If you’re a beginner who is a noob to lifting, then you should get some results no matter which training program you choose to follow. Everything that requires more effort than being a couch potato will build muscle at least initially. And as a result of this, beginners usually get a wrong, excessively positive opinion about the effectiveness of their current training program.

You can go ahead and continue using your current training program, but it’s only fair that you know that there are much more effective programs for beginners, and experienced people just like the Gaining Mass program by Anthony Ellis. Don’t waste your time, energy and money on a program doesn’t reward you with what you got the potential for.

If you train at home, you should find a gym where you feel that you can and want to train. The equipment there will give you better results than a home-gym (if you don’t want to spend quite a lot of money in it).

Believe me, almost nobody in the gym cares about your training or your looks as long as you don’t perform some kind of spectacular self-made exercises, or wear some kind of neon-colored clothes. If you stick to the basic exercises you should quickly become one of the team. And with a sensible program you could get to be one of the strongest in 9 – 12 months (just because most of the people at the gym don’t know what they are doing).

Far to many people that work out don’t know what they are doing. I mean they literally don’t. And the worst thing with working out is that you can train as hard as you can for hours, months, and even years, with little to no results at all. This is mainly because of the lack of knowledge, especially with regard to nutrition and training. Anthony Ellis’ Gaining Mass program provides you with that knowledge.

When it comes to your diet, you should be prepared to eat proper food every 2-3 hours, otherwise you could just forget the results from the workouts. That being said, Vince doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that nutrition is hugely important. You should probably get into a good habit of wanting to eat more and train even harder to accomplish your muscle building goals.

But is a weight gain program really so good that it would be worth investing in it? That’s a very hard question to answer without knowing your motivation and goals. A proven and trusted program contains more than enough information for maximizing bodybuilding results. It really comes down to how determined one is to really follow it correctly. It really pays off when followed.

When a lot of people first start training the muscle they dedicate a lot of time to is the chest. While all muscle groups are important many people judge you based on the size of your chest.

The fundamental chest exercise is of course the flat press. Flat presses not only work your chest muscles but also your shoulders and triceps. Dumbbells offer a greater range of motion than barbells and should be used in addition to barbell presses.

There are many different ways to hit separate parts of the chest, such as doing inclines and decline presses. Inclines mainly focus on the top part of your pecs while declines hit the lower chest. A lot of people I’ve noticed really need to spend more time hitting the upper chest, as often the lower is well developed from flat pressing all the time.

Another great mass builder for the chest is dips. Dips not only work the entire chest (to emphasize this lean forward while doing them) but also the shoulders and triceps. Many people get large amounts of mass on their chest from dips alone, so make sure to include them in your routine.

Don’t worry if your chest isn’t as big as you’d like. The pectorals are often the slowest muscles to grow and can be difficult to fully develop especially for beginners. Always remember to really focus on pushing with your chest because a lot of the times people put all the stress on their shoulders instead of the pecs.

Here are some simple tips to help you develop those chest muscles you’ve always dreamed of:

• Don’t use too wide of a grip, your max grip should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
• The bar should be touching the highest point of your chest on every rep.
• Don’t arch your back
• Keep the bar under control and push at a constant rate
• Keep it simple, stick to 2-4 work sets, make sure its heavy and no more than 8-10 reps.

Try not to get too caught up on the chest. As long as you switch up your exercises and are consistent you’ll be well on your way to a bigger chest.

One of the most popular mass building programs that is being used right now is the 5×5 weight lifting program.

There are various 5×5 workouts available and which one you should do will depend on how much experience you have lifting.

The 5×5 program below is great for beginners looking to build strength and muscle mass fast. As long as you have proper form and a good diet you will pack on the pounds easily. This is a very old school workout program that many lifters use as it really provides great results.

Monday

Squats 5×5 (same weight)
Benching 5×5 (flat, close grip or regular)(same weight)
JS Rows 5×5 (same weight)
Accessory (low volume triceps and abs)

Wednesday

Squats 5×5 (reduced 15-20% from Monday) or Front Squats 5×5
Standing Military Press 5×5 (same weight)
Dead lifts 5×5 (same weight)
Pull ups 5×5 (use a weight belt if needed)
Isolation (biceps (2 sets max) and abs)

Friday

Squats 5×5 (working up each set)
Benching 5×5 (flat or incline)(same weight)
Rows 5×5 (same weight)
Accessory (low volume triceps and abs)

The basic idea of the program is to only do compound exercises such as the squat and dead lift and to always be increasing your max weight every week. This in turn has been proven to really pack on the pounds for any level of lifter. It also forces you to learn proper technique in order lift heavier weights each week.

