How to gain muscle mass. Gaining muscle mass: a growing guide. Calorie and healthy foods

Instruction

Introduce protein-rich foods into your diet. This is hard cheese, lean meat, cottage cheese, eggs, mushrooms, nuts. These products should complement your normal diet. It is better to eat often and in small portions. Meals should be at least 5, and preferably 7-8. Eat vegetable fats, not animal fats. They are more easily absorbed by the body. Try to avoid foods rich in simple carbohydrates. They can slow down weight gain.

Every day you should get 10-15% more calories than you spend. Otherwise, the muscles simply have nowhere to come from. Such a calculation must be carried out very accurately. Calculate the number of calories consumed according to the Muffin-Jeor scheme. And accurately calculate how much and what you ate per day.

Take your vitamins regularly. Even people most often don't get everyone useful substances that are needed by the body. And regular physical exercise They speed up the metabolism, so the body also needs an increased dose of vitamins.

Exercise 3 times a week. Training should be intense, but not very long. The optimal time for one lesson is one and a half hours. It should include 10-15 minutes of cardio training. Muscles should receive the maximum load, so be sure to use dumbbells and barbells. The more weight, the better. Do not do many approaches with a small weight. It is better to perform the exercise 6-8 times, but use the maximum weights that you can lift for classes.

Refuse to exercise on simulators, they just polish the body, not helping to increase muscle mass. Do exercises with weights in which there are no restrictions on movement. Be sure to do basic exercises that will give a load on several muscle groups at once. Classes should include squats, bench press, deadlift.

Between workouts, you should rest. And this means, almost completely abandon any physical activity. You need to get at least 8 hours of sleep every day so that your body can gain muscle mass faster.

Take 3 liters of milk, add 2 cups of powdered milk and 40 grams of protein. For taste, you can add cocoa or ice cream. All ingredients must be mixed in. Drink the resulting cocktail between meals. Be sure to drink a glass before training and after training. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator.

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Sources:

• how to gain weight at home

Not everyone is given from birth a beautiful toned body without a drop of excess fat. To get such an effect, you need to work hard. Such results, which are shown by athletes at competitions, will not be given by any general known diet, constant muscle training is necessary. Although it should be noted that special nutrition is still needed.

Instruction

Building muscle mass occurs with a special diet and regular exercise. The best exercises for this are the bench press, squats and pull-ups. It is they who are in as soon as possible help muscle mass. You can perform these exercises at home, but it is better to do it under the supervision of professional trainers in the gym. They will help you choose a dumbbell set and a set of exercises for each muscle group, taking into account your characteristics and wishes.

Highly important question is a diet. You need to eat foods that contain a sufficient amount of nutrients in their composition. Everyday food for such a diet is not entirely suitable. Muscle building will not happen. Boiled chicken, a piece of beef, fruits, nuts, vegetable salads, various fresh juices, products with high content protein is what you need. During the day, at least two grams of protein should enter the body for every kilogram of body weight. The main protein foods that contribute to muscle mass gain: kefir and low-fat milk, vegetable proteins, pink salmon, canned natural tuna, boiled low-fat fish, low-fat chicken white meat, low-fat cottage cheese.

In addition to diet, sufficient attention should be paid to the training regimen. You can spend them at any time of the day, but no later than 4 hours before bedtime. Be sure to eat an hour and a half before your workout. It is better if it is food rich in carbohydrates. After all, they are burned during physical exertion. Be sure to use a carbohydrate-protein mixture at the end of the workout or eat 2 bananas, and then drink a liter of milk. An hour after the end of the workout, a full meal should occur.

Muscle growth does not happen in training. After it, they may seem large due to the intense blood flow. Basically, new muscle fibers grow at night. As paradoxical as it sounds, the more you sleep after your workout, the more your muscles grow.

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Some are measured by the steepness of smartphones, others by the speed of Internet traffic, and for some, the amount of muscle mass is important. If you classify yourself in the latter group, then you will definitely be interested in ten ways to painlessly increase the desired kilos in the shortest possible time.

Since the body quickly gets used to the loads, they must be periodically strengthened. Weight training is the best for this. It should be remembered that the load must be increased slightly. Either do more and more repetitions each time, or gradually increase the weight. You can’t do without the second: for those who want to acquire impressive biceps, an increase in working weight with each workout is a must.

8-12 reps

To build muscle, you need to repeat the exercises eight to twelve times. If you do only 3-6 repetitions, only muscle strength will increase, but the volume will remain in place. But if you repeat 15-20 times, of course there will be sense, because in this way you activate muscle work. But at the same time, overvoltage can seriously harm you. Therefore, we advise you to initially determine for yourself the average weight, which you can regularly do from 8 to 12 times.

To one muscle group - 7-9 approaches

So that hormones do not begin to be released, but at the same time, muscle mass grows, exercises should be done for about 45 minutes. This time is enough to perform 7-9 approaches for one of the muscle groups and to listen to the album "Flowers" by the inimitable The Rolling Stones against the backdrop of a workout.

You need to eat a lot to build muscle

While you are training, muscle fibers are being destroyed, followed by their replacement and new growth. And the fool understands that building muscle contributes to a plentiful balanced diet. At the same time, it is desirable to eat also with pleasure!

Proteins, proteins and more proteins

If you want to build muscle mass, memorize one simple equation: "Muscles = proteins." Many beginners, unaware of the existence of this formula, consume too little of such a precious trace element for muscle tissue, while complaining about the lack of any results.

To determine how much protein your emaciated muscles need, you need to convert your weight into pounds and multiply the resulting number by 1 gram of protein (454 grams in one pound). This way you will know your daily protein requirement.

If you have not been able to find or purchase a pure protein powder, do not hang your nose. In fact, there are plenty of natural foods that are high in protein. Here are the most basic ones:

Chicken meat

All cheeses without exception

Seafood and fish (salmon, tuna, shrimp)

Don't Forget Fats

After the consumption of fats in the body, the number of anabolic hormones that contribute to the development and growth of muscle mass begins to increase. These include insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), testosterone, and growth hormone (growth hormone). Some bodybuilders use anabolic steroids to increase muscle growth. In fact, this is not a very good solution.

Drink plenty of water

The level of our strength and energy reserve in the body depends on how much water we consume. You should definitely drink at least 12 full glasses of liquid per day. In winter, the amount of water decreases slightly, but in summer it should be increased even more. Also lean on protein shakes.

Minimize your cardio!

Train often cardiovascular system? Then do not be surprised that muscle mass began to grow more slowly. Only those who want to burn fat can perform cardio exercises, and then only after the main classes and for a maximum of 20 minutes. If you overdo it, catabolic hormones will begin to be produced, provoking the destruction of muscle tissue.

Organize a good sleep

In order for muscle mass to recover and grow, it is very important not only to rest, but also to get enough sleep. And that's why:

Only in deep sleep does the maximum release of growth hormones occur.

Metabolism slows down, due to which muscle tissue grows more actively.

The blood flow to the muscles becomes stronger.

Relax more often

During stress, a catabolic environment is created in the body. In parallel, the hormone cortisol is produced, which does not allow the body to waste energy reserves. Take a closer look at people: relaxed quiet people boast more impressive muscle mass than talkative and nimble people. A great example is Schwarzenegger. Calm, silent, and what muscles he has!

In this guide to muscle growth, you will learn how to use effective workouts, a balanced diet and a nutrient intake program to quickly and efficiently gain muscle mass.

In this guide, you will learn:

• How to quickly build muscle mass with the best exercises and training programs.
• About the main types of physique, and their influence on the set of muscle mass.
• How to determine your level of preparation: beginner, intermediate or professional.
• How many calories an athlete needs in the mass gain phase.
• What to do if you are overweight, but you want to develop muscles.
• How to determine daily requirement in protein, carbohydrates and fats.
• Why we work on the mass, but marking time or accumulating fat.
• How to make a diet.
• What is the potential for natural muscle growth, what factors lead to success.
• How to build a training process, choose exercises and optimize a split.
• What types of exercises exist, and which ones should be preferred when working on muscle mass.
• How to determine the optimal amount of training load, sets and repetitions for each muscle group.
• five most effective exercises for each target muscle group.
• What is the secret of sports longevity, and how to avoid injuries.
• How to choose the best nutritional supplements and how to take them for maximum progress.
• About high-intensity training techniques, from drop sets to rest-pause training.

