 |
The Biggest Muscle Mass Gain Myths Exposed
Performing low repetition/heavy weight workouts will enable you to build muscle mass, however they will only do so for a very short period of time. The reason is that your body is always striving to maintain homeostasis, other wise know as the status quo, or to remain the same. Your body is not interested in building muscle mass, and in getting bigger and stronger, your body is interested in survival and in avoiding change. In order to do this your body has developed many mechanisms that allow you to quickly adapt to a host of possible stimuli's and stresses. So by repeatedly performing low repetition/heavy weight workouts, your body will quickly adapt to this form of stress, and as a result stay the same. Therefore, in order for you to prevent your body from adapting to the weight training you are performing, and in order to keep yourself growing and getting stronger, you must provide an ample amount of variety to your training. However, you can't just go to the gym and do anything as long as it is different from what you did the last time you where in the gym, the variety must be cycled into your training while adhering to a system. Your system of training should incorporate such training concepts as cycling of repetitions, percentage training, your individual workload capacity, exercise selection, total number of sets, intensity techniques, body part split, and recuperation. And remember above all MAXIMUM VARIETY BUILDS MAXIMUM MUSCLE MASS. Muscle Mass Myth # 2: Basic exercises only Yes the basic exercises, like the bench press, squat, dead lift, military press, barbell curl and close grip bench press, etc will definitely help you to pack on muscle mass, but that doesn't mean that they are the only exercises that you should perform to gain mass. You need a complete and balanced training program in order to really do the job and make you grow. What makes you grow is applying stress in the form of weight training at the proper work load capacity for your body. This requires more than just a bunch of basic exercises constantly repeated over and over again. What I suggest is a more balanced approach for getting big. Structure your training around the basic exercises. For example bench, however don't stop there, follow that up with 1 or 2 more exercises that work you're chest, just that they do so in a different manner. And rotate these other exercises, chose a different exercise to perform for your chest after you bench press for each chest workout. Therefore, by keeping the bench press first in your program you will ensure that your training is structured around a basic exercise, and by following it up with 1 or 2 other exercises that you will rotate each workout, you will be providing the variety that is necessary to continuously stimulate your muscles and make you grow. Muscle Mass Myth # 3: Protein, protein, protein Just upping your protein intake so that you are consuming massive amounts of protein is yet another muscle mass gaining myth, and I've heard other so called expert's state things like "only protein can build muscle, carbohydrates and fats can't", well I've got news for you buddy, your dead wrong and here's why: As stated in the Merck Manual which is a physician's reference, "carbohydrates and fat spare tissue protein. Unless sufficient nonprotein calories are available from dietary sources or tissue stores (particularly of fat), protein cannot be used efficiently for tissue maintenance, replacement, or growth. What this means is that if you just go and up the amount of protein that you are consuming each day without paying attention to the amount of carbohydrates and fats that you are consuming each day that your body may not use that protein for muscle growth. In addition, Water intake is also vital for protein absorption and muscle growth. Protein will retain 9 parts of water to form tissues, and build muscle. So if you are going to increase your protein intake, you had better make sure that you also increase your water intake so that all of that extra protein will be properly digested and absorbed in order to build muscle. Muscle Mass Myth # 4: Eating 8-10 times per day Unless you really are that hungry, that often, eating 8-10 times per day is just one step shy of lunacy. I say this because unless your appetite really is that big, your body couldn't possibly need or use that much food. And as a result of consuming so much food, you are either going to get fat or even worse sick. So what's the best way to eat to build mass? Quite simply you need to increase the total amount of calories that you consume each day. This can most easily be accomplished by choosing to eat foods/drink liquids that are denser than the foods/liquids that you are currently eating/drinking. In this way, you can eat/drink the same serving size of food/liquid that you are currently eating/drinking, but now you can get more calories. For example if you typically drink a can of soda like Coke or Pepsi with your lunch this will provide you with approximately 150 calories. Now if you switch and drink a can of Sunkist, the same serving size is approximately 220 calories, that's 70 calories more for the same amount of liquid. If you apply this principal to the rest of what you eat and drink each day, you can easily find ways of increasing your caloric intake by at least 400-500 calories per day, while still consuming the same serving sizes of food/liquids. This addition in the total amount of calories you consume each day will enable you to keep gaining muscle mass without getting fat or getting sick. If you would like to read more articles by this author and view his workout programs please visit: http://www.questformuscle.com Joseph Krachenfels is an ACE certified fitness expert with over 20 years of bodybuilding experience. He holds a B.S. degree in Exercise Science and Nutrition and is now working towards an M.D. degree. He has competed in numerous natural bodybuilding competitions over his career. Currently, he trains models and athletes who are able to attain world class results using his customized training protocol. He is also one of the founders of a personal fitness website http://www.questformuscle.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Build Muscle Memory on the Go with PocketstringsThe GadgeteerThe idea is to work on chords and build muscle memory, not to mention some handy calluses, in places where having an actual guitar would be inconvenient. There is no way to strum though and no prerecorded “correct” chord sounds, so it's truly only a ... |
|
Burn fat, build muscleCincinnati.comThree local lawmakers will “wait upon the governor” as part of the State of the State address Tuesday in Steubenville. The ceremonial role includes members... After faxing seven national letters of intent for Lakota West football players, ...and more » |
|
Burn fat, build muscleCincinnati.comTrainer Trisha DeHall helps her clients, many of them middle-aged women, lose body fat and gain muscle through a system she calls “controlled confusion.” Her specialty at Fit Body Boot Camp in Blue Ash is a 45-minute structured, group session that ...and more » |
Hotelier Middle East |
Moevenpick Bur Dubai launches fat-burning menuHotelier Middle EastFood for Life is a new series of dishes included in the hotel's breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets which will help build muscle, improve digestion and increase metabolism, according to the hotel. The range of 'Fat Burners' on the Food for Life menu ... |
|
Everything You Need To Exercise Without Getting Off the CouchGizmodoMany will try and tell you that heading to the gym and using complicated workout equipment is the only way to build muscle and tone your body, but those are lies. We've put together a list of gear that will not only help get you in shape, ... |
Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Get Incredible Gains If You Aren't Getting Them Already... And... How To Get Them Fast!
