If you want to know how to dial muscle mass, then this article is for you. In it I will tell you how I gained 19.5 kilograms of muscle without chemicals. And you, no matter what body weight you have, will be able to build muscle.
The secret of a pumped-up body is simple - it must be strong and resilient.
The stronger you become, the heavier you lift barbells and dumbbells in training, and accordingly, your muscle mass increases. It's simple.
This is especially important for those guys who want to learn how to build muscle mass without using additional muscle growth drugs, as well as those who do not have excellent genetics (just like me). More strength means more muscles.
Before you continue reading the article, I recommend that you watch this video, especially if you can’t answer the question of why I can’t gain weight. From it you will learn about ways to increase muscle mass if it is not growing well.
Ectomorph: how to gain weight?
The most common mistake in bodybuilding
Walk into any gym and you will see young guys doing split training. That is, they lift 5-6 times a week, devoting each day to a specific muscle group. They perform a mind-boggling number of repetitions in each set, pushing themselves to the point of complete exhaustion, because they so dream of having a pumped up and sculpted body... I personally saw how they managed to do 10 isolation exercises per muscle, hitting it from all sides. I'm sure all this is familiar to you too.
Many guys read popular sports magazines and imagined that such separate training is the path to success. Or maybe they saw those fashionable dudes with an important look and impressive biceps training in the same gym? And they wanted to achieve the same results. And what, a monkey sees, a monkey does, as one ancient wise proverb says.
In reality, most sane guys wouldn't train like this. Why? Yes, because in 5 years they will look exactly the same as they do today. And they want greater mass... Those few who still took split training as a basis are conditionally divided into the following groups:
- Genetic freaks– these guys are building muscles DESPITE split training, not because of it. They are truly the real lucky ones! I have met individuals who seemed to gain muscles just by looking at the weights. I don't want to be accused of racism, but it happens more often to dark-skinned people. And, nevertheless, if you were lucky enough to be born with the constitution of Superman, I still advise you to refuse such separate training.
- Steroid jocks- This is a very common phenomenon among powerlifters, especially professional ones. But there are also those who are categorically against any synthetic protein analogues. Before I equipped my home gym, I had to work out in a regular gym for 5 years, and, imagine, more than half of the guys were on anabolic steroids! And only thanks to them, they were able to achieve impressive volumes muscle tissue, and not dubious split training. Of course, such huge amounts of hormones introduced into the body cannot but contribute to muscle growth. But this is not about us, we don’t accept such unnatural methods, right?
- Advanced lifters– this group includes the best of the best. If they use split training in their programs, it is only for polishing and sharpening their muscles. They just don’t need to gain weight anymore, they need to maintain good shape. Unfortunately, many guys put the cart before the horse... and all their attempts to fashion at least something are futile and useless... The reason is a lack of muscle mass, that is building material. It is important to understand that split training will not produce results until you gain the required body weight. And this, in turn, requires good strength and endurance of the body.
Here's what this means: If you're a new, drug-free bodybuilder with average or worse, lousy genetics (like me), building muscle comes down to this:
If you didn't pick up today more weight than a year ago or even a month, then you are not building muscles, but suffering from garbage!
And I don't care if you're hurt. You can press 14 kilos in each hand on a bench or on a BOSU machine until you're blue in the face... But a guy who benches 114 kilos will, in any case, have a more impressive chest. And that's only because he uses more weight in his exercises. Remember, more strength means more muscle.
It is no coincidence that super-strong people always have a courageous and attractive figure. This is natural. They know a simple law: “More strength – more muscles.”
Let's take, for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger, seven-time Olympia champion. Few people know, but Arnold's strength is not based on years of training. Heck, he even competed in powerlifting before pursuing a career as a bodybuilder!
And in his latest autobiography, “Total Recall,” the respected governor writes:
“The truth is not that all bodybuilders are naturally strong, especially those who have built their bodies to strength training equipment. But years of powerlifting and free weight work gave me my massive biceps, broad shoulders, a strong back and sculpted hips. I realize that I look much bigger and stronger than others."
— Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall.
Arnold Schwarzenegger deadlifts 317.5 kg. He proved that “more strength equals more muscle”
The picture shows Schwarzenegger lifting weights of 280 and 322 kg in powerlifting competitions. This for several years since he received his first Mr. Olympia title. His results in the squat of 215 and in the bench press of 200 kg also gained worldwide fame. Strong, isn't it? And he is far from the only person who understood the principle “More strength - more muscles.” Here are more examples of athletes who showed remarkable strength...
- Franco Colombo - Arnold's training partner was even more powerful. Franco, originally from Italy, was a champion powerlifter. Its maximum deadlift had a weight of almost 343 kg, bench press – 238 kg and squats – 297 kg. He was so strong that he could easily burst the heating pad while inflating it. Arnold convinced Franco to compete in competitions, and the Italian bodybuilder won the Mr. Olympia title twice. He also followed the principle of “More Strength, More Muscle,” so he developed strength and endurance first before lifting the weight of his barbell.
