The end of the bulking myth – why you can build muscle and lose body fat at the same time

Although a lot of real-world evidence and scientific studies on the composition of body tissues show that you can build muscle mass in a calorie deficit, the myth persists that muscle mass can only be built in excess calories. Accordingly, it is legitimate and even necessary to do so-called bulk (ing) phases. That means phases with increased calorie intake, in which you gain both fat and muscle mass. In order to then go back on the diet again, i.e. burn as much fat as possible without losing much of the muscle mass that you have built up.

Taking in calories can make a lot of sense if someone who is very slim, or generally someone who doesn’t mind building up a few pounds of fat, wants to build muscle and become heavier. However, it is not necessary to consume an excess of calories in order to build muscle at all if there is still enough body fat from which the body can feed or if you want to keep your body fat percentage.

SchmieDer Philipp Born has built up 3.6 kg of clearly visible muscle mass over a period of 24 weeks, reducing his body fat percentage by 1%.

The crucial mistake in the logic of impossible muscle building with a negative calorie balance is as follows:

A calorie is a unit of energy – not a unit of weight!

This becomes clear when you look at the energy content of the individual macronutrients:

Protein: 4.1 kcal./g

Carbohydrates: 4.1 kcal./g

Fat: 9.3 kcal./g

Proteins and carbohydrates contain less than half the energy per gram like fat. With the same weight, fat contains much more energy. It is no different from body tissue.

1 kilogram of body fat contains approx. 7000 kcal. The difference to pure fat, which contains 9300 kcal./kg, is that body fat cells also contain some protein and liquid in addition to fat.

1 kilogram of muscle mass only contains approx. 1200 kcal. Also, a difference to pure protein, since a muscle consists mostly of water (about 80%).

That means if you have a deficit of 500 calories, i.e. 500 kcal, every day for two weeks. If you consume less than you consume, you would have a deficit of 7000 kcal. achieved in these two weeks.

However, if you gain a kilogram of muscle mass in these two weeks, you add 1200 kcal. to his calorie balance.

The calculation looks like this: -7000 kcal + 1200 kcal. = -5800 kcal.

Note: These numbers are not correct for every person on the calorie because we are all individually different. It is just a calculation example to make it clear why you can burn body fat and build muscle mass at the same time. However, the relationship between the energy content of the different body tissues should have become obvious.

So you are still in a big caloric deficit and have lost 1 kg of body fat and built up 1 kg of muscle mass. But the scales show -1 kg fat + 1 kg muscles = 0 kg difference in two weeks because energy is not a unit of weight. Stored energy in the form of one kilogram of fat was lost and (less) stored energy in the form of one kilogram of muscle mass was added.

Changing the diet here now, since supposedly nothing has happened, would be a mistake. Therefore, I use the YPSI skin fold measurement next to the scale to see whether fat or lean mass is lost or built up.

If you feel better, get stronger in the gym and your pants widen, these are good signs that you are on the right path – even if the scales cannot show it.

Do you want to get leaner, stronger and fitter?

Then you can now easily arrange a free and non-binding initial consultation for yourself!

How much muscle can you gain in a year?

“How much muscle mass can I gain in a year and what is my genetic potential or limit? What is possible to build muscle in 3 months? ”- I actually get these and similar questions relatively frequently, which is why I will provide you with detailed answers to these questions in this article.

Thick arms, round shoulders and a massive chest – that’s what everyone secretly wants. But the question is, when will I have all of this? How long do I have to do this ‘fitness thing’ until I reach my goal and have built up muscle mass?

There are both philosophical and clear scientific answers to this question. Today we want to deal more with the scientific facts ( and not my ramblings about life and success in this ).

Therefore, we look at what is possible according to common experts and studies and in the end, I’ll give you the most important key elements so that you can build muscle mass as quickly as possible.

Item Content:

  1. How much muscle can you gain in a year?
  2. How much muscle can you gain in 3 months?
  3. The more advanced, the more difficult – is that true?
  4. This is how you exploit your genetic potential

How much muscle can you gain in a year?

Very few athletes ever reach their genetic potential in their lives and the one factor that really depends on how close you get to this limit is commitment or discipline.

For example, some people believe that you have already reached your limit after 2 or 3 years …

You may be at your limit after 10-15 years of full commitment and sacrifice – but luckily, we don’t have to wait that long to build impressive amounts of muscle and achieve an athletic and impressive body, because all of this can be achieved much earlier and more quickly.

But how much muscle mass can you build up in a year?

There is no final and only true answer to this question either, simply because there are actually many genetically determined factors involved here: age, training experience, personal commitment, individual requirements and and and …

Nevertheless, some top coaches and researchers in the field of bodybuilding and strength training have been able to set up a kind of guideline with hundreds of coachees over the years. I would now like to introduce 2 of them to you.

On the one hand that of Alon Aragon and on the other hand that of Lyle McDonald.

Alan Aragon’s guidelines

In practice, this could mean the following. A 70 kg beginner with the right training and correct nutrition will be able to build up around 700 g to 1050 g of muscle mass per month or 8.4 kg to 12.6 kg in a year.

As soon as he reaches the second year of training, an athlete is an advanced strength athlete, according to Aragon. Now our athlete already weighs 80 kg and can expect a monthly gain of around 400 g to 800 g of new muscle mass or 4.8 kg to 9.6 kg per year.

From the third year our athlete is already “professional” here – even if that doesn’t have to be the correct term – and now probably weighs around 86 kg.

If he stays on the ball, progressively overloads his muscles and feeds himself well, then he can achieve another gain of around 215 g to 430 g per month or 2.6 kg to 5.16 kg for the third year of new muscle mass,

  • According to Aragon, in the first 3 years, we would have a possible new increase in muscle mass from 15.8 kg to 27.4 kg – and that is a hell of a lot in my eyes.

15 kg more muscle mass on the ribs after only 3 years of intensive strength training is a great and blatant result, which visually makes a difference from worlds.

Before I give you my opinion on all of this, let’s take a quick look at Lyle McDonald’s view or guidelines.

Lyle McDonald’s guidelines

However, McDonald also makes it clear here that these values ​​and guidelines depend on several factors (age, hormones, genetics, lifestyle).

  • Nevertheless, according to McDonald, we can achieve an increase in new muscle mass of 16.8 to 21.6 kg in the first few years.

Now there is the following important note for both guidelines. Both Aragon and McDonald assume training and nutrition that are practically perfect.

Just going into training, ignoring all the principles of muscle building, not adapting to your diet, and generally being drunk from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning, are not going to give you these rather significant advances.

However, both Aragon and McDonald say that this process can only start later when everything is in place.

It may well be that you have been spinning in a circle for years, have already “years” of training on your watch, but are now making drastic progress with the right optimizations.

How much muscle mass can you build up in 3 months

A question that is often asked primarily among beginners – although as a beginner you should probably “worry” primarily about other things. Nevertheless, here is an approximate statement:

  • In 3 months you can build up between 2 and 3 kilograms of muscle mass.

This would correspond to one kilogram of muscle mass per month and I also think that with my many years of experience it is absolutely realistic.

Now 3 kilos of muscle mass doesn’t really sound impressive – in practice, however, a three-month transformation can be very impressive.

Here is a picture of my very first transformation after 3 months of proper training and dieting (on the left picture I’ve been training for 2 years – just completely wrong!)

Still far from reaching the goal – but not bad for my first real 3-month diet…

Muscle building 3 months before after

Here are other – in my eyes – impressive transformations of athletes who worked with me:

Sascha K. (- 7.2 kg)

Dirk M. (-12.4 kg)

There is a 3 to 4-month difference between all these pictures and we have all changed our stature drastically, all of them have become stronger and have radically chiseled the fat off their hips.

However, we all got between 4 and 8 kilograms lighter on the scales – not heavier, even though we look more muscular.

The muscular and athletic effect will be achieved primarily through a low body fat percentage – and not only after 15 kilograms more muscle mass on the ribs.

Simultaneous muscle building and fat loss – this is where most should start. You can find the exact instructions here.

The more advanced, the more difficult – is that true?

Depending on your point of view and perspective, these figures are either encouraging or sobering for you – and I can understand both points of view well.

