Gain muscle mass as quickly as possible. How to Gain Muscle Mass Properly

Hello friends! Today we will talk about the main mistakes when gaining muscle mass, which are made by at least 95% of people starting their training path.

The most interesting thing is that even people who have been training for several years make these mistakes.

For a long time I tried to highlight the main mistakes that prevent almost all people from typing muscle mass It took me more than 5 hours to summarize the outline of this article.

Bottom line: 26 mistakes that almost completely slow down the progress of the vast majority of people in the gym.

26 mistakes when gaining muscle mass

Let's go over the main mistakes that greatly hinder progress in the gym.

1. Not hard enough

Most people at the beginning of their training journey think that they are training too hard, when in fact their training is very sluggish and weak.

Big rest between sets, trending about nothing between exercises with a trainer or girlfriends / friends, endless selfies instead of hard, focused work with iron.

Understand, the body WILL NOT CHANGE IF THE LOAD IS TOO LOW!

Load progression is the BASIC rule for muscle growth. The body must understand that the load is growing, which means that it is necessary to grow muscles in order to warn against it in the future.

2. Lack of caloric content of the diet and the wrong proportion of BJU

There is a very simple principle:

• If the "arrival" of calories is greater than the consumption - you are gaining.
• If you burn more calories than you gain calories, you lose weight.
• If the consumption is equal to the “arrival” of calories, you remain with the same weight.

Even if your workouts are perfect, but you do not have enough energy (kilocalories) and building material (BJU) to build muscle mass, then you can forget about muscle growth.

The body should not feel a nutritional deficiency when gaining muscle mass, so you will only harm yourself and enter the body into a deep state.

3. Underdeveloped muscle feeling

During training, you must FEEL the muscles you are exercising.

What difference does it make what kind of load you have if it does not hit exactly the target (in the target muscle)?

Do not rush to increase the weight on the bar if you do not understand where your load is going.

First the technique, then the progression of loads! Remember this simple rule.

Focus, THINK about the muscle you are training! Every movement in our body starts with the brain.

In order for you to properly develop muscle feeling, read. In it, I told all this in more detail.

4. Wrong exercise technique

This mistake occupies, I think, the first place in this hit parade.

If your exercise technique leaves much to be desired, then:

1. The load does not hit exactly the target ( big muscles"steal" the load from small muscles).
2. The risk of injury increases (unequally distributed load affects weak links, namely tendons, ligaments, small muscles and stabilizer muscles, which can fail).

When you do a bench press, the body tends to bend “into a bridge” in the back area, this will spread the weight over the back, chest and legs, respectively, the chest will not receive the load it should be for growth, so it will not grow.

You must strive for perfect technique, not only because of muscle growth, but also because of the risk of injury.

Conclusion: strive for the perfect technique for performing exercises, even sacrificing weight on the shells for this.

5. Performing low-impact exercises

I often see how in the gyms a person does not do basic exercises at all, but only does some incomprehensible lunges on a fitball with a rope, a split squat with crossed legs, etc.

Remember:

What is important is not how different your path is from the others, but the EFFICIENCY OF OVERCOMING IT!

Muscles do not care what you press, a barbell or a tree. If the load increases, then the body gives a signal for the production of anabolic, peptide, stress, transport and other hormones.

There are exercises that involve many joints and muscle groups, such exercises are called BASIC! And if exercises where only one joint or one muscle group is involved, such exercises are called ISOLATION!

At the very beginning of your training, you can not do isolation exercises AT ALL!

6. Training without taking into account individual characteristics

At a minimum, consider:

1. Age.
2. Level of preparation.
3. Genetics.

Better yet, take into account even more factors. The more factors we take into account, the better workout suitable for a specific person.

When a person orders a paid training or nutrition program from me, I try to take into account as many points as possible so that the person gets the maximum result.

And despite this, over time, the training or nutrition plan needs to be adjusted, because. body adapts.

The funniest thing is when I see some guy training his girlfriend on HIS SAME PROGRAM!

The girl puffs up, tries, it’s hard for her ... All this is good, but it’s useless.

The buttocks are beautiful, as they never were, and there is no relief either, only overwork, lethargy, pain.

10. Absorb information, but do not implement anything.

Syndrome of the eternal student.

Learning something new is great, but the power of the acquired knowledge is IN THEIR APPLICATION IN PRACTICE!

Why overload your head with information that you do not use in practice?

Such people always think that this moment they are learning, and someday they will never be full of “knocking down pines”.

