anyone try it?

[TravisD62]

dude, straight up f*ck bsn and all that other muscletech stuff.
the only supplements worth spending money on are protein,
amino acid's, a multi vitamin, and creatine. no-xplode is nice for
an energy burst, but if you're crashing at the gym. you should
supplement that with more sleep rather than a massive caffeine
rush. another thing, not all weight gainers are bad, i'm a huge fan
of cytogainer. difference between that, and muscle juice is i believe
musclejuice had like 26grams of sugar per serving? while my cytogainer
has only 6. takes away alot of the nasty taste, bloating, and sick
useless calories. if you have really deep pockets go ahead and buy
all the other stuff, but IMO all they're good for is wasting your paychecks.

[GQBalla]

i dont find anything wrong with whey isolate to me it is better tasting and im not taking such a crazy ass shit when i drink it compared to just whey but thats just me.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by MaDpOo


ehhh this website looks sketchy... lol anyone try it?


I've signed up and my order has been confirmed but I highly doubt it'll arrive ....

[KRyn]

We told you what you wanted to know.. What else are you looking to get/know?

[Oz-]

Originally posted by KRyn
We told you what you wanted to know.. What else are you looking to get/know?

Everything he wants to know is available for free, just needs to take the time into researching it himself. Not much more we can say.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by Oz-


Everything he wants to know is available for free, just needs to take the time into researching it himself. Not much more we can say.

What he wanted was someone to give him the miracle supp. People don't understand about eating right and sleeping/deloading. Oh well more knowledge for us :D

[drauma7761]

believe me i've done a lot of research on this stuff
but with all the variety of reviews about each product its hard to know who to trust. I see reviews saying the product is absolute gold then the next one says its garbage
I guess you just have to try it on your own and hope for the best..

[Oz-]

Originally posted by drauma7761
believe me i've done a lot of research on this stuff
but with all the variety of reviews about each product its hard to know who to trust. I see reviews saying the product is absolute gold then the next one says its garbage
I guess you just have to try it on your own and hope for the best..

Forget about products, get back to the basics. Darkane mentioned it earlier in this thread...track what you are eating. You are likely eating like a girl. Find out what your Caloric intake is and then what the macro nutrient breakdown (fat/carb/protein) is. That is your starting point.

As for the BSN cell mass, look at the product breakdown. CEE, L-Glutamine, and some other odds/ends. Why pay for the advertising of BSN? Why not just get those on their own and adjust your intake to what suits you.

[kerry]

www.steroidology.com has all of the answers you seek for the "supplements" :thumbsup:

But really... listen to what Darkane has to say on this subject. I have not much mass building knowledge but he sure does.

[Darkane]

Drauma7761,

What I was trying to say earlier is it seems to me you're looking for a supplement to make you gain mass because you're stalled. Alright that is fine.

This is what I'm offering: Go to www.fitday.com and log everything you eat in a day so you, Me, and everyone else in this thread can help you.

Most lifters stall because something is not in check, not because they're not talking the "best" supplement. Bulking is as simple as Calories in Vs Calories out. Have a greater quantity in and you're gaining mass. Pretty simple huh?

The whole fitday thing is to track the calories, tweak what you eat (for cleanliness, not dense calories like fast food) and adjust it. Fill it out for 3 days, record everything.

At this level we know for sure you're not putting on mass. Up Intake by 400 calories (fairly aggressive). See where that puts you in two weeks. If nothing, go another 200. etc.

The first 400 will most likely need to be protein.

Just a quick breakdown:

1g protein = 4 calories
1g carb = 4 calories
1g fat = 9 calories

Fiber does NOT count toward daily carbs.

Eg: Medium apple has 22 carbs, and 5 fiber = 17 NET carbs. Fitday figures this out for you.

Assuming your routine is in Check to, give that a shot. If you're routine needs help do this, and DON'T change a single thing (aside from eating):

Taken From Iron Addicts,

Here is a routine a LARGE percentage of the lifters here could make great gains doing.

Monday
Squat or box squat 2 x 5
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10
Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15

Wednesday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10

Friday
Deadlift or rack deadlift 2 x 5
Leg press 2 x 10
Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15

Monday
Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10 Monday

Wednesday
Squat or box squat 2 x 5
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10
Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15

Friday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10

Sets are NOT taken to failure, at least 1 rep short, or to the point RIGHT before form starts to break down. If you do not recover well, reduce 1 set from each of the lifts.

Rotate the lifts to something else every 4-8 weeks or whenever a lift stalls.

[Oz-]

As mentioned about the diet log that, but also log everything you do in the gym. This will help you go back and get a sample of 4-8 weeks worth of lifting, this is to find your indicators. What worked and what didn't.

[BlkMaxima]

Lots of protein.

[scboss]

im 6'2 and i used to weigh 163 when i first started working out. All i did was eat healthy all the time and drink mucle juice protein, as of today i am 182. Just stay consistant with your routine eat lots you will gain