Building Muscle - Natural Ways To Build Muscle

Building muscle is not just about looking good in a tight top (but it doesn't hurt), there are real health benefits to increasing your muscle mass naturally. You may think that because muscle weighs more than fat, that it will have a negative effect on your weight loss efforts but this is simply not the case.

Increasing your muscle mass while decreasing your proportion of body fat will help you to lose weight. Muscle burns up to five times more calories than body fat. Strength training raises your metabolism, which means your body burns calories at a faster rate. After you have completed a strength workout, your body continues to benefit from the after-burn. This is when your metabolism continues to burn calories at a higher level for a number of hours, following your actual workout.

Here are a couple of tips to help you build muscle naturally: -

1. Increase The Intensity Of Your Workout

If your main aim is to build muscle rather than endurance, then cut down your repetitions and increase the amount of weight you lift (intensity). Have short breaks of up to a minute between each set of repetitions that you complete. An intensive workout produces lactic acid in the muscles (a burning sensation), which helps to stimulate muscle growth.

2. Maximum Effort

Push each set (of repetitions) you do to the limit, if you want to build muscle then your arms should be heavily fatigued following each set. Do more repetitions in your first set when your muscles are fresh, then gradually reduce the number for the last two sets. If your arms aren't dropping by the end of the set, then maybe you are ready to increase the weight.

3. Train Regularly

You should be aiming for at least 3 strength training sessions a week if you want to build muscle. Start slowly with 1 or 2 a week if you are a novice. Be careful not to over-train and give your muscles time to recover with regular rest days. Why not have a strength session one day and a cardio session the next?

4. Eat A Proper Diet

Do not try to build muscle while drastically cutting calories at the same time. Eat a sensible diet packed with protein and complex carbohydrates (that provide your body with fuel). Try to minimise the saturated fat in your diet.

5. Be Realistic

You are not going to look like Sylvester Stallone after a fortnight (I'm speaking the truth here Apollo), be realistic about what you want to achieve. Be consistent, train hard and increase weight levels when ready, you will be more than happy with the long term results.

Building muscle naturally will do so much more than just improving your appearance. Fitness levels, strength, stamina and self esteem will all be boosted. Building muscles naturally can also help you to achieve your weight loss goals.

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