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.
Indeed, you read that correctly. We said a couple of months, not the rest of your life.
If you have been training for a while you will have already noticed that the biggest issue holding people back in the gym is the volume of contradicting advice out there. People can't seem to stick to anything for long enough to get results because they have outside influences telling them that they need to purchase the latest product or try to next big thing in workouts...
The rules to building a more powerful physique are very simple. Too simple, perhaps, for many people to believe them. Instead they spend years looking for the over complicated version.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Your range of repetitions will help you target hypertrophy.
#3 Don't forget you also need to have a good diet.
It might seem quite simple, given the number of next big thing plans out there which promise to give the the 'secrets' of building a better body, but those three rules are dynamite in your pocket. If you can take advantage of those three steps you will not have any issues building the body you desire.
Building your workout routine around one or two compound exercises is a great way to start. Usually, people perform way too many isolation movements and way too few compounds. If you're unsure what they are, think bench press and deadlift. These large multiple joint exercises will force far more hypertrophy than exercises which try to isolate only one muscle.
During your next workout session take a quick look at the free weights section and you'll see the common problem we speak about. Guys love doing endless sets of bicep curls but hate doing big movements like pull ups or squats. They're holding themselves back.
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.
The ideal rep range for size and strength is anywhere between 8 and 12. You can use this as a system to monitor your progress and learn when to increase the resistance, too. Once you can comfortably perform twelve reps you need to increase the resistance, trying to stay within that 8-12 zone the entire time.
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.
All calories are not creating on an equal playing field. It's important to realize that two people eating the same number of calories could get totally different results, as one could be feasting on junk food whereas the other is quite healthy. A split of 30%, 50% and 20% between protein, carbs and fats respectively will be a good start.
If you've had a certain body part which has proved difficult to get results with, you will find that the three steps will help you to bring it back up to speed. So before you spend hours pouring over the best shoulder building exercises or top chest workouts we recommend getting on top of the basics first.
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.
Indeed, you read that correctly. We said a couple of months, not the rest of your life.
If you have been training for a while you will have already noticed that the biggest issue holding people back in the gym is the volume of contradicting advice out there. People can't seem to stick to anything for long enough to get results because they have outside influences telling them that they need to purchase the latest product or try to next big thing in workouts...
The rules to building a more powerful physique are very simple. Too simple, perhaps, for many people to believe them. Instead they spend years looking for the over complicated version.
#1 Compound exercises out perform isolation exercises.
#2 Your range of repetitions will help you target hypertrophy.
#3 Don't forget you also need to have a good diet.
It might seem quite simple, given the number of next big thing plans out there which promise to give the the 'secrets' of building a better body, but those three rules are dynamite in your pocket. If you can take advantage of those three steps you will not have any issues building the body you desire.
Building your workout routine around one or two compound exercises is a great way to start. Usually, people perform way too many isolation movements and way too few compounds. If you're unsure what they are, think bench press and deadlift. These large multiple joint exercises will force far more hypertrophy than exercises which try to isolate only one muscle.
During your next workout session take a quick look at the free weights section and you'll see the common problem we speak about. Guys love doing endless sets of bicep curls but hate doing big movements like pull ups or squats. They're holding themselves back.
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.
The ideal rep range for size and strength is anywhere between 8 and 12. You can use this as a system to monitor your progress and learn when to increase the resistance, too. Once you can comfortably perform twelve reps you need to increase the resistance, trying to stay within that 8-12 zone the entire time.
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.
All calories are not creating on an equal playing field. It's important to realize that two people eating the same number of calories could get totally different results, as one could be feasting on junk food whereas the other is quite healthy. A split of 30%, 50% and 20% between protein, carbs and fats respectively will be a good start.
If you've had a certain body part which has proved difficult to get results with, you will find that the three steps will help you to bring it back up to speed. So before you spend hours pouring over the best shoulder building exercises or top chest workouts we recommend getting on top of the basics first.
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:
About the Coach: Russ Howe PTI is a trusted fitness coach. Learn how to build muscle with our free video guide giving the 5 steps to a more powerful body and the best shoulder building exercises.
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