Is it possible to build muscle at home? How to gain muscle mass at home for a man or girl

15.10.201927.05.2017

It is impossible to achieve a powerful and pumped-up body without decent muscle mass, which requires a properly and well-formulated diet to gain. Training that shapes the muscles is also important, but they are useless if there is no “material” for the work.

Those who want to have a good muscle mass you always need to start by building a carefully verified menu, which must completely coincide with the assigned tasks and goals. This can be done by having a clear understanding of the basics of nutrition for weight gain and exactly what foods should be included in such a diet.

Based on four basic principles. They give a clear idea of what the menu should be for an athlete who wants to gain muscle.

Meal frequency

In order for muscle mass to grow, a person needs to eat. Together with products, a person receives energy and substances, thanks to which all vital metabolic processes are carried out, tissues receive material for development and expansion.

Gaining muscle mass occurs only when three essential nutrients are present in the body - proteins, fats, carbohydrates. If they are not supplied with food at a certain time, the muscles simply stop growing, which, of course, is a serious problem for the athlete.

For an ordinary person who is not trying to get bigger, it is enough to eat three times a day. This routine is not suitable for a bodybuilder, since long pauses between meals create a nutrient deficiency. He needs to eat with breaks of no more than 3 hours, that is, adhere to five or six meals a day.

This mode allows the body not only to digest food more easily, but also to receive all the necessary nutrients for uninterrupted work on building muscle tissue.

Calorie content of food

The fundamental principle of building good muscle mass is that you must always clearly know how many calories you consume per day. Otherwise, you will never be able to achieve your intended goal.

Muscles only grow when the body receives calories. Not all of them are used to build tissues. Only a certain part is spent on this process. Therefore, the energy value of incoming food should always exceed the number of calories burned.

Harmony of proteins, fats and carbohydrates

A carefully calibrated ratio of nutrients allows you to accurately build a diet for mass gain:

Squirrels. Their number varies between 30 and 35%.
Fats. Should make up 10-20% of the diet, with preference given walnut, sea fish, fish oil, fatty polyunsaturated acids.
Carbohydrates. They make up the majority of the menu, varying between 50 and 60%.

The presence of a “window” of 5-10% implies that the exact ratio of BJU should be determined and adjusted individually, depending on the characteristics of the body and goals.

Water and its quantity

Gaining good muscle mass is impossible for those who do not pay attention to water - the presence of a sufficient amount of moisture in the body. A deficiency is fraught with a lack of progress in the task assigned to the athlete. Optimal daily norm for those who build muscle, it is considered from two to four liters. The exact amount is determined by the weight of the athlete.

You should not drink while eating. This creates an obstacle to the natural process of digestion and absorption of nutrients, preventing digestive system work one hundred percent. Water is best consumed between meals.

Before training starts

It is better not to eat before class, but at least two hours before it. Preference should be given to products that contain complex carbohydrates. They provide a great boost of energy to ensure an effective and efficient workout.

You can eat a portion of pasta, porridge, as well as vegetables and fruits. A protein-carbohydrate mixture will not cause any harm. You can drink it about half an hour before training.

After completing training

You should not neglect eating after exercise. This time is most favorable for the absorption of all nutrients necessary for building muscle mass, while in the most more.

Immediately after class, it is permissible to either consume a serving of gainer or eat two bananas. A full meal should be after 40 minutes and consist mainly of proteins and slow carbohydrates.

What foods should be included in the menu for muscle growth?

Nutrition should consist not only of foods that are well absorbed by the body, but also healthy products, which contain the necessary nutrients. Cereals such as semolina, buckwheat, rice, as well as oatmeal and potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. Mackerel, herring, tuna, and salmon contain a lot of fat.

There is a clear gradation of products based on the high content of a particular nutrient:

Carbohydrate-rich foods

bread (black);
flakes;
noodles;
muesli;
porridge (oatmeal, rice, buckwheat, wheat, millet, corn);
pasta;
hazelnut;
walnuts;
mushrooms;
peanut;
potato;
apricot seeds.

Products containing protein

peas;
eggs;
walnuts;
beans;
boiled fish;
fat cottage cheese;
yogurt;
poultry meat;
fried fish;
kefir;
milk;
caviar;
semolina porridge;
mutton;
sausages;
boiled sausage;
beans;
beef meat.

