How to Grow Muscle FASTER! Key Factors to Build Muscle Explained

How Can I Gain Muscle After 40?

Is it possible for me to regain the body I once had and put on some muscle at my age? You can, but you will have to take a different approach. Here's a complete training program for a better over-40 physique.

So you have hit the big 4-0 and your life is starting to take shape, but your body is starting to suffer. The youth you once had is now starting to dwindle. You ask yourself, "Is it possible for me to regain the body I once had and put on some muscle at my age?" The simple answer is yes!

You can put on muscle after 40, but you will have to take a completely different approach than when you weight trained and dieted as a youth. Below I will discuss the training, cardio and nutrition you will need to focus on in your pursuit to a more muscular physique.

Training

As you age, the body is more susceptible to injury so several things need to change with your training:

Always warm up for at least 15 minutes on a piece of cardio equipment before you lift weights. This will increase your core temperature and help the blood flow for the workout to come.

Repetition range should be in the moderate to high range, 8-12 rep for upper body exercises and 12-20 rep for lower body exercises. Heavy weights put too much stress on the joints and ligaments. I want you to use moderate weight in the rep ranges listed above. This will stimulate your muscles enough for new growth.

Combination-Weights And Machines

Use a combination of free weights and machines. As a youth your body is able to use a lot more free weight exercises but as you age your stabilizer muscles start to weaken which can leave your ligaments and tendons in danger of injury. Using machine lowers this risk.

Your exercise form and posture needs to perfect. Your body doesn't have the forgiveness of youth anymore so using poor form can easily result in injury.

Recovery time is a little longer so rest and recovery is critical; fewer days in the gym is going to be a must.
Those are some basic pointers you should look out for. Below is a sample workout program for a beginner lifter over the age of 40. This is a 3-day full-body workout program.

Day 1:

Smith Machine Squats: 3 sets of 12 reps
Lying Leg Curl: 2 sets of 15 reps
Standing Calf Raise: 2 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Machine Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Triceps Rope Pushdown: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
Barbell Curl: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

Day 2: Off

Day 3:

Leg Press: 5 sets of 20 reps
Seated Calf Raise: 2 sets of 15 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Seated Cable Row: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Side Laterals: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Triceps Dip Machine: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
Machine Preacher Curl: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

Day 4: Off

Day 5:

Barbell Squat: 3 sets of 12 reps
Seated Leg Curl: 2 sets of 12 reps
Standing Calf Raise: 2 sets of 15 reps
Machine Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Lying Triceps Extensions: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

Day 6: Off

Day 7: Off

Cardio

Cardio is critical for anyone over the age of 40 for several reasons. Once you get to 40 your metabolism is not as fast as it once was, so regular bouts of cardio will keep your body fat in check. Secondly and most important is your heart is at its mid life and keeping it strong and in shape will help you live a longer and fruitful life.

I want you to stick to 3-4, 20-30 minute low-intensity cardio sessions a week. This means walking or light jogging. I would stay away from any kind of running as this can be very strenuous on the knees and joints.

If you were a runner in your youth, again start with the low intensity bouts of cardio for the first month. After that, running once or twice a week on the treadmill or rubber track is fine. I would stay away from pavement as it is very unforgiving to the knees at any age. Remember, living a long and fruitful life always comes first and without a strong heart that can't be done.

Nutrition

As discussed earlier, when you hit the big 4-0 your metabolism is slowing down, so your nutrition will have to be changed up a bit from when you were a youth. Extra carbs and calories you once were able to consume are going to have to be cut out of your diet. Our goal is to maximize muscle gain with minimal fat gain, so you will be eating at a slight surplus.

Cholesterol is also another big issue for many people over the age of 40. Your diet should be rich is healthy fats. Check out my shopping list article to show you which foods you should chose from when you are at the supermarket.

