As a fitness instructor, people regularly ask me how to build muscle quickly. Today's article will give you a quick overview on the simple things you need to focus on if your goal is to build a bigger body over the next couple of months.
You may be scrambling back to re-read what we just said but don't worry we did not make a mistake. We will show you how to get results within a couple of months, not a couple of years.
If you apply these tips correctly you'll notice results are easy to come by. The main problem in the fitness business is that there is so much confusion and this is what leads to many people wasting years looking for over complicated, and often very expensive, solutions to a simple problem.
You can turn anything into a rocket science if you analyze it enough, but the fact remains that the principles of improving muscular strength and size remain the same as they were twenty years ago and they are very, very simple.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Use your rep range to keep progressing the resistance.
#3 Make sure you get the basics of your diet in place.
While many people struggle to learn how to get results from their exercise routine, those who do achieve success learn that the important factors lie in getting the basics right. The three point system you see above gives you the key to reaching your goal.
Compound movements are multiple joint exercises which force your body to recruit more muscle fibers and therefore work harder. Exercises such as bench press and squats are perfect examples of great compound movements.
Remember, you are not at the gym to train your ego. Take a glance at the dumbbell section the next time you go to the gym and I'm sure you will notice many people training their 'ego muscles', i.e. tons of bicep curls and tricep pushdowns but zero squats or wide grip pull ups. The ironic thing is those guys are clearly striving to increase their size but are unwittingly holding their own progress back by avoiding the proven exercises in favor of what gives them a better temporary pump.
Of course, there is more to this than just knowing which exercises will get you the results. You also need to know how many repetitions to aim for and have a system in place to consistently progress you to new levels.
For muscular hypertrophy you should be achieving around 8-12 repetitions in every set. Use this as a guide and it will also help you to progress at a very consistent rate. Each time you are able to push out over twelve reps with a certain weight you should be looking to increase the resistance, pushing yourself back down towards the 8 rep mark and working with that weight until your strength increases.
Diet is where most folks go wrong in the gym. Your ideal physique, in particular your abs, are going to be carved in the kitchen rather than in the gym. Remember that. People often forget the importance of dieting and believe it's only for people who are trying to lose weight.
Instead of looking at how many calories you eat per day try looking at what those calories are made up with. You may find that you are already eating enough food, but the sources of the food could be changed to increase your results. Try aiming to split your calories between 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates and 20% fats.
Finally, most of us have a 'problem area' with our body. We have an area we find harder to build than others. Rather than spending ages looking for the best shoulder building exercises you will notice that by going back to basics with your lifts you will make it easier to see progress.
If you previously felt a little lost and confused with all of the information out there giving you contradicting advice on how to build muscle you should now notice a new-found self confidence. Knowing the proven principles of size and strength training puts you on a fantastic platform to build from.
You may be scrambling back to re-read what we just said but don't worry we did not make a mistake. We will show you how to get results within a couple of months, not a couple of years.
If you apply these tips correctly you'll notice results are easy to come by. The main problem in the fitness business is that there is so much confusion and this is what leads to many people wasting years looking for over complicated, and often very expensive, solutions to a simple problem.
You can turn anything into a rocket science if you analyze it enough, but the fact remains that the principles of improving muscular strength and size remain the same as they were twenty years ago and they are very, very simple.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Use your rep range to keep progressing the resistance.
#3 Make sure you get the basics of your diet in place.
While many people struggle to learn how to get results from their exercise routine, those who do achieve success learn that the important factors lie in getting the basics right. The three point system you see above gives you the key to reaching your goal.
Compound movements are multiple joint exercises which force your body to recruit more muscle fibers and therefore work harder. Exercises such as bench press and squats are perfect examples of great compound movements.
Remember, you are not at the gym to train your ego. Take a glance at the dumbbell section the next time you go to the gym and I'm sure you will notice many people training their 'ego muscles', i.e. tons of bicep curls and tricep pushdowns but zero squats or wide grip pull ups. The ironic thing is those guys are clearly striving to increase their size but are unwittingly holding their own progress back by avoiding the proven exercises in favor of what gives them a better temporary pump.
Of course, there is more to this than just knowing which exercises will get you the results. You also need to know how many repetitions to aim for and have a system in place to consistently progress you to new levels.
For muscular hypertrophy you should be achieving around 8-12 repetitions in every set. Use this as a guide and it will also help you to progress at a very consistent rate. Each time you are able to push out over twelve reps with a certain weight you should be looking to increase the resistance, pushing yourself back down towards the 8 rep mark and working with that weight until your strength increases.
Diet is where most folks go wrong in the gym. Your ideal physique, in particular your abs, are going to be carved in the kitchen rather than in the gym. Remember that. People often forget the importance of dieting and believe it's only for people who are trying to lose weight.
Instead of looking at how many calories you eat per day try looking at what those calories are made up with. You may find that you are already eating enough food, but the sources of the food could be changed to increase your results. Try aiming to split your calories between 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates and 20% fats.
Finally, most of us have a 'problem area' with our body. We have an area we find harder to build than others. Rather than spending ages looking for the best shoulder building exercises you will notice that by going back to basics with your lifts you will make it easier to see progress.
If you previously felt a little lost and confused with all of the information out there giving you contradicting advice on how to build muscle you should now notice a new-found self confidence. Knowing the proven principles of size and strength training puts you on a fantastic platform to build from.
About the Author:
Bio: Russ Howe PTI is a popular personal trainer. Learn how to build muscle with our new video guide showing the five principles to a more powerful body and the best shoulder building exercises.
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