Ask any fitness trainer in any gym and they will tell you that despite the massive advancements made in science and nutrition over the last two decades the majority of gym users are still totally confused when it comes to learning how to build muscle or improve their overall physique.
If you're one of the many who feel lost on this topic we're going to help you right now.
There are a number of different strategies you can use, a number of different physics which work. In fact one of the biggest barriers in the fitness industry in general is the sheer amount of different styles and techniques out there. What should be a great asset and provide great variation instead serves only to confuse the majority and they end up getting nowhere, unable to commit to anything for fear that in three months they'll be told everything they have been doing is 'wrong'.
Don't let anybody tell you that you need to train their way or give you the false impression that they know 'the secret' and everybody else is doing things wrong. Those are the type of trainers or fitness enthusiasts who are bad teachers as they have closed minds and will simply teach what might work for them, not realizing that everybody is different.
On this page we will be delving into the list of fundamental steps which form the basis of a good strength and size workout plan as well as nutrition guide. Whether you are a complete newcomer to resistance training, somebody who has never even stepped foot inside a gym before or someone who has been training for a while but never truly got the results they were pushing for, you will get something out of today's article.
The first step takes place not in the gym but at home before you go to your next workout. We're talking about your diet plan, of course.
By the time you next visit the gym you should have your diet completely sorted out so that you can begin getting immediate results. We will teach you how to do it. One of the biggest misunderstandings in fitness is people believe their diet is something they cannot work out for themselves. They get sucked into celebrity diet fads which don't work. The truth is it's easy to get this sorted out.
Write down the weight you want to reach in pounds and then multiply it by 15. Congratulations, you've done it. Now you have your daily calorie target and yes, it was that simple! If you'd like to build up slowly swap out the multiplication of 15 for a multiplication of 12 instead.
Now that you have that target you are ahead of most other trainers at your local gym. That's right. The number one issue in getting more muscular is done with a calculator, not a dumbbell. Most people never take the time to do it and therefore no matter how regularly they hit the weights they never seem to look any different. I am sure you know a few faces from your local gym who fit this category.
Your training program will need attention too, naturally. Your workouts cannot be just random and they cannot be built to simply suit your personal tastes. When people ask us where they went wrong it's common to discover that they've simply been leaving in their favorite exercises and cutting anything which didn't feed their ego quite as much. Compound exercises are the spine of your routine, build your workout around your big lifts for maximum results and try to aim your rep range in the muscle growth zone, which is eight to twelve reps.
You are now coming along swimmingly and should be feeling very confident in yourself here. The next two steps cover less obvious points which are often overlooked.
The amount of rest you get is paramount to your results. Many of us dismiss the importance of rest and believe we don't really need it as much as doctor's and scientists tend to make out. That's their loss, don't let it be your downfall. Your body needs rest just as much as it needs a healthy diet and exercise.
You should try to hit the weights no more than three times per week if you are just starting out and no more than four times if you are already training regularly. Think of a rest day as a growth day, so it doesn't feel as if you are doing nothing with your time. This is where you grow, where your body builds.
Sleep also plays an important role in your potential progress. We have all surely heard the doctor's recommendation that we need eight hours of sleep each night but how many of us pay attention to it? Not very many. Again, as with rest days, sleep is where your body unlocks extra results so neglecting it is silly.
Natural growth hormone is released while your body recuperates from the day's work. If you don't get a decent night of sleep and you like to be up again on just a couple of hours rest you will notice it becomes much harder to get any results with your fitness. Your gym sessions will suffer as will your mood in general.
Now you know the basics and we're betting it wasn't as hard or as complex as you thought it would be when you first arrived! The next time you hear somebody asking how to build muscle I want you to remind yourself of the basic rules. Sleep, rest, specific training and a focused diet will get you there. Any personal trainer worth his salt will help you set that plan up should you require help however it's not as difficult as most people think, as you discovered today!
About the Author:
Creator: Russ Howe PTI is a trusted personal trainer. See how to build muscle with our free video guide showing the five principles to a more powerful physique and the best shoulder building exercises.