Exercises You Need to Do to Gain Muscle Mass

Have you been hitting the gym for a while but don’t seem to be putting on much muscle weight? While a lot of people may be hitting the gym to lose some bulk, are you desperately trying to put on some bulk? If so, you know how frustrating it can be. There are a lot of things that factor into how easily you will put on muscle. At the foundation of everything is genetics. Some people are always going to have a harder time gaining weight than others. Notice that last sentence said a “harder” time, but not an impossible time. You can add weight and muscle to your body—you just have to have a plan and stick with it.

Here are some helpful tips about the types of exercises you should be doing to gain weight.

Stay Away from the Machines

If you go to the gym to lift weights, hit the free weights. Don’t waste your time and effort on the machines, if you really want to pack on some muscle. You need to concentrate on doing compound exercises to stimulate muscle growth. Compound exercises are those movements that tax entire groups of muscles rather than isolating a small area. The Bench Press, the Dead-lift, the Squat and Barbell Rows should form the foundation of your workout plan. You can do other exercises, but make sure that these types of movements are the majority of the exercises that you do. Compound movements done with heavy weights are going to be your biggest ally in the battle to gain weight.

Cut Back on Cardio

Don’t head into the gym and spend hours doing cardio work. It’s important to get some cardio work in for your general health but keep it to a minimum for now. You want to focus all of your energy on gaining weight. If you are burning calories and sweating away at the treadmill, chances are you will not be putting on weight. Use the cardio area to warm up and cool down for the next few months. Don’t spend longer than 15 minutes doing each and don’t try to do any high intensity cardio either. Both of these things are going to be counterproductive to your weight gain efforts.

Keep these tips in mind as you attempt to gain more weight. Keep your energy focused on the task at hand and you will start to see improvements and weight gain before long.

Written by Anna George of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your best source for the Shaun t Insanity program. http://www.ultimatefitnessgear.com/insanity-with-shaun-t.html