Building Muscle Mass

Hard gainers way to muscle

Apr 11, 2007 Chris Christian

Hard gainer can gain weight by simply adding lean muscle mass. Following this procedure will have you tipping the scale beyond belief.

Building muscle is a sure way to gain healthy weight. This article is written in conjunction with the Healthy Weight Gains article. Incorporate the information from that article with this one to achieve your goals.

Muscle is built through a basic principle utilizing various techniques. The basic principle is called progressive overload. Progressive overload means gradually placing loads on the muscles that cause them to respond by becoming bigger and stronger. This process should be implemented systematically to ensure a safe and productive program.

Workouts:

There are numerous ways of working your muscles but all should involve some form of the progressive overload principle.

All major muscle groups (legs, chest, back core and arms) should be worked. Working all major muscle groups in one session is considered an overall body workout and should be done a maximum of 3 times per week. Or you may choose to perform the split routines. If you perform the split routine you will only work certain muscle groups in each workout, with all major muscle groups being work in each cycle (the number of days necessary to work all major muscles groups).

Either way begin with 1 to 3 set and 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise. Once you can finish your chosen number of repetitions (8 to 12) easily increase the weight and work until you can once again complete the set easily. Although the split routine allows for a more concentrated effort, the overall body workout will also produce results.

Since the human body is very adaptable you’ll want to employ periodization (training philosophy based on overloading the body using different approaches for periods of usually 1 to 4 weeks) i.e. slow training, pyramids, eccentric training or super-setting. The key here is to not allow the muscle to get used to one specific form of training. Once adaptation occurs muscle growth slows drastically.

Rest:

Of all the factors necessary for muscular growth, development and weight gain, rest is as important as nutrition and your workouts. Don’t under estimate the importance of rest, this is when the muscles actually grow. If you spend hours in the gym everyday and follow nutritional guidelines for gaining muscle mass but neglect to get enough rest, don’t expect to see your desired results. One should sleep a minimum of 8 hours a night, allowing the body to heal, repair and revitalize.

Tips:

• Don’t make the mistake of thinking more is better, if employing the overall body workout technique, train no more than three times per week, if employing the split routine train technique work each body part twice per week.
• Change your workouts after 4 weeks
• Follow the nutritional program for weight gain
• Perform each exercise with proper form to prevent injury and ensure maximum benefit
• If you truly desire to see results, commit to your program and the result will come

"There is but one temple in the universe and that is the body of man." -Novalis-

The copyright of the article Building Muscle Mass in Fitness is owned by Chris Christian. Permission to republish Building Muscle Mass in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Build lean muscle mass