If you ask for advice on how to build muscle you'll probably get a different answer from every person you ask, so today we're going to cover the fundamental rules of building a leaner, stronger physique.
There is so much nonsense out there in the fitness industry, information which has no scientific backing or evidence to support it's claims, that the majority of people in gyms around the world are completely lost.
Muscular hypertrophy is not a complicated thing, despite the raft of trainers who seem hell bent on confusing clients to the point where they don't know why they're training at all. A lot of this is done in order for the trainer to attempt to justify why the fitness enthusiast 'needs' them there, when in fact you can apply the proven rules to strength and power training on your own and see results.
The main problem when somebody has not seen any results in the gym is variety. If you get stuck in the same routine it will stop giving you results no matter how good it may have been when you put it together. Your body's job is to adapt and make things easier for you to cope, so you'll need to use different approaches to get continued results. If you have had issues progressing you workouts in the past you should look at using the holistic training approach, which involves switching each week between different fitness concepts, such as going from high rep workouts to HIIT sessions, then strength training without cardio.
The second most common problem behind variety is recovery. This usually strikes after about three weeks of continued exercise and dieting, when we begin seeing physical results. We don't want to stop training, right? If you got those results training three times per week, just imagine what you could do if you trained six days per week. That's a bad approach to take, because your body needs the recovery time between sessions almost as much as it needs the workouts in the first place. Don't train more than five days per week.
Understanding the supplement industry is nowhere near as difficult as many people make it for themselves. When looking to use a whey protein supplement there are just two things you need to look for to see if it suits your goals. Firstly, check that it's got a protein content of 20-30 grams per serving. Science tells us that we cannot store more than this, so there's no need to purchase a product containing any more than that if your goal is to get leaner. Secondly, take a quick look at the carbohydrate content it offers. If it gives you as much carbs as protein then it's designed for weight gain, so if your goal is to get leaner you want a product which checks the box for your protein intake but keeps the carb count fairly low.
The battle to build a better physique is usually won and lost outside of the gym, however. Most people are happy to exercise and drink protein shakes but they switch off when they get back home or go out with their friends at the weekend. Make no mistake about it, you'll need to get your diet in check. If you are unsure how many calories you need to be eating per day you can start by taking your goal weight and multiplying the figure by 15. This will give you a good estimate to work with.
If you apply the four rules in today's post over the next three to four months you will notice how much easier it becomes to achieve the physique you desire. Learning how to build muscle is an often over complicated affair, but the truth is the main principles are very easy indeed. Holistic training is a great way to keep your workout program fresh, whereas time tested principles such as resting appropriately and learning the basics of whey protein supplements will go a long way to helping you reach your overall goal.
There is so much nonsense out there in the fitness industry, information which has no scientific backing or evidence to support it's claims, that the majority of people in gyms around the world are completely lost.
Muscular hypertrophy is not a complicated thing, despite the raft of trainers who seem hell bent on confusing clients to the point where they don't know why they're training at all. A lot of this is done in order for the trainer to attempt to justify why the fitness enthusiast 'needs' them there, when in fact you can apply the proven rules to strength and power training on your own and see results.
The main problem when somebody has not seen any results in the gym is variety. If you get stuck in the same routine it will stop giving you results no matter how good it may have been when you put it together. Your body's job is to adapt and make things easier for you to cope, so you'll need to use different approaches to get continued results. If you have had issues progressing you workouts in the past you should look at using the holistic training approach, which involves switching each week between different fitness concepts, such as going from high rep workouts to HIIT sessions, then strength training without cardio.
The second most common problem behind variety is recovery. This usually strikes after about three weeks of continued exercise and dieting, when we begin seeing physical results. We don't want to stop training, right? If you got those results training three times per week, just imagine what you could do if you trained six days per week. That's a bad approach to take, because your body needs the recovery time between sessions almost as much as it needs the workouts in the first place. Don't train more than five days per week.
Understanding the supplement industry is nowhere near as difficult as many people make it for themselves. When looking to use a whey protein supplement there are just two things you need to look for to see if it suits your goals. Firstly, check that it's got a protein content of 20-30 grams per serving. Science tells us that we cannot store more than this, so there's no need to purchase a product containing any more than that if your goal is to get leaner. Secondly, take a quick look at the carbohydrate content it offers. If it gives you as much carbs as protein then it's designed for weight gain, so if your goal is to get leaner you want a product which checks the box for your protein intake but keeps the carb count fairly low.
The battle to build a better physique is usually won and lost outside of the gym, however. Most people are happy to exercise and drink protein shakes but they switch off when they get back home or go out with their friends at the weekend. Make no mistake about it, you'll need to get your diet in check. If you are unsure how many calories you need to be eating per day you can start by taking your goal weight and multiplying the figure by 15. This will give you a good estimate to work with.
If you apply the four rules in today's post over the next three to four months you will notice how much easier it becomes to achieve the physique you desire. Learning how to build muscle is an often over complicated affair, but the truth is the main principles are very easy indeed. Holistic training is a great way to keep your workout program fresh, whereas time tested principles such as resting appropriately and learning the basics of whey protein supplements will go a long way to helping you reach your overall goal.
About the Author:
Writer: The UK's most followed fitness instructor, Russ Howe PTI shows classes of hundreds how to build muscle in the gym each week. Learn about holistic training with his free guide today.
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