Pub - The Essential Guide To Building Muscle PDF

The Essential Guide to Building Muscle
1
DISCLAIMER
The material contained within this book is provided for educational and
informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should
not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, metabolic disorder, disease or
health problem.
As with all programmes, techniques and materials related to health, exercise

and diet, you must first consult your doctor or health care provider before
implementing changes into your lifestyle. If you chose not to obtain a doctor’s
approval prior to beginning this or any diet and exercise plan, you do so at
your own risk.
The information offered within this book is intended for adults, aged 18 and
over, who are in good health. Even if you have no known health problems, it
is advisable to consult your doctor before beginning an exercise and nutrition
programme.
Sporting Excellence Ltd makes no representation or warranties of any kind

with regard to the completeness, accuracy or safety of the contents of this
book. Sporting Excellence Ltd accept no liability of any kind for losses or
damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, or indirectly, from using the
information contained herein.
Published by Sporting Excellence Ltd

13 Scarisbrick New Road
Southport
Merseyside
PR8 6PU
England.
Copyright © Phil Davies and Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved.
Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any
form without prior permission.
Layout and typesetting by Neil G. Tarvin

Cover design by Ovi Dagar
Interior images courtesy of istockphoto.com
Editing by Phil Davies BSc., CSCS, CPT
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
Paralysis By Analysis 4
What’s With All The Numbers In [Brackets]? 5
3 Steps To Success 6
STEP 1 – WHAT’S YOUR GOAL? 7
Be SMART 7
Reasons 9
STEP 2 – CREATE YOUR MUSCLE BUILDING EATING PLAN 10
The First Rule of Weight Loss 10
Your Metabolic Rate 10
How To Gain Weight 11
The Balance of Good Health 13
Gaining Muscle & Losing Fat 14
How Many Calories 15
Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments 16
6 Simple Rules for An Effective Nutrition Plan 16
Sample Meal Plans 30
Supplements 31
STEP 3 – CREATE YOUR MUSCLE BUILDING EXERCISE PLAN 36
Resistance Training 36
Resistance Training Guidelines 37
Summary of Guidelines 42
Sample Plans 43
Recovery Weeks 46
Cardiovascular Exercise 47
Aerobic Vs Interval Training 47
Cardiovascular Training Guidelines 48
SUMMARY 51
REFERENCES FOR STEP 2 52
REFERENCES FOR STEP 3 60
3
INTRODUCTION
This guide is designed to help you build muscle mass. Maybe you simply
want to gain overall weight or perhaps you want to improve your physique by
developing more muscle while keeping body fat levels to a minimum. Either
way this guide will show you how.
It’s designed with the 80-20 principle in mind – the scientifically proven
techniques and strategies that will make 80% or more of the difference.
Fitness and nutrition is often overly complicated and while it’s important to
establish a few “rules”, too many can put the brakes on your progress before
you even start.
Paralysis By Analysis
When it comes to building muscle, you’ll find no shortage of advice and
fervent opinion. Whether it’s in the paper pages of health & fitness magazines
or the digital pages of the World Wide Web, diet and training
recommendations aren’t hard to come by.
Of course lack of information isn’t the

problem. The problem is too much
information and no way to verify what is
fact and what is fiction. Here is just a
small selection of claims you may have
come across previously (we’ll examine
throughout this guide which ones, if any,
have some truth to them):
• You must eat a lot of protein to gain significant amounts of muscle

• Lifting moderately heavy weights (sets of 8-12 repetitions) is the best
way to induce muscular hypertrophy
• You must eat every 2-3 hours to prevent your body from feeding on
existing muscle, curbing your ability to build new muscle
• It’s possible to increase your testosterone levels naturally, without the
use of anabolic steroids
• It is essential you take a post-workout supplement or meal within 20-30
minutes of your weight training session
• Creatine is the only supplement guaranteed to enhance muscle growth
• The human body can only digest a small amount of protein in one
sitting so must eat a small amount of protein with every meal
4
• Cardiovascular exercise hinders your ability to gain new muscle mass

and breaks down existing muscle
• By eating a really “clean” diet you can gain muscle and lose fat at the
same time
If you do finally manage to rationalize all the conflicting advice and marketing
hype and find a suitable diet and training programme, it won’t be long before
somebody offers up a very convincing argument as to why you are doing it all
wrong!
Nothing will kill your success like a lack of consistency, and nothing will kill
your consistency like confusion and doubt
over what you are doing.
Fortunately, there is a way to selectively sift

through the vast quantities of anecdotal
stories, subjective opinion and persuasive
advertising and arrive at what you can feel
confident, are the facts.
The solution is to use reliable scientific research…
Science certainly doesn’t have all the answers. But when it comes to
nutrition, exercise and building muscle, there are some tried and tested
principles (most of which have remained steadfast for many years) that will
enable you to achieve and maintain the physique you desire.
What’s With All The Number in [Brackets]?

