The dream of all bodybuilders is often the goal of gaining mass quickly. Quickly yes, but that's not enough. It has to be effective. What are the secrets to gaining mass and being more massive? We tell you more!
In bodybuilding training, gaining mass is a goal of almost all practitioners. To achieve this, rigorous exercises and movements must be mastered. Many sportsmen and women think that intensive training is all that is needed to gain weight. They are wrong! There is more to gaining weight than just doing a few exercises. The muscles must be used intelligently and efficiently.
What is the difference between building mass and cutting ?
In bodybuilding, we often talk about gaining mass and cutting. Vocabularies that are not new for the practitioners of this subject. However, many confuse the two and do not know the real meaning of these two words. They are two completely different things. In order to achieve your goals in bodybuilding, it is important to know the difference.
To put it simply, leaning is losing body fat while improving and strengthening your muscles, in order to have better muscle definition.
Mass gain is just the opposite. It consists of gaining weight and muscle volume in the long term. To succeed in gaining mass, it must be accompanied by an adequate dietary programme.
The basic principles of successful weight gain
Mass gain involves gaining weight and increasing muscle volume. So it's not just about making sure you build muscle, you also need to gain weight. The combination in fat gain and muscle gain must be well balanced for your goal to be achieved. It is therefore very important to combine diet with training. Indeed, it is possible to increase your mass without gaining muscle, but it is impossible to gain muscle without gaining fat.
Increasing muscle mass is not that simple. Several elements play an important role in this process: such as genetic predisposition, and the general health of the person. However, this does not mean that you cannot gain maximum muscle because of these parameters. While it is true that results are never equal, everyone can achieve the goals they set for themselves. The secret is to give yourself the necessary means, to stay motivated, and to be well accompanied.
What are the best foods to eat to build muscle?
When you are in a period of mass gain, focus on high-calorie foods. Your diet should be rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates and protein.
Protein and carbohydrate intake provides your body with all the elements it needs for muscle building. The surplus of food will allow you to adapt the period of mass gain, so that you can train your muscles in a more intense way than usual.
During the bulking period you can, for example, eat 3 meals a day + 3 snacks a day (i. e. every 3 hours). During this period, food supplements are not necessary, but they can help you.
What kind of training is needed for effective weight gain?
Focus on multi-joint exercises
Your training should be tailored to your goal: this is the basis in strength training. For muscle development, it is recommended to work with heavy loads. Thus, bars and dumbbells are your best allies during this period. Also, favour bodyweight exercises.
In addition, bet on exercisesthat work the large muscle groups a lot. This is because these exercises work multiple joints, making it easier to achieve your goal. For example, exercises like squats, deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, bench presses and dips are perfect. The movements in these exercises provide more muscle gains than single-joint exercises. The more muscles you engage, the more powerful the anabolic response is, and thus you gain even more muscle.
Some exercises such as isolation exercises that apply a single joint should be avoided, as they do not promote mass gain.
Oftenexercises to failure are one of the parameters of hypertrophy, as is the speed of execution of the movements or even rest intervals.
Limit training times
It is necessary to limit training times in order to save energy for recovery. Indeed, it is during this recovery that your body builds muscle. It is wrong to think that the longer you train, the more muscle you will build. Your training sessions should only last a maximum of 2 hours, including warm-up and exercises.
Make sure your workouts are short but intense. They will give more results than long sessions which can lead to muscle catabolism and nervous system fatigue.
Recovery during weight gain: an essential element
Rest periods should never be neglected during mass gain. Mass gain takes place during recovery. This is because muscles need to relax outside of training, so that they can tone and grow. If recovery is ineffective, the muscles become weak and cannot build. Good recovery helps to avoid injuries, tears, and other injuries that do not promote weight gain.
To get a good rhythm, it is best to alternate a training day and a recovery day. It is not recommended to train intensively one day after the other. In addition, it is important to get a good night's sleep to give your body time to cleanse itself.
If you practice another sport and want to gain muscle mass, follow our advice on this subject. Or our cardio tips on gaining mass.
So, successful mass gain involves good nutrition, proper exercise as well as good recovery.
