If you want to know how to gain muscle mass, there are a few dos and don'ts you need to be aware of. The biggest muscle building mistake you can make is doing routines from muscle magazines - don't believe the hype as those routines are mainl...
If you want to know how to gain muscle mass, there are a few dos and don'ts you need to be aware of. The biggest muscle building mistake you can make is doing routines from muscle magazines - don't believe the hype as those routines are mainly just trying to sell you something. Most of the dudes in the magazines either don't train naturally or are professionals and train constantly and are being paid to tell you how to get big.
The average guy needs to take a different approach and needs to grasp a few simple concepts when asking "How to gain muscle mass" Below are my four principles for building mass:
1. Eat For Mass
If you're trying to gain muscle mass, you need to modify your nutrition plan to suit your goals which means you ABSOLUTELY MUST BE IN A CALORIC SURPLUS! Gaining mass is a slow process. Most people can only put on 1/2 to one pound of lean muscle mass per week. That being said, your nutrition needs to match. You'll want to calculate your daily caloric needs (starting with your BMR), factor in your lifestyle (using Harris Benedict equation) and then add 500 to 750 calories to that to ensure you're in a caloric surplus. The body can not grow unless you are eating in excess!
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2. Train For Mass
If you want to get big, you need to alter your training regimen so it is conducive to mass gains. This means doing fewer circuit-style workouts, dropping the reps, using heavier weight, resting more in-between sets and only working out 3-4 days per week. You'll need to join a gym or get some heavier plates, dumbbells and a bench in your garage. It is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to gain any sort of significant mass without heavy weights.
3. Supplement For Mass
You're going to be killing your muscles and putting them under tremendous strain. You need to ensure you're supplementation regimen is in-check. You'll want to make sure you're getting your required amino acids (BCAAs), using a pre-workout supplement, and a post-workout supplement that contains your creatine and glutamine at a minimum. You also don't want to enter starvation mode, so a high dose of Casein protein (powder or food form) is essential before bed-time to ensure your biggest gains. The body grows while at rest, so you need to ensure it has fuel at this important time.
Rest For Mass
Again, the body grows while at rest, so if you want to put on some serious mass you need to be getting enough sleep EACH AND EVERY NIGHT. This means getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep.
Conclusion
There is no magic bullet for putting on serious mass. It takes hard work, dedicated nutrition, proper supplementation and rest. It's nearly impossible to get big overnight. If you can put on 3-5 pounds of lean muscle per month you are doing just fine. One way to calculate this is to take your initial weight and % body fat. After one month re-check yourself and calculate how many pounds of lean body mass you have.