You’ll notice that there a quite a few references throughout this guide depicted
by a number in square brackets like this [0].
One of the big criticisms of a lot of health & fitness literature is that it often
makes controversial, broad sweeping claims without backing those claims up.
There is no way for the reader to know whether it’s just the author’s opinion
and how well educated that opinion is.
You can have confidence that the recommendations in this guide are not just
the opinion of one individual. They are based on sound science and they will
give you the greatest returns for your efforts!
5
3 Steps to Success
This guide has been broken down into three key steps. It’s best to read these
steps in order as each one builds on the next.
Step 1 is perhaps the most important and unfortunately

the most overlooked. It will help you set a target, an
overall goal, for both your physical appearance and
your health. Even more crucially, it will help you
devise a powerful set of reasons that will keep you on
track from start to finish. Please don’t skip this section.
In Step 2 you will discover how to create and follow a

healthy, muscle-building eating plan. It covers six key
principles to help make integrating it into your lifestyle
much easier. There is no reliance on calorie counting,
point scoring or food weighing, but you will know what
and when to eat in order to build muscle.
Step 3 shows you how to develop an effective,

scientifically based weight training programme. It also
dispels some common myths surrounding various types
of weight training routines and how you can easily fit a
programme around your other commitments.
Follow these 3 steps and you will gain a sizeable amount of lean muscle
mass. You will also improve your health, your overall physical appearance
and your self-confidence. Just as importantly, you will give yourself the
greatest chance of maintaining your new physique for many years to come.
6
STEP 1 – WHAT’S YOUR GOAL?

Being clear about what you want to achieve, and why, is an essential first step
in any effective plan of change. Unfortunately, it’s one that is often
overlooked or dismissed. Remember, that gaining weight and muscle isn’t
just about what to eat and how to train, it’s also about getting yourself to apply
what you know consistently.
Self-discipline and will power will only take you so far. In order to overcome
any potential pitfalls, temptations and ingrained bad habits, you need a clear
goal to keep you focused and a powerful set of reasons to keep you on track.
Before you can set a suitable goal, it’s important to know what is realistic and
achievable. A realistic weight gain is 1-2lbs per week with a proportion of that
inevitably coming from fat.
You probably already know that weight can be gained quite quickly by gorging
on high-calorie, high-fat fast foods. However, as you’ll discover later you want
to limit the amount of fat you gain in favour of muscle and you also probably
want to improve or maintain your overall health.
Be SMART
One of the best ways to create your overall goal is to use the acronym
SMART. Goals that are SMART are:
Specific
General goals such as “I want to gain some weight” are less effective and
motivating than “I will gain lean muscle, reduce my level of body fat and
improve my energy levels”. It’s a good idea to make part of your goal about
successfully following your plan.
Measurable
You should be able to measure your goal. So rather than saying “I want to
gain weight” a better goal is “I want to gain 7lbs of lean muscle”.
Attainable
You want to find a balance between what is realistic and what is inspiring. A
realistic gain in bodyweight is 1-2lbs per week. Assume that about half of this
will be in the form of lean mass.
7
Relevant
Your goal should be meaningful to you. It should be about you and rely only
on you. If you feel happy at the weight you are for example, but would like to
tone and re-shape your body, then create a goal around that. Your goal
should not rely on other people or outside influences to be successful, for
example “I will gain more weight than my mate John over the next 8 weeks”.
Time-Sensitive
Give yourself a date by which time you will have achieved your goal. E.g. “I
will gain 7lbs by February 28th”. A good time frame is 8 to 12 weeks as this is
long enough to see measurable changes but no so long it becomes daunting.
You may have heard the phrase “diets don’t work, it has to be a way of life”.
That’s true but many people interpret that to mean “start eating right today
and maintain it for the rest of your life”. That can be pretty demoralising and
with that mindset it’s very easy to give up at the first hurdle. You justify to
yourself that you can’t keep things up indefinitely so you might as well quit
now.
But compare this to someone who decides to train

for a marathon. They have an end-goal in mind –
the race date. If training gets tough one day or if
they skip a session, they can muster the will
power to carry on because they know it’s not
forever. That’s why most people who make the
decision to run a marathon usually achieve their
goal despite it being so difficult.
So take it one step at a time. In other words,

make a commitment to see your plan through to
the end no matter what. Remind yourself that you
have the right to quit after the end date but, just like a marathon runner, you
want that sense of accomplishment to look back on for many years to come.
Only when you reach your goal, should you decide what to do next. And
because by then the right food choices will be more habitual and because you
will be experiencing first hand the satisfaction of changing your physique, you
will be much more inclined and motivated to keep going. You can then set a
new goal and then another and another, until suddenly you realise that it has
become “a way of life”.
Here are some examples of SMART goals.
8
“By September 7th, I gained 10lbs of lean muscle, lost 10lbs of body fat,
decreased my waist size by1 inch and improved my overall shape by following
my eating and exercise plan consistently”
“Starting January 1st, I will begin my highly effective 8-week weight gain plan
and I will gain over 7lbs of body weight in less than 12 weeks”
“Over the next 6 months I will follow a thoroughly enjoyable training and
nutrition plan. By July 1st I will gain over a stone, whilst keeping my body fat
levels in single figures.”
Reasons
No matter how much you plan ahead, inevitably there will be days and
moments when don’t feel like sticking to your plan. So once you’ve created a
SMART goal the next step is to create a set of compelling reasons that are
moving and motivating and that really mean something to you.
You should come up with both ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ reasons. In

other words, think of the pleasurable consequences of
achieving your goal as well as the negative ones if you don’t.
When it comes to building muscle, your motivations might seem
a bit vain, but keep them to yourself and don’t be afraid to
acknowledge them.
To help you create your list, here are some sample reasons:
Positive Reasons
• I will be a great role model for my kids
• My clothes will fit me better and I’ll great in smaller fitting shirts and t-
shorts. I’ll have to buy myself a new wardrobe!
• I will feel more confident and self-assured
• I will look and feel younger and more attractive and I’ll get more
attention
• I will be more influential in my place of work
• I will have more energy to do more things, learn new skills, travel more
often
• If I achieve this it will inspire me to set bigger and better goals in other
areas of my life
• I’ll turn heads on the beach this summer!
• I can inspire other people to do the same
9
STEP 2 – CREATE YOUR MUSCLE

