How to Gain Muscle Fast – Top 7 Muscle Building Tips

Your stalled muscle growth might be caused by focusing too much on one end of the workout. When lifting weights, there are two phases; the concentric and the eccentric phases. The concentric is the hard phase.

When doing bench presses, lifting the weight is the concentric phase. It’s the phase that most bodybuilders focus on. Once the weight hits the apex, you have to lower it. This is the eccentric phase; also known as the easy phase.

Focusing on the eccentric phase is effective in triggering hypertrophy (the growth of the component cells of the skeletal muscle). Luckily, switching focus on the eccentric phase is relatively easy.

All you have to do is slow down the eccentric phase of your routine. You can also include an exclusive easy phase in your exercise. You need to increase the weights substantially for this phase to be more productive.

Rest periods of between 30 to 90 seconds encourage fast release of a variety of hormones that promote muscle growth. These include testosterone and HGH. The limited rest period also ensures you fatigue the muscles.

Pro-longed rest periods can stifle muscle growth and the reverse the gains made during the set. If you bring your phone to the gym, you can set a timer that reminds you when it’s time to get back to work.

One of the most efficient ways to build lean mass is through resistance training. Squats, bench presses, lunges and pull-ups are all great compound workouts that involve multiple joints.

Compound workouts involve different muscle groups. They are perfect in triggering the release of growth hormones in substantial amounts to boost muscle growth.

Compound workouts should be the primary part of your workout. You can then have some isolation workouts that target the harder to build muscles.

Your muscles need fuel to grow. While exercise helps to trigger the secretion of growth hormones, a proper diet provides the muscles with the nutrients and energy they need to grow.

When it comes to diet, it’s not only about what you eat but how and why you eat it. To begin with, refined sugars are a no-no for bodybuilders. Here are a few critical notes regarding diet and muscle growth that can help accelerate muscle growth.

• Don’t miss out on breakfast – breakfast provides you with a burst of energy to get you started on the right footing. A good breakfast will set the tone for the rest of the day. If you buckle down on a healthy breakfast, you give yourself a chance to start strong and motivated till your next meal. Omelets, cottage cheese, and smoothies are some of the best foods to have during breakfast.
• Eat every three hours – It’s better to eat small portions more frequently than eat loads in one sitting. Each meal doesn’t have to be substantial. You can have your normal breakfast, lunch and dinner routine then work in meals after workouts and before bed with at least two snacks in between. Eating smaller portions frequently not only keeps your waistline in check but also prevents you from unhealthy cravings and unnecessary carbs.
• Protein should be a part of each meal – protein is a key ingredient when building muscle. You should aim to eat at least one gram of protein for every 454 grams of body weight. It’s almost impossible to eat all that protein in one sitting. To make it more achievable, you should have a protein source with each meal.
• Don’t forget the fruit and vegetables – even with the high demand for proteins, don’t forget you also need to stack up on fruits and vegetables, preferably with every meal. Most vegetables and fruits are low calorie, which makes them an excellent way to keep full without ingesting unwanted carbs. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals that are critical for overall body health.
• Eat carbs after workouts – even though carbs are a great source of energy, most builders eat more than necessary. It’s essential to keep a close eye on your carb intake and only take them after a workout.The best way to take carbs is to eat fruits and whole grains that contain carbs — these also pack other nutrients like fiber, which is essential in digestion and improving gut health.

While working out, you lose water through sweating. Insufficient hydration can impair the recovery of muscles and consequently, growth. Drinking plenty of water will not only prevent dehydration but also keep you full and hasten metabolism both of which are critical in achieving your goals.

There’s a lot of attention on pre and post-workout nutrition and rightfully so. Both meals are essential in helping you bulk up fast. But, it’s also important to provide your muscles with carbs and proteins during the workout to keep your energy levels high.

However, you don’t need to make this a meal. This is where a shake comes in. Mid-work shakes provide you with the nutrients you need to keep your energy levels high. However, be cautious with the amounts to you consume. You can start with a 20:40 grams protein to carb ratio for your shake.

You’ve put in the work and provided your muscles with the right nutrition to foster growth. All that’s left is to give the muscles time to grow. That’s why you need to give your muscles time to recover. Recovery time is essential in boosting muscle growth. You need at least three or four days of rest each week. You also need plenty of sleep each day for the best results.

The Takeaway

With these great tips, you can rocket boost your muscle growth. It’s important to note that each of these tips carries equal weight. You can’t focus one tip more. You need a balanced attack that will get your muscles growing and your body health.