- Reg Park – known as Arnold Schwarzenegger's mentor. It was from him that Arnold gained knowledge and skills. He became the progenitor of the “More Strength - More Muscle” technique, convincing his students to develop the strength of their body, and only then maintain it with daily split training. Reg Park's maximum deadlift was 317.5 kg, bench press - 227 kg, squat - 272 kg. It was also his idea to create workouts in the 5x5 format (5 sets of 5 repetitions). Park won the Mr. Universe title three times and, unlike Arnold, did so much earlier than the advent of steroid supplements. This proves that building muscle by increasing strength really works, which makes us, ardent opponents of synthetic aids, happy.
- Dr. Lane Norton - professor, candidate of sciences. Professional bodybuilder, natural powerlifter, no steroid supplements. His deadlift is 317.5 kg, his squats are 280 kg, and his bench press is 175 kg. I once had the pleasure of interviewing Lane Norton for my StrongLifts forum, and he said this to me: “I would never have gotten rid of my skinny legs if I hadn’t increased my weight by 500 pounds, especially on the back squat.” This decision soon gave the required volume to his hips: they were 53 cm, but became 71 cm. Impressive, isn’t it? Once again it proves the rule “More strength – more muscles.”
- And many, many others... This and Ronnie Coleman eight-time Mr. Olympia, whose deadlift is 363 kg. His words became famous throughout the world: “Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but not everyone wants to lift heavy weights.” AND Sergio Oliva, an Olympic athlete, he could lift a barbell of 136 kg high above his head! He was awarded the Mr. Olympia title three times. It is impossible not to mention Stene Efferding, the strongest professional bodybuilder, holder of the world record for barbell squats (387 kg). The list can go on for a long time...
One thing is clear: these champions would not spend their precious years developing strength and endurance if they were not sure that only through strength they could build a beautiful, sculpted, muscular body. Why do you think they, having switched to split training, continued to lift heavy barbells and dumbbells? Yes because they knew main secret bodybuilding: “More strength – more muscles.”
But you don't HAVE to become a bodybuilder!
Isn't it true? Most guys consider the method of building muscle by accumulating strength, although not entirely revolutionary, but very effective. Few of us (at least I hope so) are eager to show off our biceps, doused in oil for added effect, by parading around the stage in a thong. But few people want to become a real bodybuilder, in the full sense of the word. And you can count on one hand those effeminate eccentrics who are only occupied with narcissism.
Instead of all this nonsense, normal guys want to have an athletic, toned figure, they want not only to appear strong due to an impressive torso, but also to be so. You will especially want this after you learn that the goal can be achieved by exercising for 1 hour 3 times a week, without taking any medications or supplements.
Most novice athletes don’t even realize that there is a worthy alternative to bodybuilding. They don’t even know how to gain muscle mass quickly without resorting to those tedious, ineffective split workouts. But you will find out now (if you didn’t know before). This is strength training.
Here's how it works: Every workout you try to increase the weight of the barbell and dumbbells. So, gradually, you become stronger, while at the same time adding volume to your muscles. Everything is simple, fun, relaxed. This is the most quick way build muscle tissue, without supplements.
Another good news: you don't have to lift 317.5 kg like Arnold did. Damn, even I can't do it again! And yet, despite my poor genetics, I gained 19.5 kg of pure muscle weight without taking any steroids. How did I do this? Just: I trained for strength, not muscle growth.. And if I did it, as did my like-minded people, then you can too.
How to gain muscle mass quickly
8 most effective advice how to increase muscle mass for beginner bodybuilders with average genetics and a complete rejection of any anabolic steroids.
Let's clarify right away. I have terrible genetics, I never thought that I could become a jock. In fact, many athletes consider me a hard gainer, because my thumb easily fell on the middle one when I grabbed my wrist. Can you imagine? They called me “that skinny one with the ectomorphic genetics.” But I still managed to gain 19.5 kg, and this is only the weight of muscle tissue! And after I helped tens of thousands of guys from all over the world acquire the desired shape, I decided to organize my knowledge. Below you will find 8 tips on how to build muscle quickly, I really hope you find them useful.
1. Strength is needed to grow muscles.
IN Ancient Greece There was an athlete named Milo. He trained for Olympic Games, carrying a newborn calf on his back every day. The calf grew and became heavier and heavier, accordingly, the weight increased. It was thanks to this unusual method that Milon became strong, resilient, his muscles grew and took shape. By the way, he became the winner of the Olympic Games 6 times.
Every day Milo carried a calf. The heavier he became, the faster the ancient athlete's muscles grew.
