One of the problems you may encounter during training is a lack of progress. You work hard, go to the gym and watch what you eat, but there are no visible results? It’s time to figure out what’s holding you back.
So, what do you need to do to grow muscle? The process of increasing muscle mass is called hypertrophy. Two key components are necessary for muscle growth:
- sufficient amounts of amino acids — we get them from protein foods;
- growth stimulation — to activate muscle growth, you need to regularly exercise your muscles by doing strength training.
In addition, some people may need more energy, and for this, they need to review their diet and consume more calories. In one of our articles, we talked about how to create conditions for muscle growth.
But what can actually hinder muscle growth?
Lack of a training plan
If you are just starting to exercise, it can be difficult to create a training plan on your own. Try watching video tutorials from experienced fitness bloggers and trainers.
Choose exercises that match your fitness level. Keep in mind that advanced exercises can be difficult for beginners.
In addition, intense workouts often target specific muscle groups, so we recommend including a variety of exercises in your programme to work all your muscles evenly.
You can also consult a professional trainer who will create a training plan specifically for you.
Too much cardio
Cardio training does not reduce the effectiveness of muscle-building exercises; on the contrary, it can increase their effectiveness. The main thing is to combine strength and aerobic training correctly.
Intense cardio before strength training can drain your energy reserves. This can prevent you from lifting the right weight or doing enough reps to really work your muscles.
Be sure to include cardio training in your daily routine, as it has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and promotes effective fat burning. But if your main goal is to build muscle mass, it is better to do cardio after strength training or even on a different day.
Not allowing your muscles to recover
The best way to stimulate muscle growth is to allow them to recover. During intense training, muscles suffer micro-damage, and it can take several days for them to regenerate. Insufficient rest for your muscles can lead to a decrease in your performance and reduced results from subsequent workouts.
Everyone needs rest according to their individual characteristics. It is necessary to regularly arrange days off so that the body can recover. It is also recommended to practise active recovery by doing moderate-paced exercises, such as swimming or walking, to improve blood circulation and speed up muscle recovery.
Not alternating exercises
If you have been following the same training programme for a long time, it may be time to make some adjustments. This will increase your motivation and the effectiveness of your workouts, as well as make your sessions more enjoyable.
Alternating between different muscle groups also promotes harmonious development of the whole body.
Incorrect or insufficient nutrition for muscle growth
What should you eat to grow muscle? To develop muscle, it is important to get enough vitamins and minerals. Try to eat more vegetables and fruit.
You also need enough carbohydrates. They accumulate in the muscles in the form of glycogen. During training, muscles use stored glycogen as their main source of energy. This is especially important when performing high- and medium-intensity exercises, as a decrease in glycogen levels affects our performance.
Carbohydrates help replenish muscle glycogen stores, speeding up the recovery process and allowing muscles to cope with heavy loads. It is also believed that carbohydrates can promote muscle growth, as they transmit growth signals.
Furthermore, as practice shows, you need to consume more calories to grow muscle mass. If you don’t get enough calories, you may not have enough strength to train, and your muscles will not get the necessary load. Moreover, your muscles may not have enough resources to grow.
You don’t eat enough protein
Anyone who exercises actively is recommended to consume approximately 1.6-2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight. So for a person weighing 70 kg, the protein intake range is 112 to 140 g per day.
By eating two servings of chicken breast a day, you get about 86 g of protein. However, this is significantly below the recommended intake. It can be quite difficult to get the right amount of protein from food alone.
Protein supplements, containing 20 to 30 g of protein in a single shake, are easy to prepare and convenient to use. More and more sports enthusiasts and those who want to maintain muscle mass are trying protein supplements and are happy with the results.