You don't have to do anything random. Do everything gradually, step by step, making mistakes, stumbling, but most importantly, DO IT! Otherwise, you will remain in every business an eternal learning novice.

11. Lack of purpose

Many people do not have a specific goal in the gym.

“I want to get a little pumped up, but lose weight here, and here, so that I get up, well, and here it decreases, etc.”

There is no clearly defined goal. So, it is not clear how to move.

The first thing I do with my students when they sign up for my individual sessions I ask: "What is the purpose of your training?". If a person does not know yet, then we try to formulate it with him.

I am used to working only for the result. And if you don't know what you want, what result will you get? Incomprehensible. That's it.

Think about it, it's important.

12. Lack of insane desire

This point is slightly correlated with the previous one, but still.

I have always believed that whoever wants to, will achieve it.

Someone will be despite all the difficulties: money, lack of a gym, psychological problems, complexes, etc. to achieve their goal, and someone will not go to training if the temperature outside has dropped by 1 degree.

Someone breaks through all the obstacles with his forehead and achieves what he wants, while someone “works” carelessly.

Everyone gets what they deserve in the end.

13. Lack of analysis and correction in nutrition and training

The error is very common.

14. Relying on Dubious Supplements Instead of the Essentials

Many people think that without certain additives it is impossible to achieve results.

A person has not even spent a day in the gym, but is already asking where to buy, etc.

All this is very funny to hear when you realize that the essence is not around at all, especially when it comes to a beginner.

First of all, the DIET, consisting of REGULAR FOOD!!! Here's what's most important. And then there are workouts and various supplements.

15. Training in a specific direction for one type of fiber

In our body there are various systems, structures and mechanisms that ensure our vital activity.

Accordingly, many systems and structures are also subject to growth.

Our muscles are made up of different types of muscle fibers, which is why they should be trained in different ways.

1. High threshold fast muscle fibers(VBMV) – extreme strength work, maximum concentration, explosive reaction and contraction.
2. fast muscle fibers(BMW) - heavy or moderate work with moderate weight for 30-90 seconds, fast contraction.
3. slow muscle fibers(MMV) - easy work for a long time, slow contraction.

And this is without taking into account the hypertrophy of the sarcoplasm (the fluid in which our muscle fibers are located), which can give up to 20% of muscle volume.

Do you understand how much you can lose if you always train in the same style?

16. Simultaneous development of several muscle qualities

“Both the tit and the pip” with one hand have not yet been able to grab hold of anyone, and if it’s not joking, then:

Differently directed by the nature of the load give an average unexpressed result.

You won't get super pumped if you're a long-distance runner.

You can't bench press 300kg if you're a soccer player.

You can't be a great pianist if you're a truck driver.

You must be focused on what you are developing. If you are sprayed into different areas of activity, then most likely it will turn out to be neither this nor that.

"Jack of all trades" is a master of everything and nothing.

It is impossible to run in two opposite directions at the same time.

Focus on what's important and put your best effort into it.

17. Skip the period of preparation for further hypertrophy

The vast majority of people want to get results quickly, but in the end they only limit their possible progress.

At the very beginning of your training, almost all systems of your body require adaptation. First, the systems will adapt (a way that is beneficial for the body), and then muscle growth will begin (unfavorable construction for the body, in terms of energy).

By skipping the period of preparation for physical activity, you greatly limit the possible progress.

Focus on TECHNIQUE in the beginning. I wrote about it.

18. Ignoring microperiodization

At the very beginning of your training (a year and a half), you will be able to progress quite successfully LINEAR.

For most, a linear progression will be fairly easy. Weights will grow quickly enough, the body will respond well to the load, but there will always be a slowdown and an almost complete stop of progress.

There comes a plateau, that state when it is practically impossible to progress linearly.

We begin to alternate light and heavy workouts (one of the options). All this will give us a greater result in the end.

19. Using non-target load for muscle growth

Many beginners slow down their progress simply because of stupidity.

If you want to learn chess, who do you go to? TO THE CHESS PLAYER, it's obvious.

If you want to learn how to play the piano, where do you go? TO THE MUSIC TEACHER! As easy as pie.

You will first learn notes, then intervals, then chords, keys, simple pieces, in order to sooner or later learn how to play "Moonlight Sonata", "For Elise" or "Oginsky's Polonaise". Those. YOU WILL DO A GOAL WORK!!!

