Thanks for trying to help. :)
I have given up the idea of dieting. I think that I am at a good and healthy weight and size for my body. I have even worn quite a few bikinis this summer. :)

Well, firstly injecting yourself *period* is a bad idea unless you are acting under expert advice from a physician. It isn't just a matter of prodding yourself with a pointy hypodermic and hoping everything's great. Without knowledge of the body's anatomy, an artery, vein or nerve may be hit. A damaged nerve can cause partial loss of sensation or movement. The injection has to be intramuscular (into a muscle) NOT intravenous (into a vein). I'm not sure where you get the idea the abdomen is the place to plunge the needle in either? Athletes report that the best areas for self-injection are the thighs (quads) or the buttocks (gluteus maximus). The buttocks, having fewer nerve endings than the thighs, are a less painful site of injection, but much harder to reach.
Re Human Growth Hormone (tradenames Humatrope, Protropin). My suggestion to you is: stay away.
Use is not widespread, principally because of high cost. Therapeutic doses over one year would cost approx $14,000 dollars (dose for that would be same level as a 'gym' dose by the way). The drug is primarily used by the elite corps of professional bodybuilders and Olympic athletes. (We're talking Mike Matarazzo level here, Sverige; whereas you said "I just want to change my frame a little bit, more broader than bulkier and harden the stomach more than what it is"). Another comment (from Mike Matarazzo, on GH, was: "...everybody is different. I knew a guy who spent $15,000 on it and only got pimples) :) . Potential side effects range from enlargement of the bones in the face and extremities to hypertension (high blood pressure), arthritis and heart failure. There is also a possible cancer connection in people with acromegaly (a condition caused by an excess of HGH) who are treated with HGH.
I'm not going to advocate steroid use. Especially not at non-competitive level. All I will say is that HGH costs and side effects ouweigh most anabolics and other nonsteroid drugs. Suggest - avoid.
Protein shakes may not be the nicest things but as far as I know it won't have the same damaging effects on your body or wallet!

Source of info for facts in this post: Robert Kennedy's Musclemag International, Encyclopaedia of BodyBuilding by Gerald Thorne & Phil Embleton

P.S. A heads up on the wider frame, bone/cartilage thing. After about 20-21 there's little you can do to for rib-cage expansion (cartilage not bone). Or rather at least it's much harder to do so. Mainly due to the cartilage having begun to harden and lose its pliability. (Talking in terms of Breathing Squats here).

Free weights if you have access to them . . . otherwise push-ups and chair dips . . . maybe buy some dumbbells.

Don't overdo the cardio . . some of the "bulkiness" will depend on how much fat you have on your upper arms.

20mg of ephedrine and 200mg of caffeine.

I'd like to comment on a few things, respectfully.

About the vein thing. I've actually went through many veins while injecting myself. It's not that bad. If you know what you're doing you wont die from it. As long as all the air bubles in the seringe are out and you actualy go all the way through the vein....I've always been fine. There were a couple of time when I shot myself in the buttock and pull the needle out and blood come shooting out of it. That was more scary because I don't like blood. I've also pinched a few nerves before. One time I was taking an injection and my tricep started shaking, after I was finished and pulled out everything was ok. It's not that big of a deal. If one area starts to get sore you move to the next.

I'ce been told by professional body builders that it's better to shoot HGH in the abdomen rather than other parts of the body. All the other stuff...Test, d-ball, Fenoplex, Anadroll, they all should be shot in the arm, butt or thigh. ***Disclaimer*** I don't reccomend any of this to anyone. I actually know the man who won the MR. South USA competition this last time. There is a web site that you can check out that can and will give you all the knowledge you need on these matters. There are men who have been on this sight for 10 yrs running.....It is: greatmanjohn.com Many of the national winners for the U.S. and some previous Worlds Strongest Man competetors are on this site.

As for the HGH, I think I'm going to stay away. I'm just not enough of a "baller" to play that game. I can't waste that kind of money just to keep it real for the ladies. And thats even if I decide to even go that route again. My main concern is that in 10 yrs my doctor may have to have to put me on cholesterol medication because of what I may or may not do, that and other things.

