There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know where to start. If you’re an average beginner looking for some basic guidelines to follow in the gym, the following 8 strategies will start you off on the right track.

(1). Train With Weights and Focus On Compound, Free Weight Movements.

If you want to make solid, noteworthy gains in muscle size and strength, you absolutely must train with free weights and focus on basic, compound exercises. A compound exercise is any lift that stimulates more than one muscle group at a time. Examples of these lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, chin up, barbell row, overhead press, dip and lunge. Compound movements allow you to handle the most weight and will stimulate the greatest amount of total muscle fibers.

(2). Be Prepared To Train Hard.

One of the biggest factors that separates those who make modest gains from those who make serious gains is their level of training intensity. In order to stimulate your muscle fibers to their utmost potential, you must be willing to take every set you perform in the gym to the point of muscular failure.

Muscular Failure: The point at which no further repetitions can be completed using proper form.

Sub-maximal training intensity will leave you with sub-maximal results, plain and simple.

(3). Track Your Progress In The Gym From Week To Week.

Our bodies build muscle because of an adaptive response to the environment. When you go to the gym, you break down your muscle fibers by training with weights. Your body senses this as a potential threat to its survival and will react accordingly by rebuilding the damaged fibers larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible future threat. Therefore, in order to make continual gains in muscle size and strength, you must always focus on progressing in the gym from week to week. This could mean performing 1 or 2 more reps for each exercise or adding more weight to the bar. Keep a detailed training log to track your progress as your strength increases over time.

(4). Avoid Overtraining.

Overtraining is your number one enemy when it comes to building muscle size and strength. When most people begin a workout program, they are stuck with the misguided notion that more is better. They naturally assume that the more time they spend in the gym, the better results they will achieve. When it comes to building muscle, nothing could be farther from the truth! If you spend too much time in the gym, you will actually take yourself farther away from your goals rather than closer to them. Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym; they grow out of the gym, while you are resting and eating. Recovery is absolutely vital to the muscle growth process. If you don’t provide your body with the proper recovery time in between workouts, your muscles will never have a chance to grow.

(5). Eat More Frequently.

The main area where most people fail miserably on their muscle-building mission is on the all-too important task of proper nutrition. Training with weights is only half of the equation! You break down your muscle fibers in the gym, but if you don’t provide your body with the proper nutrients at the proper times, the muscle growth process will be next to impossible. You should be eating anywhere from 5-7 meals per day, spaced every 2-3 hours in order to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times. Each meal should consist of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates.

(6). Increase Your Protein Intake.

Of the 3 major nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) protein is without a doubt the most important for those who are looking to gain muscle size and strength. Protein is found in literally every single one of the 30 trillion cells that your body is made up of and its main role is to build and repair body tissues. Without sufficient protein intake, it will be physically impossible for your body to synthesize a significant amount of lean muscle mass. If your body were a house, think of protein as the bricks. A general guideline is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day from high quality sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, beef, milk, peanut butter and cottage cheese.

(7). Increase Your Water Intake.

If you want a simple, easy and highly effective way to maximize your muscle gains, drinking more water is it. Water plays so many vital roles in the body and its importance cannot be overstated. In fact, your muscles alone are made up of 70% water! Not only will drinking more water cause your muscles to appear fuller and more vascular, but it will also increase your strength as well. Research has shown that merely a 3-4% drop in your body’s water levels can impact muscle contractions by 10-20%! Aim to consume 0.6 ounces for every pound of bodyweight each day for optimal gains.

(8). Be Consistent!

Consistency is everything. Those who make the greatest gains in muscular size and strength are the ones who are able to implement the proper techniques on a highly consistent basis. Simply knowing is not enough, you must apply!

Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps. Sure, performing 1 extra rep on your bench press will not make a huge difference to your overall results, and neither will consuming a single meal. However, over the long haul, all of those extra reps you perform and all of those small meals you consume will decide your overall success. If you work hard and complete all of your muscle-building tasks in a consistent fashion, all of those individual steps will equate to massive gains in overall size and strength.

Many people ask me what proteins are most appropriate for hair growth. People with hair loss often turn to protein and amino acid supplements as part of their treatment regime. Although it is rare for a lack of protein to be a primary cause of hair loss, there is no harm in taking extra protein or amino acid supplements if you wish for your hair growth. If you take a blood test your serum total protein should be between 60–80 grams per liter. Less than this suggests a problem with protein intake. And you may take some of the protein supplements now available as either as powder protein supplements or liquid protein supplements. Soya bean protein is considered good for hair growth but take care not to take it in excess other wise it can have some negative affect.

Amino Acids and Proteins:

Much importance has been given to proteins for hair growth. Protein serves as the major structural component of all cells in the body, and functions as enzymes, in membranes, as transport carriers, and as some hormones. During digestion and absorption dietary proteins are broken down to amino acids which serve as the building blocks for formation of structural proteins and functional compounds of protein such as enzymes and pre cursors of hormones etc. There are 20 amino acids in all which are required for the synthesis of proteins.

