How to build muscle mass: a detailed guide to action. Ten Ways to Accelerate Muscle Growth

16.10.2019

How to increase body weight? The cause of reduced weight may be any disease in the body. Therefore, an underweight man should first of all consult a doctor. If there are no pathologies in the body, then insufficient weight may be the result of a too fast metabolism. This is especially true for young men.

How to increase the weight of a man?

Many underweight men try to gain weight by increasing the amount of food they eat. However, this does not lead to the desired results.

It is necessary to increase not just the amount of food, but to increase the number of calories consumed by the body per day. A nutritionist can help you calculate the number of calories your body needs.

In order to increase weight, you must follow the correct daily routine and diet. Proper nutrition combined with exercise will increase weight by increasing lean body mass.

To determine the optimal weight of a person, it is necessary to measure his height and subtract 110 centimeters from the resulting value. The result will show the number of kilograms that is the optimal weight for a given person.

Proper nutrition for weight gain

It is necessary to create the correct diet. We should try to eat more often during the day, preferably every 3-4 hours. Food should be rich in vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates.

You need to have breakfast in the morning within an hour after getting out of bed. For breakfast, you can cook an omelette, eat foods such as cottage cheese, cheese, dairy products, fruits and honey. It is very useful for breakfast to eat milk porridge seasoned with vegetable oil.

For lunch, you can cook for the first hearty soup, for the second meat or fish with a side dish of pasta or mashed potatoes, a salad of fresh vegetables. Then you can eat dessert and drink coffee with cream.

For dinner, you can cook an omelette with ham and tomatoes and coffee with milk. Before going to bed, you can eat fruits: apples or grapes. During the day, in addition to the 3 main meals (for breakfast, lunch and dinner), you need to have snacks. As snacks, you can eat dairy products, sandwiches, salads, fruits, nuts. During the day, you need to drink plenty of water.

For 1 serving, you do not need to eat too many different foods. You can cook food for the whole day. If possible, it is advisable to prepare food before each meal, as fresh food is tastier and healthier. You need to eat regularly and avoid feeling hungry.

How to increase weight with brewer's yeast?

Brewer's yeast improves metabolism and the general condition of the human body. The composition of brewer's yeast includes a large complex of vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Brewer's yeast contributes to an increase in muscle mass with a prerequisite for physical education, sports and other physical activities.

Brewer's yeast contains a large amount of amino acids and vitamins that contribute to their absorption. The protein found in brewer's yeast resembles animal protein, but has a much higher calorie content.

In order to increase your weight, you need to take 2-3 tablets of brewer's yeast after meals. Thanks to the intake of brewer's yeast, a person's appetite improves.

While taking brewer's yeast, you should follow the correct diet. Brewer's yeast can be bought at a pharmacy. They are made in the form of tablets. You can make a drink to improve your appetite. To do this, dilute brewer's yeast in water, add honey and crackers there.

Workouts to increase muscle mass

How to increase your muscles and how to increase body weight? Muscle volume increases with physical activity. In response to an increase in muscle load, the body responds with an increase in lean body mass. To gain weight and increase muscle, you need to achieve a constant progression of loads in training.

It is advisable to perform strength exercises in the gym under the supervision of a trainer.

If you can’t go to the gym, you can do strength exercises at home.

It is necessary to monitor the intensity of training and gradually increase the load. If the training is not intense enough, then the increase in muscle mass will not occur.

When exercising at home, training with dumbbells and a barbell is most preferable. They give the greatest effect for increasing muscle mass and body weight.

It is necessary to perform the exercises correctly and gradually add weight. Among the physical exercises, the following give the greatest effect:

  • squats with dumbbells;
  • pushups;
  • bench press in the prone position;
  • deadlift;
  • twisting on the press;
  • bench press in a standing position;
  • pull-ups on the crossbar;
  • swings with dumbbells.

Strength exercises must be combined with running, swimming, cycling. You need regular and sufficient rest.

Muscle growth does not occur during the training itself, but during the rest, especially at night. Therefore, you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.

Training is not recommended to be done every day. You can train 3-4 times a week in the gym or at home.

Don't overtrain. If you spend too much time and energy on training instead of building muscle, you will release cortisol, which, on the contrary, contributes to muscle breakdown.

If, due to too frequent and exorbitant training, processes that destroy muscles occur, then it will not work to increase weight and add muscle mass. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the training does not exceed 1.5 hours.

After training, you need to eat. During training, you need to increase the diet. Breakfast should be early and heavy.

Only in this case, in response to training and strength exercises, the body will be able to gain the necessary weight.

Muscle building is a very complex physiological and biomechanical process, which can be confusing even for the most experienced athlete. Here are 5 simple steps on how to build muscle at home that can achieve great results for you. Gaining body weight quickly without harm to your health at home is possible only by following a diet, training and recovery. It will be more difficult for a thin person (aka ectomorph), while a mesomorph will be able to get rapid muscle growth without even adhering to a strict regimen. Follow this guide step by step and you will be able to increase muscle mass even at home.

We'll cover everything from food, diet and exercise to help you figure out which sports nutrition can help lean people who can't get enough calories from regular foods to make progress.

If you need help or clarification, please post your questions or comments at the end of this manual or use the feedback form.

Before we discuss in detail how to build muscle, let's first briefly touch on the basics of physiology. To pump up safely and properly at home or in the gym, it is preferable to use only natural means and methods so that the result remains unchanged for many years without rollback. But you need to understand the biochemical processes of protein synthesis that occur in the body. In other words, you need to understand why muscles grow and how it happens in order to speed up these processes.

Lifting weights leads to micro-tears in muscle tissue, after which a whole cascade of biochemical reactions occurs, it is commonly called supercompensation, which in turn lead to the activity of certain cells in the body. These cells, as it were, are attached to muscle fibers to help them repair damaged areas and stimulate the synthesis of new ones.

When the cross-sectional area of ​​the fibers increases, you experience what is commonly known as muscle hypertrophy.

You must remember that the purpose of training is to stimulate protein synthesis. However, the key to building muscle lies in its recovery, not damage.

On the one hand, you can’t bring the body to a state of overtraining, because this can not only slow down growth, but also lead to loss of results and poor health. On the other hand, to stimulate muscle growth, it is necessary to force the body to do what it does not want, which leads to pain. If during training you feel light, then most likely you are becoming lazier, and training is not taking place at the proper level of intensity.

How important is body type?

When it comes to training and nutrition, most guys need to determine their body type from three: ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph. It is most difficult for ectomorphs to gain a few extra pounds: their training and nutrition should line up in a special way.

Before we examine each somatotype in detail, let's first consider the origin and significance of this classification of the human figure.

Somatotypes were originally developed by Rhode Island psychologist William Herbert Sheldon to characterize the psychological state of a person based on anthropometry.

Eventually, the bodybuilding and fitness community adopted this somatotype classification system to define the physical characteristics of athletes.

However, the original model designed by Sheldon was exclusively for men. But what about in the case of women? The scientist did not answer this question.

From this we can conclude that the system of somatotypes is very limited in its design, scope and significance. And techniques for building muscle should be selected for a person, his capabilities and results. A training program for gaining mass at home will differ from a set of exercises for training in the gym. But this will be more about the limitations that the equipment of the home gym imposes. If you have barbells, dumbbells, a bench and a power rack, then you can have a full workout without visiting the gym. However, here is what typical characteristics look like under the Sheldon model:

ECTOMORPH

Typical skinny guy:

  • small joints;
  • Narrow shoulders;
  • Long bones;
  • High growth and longevity.

In the bodybuilding world, they are called hardgainers.

MESOMORPH

Pretty athletic build.

  • Large bones;
  • Higher levels of white muscle columns;
  • Somewhat angular figure;
  • Naturally strong, despite the lack of proper sports training.

