The Secrets of Building a Coveted Physique
Built like Hercules.

by
JC
|
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bodybuilding, brain, counting calories, deadlift, diet, dumbbell, Grip Work, HIT, hypertrophy training, insulin, leg press, magazines, protein, recovery, sleep, squat, walking
You Want That Greek-like Physique Huh?
OK, so what I am about to reveal is not an actual secret, however many do not understand the muscle building process. Hence, to them it is still a secret. Building muscle is a relatively simple process. However, it is not a quick and easy one. There are a few important factors to keep in mind when ones focus is to pack on some serious muscle mass. In my experience many trainees fail at something that is fairly simple because they get lost in all of the details. Of course this is not rocket science, but individuals tend to treat the muscle building process as if it were so. I will break the process down into a few key concepts, that if one were to follow only these ideals and never learn anything else about muscle building, they could create a very respectable physique. Keep these tips in mind, maintain a decent level of sanity and your muscle building quest will be shortened greatly.
Proper Training is Crucial
Most fail in the training department. In fact, many are still lost after years of being in the gym. The typical trainee has been working hard for years without any appreciable size or strength gains, however they continue to do the same stuff over and over with less than stellar results. Focus on the following:
- Frequency Matters - Most trainees will make the best gains from hitting each body part 2-3 times per week. The typical 1 body part per week splits are not optimal for the majority of the population.
- Build Strength - Focusing on progressive overload in the 5-8 rep range is generally a good idea. This is a great way to track progress and as strength goes up you will be building muscle. Remember to keep a log book.
- Compound Movements - Compound exercises are not the be-all, end-all solution. However, these movements are efficient and great when focusing on progressive overload. Deadlifts, squats, leg presses, over head presses, rows (many variations), and the various chest presses are all great exercises when you are building mass. They also keep you from wasting time on unnecessary isolation movements.
- Hypertrophy Rep Totals - A total of about 80-100 reps per large body parts and about 40-50 per smaller body parts per week will be enough stimulus to spur muscle growth. One should divide the total reps by 2 to 3 depending on the weekly workout frequency.
Eat A Lot
Many people fail here as well. You have to eat if you want to grow. Muscle will not magically appear out of thin air; I don't care what that asinine muscle building Ebook tells you! Building muscle requires energy. We ingest energy in the form of calories. You must consume an excess of energy to fuel growth. A few main points:
- Create a Surplus - This can be accomplished by eating 400-500 calories over your daily maintenance calorie range. Gaining 1 pound a week is a decent rate to shoot for. If you start gaining much more than that, you are probably adding unnecessary amounts of fat.
- Protein - Eat at least 1x bodyweight in grams of protein. This will be enough to produce muscle gains. Excess protein is not needed when in a caloric surplus, so save your money and enjoy the other more interesting food groups.
- Carbs + Fats - Fill in the rest of your caloric amount with these macros. Consume a minimum of 20% fat in your diet and fill in the rest with carbohydrates. As far as I am concerned, you can manipulate these macros to your own liking. I personally like my diet to be carb based, but it's really up to the individual. If you are insulin resistant, it may be smart to strategically place starchy carbs around training only (at least 100+ grams).
- Meal Frequency - This is not an important issue as I described in my Meal Frequency Article. Just make sure to get the proper pre and post workout nutrition for recovery purposes. Frankly, I am not too concerned with however you choose to spread your food out during the day as long as you create a surplus of calories.
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Recovery Is Key
Do not underestimate the importance of your rest days and bed time. You only grow when you are not training, sitting on your can and sleeping. I always emphasize a solid 3 to 4 rest days per week.