Introduction.

This guide will provide you with the knowledge you need to build muscle as fast as possible. You will learn how to properly build a weekly training program, which exercises are the ideal choice, how to create a diet to get the most out of every minute spent in the gym. And many many others.

Definitions and common terms.

This list of definitions and commonly used terms is used in most training and muscle building materials.

Hypertrophy. Increasing the size of muscle cells with weight training. There are two types of muscle hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar.

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in the volume of sarcoplasm (intracellular fluid) of muscle cells. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy does not lead to an increase in strength indicators.

Myofibrillar hypertrophy. Myofibrillar hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in the number of myofibrils - contractile proteins (actin and myosin) of muscle cells. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is accompanied by an increase in strength and some increase in muscle volume. It should be noted that sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy practically do not occur in isolated form.

Split workout. Split training, or split training, is a training program designed to work out individual target groups within the same training session (and not all muscles at the same time). Split training is usually designed for specific muscle groups, but can also be based on the principle of the movements performed (flexion / extension) or for the upper / lower body (up / down split).

Full body workout. And this approach to training involves the study of all muscle groups in one lesson. Typically, a full body workout is done three times a week with at least one rest day in between training sessions. It is not uncommon to do a full body workout twice a week.

Progress. Progress should be understood as the gradual and constant complication of the training program by increasing the working weight and increasing the volume of loads performed, or using high-intensity training techniques and sophisticated training methods.

Repetitions. Repetitions, or repetitions, is the number of movements performed at one time. Each repetition consists of two phases: concentric (or positive) and eccentric (or negative) movement. The concentric phase refers to the deadlift or bench press of the working weight, while the eccentric phase returns the projectile to its original position, from which we will begin the next repetition.

Set. A set, or approach, is a group of repetitions performed with minimal rest between repetitions, in fact at a continuous pace.

There are three main body types: ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic.

Ectomorph- This is a typical thin person; he has a slender build with small joints and underdeveloped skeletal muscles. As a rule, the ectomorph has long and thin limbs with sinewy muscles. Shoulders are weak and narrow.

Characteristic features of an ectomorph:

• Fragile and bony physique
• Classic "hardgainer"
• Narrow chest
• narrow shoulders
• Thin
• Muscle mass prevails over fat
• Hard to gain weight
• Accelerated Metabolism

Mesomorph. The mesomorph has large bones, developed muscles and a naturally athletic physique. The mesomorphic body type is ideal for bodybuilding. Such people easily gain weight and just as easily get rid of extra pounds. They are strong by nature, which is an excellent foundation for the development of muscles.

Characteristic features of the mesomorph:

• Athleticism
• Strong body with prominent muscles
• V-shaped figure
• Good physical data
• Builds muscle fast

Endomorph. Representatives of the endomorphic type are mostly overweight people who quickly gain weight due to adipose tissue. As a rule, an endomorph is a short person with thick arms and legs, strong muscles, especially the muscles of the front and back of the thigh. Endomorphs are very easy to do leg exercises like squats.

Characteristic features of the endomorph:

• Loose, round body
• Easily gains both muscle and fat
• Usually short and stocky
• "Spherical" figure
• Difficulty getting rid of fat
• slow metabolism

Combined versions of the constitution. Body types are not immutable discrete units. Most of us successfully combine ectomorph and mesomorph traits, or mesomorph and ectomorph traits, and this happens all the time.

What level of athletic training do you consider yourself to be - beginner, intermediate or professional?

All training programs aimed at muscle growth are divided into three categories: for beginners, for those with an average level of training and for professionals. To determine which training strategy is right for you, consider the following considerations:

Newbie. A novice athlete, or beginner, has yet to gain a significant amount of muscle mass. Representatives of this category are just beginning to comprehend the wisdom of a quality training program and a relevant diet, and if not, then they are wasting the lion's share of training sessions and will end up with nothing.

Middle level. A student with an average level of training filled the first bumps, went through the stage of initial muscle building and became at least 5-7 kg heavier due to muscle mass. Bodybuilders with an average level of training already know how to train and eat well in order to reap the most abundant harvest.

Professional. Experienced bodybuilder: he has reached the stage where the main goals are achieved, and the annual increase in muscle mass is negligible. Now he needs a creative approach to the training process and / or competent periodization. In a T-shirt, an experienced bodybuilder looks very impressive, and people understand at a glance that this person is really “rocking”.

Diet and Nutrition.

Until you learn how to eat right, you will not see massive and sculpted muscles. Many bodybuilders focus all their attention on the preparation of the training program and leave all their strength in the gym, but at the same time they have no idea how many calories and grams of protein they receive daily. This is the road to nowhere!

To build muscle, you need to watch your diet as carefully (if not more) than your training program. The principles of “healthy eating” alone are not enough in this situation. Healthy eating, of course, is a good and healthy thing, but the bodybuilder's diet requires a more specific approach to compiling a daily diet:

calories. The energy value of the diet should be constant, and the number of calories should be enough for intensive muscle growth. Malnutrition is one of the key obstacles to progress.

Protein. You must watch your protein intake. Increasing your daily protein intake while strength training will help build muscle mass. The human body is in a state of constant “protein cycling”: muscle tissue is continuously renewed, old cells are replaced by new ones, and for maximum productivity, these processes need a positive nitrogen balance.

Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates play a key role in muscle growth. First, carbohydrates are a source of energy, and in order to work at the limit, our body needs maximum energy reserves. Secondly, after training, we really need a surge of insulin. Insulin is the most anabolic hormone human body, which facilitates the transport of nutrients from the bloodstream to muscle tissue. After a workout, your muscles are in desperate need of energy and nutrients to regenerate and repair, and this is the only point in time when simple carbohydrates have a positive effect on muscle growth.

Healthy fats. A low-fat diet is not always healthy. There are a billion reasons why the body needs healthy fats. Due to the lack of healthy fats in the diet, sleep is disturbed, the work of the cardiovascular system suffers, recovery slows down and the risk of overtraining syndrome increases. In short, to be in optimal physical shape, you need to get a certain amount of fat - be sure to follow this.

How many calories do you need?

How to learn to calculate the daily energy requirement? The first step is to determine your basal metabolic rate (RBM). The basal metabolic rate is an excellent tool for calculating daily energy requirements depending on the intensity and duration of physical activity. The tool is based on proven formulas that give accurate and reliable results. In our calculations, we will use two formulas for determining the daily need for calories.

First, determine your SVR using the table below for men and women, in different age categories.

Men

Women

Example: The basal metabolic rate for a woman weighing 55 kg at the age of 20 is (14.7 × 55) + 496 = 1,304 kcal

Now we define daily allowance calories, taking into account three types of loads.

Restrained strategy. A restrained mass gain strategy is recommended for individuals who believe that their weight is within the normal range. If you have chosen a restrained strategy, your energy requirement is determined by the formula:

UOO + 300 kcal

Aggressive strategy. Are you underweight? Do you consider yourself a "hardgainer"? Then you need a more aggressive strategy. By choosing an aggressive schedule, you determine the daily energy requirement using the formula:

UOO + 500 kcal

It is very possible that even with five hundred extra calories, a low-weight person will have difficulty gaining weight. In this case, add to the daily diet more 300 kcal and carefully monitor the results over the next month.

And remember, all these calculations are only good as a starting point. If you are training hard and still not seeing the desired result, increase the calorie content of food, but do it gradually. It is not necessary to increase the energy value of the diet by more than 300 kcal at a time.

Or you can use a simpler formula to determine the daily calorie intake.

WEIGHT (in kg) x 30 = Kcal

If your goal is to gain muscle mass, then we need a lot of energy, so you need to add kcal per day to these another 500 calories.

