If you want to become jacked you need to put on muscle mass. There’s no other way around it. There are some key rules you should follow. If you follow these simple six rules, you’re guaranteed to become ripped. Wondering how to gain muscle? Read on.

Hit the Gym…and the Right Way

Obviously, you need to go to the gym. This is the first step. It’s not that simple though. You have to have the right routine. You must be doing the right exercises. Research what you will need to be doing, don’t just imitate Joe Biceps over there.  If you’re looking to get jacked and put on muscle weight, some exercises might be squats, bench press, dead lifts, chin ups, things like that. You don’t want to be doing high rep sets. You’re trying to get jacked, not just toned up. You want to push yourself with the amount of weight. I would suggest using H.I.S.T, also known as High Intensity Stimulation Training. This method is utilized in our MP45 program. H.I.S.T. emphasizes pushing your body to the limit, and then some. This can be seen in the results. An early perpetuate of H.I.S.T., Dorian Yates, won six consecutive Mr. Olympia competitions on the 90s. Basically, if you’re trying to increase muscle mass you need to continually improve and increase your weights. It’s simple enough. Also, it is essential to practice proper technique. Proper technique with each exercise maximizes your efforts, works more muscles, and reduces risk of injury. Although technique is the last thing we want to think about while we’re feeling the burn, it should actually be on the top of your mind. So…find the right routine, use the proper technique, and push yourself further than you think you can go.

Eating and Nutrition

I can’t stress enough how important diet is. You can lift all the weights you want, but without proper diet and levels of nutrients you’re not going to see proper results. You have to give your body enough energy to rebuild your muscles. If you don’t fuel your body and muscles, they will not grow. You have to find the right number of calories for your diet and goals. This can be tricky. Everyone is different. I would experiment until you find the right amount. However, we must remember how essential it is to eat! You need to get the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. The amount specific that a person needs is, again, very individual. A person should have 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Post workout protein shakes can be good for this. Other good sources of protein are chicken, tuna, fish, eggs, and lean beef. Some good carbohydrates are brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, beans, fruit, whole wheat bread, and potatoes.  We need our fat too! No, not bacon and cheeseburgers. Those have saturated and trans fats. You want to eat unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats can lower cholesterol, and are “good” fats.  These can be found in some vegetables and plants, like natural peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, olive oil, vegetable oil, and even fish oil. Contrary to popular practice, it’s much better to have six small meals in a day, rather than three large ones.  Get yourself into the habit of reading the nutrition information. You should be eating every couple hours, keeping your body and metabolism working. The saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day…is completely true. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and prepares your body and mind for the day. Plus, you probably haven’t eaten in about 8 hours since you went to sleep. Eating breakfast gives you more energy through the day, and regulates a healthy metabolism. But you probably already knew that. In simple, you MUST give your body the right diet and nutrients if you want to see results.

Zzzzzzzzzz

Sleep is even more overlooked than proper diet. I can’t emphasize enough how important sleep is. Sleep provides your body and mind a time to recuperate. It also provides you with energy to pummel through the next day, and workout. You want to be getting at least 8 hours a night, more if needed. Besides sleep, you also need proper rest between workouts. You shouldn’t be working the same muscle group twice within a 72-hour period. Doing so would actually be counterproductive. Your muscles need time to rebuild cells. If you overwork a muscle, it will be damaging, and your hopes of becoming jacked will drift away. Rest is key!

Train Hard

Getting ripped is no easy feat. It takes lots of hard work. Getting bigger biceps is no walk in the park. If it were easy, every person you see would look like a model. The sooner you understand how much work needs to be put in, the closer you are to that realization. You have to hit the gym hard, be dedicated to your diet, and allow your body to get the rest it needs. Utilizing H.I.S.T. is the best way to ensure results. H.I.S.T, developed by Muscle Prodigy, can be found in our 45 day program, MP45. You have to push yourself and increase your weights if you want to put on muscle mass. If you work hard, it will show. Simple as that.

No Skimping Out!  

This only works if you do everything. Each piece is just as important as the next….training, diet, sleep, nutrition, and intensity. It doesn’t matter how hard you lift, if you don’t have a proper diet, you’re not going to see results. And let’s be honest, you don’t want all that hard work and dedication to be spoiled by a lack of sleep, do you? You have to take a holistic approach, and take everything into account. Gaining muscle mass isn’t a simple science, but if you follow these simplified guidelines, it sure helps. However, if you want something more specific and proven, give MP45 a try. It tells you exactly what to do, down to what to put on your sandwich during lunch (seriously). All in all though, putting on muscle mass can be accomplished by doing the right exercises with high intensity and proper technique, getting the right amounts of carbs, fats, and protein, and getting enough sleep and rest. In the words of the great Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Bodybuilding is much like any other sport. To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet, and mental approach.” He forgot sleep…