Bodybuilding is a unique sport. In order to advance efficiently, you must do less,
but with greater intensity.
To build muscle and strength beyond normal capacity, three specific phases must
occur.
* Stimulation
* Recovery
* Growth
Now, you may say that's simple enough and that you already do that. That's
great, but the more advance you become, the more importance these three
phases hold.
It's no surprise that you have to stimulate the muscle for growth to occur. However,
this stimulation must be brief, yet intense.
Recovery is the process that your body undergoes to feed the muscle cells, remove
metabolic waste, and replenish the energy reserves. To maximize your recovery phase
it's imperative that you consume protein and carbs within 20 minutes after your
training. You do have a two-hour window to capitalize on the recovery phase, but
you are best to get that nourishment in 20-40 minutes post-
training.
The muscle growth part actually takes place during the recovery phase. If the targeted
muscle is not fully recovered and you train it, you will not build muscle. In fact,
training non-recovered muscles leads to overtraining and atrophy.
So my simple muscle building rules are train, eat, rest = grow.
If you start at the beginner level with many exercise and sets, and then move to
the intermediate level where to build more muscle you lower the amount of days,
exercises, sets, and reps.... I'm sure you are imagining what the advanced level
entails.
You got it...
Even less days, exercises, sets, and reps.
Again...
Take an extra day off from training to get more rest
Increase poundage used when weight training
Drop a set from your regular exercise rotation
Lower the repetitions
How is training 3 days a week, 2 sets of 3-8 reps a recipe for growth?
Simple.
You hit the muscle hard and heavy and let is rest so it is allowed to grow.
Is 3 days, 2 sets, and 6-8 reps enough?
Of course! Your only job in the gym is to stimulate the muscle. You do not need
multiple sets and reps to breakdown a muscle. The name of the game is muscle
stimulation, not a muscle marathon.
I have added more muscle size, strength, and density simply by cutting my training days down to 3 a week.
Those who go in the gym and train 3-4 days a week for 45-60 minutes will have the best muscle gains.
Mastering the art of building muscle is using the tools you have wisely.