If we compare a top natural bodybuilder (the best of the best) with a bodyweight of 86 kg with a professional bodybuilder who goes on stage with around 120 kg of pure muscle mass, then one or the other may experience disappointment …

And yes, as I always say:

Natural bodybuilding and “normal” bodybuilding are two absolutely different sports – with the difference that natural athletes are also healthy on the inside and have not reached their bodies with the most severe and absolutely disgusting anabolic steroid abuse.

When I’m in shape, I myself weigh 81 kg on about 9% body fat. At this point, I am in my fifth year of training and I still have a lot to improve.

I am not close to my genetic limit, nor have I already achieved my ideal proportions – and yet I have been a fitness model for 3 years and have built a body that 98% of all exercisers would like …

The problem – Over time, muscle building becomes increasingly difficult and slow …

After more than 5 years in the gym, I can probably only expect an increase of 1 to 3 kilograms a year – and you have to seriously ask yourself whether this is still worthwhile progress …

However, my answer is clear: yes, it’s worth it!

Because the last 5 kilograms of muscle mass will appear much more blatantly and act much more drastically on the stature than the first 5 kilograms.

Qualitative 2 to 3 kilograms more muscle mass on an already athletic body with around 10 to 12% body fat percentage will make worlds.

You just look pretty early on – and then you will just look even hotter over the years.

End of story …

This is how you exploit your genetic potential

Basically, the right strategy and the right knowledge is at the center of a successful transformation over the years and one of my readers has already said “The more knowledge you have, the thicker the biceps!” – and there is nothing more to add.

We have to focus constantly on progressive overload in training, become steadily stronger and thus always build up new muscle mass.

In terms of nutrition, most athletes should focus primarily on body recomposition, i.e. lose fat and build new muscle mass, until they have an athletic body with a low body fat percentage.

After that, light phases of the excess calories can be alternated with small entertaining diets for further muscle building.

A good idea would be, for example, a small daily excess of calories over a 9-month period followed by a three-month diet.

But be careful with the “mass phase” – a lot can go catastrophically wrong here and this time is often misunderstood. Here you can find my detailed contribution.

In training, you should try to accumulate as much volume and workload as you can handle the current status quo.

The keyword here is individualization and you should ideally balance things like the training volume, intensity, frequency and much more in order to be able to build up maximum muscle.

So that’s the answer – if you do everything right, you can gain around 10 kg of muscle mass and more in your first years. Good luck to you and see you next time!

Muscles/muscle mass

Body fat image

Whenever overweight, FFMI, body fator even more generally speaking of health issues, eventually the language comes to the muscles or the muscle mass. As a matter, of course, we mention muscles or muscle building, but very few people know what the muscles are and what they are used for. The name ?? muscle ?? comes from Latin, for example, and simply means “little mouse”. The background of this trivialization is the appearance of a tense muscle under the skin that resembles a little mouse. In the case of muscles, doctors speak of an organ system that runs through the entire human body. A distinction is made between smooth and striated muscles, on the other hand, there are differences between the skeletal and heart muscles.

What are muscles and muscle mass made of?

Put simply, muscles consist of muscle tissue and this, in turn, consists of muscle cells or muscle fibers. However, if you go to “medias res”, a complex system of different cytological (cell biological) structures opens up, some of which are fundamentally different from other cells in the body. In addition, individual muscle types differ greatly from each other, with skeletal muscles mostly in the focus when it comes to muscle mass. These are the ones who can be trained and who can be specifically addressed.

Of course, there are also other ways of differentiating muscles. An example is an anatomical division into circular muscles, hollow muscles, feather-shaped, multi-headed and spindle-shaped muscles. Finally, muscles can also be broken down according to their function and muscle fiber types.

Which muscles are responsible for FFMI and muscle building?

Body fat article

If you simply want to deal with muscle building and want to increase your percentage of fat-free mass (FFM), you are dealing with the skeletal muscles. There are 656 muscles in the human body, which makeup around 40 percent of the body weight in men and around 32 percent in women. In addition to the nervous system, the muscles are the main energy consumers in the body and therefore extremely receptive to targeted training. Statistics show that targeted exercises can increase muscle mass in men up to 57 percent, while 43 percent are still possible in women. Compared to the normal values ​​of an untrained person, there is plenty of room for improvement.

Which muscles are particularly well known?

Of course, not all of the 656 muscles in the human body can be trained equally well. In addition, size and visibility are very different. The largest back muscle in terms of area is the large back muscle (latissimus dorsi muscle), while the sartorius or tailor muscle ?? is the longest muscle in the front thigh and is responsible, among other things, for the flexion of the hip and knee joint.

Surprisingly, the chewing muscle, also known as the masseter muscle, is the strongest muscle in humans and yet does not appear in any muscle training plan. Even the most active muscles, namely the eye muscles, cannot be trained in any gym.

Which muscles can be trained?

Body fat percentage article

To build more muscle, only part of the muscles are trained. Basically, muscle groups other than biceps, triceps, and Co. can certainly be trained, but building more muscle mass is always about their visibility and thus aesthetic aspects. The muscles are trained in a concentric manner, ie each muscle is constantly loaded over almost the entire range of motion and the exercises are repeated regularly.

The arms and pectoral muscles, as well as the deltoid or delta muscle, are of course interesting for muscle training. Furthermore, the back muscles, as well as the muscles in the legs, can also be specifically trained to achieve a harmonious overall picture.

The “World” reporter got this strong in five months

Our reporter trained with bodybuilding legend Ercan Demir for almost half a year. The pictures show that the self-experiment was successful. Even if it didn’t quite work out with the crowd.

Experiment finished!

It’s over. The “Muscle Building Mission” on welt.de is coming to an end. The day of settlement has come. For the last time, I went to my trainer excitedly as part of the project. How will he evaluate our result? Was it worth the effort? I feel like I used to go to school on Certificate Day. Please no 6!

Here is the conclusion of the reporter’s self-experiment.

What have we done?

I trained with Ercan Demir for five months and reported every three weeks in a kind of training diary on welt.de/fitness about our progress and the challenges. Once a week I drove to the bodybuilding legend’s studio in Munich and lifted weights under his guidance and supervision. I trained alone in another studio four times a week. So five units per week, each for almost 90 minutes.

At the beginning of the project, at Ercan’s advice, we decided on a “three-way split”. So three different units, in which we trained two muscle groups each. We focused on volume training, so quite a lot of exercises and sets per unit. Four to five exercises per muscle group, each with four sets, which had to be performed in eight to twelve repetitions. So at least 32 sets per training.

World reporter Julien Wolff trains with bodybuilder Ercan Demir in Munich.  Last episode of self-experiment on welt.de.  Fitness.  Muscles.

A typical week looked like this:

Monday = chest and back

Tuesday = shoulders and biceps

Wednesday = legs and triceps

Thursday = break

Friday = chest and back

Saturday = shoulders and biceps

Sunday = break

After each training session, I had to train either my stomach or my calves in two exercises of four sets each for around ten minutes. In the last weeks of the experiment – the definition phase – there were also 30 minutes of cardio on four training days, i.e. treadmill, cycling or cross-trainer. Reason: We wanted to burn more calories in order to be able to continue eating more and still lose fat (4 x 30 minutes of cardio at medium level = 4 x 300 calories burned = 1200 additional calories burned per week).

What have we accomplished?

“You have built up around two kilograms of muscle,” says Ercan, when he looks at me in his studio and analyzes my shape. A so-called “form check”. At a height of 1.87 meters, I now weigh 80 kilograms. During our project it was sometimes 86 kilograms, which was just about two months ago. It’s amazing how much fat and water the body stores – and how much that weighs.

Ercan adds: “In addition, the quality of your muscles has improved significantly. You had strengths before, but there were also gaps in your body. They are now filled. Especially your triceps and your back shoulders have developed very well. And I’m even jealous of your biceps. ”He surprised me with this statement. Of course, it goes down like oil, after all, Ercan is a European champion and vice world champion in bodybuilding.

At the end of the experiment, according to a high-tech scale, my body fat percentage in a Munich fitness studio was twelve percent. However, the accuracy of these scales is controversial. In any case, I have lost a lot of fat and stored water in the past few weeks – quasi the definition phase, the “defi”. “Get rid of confounding factors,” as Ercan says.

