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DISCLAIMER
The material contained within this book is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, metabolic disorder, disease or health problem. As with all programmes, techniques and materials related to health, exercise and diet, you must first consult your doctor or health care provider before implementing changes into your lifestyle. If you chose not to obtain a doctors approval prior to beginning this or any diet and exercise plan, you do so at your own risk. The information offered within this book is intended for adults, aged 18 and over, who are in good health. Even if you have no known health problems, it is advisable to consult your doctor before beginning an exercise and nutrition programme. Sporting Excellence Ltd makes no representation or warranties of any kind with regard to the completeness, accuracy or safety of the contents of this book. Sporting Excellence Ltd accept no liability of any kind for losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, or indirectly, from using the information contained herein. Published by Sporting Excellence Ltd 13 Scarisbrick New Road Southport Merseyside PR8 6PU England. Copyright Phil Davies and Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without prior permission. Layout and typesetting by Neil G. Tarvin Cover design by Ovi Dagar Interior images courtesy of istockphoto.com Editing by Phil Davies BSc., CSCS, CPT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION Paralysis By Analysis Whats With All The Numbers In [Brackets]? 3 Steps To Success STEP 1 WHATS YOUR GOAL? Be SMART Reasons STEP 2 CREATE YOUR MUSCLE BUILDING EATING PLAN The First Rule of Weight Loss Your Metabolic Rate How To Gain Weight The Balance of Good Health Gaining Muscle & Losing Fat How Many Calories Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments 6 Simple Rules for An Effective Nutrition Plan Sample Meal Plans Supplements STEP 3 CREATE YOUR MUSCLE BUILDING EXERCISE PLAN Resistance Training Resistance Training Guidelines Summary of Guidelines Sample Plans Recovery Weeks Cardiovascular Exercise Aerobic Vs Interval Training Cardiovascular Training Guidelines SUMMARY REFERENCES FOR STEP 2 REFERENCES FOR STEP 3 4 4 5 6 7 7 9 10 10 10 11 13 14 15 16 16 30 31 36 36 37 42 43 46 47 47 48 51 52 60
INTRODUCTION
This guide is designed to help you build muscle mass. Maybe you simply want to gain overall weight or perhaps you want to improve your physique by developing more muscle while keeping body fat levels to a minimum. Either way this guide will show you how. Its designed with the 80-20 principle in mind the scientifically proven techniques and strategies that will make 80% or more of the difference. Fitness and nutrition is often overly complicated and while its important to establish a few rules, too many can put the brakes on your progress before you even start.
Paralysis By Analysis
When it comes to building muscle, youll find no shortage of advice and fervent opinion. Whether its in the paper pages of health & fitness magazines or the digital pages of the World Wide Web, diet and training recommendations arent hard to come by. Of course lack of information isnt the problem. The problem is too much information and no way to verify what is fact and what is fiction. Here is just a small selection of claims you may have come across previously (well examine throughout this guide which ones, if any, have some truth to them): You must eat a lot of protein to gain significant amounts of muscle Lifting moderately heavy weights (sets of 8-12 repetitions) is the best way to induce muscular hypertrophy You must eat every 2-3 hours to prevent your body from feeding on existing muscle, curbing your ability to build new muscle Its possible to increase your testosterone levels naturally, without the use of anabolic steroids It is essential you take a post-workout supplement or meal within 20-30 minutes of your weight training session Creatine is the only supplement guaranteed to enhance muscle growth The human body can only digest a small amount of protein in one sitting so must eat a small amount of protein with every meal
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Cardiovascular exercise hinders your ability to gain new muscle mass and breaks down existing muscle By eating a really clean diet you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time
If you do finally manage to rationalize all the conflicting advice and marketing hype and find a suitable diet and training programme, it wont be long before somebody offers up a very convincing argument as to why you are doing it all wrong! Nothing will kill your success like a lack of consistency, and nothing will kill your consistency like confusion and doubt over what you are doing. Fortunately, there is a way to selectively sift through the vast quantities of anecdotal stories, subjective opinion and persuasive advertising and arrive at what you can feel confident, are the facts. The solution is to use reliable scientific research Science certainly doesnt have all the answers. But when it comes to nutrition, exercise and building muscle, there are some tried and tested principles (most of which have remained steadfast for many years) that will enable you to achieve and maintain the physique you desire.
3 Steps to Success
This guide has been broken down into three key steps. Its best to read these steps in order as each one builds on the next. Step 1 is perhaps the most important and unfortunately the most overlooked. It will help you set a target, an overall goal, for both your physical appearance and your health. Even more crucially, it will help you devise a powerful set of reasons that will keep you on track from start to finish. Please dont skip this section. In Step 2 you will discover how to create and follow a healthy, muscle-building eating plan. It covers six key principles to help make integrating it into your lifestyle much easier. There is no reliance on calorie counting, point scoring or food weighing, but you will know what and when to eat in order to build muscle. Step 3 shows you how to develop an effective, scientifically based weight training programme. It also dispels some common myths surrounding various types of weight training routines and how you can easily fit a programme around your other commitments. Follow these 3 steps and you will gain a sizeable amount of lean muscle mass. You will also improve your health, your overall physical appearance and your self-confidence. Just as importantly, you will give yourself the greatest chance of maintaining your new physique for many years to come.
Be SMART
One of the best ways to create your overall goal is to use the acronym SMART. Goals that are SMART are: Specific General goals such as I want to gain some weight are less effective and motivating than I will gain lean muscle, reduce my level of body fat and improve my energy levels. Its a good idea to make part of your goal about successfully following your plan. Measurable You should be able to measure your goal. So rather than saying I want to gain weight a better goal is I want to gain 7lbs of lean muscle. Attainable You want to find a balance between what is realistic and what is inspiring. A realistic gain in bodyweight is 1-2lbs per week. Assume that about half of this will be in the form of lean mass.
