Body Muscle
How to Build Body Muscle
body muscles
I know many people who have wasted their hard earned money many times in joining the programs that claim to build muscle mass very fast. Out of them, some people tried costly herbal or natural supplements also to make their dream of making their muscles big and attractive true but couldn’t get the expected results. Can all the programs and supplements be wrong or ineffective? My answer to this question is-No. So, what may be the reason?
One reason may be that people know many ways to build muscle mass but don’t know to select the best for your body type. As a result people follow a program to build muscle mass that is quite often advised by their relatives or friends or people that do not know your physique and how it will effect what you do. People forget the fact that individual requirements, environment, physical capabilities and body structure differ from one person to other. Another reason for the failure of the people in building muscle mass is that they switch over from one program to another too frequently without waiting for the results. Third reason may be that most people try to build muscle mass without involving any physical trainer or dietitian.
One can’t build muscle mass overnight; it needs time, commitment, dedication and proper guidance. It is a fact that regular gym workouts, if performed under proper guidance, build muscle fast. There are many sources that tell you how to build body muscle but very few share habit related building muscle tips for improving the results of the selected program. You can build muscle mass more quick if you develop following habits.
- Don’t change the programs too frequently.
- Drink a glass of water before taking meal.
- Develop the habit of chewing small pieces.
- When you go to the parties, drive your car yourself. This “designated driver” institution will save you from drinking and eating beyond a limit.
- Increase the intake of protein rich foods because proteins are necessary for building muscle fast.
- Avoid fast food or junk food because these kinds of foods just add undesired fats in the body.
- Perform exercises regularly but do not over-train
- Never visit a gym with a heavy stomach.
- Remember that rest is a vital part of repairing and building muscle mass
Building Upper Body Muscle
uilding upper body muscle is one of the most common goals by men who workout. Why? Is it because women love a man with a nice body? Is it because men just feel the need to be strong? Or do men just like the way they look when they start building upper body muscle? The reasons vary from person to person.
My goal in this article is to provide the information to those of you who are building upper body muscle or to those of you who plan on it. I want to simply list the best exercises to build muscle fast! Theses exercises should not be left out of your regimen if you are serious about gaining muscle quickly. Im sure all those pretty machines look nice inside your gym but im sorry, they didnt make my list!
DEADLIFTS
I know you dont like the fact that i put Deadlifts as my first exercise in building the upper body. But Deads build everything! Its primarily a back and thigh/glute/hip/posterior chain exercise, but it hit other muscles hard like your shoulders, traps, biceps, and forearms. The mere fact that this exercise promotes the release of growth hormone is a good enough reason to have this exercise on the list.
PARALLEL BAR DIPS
Great for building size and strength in the chest, shoulders and triceps. It also works what are known as stabilizer muscles because thats what you use to balance yourself on the bar. Something else that makes this move great is that you can add weight if you have a chain that holds plates which goes around your hips and the weight hangs down between your legs.
Jump up on the bar and grab it at about shoulder width. Lean forward slightly, lower your body until you reach a 90 degree angle between your arms and your upper body. Push back up hard but dont lock your elbows.
CHIN UPS
I know you hate doing these, but that’s why they are so effective. I love Chin ups! They are great for building big biceps and it builds up your lats aka your ‘wings’.
Performing chin ups will incorporate alot of muscles in the exercise. Even your abs are hit to some degree when doing chins.
Grab the chin up bar a little closer than shoulder width apart with your palms facing you. Lift yourself all the way up as far as you can and hold for a second, then with a controlled decent, lower all the way to full extension.
BENCH PRESSES
Okay of course you know this was going to be on the list. What other weight training movement could you do that would build a thick chest better than the bench press. Grab the bar a little wider than shoulder width apart. Feet on the floor. Bring the bar down under control and dont make it bounce off your chest. Stop about an inch before it touches your chest and press it back up as forcefully as possible.
CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESSES
This exercise really blows up your triceps! In this exercise, you sit down on the bench, grab the bar about shoulder width or slightly less, lower the bar to around nipple level and arms are parallel to your body, try to keep your elbows in comfortably, and press upward and concentrate on using your triceps for the lift. I lower the bar slower than when i explosively raise it! And when i get the bar inthe bottom position i pause for a second. It makes a difference, you’ll feel it! Read more
Muscle
How to Build Muscle: The Definitive Guide to Building Muscle
muscle building
Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. There are three types of muscle in the body. Muscle which is responsible for moving extremities and external areas of the body is called “skeletal muscle.” Heart muscle is called “cardiac muscle.” Muscle that is in the walls of arteries and bowel is called “smooth muscle.”
The biggest mistake when building muscle is imitating Pro Bodybuilders. Most of them don’t train naturally, are genetically gifted and never started training that way. Doing their routines won’t make you build muscle fast.
The average person needs a different approach. One that builds muscle fast and prevents physical & mental over training from doing too much, too soon. Here’s how to build muscle: the definitive guide to building muscle.
1. Get Stronger. More strength is more muscle. Get into strength training. I recommend weight lifting because it allows you to start light and add weight endlessly. Body-weight exercises work too.