Before beginning the program take the time to learn your 5 rep max for the squat, dead lift, bench press, rows and military press. When starting the program don’t try and ramp up weight too quickly as this will cause you to stall results wise. Start very light and work your way up to new 5 rep maxes by about week 4 for beginners. If you get all the sets and reps then you’ll increase the next week by 5 lbs. It is extremely important to get all 5 sets in, if you must drop the weight to get all the reps in.

I have used this program on a lot of my clients and it always produces results. Remember to stick to the program for 5-8 weeks at least and eat tons of protein if you expect to keep making gains. It’s a great program for not only the guy wanting to look better at the beach but also for the athlete who wants to run faster.

Useful tips on how to gain weight quickly are priceless to those people who are “too skinny” and are struggling to put on extra pounds.

As always, there are many people that put on weight very easily and naturally, and desire to get rid of it. But on the other side of the spectrum, skinny people or “skinny fat” people can find it extremely challenging to gain weight in order to enhance their physical appearance. Most thin women dream of extravagant and beautiful clothes that looks so fabulous on voluptuous supermodels. However, people should not envy those who put on weight very easily, particularly those who gain weight by eating unhealthy food.

It is always good to understand the basics behind natural and healthy weight gain. This is how a person can discover more on how to gain weight in a healthy and quick way. Before tackling this issue, let’s look at the reasons why thin and scrawny people fail to gain weight successfully.

By having a poor weight gain diet, poor motivation and no proper workout are some of the key reasons why thin individuals struggle with not being able to gain weight quickly.

Below are some easy-to-follow tips on how to gain weight quickly.

One of the main keys to weight gain is to consume the right types of food. Eating garbage like fast food and processed foods will make a person gain weight fast but it will harm the body as well. A person might become overweight if he or she eats this type of food regularly.

A person should also find out what their BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is. The BMR is basically a way to calculate how many calories get burned daily, and should be used to determine what your ideal weight is. You should begin planning a weekly eating schedule to increase weekly consumption by 3,500 calories in order to achieve weight gain of one to two pounds within a week.

You should consume foods high in protein like chicken, fish and beef regularly. Milk is also another excellent source of protein, hence the popularity of GOMAD (gallon of milk a day) diet especially among young guys. A person trying to gain weight should also eat balance meals with a consumption of nuts and vegetables.

Guidelines for Healthy Weight Gain

A person needs to tone up his excess weight so that he doesn’t end up being overweight. Some fat gain is necessary when trying to gain muscle. Depending upon the inclination for physical activities it would be useful in complementing a workout routine with cardio like walking, playing any sport and jogging for at least half an hour about three to four times every week, once you’ve reached a desirable point for weight gain and want to reduce your body fat percentage to get a more toned look.

Understanding these useful tips on how to gain weight quickly provides a person with a better knowledge of how to gain weight the healthy way.

As a skinny guy you’re trapped in the fantasy of finally being able to get the body you have always dreamed of: fit, fat free and toned muscles. In other words, you’re dying to achieve something close to perfection. You have heard so much about the benefits of exercising so that your diet to gain weight isn’t all to waste.

But wait! Before dreaming on, let me remind you, that there is no such thing as perfection for everyone. Stop the fantasies and drop down back to earth. Yes, indeed, exercises are going to do you a lot of good, but don’t you believe those advertisers who claim, that you can get everything you want from just using this or that product with absolutely no effort at all.

There’s no way that’s going to happen. If that were true, wouldn’t everybody look fit and healthy? Exercise equipment advertisers are currently using the power of influence based upon the public’s unawareness and lack of information. You don’t have to be the victim anymore. How? It’s very easy. Just open your eyes and stop believing everything they tell you about their exercise machines.