ENDOMORPH

Small stature and stocky build:

  • Large parts of the body
  • Slightly elevated body fat
  • Long limbs provide benefits for lower body strength training

Below you will see that I have not included any specific strength training and nutrition recommendations for each body type, as is done in most of the articles you can find on the Internet. In my opinion, such materials present a rather myopic approach, since the physique of many people does not fully fit the template somatotypes.

For example, to quickly build muscle for an ectomorph if he feels terrible on a high-carb diet, but is able to train 5 days a week?

Should he keep banging his head against the wall while consuming tons of carbs, avoiding cardio and only exercising 3 times a week just because the "experts" on the internet recommend it?

No, of course not. For example, I was only able to gain 17 kg of muscle by properly balanced eating and training hard, without resorting to consuming a huge amount of carbohydrates.

Somatotype classification was never developed as a means of assessing the potential for muscle growth or an individual's genetic response to exercise.

Likewise, you are not destined to gain fat easily because you have an endomorphic body type and love carbohydrates. This is just a starting point, no more and no less.

Although the methods that provide muscle growth for a full and thin person have fundamental differences from each other. But don't limit yourself psychologically by believing that your body type can prevent you from gaining mass. All people have mixed types, and it is very difficult to find a pronounced representative. All people have the potential to gain muscle mass, regardless of gender and body type, whether you train in the gym or at home. Your desire and desire to improve the quality of your body play a big role.

Somatotypes are useful as the most general way to classify beginner athletes. It is unnecessary to use them to explain the reasons for the limitations of one's own potential.

Step #1: Calculate your calorie needs

To understand exactly how you need to eat in order to quickly build muscle, you need to understand how many calories you need to consume. The first step is to determine your basal metabolic rate. In fact, this is an estimate of the minimum amount of energy required to maintain the basic functions of the body (heartbeat, respiration, etc.) at rest.

Formulas for calculating basal metabolism

1. Formula based on weight, height and age of a person

  • Men: 66 + (13.7 X body weight) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years) = basal metabolic rate or BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
  • Women: 655 + (9.6 X body weight) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

2. Formula based on pure muscle mass without fat

That is, if your weight is 60 kg and 27% fat, then fat is 16.2 kg (60 is multiplied by 0.27 and the resulting figure is subtracted from 60), therefore, dry muscles are 60-16.2 = 43, 8 kg.

The formula is the same in this case for men and women:

370 + (21.6 X Lean Muscle) = BMR

Use a special online calculator or formulas for calculations.

daily calorie intake for women

This formula for calculating calories appeared several years ago, but is considered most accurate.

The daily calorie intake for women is determined by the formula:
10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (years) - 161

Now the result must be multiplied by the coefficient of physical activity:

  • 1.2 - minimum or no physical activity
  • 1.375 - fitness classes 3 times a week
  • 1.4625 - fitness classes 5 times a week
  • 1.550 - intense physical activity 5 times a week
  • 1.6375 - fitness classes every day
  • 1.725 - every day intensively or twice a day

Daily calorie intake for men

The daily calorie intake for men is calculated by the formula:

10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (years) + 5

As in the calculation for women, we multiply the result by the coefficient of physical activity:

  • 1.2 - minimum or no
  • 1.375 - 3 p. in Week
  • 1.4625 - 5 p. in Week
  • 1.550 - intensively 5 rubles. in Week
  • 1.6375 - every day
  • 1.725 - every day intensively or 2 r. in a day
  • 1.9 - daily + physical work

Standard power supply "to ground" , generally recommended for healthy people with an average body weight. Use the following formula to determine your daily calorie needs:

SSRE + 250 calories.

SSRE + 500 calories.

Keep in mind that these calculations are based on algorithms that work for most people, but not everyone. They are compiled without taking into account many variables, such as genotype, hormones, lifestyle factors, hobbies, features of thermogenesis and the functioning of the nervous system.

So some of you may need to add more calories to gain weight, while others may need less. Start eating according to the above formulas for a month, observe the results, and then adjust the diet.

If you've been training for a year or two, you should be gaining about 220 grams per week. Beginners should gain a little more - 340-450 grams per week - to maximize their potential for muscle growth.

Step #2: Plan Your Meals

For example, let's say you are a young person who is 20 years old and you are a student, then you can simply substitute your data. You are new to strength training and want to build muscle. Your height is 182 cm, weight is 70 kg. You work as a waiter or sales assistant and plan to work out 3-4 times a week because you have a lean physique (average ectomorph).

We will use these parameters as a practical example to determine your calorie and macronutrient needs. In step #1, you learned how to calculate your base calorie intake, so now we'll take a look at how to distribute it across macronutrients and how to plan your meals in general, how much proteins, fats and carbohydrates you need to consume for a quality set of muscles.

SSRE≈ 2750 calories

  • Calorie rate for enhanced muscle growth: 2750 + 500 = 3250 calories.

Protein:

  • Start with 2.15 grams per 1 kg of body weight;
  • 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories;
  • 70 kg (weight) * 8.6 = 600 kcal.
  • Start with 1 gram per 1 kg of weight;
  • 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories;
  • 70 * 9 = 630 calories.

Carbohydrates:

  • Take the remaining calories with carbohydrates;
  • 1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories;
  • 3250 - 1230 (600+630) = 2020 calories divided by 4 = 505 calories.

Water

It is necessary to consume a sufficiently large amount of water per day, approximately 2-2.5 liters. The fact is that we are used to drinking water when we want it. But in fact, when the body tells us that it wants water, it begins dehydration processes. That is, it is already late and you should have drunk a glass of water earlier. When the body is dehydrated, water leaves the cells and thereby triggers catabolism (the mechanism of destruction of muscle tissue).

Water is an integral part of all cells of tissues and organs of our body and all processes occurring in it. It is important for many functions of our body, your body, like muscles, is 70% water and no growth without it is simply impossible. Modern recommendations are 2 tablespoons 30 ml per 1 kg of weight, for example, with a weight of 70 kg, you need to drink 2 1 liters of water per day. The larger the person, the higher his metabolic load, the more water he needs.

Pay special attention to the process of hydration, there should always be a sufficient amount of fluid in the body.

So, you need to consume approximately 150 g of protein, 70 g of fat and 505 g of carbohydrates per day.

I know this may seem like a gigantic amount, but for some guys (and girls), that's exactly what it takes to build muscle.

If you can't consume carbs in that amount, or you don't tolerate them well (as I said above), then you can easily replace them with fats, since they are also high in calories, but have a smaller volume.

I should point out that all of the above recommendations are for young, healthy and active people. Some macronutrients need to be adjusted to suit your body parameters, metabolic rate, and protein synthesis, especially for older athletes or those whose bodies do not respond well to this nutritional strategy.

Nutrition program

Now let's look at the diet, or rather an example of a menu, so that everyone can gain 17 kg of muscle mass at home.

Breakfast


Dinner


Nutrition after training (after 1-2 hours)


Dinner

You do not have to strictly follow the menu given, since these products do not have any special effect. This is just an example to show you how you can determine the amount of macronutrients your body needs and then make a list of foods and meals based on them.

Daily requirement: 3230 calories - 490g carbs/70g fat/160g protein

Goal to consume daily: 3250 calories - 505g carbs/70g fat/150g protein

These figures do not match, but the differences do not play a big role.

Attempts to increase body weight and their success are determined by consistency and consistency, not by the ability to consume a precisely set amount of macronutrients.

  • Palm = 1 serving of protein (140-170 g);
  • Thumb length = 1 serving of fat;
  • Handful = 1 serving of carbohydrates;
  • Fist = 1 serving of vegetables.

I should also note that most people will need to regularly recalculate macronutrients (every 4-6 weeks) and add calories if body weight does not increase. Your body is trying to maintain homeostasis despite the fact that you are trying to load it with training, so you will have to stimulate the adaptation process by increasing the amount of calories you consume.

