Men who are new to the sport of bodybuilding may feel that they’re at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to the fitness world and that it will take them decades of intense training to catch up to where more experienced bodybuilders are. However, there are several tips that aspiring male bodybuilders can use to build mass quickly and reach their goals in a shorter period of time. In this article, we’ll review the three major ways that new bodybuilders can maximize their gains quickly and catch up to the top of the fitness community.
Nutrition
Men who are looking to build mass as quickly as possible will need to pay careful attention to their daily macronutrient and caloric intake in order to ensure that they’re eating enough of the right foods each day. Two of the most important components to dieting for mass include total protein consumption as well as eating in a slight caloric surplus.
Most men should consume at least 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight during their bulk in order to supply their bodies with sufficient protein for recovery and growth. It’s also suggested for men to increase their overall caloric intake by 10-15%, which usually comes out to consuming an additional 300-500 extra calories per day.
One of the best ways for men to ensure that they consume both an adequate amount of protein as well as a slight caloric surplus is to incorporate protein shakes once or twice throughout the day. Egg white protein powder can be used to maximize the muscle-building process and provides optimal nutrition for performance and recovery. Bulk Supplements offers one of the highest quality egg white protein powders on the market that comes packed with 25 grams of protein per serving and contains no fat, which is ideal for quick protein absorption.
For best results, men should aim to consume protein shakes within an hour of training as well as during another meal throughout the day. When consuming egg white protein powder post-workout it’s important to consume it with a carbohydrate source that will provide extra calories and that is easily and quickly absorbed to help maximize muscle-building potential. If the shake is consumed during a meal outside of the training window men should combine it with a complex carbohydrate source and consider adding a few grams of fat to help raise overall caloric content.
Supplements and Supplement Stacking
Along with prioritizing nutrition, men who are looking how to maximize gains and muscle quickly should incorporate key supplements and consider supplement stacking to enhance the overall anabolic effects. One of the best supplements for men to use while bulking is creatine. Creatine is a substance that’s naturally produced in the body and aids muscles in producing energy. When taken as a supplement it helps bodybuilders to enhance strength, reduce overall recovery time, and boost their all-round performance.
In order to amplify its effects, creatine is oftentimes taken with companion supplements, particularly beta-alanine. Studies have shown that combining creatine and beta-alanine leads to a larger increase in overall muscle mass as compared to supplementing with creatine alone. Thus, it is recommended for men who choose to supplement with creatine also supplement with beta-alanine or another supplement that leads to synergistic effects. Typical creatine and beta-alanine stacks include the use of 4-6 grams of beta-alanine along with 6-10 grams of creatine monohydrate taken slightly prior to training.
How to maximize gains – Recovery
One of the most overlooked and undervalued components to gaining mass quickly is recovery. Recovery can be enhanced through the use of rest days, active recovery days, and extending nightly sleep cycles. Most male bodybuilders, especially those who want to reach their goals quickly, typically neglect the importance of recovery in training in hopes that their intense training and excess nutrient intake will take care of their goals.
However, without recovery, the body cannot repair properly or utilize key nutrients as efficiently. Thus, it is best for those looking to gain mass to view the recovery portion of their training process as important as their actual physical training and eating. In order to enhance protein synthesis, men should look to sleep an average of 7.5-9 hours per night and should also space out their training sessions adequately. Upper body training sessions should be spaced out by at least 48 hours whereas lower body training sessions should be spaced out by at least 72 hours.
Bodybuilders who just can’t resist going to the gym every day may instead want to implement active recovery on their off days through light cardio, foam rolling, or training smaller muscle groups. When in doubt, men should train every other day or take off at least one day a week from training to properly rest.
How to maximize gains – Putting it all together
Men who are new to the sport of bodybuilding can speed up the muscle-building process by optimizing their nutrition, supplementation, and recovery. Men should ensure that they dial in on their nutrition through the use of properly timed protein shakes that contain high-quality protein and carbohydrates which will aid protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment. Additionally, they should incorporate creatine to boost muscular energy and combine it with synergistic supplements to form their own mass gaining supplement stack. Finally, men should not overlook the recovery process and should maximize their time spent towards sleep and active recovery.
