The fitness industry is worth almost $97 billion today. This massive industry might not come as a surprise when you think about just how important health and wellness are to your vitality and life.
Muscles are often the biggest indicator of fitness and reveal hard work and dedication. This begs the question – how can you effectively build muscle?
We’ve got the answers that you’re looking for.
These tips will help you out when you’re trying to build muscle mass in a way that gets results.
What Are the Benefits of Building Muscle Mass?
Your body has so many different types of muscles, all of which help the way that you live, function, and do work. Each muscle group serves a purpose, and you are essentially a blank slate when it comes to the way that you build your body.
Understanding the benefits of building muscle mass will help you take the steps toward getting the body of your dream. Here are some advantages to bulking up with mass:
It Keeps Your Weight Under Control
Muscle and fitness go hand-in-hand. When you build muscle mass it lowers your body fat percentage and keeps you leaner. Your body will look better and you’re better able to fight back against obesity.
The prevalence of adult obesity is approximately 42% today. When you’re able to resist obesity, it helps you to achieve optimal health in your life. As a result, you will get better blood flow, lower cholesterol, reduced blood pressure, and less of a chance of suffering a stroke or heart attack.
This extends well beyond numbers on a scale and gives you the chance to feel comfortable in your skin.
You Will Regulate Your Hormones
Your health and well-being rely heavily on your hormones. As human beings, we have so many different hormones that are regularly at play in dictating how we feel, think, and act.
When you build muscle mass, your hormone production will be healthy and more regulated.
Building muscle mass helps the production of testosterone, which comes with benefits like:
- More energy and vitality
- An enhanced mood, mental clarity, and lessening of depression
- Better overall health, fitness, and physique
- Increase in drive and healthy aggression
- A boost in libido and sex drive
- Vigor and youthfulness that allows you to age gracefully
- More bone density and better fat distribution
When you work out and build muscle mass, your brain will also get used to producing feel-good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin. This can help you walk around with a better mood, positive outlook, and an overall healthy disposition.
Muscle Mass Makes You Strong and Athletic
You make your physical fitness a priority when you decide to build muscle mass. The more mass you pack on, the easier it is for you to look and feel strong and athletic.
As you build more strength and athleticism, you will find yourself having an incredible amount of energy that will get you through your day. This strength and athleticism can be used in any number of activities, and you may find yourself wanting to move your body more often.
There Are Mental Health Benefits
Having additional muscle mass will also keep your mind strong. The act of building muscle takes mental discipline that continuously sharpens and hones your mind.
This peace of mind can help you stay in the moment and focus without getting distracted and taking on the unnecessary mental strain. These mental benefits will keep compounding the more you train and build muscle.
How Can I Build Muscle Mass?
Learning to build muscle mass can be an absolute life changer. When you are accustomed to carrying more healthy muscle, the health and wellness benefits will make you want to keep experiencing more gains.
Here are some guidelines for building mass in a healthy way:
Set Reasonable Muscle Mass Goals
Everything starts with your goals. When you don’t have a solid direction, it’s difficult to make any meaningful progress.
People have all different varieties of body types, so figure out what success looks like for you on your fitness journey. This could mean hitting a certain number on the scale by packing on solid muscle, or perhaps you’re going for a specific physique.
It’s important that you set reasonable, achievable goals before setting the bar too high. You can always scale up, but avoid the mistake of psyching yourself out with lofty goals that aren’t realistic.
Once you figure out your goals, write them down, and most importantly, make sure that they are measurable. When your goals are measurable it’s easier for you to achieve them on your terms and in a good amount of time.
Carve Out a Workout Plan
Once you know where you’re headed, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to get there. You need a workout plan that will help you build the level of muscle mass that you’re shooting for.
You can achieve this in any number of ways with some dedication and consistency. Here are some of the main ways that people are able to build muscle mass:
- A combination of free weights, deadlifts, and machines
- Resistance bands and calisthenics
- Kettlebells and dumbbells
- Activities like rock climbing, martial arts, and CrossFit
- Engaging in natural forms of heavy lifting and body movement
The main thing to keep in mind is that health and fitness have to be holistic. Figure out ways to get total body strength, rather than just working individual muscle groups.
It’s OK to want better biceps, pecs, thighs, or any other muscle group, but make sure that you’re working your body evenly. This will make you stronger and healthier as a whole, while also building muscle groups that support each other.
