gaining muscle is simple
In previous articles, I’ve discussed the best ways to add muscle to your physique, but how do you gain the most muscle to reap those benefits as quickly as possible? In this article we will discuss some of the most effective ways to gain muscle mass fast and the exercises to achieve it.
We’ll start with nutrition. Proteins and carbohydrates are the building blocks of the body, proteins for muscle growth and carbohydrates for energy. You need to eat enough calories from both to fuel proper growth. To find out how much is right for you, the general rule of thumb is to multiply your lean body weight by 19, somewhere between 1,500-3,000 calories or more for men and 1,200-2,500 or more for women. It is very important not to undereat if you hope to gain muscle mass. General numbers for protein consumption are 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Protein contains about 4 calories per gram. About 20-30% of your daily caloric intake should come from lean protein. Carbohydrates should be consumed at approximately twice the rate of protein and consist of between 40-60% of the daily intake. Again, carbs are around 4 calories per gram, so grab a calculator or your health care professional and start eating! It is recommended to eat 6 small meals a day and eating the recommended 30-60 grams of protein immediately after a weight lifting session will ensure that the essential building blocks of the muscles are available to aid in their growth.
Next up is weight lifting. This is a must, but compound exercise movements give you much better results much faster. These are exercises that use more than one muscle or joint group at a time, resulting in the ability to lift heavier weights, work more muscles at a time, and gain more growth. Here are some of the best compound exercises to build muscle fast; pull-ups, pull-ups, dips, bench, military press, rows, and push-ups. There are also several moves that work your upper and lower body, like the hanging clean and push presses. For the lower body, try squats, deadlifts, lunges, and good mornings. The more weight you lift, the more damage you will do to your muscle fibers and the more quickly additional mass will accumulate. A good rule of thumb for lifting heavy weights safely is to lift 70-80% of your 1 rep max or the amount of weight you can safely lift for 8-12 reps. Like most compound exercises, it’s imperative to use correct form and have a spotter to help prevent injury.
Next on the list are big sets, or doing 2 or more exercises in a row with no rest in between. This increases the intensity of your routine and is accomplished more quickly. There are various forms of this type of training, including exercises that use the same muscle groups that push that group to its limit, opposing or antagonistic muscle groups that allow each group to rest between exercises, or staggered supersets that work completely different muscle groups. . , each of these has its own benefit.
The final ingredient is rest, the most essential and overlooked portion of the training recipe. As just mentioned, the muscles tear when lifting; your rest cycle is when these tears are repaired. This is especially true when you sleep; the body secretes most of its human growth hormones, which help repair muscles, while you sleep. Never work the same group two days in a row, allow 4-5 days of rest before working the same muscles again, allowing for proper recovery. Excessive rain can cause injury and lessen the effectiveness of the work you have already done. If you follow these steps, you are guaranteed massive increases in your muscle mass and power! Lastly, always seek professional advice; don’t tackle this type of advanced training without proper technique. Have fun and get to it!