Of course, most likely this story is just a legend, but the moral is clear : In order for your muscles to grow, you need to develop strength by gradually increasing weight. It's the simplest, yet most powerful and effective way to build muscle... which means you can throw away all those fancy fitness magazines and forget the complicated workout programs they contain. Please note some useful tips:
- Stop confusing your muscles. You shouldn’t change exercises every week, you shouldn’t rush from one program to another, hoping to find the one that is most effective. You understand, strength is dependent on each lift, so you will only see progress if you are consistent and stable. Besides, if you follow this path, you will never become a professional. If you want to shake up your muscles a little, just lift 2kg more than your last workout.
- Stop tearing your muscles. There is no need to do an endless number of repetitions in each set, exhausted from fatigue. This will overtrain your muscles and make you sore instead of muscular. It is also very draining mentally, killing motivation and positive attitude.
- Stop “pumping” your muscles. BEFORE pumping muscles, you need to build them.
Some “experienced” bodybuilders say that it is possible to gain strength without gaining a single kilogram muscle weight. That strength is a neurological concept, it all comes from psychology. Allegedly, they have met individuals who can easily do squats with a barbell of 227 kilograms, while leaning on their skinny legs. Well, maybe such weirdos do exist in this world, but somehow I haven’t seen them yet... Why? Yes, because these are all urban legends, nothing more. The stronger a powerlifter, the more muscular he will be, and vice versa, because, as we already know, more strength means more muscles.
The most important thing you should take away from this article is “More strength - more muscles.” Like the ancient Greek Milo, you should try to increase the weight every workout, at least a little. Don't worry about muscle strain. Everything will be fine, don’t forget to add weight. You will automatically become stronger by lifting more and more weight, which means your muscles will grow. It's very simple.
2. To grow muscles, do basic exercises
For four years in a row, every Sunday I lifted dumbbells tirelessly for 45 minutes until I could no longer feel my arms. And when I discovered Reg Park's 5x5 workout, which did not include this exercise, I was afraid that I would lose the muscles I had built. And only a year later, I was convinced that my muscles not only did not disappear, but became even larger and harder than before. I realized that isolation exercises are... Not panacea, unfortunately.
There is no need to purposefully pump your arms. When you do a compound exercise, such as a bench press, the arm muscles get a great workout: the triceps, as well as pectoral muscles, are in tension.
This is why you will never meet a lifter with with thin arms, but at the same time pulling 227 kg. The tree is big and has thick branches. Complex exercises involve NOT ONLY several muscle groups at once, but also our limbs. That's why my StrongLifts students pumped up their arms without doing a single dumbbell lift. What conclusion can be drawn from this? If you want to build muscle, stop doing isolation exercises and start doing compound exercises.
- Your goal is to build up your biceps. First, say “Stop!” tedious dumbbell lifts (with a block on the bend). Second, start doing bent over rows.
- Your goal is the chest. Avoid dumbbell lateral raises. You need a bench press.
- If you want bigger shoulders, stop doing dumbbell raises in front of you. All you need to do is press high overhead.
- If the target is the back, then say “Stop!” traction upper block sitting on your back ( top traction). Deadlifting is your priority.
- Do you need to add volume to your legs? Leg extensions on a machine are useless. Barbell squats are what really work.
Thanks to complex exercises, you can achieve harmonious development of the whole body, and not just one part of it. And since several muscle groups work at once, you will burn more calories. Another undoubted advantage of such training is that with the help of 2-3 exercises you work all the muscles. You save a lot of time.
3. Do Free Weight Exercises to Build Muscle
I first started doing barbell squats in January 2000. It was Smith's car. My mentor and I worked out on it for quite a long time, but one fine (or not so) day something happened with the simulator, we didn’t want to wait and decided to try it on a barbell rack that was collecting dust in the gym.
My mentor started doing the exercise with his usual weight, and what a surprise we were when he couldn't do HALF the set that he could easily do on the Smith machine!
It was a shock for us: we were simply perplexed, How it could happen that free weights doing squats is much harder. But common sense told us that This will be many times more effective and productive for building muscle mass.
From that day on, we never touched Smith’s car again; we simply saw no reason. Exercises with free weights have become a priority for us. And so it continues to this day.
Of course, now I already know why such exercises give more results than all these simulators, Smith machines and others.
There the weight is already adjusted, but with free weights you have to adjust the weight and balance yourself.
That is why exercises with free weights are advisable and even necessary to be performed outside the walls of the gym, AT HOME, for example - they are noticeably strengthen stabilizing muscles. The same cannot be said about exercise machines.
It has been scientifically proven that overall muscle activation during an exercise with free weights is 43% greater than with a Smith machine.
Free weights force all your muscles to work AT FULL POWER, since you can balance the weight YOURSELF the way you need, and not the way it was programmed by the developers of the exercise machine.
