Rules for fast muscle gain for men. A set of basic exercises for gaining muscle mass What exercises are needed for weight gain

Stoves, fireplaces 27.09.2020
Stoves, fireplaces

An athletic body starts with basic exercises. Such workouts help build muscle mass and create a foundation, which is then polished to get the muscular skeleton, like that of the best bodybuilders.

In this article you will find tons of tips and useful information about basic muscle building exercises in the gym.

Base for mass gain

To start the growth of muscle tissue volumes, they are comprehensively loaded. For this, basic exercises are intended, which are also called multi-joint exercises, since two or more joints are involved. They are aimed at stressing not one muscle, but the whole group. Trainings are carried out with heavy weights.

Basic exercises:

  1. Muscle mass grows and fat is burned.
  2. Appetite increases, which is beneficial for ectomorphs - people with a thin physique and thin bones.
  3. The symmetry of the muscles is improved.
  4. The connection between the muscles and the brain is strengthened.

In a scientific experiment involving forty men, it was found that a set of muscle mass comes more from hormones, in particular, testosterone, and not from physical effort. With physical exertion, hormonal release occurs. The more muscles are loaded at a time, the more hormones are produced. The effect is enhanced by the inclusion of the respiratory and central nervous system in the work.

The proportion of the muscles of the back and legs reaches 80% of the total mass. Therefore, those who want to pump up the body pay attention, first of all, to these groups. By developing them, the athlete develops the rest of the muscles.

Main basic exercises

Here is a list of the basic basic exercises a beginner needs to build a muscle base. After a year, body relief can be improved with isolated exercises.- those that work out one muscle group.

From the video, you will learn how to properly perform the bench press, squat and deadlift, as well as how to get the most out of them:

Classic deadlift


never do deadlifts without an athletic belt

This exercise develops the core muscles better than others, since it involves the most muscles in the work:

  • the main ones are the four-headed femoral, gluteus maximus, back extensors;
  • additional - femoral biceps, semi-membranous, trapezoidal, semi-tendinous.

Deadlift is performed in 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Roughly the starting weight for men is up to 40 kg, for women - up to 20 kg. "Own" weight is calculated so that the athlete lifts it with a straight back. If there is a curvature, roundness, then in the future there will be diseases of the spine.

For injuries or back pain, deadlift is not included in the program immediately. The first two months are done. The same exercise in 3 sets is performed before the deadlift.

Squats


barbell squats will help you build extra pounds in your biceps

This exercise is popular not only in bodybuilding, but also in other sports, rehabilitation programs and in preparing an athlete for competition. Combined with pullovers, stretches chest, increases the volume and ventilation of the lungs.

Working muscles:

  • main - quadriceps, gluteus maximus, soleus;
  • additionally - hamstrings, calves, extensors.

If the technique is poorly mastered or the equipment is not configured, the exercise is traumatic, knees and ridge suffer.

When working with large weights, elastic bandages on the knees and wrist joints, a belt are used. The weight is lifted only with a straight back. In the lower amplitude, the feet should be level with the knees.

By changing the width of the grip, the athlete shifts the emphasis to the desired muscle group.

So, with a wide grip, the middle of the chest receives the load, with a narrow one - the triceps and the inner section. Lowering the barbell to different areas of the chest helps to avoid stagnation in growth.

When performing a bench press, the following rules are observed:

  • with a lot of weight, only a closed grip is used;
  • the barbell should be fed from the racks by an assistant;
  • do not allow the lumbar to bend upwards.

Tunic pull-ups


the chin is raised when performing the exercise

They make the body more prominent, drier. Muscles work:

  • main - the broadest back, trapezoidal,;
  • additionally - flexors, extensors of the forearms, midsection, deltoid.

Depending on the width and direction of the grip, the following muscle groups are worked out:

  • straight-, extensors of the forearm;
  • middle reverse- biceps, wide dorsal (preferable for beginners);
  • straight narrow- toothed, lats dorsal in the lower part, shoulders;
  • narrow reverse- biceps, lats;
  • wide- the widest dorsal in the upper part, paired round, trapezoidal;
  • wide behind the head- paired round, middle lats, trapezoidal.

The last two options are for experienced athletes only.

Bench press standing


do not relax the muscles of the back and abs, otherwise there is a great risk of injury

Such a bench press is also called army and is considered one of the best for,. Previously, it was included in the Olympic weightlifting program to test upper body strength. The main working muscles are deltoid, upper part, triceps.

With a change in the grip width, the load moves:

  • narrow- anterior deltoid, clavicular part of the pectoral muscle, long head of the triceps;
  • wide- the front and middle parts of the deltoid muscles, the upper part of the pectorals.

