Your
Goals: Build Muscle &
Bulk Up
Many people seek rapid muscle gains and increased overall bodyweight.
To achieve this, the body requires additional premium
quality protein from the right sources, as well as complex carbohydrates,
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for optimum growth and
muscle performance.
10 Tips for Bulking
Winter season is the perfect time to begin
your winter bulk. As a general rule, whenever you are trying
to add additional muscle to your frame you are going to have
to also accept some fat gain.
The reason being - in order to
stimulate muscle growth you need to be in a caloric surplus
and oftentimes some of those additional calories will get transfered
to body fat. Luckily, as long as you are smart about your bulk,
you can minimize fat gain while maximizing muscle gain.
Here
are some tips to get you started:
1. Lift Heavy!
One of the biggest factors you need to remember with your training
program is that you MUST be applying an overloading stimulus.
Without this, your body is not going to have any reason to
turn those extra calories into muscle and you will just gain
a great deal of body fat. Definitely not what you are looking
for here.
2. Eat Carbohydrates Around Your
Workout
During a bulk you cannot be afraid of carbohydrates. They are
going to supply your body with the energy it needs for muscle
building. Generating muscle tissue is a very energy consuming
process so you need to be sure to meet your needs. If you are
hoping to minimize fat gain it is best to consume the greatest
portion of your carbohydrate intake around your workouts, as
this is when your body needs them the most and they are least
likely to end up on your body in the form of fat. You still
should consume some carbohydrates during your other meals however
the portion sizes can be slightly smaller.
3. Eat More
This could possibly be the biggest mistake most beginners make
when they are entering a bulking period. The minute they lose
sight of their abs they shy off the amount of food they are
consuming for fear of getting fat. This will severely short
circuit their potential muscle gains and possibly even stop
them altogether.
4. Limit Cardio Sessions
While you are on a bulk you should limit your cardio sessions
to once or twice a week. You are going to want all of your
energy to go towards adding muscle so if you are expending
a great deal through cardio activity then you are defeating
your goal. If you do choose to include more cardio work into
your program (for example if it is necessary for a sport you
participate in) then you are going to have to increase your
calories even more to compensate for this.
5. Eat More
Fat
Many younger guys who are trying to successfully gain weight
are going to have to consume astronomical amounts of calories.
If you try to eat completely clean foods while doing this you
may find your stomach feeling rather uncomfortable. The best
way to handle this is to look at consuming foods that, while
still are healthy, are more dense in calories. This means that
they will take up less room in your stomach thereby allowing
you to consume more calories to meet your needs. Since one
gram of fat has 9 calories whereas protein and carbohydrates
both have 4 this will make it easier. Make sure these are healthy
sources of fat you are eating.
6. Focus On Compound Exercises
When creating your workout program for bulking it is best to
always first choose compound exercises. These are the ones
that are going to stimulate the greatest number of muscle fibers
and give you the biggest bang for your buck. Examples of such
are:
Chest press
Military press
Squats
Deadlifts
Lunges
Bent over rows
7. Allow For Enough Rest
As important as your workout program is, rest is also just
as important. Without allowing your body to recover from your
workouts you will not provide it with the opportunity to grow
back stronger. Remember that you progress while you are resting.
When you are actually performing your workouts you are tearing
down your muscle, thus in all reality, making it weaker.
8. Ensure You Are Getting Enough
Sleep.
In addition to rest, sleep is also essential. Not only is it
the ultimate form of rest but getting ample sleep will also
help to optimize your hormonal profile. When your body is not
getting enough sleep you will tend to release more cortisol,
which acts as a catabolic hormone on the body. This will make
gaining muscle much more difficult as for that you are looking
for anabolic processes to occur (the opposite of catabolic).
9. Don't Overdo Protein
One common myth that many people hold with regards to bulking
is the notion that they must consume massive amounts of protein.
While it is true you need protein since it supplies your body
with the building blocks necessary for creating muscle tissue,
any extra is only going to be used for energy or stored as
body fat.