In addition, I believe, unlike many athletes, that free weights are ten times safer than exercise machines.
This is true - the machine forces us to make fixed, often unnatural movements, which can lead to various injuries and sprains of ligaments and muscles. By working out with free weights, you ensure complete comfort of movement, and most importantly, safety. You can be sure that you will not injure your knees, shoulders and back (the most vulnerable areas).
If you are afraid that the handle will fall on your head while performing the exercise, then I advise you to pay attention to power frame. If you suddenly lose momentum or get lost, the frame design will pick up your movement, which minimizes the risk of injury.
I have been training on the power rack for 9 years now. And at home, by myself, all alone, without any instructor. And there was no such thing that the handle would fall on me. As is usually the case, the things we fear actually rarely happen. Fear has big eyes.
If you still have doubts about free weights, then I advise you to do the same as the hero of Ancient Greece Milo. He started with the calves and took his time. Do the same: start with light weight, and at each training session add a little.
This way, you can gradually prepare your body for greater stress, and also avoid injuries and sprains. As your weight increases, so will your confidence in free weights.
I highly recommend working out with free weights, not on machines. They are much more effective for building muscle mass, especially for those powerlifters who do not take any steroid supplements.
5. To grow muscles, lift a barbell and do basic exercises
Arnold Schwarzenegger achieved his results not thanks to dumbbells, which he considered an ADDITIONAL element, but only thanks to strength exercises with a BAR. Presses, deadlifts, squats - they became the key ones in professional career bodybuilder
Many novice bodybuilders naively believe that they can achieve the same stunning results as Arnold with the help of only dumbbells But they are deeply mistaken. Those who prefer to casually play with dumbbells while sitting comfortably in front of the TV should be aware that such efforts will not give anything other than a deceptive feeling of vigorous activity.
And this is true: squats with dumbbells are not effective because you're using too much energy to lift the dumbbells onto your shoulders and keep them there than you really should. But squats play a very important role important role when building muscles.
Dumbbells are not able to give you the proper load, therefore, in essence, are only auxiliary in bodybuilding. You can confidently add 2 kilograms each workout with a barbell, but with dumbbells it's not so simple. Even with less weight gain, you risk developing plateau syndrome.
To be fair, it is worth noting that when working with dumbbells, the stabilizing muscles are much more involved, unlike a barbell.
But our goal is to BUILD MUSCLES, and for this we need to become stronger and more resilient. And to become strong, you need to lift heavy weights. Remember, more strength equals more muscle? With a barbell you can use heavier weights than with dumbbells.
By the way, squatting with a barbell of 136 kg is much easier than with dumbbells of the same weight. Just imagine, you’ll have to squat while holding 68 kg in each hand! You also have to manage to lift them to your shoulders and hold them there. It's going to be a pretty good workout!
Only after you can do a squat with a barbell of 136 kg, a bench press of 102 kg and a deadlift of 181 kg - only then can you use dumbbells as a additional load . But not before.
So put the dumbbells aside for now and let them wait. Great things are ahead with the barbell!
5. To build muscle, you need to exercise more often.
It is not at all necessary to immediately start exercising 5 times a week.
What I mean is that it would be advisable to do the bench press and barbell squats 2 times a week. Please note that The more often you exercise a muscle, the larger it becomes.
And yet, I spent a whole 5 years on this bullshit that fashionable fitness magazines push on us - split training. You know what this is, right? This is an intense workout of one muscle group in one day, consisting of a large number of isolation exercises. With an endless set of repetitions and long sets, when by the end of the workout you are just like a squeezed lemon.
When I came across Reg Park's famous 5x5 workout, I thought he was nuts. I'll explain why. After leg day, my muscles recovered within a week. And he suggested doing squats 3 times a week!
“This definitely won’t work, it’s simply impossible, I’ll be OVERLOADED!”, I thought.
But luckily I decided to give it a try. And I realized how deeply I was mistaken!
Honestly, if you are not able to squat 3 times a week, this means that you are NOT overtrained at all, but on the contrary - UNDERTRAINED!
Think about my words - even sprinters like Usain Bolt, for example, train several times a week. Swimmers (Michael Phelps) also swim almost every day to maintain sports uniform. Millions of Olympic weightlifters train diligently, tirelessly, 4-5 times a week.
You won't find a sport that only trains one muscle group, supposedly to avoid overtraining.
And only magazines for jocks talk about this nonsense. All other sports require almost daily physical activity. And if you are not able to maintain such a pace, then you are weak and out of shape. UNDERTRAINED, in other words.
The question you need to ask yourself is “Why are athletes in ANY sport able to train the same muscles MULTIPLE times a week, without any signs of overtraining, while simultaneously GAINING strength?”
The answer lies on the surface: they do NOT follow the stupid advice of sports magazines and do not succumb to their provocations.