Why then does it happen that a girl who wants to pump up her ass does not go to the gym, but to YOGA or oxysize?

Well, what the hell is that?

After all, it is most logical to go the most effective way. hypertrophy gluteal muscles in the gym, exercising with iron, gradually burning excess fat, due to an accelerated metabolism and energy expenditure.

If you want to learn music, go to a music teacher, if you want to pump up a beautiful body, go to a bodybuilding coach!

20. Minimal load or no load on large muscles

Focus on large muscle groups for a large release of ANABOLIC hormones.

A person wants to pump up, but does not train his legs and back! How is that?

At the beginning of your training on small muscle groups may not be focused at all.

21. Too frequent change of the training program

Where did this myth come from? training program it is necessary to change every 2-3 months, otherwise the "body gets used to it."

Well, what kind of nonsense?

2-3 months have passed, the person does not see a special result, concludes that the problem is in genetics, and then the following ways:

• Drop everything.
• Buy a bunch of useless supplements.
• Start taking steroids and other stimulants.
• Change your training program.

2-3 months, new training program, 2-3 months, new again...

Where are you in a hurry? LET THE PROGRAM WORK!

First, the training program causes a SHOCK in the body, and only then does it begin to respond with growth.

Why does the body immediately begin to grow muscle fibers, which is not beneficial at all, if it is not yet clear what will happen next?

Give the program time to work.

22. Targeting Post-Workout Pain

A bunch of times I met such a statement: “Something the muscles don’t hurt after training, I probably did something wrong.”

Yes, post-workout pain indicates injuries to muscle fibers, BUT NOT INJURIES LEAD TO GROWTH, BUT THE PRESENCE OF GROWTH FACTORS !!! RNA, hydrogen ions, anabolic hormone production, etc.

Post-workout pain makes you a little more resilient to the load, like a bruise after a blow (the place becomes more stable), but PAIN and GROWTH are not the same.

23. Orientation to the duration of the workout

Someone once launched a "duck" that you can only train for 45 minutes.

Until now, many of my friends say that you can’t train for longer. What is released CORTISOL, which destroys the muscles.

Yes? Interesting. But what about age, fitness, genetics, gender, AAS, the nature of training, etc.?

Someone after 30 minutes will not be able to raise their hands, and someone after 60 minutes will be more than cheerful.

All these factors must be taken into account. And an approximate guideline of 45 minutes, more than an approximate one.

24. Lack of fluid during exercise

Water is involved in almost all metabolic reactions in the body.

There is no point in arguing on this topic, because. I already wrote an article on this topic here.

Briefly, if you are exercising, then drink 2-3 liters of water per day, and everything will be fine (2-3 liters of PURE WATER, not tea or coffee).

25. Too early first course of AAS

Some headless beginners, not seeing the result in the first months of training, begin to use heavy artillery (steroids).

And there is no question of any "turinabol solo". The most tin is used there. Androgens, etc.

I have friends who, at the age of 25, suffered 2 microstrokes. What's next then?

These people take the most powerful weapon in their hands, not having learned how to shoot from a water pistol.

Health is your top priority! And tearing one place for yourself for the sake of fucking 3-5 cm on the biceps, which can cost you your health and life, is dubious fun.

Do everything wisely. Don't rush through the first course. Most will never need the first course. If you are not going to perform on stage, then you do not need AAS by 99.99%!

26. Caloric overload

There are those who, while gaining muscle mass, begin to eat everything in a row and eventually turn into an overheated pig.

Moreover, the longer this process continues, the more difficult it is to get out of the state of obesity.

Conclusions + a small request

Guys, the article turned out to be very large.

To be honest, at the very beginning I did not think that it would turn out so big.

The most interesting thing is that I wrote it almost on the fly. These errors first came to my mind.

But what if you think more carefully and think more. To be honest, I don’t even know how many more errors could be found.

Friends, I will be very happy if you leave a small comment at the bottom of this article. Are you interested in articles of this format?

I am always very happy when I read each of your comments.

Let me reveal another little secret.

I'm preparing a VERY COOL course on gaining muscle mass. There is nothing like it on the Internet, and in general, I have not yet met.

Are you interested in such material, friends? What would you like me to include in my course? Write, I will try to take into account almost all your wishes.

P.S. Subscribe to blog updates. It will only get worse from there.

With respect and best wishes, !

Being underweight worries everyone more people, after all, gaining the missing kilograms is as difficult as losing weight. Incorrect food tactics and the choice of foods rich in fats will cause the body to become flabby and the body to malfunction. internal organs. How to quickly gain muscle mass at home and make the figure slim, toned, proportional without compromising health?