He explains: “You may not be an athlete yet. But what you have achieved as a hobby athlete is very remarkable. If you wanted to and continued to work hard, you could even take part in a Mens Physique competition in a year or two. In theory, even earlier. ”Wow, this assessment surprises me.

World reporter Julien Wolff trains with bodybuilder Ercan Demir in Munich.  Last episode of self-experiment on welt.de.  Fitness.  Muscles.

Is what you have achieved a success?

Ercan says: “You did it brilliantly. When analyzing your body, I realized that you have followed everything that we have considered. If you continue to eat well, you will be able to maintain and improve the quality of your muscles for years to come. ”

Why did we choose quality instead of mass?

“Do you just want to weigh 90 kilograms? Or do you want to build clean muscles and look good in the end? ”Ercan asked me at the beginning of our mission. Looking pretty good in the end, I replied. To get rid of the fat in question, Ercan has reduced my calories more and more over the past few weeks. To 3500, to 3000, to 2500, to 2100, in the end even to almost 1800. In the end, the fat content of my diet was less than 20 grams per day, the carbohydrate content was only around 100 grams.

Why did we do it all?

To see what a reporter can achieve with an absolute expert at his side during this time. To check prejudices about weight training. To see what is possible.

What do we say now about prejudice?

Prejudice 1: strength training is primitive

I can not confirm. In the five months, I met people from all walks of life and ages in the studios. Above all, it unites discipline and will. I was welcomed by everyone, whether from old school bodybuilders like Horst Wetterau, whom I got to know briefly at Ercan, or the new generation like Sophia Thiel. And I was pleasantly surprised by the open and mostly not at all blind-style of the bodybuilders. I was also impressed by how many young women pursue this sport very seriously and with great passion and success. I didn’t know that before. In Ercan’s studio, I met a dentist who keeps fit almost every day during his lunch break, just like athletes who take part in championships.

Prejudice 2: strength training breaks the joints

Ercan always made sure that I did the exercises properly. The weight was rarely decisive. Before the experiment, I had occasionally felt a slight pull in the shoulder. That is gone now. Probably because we made fewer barbell bench presses and more barbell bench presses instead. This angle, this sequence of movements is obviously better for me, I put more strain on the chest and less on the shoulder. Very important: Before every upper body workout, I warmed up my rotators and got my circulation going with a short warm-up. I feel fit and healthy like never before.

How did we eat?

Knit according to the plan Ercan developed with me. I ate “clean”, clean, that essentially means No greasy sauces, no fast food, no sweets, no alcohol, no meat that is too fatty, no white flour products. Fruit sugar from fruit only in moderation. I started at around 3200 calories a day. With a calorie requirement of around 2500 calories per day, I was in excess. Over the course of the experiment weeks, we increased: to 3700, then even 4000 calories per day. These included 500 grams of meat, 500 cooked rice and 500 grams of low-fat curd cheese a day. In addition to muscles, I also built up some fat during this time, especially on my stomach. Above all, we paid attention to the exact distribution of our macronutrients. So the proteins, the fats, and the carbohydrates.

The main components of our diet: white meat, fish, green vegetables, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, apples, bananas, low-fat curd cheese. Plus plenty of still water, at least four liters a day.

What’s next now?

I will continue to train with Ercan outside of the project. For me, this sport is an asset. We will draw up an annual plan to make further progress. On the last day of our project, Ercan said to me when we said goodbye: “The most important thing about the project was that we both enjoyed it. And that’s crucial in bodybuilding. Like in any other sport. “

TRAINING PLAN MASS BUILDING – HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE MASS QUICKLY AND CLEANLY

Muscular man uses magnesium

If you want to build muscle mass, you have to train intensively.

The training plan for mass building differs fundamentally from that of normal muscle building training (hypertrophy) or that of figure training.

Overview

1. Training frequency 

2. Tips for the training plan to build mass 

3. Training duration

4. Exercise selection

5. training volume and intensity s

sixth break times 

7. Training plan recommendation mass building

BASICS OF MASS BUILDING TRAINING

Above all, there are complex basic exercises on the program that train the interaction of the large muscles such as the chest, back, and legs.

The most important thing for successful mass build-up is the progressive increase in strength.

We show what it’s all about and examine each variable of a training plan for mass building in detail.

Our goal: By imparting training-theoretical basics, we want to raise awareness of the special training for mass building.

We also give you the opportunity to select sample plans for mass build-up or the option to put together your own mass build-up training plan yourself.

1. TRAINING FREQUENCY

To build high-quality muscle mass, it is sufficient to exercise the muscles three times a week.

Due to the intensive workload with high training weights and maximum attempts, it is, therefore, advisable to plan a break of at least one day between the individual units.

Basically, it is possible to split the training plan for the mass build-up into a split training according to bundled body parts or into a whole body cycle.

Especially for beginners (up to 6 months of training experience), a whole body workout to build up mass is best.

The focus here is primarily on the basic exercises of deadlifts, rowing, bench press, shoulder press & squats.

Due to the high frequency of the basic exercises completed, strong strength improvements can be achieved in a very short time.

Our tip: For optimal training success, we recommend our free body check. Get your BMI calculated and get individually tailored nutrition and training tips.

Advanced athletes (from one year of training experience ) who decide to build new muscle mass again can also organize their training plan in a split program.

Here, the classic division is possible after a split of 3, which is fixed on back/biceps (day 1), chest/triceps (day 2) and legs (day 3).

The training frequency at a glance:

  • 3 training units per week
  • Whole body training plan for beginners
  • Advanced split training

The break days are particularly important to ensure the growth of the muscles.

The processes for this take place in the resting and regeneration phase and not under the influence of stress.

Additional endurance training is absolutely counterproductive for building muscle mass.

High-intensity training burns a lot of calories and makes mass building extremely difficult. Long endurance runs promote the release of catabolic (muscle-degrading) hormones and therefore have an effect

We recommend that you include endurance training in the training plan for weight gain at most once a week. It has the advantage that the transport of nutrients within the muscles can be accelerated and the regeneration of the individual muscles is supported.

The endurance training should be done on a day off during the week.

The training breaks at a glance:

  • Muscles grow in the resting phase
  • Dosed endurance training to strengthen your condition

2. TIPS FOR THE TRAINING PLAN TO BUILD MASS

1. KEEP A TRAINING DIARY

If you are really serious about building qualitative muscle mass, you should keep a training diary in which the completed sets and the weights used are clearly recorded.

This ensures that the progressive increase in strength and weight is maintained.

2. SUPPORTIVE SPORTS NUTRITION

In addition to progressive strength training and a structured nutrition plan, the intelligent use of sports nutrition within the training plan is also suitable for building up mass. In general, you can also determine your calorie needs in mass building phases with the calorie calculator and adjust your diet.

Whey protein

With the supplement creatine, the fast and maximum strength values can be improved, which is good for the exerciser, especially with heavy basic exercises in the low repetition range. In addition, creatine can store water in the muscles, which has a particularly positive effect on glycogen storage within the muscles.

Protein shakes such as the whey protein ensure an adequate supply of proteins for muscle growth. Thanks to the excellent amino acid profile, this protein shake is ideal for sustained muscle maintenance and building.

Are you interested in the benefits of protein shakes and would you like to know which shakes are particularly suitable for building muscle effectively? Then you should definitely read in here.

Before the training:

Do you want to take your mass building training to the next level? Then the right preparation is the be-all and end-all. Because the more efficient workout starts before the sweat. Your training success starts in your head. And ends up in your muscles. With our Energy Amin, you provide the workout kick before training and bring your training to the maximum. And without any artificial flavors. But with essential amino acids for the muscles. 

After training:

If you train hard several times a week, a quick  recovery of your muscles is particularly important. This is the only way to have enough power for your next training session. If your muscles burn after the workout, we recommend our  Recovery Amin. Recovery has never been this fast.

3. SELECT TRAINING PARTNER

Especially for beginners, it is also advisable to choose a training partner who explains in detail the clean execution of all elementary training techniques and ensures a safe position during execution – this minimizes the risk of injury and maximizes the effectiveness of the individual exercises.

By motivating each other and going together for training, even deep phases can be bridged more easily.

3. TRAINING DURATION

Why is a short training period of 45 to 60 minutes ideal for building up mass?