Because when you hammer the same muscle all day long until your physical and moral strength is completely exhausted, then the next day you won’t even be able to move, let alone a full workout!
On the other hand, if you give moderate load(as every normal, adequate athlete does), then you can calmly train your muscles for a week, and you will not get any OVERTRAINING, and your body will develop harmoniously.
So stop your sophisticated programs, stop training your muscles only once a week (but until you lose your pulse). Say "Yes!" moderate and dosed loads, you should not force your body, otherwise it may take revenge on you. Start doing squats and bench presses at least 2 times a week to start. Focus on increasing strength without unnecessary pain. Remember, more strength means more muscle.
6. For full muscle growth, you need rest.
I'm sure you've heard that muscles don't grow when you exercise them, but on rest days. And, although this is not entirely true, there is some truth in it.
Of course, if the guys use various steroid supplements, then they will exercise 5-6 times a week. But for natural lifters like me, it makes more sense to go to the gym 3 times a week.
The temptation is very great, especially for those who are accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle and want to radically change their rather fat and flabby body. You always want everything at once.
And so they begin to pump hard, quickly get tired and lose motivation, in the end. In addition, such training takes a lot of time, but you shouldn’t forget about family, work, and friends.
It's much better to do good habit bodybuilding classes 3 times a week, so there will be time for muscle recovery. More doesn't mean better.
7. You need to eat well to grow muscles.
Now let's talk about how to eat right to gain muscle mass. Your muscles need nutrients - proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If you want to have big muscles, you need to eat well. The basis of your diet:
- Natural products, preferably without heat treatment. Avoid processed foods, fast food, and carbonated drinks. Instead, eat natural foods such as meat, chicken, vegetables, fruits, and cereals.
- A day requires 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. And no need to replace it with artificial whey powder! Just every meal should contain protein. For example, eggs for breakfast, poultry for lunch, cottage cheese for an afternoon snack.
- Drink more water. Intense workout causes increased sweating, so the body loses a lot of fluid. Muscles require water for recovery and regeneration. Headaches are the main sign of dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to restore water supplies.
8. It's important to be consistent when building muscle.
Arnold Schwarzenegger started lifting at the age of 15. Seven years later, in 1969, he took part in his first Mr. Olympia competition.
Then he lost to Sergio Olivio.
However, the very next year Arnold became a champion, 8 years after the start of training.
And some naive guys HOPE that 8 weeks will be enough for them to achieve the same success, because they read in one magazine that you can gain 15 kg of muscle weight in a month by following a miracle training program.
This is impossible. Gaining more than 1 kg of muscle per month without using any supplements is unrealistic.
As for me: in the first year I gained 11 kg, in the second - 5.5 kg, in the third - 3 kg.
And these 19.5 kg are pure muscle weight, earned only by physical activity, without the help of steroids. I don’t want to demotivate you at all by saying that 1 kg per month is your limit.
On the contrary, I want to MOTIVATE you.
So that you understand that you don’t have to chase instant results, but you have to work for quality. It is important to be consistent: pump iron three times a week and not give yourself any slack. Day after day. Week after week.
This is the only way you will gain 1 kg per month without much difficulty, and in exactly a year you will gain 11 kg, I guarantee you that! Rest assured that your efforts will not go unnoticed. People will ask you, be interested.
Always think ahead. Remember: 3 times a week! And no concessions!
Don't waste your time reinventing the wheel!
Try the 5x5 workout
I have long noticed that some guys, when they come to the gym, spend a lot of effort lifting weights without bothering with planning, while others, on the contrary, think too much, showing few results.
We need to find a middle ground. Of course, you wouldn’t put “How to build muscle” into a search engine if you had any idea about it.
Therefore, you should not reinvent the wheel; use an already proven program.
Many athletes are familiar with the situation when regular exercise gym do not bring the desired result. When you train, eat, and rest like all athletes, but there is no increase in muscle mass. Personally, I have encountered this situation myself, it is familiar to me. In my sports career There was a period when I trained for three years, but my strength indicators and muscle volume did not increase; for three years, my muscle mass and working weights were at the same level, without any hint of possible progress.
This kind of condition of an athlete in the world of bodybuilding is called “ training plateau" Moreover, this situation is quite common in the world of fitness and bodybuilding. Moreover, the majority are firmly convinced that this is how it should be; they are convinced that an increase in strength and muscle mass is possible only through the use of various chemicals. But in reality, I can confidently say that muscles do not grow because the athlete is doing something wrong. The reason is the lack of the correct step-by-step strategy, which can lead to an increase in muscle mass and an increase in strength indicators.
Now to the point - if you have been training for a year or two and you have no progress, then you need to radically change your training methodology. I suggest you use the following training tips:
1. Forget about short rest breaks between sets and take long breaks.
2. Stop doing large number repetitions, 15 repetitions should be performed exclusively for warming up, while working on weight you should do from 5 to 7 repetitions.
