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SIZE MATTERS:BEST TIPS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE
Davey WaveyCertified Personal Trainer, AFPA
TIPS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE
PAGE 1Size Matters: Best Tips for Building Muscle
2012 Davey Wavey, Inc. All rights reserved.
If youre looking to boost your workoutand
get bigger muscle building results even
soonerthen Ive got a handful of powerful
tips for you to incorporate into your fitness
and nutrition regimens.
Following these tips will put you on the fast
track for success.
Focus On Compound Movements
Isolation exercises are great for targeting
specific muscles, but compound exercises
offer a number of important benefitsand too
many individuals neglect including compound
exercises in their workouts. Compound exer-
cises work multiple muscle groups at once,
and include such exercises as deadlifts,
squats and bench presses.
If your workout is primarily composed of isola-
tion exercises, kick things up a notch by in-
creasing the number of compound exercises
in your routine. They cant be beat!
Set One Goal For Each Workout
While you likely have a number of long-term
fitness goalslike increasing your bodys
muscle massits a good idea to make mini,
short-term goals that are related to each
workout you perform.
For example, I might try to complete a series
of sprints at a certain pace, lift a new amount
of weight or complete a specific number of
repetitions. Whatever the goal, have it push
you and your limits. You might not always
reach your goal, but it can help you stay moti-
vated and focused. And as you eventually
move past the goals, it will boost your self-
confidence.
Evaluate Progress Regularly
Not everything you try is going to yield the re-
sults that you want. And so if you just keep
going about your workout without ever stop-
ping to evaluate your progress, youre going
to be selling yourself short.
On a weekly or monthly basis, check in on
your workout. See where you stand against
your long-term goals. Track your muscle
measurements. Are certain muscles growing?
How quickly are they growing? Are some not
growing?
Then, ask yourself if anything needs to be
modified to enhance your progress. Trou-
bleshoot your workout often and early to pre-
vent wasted time at the gym.
Try New Exercise Often
Dont get stuck in a rut. So many exercisers
get caught up in the exact same workout
and perform it day in and day out for years on
end.
Not only are old, stale routines a recipe for
boredom, but youre body can become overly
accustomed to performing the specific exer-
cises in the same specific order. It starts to
lose its challenge.
Switch things up. Try something new. Change
the base of stability. Opt for an incline bench
press rather than the flat bench press. Try a
front squat rather than a back squat. There
are millions of exercise possibilitiesso give
yourself permission to explore them.
PAGE 2Size Matters: Best Tips for Building Muscle
2012 Davey Wavey, Inc. All rights reserved.
Over time, adding variations to your workout
can make a significant difference.
Get A Workout Buddy
Need help pushing through a plateau? Enlist
the help of a workout buddy!
Not only does a workout buddy help motivate
you, but he or she will be able to spot and as-
sist you when you want to get in that extra
repetition.
Having a spotter is important for safety rea-
sonsand if you dont feel safe when lifting,
you wont be able to push your body to the
limit.
Giving yourself a support system is a great
way to enhance your progress.
Remember To Add Extended Rest
Dont be afraid to take a little time off. It can
be a good thing.
It seems counter-intuitive to think that a week
of down time could be good for building mus-
cle, but extended down time gives your body
the chance to recover, repair and rebuild. And
while having rest days off in between work-
outs help, nothing beats a week or two away
from the gym. Extended rest periods help
guard against overtraining and injury.
If youre already going on vacation and wont
have easy access to a gym, this can be the
perfect opportunity to take some time off.
Build it right into your vacation.
When you go back to the gym, youll feel
stronger and more energized than ever!
Look After Pre And Post Workout Nutri-
tion
Its crucial that you pay attention to your pre
and post workout nutrition. After all, its during
this time that the body is most receptive to
building muscle mass.
Think of your pre and post workout nutrition
like an extension of your workout. It cant be
overlooked if youre going to see optimal lev-
els of success.
Ensure that youre getting carbohydrates and
protein prior to hitting the gymand allow
yourself enough time to digest (so that you
dont feel nauseous while working out). Im-
mediately after your workout, consume addi-
tional protein and carbohydrates as soon as
possible. These carbohydrates should be
simplelike those found in sugary drinks and
juiceso that they can be absorbed as
quickly as possible.
Maximize your results by giving your body the
ingredients for success!