Posts Tagged ‘build up muscle’

Ok, so you want to build up muscles, you want to look like a Brad Pitt in the movie ‘Troy’ so you can get heaps of attention from the ladies on the beach or too impress your mates. You are aware of the essential rules of muscle building but you are after something extra to give you that additional boost to make even more muscle gains. Well, these tips are provided to ensure you do precisly that!

1) Don’t pump iron for more than an hour. This is because when you are working out your body releases a hormone called cortisone that helps the body to recover and build up muscle. However unfortunately around forty five minutes the body secretes a hormone that is very bad for gaining muscle mass. So, if you continue to lift weights for more than an hour you may make zero muscle gains. The bottom line is work out intensely for 45-60 minutes then get out of the gym.

2) Double the size of your meal portions. The biggest single mistake that people trying to gain muscle mass make is to not consume enough calories. To build up muscle you need to take on board extra calories that can be used to build the extra muscle mass from. If you do not have these extra calories you cannot build up muscle regardless how hard you train! A smart thing to do would be to purchase over sized plates and bowls. OK, this sounds odd but I guarantee that you will never again forget that you are supposed to be eating more calories to build muscle up.

3) Intake a higher level of protein. Consume protein straight after training and before you retire to sleep. After your training session you may feel muscle soreness which is when you have ripped your muscle fibres so this is when protein is definitely required. Just before bed is essential as your body is about to go eight hours with no food, this is very bad for muscle building so it is critical to take on some protein before you sleep. One gram of protein is required as a minimum for each kilogram of body weight.

These are just three tips and of course there are far more but these address some of the most critical areas you need to be concernec with. Now go ahead put them into practice and build muscle up with this no nonsense muscle building approach!

We hear loads of advice and guidance on what to do to build up muscle but much of it is conflicting. For that very reason we are going to set the record straight on a numberof different issues right here and now. Here we go, 7 things not to do when trying to build muscle up:

1) Train for more than 45 minutes. training longer than this can be counter productive as at this point a hormone is released that actually inhibits the muscle building process, train for less than this and the hormones are at the right level for building muscle.

2) Follow a ‘see food’ diet. Often you hear people say to eat as much of everything as you possibly can. Well of course we need extra calories to add muscle mass but do you really believe that stuffing yourself full of E numbers, fatty red meats, fast food, simple carbs (sugars) and so on is going to be healthy for you long term. Of course not stay with the nutritious muscle building foods and these will then make sure that you develop lean muscle mass and prevent your body suffering long term health problems.

3) exercises that isolate individual muscles. That refers to exercises such as tricep presses that place focus on one individual muscle alone. This is not a very efficient use of either your energy or time. Stick to multi joint exercises like presses, squats, pull ups and so on. Muscle growth is triggered in more than just one muscle at a time.

4) Ignoring cardio-vascular fitness. I’m sure you have heard that you should avoid aerobic stuff as it uses up valuable calories that could be used for burning muscle. yes this is correct but come on there is a sensible balance to be had. Sure get big, but do you really not want to be able to walk up a few flights of stairs without losing your breathe. For long term health include aerobic exercise 2-3 times a week in your program and eat more calories to make up for this energy use-age.

5) Alter your exercises a great deal. You may know that variety keeps the muscles growing, that is true but at the same time not allowing your muscle to establish an exercise groovecan also stop you from making the progress you otherwise could do. Use an exercise for two or thress months before you drop it.

6) Over train. A major cause of limited muscle building progress is over training. One to two workouts a week for each muscle group should sufficient fro most people.

7) Give in. Too may people give in when there muscle growth diminishes. This is the exact time when you should be rising to the challenge and training with more intensity, paying attention to muscle building nutrition and showing determination.

Go get em!

We hear loads of advice and guidance on what to do to build up muscle but much of it is conflicting. For that reason we are going to clear up a few things right now about what not to do to build up muscles. Here we go, 7 things not to do when trying to build muscle up:

1) Train for more than 45 minutes. training longer than this can actually inhibit muscle gains because at this point a hormone is produced that limits the muscle building process, train for less than 45 minutes and the hormones level is about correct for building muscle.

2) Eat lots of all types of food. Often you hear people say to eat as much of everything as you possibly can. Well of course we need extra calories to add muscle mass but do you really believe that stuffing yourself full of E numbers, fatty red meats, fast food, simple carbs (sugars) and so on is going to be healthy for you long term. Of course not, stick to sensible nutritious foods and you will put on lean muscle mass and save your body from long term health problems too.

3) Isolation muscle building exercises. That refers to exercises such as tricep presses that place focus on one individual muscle alone. This is not a very efficient use of either your energy or time. Stick to multi joint exercises like presses, squats, pull ups and so on. Muscle growth is triggered in more than just one muscle at a time.

4) Do not ignore aerobic exercise. I’m sure you have heard that you should steer clear of aerobic stuff as it consumes valuable calories that could be put towards building muscle. yes this is true but come on there is a sensible balance here. Sure get big but do you want to be huge and not be able to walk up a few flights of stairs without panting. For long term health include aerobic exercise 2-3 times a week in your program and eat more calories to make up for this energy use-age.

