Gain Muscle Mass & Increase Strength
EBOOKSNARTICLES.COM
August 29, 2011
Authored by: Bames
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Disclaimer
All material in this e-book is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best information available to the author at the time of writing, and readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The author acknowledges occasional differences in opinion and welcomes the exchange of different viewpoints. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
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Table of Contents
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Weight-Lifting Workout Plans for the Upper and Lower Body ................................ 30
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Gain Muscle Mass & Increase Strength
If you are trying to find a way of how to gain muscle mass and increase strength, go no further than your nearest gym. There is a way to safely increase muscle mass. However, you need to understand that certain practices like yo-yo dieting does more harm than good.
If you want to achieve results you need to stay lean for quite some time. That does not mean you need to starve but also should avoid overeating. The best way is to have a controlled intake of food that has adequate amounts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that will help your body build permanent muscle mass without the body fat.
Increased Muscle Mass VS Increased Body Weight So many people want to find a quick way to build muscles and there are times when they even try to achieve this by increasing their body weight. The thinking behind such a bizarre idea is that by eating huge amounts of food they will become heavier and will be able to lift heavier weights. Many believe that the increased weight will somehow stimulate the muscle fibers and will mean growth. However, this thinking simply confuses muscle weight with the total body weight. It is a fact that people with more muscle mass will be able to lift more. But muscle mass is very different from body fat. Body fat has no role in muscle contraction.
The reality is too much fat, protein or carbohydrates only result in the increased deposits of body fat. It is true that your body needs nutrients but the correct amount of nutrients depends upon your muscle mass, exercise intensity and base metabolic rate. This means every person has unique nutritional requirements. Having a diet that is suited to your levels will help you build your muscle mass. Anything more than that will only build blubber.
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A pound of body fat has approximately 3,500 calories and the very nature of progressive resistance training, the utilization of the fat stores during exercises is relatively minimal. Exercises or moderate intensity like aerobics can help burn body fat for use as fuel for the body; the body is also capable of utilizing carbohydrates as energy.
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Increasing Muscle Mass
Most of the time, people tend to build their exercise regimen based on articles they read in magazines or shows they watch on television. The thing is, the biggest mistake people who want to increase their muscle mass make is to do or copy routines that they read in those body building magazines or shows.
The muscled specimens featured in such magazines or shows do not train naturally because most of them are genetically gifted. Copying their routines will not make you build those sculpted muscles fast.
The normal person needs to try a very different tack. The approach must be one that builds the muscles fast but also prevents mental and physical overtraining by doing too much, too fast. The definitive guide to building muscle mass involves:
1. Getting Stronger. The rule of thumb is, the more strength, the more muscle. So you need to get into weight training to build strength.
Weight training allows you to start with light weights and add weight gradually as you progress in your training. Those body-weight exercises are also great. You can start with an empty bar and learn the right technique. Then, gradually, you can add weight to each workout to push yourself out of the comfort zone and keep progressing. Keep in mind that you must not get overeager. If you want long-lasting results, you need to do it properly.
2. Free Weights Are Great. Barbells allow you to list the heaviest weights. More weights mean more stress and that means more muscle. But you need to make sure that you do not jump ahead of yourself and try to lift weights too heavy for you. For assistance exercises, you can use dumbbells but you need to use barbells for your main lifting exercises. You also need to steer clear of the machines.
a. Free weights are safe. Those fancy machines may look good and all really cool but they will only force you into doing unnatural and forced movements. Free weights allow for the replication of FOR FREELANCE WRITING SERVICES CONTACT: BAMES@EBOOKSNARTICLES.COM
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natural motion.
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b. Free weights are efficient. Machines balance the weight for you. Free weights force you into controlling and balancing the weights that you lift. This helps build more muscle.
c. Free weights are more functional. The strength that has been built on machines does not transfer to free weights.
d. Free weights are versatile. With just one barbell, you can do an innumerable number of exercises. This saves you a lot of space and money especially if you are trying to build your own home gym.
3. Compound Exercises Those isolation exercises are fine for building your base muscle mass and strength, but if you are starting to build muscle, you need those exercises that can impact several muscles at the same time.
4. Your Legs Also Need Training The most important exercises are the squats. This is because they work your whole body. All the muscles tense when you do deadlifts and squats because they work all the areas of the body as one and allow you to lift heavy weights.
Forget about those bicep curls. Your arms will automatically get bigger when you can deadlift and squat heavy weights.
5. Full Body Workouts Are Good You may need 3 workouts per week that is about one hour duration each, including compound exercises like deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, barbell rows, bench presses, dips, pull-ups and the like.
6. Recovery. Those huge muscled professional athletes workout about 5 to 6 times per week but they obviously did not start that way. They started simple and added more and more workouts as they got bigger and stronger. You will definitely suffer from overtraining if you jump a step and start doing their routines. A beginner needs more recovery.
a. You need rest. Muscles grow when you are resting and not when you work-out. You can start with about three full body FOR FREELANCE WRITING SERVICES CONTACT: BAMES@EBOOKSNARTICLES.COM
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workouts in a week and focus more on the intensity and not the time in the gym.
