7 Secrets to Building Muscle
1: Pick an effective bodybuilding plan
2: Lift heavy weights for maximum muscle growth
3: Eat enough food to build muscle
4: Make protein a priority
5: When to eat to increase workout intensity AND results
6: Grow more muscle while you rest
7: Choose your supplements wisely
Secret 1 - Pick an effective bodybuilding plan:
Pick a bodybuilding program and stick to it. Don't just walk around the gym with no real purpose. Choose a program, preferably one that's been recommended or you've seen good results in the past, and stick to it.
Remember to train each muscle group. For instance, training legs is just as important as chest, even if your main goal is to get huge pecs. Also it's effective to alternate between low rep/heavier weight (6-12 reps) and high rep/lower weight (12-20 reps) days. You'll then be training both the fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibres for maximum growth. It also ensures that you're really changing things up and challenging yourself. Also, it doesn't matter if you use dumbbells, barbells or machines, as long as your workouts are challenging enough.
Secret 2 - Lift heavy weights for maximum muscle growth:
This means you need to train right. Good form is essential so just throwing heavy weights around won't cut it. Concentrate on the concentric (shortening) as well as eccentric (lengthening) part of each lift. However it is important that you lift enough weight to break down the muscle fibres. You grow when the fibres repair from workouts, so you must use weights that will cause this muscle damage.
Ideally for muscle growth, aim for 6-8 reps per set and increase the weight when this seems easier. This is called progressive overload and means that you're constantly challenging yourself. So if your workout program tells you to do 8 reps then you should reach failure on the 8th rep. Don't just stop because your program tells you to. If you need to just add more weight on your next workout.
Who should read this article?
Anyone wanting to gain more muscle, whether you're a bodybuilder, endurance athlete or participate in team sports.
Secret 3 - Eat enough food to build muscle:
In order to grow, you need to eat! Now this doesn't give you a free pass to McDonalds, it's still important to eat healthily. You need to eat plenty of calories from complex carbohydrates, protein and essential fats. To gain weight, you need to take in more calories than you burn.
For one week, record EVERYTHING that you eat or drink. Then calculate how many calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat are in each meal. Add up these numbers to get your daily total. If your weight didn't change at all this week, then you have just found your AMR (active metabolic rate). In other words, this is the amount of calories you need to consume on a daily basis to stay at your current weight. In order to gain, you have to add calories to this number. Start by adding 500 calories. If you don't gain weight then add another 500. Keep adding until you start to gain, in other words keep it simple! If you are trying to gain weight beginners should expect to gain between 0.25kg - 0.5kg a week, after 6 months training you should be adding 0.5kg - 1.0 kg every 3-5 weeks.
Secret 4 - Make protein a priority:
What you eat is vitally important too. Protein is essential and aim for 1.8 - 2g per kg of bodyweight. Protein consists of amino acids which help to repair damaged muscles and therefore lead to new muscle growth. Good sources are chicken, fish, eggs & protein powders.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that by just eating protein you'll grow lean mass, carbohydrates are vital. They provide the energy for working out intensely so make your diet rich in complex, slow burning carbs such as oatmeal, brown rice & whole-wheat pasta. Remember, to gain weight... you have to eat more calories than you burn off. As your weight increases, so will your caloric requirements. To keep gaining, you have to keep adding the calories.
Secret 5 - When to eat to increase workout intensity & results:
Pre-workout nutrition is important too, for an energy boost both mentally and physically. This is especially important if you work out first thing in the morning and have not eaten since the night before. Ideally 2 hrs pre-workout would be best, and make sure you include carbs in this meal so oatmeal is a good choice. If you're looking for convenience, then reach for a nutrition bar or meal replacement.
This is important as there's a window of opportunity within an hour after working out which is vital for refueling your muscles and helping with recovery. Try to eat within 30 minutes after training but definitely no longer than one hour. Aim for a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, which research has shown to be optimum for those gaining mass. Throughout the day aim to eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep your body constantly fuelled and prevent any muscle breakdown.
Secret 6 - Grow more muscle while you rest:
Don't make the mistake of thinking the more you train the more you'll grow. It's vitally important not to overtrain, you need to rest! As mentioned in secret 3, your body repairs & gains muscle when you're recovering from workouts - that's when you're resting.
Enough sleep is vital, aim for at least 7 hours per night. Also ensure you have at least one full day off from training per week, preferably two, to allow your body to recuperate and prevent burn-out. If you start to feel irritable, achy or not motivated to work out there's a chance you're overtraining so give yourself a day or two off.
Secret 7 - Choose your supplements wisely:
Sports supplements can really help you to reach your goal, however it's important that you choose wisely. Supplements aid muscle growth in various ways. They can provide energy, increase protein intake, help with recovery and even aid with muscle growth or strength. So stick to what's proven and don't waste valuable time or money on so-called breakthrough supplements. Whichever supplement you choose, make sure you do some research first and make sure that it's suitable for what you're trying to achieve - maximum muscle growth!
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