Top 7 Mass building rules

Hold that Contraction

The key to building more size is forcing your muscles to contract against more and more resistance. To get maximum fiber stimulation and extra stress on the muscles fight to hold the weight in the contracted position for a count of two to three after each repetition. Another variation would be to hold the weight in the contracted position against resistance until failure. An example would be for side lateral raises hold the weight in the top position for 20 seconds or until failure work up to 30 seconds of holding that contraction for six to eight reps and then move up in weight.

Stretch for Size

It has long been held at stretching prior to and after each exercise will activate more fibers during your strength training session. Stretching will also guard against muscle pulls in tears. Scientist believe that stretching a muscle increases the number of anabolic receptors and initiates the release of good prostaglandins which enhance muscle growth tremendously.

Feel the Burn

You should strive for a pump and burn in every body part at every workout, this has proven to trigger growth. In doing this you may use super sets or descending sets to achieve. You may want to use superset or descending sets every 4-6 weeks for a week. Try it if you have not done this before you'll realize tremendous gains. This will add to more vascularity, muscle size and greater pumps.


Work till Failure

It has long been held that working till muscular failure will increase muscle size in activate more muscle fibers. You should make sure to keep good form during all exercises while going to failure. Do not swing the weights or create any momentum during the exercise. You may find that you will not be able to use as much weight but you will realize greater gains. Once and while it is good to perform negative sets after you've gone to failure but you will need a partner for most exercises.


Positive Nitrogen Balance

It is important to take in amino acids, expressly branch chain amino acids, and protein before and after workouts to replenish muscles. You do not want to starve the muscles after a good workout. You do not want to canabolize your muscles, so have a protein shake and amino acids 30 minutes prior to a workout and again within 45 minutes of finishing. This will keep you in positive nitrogen balance


Controlled sets

In performing your exercises it is important to perform them in a controlled fashion and try to decrease any momentum generated. This will better stimulate the target muscles along the complete line of its fibers and provide more attention for growth. You want to keep tension throughout the entire range of motion.


Vary your Workouts

It is a good habit to vary your exercises and sets often. You will then trick the muscles as they will not get accustomed to the same workout all the time. For instance, if you work chest with bench presses, incline bench press and then flat flyes, you can change the order of exercises so the next time you work chest you start with flyes, then incline bench and then flat bench. You many also change exercises so the next week you work chest you start with incline bench, incline flyes and flat flyes or dumb presses.