By Andy J Wilkinson
So what are the action steps you need to take to gain muscle fast?
Good question.
That's what we're about to dig into here. But just before we do, it's important to remember that knowledge is useless unless it's backed up by action. So don't just learn for the sake of learning. Take a step closer to the results you're looking for by taking action on what you learn - massive action on a consistent basis, to achieve massive results.
Yes, it takes persistence. Yes, it takes determination sometimes. And yes, you do need to repeat simple, actionable steps over time, again and again, until you receive the results that you want.
And there are 3 key areas you need to understand when it comes to gaining muscle mass, if you are skinny and want to bulk up and increase your weight. And those 3 areas are:
1. Eat Right.
2. Train Right.
3. Rest And Recover Correctly.
And now that you've heard these, let's dig deep into what they all mean:
1. EAT RIGHT
Very simply, your body needs fuel to grow and gain muscle. And ideally, you need to be eating between 5 and 7 meals every single day. This is really important. Because when you take the time to calculate your daily calorie needs to gain weight and size, and when you learn that you need to increase the amount of food you're eating every single day, you'll discover that 3 meals just won't cut it.
You need a system of eating 5-7 meals, so that your daily calorie requirements become more manageable. This will enable you to get those calories inside of you in a way that your body can make use of (instead of them being excreted or stored as unhealthy fat if you try to eat too much in one sitting).
So part of gaining muscle quickly, is having an effective system to both monitor and stick to your daily calorie needs to gain mass every single day. (And to be honest, this is where most programs and advice falls short. They don't give you a clear and direct method to both calculate how many calories you need, and then monitor your progress, and successfully stick to a plan on a consistent daily basis).
And one more thing. When you're 'Eating Right' to gain muscle fast, you want to split your calorie consumption into proportions that actually support muscle growth too. And, just to mention them briefly here, that's to keep to a diet that's made up of: - 50% carbohydrates (primarily complex carbohydrates like wholegrain rice, sweet potatoes, and wholemeal pasta) - 20-25% proteins (healthy lean proteins like turkey, chicken, fish, eggs etc..) - 25-30% healthy fats (avocado, nuts, flaxseed oil, oily fish like mackerel etc...)
2. TRAIN RIGHT
What do we mean by 'train right' when your goal is to gain muscle fast?
Well, training in this sense means lifting weights (or weight training). And more often that not, this means becoming a member of a gym where you have all the necessary equipment (bench, free weights, barbells, dumbbells etc...) to stimulate your muscles to grow. Now, this doesn't mean it's impossible to gain muscle mass by working out from home, as long as you have the right equipment. But your motivation is likely to be much greater when you have a specific place that's dedicated to increasing our size.
And then, once you have a suitable place to train (ideally a gym environment), the next step is to make sure you don't just copy what the big guys in the gym are doing. Very often, these guys are doing 'split body part' routines that target just a couple of muscle groups per workout session. (For example, they might just be working on their shoulders and chest for an entire training session, or their biceps and triceps, or just their back, or maybe they have a 'legs only' day). And so they might be hitting the gym as many as 5 or 6 times a week to fit all this in. And sure, that might be fine for them. But however counterintuitive it seems to say this, you actually need to take a different approach at this stage to achieve gains in your muscle and size.
So, if you're a beginner or naturally skinny, take this approach instead:
ONE: Focus on 'Full Body Workouts' every time you train. Why? Because you're going to recruit the most amount of muscle fiber during these workouts. And if you recruit the most amount of muscle fiber, and as long as you have enough time to recover between sessions, you'll encourage the most muscle growth. You're going to gain muscle fast by doing this instead.
And the other thing to realize when people talk about doing a split body part routine, is that they neglect to consider a very important point. You see, when you're positioning a weight, you end up using other muscles in your body that are not meant to be exercised in that workout session. For example, setting up a barbell rack with weights for a bench press, or carrying dumbbells to a bench for a shoulder pressing movement, you will be using more muscles than just the ones intended for that exercise. It's inevitable. So it's virtually impossible to 'rest' specific muscle groups fully on a day that you are training.
That's why a Full Body Workout routine makes so much sense. Especially if you're skinny or just starting out.
TWO: Perform 'Major Muscle Movements' This is something many guys are not even aware of: How the type of muscle building exercise you do affects the actual amount of muscle you build. Now, 'Major Muscle Movements' (sometimes referred to as 'compound' exercises) are movements that engage a number of your largest muscle groups all at the same time. Some examples of these are the squat, the deadlift, and the bench press. And you want to focus most of your attention on these, because they encourage some important hormonal releases in your body. And this release of hormones such as testosterone and human growth hormone will have a major impact on your ability to gain muscle fast.
3. REST AND RECOVERY
So, our third and final component when it comes to how to gain muscle fast is 'Rest and Recovery'. You only want to train 3 or 4 times a week. Too much exercise actually hurts your ability to gain muscle mass. So it is vitally important that you give your body time to rest. That's when muscle growth occurs. That's when muscle adaptation takes place. That's when your muscles actually repair themselves and grow back stronger. So, my recommendation is that you take at least 48 hours off between your weight training workouts. I call this the '48-hour Spread'.
