The Simple Way To Build Muscle – Learning From Old-School Fitness Advice
We live in the information age. There’s so much knowledge being fed to us every second with so little time to actually digest it, that we end up more confused than when we started. This is also what’s happening with the fitness advice of today. There’s so much information on new “special techniques to get you strong”, that we forget about the simple, core exercises that have been proven to work for decades. In that spirit, I’ve listed the three core exercises for building muscle.
[Unlike other places, you'll never hear me lecture about the biology of muscle growth in prehistoric animals. Here at The Fitness Adviser, you'll get practical, easy to understand advice on how to meet your fitness goals.]
It’s Time To Get Old School
There’s a reason doing 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions has been so popular up until now for building muscle. It’s because it’s simple, and it works. If you’re looking to put on muscle, find a weight that for your particular exercise, you can’t do more than 10 repetitions with, but that you can do more than 6. Then do 3 sets. When you’re done, eat some carbs, vegetables, and protein, and you’re on your way to getting ripped. Sound simple? That’s because it is.
The Bench Press
There’s a reason the bench press is a staple exercise in most gyms. It’s an awesome staple exercise that works your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Here’s a video of a 64 year old showing us how it’s done. It’s pretty amazing actually!
The Squat
Yep, I’ve been over this before. I think squats are not only an amazing exercise for your legs, but if done right, can help prevent knee injuries. The kicker is that if done wrong, they won’t prevent injuries but will bring ‘em on. So make sure you have a professional trainer teach you proper form, and train without weight for the first week!
The Deadlift
I once read on Wikipedia that the deadlift is the oldest test of strength, dating back to ancient cultures that lifted stones. Granted, not everything you read on Wikipedia is true, but it sounds good. Anyway, the deadlift is awesome for testing real world strength since it forces you to lift an object off the ground. It works your legs, lower back, and glutes. Here’s a video.
Nutrition Is Key
As always, any workout is ineffective without proper nutrition backing it up. You don’t have to eat 6 meals a day to put on muscle, but you do have to watch your calorie intake and adjust it depending on whether you want to gain weight or lose weight. (Eat more calories than you use to gain weight, Less calories than you use to lose.) Naturally, the main thing is to eat a balanced diet of nuts, fruits, vegetables, lean meat and some whole wheat bread.
You Can Always Add More Exercises
There are hundreds of different exercises to do, and they’re all great. The three exercises listed here are the most simple exercises for putting on weight and are generally said to give the “most bang for your buck.” That being said, as time progresses and you learn what works for your own body, don’t hesitate to switch up your routine and try different things.
So, do you agree that people make things too complicated nowadays? Leave a comment and let me know!
To supplement your excellent page here, Mark Rippetoe has a great book called “Starting Strength’. He is an experienced coach who makes these lifts easy for the novice, and better for the experienced. Lift safely!