The key to rapid muscle growth, is to perform all your exercises well outside your comfort zone. If you had performed the barbell curl to the point of complete and momentary exhaustion, instead of "copping out" at the tenth.
Personal Training: 3 Powerful Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert
Regardless of what profession you are in, it is critical that people believe that you know what you are talking about! You won't find very many successful lawyers whose clients never win in court, or popular doctors whose patients are continually misdiagnosed. This concept obviously applies to personal trainers as well, and making sure you are viewed as an expert in your field is as important as having the knowledge to begin with.
Abdominal Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders.
The abdomen contains the muscles that most beginners struggle with because they take a long time to develop and need a low level of body fat to be seen. The abdominal muscle group consists of three main muscles:
1.
15 Muscle Building Rules for Skinny Guys and Gals!
WHY CAN'T YOU GAIN WEIGHT?Though there may be many reasons why you may be thin, the most apparent reason is because of your genetics. If your parents are naturally thin or have a small body frame, then you will most likely have the same small body type.
Exercise The Right Way - The Back Squat
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
Weight Gain Myths
The vast majority of myths about weight gain are mostly passed down from
"gym talk" and so-called experts who know nothing about the body's workings.Myths that lead to wasted time, frustration and if are taken
blindly as truth, can really set back your progress in the gym.
Dumbbell Workouts - A Smart Way To Exercise
Dumbbell workouts have been around for many years, especially as part of weight training equipment and programs. Fad workouts and equipment have come and gone, but dumbbell workouts have remained an easy, inexpensive way to get in shape and strengthen muscles.
Lifting for the Love of It!
Over the last couple of years I have taken a number of layoffs, for a variety of different reasons. Many times I wonder why I lift at all.
Machines VS. Free Weights II
Machines are bad, there I said it again. How many of us join health clubs or purchase expensive home exercise equipment under the notion that the machine will protect our back, make the exercise easier or guarantee your results quicker.
Enough Already! Stop Coming Up With New Weight Loss Programs...
Great weight loss techniques are completely worthless.That's a true statement 99.
10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying
1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body can more efficiently process smaller meals.
Comeback Bench Program
For those who are not familiar with my name, I am a National Level Strongman competitor in the United States. I lift stones that weigh just under 400 pounds, flip a 900+ pound tire routinely, and lift logs overhead.
Exercise The Right Way - The Wrist Extension
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
Outer Triceps Workout
The outer triceps is an awesome muscle. It sticks out like a slab of muscle on your outer arm and makes your arm look thick from the front.
Exercise The Right Way - Barbell Shrugs
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
The Role Of Repetitions In Your Muscle Building Program
Repetitions are the basic building blocks of any strength or muscle building program but it is something that many lifters take for granted. How often do you see people at the gym speed through their reps, breathe haphazardly or fail to complete each rep correctly from a technical perspective? There is much more to the simple rep than meets the eye.
Exercise The Right Way - The Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes.
What Is Strength Training?
Traditional strength training consists of performing one to three (or more) sets of exercises on a specific, isolated muscle group. One rep, or repetition, equals one complete movement of the exercise from start to finish.
Building Better Biceps
Two of the nine pivot points - those stunning body parts located precisely where they attract the most attention - are the lower biceps and long head of the triceps. When fully developed, these muscles lend a mystical beauty to the physique that size alone can't.
Maximize The Windows of Opportunity For Explosive Muscle Growth
You have two main windows of opportunity when your training. One is 30 minutes before you train (pre-workout meal) and another comes about 30-60 minutes after your workout is over (post-workout meal).
|