BUILDING EATING PLAN
Before we look at what types of foods and what kind of nutrition plan will help
you build muscle, we need to review a few basic biological laws. This will
help you to understand why following certain diet and exercise principles will
give you the greatest chance of long-term success.
The First Rule of Weight Gain

The laws of energy conservation say there is one, and only one, way to gain
weight:
Consume more energy than you expend
Or put another way: eat a greater amount of food calories than the calories
your body requires during day-to-day life.
With the help of a suitable weight training plan, the aim is to convert as much
of those surplus calories into muscle as possible.
On the surface, this rule looks like a fairly straightforward one to follow.
However, simply stuffing yourself with junk food will not only produce
lacklustre results, it will lead to excessive amount of body fat – not to mention
the negative affect on your overall health.
Your Metabolic Rate

Our bodies need energy for everything, from carrying out basic bodily
functions to lifting heavy weights. The energy we need during complete rest
just to stay alive on a daily basis is known as our resting metabolic rate [1].
Several factors affect our resting metabolic rates:
• Body composition: the more fat free mass (such as muscle) a person
has, the higher their resting metabolism will be
• Gender: men typically have higher resting metabolisms than women
due to more fat free mass
• Age: resting metabolism usually decreases with age due to a decrease
in fat free mass
10
• Surface area and mass: the bigger you are, the more of you there is to
keep alive and warm so the higher your metabolism will be
• Body temperature: an increase in temperature increases resting
metabolism
• Stress: increases resting metabolism
• Hormones: the amount of certain hormones secreted from the thyroid
and adrenal glands can increase or decrease resting metabolic rate
Under normal conditions, resting metabolic rate accounts for 60-75% of our
total energy needs each day [2]. The rest of our energy needs come from our
daily activities (from fidgeting to intense exercise) and also the energy needed
to digest, transport and assimilate our food (called the thermic effect of food).
How To Gain Weight

Research from the USA shows that on average a typical person gains about
1.5lbs of fat per year [1]. There are roughly 3500kcal in 1 pound of fat. So
that equates to an imbalance of about 5250kcal per year for a typical person
(i.e. they consume 5250kcal more than they need). Think about that for a
moment. That’s an imbalance of less than 15kcal per day… or the equivalent
of one potato chip!
Even if they tried, nobody could control their energy intake and energy output
to that degree of accuracy. What does this mean?
11
The human body is clever. If you consume a few more calories than it needs,
your body can increase its resting metabolic rate, increase the amount of
energy needed to digest food and increase the amount of calories you burn
during activity. In other words, it can raise its daily energy needs in an
attempt to defend its current weight [1,2].
Assuming your weight is fairly stable right now, making only small changes to
your diet alone, consuming just a few extra calories, probably won’t show up
on the scales. The good news is however, that the body cannot fully
compensate for significant changes to energy intake. That means that if you
increase your daily energy intake by a suitable amount (i.e.500 calories a
day), you will start to gain weight despite your body’s best attempts.
12
In theory, you could keep your energy intake exactly the same and reduce
your energy expenditure instead. But for the vast majority of people it isn’t
feasible to spend much of their time resting or taking things easy. It’s also not
conducive to keeping body fat levels low in order for the new muscle you build
to show through.
The rest of this section shows you how to increase your daily energy intake
and muscle mass through an effective nutrition plan.
Of course a good nutrition plan should not only be effective for building
muscle, it should also be balanced and healthy…
The Balance of Good Health

There’s an old adage that says we are what we eat. While your main goal is
to gain weight and muscle, eating large quantities of junk food is not a good
idea. Your diet doesn’t just affect your weight – it also affects your health and
risk from various degenerative illnesses.
The National Foods Standard Agency [3] has devised a simple way to eat a
balanced and varied diet. It’s called The Eatwell Plate and consists of five
food groups on a plate. The plate is divided into different sized sections
depending on how much of a food group should be eaten:
According to Eatwell Plate, about one third of your diet should come from
fruits and vegetables. One third should be in the form of unrefined
carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, rice and potato), the remaining third is
made up of fish, meat, dairy products and a small amount of sugary and fatty
foods.
13
Whilst we will use the Eatwell Plate as our starting point, there is evidence to
suggest that a few changes to this can help to increase muscle gain. We’ll
cover these changes a little later in this section.
Gaining Muscle & Losing Fat

What if want to lose body fat (or keep your body fat levels low) and at the
same time build a significant amount of muscle?
You already know that to gain muscle you must

have a calorie surplus. In order to lose body fat,
the opposite is true - you must have a calorie
deficit. This is why it’s difficult to both gain
muscle and lose fat simultaneously.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For

someone who is significantly overweight, even on a calorie-restricted diet, it’s
possible for them to build some muscle as they lower their body fat stores.
But for anyone who is reasonably lean to begin with, insisting on avoiding
even a small increase in body fat is a sure-fire way to make little or no
progress.
If Your Priority Is To Build Muscle…

Aim for a calorie surplus. You will inevitably gain some body fat, but this can
be kept to a minimum using the guidelines in the rest of this section.
When you are happy with the amount of muscle and weight you have gained,
you can follow the guidelines in the Essential Guide to Fat Loss. This is
designed to help you lose fat whilst preserving the muscle you have. The net
result is that after following both programmes you will look both muscular and
lean!
If Your Priority Is To Lose Fat…

Aim for a calorie deficit. Start by following the guidelines in the Essential
Guide to Fat Loss and when you are happy with your body fat levels come
back to this guide and use it to build some muscle.
Alternating programmes this way will help you to reach your goals much more
quickly. If you do lose a small amount of the muscle on the fat loss
programme, it’s easier and takes less time to build it back up again [4].
14
How Many Calories?

