Gaining Muscle Mass if you are Underweight:
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Gaining Muscle Mass if you are Underweight
Zohir Chowdhury
Gaining weight for hardgainers is extremely difficult. The only way you will get bigger is to shock your body into growth. You can do this by:
Eating a lot of calories,
Training with heavy weights, and
Resting properly.
1. Eating:
The first shock is by eating more calories than your body is used to. This is the most important factor in gaining mass. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats, your body has no other choice but to gain weight. The goal is to eat just enough calories to allow your body to build more muscle, but not so many calories that you gain a large amount of body fat. If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, you won’t build muscles. Eat protein (fish, lentils, milk, chicken, lean red meat, and whey protein drinks) and drink plenty of water. The body breaks down the high quality protein into amino acids. Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth. The following table gives a glimpse of what type of foods contain what nutrients:
High Protein Foods High Carbohydrate Foods Healthy Fats
Whey Protein Rice Olive Oil
Eggs Sweet Potatoes Sunflower Oil
Egg Whites Potatoes Safflower Oil
Chicken Breasts Beans Flaxseed Oil
Lentils Any Green Leafy Vegetables Walnuts
Lean Beef Bread Avocados
Fish Pasta
Protein Bar All Cereals
Milk
If you don't eat correctly while weight training, you will lose muscle tissue. To gain weight, eating basically must become a job. To build muscle you must eat the right foods in the right quantities. Only protein can build muscle tissue. If you're not getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound (2.2 pound equals one Kg) of body weight, then you will not gain muscle.
In addition to eating more calories, you need to eat more often. To enable your body to actually assimilate and use all the calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients. Eating three meals per day will probably not provide your body with the constant flow of nutrients and energy it needs to grow. So, you need to increase your meal intake to 5 or 6 per day-eating every three to four hours. Eating five to six meals per day takes planning, and this is where nutritional supplements have helped people the most.
Supplements are not magic pill. They simple supplement your existing diet and training program. If you are not training and eating correctly then the supplements will not help you. You will be wasting your money. Supplements are not a substitute for proper nutrition and training. The most important element is the diet and weight training, not supplements. A good strong diet with plenty of protein is essential. If you can't get that, then the first supplement you need is whey protein.
Because it is very difficult to eat 6 real food meals per day, the protein supplement is essential. General Nutrition Center in the US, provide with the "Meal Replacement Powder" (MRP). MRP's consist of whey protein powder and maltodextrin (a carbohydrate). They are designed to be quick meal substitutes, which take the place of a real food meal. Since it represents one meal, it will be one less meal you will have to worry about. Also MRP will help you reach your daily protein requirement by providing you with one of the best types of protein for muscle building-whey protein. In this respect, it is much better than meat or poultry, not to mention far more convenient. If you have a busy schedule, being able to get a complete, high-protein meal quickly and conveniently throughout the day can mean the difference between success and failure.
2. Training:
The second way you must shock your body is with weight training. Weight training is the fastest way to get your body to build more muscle. Dieting and weight training both work together. The weight training overloads the muscles and stimulates growth, while the food you eat provides the necessary building blocks to repair and build new tissue. Learn to enjoy working out. We all have favorite days to workout-usually it is chest and biceps day. Unless you work out the rest of your body you'll look very un-proportionate. Try to convince yourself that you love to work legs, back, shoulder and triceps, even forearms and abs. Once you do, you'll start seeing results, and then it becomes a cycle.
Link this page for the diagram showing the major muscle groups:
The best way to gain muscle mass quickly is to use free weights. You must focus on compound free-weight exercises, and lift heavy/challenging weights. This will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass. There are advantages and disadvantages to using free weights and using machines to work out. For a beginner, it is advisable but not necessary to work out using machines. Most body builders will advise you to use free weights. However free weights can often compromise the form. Form is the method in which you perform your exercise. It is extremely important that you perform each work out exactly as instructed.
