MUSCLE BUILDING

MUSCLE BUILDING

Are you interested in muscle building but don’t know where to start? Have you inherited the skinny gene that keeps you from putting on weight no matter what you do? Do you feel embarrassed about your body every time you hit the beach? Is there a way out?

Yes, there is. You don’t have to live with the body that you have. You can change it. But it will take a lot of consistency and dedication from your part. You won’t get results overnight and you may need to switch to a completely different lifestyle if your current one is not exactly healthy. We’re talking about becoming overall fit and building lean rock solid muscle. If you keep the benefits in mind, the effort definitely seems worth it.

The Many Benefits
Weight training will increase your bone density, reducing your chances of developing osteoporosis as well as the likelihood of fractures. When you workout, you build muscle tissue and strengthen your ligaments and tendons. Your metabolic rate increases, stress and blood pressure levels reduce and body fat decreases.

But a lot of people live under the misconception that a muscle building program makes you huge and bulky.

That’s not true; the idea is to build lean muscle mass naturally without any drugs or unnecessary supplements.

Eat a controlled, healthy diet and you don’t have to worry about becoming The Hulk! There are meal plans available which help you lose fat to get a more defined look.

Eat Right
Once you start weight training it is crucial to follow a nutritious diet. Since your metabolism will increase, you can and should eat more. Extra calories are needed by the body to build more muscle. Eating three meals a day will no longer suffice.

You need to eat frequently now, so gun for 6 meals a day. Your focus should be on getting enough protein, carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Dietary fats are essential for hormone production, which in turn is responsible for growth and increased strength.

Carbs provide your body with energy. Proteins provide amino acids, which are necessary to build and repair muscle. On a daily basis try to consume 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh.

When to Eat
Right after a workout is the best time to pile on those carbs and proteins! Remember, nutrition is the make or break factor. The most effective approach is to workout intensely, then tuck in good nutritious meal and get some sleep!

While you rest, your body gets down to work – it repairs the muscle you damaged during your power packed training and it builds more muscle. So, don’t underestimate the need for more food and rest!

Drink Up!
Drinking lots of water is vital for good health. It keeps your muscles hydrated and gets rid of toxins in the body. When you start training with weights, you can easily get dehydrated. And a dehydrated muscle takes longer to repair itself, so tank up on water!

Fiber Files
Consuming a high fiber diet goes a long way in making you feel full while strengthening your digestive and cardiovascular systems. Fiber keeps your intestines in good condition and it lowers your bad cholesterol levels. It plays an important role in fighting cardiovascular diseases. Since fiber takes longer to digest, this means you feel full for a longer period of time, as a result your calorie intake will reduce. Men should ideally consume around 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories they eat, while women can eat 21 to 28 grams of fiber daily. Brown rice, whole wheat breads and pasta, fruits, oats, peas, barley, beans, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are rich in fiber.

Don’t Live in the Gym!
Another fallacy is that you need to spend as much time as you can in the gym, as often as possible. Actually, with the right program you just need to spend 3 hours a week in the gym. Why overdo it when you can get tangible results with minimal effort?

Muscle Tussle
Before you hit the gym make sure you have a good understanding of muscles, fibers and how they grow. When you workout, you stimulate muscle growth by causing damage to your muscle cells. The body’s defense mechanism kicks in and it tries to overcompensate by building up the muscle cell. Each muscle is made up of bundles of muscle fibers.
There are three main fiber types in the body:
1. Fast twitch muscle fibers (Type A): They contract the most and have large motor neurons. But they aren’t very effective in utilizing oxygen and can only contract for 1 to 20 seconds at the most. That’s why you can’t depend on them for endurance activities. These fibers require creatine phosphate and glucose for energy.

2. Fast twitch muscle fibers (Type B): This fiber type is usually used for short duration activities since they are more resistant to exhaustion and can contract for longer periods. As fast twitch muscle fibers, they too have a large motor neuron, but not as big as Type A, and they use oxygen well.

3. Slow twitch muscle fibers: This type is used during long duration activities of medium to low intensity. They provide slower contractions, use oxygen very effectively and don’t tire easily. These muscle fibers depend on fat for fuel.

Train those Muscle Fibers!
So, there are the main muscle fibers. But how do you use them during weight training? Type A fast twitch fibers generate maximum force, so training them requires a power packed workout for a short duration. Running at full speed or 1 to 5 repetition sets during weightlifting will be effective in building these muscle fibers.

Type B calls for less forceful contractions sustained over a longer period of time. Six to ten repetitions will do in this group. When it comes to the slow twitch muscle fibers, endurance is key. You should focus on a weight training or running session for an extended period. Now you can plan your workouts based on these muscle fiber types for better results.

No-Nonsense Muscle Building
To learn more about muscle gain read up expert fitness trainer Vince Delmonte’s ebook ‘No-Nonsense Muscle Building’. He cuts to the chase busting old bodybuilding myths, warning against taking supplements while teaching you how to gain muscle naturally without weight gain. The only supplements he recommends are high quality multivitamins, protein and creatine powders and fish oil capsules.
Vince doesn’t mince words and guarantees that if you follow his program you can easily double your muscle gain in half the amount of time that it usually takes. The fact that Vince has helped more than 20000 people in 21 countries to gain rock solid muscle makes his promise all the more believable.

Medically Speaking
In medical terminology, the word for muscle growth is hypertrophy. It simply means the enlargement of muscles because of an increase in the size of muscle cells, especially the muscle’s fibers. Short term hypertrophy takes place when your muscles get all pumped up after resistance training.

Give it Your Best Shot
The reason why most people don’t get the results they’re looking for is because they’ve been taught the wrong approach to weight training. Very few men or women go about it the proper way and end up giving up when they don’t get a ripped body. Whether you’re an amateur with no experience or you’re at the intermediate level or you belong to the ‘been there and given up’ group, either way make sure you have clear goals.

Realistically speaking, how much muscle would you like to gain in 3 months, 6 months and after 1 year? Figure that out and then work backwards. That way, you’ll know how much muscle you need to gain every month to achieve your long term goal.

Program ‘Wise’
Read up and research on any program before you join it. Is the program in synch with your goals? Ask other trainees, visit different gyms and read up reviews on the Internet. Once you’ve chosen a program, commit to it for 12 weeks before calling it a day. And come what may don’t try to teach yourself weight training techniques!

There are experts out there for a reason and they are called experts for a reason! Why risk injury to your back, shoulders, tendons, ligaments or joints by trying to master the techniques yourself? Remember, you will only get results IF you train properly.

Consistent Persistence
You have to be consistent to get serious muscles. Take baby steps at every workout. Outdo yourself by an extra repetition or some more weight with every workout. This will also motivate you when you progress towards your goals slowly but surely.

If you have an average body or are struggling with an inherited skinny gene, you might like to check out: vincedelmontefitness.com Vince specializes in training skinny men and women on how to build lean muscle without any drugs. He gives you the truth, the tools and the motivation to keep at it. Considering he was once 149-pound ‘Skinny Vinny’ and became a 190-pound national fitness model champion in less than 6 months, his techniques seem credible.

From Skinny to Stocky
Some of you might like to build your muscles as well as gain weight as quickly as possible. For starters, stop training for hours on end, throw away those expensive supplements and forget about those protein shakes! Yes, you read right! See, if you’re one of those naturally skinny people who don’t put on weight not matter how hard you try, maybe you need a different approach?

Intense is the Way to Go!
Maybe you need to train like there’s no tomorrow! Break into a sweat and break your previous record while you’re at it! Just give yourself a heart pumping, blood racing and intensely focused session! Lift heavy weights but don’t do more than 10 repetitions. Complete your workout in less time and decrease the amount of time you take to rest.

Work on different muscle groups instead of concentrating on one and stick to 3 to 5 sets for each muscle group. Up the power week after week and see what happens! Give it everything you’ve got! But always workout under supervision and only after you’ve done your stretches. This should be part of the program you’ve chosen.

Get Rid of Mind Block
Another way to a muscular physique is to stop your mind from constantly thinking negatively. If you keep thinking you’re a loser when it comes to your body, you’re only making that statement more firmly etched into your psyche. And your body and mind will respond and give you exactly that – a weak body! Turn your thoughts around and see the difference it’ll make. Every time you train tell yourself you’re a muscleman! Each time you eat know that you’re putting on weight by nourishing your body. Belief is half the battle won or lost. Decide which way you want to go!

Stretch it Right
As a rule, you should stretch for about half of your weightlifting time. Skipping stretching or not doing enough of it is the worst thing anyone can do while exercising! It’s a sure shot way to an injury. You see, stretching restores the normal length to the tissue. When you consistently train, your muscle tissues shorten and become weaker. Stretching counteracts this shortening of muscle tissues. Its importance cannot be stressed enough. This is also a good yardstick to figure out if you’re with the right trainer or program. If they don’t make you stretch, run!

Some people refer to stretching as flexibility training. You should always warm up before a workout and then move on to stretching. And since you exercise each muscle group in sets, use the time between each set to gently stretch that muscle. Never stretch so far that you experience pain and make sure that your movements are not jerky. They should be smooth and calm.

These are the benefits of proper stretching:
1. Improves posture
2. Prevents injury
3. Enhances the range of motion
4. Relaxes muscles
5. Loosens up stiff joints
6. Reduces muscle soreness

Some Do’s and Don’ts!

1. Don’t enter the gym without a clear goal. Chart your progress as you go, so you know how much improvement you’ve made. This is a great motivator.

2. Don’t eat less. When you cut down on calories drastically, your body goes into survival mode. It starts storing fat instead of burning it, because it doesn’t know when it’s going to get its next meal! Actually, you need to do just the opposite – eat more. Since you’re working out intensely, your body needs those extra calories. But it needs the right kind of calories, not the kind you get from eating processed, junk food.

3. Don’t repeat the same workout over and over again without challenging your body. Instead add one more repetition or do a set in less time. Do this and just see how your body responds!

4. Don’t give up or skip workouts. Every single weight training session is a step closer to your goal. So, a skipped session will set you back. Be consistent.

5. Don’t listen to your mind’s negative statements. Replace them with positive affirmations. Every time your mind says ‘you can’t', you won’t be able to. So, throw the ‘can’t’ out of the equation and replace it with an ‘I can’!

6. Don’t focus on your favorite exercises. This is a big no-no and a very easy one to fall into! After all, it seems natural to continue doing the exercises you enjoy. But don’t do that at the cost of others. Break out of this pattern ASAP! Have a more balanced approach to training by exercising every muscle group.

7. Don’t skip eating after a workout. This again is a huge mistake! Actually, you should be doing just the opposite! Right after a workout is the best time to eat foods that are rich in carbs and packed with proteins.

8. Don’t join the wrong program. A program that’s right for you is the only way you’ll succeed in achieving your goals. This can’t be stressed enough. How many times have you seen your friends join a gym and then give up after a couple of sessions? Or how many times have you already done that? Always find out all there is to know about a program and then join it once you’re convinced this is the one for you.

Take the No-Nonsense Muscle Building program for example. Fitness expert Vince DelMonte is self taught. He began following everything the bodybuilding industry told him to do to gain muscle mass. Soon, he realized that he wasn’t getting any results and started to question the information he regarded as the law. This brought him to the discomforting truth that the magazine and supplement industries are feeding off each other! So, he put his own system together that gave him the most remarkable results. And now, he wants others to know what worked for him; to share the practical knowledge he gained along the way.

Vince DelMonte’s program comes with an ebook, 10 free video lessons, beginner, intermediate and advanced workout plans, healthy meal plans, free updates on all ebooks, access to the member’s only zone, a growth calculator and a 60 day money back guarantee! And if that’s not enough, he has also thrown in 12 additional bonuses!

Over Train Drain
When it comes to overtraining, you are your own judge. Listen to your body’s signals for signs of overstrain. If you don’t, it can lead to injury, muscle loss and chronic fatigue. Just about everyone who’s picked up weights would’ve experienced the symptoms of overtraining, but overdoing it once or twice is one thing. And overtraining regularly is another..

Too much of training or too much of intensity during training can tip the balance of your body and mind. Sure, to get that muscle gain you need intensity, but you also need to know when you’re overdoing it! A trainer can be a great judge since you might be too involved to realize that you’re overdoing it. Then again, there are some trainers who’ll push you so much that intensity turns into an excess that harms your body. So watch out either way!

When Too Much of a Good Thing is Bad
Overtraining can affect your hormonal levels, which can actually jeopardize the muscle building process. It can also increase cortisol levels and decrease testosterone levels in the body, leading to loss of muscle tissue. Even the immune system is not spared from the effects of overtraining. It can make your body more susceptible to illnesses by decreasing its antibodies and lymphocytes.
The signs of overtraining can be a combination of two or more symptoms:
- Loss of interest in working out
- Drastic loss of appetite
- Trouble getting sleep
- Constantly feeling tired
- Loss of weight
- Weak muscle contractions
- Tendon and tissue damage
- Higher resting heart rate
- Fall in glucose levels
- High blood pressure
- Excessive buildup of lactic acid
- Low testosterone levels

The Way Out
The way out is to find the right balance between rest and recovery and volume and intensity. And make sure to get enough rest and consume the right calories. Never skip breakfast as a rule since it can quicken muscle loss! You see, your diet is an important factor when it comes to muscle building. It not only provides your body with energy, it also regulates your hormone levels and provides the building blocks to form new muscle tissue. Always try to eat the largest meal of the day within one hour after a workout. Take antioxidants and creatine to help your body fight free radicals. And maintain healthy glucose levels to stem any breakdown of muscle tissue.

Day Off
To ensure that your body recovers well, do have designated days off between your weight training sessions. Ideally, schedule a day of rest between every session. Also, don’t train the same muscle group for consecutive days. Move on to another group during your next workout.

Training Teens
Even though there are a great number of obese children in the US, it is encouraging to see more adolescents participate in sports. Some of them take to weight training to improve their overall performance in their chosen sport.
There’s been a huge debate as to whether weight training is too early for children and adolescents? But studies have shown that as long as it’s done under proper supervision and through the right program, teenagers stand to gain neuromuscular strength. They also have lower risk of injuries, improved motor qualities and more confidence. Though there’s not much muscle gain at that age, since the body’s natural hormones are not yet optimized for muscular growth.

Whether you’re old or young, skinny or obese, male or female, athletic or non-athletic, as an experienced personal trainer, Vince DelMonte, tailor makes his program for different groups. Though his No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program lays stress on helping people gain muscle, it also places as much emphasis on cutting fat to get a lean physique.

This program gives online access to a detailed step-by-step plan starting with goal setting, dieting to weight training. By simply clicking on a date, you even get your own printable workout schedule for the day – complete with illustrations and tips! You can also keep an online record of your progress for easy reference. You can find out more here: vincedelmontefitness.com

Be the Best You Can Be!
At the end of the day, weight training and muscle building is about fitness. And fitness is basically gearing up your body to be strong and healthy. To get fit all you need is the right program that encourages you to give your best and be your best! All the best!