Getting Big!

Most guys want to know how to get big
Common Belief:
One common misconception is that loading up on protein will help put on the muscle mass.

Actuality:
Although protein has an important part in developing muscle mass, there are a few other things that need to be taken into consideration. The type of exercises you are doing and the total amount of calories you are consuming are what will really make a difference.

Example:
Think of a football player. Football requires both cardio and strength training. That is a lot of exercise! That means a football player is going to need a TON of calories just to MAINTAIN all their weight and muscle. To GAIN muscle mass during a regular football season (meaning practicing every day) a football player would have to eat a ridiculously massive amount of calories. The off season is the best time to "get big" because you can limit the amount of cardio exercise you do and therefore consume enough calories to gain muscle weight.

Success strategies:

• After every workout, whether cardio or strength training, eat or drink something that has a generous amount of carbs and protein. Milk is my personal favorite.
• Eat a well balanced diet.
• Keep track of your weight AND your body fat. If you have a way of measuring your body fat % (skin fold calipers, bio electrical impedance) then you can keep track of whether you are gaining fat or muscle. If your weight gain is due to fat, you know you are eating too much. There is a fine line between what you need to gain weight in muscle and what will cause you to gain weight in fat.
• If you cannot seem to gain, then increase the amount of food you eat at each meal and throughout the day.
• Your workout routine is important. Doing a lot of reps and sets for each exercise is what will help your muscles gain size rather than strength. Supersets are excellent!
• Superset example: 4-6 sets, 10-20 reps, rotate back and forth between 2 exercises that work the same muscle. No more than 45 seconds of rest between sets. (Biceps: preacher curls and alternating curls, switch back and forth with very little rest between sets)