Below is a sample diet for a plus 40 year old weighing about 180 pounds who is looking to put on muscle mass:

Meal 1:

5 Egg Whites
1 Whole Egg
3/4 Cup Of Oatmeal

Meal 2:

2 Scoops Of Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Of Natural Peanut Butter
1 Oz Of Almonds

Meal 3:

5 Oz Of Chicken Breast
1 Cup Of Brown Rice

Meal 4:

5 Oz Of Chicken Breast
2 Oz Of Whole Wheat Pasta

Meal 5: Post Workout

2 Scoops Of Protein Powder
2 Bananas

Meal 6:

6 Oz Of Top Round Steak
1 Tablespoon Of Olive Oil
1 Oz Of Pecans
Supplements

Protein Powder: I use Isobolic by Nutrabolics, it's a very high quality protein powder.
Glutamine: Helps with recovery. Take 5 grams with meals 1, 4, 5, and 6.
Test Booster: A quality test booster like HemoTest from Nutrabolics promotes already healthy testosterone levels.
Multivitamin: A high quality multivitamin/mineral will help you get all the nutrients you don't receive from your diet. Vitabolic is what I use.
Preparation

Preparation is going to be critical. Making all your meals the night before is something you should consider to help conserve time. Bringing your meals to work will be a must, but what happens when you have a luncheon or big business dinner with clients?

Don't fret, use your common sense. Order something that is similar to what you normally eat. Remember, life can not be restricted to chicken and rice, you can stray from the diet and still see results. Just don't make a habit of it.

Conclusion

There you have it. No more excuses about being over the hill. You have all the pieces to the puzzle to increase your muscle mass after the age of 40.

Cheers,

Muscle Fitness a2z

Protein-Maximize Your Muscle Growth!

PROTEIN IS THE end-all, be-all answer for your muscle-constructing needs. 

Everybody realizes that. In any case, with all the clashing examination, claims from coaches and nutritionists, and protein-boosting supplements immersing the market, it's difficult to recognize what's correct. That is the reason we're venturing into the ring: to enable you to isolate protein actuality from protein fiction, for the last time.

What amount of protein does the normal person require? 

The factors involved are whether you work out or not and how strenuous your exercises really are. Your normal sitting at work  bound male requires only 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight every day.

Keep in mind, exercise that is very strenuace and lengthy can actually make it necessary to double your intake of protein to handle what your body requires.  For long distance runners, Peter Lemon, a teacher of activity nourishment at the University of Western Ontario, prescribes getting in the vicinity of 0.5 and 0.7 grams of protein for each pound of body weight. "For professional competitors, those numbers are much higher- - by and large in the vicinity of 0.7 and 0.8 grams of protein for each pound of body weight," he says. In the event that you've been shooting for a gram of protein for every pound of body weight- - or more- - you're trying too hard. Your body won't have the capacity to process those additional calories, and they'll at last wind up as only a certain something: fat.

Will cutting carbs enable my muscles to become quicker? 

Short answer: no.  As compelling as high-protein eating regimens are for getting thinner, despite everything, you require carbs and fat for greatest muscle development. Your body utilizes carbs for vitality amid your work out.  On the off chance that your reserve of carbs is low, your body will utilize protein as an extra fuel source, and your muscles won't develop as much as they would in the event that you were sustaining them with a mixed drink of protein and carbs. Concerning the fat, it's crucial for the generation of muscle-building testosterone. (Studies demonstrate that folks who eat higher-fat weight control plans likewise have higher testosterone levels.)

Could eating excessive protein be risky? 

There's exploration proposing that an excessive amount of protein can cause your muscles to become depleted of water and may increase the risk for developing gout, kidney stones, and osteoporosis, and additionally a few types of other serious diseases. Yet, tests have likewise demonstrated that a lot of anything, from vitamins to water, can be terrible for your wellbeing.  All that really matters? Abundance carbs and fat are still connected with wellbeing dangers, however the achievements of high-protein eating methodologies is no reason to scarf down an entire pig or a whole side of hamburger.  Hold your craving within proper limits, however, and a high-protein eating regimen ought not contrarily affect your wellbeing.

Would it be a good idea for me to consider taking a protein supplement? 