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Relevant Your goal should be meaningful to you. It should be about you and rely only on you. If you feel happy at the weight you are for example, but would like to tone and re-shape your body, then create a goal around that. Your goal should not rely on other people or outside influences to be successful, for example I will gain more weight than my mate John over the next 8 weeks. Time-Sensitive Give yourself a date by which time you will have achieved your goal. E.g. I will gain 7lbs by February 28th. A good time frame is 8 to 12 weeks as this is long enough to see measurable changes but no so long it becomes daunting. You may have heard the phrase diets dont work, it has to be a way of life. Thats true but many people interpret that to mean start eating right today and maintain it for the rest of your life. That can be pretty demoralising and with that mindset its very easy to give up at the first hurdle. You justify to yourself that you cant keep things up indefinitely so you might as well quit now. But compare this to someone who decides to train for a marathon. They have an end-goal in mind the race date. If training gets tough one day or if they skip a session, they can muster the will power to carry on because they know its not forever. Thats why most people who make the decision to run a marathon usually achieve their goal despite it being so difficult. So take it one step at a time. In other words, make a commitment to see your plan through to the end no matter what. Remind yourself that you have the right to quit after the end date but, just like a marathon runner, you want that sense of accomplishment to look back on for many years to come. Only when you reach your goal, should you decide what to do next. And because by then the right food choices will be more habitual and because you will be experiencing first hand the satisfaction of changing your physique, you will be much more inclined and motivated to keep going. You can then set a new goal and then another and another, until suddenly you realise that it has become a way of life. Here are some examples of SMART goals.
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle By September 7th, I gained 10lbs of lean muscle, lost 10lbs of body fat, decreased my waist size by1 inch and improved my overall shape by following my eating and exercise plan consistently Starting January 1st, I will begin my highly effective 8-week weight gain plan and I will gain over 7lbs of body weight in less than 12 weeks Over the next 6 months I will follow a thoroughly enjoyable training and nutrition plan. By July 1st I will gain over a stone, whilst keeping my body fat levels in single figures.
Reasons
No matter how much you plan ahead, inevitably there will be days and moments when dont feel like sticking to your plan. So once youve created a SMART goal the next step is to create a set of compelling reasons that are moving and motivating and that really mean something to you. You should come up with both carrot and stick reasons. In other words, think of the pleasurable consequences of achieving your goal as well as the negative ones if you dont. When it comes to building muscle, your motivations might seem a bit vain, but keep them to yourself and dont be afraid to acknowledge them. To help you create your list, here are some sample reasons: Positive Reasons I will be a great role model for my kids My clothes will fit me better and Ill great in smaller fitting shirts and tshorts. Ill have to buy myself a new wardrobe! I will feel more confident and self-assured I will look and feel younger and more attractive and Ill get more attention I will be more influential in my place of work I will have more energy to do more things, learn new skills, travel more often If I achieve this it will inspire me to set bigger and better goals in other areas of my life Ill turn heads on the beach this summer! I can inspire other people to do the same
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Surface area and mass: the bigger you are, the more of you there is to keep alive and warm so the higher your metabolism will be Body temperature: an increase in temperature increases resting metabolism Stress: increases resting metabolism Hormones: the amount of certain hormones secreted from the thyroid and adrenal glands can increase or decrease resting metabolic rate
Under normal conditions, resting metabolic rate accounts for 60-75% of our total energy needs each day [2]. The rest of our energy needs come from our daily activities (from fidgeting to intense exercise) and also the energy needed to digest, transport and assimilate our food (called the thermic effect of food).
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle The human body is clever. If you consume a few more calories than it needs, your body can increase its resting metabolic rate, increase the amount of energy needed to digest food and increase the amount of calories you burn during activity. In other words, it can raise its daily energy needs in an attempt to defend its current weight [1,2]. Assuming your weight is fairly stable right now, making only small changes to your diet alone, consuming just a few extra calories, probably wont show up on the scales. The good news is however, that the body cannot fully compensate for significant changes to energy intake. That means that if you increase your daily energy intake by a suitable amount (i.e.500 calories a day), you will start to gain weight despite your bodys best attempts.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle In theory, you could keep your energy intake exactly the same and reduce your energy expenditure instead. But for the vast majority of people it isnt feasible to spend much of their time resting or taking things easy. Its also not conducive to keeping body fat levels low in order for the new muscle you build to show through. The rest of this section shows you how to increase your daily energy intake and muscle mass through an effective nutrition plan. Of course a good nutrition plan should not only be effective for building muscle, it should also be balanced and healthy
According to Eatwell Plate, about one third of your diet should come from fruits and vegetables. One third should be in the form of unrefined carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, rice and potato), the remaining third is made up of fish, meat, dairy products and a small amount of sugary and fatty foods.
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Whilst we will use the Eatwell Plate as our starting point, there is evidence to suggest that a few changes to this can help to increase muscle gain. Well cover these changes a little later in this section.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Option 2 requires some degree of calorie counting. However, this doesnt have to be indefinite just until you get a feel for what food intake allows you to gain weight. Keep a food diary for a few weeks (use approximate portion sizes, theres no need to weigh food) and use a free tool like Fit Day to gauge your calorie intake. Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments You should aim to gain 1-2 pounds of bodyweight each week, some of which will be a bit of extra body fat. Any more than this will likely mean that you are gaining too much body fat. Bear in mind that 1-2 pounds is difficult to track accurately on the scales because other factors, such as time of day and hydration levels, can all significantly affect the reading. Try to make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of day, ideally first thing in the morning before eating or drinking and on the same flat surface. If you find you havent gained any weight, increase your calorie intake by 250500Kcal per day and re-test a week or two later. Once youve found a food intake that adds to your weight, maintain this for 8-12 weeks before switching to a fat loss programme. Be aware that as you do gain weight, the rate will slow down and you may need to up your energy intake further to reach your target. Caloric intake is not the only important element of an effective, balanced diet. Below youll find a series of straightforward principles that will help to make your nutrition plan easier and more intuitive to follow
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle more by eating 3 large meals a day with not much in between. Even though calorie counting isnt essential, it may be worth keeping a food diary for a few days on each format to see which helps you to consume the most calories. Some fitness professionals, and especially bodybuilders, state that you must eat every 2-3 hours. They claim that going any longer without food causes your body to enter state of starvation wherein it begins to break down muscle tissue to use as energy. There is no reliable research to show that this is the case or indeed that the bodys metabolism changes to such as extent during the day. In fact, studies that have looked at meal frequency and its effect on metabolic rate typically conclude that eating few versus many meals each day makes little or no difference. From a common sense point of view, it can take several hours (3-5) to fully process even a small meal. So why would the body begin to breakdown muscle to avoid starvation after 3 hours of not eating when nutrients are still available from the previous meal? Practical Guidelines Consume the number of meals that allows you to eat the most. For most people, eating 5 or 6 times a day (either 5 or 6 small meals or 3 meals and 23 snacks) allows them to consume more calories than eating 2 or 3 very large meals. But there is nothing special about eating every 2-3 hours.
