6 Simple Steps To Catapult Your Muscle
Gains
What if I were to tell you that throughout the
years there has been a growth of strength training techniques
that have no scientific proof to back them up. Well there are
hundreds of them, do yourself a favour, have a look at the
facts presented in this outline of muscle gain principles and
make up your own mind.
Below you will find the Scientific Guidelines
for strength training that have always been around for a long
time but not followed by many main stream training systems
these days.
1. Limited Energy
Level
A strength-training program should be short and
simple as you only have a limited amount of energy per training
session.
Scientific studies reveal that blood sugar
levels (energy) start to deplete after 30 mins, so exercise
selection and the time taken to perform them is crucial.
What you should be aiming for is stimulating as
many muscle fibres in the shortest period of time
available.
Your blood sugar levels deplete after high
intensity training (usually between 20 - 30 minutes) and
remember that you need energy to recuperate after the
workout.
The trick is to give yourself a high intensity
workout before your blood sugar level depletes, and then you
will have given your body the exercise that it requires to gain
the maximum amount of muscle possible
2. Progressive
Overload
Progressive Overload is the main exercise
principle you need to be aware of in order to get the results
that you're after with strength training.
The two most important points are:
- Complete your exercise with perfect technique
- Push to total failure when doing a set and overload
the weight on the bar progressively. (Overload your
targeted muscles to beyond what there used to)
Basically this means that when the body is stressed by high
intensity training beyond its normal demands,
the body will adapt to these new demands of improved
strength.
When I say "normal demands," I mean what level of
stress/strength your body is used to now.
An example: The set that you performed last week using the
same technique and weight, your body will now have adapted to.
If you stay at this level your muscles will not become stronger
or bigger, so this is where the Progressive Overload plays a
major part.
Once your muscles have adapted to a particular weight then
it'll be time to overload them further (add more weight, speed,
repetitions). You'll need to keep on repeating this process of
overload if you want to become stronger.
Remember to always use ‘Good Technique’ Technique
must never be sacrificed for extra load.
3. Training Frequency
The sad reality is that the popular high volume type of
training that you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and
used by the stars) is irrelevant to the majority of the
population and has a shocking failure rate.
What is good for Joe Star is probably not good for you.
Everybody has different genetics; most of us have poor genetics
and are not taking steroids like the stars.
The only way the majority of us can make any gains at all is
to perform short intense workouts followed by long periods of
rest so that we don't overtrain.
4. Over-Compensation
Many studies conducted around the world have shown clearly
that recuperation from strength training requires far more rest
time than previously thought.
Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions,
followed by the required amount of time to recover and become
stronger is necessary for you to increase your functional
muscle.
Here's what you need to do - allow your body enough
recuperation time for over compensation to take place, so that
the muscles can adjust to their new strength and growth.
5. Exercise selection for intensity
I can't stress enough of how exercise selection is
absolutely crucial. There are only a few exercises that you
really need to perform. These exercises consist of multi-joint
movements.
These particular exercises are far superior to that of
isolation exercises (working 1 muscle group at a time) because
you are required to use more muscles from every muscle
group.
By using these exercises your whole body will be worked
hard
6. Visualization
Over my 20 years in the industry, I've noticed that this
area is by far the most neglected by mainstream health and
fitness professionals...
Most books or courses concentrate on the physical side of
muscle gain or fat loss and completely neglect the mental side
of things.
By training your mental state as well as your physical body
you can even further progress in muscle growth.
Now that you know these strength-training principles put
them to the test straight away and stop wasting your time in
the gym.
.
Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks
Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit
http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your 'free' muscle
building e-course
Global Health & Fitness
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