And on top of this, you also need to build in plenty of sleep into your muscle mass plan too. In fact, a minimum of 8 hours sleep per night is a good recommendation for most guys. Why? Well, when you sleep your body is even better at recovering, repairing and generating new muscle tissue. Your body also releases extra amounts of human growth hormone while you sleep too (which as we learned above, is an important ingredient for muscle growth and muscle mass).
So, to sum it up, those are the 3 main areas to pay attention to in your efforts to gain muscle fast:
1. Concentrate on Eating Right.
2. Train right with Full Body workouts that emphasize 'Major Muscle Movements'.
3. Rest and Recover in a way that supports and encourages muscle growth.
Follow all three steps, and you'll build up a steady supply of momentum to gain muscle fast in both a healthy and natural way.
To discover more about how to [http://gainmuscle-fast.com/gain-lean-muscle-7-steps/]gain muscle fast, simply visit: http://gainmuscle-fast.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
How to Build Mass Fast - Hardcore Routines That Work
By Leonard Rogalski
It is no secret that most people have a bread-and-butter routine, that is one that almost always produces results, but every now-and-then you need to shock the body into new growth.
What follows are two shock routines, however, please only try these if you have been training seriously for over a year.
Here we go.
GET NEGATIVE
Most people now realize that it is the negative (or lowering) portion of a lift that causes most of the growth promoting damage to occur in muscles, but few people realize that this is a very good growth tool, if it is used correctly.
The next time you want to shock your body into some new growth try this.
For example, we will say that you have decided it is your biceps that need shocking, and we will also say that you are going to use barbell curls.
Pick a weight that you can do twenty reps with.
Curl the weight just like you normally would, but for the lowering portion slow it down, way down.
Take thirty seconds to lower the weight.
Keep going like this until you can no longer do any more curls, then very quickly take some weight off the bar and go again.
Keep doing this until you cannot do a single curl with even an empty bar.
UPPER BODY BLAST
This shock routine is for the chest and back and will consist of three exercises.
Flat benches, barbell bent over rows and barbell pull overs.
For each exercise pick a weight that you can do twenty reps with and then do them back to back to back.
That is do them all with as little rest between each as possible.
Three sets of this triple upper body blast should be all you need.
When you are done, your upper body should feel pumped like it has never been pumped before.
A FEW POINTS
For these shock routines to be effective, first you must be fully rested, so that you can give everything you have to them.
Second, the above workouts should only be done a couple of times a year and then only when you feel your body has really gone stale.
Lastly, be careful with them, they are intense.
Remember, you can never start too light.
CONCLUSION
I know the above shock routines will get your body growing again like never before.
But do not stop there; you are only limited by your imagination.
Always be on the lookout for new ways of doing things, not only will this keep your body guessing but it will help keep your mind fresh as well.
KEEP WORKING.
Do you want to learn how to build a big chest using two almost completely forgotten exercises? Then click here to grab your free report. You will also receive weekly tips and advice that will help you make even greater gains in the gym than ever before. Visit our website to learn more: http://www.howtobuildupmuscle.net/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
It is no secret that most people have a bread-and-butter routine, that is one that almost always produces results, but every now-and-then you need to shock the body into new growth.
What follows are two shock routines, however, please only try these if you have been training seriously for over a year.
Here we go.
GET NEGATIVE
Most people now realize that it is the negative (or lowering) portion of a lift that causes most of the growth promoting damage to occur in muscles, but few people realize that this is a very good growth tool, if it is used correctly.
The next time you want to shock your body into some new growth try this.
For example, we will say that you have decided it is your biceps that need shocking, and we will also say that you are going to use barbell curls.
Pick a weight that you can do twenty reps with.
Curl the weight just like you normally would, but for the lowering portion slow it down, way down.
Take thirty seconds to lower the weight.
Keep going like this until you can no longer do any more curls, then very quickly take some weight off the bar and go again.
Keep doing this until you cannot do a single curl with even an empty bar.
UPPER BODY BLAST
This shock routine is for the chest and back and will consist of three exercises.
Flat benches, barbell bent over rows and barbell pull overs.
For each exercise pick a weight that you can do twenty reps with and then do them back to back to back.
That is do them all with as little rest between each as possible.
Three sets of this triple upper body blast should be all you need.
When you are done, your upper body should feel pumped like it has never been pumped before.
A FEW POINTS
For these shock routines to be effective, first you must be fully rested, so that you can give everything you have to them.
Second, the above workouts should only be done a couple of times a year and then only when you feel your body has really gone stale.
Lastly, be careful with them, they are intense.
Remember, you can never start too light.
CONCLUSION
I know the above shock routines will get your body growing again like never before.
But do not stop there; you are only limited by your imagination.
Always be on the lookout for new ways of doing things, not only will this keep your body guessing but it will help keep your mind fresh as well.
KEEP WORKING.
