Everyone wishes to have a strong and beautiful body. Seeing the toned and defined physique of athletes or fitness models might suggest that building muscle mass is an unattainable goal, but anyone can improve their body, get fit and take care of their health in general. You have to undertake an intensive endurance training course and make the right food choices.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Build Muscle Mass by Training with Weights
Step 1. Start following a well-structured weight lifting program
If you have decided that you want to improve your physique, the first thing to do is to undertake a weight training program with dedication. The card should be complete, that is, allow you to train all major muscle groups. You should also train consistently and take days where you just rest. If you want to improve muscle tone, weight training must become an integral part of your lifestyle.
Before starting to intensify your training, it is extremely important to understand the technique and mechanisms of the body. If you choose a load that you can't handle, you risk getting hurt
Step 2. Train several times a week
In the beginning, you should lift weights roughly three times a week. Resistance training can be very intense for under-trained muscles and joints, so an adaptation phase is usually required to prepare the body to overcome resistance on a regular basis. As you gain more experience and get your body used to exertion, you can incorporate one or two additional workouts per week. In any case, you need to rest for a couple of days to allow the muscles to recover.
To make the most of your time in the gym, try a classic bodybuilding "split" workout, which means exercising two or more muscle groups (such as the back and biceps or legs and abs) consecutively during the same session
Step 3. Focus on lifting heavy loads multiple times
There is constant debate about how many sets and reps to do to achieve certain goals, but most of the latest research supports a simple rule: if you want to build muscle mass, you have to lift a heavy load many times. Don't think about it too much: start with a simple 3x10 pattern (3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise). As progress starts to slow, increase the weight you use or the number of reps to keep improving.
- Once you gain some experience with resistance training, you can start experimenting with different weights and reps. This way you will understand which structure best suits your body type: to gain explosive strength, you often do a few repetitions (1-3) with an extremely heavy load, while to build muscle mass and increase endurance, you do more. repetitions (15-30).
- When following a pattern like 3x10 or 5x5, you should choose a load that is heavy enough that you can only do the number of reps expected for each set.
Step 4. Complete strength training with weight-based movements such as push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, squats, and weightless lunges
These exercises cause you to be stable and to control body movements, so they are very effective for improving muscle tone and athletic performance. On the path to building muscle mass, don't forget the basics.
- Exercises that exploit the weight of the body are the salvation of those who cannot go to the gym or those who have suffered injuries and have difficulty performing movements with too heavy loads. All you need is a free space in the house and the desire to test yourself.
- Try to finish your workout with a series of bodyweight "finishers" (moderate intensity exercises to be performed for prolonged periods). Their function is to completely exhaust you at the end of a session. Push-ups, burpees, jump squats and mountain climbers are all suitable for this.
Step 5. Feel the connection between mind and muscle
When lifting weights, make an effort to consciously perceive the sensations transmitted by the muscle during the execution of the movement. This phenomenon is called the "mind-muscle connection" by scientists and coaches. The basic principle? The more you focus on actively engaging the muscle during a certain exercise, the more you will work it and the better results you will get. The mind-muscle connection can help you train efficiently and perform at your best, without tiring you unnecessarily.
- For example, when doing a bicep curl, focus on contracting the muscle itself. Think about how all parts involved feel and tighten the muscle to keep the fibers active for the duration of the exercise.
- Understanding the basics of kinesiology and the mechanical functioning of the human body is essential for weight lifting.
Part 2 of 3: Changing Your Diet to Improve Your Body
Step 1. Eat enough protein
Every single tissue is made up of proteins, which break down and become depleted when the body is subjected to an effort. Replenish lost proteins and allow the body to acquire enough of it to regenerate muscles. To do this, eat lean meats, eggs, nuts, or milk and dairy products at every meal. Protein is the foundation of any bodybuilder diet.
- Grilled skinless chicken breast, eggs cooked in olive oil instead of butter, almonds and skim milk are great sources of low-cost protein.
