If you have decided to step back into the gym for the first time in a while, you might be eager to accomplish fast results. You are ready to get back into the swing, work on your muscles, and feel great in your body again.
At this point, you aren’t quite sure where to start and what type of workout will give you the best results. So, you may want to hop on a treadmill, try lifting weights, or do some other exercise you believe will give you Arnold Schwarzenegger muscles.
To avoid wasting time and resources, we have prepared a list of things that will help you build your muscles in no time.
Protein Intake Matters
The more protein your body stores, the larger your muscles will grow. This process is called protein synthesis. However, your body is constantly using protein reserves, for example, to make hormones.
This leaves less protein for muscle building. To combat this, you need to store and build new proteins faster than you can break old ones. You need one gram of protein per body weight, which is the maximum amount your body can use per day. For instance, a 160-pound man should intake 160 grams of protein per day.
Eat More
In addition to protein intake, you need to consume more calories. Your body will use this extra energy to grow and rebuild muscles after training; therefore, increasing your food intake is a must.
The best way is to use an online calculator or peptide dosage calculator to calculate how much protein you need per day. Give yourself at least two weeks before you notice any specific results. If you haven’t seen any improvement, increase your calorie intake by 500 per day.
While stuffing yourself with food may seem like a dream come true, some people find it difficult to eat more food, or they won’t always have a great appetite. One of the tricks you can apply is to increase the amount of nutrient-dense food; for example, try full-fat yogurt or cheese, along with nut butter and nuts.
Work big, not small
Biceps could be a nice addition to your physique, but if you want to work on your muscles, you need to challenge your body more. And one of the best ways to do so is to start a workout called multi-joint movement.
You want to perform an exercise that challenges multiple muscles and joints at once. A dumbbell row is an excellent example because every row rep challenges the core, lats, and biceps. If you use multiple muscle groups, you will be able to lift more weight, and it makes you use muscles together.
Make sure to include exercises like bench press, pullups, deadlifts, and squats.
Train heavy
To build strength and muscles, you need to train heavily. Your workout needs to be efficient, safe, and heavy because it doesn’t only challenge the muscles concentrically but eccentrically. If done right, the stimulus of heavyweight going up and down will cause a greater tear of the muscles and cause them to rebuild and grow bigger.
This doesn’t mean you should repeat every set 10-15 times. High rep sets have their value but only with the specific types. However, when it comes to exercises such as deadlifts, bench presses, and squats, don’t do more than five reps. And, as you build your strength, you will increase weight and the number of reps.
First, have a drink
Based on a study conducted at the University of Texas, scientists found that lifters who drank a shake containing carbs and amino acids before workout boosted their protein synthesis, which wasn’t the case with lifters who consumed the same shake after training.
The shake included six grams of essential amino acids and 35 grams of carbs. Considering that a workout boosts blood flow to your working tissue, consuming a carb-protein mixture may cause a better uptake of amino acids in your muscles.
For your shake, you can use 10-20 grams of protein, and lifters usually use a whey-protein powder. If you can’t stomach these types of drinks, you will get the same nutrients from a sandwich made with four ounces of deli turkey, a slice of cheese, and wheat bread. But liquid meals are better because our body absorbs them faster.
Go Slow with Cabs after Workout
Based on research, you will rebuild your muscles faster if, on rest days, you consume carbs. When it comes to post-workout meals, carbs will only increase your insulin levels, which slows down protein breakdown.
Sleep At Least Six Hours
Sleep is probably the last thing on your mind when you are trying to build muscles. You may spend plenty of time working out, but what you fail to understand is that as you sleep, your body recovers and muscles grow.
During this time, muscle-growing hormones are secreted as well. It would be ideal if you could get at least 10 hours of sleep, but if that isn’t an option, six will be perfectly fine.
