How to Increase Muscle Mass

By Donald Guerra

There are various websites, magazines and even e-books that are dedicated to exploring new ways to increase muscle mass. Of course, some work better than others, but in theory, most systems are all the same. There is basic process that all systems will use which is to bulk up, work out and then to rest. Of course along the way, factors such as dieting and hydration play extremely important roles as well, but the below process is the basic outline of what should come into play when aiming to increase muscle mass.

Bulk up

Bulking up is generally the first part of the process when deciding to increase muscle mass. Basically, if you feel that there is not enough flesh on your body to be converted to muscle, then bulking up will allow you to convert the new mass, into muscle, a lot easier.

The bulking up process is extremely simple, as it involves it increasing calorie intake. Most people tend to increase their calorie intake by around 10-15% to achieve the best results. Protein is an extremely important part of dieting. In general individuals should aim to consume somewhere in the region of 1 gram of protein, for every 1lb of their body weight, every single day.

Work Out

Remember to keep up with your diet when moving onto the work out. This involves working intensely on certain parts of the body. Increase intensity and length of the exercise as your body becomes accustomed to it. Of course, don't over exercise, as this won't do your body any good and the chances that you will be able to increase muscle mass will be greatly reduced. Instead, follow advice from health professionals or gym instructors.

Rest

Resting is one of the most important parts of the process when aiming to increase muscle mass. Many people decide to work through their rest days, in an effort to build up muscle faster. In fact, this is actually the wrong thing to do. Rest allows muscles to repair and grow, so all you will be doing by working out throughout these periods is not allowing that to happen. Protein is something that helps the above process, as it helps muscles to repair and grow, hence why so many supplements are advertised as 'high in protein'. As mentioned, rest is key to increase muscle mass, so it is wise to try and get 8-9 hours sleep every single night.

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