Stay away from those exercise machines that pretend to be the answer of all your questions: they help you burn fat, they help you build muscle, and they give you a perfect body. Impossible! These exercise machines are human made. Humans can’t make miracles.

There are some ground rules you should take into consideration before choosing a piece of exercise equipment for your home gym:

Stay away from exercise equipment that promises to provide easy or effortless results in a very short period of time; these are fakes. If they tell you that you can get the body of a professional athlete in one month using their exercise machine, why the hell do professional athletes train for years on to get there?

If a piece of exercise equipment says that it will help you build muscle mass faster than another, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should choose that one. If the exercise for instance, gets uncomfortable, then you won’t probably use the exercise equipment as much as you should to obtain the desired results.

Exercise machines or exercise equipment that focus on toning muscles in one particular area of the body are not very efficient. It’s been medically tested that it’s close to impossible to dictate your body composition as to which area it should lose/gain weight from.

Take a look around first and definitely visit more than one shop. This way you will probably come across discounts or even better exercise equipment than the ones you first laid your eyes on. Before buying an exercise machine, check out its warranties, payback policies and anything else related to finances and quality. Any product lacking these or an exercise machine that has a very low warranty is not your best choice.

And finally, before taking the final step in actually buying the exercise equipment, ask yourself the following questions: Is this what I really want/need? Will this actually help me achieve what I wanted in the first place? Does it fit my needs? Will I be able to stick to a strict weight training program? Do I even have space for the equipment?

If you manage to answer all these questions affirmatively, then you should go out there and buy what you want to, because it certainly is what you need!

Why are bodybuilders making the process of building muscle so complicated? To build muscle it is important to keep a few important tips in mind. It will make the difference between great muscle building results, and frustrating lack of muscle progress. All that is necessary is to understand a few simple principles, and the sky will be the limit in muscle building results.

Most people trying to gain weight want to know how to build muscle fast. Below I have listed the key mass gaining principles to live by. If you remember these, you will always get great strength training muscle results.

It all comes down to two words – intensity, and precise rest. It is that simple! It is all about how hard you train; and how to make sure you are allowing enough time for your muscles to recuperate, and generate even more muscle tissue. Building muscle fast is directly proportional to the intensity and rest between weight training sessions.

Most bodybuilding enthusiasts simply don’t understand that muscle tissue is generated between workouts, not during weight training workouts. When I refer to high intensity, I am referring to the heaviest weight you can possibly lift for 8 – 12 reps or until your failure repetition.

An example at increasing intensity would be doing 2 forced reps with a spotters help after you can’t move the weight anymore. That is considered high intensity. Another way to increase intensity is to decrease the rest time between sets, or superset your training. A muscle training superset would be considered doing one exercise to failure immediately followed by another while targeting the same muscle group.

Weight lifting programs that utilize the high intensity principle must be executed with a deep sense of desire, and drive. In other words, the bodybuilder must have what I call a muscle building mindset of a warrior. Muscle growth must be forced. It doesn’t just magically appear. The greater the effort, the more lean tissue is generally developed.

The other half of the muscle training equation is rest. As a weight training enthusiast you can train at an all time high intensity, but if you don’t get enough rest between resistance training sessions, you won’t maximize the muscle building process. You will, in fact, short circuit that process. Therefore, the proper rest is as important as the weight training exercises them self.

The next question is how do I know when I’ve had enough rest to build muscle? The answer is pretty simple. Most people trying to gain weight just don’t get it. All you need to do is track your progress. Your tracking will tell you everything you need to know about precise rest for maximum muscle training growth.

If your strength continues to increase with subsequent workouts, you are training with optimal rest. However, if your strength is decreasing with each workout, you need more rest between workouts.

Training to build muscle mass is all about the numbers. Know them, and alter your weight gain program accordingly. Of all the muscle training information you read please remember the most important principles to build muscle fast. Don’t forget the two words, intensity and rest. Both words, in harmony, will help build muscle quickly.

Whether your goal is gaining weight or building muscle, few activities are as effective or simple as regular resistance training. Have you been thinking about starting a muscle building program but don’t know where to start? Here are a few simple rules to adhere to when following a successful muscle building program.