After your needs are met you would be far
better off consuming more carbohydrates or dietary fat. Aim
for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
10. Don't Let Yourself Get Too Out
Of Control
A final thing you should consider for a successful bulk is
not to let yourself get too out of control with regards to
fat gain. While gaining some fat is certainly alright, if not
expected, gaining too much is not in your best interest. Just
remember that you are eventually going to have to lose this
excess weight and it will be much easier to do so if you have
only gained 10 pounds extra compared to 30 or more. Once you
reach a level where your body fat is passed where you feel
comfortable then do a short 'cutting' period where you lose
some body fat and then continue back on with your bulk. Note
that if the fat gain happened quickly then you might want to
revise your bulk protocol and consume slightly less of a surplus
of calories to help minimize fat gain in the first place.
By following these 10 tips you should be able to really improve
your physique over the winter so after you reduce your body
fat during the spring you will be lean and muscular for Summer!
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Essentials of an effective Body
Building Program
Eating very little or excessive
protein
Protein is the key nutrient in any bodybuilding diet plan.
In order to build muscle one should consume at least 1 gram
of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. Less protein can
actually hinder one's progress significantly and result in
frustration and lack of results. On the other hand excessive
protein calories in a diet can be stored as body fat or in
some cases used as energy. One gram per pound of lean bodyweight
spread over 6 nutritious meals is a great starting point.
If you want to build more muscle or you train harder OR you
find that you are not recovering as fast you can slowly increase
your protein intake to 1.1 grams per pound or 1.25 grams.
Protein is the building block for muscle tissue and if you
want to build mass OR get ripped you have to start eating
more.
Eating the wrong types of
carbs
This is one of the most common nutritional mistakes I come
across. I see people who want to add muscle and they eat anything
for carbs, from chocolate bars & doughnuts to rice & potatoes!
Fact of the matter is, not all carbs are created equal and
you will be what you eat, eventually! Most people tend to overeat
simple carbs (sugars) which give them an almost immediate rise
in energy but also an equally sudden slump. A proper bodybuilding
diet, whether it's for mass gaining purposes or leaning out,
should consist mostly of complex carbs. Complex carbs are digested
slowly and released into the bloodstream steadily over a period
of time. This provides a steady source of energy for muscles
throughout the day. With complex carbs there are no highs and
lows in energy as they stay steady throughout the day.
Imagine
your energy as a line in a graph. With complex carbs, your
energy is a completely straight line, always staying high.
With simple carbs, your energy line is like a few mountain
peaks. It has a few extreme highs but it's followed by extreme
lows as well! Carbs have a very significant effect on the way
the body utilizes protein. Carbs have a "protein sparing" effect
ie. when you eat enough carbs, your body will use the protein
you give it only for muscle repairing/building purposes. If
you don't give your body enough carbs throughout the day, it
will automatically break down protein to synthesize glycogen
for energy. It's a process called glycogenesis and it will
take place when your body is running low on carbs. If your
body starts to break down proteins you will enter a catabolic
state and your metabolism will slow down significantly. You
will also lose muscle & strength.
Cheating too much with
the wrong foods
Cheating in any bodybuilding diet is an absolute must. Whether
you are dieting for a contest or trying to gain muscle, you
should set a specific day of the week where you will be able
to have a cheat meal of your liking. The way you cheat depends
100% on how strict you are with your diet.
Bodybuilders who
are dieting for a contest are the most strict, limiting their
cheat meals to once a week or once every two weeks. On the
other hand, bodybuilders who are trying to gain muscle mass
cheat more often, maybe 2-3 times a week. It is important however
to cheat sensibly and not go overboard! If you eat a gallon
of ice cream in one sitting and consume over 3000 calories,
what do you think will happen? Most likely, the extra calories
from sugars & fat will be stored as body fat! The KEY to
cheating is to do it with moderation. If you want to be a bodybuilder
you should forget about eating anything you want. I don't care
how fast your metabolism is! If you eat a ton of cheat meals,
it will backfire on you and your progress will slow down.
