So you've read all the different blogs telling you what workouts to do to get big. You've watched all the YouTube clips from your favourite bodybuilders and powerlifters. You've tried different things out and you've realised that none of them have worked (as you haven't stuck to one style of workout!) or you're just confused as to which route to go down.
Let me try and help you out here, by NOT telling you what type of workout you should be doing, e.g. how many sets, reps etc, but more what factors to consider for building muscle.
Ready?
Compound workouts/Full body workouts
If you're looking to put on muscle mass the fastest way - you definitely need to be including as many compound workouts as possible, Compound workouts are those which work more than one muscle group at a time, such as squats, clean and press, deadlifts and so on. Your body is meant to grow and develop as a proportional unit, so effectively it makes more sense to work your full body rather than having a shoulder day or back day etc
In addition to this, let's say you were currently training on a 5 day split (back, legs, chest, shoulders, arms). If you replaced those days with 5 compound or full body workouts, you now train all parts of your body multiple times a week. You begin to build volume and frequency in all muscles of your body, which used more motor units throughout your body, recruits more muscle fibres, and produces more testosterone & growth hormones. In short - more gains, and quicker!
ATP - Creatine and Carbohydrate stores
Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP for short, is your body's energy currency. Think of it as the fuel for your car - without ATP, your body has no fuel for energy and cannot survive. ATP is composed of one Adenosine molecule bond with three phosphate molecules, hence the "Tri" in "Triphosphate. Energy is released when one of ATP's three phosphate bonds is broken, therefore being converted to Adenosine Diphosphate (Di = two)
The production of ATP (for the purpose of weight lifting and building mass) is available with the presence of Creatine or Glycogen (carbohydrates) - It's also available aerobically from the breakdown of carbs, fat and protein but this process is much longer and doesn't benefit a weightlifter as much.
Your muscles have a limited store of ATP which will be used up in the first 3 seconds during each muscle contraction. After this, your muscle cells will turn to Creatine phosphate to recreate ATP for further energy release...but this will only last for no more than 10 seconds. If contractions are still happening past 10 seconds, your muscle cells will then turn to its glycogen (carbs) stores to create ATP from blood glucose (sugar). This process is a bit slower to provide energy than using Creatine, however it'll be able to supply energy for up to 90 seconds. Lactic acid is created as a by-product during this process, which gives that "burning" sensation when you're at the end of those last reps.
In short, you want to make sure that when lifting your muscles have a sufficient amount of Creatine (which can be gained from fresh meat, fish, milk and cranberries), and/or carbs (bread, rice, pasta, veg, legumes) so your body has the necessary resources for energy production.
Amino Acids (Protein)
A no brainer - Amino Acids are the building blocks for your muscle. They promote protein synthesis for muscle growth and muscle recovery, as well as a decrease in fatigue and muscle soreness. The most important of these are the 3 essential Amino Acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine), or BCAA's (Branch-chained Amino Acids). These are the Amino Acids which your body can't produce and must gain from foods or supplements. Having these before and after your workout is key.
Water
Without sufficient water intake, none of the above process would even be possible. Your body is 80% water - Your muscle is made up of 75% water - your muscle cells require water for any type of energy release. Protein synthesis is maximised when fully hydrated. You'll also fatigue quicker being dehydrated as you'll have low blood flow to your muscles (and your body as a whole) - the list goes on and on. Staying fully hydrated is not optional when it comes to building muscle. Try to get at least 4 litres of water in per day - these can be from drinking water itself or from water and foods.
Maintain stress levels and getting enough sleep
Cortisol is your body's main stress hormone and is regulated at different times. In moments of stress, Cortisol shuts down other vital systems in your body (such as your reproductive system) and gives priority to other systems in your body in order to deal with a threat...It's often called the "fight or flight" hormone in times of survival.
Your body sees weight training as a form of stress, and so Cortisol will kick in. The more your fitness improve and the more you train, the lower your cortisol becomes as it will adapt to that level of stress. If your cortisol levels are too high during training, whether that be from lifting too heavy, lack of sleep or outside stress, the high cortisol levels can suppress your growth hormones and blood glucose usage, as well as slow down protein synthesis. Cortisol levels are naturally higher in the mornings as opposed to afternoons and evenings, so try to limit any heavy lifting to later on in the day.
Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night will help muscle recovery and tissue repair, as your body produces its own muscle-building hormones, as well as an increase of blood flow to your muscles. In short, getting enough sleep and keeping your stress levels down aids your muscle development.
To summarise, the factors you need to consider when building muscle mass are:
Compound and full body workouts - are you doing these regularly
Does your body have enough Creatine and Carbs for ATP production
Are you getting enough Amino Acids
Are you hydrated enough
Are you sleeping enough/maintaining your stress levels?
If you have any questions, send an e-mail to MOB FIT at mobfituk@outlook.com
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