Although building muscle requires dedication, hard work and time, the steps you need to take to stimulate muscle growth are fairly clear. First, you need to participate in a resistance exercise training program designed to build muscle mass; and second, you need to eat properly to provide fuel for exercise and the building blocks for muscle enlargement. The degree to which you commit yourself to these steps will determine how massive your muscles get.
Resistance Exercise
Step 1
Pick a variety of dynamic and isometric exercises to include in your training program. Examples of exercises include the bench press and dumbbell flies for your chest; back extensions, bent-over rows and lat pulldowns for your back; lateral raises and shoulder presses for your shoulders; biceps curls, triceps extensions, wrist curls and wrist extensions for your arms; bicycle crunches, the bridge and the front plank for your abs; and squats, leg curls, leg extensions and heel raises for your legs.
Step 2
Perform exercises for each muscle group two or three times per week. Do not train the same muscle group on consecutive days.
Step 3
Perform one to three sets of eight to 14 reps for each exercise at first, and then up to five sets for each exercise as you gain experience.
Step 4
Adjust the amount of resistance, or weight, depending on the number of reps per exercise. Use light weights—between 50 and 75 percent of your one-rep maximum—when performing high reps, and increasingly higher weights as you decrease the reps.
Step 5
Rest for one to two minutes between sets when performing high reps with light weights, and for two to three minutes when working with heavier weights.
Nutrition
Step 1
Eat a balanced diet consisting of five or six small meals each day, as opposed to three big meals. Include foods from all the food groups.
Step 2
Consume about 50 percent of the calories you eat on a daily basis from carbohydrate food sources to provide fuel for your intense training sessions, according to “Eat Right,” a website managed by the American Dietetic Association.
Step 3
Eat between 15 and 20 percent of your calories from protein sources such as dairy products, eggs, lean meats and nuts. Eating protein beyond this level will not increase your muscle mass.
Step 4
Allow the remainder of your calories to come from fat sources—about 30 percent of your calories. Good fat sources include fish, nuts and olive oils. Avoid foods that have high amounts of saturated fats.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult with your doctor before beginning a bodybuilding program to make sure you are healthy enough to exercise at high intensities.
Things You'll Need
- Resistance training equipment
References
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Progression Models in Resistance Training for Health Adults; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (Second Edition)"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- "Sports Medicine"; The Influence of Frequency, Intensity, Volume and Mode of Strength Training on Whole Muscle Cross-Sectional Area in Humans; Mathias Wernbom, Jesper Augustsson and Roland Thomee; 2007
- "Eat Right": Strength Building and Muscle Mass
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