How to eat for overweight people?

Building muscle and losing fat at the same time is extremely difficult task, and if you call a spade a spade, then for most people this mission is impossible. Therefore, if there is excess weight let's go this way:

In any case, you must train hard and strictly adhere to the nutrition plan.

At the beginning of the journey for overweight people, I recommend concentrating on reducing the percentage of fat. A competent approach will create excellent conditions for the development of skeletal muscles, help get rid of excess weight and improve health. If your weight is slightly overweight, start with: THR minus 500 kcal

Your task is to lose from 0.7-1 kg per week. This pace is considered optimal for maintaining, and, possibly, a small set of muscle mass against the background of weight loss.

With more rapid weight loss, it is likely that you will lose muscle tissue along with fat. In this case, add 200-300 calories to your daily diet and closely monitor the dynamics over the next few weeks.

Conversely, if your weight loss is very slow or even stagnant, cut your daily calorie intake by another 300 calories and, again, follow the dynamics over the next few weeks.

How much protein do you need?

The daily requirement for protein is a topic for endless and very heated discussions. Ask an expert how much protein is needed for optimal muscle growth, and you will hear one of the answers:

1. 150 grams per day. And you do not need more than 150 grams under any circumstances.
2. 2 grams/kg of weight. For every kilogram of body weight, 2 grams of protein is required.
3. 30/50/20. Protein covers 30% of the caloric content of the diet.

150 grams per day. 150 grams of protein per day is a sound idea, the only problem is that there is an upper limit at 150 grams, which causes classic hardgainers to overload the diet with carbohydrates.

For example, to gain weight, you need 4,000 calories a day. Then, with the current 150 gram protein limit, you would have to eat something in the region of 600 grams of carbs daily. It is clear that limiting protein intake to 150 grams per day in individuals with a fast metabolism will lead to an imbalance in the diet.

Two grams per kilogram of weight. This method of counting is extremely popular, however, it is not without drawbacks. I will demonstrate this with examples.

• Bodybuilder A. Body weight 60 kg with height 170 cm.
• Bodybuilder V. Body weight 75 kg with a height of 170 cm.
• Bodybuilder S. Body weight 125 kg with a height of 170 cm.

Using the proposed calculation methodology, we get that "bodybuilder A", - the leanest member of the group, should eat the minimum amount of protein - approximately 120 grams per day. Meanwhile, this athlete must receive the most large quantity protein: his weight is below normal, and he has a huge potential for muscle growth, which will be realized as he normalizes total weight body.

Bodybuilder B is supposed to eat about 150 grams of protein per day, which seems quite reasonable. One problem is that if “bodybuilder B” is a beginner, he has tremendous potential, a unique opportunity to gain mass at an accelerated pace, and for this you need to get something around 180-200 grams of protein per day, otherwise you can miss part of the crop.

Finally, according to the proposed formula, "bodybuilder C" should receive about 250-260 grams of protein daily. Without further ado, it is clear that “bodybuilder C” is already overweight, and we are forcing him to absorb protein in horse doses!

30/50/20 - proteins / carbohydrates / fats. Using the proposed proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, we risk stepping on the same rake as in the case of the "2 grams per kilogram" methodology. But before we go directly to the calculations, let me clarify the essence of this ratio.

• 30-30% of your daily calories come from protein. Each gram of protein is equivalent to 4 calories.
• 50-50% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. Each gram of carbohydrates is equivalent to 4 calories.
• 20-20% of your daily calories come from fat. Each gram is equivalent to 9 calories.

The 30/50/20 rule works well, but it loses its relevance at extremely low and extremely high energy requirements. Here are two good examples:

1800 calories. In this example, the athlete has a slow metabolism or is in the drying phase. While adhering to the 30% principle, we should limit it to 135 grams of protein per day. Too little, especially for a person who wants to maintain muscle mass on a low-calorie diet.

4000 calories. A variant of the mass gain program that suits a young athlete or the happy owner of an accelerated metabolism. Following the suggested principle, he will eat at least 300 grams of protein (not to mention 500 grams of carbohydrates) daily. Judging by the volumes, this will become a real nightmare for the digestive tract! It would be much more reasonable to slightly shift the emphasis towards fats - this approach will allow you to gain the required number of calories without overloading the stomach with gigantic portions of proteins and carbohydrates.

So how much protein do you need?

While you will be joining the bodybuilding process, you will come across a lot of formulas and recommendations for determining the daily requirement for protein. Offer. this approach: instead of counting "grams per kilograms", remember a simple rule:

Eat 30-40 grams of protein every 2.5-3 hours.

By following this principle, you will be able to vary your daily protein intake in the range from 150 to 240 grams. As a rule, 180-200 grams is enough for any straight athlete, of course, if he is not thin, like a pencil, with a height of more than two meters.

And, don't panic at the mention of 240 grams of protein. Only hardgainers with accelerated metabolism will reach the maximum values ​​of the range. You can be sure that most of us will not need these 240 grams.

Determine the need for fats.

Due to fats, we should cover approximately 20-30% of the daily energy needs. The higher the need, the closer this percentage gets to the “30” mark. As you remember, one gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories, which, compared to carbohydrates and proteins, makes fat the most concentrated source of energy.

If you need to increase your calorie intake, the easiest way to do this is by increasing the proportion of fat in your daily diet.

Determine the need for carbohydrates.

Determining the daily requirement for carbohydrates is quite simple. You already know your BMR (basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy a person needs to live, at a certain level of physical activity), it remains to subtract calories from protein and fat from the energy requirement, and you will find out how many calories remain in the share of carbohydrates.

Dividing this figure by 4 gives us the number of grams of carbohydrates that should be consumed daily. For example:

• Stage 1 - UOO. Calculations show that for muscle growth you need to receive 3000 calories daily.
• Stage 2 - Protein. The nutrition plan has room for 180 grams of protein, which is equivalent to 720 calories.
• Stage 3 - Fats. We continue to draw up a nutrition plan: we give 25% of daily calories to healthy fats. This will give us another 750 calories at the expense of 83.33 grams of fat.
• Stage 4 - Carbohydrates. We subtract the calorie content of proteins and fats from the UBM, and we get that 1530 calories fall to the share of carbohydrates. This is equivalent to 382.5 grams of carbs per day.

Why do we work on mass, but we get the accumulation of fat?

It's not uncommon to find a bodybuilder who has spent many months in the bulking phase and eventually found that most of the "accomplishments" come from fat. Why did this happen? There are two possible reasons for this:

Trained badly. Many people tend to overestimate their efforts in training and do not fully understand what the required level of load is. The progress is insignificant, the growth of strength indicators is minimal, but at the same time, the athlete does not even try to work at the limit of his abilities in each approach.

Ate too much. It is not necessary to gain 15 kilograms every 4 months. Moreover, it is generally vicious practice. Weight gain must be predictable, accurate and controlled. A beginner without excess weight during the first year of training should add no more than 1 kilogram per month, and an athlete with an average level of training should focus on 0.5 kg per month.

Why are we working for the masses, but we are marking time in one place?

The flip side of the coin is the complete lack of muscle growth (and body weight growth) against the backdrop of hard work in the gym. Note that this is also a fairly typical situation. The reason is banal and simple - too poor diet.

The cause of chronic malnutrition is often the fear that working on the mass will lead to excessive accumulation of fat. In fact, this rarely happens. Even an aggressive recruiting schedule will not fatten a bodybuilder who strictly adheres to a training program. Yes, some amount of fat will be gained, but it will be kilograms, not tens of kilograms.

Comments on the aggressive mass gain schedule.

The muscle growth of a natural bodybuilder is like a glass of water. The more mass you have gained (the word poured water from a glass), the less you have to gain in the future. That is why beginners should stick to a more aggressive strategy, and athletes with an average level of training should switch to a less aggressive program as they gain muscle mass.