1. Take care of your hands! The first thing that you need to do is purchase a good pair of weight lifting gloves. When you go shopping, buy a pair that fits comfortably and accommodates your hand type. If you have a tendency to get sore hands when lifting weights you really need to look at getting a pair of gloves to protect your hands and so you can still do the lift.

2. Be consistent! Get to the gym or train at home at least 3 times per week. Unless you are sick or injured, NO EXCEPTIONS! This must be a priority in your life in order to be effective. Keeping a training log helps. Going on holiday? See if there is a local gym or one in the hotel! Work 12-hour shifts? Keep your workouts short and intense and save your longer days for when you are off.

3. Begin each workout session with a warm up set and build into your pace. Finish each session at an easy pace to cool down properly. If you feel the urge to pick up the pace, do it in the middle of your workout, not at the end.

4. Don’t worry about progressively increasing the weights every session. Keep it comfortable on most days of the week, especially the first 2 or 3 months. If you can handle it steadily increase the weight/reps but only if you can lift with proper form to achieve maximum gains and to avoid injury.

5. If you want to increase strength gains, vary your workout. You can do this by increasing training intensity at least one day per week. Typically, you can increase the training intensity by using a full range of motion with every lift, increasing the weight, or decreasing the time between each set.

6. Make sure to exercise every muscle group at least one day per week. To prevent muscle imbalances. If you exercise one muscle group too frequently and neglect to exercise a related muscle, for example working the pecs and neglecting the upper back, it will eventually lead to muscle imbalance. Training all muscle groups will ensure you have good body symmetry and help prevent injury.

7. Set a performance goal. The muscle gain and other benefits are the result of achieving performance goals. You don’t have to aim too high, but you might have a difficult time motivating yourself without setting a goal. Examples of realistic goals would be to gain 1 pound of muscle per week.

8. Monitor your progress. It’s a good idea to weigh yourself before starting a muscle building program. The best time to weigh yourself is after you take a poop in the morning. If you buy body fat calipers it will give you a better idea of what type of weight you are gaining and whether or not it’s muscle or fat.

9. Know your limitations. High intensity training takes some getting used to because it’s a shock to your system. Don’t feel like there is any rush to increasing the weight. You are better off lifting lighter weights with proper form then training sloppy.

10. Most importantly don’t give up! There are going to be some bad days, and maybe even set backs. Learn to expect them and move on. As Rocky said “It’s not how hard you can hit, its about how hard you can GET hit and still stand up”. Learn how to gain weight and muscle the right way and accept the setbacks along the way.

By now you should know about the importance of protein in weight gain diets.

Here’s some really good educational info to help you make an informed choice as to a good protein supplement to help you gaining weight and significant size.

For starters a good quality protein powder supplement should be taken within an hour after a resistance (weights) training session or at least once a day.

The reason you want to consume a protein supplement immediately after weight training is because small tears are created in your muscles from lifting weights and your body will immediately source nutrients to repair these tears.

If you don’t have sufficient nutrients in your blood your body will in effect dissolve existing muscle tissue to make nutrients available to repair these microscopic tears and in doing so effectively shrink your muscles, which is what you don’t want happening.

The usual tell tale signs of these tiny tears is muscle soreness a few days after intense physical training, this muscle soreness is a good thing! During these two to three days it is absolutely vital to have a steady supply of high quality proteins to support the muscle rebuilding process. During this process your muscles will adapt to the punishment of intense physical exercise by getting larger and stronger.

The key in choosing a good quality and highly effective protein powder supplement is to choose a product which caters for a peak protein and amino acid requirement immediately after training as well as supplying a slow and steady supply of muscle building proteins during the 2–3 day growth period.

Hydrolyzed Protein or Whey Protein Isolate are ideal types of protein to cater for peak nutrient demands immediately after training as they are quickly absorbed and utilized by your body and get your body rebuilding muscle virtually straight away.

Whey Concentrate supplies a steady stream of protein for two to three hours, keeping your muscles in a growing state for longer which will in effect help you get the most out of your workouts.

Also keep in mind, that you should eat small meals throughout the day, which contain protein to help keep your muscles in a growing state, although, keep the portions small.

Amino acid blends, protein powders with an amino acid blend can be a little pricey although if your serious about gaining muscle, in general protein powders with a complete amino acid blend will help you get the absolute max out of your workouts and really help you to get results.