Muscle Foods

Calories serve as a kind of building block for muscles, but you must be aware of each individual macronutrient, as well as have an idea of ​​​​how much you are consuming.

When it comes to training and nutrition for mass gain, every effort must be made to make the process simple and nutritionally beneficial.

First of all, focus on whole foods, that is, those that contain one ingredient (with a minimum of additives). Here are some tips that will help you quickly build muscle at home:

Proteins:

  • Chicken;
  • Lean beef;
  • Whey Protein;
  • Fish (lean and fatty);
  • Eggs.

Carbohydrates:

  • Buckwheat;
  • Quinoa;
  • Oatmeal;
  • Potato;
  • Fruits;
  • Vegetables.

Fats:

  • Olive oil;
  • Nuts and seeds;
  • Linseed oil;
  • Coconut oil;
  • Avocado.

Keep in mind that as you increase your calorie intake, it may become more difficult for you to eat enough of the whole foods you need to reach your goals. If this becomes a real problem, look to liquid calorie sources like smoothies or coconut/whole milk (depending on individual tolerance).

Once you reach your macro and micronutrient goals, you can include processed foods in your diet to increase your calorie content.

Hard training will make it easier to consume those excess calories from processed sources by increasing performance, however, they should account for 10-15% of total calories. Remember - everything is good in moderation.

Essential sports nutrition supplements

This chapter focuses on sports supplements that you need to take in addition to a healthy diet and exercise. In order for muscles to grow quickly, you need to look for ways to accelerate protein synthesis and increase the speed of recovery after training. And sports nutrition will help us with this.

Remember that nutrition and training are the key to muscle development and physical growth, and with the help of sports nutrition alone you will not achieve your goals. These are just food supplements.

  1. Creatine. This is a cheap and effective way to increase strength, muscle hypertrophy and anaerobic capacity (which has been proven in a huge amount of research).
  1. Fish fat. Provides the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which play an important role in long-term cardiovascular health and triglyceride regulation.
  1. Vitamin D. Actually, vitamin D is not a vitamin. It is a fat-soluble nutrient similar to vitamins A, E, and K, but differs from them in that it acts as a steroid precursor in terms of hormonal function. Research has shown that optimal levels of vitamin D can improve heart health, cognition, and bone density.
  1. Whey Protein. If you're having a hard time increasing your protein intake or meal frequency to get the calories you need, then whey protein is one of the cheapest, tastiest, and most convenient ways to hit your goals.

Optional Additives

  1. Probiotics / Digestive Enzymes. If you consume 4,000 calories daily, then the gastrointestinal tract is doing double duty. In this case, you will need to improve the condition of its bacterial flora in order to stimulate the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, optimize nutrient absorption and immune system response to antigens.
  1. BCAA. According to many experts, the need to take BCAAs depends on each specific case. If you have been fasting or training hard for a long time, then you may need this supplement, although the average athlete does not need it.
  1. ZMA. Sleep plays an important role in muscle growth and improved recovery between workouts. However, many athletes are deficient in zinc and magnesium, as these elements are depleted during intense exercise. In this regard, hormonal changes can occur that affect the results of training.

Protein:

  • Consume protein before and after your workout.
  • Eat protein with every meal or snack.
  • The time between meals should be 3-4 hours. This will bring the concentration of amino acids back to baseline.
  • Before training, consume protein or at least take BCAAs to stimulate the anabolic effect.

Carbohydrates:

  • Eat carbohydrates before and after your workout.
  • Consider personal preferences and reactions of the body (for example, eat during the day at certain intervals, in the evening, at night, more in the morning, etc.)
  • Focus on fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods like rice, potatoes, oatmeal, and more.
  • Carbohydrates should not be feared or completely avoided, as they are of great importance in the process of building mass.
  • If carbs make you sleepy, choose foods with a lower glycemic index or eat more of them at the end of the day.

Fats:

  • Because fat slows down nutrient absorption, try taking it at different times (before, during, or after your workouts) and see how your body reacts.
  • Include fats in a variety of meals throughout the day as they lower the glycemic index and improve the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
  • Balance your intake of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats.
  • Avoid artificial fats (that is, those made in factories).
  • Ensure adequate intake of omega-3s from a variety of sources.

Step #3: Choose the Right Workout Program

If you don’t exercise, then no diet and macronutrients will lead you to your goals.

If you are an inquisitive person by nature, you could try to create your own training program, although this would require a lot of experimentation, knowledge and time. Depending on your preferences, goals and capabilities, you would most likely end up with one of the following splits:

  • Split for all parts of the body - 3 days a week
  • Upper/lower body - 4 days a week
  • Legs/Press/Drawing – 3 to 5 days per week

We'll go over exercise choices in another section of this guide, but generally people settle for one of these 3 options.

A few words about technology

When you first start strength training, you may want to focus on the weight of the bar rather than the mechanics of the movement. However, don't be fooled - the wrong technique will not lead to anything good in the long run.

Ideally, your workout should start with foam roller exercises for 5 minutes, and then move on to dynamic stretching and exercises that target the shoulders and hips. The warm-up does not have to be long. Over time, you will notice that it has a positive effect on training.

Most Effective Muscle Building Exercises

During training, thin people need to use basic exercises to work out the largest muscles. And even at home, muscles build up with heavy basic exercises, so you need to look for ways to give a load to larger muscle groups. A home mini gym with a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells can help with this.

To get the maximum effect when gaining mass, of course it is better to visit the gym. There will always be a set of weights for progress in working weights, a partner who will insure and help you not to be lazy, but it is quite possible to achieve success at home.

  • Deadlift. Without a doubt, one of the best muscle building exercises that any athlete should include in their workouts. Ideally, deadlifts, like squats, should be performed with a barbell.
  • Squats. The deep squat is one of the hardest exercises to master, yet it is essential in any training program. Due to differences in the anatomy of the hip and other joints, not every athlete can squat until the buttocks touch the ankles, but classic and front squats must be performed by everyone without exception.
  • Push-ups on the uneven bars. You should definitely learn how to perform exercises with your own weight. If you can't do simple exercises like classic push-ups, dips, or pull-ups, then you need to work on building strength. Dips are a great way to build chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles if you consistently increase the load.
  • Pull-ups. Pull-ups are the easiest way to measure an athlete's strength. If you're unable to complete at least 5 reps, then it's time to reprioritize. Pull-ups are a great exercise for building up the lats, biceps, and upper back muscles. They are much better performed instead of pulling the upper block to the chest.
  • Bench press. If you walk into the gym on a Monday, you'll likely see the vast majority of men doing bench presses. And there are many good reasons for this. Bench press variations with dumbbells and a barbell on an incline bench are also effective for building triceps, chest and shoulder muscles.
  • Overhead press (military press). Overhead press results are an excellent indicator of upper body strength. Most experienced lifters should be able to lift their own body weight on this exercise.
  • Pulling exercises. Both dumbbell and barbell rows are incredibly beneficial for developing upper back muscles, which are usually weak in most athletes. Exercises in machines can also be effective, however, for best results, you need to work with free weights.

Training and recovery

It would be a serious mistake on my part not to mention the importance of recovery. After all, rest determines the frequency, duration and intensity of training. Of course, you can use strong anabolic drugs to increase mass, but in this article every advice is only about the correct increase in muscles without harm to health.

You can't push yourself to the limit in a workout every day and expect 100 percent performance from your body. As I said in the first part of this article, the key to growth is muscle repair, not muscle damage.

When you look at bodybuilders or professional strength athletes lifting huge weights, you must remember that there are certain conditions that will allow them to train extremely hard and recover very well.

Their lifestyle is completely focused on athletic training - they eat, train, sleep, eat, rest, eat, sleep and repeat it over and over again. The influence of external stimuli is minimized in order to allow these people to focus all their time and energy on training, improving the physique and working on special skills.

