By: Shawn LeBrun
Building muscle requires the right combination of training and nutrition information. That includes muscle building tips that are proven to work. Using the wrong information can be detrimental to your progress. So be careful who you listen to in the gym. Even though everyone has an opinion, not everyone is right.The only way to build muscle is by following 3 synergistic principles:1. Hard, heavy and smart weight lifting2. Quality nutrition3. Quality restAll three must be in place if you're going to succeed in building muscle. If just one of these elements is missing, you're not going to come anywhere near your potential. Here are 8 simple, proven muscle building tips that you'll want to include in your training and nutrition program.
Tip # 1. Evaluating your body.By evaluating your current body composition, body weight and body measurements, you give yourself a starting point. This will be very important in deciding what your nutritional and weight lifting goals will be.
Tip # 2. Setting your goalsLooking at the big picture and breaking it down into small mini goals will help you achieve your muscle building goals. It's important that you identify your goals and periodically monitor and adjust your goals on an ongoing basis.It's better if you were to break your goals down into long (3 to 6 months), short (1 to 2 weeks), and immediate term goals. Make sure your goals are realistic. Record your goals and keep them in a handy place where you have constant access to them.
Tip # 3. Keep a weight lifting log and diet logIt's important that you write everything down. By keeping track of your progress you are keeping yourself honest and motivated. A weight lifting log and diet log can help you get better results. You can look back at the end of each week and figure out if you were on target with your goals.A weight lifting and diet log will show whether your goals are realistic and give you insight into your exercise and eating patterns. If you're building muscle and strength, you won't have to wonder what works, because you'll have a full description of everything you've done to reach your goals. This will be your blue print for muscle building success.
Tip # 4. Setting up your weight lifting programSetting up your weight lifting program is a lot easier once you know your body statistics and goals. You must decide whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced weight lifter.Once you know your current weight lifting status, build your weight lifting routine according to that information. It's suggested that you incorporate free weight exercises into your muscle building programs as opposed to machines.In order to build muscle you need to concentrate on the basic movements like the squat, shoulder press, bench press, dead lifts, barbell rows and chins.One of the most important muscle building tips is to keep your workout short, heavy and intense.
Tip # 5. NutritionNutrition is one half of the key to building muscle. Without the proper nutrition, you might as well pack your bags and go home. No amount of super sets, negative sets, tri-sets or pre-exhausting will build any amount of muscle mass without the proper nutrition.To be honest, nutrition will be that element of your muscle building program that will make the difference between an o.k. physique and one that commands power. The trick to unlocking your muscle building fury is to find your optimal nutritional state. To build muscle you need to consume more total calories than your body uses each day.Remember this very important muscle building tip; nutrition is the key to building real muscle. Try eating 6 times per day and make sure each meal is balanced with the optimal amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Tip # 6. Build a diet that supports your nutritional goalsOnce you find out what your nutritional goals are, you need to build a menu that will support your goals. Try and find menus that are easy to cook and taste great. The trick is to adjust the menus and recipes to match your nutritional goals.
Tip # 7. Use only proven muscle building supplementsWeight lifting supplements are meant to enhance an already great muscle building program. If you have the right combination of nutrients and the right weight lifting program, proven supplements may enhance your performance.In order for weight lifting supplements to function properly, they must be taken at the proper times and in the proper amounts.
Tip # 8. RestBlasting your body at full throttle all the time will slowly run you down. You need to take some time to rest and relax. Have fun, kick back and relax and enjoy the fruits of you labor. Let your body get into a good rhythm of work and rest.By getting quality rest you will ensure that you get the most out of your muscle building program. Sleep is vital to building muscle. Make sure that you get enough rest to properly repair your body.It is during sleep that most growth and repair occurs.
Without adequate sleep the body becomes weakened. It is very important that you get the correct amount of sleep because muscle growth happens while you are resting, not while you are training. If you were to lift weights on a steady basis and not get any quality rest, your body would slowly fall apart. Weight training tears the muscle tissue down and the diet provides the necessary fuel and material for repair, but it is during sleep that the repair and growth process occurs. Therefore, sleep is as vital to building muscle as is your training program and diet. You should aim for 6 to 8 hours of rest each night. Don't be afraid to take a nap in the afternoon or after work to add a little energy to your workouts. Rest is one of those muscle building tips you really don't think about but is so important.Use the muscle building tips above in your workout program and you'll soon start seeing results.As you progress in your program, make sure to challenge yourself and change your muscle building routine around. This will add a new angle to your training and improve the your results.
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