Thursday, March 4, 2010

3 Simple Methods on How To Gain Muscle

I've been doing weight training for about 2 years steadily now. Growing up I was a weakling. Genetically speaking, my physique is considered small. Before I started lifting weights, I weighed in at 138 lbs. My current weight now is 179. Not too shabby. I'm also not exactly the tallest person either being only 5'7. So it's safe to say that I am and will always be considered short. However not necessarily small. I soon discovered how to gain muscle and break the mold by building a rock hard physique in a gradual amount of time.

What got me started in lifting weights was the fact that I just got so tired of looking so thin. I could deal with being short but not thin. I knew that one day I would achieve the physique that I wanted but I would procrastinate a lot and always made excuses like never having the time to do so. Eventually It got to a point where I said enough was enough. That's when I decided to go forward and accomplish my goal. I wanted to gain weight and muscle of up to at least 175 pounds. I wanted to achieve this without the use of steroids or anything that would be harmful to my body.

I did most of my research on the internet of course and I'd say that it helped me tremendously. It required a lot of time and money but it was well worth it. I bought a couple of ebooks that also helped me as well. I gathered all the information together and implemented what I had learned.

In no time I saw the results that I was looking for. I was starting to gain about 4-5 pounds a week. My results where very dramatic. I was a totally different person in a months time. I've never looked back and have never been skinny ever again. I've managed to retain my physique for these past two years. Sometimes I'll lose some weight like 5 pounds or so but I always gain it back.

This method requires NO USE of steroids or any other human growth hormone of any any kind. I believe this to be the safest and most effective way in my opinion. It's not that easy. Nothing ever is but it's definitely not that hard either. Believe me I should know.

By utilizing these 3 methods and following this short 3 step program, I have no doubt that this is how to gain muscle in the least amount of time. I estimate that by following these steps, that you will gain about 15 to 20 pounds in about a month. And remember, this is without any use of steroids of any kind.

I simplified this method into 3 main categories.
1) Weight gaining diet
2) Five week exercise routine
3) Supplementation and proper PCT

1) Weight Gaining Diet - Eating and Weight Gainers. Which Ones?

First thing to do is eat a lot of rich high in protein foods with healthy fats such as lean meat, fish, tuna, chicken or poultry. In the morning have 3 egg whites and high grain cereal with a protein shake. I used to love making whole wheat tuna fish sandwiches with some seasoning, a banana and a protein shake at lunch. At dinner time, I would eat something like chicken breast with beans, potatoes or rice on the side and my last shake. Sometimes it would be a fish fillet with noodles and rice.

Eat 5 to 6 times a day. And by that I mean 3 full meals a day and 2 to 3 "small portion" meals in between. Like a few slices of cheese, a small chicken salad, egg whites or some walnuts. Don't eat 5-6 full meals. That's almost impossible. I don't know anyone who eats that much to this day. Eat plenty of unsalted nuts like walnuts and seeds in between meals. A good snack meal is a banana, a peanut butter sandwich or both. Try to eat at anywhere from 3500 to 4000 calories a day. If that's too much, then go for 3000 to 3500. You'll still gain weight but not as much as the 3500 to 4000 calorie diet. Also try to eat 100 to 150 grams of protein daily. Remember to eat high calorie/high protein and plenty of carbs daily. Always try to throw in some fruits like bananas, apples, pineapples, raisins etc. as well.

Recommended Weight Gainer/Protein Powder

Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Weight Gainer Vanilla 6lbOptimum Nutrition Serious Mass Weight Gainer Vanilla 6lbI recommend this weight gainer for one reason and one reason only. It works. I've been taking this regularly for about a year now and it has definitely given me improvements on my physique with steady gains. I started out with 3 servings a day for the first three months along with my diet of 4-5 regular meals daily. After about 4 months, I lowered my servings count to two shakes a day for the next 3-4 months. Now I take one serving daily to maintain my weight steadily after every workout. It has 1,250 calories and 50 grams of protein per serving with no sugars. Glutamine and Creatine enhanced with 25 minerals and vitamins. Take with a couple of scoops of ice cream along with Udo's 3-6-9 blend flax seed oil! Click photo or link to order it.

