Exercises that exert a significant amount of force or strain against your body stimulate your muscle and bone cells to grow, making new tissue or enlarging existing tissue. Get a sufficient amount of sleep to aid in the tissue-building process. Consume a protein-and-carbohydrate shake before and after an exercise session to increases the amount and rate of tissue building, or protein synthesis.
Step 1
Eat plenty of calories to build muscle and body tissues, particularly protein. Consume 2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight --- the amount of protein necessary for building lean body mass, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Step 2
Work your chest and back on Mondays using dumbbells, barbells, benches and machine weights. Include flat bench presses, barbell rows, incline bench presses, lateral pull-downs, flat dumbbell flies and dumbbell pullovers. Complete six sets of six to 12 repetitions per exercise to build muscle, the ACSM recommends.
Step 3
Exercise your abdominals on Thursdays to build your "six-pack" muscles, your obliques and your transverse abdominal muscle. Pair weighted crunches with dumbbell side bends, weighted reverse crunches with hanging oblique crunches and overhead medicine-ball throws with side planks. Complete six sets of six to 12 repetitions per exercise.
Step 4
Focus on your legs and shoulders on Wednesdays, building the larger muscles of your body. Do squats, dumbbell shoulder presses, straight-leg deadlifts, dumbbell lateral raises, lunges, hyperextensions, leg extensions and leg curls. Complete four sets of six to 12 repetitions per exercise.
Step 5
Perform plyometric exercises at the end of your leg workouts to further stimulate bone-tissue growth, the ACSM advises. Include three sets of 10 repetitions of jump squats, lunge jumps and box jumps.
Step 6
Build your biceps and triceps on Fridays. Perform dumbbell curls, triceps rope press-downs, EZ-bar curls, triceps dips, concentration curls and one-arm triceps extensions. Complete six sets of six to 12 repetitions per exercise.
Step 7
Complete a moderately intense jog, 30 to 45 minutes long, on Tuesdays; this will increase the density of capillaries and cellular structures in your muscle cells. Do a 20-minute, high-intensity interval session after your abdominal workout on Thursdays, such as sprinting for 20 seconds then walking for 1 minute and 40 seconds, stimulating bone growth.
Tips and Warnings
- Bring your protein-shake ingredients and your blender with you to the gym. Mix the shake up immediately after your session, drinking it as you walk out the door.
- Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, unsupervised exercise may worsen your condition.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise equipment
- Protein-and-carbohydrate shake
References
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Protein for Sports-New Data and New Recommendations; Tim Ziegenfus, Ph.D., et al.; Feb. 2010
- American College of Sports Medicine: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Adults
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Bone Health
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
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