Quick Tips to Gain Muscle Mass

Always been the smallest guy? Want to gain muscle mass to look stronger? Here are some great tips to get you started on the right track...
Do you know that packing on size is actually easy? But only if you are applying correct and proper techniques. Here are some basic but useful tips to help you gain muscle mass.

Tip 1 : Using heavy weights and doing less reps when weight training. Lower reps should range between 4 to 8 instead of the traditional 10 and above. Choose the appropriate weights for yourself.

Using heavy weights and low reps puts your muscles and nervous system under much more stress than using lighter weights for many reps. Try to keep the rest time in between sets around 2 to 3 minutes.

Tip 2 : Eat more food so that you can get enough calories to gain the muscle mass. In fact, you should be eating around 18 to 20 times your own body weight in calories. This is essential such that the body have the extra calories to build new muscles. Besides, additional calories are required to repair damaged muscle tissue when working out. But remember, you must not consume empty calories. You should only go for foods which provide you with correct nutrients that are crucial for gaining muscle.

Tip 3 : Having a high intense workout is not enough. You must also include more protein in your food intake in order to help you gain muscle fast. No protein means that your body will be unable to build new muscle. Carbs like bread are the food that the body need to derive energy from. However, when the body build or repair muscles, it needs the amino acids which are only available from proteins from the food that you eat. How do you know how much protein you need? You have to get at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight.

Tip 4 : Eat More Fats! Why? Well, fats can help in testosterone production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in testosterone levels, which is a must when you are trying to gain mass. You must keep in mind that you must increase your essential fatty acids and not saturated fats!

Tip 5 : You need to drink water all day long. By drinking water constantly, you are keeping your muscles hydrated. Training hard will cause dehydration easily. A dehydrated muscle takes longer to repair itself compared to a hydrated one.

Tip 6 : Make sure you are having enough vitamins and minerals. This is crucial when you are trying to build muscles as your body will require much essential vitamin and mineral. Do take good multi-vitamin pill everyday to help ensure you have enough vitamins and mineral.

Tip 7 : Stop any aerobics activities. This is essential when you are trying to build serious mass. Still want to continue with your aerobics that you enjoy? Exercises like running should be limited to only once every week or maybe once every fortnight instead.

Tip 8 : Having a good rest everyday. Letting your body get enough rest is just as important as having the correct diet and exercises. It is important that you target to get about 6-8 hours of sleep everyday. Resting is crucial as this is the time when the muscle grows. Taking days, even weeks off from training can only benefit you.

Also your body, my body and other people's body are probably of different body types. Everyone has totally different types and may require additional muscle building exercises to work on different areas. Thus, you have to be patient and consistent. Even if you have the best diet, the best training schedule or even joined the best gym, it'll all be worthless without consistency.

By Lesley Chew
Published: 5/11/2009
 
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