Are you looking to Muscle Building more in the coming year? Have you always felt like big muscles have evaded you your entire life? If so, then you need to learn all that you can about how to get huge muscles.
With the proper muscle-building tips, you’ll be able to refocus your efforts and get better results. Believe it or not, it might only be a few tiny details that are holding you back from a defined physique.
See below for an in-depth guide on all the tips that we recommend for building muscle and seeing better results inside and outside the gym.
1. Stop Doing Steady State Cardio
Paul has decided that he wants to shred fat and gain more muscle in the next year. He wants to have a body that’s unrecognizable from the round shape that he’s currently got.
To start that process, he decides that he’s going to start doing some long-distance running to help him shed the pounds. While he might only be jogging or walking the entirety of the run, the distance is sure to give him the same effects of other forms of cardio, right?
Wrong! Steady-state cardio (such as jogging for several miles) is a muscle killer. Think of any cross-country runners or true marathon runners that you see at the Olympics, even they don’t have much muscle definition to them.
But track stars, on the other hand, are jacked. They have the body everybody wants. So what gives? Why do track runners have muscle definition and cross-country runners don’t? It’s because track stars are performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT); a type of cardio where you exert maximum effort in short stints of time.
HIIT cardio has been shown to increase your metabolism and help your body shed fat. Long story short: if you want to build muscle and shred fat to get more definition, do HIIT cardio instead of steady-state cardio.
2. Prioritize Proper Nutrition
You wouldn’t expect a diesel engine to perform with regular unleaded gasoline in it. If you’re going to build muscle and see monumental results, then you have to develop a healthy relationship with your nutrition.
First, you must regain control of the situation. You’re doing this because you want to, not because you have to. This will make it easier for you to turn down that slice of cake at the Christmas party or those cookies you tend to keep stored at the top shelf of your pantry.
Make sure that you’re eating more whole foods with each meal. Whole foods refer to vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and fruits. These are essential for providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs for energy, performance, and recovery.
Meat is also a great way to increase the protein that you’re getting each day. When trying to gain lean muscle, you should focus on incorporating more chicken, pork, turkey, and lean beef into your diet.
Fish is also a tremendous source of protein, as well as healthy fats. It’s especially helpful for doubling down on vitamins such as Vitamin D and Vitamin B2, which are essential for storing energy in your muscles.
For those of you considering taking SARMs, be sure to read this article on how SARMs affect the body to see if they’re a good fit for your situation.
3. Count Your Macros
For those of you just getting into working out and eating right, you may have heard people say the word “Macros”, this is short for “Macronutrients” of which there are three: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Developing a healthy ratio of each of these macros can help you see better results when trying to build muscle.
Typically, you’ll want to focus on a diet that’s more protein-dense, but still has a healthy amount of carbs and fats. Contrary to what most people will tell you, fats and carbs are just as essential for muscle building.
That said, protein takes precedence over the other two when you’re trying to build lean muscle. You should always shoot for getting 0.5 to 1.0 grams of protein each day for every pound that you weigh.
4. Center Your Workouts Around the “Big Three”
For those of you that don’t know, the “Big Three” lifts in the workout world are squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. They are the best exercises for building strength and for those looking to bulk (build muscle).
Your workout routine must include all three at some point during the week, but be sure that you aren’t doing two of them on the same day. Since they require the most energy and muscle activation, doing two on the same day can take away from your maximum effort (and lead to injury).
Make them the heart of your exercise. Focus on proper form and performing 6 to 12 reps with every set.
5. Form and Resistance
Lifting more weight doesn’t build more muscle; it builds more strength. Do you know what does build muscle? Resistance, and yes there’s a difference.
When you focus on resistance, you’re giving your muscles a more complete workout which will cause the muscle to elongate and cause more microtears (this is a good thing for muscle growth).
For example, on a barbell curl, you shouldn’t just focus on lifting the weight as quickly as possible. Be sure that you give yourself a 4-second count as you lower it back down to the starting position; that’s when you’ll start to feel the burn!
Use These Muscle-Building Tips Effectively
Now that you have seen several muscle-building tips that you can use, be sure to implement them all into your workout routine.
Take the time to browse our website for more articles on how to get huge muscles, as well as many other topics that you will find interesting.