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How to Use Rest to Gain More Muscle

13 Nov 2009

13 Nov, 2009  muscle might

Are you frustrated with not gaining any weight while you keep putting in the hard yards in the gym day after day week after week. It might be because you are not getting enough quality rest and sleep and this could be what’s holding back those big gains you are looking for.

While you are on any weight gain program you have to be careful, you have to stop any intense cardio work, as it will mar your strength training progress by taking a big bite into the energy needed for your recovery.

Remember that your body adapts best to a stimulus when it only has to adapt to a single stimulus, and the main priority here is strength training so please keep all incidental activity low. In a sense you have to become

“Lazy” By this I mean:

Instead of running “walk”.

Instead of walking “sit”.

Instead of sitting “lay down”… Get my point?

Another point is that if you want to gain more muscle, you will have to try to get more sleep. Go to bed early whenever possible and sleep late whenever you can.

Here are some other reasons why you should sleep more:

* Insufficient sleep has been linked with increases in fat tissue in the body and a loss of muscle strength and muscle mass.

* Lack of sleep causes a decrease in bone density, particularly in women because it can lead to osteoporosis.

Good sleep is as important as a service is for your car. It recharges your batteries, changes your oil and tops up your fluids so you can operate at peak function.

Sleep also repairs the body after strength training workouts and strengthens the immune system.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, it might just be that you are lacking certain vital nutrients in your diet, leaving you feeling depressed or anxious and causing you to wake during the night unable to return to sleep.

Try and include the following foods in your diet for a better nights sleep:

Cereals

Unprocessed cereals contain starch and complex carbohydrate to fuel energy reserves and give a comfortably full feeling.

Starch is known to greatly increase production of the endorphin serotonin, which is the body’s natural feel good drug. It acts to control moods, reduce anxiety and promote normal sleeping patterns.

Try a bowl of cereal just before bedtime; bread is also a good choice.

Oats

The oat flakes from which porridge is made are an excellent source of vitamin B6, which is needed to promote serotonin levels in the brain. Alkaloids in the grains can also have a relaxing effect.

Tuna

Tuna and other oily fish are an excellent source of calcium, a lack of which is said to cause anxiety.

So increasing the intake of these in the diet may well relieve stress-induced insomnia. Oily fish is also an excellent source of Omega 3 oils, which are essential for general health.

Pasta

A good source of protein for those who are lacking this nutrient and its endorphin-stimulating amino acids.

Pasta has a very low salt content, and is low in fat. It’s rich source of complex carbohydrates to fill you up and because it releases energy slowly, helps you feel pleasantly calm.

A perfect food choice for relaxation before bedtime.

Bananas

Bananas are a rich source of potassium, a vital mineral for nerve function and a lack of which can cause you to feel depressed and in turn lead to insomnia.

Bananas also have plenty of serotonin stimulating starchy carbohydrate to relax you and are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, also needed for the production of serotonin.

Nuts

Nuts are rich in B vitamins, proteins and selenium. Brazil nuts are the richest source of selenium.

Nuts are also high in protein, a lack of which can cause anxiety and depression. They contain both amino acids tryptophan and L-phenylalanine, which helps the body to produce those relaxing endorphins.

Strawberries

A source of vitamin C, which helps to produce endorphins and a good source of potassium, a lack of which can cause stress.

The red colour is due to a flavonoid, which seem to function as a biological response modifier or in other words they can change your mood for the better and help you relax.

In conclusion, to have a fully rested body every day is a giant step towards making big progress in the Gym. High intensity workouts can then be maintained for longer periods and you’ll have much more energy available during a workout to push out that extra rep.

“Increase your SLEEP and increase your GAINS”

Gary Matthews
http://www.articlesbase.com/muscle-building-articles/how-to-use-rest-to-gain-more-muscle-128463.html

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7 Responses

  1. C

    2009 Nov 13 1

    Do you gain more muscle with rest?
    Im 14 and i mostly do biceps curls for about an hour, would i get more results if i didn’t workout and take a break, or more results if i workout my biceps everyday? If so, how long of a rest?

  2. Bob G

    2009 Nov 13 2

    forget the rest, you’re probably not doing enough right now to worry about that.
    the important question is your arm is BIceps and TRIceps,, 5 heads of muscle, how do you expect to get big guns training 40% of the arm? forget it it’s not gonna happen.
    Train the triceps with 120% the weight you train the bicep and keep the shoulder up to speed with military presses, lat training, and bench.
    with this training,, rest the muscle 2 days following a workout.
    References :

  3. delsol

    2009 Nov 13 3

    hi! your maximum workout should be 3 days a week…you need to rest your muscles to make it grow and becomes stronger. be sure u also eat a well planned diet to help your muscles grow.
    References :

  4. blaze

    2009 Nov 13 4

    Take Muscle milk you’ll find it in GNC it makes you gain pure muscle you just have to work out. Muscle milk is good for that though.

    I highly doubt resting makes you gain more muscle.
    References :
    My boyfriend is obsessed with weights & having muscles in his body.

  5. MagnusMoss

    2009 Nov 13 5

    Technically your body builds muscle during period of rest immediately after you work out.

    When you exercise, you are pushing your muscle to your limits and causing (minor) damage. Your body says "oh no, we need more muscle capacity to do what we are being asked to do!" and builds more muscle when it does the repairs.

    Many people will gain more muscle if they exercise a given muscle group every OTHER day. Try exercising your legs or abs or doing cardio every other day. A lot of people end up with big arms and wussy legs.

    Also, be careful, too much weight lifting at your age can damage your growth plates and stunt your growth.
    References :

  6. qwiktruk

    2009 Nov 13 6

    If you can do curls for an hour…you aren’t lifting enough weight. Around rep #10, that arm should start to fatigue and be at failure around rep #12 (though I shoot for failure around rep#8, but i train for mass). You should be spending no more than a few minutes on a set. In an hour you should have nearly worked out your entire body! As mentioned before, don’t neglect the Tri’s and Delt’s as well.

    For rest…yes, the muscle fibers do regenerate when at rest. This is why sleep and non-exercition are crucial in the 24-48 hours after a heavy workout.

    And now factor in your age…you are really too young for everyday and heavy weight lifting workouts. At 14 your skeleton is still growing, and the muscle attached doesn’t grow at the same rate (growing bones slowly stretch the muscle out)…this makes strain/tear injuries easy at your age. I say a 12 rep/single set circuit with moderate weight 2 to 3 times a week is plenty. Don’t forget the cardio, you can do that more frequently.
    References :

  7. Powerful Bodybuilding Supplements For Massive Muscle Gains | Bodybuilding Fitness Wisdom

    2009 Nov 22 7

    [...] How to Use Rest to Gain More Muscle | Marcio Ribeiro [...]


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