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Fed-up skinny guy - what KG weights are right to being with?

Hey TSR,

Basically, i have always been skinny and have a very fast metabolism. I'm fed up with being the skinny and want to bulk up, but just wanted some advice from anyone. If anyone has bulked up from being skinny could you share your story. :smile:

I'm thinking of buying a pair of weights. I just dont know what KG i should start with. What is better to do: less reps + very heavy weight, or loads of reps + average weight? I have done some weights in the past, but my top part of my spine and neck kept hurting. Think i could have been doing something wrong.. :/

I think a big problem is my metabolism. I have tried eating bad food to put on weight, but it doesnt do anything. I want to bulk up, without bulking up my veins with cholestrol from bad food. :P Any advice on slowing it down?

Cheers! :smile:

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Try doing 3 sets 10-12 reps with a average to low weight. Ease yourself into a routine, dont just start lighting the heaviest weights possible straight away. Cant remember what I started with tbh. My metabolism used to be quite slow, but has picked up a decent amount over the past few months.

Try to work different muscles each day. Day 1- Shoulders, Day 2 - Back and Bis, Day 3- Triceps and Chest, Day 4 - Legs/ Cardio.

Also try to eat loads of protien eg Chicken, Eggs, Tuna, Beef, Turkey, Nuts and drink milk.
Reply 2
student x
Hey TSR,

Basically, i have always been skinny and have a very fast metabolism. I'm fed up with being the skinny and want to bulk up, but just wanted some advice from anyone. If anyone has bulked up from being skinny could you share your story. :smile:

I'm thinking of buying a pair of weights. I just dont know what KG i should start with. What is better to do: less reps + very heavy weight, or loads of reps + average weight? I have done some weights in the past, but my top part of my spine and neck kept hurting. Think i could have been doing something wrong.. :/

I think a big problem is my metabolism. I have tried eating bad food to put on weight, but it doesnt do anything. I want to bulk up, without bulking up my veins with cholestrol from bad food. :P Any advice on slowing it down?

Cheers! :smile:

The ones your gym has. Unless you buy a powercage, a bench, an olympic barbell and at least 150kg worth of plates you're wasting your time with a home set-up.

As for gaining weight, just eat more and drink lots of milk.
well how tall n heavy are you =/
Reply 4
What's your diet like atm? What's your food and drink intake on a typical day?

If you want to get some weights, get some barbells, so you can change the weights on them
For bulking do 6-12 reps for 3-10 sets.
Don't use them really heavy at first, get used to them and make sure your technique is right first.
Reply 5
What weight is right to begin with - well for any given exercise your doing, the weight that you should start off on is the weight that when doing three sets of five reps, the 4th and 5th rep on the 3rd set are extremely hard to complete.
Reply 6
Kash:)
What's your diet like atm? What's your food and drink intake on a typical day?

If you want to get some weights, get some barbells, so you can change the weights on them
For bulking do 6-12 reps for 3-10 sets.
Don't use them really heavy at first, get used to them and make sure your technique is right first.


Correct! I see alot of people lifting more than i do, but the technique is probably more important than the weight itself. Slow and more of them is key also. If your new to id start with something like 5kg or less, so around 12-15 reps, break another set, break another set, switch arms and repeat.


Vary what you do also, different ways of lifting use different muscles, rowing is also quite good.
student x
Hey TSR,

Basically, i have always been skinny and have a very fast metabolism. I'm fed up with being the skinny and want to bulk up, but just wanted some advice from anyone. If anyone has bulked up from being skinny could you share your story. :smile:

I'm thinking of buying a pair of weights. I just dont know what KG i should start with. What is better to do: less reps + very heavy weight, or loads of reps + average weight? I have done some weights in the past, but my top part of my spine and neck kept hurting. Think i could have been doing something wrong.. :/

I think a big problem is my metabolism. I have tried eating bad food to put on weight, but it doesnt do anything. I want to bulk up, without bulking up my veins with cholestrol from bad food. :P Any advice on slowing it down?

Cheers! :smile:


I've bulked up from being very skinny, with a "fast metabolism". Here are some things you need to know:

To bulk up, you need to be dedicated. Buying dumbbells and eating a couple of extra chocolate bars each day is not enough. You need to live to eat and work out.

You need to sign up to the gym and start squatting and deadlifting. Anything less (ie. buying dumbbells for home) is a complete waste of time and money.

You need to eat LOTS. However much you think you're eating right now and failing to put on weight because of your metabolism, it's just not enough. Eat MORE.

Don't just eat unhealthy food. It doesn't work. As you're trying to bulk, eating junk to bump up your calories is fine, but your core meals need to be big, heavy, carb and protein meals. Eat lots of pasta, brown rice, oats, lentils, beans, and of course meat and dairy.
Reply 8
Kash:)

If you want to get some weights, get some barbells, so you can change the weights on them
For bulking do 6-12 reps for 3-10 sets.
Don't use them really heavy at first, get used to them and make sure your technique is right first.


3-10 sets isn't very specific? What would the amount of sets depend on?
Reply 9
That fast metabolism things ********, you just eat **** all.