3. Rest enough between sets - 3 minutes or more.
4. Reduce the amount of exercise you do. There is no need to perform 10 and 8 exercises in one workout. There are athletes for whom even 6 exercises are too much and they perform 4 of them per workout. Personally, I only do 3-4 exercises in one workout.
5. Increase in working weights - if your working weights do not increase, then your muscle mass will not grow; this is a fairly simple axiom that must be adhered to.
Now I want to focus on nutrition tips. Focus on carbohydrates in your diet, with 70% of your diet being complex carbohydrates and 30% simple. Regarding protein, it should take up 20% of an athlete’s diet; it is best to use cottage cheese, fish, chicken, meat, and eggs as a source of protein. In my opinion, it is very difficult to gain muscle mass without eating animal proteins. If you are a vegetarian, then you need to at least include cottage cheese in your diet, and even better, add eggs to it. It will also not be superfluous to use sports nutrition, although I hardly use it.
Fat should occupy 5, maximum 10% of the diet. Naturally, the number of calories consumed per day also needs to be increased, without this there is no way. If you combine my training tips and nutrition tips, the end result will be an increase in muscle mass. As my practice shows, out of 100 athletes who adhere to my method, 99 show an increase in performance. It should be remembered that one muscle group you need to work out 2 times a week - one workout should be hard, and the second should be light.
After I began to apply all the principles outlined above, my weight increased by 18 kilograms in one year. And the arm volume increased from 36 to 46 centimeters. Of course, with such a training regime and nutrition schedule, I had accumulated subcutaneous fat, but I think that these are just the costs of the technique and there is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, after each stage of gaining muscle mass, the athlete is drying, which involves reducing the amount of fatty tissue.
While some are desperately fighting overweight, others are diligently trying to gain at least a few kilograms. After all, being underweight is no less dangerous to health than being overweight. How can a thin person gain weight without harming the body?
What are the dangers of being underweight?
Excessive thinness is not always determined by appearance person. Skinny women may not attract the attention of others, like fat women, for example, but this does not make their health any better. To find out if you have a reason to be proud of your slim figure, or it’s urgently time to get better, you need to calculate body mass index(BMI). Indicators in the range of 18.5-25 are considered normal. If your BMI is below 18.5, you are underweight. A BMI of 16 or lower requires urgent medical attention.
Excessive thinness does not make a person beautiful. But if you are underweight, there are much more dangerous health problems. This is a weakened immune system, due to which a person often gets sick. This is osteoporosis, when the bones become brittle. This is hair loss caused by insufficient intake of nutrients into the body. Against the background of weight deficiency, anemia develops, the production of sex hormones and the functioning of the reproductive system as a whole suffers, and a tendency to depression appears.
The reasons for thinness can be different - diseases digestive system, endocrine glands, the presence of worms, stress, anorexia nervosa, type 1 diabetes mellitus, cancer. Therefore, if you don’t know, it’s worth getting examined and finding the reason for your thinness.
Very often the reason for thinness lies in banal malnutrition. A person is so busy and is not used to monitoring his daily routine that he simply does not have time for normal meals.
Today there are pills for weight gain. They slow down metabolism and increase appetite. Such drugs are often prescribed to people with risk of anorexia. But weight gain pills have their own side effects– from poor health to disturbances in the functioning of the liver, kidneys and stomach. Therefore, they can only be taken on the recommendation of a doctor. Find out how you can gain weight using safe methods.
Increase your caloric intake
Have you calculated your body mass index and made sure that you are underweight? Now take advantage calorie calculator. Find out how many calories you need to consume daily and add 300-500 kcal to it. Take the time to create a diet whose total calorie content will meet your needs. First, you will have to use a food calorie table for this, and then you can select the menu “by eye.”
The basis of nutrition should be proteins and carbohydrates - meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, legumes, cereals, potatoes. Eat 3 full meals a day, and have snacks three more times (for example, sweet tea with cookies).
Change your lifestyle
Total calorie intake, which contributes to weight gain, is only part of the new lifestyle. Avoid stress and chronic overwork, get good sleep, and refuse overtime.
Play some sports
Fitness, swimming, water aerobics, running are suitable. Firstly, it increases your appetite. Secondly, sport helps to increase muscle mass, and new kilograms will be distributed evenly and beautifully on the body. But when playing sports, you should not overwork.
Protein shakes for muscle growth
Athletes use it for muscle growth. They are also suitable for those who want to gain weight. But this sports nutrition must be of high quality, which is why it is not cheap.
Protein shakes for muscle growth come in whey and soy. They differ in the time of absorption in the body. Whey is consumed after waking up and after playing sports, and soy - before bed. Expensive, high-quality protein shakes are safe for the body, but cheap ones contain various impurities that are bad for the kidneys and stomach. So before you use protein shakes for muscle growth, consult a specialist.
