<p>I'm interested in hitting a gym and lifting for maybe an hour three or four days a week. I'm gonna go with a friend who knows what he's doing; if we bench, squat, work on biceps, triceps, abs, etc. how long will it be before the change is noticeable? I want to get in shape by the spring, and I want to know how long it'll take before I increase in size and gain more muscle if I decide to do an hour/4 days a week. Any ideas?</p>
<p>It''ll be about 3 months.</p>
<p>If you have never worked out before, you'll see a change fairly quickly. You'll immediately notice a difference in strength, and maybe in a month you'll start looking more built.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'd say you'll feel better pretty immediately, and in 4-6 weeks you'll look different. By Spring Break you probably won't be able to improve your strength much more, but you can maintain it. </p>
<p>Good for you for staying in shape! You've got twelve times more discipline than I do.</p>
<p>This depends entirely on your physique, body type, genetics, and etc. Even if you do actually follow a systematic routine, there's no specific time, I'd say if you haven't worked out before you'd see decent results within a few months, maybe 2~4.</p>
<p>What's your weight/height (and age)? If possible, do you know your current bodyfat %? This also depends whether you start as one of those spaghetti-armed 135lb nerds, or 260lb I'm so alpha obese ones.</p>
<p>An hour for 4 days/week is a decent amount, make sure you don't overload yourself. This sounds like you're just beginning to lift, so don't go too high on weight for the first few weeks if possible, definitely a couple days. I'm going to assume you're at least 15 and so high weight won't be too big of a problem, but it's generally good to start low weight high reps to get a feel for it. You can do the exercises in any order, but probably a couple sets at a time is a good idea with breaks between, rotating exercises. Find what's right for you; it's good that you have a couple friends to help you out.</p>
<p>Do you know your current bench, dead, and squat stats? I started lifting in freshman year for a couple months, then I stopped entirely and got more bodyfat, especially in the summer and I recently got over it and started lifting 2 months ago, back in shape. I'm at about 4x/5x a week. Keeping a buddy is nice, and definitely keep track of your stats, but don't overboard on it.</p>
<p>As for the diet, I can only say eat a lot - if you don't, it'll be difficult to gain muscle. A high focus on protein is especially nice, and if you want you could go for protein shakes, although I personally just eat a couple protein bars. You seem like you're going at the clean bulk, so you probably want to eat a bit more than usual, not overeating but probably not skipping meals, especially breakfast. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>If you're looking for muscular hypertrophy, which I presume you are, then do 3 sets of 8-12 reps for best results. Don't go too heavy from the start, though - you want to progress in weight.</p>
<p>pushups is the way to go</p>
<p>This also depends whether you start as one of those spaghetti-armed 135lb nerds</p>
<p>I love how that perfectly describes me. I feel so ashamed atm. I've been 135 since frosh year (and I'm a senior).</p>
<p>As a girl... swimmers' bodies are the way to go ;) Lean yet muscular. So yeah... swim XD</p>
<p>135? I wish! I'm 16 and I'm about 120. Hence me wanting to gain more muscle.</p>
<p>i swim competitively.</p>
<p>There is no way to gain muscle without a caloric excess, so eating big will be key to becoming more built.</p>
<p>Work out 3 days a week, do this for starters:</p>
<p>Do cardio or HIIT (google it) 3 days a week to minimize fat gain while bulking up.</p>
<p>A glass of milk within 30 minutes of a workout is the best for you too.
And it also depends how you lift, technique and so on.</p>
<p>Actually, a post workout shake of whey, dextrose, and maltodextrin mixed into water is best for protein absorption after working out.</p>
<p>Try Myoplex french vanilla... its yummy lol</p>
<p>Trust me, I had to gain weight for football and protein shakes after working out are the way to go.</p>
<p>If you're 120...and 16...wow, you have to seriously bulk up.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I love how that perfectly describes me. I feel so ashamed atm. I've been 135 since frosh year (and I'm a senior).
[/quote]
No hard feelings, dude. ;) </p>
<p>Depends how tall you are, but I was just referring to it in a bodybuilding, bulking sense - and I don't have anything proud to display myself, I'm only 150...</p>
<p>And I don't know how your weight remained constant for 4 years during high school, I think you went through puberty too early or didn't grow much. =/</p>
<p>5'8" and 140.
Oddly enough, I get compliments all the time. I'm guessing this is because I probably have about as little body fat as you can have and still survive haha. All 140 pounds is muscle, so even though I'm pretty light (and definitely not BIG), I'm cut.</p>
<p>I've tried gaining mass, but I just get more defined, not bulkier. It's the curse of my skinny body type <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>play water polo you don't need to lift. It gets you so toned and ripped. I don't lift and my pecs are bigger than most of the football players who bench a lot. Don't swim unless you want to get lean. When you go to gym make sure you don't work out the same muscle 2 days straight.</p>