 |
The
more work you put into something, the better results you
will achieve. This has always been a widely accepted truth
that applies to most areas in life.
The harder you
study, the better grades you will achieve. The more time you
spend fine-tuning your athletic skills, the better athlete
you will become. The longer you spend learning to play an
instrument, the better musician you will become.
Therefore, it only
makes sense that the more time you spend in the gym, the
stronger and more muscular your physique will become,
correct? |
Contrary to what you might
think, the answer to this question is a gigantic, definite, absolute
no! It is in this area of bodybuilding that conventional wisdom goes
straight out the window, down the street and around the corner.
I know what you might be
asking yourself…
“What? Spending less
time in the gym will actually make me bigger and stronger?”
The answer is yes! It
really will, and when we examine the muscle-growth process from its
most basic roots, it becomes quite clear why this is the case.
Every single process that
occurs within the human body is centered around keeping you alive
and healthy. Through thousands of years of evolution the human body
has become quite a fine-tuned organism that can adapt well to the
specific conditions that are placed upon it.
We become uncomfortable
when we are hungry or thirsty, we acquire a suntan when high amounts
of UV rays are present, we build calluses to protect our skin, etc.
So what happens when we
break down muscle tissue in the gym?
If you answered something
to the effect of "the muscles get bigger and stronger",
then congratulations! You are absolutely correct. By battling
against resistance beyond the muscle's present capacity we have
posed a threat to the musculature. The body recognizes this as
potentially harmful and as a natural adaptive response the muscles
will hypertrophy (increase in size) to protect the body against this
threat. As we consistently increase the workload from week to week
the body will continue to adapt and grow.
Sound simple?
Ultimately it is, but the
most important thing to realize in relation to all of this is that
the muscles can only grow bigger and stronger if they are provided
with sufficient recovery time. Without the proper recovery time, the
muscle growth process simply cannot take place.
Your goal in the gym
should be to train with the minimum amount of volume needed to yield
an adaptive response. Once you have pushed your muscles beyond their
present capacity and have triggered your thousand-year-old
evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. Any further
stress to the body will simply increase your recovery time.
Most people train way too
often and with far more sets than they really need to. High
intensity weight training is much more stressful to the body than
most people think. The majority of people structure their workout
programs in a manner that actually hinders their gains and prevents
them from making the progress that they deserve.
Here are 3 basic
guidelines that you should follow if you want to achieve maximum
gains:
1) Train
no more than 3 days per week.
2) Do not let your workouts last for longer then 1
hour.
3) Perform 5-7 sets for large muscle groups
(chest, back, thighs) and 2-4 sets for smaller muscle groups
(shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs).
Take all sets to the point
of muscular failure and focus on progressing in either weight or
reps each week. If you truly train hard and are consistent, training
more often or any longer than this will be counterproductive to your
gains.
To learn how to combine
all of these principles into an effective step-by-step routine,
click the link below and visit my website for details. You can gain
instant access to my renowned "26-Week Workout Plan" as
well as a full printable logbook that you can take to the gym with
you...
About The Author
 |
Once an awkward,
pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is
now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and
creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program
online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail
System".
If you can spare
just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new
head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive
gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and
co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of
months: www.MuscleGainTruth.com |
|