High fat foods

sardines;
anchovies;
salmon;
red meat;
ghee;
butter;
sour cream;
chips;
cream;
salo;
walnuts;
crackers;
cake;
chocolate;
mayonnaise;
sausage;
bakery products;

Based on this information, creating a diet is not difficult. The main thing is to maintain the ratio of nutrients.

Building muscle mass: main stages

In order for muscles to increase in mass, it is necessary to understand that this process takes place in a certain sequence. If you follow each step exactly, the result will not take long to arrive:

When starting to train, you must immediately take vitamins, amino acids, and microelements.
Next, they introduce a variety of specialized nutritional supplements into their usual diet, and supplement the main dishes with protein.
Then start drinking gainers. This needs to be done gradually. First, use a mixture with a small concentration of protein, and then increase it.
After three months, gainers are replaced with carbohydrates and proteins.
Once you have achieved a significant increase in muscle mass, you should start using fat burners. They are accepted within a few weeks.

Tips from experienced bodybuilders for building muscle mass

Experienced bodybuilders have extensive experience in how to build muscle. If we analyze what recommendations they give, then success in achieving the athlete’s goal of gaining good muscle mass is as follows:

Good appetite. You need to eat a lot, but not everything. A correctly and competently designed strategy for increasing muscles is that it is necessary to eat much more than the athlete can spend during the day, including taking into account the fact that a certain number of calories are spent on normal metabolism.
The best exercises. For training, it is recommended to choose only those that have proven themselves with positive side and bring real results- deadlift, squats, bench press, as well as curls with a barbell in hand.
Progress. Staying at one weight for a long time, if you need to increase it, is not recommended. You should always strive for the desired weight by training a lot and hard, and eating right.
Be careful with heavy lifting. In order not to get injured or harm the body, you need to take only the weight that you really can handle. Otherwise, you may be out of commission for several months.
A complete and good rest. Lack of recovery slows down the process of gaining weight. The body should always be given a good rest, sleep is especially beneficial.
Don't sit idle, but work in training. You shouldn't cut yourself any slack. IN gym you need to work hard and hard. Breaks between individual approaches should never exceed more than three minutes. This is quite enough to gain strength for the next set. When starting training, you need to be prepared for a fruitful and effective lesson.

Summing up

So, to build muscle mass, you should remember the following important points:

training only partially determines success;
a balanced diet is required;
you cannot neglect your own health in pursuit of a goal;
recovery and rest are an integral part of the muscle building process;
never be lazy in training.

If these points are met, then the result is guaranteed.

Instructions

Introduce protein-rich foods into your diet. This is hard cheese, lean meat, cottage cheese, eggs, mushrooms, nuts. These foods should be in addition to your regular diet. It is better to eat often and in small portions. There should be at least 5 meals, and preferably 7-8. Eat vegetable fats, not animal fats. They are more easily absorbed by the body. Try not to eat foods rich in simple carbohydrates. They may slow down weight gain.

Every day you should take in 10-15% more calories than you burn. Otherwise, the muscles will simply have nowhere to come from. This calculation must be carried out very accurately. Calculate your calorie intake using the Muffin-Jeor pattern. And calculate exactly how much and what you ate during the day.

Take vitamins regularly. Even people most often do not receive all the beneficial substances that the body needs. And regular physical activity accelerate metabolism, so the body requires an increased dose of vitamins.

Exercise 3 times a week. Training should be intense, but not very long. Optimal time one lesson – one and a half hours. It should include 10-15 minutes of cardio exercise. The muscles should receive maximum load, so be sure to use dumbbells and barbells. The more weight, the better. Don't do a lot of sets with light weights. It is better to perform the exercise 6-8 times, but use the maximum weights for exercise that you can lift.

Avoid exercising on machines; they only polish your body and do not help increase muscle mass. Perform weight-bearing exercises in which there are no restrictions on movement. Be sure to do basic exercises that will stress several muscle groups at once. Classes should include squats, bench press, deadlift.

You should rest between workouts. This means almost completely giving up any physical activity. You should sleep at least 8 hours every day so that your body can gain muscle mass faster.

