A majority of potential bodybuilders spend many excruciating hours in the gym for many years, in order to build up muscle slowly and steadily. Muscle can be built up relatively quickly by using some simple techniques. It is important that you understand how muscles grow and increase in size.
Many people believe that only by eating protein and training hard, lean muscle mass will be achieved. In order to increase lean muscle mass, it is necessary to consume an adequate amount of calories from protein, carbohydrates and fat. This is so, because the body has sufficient energy levels in order to train hard enough to build muscle.
It is imperative not only to train with suitable weights, but also to receive adequate rest between workouts, so that your muscles have the opportunity to grow. This is because muscles do not in actual fact grow whilst training. They grow whilst the body is at rest. Whilst you are resting, a growth hormone is released into the body from the pituitary gland.
In order to stimulate the release of this growth hormone in the best nutritional way, it is advised to supplement your diet using certain amino acids.
A well balanced diet is essential when building muscle. The diet should consist of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Meals should be eaten three hours apart from each other, and proteins, carbs and fats should be included in every meal that is consumed each day. It is also advised to take a supplement protein powder or soy protein, which are a good source of quality protein and can be taken in between solid food meals. It is also imperative that you drink sufficient quantity of water.
Another supplement (apart from amino acid), is glutamine and creatine monohydrate.
For anyone attempting to build muscle, weights should be lifted between 3 to 4 times a week, ensuring that you allow your body to rest for a minimum of 48 hours per muscle group between workout sessions.
When undertaking a weight lifting workout, try your hardest at reaching the point of failure at each set whilst keeping the correct form through the exercise. If you have made up your mind to undergo twelve repetitions in a set of shoulder presses with dumbbells for example, and you did not feel as though you put in every effort on the twelfth one, then continue to do a few more, but use your common sense in order to feel when you have reached the point of failure.
It is only at this point that the muscle will react to the weight load which is being forced upon it and it must increase in strength to meet the new challenge.
You have all the necessary tools to build muscle and increase your overall muscle mass with consistency, discipline and determination.