The Simple Rules Of Building Muscle Mass

By Russ Howe


As a personal trainer it's easy to read the things in fitness publications and wonder why so many people are lost when it comes to figuring out how to build muscle in the gym. The truth is it's needlessly over complicated. Today we'll be showing you the basic rules to help put you on the right track.

Also, we'll avoid the type of scientific jargon which usually just alienates people and leaves them feeling confused!

When I'm working in the gym as a fitness instructor I know that the majority of fitness trainers like to get way too in-depth with their clients. Usually you can see that the customer has lost interest and is merely nodding along or regretting that they asked the question in the first place. We don't feel the need to pat ourselves on the back for our knowledge of the human body, we're here to train you and if you cannot understand the instructions it's not going to work no matter how much we may know, right? We can't understand why some 'experts' do that, so the one thing we can guarantee here is that you will not lose track.

When it comes to packing on lean muscle there are a few rules which will keep you in the right direction.

Rule number one is as easy as it gets. Sleep. That's right, a good night's sleep is not only nice but also great for your results. Like most of these rules you'll find they are easier to apply than you may be expecting at first. Eight hours sleep is great for your progress.

Once you have corrected your sleeping patterns, understanding the importance of rest for hypertrophy is the next step. Your body won't enjoy hypertrophy (growth) if you do not rest. The best way to think of a day off from training is a growth day, rather than a rest day. This helps to kill the feeling of boredom from taking a day off and reminds you that resting is actually part of your training program.

Next we focus on the need to alter your training schedule to reflect your goals. After all, there is little point in going to the gym and firing out rep after rep if your goal is to get bigger. You need to adapt your training to a program which has your goal in mind. Strength training is performed best when you target your repetitions at an eight-to-twelve rep zone rather than performing hours of lighter weights, which are better suited to those looking to shoot for endurance over size.

In terms of which exercises work best the basics are all you really need. We need to put the focus on compound movements such as bench press, squat and shoulder press in order to stimulate maximum growth from all the major muscle groups. There is little point spending 25 minutes working the forearm when you could do a full intense workout in that time.

Diet is also critical. Incredibly, most guys assume they can just drink a protein shake and it'll be sufficient. It will not, of course. We're sure that when you say you wish to build a bigger physique you don't mean piling on the weight and becoming fat. Your diet needs to reflect your goals no matter whether you're trying to lose weight or add lean mass.

So if you're still wondering how to build muscle now you know the difference between those running around the gym with no results to show for it and those who seem to get results without ever stalling or hitting a plateau. The best part? You didn't even have to hire a personal trainer to find out!




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