5/20    Is there a rule of thumb regarding exercise and gaining muscle?
        Like if you work out with free weights for X hours a day for Y
        weeks you'll gain Z pounds of muscle.  Assuming correct diet and
        such.  I've been working out and I've gained ten pounds of muscle
        on my upper body but I need to gain another 10 pounds.  That's my
        goal but it doesn't seem to be happening.  I'm still doing the
        same exercises but I don't seem to see any results now. Thanks.
        \_ the only rule of thumb (that I've heard) as far as weight
            gain and exercise go is that to gain 1 extra pound you
            need to eat an extra 100 calories a day for a week. it's
            difficult to include the details of a weight lifting workout
            since there are lots of variations in workouts (muscle
            massbuilding vs endurance vs definition, for example).
            \_ what do you usually eat to add 100 calories?
        \_ Rotate your exercises. Your body grows efficient to the same
           routine. Mix it up. For example, I do the same shoulder exercises
           for 3-4 weeks, then I do something different for the next 4.
        \_ This happens to a lot of people. Sometimes you can get
           through it by changing the pace of your workouts, sometimes not.
           Make sure you are not over training (working the same muscle
           group more than 4 times a week). This is the major cause
           of plateauing.
           \_ I don't see how I can change the exercises.  I'm trying to
              build up my upper body.  So I do pushups and curls, etc.  What
              exercise can I change that'll still build up my upper body?
                \_ not change the exercises, but just change either the
                   order in which you perform them, the numbers that you
                   how many days a week you do them, etc.
                \_ May I suggest doing your upper-body workout in the following
                   order: a) dumbbells, b) barbells, c) cable and d) machines.
                   The dumbbells would fatigue your muscles but since you work
                   your way down from hardest to easiest, your muscles develop
                   evenly. Also, do try to rotate your exercise every 6 weeks
                   or so, increase your weights when it's becoming too easy
                   for you to lift and S.L.O.W. your repetition. (faster rep
                   is to tone, slower rep is to build) Hope this helps!
                    \_ aah I see.  I'm going to try that.  Thanks a lot man!
                \_ Most magazines tell you that you will put on 10-20 lbs
                   of muscle the first year of working out, and 6 at
                   most each year after that.  Just keep increasing the
                   weight and eating a ton of protein.  So the answer to
                   your question is, you get .5 lbs of muscle a month
                   assuming you work out 3-4 times a week.  -ax