If the bodybuilder has already gained some base muscle mass, an aggressive strategy will only lead to a significant increase in the proportion of adipose tissue. Conversely, a low-key recruiting strategy can significantly slow down a beginner's progress.

It should also be borne in mind that novice athletes often experience what is commonly called “beginner success”. With a properly designed training program, body weight increases at a rapid pace, but progress slows down over time. Usually, if a bodybuilder starts working on muscle growth against the background of a normal total mass, the following rule applies:

• First year- 8 kg of muscle mass.
• Second year- 4 kg of muscle mass.
• Third year- 2 kg of muscle mass.
• Fourth year- 1 kg of muscle mass.
• Fifth year- 0.5 kg of muscle mass.

By citing these numbers, we are not trying to set the pace and limits of muscle growth once and for all, but help to set realistic plans and adequately assess the potential for gaining muscle mass. Obviously, if your potential in a given year is limited, there is no point in sticking to an aggressive strategy.

Caloric and healthy foods.

In the mass gain phase, it is not always possible to create a menu with an adequate amount of calories. The following are foods that are high in calories and are tasty, healthy, and don't make you feel full.

• Pasta from durum wheat.
• Whole grain products.
• Whole milk.
• Cheese Smetana.
• Almonds and other nuts.
• Peanuts, almond butter.
• Avocado.
• Bananas.
• Meat.
• Butter.
• Olive oil.
• Honey.
• Dark chocolate

How to make a diet.

An athlete's diet should not be too complicated. The simplest approach to compiling a menu is to build a diet around three fundamental meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Between meals and late at night, light snacks can be used to provide more protein and nutrients to promote growth and recovery. When compiling a menu for main meals and snacks, we will start from protein intake, and we will talk about this in more detail below.

First, a simple example of an effective meal plan:

• Breakfast
• Snack
• Snack
• Snack

• We keep coming back to protein. Your goal is to get at least 30 grams of protein every 2.5-3 hours. An ideal snack solution would be a whey protein shake, string cheese, eggs or canned fish (tuna, for example).

• Time for carbs. Of course, there will be carbs in every meal, and that's okay, but still try most carbohydrates to receive during breakfast and after training.

• Healthy fats. Don't forget healthy fats. Milk, cheese, nuts, almonds, olive oil are a great solution.
• Vegetables and fruits. Eat vegetables and fruits daily. Banana or apple along with protein shake- a very tasty and healthy combination. You can also increase the proportion of vegetables in your diet with salads, kale, spinach, and other foods of your choice (peppers, onions, and so on).
• Diversity. Include in your diet various sources protein, vegetable (mainly grain) carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and foods rich in healthy fats. The meals on your table have different amino acid and vitamin/mineral profiles, so variety will be the key to meeting your body's nutritional needs.

• Post workout nutrition. The post-workout meal is the most important part of the nutrition program. After exhausting high-intensity strength training, the body is on the verge of depletion of many key elements, including protein, glycogen (sugar used for energy), amino acids, vital vitamins and trace elements. The most rapid replenishment of these reserves is of great importance in terms of preventing catabolism (disintegration of muscle tissue), stimulating anabolism (growth and recovery of muscles) and boosting protein synthesis.

In addition, to replenish muscle glycogen stores and maximize the stimulation of insulin secretion (insulin spike), you can add easily digestible carbohydrates to this meal. For an optimal insulin spike, you'll need about 70 grams of carbs.

The number of meals. How many times a day do you need to eat to reap a rich harvest of muscle growth? It is difficult to answer unequivocally, because this is another topic for heated discussions, but we will give you some recommendations:

• Frequent meals work. You may benefit from infrequent meals, but eating every 2.5-3 hours has been the cornerstone of bodybuilding for several decades. There are reasons for this - this rule works, and it works very well.

• Less frequent meals. If even with snacks your schedule only allows 3-4 meals per day, create maximum intervals between meals and make sure that the influx of calories and nutrients meets the needs of the body and promotes muscle growth. In addition, we recommend that you pay attention to BCAAs, the additional intake of which can be extremely beneficial.

Responding to criticism of frequent meals. From time to time there are critical statements about frequent meals, they say, there is no need for it. It should be noted that few of us eat 2-3 times a day, most intercept something between main meals - even those who criticize frequent meals. In fact, it's hard to find someone who doesn't use coffee breaks and treats at least a couple of times a day.

The moral is that if you're snacking between meals (and if you're one of the majority, then you snack), you should listen to the voice of reason and focus on the most nutritious and healthy foods, such as protein.

Alternative approaches to formulating a diet.

The diets suggested below should be considered non-traditional. When we say unconventional, we don't mean inefficient, trendy, or quirky. All these diets have been known for a long time and have been successfully used by representatives of the world of fitness and bodybuilding, but we recommend that you thoroughly study the theory before trying one of them. Some of the alternative nutritional approaches are real lifestyles and not suitable for short-term experimentation.

Paleo diet. The paleo diet is based on the use of foods that prevailed in the human diet before the first agricultural revolution - the Neolithic revolution.

It was then (approximately 10,000 years ago) that man moved from gathering and hunting to settled living and agriculture. Paleo apologists claim that for most of their history, people did not consume foods such as refined sugars, grains, and high-glycemic carbohydrates.

Warrior Diet. As part of the Warrior Diet, one main meal is allowed, during which you get the lion's share of nutrients. For this meal, the evening time is chosen - the “dinner window”, which opens approximately 2 hours before going to bed. The main idea of ​​the Warrior Diet is that for most of the day, while you are starving, the mechanisms responsible for survival are turned on. These mechanisms force the body to burn adipose tissue, due to these mechanisms, your perception will be sharpened, and you will get rid of laziness, as the body will switch to the primitive state of searching for a victim for food.

Short term fasting. At its core, intermittent fasting is a lot like the Warrior Diet. Intermittent fasting involves a 16-hour window during which you do not eat anything, but in the remaining 8 hours of the feast, you should get the daily calorie intake. This period includes pre-workout nutrition, but the focus is on the most abundant post-workout meal.

Examples of simple and quick dishes.

The dishes that you will get acquainted with in this section are simple and quick to prepare. The focus is on simple, tasty and affordable ingredients. Lunch / dinner can be prepared in an hour, and breakfast will take no more than 10 minutes. In addition, we will talk about simple options for snacking.

Fast and simple options breakfasts:

Breakfast 1

• Oatmeal - 140 grams.
• Banana - 1-2 pieces.
• Protein cocktail.

While the water boils or the oatmeal cooks, cut the banana into slices, add to the protein shake and blend it all with a blender.

Breakfast 2

• Whole grain bread with natural peanut butter.
• Milk - 1 glass.
• Some fruit.

Breakfast 3

• Oatmeal with milk and a spoonful of protein shake.
• Blueberries - 1 cup.
• Orange juice - 1 glass.

Breakfast 4

• Three egg omelet with spinach and cheese.
• Glass of cranberry juice

Buy frozen chopped spinach, add half a cup of spinach and about the same amount of grated cheese to the pan.

Breakfast 5

• Burrito with chicken and eggs

Break two eggs into a skillet, add canned chicken, cheese and green chili. Stir, fry and make a real burrito with two whole wheat tortillas. Season with hot sauce to taste.

Breakfast 6

• Fritters
• sausages

On Sundays, you can spend a little time preparing a couple of dozen delicious pancakes, which are perfect with turkey ham or meat sausages. If something remains, reheat the next day. I advise you to serve pancakes with natural apple jam, and you can drink breakfast with a large glass of milk.

Breakfast 7

• Blender breakfast

Two scoops of protein powder, ½ - ¾ cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, ice and water. Mix all this in a blender, fill the glass and enjoy!

Quick and easy meals for lunch and dinner:

Dish 1

• Chicken with quinoa sauce.

We will need 2 cups of quinoa and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until tender (until the water boils away). Remove the pot from the burner and let the quinoa rest for about five more minutes. Next, add a generous portion of boiled chicken and hot sauce to taste. Mix, lay out in plastic food containers.