As a regular athlete, you should be focused on the following 3 points:

  • Stress
  • Rest

Dream

Sleep is, without a doubt, one of the most overlooked performance boosters. There is an entire area of ​​research dedicated only to sleep and its effects on body composition and muscle growth.

Most people need at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Ideally, you should wake up at the same time every morning without an alarm going off. If it doesn't, then you need to improve your sleep hygiene and circadian rhythms.

Stress

Stress can sometimes be helpful. After all, training is also a stress factor, right? But when stress is constantly present in life and weighs on you mentally and physically, you will quickly begin to notice its detrimental effect on health and performance.

Spend 5-10 minutes each day in complete silence, turning off your cell phone, computer, and other distractions. You will be surprised how difficult this can be, but this practice is necessary to get rid of the constant stress that comes from the incessant flow of information.

Also, surround yourself with people with similar goals who are ready to support you in your aspirations. If someone constantly “pulls you down”, it can thereby reduce motivation and kill the desire to train.

Rest

Muscles need time to recover. You can't expect your chest and shoulders to work at 100 percent performance today if you did 8 sets of bench press yesterday.

For most muscle groups, 48 ​​hours is enough to recover, so train every other day to start.

This does not mean that you should never train 2 days in a row, as some programs suggest (Smolov's approaches, Sheiko's, etc.), which, by the way, lead to amazing results. However, 48 hours for recovery is a general recommendation.

Also, the body needs time to adapt to weight lifting, so don't expect to look like Arnold after 6 months of weight lifting.

Pain minimization training is a normal practice. If you are constantly exhausting yourself in the gym and squeezing out the last strength in each approach, then for your own good, slow down.

Step number 4: start training according to the chosen program

Of course, you must understand that nothing will happen until you take action. You won't achieve your goals just by wanting to change your body. Go to the gym and work on yourself. Nobody said it would be easy, but the effort is worth it.

Determine your workout time

Most people train between 9 am and 5 pm. However, if you are a student, then most likely, studying takes up a huge part of your daytime. You will probably have to practice in the morning or evening in order to fit into your lecture and exam schedule. Here are some benefits of exercising in the morning and evening:

Morning:

  • Improves mental performance and sets the tone for the rest of the day
  • Reduces the risk of excuses from evening workouts
  • Motivates to choose healthy foods as you start the day with the right nutrition
  • Develops discipline as you have to wake up earlier than usual to work hard and improve yourself
  • Leaves more free time in the evening

Evening:

  • The results of physical activity at this time of day are usually better
  • Less stressful situations as you don't have to rush to work or school, which increases your training time overall. Longer warm-ups and rest periods usually lead to greater results and increase performance.
  • Eliminates hectic morning preparations, when you need to clean up, prepare food, put sportswear in a bag, etc.
  • A very relaxing psychological atmosphere, when you can turn to someone for advice or just chat with others to relieve stress after a day's work.

Cooking

Nutrition is the foundation of your success. If you neglect it, you will not be able to achieve your goals, whether it is weight gain or fat burning. That is why the preparation of food and the sequence in this process acquires such an important role.

Of course, from time to time on special occasions you will eat in restaurants. However, if you start cooking your own meals, you will find that it is much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, it doesn't start in your kitchen, the moment you walk into the grocery store.

If you only have healthy foods in your refrigerator, then it will be much easier for you to follow a diet. Cooking will not take much time. Try to prepare meals for the entire coming week at once, as this will greatly simplify life and save you from unnecessary rush in the kitchen in the future.

Keep a workout diary

There is nothing more important than tracking progress. You'll never know how far you've come if you can't turn around and look at your successes and failures.

There is no need to fix every little thing, although some find special pleasure in this. Hard numbers allow you to objectively measure progress without relying on a subjective view based on what you see in the mirror.

First of all, watch your diet and exercise. You should be focused on progressive overload as well as the amount of calories consumed.

I've already covered 2 different calorie tracking methods, so whichever one you choose, just make sure you're consistent and always ready to make adjustments if you're not making progress.

Step #5: Stay motivated

Forcing yourself to go to the gym is often very difficult. However, once you start exercising and doing a warm-up, things become much easier, because there is some inertia in the process.

However, some people's motivation wanes every day, and they begin to skip workouts, and also forget about proper nutrition.

In today's world with its abundance of entertainment, it can be difficult to maintain enthusiasm for daily hard work on yourself.

We must remember that psychological factors play a huge role in maintaining internal motivation and determination to remain true to the iron sport, despite the influence of external circumstances.

For example, internal motivation is associated with the very content of the activity, while external motivation is based on coercion to do something by external factors associated with receiving a reward or the threat of punishment.

People with high intrinsic motivation often achieve their goals and remain successful because they are charged with love for the sport, and not the need for approval of their physique from others.

5 Rules for a Successful Athlete

  1. Knowledge. When it comes to building the perfect physique, you have to be willing to experiment and learn. No one knows which nutrition system is more effective for you or which split is ideal for your genotype. Also, no one is able to take into account your personal preferences, injury history, body asymmetry, experience level or current work capacity.
  1. Preparation. If you have a goal to transform the body, then you have to follow the diet. You have to work hard preparing healthy meals and keeping track of your calorie intake. You should approach training the same way. If you don't pack your gym bag ahead of time, you'll end up wasting time looking for a belt, wrist wraps, and other essentials.
  1. Hard work. I'll tell you frankly - there is no way to quickly gain muscle. This process takes time, calorie intake, and progressive overload. There is no getting away from this, if you, of course, want to remain a natural athlete.
  1. permanence. Ever wondered why most people don't reach their fitness goals? Consistent work in the gym and in the kitchen takes time and effort that many of them simply don't have. People lack consistency when it comes to improving their physique or breaking through plateaus.
  1. Progress. You should always strive for constant progress, both mentally and physically. In the beginning, you may find yourself solely focused on nutrition and training. However, as you progress in bodily development, you must keep a balance between sports and other aspects of life. There is no need to profess the principle of "all or nothing".

"How do I know if I'm making progress?"

As I mentioned above in the nutrition section, the easiest way to objectively measure progress is to simply make sure you're working with a weight that's appropriate for your fitness level. In addition, you can measure the following body parts with a centimeter:

  • Forearm
  • Biceps
  • Shoulders (upper deltoids)
  • Chest (draw the tape under your arms at or just above the nipple line)
  • Waist (along the navel)
  • Pelvis (on the largest part of the buttocks)
  • Hips (equal distance from the hip and knee joints)
  • Calves (at the widest part)
  • Measure muscles in both relaxed and tense states
  • Do not stretch the measuring tape - it should just fit the body
  • Record all numbers to track progress over time
  • Do not exercise before taking a measurement, as exercise causes blood to flow to the muscles, making them appear larger
  • Measure both sides of the body to identify imbalances in the body and correct them in time

You can also measure body fat with a caliper to determine if you are improving body composition. However, this device often gives errors if you take measurements yourself, so it is better to seek help from a qualified specialist.

Otherwise, you can rely on the same measuring tape, scale, and mirror to determine your current progress.

Gaining muscle is not difficult if you remember the following tips:

  1. Remember - nothing will happen until you start monitoring your nutrition.
  1. Focus on progressive overload by increasing weight, reps or sets.
  1. Focus on core exercises.
  1. Do not abuse the frequency of training (at least at first) - more is not always better.
  1. Minimize stress and maximize recovery.
  1. Sleep as much as possible.
  1. Focus on whole foods, but don't be afraid to include a number of processed foods (10-15% of calories) in your diet if you have a poor appetite and are constantly losing weight.
  1. Eat 250-500 calories more than the SSRES
  1. Consume protein with each meal at the rate of 2.15 grams per 1 kg of body weight
  1. Try to gain 220 grams per week (if you are a beginner) or 340-450 grams (if you are an experienced athlete).
  1. Reduce or increase your calorie intake based on weekly body weight changes.