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Because low energy density foods are usually the most rich in those essential vitamins and minerals, dont avoid them out of fear they will leave you feeling full without adding many calories to your diet. The best approach is to mix low energy density foods with healthier high energy density foods. Its easy to work out the energy density from any food label simply divide the number of calories by the weight. A 100-calorie serving (100Kcal) weighing 100 grams has an energy density of 1 for example. Very Low Energy Density = 0.5 or less Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables Low Energy Density = 0.6 1.5 Examples include starchy foods like rice and pasta, especially wholemeal. Medium Energy Density = 1.6 4.0 Examples include dried fruit, bread and many fat-free snacks. High Energy Density = 4.1 and above Examples include high fat and high sugar foods like pizzas and confectionary. Healthier options include good fats found in avocados, nuts and olive oil Liquid meals, such as smoothies and shakes, may be low to moderate in energy density but they wont leave you feeling as full compared to solid equivalents [19].
With each meal and snack, try to include some moderate to high energy density foods. This will help to increase the calorie content of your diet without curbing your appetite too much. Here are some practical examples for increasing the energy density of your diet: Alternate white and wholemeal versions of pasta, breads and cereals. Although wholemeal foods have been shown to keep you fuller for longer [18] they add essential fibre to your diet so shouldnt be neglected altogether. For example, if you have wholemeal toast or cereal for breakfast, have white pasta or bread for lunch. Snack on raw nuts and dried fruit, which are both high in calories.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Consider replacing one or two meals / snacks with a liquid smoothie or shake. Compared to liquid meals of similar energy content, solid meals tend to suppress appetite to a greater extent [19]. In other words, youll feel hungrier and sooner following a 500-calorie smoothie compared to a 500-calorie solid snack. Add plenty of healthy fats to meals. Examples include olive oil stirred into stews and sauces, flax seed oil or Udos Oil Blend added to shakes and salads, or slices of avocado as a side to any meal. Avoid soup before main meals. It can significantly reduce your appetite and the amount you want to eat [20]. Despite anecdotal claims, drinking water before or during a meal doesnt seem to effect calorie consumption [21] and as well see later, water intake is important.
With these simple changes you can still eat healthily but significantly increase your energy intake at the same time. Theres no need to avoid fast food and desserts altogether either. You can be less strict than someone on a fat loss programme but eating too much junk food can quickly lead to an excessive amount of fat gain, hiding the muscle you are working hard to build!
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle that a protein intake over and above the RDA is also superior for building muscle mass? Dietary Protein & Muscle Growth Some support for an increased protein intake comes from the work of Lemon and Tarnopolsky [26-28]. Dr. Peter Lemon, who is often cited by protein supplement makers, recommends that strength-training athletes require up to 1.7 grams or protein per kilogram with endurance athletes needing around 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram [29]. However, there are limitations with these studies. The researchers didnt actually measure changes in muscle growth just indirect markers that suggest muscle growth could be more likely. Critics of higher protein consumption point to evidence that exercise, and in particular resistance training, improves the bodys ability use protein more fficiently [30,31]. The net result is that, in beginner weight trainers at least, protein needs can actually reduce. But our protein need is simply the amount we require to prevent deficiency and isnt particularly informative about what amount is optimal for muscle growth. More relevant research has looked at actual changes in body composition with different protein intakes, alongside a weight-training programme. A number of studies have found that intakes of around 3 grams of protein per kilogram lead to significantly greater gains in lean body mass compared with 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram [33-35] but not all studies agree that there are any benefits over and above the 1.7g/kg mark [32]. Protein Intake Per Meal There has also been a lot of speculation that the body, regardless of size, age and activity level, can only digest and utilize a limited amount of protein in one meal - about 20-30grams. Its not difficult to eat more than this in one sitting with a medium to large chicken breast containing 45grams of protein or more. Contrary to this popular belief, there is evidence to suggest that the body can digest larger amounts of protein at a time. Studies have shown that as much as 56grams of protein eaten in one go can be effectively assimilated [44, 45]. Protein Intake And Safety Nutritionists opposed to higher protein intakes often speculate that too much protein could increase the risk of kidney damage or heart disease. 20
In terms of renal function (the function of the kidneys), there is no hard evidence to show that higher intakes of protein are dangerous, only theoretical reasons as why it might be harmful over the long-term [36]. Several studies monitoring increased protein intakes have found no adverse effects on renal function [36,37], even when protein intake is as high as 2.8grams per kilogram (1.27grams per pound) [38]. Its important to note that there is some evidence to suggest high and even moderate protein intakes can accelerate the decline in people with existing kidney damage. So ff you suffer from even mild kidney dysfunction, you should consult your doctor before following a higher protein diet. As for heart disease, again there is a lack of evidence and only theories, to support the idea that higher protein intakes increase the risk. In fact, there is a body of research to suggest that replacing some carbohydrates in favour of protein may actually reduce the risk of heart disease [41-43]. Some researchers believe that our early ancestors ate much larger amounts of protein than we do today [39]. Studying modern day hunter-gathers, who live as our ancestors did, protein intakes could have been as high as 3.6g per kilogram (1.7g per pound) [40]. Bear in mind however, that hunter-gatherers were very active and ate wild animals, whose meat contained different types and amounts of fat compared to farm raised animals. Practical Guidelines Firstly, despite what many dieticians claim, there is research to show that an increased protein intake outperforms current recommendations. Based on the studies above, something in the region of 1.7 to 3grams per kilogram of body weight (0.77 1.4grams per pound) seems optimal, with levels at the upper end of the scale sometimes outperforming those at the lower end. A common and easy-to-remember guideline is to aim for 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (the equivalent of 2.2grams per kilogram). This falls within the maximum recommendation based how quickly the body can excrete excess protein [49].