- Athletes and people who want to build muscle mass need above-average daily protein consumption. In general, every day you need to take at least half a gram of protein for every pound of your body weight (you can do the calculation on Google): for example, if you weigh 200 pounds, about 91 kilos, you must have 100 grams of protein.
Step 2. Take supplements to enrich your diet and make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need
It can be difficult to consume enough protein and other essential nutrients while eating normally. This is where supplements come into play. A protein bar can immediately give you 30 or 40 grams of pure protein, without having to go to the stove and carefully measure the ingredients. Supplements are always available and useful for fighting hunger pangs. If you're in a hurry, they can even replace a meal.
- For most people, a whey protein supplement (and maybe creatine, if you really intend to build muscle mass) is enough to supplement a standard diet.
- Protein supplements are especially important for vegans and vegetarians wishing to build muscle mass, as higher protein foods are usually prohibited for these types of diets. Vegetarian or vegan proteins are derived from natural plant sources and have the same function as normal ones in the body.
- While practical, protein shakes, protein bars, and other supplements should never replace the regular consumption of fresh foods. As the word itself says, their function is to integrate.
Step 3. Eat green colored vegetables
They will have told you thousands of times as a child and it is still valid advice. Brightly colored vegetables are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients like iron, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins. They can't be missing from your diet.
Generally speaking, green leafy vegetables with particularly bright or dark colors have a higher concentration of nutrients. Vegetables and greens such as broccoli, kale, spinach and sweet potatoes are perfect for having a healthy body
Step 4. Choose the right fats and carbohydrates
These substances have a high caloric density, so they provide immediate and lasting energy to the body. Too many people overuse it because foods containing fat and carbohydrates are readily available and appetizing, but these substances are indeed indispensable for active individuals. Most carbohydrates should come from "clean" sources, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables (while avoiding refined grains, starchy products, processed sugars, and so on). When it comes to fats, you should especially prefer mono and polyunsaturated ones, which include foods like avocado, almonds, olive oil, and dark chocolate.
- Carbohydrates are essential for grueling workouts, but they can also cause unwanted fat production if you overdo it. In general, if you plan to build muscle and avoid gaining weight at the same time, you should take 100-150 grams per day.
- Mono and polyunsaturated fats contain compounds that fight free radicals, reversing damage due to oxidation. They also allow you to look healthy and feel good.
Step 5. Limit your consumption of unhealthy foods
It seems obvious, but sometimes everyone needs to remember, especially when bombarded with junk food like chips and snacks. You can indulge yourself if you train hard and have a pre-established "cheat" day, or right after a grueling workout, when most of the excess calories will be used to replenish lost energy. Having a strong body requires moderation and effort - it would be a shame to blow up a week of hard training by making bad food choices.
- Resist the urge to binge. If you are hungry, make or order a balanced meal that is at least one-third made up of lean protein, a source of carbohydrates, and some fresh fruit or vegetables. Don't wait until you feel hungry, otherwise you won't be able to say no to the first McDonald's you see on the way home.
- It is unhealthy to eat certain foods regularly and in large quantities, even if you think they are good for you. For example, some types of fruit, such as bananas, grapes, and apricots, can contain nearly the same amount of sugar as a carbonated drink, although they are considered healthy.
Part 3 of 3: Improving Lifestyle and Habits
Step 1. Take some days off
Over the course of the week, you should sit still for at least two days after doing weight lifting and other exercises. Few things are more important to developing strong, healthy muscles than rest. Exercising with weights wears down your muscles and joints. If you don't take enough time to regenerate them, you risk damaging them severely in the long run. Rest allows the muscle fibers to regenerate and thicken, making them more resistant to strain and allowing the muscle itself to grow.
- Stagger off days to fit your training schedule. For example, you could work your back and biceps on Monday, your legs and abdominal muscles on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, exercise your chest and triceps on Thursday, run on Friday, rest on Saturday, and so on. This way, you will work all the major muscle groups. In addition, they will have enough time to rest (it takes two days a week) between workouts.
- Muscles that are unable to recover and regenerate are progressively compromised until they become more prone to injury.
