Resting For Muscle Growth

Aw, yes, rest.

Perhaps nothing is more frustrating to me then trying to convince a beginner that his spending 2 hours in the gym every day without rest won't make him a big man. Rather, he'll likely end up losing muscle.

Tell the beginner that and he'll often just stare back at you with glossy eyes. He'll think you are just underestimating his determination. He'll think you're way to conservative and that you don't understand that he wants big time results and he wants them in a hurry.

I understand the "beginner logic." In virtually all phases of life we are justly rewarded for long, hard work. Study 5 hours a day for a test and you'll get a better grade then the guy who studies just one every other day. Stay after work everyday and you'll be in line for the promotion before the guy who simply clocks out at 5:00 and heads home to watch South Park. Spend every waking moment practicing your PS3 skills and you'll be able to kick all your friend's asses with a joystick.

But bodybuilding can put you in bizarro world. Here you get rewarded for a little intense effort followed by ample relaxation. And you can get punished harshly for too much intense effort in the gym.

It is quite a change from the reality you thought you knew. Suddenly you get rewarded for kicking up the feet and watching South Park? Suddenly you're the one packing on muscle while your over-achieving friend labors for hours on end at the gym with no results? Suddenly you're kicking your friend's asses without the need of a joystick?

The reason this occurs lies in the science behind muscle growth. It's explained rather well and without getting complicated in this article...

A Day of Rest Is A Must For Muscles.

And if you want to hear me rant a little more on the subject, see this article at the site...

Adequate Rest To Avoid Overtraining And Maximize Muscle Gain.

Now, I'm going to check my email and just pray I don't find another one notifying me that they have decided to triple up on one of my sample bodybuilding routines and will let me know the "spectacular" results they get from their ultra-aggressive approach. I already know the results - they'll soon feel weaker, they'll find the only weight they gain will be a little body fat, they'll likely get colds and flus as their immune systems are beaten down, etc.

JP Clifford

Muscle Building "Superfoods"

Here's a pretty good list of "superfoods" for bodybuilding.

Eating For Muscle Gain

The list...

1. Eggs


2. Almonds


3. Salmon


4. Yogurt


5. Beef


6. Olive Oil


7. Water


8. Coffee

Hey, where's chicken and tuna? It's pretty rare that those two don't make these types of lists.

The problem I have with these types of lists is that some people tend to take them to mean that if they just eat these foods, they can expect good sized gains. I'll get emails from people confused as to why they aren't growing even though they eat an egg every morning and a tuna sandwich for lunch.

Always remember, it isn't just the quality of foods you put into your body, it is also the QUANTITY. To support muscle growth, you have to create a caloric surplus -- you have to give the body the raw materials it needs to build muscle above and beyond what it needs to keep you functioning.

The golden rule of muscle building...

If you aren't gaining, you aren't eating enough to gain.

What and how much to eat to build muscle and gain weight?

It is when you eat a quality balanced diet (that includes solid choices like the muscle building superfoods above) and eat that diet in sufficient quantity to supply the body with surplus calories that you really have something.

When you consistently do that and add in a solid weight training program, you build muscle and grow like a weed.

JP Clifford

Bigorexia

"Hey, I'm skinny and I can't seem to gain any weight. I'm 5'10", 205 lbs. with 8% body fat. I've tried everything to put on weight over the past 6 months. Can you give me any ideas so that I can wear shorts this summer without people staring at my chicken legs?"

Believe it or not, I've gotten emails like the one above. Here's a hint, if you're scale says you weigh 205 lbs. at 5'10", one of two things is going on:

1. Your scale is broken


2. You are not skinny

Most likely, you are not skinny. And you may have a condition called Bigorexia.

Yep, it's a real term and a real illness, the opposite of anorexia. Its technical name is Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder.

Check this report: Bigorexia: A Muscle Building Obsession.

Long before the shrinks gave this disorder a name, its existence was evident. In every gym, there has always been that well-built guy who always works out in baggy sweats. You sit there thinking, "Damn, if I had that physique, I'd be showing it off." And if you tell them that, they reply that their calves are puny or their delts are practically non-existent.

Bodybuilding and the pursuit of getting bigger isn't a bad thing. It can be a healthy pursuit. But it can definitely work its way into obsession that negatively impacts your life.

Kerry Dulin has a good article on his bout with the disorder, including a list of questions to ask yourself if you feel you may be afflicted.

I'd add one more to his list of questions -- If you think your being stared at because you're so skinny and yet the scales tell you that you weigh more than the average NFL player for your height, you need to step back and consider seeking help.

Bodybuilding should be something you enjoy, not something that controls your life.

JP Clifford
http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com