Truly - on the off chance that you aren't getting the measure of protein your body requires in light of your action level. You can check nourishment names and include increased grams of protein on your own, or simply recollect the numbers 1, 5, 10, 15, 25 to generally gauge protein admission. (That is 1 gram of protein for each serving of foods grown from the ground, 5 for each egg or modest bunch of nuts you eat, 10 for some grain or yogurt, 15 for each measure of beans or half-measure of curds, and 25 for each 3-4 ounce serving of meat.)

At what time of the day should you drink a protein shake? 

Despite the fact that it can fluctuate by brand, most specialists suggest taking protein in two servings: one an hour or so before your exercise to tank off your body's vitality holds, and another portion promptly after you work out to enable repair to muscle damage and fuel the development of new muscles.

Which is the better protein supplement: whey or casein? 

Shockingly, mixing the two sorts of protein together and taking them as a blend may give you definite advantages over taking only one at a time.  French specialists as of late found that casein supplies a considerably steadier stream of amino acids to the body- - much like a mind boggling sugar, which separates gradually in the body. Whey, on the other hand, is assimilated all the more rapidly and gives a more prompt supply of amino acids to the body (much like a basic sugar).  It bodes well then that a blend of whey and casein would supply the body with the most extreme measurement of amino acids required for both prompt and long haul muscle development. (Can't discover a mix you like? Purchase your most loved whey and casein supplements and blend them together.)

Is there any advantage to getting protein from bars or shakes rather than entire sustenances? 

No. Shakes and protein bars may make it less demanding to meet your day by day protein prerequisites, yet at last, high-protein sustenances like meat, eggs, nutty spread, and nuts may really be additionally fulfilling in light of the fact that they have higher fat substance and take more time to process than shakes or bars.

What happens on the off chance that I don't get all the protein I require? Will my muscles contract?

In no way, shape or form. In case you're eating a proper measure of protein as a rule, an infrequent low-protein day won't influence muscle development. The main reasons muscles would get littler are from absence of utilization, damage, or extreme calorie confinement.



Cheers,

Musclefitnessa2z

How Can I Gain Mass In My Legs?

You should be doing a leg day once a week (maybe two if you can handle it!) in the gym if you want big wheels.  

You need to include several leg exercises for mass.

It’s already been said, but this is an important point: SQUAT!

Squats with a barbell will be the cornerstone in your quest for leg mass.

Mix in good volume and strength workout types to leave no stone unturned.

This means you need to get in 3–12 reps for 3–6 sets per leg exercise.

Focus on form and get good depth.

Use all variations of the squat as well.

Back squats. Front squats. Overhead squats. Goblet squats. Just squat, BABY!

Other good movements for massive wheels:

Deadlifts (and variations such as RDL’s and SDL’s) - these work the posterior chain (lower back, glutes, hamstrings) intensely and are a must to build up the back of your legs.

Hip Thrusts - work the glutes like no other. Do not leave these out!

Pistol Squats - Build massive quads and are great for balance and explosion… that’s why a lot of athletes do these.

Split Leg Squat - These are tough, because they work! It’s best to work legs unilaterally sometimes as well to iron out imbalances.

Walking lunge - the walking version works WAY better, and these will help build up your legs unilaterally as well.

Also… don’t forget calves! Get in a good dose of calf raises (seated and standing).

Also, other forms of exercise such as sprinting and running hills can really help bring legs to the next level, but don’t over-train! Be sensible!

And you knew it was coming… the nutrition component!

Eat for mass, which means a good amount of protein, carbs, and good fats.

You will not gain any size and strength in any bodypart with a bad diet!

LEGS!

Hope this helped.

5 Exercises For More Explosiveness And Power!

Do you want to improve your power and explosiveness?  If you are an athlete, then you are looking for ways to be able to sprint faster, jump higher and reach your maximum potential.  We have included the top 5 exercises for developing explosiveness, power and strength in order to climb to the top and be successful as an athlete.

