Training
\n<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Recovery<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Diet<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Lifestyle<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Top 3 tips for maximum muscle gain<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
<\/a>Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n
![\"Kali](\"http:\/\/gymperformance.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/20150907_114053-e1444678968955.jpg\")
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n
Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n
39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only.![\"Beach](\"http:\/\/gymperformance.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/DSC_0048.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key.![\"Martin](\"http:\/\/gymperformance.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/DSC_01311.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n
This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
Recovery<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Diet<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Lifestyle<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Top 3 tips for maximum muscle gain<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
<\/a>Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n
Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n
39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only.<\/p>\n
21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key.<\/p>\n
5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n
This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
Diet<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Lifestyle<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Top 3 tips for maximum muscle gain<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
<\/a>Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n
Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n
39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only.<\/p>\n
21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key.<\/p>\n
5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n
This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
Lifestyle<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Top 3 tips for maximum muscle gain<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
<\/a>Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n
Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n
39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only.<\/p>\n
21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key.<\/p>\n
5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n
This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
Top 3 tips for maximum muscle gain<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n
<\/a>Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n
Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n
39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only.<\/p>\n
21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key.<\/p>\n
5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n
This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
46. Track your lifts.<\/h2>\n
Constantly try to improve yourself. More weight, more reps or more time under tension. Make sure you progressively overload your body as it will result in bigger muscles.<\/p>\n
45.\u00a0Split your training into different workouts or body parts.<\/h2>\n
While beginners shouldn\u2019t lift more than 3 days a week, more advanced lifters can follow a 4 or 5 days split. The split \u201cPush, Pull, Legs\u201d has proven successful and lifters in general report great results from it.<\/p>\n
44. Follow an established routine.<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cI-train-whatever-I-want-to\u201d- approach doesn\u2019t work in most cases. Whether the workout plan was designed by yourself or someone else, you should stick to it. I\u2019ve recently published my personal routine called \u201cPerformance Meets Aesthetics<\/a>\u201d. It contains my full program including all workouts in detail and also meal plan.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t touch any heavy iron before your muscles are warm. A good way to get your body beastmode-ready is doing 5-10 minutes of cardio followed by a little bodyweight routine like 20 squats, 20 pushups and 20 box jumps.<\/p>\n Stretching helps you to remain flexible. You should also work on mobility. Full range of motion allows you to hit the full muscle and not only part of it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to call off a gym session if you\u2019re tired, but when you scheduled the gym visit with a partner, the chance to cancel your appointment are way lower. In addition, a gym partner can help to push to your limits and beyond and also spots you in case you reach muscle failure.<\/p>\n Start your workout with a compound movement such as bench press, deadlift or squat. These exercises don\u2019t only work on multiple muscles but are also ideal to determine performance enhancement.<\/p>\n If you plan to work on chest and triceps, start with bench press and end with triceps extensions. This principle also counts if you train abs and legs. It doesn\u2019t make sense to destroy abdominals before you even deadlift or squat, which both work on your abs too.<\/p>\n Incorporate lifting techniques like 5×5 to become a stronger athlete. Keep in mind, the stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, which leads to more muscle mass.<\/p>\n Guys work out to grow muscle, build an aesthetic physique and to impress women. As a matter of fact, girls like muscular, athletic gentlemen. The classic bodybuilding-look is not appealing to girls, however. If you want to look athletic, lifting weights is only a piece of the puzzle. Try to incorporate other strength based sports such as climbing or gymnastics. Also, sprints are a good way to get an athletic shape.