Not
eating enough fats & fatty acids
All fat is not created equal! Eating some fats can actually
help you gain mass and keep your body healthy. Most people
try to avoid fats like the plague but this approach can actually
hinder their mass gaining or fat loss efforts. Egg yolks, virgin
olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, natural peanut butter & fish
oils are all excellent sources of healthy fats. These not only
support a healthy metabolism & hormone production but can
provide healthy calories for your bulking up bodybuilding diet.
Stay away from saturated fats & trans fatty acids at all
costs! They will ruin your physique and cause havoc to your
body & health.
Not having variety in your
diet
I asked a bodybuilder friend of mine recently how his diet
was. His reply was typical: "You know, chicken breasts,
brown rice, steak, tuna, more rice, baked potatoes..the usual".
Don't get me wrong, all of these foods are top of the line
for your bodybuilding diets but you can add MORE! Eating the
same thing day in day out is really boring. I have eaten so
much canned tuna that i cannot even stand to look at it anymore!
A bodybuilding diet is a HEALTHY diet first and foremost. Variety
is very important - not only for health's sake but also for
your mind's sake. Having variety will help you enjoy your nutritional
program for years to come and you will also cheat less. There
are so many bodybuilding recipe cookbooks out there that give
you an immense amount of choices, ideas & healthy alternatives
to the staples of chicken & rice.
Experts say to measure portions, measure
plate fulls or just eat as much as you can (when bulking).
I find all this completely wrong. In order to make real progress
and see how your body is reacting to your specific diet, you
need to accurately track calories. If you do not, you are setting
yourself up for frustration. Knowing how many calories you
are consuming on any given day can help you make necessary
changes if you are not seeing the results you want. You can
either keep a diary of your daily calories or you can add them
up in excel. Counting calories can be a tedious process at
first but you get used to it really fast. Eventually you'll
be able to add everything up in your head automatically!
Overeating
If you are trying to gain weight be careful not to fall pray
to the "experts" who say that you have to eat everything
in sight. Yes, you most definately have to eat a large number
of calories & meals every day but that does not mean that
you have to stuff yourself like there's no tomorrow! Overeating
calories & especially sugars will only make you gain body
fat. You can gain a tremendous amount of weight & mass
even if you eat clean foods! The only thing you have to do
is eat more of them!!
Making big
changes all at once
Changing your diet all of a sudden and following a Mr. Olympia's
diet will not do you any good. You will end up gaining body
fat or starving your muscles. If you want to change your diet,
make sure you do so by either increasing or decreasing your
calories over a period of time. Start by adding 100 calories
every 3-5 days until you have reached the desired caloric intake.
Once you reach the desired caloric level keep close track of
your body weight & body fat percentage in order to assess
whether the new changes in your diet are beneficial or not.
Not
drinking enough water
Water is probably one of the most important ingredients for
life. Over 70% of our muscles consist of water. Water is needed
for all metabolic processes, including protein synthesis. It
helps get rid of toxins, it is important in fat metabolism
and it can reduce fluid retention. A good rule of thumb is
to drink 10 cups of water per day, increasing it during the
summer months and during hardcore training sessions. Even the
slightest bit of dehydration can make you feel sluggish and
hold you back during your training sessions. Never ignore water
intake!!
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Perfect Abdominals
Abs
are not only about the washboard stomachs we have grown accustom
to seeing on the professional bodybuilding stage. There's a
lot more to it then meets the eye. The actual anatomical make
up includes the Rectus abdonomis, the external abdominal oblique
muscles, serratus anterior and the internal abdominal oblique.
Most of us tend to train our abs as a finishing touch on our
overall appearance but we forget the main function of the abdominals.