Among other things, this has to do with hormone release. If you train for more than 60 minutes at the highest intensity, our organism releases a particularly large number of catabolic hormones – these promote the loss of muscle mass.

To promote the release of anabolic (muscle building) hormones, training time of 60 minutes should not be exceeded. These promote the loss of muscle mass.

And after training? We recommend a protein shake. So you can sustain and build muscles. How about our whey protein or our 3k protein?

4. EXERCISE SELECTION

Stay away from isolation exercises or too frequent training on machines.

If you want to build mass, you have to work with free weights – basic exercises such as deadlifts, bench presses, squats, and shoulder presses should not be missing in any training plan for mass building.

Due to the complex motor movements, several muscle groups are always stressed and strengthened.

In this way, the necessary growth stimulus can be set in a targeted manner and a particularly large number of muscle fibers can be processed simultaneously.

The exercise selection at a glance:

  • Free weights instead of isolation exercises
  • Focus on basic exercises

We have provided you with additional fitness exercises that can be easily integrated into the mass building training plan.

5. TRAINING VOLUME & INTENSITY

The most effective way to build muscle is to train in the repetition range of 3 to a maximum of 6 repetitions (maximum strength range).

However, the most important criterion in the training plan for mass build-up is progression (permanent increase in weight).

Only if you get stronger with each workout and work on more weight can a targeted stimulus for mass building be achieved.

The following applies to the training volume: No more than 12-16 work sets should be completed in the entire training.

Less is definitely more here! Since the basic exercises for mass building are mainly heavy, it is sufficient if 3 to a maximum of 4 exercises are carried out per training day.

Also interesting: you want to know where you stand with your weight? Our BMI table tells you.


In training for mass buildup:

Less is more.


The number of sets per exercise should not exceed 5 in any case.

To avoid injuries, it is, of course, important to prepare yourself for the high load with 1-2 warm-up sets before each exercise.

Training volume & intensity at a glance:

  • 1-2 warm-up sets before each exercise
  • 3-4 exercises per training session
  • 3-6 repetitions

6. BREAK TIME

In order to ensure complete regeneration between the maximum force sets, the pause times should be set to 120-180 seconds.

In the sentence breaks, you should stand actively, bring fluid to yourself and mentally focus on the execution of the next sentence.

In addition to the protein shake with whey protein, various amino acids that support muscle building are classics in the area of ​​sports nutrition.

The amino acid L-glutamine, for example, is particularly popular and is ideal for strength athletes.

7. TRAINING PLAN RECOMMENDATION MASS BUILD-UP

For the perfect mass build-up training plan, we recommend beginners a full body workout plan that is done three times a week. The focus here is heavily on complex basic exercises.

Advanced users can split the three training days into a split program.

After the push pull and legs can be trained and individual muscle parts can be strengthened. For example, our 3-split training plan or the 4-split training plan, including PDF, are suitable for printing.

We also give you the opportunity to independently create a mass building training plan based on a detailed explanation.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MUSCLE MASS

Muscle mass not only makes you look better, it is also an essential part of your overall health. This is the result of a beautiful study that examined the influence of muscle mass on health. People with more muscle live longer!

Reason enough to take a look at why muscle mass and how much is healthy, how you build it up, how much testosterone you need for it, how you calculate it and how you measure it. All of this in one article!

Why is more muscle healthy?

muscles

Muscles improve your insulin sensitivity. One of their most important properties is the storage of glycogen (split carbohydrates), which can be used as fuel for your body. When stored in muscle cells, it contributes much better to your overall metabolism, rather than being stored in fat cells. The more efficient your body is in it, the healthier you are. The more inefficient your body is, the closer you are to diseases like diabetes.

Muscle mass is also strongly associated with increased bone density. It’s no secret that strength training strengthens bones, connective tissue, and tendons. It’s especially good to know if you have a genetic predisposition to osteoporosis.

Testosterone is also stimulated by weight training. There is no better natural way to boost testosterone than weight training. By the way, sleep comes second.

Training relieves stress, especially if you sit at the desk a lot. Exercise balances mental work and vice versa. In the end, you use your working time more productively, even though you seem to lose time at first glance.

How much muscle is healthy for your age?

I once looked at the data from> 200,000 international studies ( source ). The data sets are not perfect, but they are representative of the trends and therefore meaningful enough.

muscle mass men

Muscle mass peaks in men aged 21-25. BUT: When you do sports, the situation is very different. In this case, you can build up your muscle mass much longer and hold it for a very, very long time. Until you are 40 years old, you hold at least the same level as when you were born. Even at 60, you only lose 4% muscle – not that much! If you do strength training, the percentage is of course much higher.

At around 80 years old we see a drastic reduction in muscle mass in men.

fat mass men

The fat percentage, on the other hand, increases almost annually. In the 30s, it rose noticeably faster. Of course, here again, you don’t do any sport. With sports, the KFA is very controllable over a lifespan, provided you eat accordingly.

If we put muscle mass over fat mass, we see that the male (and female) body tends to have more fat and less muscle over time.

Muscle mass against fat mass men

The reason is evolutionary in nature: after 30 years, most men have reproduced and high testosterone is no longer needed.

The situation is similar for women, with the difference that they have less muscle and more fat mass from birth.

muscle mass women

It is interesting to see that women see a rapid “crash” in muscle mass. At 65, the body lets a lot more muscles go (approx. 3%), while this only occurs in men at around 80 years! That’s why strength training is all the more important for women. Unfortunately, however, many prefer to do cardio because they think they will lose weight #sadworld.

fat mass women

As you can guess, the percentage of fat increases in women as well as in men, but much faster in young years (up to about 20). Again, the reason for this is evolution: women need more fat mass due to pregnancy. At around 50 years of age, the percentage of fat increases significantly again. I say it again: these developments only take place in this mas if you are not doing sports and do not pay attention to your diet.

For women, 50 is definitely an age when a lot happens: a greater increase in fat mass and a decrease in muscle mass. This is strongly related to the menopause and the resulting hormonal changes.

muscle mass versus fat mass women

The best antidote is also here: sport. The trends for men and women can be significantly reduced, if not reversed. Even at 40, you can easily build muscle and drastically reduce your body fat percentage – it’s just more difficult.

Starting from 30, the starting situation is also defining. If you have never done sports before and are very overweight, you have a long, hard way to go. If you arrive with good starting conditions, everything is still open.

Example: most powerlifters and weight lifters culminate in their mid to late 30s, provided they don’t hurt themselves.

The whole thing shouldn’t unsettle you when you do sports. You don’t lose your gain overnight ;-). Think about it: a body fat percentage of 15% as a man (woman 20%) is good to hold. The biggest challenge here is consistency. If you integrate sport into your lifestyle, you should have no problem until old age.

How much testosterone do I need to build muscle?

A study by D. Simon (1996) shows how testosterone decreases over time. The variability of the testosterone levels in different subjects is also interesting.

testosterone men

The blue line shows the average testosterone by age for men. The red line shows the lower and the brown line shows the upper limit. Ie you are probably somewhere in between.

Testosterone in a 30-year-old man can range between 348 and 975 ng / dL, which is a very wide range. That can make the difference between strong and hardly building muscle (but does not have to). Therefore: have your testosterone level checked regularly!

At the same time, testosterone doesn’t have to go back as hard as many think. It is relatively individual and in some cases can remain high up to old age. At the same time, you may have low testosterone since you were young.

Probably the most important point when it comes to Testo: Testosterone is not the only factor that is important for muscle building. Growth hormones have a strong impact, as does insulin sensitivity and cortisol. Even with low testosterone, you can build muscle very well.

The amount required for this also depends on your initial situation. You can stick to the standards shown above. Artificial support for the testosterone balance is only rarely recommended and even necessary. Don’t think you’re the exception to the rule. If you are interested in your natural potential, check out this article: Natural bodybuilding without steroids.

How can I gain more muscle?

Three factors are decisive for more muscle mass:

  • sleep
  • strength training
  • nutrition
Build muscle mass

In sleep, your body pushes growth hormones from, especially in the deep sleep phases. Therefore it is important that you sleep at least 7h every night – 8h is optimal. Sleep quality is also very important. I have already written an article on the subject: Sleep makes you sexy.

Strength training is the most important factor: without training with weights, it is difficult to build muscle over a long period of time. The first important point is basic exercises: Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Barbell Rows, Pull-ups and Shoulder Press are your allies. You get the greatest hormonal response. That’s why you should structure your training around them.

