Building body mass is an important element of conditioning for bodybuilding and related strength sports such as football and power lifting. These are sports that provide an advantage to the biggest, strongest player. While building body mass seems like a time-consuming and difficult task, it's actually fairly simple.
Nutrition
Step 1
Increase the amount of lean proteins you eat, such as meat and poultry, fish and eggs, milk and cheese. Protein and its amino acids are the building blocks of muscle tissue.
Step 2
Consume healthy fats. Dietary fat, such as cholesterol and fish oils, is critical to the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for the creation of muscle tissue in humans.
Step 3
Eat complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, instead of simple starches and sugars like sugar, potato and rice. Complex carbohydrates break down slower in the digestive process, allowing nutrients to be used for muscle building instead of being stored as fat.
Exercise
Step 1
Perform barbell squats. Rest your Olympic barbell on the pins of your power rack so the bar rests at shoulder height. Step backward under the barbell, allowing it to rest on the back of your shoulders. Grasp the bars slightly more than shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward. Step into your lifting stance, with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Sit down, bending at the hips, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your back as straight as possible. Drive upward into your starting stance, pushing with your legs and hips. Perform five repetitions for three sets.
Step 2
Perform the overhead press. Stand with feet together. Hold a loaded barbell in your hands, resting on the front of your shoulders. Press the bar upward, straight overhead, until your arms are extended. Lower the barbell back to starting position slowly. Keep your abdominal muscles tight. Perform three to four repetitions for three sets.
Step 3
Perform dead lifts. Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, with a barbell in front of your shins on the floor. Grab the bar with both hands, slightly more than shoulder-width apart, palms facing toward your body. Stand up, holding the barbell, until it rests along the front of your thighs. Perform three sets of three repetitions.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform your strength training workout two to three times per week. Allow a rest interval of 48 to 72 hours between workouts. Add 5 pounds to the barbell each week.
- Consult your personal physician prior to beginning a new fitness regimen.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell with plates
- Power rack weightlifting cage
- Flat bench
References
- "Practical Programming for Strength Training;" Mark Rippetoe; 2008
- "Strongest Shall Survive;" Bill Starr; 1999
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