Take 3 liters of milk, add 2 cups of milk powder and 40 grams of protein. You can add cocoa or ice cream for taste. All ingredients must be mixed in. Drink the resulting cocktail between meals. Be sure to drink a glass before and after exercise. The mixture should be stored in the refrigerator.

Video on the topic

Sources:

how to gain weight by working out at home

Not everyone is born beautiful toned body without a drop of excess fat. To get this effect, you need to work hard. The kind of results that athletes show at competitions cannot be achieved by any other famous diet, constant muscle training is necessary. Although it should be noted that special nutrition will still be needed.

Instructions

Building muscle mass occurs when you follow special diet And regular classes. The best exercises for this are the bench press, squats and pull-ups. They will help you gain muscle mass in the shortest possible time. You can perform such exercises at home, but it is better to do it under the supervision of professional trainers in the gym. They will help you choose a dumbbell set and a set of exercises for each muscle group, taking into account your characteristics and wishes.

A very important issue is diet. You need to eat foods that contain sufficient nutrients. Everyday food is not entirely suitable for such a diet. There will be no muscle gain. Boiled chicken, a piece of beef, fruits, nuts, vegetable salads, various freshly squeezed juices, and high-protein foods are what you need. During the day, the body should receive at least two grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. The main protein products that contribute to muscle gain: kefir and low-fat milk, vegetable proteins, pink salmon, canned natural tuna, boiled lean fish, lean chicken white meat, low-fat cottage cheese.

In addition to diet, sufficient attention should be paid to the training regimen. You can carry them out at any time of the day, but no later than 4 hours before bedtime. Be sure to eat an hour and a half before training. It is better if it is food rich in carbohydrates. After all, during physical activity they are burned. At the end of your workout, be sure to consume a carbohydrate-protein mixture or eat 2 bananas, and then wash it down with a liter of milk. An hour after finishing your workout, you should have a full meal.

Muscle growth does not happen through training. After it, they may seem large due to the intense blood flow. Mostly new muscle fibers grow at night. As paradoxical as it sounds, the more you sleep after training, the more intense your muscles grow.

Video on the topic

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

We will tell you about everything, starting with products, diet and training and help you figure out what sports nutrition will help speed up the progress of thin people who cannot consume enough calories from regular food.

If you need help or clarification, please leave your questions or comments at the end of this guide or write through the feedback form.

Before we discuss how to build muscle in detail, let's first briefly cover some basic physiology. To pump up safely and correctly 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 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 this 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 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 muscle repair, not damage.

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

Why does body type matter?

When it comes to training and nutrition, most guys need to identify their body type out of three: ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph. It is most difficult for ectomorphs to gain a few extra kilograms: their training and nutrition must be structured according to a special regime.

Before we look at each somatotype in detail, let's first look at the origin and meaning of this classification of the human figure.

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

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

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

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

ECTOMORPH

Typical skinny guy:

Small joints;
Narrow shoulders;
Long bones;
Tall and lanky.

In the world of bodybuilding, these are called hardgainers.

MESOMORPH

Quite athletic build:

Large bones;
More high level white muscle bells;
Somewhat angular figure;
Naturally strong, despite the lack of proper athletic training.

ENDOMORPH

Short stature and stocky build:

Large body parts
A little increased level body fat
Long limbs provide benefits 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 most articles you can find on the Internet do. 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-carbohydrate diet, but is able to train 5 days a week?

Should he continue to bang his head against the wall, eating tons of carbs, avoiding cardio, and only working out 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 eating properly balanced and training hard, without resorting to consuming huge amounts of carbohydrates.

The somatotype classification was never developed as a means of assessing a person's potential muscle growth or genetic response to physical exercise.

Likewise, you are not doomed to gain fat easily because you have an endomorphic body type and love carbs. This is just a starting point, nothing more and nothing less.

Although the methods that provide muscle growth for a fat and thin person have fundamental differences from each other. But don't limit yourself psychologically by believing that your somatotype can prevent you from gaining weight. All people have mixed types, and it is very difficult to find a clear 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 beginning athletes. There is no need 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 thing you need to do is determine your basal metabolic rate. Essentially, this is an assessment of the minimum amount of energy required to maintain basic body functions (heartbeat, breathing, etc.) at rest.