FAQ

  • How much do I need to eat?

Answer: start with the above recommendations, but do not be afraid to adjust the caloric content of the diet, both upward and downward. Your metabolism and physiology will adjust to the volume of food in an attempt to maintain homeostasis and regulate weight. Some may have to eat more than others, but the scale readings cannot be deceived. If the arrow doesn't go up, then you probably need to increase your calorie intake.

  • How much protein do I need?

Answer: in specialized literature, young people are recommended to consume approximately 1.8-2.2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. Can you consume more? If you have healthy kidneys, then yes. Will there be any additional benefit from this from a physiological point of view? Most likely no. Also, since you have a set number of calories you need, when you eat more protein, you should reduce your carbohydrate and/or fat intake to keep your diet balanced. When protein requirements are met (≈1.8-2.2 grams per 1 kg of body weight), you are likely to see more benefit from increased carbohydrate intake, given their impact on anabolism and anaerobic capacity. However, as I mentioned above, these recommendations will be different for older athletes, given the slowdown in their anabolic responses to amino acid intake.

  • What supplements should be taken?

Answer: theoretically, none. It would be more correct to ask: "What supplements are useful?". For an answer to this question, please refer to section 2 of this article.

  • What working weight should be used?

Answer: use a weight that is heavy for you, but still allows you to perform the required number of repetitions and maintain the correct form.

  • When is it necessary to increase working weight?

Answer: as soon as you can complete the required number of repetitions. If you are prescribed range repetitions, then start at the minimum threshold if the weight seems heavy to you and at the maximum if it seems light. Once you reach the upper limit of the range, increase the weight and continue in the same pattern.

  • How to minimize fat gain when eating for mass?

Answer: you must understand that when eating for mass, it is almost impossible (steroids do not count) to build only muscle without gaining fat. However, you can improve body composition by making sure you don't consume too many calories (1000+ calories above your basal metabolic rate). In addition, you should train hard, focusing on progressive overload, so that calories are spent on muscle growth. Also, don't forget about cardio training - HIIT and LISS training play an important role in increasing mitochondrial density, balancing neurotransmitters, improving oxidative potential and brain neuroplasticity.

  • Do you need to do cardio?

Answer A: As I said in an answer to a previous question, the ideal is to include some cardio, both high and low intensity, into your training program, as each has its own physiological benefits.

  • Do specific macronutrients matter in total calorie intake?

Answer: in short, yes. Once you have your caloric intake in place, your next task is to balance your macronutrients. For example, if you decide to consume only 50 grams of protein, not a drop of fat, and get the rest of the calories from carbohydrates, then this will certainly affect the accumulation of fat in the body.

  • Does the timing of meals matter?

Answer A: The most important factor in determining weight gain or loss is calorie intake. However, the frequency of meals, as well as nutrition before and after training, can affect the intensity and duration of the latter, which can potentially improve body composition. Remember that muscle growth is not a pulsating process. Muscles do not grow in rapid bursts and then return to their original level. If there are no amino acids in the bloodstream, then the body draws them from muscle tissue, where they are found in high concentration. The best solution is to eat 3-6 meals spread throughout the day depending on your preferences and personal schedule. Ideally, anabolism should be stimulated through meals every 3-5 hours.

  • Is there a so-called post-workout window?

Answer: If your goal is to maximize muscle synthesis, then taking in nutrients within 30-60 minutes of your workout can benefit you. Should it be a protein shake? No, not necessarily. But, ideally, it should be a low-fat food that can improve the absorption of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract. If you ate foods rich in various macronutrients before training, then keep in mind that after it, the nutrients are most likely still being absorbed. So there is no need to finish the last set of the last exercise in a hurry to drink a protein shake as quickly as possible.

  • How often should I exercise?

Answer: depending on the level of training, personal preferences, ability to recover and free time. Most likely, you will find that 3-5 strength training per week is enough. If you are a beginner, you should train 3 times a week and gradually increase the time. Beginners and intermediate athletes can train 4 times a week using an up/down split. More advanced athletes are able to train 5 times a week, depending on the program, the degree of recovery and the nutrition system they use.

  • Do I need rest days?

Answer: As I said in the first section of the article, the key to building muscle is to repair it, not damage it. The goal of training is to stimulate protein synthesis, not to completely destroy muscle.

  • I never feel hungry, but I need to consume more food. How can i do this?

Answer: Eat more often and drink less liquid during meals (food and water compete for space in the stomach). Also, eat from large bowls, add lemon or lime juice to your water (this will help increase the production of hydrochloric acid, which breaks down food), and consume more "liquid calories" (especially before and after training, if the rest of the time there is no appetite at all).

  • Can I exercise when I'm sick?

Answer: follow the symptoms. A mild sore throat or runny nose may require a couple of days of rest, but do not exaggerate the problems by trying to stay longer in bed. At the same time, keep in mind that prolonged intense exercise can lower immune function and make you more susceptible to bacterial and viral diseases, so listen to your body and act accordingly.

  • Do I need to do squats and deadlifts?

Answer A: Yes, squats and deadlifts are important for muscle growth.

  • Should I only do back squats and classic deadlifts?

Answer: No. But first, you must master the technique of performing classic squats and deadlifts, after which you can move on to more advanced variations of these exercises (front squats, sumo-style deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts).

If you still do not fully understand how to build muscle at home or have questions, be sure to ask them in the comments. We will try to give the most detailed answer to everyone.

For many trainees, the question is relevant: how to safely and correctly gain muscle mass. Even with regular exercises at home or in the gym, muscle volume increases slightly or remains the same. A particularly difficult task to gain muscle weight is faced by people with an asthenic physique. How to gain muscle mass without taking testosterone and other anabolics in a short time, let's figure it out.

Body Types

In order to effectively increase muscle mass, you need to know your body type. Methods for increasing muscles have fundamental differences for a thin and fat person. People are divided into 3 body types:

It is more difficult for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass, because people of this type have increased anabolism, which prevents the muscles from developing volumes. But this process does not allow layers of fat to be deposited, so ectomorphs are thin. In order for a male ectomorph not to use anabolic drugs to increase muscle mass, active physical activity and special nutrition with a high protein content are needed.

Workouts to increase muscle mass and strength

You can increase muscle mass at home or in the gym if you train correctly. There is a big difference between strength training and training that encourages muscle growth. Daily weight training does not cause muscle growth. It occurs during rest after exercise, when muscle cells increase in volume and muscle fibers thicken.

The basic exercise for working out large muscles is the bench press and standing. The main ones include: deadlift, squats, thrust to the belt. Efficiency is achieved with a constant increase in load, the use of additional weight (do exercises with dumbbells), the presence of 5-7 repetitions with each approach. It is not difficult to increase muscle mass at home or during a workout in the gym if you do the exercises in the first 2 seconds with speed, and then more slowly. This consistent tension has the best effect on the development of muscle mass.

Basic exercises accelerate the growth of muscle mass, eliminate the accumulation of subcutaneous fat, and contribute to the development of the strength qualities of an athlete. This versatility allows you to increase muscle mass at home and use the exercises in professional powerlifting or bodybuilding. Any sport that requires pumping muscles begins with mastering the technique of performing five basic exercises. The development of the main complex is also suitable for women who want to give a beautiful relief to the figure.

Nutrition rules for gaining muscle mass

How to quickly gain muscle mass with proper nutrition? Very simple. Eat proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats. To get rid of adipose tissue or gain muscle mass for a thin guy or girl without training and a certain diet will not work. The key to success is special exercises and the right foods, eaten at a strictly defined time.

