For many reasons, muscle development is good for your health. It can make you look better, improve your body later on and help you become stronger. It can be fun too! Read on for helpful hints on improving your muscle building efforts and all the benefits it can provide you with.
It seems a lot of people that work out go for speed over technique. It doesn’t matter which exercise you perform, slowing down your reps to ensure that your technique is perfect will help you to get better results in a shorter amount of time. Be patient and make sure that your routines are executed in the proper way.
If you want to increase your muscle mass, you will need to begin eating more of almost everything. You ideally want to consume what it takes to increase your weight by a weekly pound. Look for more ways to take in more calories. After two weeks, increase your intake again if you notice no weight changes.
You have to make sure that you always warm up if you are trying to build your muscle mass. As your muscles gain strength, they can become prone to injuries. However, if you correctly warm up, injury can be prevented. Do five or ten minutes of light exercise before lifting, followed by a few light to intermediate sets of warm-up lifts.
Making sure that you are getting a lot of protein will help you build a lot of muscle. A wonderful way to get protein is by consuming protein supplements and shakes. These are especially effective following a workout or prior to bedtime. You must consume about one shake a day. On the contrary, if gaining mass is also your goal, you should consume as many as three a day.
Sixty Minutes
Don’t work out for more than sixty minutes. After sixty minutes, your body will begin to produce increased amounts of the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol interferes with testosterone and will, therefore, stop you from building muscles. Maintaining a workout of less than 60 minutes is beneficial as it will help you to get the best possible results from your routine.
A post-workout stretch is as important as stretching before you get started. An individual who is less than 40 years old should hold their stretch for 30 seconds or more. For those over 40, stretches should be held at a minimum of 60 seconds. This method of stretching helps you avoid injury after your muscle development exercises.
It may be possible to make yourself appear larger than you do already. You can do this by focusing on the higher chest, your upper back and your shoulders. Train these specific areas. When you do this, your waist will appear narrower while giving the appearance of being larger than you actually are.
Drink water before, during and after a workout. Failing to maintain proper hydration leaves you susceptible to injury. Hydration also facilitates the increase and maintenance of muscle mass.
Plyometric Exercises
Add some plyometric exercises to your workout routine. This type of exercise develops the fast-twitch muscle fibers that stimulate muscle growth. Since acceleration is required, plyometric exercises are not unlike ballistic moves. Squat jumps are an example of plyometrics, because as you come up from the squat position, you jump as high as possible with your arms extended toward the ceiling, and as you land, you go into the squat before repeating the jump.
A frustrating part of muscle building is that some muscle groups show immediate results, while others take longer to develop. Including fill sets in your routine will help you to boost the results in those areas. A fill set is a short set of 25-30 repetitions of exercises that specifically target the questionable group. It is to be done two to three days following the last time the group was strenuously worked.
15 Grams
Preceding and following up your workouts with foods that contain plenty of protein is a good practice when you want to maximize muscle growth. Try to consume 15 grams of protein 30 minutes prior to exercising, and 15 grams afterwards. This amount of protein can be found in a glass or two of milk.
Don’t set goals that are impossible to reach. Make sure your weight training goals are reachable. Results take a long time to appear. If you are seeking to build muscle fast by using steroids, stimulants or any other harmful substance, you run the risk of permanently harming your body, which can lead to disastrous health problems.
Stretching is essential before any workout. Warming your muscles before a workout, by stretching them, will help to prevent injuries. A good stretching routine after you finish a workout will help your muscles to relax and will keep blood flowing and bringing much needed nutrients to your tired muscles. It can also be helpful to get massages to relax your muscles.
Make your near-term goals realistic. There are limits you have to set for yourself that are realistic. Benching 300 pounds within your first month or two is just not going to happen. After you determine your baseline strength, see to it that you reach for the best results in each routine. You might surprise yourself by zooming right past your short term goals. This can help build motivation and lead you to never missing a workout.
Building Muscle
This article has given you crucial advice for building muscle and improving your life. Building muscle can make your body look great and help raise your self-esteem. Stay motivated and you can get the results you’re after.