This is where most people make mistakes. People seem to emphasize using greater weights and increasing the frequency. But if your form is incorrect you will waste a lot of effort and not get significant results. This is where machines can be beneficial to beginners. Machines facilitate staying in form. It is much harder to stay in form when using free weights unless you have at least 6 months to a year of lifting experience. Once you know the exact movements and target muscles of each exercise you can move up to lifting with free weights.
The problem with machine exercises is that most machine exercises will limit your development, because they help to support the weight. In this respect, free weights make you support the weight along the entire path of the movement, which helps to stimulate more muscle fibers, while also strengthening smaller or weaker muscles. If your smaller supporting muscles are weak, your larger muscles won't grow. To build size and strength quickly, pro body builders and professional athletes do not use machines-they use free weights almost exclusively!
For gaining mass, use enough weight so that you have to stop at 6-10 repetitions. If you can do more, then you need to increase the weight. Depending on your goal, here's a table that will aide your workout:
Goal
Resistance
Repetitions
Sets
Rest
Muscle Strength
Heavy
3-8
3-5
2-5 min
Muscle Size
Moderate
8-12
3-5
30-90 sec
Endurance
Light
12-20
2-3
15-30 sec
If you're underweight, you probably have a very high metabolism. It is advisable to train with more intensity and less frequently using the following table as a guideline:
Week Day
Exercise Type
Monday
Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
Back and Biceps
Thursday
Rest
Friday
Legs and Abs
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
Play Sports or Jog
3. Resting:
The muscles do not grow in the gym; they only grow when you are resting. Weight training is needed only to stimulate growth. After that, your body needs rest and food to build the muscle. Hardgainers, of course, need more rest and food than others. Try to get 8 to 12 hours of sleep the night you workout. If you work out intensely you'll need it. You can alternate workout and rest days so you can recover properly. Working out too often and for too long will not allow your muscles the necessary time to recuperate. Not only will you not grow, but you will also be setting yourself for chronic injuries from over training, and possible muscle loss. Improper diet and over training are two reasons why most people never get beyond an average physique.
To check on progress and to keep you motivated, take "a-before-picture" of yourself with shorts on; and take one photo of yourself in the same shorts every month thereafter. Compare the results visually. It is imperative that the photo be taken before workouts and not immediately after the workout since 2-3 hours after working out, the muscles get pumped up with blood. And finally, to achieve incredible results you must be consistent. Follow your plan consistently day in and day out without fail. Don't skip workouts or meals. Working out, and dieting on an inconsistent basis will not bring a significant increase in size. To be successful in anything, you must commit yourself and follow through. It is that simple. Once you become consistent, results will come quickly.
Some Tips for Gaining Muscles:
Weighing Scale: If you have a weighing scale at home, you can measure your body weight daily or, at least, weekly and keep track of improvements. Seeing results encourages in sustaining your workout schedule.
Measuring Tape: A measuring tape is essential for keeping track of how much your body parts have grown. You can measure every 2 weeks or once every month. Keep track of the following circumferences:
1. Waistline
2. Chest
3. Left and Right Biceps
4. Left an Right Forearms
5. Left and Right Thighs
6. Left and Right Calves
Some Recommended Supplements:
Meal Replacement Powder:
1) EAS Myoplex
2) Creatine Monohydrate: It is the number one selling sports nutrition supplement for amateur and pro athletes. Creatine has been proven to increase strength and muscle endurance, which will enable you to lift heavier, and ultimately stimulate more muscle growth.
Multi Vitamin:
1. "Daily One" without iron from Twinlab, or
2. Mega Men from GNC
Essential Fatty Acid:
1. Flax Seed Oil from GNC, or
2. "Udo's Choice Oil Blend" from Flora, INC.
References:
1. "The Complete Book of Men's Health" by the Editors of Men's Health Books, Rodale Press, Inc. Emmaus Pennsylvania (1999).
2. http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dugout/4143/page6.html
3. http://www.skinnyguy.net