If you don’t know how to gain muscle mass for a girl who works out 3 times a week in the gym, add protein supplements to her diet, and Gainers for athletes that will replenish protein breakdown during exercise. In order for a full person to get a beautiful relief body, it is necessary, on the contrary, to refuse nutritional supplements and cut back on daily portions. With enhanced training, adipose tissue will go away faster, and beautiful muscles will begin to appear.

So, to gain muscle mass, you need to enter into the diet:

Squirrels

This is the main building material for muscles after water, so the intake of proteins in sufficient quantities is necessary. The more muscles grow, the more proteins should be in the athlete's diet.

Protein sources are dairy products, meat, fish, eggs. But the digestibility of animal proteins is not very good, besides, they contain a lot of fat, so the athlete's menu should consist more of vegetable protein. It is found in mushrooms, peanut butter, seeds, some vegetables, legumes, and soy products. You can not discount and protein supplements: casein, whey or soy protein. The daily protein requirement for gaining muscle mass is 35% of total calories.

Carbohydrates

Building muscle mass is an energy-intensive process. Carbohydrates will quickly replenish energy reserves. A diet with a high content of them will provide athletes with a high intensity of training. But in order not to get excess body fat instead of muscle volume, it is necessary to increase carbohydrate intake gradually. Most of the calories should come from carbohydrates found in regular foods: melons, legumes, bread, cereals, berries, fruits. Ectomorph athletes can receive additional carbohydrates from nutritional supplements intended for sports nutrition.

Fats

After subtracting protein and carbohydrates, the remaining calories come from fat. This amounts to 1 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight. However, not all fats are allowed to be included in the menu when gaining muscle mass. You will need to give up saturated fats found in pork, butter, fast food and fatty sauces. The source of healthy fats in the body are nuts, fish, vegetable oils, low-fat dairy products (cottage cheese, kefir, whey).

vitamins

To increase muscle mass, an athlete needs to take vitamin complexes and trace elements. Particularly acute during this period, the body needs vitamins such as retinol (vitamin A), thiamine, riboflavin (vitamin B).

Retinol is the most significant compound, as it is a component of hormones that speed up metabolic processes. It is responsible for the development of new cells and gives a healthy look to the skin. An increase in muscle mass is impossible without B vitamins. Thiamine is responsible for energy supply to cells, and riboflavin is responsible for redox reactions. For intensive muscle growth, you need to additionally consume amino acid complexes to enhance protein synthesis.

Protein Supplements

These concentrated products are high in protein and are sold in sports nutrition departments. When gaining muscle mass, an athlete does not always have enough proteins contained in food, so an insufficient amount must be obtained from supplements. Protein mixtures are consumed both before and after training, during meals and instead of snacks. They make it easier for athletes to provide the body with proteins, because it is much easier to drink a protein shake than to eat 300 grams of meat. The great advantage of protein mixtures is their easy absorption by the body.

Drinking regime

Metabolic processes generated by high-intensity loads require a lot of water, so when gaining muscle mass, an athlete needs to drink up to 3 liters daily. Do not allow dehydration, if you are thirsty, be sure to drink water without gas, otherwise you will not get the expected result.

Why gain weight, an inexperienced reader will ask, when everyone around seems to be trying to lose weight and pump up for the summer? Not quite a true statement.

In addition to men involved in bodybuilding, the question: how to quickly gain muscle mass?, for example, is also asked by overly graceful girls (those who are literally “taken away by the wind”). There are also special cases of a pathological nature in which it may be vital for someone to gain weight for health.

To have a beautiful relief, consisting of taut muscles, you first need to gain this very mass of muscles, and then work on its beauty and hone your forms.

If the same amount of fat takes the place of the filled muscles, no “drying” will reveal the press cubes and gluteal “nuts”, so first you should correctly build a solid base of healthy mass. How to do this is detailed below.

Perhaps some are not aware, but ectomorphs, endomorphs and mesomorphs walk the streets among us ... No, this is not the name of fantastic or alien creatures, but the division of people according to their body type, invented by physiology, the science of the functioning of living organisms.

According to this science, how a person looks depends on about 50% of his genetic characteristics, the predispositions of his body, and 50% on the efforts that he makes to get closer to his ideal.

All efforts should become a coherent system that includes training on simulators, no matter at home or in the gym, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. This system should become the usual norm, only then will it be possible to achieve results.

Somatic body types are determined by external signs and using the formula: Pignet index (by the name of a French doctor, late 19th century): subtract weight (P, kg) and chest girth (l, cm) from height (H, cm). The resulting value of more than 30 indicates asthenic, 10-30 normosthenic, less than 10 - hypersthenic type of addition.
I = H-P-l

Pure types are quite rare, more often we see their mixture in one person.

1. Ectomorph, or asthenic, "narrow bone" (other names: leptosomatic, cerebrotonic type)

From the Greek ektus - outside, outside, morphe - form. Ectederm is a component of the skin and nervous tissue.

This lean body type is characterized by thin wrists (for men after 25 years - 15-17.5 cm), high growth with long limbs, small joints, and a very thin layer of subcutaneous fat.

This type of addition indicates a fast metabolism, often a high excitability of the nervous system (choleric introverts).

For muscle building, this is the most difficult option, but the good news is that it is possible to pump up, although it will take more effort. On the other hand, the effect of proper training and nutrition will last for a very long time, and obesity of this type does not threaten at all.

Due to lean muscle mass, the ectomorph has problems with strength and endurance, so it will take him much longer to achieve noticeable changes in the figure. About a suitable way for an ectomorph to pump up - in the next section.

Other characteristic external signs:

  • flat or sunken chest
  • sinewy body
  • narrow shoulders
  • long thin neck

2. Endomorph or hypersthenic, a person "in the body" (other names: picnic type, viscerotonic)

From the Greek endos - inside. Endoderm is an integral part of the internal organs.

A person from overweight to obese, prone to rapid weight gain, obesity. The girth of the wrist is 17.5 -20 cm, there is a noticeable amount of fat in the body. Facial features, body parts are rounded, soft, femininity of forms is inherent, massive hips, short stature.

Mass is gained easily and naturally, one has only to carefully monitor the composition of food. For beautiful muscles, there are more proteins, and excess carbohydrates and fats will instantly be deposited in problem areas (most often on the stomach), since the metabolism of endomorphs is slow.

Before working on muscle mass, as a rule, you need to lose weight, get rid of fat, for example, using daily.

  • short, obtuse chest
  • short neck and limbs
  • soft skin, hair
  • laziness, soft disposition, need for love

3. Mesomorph - athletic type, normosthenic, somatotonic type, "wide bone".

Mésos - from Greek, middle. The mesoderm forms muscle tissue.

People of this type have developed muscles from birth, the fat layer is thin. The man is large, strong, with broad limbs, narrow hips, taller than average. Mass is gained quickly, but, like an endomorph, it is necessary to monitor the quality of nutrition.

Mixed workouts are needed: strength + cardio, the training system is standard, it is important not to skip training days. It is necessary to avoid muscle addiction to the load: change the types of exercises, gradually increase the weight of weights.

How to quickly build muscle for an ectomorph man

You can speed up the process of gaining muscle mass for a lean person with the help of a well-designed training plan and menu, as well as with the help of supplements in the form of various sports nutrition.

However, you should be prepared for the fact that a pure ectomorph will still need 2 times more time than any other somatotype, ceteris paribus, to gain the same amount of kilograms.

It is impossible for an ectomorph to gain more than 95 kilograms without the use of special drugs, such as anabolic steroids, and their enhanced course (oral drugs + injections).

Encouraging advantages of ectomorph: you can consume calories in almost unlimited quantities without worrying about obesity, pretty quickly even a small result of training will be clearly visible on such a slender body.

