The 3 main factors necessary for building muscle

[digitor]

The 3 main factors necessary for building muscle

Progressive overload

Muscle damage is simply workload, which is the weight you lift multiplied by the reps plus the totals for the other sets. The body adapts to this workload by building more muscle mass, which makes you stronger. It will also innervate the existing muscle mass more effectively depending on the rep range you perform (usually low reps) to increase the number of muscle fibres that you recruit for a rep, which makes you stronger.

If you increase the workload periodically, your body will keep on adapting progressively as the weight increases. This is the only way to build muscle, by progressively overloading your muscles to keep your body adapting. If you aren’t getting stronger, generally speaking you won’t be getting any bigger, innervation aside.

Caloric excess

Unless you consume more calories than your body needs, you will not build muscle because it isn’t exactly a priority if you are not eating enough to survive in the long run. The extra calories will turn straight to fat unless you have a workout program that you follow. If you do, then the extra calories are used in the construction of new myofibrils in the muscle fibres and also in the repair of the existing structures, including connective tissues.

Generally, it is said that you need to eat 20 times your bodyweight in lbs to gain muscle, but this will vary from individual to individual based on their bodytype and metabolic rate. An ectomorph will find it hard to gain muscle and fat because their body’s nutrient turnover rate is much quicker than a mesomorph for example. How many calories you need to eat is also dependent on your weight (and therefore height) and also your activity level. Protein requirements are also dependent on weight and the amount of training you do. For a beginner lifter, 1.5 gram of protein per lb of lean bodyweight is fine, for an intermediate to experienced lifter roughly 2 grams per lb. In my opinion 2.5 to 3 grams per lb of lean bodymass is unnecessarily high because as long as you have enough carbohydrates in your diet, all the protein will be used for muscle repair and growth. Many will disagree though.

Rest

There is a cliché that is often overused, but it is true: “your muscles don’t grow in the gym”. Therefore give your muscles plenty of rest in between workouts to allow enough time for your body to repair any damage and to increase your muscle mass. This will only happen if you are eating enough calories and getting plenty of rest. It is often said that 72 hours if required for all muscle tissue damage to be repaired, and that it takes longer for connective tissue. As long as your muscles aren’t excessively painful to use and your joints feel fresh, you can workout the same muscle after 72 hours. A beginner’s routine based around strength progression rather than volume will be ideally suited to this, whereas a professional that has a higher workload will perhaps workout only once per week to avoid overtraining; hence how often you workout will depend on your experience level and the type of routine you are following.

Sleep is very important, you need at least 7 hours per night on a consistent basis, but 8 is ideal. You cannot catch up on sleep at the weekends. It is also important to go to bed at a reasonable hour, otherwise you wake up feeling more tired than you went to bed because you are disturbing your bodyclock. You also want to take full advantage of the release of anabolic hormones during the first three or so hours of sleep when you enter a period of REM sleep. Each period lasts three hours and is separated from the next by three hours of less useful sleep.

[Malley]

Yet another great article. I think the last 2 I have saw need to definitly be stickied. These are fabulous!

[trav1809]

Originally Posted by Malley

Yet another great article. I think the last 2 I have saw need to definitly be stickied. These are fabulous!

yeah, I agree...great article. I never thought that sleep was such a big part of working out until i started joining bodybuilding boards and educating myself more. i was the kind of guy that would go to bed around 12.30 or 1 in the morning and get up at 6 or so. and i would do that everyday. no wonder I never got anywhere. for the last 6 months i have trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, and it seems to be working for me. i have been feeling more refreshed than ever, not getting sick, and getting better results in the gym. i would bet that rest and diet are overlooked by 75 percent of the people that lift weights....i was one of them.

[Malley]

How old is your oldest? Your only 25. Of course I am 25 and my oldest is 4.

[digitor]

I really should get more sleep myself come to think of it! Lack of sleep can completely derail a workout I've found and that leads to feeling depressed, at least in my case

[ChRis_StuaRt]

quality article digitor.

[Derek]

Some good info for sure.

[daman1985]

good article, but i up the weights but my body doesnt grow, i get ample rest too, and i hav plenty of excess calories for my body to use.

[Newfiechick]

Great article digitor, thanks for sharing.

I, for one, do under-estimate the value of sleep

[ChRis_StuaRt]

how come you always change the conversation towards you daman ?

[1quick1]

Looks good. What's new Dig?