Sunday, October 17, 2010

Tips For Muscle Gain



One of the most popular goals for most people is muscle gain whether it is a couple pounds to look lean and fit or twenty pounds to look massive and ripped. The biggest obstacle standing in the way of steady muscle gain is poor form and bad nutrition. In order to gain muscle, the body needs enough protein and nutrients to build the muscle. The best way to achieve proper nutrition is to eat six separate times a a day. If you have trouble planning a 6 meal day, stick to your 3 meal plan adding a protein bar or some other healthy snack a couple hours after each meal. Proper form accounts for the efficiency of your muscle gain, without proper form it will take much longer to gain the muscle you desire. If you're a complete beginner, the best way to start out is to either plan out a routine with a trainer, follow a program such as the P90X or a free programs that a quick Google search can provide. I will go into more detail later on but here are a few general tips for building muscle:

AVOID:


Improper form: Without proper form you may damage your muscles and bone structure. It is also extremely inefficient for muscle building.

Rushing: In order to maximize muscle building, you must take your time with the exercises. Another aspect of rushing your workout is stopping short of your max; always push yourself to the point of failure, this will ensure you are working your muscles to their complete capacity.

Muscle Cannibalization: Muscle cannibalization is the deteriorating of the muscle tissue used to fuel your body when it is not receiving proper protein. To avoid this, eat plenty of protein-rich foods and look up your daily protein intake by using a protein calculator such as: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calpro.htm

Over Training: If you train your muscles too hard, your muscles will continue to be sore for longer as well as get fatigued faster when you work them the next time. Over training also leads to raised resting heart rate and delayed recovery of the muscles.

Excessive Supplement Intake: I've seen time and time again people who have 3 or 4 different tubs of protein supplements, recovery powders, creatine etc.. which is extremely bad for your liver and stomach. One protein supplement and one recovery drink is all anyone should need.

PRACTICE:


Proper Hydration: Muscles need water to repair, strengthen and grow. Make sure you drink ample water throughout the day and not just when you work out. The daily recommended amount of water is 8-10 glasses.

Warm-up: Warming up before any workout is important because it heats up the muscles and gets the blood flowing which prevents injury and damage. A good warm up is running on the treadmill for 10-15 minutes and stretching the muscle group your working on that day.

High Intensity: Whenever you workout get motivated to try your hardest and push your hardest. It makes no sense to go through all the trouble of getting ready to workout and not even try once you start. Keep a log and keep pushing your maximum reps higher and higher.

Muscle Confusion: Change up your routine every few weeks to avoid the plateau effect caused from your muscles getting used to the exercises resulting in less muscle gain.

Buddy System: Working out with a friend is great for motivation, if you can both push each other further than you think each other can go and challenge one another to do a few more reps you will see awesome results to your lifts and physique. Another advantage to working out with someone is you can spot each other on various exercises that require it.


Thanks for reading, discuss your strategies to muscle gain in the comments below.

Joe






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