Features of the training plan for the ectomorph:

  1. The duration of the training is not less than 60, not more than 90 minutes. So endurance will develop the fastest and the recovery time will be minimal.
  2. The frequency of classes, of course, will depend on the lifestyle of a novice athlete, but you need to strive for 4-5 classes per week.
  3. The main feature of ectomorph training will be the split system. That is, 1 day of legs, day of arms, back, press, buttocks, etc. a week to allow weak muscles to recover properly. In one session, it is necessary to work out no more than 2 muscle groups.
  4. To avoid muscle fiber breakdown (catabolism), do not perform more than 4 sets of one exercise. Break between sets 1 - 3 minutes.
  5. The basis should be short workouts, a small number of repetitions with rest between sets.
  6. Outside of training, you should save, save energy: do not run additionally, do not play active games.
  7. Sleep at least 8 hours.
  8. Nutrition: 5-6 times a day, in small portions, to prevent hunger. The most dense is breakfast, you should not skip it in any case. It is better to give preference to slowly digestible food.

Between main meals, to speed up the process of weight gain, it is recommended to drink a food supplement - a gainer (consists of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, trace elements) or pure sports protein (vegetable or animal protein concentrate). The dose of the gainer is 2 times less than recommended in the instructions for it.

How to gain muscle mass for a girl at home

A fragile girl who wants to stay in feminine forms can not take gainers and protein at home, just build the right nutrition and workouts in order to gain muscle mass.

Training should not be exhausting, they should spur a surge of the hormone responsible for growth.

It is enough for girls on the mass to perform three types of exercises: push-ups, squats, traction. In training, do 3-4 types of exercises for each muscle group. No need to do more than 15 repetitions of one exercise. Ideal for beginners - workout 3 times a week. Gradually increase the weight of dumbbells and barbells.

Nutrition should be well balanced, you should not allow an excess of carbohydrates, fats, it is better to focus on proteins. Prefer carbohydrates such as cereals (cereals), vegetables, wholemeal pasta (rye, 2 varieties, etc.). Each of the elements of BJU is important and mandatory in a balanced diet, nothing can be ruled out - just choose the optimal type of food with them in their composition and their quantity.

Protein in an amount of more than 2-3 g per kg of body weight per day should be consumed on rest days for recovery, muscle tissue formation, and on training days - eat more carbohydrates for more energy. Fats are best consumed in the form of nuts, cottage cheese, young cheese.

Vegetable proteins should predominate: legumes, nuts and cereals, tofu.
Drink at least 1.5 liters daily to allow the muscles to fill with blood, eat at least 4 times a day to fill up.

Once a week, you can arrange a fasting day on the contrary - a cheat mill, or a day of increased calorie content. It is best to eat sweets prepared at home on such a day: raw candies or chocolate, pastries from flour with bran, cottage cheese cheesecake, sweet fruits, etc.


Diet plan for gaining muscle mass

You don’t need to mindlessly stuff yourself with cholesterol (by abundantly absorbing animal fats, such as sausages and barbecue), carcinogens (formed when frying, say, grandma’s pies), sugar and chemical additives (of which there are many in store-bought sweets and fast food: cakes, pastries, soda, burgers, etc.).

Nutrition on the mass should remain (or become) healthy and balanced, it is very important to understand this so as not to harm yourself.

The general principles of nutrition outlined above are suitable not only for girls and ectomorphs, but also for people with a different body type: a lot of water, fragmentation, lack of hunger, sufficient consumption - that is, calculated on your weight, age and gender, the number of calories and BJU.

The calculation of calories, approximately, can be calculated by multiplying your weight (in kg) by 30, plus 500:

P*30+500 = N kcal.

For example, a 57-kilogram girl on the mass needs to consume at least 2210 kcal per day.
If this is an ectomorph male, then you need to add not 500, but 1000:

A 60-kilogram guy needs to get at least 2800 kcal per day with food to gain muscle mass. Endomorph should not add more than 500 to the formula. A mesomorph can add from 500 to 1000, according to his choice and well-being.

The percentage of BJU in a healthy diet of an athlete on weight should be as follows (per 100 g of food): U - 50-60%, B - 20-30%, F - 10-20%.
That is, you can, for example, eat a 100-gram serving of buckwheat, including a 20-gram piece of chicken, and a teaspoon of linseed oil. More than this protein value is not required for an ordinary person or a novice athlete to eat, otherwise the kidneys and liver will suffer.

Fruits and vegetables during weight gain should not be more than 30%, since the fiber they contain is absorbed extremely slowly and gives a feeling of satiety for a long time, so they should be left to lose weight.

Sugar should be limited or eliminated, just like when losing weight, because it can only be converted into fat, and we are interested in muscles.
Eat before training no earlier than 2 hours and no later than 1.5 hours.

Squirrels

When building muscle, protein is a key player. It is what our own muscle tissue consists of, it is the main building material for muscle growth during recovery after training. So, it is necessary to ensure that there is enough of it in the diet and it is of good quality.

Recent studies by scientists suggest that about 10 g of protein per day is enough for a healthy, clean human body to function normally.

Professional athletes, people involved in daily physical hard work, require up to 30-50 g of protein per day.

Girls and lean guys who are gaining mass can consume more protein, up to 50 g. Bigger guys, experienced bodybuilders may need 100 to 200 g of protein per day (professionals reach up to 500). This amount of protein is really consumed daily, only using protein supplements.

High-protein foods tend to be the most expensive, and consuming a concentrate ends up being cheaper, despite the apparent high cost of a large can of protein.

In order for the protein that comes with food to be absorbed as fully as possible, several points should be considered:

Get enough of some vitamins and macronutrients daily: calcium, vitamin B12, iodine, vitamin C, and carbohydrates.

Do not mix two types of protein. In one meal, only vegetable or only animal protein. That is, for example, an omelet with tofu is not a good idea. And it is possible and necessary to combine several types of vegetable protein, since only soy protein contains a complete set of amino acids.

Plants such as buckwheat, chia, hemp porridge, beans and other legumes with rice (not white) also provide an almost complete amino acid composition. The rest of the legumes and cereals need to be mixed together to get a complete protein source. For example, lentil soup is eaten with wholemeal bread. Nuts are best eaten as snacks, separately from everything, in small portions.

The fastest digesting complete proteins contain egg, casein protein, soy protein.

If meat is used as a source of protein, all fat must be cut off from it, and steamed, baked or boiled in the oven. It is important to be aware that with daily consumption of meat, dairy products, even low-fat, and eggs, you are at risk of cardiovascular disease, as your diet is replete with cholesterol.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates on the mass are necessary, you should not be afraid of them, and here's why. Carbohydrates eaten on the day of training are converted into glucose, and then into glycogen, which becomes pure energy in the muscles. This is necessary for developing endurance and strength so that you can increase weights and build mass. In this case, none of the carbohydrates will be deposited anywhere, the main thing is not to eat them before bedtime.

The amount of carbohydrates needed per day, as a rule, is calculated as follows: 7-9 g are needed per 1 kg of weight.

Simple examples of “good” carbohydrates for an athlete on mass, in order of decreasing digestion slowness: brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, boiled potatoes in their skins, pasta, dried fruits, honey.

Cellulose

Despite the fact that fiber slows down digestion, reduces appetite, its daily consumption is mandatory. This is the prevention of constipation, the absorption of vitamins and minerals, the prevention of cancer.

Fiber is found in vegetables - cabbage, carrots, beets, cereals - especially in wheat bran, oatmeal, and also in fruits.


vitamins

In addition to the vitamins necessary for the high-quality assimilation of protein, elements such as:

  • B vitamins (B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 ​​(pyridoxine))
    They prevent fatigue, help convert carbohydrates and fats into glycogen, and grow tissues. Sources: eggs, bananas, green vegetables, peas, sprouted cereals and legumes, etc.
    zinc is an active participant in the renewal mechanism, it does not allow you to age quickly, it is an element of beauty. Sources: offal (liver, tongue, offal), cheese, eggs, fish, oysters. Also mushrooms,
  • legumes, bran, whole wheat flour, brewer's yeast.
    potassium is important for cellular respiration, metabolic processes. Sources: bananas, citrus fruits, carrots, dried apricots, baked potatoes, buckwheat, bran.
  • magic will protect against stress and also save the body from overstrain, fatigue. Drink cocoa, eat bitter (preferably homemade) chocolate, spinach, avocado and pumpkin seeds.