The army press is also performed with dumbbells.

The optimal training frequency is 3-4 times a week, the duration is up to 60-90 minutes. Break between sets - 2-3 minutes.

In the first year of training, the training program does not contain isolated exercises - they master the "base". Classes begin with minimal loads, the intensity is increased gradually. In the early stages, correct technique is important, not weight.

So that the body does not get used to it, the loads periodically increase- change the working weight, the number of repetitions, reduce the break between sets.

Important correct diet, adherence to diet, water balance. Overeating is not allowed.

The rules for gaining muscle mass:

It seems like an unattainable dream of getting a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Priest, and other bodybuilders. But once you study the success story of Martin Ford, the obvious is revealed: the goal will be achieved if efforts are made to achieve it.

Skinny guys and men often say that they can eat whatever they want without gaining weight. They are sure that their high-speed metabolism is manna from heaven. They often say something like this: “My metabolism makes women just wild envy. I can eat any junk food without gaining a single drop of excess weight. "

How can you gain weight

The truth is, you're just not eating enough. It seems to you that you are overeating, but in most cases you are not. Now let's figure out what you can do for a skinny guy to gain weight.

  1. Track your calorie intake

Skinny guys often overestimate what they eat. Pay attention to food labels, use a kitchen scale, and carefully track your daily calorie intake. In order to get the approximate amount of required calories, you need to convert your weight into pounds and multiply this figure by 20. Only under this condition will you start gaining weight.

  1. For every centimeter of the transverse area of ​​your body, there should be one kilogram of weight.

If the weight is less, then you will still look thin. A sample of the minimum norm for a combination of height and weight looks something like this:

Height (cm) Weight, kg) Weight (lbs)
170 70 154
175 75 165
180 80 176
185 85 187
190 90 200
  1. How to eat right to gain weight?

Eat every 3 hours.

  1. Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods

100 grams of rice - 380 Kcal. 100 grams of spinach - only 25 Kcal. Getting enough calories in a day will be easier if you eat foods filled with nutrients... Best options:

  • Pasta and spaghetti... 100 grams of pasta is about 380 Kcal. It is easier to digest such a product than 100 grams of rice. Whole grain pasta is much healthier, but takes much longer to digest. Skinny guys can eat premium white flour pasta and pasta.
  • Whole milk... If a small amount of body fat does not scare you, then drink 1 gallon (about 3.7 liters) of whole milk per day (milk is not included in the required daily calories). I have a few guys I know who, thanks to milk, have managed to earn about 30 kilograms of healthy weight per year, provided they work out regularly in the gym.
  • Nuts... 100 grams of a mixture of nuts and peanut butter represents 500 Kcal. This 500 kcal contains approximately 50% healthy fats and 25% protein. Use nut mixes for snacks and spread peanut butter on sandwiches you bring to school and work.
  • Olive oil... Helps with heart disease and is a prevention against cancer. You can simply drink it, add it to tomato paste and salads. One tablespoon - 100 Kcal.
  1. Get Stronger

If you want to quickly transform from skinny to muscle, and not from skinny to fat. Do some strength training. More strength - more muscle. If you don't know where to start, go to the gym to see an experienced trainer. But here are some more tips:

  • The weight of sports equipment can vary. Start with a light weight and concentrate on exercise technique and correct movement. Only then do you start to increase the weight.
  • Complex exercises. Do exercises that engage your entire body. Squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench presses, chin-ups, bent-over presses.
  • Squats. Exercises involving the legs automatically engage the entire body. Regular weighted squats will get rid of your bony body forever.
  • Get some rest. Muscle grows while you are resting, not exercising. You shouldn't train every day. Sleep, drink two liters of water a day, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
  1. Follow the plan

Failure to comply with a plan is tantamount to planned failure. Don't have time to regularly prepare food and meals for yourself at school and at work of poor quality and is too expensive? Prepare food in advance and take it with you.

  • Shop regularly. Don't skip meals. Calculate how much food you need for a week in advance on the weekend and buy it all at once.
  • Prepare in advance. Prepare lunch right away when you prepare breakfast. All this will take about 40 minutes and you will not have to spend time during the day trying to come up with something useful to eat.
  • Don't complicate anything. Prepare double portions in advance, and take leftover portions with you to work. Do not try to constantly invent something new, do not waste time.
  • Take food with you. Containers with ready meals for work and school, a mixture of nuts for the cinema, protein shakes in gym.
  1. Track your progress

Success breeds success. If you firmly know that you will never return to your skinny physique, you continue to feel confident and motivated. Track all your actions.

