Building lean muscle – 3 keys to building the body of your dreams
Building lean muscle can be a difficult task if you don’t have the right plan. Some of us struggle just to add a measly 5 pounds of muscle to our bodies. Whether you’re the type who has a hard time bulking up or you’re just looking for some weight gain tips, here are some tips that should help:
1. Eat 1.5 times your body weight in grams of protein
The title says it all, if building lean muscle mass is a priority for you, you should get enough protein on a daily basis. Some would say that just getting your body weight in grams of protein is enough, however in my experience it is better to go for 1.5 times your body weight. To get to this you will want to supplement your diet with 1 or 2 protein shakes, it is best to take them in the morning and after your workouts.
2. Lift heavy
The other key to gaining quality weight is to make sure you hit the weights hard! Many people don’t push themselves hard enough when they lift weights and therefore don’t see any significant change in the mirror. If you want to gain any real muscle, you need to lift a weight that you can barely do 8 reps with. Once you’ve found this weight, do 3-4 sets with it before moving on to the next exercise.
3. Eat properly
Another key to gaining lean muscle mass is to eat the right foods, if you feed your body with simple carbohydrates, sugar and junk food, you will be putting on a lot of fat instead of muscle. Make sure you eat plenty of lean meats, complex carbs, and nuts and your gains will be clean.
Now if you’re serious about building lean muscle you’re going to need more than these tips to ensure you get the body you’re after, you’re going to need a solid weightlifting routine and diet, without this you’re pretty much at a stream without a paddle.