When you look at all those people at the gym working hard, building muscle mass and pumping them for a picture, you may wonder how they managed to get there. Of course, you must understand that it takes a lot of time, effort and commitment to get where they wanted to be. And it is understandable that you want to be there too. You have a certain body image in mind and you want to transform yourself from a scrawny guy next door to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s stunt double.
In fact, even if you are currently midway, you would understand that to achieve the body you are striving towards is a real struggle. There are several rules you have to keep in mind and make sure you follow them. It not only ensures you get the results but get the results you desired at the time you want it. However, to remember everything from the diet to the exercise regime to your lifestyle can be overwhelming. Nonetheless, it is important.
But like everything, even building muscle mass to get that bulky look has a foundation that you must always keep in mind no matter how many more things are added or subtracted. This brings us to the 5 most basic rules for building muscle mass that you can easily remember at your fingertips. But only the remembering will not be enough. You have to really follow them. Most of these are not even rocket science so do not worry!
1) You are what you eat
Food. Ah, your absolute true love or your worst enemy. But what you sometimes fail to grasp is that food is can be both depending on what you stuff yourself with. So all those calories, carbs, proteins and what not? You need it! And to build mass, you need it more than the average person. If you are a beginner, it is advised you consume 1.5 gram of protein daily per pound of your total bodyweight because this is the time for your muscles to truly amp up in the start.
Once you feel like you are bulking up right, you can go ahead to 1 gram of protein daily per pound of your bodyweight. But hey, let us not stop there. Carbs and calories are something you may usually find yourself avoiding but they are absolutely necessary for building muscle mass. While protein helps in serving as the building blocks of muscle protein, carbs pump your muscles up and aid them during workouts.
So if you plan to get the best results out of those intense workouts, you need your carbs. But it is advised that you stick to slow digesting carbs. So next time you go shopping, add some oatmeal, whole grains and loads of greens to your cart. Also, load up on some saturated fat with some red meat which will aid your body to maintain the testosterone levels your muscles yearn for. Lastly, do not forget to keep a positive calorie balance because your body needs them to support muscle growth.
2) Work hard and rest up – balance it out!
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy? Pretty much! You have your goals set and you strive towards it faster than the Roadrunner in Loony Toons. But if you plan to continuously be at the gym, working those biceps, you are only harming yourself. Not only does this slow down your results but it damages your body too. Your body needs rest and the recovery time is essential for beneficial results.
Sleeping allows your body to heal overnight, repairing the internal system that was exhausted during the day. And considering your intense workout session, you are going to find yourself extremely tired by the end of the night. It is of key importance that you balance your workout with enough time to sleep. Minimum of 8 hours is advised otherwise your body will be basically running on fumes.
Treat your body with care. Putting it through hell will not give you muscle mass overnight. So let it rest, recover and get back at it again. At the same time, you must ensure you are not lazy and enjoying your part-time job as a couch potato. Get up and get out there, have an exercise regime and stick to it. Do not slack and do not collapse.
3) Do your research about Supplements
You decided to have a gym buddy in the form of a supplement and there is nothing wrong with that. What would be wrong would be if you gulped that supplement down without doing any proper research on it. Supplements can only get you so far, the rest is always on you – your exercise and diet. It is important to understand what your body truly lacks that you need a supplement for it. If you already have an excess or optimum amount of a certain vitamin, why overdose yourself with it more?
Remember, extremity of any kind is bad. Which includes vitamins and what not. However, it is alright to take multi-vitamins because even experts claim it may be difficult to always pinpoint where your body is lacking. A lot of other supplements which help boost or inhibit certain aspects in your body to improve the muscle mass building are out in the market. And if you intend to consume any of them, make sure to read up regarding the products you use and look for real examples. However, if you’re facing cholesterol imbalance and poor blood circulation then Cardio Clear 7 supplement would one of the best supplements to give you positive results instantly.
Regardless of these supplements, it is not difficult to understand that if you miss out on your sleep, diet or workout quite often, you will notice the effects on your body. So sure, take the supplements if you feel the need for them and your research is adequate, but do not laze around.
4) Save some for later
When you hit the gym, you usually want to go all out. But is important to remember that burning yourself out will probably just increase your recovery time and your process will be delayed nonetheless. Not to mention, your muscles may suffer damage. It is understandable that you get so motivated that you keep thinking you can do another set or lift a higher weight.
But save some for later. If you have the energy to do another set, keep it with you and bring it in your next workout session. Always save up rather than burning yourself out. Pushing your body’s limit can be taken into two senses; the first being that you realize its full potential and the second being that you push it till it collapses. Remember that the latter must always be what you are aiming for.
It does not matter if Drew there did 2 more sets than you. Your biology is different from his even if your diet and weight lifting is the same. Follow your own regime without worrying about competition. Your health is of utmost importance. There would not be any point of building muscle mass if your body is breaking down internally anyway.
5) Plan it out and keep a check
You are eager to just jump in and begin. But it is important that no matter what stage you are on in building muscle mass or whatever form of exercise, you always have a plan. Take your time to identify the areas you want to work on, the time you are willing to allot every day, every week, every month. Set milestones in accordance to your final goal to make sure you remain on track.
Do not go in blind with this because it would be difficult to maintain progress or keep yourself motivated. With each milestone achievement, you will find yourself more invested and motivated to keep going. And each milestone would mean one step closer to your destination. Moreover, it is important that while you have set your goals, milestones and planned everything out, you keep a firm check on all of it.
Keeping track is just as important to ensure you are on schedule, following the requirements of the exercise and diet, and mapping out everything clearly. You can do so by keeping notes in your phone, adding notes to your calendar, making to-do lists and even look up some apps that aid you in this regard. Either way, this is a definite must.
Conclusion
All in all, it is quite evident that building muscle mass is a long process and it is not something which is achieved overnight. Your determination, effort and commitment all matter a lot. There are many “do’s and don’ts” to this journey but the above following were the 5 basic rules you must keep in mind before you start walking down that road. Pamper your body with a good diet and adequate sleep whilst ensuring you do not slack off, remain organizing and keep up the great work.
The last piece of advice we would give would be that do not give up. There will be days where your body may be too tired or you may start wondering whether all this effort is really worth the result. But stay true on your path and if you have made a commitment, try following it through till the end. You are building muscle mass for yourself so do what is good for you and your body.