Do you want to learn how to build a big chest using two almost completely forgotten exercises? Then click here to grab your free report. You will also receive weekly tips and advice that will help you make even greater gains in the gym than ever before. Visit our website to learn more: http://www.howtobuildupmuscle.net/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
15 Muscle Building Rules for Skinny Guys and Gals!
By Anthony Ellis
Though there may be many reasons why you may be thin, the most apparent reason is because of your genetics. If your parents are naturally thin or have a small body frame, then you will most likely have the same small body type.
To some degree, your size can also be controlled by your metabolism. If you have a difficult time gaining weight of any kind (fat or muscle) then you most likely have a fast metabolism. That simply means that your body burns calories at a faster than normal rate. You must take this into account whenever you are considering a particular diet or training program. Is it geared towards someone with your metabolism and goal?
Now as you know, there are many ways to train. Hundreds, thousands even. Some work and some do not, but for the specific goal of gaining weight, there are a few UNIVERSAL things that all skinny guys must do.
Though much of the information I cover here is not as "magical" as you may like, I consider these rules to be the basics with regard to weight gain. These are not all of the answers, but they are definite elements that MUST be addressed in any successful weight gain program.
You should be able to easily integrate these rules into your current program to make it more suitable for your particular body and goals.
GENERAL RULES
1.Get the proper information that pertains to your SPECIFIC condition and goals.
The first big problem I find in most people is the lack of correct information. Yes you are motivated and doing things, but your effort is wasted on incorrect dieting and training information. Basically, skinny guys are taking advice from people who have never had a weight gain problem. Want to know how to gain weight? Then find someone who has walked your shoes. Someone who has been where you are.
2.Set a specific goal and create a plan of attack.
If you were to drive cross country to another city, would you just start driving randomly, or would you plan a route that would get you quickly and efficiently?
Think of your plan as a road map and your goal as your destination. Without a plan and a specific goal you will be without focus and can easily get lost or side tracked. This happens more often than you know. I see many people in the gym just doing whatever, or just eating whatever -- no plan or specific goal. They wonder why they don't make progress. They have no focus.
Having a specific program to follow allows you to take action each day. This action is focused on specifically getting you to your destination quickly. There is no thinking, debating or guessing. You just do it. A specific plan provides necessary daily structure that not only keeps you on the road moving forward, it also helps to develop good eating and training habits that will benefit you long after you have reached your destination.
3.Have confidence in yourself and belief in what you are doing.
Let's face it; we live in a cruel world. Hate and jealously is everywhere. For most people who begin a fitness program to improve themselves, getting started will be half the battle. The other half will be staying motivated throughout the constant onslaught of negativity from others. A few negative words can do serious damage if you allow it.
The most insulting things you hear may be from friends, co-workers and acquaintances at the gym. People hate change. It makes them insecure, because they suddenly discover there's more to you than they were probably willing to admit. They fear that you may actually achieve your goal. It makes them look less "superior".
Once you have begun your plan, you must have faith and believe in what you are doing. Stay focused and avoid overly critical or negative people. If you have to, keep your business to yourself. When I first began my program, I stopped talking about what I was doing because I got tired of hearing things like "you can't do that", "that's impossible", "you're wasting your time and money". Funny thing is, now those people are constantly bugging me for advice.
It's your life. It's your body. It's your dream. Don't allow your success or failure to rest in the hands of others.
WORKOUT RULES
4. Stop listening to every ridiculous piece of advice you hear in the gym or read on a message board.
Recently a client of mine informed me that someone in the gym stated that he was training all wrong and he needed to train 5-6 days a week, and aim for more reps during his workout. Somewhere in the range of 15-20 reps per set.
The person giving the advice was quite confident about his recommendations, and he had an impressive physique that typically elevates him to the elusive "listen to me if you want to look like me" level in the gym. He was bigger than my client, so even though my client's "intellectual" mind knows that advice is absurd; his "unrealistic dreamer" mind took this information very seriously. So seriously that he changed his program and didn't inform me until a week or so later. This particular person had been making great progress on his current program, yet he allowed this one person's comment to overshadow that progress and convince him that his program was inadequate. This is a mistake and it showed in his lack of further progress.
In addition, don't judge the validity of what a person says by how they look. Just because the guy is huge doesn't mean he is spewing pertinent advice for you. Many people that have big physiques are big despite of their training, not because of it. I know some huge guys that know very little about training and dieting correctly. They can do whatever and still gain muscle; unfortunately we are not that way, so we much approach things in a more intelligent way.
5.Workout Infrequently
This is the most difficult concept for many to grasp simply because it involves less action, instead of more. When we get motivated and start a new program, it's natural to want to do something. We want to train and train and train. Thinking all along that the more you train, the more muscle you will build. Unfortunately, this could not be farther from the truth.
More training does not equal more muscle growth. Understand that the purpose of weight training is to stimulate muscle growth. That takes very little time. Once that has been done, the muscle needs to be repaired and new muscle needs to be built. That only happens when you are resting. You do not build muscle in the gym, you build muscle when resting! If you never give your body any essential "non active" time, when will it have a chance to build muscle? Think about that.