  • Keep track of your calories. Calculate everything and write it down in your diary. Strictly adhere to the volumes of the plan.
  • Weigh yourself weekly. Gaining weight? Don't change anything and keep following the plan. Not gaining weight? Increase your daily calorie intake by 500 Kcal.
  • Take pictures. The mirror is subjective. But the photos rarely lie. Take pictures a couple of times a month. So you can objectively assess your progress from the outside.
  • Don't forget about making your strength training more difficult. If you can maintain your weight multiplied by 1.5 by squatting, you will never be skinny again.

Weight gain diet

This is a sample of a 3500 Kcal diet for skinny guys weighing about 81 kilograms (180 lbs). So if you weigh about 61 kilograms (135 pounds), this diet may not be very suitable for you (well, unless you are carrying yourself daily at the gym). Any diet is individual and should be based on your needs.

  • Breakfast: 100 grams of oatmeal, 50 grams of raisins, one serving of yogurt.
  • Snack: 100 grams of nut mixture or one liter of milk or canned tuna sandwich.
  • Lunch: 200 grams of premium white flour spaghetti with bolognese sauce and parmesan.
  • Snack: 100 grams of nuts or a liter of milk or a tuna sandwich.
  • Post-workout shake: 1.5 cups whey + 60 grams oatmeal + milk + banana.
  • Dinner: 200 grams of premium white flour spaghetti with bolognese and parmesan sauce.
  • Before bed: cottage cheese, berries, flax seeds, fish oil.

To gain muscle mass, men need competent weight training. This is one of the main components of muscle building. It is impossible to gain mass without proper nutrition and good rest... Workouts at home or in the gym can be structured in different ways. There are several effective schemes for building muscle. Some of them have been known for a very long time and have been tested by several generations of athletes. Others were created not so long ago and are considered innovative in the bodybuilding environment. Beginners are encouraged to use basic training programs. Only experienced athletes should try new and improved ones.

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Lesson rules

For training to help increase muscle mass, you need to follow a few rules:

  • engage in weights large enough to create stress and destroy muscle fibers;
  • fully rest, observe the daily regimen and get enough sleep so that the muscles recover well;
  • between workouts for one muscle group, at least 48 hours must pass;
  • train large muscle groups no more than 1 time per week;
  • the total number of lessons per week for beginners - 2-3, for experienced athletes - 3-5;
  • each exercise should be performed for 6-8 repetitions, since it is this range that contributes to the most effective muscle growth;
  • basic exercises should be placed at the beginning of the workout and take up most of it;
  • we must not forget about the isolation, which is necessary for a more detailed study and finishing of muscles;
  • isolation exercise can be done for 12-15 repetitions.

The total duration of your workout should be between 40 and 60 minutes. During this time, you can manage to do no more than 8-10 exercises. You do not need to work out for longer, as the body will begin to produce a stress hormone - cortisol, which destroys muscles.

For beginners, the rules will be slightly different. They do not need to immediately take large weights and perform exercises until muscle failure. This can easily lead to injury, as a result of which you can forget about training for a long time. The main task for beginners is to prepare the muscles for real, serious work. This is achieved by practicing the correct technique for performing exercises and gradually increasing the weights.

At the initial stage, it is quite possible to do it at home. You just need to find a pair of dumbbells or a small barbell. It is advisable to perform exercises at home in front of a mirror, following the technique.

But over time, you will inevitably need to increase working weights. Then home inventory will not be enough. In this case, you still have to sign up for a gym or arrange a mini-gym at home.

Meals on the set

An equally important component of gaining muscle mass is special nutrition. The main thing to remember is that muscles don't grow without a calorie surplus.

The required daily calorie content is individual. It depends on the person's body weight and goals. In any case, you should first calculate the calorie content of the diet to maintain weight. This can be easily done using the formula:

Calorie allowance = Weight (kg) x 30

If the goal is to build muscle, the resulting value should be increased by an average of 30%. For ectomorphs who are gaining weight with difficulty, the rate can be increased by 40-50%. Endomorphs who get fat easily can add as little as 10–20%.

For example, a thin person weighing 60 kg, doing weights to gain muscle, should consume 2520-2700 kcal per day. This value was obtained by increasing the daily calorie intake of 1800 kcal (60 kg x 30) by 40-50%.

Having calculated the calorie content that should be adhered to, it is necessary to determine the optimal ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet.

Carbohydrates should be the basis, as they are the main source of energy during hard training. Proteins also play an important role. After all, they are the material for building muscles. Fat should also be on the menu for normal recovery and well-being. In addition, some fatty acids are involved in the production of growth hormones.


