Putting on LEAN muscle mass
I've been talking a lot recently about how to stay lean, but I also realized it is just as important to use this offseason to make further improvements where necessary and so I thought i should post some of my favourite basic pointers when it comes to putting on LEAN muscle mass. 1. Eat more, gradually. While it does basically come down to eating more, suddenly stuffing your body with more calories than it can handle will lead to unnecessary fat gain. (I will explain more of this later on) Instead, slowly increase your caloric intake at par with your training. (Another topic, I will also be bringing up later on) 2. Eat more protein. I'm sure you've heard this countless times and while calories from fat and carbohydrates gives you energy to train and function, it's your protein intake that will play the largest role in your recuperation. If you are going to increase your caloric intake, I'd strongly suggest to start with your protein intake. 3. Train hard, train heavy. Focus on compound movements that will help you strengthen multiple muscle groups in a single rep, and it will help you save energy. A stronger muscle is usually a bigger muscle and vice versa, so train to get strong! 💪 💪 4. Keep your bodyfat low. Yup, I know this sounds crazy, but as you can see from my social media, I am of the belief that it is important to stay at least in a lean condition as often as possible. This helps you identify any lagging bodyparts you might need to put in extra work. Also, I feel this helps my body utilize my calories better. 5. Be patient. Putting on lean muscle mass (and even shedding bodyfat) takes LOTS of time and effort, and many people often underestimate just how much work goes into it. Instead of chasing a specific number on a scale (be it weight loss or weight gain), my advice is incorporate these steps and allow them to become daily habits, the results will come at their own time, and sometimes as the most unexpected surprise.
