Would you look better in a bulky, muscular body? If that’s what you’re after, then be prepared to climb a rather steep mountain to get there. Muscle mass is all yours if you have the motivation and perseverance to obtain it, though. Follow this guide to start building more muscle today.
Configure the Exercises
The biggest key to building muscle is to do the right exercises. This means that you’re not going to be running on the treadmill; instead, you’ll be doing curls and lifts with heavy weights. Which muscle groups are you targeting today? Choose a set of exercises that will work out the entire cluster of muscles and focus on them when you’re at the gym. Suitable cable machine chest workouts, for example, will engage your pectoral muscles. You can target very specific areas of the body by thinking about them ahead of time and putting together a workout schedule.
Eat a Lot
In order to gain muscle mass, you’ll need to supply your body with the necessary building blocks. A normal diet will not help you bulk up! What you need is to increase your intake of calories, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Of course, don’t forget to consume your usual rounds of dairy, fruits, vegetables, and water along with your new diet.
Choose the Weight
Depending on your strength, you’ll need to choose a suitable weight amount that will maximize your muscle growth. The rule of thumb is to find a weight that is only possible to lift for a total of 20 reps. Beyond 20 reps, it should be nearly impossible to continue lifting. At the 10th rep, you should start feeling the burn of exhaustion and want to stop your session. You should, however, continue lifting all the way to the 20th rep, where you feel like you will collapse. This is the optimal way to make the most of your weight-lifting routine, where it will feel incredibly satisfying to drop to the floor after the final rep.
Decide on Repetitions
Repetitions are the number of times you lift your weights, which can range from one to 20 reps for bodybuilders:
- One rep: This is your “maximum” lift amount
- 6-12 reps: Builds muscle mass
- 13-20 reps: Builds muscular endurance
Choose the number of reps for your weights based on your end goal: Are you trying to build muscle mass or muscular endurance? The ability to lift a heavy weight for just one rep is simply to gauge your strength, not for building muscle.
Do Sets of Exercises
No, you don’t get to stop training after 6-20 reps! In order to train effectively, you will need to make your muscles work at their peaks. Structure your workout to include three sets of reps per exercise. Take breaks and drink water between your sets, making sure to wait just long enough to regain your energy for the next set. Once you complete a set of exercises, take an extended break before starting the next routine.
Stay Consistent
Building muscle is a long-term process that relies on consistency. Are you committed to hitting the gym several times a week for at least a year? You really can’t expect to see any results in just a day of working out. A year of constant exercising, however, will yield rather satisfying results.
Don’t Give Up
Every year, fitness gyms get flooded the day after New Year’s celebrations with eager gym-goers. Apparently, everyone likes to make the same New Year’s resolutions: To either gain muscle mass or lose weight. Although the first week of the year is filled with people, the population starts to die down a week later. Suffice it to say, many people give up on their goals after realizing that it’s a lot harder than it looks — don’t be one of those people! Keep your nose to the grindstone and push through, no matter how painful it gets.
Many people want to build muscle for various reasons, but doing so takes a lot of time, energy, and resilience. If you have the motivation to do so, you can certainly grow your muscle mass as large as you want. This guide should help you progress in your journey to a bulkier existence.