Principles of proper nutrition for muscle building

There are simple rules that everyone who is interested in how to quickly build muscle should follow. They are as follows:

1. Eat quality food. Only natural products will provide the body with the nutrients necessary for the muscles. Antioxidants, contained only in high-quality food, also fight cancer, skin and other dangerous diseases.
2. Don't skip breakfast. The real problem of modern city dwellers is the absolute lack of time in the morning, so they neglect their morning meals. This is wrong: it is not recommended to leave the house without having breakfast.
3. Count calories. To track results, you can start a food journal that records all the calories consumed and the proportions of the elements.
4. Supplement your diet with carbohydrates. The norm is 4-5 grams per 1 kilogram of current weight. They contribute to muscle growth and the development of endurance during intense physical exertion.
5. Prepare healthy foods ahead of time. There should always be a supply of protein food in the refrigerator so that when you come home, you can have a full dinner, and not pounce on chips or convenience foods bought at the nearest supermarket.
6. Eat at night. An ideal product that can be eaten 20-40 minutes before bedtime is fat-free cottage cheese with nuts or seeds. Casein, which is part of it, coagulates in the intestines and guarantees a continuous supply of amino acids to the body, which have the ability to slow down catabolism.
7. Plan your snacks between main meals.
8. Eat enough calories. The optimal one is calculated based on the current weight: 40-50 kilocalories should fall on one kilogram of the body.
9. Include in the diet foods rich in healthy fats. They are involved in the construction of muscles, protect the joints, increase the production of testosterone. For one kilogram of body weight, you need to consume 0.5 grams of fat.

Mode

How to eat right to gain muscle mass? Of course, to speed up the flow of nutrients into the blood, you should eat 5-6 times a day in small portions. For an average man weighing 80 kg, a portion of food for 500-600 kcal is considered the norm of consumption. By increasing the portion, you can make sure that excess calories turn into fat, and this is highly undesirable.

The last meal must be before bedtime, it guarantees muscle growth and recovery during the rest period. A complete "night" serving contains slow protein and healthy fats.

Top 10 Muscle Growth Foods

From what you need to eat in order to, we note those foods that increase the body's endurance and nourish it with useful substances:

1. Beef meat. It contains iron, B vitamins, zinc, proteins and amino acids that stimulate weight gain.
2. Chicken fillet. Prefer boiling, stewing, baking or steaming to maximize the preservation of micronutrients that help build mass and improve bone strength.
3. Cottage cheese. Rich in calcium, vitamin B12, maintains muscle tone.
4. Chicken eggs. Contain vitamin D, fats, amino acids, high-quality proteins, proteins, other vitamins. They are very useful, but you should not get carried away with them: it is undesirable for men to eat more than 6 eggs a day, and for women - more than 3.
5. Oily fish. Saturates the body with protein, omega-3 acid, helps maintain optimal weight.
6. Oat flour. It contains carbohydrates and an impressive amount of coarse fibers. Products prepared from it saturate the body for a long time.
7. Whole grains (brown rice, wheat). They give strength, vigor, endurance, nourish the body with useful substances, normalize the work of the stomach.
8. Nuts. Required for normal operation of cardio-vascular system, elasticity of ligaments and muscle growth. It contains many beneficial fatty acids.
9. Dairy products. Whey, milk and kefir strengthen and contribute to the normal delivery of anabolic acids to the muscles.
10. Buckwheat. A nutritious product containing carbohydrates, amino acids, and other trace elements for muscle growth and the normal functioning of the digestive tract.

diet

So, what should you eat to gain muscle mass? Approximate diet as follows:

• egg omelet;
• black bread;
• 70 grams of canned corn;
• bunch of grapes or pear;
• black tea with raspberry jam.

• sandwiches with cheese;
• a glass of kefir or juice;
• a handful of dried fruits: raisins, dried apricots, prunes or nuts.

• potatoes with meat or fish;
• vegetable salad;
• compote or juice.

• bananas;
• oatmeal;
• tea with a small piece of dark chocolate.

• boiled rice or buckwheat porridge;
• 70 grams of canned green peas;
• tuna;
• apple or berries;
• green tea.

What to eat to quickly gain mass

Every athlete should know what foods can quickly gain weight, and give preference to those that contribute to the growth of muscle mass, rather than body fat. When consuming pasta, peas, smoothies, peanuts and other products useful for this purpose, one should not forget about some of the nuances.

