subject: Some Vital Tips For Mass Gaining [print this page] Author: Kartik Khattar Author: Kartik Khattar
Author: Kartik Khattar
Bulking up or Gaining Mass is a goal for many bodybuilders and workout-a-holics but we all tend to reach a plateau and fail to go beyond it. Well here are some important tips which would help you in achieving your goals.
Get those Calories:- Yes you got it right, to gain some bulk you need to increase the calorie consumption in your diet. Combined with a good workout regimen a good diet is very essential for gaining bulk. Now, this is to all those who think'Carbs are evil', carbs are your best friend, you should have a good amount of carbs in your diet so that your body can have fuel to burn during a high intensity workout. Along with carbs , PUFA(Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids) & MUFA(Mono-Unsaturated Fatty Acid) is also very important. Fruits and Vegetables are not at all to be neglected as they are a rich source of vitamins, anti-oxidants and fiber.
High Intensity Workout: Now just let me make this clear to all those who are lazy to go for a high intensity workout and yet want to bulk up, sorry it's not possible. Our body is very intelligent, our brain records the number of muscle fibers recruited when ever we lift a weight. Lifting a heavier weight recruits more muscle fibers. Now if we gradually keep increasing the weight we are lifting, also known as Progressive Overloading, we do not allow our body to adapt to a specific weight, so our body senses the requirement or need for stronger muscles and while repairing the damaged muscles( during the workout we cause microscopic damage to our muscles) our body makes the muscles bigger and stronger, capable of lifting more weight than the previous workout. So to grow big you need to lift big, however we still have limitations as far as weights are concerned, so when we reach that limit, we alter our workouts by introducing techniques like Drop Sets, 21 Reps, Longer Eccentric Phases or Negative Reps etc
Sleep:One of my friends loved to surf the net till 4 or even 5 in the morning, and all he had to say about this was, "Why to waste time by dreaming when you can do so much during that time?", honestly i didn't even care to answer that. Dreaming is a very important part of our sleep. The REM ( Rapid Eye Movement) phase of our sleep is the phase in which we dream. In REM phase the brain carries out all the repair work of the body as well as helps in solving all our emotional and psychological issues. Ever noticed why we opt to get a sleep if we are in a terrible mood and we wake up feeling better? The actual recovery of our body happens if we get a good sleep. Bodybuilders and Elite athletes must get 8-10 hours of quality sleep everyday if they wish to perform better in their respective sports.
Supplements:For someone who is looking to bulk up, supplements can be very helpful, but the main question is - Which supplement to take?. Current supplement industry is gigantic and the number and variety of supplements can go beyond our imagination. From under the tongue drops to powders and pills, you can get anything. Out of all this almost 98% of the supplements have no good researches to back them up, so they may work, and they may not, but shouldn't we be sure of the purity and efficiency of a product before consuming it? Back in the day, bodybuilders religiously loved 3 supplements, namely, Whey Protein, Creatine and Glutamine. If you ask me, i still would go for the old school supplementation rather than being fooled by today's over the top marketing techniques used by the supplement companies. Just to help you out a little more in this, ever noticed the really big guys endorsing supplements? do you really think they just took supplements to get an appearance like that, or did they even USE the supplement they are endorsing?? We never know.
Set Realistic Goals:Set realistic goals, do not set a goal of achieving 24 inch arms in a month if at present your
arms measure 16 inches, unless you are deciding to injecting yourself with numerous chemicals , which is not at all recommended.
Commitment:The word says it all, you need to be committed if you are looking for results.
NOTE: Always have a spotter with you when lifting heavy weights.
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About the Author:
Kartik Khattar is a fitness trainer based in India.