Formulas for calculating basal metabolic rate

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

Men: 66 + (13.7 X body weight) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years) = Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
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 (we multiply 60 by 0.27 and subtract the resulting figure from 60), therefore, lean muscle is 60-16.2 = 43, 8 kg.

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

370 + (21.6 X muscle without fat) = 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 it 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 physical load coefficient:

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 calorie intake per day for men is calculated using 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 physical activity coefficient:

1.2 - minimum or none
1.375 - 3 rub. per week
1.4625 - 5 rub. per week
1.550 - intensively 5 r. per week
1.6375 - every day
1.725 - every day intensively or 2 r. per day
1.9 - daily + physical work

Standard food for mass , generally recommended for healthy people of 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 are suitable 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 to add fewer. Start eating in accordance with the given formulas for a month, observe the results, and then adjust your diet.

If you've already been training for a year or two, you should be gaining around 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 man 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 consultant and plan to train 3-4 times a week, since you have a thin physique (average ectomorph).

We'll use these parameters as a rule of thumb to determine your calorie and macronutrient needs. In step No. 1, you learned how to calculate the basic amount of calories, so now we will look at how to distribute it among macronutrients and how to plan your meals in general, how much protein, fat and carbohydrates you need to consume for high-quality muscle gain.

SSRE≈ 2750 calories

Calorie intake 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 (vagsh 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

You need to consume a fairly 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’s already late and you should have drunk a glass of water earlier. When the body becomes dehydrated, water leaves the cells and thereby triggers catabolism (the mechanism of muscle tissue destruction).

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, consists of 70 water and no growth without it is simply impossible. Current recommendations are 2 tablespoons 30 ml per 1 kg of weight, for example, if you weigh 70 kg, you need to drink 2 1 liters of water per day. The larger a person, the higher his metabolic load, the more water he needs.

Pay special attention to the hydration process; 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 that may seem like a huge amount, but for some guys (and girls) that's what it takes to build muscle.

If you cannot consume carbohydrates in that quantity or do not 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 lower volume.

I should note that all of the recommendations listed are intended for young, healthy and active people. The amounts of some macronutrients may 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 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 given menu, since these products do not have any special effects. This is just an example to show how you can determine the amount of macronutrients your body needs and then create a list of foods and meals based on them.

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

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

These numbers are not the same, but the differences do not matter much.

Attempts to gain weight and their success are determined by consistency and consistency, not by the ability to consume precisely set amounts of macronutrients.

Palm = 1 serving of protein (140-170 g);
Length thumb= 1 serving of fat;
A handful = 1 serving of carbohydrates;
Fist = 1 serving of vegetables.

I should also note that most people will need to recalculate their macronutrients regularly (every 4-6 weeks) and add calories if their body weight does not increase. Your body is trying to maintain homeostasis even as you exercise, so you'll have to stimulate the adaptation process by increasing your calorie intake.

Foods for Muscles

Calories serve as a kind of building material for muscles, however, you should be aware of each individual macronutrient and also have an idea of how much you are consuming.

When it comes to training and eating to gain mass, you need to do everything possible to make the process simple and nutritionally beneficial.

First of all, focus on whole foods, that is, those that contain a single 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 your caloric intake increases, it may become increasingly difficult for you to consume enough whole foods to meet your goals. If this becomes real problem, then look to liquid sources of calories such as smoothies or coconut/whole milk (depending on individual tolerance).

Once you reach your macro and micronutrient intake goals, you can add processed foods to your diet to increase your caloric intake.

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

Basic sports nutrition supplements

This chapter is dedicated to sports supplements that you need to consume in addition to healthy diet and training. In order for muscles to grow quickly, you need to look for ways to speed up protein synthesis and increase the speed of recovery after training. And sports nutrition will help us with this.

Remember that nutrition and exercise are key muscle development and physical growth, and with the help of sports nutrition alone you will not achieve your goals. These are just additives to the main diet.

Creatine. It's cheap and effective way increase strength, muscle hypertrophy and anaerobic potential (which has been proven in a huge number of studies).

Fish oil. Provides the necessary balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids important role in health cardiovascular system and regulation of triglycerides in the long term.

Vitamin D. In fact, 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 system function. Research has shown that optimal levels of vitamin D can improve heart health, cognitive performance and bone density.

