If you struggle to gain weight and build muscle then you've
probably asked yourself more than once the question "what is the best
way to gain muscle mass?".
While there is a lot of conflicting
information out there on what you need to do and what is the best way to
gain muscle mass, I've found that there are 5 major steps that you need
to follow in order to build the body you deserve.
Step 1 - Increase Your Calorie Intake
The best way to gain muscle mass fast is to significantly increase your daily calorie intake. According to nutritionists an average male should consume around 2,500 calories per day (2,000 for women), but this is simply not enough for those that are looking to gain weight and build muscle mass fast.
You'll need to consume at least 1,000 extra calories per day (3,500 total) to see significant increases in muscle size quickly. Without these additional calories your muscles will effectively be "starved", and this will hamper their growth.
Split them over 6 meals per day, spaced around 3 hours apart. Make sure they are quality calories from sources like lean meats, fish, oatmeal, vegetables, and beans and pulses, and not junk like Big Macs and Doritos.
Step 2 - Muscle Is Protein...So Get More Of It
Protein is the building block to muscle growth, so increasing your daily protein intake is one of the best ways to gain muscle mass. A daily protein target to aim for is around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight - so if you weight 150 pounds then you should be looking to get around 150 grams of protein per day.
Try to get as much as of this protein from natural food sources. If you are running short, get yourself a good quality protein powder (a 100% Whey Isolate is recommended), and use as a post-workout meal.
Step 3 - All-Body Weight Training Workouts
Weight training is simply THE best way to gain muscle mass fast and build an incredible and strong body. However, the key to success is making sure you follow the right program for your body type.
If you've struggled to gain weight and muscle mass in the past then you're most likely an ectomorph like me (known as a hardgainer in the bodybuilding world).
The best way for a skinny ectomorph to gain muscle mass fast is to perform 3 all-body workouts per week with rest days in between. The workouts should last no more than 45 minutes to an hour and be performed at 100% intensity. The focus should be on heavy lifting and progressive overload - i.e. forcing the body to constantly adapt to increasingly heavy weights. This is the real secret to successful weight and muscle gain.
This kind of flies in the face of what most of us have been told about spending every day down the gym and splitting workouts between body parts - Monday is Chest Day, Tuesday is Arms Day, etc. etc.
The key to success for the hardgainer and ectomorph is consistency, heavy lifting, and adequate rest.
Step 4 - Compound Exercises
In addition, the best type of exercises to gain muscle mass for the ectomorph are known as compound exercises.
These are all body exercises such as Squats, Chest Press, Dips and Bent Over Rows, and are a more efficient and faster way to gain muscle mass for the hardgainer.
Make sure the majority of your workout is composed of compound exercises and you'll see major strength and muscle gains quickly.
Step 5 - Rest
The most overlooked and underrated way to gain muscle mass fast is the role played by adequate sleep and rest.
I guess it's because we live in a 24/7 society where resting is somehow seen as lazy or a "waste of time".
The fact is that this couldn't be further from the truth. Rest and sleep are your body's natural way of repairing itself and growing stronger.
When we reach a deep sleep we release a natural anabolic growth hormone which helps our muscles repair themselves and grow stronger. Without this quality sleep we reduce our ability to gain muscle mass.
Not only that but too little sleep can cause a rise in the levels of Cortisol which is a catabolic hormone that draws nutrients away from our muscle tissue making our muscle building efforts even more difficult. Stress also contributes to a rise in cortisol levels.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wheeler
Step 1 - Increase Your Calorie Intake
The best way to gain muscle mass fast is to significantly increase your daily calorie intake. According to nutritionists an average male should consume around 2,500 calories per day (2,000 for women), but this is simply not enough for those that are looking to gain weight and build muscle mass fast.
You'll need to consume at least 1,000 extra calories per day (3,500 total) to see significant increases in muscle size quickly. Without these additional calories your muscles will effectively be "starved", and this will hamper their growth.
Split them over 6 meals per day, spaced around 3 hours apart. Make sure they are quality calories from sources like lean meats, fish, oatmeal, vegetables, and beans and pulses, and not junk like Big Macs and Doritos.
Step 2 - Muscle Is Protein...So Get More Of It
Protein is the building block to muscle growth, so increasing your daily protein intake is one of the best ways to gain muscle mass. A daily protein target to aim for is around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight - so if you weight 150 pounds then you should be looking to get around 150 grams of protein per day.
Try to get as much as of this protein from natural food sources. If you are running short, get yourself a good quality protein powder (a 100% Whey Isolate is recommended), and use as a post-workout meal.
Step 3 - All-Body Weight Training Workouts
Weight training is simply THE best way to gain muscle mass fast and build an incredible and strong body. However, the key to success is making sure you follow the right program for your body type.
If you've struggled to gain weight and muscle mass in the past then you're most likely an ectomorph like me (known as a hardgainer in the bodybuilding world).
The best way for a skinny ectomorph to gain muscle mass fast is to perform 3 all-body workouts per week with rest days in between. The workouts should last no more than 45 minutes to an hour and be performed at 100% intensity. The focus should be on heavy lifting and progressive overload - i.e. forcing the body to constantly adapt to increasingly heavy weights. This is the real secret to successful weight and muscle gain.
This kind of flies in the face of what most of us have been told about spending every day down the gym and splitting workouts between body parts - Monday is Chest Day, Tuesday is Arms Day, etc. etc.
The key to success for the hardgainer and ectomorph is consistency, heavy lifting, and adequate rest.
Step 4 - Compound Exercises
In addition, the best type of exercises to gain muscle mass for the ectomorph are known as compound exercises.
These are all body exercises such as Squats, Chest Press, Dips and Bent Over Rows, and are a more efficient and faster way to gain muscle mass for the hardgainer.
Make sure the majority of your workout is composed of compound exercises and you'll see major strength and muscle gains quickly.
Step 5 - Rest
The most overlooked and underrated way to gain muscle mass fast is the role played by adequate sleep and rest.
I guess it's because we live in a 24/7 society where resting is somehow seen as lazy or a "waste of time".
The fact is that this couldn't be further from the truth. Rest and sleep are your body's natural way of repairing itself and growing stronger.
When we reach a deep sleep we release a natural anabolic growth hormone which helps our muscles repair themselves and grow stronger. Without this quality sleep we reduce our ability to gain muscle mass.
Not only that but too little sleep can cause a rise in the levels of Cortisol which is a catabolic hormone that draws nutrients away from our muscle tissue making our muscle building efforts even more difficult. Stress also contributes to a rise in cortisol levels.