Sunday, April 28, 2013

How Long Does It Take To Build Lean Muscle?

By Russ Howe


If you have ever asked a friend of work colleague for tips on how to build muscle you'll probably have been met with a massive spectrum of different answers, a lot of which contradict what others have already told you. Today we'll run through the proven, simple rules of building a more powerful physique.

There is so much nonsense out there in the fitness industry, information which has no scientific backing or evidence to support it's claims, that the majority of people in gyms around the world are completely lost.

Muscular hypertrophy is not a complicated thing, despite the raft of trainers who seem hell bent on confusing clients to the point where they don't know why they're training at all. A lot of this is done in order for the trainer to attempt to justify why the fitness enthusiast 'needs' them there, when in fact you can apply the proven rules to strength and power training on your own and see results.

The main problem when somebody has not seen any results in the gym is variety. If you get stuck in the same routine it will stop giving you results no matter how good it may have been when you put it together. Your body's job is to adapt and make things easier for you to cope, so you'll need to use different approaches to get continued results. If you have had issues progressing you workouts in the past you should look at using the holistic training approach, which involves switching each week between different fitness concepts, such as going from high rep workouts to HIIT sessions, then strength training without cardio.

Understanding the importance of rest is also a major factor in your potential success. Too many people, particularly beginners, get hooked on the feeling of seeing positive results and they don't take a day off. Believe it or not, taking a day off is exactly what your body needs when you're trying to get stronger and leaner. You should be training no more than four times per week with weights at the start.

Understanding the supplement industry is nowhere near as difficult as many people make it for themselves. When looking to use a whey protein supplement there are just two things you need to look for to see if it suits your goals. Firstly, check that it's got a protein content of 20-30 grams per serving. Science tells us that we cannot store more than this, so there's no need to purchase a product containing any more than that if your goal is to get leaner. Secondly, take a quick look at the carbohydrate content it offers. If it gives you as much carbs as protein then it's designed for weight gain, so if your goal is to get leaner you want a product which checks the box for your protein intake but keeps the carb count fairly low.

The battle to build a better physique is usually won and lost outside of the gym, however. Most people are happy to exercise and drink protein shakes but they switch off when they get back home or go out with their friends at the weekend. Make no mistake about it, you'll need to get your diet in check. If you are unsure how many calories you need to be eating per day you can start by taking your goal weight and multiplying the figure by 15. This will give you a good estimate to work with.

If you are trying to figure out how to build muscle and have found it to be quite a confusing path so far, the four steps in today's post will help you to cut out the nonsense. Approaches such as calorie intake and rest are staples of successful workout programs whereas techniques including holistic training add a modern edge to an already fine concept. If you are able to apply all the rules successfully you will begin seeing a positive change within a few weeks, with great long-term benefits beginning to show after 8-12 weeks.




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