Whey protein. If you find it difficult to increase your protein intake or meal frequency to get the calories you need, whey protein will serve as one of the cheapest, tastiest, and most convenient ways to achieve your goals.

Optional Additives

Probiotics/Digestive Enzymes. If you consume 4,000 calories daily, your gastrointestinal tract is doing double duty. In this case, you will need to improve his bacterial flora to stimulate the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, optimize nutrient absorption and reactions immune system to antigens.

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, you may need this supplement, although it is not necessary for the average athlete.

ZMA. Sleep plays an important role in muscle growth and improved recovery between workouts. However, many athletes are deficient in zinc and magnesium because these elements are depleted during intense exercise. In this regard, hormonal changes may 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 return the concentration of amino acids to the baseline level.
Consume protein before training, or at least take BCAAs, to stimulate the anabolic effect.

Carbohydrates:

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

Fats:

Since fats slow down the absorption of nutrients, try taking them at different times (before, during or after workouts) and observe how your body reacts.
Incorporate fats into various 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 omega-3 intake from a variety of sources.

Step #3: Choose the Right Training Program

If you don't exercise, no amount of diet or macronutrients will get you to your goals.

If you are a naturally curious person, you could try creating your own training program, although this would require large quantity experiments, 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 body parts – 3 days a week
Upper/lower body – 4 days per week
Legs/presses/rows – 3 to 5 days per week

We'll cover exercise choices in another section of this guide, but typically people settle on one of these 3 options.

A few words about technology

When you first begin strength training, you may want to focus on the weight of the bar rather than the mechanics of the movement. However, do not deceive yourself - the wrong technique will not lead to anything good in the long run.

Ideally, your workout should begin with foam roller exercises for 5 minutes, and then move on to dynamic stretching and exercises aimed at working the shoulders and hips. Warm-up doesn't have to be long. Over time, you will notice that it has a positive effect on your training.

The most effective exercises for pumping up muscles

When training, thin people should use compound exercises to target the largest muscles. And even at home, muscles are built up with heavy basic exercises, so you need to look for ways to put stress on larger muscle groups. A home mini gym with a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells can help with this.

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

Deadlift. Without a doubt one of best exercises for gaining muscle mass, which any athlete should include in their training. Ideally, deadlifts, like squats, should be performed with a barbell.
Squats. Deep squats are one of the most difficult exercises to master, but they are essential in any training program. Due to differences in the anatomy of the hip and other joints, not every athlete can squat until their buttocks touch their ankles, but classic and front squats must be followed by everyone without exception.
Dips. You should definitely learn how to do exercises with own weight. If you can't do simple exercises, such as classic push-ups, dips or pull-ups, then you need to work on developing strength. Dips are in a great way build muscles in the chest, shoulders and triceps if you constantly increase the load.
Pull-ups. Pull-ups are the easiest way to determine an athlete's strength. If you are unable to complete at least 5 reps, then it's time to reconsider your priorities. Pull-ups are great exercise for extension latissimus muscles back, biceps and upper back muscles. They are much better to do instead of deadlifts. upper block to the chest.
Bench press. If you go to the gym on Monday, you will most likely see the vast majority of men doing bench presses. And there are many good reasons for this. Bench press variations with dumbbells and barbell incline bench Also effective for building triceps, chest and shoulder muscles.
Overhead press ( military press) . Overhead press performance is a great indicator of upper body strength. Majority experienced athletes must be able to lift a weight equal to the weight in this exercise own body.
Traction exercises. Rows with both dumbbells and barbells are incredibly beneficial for developing the upper back muscles, which are typically weak in most lifters. Exercises in simulators can also be effective, but to achieve best results, you need to work with free weights.

Training and recovery

It would be a grave 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 every day in training and expect your body to perform 100 percent. As I said in the first part of the article, the key to growth lies in muscle repair, not muscle damage.

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

Their lifestyle is completely aimed at sports training– they eat, train, sleep, eat, rest, eat, sleep and repeat it again and again. External stimuli are minimized to allow these individuals to focus all their time and energy on training, improving their physique, and working on specific 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 often overlooked factors in improving productivity. There is an entire area of research dedicated solely to sleep and its effect 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 ringing. If this doesn't happen, then you need to improve your sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm.