We’ve all heard of calorie counting and you may have first hand experience of
it from one time or another. From a weight gain point of view, its purpose is to
measure the amount of food we eat – not the quantity but the energy within
our diet – to ensure our energy input is above (but not by too much) our
energy output.
The problem is that calorie counting is not an

exact science and can also be quite tedious.
Even when weighing food, it’s difficult to
measure energy intake precisely and we can
only take a best guess at what our daily energy
requirements are.
There are a number of formulas designed to estimate your energy

requirements. They range in complexity but all are best guesses and many of
these formulas underestimate the resting metabolic rate of athletes, or anyone
who exercises regularly [5].
A much more reliable and accurate approach is to adjust your caloric intake
based on your weight – if you don’t notice a change on the scales you up your
intake until you do. To do this however, you need a starting point. Here are
two options:
Option 1
If you’re weight is steady at the moment, add about 500 calories a day
to your diet. The easiest way to do this is to add an extra (small) meal
to your diet and/or to increase the portion sizes of your existing meals.
Option 2
Start with a calorie intake of 15-25 calories per pound of bodyweight,
which has been shown to lead to a suitable rate of lean weight gain
[6,32]. For example, someone weighing 11 stone (154lbs) would aim
for a calorie intake of about 2300kcal to 3800kcal.
As you can see there is a big difference between those two intakes.
Start at the lower end of this scale (15-20 calories per pound) if you
have moderate to high levels of body fat. If you’re naturally very lean
and light, you should aim for the upper end of this scale (20-25 calories
per pound).
15
Option 2 requires some degree of calorie counting. However, this doesn’t

have to be indefinite – just until you get a feel for what food intake allows you
to gain weight. Keep a food diary for a few weeks (use approximate portion
sizes, there’s no need to weigh food) and use a free tool like Fit Day to gauge
your calorie intake.
Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments

You should aim to gain 1-2 pounds of bodyweight each week, some of which
will be a bit of extra body fat. Any more than this will likely mean that you are
gaining too much body fat.
Bear in mind that 1-2 pounds is difficult to track

accurately on the scales because other factors, such as
time of day and hydration levels, can all significantly
affect the reading. Try to make sure you weigh yourself
at the same time of day, ideally first thing in the morning
before eating or drinking and on the same flat surface.
If you find you haven’t gained any weight, increase your calorie intake by 250-
500Kcal per day and re-test a week or two later. Once you’ve found a food
intake that adds to your weight, maintain this for 8-12 weeks before switching
to a fat loss programme. Be aware that as you do gain weight, the rate will
slow down and you may need to up your energy intake further to reach your
target.
Caloric intake is not the only important element of an effective, balanced diet.
Below you’ll find a series of straightforward principles that will help to make
your nutrition plan easier and more intuitive to follow…
6 Simple ‘Rules’ For an Effective Nutrition Plan

Rule #1 – Choose A Meal Frequency That Allows You To Eat
The Most
The number one principle for gaining any form of weight is to consume
enough calories. If you’ve never tried it before it might sound easy to eat lots
of food as and when you want. But eat too much in one sitting and it can
leave you feeling full and sick for the rest of the day. The result is that you eat
less energy overall.
Eating little and often (or grazing as its known) may help to increase your
overall energy intake. By the same token, you may find it easier to consume
16
more by eating 3 large meals a day with not much in between. Even though
calorie counting isn’t essential, it may be worth keeping a food diary for a few
days on each format to see which helps you to consume the most calories.
Some fitness professionals, and especially

bodybuilders, state that you must eat
every 2-3 hours. They claim that going
any longer without food causes your body
to enter state of “starvation” wherein it
begins to break down muscle tissue to use
as energy.
There is no reliable research to show that this is the case or indeed that the
body’s metabolism changes to such as extent during the day. In fact, studies
that have looked at meal frequency and its effect on metabolic rate typically
conclude that eating few versus many meals each day makes little or no
difference.
From a common sense point of view, it can take several hours (3-5) to fully
process even a small meal. So why would the body begin to breakdown
muscle to avoid starvation after 3 hours of not eating when nutrients are still
available from the previous meal?
Practical Guidelines
Consume the number of meals that allows you to eat the most. For most
people, eating 5 or 6 times a day (either 5 or 6 small meals or 3 meals and 2-
3 snacks) allows them to consume more calories than eating 2 or 3 very large
meals. But there is nothing special about eating every 2-3 hours.
Rule #2 – Mix High & Low Energy Density Foods