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle With all this talk of amounts of protein per pound of bodyweight, you might be thinking how you can apply this practically in your day-to-day life. Here are some tips: Eat a palm-sized portion of protein with each main meal. Opt for protein sources with a high biological value (which means it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own). Animal protein, such as fish, poultry and dairy, is typically high in biological value, whereas plant protein found in grains, pulses and vegetables are usually lower in biological value. Each portion should be roughly the size of your palm or clenched fist. Try to eat some protein with each snack too. Snack ideas include nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts etc., (go for uncooked and unsalted and not dry roasted) with raisins or low-fat yoghurt with fresh fruit. You can also readily buy high protein, low fat snack bars and shakes, and while these can be expensive they have their place if used now and then for convenience. Consider keeping a food diary for a week or so. Enter the protein foods you eat, and approximate portion sizes into a free nutrition calculator such as Nutrition Data or Fit Day to work out your average protein consumption each day. If it works out at less than 1g per pound of bodyweight, adjust your portion sizes or consider taking a protein drink with snacks or before meals. If you opt for a protein supplement, consider whey protein, which has a very high biological value and may outperform vegetarian alternatives, such as soy protein, when it comes to building muscle [33] (see the supplement section later on). Dont go over board. More is not necessarily better and while there is no evidence that higher protein intakes are dangerous, no long-term studies have been completed. A sensible approach is to start at the lower end of the scale (1.7g/kg or 0.8g/lb) and based on results, increase to a maximum of 2.2g/kg (1.0g/lb).
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle meal must contain some protein, carbohydrate and little or no fat and must be consumed within 20-30 minutes of the workout. But is it really that essential to consume something straight after your session or can you wait a few hours until your next meal? And what about eating something before or during your session? Proponents of post-workout snacks and shakes point to research that shows protein synthesis improves when something is consumed immediately after the workout compared to waiting several hours [46-48]. Theres also some research to show that nutrients consumed before or during a workout can have a similar effect [16-19,20,21]. But improved protein synthesis is only an indication that more muscle will be built as a result and not a guarantee. Protein Consuming some protein following a weight training session has been shown to help prevent muscle loss when on a calorie restricted diet [24,52,53]. Not only that, when compared to a carbohydrate only post-exercise supplement, a protein plus carbohydrate supplement comes out on top. Again, more indirect studies show that protein consumption after strenuous exercise can help to tip the balance in favour of protein synthesis (which, in theory could lead to muscle gain) [55-57]. In studies tracking changes in body composition, a protein supplement given before and after a resistance training session lead to greater increases in muscle mass compared to a carbohydrate supplement [23,25]. You may have heard of two classes of proteins called fast and slow proteins. Fast proteins (such as whey powder) are those that are rapidly digested and absorbed by the body, while slow proteins (such as the protein in milk) taker longer to digest and assimilate. Not surprisingly, popular consensus is that fast proteins are best for postworkout nourishment because they can be broken down and delivered to fatigued muscles more rapidly. However, theres no reliable evidence to show that one type of protein is favourable over another and if anything studies favour slower proteins [58-60].
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Carbohydrate Research with athletes shows that early post-exercise ingestion of carbohydrate is important for quickly replenishing the bodys glycogen stores [61,62]. Glycogen is an essential fuel for any type of exercise and keeping levels high will help an athlete to recover between sessions and complete more training in total [63]. Your body may be able to replenish its muscle glycogen stores twice as quickly if a high-carbohydrate recovery drink or snack is taken immediately after exercise compared to waiting a few hours [64]. In fact, without early post-exercise carbohydrate consumption, it can take 2-3 days for muscle glycogen levels to return to normal [65]. But this is more applicable to athletes who are training strenuously for several hours everyday rather than someone who is lifting weights 3-4 times a week. Research Limitations Many of the studies examining pre and post-workout nutrition fail to take the rest of the days diet into account. This is a problem when you consider that a moderate sized meal can be releasing nutrients 4-5 hours after it was eaten. From a common sense point of view, its unlikely that your body will begin to break down existing muscle if it isnt fed within half an hour of your training session. It takes several hours to process even a small meal, so unless you train first thing on an empty stomach, youre likely to still have food and nutrients in your digestive system from your previous meal. Practical Guidelines Unlike what many supplement companies would have you believe, the benefits of post-workout nutrition are still unclear. In theory, consuming something before, during or after your weights session may help to accelerate gains in muscle mass, but if you eat several regular meals throughout the day, it becomes less important. Pre and post workout drinks or snacks certainly wont do your cause any harm and may be worth taking just to boost your overall calorie consumption, but its also not worth stressing over precisely what and when to eat either side of your training sessions. With that in mind heres some practical guidelines for pre, post and intraworkout eating: Aim to eat something within 3 hours after your workout. Ideally, these meals or snacks should consist of some protein and carbohydrate. 24
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle You may want to take a post-workout snack to the gym to eat immediately after training, or you can wait until your next meal. There is no need to become fanatical about eating within a 20-30 minute window. If you workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or after not eating all day, pre and post-workout nutrition becomes more important. If this is the case, have a small snack an hour or so before your session or take something for during your session. If you dont want to consume anything before or during your workout, then take a snack to the gym to eat immediately afterwards. If you do opt for a post-workout meal or snack, dont worry about what type of protein (fast or slow) you consume after training. A fast protein, such as whey, is ideal for a pre-workout or an intra-workout drink because it digests more rapidly. Carbohydrate taken immediately after a strenuous training session can help to quickly replenish your glycogen stores. But this is more important for athletes who are training daily and cannot afford to wait a day or two before glycogen stores return to normal levels. From a general muscle-building point of view, there is no urgency to consume carbohydrates immediately after your workout.
Here are some sample pre and post workout snack ideas: Pre Workout (About 1 Hour Before) o 1 scoop (20-25g) whey protein o 1 scoop whey protein powder and a banana During Workout o 1 scoop whey protein powder mixed with 2 scoops (40-50g) of dextrose or maltodextrin powder (both available from health food stores and bulk supplement companies online). o 1 scoop whey protein powder mixed with fruit juice or squash and water o Banana o Sports drink such as Lucozade Sport or (or make your own by mixing 200400ml of squash with 1 litre of water) Post Workout o Chicken / tuna sandwich o 2 pieces of fruit and 150g pot of yoghurt
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle o Meal replacement shake such as EAS Myoplex or Met-Rx plus piece of fruit o Home made meal replacement shake - blend - pint semi-skimmed milk with 50g ultra fine porridge oats, a banana or any soft fruit and honey to sweeten.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Opting for low fat dairy products such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk and low fat cheeses. Using yoghurt or fromage frais instead of cream or sour cream.
You dont have to eliminate saturated fat from your diet and in fact, it can make the diet more palatable and help you to increase your caloric intake without adding bulk. Trans Fats Manufactured trans fats are another form of bad fat that are generally accepted to be more harmful than saturated fat. Naturally occurring trans fats are found in meat and some dairy products but they are artificially formed when liquid vegetable oils are turned into solid fats through a process called hydrogenation. Laws in the US mean that packaged foods must list whether they contain trans fats. In the UK and Europe however, at the time of writing, there are no such laws. You can avoid trans fats by avoiding all foods that list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats or shortenings on their labels. Baked goods such as donuts, pastries, cakes and pies are likely to contain trans fats unless stated otherwise. Only use margarines that are labelled as trans fat free. Unsaturated Fats Unsaturated fats come in the form of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can actually improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of coronary heart disease and are found in foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados, almonds and pecans. Polyunsaturated fats, found in sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn oil are not thought to contribute to heart disease but don't offer the same protection as monounsaturated fats. You will naturally replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats by: Choosing oily fish such as salmon and mackerel instead of fatty meats. Using unsaturated oils such as olive, rapeseed and sunflower oil instead of butter, lard and ghee. Using mashed avocado as a dip or filling for a jacket potato instead of mayonnaise or cream cheese. 27
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Making mashed potatoes with olive oil, a touch of garlic and seasoning instead of butter and milk. Snacking on uncooked, unsalted nuts instead of biscuits. Choosing fruit or healthy option desserts instead of cakes, puddings and pastries. Note: not all low fat foods are healthy or low in energy. Compare food labels to see what the energy (kcal) per 100g is.
Essential Fats Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are a class of polyunsaturated fats that have received a lot of attention in the media. There are three types of essential fatty acids Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9. EFAs are required for a healthy cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous system as well as healthy skin, hair and bones. A typical western diet tends to have too much Omega-6, particularly in relation to Omega-3, and this imbalance contributes to long-term diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, and arthritis [66]. There is convincing research to show that increasing our intakes of Omega-3 can improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, prevent clogged arteries, improve diabetes, improve arthritis, prevent osteoporosis and help with a number of other ailments [66]. There is also some research to suggest Omega-3 can help to reduce body fat stores by increasing fat metabolism during rest and exercise [67,68]. However, the research is limited at this time and there is no need to gulp down fish oil supplements every day. EFA Supplements Eating 1-3 portions of oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, per week is the current recommendation for overall health benefits. You can supplement this with fish oil capsules on days that you dont eat fish. Be aware that there are some concerns over environmental pollutants found in some brands of fish oils. Seven Seas has been recommended by the Foods Standards Agency previously. Alternatively, if your diet is reasonably low in fat intake, you could supplement with an omega oil blend. Fish oil is usually only available in capsule form (because of the taste), however plant-based essential fatty acids are widely available as an oil (with a much more acceptable taste). Try adding 2-4 28
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle tablespoons per day of flaxseed oil or Udos Choice 3 6 9 Oil blend to salads, stews, smoothies and juices or take alone. At a little over 100 calories per tablespoon, this can make a significant contribution to your increased energy needs. Note: The type of omega-3 derived from plant-based sources is not thought to provide the same cardio-protective benefits as omega-3 derived from fish. However, there is some research to suggest that the omega-3 found in plantbased oils can is converted into the beneficial type of omega-3 once in the body [69].
The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Drinking cold water can increase your metabolic rate as your body expends energy to heat it up [79] although there is certainly no need to avoid cold water when on a muscle building programme. The bottom line is that drinking more water is probably an important goal for most people and perhaps more so if eating a higher protein diet, as additional protein may increase the risk of dehydration.
MORNING WORKOUT
Pre-Workout 6am Workout 7am 1 scoop whey protein
Intra-workout drink: 1 scoop whey mixed with fruit juice, squash or dextrose Meal replacement shake 1-2 pieces fruit OR Scrambled eggs on 2 slices toast (plus margarine/butter) 1-2 pieces fruit 50g peanuts 50g raisins / dates 150g pot natural yoghurt 150g pasta 1 can tuna 1 tbsp mayonnaise Mixed veg (i.e from frozen) or salad 1 tbsp omega blend oil High protein bar 1-2 pieces fruit 1 medium jacket potatoes 50g cheddar cheese melted 1 turkey breast Broccoli and carrots 1 tbsp omega blend oil Low fat granola / museli Semi skimmed milk Chopped banana
Snack 11am
Snack 3pm
Lunch 1pm
Workout 5.30pm
Dinner 7pm
Snack* 10pm
* Two options are given in case you prefer / are able to have a more solid breakfast
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These are samples only and you need to select from a variety of foods throughout the week.
Supplements
The sports supplement industry is big business and the muscle-building sector is particularly lucrative. There are literally hundreds of nutritional and ergogenic aids all promising to elicit faster and more pronounced muscle growth Despite persuasive marketing that frequently utilizes scientific jargon to make their claims, there is often very little compelling evidence for the majority of sports supplements. In this section, well briefly cover those few supplements that are backed by research or that can play a helpful role in your goal to build lean muscle mass:
Creatine
Its highly likely youve heard of this supplement and thats probably because it has been more widely researched than any other. There is little doubt that creatine enhances performance in activities involving bouts of high-intensity exercise separated by short recovery periods. As for gaining lean weight, creatine has also proven to be effective. During a 5-day intensive loading phase, gains of 2-3lbs of lean weight are not uncommon. However, this is probably due to increased muscle water content and not additional muscle tissue. As well as any water retention, creatine can lead to additional and more rapid gains in muscle mass. This may be the result of allowing increased workload during sessions and also favourable changes in protein metabolism. Its often advised that Creatine be loaded for a period of around 5-6 days (20grams per day) before following a maintenance dose of about 3grams per day. However, evidence suggests that taking 3 grams per day for 30 days will elicit the same results.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Not everyone responds to creatine and it may be of little benefit in as much as 30% of the population. Side effects such as muscle cramps, muscle tears and stomach upset have been reported anecdotally, but objective research doesnt agree. Despite numerous studies into creatine supplementation, no increased incidence of negative side effects have ever been found.
See the creatine articles in the Sports Nutrition section of Sports Fitness Advisor for more information and recommended usage directions should you wish to try creatine.
Protein Powders
Protein powder is probably the top selling sports supplement on the market particularly amongst those who are aiming to build muscle mass. There are a wide range of proteins available, derived from different sources and each with there own digestive properties. Protein powders derived from animal sources include whey, casein and egg white. Plant-based derivatives include soy, brown rice, pea and hemp protein. Whatever the source a protein powder is derived from, it is not a magic bullet. Where it can be useful however, is as an adjunct to a balanced diet based predominantly on natural, whole foods. Its particularly useful to increase the protein content of a meal or the diet as a whole, and as part of a convenient, easy-to-prepare snack. By far the most popular type of protein is whey. One of two proteins to come from milk, whey is said to have a high biological value - a measure of how readily the broken down protein can be used by the cells of the body. There are a number of types of whey protein with claims that some are superior to others. Whey protein is useful as part of a pre, intra and post-workout shake and also mixes well into smoothies, porridge, soups and stews. Flavoured protein powders mixed with water can make a palatable drink before meals to increase the protein content.
For more information on the different types of protein powders see the protein powder article in the Sports Nutrition section of Sports Fitness Advisor
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle In particular, even moderate deficiencies in zinc have been shown to reduce testosterone levels, with zinc supplementation having a significant positive effect [80].
Other Supplements
A number of other supplements do have some tentative research that suggests that they may be useful in some people under certain conditions: HMB HMB may help to improve gains in muscle and strength, particularly in novice weight trainers. It could also aid recovery and increase training capacity. Its expensive however, and any ergogenic effect is likely to be relatively small.
Ribose Another expensive supplement, ribose may offer some benefits to athletes in multi-sprint sports and could help with recovery between sets during weight training sessions. However, creatine offers similar benefits and has much ore scientific support. Colostrum Colostrum is a protein-rich substance found in mothers milk during the first days after giving birth. As a supplement, it is usually derived from cows milk and is known as bovine colostrum. Colostrum contains insulin-like growth factor (IGF) a hormone that has anabolic effects in adults but experts believe that the IGFs and protein found in colostrum, cannot be absorbed by the body. Research is mixed but some studies have shown that bovine colostrum can have a positive effect on body composition, immune function and athletic performance. The cost may be prohibitive to many and the general advice is to wait for further research. Glutamine Glutamine is a non-essential (meaning the body can produce it itself without obtaining it from the diet) amino acid. Its marketed as a supplement to boost immune function and preserve muscle protein during periods of intensive training.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle There is some evidence that glutamine could strengthen the immune system. While in theory, it could help to prevent muscle breakdown following heavy resistance exercise (and hence speed up muscle gains) there is no evidence as yet to show this is the case. Glucosamine Glucosamine wont have any effect on your body composition or muscle mass, but it may be useful for maintaining or improving joint health. Studies are mixed and focus on individuals with existing joint pain or osteoarthritis. However, there are a number of studies to show that a good quality brand can have a positive effect on joint pain and perhaps cartilage growth.
You will find more information and research on these supplements in the MySport Fitness Knowledge Base.
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Resistance Training
Resistance training is the only way to build a significant amount of muscle mass. But aside from building muscle, resistance training also offers the following benefits [2]: Increases your bone density helping to prevent osteoporosis Improves balance and stability Improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity Increases functional strength making day-to-day life easier Improves muscular endurance Improves body composition and appearance Increases resting metabolism (while this is counter to gaining weight, it helps to keep body fat levels low)
There are many different variations of resistance training but there are only a few simple guidelines to remember to get maximum results with minimum fuss.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle A lot of people believe that bigger muscles equal stronger muscles but this is not necessarily the case. While you will inevitably become stronger, training for maximal strength requires a different set of guidelines. The guidelines that follow are designed to induce muscular hypertrophy.
Frequency
Frequency relates to the number of sessions you complete each week. Perhaps more important than the number of sessions is how often your train each specific muscle group. If you train a muscle group too frequently, you will never give it a chance to recover, adapt and grow. But if you dont train it often enough, it begins to lose the beneficial changes made following the previous session. Research has shown that muscle fibres repair from strenuous training after around 5 days [3,4]. Additionally, protein synthesis (the creation of new protein in the muscle cells) returns to normal within 36-48 hours [3,4]. That means you should aim to work each muscle group once every 2-5 days. You may be familiar with the body parts routine, which works one or two specific body parts each session. On a 3-day per week routine, you might train chest & arms on day 1, legs on day 2 and back & shoulders on day 3.
Typical 3-Day Body Part Routine Monday Chest Arms Wednesday Legs Friday Back Shoulders
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Typical 5-Day Body Part Routine Mon Chest Tue Back Wed Legs Thu Shoulders Fri Arms
The problem with these routines is that each muscle group is trained only once a week (every 7 days), so there may be some detraining effect by the time you start your next session. To offset this problem, these routines usually call for very high intensity sessions in which the muscle groups are completely exhausted. Lots of exercises and sets per muscle group are used and techniques such as forced repetitions, supersets and drops sets are heavily employed. Another problem with this approach is that you are also placing your nervous system under a tremendous amount of stress too, and it can take over 7 days for your nervous system to recover [5]. Aim to work each muscle group 2-3 times per week. As well see next, there are a number of ways to group exercises so that you meet this criteria easily, without spending 7 days a week in the gym
Grouping Exercises
Weve already seen one way to group exercises where one or two muscle groups are worked exhaustively each session. A more efficient alternative is to follow either a total body routine or an upper body / lower body split routine. Total Body Routine Although it might not be very fashionable with your peers at the gym, a total body routine is very effective for building muscle and it helps to prevent nervous system fatigue that can lead to burn out or injury.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle As the name suggests, you work all the major muscle groups each session. At first, it might sound like you need marathon sessions at the gym to squeeze in all the exercises but thats not the case. Because each muscle group is worked three times per week, a minimal number of exercises and sets are used for each session. As a result each muscle group is stimulated every 2-3 days and the lower intensity sessions arent too stressful on your nervous system.
3-Day Total Body Routine Tuesday Chest Legs Back Shoulders Arms Core Thursday Legs Shoulders Back Chest Arms Core Saturday Back Chest Legs Shoulders Arms Core
Pros: if you miss a session and only complete two in the week, you are still working all the muscle groups once every 3-5 days. Cons: the only downside is that you are performing the same or similar routine each session. Upper Body / Lower Body Split Routine This routine consists of two sessions - one works the muscles of the lower body and one that works the muscles of the upper body. The two sessions are then alternated. Depending on how many days you train per week (three or four), each muscle group is worked at least once every 5 days. The sessions tend to be slightly more intense than the total body routine but your muscles are being worked slightly less frequently.
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3-day Upper/Lower Body Split Routine Mon Chest Back Shoulders Arms Wed Quadriceps Hamstrings Calfs Core Fri Chest Back Shoulders Arms Mon Quadriceps Hamstrings Calfs Core Wed Chest Back Shoulders Arms Fri Quadriceps Hamstrings Calfs Core
4-day Upper/Lower Body Split Routine Mon Chest Back Shoulders Arms Tue Quadriceps Hamstrings Calfs Core Wed Rest Thu Chest Back Shoulders Arms Fri Quadriceps Hamstrings Calfs Core
Pros: if you enjoy the feeling of really working a muscle, this might be more satisfying than the total body routine Cons: a whole session devoted to working the leg muscles does not appeal to everyone!
Repetitions
Youve probably already heard that lifting heavy weights for fewer repetitions is the best for building muscle, while lighter weights lifted for more repetitions is best for toning. But is there an optimal repetition range that you should aim for? According to the National Strength & Conditioning Association (6), sets of 612 repetitions are best for inducing muscular hypertrophy. A number of studies have found that very heavy weights that can only be lifted for fewer than 6 repetitions are best for developing maximal strength.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Maximal strength and muscular size do not necessarily go hand in hand, and in fact using very heavy weight (that can only be lifted 1-3 times) can significantly improve strength without significant changes in muscle size. For each exercise you complete, select a weight that allows you to lift between 6 and 12 repetitions. If you are unable to reach 6 repetitions, reduce the weight slightly. Once you are able to lift more than 12 repetitions increase the weight next time.
Repetition Speed
Aim to perform the concentric phase (i.e. the difficult part) of an exercise with a fast but controlled tempo. Anything too fast or too explosive will result in poor technique and you wont actually overload the target muscle group as effectively. You may be able to lift heavier weights by using momentum or swinging the bar, but you wont improve as quickly. The eccentric phase (i.e. lowering the weight) should be controlled rather than just letting the weight fall. Try lowering the weight to a count of 2 or 3.
Recovery Periods
Hypertrophy occurs as a result of fatiguing a muscle group over a number of sets. In this vain, some people believe that the next set should be performed before full recovery has occurred [7,8]. Another argument for shorter rest periods is that it results in higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone [9,10], which can both have a favourable effect on muscle mass. However, short rest periods will significantly decrease your ability to perform each subsequent set to a high intensity. A good balance is to aim for 1 to 1.5minutes rest between sets.
Sets
There is some research to suggest that just a single set performed to failure is enough to bring about gains in maximal strength and hypertrophy [11,12]. However, the majority of studies show that multiple sets per exercise are optimal when it comes to building muscle mass and improving strength [1318]. The recommendation is to complete 3 to 6 sets per exercise [6,19,20]. 41
Exercises
There are literally an infinite number of resistance exercises to choose from. You want to select a range of exercises to avoid developing weak areas that can leave you prone to injury and with poor posture. You also want to select the exercises that work the largest muscle groups or combination of muscle groups referred to as compound exercises. Good examples include barbell squats, bench presses, deadlifts, leg presses, shoulder presses and lat pull downs. Aside from making your routine more efficient, there is research to suggest that compound exercises stimulate a greater release of naturally occurring testosterone a potent muscle-building hormone [21].
Time
There is no need to spend forever at the gym or on a resistance training session at home. In fact, beyond a certain point you begin to get diminished returns. Aim to complete your session in 60 minutes or less including a 510 minute warm up and cool down.
Summary of Guidelines
Based on the guidelines above, heres what your resistance training sessions should look like: No. sessions per week: 3-4 No. exercises per session: 6-10 No. sets per exercise: 3-6 No. repetitions per set: 6-12 Rest between sets: 60-90sec Rest between exercises: 60-90sec It goes without saying that you should warm up thoroughly before every resistance training session. Start with 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking or cycling. Complete a couple of warm up sets for each exercise (especially the first few) using 50% of the weight you intend to use for each set.
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Sample Plans
Here are some sample programmes based on the 3-day total body and 4-day upper/lower split routines:
3-DAY TOTAL BODY ROUTINE SESSION 1 Exercise Barbell bench presses Machine leg presses Machine lat pull downs Dumbbell shoulder presses Machine calf presses Barbell biceps curls Weighted dips* Incline crunches** Reps 5-8 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 Sets 3-5 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 Rest 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec
* Dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can dip your bodyweight for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight.
** You can increase the intensity of crunches by holding a weights plate to your chest, performing more repetitions or reducing the rest period.
