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There can be a lot of false information around the topic of muscle mass, as it is something that people want to achieve. With performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) becoming more popular, it is hard to find reliable sources on building muscle naturally.
Some of the most important things that someone trying to obtain muscle can do include training, maintaining a healthy diet, persistence, etc. Let’s dive into some helpful tips for those trying to gain muscle.
Training is an important part of building muscle mass, which also requires proper technique. There are different factors for every person that contribute to building muscle mass, such as, “how long they have been training, what their background is, their sex, age, medical conditions and their existing strengths and weaknesses,” [2].
Proper technique, when building muscle, can include “proper control of the movement” of an exercise, so that it affects the proper muscles [2]. There is also “co-ordination and balance, as well as improving the ability to add weight in the long term,” [2]. Both of these can help to avoid injuries in the future.
Diet is one of the most common practices that go with any form of exercise. Gaining any type of mass requires increasing caloric intake, and that happens when you eat more. There is also the possibility of eating too much because you can still gain body fat. It can be useful to establish a daily “goal” for the number of calories consumed each day. Additionally, a diet that is high in protein can “improve muscle development, reduce body fat gain, improve the ability to burn fat, and also improves recovery between training sessions,” [2].
The last aspect of proper training, which is not usually discussed, is properly recovering in between training sessions. Recovery accounts for around 20% of the muscle gaining process and is extremely important for the body to “build more muscle and improve” during training sessions [2]. Proper sleep, hydration, and care are all needed to enable muscles to grow to their fullest potential.
Although these techniques are somewhat well-known, it is important to do further research before diving completely into exercise to make sure you are training safely and properly. Find out what exercise methods are right for you as an individual before you jump right in to a plan that isn’t tailored to you.
References:
1. Michael Jessi my Medical Health Fitness Author. (2019, December 8). How to build Muscle Naturally: The definitive guide. Daily Health Series. https://www.dailyhealthseries.com/how-to-build-muscle-naturally/
Contributors:
Author: Kayjah Taylor
Editors: Lauryn Agron and Liam Lynch
Health scientist: Hira Mughal
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