10 Bodybuilding Tips to Build Mass
Building mass is easy if you just look at the scale so we are talking about quality muscle mass here and not just adding weight to your body. Muscle is 2.5 times heavier than fat so you do not have to gain a whole lot of muscle to start adding mass to your total body-weight.
There are countless ways to go about increasing muscle mass on your body but the following ten points have been selected to cover the basic requirements.
Emphasize The Negative
All muscle growth comes from the logical by-product of any long term muscle contraction but sports science tell us that we are 60% stronger on an eccentric lift compared to any concentric lift. The stretching of the targeted muscle during the eccentric, or negative contraction while maintaining the tension enables muscle growth.
Eat More Fish
All fish like salmon will give you loads of the required omega-3 fatty acids which are able to increase insulin sensitivity and fuel glycogen storage in the muscles. This enables the entry of all amino acids into the muscles while being able to preserve the important glutamine stores.
Increase Sodium Intake
Bodybuilders generally have given sodium a bad rap because it retains water however sodium will enhance all carbohydrate storage capacity as well as speed up amino acid absorption. Salt (sodium) will also increase the ability of the muscle to response to changing insulin levels.
Stop Doing Cardio
Any cardio done for more than 30 minutes will have a detrimental effect on any muscle improvement in size or strength. It will use up all of the precious muscle glycogen and branch chained amino acids (BCAA) you have available.
Lift Explosively
The force you can generate when lifting is going to be directly proportional to the muscle gains you get. The force is the weight you lift multiplied by acceleration you use to lift the weight. The speed you use to explosively push the weight will develop more muscle than slow training will.
Always Rest Correctly
If you are training 4 times a week or more you need at least 8 hours of sleep to recuperate correctly. Taking three days off your regular training schedule will also help to restore your muscle glycogen levels, increase anabolism and allow all your hormonal indexes like testosterone and cortisol to be able to return to their optimal levels.
Eat During The Night After Sleep
Planning a protein drink or shake when you wake up after 4 hours sleep might seem a bit extreme but it will have a big difference on your recovery as the required nutrients needed for continued muscle repair will be readily available.
Increase Strength By Powerlifting
Bodybuilders use the 6 to 12 rep range because it builds muscle size but you need muscle strength to lift a heavier weight so increasing strength capacity will increase muscle size. Training like a power-lifter using a heavy weight for low reps of 1 to 4 will ensure strength gains. Increased strength means more tension in the muscle which means more muscle growth.
Supplement Creatine and Amino Acids
Creatine increases strength and endurance while also volumizing the muscle cells.
Amino Acids not only help build muscle mass but also promote faster recovery from intense workouts.
Add one meal to your day
Building muscle requires more quality calories added to your diet but protein should be added first and adding an extra meal of complex carbs with some protein and some good quality fat will help you to speed up muscle repair.
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