One question. Didn't HollyWood Hulk Hogan and Triple H from the American Wrestling league do HGH? If you look at pictures of them both their jaws are much larger than the norm for a man. Thats one of the things that has kept me at bay about Human Growth Hormone.

Bump because I have a question.

Most mornings, after running, I feel a lot of pressure both above and below my knees. The pressure gets to the point where I'm just not able to run anymore, and need to walk to work out the pain.

Now, I don't run an extraordinary amount - tops about 4 miles per day, maybe around 15 miles a week (again tops), but I've been running for quite a few years now.

My question I guess is, are there any stretches I can do to relieve the pressure in my knees, or is the problem more serious than that?

Hi James

My problem/question is I am underweight, How do I put on extra weight? I'm 5'2 and weight 98lbs. I don't want to put on a lot of weight but at least 5lbs. I go to the gym just to lift weights only, because I need to build some muscle.

So what's your solution

Ok, you might want to go to some runner specific sites for this one. Or talk to an expert.

I will say that it seems that most of these problems involve trigger points. These are points where muscles have become shortened or damaged so don't function correctly.

Here is a link that describes them basically:

http://www.triggerpointbook.com/kneepain.htm

Or www.myotherapy.com

You know the answer to your question: you are going to have to eat more calories.

First assess how many you eat now and their composition by keeping a journal. Write down meal values and times that you eat.

Once you know that it should be failry easy to slowly increase your calories and lifting intensity to require your body to put on 5 pounds.

Two problems: I haven't been able to do tricep extensions because when i have a pinching pain in my upper back/shoulder when my arms are clasped close to my head.

I've recently developed joint pain around both knees, that i hypothesize, could be a lack off cartilage. I can't do any lunges of any sort and have stopped all leg exercises.

I didn't work out today. My bad.

Second question for all you fitness people out there: Which is the better workout for developing the chest, regular bench press or bench press using dumbells? I've begun using dumbells instead of the bar, and it definitely feels like a better workout, but I'm not sure if my muscles are deceiving me.

I eat alot and I have a really high metabolism(sp). I try to eat 4-6 meals a day.

I'm going to see the school's dietitian soon to see if there is something I'm missing in my diet.

dumbells for any exercise is better. Except if you want to do partials which isn't possible until they start making 150 pound dumbells.

i run about 3 times a week (all i have time for!) but i really want to tone up my thighs even more - any exercises you could reccommend?

Cool, sounds good. I'm feeling it a bit more from my workout yesterday than I usually do, so I'm sticking with the new way.

Now for a run...hopefully my knees don't fall apart halfway to Harvard Square.

ITs a still a matter of total calories and composition.

"A lot" has no exact value. Someone with your metabolism that eats "a lot" might gain weight. Why? Because their "a lot" is more calories than yours.


Trying to eat 4-6 meals a day still gives a lot of variation in caories. So one day you might get 1800 calories and the other other is 1200?

Try keeping track for a while. Keep a Journal.

Not true. I spent a lot of time looking this up. Barbells force you into certain positions that would be too difficult to maintain with dumbbells. For example, I do shoulder presses behind the neck with a barbell because it targets the muscle in a certain way.

-Rudey
--Man I need to go to the gym.

What do you think of a modified Atkins Diet? Good idea?

Good idea . . . . if you don't modify it.

welllll......Barbells confine your range of motion, putting greater pressure on joints than muscle, it's too many benches that cause guys to develop shoulder problems...i geuss i shouldn't make sweeping generalizations like that, but, anytime you can focus more on concentration you should produce better results. Some exercises for barbells are better because they stabilize balance, while in other exercises you want to develop balance.

Due to popular demand....
 

Dearest James,

How does one achieve multiple orgasms....

Sincerley,

Someone

LMAO! Okay James, there...double dog DONE!