You will not only put on muscle mass the right way but will also be less likely to sustain injuries in the process.
Hit the Gym Multiple Times Per Week
Once you figure out a workout plan that you’d like to engage in, the next, and most important step is to stick to it. No plan will work unless you’re willing to put in the sweat equity that it takes to bring it to fruition.
Map out your fitness calendar and make sure that you’re working out no fewer than five days per week. Leave at least one day for complete rest, and if you decide to work out six days, make sure that one of them is light, and basically active recovery.
The goal is to condition your body to become used to this level of activity so that you can build muscle and recover from your workouts more quickly.
Get Your Nutrition in Order
One of the secrets of building muscle is making sure that you get the food that you need. Eating healthy, quality foods will allow you to get the results that you’re seeking.
While working out will get you results, the only way you’re going to build more muscle is by getting the right nutrients and more calories. Because of this, you need to figure out a nutrition plan that supports your fitness goals in earnest.
If you’re serious about getting results, make sure that you keep a food log for everything that you eat. It’s easy to do this today thanks to health and nutrition apps. These apps let you log each meal for calories and nutrients to make certain that you are on track for all your goals.
The goal is to get a balanced diet of all your food groups, while also taking in the required macronutrients and micronutrients for what you’re looking to accomplish.
Build Your Supplement Stack
Another secret to building muscle mass is making sure that you’re also stocking up on quality supplements. When you have a supplement stack that you can stick to each day, along with your food intake, it gives you a substantial boost.
Different supplements accomplish different goals – for instance, some provide much-needed building blocks for muscle, while others support blood flow or a boost of energy to optimize your workouts.
Here are some of the best supplements that you can take on your muscle-building journey:
- Protein shakes or capsules to help you put on solid muscle mass
- Zinc to support testosterone production
- L-Arginine for increased blood flow and vascularity
- Yohimbe for an energy boost and vitality
- Gingko biloba to increase blood flow and promote healing
You can also buy SARMs that will help you get your body in order. Figure out what combination of supplements will assist you in creating the physique that you’re looking for.
Stay Hydrated Regularly
Keep in mind that your muscles, like the rest of your body, are mostly made up of water. Compound this with the fact that you lose lots of water during workouts, and you can see just how important it is that you stay hydrated.
Figure out how much water you need to get each day based on your body weight and physical output, and then make it non-negotiable. Invest in a large water bottle that measures out your fluid ounces throughout the day, and make sure that you’re constantly drinking.
Getting the right amount of water each day will help you build muscle, and will also help you to recover and rebuild better after a long workout. Make sure to also mix in some electrolytes to prevent cramping and muscle tears that can sideline you and cut into your progress.
Catch Up on Your Sleep
Getting the right amount of sleep will help every aspect of your health and wellness. This is yet another aspect of physical fitness that people often miss.
All of the workouts in the world won’t get you the results that you’re looking for if you don’t give your body enough time to recover and rebuild. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night is mandatory for any muscle building journey that you’re on.
Not only will this help you to build muscle while you sleep, but it also assists in recovery so that you wake up refreshed and without soreness. Skimping on your sleep will prevent you from building the muscle mass that you desire, so set up a sleep environment that makes it easy to dose off each night and stay asleep during all of your sleep cycles.
Manage Your Pain
Pain management is a huge part of the process when you’re trying to follow any health and fitness journey. If you are able to keep your pain in check, it means you’ll be better able to hit the gym and stay on track with your goals.
Use a mixture of ice packs, cold treatments, heating pads, and other forms of recovery so that you’re able to stay in the game. Many people also look into different forms of therapy, such as massage, cryotherapy, acupuncture, and others.
Hire a Personal Trainer
Do everything in your power to find a personal trainer that can assist you in achieving your goals. This way, you’re doing your technique correctly, pushing your limits, and making sure that you’re putting on solid muscle.
Find a pro that can help you prevent bad habits while safely pushing past your limits.
Bulk Up the Right Way
These tips will help you out when you’re trying to build muscle mass in a way that makes a difference for you. When you bulk up the right way, you’ll enjoy all of the health and wellness benefits that come with the territory.
Begin with these points and rely on our articles whenever you need help with your health and nutrition. Continue browsing the rest of this section for our latest tips.
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