Today you will learn how to grow your muscles. The best ways based on science, by this man; a doctor.
This is Dr. Sam Robbins (who studies hormones). Sam has coached bodybuilders, Olympic athletes, and has stated 4 proven ways to build muscle. Today I will discuss them; what he suggests and how you can start building muscle too!
Sam Robbins moved to America from Italy at a young age, saw his first muscle magazine and was instantly hooked on the idea of getting ripped. Sam started to work out but was met with the realization he had bad genetics, and poor results seemed the only possibility. So he did the only thing he thought he could do to reverse these negatives; learn everything there is to know about building muscle and losing weight…
Item 1 - HORMONES
You must have the right hormones for building muscle. It is integral to the process that needs to be optimized before you begin. Dr. Robbins makes it clear you shouldn't compare yourself to anyone else because other people may have better genetics. However, he also makes it clear these tips work for everyone!
Hormones are insanely powerful; in fact, if your hormones are in a perfect condition, you can actually build muscle without lifting a finger! (This is not recommended). On the flip side, if your hormones are completely out of tune and not in working order, your results will be below average.
The goal is to aid anabolic hormones (such as testosterone) and deplete catabolic hormones (such as cortisol). I’m sure you’re wondering how to optimize your hormones, right? Well, let’s get into it…
One of the best ways to aid the growth hormones is by working out. You should thank your body for this because it essentially aids the growth of muscles. Here are some more ways you can promote a healthy hormone balance:
- Try not to stress
- Sleep well, and a lot
- Get your diet healthy and well-balanced
- Try to be active every single day (the gym is a great place to be active, but even a daily walk will aid growth hormones)
- Try to reduce negativity
- Consuming herbs, vitamins, and minerals
Item 2 - EXERCISE
For sure the most obvious point in this list. You need to lift weights to build muscle. The entire process is actually you tricking your body into thinking it needs more muscle to survive; it’s your body adapting to the new surroundings by building more muscle. The right type of exercise also helps to create the best possible hormone balance. To bring all of these great benefits together, you can lift barbells, dumbbells, your own body weight, or any weight that does the job effectively. Here are some things Dr. Robbins suggests you remember when trying to build muscle:
- You should exercise 3–4 times per week, no more. (To answer your original question!)
- Keep your workouts to 45 minutes or less. (This is one of the only points Dr. Robbins makes that I disagree with; I believe your sessions shouldn’t exceed 90 minutes (1.5 hours), but at least make them 40 minutes. I would personally say the optimal time is between 60, and 75 minutes).
- Work quickly, with about 60–90 seconds rests between sets.
- Squeeze the muscle. Don’t just lift the weight. (“Feel it. Contract it. Be strict. Go for a good pump.”).
- You should do about 6–15 repetitions for your upper body, and 10–20 for your lower body. (Keep in mind the amount of reps correlates to the weight; high weight = low reps and low weight = high reps).
- Go close to failure on your sets, maybe just 1 short.
- Do about 6–10 total sets per muscle
- Mix things up (try different exercises and reps)
- See what works for YOUR body
- Be patient
Item 3 - DIET
Now that you have stimulated the muscles, you have to feed them. Believe it or not, if you don’t properly feed your muscles, the workout will cause you to lose muscle. This happened to Dr. Robbins when he started out; his thought process was - “I’ll lift weights to gain muscle, and eat less to lose fat”. This, unfortunately, does not work.
Dr. Robbins points out you don’t need that much extra food to gain muscle mass; increase your daily calorie intake by 250–500 per day. See how you feel after a month, and if you aren’t getting fat, add some more calories to your daily intake. If you are getting fatter, take some calories off. Again, it’s all about finding what works for you.
In terms of what to eat, people tend to get confused and consume way too much protein. The absolute MOST you’ll ever need is 1 gram per pound of body weight (for example if you weigh 170 pounds, that’s 170 grams of protein per day). Here are the things Dr. Robbins suggests you get your protein from…
- Grass-Fed Bison
- Salmon
- Whole Eggs
- Whey Protein
- Collagen Protein
No processed meats - way too much fat and salt.
You should eat healthy fats. Your diet should consist of about 25% fats. Don’t eat bad fats; these should be avoided at all costs. Here are some things you should get these fats from:
- Coconut, extra virgin olive and macadamia nut oils
- Raw nuts and seeds (no peanuts or cashews)
- Avocado
Finally, you need carbohydrates.
No, not processed carbs and sugars. The carbs you want are:
- Vegetables
- White rice
- Yams
- Sweet Potato
- Fruits
- Legumes
- Other whole grains
Item 4 - Rest
You’ve stimulated and fed the muscles, now it’s time to rest them.
In terms of sleep, get as much as you need. Some people need 6, others need 8. Just make sure you’re getting all the sleep you need.
Also, try not to burn out your resources to give your muscles a chance to rest. This can be by partying all night, and things like that.
And there we have it. All the credit goes to Dr. Sam Robbins. If you have found this answer useful, an upvote would be much appreciated.
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