The abdominals are responsible for permitting our bodies to
bend forward and back as well as to the side. Their main function
is keeping our posture but they also aid in keeping our body
stable when partaking in different activities and of course
in both upper body and lower body lifts while bodybuilding.
By
fully understanding the functions of our abdominals we can
then implement effective ways of training them. As you read
earlier our abdominals allow us to "flex our trunks" or
in other words bend forward. The best way to effectively train
them is to replicate this movement while in the gym. The reason
most bodybuilders train their abs is definitely to increase
the overall definition of the abs. There are a number of ways
to go about obtaining this. One theory is to eliminate the
fat that covers the abdominals. This can be achieved through
both dieting and cardiovascular activity. Another way to help
define your abdominals is to do abdominal exercises intensely
with very high repetitions. The reason for this is that you
don't want to add any unwanted mass to your abs. Cardiovascular
conditioning is easily the most important aspect used to help
a bodybuilder achieve defined abdominals. Bodybuilders use
cardio as a tool to help shed unwanted fat.
The most misunderstood
and under utilized tool for bodybuilders looking to obtain
shredded abs is definitely dieting. I would go as far as saying
that dieting alone is responsible for over 80% of a bodybuilders
overall physique. If you look at it as, what you put in your
body will either dictate whether your body gets bigger or smaller
you'll certainly understand what I mean. The general rule of
thumb is that your body needs to have 4-6 small meals that
are high in protein, spaced out over a 2-3 hour span to keep
your metabolism high and prevent fat storage.
If you follow
these simple guidelines you will achieve the washboard abs
you've always dreamt of.
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Muscle Support Training
Train with weights
When you train
with weights, two things happen; first by positively stressing
your muscle through exercise, you stimulate growth of new muscle
tissue. This results in you burning more energy, which means
you also burn more calories. Secondly the body will burn additional
energy to maintain the muscle tissue that is being regularly
stressed.
Many women worry that by weight-training they'll get big muscles
- this is not the case. By weight-training, you'll tone, tighten
and shape your physique!
Do cardiovascular exercise at least
twice a week
Low to moderate intensity cardiovascular
exercise plays an important role in any fat loss program. Of
primary importance, low intensity cardiovascular exercise stimulates
the release of fatty acids from tissue. This has two benefits:
Firstly, you're actually burning fat, secondly, your body will
up-regulate the enzyme systems necessary for burning fat more
efficiently. So you’re burning more
fat and you’re
burning it faster.
The second reason why you should perform
regular cardio work is that it helps protect your heart.
Good cardiovascular health is vitally important to your long
term condition and longevity. Take care of your heart and
it will take care of you.
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Diet & Nutrition
Eat the right types of food
In order to build lean muscle mass you need to combine an adequate
calorie intake with a solid muscle strengthening program.
A large number of calories are needed to fuel both workouts
and muscle tissue building. Whilst eating enough calories
is important, it is also important to eat the right kind
of calories.
Carbohydrate - this is the predominant energy
source for strength training. Stored as glycogen in the muscles,
it is the fuel used to supply energy for short, intense bursts
of power or long duration exercise. Consumption should be
around 2g per 1lb of bodyweight. You
can find out more about carbohydrate here »
Protein - this is the basic
building material for muscle tissue, and is critical for anyone
engaging in high-intensity resistance exercise since increased
amounts of protein become necessary to support muscle growth.
Try to eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight
daily. This daily requirement can be easily achieved by supplementing
your diet with protein supplements.
Essential Fats - After
taking care of your carbohydrate and protein needs, there is
a little room left for healthy, essential fatty acids. The
right kind of fat is an essential nutrient, however, you only
require a small amount of it to remain healthy. Less than 30%
of your total daily calories should come from unsaturated fat
sources.
Need a diet plan? See the USN 'Mass Gain
Diet' here
Eat Several Small Meals A Day
Eating this way ensures you are providing your body with adequate
nutritional support. Frequent, small meals provide a consistent
supply of nutrients for efficient muscle growth, and also helps
maintain a faster metabolic rate. To gain muscle, you should
be consuming at very least, about 500 calories above your daily
requirements.
