Building muscles that are worth showing off might seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually quite achievable with the right combination of diet, an effective appetite suppressant, and a proper workout routine. You don’t even need to pay expensive gym fees if you prefer to workout in the comfort of your own home.
Contrary to popular belief, building muscle is not just for bodybuilders looking to show off their ripped physique. People of all ages, body types, and genders can benefit from gaining muscle mass. After the age of 30, your body naturally starts to lose lean muscle mass, making it important to maintain it through physical training.
1. Strength Training
Strength training is essential to developing and maintaining muscle mass. By overloading the muscles, your body is able to adapt and grow stronger. Regular and high frequency strength/resistance training is the best way to achieve this. This is because it challenges your muscles and forces them to adapt, leading to gradual increases in size.
For those just starting out and not wanting to invest in gym equipment, there are plenty of at-home exercises available to build muscle without equipment. As you become more comfortable with the workout, you can add simple items such as filled water bottles, sandbags, heavy books, and even a partner to increase the challenge. Resistance bands are also useful to expand the range of exercises.
Progressively overloading your muscles is an effective way to strengthen them without the need for any gym equipment. This type of training involves using bodyweight to provide resistance to the muscles, pushing them to their limits, and gradually increasing the intensity of the workout. As your muscles become stronger, the overloads and demands on the body can be increased to further challenge them. Effective bodyweight exercises to build muscle include:
Push-ups are an excellent way to build strength in the upper body, particularly the biceps and triceps. All you need is a floor to do them on.
Pull-ups are a bit more challenging, but are great for developing toned muscles in the shoulders, back, chest, and arms. To do them, you need to find a sturdy rod to hang from.
Squats are great for building overall strength, and they work specifically on the muscles in the legs and back. You can advance the difficulty by adding weights.
Crunches are a great way to get the abdominal muscles you desire without the use of weights.
2. Protein-rich Diet
In order to build strong muscles, increasing your protein intake is essential. Protein gets converted into amino acids, which are important for repairing and healing muscle tissue. Some great sources of protein include lean meat, fish, legumes, and nuts. Additionally, casein protein, which is found in Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk, can be extremely beneficial for building muscle quickly. It is recommended to consume casein protein before bed for optimal muscle recovery after a workout.
For optimal muscle growth, it is also important to have a surplus of calories in your diet. Healthy carbohydrates and fats provide energy to your muscles which will help you maximize the results of your workouts.
3. Adequate Sleep
Getting the recommended amount of rest and sleep is key to building strong, healthy muscles. This is one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to boost muscle growth at home. Studies have found that not getting enough sleep leads to a decrease in testosterone, which is the hormone needed for muscle growth. It’s advised to get 7–9 hours of sleep per night to ensure muscle growth.
Muscle Building Tips for Home
If you’re new to muscle building, it’s important to consult with your physician first to ensure that no underlying health issues such as joint or heart issues, diabetes, or high blood pressure are present. In this case, a qualified physical trainer should be consulted to tailor a suitable workout routine.
It is essential to start off slowly and take at least one day off between workouts if you plan on doing intense exercises more than once a week. Before beginning any workout, always warm up for a few minutes by jogging in place, moving and stretching out your muscles, etc. After finishing your workout, don’t forget to stretch to cool down.
Correct breathing is essential during exercises to provide your muscles with oxygen while expelling harmful gases like carbon dioxide. It also reduces the risk of internal injuries during high-intensity training. As you push, pull, or lift during resistance training, remember to exhale and inhale deeply as you return to the starting position of the exercise.
Start Building Muscle At Home Today
Working out at home is no excuse for not making progress when it comes to muscle building. To get the best results, consistency is key. For starters, you should aim to do three full-body workouts a week. As you progress, you can separate your upper and lower body workouts. It is important to take one day off a week to allow your body to rest and recover.
