Essential Tools for Building Muscle Mass

by Reggie Moore Professional writer and proto entrepreneur

The primary goal of most bodybuilders is to gain more muscle mass, whether they are pursuing the sport as a hobby, profession, or for health reasons. The problem is that many people get into bodybuilding with very little information on how to build their muscle mass. Therefore, after months of dieting and strenuous exercising, they have minimal muscle mass increases to show. As a result, many bodybuilders either give up or take questionable measures to achieve their desired muscle mass. Here are the essential tools for building muscle mass the right way.

Consume a More Protein-Rich Diet

Protein plays a significant role in muscle-building as its necessary for the repair of muscle tissue. Also, it contains massive amounts of amino acids, which are the building blocks of strength. Therefore, consuming a more protein-rich diet will improve muscle mass gains. But to have the maximum muscle mass gains, a bodybuilder needs to co consume the optimal amount of protein for their body, which is where there's a challenge.

How Much Protein Does a Bodybuilder Need?

Professional bodybuilders will need more proteins than hobbyists and other athletes as they need to gain astronomical amounts of muscle mass. No matter what category a bodybuilder falls into, the big question is - are they getting enough protein? Currently, the recommended dietary allowance provides that an average person consumes about 0.8g of protein for every kilo of bodyweight, which is not enough to gain muscle mass.

Dr. Karen Reid, a top-notch sports science nutritionist, the founder of Performance Food, and the former nutritionist for the globally renowned Wales Rugby team, suggests that elite athletes should consume about 2kg of proteins daily. This is especially important for the first 12 weeks after adopting a new workout program. After this, the bodybuilder can maintain their daily consumption between 1.2 grams and 1.6 grams for every kilo of their body weight.

What are the Best Protein Sources?

Protein sources can be divided into two, animal sources and plants sources. The best protein source will depend on an athlete's diet. Here is an insight into the two protein sources.

Animal proteins

Animal proteins include meats like chicken, mutton, pork, and beef. There are also eggs, dairy products, and fish. Animal protein sources possess all the essential amino acids; thus, they are known as complete proteins and offer high-quality proteins.

Bodybuilders on a carnivore diet can quickly gain muscle mass as it's easy for them to consume the optimal amount of proteins daily. On the other hand, those on a paleo diet have to increase the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products on their diets to achieve this. For athletes who are mindful about their cardiovascular health and the amount of cholesterol on red meat, they can consume more fish meat such as salmon and tuna. Fish meat is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which promotes heart health.

Plant proteins

Plant proteins include beans, nuts, lentils, and whole grains, which are considered incomplete proteins as they lack one or more essential amino acids. A special case for plant proteins is soy products, amaranth seeds, and quinoa, which contain all the essential amino acids, meaning they are complete proteins.

The bodybuilders on vegetarian or vegan diets will have to rely on plant proteins to build muscle mass. They have to focus on complete plant proteins and consume more to achieve the same results as the athletes consuming red meat. This is because plant proteins are less rich in essential amino acids than the same serving of red meat. Consuming plant-based raw protein powders is supplementing protein intake for bodybuilders on vegan or vegetarian diets.

Light Increasingly Heavier Weights

Now that the bodybuilder has gotten their protein intake right, they need to focus on lifting increasingly heavier weights. Some athletes have slow muscle-mass build-up because they are not aggressive enough to lift heavier weights. Adding a pound or two to the current weights and doing more reps won't have much impact. The best approach is to double the weights, even if it means doing fewer reps. The result will be that the tear to the muscle tissues will be more severe, and the repair will be more aggressive, resulting in a notable increase in muscle mass over time.

Get Sufficient Rest

After consuming the appropriate amount of proteins and exercising aggressively, the body needs enough time to work its magic. This means getting sufficient rest. A professional athlete will need about 8 to 10 hours of rest for their muscles to regenerate more prominently than they were before. For those with a busy lifestyle, 7 hours of sleep is the least that they can go for. It's during sleep that the body will take advantage of the proteins consumed to repair build muscles.

Stay Consistent for the Best Results

All the essential tools for building muscle mass mentioned above work only if a bodybuilder stays consistent with all of them. Additionally, those with challenges figuring out their protein intake consult a nutritionist as it's the backbone of muscle mass-building success.