5 Important Fitness Keys in Building Muscle That Need to Be Heeded

• Bli Ilha
• 2022 October 01T09:27
• Health Fitness

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As you age, muscles will be more difficult to build and maintain. In fact, you may lose muscle mass starting in your 30s. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help with the muscle building process.

How does the process of muscle building occur?

Skeletal muscle is one of the type of muscle tissue the most adaptable

The size of this muscle will continue to increase along with the strenuous exercise you do. This process of muscle building is known as muscle hypertrophy.

When muscle fibers are injured, the result is hypertrophy. This condition encourages the satellite cells on the outside of the muscle fiber to become active.

These satellite cells will try to repair muscle damage. This process will increase muscle fibers to make them stronger for strenuous activities in the future.

Hormones are also responsible for muscle building, such as: growth hormone or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) which controls the work of satellite cells.

In addition, this hormone will also trigger the body’s metabolism and help convert protein into amino acids that are useful for building your muscles.

The process of building muscle in each person takes a different time. This may depend on age, gender, and genetics.

Even so, you generally need a few weeks or months to see muscle changes from consistent exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

An important key in building muscle

Exercising in the gym every day you don’t really need to build muscle. In fact, 20–30 minutes of weight training two to three times a week is sufficient.

However, you should target all major muscle types at least twice during your weekly workout.

To make your training program easier, here are some key things to keep in mind while trying to build muscle.

1. Get adequate protein intake

Consuming enough protein is essential if you want to put on muscle.

Amino acids from protein, along with other nutrients, will be used by your body to maintain, enhance, and develop your muscle fibers.

If you want your muscles to grow and heal, your body needs amino acids.

The body can’t begin the process of constructing muscle without the essential amino acids provided by food, particularly leucine.

Try drinking three glasses of low- or fat-free milk and eating 0.08 kilograms of low-fat protein sources every day if you want to bulk up.

You can also get protein for muscle from other sources, such as:

• chicken eggs
• skinless chicken
• beef, low-fat
• fish
• tofu

2. Utilizing carbohydrates as an energy source

Another nutrient that your body needs in building muscle is carbohydrates, which are useful as an energy source.

Both performance and muscle growth will suffer if carbohydrates are not consumed in sufficient amounts.

Carbohydrates from food are broken down into compounds glycogen in muscles and liver. Muscles store glycogen for later use as a quick source of energy during workouts.

If the body does not get enough carbohydrates, glycogen levels will be depleted and affect blood sugar levels muscle mass.

Therefore, you can choose to consume foods with complex carbohydrates, such as:

• • wheat pasta
  • brown rice
  • fruits
  • vegetables
  • potatoes

• oatmeal

3. Choosing healthy fats

Muscle growth requires a variety of nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Fat is the primary source of fuel for working muscles.

Each individual has a unique requirement for fat. Twenty percent to thirty-five percent of one’s calorie needs per day should come from fat.

For the sake of building muscle, try to focus on sources of healthy fats, such as:

• nuts such as soybeans
• , vegetable oils such as olive oil,
• fatty fish such as mackerel and tuna

4. Cardio exercise

In addition to diet, don’t forget to exercise regularly, one of which is with cardio exercise, such as jogging, cycling, or swimming.

Cardio exercise can increase heart rate and breathing. In fact, this type of exercise is known to help muscle growth and function.

However, this effect is typically observed in inactive older adults.

Researchers from the journal Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews recommend this exercise is done at an intensity of 70-80% reserve heart rate.

For cardio, you can spend 30–45 minutes of each session at least four to five days each week.

5. Weightlifting

Weightlifting and other forms of resistance training are also beneficial for muscle growth.

This muscle strength training may look simple, but it requires proper form in order to be effective.

Select a weight that challenges your muscles, and work up to a rep range of 12-15.

If you find the weight too light, you can work up to your muscles’ absolute limit if you increase it slowly at first.

A maximum-weight set of 12 weights is often more effective at muscle-building than three sets of lighter weights.

Easy tips on exercises to build muscle

Initially, all the ways to build muscle that have been described above may seem difficult. What’s more, when you feel the muscles start sick after exercising.

Not infrequently this condition makes many people lazy to continue their program.

Therefore, it is important to know the following tips that will make it easier for you to increase muscle mass.

• Always start your workout with warm for 5-10 minutes.
• Set the exercise to a minimum of three to eight sets of 12 repetitions in one set.
• Choose weights that are heavy enough to fatigue the muscles in 8–15 repetitions, then increase the weight and number of repetitions gradually.
• Try doing different types of exercises to keep your muscle building program challenging.

If you have further questions, please consult a doctor or personal trainer to find the right solution.

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