Recommended Flax Seed Oil

Flora - Udo's 3.6.9 Oil Blend, 17 fl oz liquidFlora - Udo's 3.6.9 Oil Blend, 17 fl oz liquidTake a teaspoonful with every shake serving. It's a little pricey but more effective than most flax seed oils out on the market. If on a budget than just replace it with a regular flax seed oil. They are no right or wrongs in this case.



2) Five Week Exercise Routine - Basic Crash Course for Beginners to Intermediate.

This part will cover a 5 week crash course training schedule. For starters, workout 3 times a week for the first 2 weeks (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). It is VERY important that you consult your doctor prior to any training regimen.

1st and 2nd week:
Monday- Start with a 10-15 minute stretch. Chest(Bench Presses), Back(Lat Pull downs,Bent Over Rows), Biceps(Bicep Curls,), and Abs(Crunches).
Wednesday- Stretching first. Chest(Bench Press), Triceps(overhead extension), Legs(Squats) and Abs(crunches).
Friday- Stretching. Chest(Incline Press), Shoulders(Flys), Abs(Crunches).

Do about 3 sets each exercise for 10 to 15 reps each. Rest 2 minutes between sets.

3rd week:
Same as above except this time add an extra workout day. Preferably Thursday. Make it 4 sets instead of three. Also, add a little extra weight 2-5 more lbs. if your able to. If not, just stay with the same weight.

Extra exercises to add:
Chest-Military press, Dips, Seated dumbell press
Biceps-Barbell curls, concentration curls, preacher curls
Legs-Leg extensions, leg curls, dead lifts, calve  raises
Triceps-Close grip overhead extensions, overhead tricep extensions, bench dips

Tip: increase weight(if applicable) and do less repetitions. For example, 4 sets of squats 8 to 12 reps.

4th week
Same as above but add more weight and mix workout days. For example, chest, triceps and abs on Monday. Then Wednesday back, biceps, calves and abs. Always do abs every workout last.

5th week
Add another day to the week. For example, Mon. and Tues. workout day. Take Wednesday off. Thursday and Friday workout days. Take Saturday off. Sunday workout day but make it a light workout of 30 to 40 minutes of elipticals, bicycling or running for cardio. Mix exercises again and now increase by adding an extra set. Making it 5 sets per workout. Increase weight to a few pounds more. Reps should be from 8 to 10 now with heavy weight. If the weight is too much, then get a spotter. If no spotter, then don't strain it if you can't lift it. Makes sense right?

Always remember to stretch before workouts. Always do abs every workout. In fact, I would suggest you do AB workouts everyday! Even on non workout days. The reason is that eating a lot and the weight gainers often times cause bloating and a slight "beer belly" look. Do about 50 crunches of 4 sets and that should control it somewhat. I personally do 100 crunches of 5 sets every day to maintain my 6 pack. Always drink a lot of water or gatorade to replinish your electrolytes. And don't forget to make sure to consult your doctor first prior to any training regimen.

Recommended Exercise Equipment

Cap Barbell Combo Olympic Bench with Squat RackCap Barbell Combo Olympic Bench with Squat RackThe reason why I recommend this one not only because I personally own one but because It's convenient for squats and preacher curls and most importantly...its convenient price! It's durable enough even for maxing out.

Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - Extreme EditionIron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - Extreme EditionI know...I know. I had to throw this out. I also know that every one and his brother owns one but if you don't....truly you need it. Seriously! This thing so convenient, so cheap and VERY EFFECTIVE! This is perfect for the shoulders, back and perfect for that nice V-shape look.

3) Supplementation and Proper PCT - Why Supplementation and Post Cycle Therapy is Absolutely Important!

I decided to break this category into two sub-categories mainly because one cannot work properly without the other. Both are so important that this entire method would be useless and a waste of time. I'll start off with supplements.

a) Supplementation
This is the key to this entire method. It's actually the secret to all the information given. Without it, your gains will be VERY minimal. Eating a lot helps but all that will be useless without the right supplementation to gain rock hard muscle. I would suggest that you start off with one muscle builder on your first trial and NOT to combine it with a muscle stack. The obvious reason is that it's too much for the body and can be harmful. You can however use the muscle stacks on your second or third cycle but NEVER a muscle builder and the chosen stacks at the same time. It's more common for advanced body builders to stack as they progress further into weight training. Make sure to take the right dosage and follow the the labeled instructions when taking these supplements. I have to warn you though. These supplements are very potent and can possibly be harmful if not taken properly and can have some possible side-effects. If you're not sure then consult your doctor first before taking them.

