Building muscle can help prevent age-related losses of strength while boosting metabolism, maintaining joint flexibility and improving overall bone health. You can build muscle by regularly engaging in strength-training activities. The nice thing about strength training is you can choose the types of exercises you want to perform, building strength where and how you want to build it. Most people can develop strength to some extent by trial and error, but there are proven ways to build strength efficiently and effectively.
Be Consistent
You can't expect to build much strength if you don't put the work in consistently. Regularly missing workout sessions or taking several weeks off here and there can really stunt your efforts. Even on days when you're feeling sluggish, make an effort to do something active that will at least help you maintain your strength; that way, when you're feeling motivated and energized, you won't have to make up for lost time.
Lift to Failure
The amount of weight you lift doesn't matter as much as the number of repetitions you perform in relation to the weight. According to a 2010 study performed at McMaster University in Canada, lifting light weight can build strength just as effectively as lifting heavy weight, as long as you lift to muscle fatigue or failure. You want the last one or two repetitions of any exercise to be almost too difficult to perform. If you're lifting light weight, you may need to do 25 repetitions to reach this point, while you could choose heavier weights and only perform eight repetitions. Choose the type of routine that works for you.
Drink Milk Post-Workout
Research regarding the benefits of milk on muscle building has poured in over the last few years. One such study performed at McMaster University in Canada found that men who consumed two glasses of skim milk after a strength-training workout gained twice as much muscle over a 10-week period than men who consumed soy milk. Milk's whey and casein protein ratio appears to provide a perfect blend of nutrients for muscle growth, so when you're trying to build strength, milk can really do your body good.
Allow Yourself to Rest
When you really challenge yourself during a strength-boosting workout, you develop tiny micro-tears in the muscles you worked. These tears need time to repair and rebuild, healing stronger than before. Give the muscles you worked at least one full day of rest between routines so your muscles will have the time they need to rest.
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