Now, add in the fact that you have a difficult time gaining weight and the importance of rest increases. Individuals who are naturally thin and have difficulty building muscle tend to require less training and more rest.
6. Focus on Multi-Jointed Lifts
Multi-jointed exercises are those that stimulate the most amounts of muscle fibers. Unlike isolation exercises which only work individual muscles, multi-jointed lifts work many different muscle groups simultaneously. For those needing to gain weight, this is ideal because these lifts put your body under the most amount of stress. This is the stress that will shock your nervous system and cause the greatest release of muscle building hormones. This results in increased muscle gain all over the body.
You can still do some isolation work; however it should not be the focus of your workouts, and should only come after your multi-jointed lifting is complete.
7. Focus on Using Free Weights
Free weights are preferred over machines for many reasons, but most importantly because they allow the stimulation of certain supporting muscle groups when training. Stimulating these stabilizer and synergistic muscles will allow you go get stronger, and ultimately build more muscle faster. Yes, some can most likely still build large amounts of muscle using machines, but why make it more difficult if you already have a difficult time gaining weight?
8. Lift a weight that is challenging for you
Building mass involves lifting relatively heavy weight. This is necessary because the muscle fibers that cause the most amount of muscle size growth (called Type IIB) are best stimulated by the lifting of heavy weight. A heavy weight as one that only allows you to perform 4-8 reps before your muscles fail.
Using a lighter weight and doing more reps can stimulate some Type IIB fibers, but again if you have a difficult time gaining weight, why make it more difficult? You need to try and stimulate as many as you can with the use of heavy weights.
9. Focus more on the eccentric portion of the exercise.
When you lift a weight, it can be divided into three distinct periods. The positive, the negative and midpoint. The concentric or "positive" motion usually involves the initial push or effort when you begin the rep. The midpoint is signaled by a short pause before reversing and returning to the starting position. The eccentric, or "negative" portion of each lift is characterized by your resistance against then natural pull of the weight.
For example, when doing push-ups, the positive motion is the actual pushing up motion. Once you have pushed all the way up, you hit the mid point. The negative motion begins when you start to lower yourself back down. Most would simply lower themselves as fast as they pushed up, but I recommend extending and slowing down this portion. Slowing down the eccentric part of the lift will help to stimulate more muscle growth. It actually activates more of the Type IIB fibers mentioned about in Rule 7.
10. Keep your workout short but intense.
Your goal should be to get in, stimulate your muscles and then get out as quickly as possible. It is not necessary to do large amounts of exercisers per body part trying to target every muscle and hit every "angle". This should only be a concern of someone with an already developed, mature physique who is trying to improve weak areas.
If you have no pec, don't concern yourself with trying to target inner, outer, upper, lower or whatever. Just work your chest. You should do no more than 2-3 exercises per body part. That's it. Doing more than that won't build more muscle, faster. In fact it could possibly lead to muscle loss. Long training sessions cause catabolic hormone levels to rise dramatically. Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue resulting in MUSCLE LOSS. While at the same time, long training sessions suppress the hormones that actually build muscle.
If you don't want to lose muscle during your workouts, I suggest limiting your sessions to no more than 60-75 minutes MAXIMUM. Less if you can.
11. Limit your aerobic activity and training
Honestly, I do not do any aerobic activity when I am trying to gain weight. This is mainly because it interferes with the important "non-active" time my body needs for muscle building and recovery. I do understand that people have lives and other activities that they don't want to give up, so it must be kept to a minimum. It won't hurt your progress as long as you don't over do it. If you find that you are doing more aerobic activity weight training, that's overdoing it.
I also don't recommend it because people tend do it for the wrong reasons. Many start aerobic activity because they believe it will help them to lose fat. While that is true, it won't do so on a high calorie mass diet. To lose fat, you need to be eating fewer calories.
12. Don't program hop
Here's how it usually happens. You've just read about a new exercise or workout that is supposed to pack on the mass. Now, even though you had already started another training program a few weeks ago, you are tired of it and really want to start this routine instead because it sounds better.
I call these people, "program hoppers". They are very enthusiastic when starting a new program, but they never follow it long enough to actually see any results. They are easily distracted and love to drop whatever they may be doing to follow the latest "hot" workout or exercise.
My advice is don't do it. This is a bad habit that never leads to a positive outcome. Understand that it takes time for any program to work. To be successful, you must follow your program consistently. Yes, there are many different training methods and interesting routines out there, but you can't do them all at the same time and jumping around won't allow enough time for any of them to actually be effective for you. Pick one that is focused on your current goal and stick with it. There will be plenty of time to try the others later, but NOT NOW.
EATING RULES
13. Eat more
This rule is pretty simple, but usually the one that is not done correctly. If weight gain is your goal, then you will need to eat more food. Period. In most cases, you will need to eat more than you are normally accustomed to.