Recomended Choice of Muscle Builders

SpawnSpawnThis is my secret weapon. This alone with just regular 3 meals a day will pack on about 15 to 18 lbs. of muscle. by the end of a cycle. It's a bit pricey but rest assured the results are phenomenal. And believe me, every penny was worth it! I'm surprised that this stuff is legal. Post Cycle Support is Highly recommended!

TestoFREAK 60ct Muscle Builder
TestoFREAK 60ct Muscle BuilderThis muscle builder is insane. I took it on one of my cycles and I gained up to 12 lbs. of rock hard muscle. Give it a shot and you'll see some pretty explosive gains soon. I highly recommend using Post Cycle Support after using this.


Titanium Muscle Gain TM 3 Months Supply, Professional and Recreational Muscle Building, body buildingTitanium Muscle Gain TM 3 Months Supply, Professional and Recreational Muscle Building, body buildingI haven't tried this one personally yet but I know someone that has and they said that they where very impressed with the results. I've heard good reviews about it too so I'd give this one a shot. I myself will try it soon and see what the hype is about. It's very cheap to buy so that's a huge plus for me :-)

Recommended Muscle Stacks

LG Science-Trifecta Muscle Building Stack, 1 StackLG Science-Trifecta Muscle Building Stack, 1 StackThis muscle stack is wicked! Your sure to pack on some serious pounds with this. I took it as directed and gained 15lbs. of muscle with it. Post Cycle Support recommended after stack cycle.

Second Choice

Hardcore Muscle Building Stack-Muscletech 15 Day Transformation Cycle, 1ctHardcore Muscle Building Stack-Muscletech 15 Day Transformation Cycle, 1ctThis is also a good stack. I took this on my 3rd cycle and gained 10 lbs. of extra muscle in 14 days! Post Cycle Support a must by the end of this stack cycle.


b) Post Cycle Therapy (PCT).
This I have to say is probably the most important subject than everything that has been discussed so far. Why so? To put it plainly, your gains and everything you worked hard for will all be lost without it. In addition, side effects could occur if not taken at all. Possible side effects could be damage to the liver, hair loss, gynecomastia("man-boobs") or decreased size in penis. The list goes on. These are just the possiblities. I'm not saying this will indefinitely occur all the time so don't be afraid but there could be a chance of it if taking too much and doing a cycle for too long without proper PCT.

Proper PCT is crucial in these stages. It's what I call the "resting" period of a cycle. What I do personally to prevent any liver damage is I take Himalaya Herbal Healthcare LiverCare/Liv.52 Liver Support, Milk Thistleor both. I take these before, during and after a cycle. I would suggest you do the same.

Testosterone boosters and anti-estrogens are also a key element to preventing gynecomastia (man-boobs). These are preventative and necessary products to use when doing a cycle. I would recommend that you take light dosages of these during a cycle to make sure that "man-boobs" and a decreasing of the penis don't occur. I would suggest you go to your doctor and see if he could prescribe some viagra in case of that too.

And last but not least there's....
Anabolic Innovations Post Cycle Support, 120 Caps, 0.75 BottleAnabolic Innovations Post Cycle Support, 120 Caps, 0.75 BottleThis is truly some innovated stuff. I've been using this roughly for about a year and a half. This is a definite must for PCT. No question about it. It also helps in retaining my gains from a cycle. There is no comparison because everything I need for PCT is in it. There's not a time that I never used it when post-training. I took it everyday after a cycle then and continue to this day. Get it. It's a must!

Conclusion:
Overall I know that if you follow these steps and implement what I said throughout this entire blog, I can pretty much guarantee that you will achieve some pretty amazing results in no time. Of course not doing so your results will be minimal. In all honesty, it really takes dedication and a committed mind to really accomplish all of this. There's no if's and's or but's about it. I can tell you one thing that's definitely true in my case. I never looked back ever since I started 2 years ago. The day I started to train my body and saw results I was like WOW! This really works! It felt awesome to finally know how to gain muscle for the first time in my life. I never felt so motivated in my life. Believe me. The same will happen to you once the results start showing. So good luck, be well and don't give up. God Bless.

Joe