Dish 2

• Tuna canned in its own juice - 4 cans.
• Pasta

Cooking your favorite (and, of course, healthy) spaghetti or other pasta. Drain the water, add 4 cans of tuna to the spaghetti. We fill our dish with low-fat mayonnaise, sprinkle with grated cheese and black pepper to taste. Let's not forget a jar of canned green peas and put everything in food containers.

Dish 3

• Meat with potatoes

5 large potatoes cut into slices or cubes, add a little olive oil and season to taste. Place in skillet and bake until potatoes are soft. While the potatoes are being prepared, we take a kilogram of minced meat or turkey, lay it out in blank forms, add salt and pepper to taste, and fry. All! It remains to combine potatoes and meat and send the dish to plastic containers.

Dish 4

• Salmon steak
• Rice - 2-3 packets

We take 250 g of salmon and mix with five egg whites. We form cakes and fry them in a pan (preferably without oil). To prepare a delicious sandwich, we just have to take a wheat bun and some onions. While the salmon is cooking, boil 2-3 packets of brown or wild rice, add 2-3 cups of frozen broccoli to the rice. We lay out the salmon steaks and rice in different plastic containers.

Dish 5

• Sandwich with peanut butter and bananas

Spread natural peanut butter on whole grain bread, add a couple of banana slices, and top with a second slice of bread for a real sandwich. Arrange sandwiches in sandwich containers. We eat sandwiches with a protein shake, milk or cottage cheese.

You can add fresh or canned vegetables to your diet, as well as healthy salads from vegetables that are perfect for any of these dishes.

Quick and easy snacks:

The treats we'll talk about in this subsection are 'grab on the go' and take very little time to prepare. Remember, the main task of such a treat is to cover your daily protein requirement. Snacking without protein is a useless snack. Protein is the key to muscle growth and recovery and helps prevent muscle loss even during weight loss.

Snack 1

• thread cheese
• Banana

Each serving of string cheese contains approximately 6-7 grams of protein and only 60-70 calories (low-fat cheese typically contains 60 calories).

Snack 2

• Protein cocktail

Always keep on hand (at work, in the car, in your gym bag) a package of protein bars. You never know what surprises life has in store for us; the need to "intercept on the go" may arise at any time.

Snack 3

• Cottage cheese 200 grams
• Almonds 30 grams

Just mix in a blender and go! 200 grams of cottage cheese will provide you with 20-25 grams of protein, and 30 grams of almonds will provide you with another 6 grams of protein.

Snack 4

• Beef jerky slices
• Tomato juice - 1 cup

Save this snack for special occasions.

Snack 5

• Cottage cheese 100 grams
• Blueberries or any other berry

100 grams of cottage cheese contains approximately 13 grams of protein and only 111 calories. If you take 200 grams of cottage cheese and add a handful of strawberries or blueberries to them, you will get an amazing high-protein and low-calorie meal.

Perhaps you have always been skinny guy, and despite all the efforts could not gain weight?

Maybe you are a large young man, but you always wanted your shoulders to be wider than your waist?

Or maybe you are a girl who knows that weight lifting combined with proper diet give the figure a chiseled look that everyone aspires to?

Maybe you just want to become stronger and more courageous?

No matter who you are, and what level of training, we will help you achieve all of the above.

So, how to quickly gain muscle mass, become bigger and stronger? You need to do the following:

• lift weights;
• Stick to an appropriate diet based on your goals;
• Rest wisely.

It is clear that all this is easier said than done, many do not have progress for years due to the fact that there is no clear plan of action.

If you want to gain muscle mass, you need to lift weights. This means you will need a gym with lots of free weights. Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, pull-ups) lovely way lose weight or tone up the muscles you already have. But if you are seriously going to gain muscle mass, then in order to achieve the best result, you need a gym with a squat rack, a bench for bench press, dumbbells, a horizontal bar, and uneven bars.

Found a decent gym? Okay, so we can start.

Since we are looking to build functional strength and volume, we will be following full body programs that involve working multiple muscle groups at the same time. They are more effective and safe, they create a good basis for the growth and stimulation of muscle fibers.

The fact is that you are simply wasting your time doing useless isolating exercises on simulators. After all, you work out only certain muscles and do not affect the stabilizer muscles at all (because the simulator does all the stabilization for you). On the other hand, when you do multi-joint (compound) exercises like the barbell squat, you work almost every muscle in your body while getting stronger without injury.

Each workout should have one leg exercise, one push, one pull, and one abs.

• Leg exercises - squats, deadlifts, lunges;
• Pushing exercises - bench press, press from behind the head, reverse push-ups;
• Traction exercises - pulling up on the horizontal bar, reverse thrust;
• Abdominal exercises - reverse crunches, lifting legs or knees to the bar or "plank".

It's all! Don't bother adding any unnecessary exercises: machine shrugs, calf raises, bicep rows, etc. Learn to do these few exercises really well and your whole body will become stronger and you will gain muscle mass faster. Focus on adding weight to each exercise every week. For example, if you did 3 sets of 5 squats with 70 kg this week, then try 3 sets of 5 squats with 75 kg on next week.

If you succeeded, then you have become stronger! And in combination with proper nutrition - gain muscle mass.

So, an example of a training program.

"Pull-push" program

• Monday - squats, bench press, pull-ups with a wide grip on the horizontal bar, "bar";
• Wednesday - deadlift, press from behind the head, reverse thrust, leg raise to the bar;
• Friday - lunges with dumbbells, reverse push-ups with weighting, pull-ups on the horizontal bar (with weighting), reverse twisting.

Each day includes an exercise for the legs, pull, push and press.

How many sets and reps do you need?

It depends on the goals. If you're just interested in getting stronger, you can do 3-5 sets of 5 reps, with an emphasis on lifting harder and harder each week. If you want to gain muscle mass and strength, you need to alternate the number of repetitions. Sets of 5 reps build explosive power while sets of 6-12 repetitions are more effective for increasing muscle mass and, to a lesser extent, strength.

How to alternate?

One week, for example, do 3 sets of 5 reps for each exercise (of course, we do more on the abs), adding weight for each exercise, which is very difficult to achieve. The following week, do four sets of each exercise, each time increasing the weight but decreasing the reps. For example, 12 reps behind the head press with a weight of 45 kg, then 10 reps for 47 kg, then 8 reps for 50 kg, and finally 6 reps for 55 kg.

Remarkably, no matter which path you choose (pure strength or mixed), as long as you add weight every week, you get stronger. Either path will lead to results as your power progresses!

Become stronger - is 20% of the task. The other 80% is food (more on that later)!

Warm up before your workout

Do not start working with weights right away. First prepare the cardiovascular system, warm up the muscles with jumps, lunges, bodyweight squats, push-ups, leg swings. After that, always start with a set or two lifting only the bar of the bar. Only then add weight for warm-up sets before moving on to your working sets.

Focus

If you do squats with your weight incorrectly, you can develop the wrong skill. At the same time, if you squat incorrectly with a 200 kg barbell on your shoulders, it can cause serious harm to the body. If you forget about "show-offs": start with a very light weight and make sure you are doing the exercise correctly. There is no shame in starting with an empty neck. You can always put more weight on the bar next week if this one was too light.

Stimulate, Don't Kill Your Muscles

Try to always leave strength for one repetition in the approach. Some coaches believe that you should "kill your muscles" in training, but very often this leads to injuries, excessive muscle fatigue, muscle pain and incorrect execution. Your muscles are formed during rest, not in the gym, so don't worry about completely destroying them every time you go to the gym - it's not worth it.

Vary your rest time between sets

If you're doing 3 sets of 5 reps with a really heavy barbell, it's okay to rest for 3-5 minutes after that - with the focus being on pure strength. If you train in the 8-12 range, try to keep your rest time around 1 minute. This will affect the muscles in a different way. Just be consistent - follow the same length of rest. This way you can track your progress.