It’s not the amount, or the weight, of food that you eat that is important when
trying to gain weight, it’s the energy contained within that food.
So it would make sense then, to eat foods that contain a lot of energy, or
calories, but that don’t leave you feeling full for long. Foods that contain a
relatively high number of calories per gram of their weight are referred to as
high energy density foods.
As you might guess, the highest energy-dense foods contain a lot of fat or
sugar (such as pizza and ice cream) and are typically items that we are told to
avoid. But there are also healthier, more nutritious options and it’s these
foods that you should aim to make a part of your diet.
17
Because low energy density foods are usually the most rich in those essential
vitamins and minerals, don’t avoid them out of fear they will leave you feeling
full without adding many calories to your diet. The best approach is to mix low
energy density foods with healthier high energy density foods.
It’s easy to work out the energy density from any food label – simply divide the
number of calories by the weight. A 100-calorie serving (100Kcal) weighing
100 grams has an energy density of 1 for example.
• Very Low Energy Density = 0.5 or less

Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables
• Low Energy Density = 0.6 –1.5

Examples include starchy foods like rice and pasta, especially
wholemeal.
• Medium Energy Density = 1.6 – 4.0

Examples include dried fruit, bread and many fat-free snacks.
• High Energy Density = 4.1 and above

Examples include high fat and high sugar foods like pizzas and
confectionary. Healthier options include “good” fats found in avocados,
nuts and olive oil Liquid meals, such as smoothies and shakes, may be
low to moderate in energy density but they won’t leave you feeling as
full compared to solid equivalents [19].
With each meal and snack, try to include some moderate to high energy
density foods. This will help to increase the calorie content of your diet
without curbing your appetite too much.
Here are some practical examples for increasing the energy density of your
diet:
• Alternate white and wholemeal versions of pasta, breads and cereals.

Although wholemeal foods have been shown to keep you fuller for
longer [18] they add essential fibre to your diet so shouldn’t be
neglected altogether. For example, if you have wholemeal toast or
cereal for breakfast, have white pasta or bread for lunch.
• Snack on raw nuts and dried fruit, which are both high in calories.
18
• Consider replacing one or two meals / snacks with a liquid smoothie or

shake. Compared to liquid meals of similar energy content, solid meals
tend to suppress appetite to a greater extent [19]. In other words, you’ll
feel hungrier and sooner following a 500-calorie smoothie compared to
a 500-calorie solid snack.
• Add plenty of healthy fats to meals. Examples include olive oil stirred
into stews and sauces, flax seed oil or Udo’s Oil Blend added to
shakes and salads, or slices of avocado as a side to any meal.
• Avoid soup before main meals. It can significantly reduce your appetite
and the amount you want to eat [20]. Despite anecdotal claims,
drinking water before or during a meal doesn’t seem to effect calorie
consumption [21] and as we’ll see later, water intake is important.
With these simple changes you can still eat healthily but significantly increase
your energy intake at the same time. There’s no need to avoid fast food and
desserts altogether either. You can be less strict than someone on a fat loss
programme but eating too much junk food can quickly lead to an excessive
amount of fat gain, hiding the muscle you are working hard to build!
Rule #3 – Eat Enough Protein

Nothing stirs debate in the fitness and nutrition industry like protein intake.
Bodybuilders and strength athletes in particular, are usually adamant that
large amounts of dietary protein is
required to build significant muscle mass.
Most Registered Dieticians tend to

disagree, stating that only a small amount
of extra protein is necessary if at all, and
that excessive protein consumption could
have long-term health implications.
As it stands, the official daily recommended intake of protein for adults is 0.8
grams per kilogram of bodyweight [22]. For a 70kg (11 stone) adult that
equates to 56 grams of protein – an amount easily obtained by most people in
developed countries. Bodybuilders on the other hand often consume upwards
of 2 grams per kilogram with 4 grams per kilogram not uncommon.
There is a growing body of research to show that a moderate to high protein

intake (relative to the official recommended daily intake) can prevent the loss
of muscle tissue during a weight loss programme [23-25]. But does that mean
19
that a protein intake over and above the RDA is also superior for building
muscle mass?
Dietary Protein & Muscle Growth
Some support for an increased protein intake comes from the work of Lemon
and Tarnopolsky [26-28]. Dr. Peter Lemon, who is often cited by protein
supplement makers, recommends that strength-training athletes require up to
1.7 grams or protein per kilogram with endurance athletes needing around
1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram [29].
However, there are limitations with these studies. The

researchers didn’t actually measure changes in muscle
growth – just indirect markers that suggest muscle
growth could be more likely.
Critics of higher protein consumption point to evidence

that exercise, and in particular resistance training,
improves the body’s ability use protein more fficiently
[30,31]. The net result is that, in beginner weight
trainers at least, protein needs can actually reduce.
But our protein need is simply the amount we require to prevent deficiency
and isn’t particularly informative about what amount is optimal for muscle
growth.
More relevant research has looked at actual changes in body composition

with different protein intakes, alongside a weight-training programme. A
number of studies have found that intakes of around 3 grams of protein per
kilogram lead to significantly greater gains in lean body mass compared with
1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram [33-35] but not all studies agree that there are any
benefits over and above the 1.7g/kg mark [32].
Protein Intake Per Meal

There has also been a lot of speculation that the body, regardless of size, age
and activity level, can only digest and utilize a limited amount of protein in one
meal - about 20-30grams. It’s not difficult to eat more than this in one sitting
with a medium to large chicken breast containing 45grams of protein or more.
Contrary to this popular belief, there is evidence to suggest that the body can
digest larger amounts of protein at a time. Studies have shown that as much
as 56grams of protein eaten in one go can be effectively assimilated [44, 45].
Protein Intake And Safety

