Having a strong, aesthetic physique is a universal desire. Seeing the rippling, toned bodies of athletes and fitness models may make having a muscular build seem like an unattainable goal, but anyone can improve their physique, as well as their fitness and general health, by beginning an intensive resistance training regimen and making the right dietary choices.to build a Muscular Physique
Begin a structured weightlifting program Muscular Physique
Once you’ve made the decision to improve your physique, the first thing you should do is start a dedicated strength training program. Your regimen should be comprehensive, targeting all the major muscle groups of the body, and you should perform workouts on a consistent basis, taking days off only to rest. If you want to build muscle, weight training must become part of your lifestyle.[1]
Work out multiple times a week Muscular Physique
In the beginning, you should aim to lift weights around three days a week.[2] Weight training can be tough on inexperienced muscles and joints, and an acclimation period is usually necessary to prepare the body to regularly overcome resistance. As you gain experience and your body becomes used to the strain, you can incorporate another workout or 2 per week, though you should still take a couple off days to allow for muscular recovery.How to build a Muscular Physique
- To make the most efficient use of your time in the gym, consider performing a traditional bodybuilding “split” workout, in which 2 or more muscle groups (e.g. back and biceps/legs and abs) are exercised consecutively during the same workout.[4]
Concentrate on lifting heavy weight multiple times.
There is a persistent debate over the best number of sets and reps to perform to achieve certain goals, but most modern fitness research points to one simple rule: if you want to build muscle, you have to lift something heavy a lot of times.[5] Don’t overthink it: start with a straightforward 3×10 structure (three sets of ten repetitions of a given exercise) until progress begins to slow, then either increase the weight you’re using or the number of reps you’re performing to keep improving.[6]
- Once you’ve gained a little experience with strength training, you can start experimenting with different weights and rep ranges to find out what works best for your body type: low reps (1 to 3) with extremely high weights are most often used to gain explosive strength, while high rep ranges (15 – 30) are useful for increasing endurance.[7]
- When implementing a set-rep scheme like a 3×10 or 5×5, you should pick a weight that’s heavy enough so that you can only perform that many repetitions per set.
Incorporate bodyweight movements. Round out your weight training sessions with bodyweight movements like push ups, pull-ups, crunches and unweighted squats and lunges. Bodyweight exercises force you to stabilize and control the movement of your own body, which means they’re very effective at building muscle and translate well to athletic endeavors. While on your weight lifting journey, don’t forget about the basics.How to build a Muscular Physique
- Bodyweight exercises are a saving grace for many people who don’t have access to gym equipment, or with past injuries that make excessive weight-bearing movements too difficult; all you need is a few feet of space in your own home and the will to push yourself.
- Try ending your workout with a series of “finishers” (exercises of moderate intensity performed for long periods, designed to totally exhaust you at the end of a session) consisting of bodyweight movements. Pushups, burpees, squat jumps and mountain climbers all work well for this purpose.[9]
Feel the “mind/muscle connection.” When you lift weights, you should make an effort to be conscious of the way the muscle feels when exerting itself through the movement. This is what scientists and strength coaches refer to as the “mind/muscle connection.” The basic principle is that the more you concentrate on actively engaging a muscle during a particular lift, the more you’ll get out of that muscle and the better your results will be. The mind/muscle connection can help you get more bang for your buck so that you’re working efficiently, not just hard.[10]
- While performing a bicep curl, for example, fix your focus on the contraction of the muscle itself, think about how all parts of the movement feel and squeeze the muscle to keep the muscle fibers active throughout the lift.
- Understanding basic kinesiology and the mechanical workings of the human body are an integral part of lifting weights.
Get plenty of protein. Every tissue in your body is comprised of cellular proteins, and these are broken down and depleted when your body undergoes the strain of exercise. Replenish lost proteins and provide your body with enough to generate new muscular growth by consuming lean meats, eggs, nuts or dairy with every meal. Protein is the cornerstone of every bodybuilder’s diet.[11]
- Grilled, skinless chicken breasts, eggs cooked in olive oil instead of butter, almonds and skim milk are all excellent low-cost, high-protein choices.
- Athletes and those seeking to build muscle mass require much more daily protein than the average person. A good general rule is to ingest at least half a gram of protein for every pound of your body weight per day (if you weigh 200 lbs, that’s 100 g of protein).[12]
- https://www.healthline.com/fitness