How to quickly gain weight for a man - nutritional principles and training program

Best workout programs for building muscle

There are many training programs for gaining muscle mass in men. Often they are sold for money, being called the most effective and innovative.

But before spending money, it is worth working out according to the basic well-known plans. In most cases, they help you achieve your goal.

Experienced athletes who are accustomed to the load and want to diversify their workouts can use such interesting systems for organizing classes, such as German volumetric training, the "5x5" program and others.

Two-day split top and bottom

For beginners, a schedule of just two different workouts per week is perfect. It is not necessary to divide muscle groups in more detail, paying some kind of increased attention, at the initial stage. Only professionals who have achieved certain results should do 4-5 workouts per week. For beginners, such a schedule will be ineffective and lead to overtraining.

Most often, with a two-day split, the body is divided into top and bottom, working out the muscles of each part on a separate day. An approximate set of exercises in this case may be as follows.

Monday - Bottom:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Squats with a barbell for legs and buttocks4x8
Leg press3x10
Dumbbell lunges3x10
Leg curl in the simulator4x12
Smith Machine Calf Raises5x20
Seated Calf Raises4x20
Hanging leg raises on the press3x15

Thursday - high:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Row of dumbbells in an incline to the belt for the muscles of the back4x8
Row of the lower block for the lower and mid-back3x12
Dumbbell bench press4x8
French Triceps Dumbbell Press3x8
Reverse Triceps Bench Dips4x10
Lifting the bar for biceps4x8
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press4x10
Roman abdominal leg raises3x15

That is, each muscle group is pumped once a week. The break between workouts is 2-3 days. During this time, the body recovers, so the classes are as effective as possible.

Basic three-day complex No. 1

When a certain experience of training with "iron" will be gained, you can improve the training program by dividing muscle groups into three training days. This plan is the most common and is suitable for the vast majority of people involved in fitness to improve and maintain their shape.

When drawing up a program, it is advisable to include three main mass-gaining exercises in the complex: squats, deadlifts and barbell presses. As a result of their implementation, there is a powerful release of testosterone - growth hormone, which leads to an increase in strength and muscle volume.

But it is necessary to put these exercises on different training days, since each of them takes too much energy.

An example of a basic three-day training program is shown in the table.

Monday - Pectorals and Triceps:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Bench press on a horizontal bench for pectoral muscles3x8
Incline Dumbbell Routing4x10
Reduction of hands in the simulator "butterfly"4x10
French Triceps Bench Press3x8
Triceps Dips4x10
Pulling legs to the horizontal bar on the press3x10

Wednesday - back and biceps:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Deadlift with a barbell for the muscles of the back, hamstrings and glutes3x8
Row of the bar to the belt for the muscles of the back4x10
Wide grip pull-ups3x10
Close Grip Seated Row3x12
Lifting the bar for biceps4x8
"Hammer" with dumbbells for biceps4x10
Curl of the arms in the crossover at the lower block for the biceps3x10

Friday - legs and deltas:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Barbell Shoulder Squats4x8
Leg press3x10
Barbell lunges3x10
Leg curl in the simulator4x10
Rise on socks in Smith's car5x20
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press3x10
Lifting dumbbells in front of you to the front deltas4x15
Lifting dumbbells to the sides to the middle deltas4x15
Crunches in the crossover at the bottom block (prayer)3x15

As you can see, the press does not need to be pumped daily. The abdominal muscles, like everyone else, need rest to recover. Therefore, it is enough to work them out a couple of times a week.

Basic three-day complex No. 2

There is also an alternative way to build a basic 3-day training program. It suggests a different division of the upper body muscle groups. The back is worked out with the chest, and the triceps with the biceps. The leg and delt workout remains unchanged.

This combination is based on the fact that the chest and back are antagonistic muscles, that is, they perform opposite functions. Therefore, when performing exercises on the broadest muscles, the pectorals rest, and vice versa. This ensures a constant blood flow to muscle fibers, which speeds up their recovery and growth.

Most effective option in this case, the exercises will be combined into supersets. Arnold Schwarzenegger was very fond of using this scheme in his trainings. It helps to achieve maximum blood flow to the target area. But only experienced athletes should apply such programs.

Day 1 - back + chest (exercises are performed in supersets):

That is, you need to do, for example, a bench press for 8 repetitions, then immediately (without rest) go to the horizontal bar and perform 8 pull-ups with a wide grip. This is followed by a break for 1-2 minutes and two more supersets of the same are performed.