Nutritionists opposed to higher protein intakes often speculate that too much
protein could increase the risk of kidney damage or heart disease.
20
In terms of renal function (the function of the kidneys), there is no hard

evidence to show that higher intakes of protein are dangerous, only
theoretical reasons as why it might be harmful over the long-term [36].
Several studies monitoring increased protein intakes have found no adverse
effects on renal function [36,37], even when protein intake is as high as
2.8grams per kilogram (1.27grams per pound) [38].
It’s important to note that there is some evidence to suggest high and even
moderate protein intakes can accelerate the decline in people with existing
kidney damage. So ff you suffer from even mild kidney dysfunction, you
should consult your doctor before following a
higher protein diet.
As for heart disease, again there is a lack of

evidence and only theories, to support the idea
that higher protein intakes increase the risk. In
fact, there is a body of research to suggest that
replacing some carbohydrates in favour of
protein may actually reduce the risk of heart
disease [41-43].
Some researchers believe that our early ancestors ate much larger amounts
of protein than we do today [39]. Studying modern day hunter-gathers, who
live as our ancestors did, protein intakes could have been as high as 3.6g per
kilogram (1.7g per pound) [40]. Bear in mind however, that hunter-gatherers
were very active and ate wild animals, whose meat contained different types
and amounts of fat compared to farm raised animals.
Firstly, despite what many dieticians claim, there is research to show that an
increased protein intake outperforms current recommendations. Based on the
studies above, something in the region of 1.7 to 3grams per kilogram of body
weight (0.77 – 1.4grams per pound) seems optimal, with levels at the upper
end of the scale sometimes outperforming those at the lower end.
A common and easy-to-remember guideline is to aim for 1gram of protein per

pound of bodyweight (the equivalent of 2.2grams per kilogram). This falls
within the maximum recommendation based how quickly the body can excrete
excess protein [49].
21
With all this talk of amounts of protein per pound of bodyweight, you might be
thinking how you can apply this practically in your day-to-day life. Here are
some tips:
• Eat a palm-sized portion of protein with each main meal. Opt for
protein sources with a high biological value (which means it contains all
nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own).
Animal protein, such as fish, poultry and dairy, is typically high in
biological value, whereas plant protein found in grains, pulses and
vegetables are usually lower in biological value. Each portion should
be roughly the size of your palm or clenched fist.
• Try to eat some protein with each snack too. Snack ideas include nuts
such as almonds, cashews, peanuts etc., (go for uncooked and
unsalted and not dry roasted) with raisins or low-fat yoghurt with fresh
fruit. You can also readily buy high protein, low fat snack bars and
shakes, and while these can be expensive they have their place if used
now and then for convenience.
• Consider keeping a food diary for a week or so. Enter the protein
foods you eat, and approximate portion sizes into a free nutrition
calculator such as Nutrition Data or Fit Day to work out your average
protein consumption each day. If it works out at less than 1g per
pound of bodyweight, adjust your portion sizes or consider taking a
protein drink with snacks or before meals.
• If you opt for a protein supplement, consider whey protein, which has a
very high biological value and may outperform vegetarian alternatives,
such as soy protein, when it comes to building muscle [33] (see the
supplement section later on).
• Don’t go over board. More is not necessarily better and while there is
no evidence that higher protein intakes are dangerous, no long-term
studies have been completed. A sensible approach is to start at the
lower end of the scale (1.7g/kg or 0.8g/lb) and based on results,
increase to a maximum of 2.2g/kg (1.0g/lb).
Rule #4 – Have A Pre Or Post Workout Snack

It’s almost a universally accepted doctrine in the fitness and bodybuilding
world: that a post-workout meal or snack is essential if you want to maximise
your ability to build muscle. Additionally, it’s been said that this post-workout
22
meal must contain some protein, carbohydrate and little or no fat and must be
consumed within 20-30 minutes of the workout.
But is it really that essential to consume something straight after your session
or can you wait a few hours until your next meal?
And what about eating something before or during
your session?
Proponents of post-workout snacks and shakes point

