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Men’s fitness
Although there are many men who want to be in good shape, to achieve true men’s fitness, a man has to not only want to be in great shape, but he also needs to have a deep down desire to do what it takes to get it done.
When men think about improving their physique, one of the things that they most often want to do is build muscle mass. While there are a variety of ways that this can be done, perhaps the best way to do it is to use a mixture of different methods.
Because men’s fitness is a science, there is not yet one amazing discovery that will help build muscle mass immediately. But, there is a mixture of exercises that, if followed, will help even the skinniest weakling begin to notice muscle develop in just a few days.
These are the 10 tips that should be followed by men if they want to truly attain a larger, more defined physique:
1. Add or manage fuel – Those who are on the lighter side need to start to pay more attention to what they are eating. Foods high in protein and carbohydrates will give a good basis to those people who need to put on a few pounds to build mass. Those who are already a bit bigger should follow closely their calorie intake to make sure that it follows guidelines that will be set. Before anything else, those who are overweight need to begin a cardiovascular work out to lose some weight if they want to be able to see any muscle tone or definition.
2. Run less – The cardiovascular work that is done by those who are in shape will not help to build muscle. Those who want to build mass need to try to run not more than a couple of times a week. And, even then, sprinting is much better for building tone and definition than distance running is.
3. Do more with less – When lifting, it is wise for those who are trying to add definition to lift less reps, but with more weight. This follows the same principle as running. By lifting heavier weights, fewer times, a man is able to send a “shock” to his muscles, causing them to tense up even more.
4. Keep a good mix – The best way to build muscle all over your body is to either alternate work outs or focus on the whole boy each day. For example, a day of upper body work should be followed by a day of lower body work. Or, the man working out could simply split up each day’s workout by doing half upper and half lower each day. The worst thing he could do is work one half of his body for several days in a row while ignoring the other half. This would be detrimental to his overall muscle development.
5. Be flexible – Stretching may be the number one thing that can help those who are working out to avoid any kinds of unnecessary injuries. A simple stretching regiment of just a few minutes before the workout will help ensure that no injuries should occur that would hamper future workouts. Stretching (and even taking yoga) is as much a part of proper men’s fitness as it is a part of women’s.
6. East several small meals – Experts advise eating five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones. Doing this allows a man’s body to get the carbohydrates and protein he needs, while at the same time allowing his body to more easily burn fat.
7. Change it up – Because new muscles cannot grow if the same workouts are performed over and over, those who are serious about building muscle mass should significantly change up their workout once every month or month-and-a-half. This will allow the muscles that may have been ignored another opportunity to be developed.
8. Involve all the muscles – By working out the muscles in each part of the body each day, men are able to produce and release more hormones. This is advantageous because the hormones are then able to help stimulate the growth of muscles throughout the day.
9. Drink protein shakes – If possible, it may be best to have a protein shake nearby that can be sipped on throughout small breaks during the workout. After the workout is over, drink a shake more quickly. This is better than eating a meal because solid food would take much longer to digest.
10. Rest – Contrary to what some may think, constantly trying to work out as much as possible is not the road to building muscle mass. A proper amount of rest (around eight hours) is needed each night. Also, it is best to train no more than four times per week.
The level of fitness that can be achieved by following these rules is quite high, but it is important to follow them thoroughly, and not deviate.
To learn more about men’s fitness, check out Men’s Fitness magazine:
http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/
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