Day 2 - arms (biceps + triceps):

As you can see, exercises for biceps and triceps alternate. That is, first one exercise is performed for the biceps, and then for the triceps. This scheme is optimal, since the muscles in question are also antagonists. Their joint development ensures maximum pumping effect during training.

On the third training day, the legs and shoulders are worked out according to the program described above.

Program "5x5"

A non-standard training scheme, which is considered one of the best today, was developed by the Arab athlete Mehdi. It is called "5x5". The essence of this technique can be expressed as follows: five exercises and 5 sets of 5 repetitions.

Classes under such a system, in contrast to the usual ones, take a maximum of 45 minutes 3 times a week. They are aimed at increasing the strength and therefore the mass of the athlete. In addition, excess fat is burned during exercise. Thanks to this, as a result of training, you can get a strong and harmoniously developed body without the help of pharmacological preparations.

At the same time, only five basic exercises are used in the training: squats, deadlift, barbell press, army press and barbell pull to the belt in the slope.

From these exercises, a two-day split is made, which remains constant throughout the entire training course.

WorkoutAnd includes:

  • squats;
  • bench press lying;
  • barbell pull in the slope.

WorkoutIn includes:

  • squats;
  • army bench press;
  • deadlift.

Squats are performed in every workout, as Mehdi considers them to be the most effective exercise for gaining muscle mass due to the large number of muscles being worked out.

Each of the five exercises is always done in 5 sets of 5 reps. Moreover, the weight of the burden should remain unchanged in all five approaches.

It is necessary to carry out 3 workouts per week according to the following schedule.

First week:

  • Monday - Workout A;
  • Wednesday - Workout B;
  • Friday - workout A.

Second week:

  • Monday - Workout B;
  • Wednesday - Workout A;
  • Friday - workout V.

The main task of training according to the 5x5 scheme is to increase the working weight at each workout as long as there is strength. Therefore, this program is usually used as a strength cycle for 1-1.5 months.

After that, you can return to the standard bodybuilding system, which involves performing various exercises in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

German volume training

Another innovative training scheme called German Volumetric Training (GOT) was developed by Rolf Feser, coach of the German national weightlifting team. Its main goal is to maximize muscle building in a short time.

The main idea of ​​the German volumetric training is the study of antagonistic muscles in one workout, which include: the back and chest, quadriceps and hamstrings, biceps and triceps, lower back and abs and some others.

Exercises in training are performed according to the scheme 10x10 - 10 sets of 10 repetitions. Thanks to this, the volume of muscle work increases dramatically. Assistance exercises can be performed in 3 sets of 12-15 times.

In NOT it is important to choose the correct working weights. They cannot be increased if it is not possible to complete all 10 repetitions in 10 approaches. At first, it may seem that the load is too light. But after a few approaches, the muscles will literally begin to burn and refuse. Here you will need to show character and complete the entire planned amount of work.

It is categorically not recommended for beginners to use this scheme, since the technique of performing exercises with strong tension can deteriorate. As a result, there is a high risk of injury.

The training program for a week in the NOT can be as follows:

Day Muscle group Exercises, sets / reps
MondayQuadriceps, hamstrings
  1. 1. Squats with a barbell 10x10
  2. 2. Romanian deadlift with a barbell 10x10
  3. 3. Extension of the legs in the simulator 3x15
  4. 4. Leg curl in the simulator 3x15
  5. 5. Rise on toes, standing in the simulator 4x20
TuesdayBack, chest
  1. 1. Bench press lying 10x10
  2. 2. Pull-ups with a wide grip 10x10
  3. 3. Breeding dumbbells lying 3x15
  4. 4. Bent over barbell 3x15
WednesdayRecreationRecreation
ThursdayBiceps, triceps, shoulders
  1. 1. French bench press 10x10
  2. 2. Lifting the bar for biceps 10x10
  3. 3. Press of dumbbells sitting on the shoulders 3x10
  4. 4. Lifting dumbbells to the sides 4x15
FridayRecreationRecreation
SaturdayLoin, abs
  1. 1. Pulling legs to the horizontal bar 10x10
  2. 2. Hyperextension 10x10
  3. 3. Raising legs on a Roman chair 3x15
  4. 4. Crunches on a Roman chair 3x15
SundayRecreationRecreation

It is advisable to rest no more than 1.5 minutes between approaches.

You cannot use the NOT scheme for a long time. This depletes the body and inevitably leads to overtraining over time. That's why this program used for 1-2 months to overcome training stagnation and increase working weights.

At home

Not always and not everyone has the opportunity to work out in the gym. In this case, you can build muscle by exercising at home. To do this, you will need to exclude exercises performed on simulators from the presented programs.