The second important factor is to gradually increase the training weights (“ Progressive Overload ”). You can do this by doing more reps, more sets, or heavier weights. More repetitions and sets are more suitable for bodybuilders, more weight for powerlifters. I say “rather” because powerlifters should also do some bodybuilding and bodybuilders also build some strength. The priorities are just different.

All three macronutrients are important in nutrition because they perform unique tasks: Protein is the basic building block for muscles. 2g protein per kg body weight is a good start. It comes best from animal products: meat, fish, eggs, milk. Nothing against vegetarians or vegans. Animal products now supply the most complete amino acid inventory. But even in these cases, there are workarounds, e.g. whey protein, beans, lentils, tofu or seitan.

Carbohydrates perform an anabolic function and accelerate recovery after training. Therefore, after training, you should rather resort to simple carbohydrates that can be quickly absorbed by the body: rice, bread, pasta, etc. The right amount of carbohydrates depends on your everyday life and sport.

Rough guidelines for the right amount of carbohydrates per day by sport:

Bodybuilders : 2-3g / kg body weight

Powerlifter & weightlifter : 3-4g / kg body weight

Crossfitter : 5-8g / kg body weight

Last but not least, fat also has an important function: hormone build-up. Fat is an important component of many hormones, including testosterone and growth hormones. You shouldn’t go below 0.5gx body weight for your fat consumption in a diet.

What foods build muscle mass?

Food for muscle mass

There are no foods that build muscle. There are only foods that create an anabolic environment. Protein is a basic requirement, but carbohydrates are also important.

After training, your cortisol level is relatively high and carbohydrates lower it. Cortisol has catabolic properties. So you want to be in this state as short as possible. Carbs are your friend ;-).

What is ultimately important is a calorie surplus. Without him, it is almost impossible to build muscle unless you are an absolute beginner or using “aids”.

How do I calculate my muscle mass?

You ca n’t exactly calculate your muscle mass, but for an approximate value, you need your body weight, height, and your body fat percentage. Measurements are better than any formula, but even these are often relatively inaccurate, as you read in the next section.

Body weight – (body weight x KFA) = lean mass

Lean mass is not the same as muscle mass. Lean mass also consists of bones, tendons and connective tissue. The proportion of muscles in the lean mass is relatively high, so that’s a good start.

How do I measure my muscle mass?

The best way to measure muscle mass and body fat percentage is with a DEXA scan or a hydrostatic analysis (spirit level). Unfortunately, both are difficult to get in Germany. Orthopedists sometimes have DEXA scanners because the device was originally designed to measure bone density.

The bioelectrical impedance analysis is widely used but should be taken with high caution. Unfortunately, the results depend heavily on the form of the day and are relatively imprecise. As a rough trend, it can work, but you should make sure to take the measurements at the same time, drink a lot in front of it and, as best as possible, on an empty stomach.

Caliper measurements are also very inaccurate because you have to measure exactly the same point on the body each time, with exactly the same tension, etc. It is almost impossible to reproduce this every time and therefore the method is not very suitable.

Conclusion: Everyone should build muscle

muscle building

In summary, it can be said that a higher proportion of muscle mass creates a healthy environment for the body. Not to mention the visual advantages ;-). In order to build muscle, you have to eat in a caloric excess, do strength training with continuous increase, sleep well and minimize your stress.

llegal bodybuilding supplements and why they are dangerous

Don’t risk your health and freedom by using illegal bodybuilding supplements. Discover why this is a serious problem and find out how to be safe and healthy while still building muscle.

The Problems With Illegal Bodybuilding Supplements

A muscular physique commands attention. Magazine covers are full of men with six-pack abs, well-developed chest muscles, and perfectly shaped biceps. Most know that the best way to gain these assets is through exercise, proper nutrition and letting your body gain muscle in its own time.

Why are you risking your health with medication that could cause serious harm?

But some people don’t want to wait and are willing to use illegal bodybuilding supplements to gain muscle quickly. While everyone is free to do what they choose, these decisions often come with some undesirable consequences. This article lists three illegal bodybuilding supplements and why you should avoid them because of the danger they pose to your health.

Anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids are a synthetic form of the male hormone testosterone. This chemical was developed in the 1930s to treat men who had testosterone levels so low that their ability to grow and develop normally was disturbed.

Since that time this substance has been used by bodybuilders and other athletes as a means to grow larger muscles or do their sport better. Anabolic steroids (often referred to as) come in two forms. They can be taken orally or they can be injected into the body with a needle.

Risks from anabolic steroids

The risks of taking anabolic steroids are many, and these risks are not limited to the person who is taking the steroids. Some of the most serious health risks include liver disease, liver cancer, and heart problems. One of the reasons for these problems is the addiction potential of AS.

Over a period of time, the steroid user may increase the dose or the steroids more frequently. This can speed up the effect it has on the internal organs. Other risks of using anabolic steroids are violent and aggressive behavior, mood swings, cases of severe acne that can only be treated with medication and high blood pressure.

Human growth hormone

Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone that is naturally produced in the body in the pituitary gland. This hormone is responsible for cell regeneration, repair damaged tissue, muscle growth, help and keep the immune system strong. As I said, the human body naturally produces this hormone but levels begin to decline at the age of 30.

The human growth hormone is used by doctors to treat growth disorders. The problem occurs when this substance is used illegally. Since this substance is difficult to obtain in its pure form, most of what is illegal is formulas that are said to be converted into human growth hormone. The problem with these formulas is that the person doesn’t know exactly how much human growth hormone they are injecting.

Risks of human growth hormone

The lists of health risks are not as strict as those associated with anabolic steroids, but they can still cause health problems. Taking high levels of human growth hormone can cause cholesterol levels to be higher than normal, as well as lead to cardiovascular disease and carpal tunnel syndrome. Another ironic side effect of taking too much human growth hormone is muscle weakness. Athletes take HGH to get bigger, stronger, and faster, but they run the risk of getting smaller, weaker, and slower.

androstenedione

This substance, commonly called andro, is of course also produced by the body. The adrenal glands, ovaries, and testicles produce this hormone and then convert it to testosterone. This medication can be obtained with a prescription, but it is also sold illegally. Androstenedione can be taken orally or topically.

Risks of androstenedione

Although Andro is often marketed towards helping men to raise their testosterone levels so that they have more muscle, science has proven that Andro is actually not actually building muscle at all. In fact, when Andro is absorbed into the body, most of it is converted to estrogen, the female hormone.

While having excess estrogen is not really a health risk for men, it is not desirable and can lead to breast enlargement in men. It can also cause acne, a decrease in sperm count, and a decrease in the size of men’s testicles. When Andro is taken topically, it can cause problems for family members and pets when exposed to the substance.

Don’t risk it

Although a muscular body is beautiful to look at, it is not worth it if you put yourself in danger. If you take illegal bodybuilding supplements you risk liver cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases. There is also a chance to put your loved ones’ health at risk. If you want to build muscle, avoid using illegal bodybuilding supplements. It is not worth the risk.

Irritable bowel and weight training or bodybuilding – what can and should I eat?

Strong despite irritable bowel: the diet has to be right!

As an ambitious strength athlete (formerly powerlifting, today cross-training), sports therapist and “irritable bowel adviser” I get this one question very often:

How can I consume enough calories and protein to build more muscle, have strength for a strenuous squat exercise, lose more fat, etc., when my gut whines for mercy after every meal or when nausea and bloating prevent me from eating?

 Since I had to answer this question (s) for myself a few years ago, I would like to offer my sport-loving readers a small guide today, which is particularly characterized by personal experiences in my everyday training and my consulting practice.


Bodybuilding, power lifting, bowel disease

Disclaimer: First of all, I would like to emphasize that these are fairly general recommendations. If you move at a very high athletic level and take part in figure competitions, for example, you should consult an experienced trainer anyway. However, the following points can also be interesting for these advanced athletes, hopefully they will provide information on which foods should be exchanged in the case of an irritated bowel in order to deliver a performance that is as energetic and painless as possible. (Semi-) professional athletes should of course then adjust their macronutrient distribution etc. accordingly in order to be even more appropriate to their physical conditions!

