Fastest Ways To Get Muscles With Home Workout

You have more than 600 skeletal muscles in your body, and they make up about 40 percent of your body weight, according to the University of Washington. Whether you're building muscles for overall fitness and toning, or joining the bodybuilding bandwagon, home workouts can be efficient ways to accomplish your goal. Creating a well-rounded program you enjoy and using proper techniques will enhance your chances of growing muscles faster.

Pick the Right Poundage

Muscles need to be challenged so they can grow. To get the fastest and best results from your workouts, use weights heavy enough to tire your muscles after 8 to 12 repetitions, or a set. Once you can easily complete a full set with a particular poundage, increase it by 5 to 10 percent and use it until you can easily complete eight to 12 repetitions with it.

Do Supersets

The traditional approach of lifting weights involves taking a short rest in between each set. However, a quicker way to build muscle is the superset. With this method of weight training, you complete two sets of exercises back to back without taking a break. The exercises can target the same muscle group or different groups.

Train Only Three or Four Days Weekly

You cannot train and grow muscles at the same time. During strength training, muscles suffer tiny tears and damage. Taking time off between workouts allows muscles to grow in size and strength. Schedule weight training for every other day during the week so your muscles have at least a day of rest between workouts. If you do train on consecutive days, work different muscle groups, such as upper half of body one day and lower half the next day.

Add Cardio

Strength training alone won't reveal ripped muscles if you're carrying extra weight. Cardio, or aerobic, workouts such as walking, cycling and running burn calories more quickly than muscle-building exercises. Devin Wicks, fitness director for Recreational Sports at the University of California Berkeley, recommends performing 45 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly. If you cannot complete the entire session all at once, break it into three bouts throughout the day.

Eat Well-balanced Meals

You'll get even faster results from your muscle-building workouts if you're eating nutritious meals that include all the major food groups. Carbohydrates and fats are essential for fuel during your workouts, and protein is a building block of muscle. Fill up on the healthiest sources in each group. For example, whole grains should be your preferred carbohydrates, and lean meat, low-fat dairy and soy products are some of the best sources of protein. Coldwater fish such as salmon and mackerel, nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats.

Precautions

Seek medical advice before starting exercise if you've been physically inactive for a while or have a health problem such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Use slow, controlled motions during each strength-training exercise. If you experience sharp pain, stop the exercise. Always follow your workouts with five to 10 minutes of stretching to keep muscles flexible and prepare them for your next workout to reduce your risk of injury.