For effective exercises at home, you still cannot do without several dumbbells of sufficient weight. The barbell will also be useful. But in order to squat with it, you will need to build a power frame, which will ensure the safety of the exercise. After all, you cannot take a heavy barbell from the floor onto your shoulders.

An example of a home workout program for gaining muscle mass is presented in the tables.

Monday - back + biceps:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Dumbbell Deadlift4x10
Dumbbell Rows3x10
Pull-ups on the bar4x12
One-handed dumbbell row in support3x12
Lifting dumbbells for biceps4x10
"Hammer"4x10

Wednesday - legs + shoulders:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Dumbbell Squats4x10
Dumbbell Deadlift4x10
Dumbbell lunges3x10
Lifting the pelvis with weights4x15
Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises4x20
Dumbbell Shoulder Press4x10
Lifting dumbbells to the sides4x15

Friday - chest + triceps:

Exercises Approaches / Reps Illustration
Dumbbell bench press4x10
Raising hands with dumbbells4x10
Push-ups for the pectoral muscles3x15
Seated French press dumbbell4x10
Reverse triceps push-ups3x15

The rules for studying at home will be the same. To achieve the result, you also need to follow a special diet, eating with a calorie surplus.

And a little about secrets ...

The story of one of our readers Inga Eremina:

My weight was especially depressing for me, at 41 I weighed like 3 sumo wrestlers put together, namely 92kg. How to remove excess weight completely? How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person younger than his figure.

But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? Recognized - not less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? Slightly more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a consultant nutritionist. You can of course try to run on a treadmill, to the point of insanity.

And when to find all this time? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. Therefore, I chose a different way for myself ...

Hardgainers in the world of fitness are really thin people who cannot gain weight even in the absence of any dietary restrictions. Skinny guys have problems visiting gym... Many young people with a hardgainer structure simply do not know how to gain weight, and without a normal mass it is impossible to gain a muscular relief physique.

To gain weight for a thin guy, you need to follow the guidelines below. They are specially designed for those young people who do not have a genetic predisposition to obesity.

Increase your diet

This task seems easier than it actually is. Doubling the amount of food consumed per day is not very easy. It is necessary to switch from three meals a day to six meals a day, and, therefore, take food every two to three hours. At the same time, the portions should be complete, but not cut back.

For the first few weeks, you will have to literally force yourself to eat through force, since in most cases there will simply be no appetite. An increase in the diet by 500 calories will allow you to gain a kilogram per week. If you add 1000 calories to the food consumed during the day, then in 7 days 2 kilograms will be added to the current weight.

Eat quality food

The daily amount of calories must be brought to 3500 or more, but only at the expense of the correct and good products nutrition. You should not eat chips or drink sugary soda. The calories from such food are instantly deposited in the fat depot.

You can get high-quality muscle mass only through healthy food... You need healthy fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Calories are important, but what's behind them deserves even more attention.

Eat more protein

Protein (protein) is the building block of muscle tissue. It is found in white and red meat, fish, almonds, eggs, milk, peanuts. And in order to have a decent supply of muscle mass, these foods must constantly be present on the menu.

Include carbohydrates in the diet

Foods high in carbohydrates help you gain weight, but not lean muscle mass. Eating oatmeal, baked goods and pasta, brown rice, of course, allows you to add kilograms, some of which will come from fat. This often raises doubts about the advisability of a carbohydrate meal, but there is a good reason for this.

If we restrict ourselves exclusively to protein foods, then it will be immediately consumed as a source of energy, but not for building muscles. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to give the body an alternative, which is bad carbohydrates. At the same time, it is recommended to supplement each meal with fruits and vegetables. They contain healthy carbohydrates.

Always monitor every food included in the diet

There are many programs and sites for monitoring your own menu. Among foreign resources, such is dailyburn.com, registration on which will allow you to track how many proteins, carbohydrates and calories you need to consume. The algorithm works on the basis of input data, that is, taking into account individual characteristics.

Perform challenging physical exercises

To gain the maximum possible muscle mass, you should concentrate on training, during which deadlift, pull-ups, dumbbell presses, and barbell lifts are performed. You shouldn't make it easy for yourself. Maximum working weights are required on uphills.

Performing complex (compound) exercises involves all the muscles in the process, which, against the background of the presence in the body of a large amount of protein and calories, begin to grow. At the stage of mass gain, it makes no sense to include isolation exercises.

You always need to keep track of the changes taking place in the body.

The main motivating factor for anyone looking to gain muscle mass is appearance. Every change that occurs in the body is a consequence of the exercise. And in order to be satisfied with yourself, you need to concentrate on lifting weights, improving your own endurance, and then the results will not be long in coming.

