…Before, During & After: Building Muscle As A Way Of Life…

It has to be one of the most common fitness goals, especially among men, and yet relatively few people really know all there is to know about building muscle. It makes little difference whether you want to build just a little muscle, or you are keen to embark on a fully-fledged bodybuilding regime; either way, it pays to know as much as you can about the science behind it. More than that, it pays to know something of the art of it, too. As it happens, there is much that you need to take on board if you want to build those muscles.

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The Diet

One of the biggest mistakes that wannabe bodybuilders make is that they constrain their efforts to the gym. But much of the hard work is actually done outside of the gym, and away from the dumbells. One of the most vital elements in all of this is your diet. There is a lot of confusion around what kind of a diet you should have in order to build muscle. One of the biggest misconceptions relates to protein. You don’t actually need that much protein in order to be able to develop muscle. Aim for a tenth of your body weight in grams (so somewhere between 110g-140g for most people) a day, and you are fine. Any more than that won’t actually help. Instead, fill out the rest of your diet with as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Whole foods only, please.

The Session

Still, what you do when you are at the gym is obviously going to be important. Firstly, ensure you are wearing the proper lift clothing, and that you set aside some decent time for the session. It is possible that you have been lifting wrong your entire life. This realization might be a tad disheartening, but it is better to know this as soon as possible and make the necessary change to your technique now rather than later. As a general rule, one conscious, slow lift is more effective than ten rapid rushed lifts. You should also remember to lift progressively heavier weights, both during a session and overall. You should also try to get used to the feeling of muscle burn, as this is when the real training happens, and when your muscles really start to pop in the way you would hope.

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Afterwards

Just as important as what you do during the workout session is what you do after it. First of all, it is incredibly important that you warm-down, so that you can give your muscles a chance to repair themselves as you go. This is both important for your safety and well-being, and also means your workout will be more effective in the long run. Also be sure to drink plenty of water, in little sips, in the hour after working out. This helps your body to replenish, as does eating a small amount of fruit and vegetables shortly after the gym.

Following these simple steps, you can massively improve your chances of building some real muscle. Just make sure you are focusing on the before, the during and the after in equal measures.