One large problem that I had when starting out is I just had no appetite. I knew I needed to eat more, but I just did not want to. I had to force myself to eat at each meal. Thankfully, after about 2 weeks, my appetite grew. I was becoming hungry before each meal, and if I didn't eat my meal at the normal time, my body knew it.
If you have this problem, you still must eat something, no matter how much. Start off making yourself eat something small like fruit every few hours. Then, as your appetite becomes more active, gradually move into more real food.
What this will do is gradually get your body accustomed eating at regular intervals. Eventually you will be hungry before each meal time.
When eating more, you will need to make sure that you are getting plenty of good quality protein. Protein is a nutrient that is essential for building muscle. Every meal that you eat should contain some form of protein. Meal Replacement Powders like Myoplex are excellent for this purpose. They enable you to eat large amounts of good quality protein in a very convenient manner.
14. Eat more often
In addition to eating more calories, you should also strive to eat more often throughout the day. Eating infrequently, or going long periods without eating, will cause your body to breakdown muscle tissue for the calories it needs. This is especially true for those with fast metabolisms.
Spreading your meals throughout the day will give you more manageable meal sizes, improve nutrient assimilation, and make sure that your body always has the calories it needs for muscle building and repair. I recommend eating a high protein meal every 3 hours. During normal waking hours, that usually equals about 6 meals.
Now, I know what you are saying, "I'm too busy to do this", or "how can I do that with a full time job and school?" Don't let the thought of this being too difficult keep you from doing it. It may seem very inconvenient at first, but once you get in the habit of doing it, it becomes second nature and you don't have to give it much thought. Trust me, I've been doing it for years and do not feel that it's limiting or time consuming.
15. Use Nutritional Supplements.
Before you buy any product, remember that supplements are not magic. Too many people think that just because you buy the latest product, it guarantees that you will automatically begin to pack on the pounds. The truth is that supplements are only there to enhance an already solid diet and workout program.
They can give you the extra edge by:
* Adding More Convenience: Using food supplements like Myoplex or Designer Protein help to eliminate the common problem of 'not enough time', by providing you with a quick, efficient way to get your required nutrients each day. They make eating large amounts of calories and protein easier for people with low appetites.
* Increasing Strength Levels: Products that contain Creatine, like Phosphagen HP or Cell-Tech enable you to swing the odds of gaining more weight in your favor by increasing your strength output. Creatine enables you to lift heavier weights, which will stimulate more muscle fibers and cause more muscle growth.
* Decreasing Recovery Time: Vitamin C is essential to prevent free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. It is also essential is helping to repair connective tissue. All of this helps decrease the amount of time you are sore.
* Enhancing Your Immune System: Weight training increases the body's need for many minerals like magnesium and selenium. I always use a good multi-vitamin ensures that I am not deficient in any major essential vitamin or mineral. Deficiency symptoms include muscle weakness and suppression of the immune system, muscle cramping and fatigue.
I can honestly say that I could not have built the body I have today without the convenience and enhancements supplements provide. I simply don't have the time or desire to do it any other way. This is a choice that you must decide for yourself. You will be spending your money on these products, so make sure that you know their place in your program.
IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Yes, but I have to be honest and say that from my experience, gaining weight is much more difficult than losing fat. Even if you are doing everything right, it will still be difficult because you are fighting against what your body naturally prefers. If you are naturally thin, building an impressive physique involves persistence and determination, but no matter what anyone says, it is well within your ability. Good luck and for more information on how to gain weight, be sure to check out my website at rel=nofollow http://www.fastmusclegain.com
Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass. The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. For more information on how to gain weight and build muscle, check out his website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Though there may be many reasons why you may be thin, the most apparent reason is because of your genetics. If your parents are naturally thin or have a small body frame, then you will most likely have the same small body type.
To some degree, your size can also be controlled by your metabolism. If you have a difficult time gaining weight of any kind (fat or muscle) then you most likely have a fast metabolism. That simply means that your body burns calories at a faster than normal rate. You must take this into account whenever you are considering a particular diet or training program. Is it geared towards someone with your metabolism and goal?
Now as you know, there are many ways to train. Hundreds, thousands even. Some work and some do not, but for the specific goal of gaining weight, there are a few UNIVERSAL things that all skinny guys must do.
Though much of the information I cover here is not as "magical" as you may like, I consider these rules to be the basics with regard to weight gain. These are not all of the answers, but they are definite elements that MUST be addressed in any successful weight gain program.
You should be able to easily integrate these rules into your current program to make it more suitable for your particular body and goals.
GENERAL RULES
1.Get the proper information that pertains to your SPECIFIC condition and goals.
The first big problem I find in most people is the lack of correct information. Yes you are motivated and doing things, but your effort is wasted on incorrect dieting and training information. Basically, skinny guys are taking advice from people who have never had a weight gain problem. Want to know how to gain weight? Then find someone who has walked your shoes. Someone who has been where you are.
2.Set a specific goal and create a plan of attack.
If you were to drive cross country to another city, would you just start driving randomly, or would you plan a route that would get you quickly and efficiently?