You shouldn't be satisfied with what has already been achieved. If at the very beginning of the path the weight being lifted is small, then, having shown perseverance, it will soon increase. The main thing is not to be lazy and force yourself to work through force. This will allow you to develop perseverance, endurance and, of course, find the desired shape.

Take a minute break between sets during your workout

Rest after each set should be 60 seconds or less. You shouldn't do more than 12 repetitions at a time. The optimal training range is 6-12 repetitions, but no more. If you lift weights, then it is better to do it as follows: 12 repetitions with 50 kg, rest, another set of 10 repetitions with a weight of 55 kg, and then after a break another 8 repetitions, but already with 60 kg.

Make sure to give your muscles good rest.

You can't work out one muscle group every day. She needs to be rebuilt. Otherwise, exhaustion is guaranteed. Optimally, they wait at least two days, and only then work again on the same muscle group.

Sleep at least eight hours a day

Muscles continue to grow during sleep. And for this process to take place as efficiently as possible, you need to sleep at least 8-9 hours. If sleep lasts less than 6 hours, then the effectiveness of diet and workout decreases dramatically.

Exclude from the cardio workout program

In order not to look like a marathon runner or a sprinter, but to find the body of a real Spartan, you must completely give up cardio. This applies to running on long distances... If the desire to include jogging in classes is great, then you need to run either uphill or do sprints, that is, reduce the distance to a minimum.

Exercise regularly

Exercise should be part of your daily routine. And if classes can sometimes be skipped, then this should not be allowed with meals. Otherwise, all efforts to gain weight will be minimized. You can devote all your free time to training, but without good and high-calorie nutrition, progress will not follow.

Understand the need to gain weight

Along with the muscles, fat deposits are also recruited, which is a completely normal process. To avoid undesirable consequences, you should set a clear goal for yourself as to how many kilograms you need to add, and then, when it is achieved, reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed. You need to continue to eat vegetables and fruits, but cut pasta, rice, bread to a minimum. By continuing to exercise and sprint, you can easily get rid of body fat.

This article is dedicated to people who can no longer be considered a beginner, but have not yet matured to a fitness professional.

To be more precise, it will also be very useful for a beginner, because the most important question in training - which exercises are best for gaining muscle mass.

After all, it will depend on their choice how well you work out certain muscle groups, and therefore what further progress will be.

Principles and Basics of a Weight Training Program

An important rule that all athletes who gain weight adhere to: you need to spend less calories than you get!

Therefore, when gaining mass, you can forget about cardio training, that is, about running, cycling and other activities, during which the athlete loses a large amount of energy.

Your activities should be limited to exercises with free weights, and the number of repetitions should not exceed 8-10 to avoid catabolism (breakdown of protein in muscle fibers), which leads to inhibition of mass gain.

Weight training should last no more than 1-1.5 hours... At the same time, there should be not a lot of exercises, literally 1-2 exercises for each muscle group that you plan to train that day.

The principle is very powerful "Dropset"... It consists in bringing the muscle to failure at the very end of the workout by gradually decreasing the weight with which you are working.

For example, you lifted 15 kg dumbbells for biceps, in the last approach you felt that you could no longer do a single repetition. Then you take 10 kg dumbbells and do as many times as possible.

It is believed that it makes no sense to perform such manipulations with the scales more than three times.

Rest is very important when working on weight. After all, the program is designed in such a way as to maximally load the muscles by destroying the fibers. Therefore, it takes a long time to repair damaged muscle fibers.

On average, you should rest for about two days. If you feel that you have not recovered even in 2 days, and this happens after hard training, for example, when doing deadlifts, then you can safely extend your rest.

The most common mistake people make during intense training is not getting enough rest and, as a result, overtraining. The latter is a whole list unpleasant symptoms such as weakness, unwillingness to exercise, depression, loss of muscle mass.

Therefore, it is better to skip a workout once again, spending another day on recovery and sleep, than to earn overtraining, which will stop all progress.

7 best exercises for gaining muscle mass

Perhaps almost everyone knows about the three pillars on which strength training rests, namely deadlift, squat and bench press. Heavy basic exercise affects not only muscle fibers, but also testosterone levels.

A huge number of stabilizing muscles are involved that could not participate in exercise on simulators. In addition to these exercises, there are several more that will greatly help in gaining muscle mass, consider this basic seven in more detail:

This exercise is often undeservedly avoided by beginners for fear of injury. Some motivate their refusal to squat by the fact that “you can't see your legs under your clothes”, but we all know how ridiculous a man with a developed torso and legs-matches looks.

