Gym talk

Patrick Williams2 said:Sorry for bringing this thread back to life, but I need some advice. I’m 14, about 5'5", and weigh 120 lbs (but honestly, I've got like 20 lbs of fat on me). I'm actually pretty strong, but you wouldn't know it because of all this extra weight! I wrote down everything that stuntman recommended—the whole 6-meals-a-day thing—but since most of you guys are way older than me, is eating six times a day actually healthy?

btw, are there any specific exercises for glutes? I feel like mine are huge since my hips are around 38 inches.
I'm probably going to sign up for an MMA gym soon, so does all this fit into that plan?

NOPE.

Don't stress yourself out over fancy meal plans and complicated recipes. Just eat plenty of meat,😁 some eggs, maybe some bacon or sausage,😁 and obviously, hit the gym hard.
For example, I never dealt with any of those ridiculous diet gimmicks; I just ate whatever was served at the dinner table, and look at me now—108 kg of pure muscle with zero fat.☕

Well, I’ve been sitting here reading through everything, and I figured, why not toss my two cents into the ring too?

My schedule is a bit of a whirlwind. I work from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM, then I have to rush off to lectures... so there's this little two-hour gap in the middle somewhere
between hitting the campus dining hall... and heading to the gym three nights a week before I finally call it a day. By the time I get home, it's usually around 9:00 or 10:00 PM.

So, here is how the fuel breaks down: first thing in the morning before work, I'll grab half a serving;
then I eat at 8:00;
I eat again around 10:30;
around 12:30 is another meal (plus an amino supplement);
at 3:00 PM, I have a shake;
then 6:00 PM,
and finally 9:00 PM... which is dinner along with my aminos.

On the days when I'm really pushing myself in the weight room, I'll layer in creatine, L-glutamine, some carbs, protein—basically just doubling up on the shakes.

That's the routine, my friend.🙂

Honestly, looking at the world today, I don't think most people actually have the bandwidth for those super specialized, rigid diets. I mean, sure, some people pull it off, but they’re incredibly lucky when it comes to having the extra cash, the free time, and—most importantly—the sheer WILLPOWER!!! And hey, massive respect to them if they can do it.

As for me, I’m pretty happy with where I’m at. I'm strong and I've put on some size, even if I haven't quite carved out those perfect abs or reached the peak physique I'd like to see... but I suppose that'll come eventually, once life settles down and I find more time.

Are you kidding me right now?? You’re telling me dinner isn't until 9 PM, but then what is this nonsense at 6 PM????? That schedule is just plain stupid.
And honestly, you can ditch that whole "six small meals a day" thing and just stick to three—you just need to make sure you're actually eating enough during those sessions (make them actual, substantial meals).

It’s actually a pretty solid schedule. I mean, if you had scrolled through the whole thread, you might have picked up a bit more context on why we do this 😉
. You can't just smash three massive meals a day if your goal is putting on muscle mass. It's just not how the body works—you can't really digest everything you shove into your system during one giant sitting. That’s kind of why people advocate for smaller, more frequent meals; it ensures your body actually absorbs all those nutrients rather than just wasting them.

Here is a great resource that breaks down the whole thing... nutrition, training, supplements, the works
. I'd suggest starting with the introduction. Once you get through that, things should click much better, though honestly, you're probably a little too young to be stressing over this stuff right now. Just focus on eating more frequently, keep an eye on the quality of what you're eating, and, well, obviously hit the gym.

link

Just one simple question here. I’m looking for a straightforward answer, please: if my goal is to pack on some mass in my chest, what’s the absolute best machine to use at the gym, and more importantly, how do I actually do it right? Is it just the bench press? Surely there has to be something else besides the bench, right? Honestly, the barbell bench feels a bit clunky and awkward for me... thanks in advance for the help.