Q&A for How to Gain More Muscle Mass and Strength

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  • Question
    How can I increase my muscular strength at home?
    Pete Cerqua
    Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
    Pete Cerqua is a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist. Pete is also a five-time best-selling author of books including "The 90-Second Fitness Solution" and "High Intensity Fitness Revolution for Women/Men" published by Simon and Schuster and Skyhorse Publishing. Pete has over 20 years of personal training and nutrition coaching experience and operates the 90-Second Fitness flagship studio in New York City.
    Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
    Expert Answer
    Push-ups, squats, and planks are all great exercises you can do at home, and they don't require any special equipment.
  • Question
    How many reps should I do to build strength?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Building strength generally requires sets with fewer reps but extremely heavy weight. Try 3-6 sets of 6-8 reps at very heavy resistance to build strength.
  • Question
    How much muscle can you gain in one month?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    In a month, depending on where your physique starts, you can see differences in the way your clothes fit and possibly some new tone or definition if you are very thin.
  • Question
    What should I eat to gain muscle mass?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    You will need to get at least 20% of your calories from lean healthy protein sources such as meat, poultry, soy, eggs, milk and milk products, lentils, legumes, seeds and nuts.
  • Question
    How can I increase my body strength?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Increasing overall body strength requires work for all the moving parts, including the heart. Try a program of calisthenics to work all the body parts together to really improve overall strength, or get the help of a personal trainer to teach you a good balanced workout plan.
  • Question
    How many reps and sets should I do to build muscle and avoid injury?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    To avoid injury, adjust the weight, not the set and rep schedule. Keep to three to four sets of six to eight reps and work up the weight gradually so that the final few reps of the final set are very challenging.
  • Question
    What is the deference between lean muscle and muscle mass?
    Community Answer
    People just use the term mass to describe the size of your muscles. Lean muscle is just muscle.
  • Question
    How do I gain strength if I am in a wheelchair?
    Community Answer
    Fortunately, as you move around in a wheelchair, you work your arm muscles. If you want more of a challenge, purchase some wrist weights, and find a suitable trail to go along.
  • Question
    I'm a skinny guy that needs a serious diet and change. I'm only around 55-60 kilograms and for my height I should be at least 65-70. I don't work out but just got a set of weights. Any tips on getting big quick?
    Community Answer
    Quick isn't really the way to go. If you want strong, durable, or large muscles then you are going to have to work for it. Protein is a vital aspect of building the best muscle. The most commonly suggested measurement of daily protein is 1g/lb of body weight. Also, you should develop a routine. Most athletic people have separate days for focusing on arms, legs, chest, shoulders, and core.
  • Question
    Can a fat burner and creatine be taken together 30 minutes before a workout?
    Community Answer
    Creatine is a dietary supplement as well as your "fat burner." You'll have better results with diet adjustment and just creatine than hitting a "fat burner." The supplement industry is built on ripping people off; don't fall for the "proprietary blend" crap. Exercise hard and often, eat well, and sleep harder. The human body can do amazing things if you let it.
  • Question
    Why is my body mass and muscle shrinking even though I work out every day and have a proper, healthy diet?
    Community Answer
    You might to be eating enough protein for muscle-building. Also, you might not be eating enough calories to support your workouts. Most likely, your diet needs tweaking.
  • Question
    I am a skinny guy because I used to run daily for miles. Now I want strength with lean muscle. My weight is 65 kg and height 177 cm. Give me a diet and a strength workout program. please.
    Community Answer
    Okay, Im guessing you are around twenty years old. So try eating around 2700 calories and go on a 5x5 program such as the ICF one (the best in my opinion). If you are not gaining a tleast 1/2 a pound a week, up the calories by 100-200.
  • Question
    I'm a little overweight. Will gaining muscle help me lose weight as well?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Muscle helps burn fat.
  • Question
    I'm a skinny guy, I weigh 57kg and am 5 feet 7 inches tall. I want to gain mass. What sort of diet should I have?
    SethGreen
    Community Answer
    Heavy carbs, light sugar, vegetables and fruits are always good. Can't stress this enough - have ample protein. It is estimated that 90-98% of bodybuilders don't get enough.
  • Question
    How many days per week should I work out if I want to train my back, biceps, legs and chest?
    Community Answer
    Muscles require 48 hours to recuperate after strenuous exercise. You could work all of those muscle groups one day, then take a day off, then work them all again the next day and so on. However, it is more common, and would be better advised, to work your upper and lower body on alternating days.
  • Question
    How many days a week should I go to the gym in order to see fast results? How many body parts should I train per day?