Think of your plan as a road map and your goal as your destination. Without a plan and a specific goal you will be without focus and can easily get lost or side tracked. This happens more often than you know. I see many people in the gym just doing whatever, or just eating whatever -- no plan or specific goal. They wonder why they don't make progress. They have no focus.
Having a specific program to follow allows you to take action each day. This action is focused on specifically getting you to your destination quickly. There is no thinking, debating or guessing. You just do it. A specific plan provides necessary daily structure that not only keeps you on the road moving forward, it also helps to develop good eating and training habits that will benefit you long after you have reached your destination.
3.Have confidence in yourself and belief in what you are doing.
Let's face it; we live in a cruel world. Hate and jealously is everywhere. For most people who begin a fitness program to improve themselves, getting started will be half the battle. The other half will be staying motivated throughout the constant onslaught of negativity from others. A few negative words can do serious damage if you allow it.
The most insulting things you hear may be from friends, co-workers and acquaintances at the gym. People hate change. It makes them insecure, because they suddenly discover there's more to you than they were probably willing to admit. They fear that you may actually achieve your goal. It makes them look less "superior".
Once you have begun your plan, you must have faith and believe in what you are doing. Stay focused and avoid overly critical or negative people. If you have to, keep your business to yourself. When I first began my program, I stopped talking about what I was doing because I got tired of hearing things like "you can't do that", "that's impossible", "you're wasting your time and money". Funny thing is, now those people are constantly bugging me for advice.
It's your life. It's your body. It's your dream. Don't allow your success or failure to rest in the hands of others.
WORKOUT RULES
4. Stop listening to every ridiculous piece of advice you hear in the gym or read on a message board.
Recently a client of mine informed me that someone in the gym stated that he was training all wrong and he needed to train 5-6 days a week, and aim for more reps during his workout. Somewhere in the range of 15-20 reps per set.
The person giving the advice was quite confident about his recommendations, and he had an impressive physique that typically elevates him to the elusive "listen to me if you want to look like me" level in the gym. He was bigger than my client, so even though my client's "intellectual" mind knows that advice is absurd; his "unrealistic dreamer" mind took this information very seriously. So seriously that he changed his program and didn't inform me until a week or so later. This particular person had been making great progress on his current program, yet he allowed this one person's comment to overshadow that progress and convince him that his program was inadequate. This is a mistake and it showed in his lack of further progress.
In addition, don't judge the validity of what a person says by how they look. Just because the guy is huge doesn't mean he is spewing pertinent advice for you. Many people that have big physiques are big despite of their training, not because of it. I know some huge guys that know very little about training and dieting correctly. They can do whatever and still gain muscle; unfortunately we are not that way, so we much approach things in a more intelligent way.
5.Workout Infrequently
This is the most difficult concept for many to grasp simply because it involves less action, instead of more. When we get motivated and start a new program, it's natural to want to do something. We want to train and train and train. Thinking all along that the more you train, the more muscle you will build. Unfortunately, this could not be farther from the truth.
More training does not equal more muscle growth. Understand that the purpose of weight training is to stimulate muscle growth. That takes very little time. Once that has been done, the muscle needs to be repaired and new muscle needs to be built. That only happens when you are resting. You do not build muscle in the gym, you build muscle when resting! If you never give your body any essential "non active" time, when will it have a chance to build muscle? Think about that.
Now, add in the fact that you have a difficult time gaining weight and the importance of rest increases. Individuals who are naturally thin and have difficulty building muscle tend to require less training and more rest.
6. Focus on Multi-Jointed Lifts
Multi-jointed exercises are those that stimulate the most amounts of muscle fibers. Unlike isolation exercises which only work individual muscles, multi-jointed lifts work many different muscle groups simultaneously. For those needing to gain weight, this is ideal because these lifts put your body under the most amount of stress. This is the stress that will shock your nervous system and cause the greatest release of muscle building hormones. This results in increased muscle gain all over the body.
You can still do some isolation work; however it should not be the focus of your workouts, and should only come after your multi-jointed lifting is complete.
7. Focus on Using Free Weights
Free weights are preferred over machines for many reasons, but most importantly because they allow the stimulation of certain supporting muscle groups when training. Stimulating these stabilizer and synergistic muscles will allow you go get stronger, and ultimately build more muscle faster. Yes, some can most likely still build large amounts of muscle using machines, but why make it more difficult if you already have a difficult time gaining weight?
8. Lift a weight that is challenging for you
Building mass involves lifting relatively heavy weight. This is necessary because the muscle fibers that cause the most amount of muscle size growth (called Type IIB) are best stimulated by the lifting of heavy weight. A heavy weight as one that only allows you to perform 4-8 reps before your muscles fail.
Using a lighter weight and doing more reps can stimulate some Type IIB fibers, but again if you have a difficult time gaining weight, why make it more difficult? You need to try and stimulate as many as you can with the use of heavy weights.
