4 Tips For Building Muscle Mass

August 30 2013

4 Tips For Building Muscle Mass

Are you tired of spending day after day in the gym only to find that your weight is decreasing rather than increasing? Some people go to the gym strictly to lose weight, but others visit the gym to build muscle mass. It’s important to note that the types of workouts used to build muscle mass are different than the workouts used to lose weight. If your goal is to gain muscle mass, you must choose your workouts carefully. Keep reading to learn some important tips on how to build more muscle mass.

Tip #1 - HIIT Exercises

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises are critical to gaining more muscle mass. As the name suggests, this type of exercise is based around short bursts of intense workouts followed by a period of rest. Rather than performing mediocre-intense workouts each day, you’ll push yourself to the limits on one day and rest the next. A good rule of thumb is to max yourself out on HIIT exercises on one day and rest for a full 24 hours before going at it again.

Tip #2 - Increase Weights

You can’t expect to grow bigger muscles if you are still using the same size weights. Whether it’s dumbbells, barbell or a machine at your local gym, you need to constantly work up to heavier weights; otherwise, you’ll limit the growth of your muscle mass.

Tip #3 - Eat More Protein!

I can’t stress enough the importance of consuming enough protein. While protein is a key nutrient that everyone needs in his or her diet, it’s especially important for those building muscle mass. The exact amount of protein varies depending on your age, gender and levels of physical activity. A good rule of thumb, however, is to strive for one gram of protein per pound of body weight each day. If you are unable to achieve this amount through your meals, don’t be afraid to drink a protein shake or two for an additional kick of nutrition.

Tip #4 - Limit Your Cardio

Performing too much cardio could have a negative effect on your muscle mass. There’s certainly nothing wrong with an occasional jog around the neighborhood, but you should limit your cardio workouts if you are attempting to build more muscle mass. Too much cardio will burn those valuable calories that your body needs for bigger muscles. The bottom line is that you need to increase your HIIT workouts and decrease your cardio.