Nothing is more frustrating than constantly going to the gym only to see minimal results. However, there are things you can do in order to ensure that your time at the gym is not wasted but optimized for serious gains.
Keep reading to learn about the 10 best tips on how to gain muscle fast.
1. Focus on Proper Form
The best way to build muscle at the gym is by focusing on proper form and optimal weight.
You could do 50 sets of a specific exercise but if your form is incorrect, you won’t be fully targeting your muscles and you’ll most likely injure yourself and be put out of commission for a week or longer. Instead, look up videos of professionals doing each exercise and study their form. That way, you can maximize your results and avoid injury.
Additionally, don’t add more weight than you can handle. Remember to lift with your muscles, not your ego. You should be able to just complete your set and then rest for 30 seconds in order to do another.
2. Eat Protein
Protein is broken down in your body and used for a variety of things, including muscle repair and growth. In order to give your body what it needs, you’ll want to eat 1 gram of protein for each pound that you weigh.
Meat is a popular source of protein, but it can come with unwanted health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, strokes, and more. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger, otherwise known as Mr. Universe, has been reducing his consumption of meat for those reasons and more.
If you want to avoid meat, gaining muscle on a vegan diet is not only possible, it’s also your healthiest option. Lots of protein can be found in tofu, seitan, lentils, chickpeas, nutritional yeast, soy milk, and more.
3. Don’t Neglect Carbs
Most people know about the importance of protein, but not many realize that carbohydrates are crucial too. There are two kinds of carbs, simple and complex.
Your daily meals should contain at least one complex carb, such as brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, or potatoes because they get digested slowly and provide long-burning fuel for the day.
On the other hand, simple carbs should be eaten shortly before working out for a burst of energy.
4. Supplements
If you’re wondering how to get bigger muscle fast, you should consider taking supplements to help you reach your goals.
There are supplements for creatine, protein, and more. Figure out what you are lacking in the diet department or what you simply want more of, and look into a supplement for it.
5. Use a Foam Roller
You should get rid of soreness as quickly as possible so you can work out more and spend less time recovering.
You’ll probably still be sore even if you stretch, so you’ll want to use a foam roller to massage your muscles and work out the kinks.
For similar effects, you can lay on a tennis ball to get out those pesky knots. Better yet, why not gt a professional massage?
6. Eat More than You Burn
If you want to get muscle fast, you should be eating more calories than you burn so that your body, once it’s burned through it’s daily fuel, still has something to work with.
You can use MyFitnessPal to track your calorie intake and ensure that you’re eating enough for muscle gains. As an added bonus, tracking your meals on MyFitnessPal will allow you to see a break down of your macronutrients and micronutrients. This way, if you notice that you’re lacking any nutrients, you can take measures to meet those recommended daily values for vitamins or minerals.
7. Rest Days
The whole concept of strength training involves breaking muscles so that it can grow back stronger, but if all you do is break, then you won’t have time to repair and grow those muscles.
You should have a rest day at least once a week.
Consider what day is the busiest at your gym and choose that as your rest day so you can avoid those crazy times when you need to fight for certain equipment.
8. Time Your Meals
Eat within 30 minutes of working out because at that point your muscles are like a sponge. The muscle fibers are ripped during the workout and they’re ready to absorb protein and water to build new muscle mass.
If you want extra energy but don’t want to work out on a full stomach, you should have a snack within 20 or 30 minutes before a trip to the gym. That way, your snack has plenty of time to metabolize and give your body the energy it needs. Great snacks include apples, energy bars, and nut butter.
9. Work Out When You Have the Most Energy
There’s no sense in forcing yourself to wake up early to go to the gym if you’re not a morning person.
If you’re more of a night owl, then go to the gym at a later time. Whenever you have the most energy is when you should do your workout because then you’ll be giving it your all.
10. Get More Sleep
Have you ever set your alarm super early to squeeze in more time for the gym?
As it turns out, not getting enough sleep can increase your percentage of overall body fat and, combined with a deficient diet, it can decrease your lean muscle mass. Not only that, but not getting enough sleep can also shrink your gray matter and put you at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Sleeping is a more effective method of maintaining a healthy body than exercising and sleep is important for your body to repair itself and grow more muscle.
Ready to Use These Tips on How to Gain Muscle Fast?
Now that you know the 10 best tips on how to gain muscle fast, you can start seeing some serious gains at the gym.
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