Reasons You Are Not Building Muscle
Building muscles will take time and effort, and there are no shortcuts if you plan on doing it properly. But what can you do when you’re working your butt off at the gym but are still not seeing the results you were hoping for?
The good news is that there can be an easy fix! So keep on reading below for the Reasons You Are Not Building Muscle, as a few easy tweaks to your routine can help you hit your targets.
You’re Not Training Consistently
The only way to ensure you will see results in a bodybuilding program is to train consistently. Casually going to the gym whenever you feel like it is totally fine when you have no targets, but our bodies respond best to work out when we are sticking to a strict schedule.
To do this you need to create a solid workout regimen that will target all the different muscle groups on specific days. You should also aim to work every single part of your body at least once a week. If you have a job or personal life that makes a routine difficult, then you can try keeping your mornings free for workouts so as not to miss any training sessions.
You Are Not Practising The Proper Lifting Technique
As I’m sure you’ve heard, the lifting technique is incredibly important in weight training. Practising the improper technique can lead to injury and poor results, and many experienced lifters will lift weights that are too light and then wonder why they are not seeing the gains they hoped for.
Lighter weights combined with high reps will not give you results, you will need to lift heavier weights in order to build muscle. Lifting should be a challenge and not so easy that you barely break a sweat.
If you are struggling with knowing where to start, then you should consider working with a personal trainer for some guidance. You get them to devise a personal programme for you, which will not only make it safer for you, but it will also lead to better results.
You’re Doing Too Much Cardio
Cardio is amazing if you plan on running a half-marathon, but including too much cardio in your routine at the expense of lifting can slow down or even halt any muscle gains you are working towards.
It is important to always prioritise weight-training days and dial it back on the cardio sessions. It is also important to schedule a cardio day when you have the time, but be sure you don’t lose any rest days, as these are also key to building muscle safely.
You’re Eating The Wrong Foods
One of the top reasons why people don’t see muscle gain quickly enough is because their diet is not optimised for muscle gain. There are many workout programmes that are designed to encourage a calorie deficit with weight loss as the target, but not eating enough calories is bad news if your goal is to gain muscle.
You can start by monitoring your calorie intake to help you keep tabs on how much food you are consuming in relation to your gym sessions by using an app such as MyFitnessPal.
Next, you should look closely at the type of food you are eating, a poor-quality diet that consists of pizza and fries can’t help you gain muscle, so try ditching the sugar and the fast food and start eating healthier foods such as fresh fruits, veggies and lean meats. These foods can form the building blocks for muscle gain.
You can also start introducing supplements into your diet to help you on your fitness journey.
You Are Not Getting Quality Sleep
You can never underestimate the power and importance of quality sleep and rest days. Our bodies need time to recover after rough lifting sessions, and sleeping is when your torn muscle fibres repair and grow stronger.
If you are not getting enough sleep, then your body cannot sufficiently recover for the next session, this is how most injuries can occur.
Protein Supplements
Protein intake is incredibly important for gaining muscle. More specifically, in order to gain muscle, you will need to consume more protein than your body breaks down during natural processes.
While it is very possible to get all of your protein needs from protein-rich foods, some people can still struggle to do so and opt for a protein supplement.
While there are a number of different protein supplements available on the market, the most popular are whey, soy protein and casein. Other protein supplements contain proteins isolated from eggs, chicken, beef or other sources.
There is research showing that adding additional protein via supplements can cause slightly more muscle gain in individuals who exercise compared to those who add more carbs.
We have listed our DSI best-selling clear whey protein below:
Supreme Nutrition Clear Whey Isolate 500g
Supreme nutrition clear whey is a superior quality whey isolate produced in Ireland. It delivers 20g of protein per serving in a low-calorie, light-textured & refreshing drink that assists with muscle growth, maintenance & recovery.
We have listed our DSI best-selling beef protein below:
NXT Nutrition Beef Protein Isolate 1.8kg
NXT Nutrition Beef Protein is an alternative source of protein to traditional protein shakes. Each serving provides you with 27g of protein with zero dairy and zero sugar. As most protein shakes are either whey, casein or soy-based they are not ideal for anyone with an intolerance to dairy or soy.
We have listed our DSI best-selling Vegan and Soy Free Protein below:
Supreme Nutrition Protein Oats
Supreme Nutrition Protein Oats are a Clean, High Protein Weight Gainer or Meal Replacement With Oats, MCTs, BCAAs, Vitamins, Minerals & Digestive Enzymes!
Protein Oats contain a massive 42g of muscle-building protein together with multi-phase release carbohydrates and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). It is designed for anyone looking to pack on muscle and is ideal for people with a fast metabolism. Protein Oats are great for recovery and are high in amino acids to aid in muscle repair and growth.
To Sum It Up
Keeping a fitness journal or diary can monitor your progress, which will make it easier to see where you are going wrong or what you are doing right which will help you stay on track to seeing your desired results.