9. Focus more on the eccentric portion of the exercise.
When you lift a weight, it can be divided into three distinct periods. The positive, the negative and midpoint. The concentric or "positive" motion usually involves the initial push or effort when you begin the rep. The midpoint is signaled by a short pause before reversing and returning to the starting position. The eccentric, or "negative" portion of each lift is characterized by your resistance against then natural pull of the weight.
For example, when doing push-ups, the positive motion is the actual pushing up motion. Once you have pushed all the way up, you hit the mid point. The negative motion begins when you start to lower yourself back down. Most would simply lower themselves as fast as they pushed up, but I recommend extending and slowing down this portion. Slowing down the eccentric part of the lift will help to stimulate more muscle growth. It actually activates more of the Type IIB fibers mentioned about in Rule 7.
10. Keep your workout short but intense.
Your goal should be to get in, stimulate your muscles and then get out as quickly as possible. It is not necessary to do large amounts of exercisers per body part trying to target every muscle and hit every "angle". This should only be a concern of someone with an already developed, mature physique who is trying to improve weak areas.
If you have no pec, don't concern yourself with trying to target inner, outer, upper, lower or whatever. Just work your chest. You should do no more than 2-3 exercises per body part. That's it. Doing more than that won't build more muscle, faster. In fact it could possibly lead to muscle loss. Long training sessions cause catabolic hormone levels to rise dramatically. Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue resulting in MUSCLE LOSS. While at the same time, long training sessions suppress the hormones that actually build muscle.
If you don't want to lose muscle during your workouts, I suggest limiting your sessions to no more than 60-75 minutes MAXIMUM. Less if you can.
11. Limit your aerobic activity and training
Honestly, I do not do any aerobic activity when I am trying to gain weight. This is mainly because it interferes with the important "non-active" time my body needs for muscle building and recovery. I do understand that people have lives and other activities that they don't want to give up, so it must be kept to a minimum. It won't hurt your progress as long as you don't over do it. If you find that you are doing more aerobic activity weight training, that's overdoing it.
I also don't recommend it because people tend do it for the wrong reasons. Many start aerobic activity because they believe it will help them to lose fat. While that is true, it won't do so on a high calorie mass diet. To lose fat, you need to be eating fewer calories.
12. Don't program hop
Here's how it usually happens. You've just read about a new exercise or workout that is supposed to pack on the mass. Now, even though you had already started another training program a few weeks ago, you are tired of it and really want to start this routine instead because it sounds better.
I call these people, "program hoppers". They are very enthusiastic when starting a new program, but they never follow it long enough to actually see any results. They are easily distracted and love to drop whatever they may be doing to follow the latest "hot" workout or exercise.
My advice is don't do it. This is a bad habit that never leads to a positive outcome. Understand that it takes time for any program to work. To be successful, you must follow your program consistently. Yes, there are many different training methods and interesting routines out there, but you can't do them all at the same time and jumping around won't allow enough time for any of them to actually be effective for you. Pick one that is focused on your current goal and stick with it. There will be plenty of time to try the others later, but NOT NOW.
EATING RULES
13. Eat more
This rule is pretty simple, but usually the one that is not done correctly. If weight gain is your goal, then you will need to eat more food. Period. In most cases, you will need to eat more than you are normally accustomed to.
One large problem that I had when starting out is I just had no appetite. I knew I needed to eat more, but I just did not want to. I had to force myself to eat at each meal. Thankfully, after about 2 weeks, my appetite grew. I was becoming hungry before each meal, and if I didn't eat my meal at the normal time, my body knew it.
If you have this problem, you still must eat something, no matter how much. Start off making yourself eat something small like fruit every few hours. Then, as your appetite becomes more active, gradually move into more real food.
What this will do is gradually get your body accustomed eating at regular intervals. Eventually you will be hungry before each meal time.
When eating more, you will need to make sure that you are getting plenty of good quality protein. Protein is a nutrient that is essential for building muscle. Every meal that you eat should contain some form of protein. Meal Replacement Powders like Myoplex are excellent for this purpose. They enable you to eat large amounts of good quality protein in a very convenient manner.
14. Eat more often
In addition to eating more calories, you should also strive to eat more often throughout the day. Eating infrequently, or going long periods without eating, will cause your body to breakdown muscle tissue for the calories it needs. This is especially true for those with fast metabolisms.
Spreading your meals throughout the day will give you more manageable meal sizes, improve nutrient assimilation, and make sure that your body always has the calories it needs for muscle building and repair. I recommend eating a high protein meal every 3 hours. During normal waking hours, that usually equals about 6 meals.
Now, I know what you are saying, "I'm too busy to do this", or "how can I do that with a full time job and school?" Don't let the thought of this being too difficult keep you from doing it. It may seem very inconvenient at first, but once you get in the habit of doing it, it becomes second nature and you don't have to give it much thought. Trust me, I've been doing it for years and do not feel that it's limiting or time consuming.
15. Use Nutritional Supplements.
Before you buy any product, remember that supplements are not magic. Too many people think that just because you buy the latest product, it guarantees that you will automatically begin to pack on the pounds. The truth is that supplements are only there to enhance an already solid diet and workout program.
