Photo by Nigel Msipa

Originally Posted On: Best Tips For Gaining Muscle (nationalprobeer.com)

Building muscle is a common goal for nearly everyone who lifts weights, from body building

professionals to weekend warriors. It is as much an end goal as a lifestyle.

Unfortunately gaining muscle mass is no easy feat. For beginning lifters with plenty of room to grow, 2 pounds per month is a reasonable expectation; seasoned lifters will gain even less during a bulking phase. But just because it is difficult does not mean it is complex. The three main tips of building muscle are:

1. Eat More Than You Burn (be in a calorie surplus)

2. Lift More Weight (Progressively Lift Heavier)

3. Recover (Switch Muscle Groups)

Here Are 4 Basics that Every Veteran and Newbie Can Agree Upon

1. LIFT MORE WEIGHT

Start lifting progressively heavier, don’t over complicate muscle growth the best way to gain muscle is to challenge it our bodies are extremely adaptive so you must continuously shock the muscle for it do grow. Make sure you are putting more plates onto the bar or using heavier dumbbells every week or two, even if you are only adding 5 or 10 more pounds. Another good strategy is to pyramid sets finding the heaviest you can lift then work your way down get every last rep in. To add more reps, consider using drop sets, where you perform your normal work set and then drop the weight to perform another set until failure. Always increase gradually, and don’t overdo it – but remember if you’re new check yourself before you reck yourself, 3 months of actively training is better than 2 months receiving after an injury.

2. Add More Protein Into Your Diet

“Abs are made in the kitchen.” In fact, so are biceps, triceps, pectorals, quadriceps are made on the stovetop. No matter how much your lifting a poor diet can have the biggest impact on your potential gains. If you’re bulking and hitting the gym to lift heavy a few times per week, aim for at least 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight to help your muscles grow. Everyone’s body responds to protein differently, so you may need to experiment with the exact amount and see what works. Today people are adding protein pancakes, protein beer, and even raw eggs to their diet. There are so many ways of including more protein in your diet through recovery drinks, supplements, and meat, finding new

products and recipes can be an exciting part of the muscle building journey.

3. Be consistent

Muscle is not built overnight which can often stifle people ambitions because progress is hard to see over months of work. That is why the most important part of any work out is consistency. The key to success – whether competing against other athletes or yourself – is showing up and putting in the work. The best workouts are not the days you are prepared and excited to work out, but the days you push through, fight the lack of motivation, and overcome personal weakness. Consistency is key and some easy tricks is to take progress photos and set goals so you can check in on yourself along the journey.

4. Take the right supplements

To achieve optimal muscle mass, you need complete control over your macros. If you’re a hard gainer or have significant caloric and protein intake goals, using a mass gainer supplement is a great way to hit your nutrient targets. Everyone is different some people may need more carbs and drink a protein beer along side protein shake. Other people that gain weight easier may find it more beneficial to use creatine alongside protein. Everyone is different and the extent varies per person the best thing anyone can do is research and tryout different supplements to find what they like best overtime.