Adding bulk to your body isn't as simple as ingesting a lot of calories and hoping for the best --- that's just growing fatter. To put on muscle weight that will enhance your frame, you must learn how your body handles calories and amino acids and converts them into muscle. Focus your weightlifting efforts on those exercises that will build maximum muscle most efficiently. A little knowledge can go a long way toward building the big body you want.
Step 1
Determine how many calories your body needs to function on a daily basis by calculating your basal metabolic rate (BMR). For women, the formula is 655 + ( 4.35 x your weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x your height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x your age in years ). The formula for men is 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in years ). Once you know your body's basic caloric needs, you can create an eating plan that will have you eating more calories than you need for maintenance. Under the proper diet, these excess calories will go toward building muscle.
Step 2
Eat protein. The amino acids in protein help build muscle. Now that you know your BMR, you know how many excess calories to eat; most of those calories should come from protein sources such as meat, fish, eggs, tofu, and grains such as quinoa. According to Bodybuilding.com, a leading professional weightlifting site, you should aim to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily to maintain and build muscle mass.
Step 3
Use supplements. Eating a lot of protein can sometimes be inconvenient and time-consuming. Use protein shakes to supplement your diet when you are unable to eat whole-source protein. Drinking protein shakes within an hour after your workout is also extremely important for building muscle.
Step 4
Lift weights using a combination of isolation and compound exercises. Isolation exercises do exactly that: They isolate a single set of muscles. Examples include biceps curls and hamstring curls. Compound exercises work several muscles at once, often concentrating on one set of muscles and enlisting several others in stabilizing efforts. Squats and military presses are examples of compound exercises. Compound exercises are more efficient since you work multiple muscles at once, but don't ignore isolation exercises, because you simply can't work some muscles any other way. Doing a combination will help you to get the maximum effect most efficiently.
Step 5
Rest your body. It may seem counter-intuitive to do nothing when you could be lifting, but your muscles need time to heal. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least one full day of rest between lifting for specific body areas.
Tips and Warnings
- Break up your caloric needs into 5 to 6 meals a day to keep your metabolism high and burn off excess fat that may be covering your muscles. Use a spotter whenever you lift heavy weights. If you find yourself breaking form, switch to lighter weights until you can correctly complete your set. Don't do too many sets. A single set of 10 to 12 repetitions can be effective if you use challenging weights. Train smarter and harder, not longer.
- Consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise regimen.
Things You'll Need
- Barbells or dumbbells
- Protein or protein powder
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