You have been to the gym religiously every week for months, but your muscles have barely grown. A sweaty t-shirt and a strong pump after a workout do not indicate that you did the right thing to increase muscle mass. You may be missing a step in the process. This blog is here to help. Here are the most effective, scientifically-backed strategies for accelerating muscle gains.
Proven Muscle Growth Strategies
Even for the most dedicated weightlifters, gaining muscle mass can be tedious and frustrating, especially since you have devoted a significant amount of time to the gym. You may have had rapid muscular growth when you first began training, but maintaining that growth requires some novel approaches. However, making minor adjustments to your routine is all you need to kickstart your quest to gain muscle mass again.
Load, Reps, Sets and Training Volume
The best way for a beginner to force gains is to lift heavier weights continually. However, you cannot keep adding five pounds to your bench press (for example) every week indefinitely. Your muscular strength has its limits.
So, once you feel like you have hit a growth plateau despite adding weight to the barbell, it is time to increase the number of repetitions. Even if you only add one rep to your sets every week, you will lift a greater total weight over the week. So, how many more reps should you do? A study found that maintaining a constant weight and increasing reps steadily to just 30 yields the same gains as adding extra weight.
Another way to increase reps is to increase sets. For example, perform one additional set weekly of a specific exercise while maintaining the same weight. Still, there comes a point when working out an individual muscle group with more sets is no longer beneficial. In the world of bodybuilding, there is a technique known as trash volume weight training. It states: devote a maximum of 30 sets per muscle group within a week.
One of the most influential factors in achieving muscle growth through resistance training is training volume, which is the determining factor of muscle volume growth (hypertrophy). Training volume is reps multiplied by sets. Therefore, you might have to go lighter than you think but increase the reps to achieve the same volume.
Weight Lifting Speed
Muscle gain can be achieved by varying the speed at which one lifts weights. You can encourage even more muscle growth by lengthening the time the muscle is under strain by doing your reps more slowly. A minor increase in weight can significantly impact the difficulty of an exercise, and this is especially true for moves that target smaller, weaker muscle groups, such as lateral raises. In addition, slowing down your reps with bodyweight exercises can be especially beneficial since it is often difficult to add more weight with these movements. Statistics suggest limiting reps to 6 seconds.
However, slowing down is not always the solution. Both slow and fast repetitions have advantages, but the key is proper form. Varying rep speed keeps muscles from adapting, which stunts growth.
Modify Your Training Routine
Switching up the machines you use in your routine is an excellent way to prevent your muscles from becoming accustomed to any one particular motion. Muscle atrophy occurs when you train your muscles to make the same motion over and over. Thus, it is advisable to refrain from restricting yourself to using the same lifting apparatus every time. Instead, alternate between different exercises and equipment to shock your muscles and consistently place them under new forms of stress.
Hire a Podium Gym CrossFit Personal Trainer
A mix of a nutritious diet, supplements, and a workout program tailored to building muscle is what you need to see rapid gains in muscle size and strength. Working with a professional trainer who can help you build a program suited to your needs is the easiest way to reach your goals quickly and safely.
The personal trainers at Podium Gym CrossFit are highly educated in nutrition and planning training routines. They can advise you on the best strategy to achieve your body-shaping objectives. You can reserve time with them by calling the gym at 66 (0) 808 85 87 89 or talking to a staff member when you arrive for your next workout.