Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Building Muscle
One thing about the human race is that we all like some structure to our lives, it helps us focus and stay on track no matter what we are doing. That structure is also critical to a muscle-building program. We, by nature, will go to the gym and start exercising with full intention of doing it all, and then end up doing what we like and forgetting about some of the exercises we should have in our routines. Nothing wrong with that approach, but for a body builder wanting to build muscle, it is real important that you have a routine that not only builds muscle but covers all the muscle groups in the most efficient way possible and gives the proper rest to those muscles that are worked hard so you are not sore during the next workout.Building Muscle
A basic routine to get you started or even for a more advanced body builder needs to start with how many days you need to work out. A good rule of thumb is to work out 3 or 4 time per week and have at least a couple days of rest during that week. You don't need to have your days of rest back to back but your muscles need rest. The whole process of building muscle is having microscopic tears in the muscle tissue that repairs itself which is how muscles get bigger. Without rest, muscles cannot repair. With rest and good nutrition your muscles will grow bigger and stronger much quicker.Building Muscle
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Building Muscle |
Your routine needs to separate out the muscle groups. That's done by working different muscle groups at each session. You should start by working the upper body one day and then the lower body the next day. Do 3 or 4 sets for each muscle group and only about 8 to 10 reps to fatigue. Remember, you are trying to make microscopic tears in those muscles, not do major damage! And also remember to let your muscles rest for a minute between sets and a couple minutes between exercises!Building Muscle
A good example of a routine would be-Building Muscle
Week 1
- Monday - Shoulders, arms, chest and back
- Tuesday - Cardio
- Wednesday - Legs (quadriceps, hamstrings and calves) and abdominal
- Thursday - Shoulders, arms, chest, back
- Friday - Cardio
- Saturday - Rest
- Sunday - Rest
Now, you can switch these around for week 2 and you don't have to take 2 days off in a row, there is no "must" here other than to cover all the muscle groups and to get your Cardio in each week. You can make your own routine to fit your lifestyle but make sure you cover all the muscle groups each week. You can even switch around and do one week more upper body and then do more lower body the next week. You'll be amazed at how good you feel and how quick the muscles start to show improvement and how fast the start to grow bigger.
Just make sure you eat right, take your supplements, drink lot's of water and have a routine that keeps you focused on all the muscle groups.Building Muscle
