To
gain muscle fast, start with basic strength training. Be sure to work different muscle groups and
to rest between workouts. Eat a high-calorie diet rich in protein, fruits, veggies,
and whole grains. Remember to stay hydrated. Lastly, remember to get enough sleep and to focus on weight-training.
1
Start with basic
strength training. Most workouts for your major body parts
should start with basic, multi-joint strength training exercises that allow you
to lift more weight overall, such as the bench presses for chest, overhead
presses for deltoids, barbell rows for back and squats for legs. This will
allow you to lift heavier on these exercises, while you're still fresh and have
enough energy to better stimulate muscle growth.
2
Go all in. Doing high-intensity workouts is the key
to building muscle. Light workouts, even if they're long, don't go nearly as
far to produce the right conditions for your muscles to break down and rebuild.
Plan on doing 30-45 minute session 3-4 times per week (every other day). This
may sound like a surprisingly manageable plan, but remember that during each session
you have to make it as intense as possible. Your muscles will definitely get
sore at first, but that will ease up once you get going with a routine.
·
During each session,
lift as much weight as you can using the correct form. Test your limits to find
out how much weight you should lift by doing reps with different weights. You
should be able to do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps without having to put the weights
down. If you can't, lower your weight. Generally, the 6-12 rep range stimulates
bulky muscle growth, while lower reps favor strength gain at the expense of
muscle size.
·
If you can do 10 or
more reps without feeling a burn, add more weight. You simply will not get
bigger unless you challenge yourself to go all in.
·
3 Lift
explosively. Lift the weight
quickly but lower slowly.
4
Use proper form. To develop precise technique, do every
rep with good form. Beginners, strive to keep the rep target inside your
strength capabilities. Find the right groove for each exercise. Don't train to
failure when you're just starting out.
·
You should be able to
complete the full motion of an exercise without having to lean over or change
position. If you can't, you should be lifting less weight.
·
In most cases you'll
start with your arms or legs extended.
·
Work with a trainer
for a few sessions so you'll learn the right form for different exercises
before continuing on your own.
5
Alternate muscle
groups. You don't want to
work out the same groups with every workout, or you'll end up damaging your
muscles.[3] Rotate
muscle groups so that each time you work out, you're putting in an intense hour
working on a different group. If you work out three times a week, try something
like this:
·
First workout: do
exercises for your chest, triceps and biceps.
·
Second workout: focus
on your legs.
·
Third workout: Do your
abs and chest again.
6
Avoid plateaus. If you do the same thing over and over
each time you work out, you're not going to make progress. You need to be
adding weight, and when you plateau with the new weight, switching up your
exercises. Stay aware of the progress you're making and take notice when it
seems like your muscles haven't changed in awhile; it could be a sign that you
need to switch things up in the weight room.
7
Rest between workouts. For someone with a fast metabolism, the
rest period is almost as important as the workouts. Your body needs time to
build muscle without burning a lot of calories doing other activities. Running
and other cardio exercises can actually impede the growth of muscles. Take it
easy in between workouts instead. Get a good night's sleep so you're fresh for
the next workout.
8
Develop the
mind-muscle connection. Research
confirms that tuning in to the mind-muscle connection can optimize your results
in the gym. Instead of focusing on your day, or the blonde next to you, strive
to get into a muscle-building mindset to help increase gains. Here's how to do
it:
·
Visualize your target
muscle growing as you complete every rep.
·
If you're doing lifts
with one hand, place your other hand on the muscle you're hoping to improve.
Doing this can help you feel exactly where the muscle is straining, and help
you refocus your efforts.
·
Remember, it's not the
amount of weight on the bar that's important; it's the effect of that weight on
the muscle that leads to increases in the size and power you're after. This has
a lot to do with how your thinking and what you’re focused on.
1
Eat high-calorie whole
foods.You should be getting your calories from
nutritious whole foods that will give your body the right kind of fuel to build
up your muscles fast. Foods high in sugar, bleached white flour, trans fats,
and additives are high in calorie but low in nutrition, and they're going to
build fat instead of muscle. If you want your muscles to grow and look defined,
you need to eat an array of whole foods from every food group.
·
Eat calorie-rich
protein dishes like steak and roast beef, roasted chicken (with the skin and dark
meat), salmon, eggs and pork. Protein is very important when you're building
muscle. Avoid bacon, sausage and other cured meats, which contain additives
that aren't good for you to eat in large quantities.
·
Eat plenty of fruits
and vegetables of all kinds. They provide you with fiber and essential
nutrients and help to keep you hydrated.
·
Eat whole grains like
oatmeal, whole wheat, buckwheat, and quinoa instead of white bread, biscuits,
muffins, pancakes, waffles and similar foods.
·
Eat legumes and nuts like
black beans, pinto beans, lima beans, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and almonds.
·
2
Eat more than you
think you need. Do you eat when
you're hungry, and stop when you're full? That sounds normal enough, but when
your aim is to gain muscle fast, you need to be eating a lot more than you
usually would. Add an extra serving to every single meal, and more if you can
handle it. Your body needs the fuel to build muscle: it's as simple as that.
·
A good muscle-building
breakfast might include a bowl of oatmeal, four eggs, two or more pieces of
grilled ham, an apple, an orange, and a banana.
·
For lunch, you might
eat a chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread, several handfuls of nuts, two
avocados, and a big kale and tomato salad.
·
For dinner, have a big
piece of steak or another protein, potatoes, vegetables, and second helpings of
everything.
·
3 Eat
at least five meals a day. Don't
wait until your stomach is growling to eat again; you need to be constantly
refueling your body when you're in a muscle-building phase. This isn't going to
last forever, so try to enjoy it! Eat two additional meals in addition to
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
4
Take supplements, but
don't rely on them. You can't rely
on muscle-building protein milkshakes to do the job for you. To build muscles,
you need to be getting the vast majority of your calories from calorie-rich
whole foods. That said, you can help accelerate the process by taking certain supplements
that have been shown not to harm the body.
·
Creatine is
a protein supplement that has been shown to help build bigger muscles. It comes
in a powdered form, and you mix it with water and drink it a few times a day.
·
Protein milkshakes
like Ensure are acceptable supplement to have around for when you're having
trouble eating enough calories between meals.
5
Stay hydrated. Working out as hard as you have to in
order to gain muscle can dry you out quickly. Combat this by carrying a water
bottle with you wherever you go, and drinking whenever you feel thirsty. Ideally,
you should be consuming around 3 liters (0.8 US gal) per day. Drink
extra water before and after workouts.[6]
·
Give up sugary or
carbonated drinks. They won't help your overall fitness, and they might
actually hold you back when it comes to strength training.
·
Alcohol isn't helpful,
either. It dehydrates you and leaves you feeling low energy.
6
Get to know your body
better. What's working,
and what isn't? As you change your, pay attention to what's happening with your
muscles. Everyone's different, and a food that might not do much to one person
might be helpful for someone else. If you don't see improvements one week,
switch it up and try something else the next week.
1
Get more than enough
sleep. Sleep is very
important for giving your muscles a chance to grow. Getting at least seven
hours of sleep a night is the minimum, 8-9 is ideal.
2
Focus exclusively on
weight-training. You might enjoy
other cardio activities (sports, running, etc.) but those put additional strain
on your body (muscles, joints) and use up energy that could be used instead to
build muscle. Normally, cardio activities should definitely be included for
all-around health, but if you're temporarily focused on building muscle
quickly, focusing on weight-training exclusively for a few months will help you
reach that goal.
