Topic: Underweight advice and general advice please

[Michael]

Hi, I'm new here.

So I'm 16, 130 pounds and 6 ft 2 so I gather I'm a fair bit underweight (lot underweight?). I'm not sure what the process is to gain weight but good weight not excess fat. What exercise do I want to be doing, and what do I want to be eating / drinking? I'm also vegitarian (please don't argue).

There's some parkour classes in my area I'm looking to attend but I'd rather be a bit more conditioned first.

I'm currently working on my strength with bodyweight exercises like dips and progressively harder pushups.

I have a bad history with my ankles breaking both a couple times when I was younger so they're quite unstable, I'm worried about running alot on them sometimes they just sort of give way. To fix this I've been recommended calf raises and improving my balance.

I've also been trying to get into running which is going okay accept for breathing difficulties, I have to keep stopping.

Any advice for anything would be greatly appreciated, I'd really like to get to one of these classes by September but don't just want to be another hopelessly unfit newbie.

Thanks,

Psi

[Scott Eustice]

Well, first off, you are quite underweight. And the only way to fix this is to eat alot. What do you eat on an average day?

How strict are you with your vegetarianism? Can you eat eggs or dairy? Getting bigger with just plants is very hard.

The ankles is the next big problem I see. Only doing calf raises will NOT solve your ankle problems, it will only do a part of it. Try Dogen Titanium Ankles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B1XvEbJUKE . Hopefully this will help stabilize you ankle more. You can also work on single leg balance by just standing on one leg. This will also improve the stability of your ankle.

For your workout routine, you should probably do a beginner weight training program to get your strength up and gain weight. Running can help your conditioning and speed.

For the weight training, try Starting Strength. you can buy it or look up an older version for free. The only thing I would change from the program is adding in pullups every other workout. Those should be done for 3 sets of 10 reps.

How long are you running? Parkour is a very short, sprint-like activity, so you don't need to be going on long distance runs. work on your short 100m speed first, if you are focusing on parkour. For conditioning, you could run repeat 400m (1 lap around most tracks). Any running would be done on the rest days for lifting.

[Jordan]

The biggest problem for being a vegetarian is typically the protein:carb ratio.
Do you know how much you are getting? Or do you just eat vegetarian-ish until you are full?
-WHAT are you eating exactly?

To gain wait, you have to eat, a lot, and then eat more.

[Spencer B]

If you can tolerate milk (Ideologically/gastrointestinally) then a small step that should help is to replace half of what you drink in a day with whole milk. Alternatively, you can go whole hog and do GOMAD (Gallon of Milk a Day) along with a high intensity strength training regime. In regards to your ankles, unless they are incredibly fragile, a good STRENGTH program will not cause them to sustain any more damage, and if sustained, will actually help to strengthen them. However, in order to really get your ankles in shape, you have to apply shock and pressure to them. Plyometrics and jumps will work, however, do NOT do anything to aggravate them. If they hurt, stop, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate, and lay off for a while.

[Michael]

"What do you eat on an average day?"

Oatmeal or Muesli for breakfast, with yoghurt berries almond meal and the like.

Lunch and tea vary a lot but tends to be lots of vegetables and something protein like bean burgers, tofu or eggs.

And a protein smoothie after running

"How strict are you with your vegetarianism? Can you eat eggs or dairy?"

Eggs and dairy are fine

Alright, I'll try the ankle program and look into the strength. At the moment I'm running on the road, how would I keep track of metres? And it's fairly hilly if that effects anything.

I don't normally drink that much milk so I'll have to see how it goes. Not sure I like my chances with something as serious as GOMAD but would just generally drinking a few glasses a day help?

Also a while back on these forums I read an excellent post about running form, I can't seem to find it with the search tool. Anyone know? I don't think I've got good form or am breathing right.

Thanks again guys.

[Austin james]

I think you should eat as much as you can, but then eat much more.

I wouldn't do any running or cardio stuff unless you really love it.

Just stick with strength training and eating like a wild bear if you want to get bigger.

[Josh Vernier]

I think you should eat as much as you can, but then eat much more.

I wouldn't do any running or cardio stuff unless you really love it.

Just stick with strength training and eating like a wild bear if you want to get bigger.

+1. For beginners it really is as simple as that. Except there are some forms of cardio that are beneficial. Sprinting, especially, releases a ton of growth hormone (almost as much as squatting). Just don't do anything long-distance.

[Scott Eustice]

You could time your sprints on the road, or you could get a measuring tape and measure out landmarks, like one mail box to an intersection.

Hill sprints are also good. Get a long-ish hill and attack it.

For a 100, sprint for about 15-19 seconds. For a 200, double your 100 time and add second or two. For a 400, run for about 1 minute.

Unless you enjoy longer distances or plan on running competitively, there is no reason to run longer than a 400.

Running form: http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php/topic,8965.0.html

For diet, everyone else has said it. You need to eat more. Alot more.

However, be wary of certain soy products. If the soy is not fermented, it can actually impede the absorption of other vitamins and proteins.

Definitely drink more milk and eat more eggs. Adding olive oil/ butter to everything will help.

I disagree about the usefulness of longer sprints. I always feel like my ability to recover after any type of workout improves as I get in better condition. I think 400s will help you stay healthy in the long run. Then again, I might just be a masochist who loves running 400s.

[Michael]

You could time your sprints on the road, or you could get a measuring tape and measure out landmarks, like one mail box to an intersection.

Hill sprints are also good. Get a long-ish hill and attack it.

For a 100, sprint for about 15-19 seconds. For a 200, double your 100 time and add second or two. For a 400, run for about 1 minute.

Unless you enjoy longer distances or plan on running competitively, there is no reason to run longer than a 400.

Running form: http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php/topic,8965.0.html

For diet, everyone else has said it. You need to eat more. Alot more.

However, be wary of certain soy products. If the soy is not fermented, it can actually impede the absorption of other vitamins and proteins.

Definitely drink more milk and eat more eggs. Adding olive oil/ butter to everything will help.

I disagree about the usefulness of longer sprints. I always feel like my ability to recover after any type of workout improves as I get in better condition. I think 400s will help you stay healthy in the long run. Then again, I might just be a masochist who loves running 400s.

So for sprinting I should do the sprint, stop or walk a few minutes then do it again?

And how often should I eat? Three times, six times, 5 times, every 3 hours? I keep hearing different opinions.

So eat more, drink milk, strength training one day, running the next day, and titanium ankles and balance everyday. And I'm assuming warm-ups and light stretching sprinkled in and I should be set for PK in a few months?

Thanks guys, you've really helped.

[Sam Dutton]

I don't think how often you eat matters as much as how much you eat total in the day. But keep it consistant.

[Steve Low]

Oatmeal or Muesli for breakfast, with yoghurt berries almond meal and the like.

Lunch and tea vary a lot but tends to be lots of vegetables and something protein like bean burgers, tofu or eggs.

And a protein smoothie after running

Holy crap man you're eating nothing.

EAT MORE

[Joe Brock]

Holy crap man you're eating nothing.

EAT MORE

^^^THIS^^^