About 60kg to start with but that'll hit 100 pretty damn quickly

Alex Rallye
Correct! I see alot of people lifting more than i do, but the technique is probably more important than the weight itself. Slow and more of them is key also. If your new to id start with something like 5kg or less, so around 12-15 reps, break another set, break another set, switch arms and repeat.


Err, no? For a while theres no need for the kid to do anything but SS, ie 3x5, 1x5 or 5x3 depending on the exercise.
Reply 10
I don't understand why people are saying you have to sign up for the gym. All you need is a squat rack, bench and barbell set with minimum 50 kg weights.

Look at http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/

They have got some very good deals.

Or you could get a good deal of ebay.

I've started working out from home and much prefer it to the gym. Since I'm only started to weight train now I feel much more comfortable doing it at home and getting my technique spot on. I have my laptop infront of me and make sure I'm doing everything right. I'll probably start hitting the gym once I'm more experienced and can lift more.

I'm following this routine:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki
Singh_2
I don't understand why people are saying you have to sign up for the gym. All you need is a squat rack, bench and barbell set with minimum 50 kg weights.

Look at http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/

They have got some very good deals.

Or you could get a good deal of ebay.

I've started working out from home and much prefer it to the gym. Since I'm only started to weight train now I feel much more comfortable doing it at home and getting my technique spot on. I have my laptop infront of me and make sure I'm doing everything right. I'll probably start hitting the gym once I'm more experienced and can lift more.

I'm following this routine:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki


how is 50 kg going to help? double that even... now tell me how much that totals up to for all that equipment...as well as flooring and space etc etc...
Reply 12
Singh_2
I don't understand why people are saying you have to sign up for the gym. All you need is a squat rack, bench and barbell set with minimum 50 kg weights.

Look at http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/

They have got some very good deals.

Or you could get a good deal of ebay.

I've started working out from home and much prefer it to the gym. Since I'm only started to weight train now I feel much more comfortable doing it at home and getting my technique spot on. I have my laptop infront of me and make sure I'm doing everything right. I'll probably start hitting the gym once I'm more experienced and can lift more.

I'm following this routine:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

Squat rack, bench, olympic bar and plates are pretty expensive for something 90% of people don't stick at.
Singh_2
I don't understand why people are saying you have to sign up for the gym. All you need is a squat rack, bench and barbell set with minimum 50 kg weights.

Look at http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/

They have got some very good deals.

Or you could get a good deal of ebay.

I've started working out from home and much prefer it to the gym. Since I'm only started to weight train now I feel much more comfortable doing it at home and getting my technique spot on. I have my laptop infront of me and make sure I'm doing everything right. I'll probably start hitting the gym once I'm more experienced and can lift more.

I'm following this routine:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki


As has been said, 50kg is nowhere near enough, even for a complete newb.

The cheapest squat rack I can see on powerhouse is £176. That's for the rack alone. Add a bench £70, bar £30 and at least £100 for plates, and that's nearly four hundred quid.
Reply 14
£30 barbell? Probably will only hold 50kg.
SMed
£30 barbell? Probably will only hold 50kg.


Fair enough. I was making an ultimate cheapest guess so if even that is too cheap, then my point is reinforced.
Reply 16
SMed
£30 barbell? Probably will only hold 50kg.


I've got one that cost £23 and can hold 130 kg.
Reply 17
Singh_2
I've got one that cost £23 and can hold 130 kg.


Not for long. :wink:
Reply 18
Lifting weights are good to help you gain weight, but you are what you eat, and believe me, what you eat will play a massive role over how much you gain in weight. Even though it seems like your eating tons of food and gaining weight if you stick to it you will see results. Eating tons of junk food wont help you gain any decent weight. Eating healthier foods like rice, pasta and high carb foods will help as well as fruits and vegs to help your muscles grow. I would aim to eat every 2-3 hours, and you are likely to see increases in weight.
As for weights dumbells exercises generally increase the tone and shape of a muscle. I would do the bench press, bicep curls, squats and what are described as power exercises to gain weight. Google it there are tons of articles on weight gain and what you could eat. Also some weight gain power may help, with both your recovery from workouts and meeting you energy requirements.

And remember you just got to be persistent and you will gain weight
Reply 19
student x
Hey TSR,

Basically, i have always been skinny and have a very fast metabolism. I'm fed up with being the skinny and want to bulk up, but just wanted some advice from anyone. If anyone has bulked up from being skinny could you share your story. :smile:

I'm thinking of buying a pair of weights. I just dont know what KG i should start with. What is better to do: less reps + very heavy weight, or loads of reps + average weight? I have done some weights in the past, but my top part of my spine and neck kept hurting. Think i could have been doing something wrong.. :/

I think a big problem is my metabolism. I have tried eating bad food to put on weight, but it doesnt do anything. I want to bulk up, without bulking up my veins with cholestrol from bad food. :P Any advice on slowing it down?

Cheers! :smile:


This paragraph worries me. It makes me feel that you just want to work on biceps (and maybe a few other small muscles). I promise you, if you don't work your whole body, you will STILL be known as the skinny guy, just with slightly larger arms. If you want to have that "hench-look" you need to build up your chest, back, shoulders and legs as well as your arm muscles. To do this, you'll need a lot more then just "a pair of weights". You NEED to join a gym if you are serious about bulking, or shell out :snow::snow::snow::snow: loads of cash.

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