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b. You need sleep. Your body releases growth hormones when you sleep and that helps in building muscle. You need eight hours of sleep. Take a nap after your workout if your lifestyle allows it.
c. You need water. Dehydration is bad for muscle recovery.
You need to drink about 2 glasses of water with every meal and keep sipping water during your workout.
d. You need to eat. All the training in the world is useless if you do not eat enough amounts of calories as required for recovery.
7. Whole Foods are Important. If you allow some changes in your diet and include more whole foods, you will be better able to achieve lower body fat. This will make those growing muscles show better.
a. Carbohydrates – oats, whole grain pastas, brown rice b. Fats – flax seed oil, olive oil, real butter, fish oil c. Fruits – pineapples, bananas, apples, oranges, pears d. Vegetables – carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach 8. Eat proper meals. Although when it comes to muscle building, the exercise is much more important than the diet, you do need to give your body the sustenance it needs for optimum performance.
a. Breakfast is important. Eating a full breakfast gives you enough energy to make it through the day.
b. You need to eat after a workout. You need to replenish your body’s store of energy by eating carbohydrates and protein.
c. Eat 6 small meals a day. This will give your muscles steady supplies of protein which will help them develop and will also help boost your metabolism.
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Food That Help In Building Muscle Mass
Even though most people believe that the key to gain muscle mass is just exercise and lifting weights, it is a misconception. Strength training utilizing heavy weights is important but the true key to gain muscle mass is in the diet.
The right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat is essential.
Protein
The most basic building block of human tissue, which includes muscle, is amino acids which are the basic structural form of protein. You will not be able to build body mass without having a sufficient amount of protein in your diet. Most athletes and bodybuilders consider an intake of 2g protein per pound of body weight is essential to gain body mass.
Protein Sources
There are many healthy sources of protein for the person who is aiming for building body mass. These include fish, protein shakes, eggs, dairy products which include cheese and milk.
Fats
The previous notion was carbohydrates and dietary fats are unhealthy. This is not true, according to the late founder of the Atkins Diet, Dr. Robert C. Atkins, fats are necessary to a person’s fitness and health.
Fat Sources
The consumption of most of the ideal sources of protein can provide the healthy fats in the diet as well. An addition of a supplement of fish oil in the diet may also be useful when one is hoping to muscle mass. That is FOR FREELANCE WRITING SERVICES CONTACT: BAMES@EBOOKSNARTICLES.COM
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because fish oils are essential sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are crucial to building muscle mass provided you do not take too much. The intake of simple carbohydrates post your workout is essential in the shuttling of fat and protein nutrients to the muscles immediately after the exercise routine. Also, complex carbohydrates that are fiber-rich, such as vegetables are an important part of the diet so that health is maintained and there is an ample supply of energy.
Carbohydrate Sources
Simple carbohydrate sources include rice, fruits, and potatoes. If they are used as part of your whole-foods meal or as part of your protein shakes, they provide glycogen which is needed in the restoration of intramuscular stores.
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Foods Best for Gaining Muscle Mass
Although working out is an integral part of gaining muscle mass, dietary options also play a crucial role in increasing muscle. The food you eat provides the minerals and vitamins that your body needs to stay healthy and there are also certain foods that play a role in helping your body build muscle quicker than others.
Chicken
One food that can aid with gaining muscle mass is chicken. The lean protein that is found in chicken is important for the building of muscle. However, it should not be over-consumed. The consumption of about 1 to 2 grams of lean protein per pound of body weight is good enough. It is not recommended that this be exceeded as you will simply be consuming calories that are above the amounts you need and will therefore be stored by your body as fat instead.
Brown Rice
Carbohydrates such as those found in brown rice, are the body’s main source of energy. This is the energy that is fueling the training which helps you gain muscle mass. The complex carbohydrates found in brown rice are crucial because your body is unable to work as hard without the energy that is provided by carbohydrates. Without the carbohydrates your body will instead burn the protein that you need to help build your body mass and this means that your body will use the existing muscle tissue that you already possess to provide the energy it needs.
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Legumes
Legumes are excellent sources of fiber which is crucial for keeping the energy and blood sugar levels in your body stable. They are also very rich in carbohydrates that provide the energy needed during a workout and protein that is needed in gaining muscle mass. Legume choices include kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black beans and many others.
Nuts
Nuts are easy-to-eat snacks that also provide good fats and a variety of nutrients that can help in the building of muscle and tissue. Nuts also contain potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E, folate and zinc. Healthy nut choices in your diet can include cashews, pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts.
However, it is important to remember not to eat too many nuts as they are also high in calories and you may end up gaining weight instead of muscle mass.
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Muscle Mass Gaining Daily Meal Plans
The development of a muscle mass gaining daily meal plan requires that y