People begin to engage in sports and especially bodybuilding to strengthen their muscles and achieve an ideal athletic physique. Unfortunately, at present, most methods for gaining muscle mass involve not only intense physical training, proper rest and nutrition, but also the use of different food additives. However, it is quite possible to build muscle mass, without resorting to any " chemistry».
Instructions
Workouts aimed at gaining weight should be intense and not very long. In the period between them, your body needs high-quality restoration. When you work out in the gym, keep in mind that total time workouts should not exceed 40-60 minutes, depending on whether you exercise every day or every other day.
The best exercises exercises that will allow you to gain weight normally without chemicals are exercises with a barbell and dumbbells - squats, bench presses, standing presses, deadlifts, etc. They activate large muscle groups. To accurately determine the types of exercises, try to consult with specialists. It's even better if you have personal trainer who will monitor the correctness of your actions, especially if you are a novice bodybuilder.
Remember that your muscles need to be given a chance to rest, so don't try to strain yourself at the gym every day. In addition, to ensure that the process of gaining muscle mass is constant and smooth, after a month and a half (or three weeks if you train often), change the set of exercises.
An excellent means of restoring muscles after exercise are water treatments, including sauna, bathhouse and swimming pool. Swimming in cool water after exercise is especially beneficial.
For good muscle recovery, try to sleep normally. In addition, remember that full muscle growth is impossible under stress. Therefore, auto-training and meditation will not hurt you, as a beginning bodybuilder.
The most important condition for gaining weight is proper nutrition according to the optimal scheme: up to 30% proteins, up to 55-60% carbohydrates and 10-15% fats. In terms of calories, you will need to consume 500-1000 calories more daily than the average person. But the increase in their number should be gradual.
Try to introduce separate meals: protein foods must be taken separately so that they are normally absorbed by the body. In addition, a strictly observed diet helps improve protein digestibility and increase muscle mass. Try to eat often, up to 7-8 times a day, and at the same time.
In each food group, you want the highest calorie foods. If possible, replace milk with cocktails, apple juice with grape juice, brown bread with a bun, avocado cucumbers, lean fish with fatty fish, etc.
In the morning, in the first hour after waking up, be sure to have a hearty breakfast, even if you don’t feel hungry. You shouldn’t eat too much at night, but don’t go to bed hungry, otherwise your hard-pumped muscles will be “burnt.”
An hour and a half before training, eat, but make sure that the meal contains complex carbohydrates that are digested slowly. They will give your muscles the necessary energy. After your workout, be sure to eat something too, but this time you need simple carbohydrates that are absorbed quickly.
Increase your daily fluid intake. Give preference to pure (not mineral) water, milk and juices, especially grape and cranberry.
If you want to quickly build muscles, you need foods containing calcium, vitamins D3 (for bones), A, C, E (for ligaments and joints). And it’s even better to purchase a good vitamin-mineral complex for this.
Many people are convinced that anyone can build muscle, all they need to do is lift more weights in the gym. In fact, thoughtless exercise on exercise machines will not lead to the desired result without additional correction of nutrition and lifestyle in general.
Instructions
The method of separate nutrition is widely known in the world. It is based on the separate consumption of protein and carbohydrate foods. This is due to the fact that proteins are broken down only in an acidic environment, and carbohydrates - in an alkaline environment. Thus, if you eat protein and carbohydrate foods at the same time, the stomach will have to create different environments one after another for their digestion. And while one type of product is being processed, the other simply rots in the stomach. A mixed diet does not have the best effect not only on the digestive tract, but also on the body as a whole, because everything in it is interconnected. Protein products include: eggs, meat, fish, milk, etc. Carbohydrate products are represented by cereals, pasta, bread, etc. But our diet contains neutral foods: cheese, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. You can eat them without fear with any protein or carbohydrate food.
Many of us don't like to eat breakfast. People who want to build muscle naturally need to pay special attention to their morning meal. It is very good to have protein foods for breakfast, for example, scrambled eggs, kefir, etc. Breakfast will give you a boost of energy until lunch and start building muscles in your body.
Another mandatory meal is dinner. People, especially women, are convinced that in the evening food is completely converted into fat, therefore, while watching their figure, they exclude dinner from the diet. If, on the contrary, you are trying to build muscle mass, have dinner.
Divide your diet into 6-8 meals. Portions should be small, but sufficient to satisfy hunger for 2–2.5 hours.
Pay attention to the duration of your sleep. Of the 24 hours in a day, you must sleep for 8 hours. Adequate rest allows muscles to fully recover after training. The recovery period for muscles is on average 48 hours, which means that you should pump them up once every 2-3 days.