- Weight Lifting. Start with an empty bar. Learn proper technique. Add weight each workout to keep pushing your body out of comfort zone.
- Calisthenics . Push-ups, Pull-ups, Dips, Pistols, Reverse Crunches, etc. Switch to harder versions or add weight when they get easy.
2. Use Free Weights. You can lift the heaviest weights using barbells. More weight is more stress, thus more muscle. Dumbbells are great for assistance exercises, but not for your main lifts. Stay away from machines.
- Safe. Machines force you into fixed, unnatural movement patterns which can cause injuries. Free weights replicate natural motions.
- Efficient. Free weights force you to control and balance the weight. This builds more muscle than machines, which balance the weight for you.
- Functional. Strength built on machines doesn’t transfer to free weights or real life. No machine balances the weight for you in real life.
- Versatile. You can do hundreds of exercises with just 1 barbell. Saves a lot of money and space, especially if you want to build a home gym.
3. Do Compound Exercises. Don’t imitate Pro Bodybuilders. Isolation exercises are ok once you’ve built base strength & muscle mass. But if you’re starting to build muscle, exercises that hit several muscles at the same time are better.
- No endless Biceps Curls -> Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Barbell Rows
- Also no Triceps Kickbacks -> Bench Press, Overhead Press, Dips
- And definitely no Leg Extensions -> Squats & Deadlifts
4. Train Your Legs. Squats work your whole body, they’re the most important exercise. You’ll look totally different once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight. That’s a free weight Squat with hips coming lower than knees.
All your muscles tense when doing Squats & Deadlifts. They work your body as 1 piece and let you lift heavy weights. Don’t lose time with Biceps Curls. When you can Squat & Deadlift heavy weights, you’ll have bigger arms.
5. Do Full Body Workouts. Don’t compare to Pro Bodybuilders. 3rd time so this gets into you. Body part splits with isolation exercises is fine once you’ve built a foundation. That’s once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight.
You can’t Squat that much or never did Squats? Check StrongLifts 5×5. It takes 3×45mins/week and includes compound exercises like Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Barbell Rows, Overhead Press, Pull-ups, Dips, etc.
6 Get Recovery. Pro athletes workout 5-6 times per week. But they didn’t start that way. They added workouts as they got stronger & bigger. You’ll over train if you jump into their routines. As a beginner you need more recovery.
- Rest. Muscles grow when you rest, not when you workout. Start with 3 full body workouts per week and focus on intensity, not gym time.
- Sleep. Growth hormone releases when you sleep, building muscle. Aim for 8 hours sleep. Nap post workout if your lifestyle allows.
- Drink Water. Avoids dehydration and helps muscle recovery. Drink 2 cups water with each meal, and sip water during your workout.
- Eat. “Eat like a horse. Sleep like a baby. Grow like a weed”. Your training is useless if you don’t eat plenty of whole foods. More below.
7. Eat Whole Foods. You’ll achieve a lower body fat, so the muscles you’ve built show better. And the vitamin & mineral content helps recovery. Stop eating food coming from a box. Eat whole foods 90% of the time.
- Proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, milk, …
- Carbs. Brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa, …
- Veggies. Spinach, broccoli, tomato, salad, carrot, …
- Fruits. Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, peers, …
- Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds, …
8. Eat More. You need food for energy and for muscle growth & recovery. More frequent meals also boosts your metabolism, helping fat loss.
- Eat Breakfast. Get calories from the first hour.
- Eat Post Workout. Get proteins & carbs post workout to help muscle recovery & replenish energy stores.
- Eat Every 3 Hours. 6 meals/day. Gives your muscles a steady intake of protein, speeds up muscle repair & recovery, boosts your metabolism.
- Eat BW in lbs x 18kcal. Track your daily calorie intake using FitDay. You need at least your body-weight in lbs x 18kcal to maintain weight.
9. Gain Weight. You’ll never look muscular weighing 140lbs at 6″. No matter how much training you do. Here’s the most important part.
- Eat Calorie Dense Foods. 100g raw spinach is 25kcals. But 100g raw rice is 380kcals. Eat pasta, oats, olive oil, mixed nuts, etc.
- Get Stronger. Increase your Squat to 1.5x your body-weight for at least 1 rep. Deadlift 2x BW for at least 1 rep. More strength is more muscle.
- Drink Whole Milk. If you don’t bother gaining some fat, drink 1 gallon whole milk daily on top of your current food intake. You can gain 25lbs in 1 month if you combine this with 3 weekly Squat sessions.
10. Get Protein. Proteins have the highest thermic effect. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight daily to build & maintain muscle. That’s 160g of daily protein if you weigh 160lbs/72kg. Eat whole proteins with each meal.
- Red Meat. Ground round, steaks, deer, buffalo, …
- Poultry. Chicken breast, whole chicken, turkey, duck, …
- Fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, …
- Eggs. Eat the yolk, it’s full of vitamins.
- Dairy. Milk, cottage cheese, quark cheese, yogurt, whey, …
If you weigh 160lbs: 1 can of tuna at lunch, 300g quark as snack, 300g meat at dinner and 500ml milk through the day gets you 160g protein. Read also how to get your daily protein when you’re a vegetarian/vegan.
