If you consider yourself a hard gainer then you have probably read tips on how to build muscle and wondered why they never seem to work for you. Today we are going back to basics to give you the gym proven, science backed step by step guide to packing on more lean tissue over the next couple of months.
That's right, I said a couple of months. Not a year.
For most people the main obstacle which has held them back over the years is not lack of potential but rather lack of solid advice. Everywhere they turn they see somebody telling them they need to do something different or buy the next big supplement.
If you want to get bigger and stronger, you need to know just a few proven rules.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Your range of repetitions will help you target hypertrophy.
#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.
Don't spend hours working smaller muscles. For example, there will be countless guys at your local gym doing endless sets of bicep curls or triceps pushdowns. You will notice far better results if you focus your time on the big movements which recruit more muscle fibers to perform.
Finding out which exercises yield maximum results is a good start, but you'll also need to know how many reps you should be doing, too. Furthermore, you'll need a way to keep your lifts from hitting a plateau.
Studies show that optimum strength gains are achieved when we try to hit the hypertrophy zone, which means pushing for 8-12 reps with your main resistance exercises. If you're smart you can also use that as a system to tell you when you need to increase the weight. Think about it for a second, when you can get more than 12 reps out you are no longer in the ideal zone for building, therefore you should think about increasing the weights.
Of course, we wouldn't be very much help to you if we didn't cover the third point which is diet. Try not to make the common mistake of assuming just because you want to get bigger you can eat anything you want. You don't just want to add size, you want it to be the right kind of size.
You need to make the most of your daily calories and that means getting a good split of carbs, proteins and fats into the food you choose to eat. Whether it's through supplements or actual food, try to ensure around 50% of your daily intake comes from carbohydrate sources with the focus on complex carbs rather than sugary simple carbs. Follow that up with around 30% from protein and 20% from healthy fats and you have yourself a great diet platform to operate from.
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.
Too many people are endlessly trying to figure out how to build muscle that they miss the obvious answer by over complicating it. Once you know the three simple rules you are ready to go.
That's right, I said a couple of months. Not a year.
For most people the main obstacle which has held them back over the years is not lack of potential but rather lack of solid advice. Everywhere they turn they see somebody telling them they need to do something different or buy the next big supplement.
If you want to get bigger and stronger, you need to know just a few proven rules.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Your range of repetitions will help you target hypertrophy.
#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.
Don't spend hours working smaller muscles. For example, there will be countless guys at your local gym doing endless sets of bicep curls or triceps pushdowns. You will notice far better results if you focus your time on the big movements which recruit more muscle fibers to perform.
Finding out which exercises yield maximum results is a good start, but you'll also need to know how many reps you should be doing, too. Furthermore, you'll need a way to keep your lifts from hitting a plateau.
Studies show that optimum strength gains are achieved when we try to hit the hypertrophy zone, which means pushing for 8-12 reps with your main resistance exercises. If you're smart you can also use that as a system to tell you when you need to increase the weight. Think about it for a second, when you can get more than 12 reps out you are no longer in the ideal zone for building, therefore you should think about increasing the weights.
Of course, we wouldn't be very much help to you if we didn't cover the third point which is diet. Try not to make the common mistake of assuming just because you want to get bigger you can eat anything you want. You don't just want to add size, you want it to be the right kind of size.
You need to make the most of your daily calories and that means getting a good split of carbs, proteins and fats into the food you choose to eat. Whether it's through supplements or actual food, try to ensure around 50% of your daily intake comes from carbohydrate sources with the focus on complex carbs rather than sugary simple carbs. Follow that up with around 30% from protein and 20% from healthy fats and you have yourself a great diet platform to operate from.
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.
Too many people are endlessly trying to figure out how to build muscle that they miss the obvious answer by over complicating it. Once you know the three simple rules you are ready to go.
About the Author:
Coach: Russ Howe PTI is a trusted fitness coach. See how to build muscle with our new video guide showing the five steps to a more muscular body and the best shoulder building exercises.
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