Do not overdo it

More doesn't mean better. No need to spend two hours in the gym, no need to do 15 various exercises on the chest. A normal workout lasts no more than 45 minutes, and consists of 3-4 sets (after warming up) for each exercise, and this is enough to stimulate. Three workouts per week is also quite enough - no need to lift every day, as you need to give the muscles time to grow. Just make your workout more intense and intense.

Record Everything

Keep a training diary. This way you can compare your results now with previous results.

Create a workout plan and stick to it!

Diet

If you are thin and trying to gain mass, 90% success will depend on diet. The only way to increase the volume is to create a calorie surplus, that is, eat more than burn (if you want to gain muscle mass and volume, you need to cram food).

If you've been lifting barbells for a while but can't gain weight, you're not eating enough. To be honest, eating can turn into hard work. Since you have to constantly either cook, or eat, or wash and clean the kitchen. But, if you really want to become bigger, and you can’t do it, then the main blow should be directed precisely at the greater consumption of healthy food and eat constantly.

How to eat to gain muscle mass

• Eat a lot of everything - this is the cheapest, fastest, but least healthy plan. Just make sure you're getting 200 grams of protein a day and over 3,500 calories in every possible way: pasta, rice, pizza, milk, hamburgers, chicken, protein, milkshakes, whatever. This is how fast results can be achieved.
• Eat plenty of healthy foods. Oatmeal, brown rice, chicken, peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, beef, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and some milk. Also not optimal, but effective and more beneficial for the body than the previous method. These foods are inexpensive and quickly add a lot of calories to the body.
• Gomad (About 4 liters of milk per day). This method will work if you are lactose intolerant. It must be whole. You will certainly eat some fat, but you will build muscle and strength quickly, and then you need to make dietary adjustments to lose weight. Be prepared for the fact that the stomach and body will constantly feel bloated. Note: You can adjust the amount of milk you consume daily depending on how your body reacts.

How many calories should you eat?

It will depend on your situation - your age, weight, how much you want to gain and your metabolic rate. For some, as little as 2,500 calories plus strength training will be enough to gain mass. For others, it may take more than 4,000 calories to put on weight. The only way to find out is to track your normal calorie intake for a few days and then start adding 500 extra calories a day for a week or two and see if there is any change.

Bottom line: if you don't see any change, you need to eat more. Yes, it does feel a bit over the top - you will constantly feel overcrowded and it's a bit expensive for the money. But if you really want to be bigger, then you really need to settle in the kitchen. Unless you're on or a genetic mutant, it's incredibly difficult to build muscle and strength without flooding your body with calories and nutrients.

Just keep eating!

Won't all this make me fat? I don't want to get overweight.
Don't worry, if you're constantly having trouble gaining mass, a little extra weight won't hurt. Yes, along with the muscles you will gain some fat, due to a calorie surplus.

If you manage to gain mass at 3000 calories, and you eat 4000, then as a result you gain 1-2 kg of fat per week. On the other hand, if you need to eat 4,000 calories to build muscle and you only eat 3,000, you won't see any change. Everyone is different, so you need to experiment to see what works best for you.

Once you reach your desired weight (you need to aim to gain 4-7 kg more than planned), you can reduce calories, add a little cardio at the end of each workout and continue working in the gym - fat will disappear, muscles will remain and you will get an athletic body to which sought.

What should overweight people do?

What do you want to do first, gain muscle or lose weight?

If you want to get bigger and stronger, you need to eat a calorie surplus, but eat healthier foods, and work hard in the gym. If you're overweight, chances are you already have a calorie surplus - you just need to start exercising with iron and be smart about your food choices! Once you've reached your desired muscle size and strength, go into a calorie deficit, add some cardio at the end of your workout, and start leaning while maintaining your muscle mass.

If you just want to lose weight and are not interested in big muscles, you should still work with weights, and a small daily calorie deficit. Muscles will not grow, but you will keep the muscles you already have (while becoming stronger) and get rid of excess fat. Big guys and tend to have very strong legs (from carrying all that extra weight), the process of losing fat will start to show muscle relief. Just keep training hard and the body you want won't be hiding under all that fat.

When you're working out to lose weight, don't worry about weighing yourself: instead, keep an eye on your physique (photos help with that). Constantly adjust your calorie intake until you find the right balance - focus on high quality food and increase your effort every workout.
If you're looking to speed up fat loss, it's more effective to add a few intervals/sprints at the end of workouts or on weekends. Notice sprints or intervals, not long hours of cardio. And that's why...

Now about rest

If you're trying to gain muscle mass, avoid cardio like the plague. Why? Take a look at the best marathon runners in the world - they look like they're about to be blown away by the wind. Now take a look at Usain Bolt, the best sprinter in the world - tons of muscle, strength and an athletic body that everyone would envy. We are all supporters of an active lifestyle and have nothing against people who run all the time and love marathons (half marathons). Simply, if you want to gain muscle mass as quickly and efficiently as possible, cardio is your enemy.

It must be admitted that many people are biased against constant long running, but mainly because they consider it a tedious task. It's much more effective to focus on getting stronger and only doing "cardio" on what you enjoy (walking, playing, etc.). In the end, success will largely depend on your nutrition, not cardio!

If you train hard, eat right, make sure you get enough sleep! 5-6 hours per night is not enough. To gain muscle mass you need at least 8-9 hours of sleep. Also feel free to take a nap during the day if you have the opportunity. Sleep should be a priority.

If you're a big guy (girl) trying to get rid of extra pounds, a little extra cardio will help speed up fat loss. But an overabundance will lead to a loss of muscle volume. Don't go for a 10K weekend run - go for 20-30 minute interval runs with speed ups. Weight will decrease more slowly, but you will only lose fat, not fat along with muscle.

Once you've reached your target weight and volume, it's a good idea to add some cardio for general wellness. But try to diversify it (sprints and intervals). And, of course, continue to work in the gym.

If you love long runs and don't want to stop, no one is saying it's bad and you shouldn't be doing it. Just be aware that long hours of cardio will greatly hamper your progress in both strength and muscle mass.

What do you say?

Yes, by the way, you can start training right now. The exercise is called: “Button press social networks at the end of the article. Very effective for improving karma.

Thank you for your interest!

Hello my dear readers. Many people want to become the owner of a beautiful body with developed muscles, but not everyone has the opportunity and time to visit the gym. I will tell you how to gain muscle mass at home without resorting to the help of trainers and without buying expensive sports equipment.

The process of gaining muscle mass can be divided into two main components - and. Dieting alone will not be enough to increase mass. However, without a proper diet strength exercises will not be particularly effective and will not give the expected result.

This means that you need not only a training plan, but also a well-designed diet. The process of weight gain can be carried out both independently and under the supervision of an instructor who, if necessary, makes adjustments to the training regimen and advises which products and in what proportions should be included in the menu. You can do without consulting a specialist, because there is nothing super complicated in the selection of suitable exercises and products. If you do not have the opportunity to ask for help from an instructor, you can write to me. I'll help point you in the right direction.

Proper nutrition

A balanced diet will help the body cope with fatigue, provide it with a complex of necessary substances and elements, and, no less important, create the prerequisites for rapid weight gain.

Protein is essential for gaining mass, and carbohydrates are essential for a successful workout. But fats need to be fought, because in this case there is little benefit from them. An increase in muscle mass does not mean at all that a person should become fat, so foods with a significant content of fat will have to be abandoned.

By the way, you will have to eat according to the schedule at least 4 times a day.

Removing bad habits

sports, even if we are talking o uncomplicated, incompatible with bad habits. In our case, we are talking about quite serious physical exertion. Forget about cigarettes and alcohol. The body will have a hard time anyway, if you additionally test it with cigarettes and alcoholic drinks, the result will have to be achieved much longer and with great effort. Yes, and health addictions are clearly not beneficial.

I note that alcohol will disrupt or even destroy the entire diet, and can also Negative influence for sleep. The rest period is very important, since it is at this time that the body recovers.

Arranging home workouts

To build muscle mass, it is absolutely not necessary to go to the gym. Training can be easily organized at home, but you will need a set of equipment (barbell, dumbbells, bench). However, the most important thing in home workouts is not finding and buying equipment, but commitment to classes.

