Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Muscle Growth Explained

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Muscle Growth Explained

    People often get confused as to how muscles actually grow. I find it important to have muscle growth explained before you start a muscle building program. If you don't know how a muscle grows how do you expect to make your muscles get bigger?

    It is important to understand that muscles are about 70% water and 22% protein. The muscle tissues consists mostly of strands of a thin protein known as Actin and a thick protein called Myosin. When a muscle contracts it basically shortens the cells by sliding Actin and Myosin over each other. Muscles also use two other proteins, Calcium and Magnesium to help contractions by forming cross-bridges.

    Muscle growth is a result of demands that are put on the cells by intensity of the muscle contraction. During a strenuous exercise the Actin and Myosin proteins are broken in to a bunch of little pieces. While the body is resting between workouts the Actin and Myosin are repaired to what they were like before the intense workout. The stress caused by the breakdown o f the two proteins makes the body lay down more proteins to prepare itself for the next time the muscle needs to be used this hard. This process will make the cells stronger and allow it to hold more water all of this together means bigger muscle.

    When you think about how this works it will help you understand that if you are trying to build bigger muscles that you need to push your muscles to exhaustion every time you workout. Simple pushing your muscles to the edge of exhaustion will not cause enough tearing to build noticeable muscles.

    The fact that when you explain muscle growth it becomes apparent that the muscles that were worked out need time to rest in order for those new proteins to be laid down. If you workout the same muscles without a rest period you will reach exhaustion faster, but it will be for nothing. Since your body has not had time to rebuild the muscle it will not tear any new cells.

    This need for a rest between workouts doesn't mean you can't workout everyday when you are trying to build huge muscles. It just means that you shouldn't workout the same muscles until they have had time to rest. Many good bodybuilders will work on one muscle group per day which allows the muscles they used the day before the proper time to rest and grow.

    Another way to help you rebuild your muscles faster is to take supplements that help your muscles grow faster. These protein supplements should be high in Branched Chain Amino Acids. These types of amino acids feed the muscles the protein the need to rebuild faster.

    Weight lifting alone will not help you build bigger muscles. You will need a proper diet that combines proteins, good carbohydrates and essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6. You will also want to drink a lot of fluids to help keep your muscles "oiled" and your body hydrated.
Working...
X