Life has a real knack for getting in the way of a workout. Even the most devoted fitness buff can find himself taking an unwanted break. While incorporating exercise back into daily life is often tricky -- especially when you are looking to bulk up -- it’s not impossible. But before you start any exercise program, talk to a doctor. He can help determine the best approach to getting you back into shape.
Boost Caloric Intake
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you already know the principle of caloric deficit. It takes a deficit of roughly 3,500 calories to lose a single pound fat. But when trying to bulk up after a break, you need to generate a caloric surplus. A surplus of 500 calories a day, for example, should translate into a pound of weight gain each week.
Focus on Strength
To keep this surplus in calories from turning into fat, focus your workouts on strength training. According to the American Council on Exercise, strength training takes all of those additional calories and converts them into muscle growth, which should translate into the bulk you’re looking for.
Maximize Results
Although strength training inevitably builds muscle, certain exercises are sometimes better than others, especially when your goal is to bulk up fast. Instead of focusing on standard isolation exercises, incorporate more compound exercises into your workout routine. Compound exercises tend to engage more muscles, translating into better results. Chinups, dips, rows, bench press, military press and deadlifts are all examples of compound exercises.
Leave Time for Cardio
Focusing on strength, however, doesn’t mean you get a pass on cardio. Cardio is an important facet to your physical health, so leave time for 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. Choose activities that help build muscle, not just endurance. Both swimming and cycling, for instance, exert resistance on your muscles with each stroke or cadence, often helping with your gains.
Pace Yourself
Because you’ve taken a break from training, it’s also important to pace yourself during your workouts. You won’t likely be able to lift as much as you did prior to your time off. Trying to do so could overexert your muscles and lead to injury, sidelining your workout even longer. Scale back on the weight to start and gradually increase resistance as your strength returns.
Post-Workout Protein
Following your workout, try to get some lean protein into your body. Eating protein soon after resistance training helps build muscle at a much faster rate than normal. In fact, a study published in the August 2001 “Journal of Physiology” supports this practice. Participants experienced a greater increase in the hypertrophy of skeletal muscles when eating 10 grams of protein directly after strength training than those who waited to eat. A protein shake is probably the easiest option, but any source of lean protein works.
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