As the saying goes, "methods are many, principles are few,
methods may change, but principles never do." This has just
as much validity with weight training and bodybuilding as
it does anything else. Every day we hear of revolutionary
new workout programs, exercises, tricks, quick fix's, you
name it. Though I can't say I agree on many of the
different "methods" of gaining weight and building muscle
mass these days, the principles for reaching your goals
will always remain the same.
As a result, I have created what I call, "The Ten Success
Principles for Fast Muscle Mass Building." I have listed
these principles so that even the skinniest hardgainer can
apply and grow from. Follow these principles, ingrain them
in your mind, and you will be on the right track for long
term success from your efforts. If you're wondering what is
the best way to build muscle fast, then your answers are
below. All you have to do is apply these principles.
Principle 1: You Don't Know what You Don't Know - Become a
Student
When we realize that you don't know what you don't know, we
can become more teachable and absorb knowledge that we can
apply to better our results from the gym. If you have the
"know-it-all" attitude, that simply means you are stagnate
and your mind will never grow past its current state.
Become a student for life to weight training and
bodybuilding, read as much material as you can about each
subject: training, diet, supplements, the whole works. One
word of caution is this: be careful where you get your
opinions and information. Only seek those with proven
results, and watch out for "arm chair experts" and
"magazine bodybuilders."
Principle 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Far too many trainees today just wonder aimlessly around in
the gym doing whatever exercise they like and working out
whenever they feel like it. If you don't have a target,
you're going to hit it with amazing accuracy! In other
words, if you don't know EXACTLY what you are trying to
achieve by going to the gym each day, you're never going to
get anywhere. Always make sure you're on a program, and
stick with it to the end. Figure out your "why" and you
will be able to overcome any "how." Always go to the gym
knowing exactly what you are going to do down to the last
rep of the last exercise.
Principle 3: You Get What You Picture
As David Schwartz says in his fantastic book, The Magic of
Thinking Big, "Belief, strong belief, triggers the mind to
figuring ways and means and how-to...Disbelief is negative
power. When the mind disbelieves or doubts, the mind
attracts "reasons" to support disbelief." Always go to the
gym with a positive attitude and a firm belief that you are
progressively gaining muscle mass. Wipe out all negative
belief about your success or you will pay the price of
getting exactly what you pictured.
Principle 4: There is No Great Success without Great
Commitment
If you are not committed, you can be swayed. Fix in your
mind exactly the results you want, and commit to yourself
that you will do what it takes to get it. When you are
committed, truly committed, no petty thought or
inconvenience will ever stop you on your way to your goal.
You will be unstoppable and your end in mind will be a
forgone conclusion. As Yoda said, "There is no try, only
do."
Principle 5: You Are Only Defeated When you Accept Defeat
as a Reality, and Decide to Stop Trying
Failure is a HUGE key to success. The price of success is
thousands of failures. Those not willing to pay that price
will not succeed in getting the body they want. As long as
you learn from your experience you will always be moving
forward. Continue to learn and perform, and do this cycle
over and over and over until you succeed. Success is often
right after where most people quit. Remember, "Quitters
never win, winners never quit."
Principle 6: Less is More - Quality, not Quantity
When you goal is to gain weight and/or build muscle mass,
always keep your workouts short. All your muscles need is
an intense workout with compound exercises and 110% effort,
a few days a week. Don't think that by training 7 days a
week for 2 or 3 hours a day will produce better results.
Focus on a few exercises, a couple days a week for no
longer then 90 minutes tops. Overtraining is one of the
major causes of failure when trying to gain weight and
build muscle. Don't confuse ambition with workout time,
it's not how much time you put into the gym, it's what you
put into the time you're at the gym that counts.
Principle 7: Major on Compound Exercises
Though there are literally thousands of workout programs
you can find today, one truth that will never change for
gaining muscle mass is that compound exercises have and
will always be the best of the best. Exercises such as
squats, the bench press, and bent-over rows will always
remain at the top of any successful bodybuilders list.
Focus on these and other core compound exercises and you'll
never be disappointed in your results.
Principle 8: Hard Work
Nothing beats good old fashioned hard work, and what better
way to express it than weight training. Unfortunately, the
media today is always trying to make your workout and
exercises "easier." If you want to build a mass of muscle,
you're going to have to poor out some blood and sweat and
tears, no two ways about it. As long as you follow a few
solid workouts for muscle mass and are using safety
cautions and common sense, then push yourself to your limit
each and every workout. You're never going to ease your way
to true muscle mass, even if you trained easy for a
thousand years.
Principle 9: Progressive Overload
If you want more muscle mass, you're going to have to
continue to add weight on a regular basis, period. This is
one of the most basic but overlooked principles in gaining
muscle mass. Get in the habit of progressively adding
weight whenever you can. The moment you settle and stop
pushing yourself is the moment your muscle mass gains will
begin to stagnate. Resistance is the only opportunity for
growth. The worst thing you can do is hit a goal without
setting another one in advance.
Principle 10: A Proper Diet
I couldn't leave this one out. After all, the food you eat
is the direct fuel for your muscles to grow. You can
workout until the cows come home but without a proper diet
plan for building muscle mass your body simply will not
grow, it's not physically possible too! It is an absolute
must to know the correct food to eat to build muscle
properly. Refer to the first principle and learn all you
can about dieting for muscle mass so that you can get the
most for your efforts in the gym.
----------------------------------------------------
Derek Manuel is the author of the best-selling, "How to
Gain Weight and Build Muscle for Hardgainers". If you want
to learn how you too can gain 20 to 30 pounds of solid
muscle in as short as 8 weeks, or if you just want more
quality information on how to gain weight and build muscle,
please visit http://www.hardgainers-weight-tips.com
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