And, conversely, how impressive and impressive well-developed legs look. Moreover, in addition to the legs, this basic exercise also develops the back muscles, which act as stabilizers.

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This exercise, along with the deadlift, is considered the best for increasing testosterone levels, which not only directly affects muscle growth, but is also very important in everyday life.

Another pleasant consequence of squatting is improving blood circulation in the pelvic region. Therefore, men who perform this exercise regularly are very popular with the opposite sex, because they are not threatened with any diseases associated with the reproductive system.

Before performing, you should warm up very well, and in the process of execution you need to carefully monitor the technique. The back should be straight or slightly bent forward, the bar should be held on the trapezius muscles.

Never place it on your neck! In the initial stages, this will not be a fatal mistake, but over time, the working weights will increase, and then there will be a real risk of getting a neck injury.

There are several options for performing the barbell squat: “to parallel” and deep squat. From the names it is clear that the first is performed until the moment when the back of the athlete's thigh becomes parallel to the floor, and the deep squat ends at the lower stage, almost touching the floor with the buttocks. If you have problems with joints, then it is better to stop at the first option.

Do not forget about using a belt when doing squats with weights that are large for you, this will help to avoid lower back injuries.

Bench press

This phrase first of all comes to mind of many who hears the verb "pump up".

And this love for such a simple and, one might say, native exercise is fully justified. This type of bench press is the main and main way through which you can become the owner of impressive pectoral muscles.

But this exercise is not only good for this. It, like squatting, promotes the production of testosterone, the role of which has already been written above. The deltoid muscles and triceps are included in the work in the process of execution.

There are 2 options for the bench press: with and without a bridge.

The bridge bench press is more suitable for powerlifters, as with this technique it is possible to squeeze much heavier weights. But for fitness and bodybuilding, the bench press is best suited without a bridge, so the load will fall on the pectoral muscles.

The deadlift is one of the most entertaining exercises you can do in the gym.

The role of the deadlift in the set of mass is not less, if not even more, than in the two previous exercises. Indeed, it is in this exercise that the heaviest weights are used and the most muscle groups are loaded.

But it is very important to follow the technique. Mainly there are 2 types of thrust used: classical and “sumo”.

With classic traction hands hold the bar with a wide grip, feet are shoulder-width apart. When performing the movement, be sure to keep your back straight or slightly bent forward; stoop during the deadlift can cause very serious injuries. At the same time, the load falls heavier on the lower back, so the second option is better suited for people suffering from back problems.

Sumo pull performed in a very wide stance. The legs are as far apart as possible (the limitation is the pancakes on the barbell), the arms are shoulder-width apart around the barbell. The back should be held in the same way as in the previous version, while the load will fall more on the hamstrings.

The grip is also important when performing. For a greater development of grip strength and an increase in the strength and size of the forearms, you should hold the barbell without straps, put your palms on one side.

There is such an option as a "grip", it helps to hold large weights.

As with the squat, the use of a belt is highly encouraged.

This multi-joint exercise is considered the main way to increase the size of the triceps.

When performing this exercise, the pectoral muscles, as well as the deltoid muscles, are additionally included in the work.

This exercise is deservedly appreciated among athletes, when it becomes too easy for you to push up on the uneven bars with your own weight, you can always hang the pancakes with a chain, this will not stop progress.

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Pull-ups are the main exercise for developing the latissimus dorsi. Therefore, they are taught to men from childhood, starting from school.

Often, an athlete can pull up with his own weight more than 10 times, in which case, for a good workout of the broadest muscles, pull-ups with additional weight, which is suspended from a chain, should be used. Therefore, in this exercise, you can progress in working weight as well as in the previous ones.

The press of the bar over the head is most of all loading the deltoid muscles, to be simpler - the shoulders. It can be performed both sitting and standing.

This exercise is very famous, earlier it was used in triathlon in weightlifting, but now there are only jerk and snatch. The technique of execution is also very important here.

If you want to get yourself massive and prominent shoulders, then in no case help your legs during the press. It is very difficult to neglect this movement, which helps to pass the dead center at the very beginning, but with this cheating you negate the effect of this exercise.

You can help a little with your legs, if you perform the last approach, then you can perform a push with your legs, and lower the bar slowly, using only the deltoid muscles.

At the same time, the back should be kept slightly bent forward. The chest should be extended forward so that when the barbell moves up, it does not have to go around its head, and the trajectory of the bar is straight.

Lifting barbells and dumbbells for biceps is the most effective exercise for increasing the size of your arms.

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