    It seems that coaches and trainers will tell you conflicting advise.  Some will tell you to lift heavy weights with fewer reps.  Others say to lift lighter weights at a quicker speed with more reps.  You may be feeling a bit confused and perhaps a little flustered as to what really and truly is the best way.

    In order to help clear up some of the confusion we need to look at why coaches and trainers differ in their training methods.  One of the main reasons is how they define "Explosiveness" and "Power".   Some athletes are explosive, but lack power, while some athletes have power and lack explosiveness.  So instead of trying to define and separate these terms we need to think of them synergistically.   We need to train for both Power and Explosiveness.

    We will be concentrate on the muscle groups that will help you to increase your sprint speed and vertical jump.  This is critical for an athlete, especially if you want to compete at the highest level.  Most of the time trainers and coaches concentrate on the calves, quads and abdominal muscles.  Of course, these muscle are important, but there is one muscle group some professionals fail to consider.  That is the hip-flexors.  If you talk with some of the top athletes they will agree as to how important these muscles are to sprinting and vertical jumping.

    What are the hip-flexors?  The muscle attaches to the vertebrae of the lower spine, moves through the pelvis and connects up into a tendon at the top of the femur. The flexors are primarily responsible for the extending or flexing of your torso.  When you run or jump you contract your bodies core.  In order to extent your body you have to engage the hip-flexor muscles.

   This will be crucial in developing explosiveness to move you forward or lift you into the air!  You will learn to unlock and strengthen these muscles along with the muscles groups we have already mentioned.  Below are the 5 explosive exercises to help you with your sprint/jump by targeting your fast twitch muscle fibers and helping them to fire at a quicker speed.

EXERCISE 1: DUMBBELL SNATCH

The best exercise to start with is the dumbbell snatch.  This is a very simple, but powerful movement.  It engages all of the essential muscle groups, including the hip flexors.



Start by placing a dumbell on the ground just in front of you.  When you are ready stand with your feet shoulder width apart and thrust the weight upward focusing on using your hip-flexor and abdominal muscles.  You can hop into the air as you become comfortable with the movement! Swing the dumbell over your head making sure you keep control of your body throughout the exercise.  Use more weight as you get stronger.  You can also use an exercise band for added resistance.

EXERCISE 2 : SINGLE LEG LATERAL CROSSOVER

Stand with your right leg on the box and your left leg on the ground.  Push off of the box with your right leg and spring into the air landing back in the same position.  Once you have finished all of your reps you will perform the same movement for the other leg.  Perform 3 sets with 12 reps per leg.

EXERCISE 3 : BOX JUMPS

Before you begin this exercise remember the importance of your landing.  This help avoid Injuries.    You want to land softly like a cat.

The movement is pretty straight forward..  You will stand in front of a box and lower yourself into your power position.  Using your arms to swing your body in an upward motion, you will  press in the ground firing up your quads, calf muscles and hip-flexors to create the upward thrust.  Remember to land softly on top of the box.  Use a staircase system to come off of the box if it is a tall.

A lot of guys focus more on how high and fast they jump than the way they land.  The key is to concentrate on the jump itself and the explosiveness in the movement.  Keep your reps low in order to improve explosiveness.  Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

EXERCISE 4 : STANDING TRIPLE JUMP

This exercise can help you to develop symmetry and balance in your legs and can help increase your power and performance , especially when doing any bounding jumps or jumps off of 2 legs.  This is similar to the standard triple jump, except you will begin by standing in place, balancing on one foot.

Start by jumping forward off of one leg and landing on the other.  Next, jump forward again, only this time using the oposite leg.  Do this in a fluid motion jumping a total of 2 times with each leg.  Pause a few seconds between sets and execute 3-4 sets all together.

EXERCISE 5 : FROG JUMPS

Begin in an upright position slightly bent forward.  Hold one end of a dumbbell with both hands and keep your arms straight allowing the weight to hang.

You will now squat down into the power position and then use your downward force to push into the ground and drive your body upward jumping forward as far you can.  You will really feel your hip-flexors being stretched and unlocking the explosiveness within your core.  You want to allow the dumbbell to swing freely, but under control.   Do 4 jumps in a row, resting a few seconds between sets.  You want to  complete 10-12 sets.