Assessment of individual capabilities

It will be easier for beginners to evaluate their own individual capabilities with the help of a coach. Usually it all comes down to doing a few simple exercises,. Trained people, as a rule, correctly assess their own strengths and can predict what weights they will be able to work with in order to build mass.

You can evaluate the possibilities yourself. It is enough to complete three exercises:

• Squat (15-18 times).
• Push-ups (12-15 times).
• Pull-ups (8-9 times).

If the number of repetitions is less than indicated, this indicates that the current physical training does not allow you to start an intensive training schedule. You will first have to tighten up the general physical form, and only then start working on increasing muscle mass.

Motivation

It is unlikely that you will be able to increase muscle mass very quickly. This process is quite lengthy and takes more than one week. The difficulty lies not in the fact that you have to work with weights or adhere to proper nutrition, but in not interrupting the whole process. A person must have a strong motivation, and only in this case he will succeed.

However, the desire to get beautiful body and developed muscles for many is more than sufficient motivation. The result will really be noticeable and, in addition, you will accustom yourself to a balanced diet and get rid of bad habits(if they are).

Sample menu for muscle gain by day

In order to ensure muscle growth, it is necessary to get more calories from food than the body normally needs. There are numerous online calculators calories, with which you can quickly calculate the daily rate.

I will only note that the calorie rate increases by approximately 1.5-2 times from the usual, when it comes to strength training aimed at increasing muscle mass. That is, if you used to have enough 1700 Kcal, now you have to gain about 2500 Kcal per day. At the same time, the increase in calorie content should occur gradually, without sudden jumps.

Calculation of the required number of calories using the Harris-Benedict formula:

1. Calculation of the metabolic rate: 66 + (13.7xWeight) + (5xHeight) - (6.8xNumber of full years). We take weight in kilograms, height - in centimeters.
2. The resulting value is multiplied by the coefficient. activity.

Activity coefficients:

• 1.2 - inactive lifestyle.
• 1.375 - regular light exercise 2-3 times a week.
• 1.55 - moderate activity, sports 3-5 times a week.
• 1.725 – high level activity, heavy exercise up to 7 times a week.
• 1.9 - physical work, professional sports.

BJU proportions:

• The daily norm of proteins is 1.5-2.5 per kg of weight.
• The daily norm of fats is 1-2 g per kg of weight.
• The daily norm of carbohydrates is 4-6 g.

I have already said that the usual three meals a day will have to be abandoned. Meals should be at least 4 (preferably 5-6). Food is divided in approximately equal portions between all meals, that is, it cannot be said that more is eaten in the morning than in the evening.

An approximate menu based on the fact that an athlete should receive 2500 Kcal may look like this:

The first day

• Breakfast - Millet porridge with pumpkin, nuts, honey and cottage cheese-strawberry mousse, 420 g, 534 kcal (B-28g., F-12g, U-77g).
• Second breakfast - Casserole with raisins walnut vanilla sauce and Korean Carrot Salad with Chuka 150/20/150 578 kcal (B-16.3g., F-35.2g, U-49.1g).
• Lunch – Bolognese Pasta and Korean Carrot Salad with Chuka 100/150/150 400g (634 kcal
• B-20.7g., Zh-32g, U-65.8g).
• Snack - Cheesecakes with cherries, yogurt, creamy cherry sauce, 190g., 465 kcal (B-12.7g., F-18.3g, U-64.2g).
• Dinner - Steam chicken cutlets with buckwheat, broccoli and yogurt, 270g., 367 kcal (367 kcal B-31.8g., F-11.4g, U-34.2g).

Total: Kcal 2578 Proteins 109.5 Fats 108.9 Carbohydrates 290.3

Second day

• Breakfast — Pumpkin pancakes with apple sauce and cranberry cream sauce 240g., 500 kcal (B-7.4g., F-22.4g, U-67.4g).
• Second breakfast - Chocolate muffins with peanut butter and creamy cherry sauce 220g., 501 kcal (B-26.7g., F-17g, U-59.5g).
• Lunch - Baked minced turkey with sun-dried tomatoes with jasmine rice and pesto sauce 270g., 502 kcal B-20.3g., F-18.4g., U-63.7g.).
• Snack - Chicken breast salad, salad mix, creamy mushroom sauce and cottage cheese-strawberry mousse 320g., 438 kcal (B-33.9g., F-22.8g, U-21.6g.).
• Dinner - Vitamin salad with pumpkin seeds and Green sauce 170g., 354 kcal (B-2.6g., F-32.7g, U-12g).

Total: Calories 2295 Proteins 90.9 Fats 113.3 Carbohydrates 224.2

Day three

• Breakfast — Omelette protein Fitness beans, tomatoes Rice pudding with almonds and vanilla sauce 270g., 562 kcal (B-35.5g., F-29.4g, U-38.9g).
• Second breakfast - Sandwich with chicken breast, baked peppers and Korean-style Carrots with fuju 320g., 605 kcal (B-36.4g., F-31.1g, U-44.5g).
• Lunch - Venison kebab with baked potatoes, lingonberry and pesto sauces 290g., 574 kcal (B-31.8g., F-28.7g, U-45.4g).
• Snack - Salad with seafood, creamy mustard sauce and protein omelette with herbs 320g., 478 kcal (B-24.4g., F-32.4g, U-19.1g).
• Dinner - Chicken breast grilled with broccoli and yoghurt with herbs and creamy mustard sauce 310g., 327 kcal (B-31.9g., F-17.1g, U-12.7g).

Total: Calories 2546 Proteins 160 Fats 138.7 Carbohydrates 160.6

Day four

• Breakfast - Pancakes with minced chicken and creamy mushroom sauce 190g., 452 kcal (B-27.8g., F-25.6g, U-58.6g).
• Second breakfast - Cheesecakes with cherries, Omelet with chicken breast and creamy mustard sauce 360g., 553 kcal (B-53.3g., F-29.8g, U-16.8g).
• Lunch - Beef hedgehog with pasta with barbecue sauce 270g., 548 kcal (B-29.2g., F-14.8g, U-74.3g).
• Snack - Vegetable salad with turkey in sesame and Protein omelette with broccoli and Pesto sauce 340g., 498 kcal (B-30.9g., F-32.8g, U-21.5g).
• Dinner - Grilled quinoa chicken breast, green beans and pesto sauce with arugula 270g., 396 kcal (B-34.1g., F-17.8g, U-24.9g).

Total: Calories 2447 Proteins 175.3 Fats 120.8 Carbohydrates 196.1

Day five

• Breakfast - Omelet with vegetables, creamy mushroom sauce and cottage cheese-strawberry pudding 340g., 565 kcal (B-50.8g., F-29.3g, U-19.4g).
• The second is breakfast Salad with squid. vegetables. dressing Balsamic and cottage cheese casserole with coconut milk 300g., 520 kcal (B-43g., Zh-24g, U-28g).
• Lunch - Grilled chicken breast with buckwheat, green beans and Green sauce 290g., 539 kcal (B-30.4g., F-28g, U-41.4g).
• Snack - Broccoli salad with vegetables and Cottage cheese casserole with hazelnuts 320g., 507 kcal (B-26.4g., F-32.1g, U-32.4g).
• Dinner - vegetable stir fry with grilled squid 300g, 229 kcal (B-21.9g, F-7.4g, U-18.4g).

Total: Kcal 2360 Proteins 172.5 Fats 120.8 Carbohydrates 139.6

Day six

• Breakfast - Omelette with chicken and tomato with creamy tomato sauce and cottage cheese-strawberry mousse 340g., 514 kcal (B-38.4g., F-30.6g, U-18.7g).
• The second - breakfast Vegetable salad with turkey, creamy mustard sauce and cottage cheese-strawberry mousse 320g., 550 kcal (B-36.6g., F-31.5g, U-28.3g).
• Lunch - Lasagna bolognese 260g., 541 kcal (B-23.3g., F-32.4g, U-32.7g).
• Snack - Vitamin Salad with pumpkin seeds and banana-oat muffins with strawberry jam 370g., 496 kcal (B-6.5g., F-24.7g, U-61.8g).
• Dinner - Quesadilla with chicken, vegetables and barbecue sauce 220g., 372 kcal (B-22.8g., F-13.8g, U-39g).