They can give you the extra edge by:
* Adding More Convenience: Using food supplements like Myoplex or Designer Protein help to eliminate the common problem of 'not enough time', by providing you with a quick, efficient way to get your required nutrients each day. They make eating large amounts of calories and protein easier for people with low appetites.
* Increasing Strength Levels: Products that contain Creatine, like Phosphagen HP or Cell-Tech enable you to swing the odds of gaining more weight in your favor by increasing your strength output. Creatine enables you to lift heavier weights, which will stimulate more muscle fibers and cause more muscle growth.
* Decreasing Recovery Time: Vitamin C is essential to prevent free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. It is also essential is helping to repair connective tissue. All of this helps decrease the amount of time you are sore.
* Enhancing Your Immune System: Weight training increases the body's need for many minerals like magnesium and selenium. I always use a good multi-vitamin ensures that I am not deficient in any major essential vitamin or mineral. Deficiency symptoms include muscle weakness and suppression of the immune system, muscle cramping and fatigue.
I can honestly say that I could not have built the body I have today without the convenience and enhancements supplements provide. I simply don't have the time or desire to do it any other way. This is a choice that you must decide for yourself. You will be spending your money on these products, so make sure that you know their place in your program.
IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Yes, but I have to be honest and say that from my experience, gaining weight is much more difficult than losing fat. Even if you are doing everything right, it will still be difficult because you are fighting against what your body naturally prefers. If you are naturally thin, building an impressive physique involves persistence and determination, but no matter what anyone says, it is well within your ability. Good luck and for more information on how to gain weight, be sure to check out my website at rel=nofollow http://www.fastmusclegain.com
Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass. The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. For more information on how to gain weight and build muscle, check out his website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Simple Exercises to Build Muscle Without Any Equipment
Not everybody finds lifting weights fun. Although weight training is the best way to build muscle mass, you could have other reasons not to train with weights. It is possible to build muscle and gain strength without weight training. Building muscle without weights involves using your natural weight to create resistance for your muscles to grow. Body weight exercises also called calisthenics is the way to build muscle and strength without weights.
These are the basic body weight exercises that will help you build muscles over time:
Push-ups and pull ups. Push-ups helps to develop pectoral (chest) muscles and triceps (back of upper arm) whiles pull-ups develop biceps and back muscles. You can do push-ups absolutely anywhere. Get a friend to sit on your back for push-ups when you gain more strength. You could also do handstand push-ups against a wall for good arm, shoulder, back and chest workout. Pull-ups might need a little creativity. The simplest way is to place a bar on two tables or chairs positioned about one meter apart.
Squats. This is the best exercise to give a good workout to the muscles of your lower body - quads, hamstrings, lower back and calves. No muscle building program is complete without squats. Squats give proper strength training to your body’s largest muscle groups. You can add short dashes to the squat routine. Find a free space to run in. About 20-30 feet will do. Run as fast as you can from one end to the other until you can't take anymore. This helps your leg muscles, especially calves.
Crunches. This exercise takes care of your mid-section. Use variations of crunches to train every part of your abs. Regular crunches for upper abs, twisting for side abs (obliques) and lying leg raises for lower abs. You also add the stomach vacuum exercise. This is done by sucking in your stomach as hard and as long as you can without holding your breath.
Start with 10 reps of each exercise and increase as you gain more strength. Doing the exercises regularly will help you to build muscle and strength. After a couple of weeks you will start seeing some noticeable increase in muscle tone. Train with high intensity ton get the best results. Use super sets and take minimal rest between sets.
These are the basic body weight exercises that will help you build muscles over time:
Push-ups and pull ups. Push-ups helps to develop pectoral (chest) muscles and triceps (back of upper arm) whiles pull-ups develop biceps and back muscles. You can do push-ups absolutely anywhere. Get a friend to sit on your back for push-ups when you gain more strength. You could also do handstand push-ups against a wall for good arm, shoulder, back and chest workout. Pull-ups might need a little creativity. The simplest way is to place a bar on two tables or chairs positioned about one meter apart.
Squats. This is the best exercise to give a good workout to the muscles of your lower body - quads, hamstrings, lower back and calves. No muscle building program is complete without squats. Squats give proper strength training to your body’s largest muscle groups. You can add short dashes to the squat routine. Find a free space to run in. About 20-30 feet will do. Run as fast as you can from one end to the other until you can't take anymore. This helps your leg muscles, especially calves.
Crunches. This exercise takes care of your mid-section. Use variations of crunches to train every part of your abs. Regular crunches for upper abs, twisting for side abs (obliques) and lying leg raises for lower abs. You also add the stomach vacuum exercise. This is done by sucking in your stomach as hard and as long as you can without holding your breath.
Start with 10 reps of each exercise and increase as you gain more strength. Doing the exercises regularly will help you to build muscle and strength. After a couple of weeks you will start seeing some noticeable increase in muscle tone. Train with high intensity ton get the best results. Use super sets and take minimal rest between sets.
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