I'm about to get back into lifting again (As soon as my tax return comes in so I can afford a gym membership.)
Here's a quick history on my past workout experience:
I started lifiting weights at around 14 as a chubby kid with little muscle mass at all. I couldn't even bench press 100lbs. By the time I turned 16 or so I started experimenting with supplements (yes supplements....I never touched a steroid). I started taking creatine and protein and ephedra based fat burners. By the time I was 17 I was180 lbs and Icould bench press 315 for 3 reps. I used to go over 700 on leg press. My biceps were about 19" after they were pumped up from a workout -I could fairly easily curl a 65 lb dumbell in one hand.
The supplements that returned the best results for me were made by MuscleTech - I took Cell Tech and Nitro Tech for strength. i would take 1/2 dose of Cell Tech before workouts and the other 1/2 dose immediately after the workout. Sometimes I would take the whole dose after the workout instead of taking any before.I would take Nitro Tech exactly an hour after working out (timing is important with protein.) I also experimented with Androstendione before the ban. I took other testosterone boosting supplements as well, but I can't remember which ones - that was quite a long time ago.
Now I am 24. I haven't been to a gym in over a year and a half. January 7 I weighed 241 lbs. I've been dieting and walking with my wife and baby. Last night I weighed 213.
When I start back working out I am going to be taking regular old creatine monohydrate cause it is much cheaper than Cell Tech currently is. I am going to mix it with white grape juice to get an insulin spike to help transport the creatine to my muscles. I will also be taking some form of Whey Protein and amino acids. I am also going to experiment with the new N.O. category of supplements - examples: Superpump 250, Fusion Force, N.O. Plasmacore, NOXplode - I'll probably try Superpump 250 first. These supplements are supposed to help you have more energy in the gym and create an incredible pump.
If I were in your shoes, here's what I would do:
First of all, make SURE you are eating enough. You probably need to be eating close to 3000 calories every day - especially looking at your line of work.
In the gym: do not do the same excercises over and over again. You have to change it up. I try to never do the exact same workout twice. Your body will get used to it and not respond. Let me know if I need to explain what i mean.
Get plenty of protein. make sure you drink a protein shake 1 hour after your workout
Try some cheap creatine monohydrate powder (pure creatine can be purchased for around $20 for 1000 grams from prosource.net) and mix it with white grape juice. take it immediately after working out. You can also tey taking 1/2 before working out and 1/2 after, or even during your workout.
Buy Muscle magazines and read up on the articles - this is how I learned almost everything I know about working out - that and The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwartzenegger (great book by the way.) My favorite magazine is Musclemag International -I currently have a subscription. There is also a forum on their website that I am a member of.
Give your body plenty of time to recover. You need to be getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Your muscles only grow when you are not using them - i.e. when you are asleep.

 

I lift weights four days a week in the morning, ride the elliptical for four hours a week and run 30+ miles a week (scheduled for 48 this week).

The Toughest Half Marathon in the West next weekend (the first 8.4 miles up hill, off road and the rest down hill) and a full next month.


Not bad for a guy who is 41 years old and weights over 200 lbs.

 

nice man, 30+ miles a week.... I gotta step it up.

As for Jkillacc02, just eat man. Theres a point in working out where your not gonna gain hardly any muscle unless you put on weight. This means you will have to gain some fat in order to gain muscle. I know it sounds weird but its true. My suggeston, order some weightgainer shakes from www.netrition.com, drink more milk, and overall just take in more calories. And dont be afraid to lose your abs because as i stated already, in order to gain muscle you have to also put on some fat in the process. Theres no way to only put on muscle mass. Just eat, eat, and eat. Be smart about what you eat too. No junk food, little sugar and low sodium. Im gonna start bulking again next week. I was at 205lbs on Feb. 25, now im down to 185lbs. I feel too skinny and im gonna bulk all the way to 220lbs. Would i like to keep the definition in my abs, etc? Yes, but i know they will grow as well with my other muscles during my bulk so the next time i cut, i will be even more ripped, defined...

If you put on 1lb a week, thats 13lbs in 3 months. Which im sure you can put on weight even faster than that. Just depends on your calorie intake compared to calories burned

 

yea true.. nice now i dont need to go out and buy some books or magazines lol.... well listen... i do pull in alot of calories and i do take that isopure mass. which ahs 35g of protein plus i eat alot of fruit.. and what not and yea thats true guess i gotta loose those abs and grow a mannnsss stomach and i got a girl so who am i impressing lol... this isnt any baywatch seen. anyway yea next week im going to start a new ruteine...and work diff parts of my body each day...and see how i do that way cause i dont feel any pain when i get home or the next day. And i was told NO PAIN NO GAIN. So next week starting out fresh like a fetus.

 

i run 3x a week and lift 3x a week. I was 250# at one point, got dow nto 170 when I was running marathons about 6 years ago, and since have put on a fair amount of muscle, and some fat as well, and am around 205. I'd prefer to be around 190. Something for me to work at.

 

i run 3x a week and lift 3x a week. I was 250# at one point, got dow nto 170 when I was running marathons about 6 years ago, and since have put on a fair amount of muscle, and some fat as well, and am around 205. I'd prefer to be around 190. Something for me to work at.

 

jkilla try this stuff called cellmass from BSN or superpump 250 drink it before and after your work out Im 6 foot and 185 lbs benching 250 and squatting 400 and I have abs you don't have to toatally lose your abs to gain mass i used to be 6 foot 160 lbs and only benching 180 and squatting 300 it took a year to get where i am but the weight came really quick with the cellmass from BSN just up your calorie.protien and amino acid intake and never stop working out one day of missing a work out is like not working out for three days same applies to running

 

Badadvice... Dont workout everyday. 3-5 times a week is plenty and in some cases too much. And Cellmass is crap. The only decent thing to come from BSN is N.O. Xplod. Im telling you, you need to up your calorie intake by drinking protein/weight gainer shakes. Its the easiest thing to do because its a lot easier to drink 800 calories than to eat 800 calories. Try Cytosport or Champion Nutrition weight gainer shakes. Ive tried both and they work well. Justmix one with milk(even more calories)in the morning and replace your breakfast with it. I did that and gained 30lbs. in 5 months last year.

 

^ dang that was kind of a rape.
I do agree that working out every single day is not a good idea (unless you are taking steroids.) You won't give your body enough time to recover. Only work 1 body part per week. I.e. - only work chest once a week. But when you do work each body part, go have got to work the crap out of it. My goal was for each body part to be sore for at least 3 days. That way I knew I worked it hard enough. The only time your muscles acutally grow is when they are resting.
As far as CellMass goes - I can't comment cause I've never tried it.