You want to grow? You want to add more muscle to your frame? Then you've got to increase your caloric intake, pure and simple. To add quality muscle weight, you need to be in a state of caloric excess. Looking to shed some bodyfat? The opposite is true: reduce calories or increase energy expenditure (cardio). Unless you have the genetics of Dorian Yates or rely heavily on "science, " it's virtually impossible to make solid muscle gains while burning fat. Eat and bulk up. Then, shed the fat by cutting down.
2 INCREASE PROTEIN CONSUMPTION
The benefits of protein are numerous for the bodybuilder: increased protein synthesis, positive nitrogen balance, muscle recovery and anti-catabolism. Remember, protein provides the building blocks of muscle. Get enough to grow enough. Learn from the pros: take protein with every meal you eat. Aim for at least 1-1.5g of protein for every pound of bodyweight when training at a high level.
3 TAKE IN PLENTY OF FAT
We don't necessarily mean from burgers and fries. There are plenty of good fat sources including olive oil, flaxseed oil, and borage oil. Thesecontain "essential" fats, those your body can't manufacture on its own. Remember this: overly restricting fat intake will negatively impact growth. Why? Fat intake can affect testosterone levels. In studies, individuals consuming 20% fat were found to have significantly lower testosterone levels than those taking in 40% fat. Furthermore, research has shown that there is a positive correlation between fat and resting testosterone concentrations in men who weight train.
5 GET PLENTLY OF REST
This is probably one of the most underutilized of all the bodybuilding tools. Rest is when the muscles you've torn down from training are allowed to rebuild and come back bigger than ever. Too much training and not enough rest, and you'll enter the dreaded "overtraining" zone where testosterone levels drop and muscle wasting becomes a serious possibility. The easiest way to avoid overtraining is to get plenty of sleep at night and train right.
6 PACK ON THE POUNDAGE
Obviously, one of the best ways to get massive is to progressively move heavier weight. This isn't an invitation to put on as many plates as you can only to perform the exercise with improper form. Use as much weight as you can while allowing you to follow strict form. With respect to reps, when it comes to building power and strength, you can aim low: 6-8 per set ought to do it.