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Commitment & Focus
Try to visualise your goals and work towards them each time
you train. Set realistic short and long term goals with rewards
as each goal is accomplished. Thinking positively can also
enhance the muscle-building process in a number of ways. Quality
of training will improve if one is able to approach each session
with confidence and an expectation that you will achieve your
training goals.
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Training Guildelines & Tips
1. Training
Journal
Write down the daily routines and weights you used. Pick a
few every week to improve on, not only in weight, but in any
of the above training principles. Routines that put unnecessary
strain on weak areas, like the back, can then be eliminated.
2. Eat
several small meals per day
Glycogen production and supply depends heavily on the constant
supply of carbohydrates, and a constant supply of carbohydrates
boosts the metabolism. Constant flows of amino acids ensure
nitrogen retention and muscle repair. Water-soluble vitamins
constantly leave the body and need to be replaced to fulfill
its synergetic function. A good exercise routine will not counteract
poor eating habits.
3. Vary
your Program
Vary the order, and type of exercises you do, also switch the
muscles you train on the same day. This created muscle confusion
which leads to renewed gains.
4. Increase
the Weight
Eventually, you also need to increase the resistance which
forces muscle to compensate by renewed growth.
5. Train
Smart, not Long
45 to 90 minutes is all you should spend in the gym, longer
than that you either waste your time, or you over train. Limit
time between sets so the body "thinks" the whole
exercise is one long set. Rest roughly two times the time it
takes you to complete a set. Focus on your form, you can rather
use a smaller weight, but do it with great form, no swing,
no cheat, high intensity, and work on the negatives/eccentric
(going down). If your next machine is occupied, proceed to
the next and come back later, don't hesitate to ask how many
sets a person has left.
6. Aim
at a complete physique
Concentrate more on the parts of your body that lack, and less
on your strong points. Abs, calves, and shoulders are common
weak points. If you have excess fat, work a cardio session
into your routine, it's no use having a good physique under
a camouflage of fat!
7. Isolate
the applicable muscle
Do the exercise in such a way that it is not as easy as can
be, but that it strain the targeted muscle as completely as
possible. Like when you do a bench press, lower the weight
slowly to the end of your chest as close to your throat as
possible, turn the elbows as far out as possible, pause at
the bottom to stretch the pectoral muscles through its full
range of motion. Finish the movement at the top by pushing
all the way up to fully contract the pectorals
8. Breathing
However you choose to breath, exhale on the up or down movement;
never hold your breath against force. This causes an increase
in the blood pressure in the brain and poses a danger to health.
9. Do
not lock
Keep constant tension on a muscle by avoiding the lock at the
top of a lift. This "resting time" interrupts a set.
10. Peak
Contraction and Range of Motion
Always squeeze at the point of fullest contraction, and move
through the whole range of motion to the point of maximum stretch.
11. Rest
A muscle should rest for 72 hours after a strenuous training
session.
12. Cross-train
Legs
All of the muscles on the upper body get the chance to cross-train
with other muscles, like when you do chest, you also use triceps
and front delts, and when you do shoulders, the chest and triceps
work hard too. The legs however very seldom get the change
to cross-train, which is the main reason why most men have
under developed leg muscles compared to their upper bodies.
Work in an extra set of heavy lunges on another day.
13. Positive
Muscular Gain vs. Negative Skeletal Strain
Each person differs, many routines may suit one person, but
not another, but don't decide a routine doesn't suit you just
because it is working on your weak point. There is a healthy
trade-off between positive strain on the muscular system, and
negative strain on the skeletal system. Routines like Squat,
Dead lift, and Stiff leg dead lift must only be done by advanced
athletes involved in a sport where it forms a critical part,
like Power lifting, Weight lifting, Strongman etc. Otherwise
the negative skeletal strain outweighs the positive muscular
gain.
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