6 Basic Principles to Gain Muscle Mass

The basic rules of building muscle mass and strength have existed for many years. Unfortunately how to gain muscle mass principles have been watered down and confused because there are so many so called "experts" out there manipulating the basic principles. This article will discuss muscle building principles that have been around and that have stood the test of time when it comes to building strength and mass.

Principle 1 -Train Your Mental State. Focus on your mental attitude as much as your physical workouts. A good mental attitude will keep you focused and motivated to achieve your workout goals. Visualize how you want to look and feel. You'll be surprised how far this principle will take you.

Principle 2 - Frequency of Training. If you are just starting out in weight training then I would recommend three times week with adequate rest in between. If you are experienced then 4 to 6 times a week is sufficient as long as you are allowing at least two days in between working each body part. This will allow adequate recovery time. Avoid following the workouts of the stars. These are usually overrated and results are typically short-lived. Short, high-intensity workouts with adequate rest periods is the key of your intensive training success.

Principle 3 -Overload. If you want to make strength and muscle gains you have to "overload" your system. You will not gain much mass if you simply keep lifting the same amount of weight at every workout because your body will accommodate to this stimulus. You should be lifting a weight with good movements that pushes you to failure, otherwise you'll end up training your body for a very long time to get the result. Once you can complete a set with that amount of weight - add more to reach failure again at your next workout. Practicing this overload principle will force your muscles to grow in size and strength.

Principle 4 - Over-Training. This is probably one of the most common areas of failure for people just starting a workout program. This happens mostly because we are over excited in the beginning and want fast results. We end up training too hard, too many times per week without allowing our bodies to rest adequately in between workouts. You should remember that our muscle regenerate and grow when we rest. The more you are working out without adequate rest the more your muscle fibers are breaking down. If you continue to over-train you will eventually begin to lose muscle mass and your desire to workout.

Principle 5 - Perform Compound Exercises. A compound exercise is one that involves multi-joint movements. Squats and deadlifts are good examples of compound exercises. These types of exercises will work multiple muscles at once vs. and isolation exercises. Therefore they recruit more muscle fibers per workout resulting in greater growth potential during your rest phase.

Principle 6 - Energy Levels. If you've ever worked out before I'm sure you have experienced the "crash phenomenon." All of a sudden you have no energy to completer your workouts. This is because your body only has a limited energy supply to work with. So it stands to reason that you want to accomplish as much as you can as quickly as you can. Your blood sugar levels (which are a marker of energy levels) can drop within 30 minutes of working out. Based on this you should try to stimulate as many muscle fibers as you can in that amount of time. Performing a high intensity workout before your energy level depletes will allow you to gain maximum muscle.