<\/p>\n If you work out in a public gym, work on your chest either on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday\u2026 or any other day of the week than Monday. Since Monday is dedicated to chest in bodybuilding world, it can get really busy in the gym and to be honest, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for the bench press or any other chest related machine to be free.<\/p>\n Your body will sooner or later adapt a specific training and, therefore, you need to add more weights or more reps. Also, swap exercises of your program every now and then or switch sequence of exercises. All of it will lead to more muscle gain.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a myth that you can\u2019t gain muscle with bodyweight movements \u2013 which, of course, is completely wrong. Perform them at the end of a workout, as a superset, or as a regular working set. Also, nobody wants to look jacked, but being incompetent to rep 30 straight pushups, right?<\/p>\n Some cardio, cardiovascular exercise has a positive impact on general health and keeps you fit.<\/p>\n Put your headphones on and play your favorite playlist. Studies have proven that music during workouts can lead to more repetitions. Plus, your headphones are a good deterrent to the workout-killing conversation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The importance of sleep is often neglected when it comes to building The fact is that muscles grow best at night when you sleep. Try to get at least 6 hours of sleep, more is even better.<\/span><\/p>\n I personally take one day off per week and I honestly hate it. However, I feel always stronger after a break, because it gives my body the possibility to recover properly. Also, too much training can be mentally tiring and lead to overtraining<\/a>.<\/p>\n Taking a hot bath will help to relax muscles and prepare them for your next workout. Additionally, it also helps to reduce stress levels all over your body.<\/p>\n Massage has shown good effects on muscle recovery and also improves flexibility. Unfortunately, it\u2019s probably not as comfortable as you might think it would However, it\u2019s worth the pain.<\/p>\n Whenever you feel extreme soreness or your body needs a day off, light activity such as a short walk, an easy bike ride, throwing some balls at the basketball court, foam rolling, or doing mobility drills will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles.<\/p>\n Too much stress at work or having heavy debates with your girlfriend does not only affect your mind but also your recovery. Try to reduce your stress level with doing something you enjoy. Go out and have a drink (I didn\u2019t say the drink has to be an alcoholic liquid) or enjoy fresh conversations with family over a delicious meal. Another method for stress relief is yoga or meditating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your body needs nutrients to recover from the previous workout, but also to let your muscle grow. Nobody can build muscle without eating enough food.<\/p>\n Muscle building food doesn\u2019t mean you have to eat rice and chicken every single day. There are plenty of other meals which boost muscle gain.<\/p>\n I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you – I\u2019m not speaking about alcohol, but water and tea. Make sure your body is always hydrated. If you need to visit the bathroom every other hour, you do it all right.<\/p>\n Try to get as much protein as possible from real food. Protein shakes taste good and deliver a good amount of protein, but they often contain tons of chemicals. I personally take protein shake post workout only. Get your protein, carbohydrates and fats from natural, unprocessed food. There are plenty of delicious food choices which do not only help you gain muscle but are also good for your health.<\/p>\n Mass-Gainer is a supplement that is supposed to help you gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, they often contain excessive amounts of sugars. Actually, there\u2019s no need to supplement fat and carbohydrates. You want to add more fat to your diet? Eat almonds, salmon, nuts, avocados or even quest bars (I\u2019m not kidding, there\u2019s up to 10 gram fat per bar of which is very little trans fats). For carbohydrate sources, there is rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa a lot more (The difference between “good” and “bad” carbs can be found here<\/a>).<\/p>\n Our bodies are all different. We don\u2019t only look differently, but we also react in other ways. Try what happens if you follow a high carb diet, low carb diet, or even low-fat diet and go with what works best for you.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a million dollar business as everyone hopes for THE MAGIC PILL which gives you superhuman strength and let your muscles grow hulk-size. Luckily, there are supplements which are pretty useful, named Creatine or Whey Protein. You\u2019ll get a list of all my supplements with the Performance Meets Aesthetic Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get an idea of how many calories and macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein) you consume on a daily basis and see how your body reacts to it. Adjust the numbers and find your ideal macros.<\/p>\n It sometimes gets really busy in our lives and there\u2019s not always time or even possibility to prepare food. It\u2019s fine to eat something \u2018unhealthy\u2019 or really calorie-dense, as long as it won\u2019t become a habit.<\/p>\n Reserve a specific time frame for training, for example from 6 pm to 8 pm. Also, prepare your food for the whole day. Pre-cook your food, put it in a Tupperware and heat it up in a microwave at your working place. Also, don\u2019t forget to bring your snacks (nuts, quest bars<\/a>, low-fat yoghurt, berries\u2026).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Educate yourself and learn what it needs to gain muscle. Actually, you\u2019re on a good way as you\u2019ve already done a first step. Reading this article on my blog means you\u2019re interested in muscle gain and you want to know how to get better results. Keep reading and find out how you optimize muscle growth even more.