Learning how to build muscle is a rocky road which most people find difficult to navigate. While science has shown us great advancements in training like high intensity interval training it isn't all good news - there has been countless nonsense over the years, and the majority of people get lost.
Despite the huge strides forward we have taken in the fitness industry, if you harbor dreams of building cold, hard, lean muscle you would do very well to return to the basic fundamental rules of size and strength.
This consists of:
1. Lift with compound moves as a priority.
Despite the array of new equipment in gyms these days, you still cannot defeat squats, deadlifts and military press for fast results.
Any compound exercise will recruit more muscle fibers than an isolation move, therefore you'll gain more size over a shorter period of time.
2. Aim for the hypertrophy zone.
Several key studies have revealed that the eight to twelve repetition range is optimal for building muscular size and strength.
You'll be stronger on some exercises, naturally, but you can begin using your rep range as a guide to tell you if you are going too light or too heavy.
3. Adapt your program to your new strength gains.
While consistently attending the gym is a great thing, consistency can also be a bad thing, as you're about to see.
That may sound strange, but consistently lifting the same weight over and over will not see you hit new results. As your body begins to adapt to an exercise, you will need to push it harder than before to see new results. Therefore, make increasing your lifts an absolute priority.
4. Sleep to grow.
Sleep is vastly under-rated by most gym users. You must remember that the body undergoes it's major rebuilding phase during the hours of a deep sleep.
If you try to get eight to twelve hours of sleep on a consistent basis, it is a guaranteed method to increase your size and strength. That's because the body releases growth hormone and testosterone at this point, so neglecting this phase of the day is not advised.
Imagine trying to build on a plot where the foundations were not yet set. Your construction would be constantly falling down again, that's exactly what you're doing to your body by not allowing rest.
If your quest to discover how to build muscle has so far led you down an unsuccessful route, or you have got lost in the jargon which surrounds techniques such as high intensity interval training and strength training, you are not alone. Most people are in the same boat. You can begin getting on the right track by applying the four rules you have learnt today.
Despite the huge strides forward we have taken in the fitness industry, if you harbor dreams of building cold, hard, lean muscle you would do very well to return to the basic fundamental rules of size and strength.
This consists of:
1. Lift with compound moves as a priority.
Despite the array of new equipment in gyms these days, you still cannot defeat squats, deadlifts and military press for fast results.
Any compound exercise will recruit more muscle fibers than an isolation move, therefore you'll gain more size over a shorter period of time.
2. Aim for the hypertrophy zone.
Several key studies have revealed that the eight to twelve repetition range is optimal for building muscular size and strength.
You'll be stronger on some exercises, naturally, but you can begin using your rep range as a guide to tell you if you are going too light or too heavy.
3. Adapt your program to your new strength gains.
While consistently attending the gym is a great thing, consistency can also be a bad thing, as you're about to see.
That may sound strange, but consistently lifting the same weight over and over will not see you hit new results. As your body begins to adapt to an exercise, you will need to push it harder than before to see new results. Therefore, make increasing your lifts an absolute priority.
4. Sleep to grow.
Sleep is vastly under-rated by most gym users. You must remember that the body undergoes it's major rebuilding phase during the hours of a deep sleep.
If you try to get eight to twelve hours of sleep on a consistent basis, it is a guaranteed method to increase your size and strength. That's because the body releases growth hormone and testosterone at this point, so neglecting this phase of the day is not advised.
Imagine trying to build on a plot where the foundations were not yet set. Your construction would be constantly falling down again, that's exactly what you're doing to your body by not allowing rest.
If your quest to discover how to build muscle has so far led you down an unsuccessful route, or you have got lost in the jargon which surrounds techniques such as high intensity interval training and strength training, you are not alone. Most people are in the same boat. You can begin getting on the right track by applying the four rules you have learnt today.
About the Author:
Provided by: Discover key tips revealing how to build muscle and how to implement high intensity interval training properly for maximum results via the free fitness blog from leading UK personal trainer Russ Howe PTI.