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Bodybuilding is 85% nutrition.

Vince “the Iron Guru” Gironda

I would still immediately sign this sentence of the “trainer of the stars”. Unfortunately, many beginners believe that regular intensive training can make up for terrible nutrition. That’s not the case. It is almost impossible for figure athletes, but even the more performance-oriented disciplines reach their limits if, for example, the calorie requirement falls short in the long term, or if the food quality and selection are cut back too far.

However, those affected by chronic intestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or celiac disease repeatedly encounter serious difficulties (at least this seems to be the case, but more on that later). In almost every book, blog or video on the subject, we are preached that we need to eat more and of high quality if we want to build muscle and strength. This has worked for generations in the strength and fitness world, but how should you, for example, consume 15% more calories if you already have difficulties maintaining your current lean body weight? What can you eat when the intestines tweak and the classic bodybuilder recommendations lead to diarrhea and abdominal pain?

With the last question we are already at the next problem. Typical foods for strength athletes and bodybuilders such as oatmeal, protein powder, linseed, lettuce or whole grain bread are absolute poison for an already stressed intestine!Many young readers (fortunately also women) write to me that they had tried the recommendations of youtube fitness model xy for a week, but that their bowels would have “run amok” within a very short time. This is not surprising: If we combine problematic products for the intestinal patient with an increased calorie intake (more fermentable substrate), we are facing a catastrophe of enormous proportions. Unfortunately, many of these “burnt children” then discard their figure or competition goals and justify this with their illness. Intensive training with an intestinal disease is very possible. To achieve your dream shape or the new deadlift record you have to adapt the diet to your training AND your intestine!

Forget about oatmeal, milk and whole grain bread – an alternative way to strength and muscles

If we believe Vince Gironda (and you really should, the man was generations ahead of his time), we need a sports-specific diet to get the most out of our bodies. How can you ensure this with chronic bowel disease without further ruining your well-being?

This is not so hard! Basically, you follow our general nutritional rules for irritable bowel syndrome and other intestinal diseases. First and foremost, this means that you should reduce foods with high fermentation potential. So cut out foods that contain many FODMAPs  (lactose, fructose, fructans, oligosaccharides, polyols), fiberand contain resistant starch from your eating plan. As there is no space in this article to go into more detail about the individual concepts, I would like to encourage you to read further on our website (see links – including a free brochure with a FODMAP list). If you want to deal more deeply with the respective topics, you can get a comprehensive picture with the books and tools recommended by us.  

This is already the most important and largest step that you have to take into account when creating a nutrition plan for your athletic goal. But why is that?

A very small digression on the topic of fermentation: In the past few months we have tried to show that irritable bowel syndrome is particularly characterized by fermentation processes . Hard-to-digest carbohydrates (FODMAPs) and non-digestible fibers (fiber) are not sufficiently absorbed by the small intestine (this is also not intended for the latter) and thus get into the large intestine. There they are available to our bacterial inhabitants (the microbiome or the intestinal flora) as a source of food. Both probiotic (good) and potentially pathogenic (rather unfavorable) bacterial strains release gases and toxins in this fermentation process. This leads to bloating and flatulence, The resulting gases continue to provoke osmotic effects, which can ultimately lead to diarrhea . The increased pain sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome allows us to perceive these processes particularly intensely and unpleasantly.

What can I eat with irritable bowel syndrome to build muscle?

There are nutritional recommendations regarding the macronutrient distribution in weight training like sand at the sea. I would also be reluctant to discuss their meaning and nonsense here. It is fundamentally important that you as an athlete can benefit from an increased protein intake. In my opinion, 600 kcal of protein should not be exceeded, since there are indications that protein can be toxic from this threshold. Furthermore, sufferers of intestinal diseases often have a reduced absorption rate (see below). By the way, 600kcal corresponds to 150g protein, For a 90kg athlete, this would be almost 1.7g per kilogram of body weight. To my knowledge, there is no scientific study that would have shown any benefit in higher values ​​for natural athletes (see, among others, Lemon and colleagues, 1992 ).

Cheap protein sources for intestinal diseases:  The good news is that most classic protein sources are not fermentable and can therefore mostly be used without any problems!

  • Meat (chicken, beef etc.)
  • fish
  • seafood
  • eggs
  • lactose-free milk products

Eggs and even lactose-free milk products can lead to intolerance reactions. If there is a suspected or proven presence of increased mucosal permeability, both food groups should be reduced or avoided until the intestine has recovered. In general, meat and fish are the most unproblematic food sources.

Vegetable proteins such as soy products, legumes, quinoa, gluten products and nuts should be avoided.

Where does the energy for heavy training come from?

There are basically two sources of energy available to our body – carbohydrates and fat. Contrary to popular belief, it is even advisable to consume more fat in irritable bowel syndrome. Because like most protein sources, pure fat has hardly any fermentation potential. It also supports the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa and improves the carbohydrate absorption rate .

For the reasons mentioned, I would recommend that you cover most of your personal calorie needs with healthy (not too high omega6) fats. This includes:

  • olive oil
  • coconut oil
  • Palm kernel oil
  • butter
  • cream
  • Fats from permitted protein sources (fatty sea fish, beef, lactose-free curd cheese, etc.)

The amount of fat to be consumed depends on the amount of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the most problematic macronutrient for intestinal sufferers, since most carbohydrate sources contain FODMAPs, resistant starch or a lot of fiber. Depending on the goal, I would pull the upper carbohydrate limit at about 30% of the total calories. In a definition phase you can reduce accordingly.

Suitable carbohydrate sources for intestinal patients (low fermentation potential):

  • white jasmine or short grain rice
  • floury-boiling potatoes
  • Low-FODMAP fruits (orange, kiwi, etc.)

How does my body get necessary vitamins and minerals?

It is important to mention that not only fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain these important micronutrients, as we often believe. Most animal products even have a significantly higher nutrient density. You can boost your micronutrients by including the following foods:

  • liver
  • fat cold water fish
  • egg yolk
  • seafood
  • FODMAP-poor “colorful” vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, etc.)

The amount of calories is also crucial

Of course, a protein-rich and symptom-relieving diet alone is not enough. Your daily amount of energy is crucial. If this exceeds your individual calorie consumption (you want a slight excess when building muscle), it falls below the calorie consumption (definition, “make weight” for athletes in disciplines with weight classes).

To determine your personal needs, write down over a week what foods and drinks you consume every day. Estimate the calories using a conventional calorie chart or an online tool. During this time, your diet should be designed so that you neither gain nor lose weight. With this method you raise your daily calorie (maintenance) needs. Depending on the goal, you deduct or add 10% from the latter. In the course of the past weeks and months, further adjustments will result.

Problems despite a low fermentation diet?

Many athletes get along much better with this diet than with the many oatmeal, salads and whole-grain peanut butter breads. But a few still complain about problems after changing their diet. Pancreatic and biliary problems can be the cause here.

To rule this out, I always recommend appropriate functional diagnostics, which every intestinal patient should have completed anyway:

For example, if you have a bile acid loss syndrome, you can counteract this with the addition of colestyramine and significantly improve fat tolerance.

Another trick that Vince Gironda already recommended is to take high-dose digestive enzymes. These ensure a better breakdown and thus absorption of proteins, fats and starch. Many irritable bowel patients benefit greatly from this.

Supplements often suboptimal …

I have to admit that I am more than critical of the many supplements available today (weight gainers, boosters, etc.). In my opinion, a lot of money is earned here and the often inferior and sometimes even health-threatening ingredients do not even justify the price. I take a very classic approach, live and propagate what has worked for generations: good nutrition and hard training. Some of the supplements available may still be justified (even if, in my opinion, you should have the rest under control – training, nutrition, relaxation, mindset). Unfortunately, it is often very modest about their tolerability. So I experience again and again (otherwise very healthy athletes) who report stomach or intestinal problems after consuming protein shakes or creatine. In my opinion, here you should play scientists and experiment a little. If digestive complaints persist despite a low fermentation diet, digestive enzymes and trouble-free functional analysis, then I would gradually remove all supplements from the menu for a while!

If you absolutely want to use a protein powder, please choose a hydrolyzed form, ideally low-allergen from beef or similar. Please do not use soy proteins.

How could a day in the life of a bodybuilder with irritable bowel look like?

