6 Old School Tips For Muscle Growth Which Actually Work

Gaining muscles is no child's play. Months and months of rigorous workout and training can go behind getting a chiselled chest sleeve-busting biceps. In the present times, lots of fad diets and workout regimes are doing rounds on social media which claim to be extremely effective for muscle growth. While some focus on increasing the volume of training, others promise huge gains but with minimal training. So what actually works? We believe that some old school tips work wonders for muscle growth.

 

Muscle growth can be achieved by being consistent in training
Photo Credit: iStock

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Yes, it might be about time when you decide to go back to back to basics for transforming your physique.

1. Work on the whole body

Muscle stimulation can be done by either working on them directly or indirectly. Fitness experts believe for gaining muscles on the upper body, it is important to squat heavy. Some of the top sprinters of the world have very muscular arms despite the fact that they hardly workout on their arms. They mainly focus on the legs and perform exercises such as squats and deadlifts. You have to work on building both strength and shape by combining isolation movements with compound movements. Thus, for those aspiring for muscle growth, it is important to include exercises such as bench presses, deadlifts, pull-ups and squats in your workout regime regularly.

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2. Consistency is the key

One thing is to motivate yourself enough to get up and workout. But the other, more important thing is to maintain consistency. Be it losing weight or gaining muscles, consistency is the key to achieve any kind of fitness goal. Training for gaining muscles requires constant training. The process of muscle growth is a slow and steady process which happens gradually with time. It is only when you become consistent that you increase your stamina and are able to exercise with greater efficiency. Avoid giving yourself excuses for taking breaks even when you know you don't need them. Consistency is the key to success, even in the world of health and fitness!

Also read: Top 7 Foods To Gain Muscle Mass

3. Form is the foundation

Celebrity fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala has expressed her views on Instagram on how she believes that form is the foundation of exercising. Any workout regime is of no use unless and until you perform it with the right technique. Muscle growth includes exercises which involves lifting weights, sometimes really heavy weights. But how does a person weighing 60 kgs lift weight of 100 kgs? It is only when you work on your building your strength and perform exercise with the right technique that you can gain muscles. Also if you are exercising with the same weight for months just because you want to focus on the technique, try increasing weights in very small amounts. This will ensure steady growth towards your desired goal.

Also read: Celebrity Trainer Vinod Channa Reveals Workout Regime For Muscle Growth In Men

4. Do not over do

Along with knowing how to get the will-power and motivation to hit the gym workout with full efficiency in the gym every day, you must also be aware of the time you need to take it down a bit. Muscle growth is something which requires immense amount of strength training including weight lifting. But most fitness and health experts recommend that you must give your muscles the time to relax and rejuvenate. Else, you are just waiting for an injury to happen. When your muscle feel sore, do listen to your body and give it the resting time it requires. Avoid being over-trained in all circumstances in order to maximise your growth and recovery.
 

Avoid overdoing strength training to avoid injuries
Photo Credit: iStock

5. Work on your strength and endurance

One of the primary principles of physiology of exercise is to work on the principle of progressive overload. When you go ahead with strength training, make sure you work on improving your consistency and endurance according to your goals. But the idea is to have goals which are both realistic and challenging at the same time. As mentioned above, the process of muscle gain happens slowly, as and when you experience improvements in your power and endurance. You need to have a strong hold on some basic exercises like deadlifts, squats and bench presses. It is only when you improve your strength and endurance that you will gain muscles.

6. Focus on the basics

You can improve your performance results of exercising only by getting your basics rights. It is just like subjects Maths and Science in school, where the key is to clear your basics in order to move towards higher, more complicated levels. Same is the case with muscle growth and strength training, where you need to ensure that you develop strength in legs by doing squats. Strengthening of the upper body cannot be done without learning to do bench presses, parallel bar dips, pull-ups, etc. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.