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How To Build Muscle : Top 9 Rules To Follow

How To Build Muscle : Top 9 Rules To Follow

All gym-goers alike know the feeling of hitting a plateau. Whether its with weight loss or weight gain, not seeing results can be very disappointing. When it comes to how to build muscle there are few things you can do to improve, and increase muscle growth; and there are a few things you may be doing that’s preventing it.

how to build muscle mistakes

How To Build Muscle : Common Mistakes

Generally, lifting very heavy weights with a low volume (reps) is great for increasing strength. Lifting at a moderately heavy weight at a high volume is better for increasing muscle. There are 2 common denominators for these situations; lifting, and lifting heavy. This brings us to our first common mistake out of our top 2 mistakes for how to build muscle.

Mistake 1: Not lifting and not lifting heavy

how to build muscle heavy weight

If your goal is to increase muscle, you definitely should include resistance training to your workout regimen. For those who are concerned with being too bulky or too buff. Adding in resistance training will NOT significantly, increase muscle mass immediately. That being said, you will gain muscle, tone-up, get stronger, but it happens over time. You will be able to see which muscle groups gain muscle mass faster and can then adjust your routine.

For all our other gym goers who already have resistance training incorporated in their regimen, the question becomes ‘ Are you lifting heavy?‘. You don’t need to hit your 1RM every lift, but how long has it been since that number changed? Is it a plateau in strength or have you gotten comfortable training with less weight? We don’t all have trainers or a workout partner, so you need to be your own motivator.

how to build sleep resting

Mistake 2: Not Resting

We’ve mentioned before about the importance of rest days, but this is a topic we don’t mind repeating. Your muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen, and built in bed. For optimal growth you need all three of those factors fulfilled. Sleep plays a large role in metabolism as well. Even one night of missed sleep can create a pre-diabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.

 

How To Build Muscle : 9 Rules To Follow

Getting stronger isn’t just about what takes place in the gym. How you tackle the rest of your day and night, including sleep, goes a long way to determining how you build muscle.

how to build muscle compound lifts

Tip 1: Compound Lifts

Here’s a short list of the basic compound movements:

  • Squat
  • Dead lift
  • Bench Press
  • Barbell Overhead Press
  • Pull up/Chin up

These compound lifts should be the main foundation of your training program for long term progress. You can easily make progress on these for many years. Getting stronger at these will do more for your physique than a million bicep curls will. These are also great strength indicator exercise that you can keep track of and strive to increase over time.

how to build muscle heavy weight 1

Tip 2: Weight

Instead of focusing on the pump, focus on adding weight to the bar. Try to lift more than last time. You’ll get stronger which will increase your overall muscle mass. If you don’t lift more today than last month or year, you’re not building muscle. In order to build muscle, you must break down muscle tissue using a weight that is challenging enough to cause micro-tears, which when repaired, form denser, stronger fibers.

how to build muscle control

Tip 3: Controlling The Movement

When lifting any weight, there are 2 phases for the exercise. One when you are fighting gravity and one when you’re going with it. For instance, as you lower into a squat, you’re performing an eccentric movement by going with gravity. When you return to standing, that’s concentric and you are fighting against gravity. One way to increase your control of an exercise is to slow down the motion. Or you can add in static holds. With static training you take a weight and hold it in a fixed position for several seconds. By forcing the muscle to work when it is maximally contracted and using the heaviest weight possible, you can optimize its growth potential.

protein meal

Tip 4: Increase Calories

 Your body uses food to fuel workouts, and recover muscles. Your muscles can’t recover and grow efficiently in a deficit. When your body senses that it’s in a calorie deficit, it downshifts your body’s tendency to build new muscle. After all, if your body thinks food is in short supply, growing isn’t going to be its main priority. Instead determine how many calories you need to maintain your current weight (your baseline) then add 200-300.
how to build muscle protein

Tip 5: Eat More Protein

Training breaks down your muscles. Protein builds them back up. And the harder your lifting workouts, the more important protein intake is to your recovery. If you want to calculate the optimal protein amount for you and your goals, 0.5 to 0.9 grams of protein per kilogram body weight, depending on exercise intensity.

REST

Tip 6: Rest More

Your muscles need to recover from your workouts to grow stronger and bigger. They can’t recover if you work them hard every day. Even your mind needs a break. Take three to four rest days a week. Help your muscles recover by getting plenty of food, water, and sleep. Sleeping for five hours, as opposed to eight hours, per night for just one week can cut muscle-building testosterone levels by 10 to 15 percent.
how to build muscle Consistency-is-Key

Tip 7: Consistency

Consistency is key. A well-designed training plan followed consistently will maximize results. A well-designed plan has the proper mix of stress and recovery and ensures the right type of training occurs at the right time. If you’re having trouble training consistently, a coach can help you make the most efficient use of your training time and can customize a plan to fit your needs and lifestyle.

how to build muscle goals

Tip 8: Set Goals

You can’t turn into Arnold in three months because building muscle takes time. It’s good to ‘shoot for the stars’, but don’t be too extreme. Likewise, a goal that is too easy is also not very motivating. Only you know your limits. Include an end-point. Knowing that you have a deadline motivates you to get started.

how to build muscle creatine

Tip 9: Supplements

While it’s possible to build muscle without taking dietary supplements, certain supplements may help you meet your goals faster. These 6 supplements can help increase muscle mass growth.
  • Creatine
    • Creatine is a performance boosting supplement. It can help you with ATP production. With more energy,  you can push yourself harder and make you stronger in the gym.
  • Protein and BCAAs
    • You can get all the protein you need from protein-rich foods, however, some people struggle to do so. There are many different protein supplements available, but some of the most popular are whey, casein and, soy protein. BCAA supplements are particularly beneficial if you are not eating enough high-quality protein in your diet, or train fasted.
  • Beta Alanine
    • Beta alanine is an amino acid that reduces muscle fatigue and may increase exercise performance.
  • HMB
    • Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) is a molecule that’s produced when your body processes the amino acid leucine. HMB can prevent muscle-protein breakdown, encourages muscle growth, and speeds exercise recovery.
  • Testosterone Boosters/ Pro hormones
    • Increasing testosterone levels, via natural testosterone booster or pro hormones, can help increase strength, muscle mass, libido and more.
  • Laxogenin
    • Laxogenin is a plant steroid, so it isn’t hormonal. This means even women can choose to supplement with it to improve strength, recovery, and joint pain.

PLEASE NOTE:

†The intention of the information above is for reference only. While we attempt to keep our information accurate, we cannot guarantee it is an accurate representation of the latest formulation of the product. If you have any concerns, please visit the vendors web site. The information above are the views of the product’s manufacturer, not the views of Same Day Supplements. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. The intention of this product is not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

Talib Ahmad Supplement Expert

Talib has been a supplement and fitness enthusiast for over 10 years. He is a passionate powerlifter who enjoys helping others with their supplement regimens and training programs to ensure they achieve the best performance for their goals.

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