Basic Facts About Muscle Building

Basic Facts About Muscle BuildingIt’s Easier Than You Think!

So you want to start building muscle, right? But you’re struggling with the overwhelming information you need to get started and learning how to maintain your muscle. Well here are some basic facts about muscle building that may be a repeat to you if you’ve already done the research, but all it really boils down to is using these facts and doing the trial and error method along the way! You only learn by figuring it out for yourself! It’s a lot easier than you think and you might realize it doesn’t take a whole lot to reach your fitness goals!

Now there are numerous theories, methods and preferences! Now you may follow some guys routine that works out for him, but you may soon realize that it doesn’t exactly work for you. It’s important to create your own way of working out that works best for you and really there is no shortage of advice, but it’s best to stick to the basic facts about muscle building that will help you reach your ultimate fitness goals! Another big thing is that people seem to forget is that getting stronger isn’t about what takes place in the gym, its what you do outside of the gym that is highly important as well!

What Are The Basic Facts About Muscle Building?

These basic facts about muscle building will give you the head start you need to start reaching your ultimate fitness goals and have you developing your own routine that works best for you!

  1. Protein, Protein, Protein! Protein is vital to have with every meal, especially if you are really trying to build muscle. It helps to build it up and maintain it. Try and aim for one gram of protein per pound of body weight a day. This should extend over about 5-6 meals per day. However, do not overdo it on protein, as it can be linked to health issues such as, kidney stones.
  2. Carbs, Carbs, Carbs! As the protein you consume helps you to build muscle, the carbohydrates you consume will provide your body with energy. If you are not consuming enough carbs your body will tap into the protein to use a fuel. Try and used minimally processed carbs such as veggies, steel cut oats and quinoa.
  3. Become A Frequent Eater. For many people who are looking to gain muscle, they don’t eat enough food in the day and 3 meals a day is not enough food! Eating at least five to six meals a day keeps your body’s metabolism firing. The most readily available substance for you body to consume is muscle not fat, if you don’t eat often. The body is resistant to fat loss and will turn to attacking lean muscle first.
  4. Get Plenty Of Sleep! It’s difficult to build muscle without adequate sleep. Make sure you’re getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. This is when most of your hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone are released allowing your body to recover and grow. You’re ultimately sabotaging your muscle building efforts without the proper amount of sleep.
  5. Foundation Is Important! Challenge the stability and mobility of key muscles such as your shoulders, hips and midsection with medicine balls, physioballs, mini-bands, and rotational movements.
  6. Do Not Follow The Same Routine! Training at a consistent time day after day can be a good thing, but having that routine workout is not since the body quickly adapts. Make sure to keep challenging yourself by adding different movements.
  7. Paying Attention To The Back. Building muscle effectively is difficult without a properly functioning set of glutes. Learn how to move through the hips and activate and fire your glutes. In the end, you’ll move properly and build muscle efficiently and with less risk or injusry.
  8. The Importance Of Timing! Once you’ve completed your workout your body is screaming for nutrients. The sooner you refuel your boy that quicker it will recover and your muscles will grow. One way of making sure you get these nutrients is to place post-workout recovery mix in your gym bag and a shaker bottle that you can mix immediately after working out!
  9. Exercise + Water = Important. Water sports such as swimming, surfing and stand up paddle boarding are great ways to build muscle. Drinking enough water before, during and after exercise can increase performance up to 25 percent. Drink 1/2 to one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day.
  10. It’s Not All About The Lifting. You can building muscle by doing some pretty creative and unique things, such as paddling, navigating monkey bars, carrying logs, flipping tires, etc. The best muscle building exercises are those that mimic everyday movements.
  11. Involve As Many Muscles As Possible! Think in terms of rotational, chopping, and swinging movements that provide much more range of motion.
  12. Keep Up With Your Intensity! It’s best not to rest between sets. Superset with a pushing exercise, like a set of pushups, followed immediately with a pulling exercise like a dumbbell row, You’ll produce better performance!
  13. It Takes Active Rests. The body recovers and muscles grow on off days. Rest is a good strategy but active rest promotes recovery. Using a foam roller provides deep compression to roll out muscle spasms that develop over time.
  14. It Is Never Too Late! Strength training is an effective way to retain mobility and independence into the latter years.