Another question that comes up over & over again – How do I gain weight? or how do I build muscle? Once again, I’ve got a boilerplate answer… here it is!
Find out how many calories your body needs to maintain it’s current weight using this calorie calculator. Start eating 500 calories a day above your maintenance intake. Try to get at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight. If you’re not putting on weight, add 500 calories every 3-4 weeks. If you have a fast metabolism, don’t be surprised if you get up past 3500 calories. Spread the calories out over 5-6 meals a day if you can.
Try for 40% carbs (green veggies, whole grains, etc), 40% protein (chicken, tuna, fish), and 20% good fats (nuts, peanut butter). Have protein with every meal. Earlier in the day have protein & carbs. Later in the day, protein & fats. A site like http://www.thedailyplate.com makes tracking your diet pretty easy.
A good lifting program that uses heavy weight and low reps (like a 5×5 or 4×8), will put on some solid muscle. Look for programs that go for the big compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press, & rows. Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength is a GREAT place to start. Squats & deads are the best things you can do for your lower body, plus they pull in your core muscles as well. If you’re younger and trying to gain muscle for football, squats & deads are probably the best football exercises EVER. Power cleans are great too, if you have a good strength coach and a forgiving gym. Rest between sets can be 2-3 minutes in a 5×5, or 1-2 minutes in a 4×8.
Whey protein first thing in the morning & right after lifting is the only supp you might want to add (or more often if you need the extra protein). Don’t believe the hype of most supplements. Protein is the only thing that will help BUILD muscle. Creatine can be used for it’s energy gain and protein delivery properties. However, if you’re under 18, don’t bother with it.
Here’s a link to Starting Strength 2nd Edition at Amazon.
Tags: Body building, build muscle