Conclusion

Make sure to do these exercises at least 3 times a week with a minimum of a days rest in between.  You will begin to notice the difference very soon in your sprint speed and jump.  We hope you have great success with your athletic achievements!

Related: UNLOCKING YOUR HIP-FLEXORS...

Cheers,
Richard

Your Body's Most Powerful Muscle-The Hip Flexor

by Coach Chris Wilson,

Add 35 lbs to Your Deadlift Max in 15-Minutes

Listen, it’s not what you think. I’m not going to tell you about a new technique to try out or some costly specialized piece of equipment or even some underground secret training program.

This really has to do with one simple thing, but life-changing: UNLOCKING your hip flexors.

The 'power zone' as we call it in the sports world, lies within the center of the human body.  Sure, the arms and legs are super important for anyone wanting to add more speed, strength and muscle.  Elite athletes, however, understand that the source of the true power resides within the hips.

Every athlete from football to basketball, baseball to tennis, soccer to powerlifting, rely on the explosiveness that their hips and glutes possess.  You can talk to any coach or trainer throughout the world and he will agree with this assessment.

So what is the common thread that ties most athletes together?

Some might say speed, power or even strength, but the answer is actually much simpler than that. I’m talking about the athletic position or ready position found in most sports.

Imagine for a moment the linebacker in football, the shortstop in baseball, the goalie in hockey or the powerlifter on the platform and how their body looks. They all stand ready in a position of strength to either tackle someone, catch a ground ball, stop a puck or lift maximum weight.

For example, what does the powerlifter do right before performing a squat or deadlift?  They move into a strong athletic position as they mentally connect to every muscle in their body.  The result is they are able to create the maximum amount of power and force on the bar.

None of them would ever stand casually in an upright position seconds before having to perform. Why is that? Because they would not be able to generate ANY power from that position.

An athlete in almost any sport will stand with feet shoulder width (or wider) apart, knees flexed, butt back and torso tilted forward. They are balanced, grounded, strong and ready for anything that comes towards them.

From this position, anyone can react quickly, explosively and with tremendous power. If at any time the muscles in the hip area are compromised, athletic performance is undoubtedly affected and not in a good way.

When it comes to acceleration and speed, the hips are at the epicenter of power. Even though the squat or deadlift with maximum weight may not look very fast, the lifter is telling their body to move as fast as they can to move the load.

So when I assessed how much I sat every day on the computer and realized even though I train hard 5 days per week in the gym, my hips were in terrible condition. And knowing how critical the hips are when it comes to generating ultimate power, it was time to seek out a professional who could help me out.

After discussing this issue with Injury Specialist Rick Kaselj, I knew that if I could lengthen my hip flexors and undo all of that damage from sitting so much over the years, I could become more explosive and lift more weight.

Rick came to our facility and put me through a series of movement patterns and exercises. In only 15 minutes I had done not just static stretching (like most warm-up programs) but proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), dynamic stretching, 3-dimensional core stability exercises, mobility exercises, fascia stretching and even some muscle activation movements.

Immediately after performing all of these exercises, I felt READY. Ready to move. Ready to lift. I truly felt more powerful and energized than I had in years.

So what did I do? I went ahead and did some deadlifting. I literally added 35 lbs to my max lift after only doing this routine once. My hips were awake. The circulation through my ‘power zone’ was flowing and I felt incredible.

I know this sounds too good to be true but it is absolutely a night and day difference. Granted, this routine would need to be practiced daily for the results to continue but I couldn’t argue with the immediate results of this 15 minute routine.

By UNLOCKING my tight hips, I was able to perform at my best and instantly gain strength in my lifts.

Rick's program is called Unlock Your Hip Flexors and if you do any kind of explosive lifting it can definitely add pounds to your max without changing anything else.

NEXT PAGE

Cheers,

Richard
Muscle Fitnessa2z