Stress

Stress can sometimes be good. After all, training is also a stress factor, isn’t it? But when stress is a constant presence in your life and weighs you down mentally and physically, you will quickly begin to notice its detrimental effect on your health and performance.

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

Also, surround yourself with people with similar goals who are willing to support you in your endeavors. If someone constantly “pulls you down,” they 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% capacity today if you did 8 sets of bench press yesterday.

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

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

Plus, it takes time for the body to adapt to lifting weights, so don't expect to look like Arnold after 6 months of lifting weights.

Training to minimize pain is normal practice. If you are constantly exhausting yourself in the gym and squeezing out every last bit of strength in each approach, then for your own good, slow down.

Step No. 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 training time

Most people exercise between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. However, if you are a student, then most likely studying takes up a huge part of your daytime. You will probably have to train in the morning or evening time in order to fit into the schedule of lectures and exams. Here are some benefits of working out 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 healthy food choices as you start the day with proper 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:

Results physical activity This time of day is usually better
Less stressful situations because you don't have to rush to work or school, which overall increases your workout time. Longer warm-up and rest periods usually result in great results and improve performance indicators.
Eliminates hectic morning preparations when you need to get yourself in order, prepare food, put it in your bag sportswear etc.
A very relaxing psychological atmosphere where 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, be it gaining weight or burning fat. This is why food preparation and consistency in this process becomes so important.

Of course, you will eat out at restaurants from time to time on special occasions. However, if you start cooking your own food, you will find that it is much easier to maintain healthy image life. However, it doesn't all start in your kitchen, when you go to the grocery store.

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

Keep a training diary

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

There is no need to record every little detail, although some find special pleasure in this. Clear 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 you consume.

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

Step #5: Stay Motivated

Forcing yourself to go to exercise can often be very difficult. However, once you start exercising and warming up, everything becomes much easier because a certain inertia develops in the process.

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

In the modern 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 committed to the sport of iron, despite the influence of external circumstances.

For example, internal motivation is associated with the content of the activity itself, while external motivation is based on the compulsion 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 motivated by a love of sports rather than by the need for others to approve of their physique.

5 rules of a successful athlete

Knowledge. When it comes to building your ideal physique, you must be willing to experiment and learn. No one knows which nutritional system is more effective in your case or which split is ideal for your genotype. Also, no one is able to take into account your personal preferences, injury history, body asymmetry, level of experience or current ability to work.

Preparation. If you have a goal to transform your body, then you will have to watch your diet. You will have to work hard preparing healthy meals and tracking your intake of enough calories. You should approach your 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. hand bandages and other necessary accessories.

Hard work. I'll tell you frankly - there are no ways speed dial muscles. This process requires time, calorie consumption and progressive overload. There is no escape from this, if, of course, you want to remain a natural athlete.

Constancy. Ever wonder why most people fail to achieve their fitness goals? Consistent work in training and in the kitchen requires time and effort that many simply don't have. People lack consistency when it comes to improving their physique or breaking through a plateau.

Progress. You should always strive for constant progress, both mental and physical. In the beginning, you may find yourself focusing solely on nutrition and exercise. However, as you progress in physical development, you must maintain a balance between sports and other aspects of life. There is no need to profess the “all or nothing” principle.

“How do I know if I’m making progress?”

As I mentioned above in the nutrition section, the easiest way to measure progress from an objective standpoint is to simply make sure you're working with a weight that's appropriate for your fitness level. Additionally, you can measure the following body parts using a tape measure:

Forearm
Biceps
Shoulders ( upper part deltoid muscles)
Chest (run the tape under your arms at the nipple line or just above)
Waist (along the navel)
Pelvis (largest part of the buttocks)
Hips (equidistant from the hip and knee joints)
Calves (widest part)

Measure muscles in both relaxed and tense states
Do not pull the measuring tape - it should just fit your body
Write down all the numbers to track your progress over time.
Do not exercise before taking a measurement because exercise causes blood to flow to the muscles, making them appear larger.
Measure both sides of the body to identify imbalances in the body and correct them in time

You can also measure your body fat with a caliper to determine if you are improving your 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.

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

Remember - nothing will happen until you start watching your diet.

Focus on progressive overload by increasing the weight, number of reps, or sets.

