How
to Gain Muscle Mass
By
Big Al Fortney
Most
everyone who works out wants to gain muscle mass. Gaining muscle mass takes
on a very different meaning for very different people. Some people want
to have bigger muscle, such as bodybuilders. Other people want to gain
muscle mass in order to lose body fat.
There
are still others who want to increase their bone density. Building muscle
mass does not necessarily mean that you are going to look like a bodybuilder.
I have head many people in the gym state that they want to “tone” and not
build muscle. In order to “tone”, you must build muscle, as more muscle
burns fat – plain and simple.
Your
body, more or less, is predisposed to building a certain amount of muscle.
In addition, your body carries various types of muscle fibers which dictate
how much muscle you can build. (These fibers dictate what activities you
should participate in to be most successful).
For
instance, sprinters and football players carry different muscle fibers
than a marathon runner or cross-country skier. Nonetheless, everyone has
the ability to build more muscle. Science and nutrition have come a long
way over the past decade.
The
first key in building muscle is to pay attention to your diet.
You
have to eat more calories than what you burn off. Eating a good breakfast
consisting of a high protein meal is the start.
-
Protein
is essential for building and repairing muscle. You
should eat 1 to 1.5 grams per pounds of lean muscle mass to support muscle
growth. Protein supplements are an easy way to do this. It is also
important to eat carbohydrates, as they are the body’s first source of
fuel.
-
Carbohydrates
give you energy to for those hard workouts. Carbohydrates such as
rice, oatmeal and potatoes are good examples.
-
Fats
also plays an essential role in building muscle mass. Don’t be afraid
to eat them. Healthy fats found in fish and peanut butter play an important
role in hormone production. You will also find yourself in a better mood,
as well. Remember to drink plenty of water. Dehydrated muscle takes longer
to repair itself.
The
second key to building muscle is weight training.
Simply
put, if you are serious about gaining mass, then you need to use serious
weight.
-
Using
heavier weight and lower repetition sets, such as 6-8 reps, puts more stress
on the muscle and nervous system. This added stress stimulates more muscle
fibers resulting in muscle growth.
-
The best
exercises to do are multi-joint exercises, such as free weight bench press,
squat and dead lift. These three exercises should be the core movements
of your workout.
The
third key is using nutritional supplements.
-
Vitamin
C is an important vitamin. It helps to protect against damage to inflamed
joints, cell damage and aides in muscle recovery.
-
I believe
in taking multi-vitamins
daily. This is a fail-safe step. It is important
to make sure that you are not deficient in any vitamins for maximum gains.
-
I also
recommend using creatine. This supplement causes fluid retention within
the muscle creating extra energy and leverage to lift heavier weight.
-
Protein
is the key to building and repairing muscle. Incorporating whey protein
into your diet is an easy and effective way of helping you to add 1 – 1.5
grams of protein per pound of lean body mass per day. This is also a very
good source of protein to use post workout when you want to replenish you
system right away. I use Eclipse Deluxe
Whey. One shake is an easy and
delicious way to add 40 grams of protein to your diet.
Building
mass is not a complex undertaking nor is it something to fear. It is healthy
for all individuals to build muscle. You have to examine and decide what
your goal will be.
Whether
it is bodybuilding, power lifting, specific sport performance, losing fat,
or building stronger bones, the steps to reaching your goals are pretty
much the same.
Granted
the road that a power lifter takes to squat 1,000 pounds is varied from
the road a person trying to lose body fat takes, but it is the key steps
that are the same.
It
is important for all individuals to maintain a proper diet that is rich
in protein, weight train with a goal at hand, and supplement your diet
with proper nutritional supplements.
Our
genetics are responsible for the most part as to the amount of muscle we
carry and the activities that we are best suited for. However, we can manipulate
our genetics to optimize our performance and reach our desired goals.
Reprinted
with permission from www.eclipsecec.com
This
article was taken from Eclipse's magazine, BodyTalk. Click
here if you would like a free copy.