Muscle Mass Building Tips for Beginners

Working in a bar is tough physical work, as you’re constantly on your feet and rushing around lugging bottles or barrels. Over the years, I’ve found this kind of work is great for keeping fit but not so good for retaining muscle mass. 

This recently led to the revelation that all this cardio at work had rendered me into a perilously thin and weak looking gentleman. I’m not normally someone to obsess over the way I look, but this one really took me by surprise and I wanted to do something about it.

Regular weightlifters are known to push their bodies to the limit; sometimes they are rewarded with excellent results and other times they encounter injury or burn out spectacularly. As a beginner, and someone who has been working out now for around a month and a half, I wanted to do my best to avoid the latter result and focused on working out safely and happily.

I’m happy to now share some tips and tricks I’ve learnt in my first few weeks of working out, and how they can help beginners like myself start building serious muscle mass.

Eat

One of the most important parts of building muscle is eating the right amount of calories. These calories help you grow, and your workout helps convert these gains into desired muscle gains. Proteins are at the top of this list, along with healthy fats and more complex carbohydrates; these are the fuel sources which help your body make significant gains at the gym.

Whilst your diet shouldn’t deviate too much from what you’d consider healthy, you should instead try to change the amount itself. Many weightlifters find it hard to keep their intake up, but you should aim to consume six small meals a day.

Supplement

Taking supplements can help support your workout and reach peak results faster in terms of strength and physique. The ‘term’ supplements often has a negative connotation about it due to its association with steroids and other performance enhancing drugs which are illegal. However, there are plenty of natural and legal supplements on the market which can provide effective results, provided you’re putting in the effort yourself!

One that I’ve become accustomed with is Creatine. I did research before I started to find a supplement which was safe and had proven results. It is comprised of a natural protein in the body made from essential amino acids, providing a reliable source of energy for high-intensity exercise sessions. Multiple scientificresearch projects have also validated the highly effective properties of Creatine.

Rest

After each workout your body desperately needs to recover, a fact which many people tend to overlook when training. Failing to recover adequately can cause our bodies undue harm, and can actually reverse any great progress and gains you’ve previously made. During rest, your body repairs your muscles and helps them grow, so without enough rest you’ll most likely injure yourself.

I’ve found setting aside two or three days of rest in the early stages in the best way to get yourself accustomed to a regular workout. When I was getting started months ago, most places suggested just one rest day, but for a beginner I personally think it’s too little. In the end, you should respond to the signals your body is sending and avoid pushing yourself too far.

Repeat

Most importantly, you need to keep up your routine and find something which will motivate you every day. Without motivation, the majority of good intended dips into the world of fitness are often short-lived. Find something to strive for, and once you’ve reached it, focus on the next step in the ladder.