Focus on basic exercises.

Do not abuse the frequency of training (at least at first) - more does not always mean better.

Keep stress to a minimum and recovery to maximum.

Get as much sleep as possible.

Focus on whole foods, but don't be afraid to include some processed foods (10-15% of calories) if you have a poor appetite and are consistently losing weight.

Consume 250 to 500 calories more than the ESSR requires.

Consume protein with each meal at the rate of 2.15 grams per 1 kg of weight

Try to gain 220 grams per week (if you are a beginner) or 340-450 grams (if you are an experienced athlete).

Lower or increase your calorie intake based on your weekly weight changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I eat?

Answer: Start with the recommendations above, but don’t be afraid to adjust your calorie intake, either up or down. Your metabolism and physiology will adjust to the amount of food you eat in an attempt to maintain homeostasis and regulate weight. Some may have to eat more than others, but the scale can't be fooled. If the arrow isn't going 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. Is it possible to consume more? If you have healthy kidneys, then yes. Will there be any additional benefit from this? physiological point vision? Most likely not. Additionally, since you have a set number of calories you need, while you consume more protein, you must reduce your carbohydrate and/or fat intake to keep your diet balanced. Once protein needs are met (≈1.8-2.2 grams per kg of body weight), you will likely see greater benefits from increased carbohydrate intake, given their effect on anabolism and anaerobic capacity. However, as I mentioned above, these recommendations will differ for older athletes, given their slower anabolic responses to amino acids.

What supplements should I take?

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

What working weight should you use?

Answer: Use a weight that is heavy for you, but still allows you to perform the desired number of repetitions and maintain proper 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 with the minimum threshold if the weight seems heavy to you and with the maximum if it seems light. Once you reach the upper end of the range, increase the weight and continue in the same pattern.

How to minimize fat gain when eating for weight?

Answer: You must understand that when eating for mass it is almost impossible (steroids do not count) to build exclusively muscle while avoiding fat gain. However, you can improve your body composition by making sure you don't consume too many calories (1000+ calories above your basal metabolic rate). Additionally, you should train hard, focusing on progressive overload, so that the calories are expended on muscle growth. Also don't forget about cardio training - HIIT and LISS training play an important role in increasing mitochondrial density, neurotransmitter balance, improving oxidative potential and neuroplasticity of the brain.

Should you do cardio?

Answer: As I said in the answer to the previous question, ideally you should include some cardio, both high and low intensity, in your training program, as each has its own physiological benefits.

Do specific macronutrients matter in overall calorie intake?

Answer: In short, yes. Once you've figured out your calorie intake, your next goal 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 your calories from carbohydrates, then this will certainly affect the accumulation of fat in the body.

Does meal time matter?

Answer: most important factor The determining factor for weight gain or loss is the level of calorie intake. However, meal frequency and pre- and post-workout nutrition can influence the intensity and duration of exercise, potentially leading to improvements in body composition. Remember that muscle growth is not a pulsating process. Muscles do not grow in quick bursts and then return to their original levels. If there are no amino acids in the bloodstream, the body draws them from muscle tissue, where they are found in high concentrations. The best solution is to eat 3-6 meals, spreading them out throughout the day depending on your preferences and personal schedule. Ideally, anabolism should be stimulated by eating every 3-5 hours.

Is there a so-called post-workout window?

Answer: If your goal is to synthesize as much muscle as possible, then taking nutrients within 30-60 minutes of your workout may provide some benefit to you. Should it be a protein shake? No, not necessarily. But, ideally, it should be a low-fat food that can improve the absorption of nutrients in gastrointestinal tract. If you ate foods rich in different macronutrients before your workout, keep in mind that the nutrients are likely still being absorbed after the workout. So, after completing the last set of the last exercise, there is no need to rush 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 sessions per week is sufficient. 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 a top/bottom split. More advanced athletes are able to train 5 times a week, depending on the program, degree of recovery and 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 lies in muscle repair, not damage. 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 plates, 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 exercise if you have no appetite the rest of the time).

Is it possible to exercise while sick?

Answer: Be guided by symptoms. A slight sore throat or runny nose may require a couple of days of rest, but do not exaggerate the problem by trying to stay in bed longer. At the same time, remember that prolonged intense exercise can reduce 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 deadlifts are important for muscle growth.

