Little Gems
- Recent studies highlight the immense benefits of increasing and preserving muscle mass
- Building muscle requires mastering proper training techniques, adequate rest and other key fundamentals
- Creatine will not only help enhance your training capacity, recent studies also demonstrate the significant cognitive benefits creatine provides
- Building muscle requires a surplus of calories not reached if you are always under-eating
Let's Kick Things Off
Building muscle can be challenging, and with recent research highlighting the exponential benefits of increasing and preserving muscle mass as we age, it is more important than ever to understand how to build and maintain it effectively. By mastering the right techniques, you can transform your physique and improve your overall health for the long term.
Here’s some fundamentals you need to consider when trying to build muscle;
1. Good Form
Studies show good technique when lifting recruits more muscle fibers and prevents injury, allowing you to train more consistently.
2. Full Range of Motion
Studies show most muscles grow faster when forced into a stretched position under load. Try selecting exercises that encourage a full range of motion, using an appropriate weight so you can increase your range and force the working muscle into a stretched position, instead of loading up the weight and doing short reps with poor form.
3. Quality Sleep
Quality sleep is important for so many reasons and plays a pivotal role in enhancing your muscle gains, both directly and indirectly. During a deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, which is crucial for muscle repair and regeneration. This process helps in rebuilding muscle fibers that are broken down during workouts, leading to increased muscle mass overtime. Quality sleep also improves overall recovery, energy levels and performance.
4. Adequate Nutrition
It is hard putting on muscle if your body isn’t getting enough calories from key macronutrients. Simply put, building muscle requires a surplus of calories not reached if you are always under-eating. Aim for daily protein intake somewhere around 1.6-2.2g per kilo of body weight with a sufficient amount of carbs and fats based on your needs.
5. Progression
You need to be doing one or more of the following over time; Lifting heavier (getting stronger), Doing more reps with the same weight (getting stronger), Improving your lifts (i.e proper form, range etc), Getting close to actual failure with a few reps in reserve most of the time, and nothing left in the tank some of the time.
6. Ample Rest and Recovery
We don’t actually “build muscle” in the gym. We break muscle down while we train and build it while we rest and recover. Protocols around adequate calorie intake, good sleep, rest and stress management will help encourage efficient recovery.
7. Creatine Supplementation
Creatine will not only help enhance your training output and capacity, recent studies also demonstrate the significant cognitive benefits creatine provides. It is also one of the most studied and understood supplements in the world.
8. Cardio
The healthier your heart is, the efficacy of which your body can transport blood and oxygen around your body, and the more stamina you have, the better you will be able to perform when lifting weights.
9. Aggressive Output
If you want to build muscle, you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable while training. That means pushing your exercises past initial pain (not injury kind of pain) and developing a greater threshold to push very close to muscular failure. Your intensity to get sets close to failure is vital in stimulating hypertrophy.
10. Consistency
Doing all of the above only yields results when done over time. The good news is, when you do them over time they become habitual and you will start to accept nothing less of yourself.
The Wrap Up
Building muscle requires a well-rounded approach that incorporates good form, quality rest, proper nutrition and consistency. Muscle growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with these key fundamentals and a sprinkle of discipline you can achieve lasting results. Stay committed, embrace the challenge and watch your body transform to positively impact you now and in the future!
Yours in good health,
Nick