to research that shows protein synthesis improves
when something is consumed immediately after the
workout compared to waiting several hours [46-48].
There’s also some research to show that nutrients
consumed before or during a workout can have a
similar effect [16-19,20,21]. But improved protein
synthesis is only an indication that more muscle will be built as a result and
not a guarantee.
Protein
Consuming some protein following a weight training session has been shown
to help prevent muscle loss when on a calorie restricted diet [24,52,53]. Not
only that, when compared to a carbohydrate only post-exercise supplement, a
protein plus carbohydrate supplement comes out on top.
Again, more indirect studies show that protein consumption after strenuous
exercise can help to tip the balance in favour of protein synthesis (which, in
theory could lead to muscle gain) [55-57]. In studies tracking changes in body
composition, a protein supplement given before and after a resistance training
session lead to greater increases in muscle mass compared to a
carbohydrate supplement [23,25].
You may have heard of two classes of proteins called fast and slow proteins.
Fast proteins (such as whey powder) are those that are rapidly digested and
absorbed by the body, while slow proteins (such as the protein in milk) taker
longer to digest and assimilate.
Not surprisingly, popular consensus is that fast proteins are best for post-
workout nourishment because they can be broken down and delivered to
fatigued muscles more rapidly. However, there’s no reliable evidence to show
that one type of protein is favourable over another and if anything studies
favour slower proteins [58-60].
23
Carbohydrate
Research with athletes shows that early post-exercise ingestion of
carbohydrate is important for quickly replenishing the body’s glycogen stores
[61,62]. Glycogen is an essential fuel for any type of exercise and keeping
levels high will help an athlete to recover between sessions and complete
more training in total [63].
Your body may be able to replenish its muscle glycogen stores twice as
quickly if a high-carbohydrate recovery drink or snack is taken immediately
after exercise compared to waiting a few hours [64]. In fact, without early
post-exercise carbohydrate consumption, it can take 2-3 days for muscle
glycogen levels to return to normal [65]. But this is more applicable to
athletes who are training strenuously for several hours everyday rather than
someone who is lifting weights 3-4 times a week.
Research Limitations
Many of the studies examining pre and post-workout nutrition fail to take the
rest of the day’s diet into account. This is a problem when you consider that a
moderate sized meal can be releasing nutrients 4-5 hours after it was eaten.
From a common sense point of view, it’s unlikely that your body will begin to
break down existing muscle if it isn’t fed within half an hour of your training
session. It takes several hours to process even a small meal, so unless you
train first thing on an empty stomach, you’re likely to still have food and
nutrients in your digestive system from your previous meal.
Unlike what many supplement companies would have you believe, the
benefits of post-workout nutrition are still unclear. In theory, consuming
something before, during or after your weights session may help to accelerate
gains in muscle mass, but if you eat several regular meals throughout the day,
it becomes less important.
Pre and post workout drinks or snacks certainly won’t do your cause any harm
and may be worth taking just to boost your overall calorie consumption, but
it’s also not worth stressing over precisely what and when to eat either side of
your training sessions.
With that in mind here’s some practical guidelines for pre, post and intra-
workout eating:
• Aim to eat something within 3 hours after your workout. Ideally, these
meals or snacks should consist of some protein and carbohydrate.
24
You may want to take a post-workout snack to the gym to eat

immediately after training, or you can wait until your next meal. There
is no need to become fanatical about eating within a 20-30 minute
window.
• If you workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or after

not eating all day, pre and post-workout nutrition becomes more
important. If this is the case, have a small snack an hour or so before
your session or take something for during your session. If you don’t
want to consume anything before or during your workout, then take a
snack to the gym to eat immediately afterwards.
• If you do opt for a post-workout meal or snack, don’t worry about what
type of protein (fast or slow) you consume after training. A fast protein,
such as whey, is ideal for a pre-workout or an intra-workout drink
because it digests more rapidly.
• Carbohydrate taken immediately after a strenuous training session can

help to quickly replenish your glycogen stores. But this is more
important for athletes who are training daily and cannot afford to wait a
day or two before glycogen stores return to normal levels. From a
general muscle-building point of view, there is no urgency to consume
carbohydrates immediately after your workout.
Here are some sample pre and post workout snack ideas:
Pre Workout (About 1 Hour Before)

o 1 scoop (20-25g) whey protein
o 1 scoop whey protein powder and a banana
During Workout
o 1 scoop whey protein powder mixed with 2 scoops (40-50g) of dextrose or
maltodextrin powder (both available from health food stores and bulk
supplement companies online).
o 1 scoop whey protein powder mixed with fruit juice or squash and water
o Banana
o Sports drink such as Lucozade Sport or (or make your own by mixing 200-
400ml of squash with 1 litre of water)
Post Workout
o Chicken / tuna sandwich
o 2 pieces of fruit and 150g pot of yoghurt
25
o Meal replacement shake such as EAS Myoplex or Met-Rx plus piece of

fruit
o Home made meal replacement shake - blend ½ - ¾ pint semi-skimmed
milk with 50g ultra fine porridge oats, a banana or any soft fruit and honey
to sweeten.
Rule #5 – Reduce Bad Fats, Increase Good Fats

Despite the widespread awareness of the dangers of too much dietary fat,
there is still much confusion surrounding the topic. Not all fat is bad. We
need it for insulation and protection of vital organs such as the heart, lungs
and liver and to transport vitamins throughout the body.
What’s more, there is evidence to suggest that a suitable fat intake can
increase testosterone levels – which can help increase strength and muscle
gain from weight training [50,51].
Let’s take a look at some practical ways to limit the bad fats and increase the
good ones…
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are found in foods such as red meat, egg yolks, cheese, butter,
milk and commercially prepared cakes, pies and cookies. Generally
considered to be a major contributor towards coronary heart disease, no more
than 10% of the diet should come from saturated fats – much less than a
typical western diet.
When is a particular food considered high or low in

saturated fat?
High: more than 5g saturates per 100g

Low: 1.5g saturates or less per 100g
Reduce saturated fat in your diet by:
• Cutting the fat off meat and removing the skin

from chicken
• Eating leaner proteins such as poultry, fish and lean beef and avoiding
pork, duck, standard burgers and sausages etc. (low fat versions made
from good quality meat are acceptable).
• Boiling, grilling, steaming and baking rather than frying and roasting.
• Using low fat spreads and dressings on sandwiches and salads.
26
• Opting for low fat dairy products such as semi-skimmed or skimmed

