You see them on magazines and on TV, men and women who look like their arms and legs will explode as their muscles are so huge! There is no need for you to take your body to that level if you don’t wish to, as the simple strategies in this article will help you to build muscle in a healthy manner.

If you would like to build more muscle mass, try to do less repetitions of heaver weights. You will need to increase your weight gradually and strive to lift the heaviest that you possibly can for a minimum of five repetitions. When you can life for five repetitions, it is time to increase weights.

Eat a lot of protein. It’s a well known fact that the more protein your body can store, the more muscle you can build. Try to have at least one gram of the protein you need for every pound that you weigh. For instance, a 150 pound woman should attempt to eat approximately 150 grams, meat and other protein, every day.

Consider drinking a protein shake before starting your weight-training workouts. Liquid minerals tend to be absorbed quicker in the body than solid food, so think about having a shake filled with protein, about 10 to 20 grams. The protein shake will help give you a boost of protein to encourage protein synthesis, which is the way to building muscles.

If you are working toward “bulking up” your muscles, do not do cardio for more than 90 minutes per workout. Too much cardio can cause the body to form “lean muscle” instead of the bulk that you desire. Cardio is very important, but put a limit on it for best results.

Lifting heavy weights is productive for many parts of the body, but you should avoid lifting extreme amounts of weight when you are working out by performing neck work, dips and split squats. If the exercise puts you in a joint position that is unfavorable, keep the weight limit to a reasonable level.

You must ingest quite a bit of protein in order to build up muscle. A good way to get all of the protein needed is to consume supplements and protein shakes. They are best when taken right after you work out, or before going to bed. If you would like to drop fat and build muscle at the same time, you should just consume one per day. Try having three a day when you want to get bigger while building muscle.

While training hard to build muscle, make sure to consume plenty of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide your body with the glucose that it needs for energy. When you’re working hard you need energy to survive. Failure to consume enough carbohydrates can result in your body breaking down muscle to provide it with the protein and carbohydrates that it needs to survive.

For good muscle growth, you must eat properly both before and after a workout. Without the proper fuel, you will slow down the progress you want to make. Some good foods to eat for those pre and post-workout meals can be oatmeal, low-fat yogurt, egg whites and whole grain wheat toast.

Do not attempt extreme cardio training with weight training. Done within reason, this combo can be truly beneficial for your health, but when done in extreme fashions can contradict one another minimizing the results that you see from either one of them. Pick one to focus on and stay committed to working on it regularly.

Before you workout, drink a shake that is filled with amino acids along with carbohydrates and protein. This will increase the way your body deals with protein, and will help you get the look that you are craving. Anytime, you are consuming a liquid meal; your body will absorb it faster than eating a regular meal.

Spread your workouts out so that you are only lifting weights every other day. Spend one day working out your entire body, and then use the next day to rest. Your muscles will grow while you rest, not while you are working out. Even though it might feel like you are doing nothing on your days off, your body is still working hard.

Several people mistakenly increase protein intake when building muscle mass. This can cause excess calories to accumulate. If those calories aren’t burned while working out, fat gain may result. Gradually boost your protein intake by just a hundred calories a day or so. This gives your body the opportunity to convert the new fuel into muscle tissue.

Strong, toned arms or legs can look amazing. Not only will you look great, but you’ll be better able to carry heavy objects or work for longer periods of time without tiring. The best part is that a toned body is less susceptible to disease. With all these great benefits, it’s up to you to take what you’ve learned here and use it.