Learning how to build muscle is a rocky road which most people find difficult to navigate. While science has shown us great advancements in training like high intensity interval training it isn't all good news - there has been countless nonsense over the years, and the majority of people get lost.
This may come as a little shock, but the foundations of building lean tissue are primarily the same as they were thirty or forty years ago. Things have got more advanced in certain areas, but the overall principles still stand tall.
They are:
1. Multi-joint exercises outperform isolation exercise every day.
Despite the array of new equipment in gyms these days, you still cannot defeat squats, deadlifts and military press for fast results.
This is because they recruit more fibers in the muscles, which will in turn cause a greater impetus on the body to grow bigger and stronger for future workouts.
2. Aim for the hypertrophy zone.
While high rep training has it's own benefits, you should be aiming for the 8-12 range if your goal is muscular hypertrophy. This is backed up by years of key studies from medical research studies carried out on the subject.
This weight will change on each exercise, of course, but use this rep zone as a guide to tell you if you are lifting heavy enough to see progress.
3. Change your program as you progress.
If there was one thing that held people back in the gym more than anything else, it's consistency.
Consistently doing the same routine or lifting the same figures will lead you to a plateau. In order to build a better body you need to give your body a physical reason to grow. This can only be done by giving it weights which it finds hard to deal with.
4. Sleep to grow.
Sleep is vastly under-rated by most gym users. You must remember that the body undergoes it's major rebuilding phase during the hours of a deep sleep.
The majority of this recovery phase takes place while you sleep, so be sure to register at least 8 hours whenever possible. If you have consistently neglected your sleeping patterns over a prolonged period, you should expect to see very little return for your sweat in the gym.
Imagine trying to build on a plot where the foundations were not yet set. Your construction would be constantly falling down again, that's exactly what you're doing to your body by not allowing rest.
If your goal to learn how to build muscle has so far proved fruitless, these tips will help. It is a very common trait in the fitness industry to over complicate matters and go overboard with unnecessary scientific jargon, as you will easily see by looking for tips on high intensity interval training or drop-set techniques. But these proven principles are simple, yet time-tested.
This may come as a little shock, but the foundations of building lean tissue are primarily the same as they were thirty or forty years ago. Things have got more advanced in certain areas, but the overall principles still stand tall.
They are:
1. Multi-joint exercises outperform isolation exercise every day.
Despite the array of new equipment in gyms these days, you still cannot defeat squats, deadlifts and military press for fast results.
This is because they recruit more fibers in the muscles, which will in turn cause a greater impetus on the body to grow bigger and stronger for future workouts.
2. Aim for the hypertrophy zone.
While high rep training has it's own benefits, you should be aiming for the 8-12 range if your goal is muscular hypertrophy. This is backed up by years of key studies from medical research studies carried out on the subject.
This weight will change on each exercise, of course, but use this rep zone as a guide to tell you if you are lifting heavy enough to see progress.
3. Change your program as you progress.
If there was one thing that held people back in the gym more than anything else, it's consistency.
Consistently doing the same routine or lifting the same figures will lead you to a plateau. In order to build a better body you need to give your body a physical reason to grow. This can only be done by giving it weights which it finds hard to deal with.
4. Sleep to grow.
Sleep is vastly under-rated by most gym users. You must remember that the body undergoes it's major rebuilding phase during the hours of a deep sleep.
The majority of this recovery phase takes place while you sleep, so be sure to register at least 8 hours whenever possible. If you have consistently neglected your sleeping patterns over a prolonged period, you should expect to see very little return for your sweat in the gym.
Imagine trying to build on a plot where the foundations were not yet set. Your construction would be constantly falling down again, that's exactly what you're doing to your body by not allowing rest.
If your goal to learn how to build muscle has so far proved fruitless, these tips will help. It is a very common trait in the fitness industry to over complicate matters and go overboard with unnecessary scientific jargon, as you will easily see by looking for tips on high intensity interval training or drop-set techniques. But these proven principles are simple, yet time-tested.
About the Author:
Written by: Pick up key tips teaching you how to build muscle and how to implement high intensity interval training properly for immediate gains via the free fitness blog from top online strength coach Russ Howe PTI.