Expenditure and income of calories

Muscle building can only occur when a person burns fewer calories than they consume. If, eating right, we still do not notice an increase on the scales, then we should gradually increase the number of calories consumed until the long-awaited changes occur.

Slow carbs before workouts, fast carbs after

Before pumping up muscle mass in the gym or before starting another active physical activity, it is recommended to eat slow carbohydrates: potatoes, pasta, cereals. They will saturate the body and provide energy for a long time.

Fast carbohydrates - jam, sweets, cakes "burn out" quickly, therefore, after a short period of time, the processes of consumption of the "emergency" glycogen reserve are already taking place in the body and the person will feel tired. They can be consumed after training.

Drinking regime

We learned what you need to eat to gain muscle mass, but the success of the enterprise depends largely on the amount of fluid consumed. The human body is 75% water, and lack of fluid intake, according to research, leads to dehydration and destruction. muscle tissue. A person who is actively involved in sports should drink 3.5 liters of water per day.

Safe Use of Food Supplements

Squirrels

Whey and soy proteins are consumed in order to gain weight and build muscle. Dry wheys are easy to use, can be made into cocktails, and are now available everywhere. A coach will help you choose the right formula. But you should also carefully read the instructions.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the essential supplements to use after intense workouts. It energizes, guarantees rapid muscle recovery. Along with glutamine, it prevents the action of the hormone cortisol and ensures excellent well-being. When using these supplements, you need to drink plenty of water.

vitamins

How to increase muscle mass safely and quickly depends largely on the choice of vitamin supplements used by athletes. Vitamins C and E will help to cope with free radicals and prevent the development of serious diseases.

Brewer's yeast

Every novice athlete should know how to eat right in order to gain weight. However, not everyone knows the fact that brewer's yeast, sold in a pharmacy, is an auxiliary supplement that guarantees a quick result. They make up for the lack of protein, vitamin D, enzymes, nucleic acids, amino acids. Therefore, their reasonable consumption will have a beneficial effect on the body.

Often, the fair sex is interested in what you need to eat in order to gain weight for a girl, while remaining beautiful and fit. For the growth of body weight and muscles, brewer's yeast is useful for all categories of people, they significantly improve the condition of nails, skin and hair. However, they are not recommended for people suffering from osteoporosis.

Rehabilitation specialists, nutritionists and experienced trainers will tell you how and what to eat to gain muscle mass. Great importance is given to the organization of training.

1. Keep a balance between the number of calories consumed and the intensity of physical activity. By increasing aerobic activity, you should consume more protein. Otherwise, muscle mass will quickly disappear.
2. Eat small meals, but often.
3. Stop using steroids.
4. The duration of the workout should not exceed 90 minutes, after it is over, you must definitely have a snack.

Fix positive changes scales and a diary will help in weight and, armed with our recommendations, you can safely step towards your cherished goal!

Video

Useful information You will learn about proper nutrition for gaining muscle mass in this video.

Some are looking for ways to lose weight, others need a diet to gain weight. Such people are called ectomorphs. There are several ways to solve the problem, only you need to approach this comprehensively - go in for sports, make the menu correctly. Even before you go on a diet, it is important to undergo an examination and eliminate health problems, if any.

Nutrition for weight gain

The right approach to food is the basis of weight gain for ectomorphs. No need to thoughtlessly eat everything, gaining calories. It is important to eat more healthy food and build your diet. Rules:

1. Create a calorie surplus. Every day you need to eat more than yesterday. You should not wait for obesity either: as soon as you notice that the weight has begun to increase, calculate your daily calorie intake using a special calculator. The same must be done before sitting on special diet. If you increase your calorie intake by 300-400 kcal, stop at this number. If the excess is 700 or more, and continues to increase, you will quickly gain even more weight than you need, earn health problems (gastrointestinal diseases, shortness of breath, excessive stress on the joints).

Increase your protein intake. This indicator should be like that of athletes - 1.5-2.2 g per 1 kg of weight daily. Proteins are the main material for the structure of muscle mass and biologically important elements for the body. They are very satisfying, so it will be difficult to eat more, but if you want to gain weight, you will have to try.

The main sources of proteins are eggs, fish, meat, nuts, legumes, dairy products.

2. consume more complex carbohydrates. Eat more pasta, bread, potatoes and cereals. Your task is to eat about 4 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of weight daily. In addition, it is important to consume fats during the diet - animal and vegetable, but get them from healthy foods.

