In today's society weight is almost a taboo word. There is an obsession in society and in the media with losing weight fast. However, some people do not need to be thinner and actually need to put on a little weight. If they gain muscle mass instead of fat they will not only put on weight, but they will look better for it too. In this article I discuss four guidelines to help you can gain muscle mass:
1) DIET:- Most people who exercise regularly monitor their food intake. They control the quantities they are consuming and avoid certain types of food. To gain muscle mass you need to increase the amount of calories and protein that you are consuming. You may also gain fat in this process (as a result of consuming additional calories) but if you stick to a regular exercise routine you should soon lose this excess fat whilst maintaining the muscle you have gained.
Gaining fat initially is not a bad thing. The excess fat will give you the additional energy and calories required to gain muscle mass. Once you gain the desired amount of muscle you can then change your diet to one that promotes fat burning as opposed to muscle gain till you reach a happy medium. Some athletes have reported that it is easier to lose their excess fat by following a fat loss diet for a short period after they have reached their preferred muscle weight and continuing with their same workout.
2) NUMBER OF MEALS:- If you are trying to gain muscle mass it is recommended that you eat more regularly with 5 or 6 daily meals. By eating more regularly you can saturate your body with amino acids and glycogen (gained from carbohydrates and proteins) and ensure that your body does not enter starvation mode (whereby it would start burning muscle tissues).
3) WEIGHT TRAINING:- Eating the right food is a step in the right direction but without proper training you will not gain muscle mass. In the beginning you should do all your weight training under the supervision of a trained instructor. They will be able to make sure you are doing the exercises in the right way, thereby avoiding injury. They will also be able to show you the best exercises for building muscle. For example, squats and presses are good ways to gain muscle mass.
4) OVER TRAINING:- Over training is a major factor behind bodybuilders failing to gain muscle mass. You need to give your body time to rest and repair so that your muscles can grow. To avoid over training try not to train for more than 2 hours in each session, make sure that you do not train for more than 2 days in succession and take a week's break for every 6-8 weeks of training.
Gaining muscle mass is a great but often overlooked way to improve your health and overall appearance. Building muscle can be difficult when you are a beginner because you are unsure what exercises to do, what foods to eat and what supplements to take. However, with the right information it gets a lot easier. I hope this article has given you a few pointers and helps you in your quest to gain muscle mass.
Best Protein For Building Muscle
This article is to identify and tackle each bodybuilding error to ensure you are building muscle. When you eliminate the obstacles, you start making progress.
If you are ready to start making muscle gains, then read on...
Bodybuilding Error #1: No Starting Point Many bodybuilders fail to show any progress when embarking on a new weight-training program because they have absolutely no idea of where to start. Before beginning a training program you need to first assess your physique. What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? Which body parts need to be brought up to speed or balanced out?
Bodybuilding Error #2: Tackle Plateaus Immediately Often time's, bodybuilders have a small growth spurt and then it stalls dead in its tracks. When this occurs they have no idea how to continue to produce gains. Hitting a plateau is not a detriment; it's a red flag to tell you to change something in your program. This could mean more calories, more rest, or a simple change in training. Heed the warning and make changes when necessary.
Bodybuilding Error #3: Failure to Track Most bodybuilders don't know how to track their progress, or they neglect to track their progress. Often times, bodybuilders fail to have a structured system to follow to evaluate and gauge their progress. Without a roadmap, you are headed down a dead end road.
Bodybuilding Error #4: Neglecting the Weakest Link It's common among bodybuilders to train their strongest body part more because it feeds their ego. Those who don't train or those who fail to put 100% into their weak body parts are doing themselves a great injustice, which can create imbalances.
Bodybuilding Error #5: Supplement Reliance Many bodybuilders get a condition called supplement-overload. This is simply taking too many supplements in hopes to build a superhuman body overnight. There are a few key supplements that help to build muscle. Knowing what supplement to take and when to take it can make all the difference in muscle gains. Overloading on the latest supplement trend will only deflate your wallet.
Bodybuilding Error #6: No Intensity I see a lot of bodybuilders lacking intensity. Anaerobic intensity is not high-volume training. Training intensity is the poundage and force used. When you fail to challenge your muscles, your body will fail to grow.
Bodybuilding Error #7: Information Overload It's common for bodybuilders to be in a whirlwind of excess information. Information overload is having too much information and not having the slightest idea of how to implement any of it. Building muscle is not complicated. Go back to the basics, train, eat, rest = growth.
Bodybuilding Error #8: Poor Form Bad form is another major mistake made among bodybuilders. Many bodybuilders are ego lifters. The weight they try to push is so much that proper form is missing, which can cause injury.
Bodybuilding Error #9: Fear of Carbs Shunning the carbs is a major muscle-building error. Carbs are stored in the muscles as muscle glycogen. This is the fuel for weight training. Without the proper muscle fuel you will be in a muscle wastage state. You can eat protein until it comes out of your ears, but if you don't have glycogen stores, you won't increase your strength or muscle gains.
Conclusion This is just skimming the surface of bodybuilding errors. However, if you can avoid the above you can maximize muscle gains and strength levels far beyond you ever imagined.
To be a success you have to keep yourself and your ego in check. Keep in mind your goal is progression, not perfection. If it means taking a few days off of training, so be it. Sometimes, taking a step back can put you two steps ahead.
Both Tom Parker & Karen Sessions are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tom Parker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Supplements and Blood Pressure. The Free Fitness Tips Website provides readers with a free fitness tip every day of the year. The tips include exercise tips, healthy eating tips and. Tom Parker's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Tom Parker to your Favourites.
Karen Sessions has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Fat Loss and Build Muscle. Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry since 1988. She is a nationally qualified bodybuilder and holds two personal training certifications. She has written 6 ebooks on fitness and has helped hundreds of clients transform their bodies.. Karen Sessions's top article generates over 40500 views. Bookmark Karen Sessions to your Favourites.
A Sugar Free Diet Be informed and read food labels to ensure that you control your blood sugar levels