If you ask any man in the gym about their long term goal it is highly likely one of those goals will be learning how to build muscle and achieve a more impressive body. Whether it's for our job, our hobby or even for the opposite sex, the fact is most of us are desperate to be a bit leaner. Today we will teach you how to do it.
Despite the millions of different theories put forward, there are three very simply principles which will help you to reach your goals in the gym. Sometimes going back to basics is the best way to get results.
* Learn how to focus your workouts on compound exercises.
* Understand the importance of rest days to growth.
* You won't get far without a solid nutrition plan backing up your effort in the gym.
If you are due to hit the gym tomorrow, we want you to do it with a new-found confidence in your ability. You're going to learn exactly how to get the results you want to achieve with these three basic rules. The first of which discusses how to focus your workouts around the exercises which will encourage your body to grow.
The main issue with people who want to get bigger in the gym is that they tend to spend too much time doing isolation exercises and not enough time on compound movements. Your compounds are your key to success, so use them as the basis of your session. You may enjoy the bench press, which is a great compound exercise, but the other lifts tend to be neglected in favor of small isolated movements such as bicep curls. Squats, pull ups and shoulder press need more attention here.
There are still benefits to be had from isolation movements, of course, it's just about learning when to perform them and how to structure your workout session according to your overall goal. If your goal is strength and size then you need to attack your big compound lifts while your body is still at full energy, then round out your session by adding a few isolated movements afterwards.
That alone will be enough to get even the most hard gainers on the right road to success. But once you start seeing positive results, going to the gym can become slightly addictive. That is particularly true for those who have been struggling to get results and all of a sudden find that they are finally getting somewhere. As people we naturally assume that more means better, but in terms of adding lean tissue it is not true.
Rest is incredibly important. Think of it as a day of growth. Your body isn't actually building when you are inside the gym, remember that. You may look pumped up in the mirror but that will fade. The real job of building begins when you are at home resting. If you want to get the most from a certain body part you cannot train it every single day.
Last but not least we want to talk about your eating habits. Have you ever heard people say that abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym? Well, it is true. If you are eating junk food you will be adding the wrong type of size to your frame.
Most people consider their diet to be too confusing when in fact it's quite simple. To establish how many calories per day you should consume simply multiply your body weight in kg's by 25 and then multiply that answer by 1.5 to discover your daily target.
Getting enough calories is one thing, of course, but it's another thing entirely to get them from the best possible places. All calories are not created equal and you need to pay a little attention to your intake of the three macro nutrients to get the most from your daily eating plan. Try to obtain 30% of your calorie intake from protein, 20% from fat and 50% from carbohydrates.
You now know how to build muscle effectively in the gym. There is also an awful lot of confusion surrounding how to lose weight, the misinformation in that area is just as bad so don't worry if you have felt a little lost, most folks are. In the meantime, though, it's time for you to pack your training bag and head off for a productive session.
Despite the millions of different theories put forward, there are three very simply principles which will help you to reach your goals in the gym. Sometimes going back to basics is the best way to get results.
* Learn how to focus your workouts on compound exercises.
* Understand the importance of rest days to growth.
* You won't get far without a solid nutrition plan backing up your effort in the gym.
If you are due to hit the gym tomorrow, we want you to do it with a new-found confidence in your ability. You're going to learn exactly how to get the results you want to achieve with these three basic rules. The first of which discusses how to focus your workouts around the exercises which will encourage your body to grow.
The main issue with people who want to get bigger in the gym is that they tend to spend too much time doing isolation exercises and not enough time on compound movements. Your compounds are your key to success, so use them as the basis of your session. You may enjoy the bench press, which is a great compound exercise, but the other lifts tend to be neglected in favor of small isolated movements such as bicep curls. Squats, pull ups and shoulder press need more attention here.
There are still benefits to be had from isolation movements, of course, it's just about learning when to perform them and how to structure your workout session according to your overall goal. If your goal is strength and size then you need to attack your big compound lifts while your body is still at full energy, then round out your session by adding a few isolated movements afterwards.
That alone will be enough to get even the most hard gainers on the right road to success. But once you start seeing positive results, going to the gym can become slightly addictive. That is particularly true for those who have been struggling to get results and all of a sudden find that they are finally getting somewhere. As people we naturally assume that more means better, but in terms of adding lean tissue it is not true.
Rest is incredibly important. Think of it as a day of growth. Your body isn't actually building when you are inside the gym, remember that. You may look pumped up in the mirror but that will fade. The real job of building begins when you are at home resting. If you want to get the most from a certain body part you cannot train it every single day.
Last but not least we want to talk about your eating habits. Have you ever heard people say that abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym? Well, it is true. If you are eating junk food you will be adding the wrong type of size to your frame.
Most people consider their diet to be too confusing when in fact it's quite simple. To establish how many calories per day you should consume simply multiply your body weight in kg's by 25 and then multiply that answer by 1.5 to discover your daily target.
Getting enough calories is one thing, of course, but it's another thing entirely to get them from the best possible places. All calories are not created equal and you need to pay a little attention to your intake of the three macro nutrients to get the most from your daily eating plan. Try to obtain 30% of your calorie intake from protein, 20% from fat and 50% from carbohydrates.
You now know how to build muscle effectively in the gym. There is also an awful lot of confusion surrounding how to lose weight, the misinformation in that area is just as bad so don't worry if you have felt a little lost, most folks are. In the meantime, though, it's time for you to pack your training bag and head off for a productive session.
About the Author:
About the author: Russ Howe PTI is the UK's leading personal trainer. If you need to learn how to build muscle or how to lose weight our easy proven guides will help you achieve more from your training.