Step 2. Get enough sleep
When you sleep, the human body does most of the repair work at the cellular level. This means that it remedies small tears and tensions, fat is metabolized for constant energy and new muscle is built. Too many people are not getting enough sleep without realizing that lack of sleep prevents them from having a strong and healthy body.
- Try to get at least six hours of sleep a night; if necessary, add short naps during the day.
- Turn off all electronic devices, which overly stimulate sight and hearing, at least an hour before going to bed. The electromagnetic energy emitted from a television, iPad, or game console can prevent you from dozing off and disturb your sleep.
Step 3. Reduce your alcohol consumption
Everyone likes to go for a drink, but overdoing it does more harm than good, especially when it comes to their health and fitness. Not only is alcohol full of empty calories, too much can drain calcium from your bones, making weight training difficult and dangerous. Don't be afraid to have a couple of beers on a special occasion, but make sure you don't do it every day and don't overdo it.
- Most beers and spirits are distilled from fruits, vegetables and grains, so spirits contain all the carbohydrates derived from sugars and no nutritional value.
- Alcohol consumption is also associated with other problems: tissue damage, nerve dysfunction, and even organ collapse when consumed routinely and in large quantities.
Step 4. Fight the stress
When trying to build muscle mass, controlling hormone levels is often neglected. Natural hormones such as testosterone play an important role in muscle growth. Factors such as stress and anxiety can negatively affect their function. More than anything else, stress is an inhibitory reaction: if the body's resources are not used efficiently, developing the physique you want can become really difficult.
- Look for constructive ways to deal with stress. Practice positive thinking, take a few minutes at the end of the day to meditate in silence or take a relaxing bath. Everything you can do to defuse stress will allow you to achieve your goals, keep fit, have a healthy mind and body.
- Exercise itself is one of the best techniques for relieving stress. Exercising regularly allows you to achieve the desired body, but also allows you to discharge, process the stressors of everyday life and have greater mental clarity.
Advice
- There are many training plans for beginners on the internet. Look for a simple starter program, such as 5x5 and calisthenics of varying degrees of difficulty. In general, a good training plan includes exercises that train all major muscle groups, ensures a good balance between strength and endurance, provides rest days.
- If you can't afford to join the gym, start exercising at home using your body weight. While these exercises are good for the military, they are also good for beginners. The fact that you have no equipment shouldn't stop you from expressing your potential to the fullest.
- Eat protein-rich foods or take protein supplements just before or after an intense workout. In this way, while the energy stores are emptied, the muscles will have protein available and you will be benefited to develop new muscle mass.
- Motivation is important, but the secret lies in the discipline. It is much more important to have a regular (sports and food) routine than to endlessly search for something that motivates you. Do not constantly seek inspiration to train, make a decisive decision to do it.
- Make sure you are properly focusing on each muscle group. You may be tempted to train the muscles that are considered the most beautiful from an aesthetic point of view more frequently, but this over time can cause imbalances and disproportionate growth.
- Drink plenty of water before, during and after a workout to prevent dehydration. If you tend to sweat a lot when exercising, the effects of dehydration can take you by surprise and sometimes you won't notice them right away.
- Building muscle mass takes time. It often takes years of constant training to have beautiful muscles. Don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away. Be consistent: if you give up, you won't make progress.
Warnings
- Always make sure you warm up before doing intense exercises to prevent injuries and perform them to your full potential.
- Don't let your ego stop you from asking for help when you need to lift heavier loads. It is better to have someone assist you (even if you don't need it) than to risk getting seriously hurt just out of pride.
- Stop exercising after an hour or two. If you do not feel fatigued after this time, the card may need to be stepped up. If you train for too long, you risk having unpleasant consequences, including dehydration, ketosis, and an increased propensity for injury. Rhabdomyolysis, a syndrome particularly associated with CrossFit, is a serious muscle disorder resulting from overexertion.
- At the gym, be kind and respectful to others. After using a tool, clean it, put the dumbbells back in place at the end of the exercise, and wait your turn. All people who go to the gym have the same goal: you have no reason to be careless.