Proteins for Hair Growth:

But out of which some of the amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and are therefore are required to be taken as dietary amino acid supplements if you wish to take them to stimulate your hair growth. The amino acids: Phenylalanine, Valine, Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Methionine, Histidine Arginine, Lysine Leucine are considered to be essential amino acids. But the distinction between essential and non-essential amino acids is not very clear, as some amino acids can be produced from others. For example the sulfur containing amino acids, methionine and homocysteine can be converted into each other but neither can be synthesized de novo in humans. Likewise, cysteine can be synthesized from homocysteine, but not otherwise. So, for convenience, sulfur-containing amino acids are sometimes considered a single pool of nutritionally-equivalent amino acids.

Hair follicles require a constant supply of amino acids via the blood stream to maintain hair growth. Hair follicles contain some of the fastest growing and dividing cells in the body so their energy, vitamin, mineral, and amino acid consumption is high. If amino acids are lacking, particularly the essential amino acids listed above, the hair follicles may be less able to produce hair fiber.

Benefits of Amino Acids:

A lack of amino acids in a first world country diet is very unusual and for the most part supplements are not required. However, everyone should ensure they have a healthy, balanced diet that provides all the amino acids required. There are many amino acids, but the nine amino acids which are known as essential amino acids must be provided in the diet and are indispensable amino acids which are required for both hair and other functions of the body. The body can make the other 11 amino acids needed to synthesize specific structures from the nine essential amino acids and carbohydrate precursors.

Protein Supplements:

Proteins from animal sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt, provide all nine indispensable amino acids in adequate amounts and for this reason are considered “complete proteins.” Proteins from plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables tend to be deficient in one or more of the indispensable amino acids and are called ‘incomplete proteins.’ Vegetarian and vegan diets may contain enough protein, but people following these diets may not be receiving all the essential amino acids if they do not pay attention to the type of protein they eat. Vegan diets adequate in total protein content can be “complete” by combining sources of incomplete proteins which lack different indispensable amino acids.

Amino Acid Function for Hair:

In terms of hair fiber production, the most important amino acid is cysteine. Cysteine is the most common amino acid in hair. It is particularly important because it contains sulfur molecules. As part of a keratin protein chain, these sulfur molecules cross link with each other to produce disulfide bonds. These chemical bonds are what gives hair its strength. For this reason the most popular amino acid supplement taken for hair is cysteine. Besides the proteins, nutritional diet vitamin supplements and safe herbal supplements are the best diet supplements for hair growth.

Nothing can be as rewarding as strapping on a pack and heading out into the wilderness. Seeing remote and wildlife areas can rejuvenate your mind and soul. For many people, what should be a rewarding experience turns into a nightmare of sore muscles and aching bodies. The biggest challenge on any hike isn’t the trail ahead, but meeting your body’s dietary needs. Here are four easy steps to staying healthy on the trail.

(1). Drink Plenty of Water
The biggest requirement your body has while out on the trail is staying hydrated. A human body normally requires a minimum of two liters of water each day; and this number is greatly increased while on the trail. A standard rule is one liter per two hours of hiking on an easy or moderate trail. Increase this if hiking at high altitude or when gaining elevation. Also increase this consumption when hiking in hot weather. The National Park Service recommends planning on two liters of water per hour if hiking uphill in direct sunlight on a hot day. You know you are hydrated when you still urinate with normal frequency and quantity. If you aren’t urinating as you normally would, you are working with a water deficit.

(2). Eat well [healthy] beforehand
Remember that it takes time for your body to digest food, when you are going out for a long hike prepare your body for it by eating well before you hit the trail. The day before is a great time to eat pastas and other starches which provide lots of energy reserves for the trail. Another thing to remember is to eat a good breakfast before you hit the trail. A balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates is the right cocktail to prepare your body for a good hike. Make sure to give yourself at least an hour of digestion before you starting your hike.

(3). Snack Often
Snacking properly is essential for hiking. Snacks provide nutrition and calories (energy) to help you keep hiking, and depending on your needs different snacks should be packed and eaten. Snacks high in fruit sugars can provide some energy boosts to help you stay energetic on the trail. Protein loaded snacks help repair muscles on more difficult hikes and terrain. Always pack a few salty snacks. Salty snacks will help restock your body’s electrolytes which aid in keeping hydrated. A rule of thumb is to have little snacks, often, usually every hour or two. Also, if you happen to hike in cold weather, snacking is a great way to help your body maintain a warm core temperature.

(4). Take a Multivitamin
While all the food on the trail can taste great and be enjoyable, odds are you won’t get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs. The easiest way to ensure that your body is taken care of is by taking a good multivitamin. A multivitamin provides blanket coverage of all the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. Taking one will allow you flexibility to pack out snacks that you love without sacrificing the nutrition your body requires.

If you follow these four easy steps, then you can have fun enjoying and exploring the great outdoors. Going backpacking, camping, or just taking a hike does not have to wear you out. If you remember to rejuvenate your body first, then the wilderness can rejuvenate your mind. You’ll be able to forget all the stress of home, work, relationships, and everyday life.

by Gerald Fitz

Edited by Admin.

Original article source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Fitz