Should I only do back squats and classic deadlifts?

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

If you still don’t 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.

Almost always, as soon as it comes to building muscle mass, most people imagine a gym, barbells, dumbbells and various exercise machines.

Few people think about working out at home, because the majority opinion says that it is impossible to increase decent volumes at home. This opinion was formed due to a banal ignorance of the principles of training for muscle growth. In most cases, a person begins to exercise at home, while doing a huge number of push-ups, pull-ups, and squats.

Example of a muscle building program:

Monday– chest, biceps;
Wednesday– back, triceps, abs;
Friday- legs, shoulders.

different days

Breast:

Push-ups, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Push-ups from the floor, placing your hands narrower than your shoulders, legs higher than your hands (you can throw them on a sofa or chair).
Push-ups, hands close to each other.

Back:

Regular pull-ups, grip wider than shoulder width.
Pull-ups behind your back, grip wider than shoulder width.

Legs:

Pistol - squats on one leg.

Biceps:

Pull-ups reverse grip, hands are narrower than shoulders.
Pull-ups with a direct grip, hands narrower than shoulders.

Triceps:

Narrow grip push-ups.
Reverse push-ups.

Shoulders:

Push-ups from the floor, legs much higher than hands (you can throw them on the windowsill).

Press:

Twisting.
Hanging leg raises.

good results

Have a well-trained and toned body with large,
Many people want sculpted muscles, but not many know how to achieve it
result.

The guys work for hours in the gym, try for a long time and with great difficulty
achieve success, but never get the desired result. This is explained
for various reasons.

Most often, failure lies in violating principles rapid build-up muscular
masses.

Three principles of rapid muscle growth:

Proper training

Proper nutrition

Complete rest.

Success comes to those who know exactly what they want and are disciplined
follows a plan to achieve a goal. It's the same with bodybuilders
those involved in building their own body: it is necessary to have a clear program
exercises and, most importantly, follow it religiously.

Proper training

You should clearly plan your workouts and decide which parts of the body and
when, on what day, will you download.

You can start with 3-4 days a week, spending no more than an hour a day. Gradually
you can increase the training time to one and a half hours, but no more. Carrying out
more time in the gym will increase the muscle mass of your body,
but this will certainly not benefit your health.

Most quick way pumping up muscles is training two muscle groups in
combinations. A combination of chest and triceps or back and biceps exercises will
work miracles. Avoid working more than two muscle groups
simultaneously.

Reps should range from 4 to 12 in one set. During power
training, you need to gradually increase the load to the maximum. Then
Lose weight slowly. This helps you achieve results faster and at the same time
increase endurance.

Once a week you should lift only with the maximum weights for you, and at
the next day, do a lesson only with small weights, but with larger ones
number of repetitions. This will give excellent results in muscle building
masses of good relief.

It is important to rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets.

Changing your workout routine every 6-8 weeks also helps improve
rapid growth of muscle mass.

Proper diet

Balanced protein diet– one more important principle fast way
building muscle mass. The body must be provided with the necessary calories
and nutrients. Five to six fractional meals of high-calorie protein foods
per day is optimal.

Products with complex carbohydrates and proteins such as low-fat yogurt and
Egg whites are especially helpful in building muscle mass. You should enable
into your daily diet protein shakes, chicken breasts, lean meat,
oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, etc.

If necessary, you can take food additives for quick zoom
muscle mass.

Avoid using anabolic steroids and similar ones
drugs. They are very harmful to your body.

Proper rest

The last but one of the most important requirements for building muscle quickly is
complete rest. Muscles don't grow when you train in the gym -
they grow when you rest.

Try to sleep at least 7-8 hours. Rest a couple of days a week at least
more important than resting between two sets. Research shows that short
Breaks in training are very useful. The main thing is not to allow too long
breaks, otherwise you will have to start from scratch.

Each organism, each body is unique, so the methods that work for
others will not necessarily work for you. Don't look at what others are doing
gym, and don't try to do the same if you're not ready yet. IN
it will only cause harm in the long run.

Consult with instructors and nutritionists. Remember that even if you
you use the fastest way to build muscle mass, no one has canceled it
golden rule: “patience is the key to success.”