Eating a balanced and healthful diet is key to staying fit. For people who wish to build muscle, protein intake is especially important. Current guidelines recommend that adult males and females consume 56 grams (g) and 46 g, respectively, of protein every day. The timing of protein intake may also be of importance.
The solution is to lift weights — often enough, long enough, and heavy enough. "Weight training is the best way to keep the muscle mass you have and even increase muscle mass you may have lost with aging," says Shawn Pedicini, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
Resistance training promotes muscle growth. Examples of resistance training include the use of free weights, weight machines, your own body weight or resistance bands. Suggestions include: Train just two or three times per week to give your muscles time to recover.
The 6-12-25 Protocol is a powerhouse training protocol that harnesses the intensity of giant sets to pack high-volume work into a short period. By targeting one muscle group or body part per set, this method takes you through three different exercises with minimal rest, hitting 6, 12, and 25 reps in quick succession.
Up to 30% of your muscle's size is attributed to the sarcoplasm, so focusing on this type of hypertrophy helps build overall size (i.e., increased cross-sectional area of the muscle). If you're looking to get bigger: Target a rep range of 6 – 12 reps per set. Aim for 3-5 sets.
Getting Close to Failure - Having fewer 'reps in reserve' for 1-3 sets can lead to a greater muscle pump. This means pushing your muscles into the overtime region to complete the set. High Volume - You need to perform at least 10 reps of an exercise across multiple sets.
Train Heavy
If you want to build muscle and strength, you have to train heavy, says Curtis Shannon, C.S.C.S. "Training heavy, safely and efficiently, has many benefits," says Shannon. "Heavy training challenges the muscles not only concentrically but eccentrically.
If you have an especially hard time gaining mass, use whole milk—it packs in more calories and protein. Animal-based protein powders contain more of the muscle-building amino acid leucine compared to plant-based powders like soy, hemp and rice proteins. So try to use whey, casein, or a blend of the two.
According to the exercise physiologist Brad Schoenfeld, there are three primary mechanisms of muscle growth: Muscle tension, metabolic stress and muscle damage. Oftentimes all of these factors are correlated with the amount of weight you lift.
Compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, and pull-ups will help you gain muscle more efficiently and increase your strength. You'll also maximize your time in the gym by working several muscles at a time. Make compound exercises the core of your workout, and add some isolation training when you can.
Muscle hypertrophy occurs when the fibers of the muscles sustain damage or injury. The body repairs damaged fibers by fusing them, which increases the mass and size of the muscles. Certain hormones, including testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin growth factor, also play a role in muscle growth and repair.
Focus on Resistance Training
Resistance training is the most effective way to build muscle at any age. This can include using free weights, resistance bands, or even your body weight to challenge muscles.
The lats tend to be one of the hardest muscles to develop.
To achieve strength and up your muscle growth, you'll have to lift heavy weights for fewer repetitions (six or fewer reps) and longer rest periods. Powerlifters use this method. Either way, you have to continue to challenge yourself to see continued growth over time.
The researchers found that people who drank a casein shake with about 30 grams of protein right before bed on days they lifted and on days they rested for 12 weeks gained more muscle mass—about four pounds—and strength than those who drank a non-protein placebo.
Can You Build Muscle After 40? Yep. Even though gains might come slower as you age, it's not impossible to build muscle. Consistent strength training in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond can prevent and even reverse the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength, and power that typically kicks in after age 30 (4).
Current research indicates that three primary mechanisms are involved in exercise-related muscle growth: muscle tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress (Schoenfeld 2010). Muscle tension. Tension exerted on muscles during resistance exercise is generally considered the most important factor in muscle development.
A great approach is the 40-30-5 method. It's simple. Use an interval timer and program a work duration (set length) of 40 seconds, a rest time of 30 seconds, and 5 intervals (sets).