Workout Plans for Gaining Muscle Mass
- Build muscles with free weights.
If you are really serious about developing muscle mass, use free weights. Lifting dumbbells and barbells allows muscle groups to develop fully because of the range of motion involved. Start with light weights, such as 2 pounds. Do quick repetitions of 10 to 15 lifts. Do three sets. As you build up strength, use increasingly heavier weights, such as 5 or 10 pounds, until your last set produces "failure," or an inability to complete the repetition. Once you have conditioned a specific muscle group with this method, you can then start lifting even heavier weights to achieve maximum potential and muscle mass development. Go slowly but steadily, and stop when it hurts. Forget about "no pain, no gain." That is a macho cliche that can cause muscle damage. - Build up to heavy weights.
Most men want big biceps and six-pack abs. Most women want to tone the arms, slim the waist and shape the buttocks. Whatever your goal is, you shouldn't neglect core muscle exercises, such as sit-ups, crunches and lower back exercises. Your core muscles are the foundation for your entire muscular and skeletal system. Regularly exercising them will not only improve your posture during weight training but will also improve aerobic conditioning. Developing muscle mass in your core area requires dedication. Fat cells around the waist and buttocks are the most stubborn to eradicate. Even though you may develop muscle mass underneath, the fat will remain unless you take extra steps. - To continue developing muscle mass, you need to provide the muscle tissue with good nutrition for maximum results. No workout plan, anaerobic or aerobic, will succeed without good dietary habits. Eat carbohydrates before working out and be sure to eat adequate protein. Eat more frequently, but have smaller portions. You will make steady progress if you lift weights every other day, along with a couple of days of cardiovascular training.
