Muscle Building Tips
by Justin Leonard, ISSA CFTWhat is the best way to pack on muscle mass? Packing on size is easy, as long as the proper techniques are applied. Keep in mind is that everyone has a different body type. Techniques or methods that work for others may not work for you. This next segment will briefly describe some of the insider tips needed to get huge. We'll begin with training techniques.
Start by training 2 - 4 days per week. Try not to exceed more than approximately 1 hour and a half for the training duration. If possible, keep your workout to an hour in length. This time frame is all you need. Anything longer won't make you any bigger. By limiting your workout time to 1 hour, you also significantly decrease the risk of overtraining. Try to keep repetition range to about 4 - 12. When it comes to reps, descend with control, but power the weight to the up position (come down slow and up fast). This will help build mass, increase power, and total strength.
Rest time in between sets should be approximately 2 - 3 minutes. Try to center your workouts around key exercise movements. For example, bench press, leg press, etc. Avoid training more than 2 muscle groups at a time. Typically, you want to train muscles that work with each other. For example, chest and triceps or biceps and back. This strategy is ideal and proven effective.
The best way to build lean muscle mass while burning fat is to perform cardio, either before or after a workout. Since the goal is to try to build mass, you only need cardio about once a week or once every 2 weeks max. Performing too much cardio can take away from quality muscle gains and cause you to get smaller in size.
Although it may be inconvenient, it is best to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Usually when people workout, it is mid-day or in the afternoon. By that time, they've eaten several meals packed with carbohydrates (the body's primary source of energy). Those high carb meals are most likely going to be used as a source of fuel for the body. If you limit your fuel (carbs), the body will be forced to burn fuel from its alternate source . . . fat.
Resting the body is just as important as dieting and training. Try to get about 6 or 8 hours of sleep a day. Resting is what actually causes the muscles to grow. Taking days, even weeks off from training will only benefit you. Be sure to experiment with rest periods to find out which works best for your body type.
An important thing to remember, especially if you're a novice or hardgainer is to be patient. Patience is the key to success when it comes to muscle gains. Do not overtrain. As stated before, spending long hours in the gym will not benefit you. It will only hurt you. Beginners tend to often make this mistake. They see such awesome gains early on. They then think, "The more I train, the bigger I'll get." This is a big mistake because the muscle aren't given a chance to grow. Overtraining actually tears the muscles down, causing them to "plateau" and get weak. Remember, success doesn't come overnight. Always keep a positive outlook on things and be patient.
"The longer I'm out of the gym, the bigger I get. Train less and get bigger!"
- Justin Leonard, ISSA CFT
We all know what a sore muscle feels like. You can think of muscle soreness as a good thing. Muscle soreness is an indication of muscle growth. To feel soreness (usually the following day) as a result of training is perfectly normal. If a muscle is sore, do not train that particular muscle until it has fully recovered. It is ok to train muscles other than the sore muscles, just don't train the sore one.
When working out, do not favor body parts. This can cause muscular imbalances. For example, having a big upper body and skinny legs is not balance. Proper balance is a necessity. If it gets to the point where muscular imbalance becomes a problem, try priority training. This concept involves training a lacking muscle first or with the most attention. For example, if the legs are not in proportion with the upper body, train them at the beginning of the week instead of training chest at the beginning of the week. For some, training a certain muscle twice a week may be the solution to muscular imbalances.
Gym safety is important. Safety spotters (human or machine) can be a tremendous asset. Do not be afraid to utilize someone who can spot or provide assistance. Always know your limits and don't push yourself over natural boundaries. Most people would be more than willing to assist as a spotter. You should begin all workouts using high reps and a light weight. Eventually, the weight load will increase causing the repetition range to become lower. When you get to this point, think wisely
The ideal weight range during a mass-building training regiment is medium to heavy. Use only light weights for warming up or supersetting. Repetition range will vary depending on the muscle group. Typically, you want to keep reps to about 6 - 10 for bigger muscles, and 10 - 15 reps for smaller ones. Be sure to experiment to find which rep range works best for you.
A key concept to remember is that workouts should not be written in stone. The body actually becomes immune to workouts if workouts become repetitive. It is important to switch workout format/order so that the muscles don't get used to or adapt to what you are doing. Another way around this is to vary exercises, perform supersets, etc.
The following is a sample workout. It can be used to give an idea of what a mass-building training regiment should reflect. This workout template is very basic. Feel free to modify as needed. Your body may require more or less sets, reps, exercises, etc. Remember to warm up thoroughly before performing any exercise. This can be done by utilizing a cardiovascular machine, using light weights, etc.
Try to focus on form, not the quantity of weight used. Do not use momentum to power the weight up. Instead, use accurate and proper form. In turn, you will avoid injury.