Training for my First 10K
 

I just signed up for my first 10K. I have 14 weeks to train for it. One of the sports clinics in my hometown has devised a 13 week training program for beginners, but I can't afford to take the clinics and have decided to train on my own.

The thing is, the weather here blows chunks, and I'd prefer to train on a treadmill. Is running on a treadmill a suitable replacement for training for a road race, or should I just suck it up and brave the crappy weather?

Good luck with your 10K! Go Sistermadly! :D

James, I have a question. How can I get my body, especially my abs, to look like the Victoria Secret model in that tanga picture? I am at a really good weight for my height. I just need to firm and tone. Thanks. :)

Thanks P-n-C. ;)

You're welcome!

So James, how do I get that toned Victoria Secret tanga body?

Quick questions
 

Not directly related to the fitness, or what not, but ...

Would you suggest me to chow, whenever I'm hungry, even though it could be 5-6 times per day? I don't really munch snacks between meals, but then I am always up for big meal. Not so sure about calories diagram, etc .. so what would be ideal for a daily intake?

And also, I know pop is bad for you, but I couldn't give up Mt. Dew or Pepsi. Should I? For return, I don't drink beer that much.

background info: I'm 5-10, 155 lbs, 23 yo. I go to the gym 4-5 times per week, for about an hour each visit.

Help! :D

James where are you when I need you?????

I need tips to tone my abs for the Bahamas.

Yeah James! Answer Peaches-n-Cream's question so I too can steal the tip! ;)

No seriously, I'm making my first trip to Florida in March. I'm eating fairly healthy (no soda, minimum sweets to fulfill cravings) and I'm working out 5 times a week. I just need pointers on how to work my obliques better.

For the ladies out there....is there any good exercise you know of for your hips? I need to lose a few inches! :)

Don't work your obliques . . . if you work your obliques it can/will give you muscular love handles.

Want them?

Tummies
 

James,
I always had a flat tummy until I had female surgery and got three incisions on my tummy. Now I have a tummy that won't go away. Is there a way to flatten my tummy, or did the surgery cut through muscles that won't grow back?
AOIISilver

I always thought if you did high rep, high speed it would rip it down as opposed to either twists on a cable machine or holding a dumbbell and doing side crunches off an incline. Maybe not.

The best I ever worked my abs was kneeling in front of a cable machine, putting my hands behind my neck, and crunching downward by bending my head to the floor. After that I did medicine ball crunches and leg throwdowns.

-Rudey
--Throwdowns make everyone stare.

So I want to look hot in a swimsuit. And my stomach needs MAJOR WORK!!!

What, other than crunches do you suggest to tone my stomach??

Thanks James!!

To tell you the truth, you can just do crunches and leg lifts and get a nice looking stomache if . . .

Well. Stomache is all about body fat. Anorexics and the proverbial starvinh Ethiopian have shredded abs because their body fat is so low.

So don't kill yourselves on stomaches until you are lean enough to actually see the muscle.

There is a difference between cross country runner abs, abs that look muscular, and then roid abs which are ridiculous. I'd like the middle one.

-Rudey

Whatever. As long as you are lean enough you can pick the abs you want. . limited by your gentics.

Good diet guidelines.

http://low-carb.org/lylemcd/cyclic2.htm

Re: Quick questions
 

If you're working out, a few small meals a day is actually supposed to be better than three large meals. As long as the snacks are reasonably healthy and higher in protein, that should help put off your hunger pangs a bit.

If you need the soda, try going with diet. No calories, plus a little caffeine is a good thing.

Actually I don't know why I wasn't thinking about this. It's not just about having 6/8 packs. A lot of it is athletic. Your abs support you in a lot of sports. It's good to work them out for that since most sports require some sport of ab movement.

-Rudey

I'm going to start working out next week. Yay for me. I'm lean enough w/o dieting that you will be able to see the ab muscles once I start working out. I don't want the type of abs that Janet Jackson has (where you can see the horizontal lines). I would love to have Britney Spears type abs where you can see the vertical line down the middle and the two on the sides.
Are there specific crunches you can do to get that look or do you not really have a choice (genetics)?