Let’s take our example athlete who consumes 2500 kcal daily and wants to get fit for the beach. He reduces his daily calorie intake by 10%, i.e. 250kcal. That shouldn’t trigger major hunger attacks and still create a deficit.

If we estimate the values ​​suggested above, our bodybuilder comes up with 150g protein (600kcal) and 170g carbohydrates (680kcal; approximately 30% of 2250kcal). This leaves 970 kcal for fat, which would mean a daily intake of 108 g of dietary fat . On the latter point, one could notice that Vince Gironda already prioritized a high-fat diet for figure athletes. His steak and egg diet is still well known today. In the next few months I will write another article about why such a high fat intake has advantages in building muscle.

Now we distribute the calories and macronutrients over four meals. Smaller meals are often better tolerated by intestinal patients because they do not provoke a gastrocolic reflex .

breakfast

  1. 3 eggs
  2. 1 slice of lactose-free cheese (e.g. Emmental cheese)
  3. 1-2 tomatoes
  4. 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Having lunch

  1. 200g beef
  2. 100g jasmine rice
  3. 1 tbsp coconut oil
  4. Zucchini noodles, 1 carrot

After training

  1. 30g hydrolyzed protein powder
  2. 1 banana

dinner

  1. 1 can of tuna in water (no sunflower oil!)
  2. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  3. 300g mealy potatoes
  4. Low-FODMAP vegetables

A diet plan for irritable bowel syndrome could look something like this. To keep the immune system and the intestinal flora healthy and productive despite the low fermentation diet, I recommend these special prebiotics:

Follow these steps in order, you can achieve your sporting goals and quasi “alongside” pacify and regenerate your gut! Keep in mind that not every athlete has to take every stage. Do you feel wonderful with the low-fermentation diet? Save yourself the digestive enzymes or the expensive function test! After all, I don’t want to sell you anything here. Try the individual steps carefully one after the other until you have found the best way for yourself!

Post cycle therapy (PCT)

PCT or Post Cycle Therapy (from Eng. Post Cycle Therapy), usually called the use of various types of sports nutrition, pharmaceutical products that help reduce steroid damage, and the frequency of occurrence of side effects when using to reduce anabolic steroids.

Every athlete who cares about their health, liver and reproductive system should be aware that the use of potent, hormone drugs (anabolic androgenic steroids) can do irreparable harm to the body, with homeless people using them It is very important to know what are the ways to minimize side effects, the negative effects of using different steroids, in large and small dosages.

And now specifically list the positive effects you get when properly done FCT:

1. Maximum stores the result (strength and muscle mass), while minimizing the phenomenon of recoil

2. Restoration of natural (natural) hormonal

3. Prevention of gynecomastia (aromatization of testosterone to estradiol)

4. The stimulation of the testicles of testosterone, that is, to prevent atrophy of the eggs

5. Exceptions (reduction) from other side effects associated with the use of anabolic steroids

The main components of FCT (poslekrsovoy therapy)

Anti-estrogens  – agents that prevent or inhibit the conversion (conversion) of testosterone into female sex hormones – estrogens.

Antiestrogens basically divided into two types, of which the first inhibitors or aromatase blockers  (for treatment, prevention of gynecomastia, estrogen concentrations in the blood reduced, testosterone and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone is increased). Aromatase blockers are used for medicines that are flavored, that is, for testosterone, Sustanon, danabol, boldenone and halotestin, the last two of the steroid converted to estrogens to a much lesser extent. Due to the aromatase inhibitor are drugs like letrozoleanastrozole and other natural sources of aromatase blockers – caffeine, zinc, eriodictiol, apigenin, catechin, nicotine, resveratrol.

The next class of anti-estrogens, it blockers estrogennovyh receptors, they are used on the course, and after a course of absolutely any difficulty, combinations and dosages. Due to blockers estrogennovyh receptors include, above all,    tamoxifenClomid  and torimifene  , this is used for about 2-3 weeks after you have “peeled” off course. That is, the above drugs penetrate the body, reducing the concentration of, or reducing (inhibiting) the activity of estrogennovyh receptors to the resulting body (testosterone), estrogen (based on that all preparations for the treatment of breast cancer in women).

The next major component of PCT is chorionic gonadotropin, a placenta hormone secreted during pregnancy (it appears in the urine in unchanged form, followed by extraction and purification). Chorionic gonadotropin is used in bodybuilding to prevent testicular atrophy, which means that it stimulates sperm and egg development to produce sex hormones. Apply during the severe steroid course (6 weeks or more), for 2-4 weeks, or at the end of 3-5 weeks, then gradually estrogennovyh to blocker receptors.Post cycle therapy

Cabergoline , a medication used to slow down bodybuilders’ prolactin (lactotropic, “stress” hormone, responsible for milk production in women). Use this pharma suitable for progestogen medications, that is, for retabolilum and  trenbolone , as they increase the production of prolactin secretion due to what can result in decreased libido, fluid accumulation. Usually restricted to the use of cabergoline at a dose of 0.25 mg (every 4th day) in the course of anabolic.

Sports nutrition as a PCT (as a supplement)

Testosterone booster

Mainly used for maintenance, increase natural (natural) testosterone levels, that is, for the normalization of the hormonal system, power increase in performance, stimulate muscle growth. Reception of the sports nutrition rate drops at the end (after deduction of steroids) and takes 2-3 weeks with gradually decreasing dosages. The market sportpita best testosterone booster is from Tribulus terrestrisagmatineforskolin .

liver protection

Medicines that protect the liver are designed from the harmful effects of anabolic steroids (mainly from steroids that contain the 17-alpha alkyl group). Use during the course of the steroid, and after a course (for about 3 weeks after closure). The best of them is  Geptral, Kars, Legalon, Essentiale, Alpha Lipoic  Acid, Arginine.

Note that gepatoprotektory in the west is not common among athletes taking steroids and they have poor evidence of effectiveness. Therefore, you should not rely too heavily on them with liver disease, or protect them, be more appropriate to make an appropriate, competent to your health, steroid course.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Useful unsaturated fatty acids, protects the heart, blood vessels, maintain healthy cholesterol levels in the blood, play an important role in the physiological, biochemical processes in the body. Take Omega-3 in the course and after its completion, for another 2-3 weeks. Products that contain the greatest amount of useful fatty acids:    fish (  tuna, Atlantic salmon, sardines, Atlantic herring, mackerel), flaxseed oil, linseed oil, linseed, nuts, soybeans, oat embryos.

growth hormone

The growth hormone is used during and after a course of steroids to save the result of muscle mass, strength, reduced cardiovascular complications, anxiety, depression. Because of the high cost, very few athletes include a steroid hormone growth rate. The best manufacturers of HGH:  Jintropin (Dzhintropin) from Gensi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (  China ) and Ansomone ( Ansomon ) from Anhui Anke Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (  China ).

peptides

Natural or natural compounds whose molecules consist of two or more amino acid residues linked by amide (peptide) bonds (this is the Scientific), and when it is simple, it is stimulant (increase in concentration by 7-15 times) growth hormone, namely this property is interesting peptides for bodybuilding. Apply peptides, each for the same reasons as the growth hormone. Peptides are introduced from the beginning of the steroid course and before the end of post-cycle therapy.

Peptides are much cheaper than growth hormone, so they are used far more often. Most of the peptides you can find on the market:  from GHRP-6, GHRP-2, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, CJC-1295, HGH Frag (176-191).

Cortisol blocker

Sports nutrition protects the muscles and protects them from the devastating effects of the catabolic hormone cortisol. However, after the abolition of steroids, cortisol blockers are generally ineffective, but still, the acceptance requirement must be at the time of the course and after (within 3-4 weeks).

Top cortisol blockers today of sports nutrition: protein,  BCAAs , ascorbic acid.

The above-mentioned medications, post-cycle therapy components can complement one another, ie they are compatible. Prohormones should not be taken as a means of FCT, because when ingested, they are all converted to the same testosterone.

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) After a cycle of anabolic steroids

The 2 main medications used for PCT are

Clomid and Novaldex both anti-estrogens belonging to the same group of triphenylethylene compounds. They are structurally related and in particular, classified as selective modulators of estrogen receptors (SERMs) with mixed agonist and antagonist properties. This means that in certain tissues that can block the action of estrogen, by changing the binding capacity of receptors, while others act as real estrogen receptor activation.

