How to build more muscle in less time
Lack of time is the most common explanation for skipping workouts or ordering junk food from the nearest takeaway. Okay, if you have a family and a job. But the problem is less a lack of time than a lack of self-discipline.
What would you say is the single most important factor in successful training? A good training split? The best possible post-workout drink?
The answer is simpler. Train and eat well consistently, and don’t settle for an on-and-off approach where you train and eat properly for a few weeks, then spend the following weeks dozing on the sofa in front of the TV and munching on potato chips.
If you know yourself well enough to recognize that you’re quick to make excuses for avoiding things that seem difficult, we have one solution for you: you need to learn to make difficult things easy. Less complaining, less thinking, and above all, less time spent on both.
The formula for success is goal setting, planning and good time management.
Setting goals
Before you can aim to save time and get better results, you need clear, specific goals. Your first step is to sit down and put your goals on paper. If you don’t, all you have is a jumble of vague, unorganized thoughts that you may or may not put energy into, and that may or may not become reality as a result.
We all need a carefully thought-out plan we can refer to as a reminder of where we’re actually heading. You need to know what you want to achieve and what you need to do to make it happen. Once you’ve set a long-term goal, you can break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Whatever goal you set, it should be something you can achieve within the next couple of years. It should also be realistic, yet challenging. Once you’ve achieved it, set new goals.
Measuring progress
Measurement is an important part of achieving your goals. If your long-term goal is to compete in bodybuilding, for example, your milestones might involve body symmetry and measurements of individual body parts. Smaller goals might include building a couple of kilos of muscle mass or adding a couple of centimeters to a body measurement. Whatever your sport and goals, your main focus should be on measuring your weak points.
If you can’t improve your weak points, you’re unlikely to make progress. This is where a training log comes in. If you don’t write down what you do, it’s impossible to establish what has happened and what hasn’t.
Make a habit of reviewing your progress toward your goals and milestones at regular intervals. What has improved? What hasn’t? Ask yourself what changes you could make and what you need to do. If something is working, don’t change it just for the sake of change. When you adjust your plan, make sure there’s a good reason for it.
A training log is very useful when it’s time to set new goals, as it gives you an overview of your previous achievements.
Some goals can be difficult to measure, such as being the best in your weight class or on your team. If you have goals like these, you need to be especially honest with yourself, and you’ll probably need to ask for other people’s opinions too. Those opinions can be a double-edged sword, though, as friendships can get in the way and distort the truth. That’s why you should seek out a coach or an experienced competitor with the knowledge and expertise to advise you.
One goal you often hear that isn’t measurable is getting stronger at the bench press. Sounds good. But how much stronger? And over what period? Always make sure your goals are measurable.
Constructive or destructive goals
Goals can be constructive or destructive. First, consider whether your goal is really yours or someone else’s. You need to be sure you’re working toward something you truly want to achieve for yourself. Well-considered, constructive goals always lead to success, while poorly planned, vague goals that conflict with other important aims lead only to failure.
The goals you set can relate to any area of your life. They might involve training or food, or concern your family, work or financial situation. Clear goals make it much easier to organize your life.
To make your life a little easier, here are some of our favorite time-saving strategies.
Kitchen strategy
Chances are, the last thing you want is to spend an hour or more preparing food every day. The following plan will cut down your time in the kitchen.
– Prepare your protein source in advance
An oven is indispensable: you can use it to cook large batches of chicken, meat patties or even salmon. You can keep several days’ worth of food in the fridge, then whenever you need protein, take out the amount you need and reheat it in the microwave or in a pan.
– Chop vegetables twice a week
When you get home from shopping, chop and prepare enough vegetables for half the week. Three or four days later, when you’re running low on the first batch, prepare enough for the second half of the week.
Store each type of vegetable in a separate container. Spinach in one, carrots in another, onions in a third, and so on. Preparing vegetables twice a week not only saves you time but also means you’ll eat more of them. Whenever you want to make a salad, an omelet or a stir-fry, you’ll have a wide selection of pre-chopped vegetables ready to hand.
– Get food containers in the right sizes
When buying food storage or microwave-safe containers, look for suitable sizes that are convenient to take with you when you leave home.
– Put a blender or food processor to work
When you don’t have time to sit down for a meal or need a quick snack, nothing beats a food processor. If there’s no blender at your workplace, you have several options. Get yourself a portable blender or an immersion blender. They’re easy to clean and don’t take up much space. Another option is to blend your shake at home in the morning and keep it in the fridge at work. A third option is to prepare simple single-serving bags of the ingredients you use in your shakes, such as various nuts, protein powder, flaxseeds, oat flakes and so on. Then, whenever you need a quick snack, take what you want, pour it into a shaker, add water, green tea or milk, and mix.
Gym strategy
It’s easier than you think to waste ten, twenty or even thirty minutes in the gym every workout or every other workout. It’s time to get a grip!
– Follow a plan that matches your goals
Many people waste half their workout on pointless exercises such as hip adduction, cable crossovers or different variations of the same exercise. But unless you have several years of training experience and compete or plan to start competing, don’t train this way. Most people would make better progress by halving their training volume and focusing only on exercises that engage the most muscle mass. Take stock of your situation and your goals. Does your training match them?
– Make your training more efficient
Do you tend to do one set, then rest for two to three minutes before starting the next? If so, it’s high time you tried alternating sets. This means alternating between different exercises for two different muscle groups. That way, one muscle group can recover while you train the other. In most cases, the time it takes to perform the other exercise—about 30 seconds—is enough rest. This saves time and allows you to do more work with less rest.
– Make yourself invisible
If you need to make your training more efficient to fit in your other daily tasks, stopping to chat between sets and exercises can be your biggest obstacle. One solution is an mp3 player and headphones. Appear as busy and unreachable as possible. You’re at the gym to train, not to solve the world’s problems.
– Make your cardio efficient
Low-intensity cardio, such as walking, is a less effective and more time-consuming way to burn fat. Do interval training instead. You can get it done in 15 20 minutes, and a substantial afterburn is guaranteed.
Translated from Body magazine; Author: Joachim Bartoll
Author: Greta
Come and train! ArtGym
