If you're hoping to gain more muscle mass and strength, use training strategies designed to strengthen different body parts and increase overall muscle mass. Eat a diet that's tailored to build your muscles, and consider taking supplements to help you get bigger muscles fast. Keep reading this article for detailed instructions.
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Method 1 of 4: Maintaining a Big and Strong Body
Step 1. Monitor your progress
As your strength and muscle gains start, keep track of how much weight you gain, how much weight you can lift, and what exercises you do week after week. This will help you figure out what works for your body and what doesn't, and what keeps you from getting tired of exercising.
- If you find that a particular muscle group doesn't seem to be making any significant changes, change your workout to see if your new type of exercise works better.
- Change your diet if needed to help you lose fat and gain muscle. Experiment with different ratios of protein, fat and carbohydrates to find a balance that helps you reach your desired weight and fitness goals.
Step 2. Get plenty of rest
When you're in training mode, it can be hard to remember how important it is to rest between sessions. Your body needs time to repair itself after a workout. Don't push yourself too hard, or you'll probably just be sitting on the couch with your muscles stretched instead of going to the gym to train to failure.
Sleeping well is another important aspect of adding muscle mass and strength in a healthy way. Try to sleep for 7-8 hours per day
Method 2 of 4: Doing Exercises to Build Muscle Mass
Step 1. Work your legs with squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip a dumbbell with your hands over your shoulders. Lean slightly forward, keeping your head back, and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Slowly raise your body to the starting position.
- Do 6 - 8 reps and 3-4 sets. Rest about 45 seconds between each set.
- To increase the difficulty of this exercise, extend your weight-bearing hand forward and perpendicular to your chest and do a squat while holding the weight in front of you instead of holding it over your shoulders. It will also work your arms.
Step 2. Strengthen your back with deadlifts
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with weights resting on the floor on either side of your body. Bend at your waist, reach for the weight and rise to a standing position. Slowly lower the weight back to the floor.
- Do 6 - 8 reps and 3-4 sets. Rest about 45 seconds between each set.
- To increase the difficulty of this exercise, bend at the waist, reach for the weight, rise to a standing position, then pull the weight up to your chest and push the weight above your head. Lower the weight back to your chest, then lower it to your sides, bend at your waist and place the weight back on the floor.
Step 3. Get bigger arms with chinups
Clasp your hands on the exercise bar with your palms facing you. Lift your body with your legs crossed behind your back until your chin is higher than the bar, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
- Do 6 - 8 reps and 3-4 sets. Rest about 45 seconds between each set.
- To increase the difficulty of this exercise, wear a weight belt around your waist. Increase the weight of the load as your strength increases.
Step 4. Bench press to make your chest bigger
Lie down on an exercise bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold a barbell or two dumbbells above your chest. Push the weights over your head, extend your arms and straighten your elbows. Lower the weight back to your chest.
- Do 6 - 8 reps and 3-4 sets. Rest about 45 seconds between each set.
- Avoid using heavy weights when you bench press. The key is to use your chest muscles, not your thrust or your legs, to push the weight off.
Method 3 of 4: Using Effective Exercise Strategies
Step 1. Weight training two or three times a week
If your goal is to increase muscle mass and strength, exercising every day is counterproductive. Your muscles need time to repair themselves between training sessions. Without adequate rest time, you will not get the body mass you want.
- As your body mass increases, you can reduce your training time more, because you will need more rest time to repair your larger muscles.
- On days when you are not weight training, you can still be physically active. Do cardio exercises like jogging, swimming, biking, or even brisk walking to keep yourself moving.
Step 2. Keep the training sessions short
There's no need to train for hours at a time - in fact, if you train for too long, you risk damaging your muscles, which could force you to rest. Your training sessions should last anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour.
Step 3. Work different muscle groups on different days
Instead of working your entire body in each session, it's best to separate your muscle groups so that some parts of your body have time to rest while other parts of your body are working. Create a workout schedule and stick to it, so you don't accidentally overwork certain muscle groups.
Step 4. Train to failure
Bodybuilders have found that short, intense training sessions result in greater muscle mass and strength than light, long training sessions. "Train to failure" means doing an exercise until you are physically unable to repeat the exercise. You'll need to find the train-to-failure weight for each muscle group in order for you to do this effectively.
- To find your train to failure weight, choose a weight you can use for 6-8 reps before your muscles run out of steam. If you can do 10 reps without breaking a sweat or feeling too tired, you should increase the weight of the weight. If you can't do 1 or 2 reps properly, reduce the weight.
- Trying to lift too big a weight before you are strong enough to lift it can damage your muscles, and is also counterproductive. Start with appropriate train-to-failure weights and give your muscles time to build strength. Soon you will find that the load you are using becomes lighter; if that happens, increase the weight by 2 or 4 kg until you can return to a good 6-8 reps.
Step 5. Use the right form of exercise
Another important aspect of building strength and muscle is using the right form of exercise. If you don't, your muscles will be at risk of injury, and you won't be able to train as effectively as they should. Keep the following instructions in mind as you go through your training sessions:
- Begin each rep with your arms or legs fully extended. This makes it more difficult for you to lift the weight, which is the opposite if you start with your elbows or knees bent.
- You should be able to complete each exercise using the right technique. If you can't push the dumbbells over your head with your arms fully extended, for example, then you may need to use lighter weights.
- Don't use thrust to swing your weight. Lift with a steady, controlled motion. Lower the weight back to the starting position slowly, not by dropping it.
Method 4 of 4: Eating Foods That Support Muscle Strength
Step 1. Eat lots of protein
Muscles need protein to be big and strong, and when you're training to build muscle each week, you need to supply your muscles with protein-rich foods. Get creative with your protein sources; not all of your protein sources have to come from meat.
- Chicken, fish, beef, pork and other meat products are excellent sources of protein. Other animal products such as chicken or duck eggs are also good choices.
- Almonds, walnuts, leafy greens, nuts, and other vegetables also contain protein.
- Soy products such as tofu you can also use for your protein intake.
Step 2. Get your calories from healthy sources
Eating foods that make your body produce fat will help you look big, but not strong. You want to reduce the layer of fat between your muscles and skin so that your hard work becomes more visible.
- Avoid eating fried foods, snacks, fast food, and other high-calorie foods, as well as low-nutrient food sources.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy sources of calories.
Step 3. Give additional supplements
Many bodybuilders are helping their body building process by consuming a variety of supplement products to build muscle. Creatine supplements are a popular choice that has been shown to build muscle without having bad side effects. These supplements are available in powder form and must be taken several times a day for maximum benefits.
Avoid supplements that claim to help you gain a certain amount of weight over a certain period of time. Everyone's body is different, and products that claim to have magical properties to build muscle may be a scam
Tips
- Drink lots of water.
- Never skip a meal or exercise.
- If strength-building exercises are too difficult to do properly, do modified versions or do the eccentric (lighter) portion of the exercise until you have enough strength to do the entire exercise in proper form.
- To gain muscle mass quickly, consume small amounts of protein (less than 6 grams) before you train, this will prepare your muscles. In half an hour of exercise, eat a large amount of protein (varies depending on your weight, but at least ~10 grams).
