Crank up some music. Research has shown that listening to music
you love while you are lifting can help you do more reps than not
listening to any music at all or not listening to the music that you
like. In addition, having headphones can help distract you from having a
conversation with others that will defer your workout.
Always use
your own intuition when working out. Although planning out your
workouts ahead is good for making sure that you stay accountable,
sometimes you can't always stick to this schedule. For example, you
might not be ready for another quad session after your last session left
you exhausted. On the other hand, your arms could be well rested after a
good workout just a few days ago. Listen to what your body tells you,
and follow it.
Utilize giant sets on occasion. A giant set is when
you do at least four exercises for a single muscle group simultaneously
without resting. Do one or two of these giant sets in order to shock a
muscle into growing. For your smaller muscles, which include your
shoulders, biceps, and trips, a single giant set is adequate in order to
achieve a complete workout.
Focus on the negative. Everyone
focuses on the lift when they are trying to build muscle, but it is
equally important to place emphasis on the negative, or downward, move
of each repetition. When you do this, you help to stretch the muscle
while creating tension, which can lead to just the right amount of
muscle fatigue to promote future growth.
Muscle building starts
with proper hydration and eating habits. If you are not eating right,
your muscles will never develop the mass or size that you want. The key
to a proper diet is to get the correct ratio of fats, carbs and
proteins, however this ratio varies depending on body type.
Perform
each exercise to muscle failure. Muscle failure is when you couldn't
possibly do any more reps because your muscle is so fatigued. While
performing an exercise that has three sets, start with a heavy weight
and do 15 repetitions, and then do 2 fewer reps each set. Even as you
get tired, continue to give each rep your maximum effort.
Make
sure that your diet has enough protein when you are trying to build
muscle mass. The maximum amount of protein intake you need is about one
gram of protein for every pound of your body weight on a daily basis.
Slightly more or less protein does not matter too much, but you do need
to intake as much as possible.
Tracking your progress is important
when trying to build muscle. It can be hard to determine your
progression if you do not take the time to track your muscle-building
journey. This can easily be done using a measuring tape and a notebook.
Write down your starting measurements and track any developments every
two weeks or once a month.
Push ups are a fantastic exercise to
consider if you are trying to build muscle. They do not require any
equipment and you can do them anywhere. Push ups, when done correctly,
will build muscle in the upper body and boost your metabolism, leading
to a healthier body over all.
Do not train one day and follow it
by another training session the next. Always skip one day between to be
sure that your muscles have the time that they need to repair themselves
before working out again. If you do not allow them to heal, they are
not going to develop as fast as you would like them to, and you could
end up hurting yourself.
Make sure that you keep on increasing the
number of weights that you lift. In order to build big, strong muscles,
you need to constantly extend your current muscles to their limit. If
your muscles are not intensively worked out, they will not grow. You
could also increase the number of repetitions that you do to increase
the intensity of your workout.
