5 tips to build muscle as fast as possible
Learning to build muscle fast is easy, putting it into practice is the hard part. Most people think that if you lift more weight, you will gain more muscle mass. This is simply not the case.
Building muscle has as much to do with diet as it is with training, if not more.
You can’t build muscle without a calorie surplus, just as you can’t build muscle without resistance training.
To build muscle quickly, you must optimize your diet and training regimen. This is how you do it.
1. Avoid low carb diets
While low-carb diets are great for reducing fat, they won’t help you gain muscle mass. You need carbohydrates for fuel so that you can exercise more efficiently.
Carbohydrates are important before training sessions and immediately after training sessions. Carbohydrates are the main fuel for your muscles.
By consuming complex carbohydrates, you restore glycogen stores within your muscles[1] for more activity and fullness. This is an important factor in the effectiveness of a training session.
2. Avoid all alcohol
Alcohol, even in small amounts, can have significant effects on sleep and recovery. In a 1980 study, alcohol in small doses (0.8 g / kg) before bedtime suppressed plasma growth hormone by 70% -75%.[2].
If you add in the effects of dehydration and the release of cortisol, it’s nothing more than a recipe for disaster.
3. Get more protein
There is a lot of confusion around protein these days. One article says you don’t eat enough, the other says you eat too much.
So what is the key?
For moderately active and very active adults, it is reasonable to consume around 2-3 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight.[3]
Studies show that excessive protein intake has an extremely low probability of negative side effects. Furthermore, protein is essential in many bodily functions.
4. Lift heavy weights
Protein alone cannot build muscle. To really increase size, you must lift heavy weights. Or use your body weight to achieve the desired resistance.
In the gym, you can focus on lifting 6 sets of 6 reps with a weight heavy enough to hit failure in the last two sets. This should be enough to make significant progress.
5. Change your workouts
This does not necessarily mean changing exercises. Vary your sets and reps, rest time, and intensity. This will help you overcome those dreaded plateaus.
I hope this list helps you achieve your desired physique. But this can only help you if you take daily actions continuously. Avoid analysis paralysis and just get down to business.
References:
1. Louise M Burke, Bente Kiens and John L Ivy
Carbohydrates and fats for training and recovery.
Pages 15-30 | Accepted on August 7, 2003, published online: February 18, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140527
2. Prinz, PN et al., The effect of alcohol on sleep and concentrations of plasma growth hormone and cortisol at night, J. Clin. Endocrine. Metabol., 50 (4), 759-764, 1980
3. Paul Hovan Jr., May 10, 2016
https://www.issaonline.edu/blog/index.cfm/2016/how-much-is-too-much-protein-myths-busted