Strength is one of the foundations of athleticism and healthy lifestyle. Although it is not necessary to be strong if you want to be healthy, it is indispensable when it comes to physical training. If you want to build muscle mass, you need to be strong enough to achieve this. The good thing is, as you progress you will gain more strength which will eventually lead to success. In this article, we are going to provide you with some instructions that will guide you through the process of “building a muscle mass.”
FULL BELLY GIVES YOU STRENGTH
Getting stronger is not all about gym and weights. Sure, these are the essential part of your training and you certainly can’t achieve much without them, but none of these matters if you don’t consume enough carbohydrate calories and protein. Protein builds your muscles, carbohydrate calories give you energy. You need to eat frequently, at least four or five (although six would be the right number) times a day. Provide your body with enough fuel to go through the exercise.
HAVE SOME TIME TO REST
If you don’t sleep adequately, you will not build your muscles. When you sleep, your body releases your hormones and this is especially important for those who train because growth hormone and testosterone allow your body to recover and grow. If you don’t get enough sleep, these hormones are not released in adequate amount and your training will be ruined. It is recommended to sleep at least seven or eight hours a night.
MAINTAIN A LOG
It is crucial for you to know what you do, how and when you do it. Be sure to write a plan and stick to it. Write down your exercises, sets, reps and the results of your workout. Also, be sure to measure the duration of your exercise. It is important to keep track of your best lifts and the most reps you’ve done with a certain weight on an exercise. Rate your workout and keep track of your numbers. Be sure to improve them, but don’t force anything and avoid putting your body at risk. Also, you could do the same when it comes to food. Keep track of the number of calories that you consumed and stick to the recommended amounts. It will be much easier to stick to your plan if have all of that written down.
THE FOUR TENETS OF BODYBUILDING
Now we have come to the training part. When it comes to strength training there are four things that you should always keep in mind and never forget them. The squat, deadlift, bench press, and shoulder press. Simply put, these are the best strength training exercises. You could add the chin-up and row to your set of exercises, but do not spend too much time on them. You should stick blindly to the four exercise mentioned above, but that doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to throw in some additional workout. After all, the most important things are to do your workout as recommended and to avoid injuries.
START WITH THE BARBELLS
Many rookies who have just started strength training tend to rush. They would all like to lift the heaviest weights on the third day of exercise, believing that it would make the results of their workout visible after a week or two or training. Don’t be like them. Do not risk injury. The best way to start your exercise (along with the mentioned four “tenets”) is by using barbells. Always be careful and be sure to use the weights that you can lift, and start lifting hard (be careful not to get carried away). Barbells will let you load a lot of weight, and since lifting heavy is the first step toward getting stronger, you will prepare your body for the next levels of workout.
DO NOT GET CARRIED AWAY
Working with weights can be a tricky business, especially if you are a beginner. Always stick to three of four lifts per workout and don’t put your body in danger. Keep your workouts short (that way you take advantage of hormonal surges) and try to do one main lift (one of the four mentioned before), two assistance lifts and the specialty training exercise (abs, calves or whatever you need to do). If you overdo your training, it will do you no good.
DO YOUR TRAINING RIGHT
The four exercises that we mentioned before are the main ingredient for successful strength training. If you want to build muscle mass, you need good strength training. If you want good strength training you need to do “the big four” right and proper. And this is why you should take a look at this little guide that we have prepared for you. This will show you how to train and how to get one step closer to gaining the desired muscle mass.
- SQUAT: You should begin your squat by pushing your hips back as far as you can. Then, try to keep your arched. You will feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Then you should begin bending your knees and squatting low. Do the last part while your hips are bent.
- DEADLIFT: Before you begin lifting, be sure to keep your legs narrowly placed. When you bend down to grab the bar, be sure to keep your hips down and back straight. Your shoulders should be directly over your knees. Deadlift is not only essential for strength training; it is also one of the best testosterone boosting workouts.
- BENCHPRESS: Start with your head off the bench. When you grab the bar, make sure that your feet are steady. Pull your body up off the bench and forward and make sure that your shoulder blades are squeezed together.
- SHOULDER PRESS: Be sure to flare your lats when the bar is at the shoulder level.
CARDIO IS A MUST
If you want to get stronger, you must do some cardio training. Cardio training is important because it increases the level of hormones that break your muscle tissue. Also, this kind of training improves your stamina. If you want to get stronger (and leaner), be sure to do cardio in short bursts.
About Author:
I am Matiss Stein, CEO and Founder of TopTestosteroneBoosters.org. I am a 21 years old fitness enthusiast and I am always looking for new ways to improve my body. I am from Latvia, who is studying in Denmark but currently doing student exchange program in Spain. I am interested in Business, Marketing, Advertising and Sales. Commercially focused, innovative and energizing character with strengths in relationship building and communication skills.