In this article I will be expanding on the first 3 secrets to gaining muscle fast; if you have not read the article previously or you are in need of a refresher please click the following link
6 Secrets to Gaining Muscle Fast - Part 1
This will ensure you have a good understanding before moving onto the next steps.
This article you give you a better understanding of how to program your training. One of the biggest mistakes I see most gyms goers make is that they are either training too hard, too easy or too inconsistently to produce their desired result. Great results don't come from one or two good workouts; they come from consistent training and by following an effective program.
1. Stimulate don't annihilate
In the picture I have outlined the Super Compensation Principle; this outlines the ideal training times needed to maximise results.
The beginning phase is the workout you are doing right now. The optimal time to repeat a particular workout would be 48-72hrs, and the too late section is anything 7 days +. The blue coloured line refers to someone recovering too early from their workout; this shows the individual did not reach their true Muscular Overload Potential.
The purple line shows someone who trained too hard and subsequently required a full week to recover from their session.
The green line shows someone who trained at the optimum intensity, and fully recovered 48-72 hours after their session. This shows that they worked their bodies systems to their full capacity; and also ensured enough recovery time to continually produce optimal results and to be able to effectively maintain a consistent routine of training thereby making small improvements week by week.
2. Recover, recover, recover
After reading point number 1 I hope we can agree that recovery is vitally important in order to be able to consistently produce results whatever your goal. However, the question then becomes how we can maximise on recovery?
- Ensure adequate warm up prior to exercise - this does not mean static stretching; which when done prior to exercise has actually been shown to increase the chance of an injury occurring. A warm up should consist of a small amount of dynamic stretching + warm up drills of the exercise that you are about to undertake. For example: Squats - do some light bodyweight or weight squats before beginning your high intensity segment; ensuring full range of movement and proper use of technique. For an activity such as running; a light jog depending on distance would be appropriate.
- Ensure adequate cool down post session - Stretching is a vital part of optimising post session recovery. The tighter your muscles are the more restricted your blood flow will be, this will decrease the chance of your muscles fully recovering in the optimal window. In an ideal world, you would stretch for at least half the time you trained, however for most people this is unrealistic. I would strongly recommended going through some basic stretches through the muscle groups worked; holding them for a minimum of 20-30seconds. I am sorry but 2 seconds won't do very much..
- Ensure you are consuming an adequate protein and carbohydrate source post session - To get a better understanding of this please refer to 6 secrets to gaining muscle fast 1-3
Now I am sure you could think of more, however rather than try to implement everything at once try first to implement these things effectively. It is better to do one thing well than 10 things poorly!
3. Have a Master plan
Your long term programing is a vital part of your long term results. Remember there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going, therefore whatever your goal please be prepared to invest a realistic amount of time on a long term basis. You are better off training twice per week for the rest of your life, than training 14 times a week for the next month.
What I am referring to when saying a Master plan is a plan that is based off your long term goals of 12 months or longer, not a 30 day squat challenge. When putting together your own Master plan I would strongly recommend putting some time aside to think about where you want your health and fitness to be in 12 months from now and what lifestyle you would like to have. There is no point creating a very time consuming program if realistically you can only exercise 2-3 times per week.
If you would like some help creating your plan or if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call/text me on:
+61417007818 Or email: dwilliams@visionpt.com.au
I wish you the best of luck
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