Total: Calories 2473 Proteins 127.6 Fats 133 Carbohydrates 180.5

Day seven

• Breakfast - Oatmeal with dried fruits and dried apricots, prunes, almonds, walnuts 330g., 544 kcal (B-13.5g., F-26.4g, U-77.7g).
• Second breakfast - Greek salad with Feta cheese and Cottage cheese casserole with raisins, walnuts 300g., 572 kcal (B-24g., Zh-36g, U-38g).
• Lunch — Steam beef cutlets with baked potatoes and creamy mushroom sauce 290g., 556 kcal (B-45.9g., F-21.8g, U-43.7g).
• Snack — Pumpkin pancakes with apple sauce and creamy lingonberry sauce 240g., 500 kcal (B-7.4g., F-22.4g, U-67.4g).
• Dinner - Chicken zrazy with mozzarella, buckwheat and broccoli 250g., 363 kcal (B-34.3g., F-10.6g, U-32.6g).

Total: Calories 2535 Proteins 125.1 Fats 117.2 Carbohydrates 259.4

What to eat before and after training

There is no consensus on whether to eat right before a workout. On the one hand, by eating protein-rich foods, you will create an additional load on the body. In addition to the fact that he will have to work under an increased load, part of the energy will be spent on digesting food.

However, do not forget that immediately after eating, the level of insulin in the blood increases, which in turn stimulates blood flow, which also nourishes the muscles. And this means that the muscles receive more oxygen, more useful elements and nutrients. As a result, protein synthesis in muscle mass is accelerated, and this is exactly what we need. Synthesis is enhanced even more noticeably if you consume drinks and liquid foods before training.

As for nutrition after training, it is definitely necessary, because it is during rest and recovery that a set of muscle mass occurs. Just in case, let me remind you that directly during training, muscle fibers are destroyed, and they need to be restored.

In order to develop muscles, not only physical activity is necessary, but also protein, carbohydrates and some fat, as well as various macronutrients that act as catalysts for the growth process.

The first half hour after the end of a workout is called the carbohydrate window (or protein window). During this short period, the body experiences an acute deficiency in nutrients. Some experts recommend taking protein foods, while the other half advise feeding the body with carbohydrates.

Sports nutrition and supplements

Modern pharmacology has come a long way. On sale you can find a huge amount of sports nutrition and various supplements that stimulate the process of increasing muscle mass. Of particular interest is protein, as well as vitamins, which help the exhausted body to receive important substances and elements.

Protein

75-80% of muscle tissue is water, and another 20% is protein. It is protein that is the main material on the basis of which muscles are formed. In order for muscle mass to begin to actively increase, protein intake should be at least 2 g per 1 kg of weight.

Protein can be obtained from various animal products (primarily from eggs), but the easiest way to get it is from protein - a sports supplement containing protein mixtures. You can quickly increase muscle mass with whey protein.

Casein protein, on the other hand, is characterized by a slow release of protein. It is recommended to use it before bed.

The most versatile is considered a complex protein. It not only helps the body successfully cope with stress, but also allows you to recover faster.

Homemade Protein Shake Recipes

Muscle fibers damaged during training must be restored, and it is in the process of recovery that they increase and grow, and protein plays the most active role in this. I’ve already talked about getting protein from supplements, but if you don’t feel like spending money on sports nutrition or it is not possible to order it, you can get by with protein shakes. You can cook them at home, and only a blender is needed from the necessary kitchen appliances.

First recipe

We will need:

• Sour cream (120 g).
• Orange juice (100 g).
• Lemon juice (half a lemon is enough).
• 2 tbsp olive oil.
• Fruit confiture (30 g).
• Egg yolk (1 pc).

We mix the ingredients (except for jam and lemon juice) in a bowl and grind with a blender until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Second recipe

We will need:

• Milk (400 ml).
• Cottage cheese (150 g).
• Bananas (200 g).
• Nuts (50 g).
• Honey 2-3 tbsp.

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and grind with a blender. The cocktail should be divided into three meals and consumed throughout the day.

Third recipe

We will need:

• 250 ml of kefir or milk.
• Half banana.
• 2-3 tablespoons of oatmeal.
• A pinch of cinnamon.
• Yogurt or ice cream (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and grind with a blender.

In fact, there are many recipes for homemade cocktails, and you can easily come up with your own recipe.

Features of home workouts

I will not dissemble - training in the gym, and even under the supervision of an experienced trainer, in most cases will be more effective than home training. On the other hand, if there is no opportunity to visit the gym, but you want to gain muscle mass, there are no obstacles to exercising at home.

It is better to choose such a set of exercises, when in one workout the load will go to all the muscles and the main muscles. muscle groups. The body perceives serious physical activity as a stressful situation, there is an active production of anabolic hormones, and it is they that have a positive effect on growth.

What weights can be used

It is advisable to have a pair of stacked dumbbells and a barbell at home, but you can make weights yourself. Water bottles, bottles or sandbags are a reliable alternative. It may not be so convenient to deal with them, but expenses are minimized.

Sports equipment to help

Of the additional equipment, a bench and racks for working with a barbell are very useful. However, you can always build an alternative from several stools placed in a row. It is desirable that there are bars and a horizontal bar in the yard. Chairs can act as a kind of replacement for the bars. As for the horizontal bar, you can install it in almost any doorway.

What exercises can you do at home

You can do the following exercises at home:

• Pushups.
• Push-ups on the uneven bars (as an alternative, you can use chairs).
• Bench press.
• Standing barbell or dumbbell press.
• Incline dumbbell row.
• Incline arm extensions.
• Twisting.
• Standing arm curls.

Execution technique

The number of approaches and repetitions is selected based on individual characteristics. Usually the number of repetitions does not exceed 8-10 (for legs up to 20), because if you repeat the exercise more times, endurance begins to train, which is not our goal. It is important for us to give a high load on the muscles in order to provoke their growth. Two or three approaches are enough.

Since work can go with weights, it is very important to follow the technique of doing the exercises, otherwise there is a risk of injury. If you are not sure that you understand how to perform the exercise correctly, watch the instructional videos.

If possible, train with a partner. He will be able to insure when performing some exercises.

Workout Example

The training program I propose will be of interest to beginners, because it almost does not involve the use of weights. The fact is that for beginners, the weight of their own body is enough, because this is almost the maximum load that they can handle. Accordingly, the exercises will immediately be perceived by the body as heavy, and the recovery mechanism will be launched.

The program is not the most strenuous, but it should be followed if you want to achieve results. One day of training alternates with two days of rest (1 day of training + 2 days of rest + 1 day of training). Then everything repeats. On the first day, the muscles of the upper body are worked out, after two days of rest, we work on the legs. The number of approaches on the first day is 2-3, on the second - 3. The number of repetitions on the first day is 8-10, on the second - 10-20.

The first day

• Pushups.
• Vertical push-ups.
• Push-ups between supports.
• Pull-ups on the crossbar with a wide grip to the chest.
• Back push-ups.
• Reverse pull-ups.
• Bench press.
• Alternate lifting of dumbbells for biceps.
• Exercise for the back (pulling up on the horizontal bar and pulling up with a reverse grip).

Second day

• Sprint 3 times for 15 seconds at maximum speed.
• Squats.
• Lunges.
• Rise on socks.
• Lunges with dumbbells.

Conclusion

Following a diet and doing exercises to gain muscle mass requires a lot of effort, including strong-willed. The reward for hard work will be fast growth muscles, improvement of the relief of the body, moral satisfaction. Vitamins and proper nutrition will support the body.

That's all for now. In my new articles, I will definitely share my knowledge about training, proper nutrition, exercise and other aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

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