    Community Answer
    It depends on your current level. Assuming you're a new gym-goer, you will get good results no matter what; these are known as "newbie gains" - meaning you can get away with training each body part very little, and still see great results. You should either be doing full-body, or upper/lower-body splits to begin with, and as you get to an intermediate level, your muscles will need more stimuli in order to grow. This is when you might go over to a push-pull-legs split, or even a bro-split (where arms, chest, back, legs, shoulders all have a day). If you're training full body/upper lower, give your body a lot of time to recover (i.e. 3-4 training days in a week, not 3-4 in a row).
  • Question
    Can I get taller if I work out in a gym?
    Community Answer
    No. Going to the gym makes you wider, or slimmer, depending on your goals, not taller.
  • Question
    Can I use this supplement when I don't go to the gym?
    Community Answer
    It would be detrimental, as you would put on weight and not gain any muscle mass.
  • Question
    I weigh 195 pounds. How many calories and how much protein should I eat for the day in order to build muscle?
    Community Answer
    Around 3000 calories daily. Shoot for 300g carbs, 195g protein, and 100g fats.
  • Question
    I need more lean muscle mass and more muscles; I don't need to lose any more weight. What do you suggest I do?
    Community Answer
    Do a lot of cardio. Exercises such as running help you lose weight, but they also help create lean muscle.
  • Question
    What are the best workouts for someone who is small and thin?
    Community Answer
    You should consult with a physical trainer, to ensure that you do not do any exercises that could harm you in the process since you are small and thin. They will be able to give you their professional opinion and help you out with this.
  • Question
    How can I get proteins without eating vegetables?
    Community Answer
    Read the article. It gives a number of different examples of proteins. Meat, fish, and animal products are the most typical sources of protein.
  • Question
    How many weeks will it take to make a difference in my muscles?
    Community Answer
    Generally speaking, it will depend on your nutrition, body type, and workout plan to determine that.
  • Question
    How do I get large arms and a large chest if I'm a skinny guy?
    Community Answer
    Try this routine daily: 20 press ups, 20 squats, 40 secs of plank, 20 secs of balancing on each leg, lots of running (ideally not on a treadmill, it is better to do it outside. A martial art and some gym work. The only way to become stronger is to do as much fitness training as possible. Most of the time, do more than you set out to for your fitness routine.
  • Question
    Do I need supplements and protein powder if I want to start bodybuilding?
    Raphael Key
    Top Answerer
    No. but with or without them, you'd need a well balanced diet. Eat plenty of protein and clean carbs, low sugar. all that. You can't out-train a bad diet and you can't use supplements to replace a bad diet.
  • Question
    Should I do the reps quickly or slowly?
    Community Answer
    Do each rep slowly, ensuring you're using proper form and technique. Fast reps could cause muscle and ligament injury, which could hamper your training.
  • Question
    Can I gain more muscle mass and strength at any age?
    Community Answer
    That depends on the age and the overall body's health. Small children aren't usually advised to go to the gym, as their muscles haven't developed completely, so they can be fit and strong by doing sports or martial arts. As a teenager you can start building muscles and go to the gym around the age of 15 or 16 as the muscles are almost completely developed, but again doing sports and other physical activities are better than lifting weights as they still haven't completely developed. Adults can obviously build muscles and strength, but it depends on their health conditions too. Even old people can build muscles, but for them it completely depends on how their health conditions are.
  • Question
    As a transgender man, what is a good way to gain muscle mass? (I'm 16.)
    Raphael Key
    Top Answerer
    Short answer: The advice in the article will help you plenty! Long answer: You might be going through hormonal changes during your transition, and while this might affect muscle growth very slightly, I don't think It'll make any major changes. Studies have shown that that biological males and females actually have similar potential for muscle growth (implying that anyone between also has this similar potential), and that a solid exercise foundation (as laid out in the article) will help anyone, cis, trans or intersex.
  • Question
    is it ok for me to workout 5 times to 6 times a week?
    Raphael Key
    Top Answerer
    This depends on your training age. If you're a beginner, this is a big ask and you might tire yourself out before you make any real progress, it might be best to start workout out three times a week with a full body routine focusing on compound movements like squats and bench press. if you want to work out more times a week, then make sure the muscles you work get an adequate rest time.
  • Question
    Should I use the same amount of reps for each set like 6 sets to failure on one set with 50 pounds and then next set could I do 60 pounds with 4 sets. Like can I alternate?
    Mzm555
    Top Answerer
    For sure. Try out different sets, weights, and reps and see which works best for you.
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