How to Develop a Quality Muscle Mass

Muscles are complex tissues which often take years to develop. Correctly building the muscles requires determination and keeping in mind three important factors: nutrition, consistent and intense exercise and rest. If any of these three is neglected, you’ll likely end up looking no better than what you look today, or even worse.

The most important factor, and also the most ignored, is good nutrition. Bodybuilders often focus on weight training but forget to provide the needed building materials for the muscles to grow. Good nutrition is particularly important in a rigorous regimen wherein muscles are exercised to the point of exhaustion. In order for the muscle tissues to recover, they need proper nutrients. Otherwise, one risks injury if the muscles fail to heal properly before the next strenuous workout.

The second factor is consistent and intense exercise. You should ensure that the exercises are intense, enough to bring the muscles to temporary muscular failure. The training regimen should set a target: failure at some point between the 8th and 12th rep. If you fail before the 8th rep, the weight is too heavy. Conversely, if you don’t fail before the 12th rep, the weight is too light. The weight should be adjusted to meet this target, and then adjusted again as needed, i.e., if the weight has become ‘light’ as the muscles become accustomed to it. It is important to be consistent, too; muscles need constant stress to grow and improve. If the stress is stopped or if it stay the same for a long period, muscle growth stops or may even decline.

Rest is the third factor in a good bodybuilding regimen. One needs to have at least 48-72 hours rest between workouts to allow the muscles to heal and recover. Continuous sleep of 6-8 hours each night is also needed as the body starts to release hormones that initiate muscle healing only after two hours of sleep.

So you’ve been working out for years but your form leaves much to be desired. It isn’t that you don’t have the discipline and dedication. It’s maybe because you’re doing something wrong or forgetting something important. Now that you know these important factors, you can start doing it right.

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