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Tired of being thin, but don't know how to quickly gain muscle mass? My 9 tips will help you take control of your metabolism and achieve chemical-free muscle growth through natural bodybuilding!
Although I am also against those who claim that there is no cure for this disease, because they have already tried everything possible. This is the biggest lie that you just need to stop repeating to yourself every day. Maybe you've actually tried a couple of methods on yourself, but you still haven't done what you really need to do. My nine tips will help you gain healthy weight. These nine tips have been expertly tested on me, so results are guaranteed.
1 – Train for no longer than an hour
Make sure that the program you have chosen for training in the gym requires no more than an hour. Concentrate on the quality and intensity of the exercises, rather than on the volume and banal development of your body and muscles. There are many studies, the results of which are easy to find on the Internet. And they say that training lasting more than an hour has a negative effect on the body’s hormonal levels. Plus, in order to achieve a healthy weight, you need to work out harder, not longer.
2 – Eating should become a habit
Listen, at the very beginning of the article I expressed my condolences to the guys with this problem, but I just need to say: STOP WASTING YOUR Snot ON YOUR FIST! To truly gain weight, you need to focus on eating as a healthy habit rather than some background necessity. It is necessary to reprogram your body and its genetic predispositions. Your case is an overactive metabolism that manages to absorb and completely digest calories too quickly. So, if you eat three meals a day and even highly nutritious foods, your body will still absorb it all. Try to eat 5-6 times a day every 2-3 hours so that your metabolism always has something to do.
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3 – Stop thinking about nutritional supplements and sports nutrition
I've already been in your shoes for quite some time. That’s why I can’t even count exactly how many times these supplements have let me down. Understand that a food additive has one direct function - to be a SUPPLEMENT. It will not affect your success or failure in the gym. The bulk of nutritional supplements help to gain short-term weight due to water in the body. Naturally, the effect will not last long - the weight will go away. The only type of supplements I really recommend are protein powders and Gatorade and Powerade drinks immediately after a workout.
4 – Expend less energy outside of your main workout
Naturally thin guys, stop fussing about things that aren't important. Your weight is part of your personality. You should not look for additional types of activity outside the gym - relax more, sleep, enjoy life. Direct your energy in a direction that is beneficial for the body.
5 – Understand what a “calorie surplus” means
Here’s something else I’m tired of hearing every day: “No matter what or how much I eat, I can’t gain weight.” I've heard this a million times already and I can confidently say that you are dead wrong. And I know this because I always said so myself, until I became an impressive jock. Most people think that they eat a lot and even too much. But if you are not gaining weight, then this only means one thing - you really are not eating enough! You should review and re-evaluate your diet and focus on eating more nutritious foods. Remember: if you want to gain weight, eat more.
When you are engaged in changing the condition of the body and its shape, you need to speed up this process a little. Your body initially does not want to gain weight - it, in general, does not care. The body needs to be cajoled and begged for a long time, which at first may seem somewhat uncomfortable.
6 – Monitor your progress
As mentioned above, all your sports activity should be within a period of no longer than an hour. But more importantly, the progress of these workouts must be assessed daily. It's so simple that most people unintentionally ignore this point. Instead, they mindlessly stretch their workouts to two hours.
If you are really determined to gain mass, then you should give it your all without keeping track of progress in the number of repetitions and in increasing the weight of the equipment. It will be as harmful as overeating. Your task is quality, not record number. Everything should be within reason.
7 – Change the number of repetitions every 3-4 weeks
So, you start gaining weight and muscle mass without listening to stupid advice. But there is another tip - changing the number of repetitions every 3-4 weeks. This is done in order to avoid a state in which the body “gets up” at a dead point and simply stops gaining weight. To avoid such zones, it is necessary to adapt the body to stress of varying severity. After all, stress is what makes your muscles grow. This tactic is much simpler than adding new exercises or increasing the number of approaches.
8 – Practice overeating
Just remember - this option is only suitable for extremely skinny guys. But once a week you can practice. Try eating something right after your workout. At this time, your muscles are aimed at taking in calories in a huge volume and transferring them in the right direction - into more and more new muscles. At such moments, growth grows very quickly and only in those areas of the body where it is really necessary. Of course, you shouldn’t abuse this, but rare practices will force your body to “recognize” large amounts of food and demand more from you. This controversial strategy still has its own charm, do not miss this moment.
9 – Consider sports nutrition for muscle growth
Yes, yes, yes, I said that you should not rely on sports nutrition. But if you just can't consume more calories, then the right supplements will help you consume more calories and start growing. And I mean cocktails and shakes of all kinds. Instead of one meal of rice, chicken and vegetables, you can simply drink one of these shakes.
It also helps a lot between meals. Just make sure that, given three meals a day, you do not drink more than three of these cocktails. Make them yourself using fruit and protein powder.
Good luck with gaining muscle mass!