Don't limit yourself. This is a big plus of a diet that promotes weight gain. Eat more often, in larger portions.

During the day, there should be 3 full meals and hearty high-calorie snacks in between.

Do not drink before meals to eat more.

High calorie foods

In the absence of a good appetite, weight gain products will help a man and a woman quickly gain weight:

• fat meat;
• potato;
• oils (olive, vegetable, butter, avocado);
• dairy products with a high percentage of fat;
• cereals;
• nuts, dried fruits;
• dark chocolate;
• tea, coffee with sugar;
• pasta;
• avocado.

Menu for weight gain

What your menu should look like:

	omelet from two eggs; 1 sandwich (bread + cheese + smoked chicken); 1 cup herbal tea or juice	vegetable soup in meat broth (300 g); mashed potatoes (100 g) + fried veal; banana (1 pc.); 1 glass of jelly	fatty yogurt (1 tbsp.); hazelnuts (150 g)	chicken chop (100 g); canned corn (150 g); 3 sandwiches with jam; cream tea (1 cup)
	millet porridge in milk (200 g); cashew (50 g); 1 cup of coffee with sugar; pear (1 pc.)	carrot casserole (300 g); mushroom soup (200 ml); vegetable salad (150 g); kissel (1 tbsp.)	melon (250 g); cocoa in milk (1 tbsp.)	buckwheat porridge with butter (250 g); biscuit cookies (100 g); 1 cup full fat milk
	oatmeal with milk (200 g); 1 sandwich (bread + butter + ham); coffee with sugar (1 cup)	barley soup (300 ml); boiled potatoes (180 g); chicken chops (170 g); milk jelly (200 ml)	biscuit cookies (300 g); sour cream (1 tbsp.)	sandwich (bread + mayonnaise + tuna); compote (150 ml)

Physical exercise



To gain weight, focus on strength training - they will help convert the calories received from food into muscles and form a beautiful body shape. Muscle tissue is denser than fat, and gaining mass by exercising power types sports, much easier and faster. A big plus is that you will increase real muscle mass, and ugly fat folds will not form.

Do in each exercise 3 sets with 6-12 repetitions and a short interval between them (up to 1 minute). It is advisable to use weights - dumbbells or water bottles, if possible, each time increasing their weight. Cardio loads should be reduced to a minimum, since they contribute to the burning of calories, you will not be able to gain weight with them. Leave only some aerobic exercise to strengthen the heart muscle.

The duration of training should be from 20 minutes to an hour, no more. Prolonged exercise will lead to protein loss. It is recommended to conduct them regularly, in the evening, at least 3 times a week. Women within 2 weeks after critical days You should work out more intensely, and then gradually reduce the load.

Video

When we see a well-built person with an athletic figure, we become unbearable, there is a desire to become the same. Gaining muscle mass at home is quite possible. For this, certain rules must be followed. There is a special program for gaining muscle mass at home.

SMART NUTRITION

Building muscle mass always requires a balanced diet. A set of dry muscle mass is available to a person of any build. Proper execution programs for gaining muscle mass can achieve very good results.

Lean muscle mass is gained quickly enough if the course for gaining muscle mass has been correctly designed. You need to eat several times, but at least six times a day. The menu should include vitamins for gaining and growing muscle mass. This group includes:

• retinol;
• thiamine;
• riboflavin;
• pyridoxine;
• B1, E, C;
• ascorbic acid;
• tocopherol.

Lean muscle mass will begin to increase rapidly if an accurate meal schedule is developed. Only permanent intense training and proper nutrition will give a rapid increase in muscle weight. The most terrible harm to gaining muscle mass for thin people is hunger. It is unacceptable. To gain muscle mass, you must always follow the diet. Any feeling of hunger must be quenched immediately.

How to build muscle mass, what to eat? For muscle growth and enlargement, nutrition must occur strictly according to certain rules:

• training is prohibited even with the slightest feeling of hunger;
• after the end of the workout, you must definitely eat;
• food should be daily and complete.
• The diet should include proteins and carbohydrates.

PROTEINS, PROTEINS AND AGAIN PROTEINS

How to increase muscle mass of the body? After all, you can take special drugs that accelerate muscle growth. The safest are:

• gainers;
• protein complexes;
• creatine;
• amino acids - BCAA.