In men, both of these drugs act as anti-estrogens in their ability to elevate the negative feedback of estrogens to the hypothalamus and stimulate the increased release of GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone). Pituitary LH performance is seen as a result, which in turn increases testosterone levels in the testes.

Both drugs do this, but for some reason, bodybuilders insist that Clomid is the only drug that can stimulate testosterone well. What will be found with a little research, however, is that not only is Novaldex useful for the same purpose, it should actually be the preferred means of the two.

PCT protocol

The normal protocol for Clomid is: 

1. 300mg 

100 ed 2-11 days (every day) 

Ed 50 mg days 12-21 

divided doses throughout the day.

This should be followed by a significant amount of time away from steroids to help the body recover. The rule is that a cycle shouldn’t start with the PCT material as if you had to cut a short cycle, for some reason, you still recover.

PCT should be started when everything depends on the life of the substance. Half-life is the time it takes to break the bottom half. Testosterone has a half-life of about 2 weeks, so we suggest that’s when the PCT should start. If started before the hand test will still be in your system and still suppress your natural levels so PCT would have little effect. Dianabol, on the other hand, had a very short half-life, so PCT can be started the day after the last dose.

For more information on steroids’ average life expectancy, please read the profiles again and answer your questions. On the next page is a table showing the recommended start time for the PCT steroid after each start. If you are making a batch then it is better to choose the longest PCT start time before the PCT protocol.

Anadrol50 Suplementos Naturales Anapolan50: 8 – 12 hours

Deca durabolan: 3 weeks

Dianabol: 4 – 8 hours

Balance: 17-21 days

Finajet Suplementos Naturales Trenbolon: 3 days

Great down payment: 10 – 14 days

Sustanon: 3 weeks

Testosterone cypionate: 2 weeks

Testosterone enanthate 2 weeks

Testosterone Propionate: 3 days

Testosterone suspension: 4 – 8 hours

Winstrol 8/12 horas

For example, if you were to do a Suplementos Natural Dianabol Test cycle, then PCT would start two weeks after its last race, as the injection is the longest acting on its steroid cycle.

Clomid is an anabolic supplement and natural androgenic steroid. However, since it is a synthetic estrogen, it belongs to the group of sex hormones. In the school of medicine, Clomid is usually used to induce ovulation. Clomid also has a strong influence on the hypothalamic-testicular axis. Stimulates the hypophysis more gonadotropin so that a faster and higher release of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) occurs. This leads to an increased endogenous (endogenous) testosterone level. Clomid is particularly effective when the body’s testosterone production is suppressed by taking anabolic supplements Naturales androgenic steroids. In most cases, Clomid can normalize testosterone levels and spermatogenesis (sperm development) within 10-14 days. For this reason, Clomid is primarily taken after steroids are discontinued. It is now extremely important to testosterone production to a normal level as soon as possible so that the loss of muscle mass and strength minimizes. Even better results can be achieved when combined with HCG Clomid or after taking HCG when using Clomid.

Paradoxically, although Clomid is a synthetic estrogen it also works as a Supplements naturales. The reason is that Clomid has only a very low estrogenic effect and therefore more estrogens, for example during the aromatization of steroids, are blocked at the receptors. This includes those who develop steroids during aromatization. This does not prevent aroma steroids, but the increased estrogen mostly disables it since it doesn’t bind to the receptors. The increased water intake and the possible signs of feminization are therefore reduced or even completely avoided. Because the effect of Clomid Suplementos naturales is lower than that found in Proviron, Nolvadex, and Teslac is primarily considered stimulating testosterone. Clomid is a medication that promotes the production of the body’s hormone, gonadotropin, which in turn increases testosterone levels. It is administered for women as a call to Suplementos naturales to trigger ovulation (ovulation stimulator).

Side effects from Clomid are very rare if reasonable doses are taken. Possible side effects are menopausal hot flashes and occasional visual disturbances, which can manifest themselves in visual disturbances, which cause flickering or blinking. If visual disturbances occur, the manufacturer recommends discontinuing Clomid treatment. Inadequate liver functions cannot be excluded, but are very unlikely. In women, ovarian enlargement and abdominal pain can occur because Clomid stimulates the ovaries. Multiple pregnancies are also possible if you take Clomid. As for the dosage, natural 50-100 mg of Suplementos day (1-2 tablets) seems to be sufficient. The tablets are usually taken with the pressure fluid after meals. Is it, when taking multiple tablets are recommended to be administered in equal doses throughout the day. The duration of taking it is rumored to be taken no more than 10-14 days. That is wrong. Clinical trials with male patients shown clomid used up to a year or more. Most athletes start with 100 mg of Suplementos naturales day, taking a 50 mg tablet in the morning and in the evening after eating. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. to be administered in equal doses throughout the day. The duration of taking it is rumored to be taken no more than 10-14 days. That is wrong. Clinical trials with male patients shown clomid used up to a year or more. Most athletes start with 100 mg of Suplementos naturales day, taking a 50 mg tablet in the morning and in the evening after eating. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. to be administered in equal doses throughout the day. The duration of taking it is rumored to be taken no more than 10-14 days. That is wrong. Clinical trials with male patients shown clomid used up to a year or more. Most athletes start with 100 mg of Suplementos naturales day, taking a 50 mg tablet in the morning and in the evening after eating. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. Clinical trials with male patients shown clomid used up to a year or more. Most athletes start with 100 mg of Suplementos naturales day, taking a 50 mg tablet in the morning and in the evening after eating. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. Clinical trials with male patients shown clomid used up to a year or more. Most athletes start with 100 mg of Suplementos naturales day, taking a 50 mg tablet in the morning and in the evening after eating. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market. After the fifth day, the dosage is often reduced to just one 50 mg tablet a day, usually, the compound is not necessary for more than ten days to increase endogenous testosterone production. Clomid is relatively expensive. A pack of 10 tablets costs around 35-45 on the black market.

Nolvadex This resource is a little different from the others because it is not an anabolic supplements naturales androgenic steroid. For male and female bodybuilders, but a very useful and recommended compound, which is confirmed by its widespread use and largely positive results. Nolvadex belongs to the group of sex hormones and is called Suplementos naturales. The normal use of Nolvadex is in the treatment of certain forms of breast cancer in female patients. With Nolvadex it is possible to reverse an existing growth process of the deceased tissue and prevent further growth. The growth of certain tissues is stimulated by the body’s hormone estrogen. This is especially true for the mammary glands in men and women because the body has a variety of estrogen receptors in these glands that can bind with the estro gene present in the blood. When the body’s estrogen level is abnormally high an undesirable growth of mammary glands occurs. However, in healthy men and women in particular, this is not the case. However, it is mostly male bodybuilders who use Nolvadex and fewer women. At first glance, this seems a little unthinkable, but if you take a closer look, the reasons are clear. Bodybuilders who take Nolvadex also use anabolic steroids at the same time. Since most steroids aromatize more or less solidly, ie some of the substance is converted into estrogens, male bodybuilders can experience a significant increase in usually very low estrogen levels.

The Suplementos naturales Novaldex works against the tissue by blocking the ES Trogen receptors, which inhibits the binding of one of the estrogen receptors. However, it is important to understand that Novaldex does not prevent aromatization, but only acts as an estrogen antagonist. This means that testosterone and its synthetic derivatives (steroids) in estrogen conversion are not prevented, but only in some kind of competition for the estrogen receptors, it fights with them. This measure has the disadvantage that after the Novaldex interruption a “rebound effect” can occur, which means that the suddenly released estrogen receptors can absorb and estrogen in the blood. For this reason, the combined use of Proviron is suggested (see Proviron.) Nolvadex is also on a diet because it helps to burn fat. Al-if Nolvadex has no direct fat burning effect your Suplementos naturales effect helps to keep the best possible levels like estrogen. Nolvadex should be particularly strong androgens with Dianabol and Anadrol 50 and the various tests Osterone compounds. Athletes who have a tendency to retain water and have breast dysfunction should be taking Nolvadex prevention along with steroid intake. Since Nolvadex is very effective in most cases it is not surprising that some athletes take Anadrol 50 and Dianabol by the day of the competition, and in combination with a diuretic as before, appear to be completely torn.

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