If you’re attempting to build muscle but are struggling, here are a few tips for you.
Increasing muscle mass is a daily goal for millions of people, but so many of them have no idea how to do it properly. In fact, if you’ve been having difficulty building up muscle, there’s a good chance that you’re simply doing something wrong.
Our personal trainers know how to build up muscle in a short period of time, so we’re going to take a look at some of the mistakes that you’re probably making.
You Don’t Have a Workout Plan
If you really want to learn how to build muscle, the first thing you must understand is that you need a workout plan. You’ll want to figure out how many days a week you’ll be working out, which exercises you’ll be doing, and approximately how much time you’ll need each day. If you find it difficult to make these decisions, then you may want to sign up for professional training sessions to keep you focused.
You’re Eating Fast Food and Junk
If you want to stop gaining weight and start gaining muscle instead, then nutrition needs to be a main part of your daily routine. We’re not saying that you have to give up everything that you love to eat, but it’s all about adding healthy foods to the mix while reducing the number of unhealthy foods. Eating fast food and junk food on a regular basis will often kill your chances to build muscle, even if you’re eating tons of protein.
You Don’t Drink Enough Water
When you engage in muscle-building exercises, you can lose as much as two liters of water per hour. If you don’t replace what you lose, then the resulting dehydration will cause hormones and chemicals to enter your bloodstream, thereby lowering testosterone and growth hormones. This means the hard workout you just finished won’t be as effective in building muscle.
You’re not Getting Enough Sleep
Many people don’t get nearly enough sleep because they have a stressful job or a chaotic home life. The problem is that a lack of sleep can lower your testosterone and cause your body’s muscle mass to break down. Plus, not getting enough rest can kill your motivation and lead to failure during your workouts. You should get as close to eight hours of sleep per night as you possibly can.
You Don’t Eat Enough Protein
Any time you look up how to build muscle, you’ll see people talking about the importance of protein intake. The amount of protein that people suggest will sometimes differ, but the general idea is that you should be eating one gram of protein per pound of your core weight each day. You can supplement natural protein with whey protein found in shakes and other products, but nothing beats getting the real thing straight from actual food.
You’re Not Using the Proper Form
Whether you’re strength training or not, one of the worst things you can do when working out is not use the proper form. Not only does this make building muscle a lot more difficult, it can also lead to a high risk of injury. If you’re in doubt, a professional trainer will teach you how to engage your muscles the right way so you won’t hurt yourself and will be able to make better gains.
You Lift Too Much or Not Enough
It’s common for people who aren’t too familiar with working out to lift either too much or not enough. If you lift too much, you could end up straining your body more than it can handle, resulting in serious injuries or soreness that prevents you from hitting the gym again for a while. On the other hand, if you’re lifting a weight that you can easily handle for more than 10 reps, then you’re not lifting enough for proper muscle growth.
You’re not Stretching Before and After Your Workout
It’s important that you stretch before and after every single workout. Stretching before you lift weights or do cardio will help you avoid injury. Stretching afterwards is important because it stimulates blood flow, which, in turn, can promote muscle growth.
Just be sure not to overstretch so your muscles don’t become dependent on it. A simple warm-up will be plenty.
Contact Fit to A T to Learn How to Build Up Muscle
Fit to A T is the most reputable holistic personal trainer in Dunedin and the surrounding areas. If you have any questions on how to build up muscle or would like a free consultation, call our facility at (727) 755-3485 today.