How to gain muscle mass with protein

Protein - sports nutrition, nutritional supplement, sold in specialized sports stores. The protein supplement is designed to fill the lack of protein in the athlete's daily diet, but does not replace it.

Drink the supplement with every meal (6-7 times a day), and make a preliminary calculation: how much protein you will get with food today, how much you need to get. Abuse of protein will lead to indigestion, so the calculation is required.

Before buying, ask the seller to let you test the taste of the powder - most often, customers are not refused. Canned protein tastes like an amateur, very often it comes across quite nasty.

If your own smell and taste is drowned out by flavorings, then this can provoke an allergic reaction. Soy protein usually has a neutral taste, you can add banana or cocoa to it with a blender, it will be quite tasty.

Proteins are divided into 3 types:

  1. Isolate - the highest concentration of pure protein, contains a minimum of additives. Best and fastest to digest. This is the most expensive option. Whey milk protein is best taken immediately after a workout or in the morning.
  2. Concentrate - slightly worse purified, the composition contains up to 20-60% carbohydrates and fats.
  3. Hydrolyzate is a purified fermented protein. It is absorbed very quickly, but with prolonged use, your body “forgets how” to produce the necessary enzymes on its own.

The protein itself is harmless, the athlete can only be concerned about individual intolerance to the components or the consequences of regular overdoses. It is also worth understanding that if you drink protein or a gainer to a healthy person without playing sports, then he will simply get fat.

Chemistry for pumping up muscles

Chemical help when pumping up muscles -. For all their danger and unconditional harmfulness, they very quickly and effectively cope with their only task - they provide a quick mass gain.

Many athletes, due to laziness and unwillingness to spend the allotted time in the gym, allow themselves to use steroids. Those who do not use them, especially beginners, think that they themselves do not give all the best, since they cannot achieve results so quickly, many quit. There is no need to rush anywhere, it is worth working hard and competently and the mass will come.

In addition to steroids, there are several more chemical helpers, harmless, acting like vitamins:

  • Creatine is a substance found in human muscles, chemists have learned how to synthesize it and offer to take it additionally to increase endurance, speed up the process of muscle recovery, boost their growth, and speed up the conversion of carbohydrates into glycogen.
  • Beta-alanine is the name of an amino acid, that is, it is an integral part of a regular protein. With this supplement, you can work even longer, training endurance and strength, with less fatigue.
  • Other amino acids are leucine, isoleucine and valine allocated to the group. Taking them additionally, you can practically forget about muscle pain, increase productivity at times.
  • Glutamine - restores ruptures of muscle tissue faster, with it you can start using more and more weight as soon as possible. Glutamine promotes additional production of growth hormone.

How to build muscle mass in a month

You can build muscle mass in a month by exercising 5-6 times a week, using a training plan that suits your body type, using a competent menu, as well as various, listed above, expensive nutritional supplements and drugs.

In a month, in this way, you can gain up to 5 kg of dry muscle mass, and only in the first months of training. The longer you train, the fewer kilograms you can really increase in a month.

It has long been known that muscles that are used often become more powerful, while those that do little work weaken and lose volume. In this article, we will talk about how you can quickly gain muscle mass, how to train and eat for fast muscle growth. We will also touch on the issues of supplements for muscle growth a little.

Obviously, you need to train the muscles that you want to build and make stronger more often. To do this, there are many sports, various exercises and workouts, during which blood flow increases in the muscles, and they grow more intensively.

And, nevertheless, the question remains unanswered: “How to quickly build muscle, looking at which others will endlessly admire?” Here are the most effective tips that will quickly help your muscles become strong and stay in great shape.

After reading our tips, you will learn how to quickly gain muscle mass.

1. Find out how many calories you need

The calorie requirement depends on your age, sex, weight and active lifestyle. For simplicity: multiply your current weight in kilograms by 40. If you weigh 70 kg, that's 70 x 40 = 2800 calories per day. What, not used to eating so much?

Workouts for fast muscle growth

2. Train large muscle groups to jump-start your muscle-building process

Studies show that training large muscle groups triggers the growth of muscle fibers, which leads to rapid and powerful mass gain. Make sure you work all of these muscle groups at least once a week. These include the muscles of the legs, back and pectoral muscles.

3. Increase the weight you lift gradually

As the muscles get used to the load, you need to stimulate them by constantly changing the weight with which you work. If you bench press 50kg in the first week of training, try adding 5kg in the second week. Add another 5 kg next week, and so on. The same for other parts of the body.

Gradual weight gain ensures that your muscles don't stop growing. Weight will stimulate the growth of muscle fibers, since its intensity directly depends on the load experienced. Just watch your muscles get bigger and stronger every week.

4. Change your workouts

If you train two body parts three times a day, try spreading your workouts over six days for only one body part per day. Or if you work your chest and biceps on Mondays, and your back and triceps on Wednesdays, then reverse the order: work on the chest and triceps first, and then the back and biceps. By loading the body in unusual combinations, you will stimulate the growth of muscle fibers more intensively.

5. Take different approaches

Instead of doing three identical sets in a row, do only a third of the required reps on the first set, two-thirds on the second set, and the full number on the third. This reverse load will allow you to lift more weight on the first set and less weight on the second and third.

Sports nutrition for fast muscle gain

6. Use nutritional supplements

Supplements, of course, should not be your only source of nutrition. They play a supporting role because they fill in the gaps in your diet that occur when you don't get enough nutrients to increase muscle synthesis. Here are some well-known supplements widely on the market:

Whey Protein

This supplement should almost always be used when looking to build bulky muscle, increase performance, and lose fat. Whey protein is an essential part of the diet for those who want to increase muscle mass. It is easily digested and absorbed by the body.

Casein

Casein is the twin brother of whey protein. This is another type of protein found in milk. Compared to whey protein, our body digests casein more slowly. By consuming casein before bed, you can prevent the development of catabolism, protecting hard-earned muscles from being converted into fuel for internal use.

Creatine

The advent of creatine has been one of the most important discoveries in the field of sports supplements in recent years. It increases the amount of energy flowing into the muscle cells, so it becomes possible to do more reps and lift more weight.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

Leucine, valine and isoleucine, called branched chain amino acids, are the most important amino acids for muscle tissue repair and synthesis.

Glutamine

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body. It increases the amount of leucine in muscle fibers and reduces the intensity of muscle breakdown. It has also been shown to stimulate the immune system.

One bonus tip:

How to lose weight

It may seem to you that this is contrary to your goal of gaining pounds through muscle tissue, but without this stage, you will never get the body of your dreams. You ate a lot and lifted weights during the first two months of your program, the next mandatory stage of preparation is weight loss. Along with powerful muscles, most likely, deposits of fat can be noticed on your torso, arms and legs. These "reserves" appeared during a massive weight gain, when you needed to eat a lot. You will have to cut back on food so that others can see your big, ripped muscles that you work so hard on.

While resting, do aerobic exercise such as jogging or walking. Aerobic exercise is the best way to lose excess fat. Just don't do cardio with weights during the day, or you'll burn muscle that way.

Conclusion

It takes time to build beautiful muscles. Even if you do everything right, you will gain only 3-9 kg of muscle mass per year. If you follow the tips mentioned above, you will certainly get voluminous and sculpted muscles for a long time and in the shortest possible time.

According to materials:

http://buildthemuscle.org/bodybuilding/how-to-gain-muscles-fast



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