However, in order not to harm your health, it is better to give up synthetic drugs, and start eating food that has a lot of proteins. Beginning athletes do not even think about it. How to build muscle mass without taking drugs? They think it's impossible.

Therefore, their menu includes an insufficient amount of protein and muscle tissue does not increase in size. Achieving positive results remains in question. How to properly gain muscle mass without using drugs, but adhering only to proper nutrition? Here is one of the main questions.

How to quickly build muscle tissue, how to properly compose your menu? This question is often asked by everyone who is starting to build muscle mass. To do this, you need to do a little calculation and determine how much protein you need to take during the day.

Your body weight must be converted to another dimension, pounds, and then the resulting value is multiplied by one gram of protein. (One pound is equal to 454 grams). Protein preparations are sold in large quantities, but you can do without them. How to gain muscle mass without ready-made products becomes clear if you find out how much protein the following products contain:

• pork
• chicken;
• eggs;
• sea ​​fish;
• nuts.

For breakfast, you can eat one banana, buckwheat porridge and drink one glass of cocoa. Immediately before starting a workout, you need to drink a glass of kefir, eat two slices of bread.

Lunch should consist of four courses:

• vegetable salad - 100 g;
• soup with beef broth - 200 ml;
• chicken with buckwheat - 150 g;
• green tea.

After training:

• chocolate - 50 g;
• black tea - 100 ml.

The dinner menu should include:

• boiled beef - 200 g;
• mashed potatoes - 100 g;
• berry juice - 200 ml.

The above menu can be taken as a basis. Any changes should not violate the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates.

WHAT ARE THE FATS?

Our body cannot feed on proteins alone. He definitely needs to get a certain amount of carbohydrates. They provide energy to help increase muscle mass. Carbohydrates are found in large quantities in cereals, vegetables and cereals. Fat intake improves the growth of anabolic hormones, on which the increase in muscle mass depends.

When the body lacks energy reserves, it begins to break down proteins and fats. If you eat normally, this process does not occur. Fats are essential for the body to function properly.

All carbohydrates mentioned above are fast food. Therefore, they are absorbed by the body very slowly. Cleavage can take several hours. At this time, the body constantly receives additional energy. Due to the very slow breakdown process, it is advisable to eat carbohydrates before two in the afternoon. This will allow the body to completely process them.

WATER AND MUSCLE MASS

Depends on water consumption energy reserve organism. When exercising to gain muscle mass, a person should drink 12 glasses of water per day. In winter, this number is slightly reduced. With the advent of summer, it needs to be increased. Protein shakes are also great.

FORGET ABOUT CARDIO

If you do a lot of cardiovascular training, you should notice that muscle building has started to slow down a lot. The fact is that cardio exercises only help burn fat. Moreover, this happens after the lesson for 20 minutes. One has only to overdo it, as catabolic hormones appear in the body that destroy muscle tissue.

STRONG NORMAL SLEEP

Good sleep is of great benefit for increasing muscle mass. In a person immersed in deep sleep, the metabolism slows down, the amount of growth hormones increases. Blood begins to flow more actively into the muscle tissue.

MAKE SURE TO RELAX

When a person is under stress, a catabolic environment is formed in the body. A hormone, cortisol, appears, which blocks the body's use of available energy reserves. Take a close look at people. A calm, relaxed person has a beautiful muscle mass. Schwarzenegger is the perfect example. He is always silent and calm, but he has beautiful body and muscles.

BAD HABITS

Of course, if a person is purposeful and strives to achieve desired result He will definitely get his way. A set of muscle mass can be carried out in the gym, or you can do it without leaving your home. But you have to forget about all bad habits. The main enemy of such training is alcohol and smoking. They harm the body and prevent the increase in muscle mass. The body should always be well rested. It is desirable that stressful situations never arise. Good deep sleep contributes to the accumulation of strength and intense training.

HOW TO TRAIN CORRECTLY AT HOME

Of course, training at home is difficult to compare with classes held in a special gym. The right equipment is always at hand. But if you follow specific rules, you can train at home to achieve the planned result.

Athletic exercises should be done with a partner. If something happens, he will definitely insure you. Exercises should be performed until the moment when the muscles stop obeying you. Thus, it will be possible to bring into action all the muscle tissue.

During the training, no external stimuli should distract from the exercise. Turn off the TV, put away the computer. Put on your headphones, put on soothing music, and start exercising. Try to focus on your actions.