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no way to keep motivation when you don\u2019t value the end result. Set goals, write them down, and give a hundred percent to reach them. Also, make sure your goals are realistic. Nobody will gain 5 kg of muscles in 30 days. Neither does anybody improve their bench press from 100kg to 150kg in two weeks.<\/p>\n I know, you don\u2019t like to hear this, but alcohol isn\u2019t good for you and your muscles at all. Enjoy a beer with friends every now and then, but never go overboard and limit alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.<\/p>\n It can be the most muscular guy in your gym, but also someone you\u2019ve discovered on YouTube<\/a>. Having someone you look up to can motivate you to push harder in the gym.<\/p>\n It always gives me a boost to train harder. If you haven\u2019t watched motivational videos yet, try this<\/a>.<\/p>\n See it as a chance to become a better athlete. Someone tells you that your bench form is not correct? Well, let him show you proper form and adapt. Don\u2019t listen to everyone, however. There\u2019s always faggots who think they know better or want to distract you (haters gonna hate, right?).<\/p>\n Most \u2018facts\u2019 base on bro-science or are completely made up.<\/p>\n Muscle ache is simply part of the game. If you can\u2019t handle it or don\u2019t feel comfortable, then you\u2019d better find another hobby.<\/p>\n Working out is healthy, enhances self-esteem, and actually makes you more attractive to women. Therefore, there\u2019s a good chance to become obsessed with fitness. However, the gym isn\u2019t everything in life. Don\u2019t let fitness take over your life. Find another hobby, meet up with friends, have a good time with your family. Finding balance is the key. I often hear things like \u201cI genetically have no abs\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t put on weight because I\u2019m a hardgainer\u201d. Fuck that! The fact that you believe in these things does nothing than distract you from reaching your goals. Believe in yourself. Turn IMpossible into possible. Like so many other things in life, it\u2019s a mental game. Master it!<\/p>\n It\u2019s in your responsibility to learn from the tips and take actions. You\u2019ve already read 43 useful tips on how to maximize muscle gain and 3 are still to come. At the end of this article, I explain how these tips can be transferred into your life. But first, get pumped for my personal top 3 tips on how to optimize muscle growth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Be realistic when it comes to setting goals. Nobody can get \u201cBig and Lean\u201d in a short period of time. It usually ends up in nowhere, neither \u201cGet Big\u201d nor \u201cGet Lean\u201d. You should rather focus on muscle gain or reduce body fat. By aiming for one goal at a time, you will get much more out of what you are trying to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n Share your goals on social media, talk to your co-worker and let everyone in your life know about your goals. The idea of spreading the word is building passion and even some pressure. It\u2019s easy to give up if nobody knows about your failure but telling everyone you\u2019ve failed and admit weakness actually isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n This is actually a term I picked up from the IT world. However, it can easily be transferred to fitness. Why should you change somethings that actually works? If you feel like your workout routine works, stick with it even though your gym-buddy might doesn\u2019t agree with you. There\u2019s no reason to convert success into possible failure.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t43. Warm up properly.<\/h2>\n
42. Stretch after each workout.<\/h2>\n
41. Find a training partner and motivate each other.<\/h2>\n
40. Set the focus on compound exercises.<\/h2>\n39. Work big muscle groups before small muscle groups.<\/h2>\n
38. Get strong.<\/h2>\n
37. Be athletic.<\/h2>\n
36. Don\u2019t work the chest on Mondays.<\/h2>\n
35. Mix up your workout routines.<\/h2>\n
34. Incorporate bodyweight movements.<\/h2>\n
33. Perform other sports or incorporate cardio.<\/h2>\n
32. Listen to music.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n
31. Sleep more.<\/h2>\n
30. Take days off from the gym.<\/h2>\n
29. Take relaxing baths.<\/h2>\n
28. Get yourself a massage.<\/h2>\n
27. Do some active recovery.<\/h2>\n
26. Try to reduce stress.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Diet<\/strong><\/h2>\n
25. Eat to recover. Eat to build.<\/h2>\n
24. Learn how to cook.<\/h2>\n
23. Drink, drink, and drink.<\/h2>\n
22. Limit your protein shakes to maximum twice a day.<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n21. Eat unprocessed foods.<\/h2>\n
20. Keep your fingers away from \u2018Mass-Gainer\u2019.<\/h2>\n
19. Learn to know your body.<\/h2>\n
18. Consider taking supplements.<\/h2>\n
17. Use tools like MyFitnessPal to track your food.<\/h2>\n
16. Don\u2019t worry too much if you couldn\u2019t follow your diet a day.<\/h2>\n
15. Plan ahead.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Lifestyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n
14. Inform yourself about muscle gain. Read books, articles, and blogs. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.<\/h2>\n
13. Set goals and work toward them.<\/h2>\n
12. Limit your alcohol consumption.<\/h2>\n
11. Get inspired by pros.<\/h2>\n
10. Watch a motivational video on YouTube prior your workout.<\/h2>\n
9. Learn from constructive criticism.<\/h2>\n
8. Don\u2019t believe everything you hear in the gym.<\/h2>\n
7. Don’t complain about muscle soreness.<\/h2>\n
6. Get a life outside the gym.<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n5. Think positive.<\/h2>\n
4. Make it happen.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Top 3 Tips For Maximum Muscle Gain<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. Work on one goal at a time.<\/h2>\n
2. Tell your friends about your fitness goals.<\/h2>\n
1. Never touch a running system.<\/h2>\n