Most guys look at other men and wonder how to build muscle quickly like others seem to be able to do. You could even categorize yourself as a hard gainer, somebody who naturally finds it hard to get results, or perhaps you just find yourself toiling away in the gym to no avail. Today we'll give you three ground breaking tips which will enable you to build some excellent lean mass over the following one to two months.
Indeed, you read that correctly. We said a couple of months, not the rest of your life.
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.
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 Diet is important even when it comes to adding size.
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.
First let's take a look at point number one, which asks you to use compound movements in the gym. It has been shown time and time again that big compound exercises like shoulder press and bench press force more muscular growth than small isolation 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.
It's also worth mentioning the important role your diet plays in the results you achieve. You can't expect to build a great body if you are feeding it junk, after all. Many guys believe that diets are just for girls, but if you don't look after your nutrition you are writing off most of your results before you even get to the gym.
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.
The three rules in this article will answer most of the issues affecting people who can't get results with their existing exercise program. So before looking for the best shoulder building exercises or trying to figure out why you can't add size to your calves, try going back to basics and the results should take care of themselves.
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.
Indeed, you read that correctly. We said a couple of months, not the rest of your life.
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.
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 Diet is important even when it comes to adding size.
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.
First let's take a look at point number one, which asks you to use compound movements in the gym. It has been shown time and time again that big compound exercises like shoulder press and bench press force more muscular growth than small isolation 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.
It's also worth mentioning the important role your diet plays in the results you achieve. You can't expect to build a great body if you are feeding it junk, after all. Many guys believe that diets are just for girls, but if you don't look after your nutrition you are writing off most of your results before you even get to the gym.
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.
The three rules in this article will answer most of the issues affecting people who can't get results with their existing exercise program. So before looking for the best shoulder building exercises or trying to figure out why you can't add size to your calves, try going back to basics and the results should take care of themselves.
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:
Creator: Russ Howe PTI is a popular fitness coach. See how to build muscle with our free video guide giving the 5 steps to a more muscular physique and the best shoulder building exercises.
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