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.
If you're one of the many who feel lost on this topic we're going to help you right now.
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!
Don't let anybody tell you that you need to train their way or give you the false impression that they know 'the secret' and everybody else is doing things wrong. Those are the type of trainers or fitness enthusiasts who are bad teachers as they have closed minds and will simply teach what might work for them, not realizing that everybody is different.
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.
Before you head off to the gym you need to do something which will build the starting blocks for your future results. Muscle ain't built in a workout, it's built in the kitchen. If your diet plan is off you will not get the results your hard work on the iron is worth.
So, the first thing we must do is assess your body's desired calories per day. Everybody is different and most people do not have access to the scientific equipment necessary to determine their exact calorie needs each day so we're going to share with you a proven calculation to determine a useful ballpark figure.
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.
So we now have a base figure for our diet. This already puts you ahead of the majority of other people training at your gym because despite it being very simple, most fitness enthusiasts never take the time to learn how to do this and wonder why they never get results.
You also need to look at your training program. It needs to be designed to include the exercises which are best for building size and strength and the repetition range needs to hit your hypertrophy zone. This means compound exercises are going to become your best friend and trying to fall into the eight-to-twelve repetition range with each set.
That is the foundation of a good program but there are a couple of other things you can do to further enhance your results.
Rest is just as important as training when you are trying to build. Probably less than 5% of the members at your local gym get their rest right and that's one of the main factors in their lack of real results.
You should try to hit the weights no more than three times per week if you are just starting out and no more than four times if you are already training regularly. Think of a rest day as a growth day, so it doesn't feel as if you are doing nothing with your time. This is where you grow, where your body builds.
Finally we would like to bring sleep to you attention. That's correct, how much sleep you get at night is going to directly affect your journey to a bigger, better body. While you sleep your body recovers from the day's expenditure. If you've put in a tough gym session today your body will work while you sleep with the release of natural growth hormone to ensure that you wake up tomorrow a little bit stronger and tougher than you were twenty four hours ago. Miss out on a good night's sleep at your peril.
While you sleep your body releases natural growth hormone which forces your muscles to recover bigger and stronger than they were before. Don't be tricked into believing your body grows while you are in the gym, it does not, it builds while you are resting and recovering. Neglect this rest period and you are essentially hitting the gym hard again while still not recovered from the last session and therefore very little further progress can be made.
Now you know the basics and we're betting it wasn't as hard or as complex as you thought it would be when you first arrived! The next time you hear somebody asking how to build muscle I want you to remind yourself of the basic rules. Sleep, rest, specific training and a focused diet will get you there. Any personal trainer worth his salt will help you set that plan up should you require help however it's not as difficult as most people think, as you discovered today!
If you're one of the many who feel lost on this topic we're going to help you right now.
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!
Don't let anybody tell you that you need to train their way or give you the false impression that they know 'the secret' and everybody else is doing things wrong. Those are the type of trainers or fitness enthusiasts who are bad teachers as they have closed minds and will simply teach what might work for them, not realizing that everybody is different.
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.
Before you head off to the gym you need to do something which will build the starting blocks for your future results. Muscle ain't built in a workout, it's built in the kitchen. If your diet plan is off you will not get the results your hard work on the iron is worth.
So, the first thing we must do is assess your body's desired calories per day. Everybody is different and most people do not have access to the scientific equipment necessary to determine their exact calorie needs each day so we're going to share with you a proven calculation to determine a useful ballpark figure.
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.
So we now have a base figure for our diet. This already puts you ahead of the majority of other people training at your gym because despite it being very simple, most fitness enthusiasts never take the time to learn how to do this and wonder why they never get results.
You also need to look at your training program. It needs to be designed to include the exercises which are best for building size and strength and the repetition range needs to hit your hypertrophy zone. This means compound exercises are going to become your best friend and trying to fall into the eight-to-twelve repetition range with each set.
That is the foundation of a good program but there are a couple of other things you can do to further enhance your results.
Rest is just as important as training when you are trying to build. Probably less than 5% of the members at your local gym get their rest right and that's one of the main factors in their lack of real results.
You should try to hit the weights no more than three times per week if you are just starting out and no more than four times if you are already training regularly. Think of a rest day as a growth day, so it doesn't feel as if you are doing nothing with your time. This is where you grow, where your body builds.
Finally we would like to bring sleep to you attention. That's correct, how much sleep you get at night is going to directly affect your journey to a bigger, better body. While you sleep your body recovers from the day's expenditure. If you've put in a tough gym session today your body will work while you sleep with the release of natural growth hormone to ensure that you wake up tomorrow a little bit stronger and tougher than you were twenty four hours ago. Miss out on a good night's sleep at your peril.
While you sleep your body releases natural growth hormone which forces your muscles to recover bigger and stronger than they were before. Don't be tricked into believing your body grows while you are in the gym, it does not, it builds while you are resting and recovering. Neglect this rest period and you are essentially hitting the gym hard again while still not recovered from the last session and therefore very little further progress can be made.
Now you know the basics and we're betting it wasn't as hard or as complex as you thought it would be when you first arrived! The next time you hear somebody asking how to build muscle I want you to remind yourself of the basic rules. Sleep, rest, specific training and a focused diet will get you there. Any personal trainer worth his salt will help you set that plan up should you require help however it's not as difficult as most people think, as you discovered today!
About the Author:
Coach: Russ Howe PTI is a popular personal trainer. See how to build muscle with our free video guide giving the 5 steps to a more muscular body and the best shoulder building exercises.
