Things You Should Know About Building Muscle

Most of us are great at putting on a bit of winter weight, but what happens when muscle is the kind of weight you're after? Put down the Christmas cookies and take a rest day. There's a whole lot more to building muscle than simply pounding protein shakes. Check out these five things you should know about building muscle.

1. Train Smarter

There are two types of muscle growth (hypertrophy) to be concerned with: sarcoplasmic, which increases the volume of sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell, and myofibrillar, which increases the size of the muscle by increasing the contractile proteins.

"Some people would argue that sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is muscle that's all show and no go, while myofibrillar is more functional muscle, or 'all go'," says strength and nutrition coach Adam Rosante. For both, he advises adopting a training programme that mixes heavy weights and low rep schemes as well as lower weight, higher rep ones. "It'll give you size and strength that's for both show and go."

RELATED: The Rapid Muscle Gain Session, By The PT That Built Wolverine

2. Eat More

Fact: Muscles respond to calories. If you're looking to pack on more muscle than you have now, you'll need to increase how much you're eating. No, not the kind of calories found in insane amounts of buffalo wings or a dozen pints. You need high-quality protein, the best muscle food, throughout your day. The good news? None of this has to be complicated.

Unless you're a physique model or professional bodybuilder, there is absolutely no reason to hyper-track calories or measure your food on a scale. Rosante suggests to his clients to eat three to four full meals, or three meals and a snack, each day. On each of those plates, consume:

- 2 palm-sized portions of lean protein
- 2 fist-sized portions of veggies
- 2 cupped palm sized portions of carbs (fruit or starch)

Training extra hard? Toss in an additional cupped palm-sized portion of carbs at any one of those meals. On the go? Make sure to bring a protein source with you. For Swerve Fitness instructor Jason Tran, he's always got a protein bar in his bag (he opts for Detour Smart Bars himself). "It helps me maximise muscle growth," he says.

3. Find The Right Partner

It's no secret: You're more likely to stick to a workout schedule if you make a date out of it. Plus, working out with a partner actually increases your work ethic, according to one study published in the Society of Behavioral Medicine. "Bringing a friend along to the gym forces me to work harder," says Tran. "I'm also more comfortable lifting heavier knowing I have a spotter."

4. Shake It Up

Protein shakes are a must for most guys looking to add size. The trick? Make sure you're loading up the smart way, not the wrong way. Two scoops of protein powder is more than enough for your post-sweat shake. "I usually opt for 1 to 2 scoops of Pure Protein's Natural Vanilla," says Rosante. "No matter your brand, vanilla makes a great base for most shakes, especially if you're adding other things like nut butter or fruits."

RELATED: The Ultimate Protein Shake Flavour Taste Test

5. Take a Rest

"Your muscles grow when you're resting, not working out," says Tran. A general rule of thumb? Take 48 hours minimum between training the same muscle group, and make sure you're giving them what they need during that off time. Happy muscles need carbohydrates and (gasp!) even some fat, and also to be stretched properly. While static stretching a cold muscle is a no-go, and can even cause tears, stretching a muscle after heavy sets can improve recovery.

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