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3-DAY TOTAL BODY ROUTINE SESSION 2 Exercise Barbell squats Barbell deadlifts Dumbbell incline bench presses Cable seated rows Dumbbell lateral raises Dumbbell incline curls Cable triceps pushdowns Back extensions Reps 5-8 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 Sets 3-5 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 Rest 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec
3-DAY TOTAL BODY ROUTINE SESSION 3 Exercise Weighted chins* Barbell military presses Dumbbell lunges Barbell bench presses Barbell biceps curls Weighted dips* Machine calf presses Hanging leg raises** Reps 5-8 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 Sets 3-5 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 Rest 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec
* Chins and dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can chin/dip your bodyweight for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight. ** You can increase the intensity of leg raises by, keeping your legs straight instead of bent
knees, holding the position when your legs are fully extended performing more repetitions or reducing the rest period.
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Perform each of the sessions above once per week but not on consecutive days. For example train on Mon / Wed / Fri. Select a weight that allows you to just about complete a number of repetitions that falls within the suggested range. It may take a week or two to find the most suitable weights for you. If required, reduce the weight on the second and third sets so that you can still perform the desired number of repetitions. When you can complete 2 or more repetitions than the suggested maximum, increase the weight by the smallest increment next session. Do not hold your breath when lifting the weight. Use correct technique at all times.
UPPER BODY SESSION Exercise Barbell bench presses Dumbbell incline bench presses Machine lat pull downs Cable seated rows Dumbbell shoulder presses Dumbbell lateral raises Barbell biceps curls Weighted dips* Reps 5-8 8-12 5-8 8-12 5-8 8-12 8-12 8-12 Sets 3-5 2-3 3-5 2-3 3-5 2-3 2-3 2-3 Rest 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec
* Dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can dip your bodyweight
for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight.
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LOWER BODY SESSION Exercise Barbell squats Barbell deadlifts Machine leg curls Machine leg extensions Machine calf presses Kneeling crunches Weighted twisting crunch Reps 5-8 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 Sets 3-5 2-3 2-3 2-3 3-5 2-3 2-3 Rest 2-3min 2-3min 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec 60-90sec
Recovery Weeks
Resistance training can and should be intense after all, the goal is to fatigue muscles enough to bring about muscular hypertrophy. Because of this, its important to factor in regular recovery weeks to prevent over training. Every fourth week, reduce the volume by half. In other words, if you completed 4 sets for an exercise before, complete only two during your recovery week. Every 8-12 weeks consider changing your routine. The basic format can stay the same but select different exercises for a change of pace and to make sure no muscle groups get neglected. You may also want to stop a repetition or two short of failure for each exercise during this week.
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Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise has unquestionable health benefits. The question is whether or not it hinders your ability to build muscle. Remember that weight gain of any kind can only occur when you are in a calorie surplus, so in theory at least, anything that burns extra calories is a hindrance rather than a help. Many bodybuilders and even Fitness Professionals go as far as claiming that cardiovascular exercise can actually reverse the muscle-building process. In practice, simply ruling out cardiovascular exercise for fear it burns excess calories is a shortsighted view. It brings with it many important health benefits, both physiological and psychological. As for the claims that it hinders muscle gain, scientific research doesnt seem to agree Research comparing a programme of weight lifting alone to the same weight lifting programme plus aerobic exercise, invariably finds that adding the aerobic exercise does not hinder muscle growth in any way. Not only is not detrimental, it may even help muscles to grow bigger [22-25]. Where the confusion comes from is that aerobic exercise can limit strength and explosive power gains, but these are not the same as hypertrophy. Pointing out that long-distance athletes are typically very skinny isnt valid either, because they can clock up dozens of training hours per week.
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The Essential Guide to Building Muscle Remember, that it is difficult to both gain muscle and reduce your body fat stores at the same time. Assuming you are reasonably lean, to build muscle you want to limit the amount of energy your burn while still receiving most of the health benefits from cardiovascular exercise. In this respect, its best to stick to a few aerobic sessions per week. If you have quite a bit of body fat to begin with, you are best following guidelines in The Essential Guide To Fat Loss first. Note: if you play sport or are involved in any vigorous activity during the week, dont think it will prevent you from gaining weight and muscle mass. It simply means youll have to consume a little more energy than you would if you werent involved in those activities.
Frequency
Aim to complete three sessions per week.
Intensity
To determine the intensity of aerobic sessions you can either use a percentage of your maximum heart rate or a rate of perceived exertion. Your maximum heart rate can be predicted with the following formula: 208 (Age x 0.7) For example, a 40year old would have a predicted maximum heart rate of : 208 (40 x 0.7) = 208 28 = 180 beats per minute (bpm) This figure (180 in this case) is multiplied by 60-70%: 180 x 0.6 = 108bpm 180 x 0.7 = 126bpm If you dont have access to a heart rate monitor you can use a scale of perceived exertion. Very simply, on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is a gentle stroll in the park and 10 is an all-out sprint), aim for a 6-7. 48
Time
Cardiovascular exercise can be limited to 20-45 minutes in duration. Keep to the lower end of this scale if you find it particularly difficult to gain weight.
Type
There are many types of suitable cardiovascular exercise jogging, brisk walking, cycling, swimming, aerobic classes, tennis, badminton and so on. Avoid the higher intensity classes at your gym such as Spinning and Body Pump.
Resistance session followed by CV session Rest Resistance session followed by CV session Rest Resistance session followed by CV session Rest Rest
Resistance session followed by CV session Resistance session followed by CV session Rest Resistance session followed by CV session Resistance session Rest Rest
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Resistance session followed by CV session CV Session Resistance session Rest Resistance session CV Session Rest
Resistance session CV session Resistance session CV session Resistance session Rest CV session
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To Sum Up
Many elements of fitness seem overly complex or contradictory. Yet when examine objective research that takes into account as many of the variables as possible, it becomes clear that just a few principles make the vast majority of the difference. From a muscle building point of view, those principles can be summed up in one short sentence Eat a lot of good food and lift heavy weights Taking a pre or post workout supplement may make a small difference; it may not. Eating a higher protein diet is likely to help but not as much as consuming enough calories. As for supplements, few if any will make a noticeable change to your body, and certainly not in the presence of poor diet and training.
Copyright Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without prior permission.
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