The next time you visit your gym we want you to ask a Fitness Instructor how many times they are quizzed on how to build muscle by gym members who are lost. You'll be shocked at the answer. It seems the advances made in science over the last twenty five years or so have not made a speck of difference to most people, who are still completely lost on this subject.
Today we are going to run through the prove basics and help you get more from your training if your goal is to add size.
One of the main problems in the health and fitness industry is that there is so much conflicting information out there it becomes impossible to commit to anything. There is not one way to build a better body, there are numerous ways, and if you listen to everything you are told at your local gym you'll probably end up more lost than when you started in the first place!
So don't be fooled. There are a number of ways to build a better body, there is not just one right way of training and a million wrong ways. Realizing that fact will help you get past the first stumbling block you'll encounter on your path to building a better body, erasing the self doubt in what you are doing and why you are doing it.
So how about we dismiss all of the typical hype and nonsense you usually get when you try to get some fitness tips, we'll cut to the proven facts on how to get results. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter whether you are experienced or inexperienced, these tips will provide the backbone of your training from this day forward and they simply work.
The first port of call is your diet. Don't be fooled into believing you only need to diet if your goal is weight loss. On the contrary, if your goal is to get more muscular your diet is very, very important. You can train all day long if you want but your nutrition is the thing which is going to determine what happens to your body.
By the time you next visit the gym you should have your diet completely sorted out so that you can begin getting immediate results. We will teach you how to do it. One of the biggest misunderstandings in fitness is people believe their diet is something they cannot work out for themselves. They get sucked into celebrity diet fads which don't work. The truth is it's easy to get this sorted out.
Simply by taking your desired bodyweight, in pounds, and multiplying by twelve or fifteen you will be able to set a ballpark figure for your daily calorific needs. Choose fifteen if your goal is all-out size, choose twelve if you want to get bigger but not pack on a lot of size in the process.
Now that the base target is in place we can begin work. You're already ahead of the masses, who don't take the time to do this calculation in their entire fitness lives.
Now we have to take a quick look into your training program. Your workout plan, if you're like most gym users, will be in desperate need of two things. Most notably a specific goal and consistent progression. Without either your plan will fail. Focus on the compound exercises and try to land each set between 8-12 reps, your perfect zone for muscle growth, this will get you on the right track.
You are now coming along swimmingly and should be feeling very confident in yourself here. The next two steps cover less obvious points which are often overlooked.
Most notably is your rest. When you are trying to build a better physique the most overlooked aspect is certainly rest. Most people like training every single day and cannot understand that they need days off just as importantly as they need to training itself.
Start out with a three day routine and then progress to a four day routine after you have been training for more than two months. You can train more often and you will notice some people doing this, but you need to get the recovery period perfect otherwise it holds you back, so it's wise to start with a smart plan.
Sleep also plays an important role in your potential progress. We have all surely heard the doctor's recommendation that we need eight hours of sleep each night but how many of us pay attention to it? Not very many. Again, as with rest days, sleep is where your body unlocks extra results so neglecting it is silly.
Contrary to what some people believe, you do not grow bigger or stronger while you are lifting weights. The adaptations happen when you are resting. Your body produces growth hormone while you are in a state of deep sleep and if you never allow this to happen you are ripping yourself off.
If you are like the overwhelming amount of gym users struggling for results then you are now in a massively advantageous position. The next time you stroll into your gym or local fitness centre you can do so safe in the knowledge that you officially know how to build muscle and are about to make giant leaps on your previous efforts. You don't necessarily need a personal trainer to guide you, you just need to learn the basic rules.
Today we are going to run through the prove basics and help you get more from your training if your goal is to add size.
One of the main problems in the health and fitness industry is that there is so much conflicting information out there it becomes impossible to commit to anything. There is not one way to build a better body, there are numerous ways, and if you listen to everything you are told at your local gym you'll probably end up more lost than when you started in the first place!
So don't be fooled. There are a number of ways to build a better body, there is not just one right way of training and a million wrong ways. Realizing that fact will help you get past the first stumbling block you'll encounter on your path to building a better body, erasing the self doubt in what you are doing and why you are doing it.
So how about we dismiss all of the typical hype and nonsense you usually get when you try to get some fitness tips, we'll cut to the proven facts on how to get results. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter whether you are experienced or inexperienced, these tips will provide the backbone of your training from this day forward and they simply work.
The first port of call is your diet. Don't be fooled into believing you only need to diet if your goal is weight loss. On the contrary, if your goal is to get more muscular your diet is very, very important. You can train all day long if you want but your nutrition is the thing which is going to determine what happens to your body.
By the time you next visit the gym you should have your diet completely sorted out so that you can begin getting immediate results. We will teach you how to do it. One of the biggest misunderstandings in fitness is people believe their diet is something they cannot work out for themselves. They get sucked into celebrity diet fads which don't work. The truth is it's easy to get this sorted out.
Simply by taking your desired bodyweight, in pounds, and multiplying by twelve or fifteen you will be able to set a ballpark figure for your daily calorific needs. Choose fifteen if your goal is all-out size, choose twelve if you want to get bigger but not pack on a lot of size in the process.
Now that the base target is in place we can begin work. You're already ahead of the masses, who don't take the time to do this calculation in their entire fitness lives.
Now we have to take a quick look into your training program. Your workout plan, if you're like most gym users, will be in desperate need of two things. Most notably a specific goal and consistent progression. Without either your plan will fail. Focus on the compound exercises and try to land each set between 8-12 reps, your perfect zone for muscle growth, this will get you on the right track.
You are now coming along swimmingly and should be feeling very confident in yourself here. The next two steps cover less obvious points which are often overlooked.
Most notably is your rest. When you are trying to build a better physique the most overlooked aspect is certainly rest. Most people like training every single day and cannot understand that they need days off just as importantly as they need to training itself.
Start out with a three day routine and then progress to a four day routine after you have been training for more than two months. You can train more often and you will notice some people doing this, but you need to get the recovery period perfect otherwise it holds you back, so it's wise to start with a smart plan.
Sleep also plays an important role in your potential progress. We have all surely heard the doctor's recommendation that we need eight hours of sleep each night but how many of us pay attention to it? Not very many. Again, as with rest days, sleep is where your body unlocks extra results so neglecting it is silly.
Contrary to what some people believe, you do not grow bigger or stronger while you are lifting weights. The adaptations happen when you are resting. Your body produces growth hormone while you are in a state of deep sleep and if you never allow this to happen you are ripping yourself off.
If you are like the overwhelming amount of gym users struggling for results then you are now in a massively advantageous position. The next time you stroll into your gym or local fitness centre you can do so safe in the knowledge that you officially know how to build muscle and are about to make giant leaps on your previous efforts. You don't necessarily need a personal trainer to guide you, you just need to learn the basic rules.
About the Author:
Writer: Russ Howe PTI is a trusted fitness coach. See how to build muscle with our free video guide showing the five steps to a more muscular body and the best shoulder building exercises.
