Can't progress linearly? Muscle not growing for over a year? Learn how to use the secret strategy “pyramid” wisely without pharmacology. A lot of words have been said about nutrition in bodybuilding. Athletes are well aware of how important this is to their progress. However, they often mis-prioritize or fanatically follow numerous recommendations and take too responsible approach to those issues that are not so important. You should not ponder for a long time about the question of when to use a gainer, half an hour after class, or after 25.
Such little things only irritate, but cannot bring results. You need to have a clear plan of your actions and correctly place accents. You need to adhere to the basic rules of nutrition and have a good understanding of what you are doing and why. Today we will talk about the pyramid of muscle growth in bodybuilding. This is a set of basic rules for nutrition, arranged according to their importance. The higher the nutrition principle is on the list, the more important it is.
Calorie Diet for Muscle Growth
Most athletes, when drawing up their nutrition program, focus on sports supplements and various drugs that stimulate muscle growth. This approach is fundamentally wrong. The body must get most of its energy from calories and this fact is the basis for constant progress in gaining mass.
For muscle growth, energy is needed for two processes - the synthesis of protein compounds, from which new tissues will be created, as well as recovery after training.
What needs to be done?
You need to consume 32 to 40 kilocalories daily for every kilogram of your body weight. For example, for the growth of the muscles of an athlete weighing 90 kilograms, the calorie content of the daily diet should be from 2880 to 3600 kilocalories.
Protein compounds and muscle growth
Body tissues, including muscles, are composed of protein compounds, which are chains of amino acids. It is important to remember that amino acid compounds are also used by the body as an energy source. When energy is deficient, it is extracted from amino acids. At the same time, when the body has a lot of energy, but not enough protein, then new muscle fibers will have nothing to create.
What needs to be done?
For every kilogram of body you need to consume two grams of protein daily. When this does not lead to muscle growth, then increase the daily allowance to 2.5 grams per kilogram. Try to eat more foods that are rich in protein: meat, chicken, dairy products (low fat), egg white and, of course, protein supplements.
Effects of carbohydrates on muscle growth
Athletes need carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores. The body breaks down all carbohydrates into simple saccharides, which then enter the bloodstream. Thereafter, they are used by all organs to get energy quickly. Unused glucose is converted to glycogen, which is the body's primary reserve fuel.
Numerous studies have shown that training intensity is directly related to glycogen storage. The more this substance you have, the more intense the training will be. If glycogen is low, then it will be very difficult for you to work out in training. At the same time, when all glycogen stores are restored, the remaining carbohydrates in excess are converted into fats.
What needs to be done?
You need to consume 5 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight. If you have a high metabolism, then the daily intake of the nutrient should be increased to 6-10 grams. For example, in order to fully restore glycogen stores, an athlete weighing 100 kilograms should consume 500 grams of carbohydrates daily.
Nutrition before class for muscle growth
Strength training, on the one hand, makes the muscles grow, and on the other hand, it is the strongest stress for the body. In the first case, the body begins to restore microdamage to the fibers by adding new amino acids to the tissues, and in the second, strong catabolic reactions begin to occur, destroying the muscles. It is not possible to get rid of catabolism, but you are quite capable of slowing down. You just have to give your body the nutrients it needs before starting to exercise.
What needs to be done?
45 minutes before training, you should consume 40 grams of whey protein and eat a bun. This will provide the body with protein and carbohydrates for exercise.
Post-workout nutrition and muscle growth
It is very important to properly fuel the body after completing the training. The fibers of your muscle tissue have a lot of microdamage, and the glycogen is gone. Now it is necessary to replenish glycogen reserves in a short time and give the body proteins for tissue repair.
What needs to be done?
Within 30 minutes of completing your workout, you should consume 70 to 90 grams of carbohydrates and 30 to 45 grams of fast protein. To do this, you can use a carbohydrate-protein cocktail containing proteins and carbohydrates in a 1: 2 ratio.
How often to eat for muscle growth?
If you eat a couple of times during the day, then you will definitely not be able to gain mass. Muscles can only grow when the anabolic background is higher than the catabolic one. For this, the body needs nutrients.
Simply put, it is necessary often. The best option is to eat every three hours. According to numerous studies, this period of time is the key one. Three hours after the last meal, the body's energy supply is running out and tissue destruction can begin. Also, frequent meals (5 or 6 times a day) can increase metabolism and accelerate fat burning.
What needs to be done?
Take food 6 times a day. It is important to remember that all techniques must be complete. You can safely replace natural products 1-3 times with carbohydrate-protein cocktails with a nutrient ratio of 1: 2 or 1: 3 in favor of carbohydrates.
For more details on the muscle growth pyramid, see here:
