Greetings, All! I am the author of the original Fitness 101 on the old Flood. You can find the old thread [url=http://halo.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=73550659]here.[/url] Rather than re-post the old thread, I figured I would make this alternate version for your convenience. The purpose of this thread is to educate you about Weightlifting, and how you can change your lifestyle and transform yourself from skinny to huge. -------------------------- [u][b]LIFT[/b][/u] I highly recommend the program [url=http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/]Stronglifts 5x5[/url]. The program is extremely simple and effective, and easily the most popular beginners routine out there. You alternate between two workouts, workout A and workout B. Lift 3 times a week. [quote]Workout A: Squats 5x5 Bench 5x5 (Barbell or Dumbbell, doesn't matter) DumbbellRows 5x5 Workout B: Squats 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5 Deadlift 1x5[/quote] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao&list=PLMyyFqrl2x6UmKlaYy6gHb5_79OzcGf8G]How to Squat[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw&list=PL38D8B0C3BFDB82F2]How to Bench[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcpY20QaE8]How to Dumbbell Row[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXPJ3PfdyY]How to Overhead Press[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syt7A23YnpA]How to Deadlift[/url] (I guarantee that your form will suck at first. Watch LOTS of videos and practice will light weight first. Find someone who's experienced to teach you, if possible.) Short and sweet, no bs. You're probably asking, "what about my biceps???". F*** your biceps. As a beginner, you need to focus your time on your BIG muscles like your legs, your back, and your chest. I wasted time with magazine workouts and "bro splits" when I started, doing too many curls and not enough squats. They worked somewhat, but I could have achieved much more by following a tried and tested program such as Stronglifts 5x5. It took me like 8 months to squat 185 for reps. My good friend Robbie is squatting 185 after only 5 months of Stronglifts 5x5. Add weight to your exercises each week. From experience, most guys add 5 pounds a week to each lift at the beginning. But after 2 or 4 or 6 or even 8 months, your gains will slow down. Stick with the program for as long as you can; MILK IT until you're not making any more progress . When you're eventually stalling on Stronglifts 5x5, then its time to think switch to another program. ( I'm currently doing Dave Tate's 5/3/1 and seeing great success). But don't worry about that. For now, just do Stronglifts 5x5. I'm going back to my friend Robbie here; 5 months ago he weighed about 120 pounds. Now he weighs 145 pounds and he's doubled or tripled the weight he's using on most of his lifts. This program works, period. -------------------------- [u][b]EAT[/b][/u] I kid you not, diet will make or break you. Diet is the single most important thing when trying to put on muscle. Luckily for you, it's very simple. If you're skinny and trying to put on mass, you will need to Bulk. Bulking is a particular kind of diet where you intake large amounts of food to put on large amounts of muscle. You will ultimately put on some fat as well. Bulking phases last anywhere between 4-12 months. 1. Weigh yourself in pounds. 2. Then take your bodyweight and multiply by 18. This is how many calories you should AT LEAST eat a day to gain weight at a good pace. (If your above number is below 2500, disregard it and try to eat 2500 calories a day.) 3. When you eat something, look at the nutrition facts on the box and keep a running tally of your calories. Simple. Some of you are probably thinking, "Holy s***, that's a lot of food." Probably way more than you are used to. But if you want to gain muscle, and lift more weight, it's crucial to eat a lot. Its simple. You can't build more body mass without providing the energy for it. If you don't eat enough, you won't gain muscle and you won't lift more weight. If you're not gaining weight, you're not eating enough. End of Story. NO, it's not because of your "genetics" or your "fast metabolism"; It's because you're being a pussy and not eating enough, so eat more. Get it? Food is life. Eating enough food is probably more crucial than lifting in the gym. -------------------------- [u][b]SLEEP[/b][/u] Your body builds muscle during rest, so sleep is incredibly important when attempting to bulk up. You can't stay up late and play video games anymore. Get at very least 6 hours of sleep, but 8 hours is preferable so your body can be fully rested. Don't underestimate the power of sleep. Sleep = Gains. And that's all I have for you right now, my friends. In summary, - Follow Stronglifts 5x5 - Eat like a vacuum cleaner. - Sleep a lot. I've laid it out for you on a silver platter. If you're too lazy to follow simple instructions, then you will fail. But if you follow the simple instructions, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.