How to Allow Your Muscles to Build

Building muscle mass contributes to a better quality of life. Strengthening your muscles allows you to complete everyday tasks, such as bringing in the groceries, with more ease. It leads to weight loss, which improves overall health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The best way to build muscle mass is by combining a strength training program with healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet and getting an adequate amount of sleep.

Instructions

    • 1

      Start a strength training program and incorporate as many major muscle groups as possible. For example, make sure to train your shoulders, triceps, biceps, abdominals, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. If you are new to strength training, consider enlisting the services of a personal trainer. She can teach you a variety exercises and make sure you use proper form while you complete them.

    • 2

      Exercise your lower body one day and your upper body the next day. This will give your muscles a day to rest. Another option is to choose three muscle groups to exercise during one workout. This also gives your muscles time to rest since you won't be training the same ones every day.

    • 3

      Perform one set of 10-12 repetitions with each exercise and work your muscles to the point of fatigue with each set. Use the heaviest weight you can lift while retaining correct form. If you cannot maintain proper form, decrease the amount of weight you're lifting.

    • 4

      Combine your strength-training program with a healthy diet. According to Harvard University's Healthy Eating Pyramid, the bulk of your diet should come from vegetables, whole grains and fruit. You should also try to limit your intake of red meat, salt, refined grains, and sugar. Harvard's website recommends fish and poultry if you eat meat.

    • 5

      Sleep at least eight hours every night. According to Harvard University's Healthy Sleep website, "major restorative functions in the body such as tissue repair, muscle growth and protein synthesis occur almost exclusively during sleep." The website also reports that people who sleep for an average of eight hours a night are much less likely to be overweight that those who sleep six hours or less. Sleep is a valuable, yet often overlooked, part of a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle is vital for building muscle mass.

    • 6

      Avoid strength-training plateaus. Plateaus are common after the first few months of starting a strength-training program. Avoid them by constantly changing your routine and incorporating a variety of new exercises. Consider increasing the intensity level of your workout to avoid a plateau. You can also change the order of the exercises you perform while increasing the intensity level.