5) Change exercises too much. You may know that variety ensures muscles keep growing, that is correct but naturally at the same time not letting your muscles establish an exercise rhythm can also limit your progress that you might otherwise make. train with a new exercise for at least 8 weeks before changing it.

6) Over train. A major cause of limited muscle building progress is over training. The majority of people will make good gains from just two workouts a week.

7) Give in. Too many people give up when their muscle growth slows down. This is the exact time when you should be rising to the challenge and training with more intensity, paying attention to muscle building nutrition and showing determination.

Go get massive!

Just as a tree cannot grow with out sufficient water, sunlight and soil no matter what else you give it, to build up muscle your body also has several things that you absolutely must provide it with in order to grow. No amount of fancy exercise equipment, supplement or outfit will allow you to grow muscle if you do not take the following essential steps:

1) Eat big. Some people never really grasp this concept! If you do indeed want to build up muscle mass then you will need to give your body a supply of excess calories for it to build up muscle out of. If you are not taking on extra calories then your body has nothing to build up muscleswith. A good way to make sure you do not forget this is to buy a set of over sized crockery. This way at each meal you are always reminded of your increase need for calories. Consuming a high number of calories will be easier if you break your meals down into 5-6 meals.

2) Intense training. If you are not training hard in the gym then your muscles have no reason to increase in size and strength. Give your muscles a reason to grow by training intensely for up to 45 minutes. Stick to the time proven mass building exercises like: bench presses, deadlifts, shoulder presses, squats,. These stimulate more muscle growth than many others.

3) Drink lots of water. Just as your body needs excess calories to grow you r body also requires water for all of the muscle building reactions to take place. Training of course will also increase your fluid intake needs. Try to keep a bottle of water handy through the day.

And of course just as you cannot expect a plant to grow if you throw harmful substances and so on on it there are several things you absolutely must not do in order to build up muscles

1) Do not over-train. Pushing your body too hard and too often can actually decrease your strength. Why? You see, tiny micro-tears appear in the muscle group after an intense weights session. Your muscles will then grow back bigger and more powerful than before over the following days. You are never going to get bigger if you do not allow your muscle to grow back and get bigger. Rest is vital. 

2) Do not stuff your body full of useless calories. Of course your body needs lots of calories for muscle growth but it also needs then to be good quality for maximum benefit. Food such as fish, chicken, eggs, pasta, potatoes, leafy green vegetables, fruit, rice and so on should be the norm. To build muscle up they can’t be beaten.

3) Never ever give up. What works for one person might not work for you. If progress is not apparent then mix things up and experiment with different exercises, a different diet in fact do anything you can but never ever give up. Focus on your goal and you can make it. do not forget to enjoy the process of growing and being healthy, don’t punish yourself for not turning into Arnie overnight it will take time, keep a training log to monitor your progress and for motivation.

So ask yourself honestly and sincerely if you really are adhering to these guidelines as best as you can. If you are not then if you really want to build muscle up then wouldn’t now be a good time to change?

Many bodybuilders especially amateur weight lifters and bodybuilders enjoy the odd alcohol beverage now and then whether it be a glass of wine, beer or spirits. Here we ask just what affect this has on our body and is it ok to drink if we want to build up muscles.

Unfortunately alcohol interferes with many chemical reactions in the body that are productive in order to build muscle up. The effects of alcohol are felt by the body for at least a couple of days as it is processed very gradually and can affect performance negatively for up to 48 hours after you drank your last glass. 

Just two normal drinks of alcohol can reduce reaction time, lower strength levels, interfere with balance and hand eye co-ordination and increase fatigue. As a weightlifter or anyone looking to perform physical activity effectively then all of these will only serve to limit your body’s ability to build muscle up.

The liver will metabolise alcohol at the expense of glycogen (carbohydrate) which is the fuel for the body therefore this is why fatigue is caused. This is what causes increased fatigue. The cellular functions of the body will decrease in efficiency when they are glycogen deficient when the body is not using glycogen efficiently.

Alcoholic drinks interfere with the fluid and electrolytes inside the kidneys thus causing dehydration. The kidneys function is to regulate the body’s cells with nutrients they can use for muscle growth and repair and also to take out of the body cellular waste.To process alcohol the kidneys have to filter water vast amounts of water from various parts of the body including the brain, this may dehydrate the body and scupper attempts at athletic performance and muscle building training sessions.

Tachycardia an abnormally fast heartbeat may be caused by alcohol consumption which also causes high blood pressure in some people. Furthermore it can significantly disrupt sleep which is a time for the  body to grow and repair. It also decreases how easily the body can absorb minerals and vitamins , these of course have crucial roles in chemical reactions for muscle growth.

The effect on the bodies thought processes can also be great. Slow disoriented thinking is the general result when not enough glycogen gets through to the brain. Unfortunately alcoholic drinks can cause a decrease in your motivation and drive which of course is crucial for success in any field!

So bearing all this in mind, clearly if you are seriously want to build up muscle then you are going to have to lay of the alcohol. Simply consuming the recommended daily amount of alcohol can negatively affect the body! There are a vast range of other effects on the body due to the presence of alcohol which are beyond the scope of this article.