BY COACH NADIA POPOVA
Building muscle is a major fitness goal for many people, for good reason. Adding muscle mass can help you with functional strength, injury prevention and some of the negative effects of aging. Basically muscle is your Cushion that protects you from injuries and holds your frame.
But do we really know how long it takes to put on some lean muscle? it actually takes a long period of time – at least a month, but probably longer – to see muscle gains of any significance. Patience is a key ingredient for adding muscle, especially if you are new to weight training
Let’s first breakdown what muscle building is:
Any form of resistance or strength training, also can be bodyweight exercises or weights , to break down your muscle fibers. This process creates microscopic tears that are essential for building muscle. Those damaged muscle fibers stimulate satellite cells for growth factors for muscle repair.
This eventually leads to a greater amount of muscle over time.
What type of training would “Send Me A Trainer” recommend? An effective resistance training routine should incorporate a combination of high-load, low-rep exercises and high-rep, moderate-load exercises that constantly overload your muscles.
The question is how much muscle can you realistically gain in one month?
We don’t want to have high expectations and get disappointed after seeing no results right?
For most beginners, gaining 2-4lbs of muscle per month is a realistic rate of muscle gain. More advanced lifters should aim to gain 1-2lbs of muscle per month, as research has shown slower rates of muscle gain the more advanced a lifter becomes.
It’s worth mentioning that people who have more muscle burn more calories, in general, because they have more tissue that requires fuel.
Ok so how do we start?
First we need to understand your current fitness level. Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced?
A great way to start a strength training program is three times a week, with at least a full day of rest in between. Pick four to six exercises and start with eight to 10 repetitions of each.
You can build muscle with any type of exercise, but if you want to see those gains faster, strength training is the way to go.
If you need help with building muscle and the safest yet effective way possible, “Send Me A Trainer” is always here to help.
Get a Free Fitness Assessment and receive one of our trainers feedback and training recommendations.
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