BAR AND DUMBELLS

For development shoulder girdle and increase shoulder muscles try the military bench press. To increase the muscles of the chest, a bench press is done in lying position. To perform such an exercise, in addition to the barbell, prepare a special bench. In addition to magnification deltoid muscles, the barbell helps to gain mass also to the trapezius muscles.

To do this, use scars or tie additional traction to the belt.

Each workout must be done with dumbbells. The exercise can be performed standing or lying down. Hands with dumbbells are bred to the sides. So that the joints do not experience a lot of stress, the arms should be slightly bent. The exercise continues until a strong tension begins to be felt in the muscles. To increase the back muscles, you can use additional weights, the weight of which can reach 40 kilograms.

PERMANENCE

Classes at home should be constant and performed every day. Only such actions can give the positive result you are striving for. The effectiveness of training in your own home will be no worse than in the gym, if you follow all the rules and conduct high-quality training.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT IN THE HOME

So that nothing distracts from training, it is necessary to allocate one large room in your own house in which to install all the necessary equipment. A professional barbell, various simulators and devices will help you train and achieve maximum effect at home.

You can build muscle mass in any conditions. The most important thing is the desire and fulfillment of all the rules. The result will always be positive.

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. For a thin person (aka an ectomorph), this will be more difficult, while a mesomorph will be able to get fast growth muscles, even without 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 workouts to help you figure out which sports nutrition will help accelerate the progress of thin people who cannot consume enough calories from regular food.

What is the process of building muscle?

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 remedies and methods so that the result remains unchanged for many years without a 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 area cross section fiber increases, you experience a phenomenon 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, in order 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. The training program for gaining mass at home will differ from the set of exercises for exercising 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 spend a complete workout without going to 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;
• More high level white muscular 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 advantages for strength training lower body

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.

The somatotype classification was never developed as a means of assessing the potential for muscle growth or the genetic response of an individual to physical 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 - minimal 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 p. 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 thin 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 - component 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 need: 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);
• Length thumb= 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 building material for muscle, however, 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 it becomes real problem then look for liquid calorie sources such as 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 is dedicated sports supplements that you need to consume in addition to healthy diet and workouts. 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 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. It's cheap and effective method increase strength, muscle hypertrophy and anaerobic potential (which has been proven in a huge number of studies).

1. Fish fat. Provides the necessary balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids important role in cardiovascular health and triglyceride regulation in the long term.

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 find it difficult to increase your protein intake or meal frequency to get the calories you need, then Whey Protein serve as one of the cheapest, tastiest, and most convenient ways to achieve 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 reactions. immune system for 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, at 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 amount of 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, do not 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 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 obtain 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 exercises for a set of muscle mass, which any athlete should include in his training. 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 classical and front squats should be done by everyone without exception.
• Push-ups on the uneven bars. You must learn how to do the exercises with own weight. If you can't do simple exercises, such as classic push-ups, push-ups on the uneven bars or pull-ups, then you need to work on developing strength. Push-ups on the uneven bars are great way build up the muscles of the chest, shoulders and triceps, if you constantly 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 building exercise. latissimus dorsi back, biceps and upper back muscles. They are much better to perform instead of traction 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 incline bench also effective for building triceps, chest and shoulder muscles.
• Overhead Press ( army press) . Overhead press results are an excellent indicator of upper body strength. Majority experienced athletes must be able to lift in this exercise a weight equal to the weight of their own body.
• Pulling exercises. Both dumbbell and barbell rows are incredibly beneficial for developing upper back muscles, which are usually weak in most athletes. Exercise in simulators can also be effective, however, to achieve 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 correct magnification 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 way of life is completely focused on sports 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 result in great results and improve performance indicators.
• Eliminates hectic morning preparations, when you need to put yourself in order, cook food, put in a bag sportswear etc.
• A very relaxing psychological atmosphere, when you can turn to someone for advice or just chat with others to relieve stress after a working day.

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 food, you will find that it is much easier to be supported. healthy lifestyle life. 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 won't take long. 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 number 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 speed dial muscles. 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 ( top part deltoid muscles)
• 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 the measurement because physical exercise cause a rush of blood to the muscles, which makes 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. Would there be any added benefit from this? physiological point vision? 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: most an important factor determining weight gain or loss is the level of 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 the greatest possible muscle synthesis, then taking nutrients within 30-60 minutes after training can bring you some benefits. Should it be protein cocktail? No, not necessarily. But, ideally, it should be a low-fat food that can improve the absorption of nutrients in 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: yes, squats and deadlift are essential 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.