milk and low fat cheeses.
• Using yoghurt or fromage frais instead of cream or sour cream.
You don’t have to eliminate saturated fat from your diet and in fact, it can
make the diet more palatable and help you to increase your caloric intake
without adding bulk.
Trans Fats
Manufactured trans fats are another form of ‘bad’ fat that are generally
accepted to be more harmful than saturated fat. Naturally occurring trans fats
are found in meat and some dairy products but they are artificially formed
when liquid vegetable oils are turned into solid fats through a process called
hydrogenation.
Laws in the US mean that packaged foods must list whether they contain
trans fats. In the UK and Europe however, at the time of writing, there are no
such laws. You can avoid trans fats by avoiding all foods that list
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats or shortenings on their labels.
Baked goods such as donuts, pastries, cakes and pies are likely to contain
trans fats unless stated otherwise. Only use margarines that are labelled as
trans fat free.
Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats come in the form of monounsaturated
fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can
actually improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of
coronary heart disease and are found in foods like olive
oil, canola oil, avocados, almonds and pecans.
Polyunsaturated fats, found in sunflower oil, safflower oil
and corn oil are not thought to contribute to heart disease
but don't offer the same protection as monounsaturated
fats.
You will naturally replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats by:
• Choosing oily fish such as salmon and mackerel instead of fatty

meats.
• Using unsaturated oils such as olive, rapeseed and sunflower oil
instead of butter, lard and ghee.
• Using mashed avocado as a dip or filling for a jacket potato instead
of mayonnaise or cream cheese.
27
• Making mashed potatoes with olive oil, a touch of garlic and

seasoning instead of butter and milk.
• Snacking on uncooked, unsalted nuts instead of biscuits.
• Choosing fruit or healthy option desserts instead of cakes, puddings
and pastries. Note: not all low fat foods are healthy or low in energy.
Compare food labels to see what the energy (kcal) per 100g is.
Essential Fats
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are a class of polyunsaturated fats that have
received a lot of attention in the media. There are three types of essential
fatty acids – Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9.
EFAs are required for a healthy cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and

nervous system as well as healthy skin, hair and bones. A typical western
diet tends to have too much Omega-6, particularly in relation to Omega-3, and
this imbalance contributes to long-term diseases such as heart disease,
cancer, asthma, and arthritis [66].
There is convincing research to show that increasing our intakes of Omega-3

can improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, prevent clogged
arteries, improve diabetes, improve arthritis, prevent osteoporosis and help
with a number of other ailments [66].
There is also some research to suggest Omega-3 can help to reduce body fat
stores by increasing fat metabolism during rest and exercise [67,68].
However, the research is limited at this time and there is no need to gulp
down fish oil supplements every day.
EFA Supplements
Eating 1-3 portions of oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, per week is the
current recommendation for overall health
benefits. You can supplement this with fish
oil capsules on days that you don’t eat fish.
Be aware that there are some concerns
over environmental pollutants found in
some brands of fish oils. Seven Seas has
been recommended by the Foods
Standards Agency previously.
Alternatively, if your diet is reasonably low in fat intake, you could supplement
with an omega oil blend. Fish oil is usually only available in capsule form
(because of the taste), however plant-based essential fatty acids are widely
available as an oil (with a much more acceptable taste). Try adding 2-4
28
tablespoons per day of flaxseed oil or Udos Choice 3 6 9 Oil blend to salads,
stews, smoothies and juices or take alone. At a little over 100 calories per
tablespoon, this can make a significant contribution to your increased energy
needs.
Note: The type of omega-3 derived from plant-based sources is not thought to
provide the same cardio-protective benefits as omega-3 derived from fish.
However, there is some research to suggest that the omega-3 found in plant-
based oils can is converted into the beneficial type of omega-3 once in the
body [69].
Rule #6 - Reduce Alcohol Intake

Many people believe that the calories from alcohol are automatically stored as
fat. It is true that alcohol can’t be used by the body as a fuel for energy,
however relatively little gets stored as fat. However, too much alcohol can
make it very difficult to lose fat…
Firstly, alcohol appears to increase our appetites causing

us to eat more at a meal that includes a drink [70,71].
Secondly, it also limits the body’s ability to burn fat [72,73]

and finally, it seems to have a negative effect on lean
muscle mass [74]. As we’ll discover in the next section,
some lean muscle tissue, even in women, is very
beneficial for burning fat.
Water
Water has received a lot of attention in the last few years. Celebrities swear
by it and it seems that everyone is telling us to drink more of it. But just how
much water do we need?
According to a report published in the Journal of

the American Dietetic Association, we need
between 2.2 and 2.9 litres (9-12 cups) of
noncaffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids each day
[75]. However, these fluids can come from
drinks other than water and also water-rich
foods.
According to several studies, well-hydrated cells seem to be more efficient at

burning fat [76-78] but the intravenous techniques used to hydrate individuals
being tested would be difficult to replicate just by drinking more water.
29
Drinking cold water can increase your metabolic rate as your body expends
energy to heat it up [79] although there is certainly no need to avoid cold
water when on a muscle building programme.
The bottom line is that drinking more water is probably an important goal for
most people and perhaps more so if eating a higher protein diet, as additional
protein may increase the risk of dehydration.
Sample Meal Plans

With these 6 ‘rules’ to hand let’s look at some sample meal plans:
EVENING WORKOUT MORNING WORKOUT

Breakfast Large bowl oatmeal Pre-Workout 1 scoop whey protein
7am Honey to sweeten 6am
1-2 scoops whey protein
Handful dried apricots Workout Intra-workout drink:
Glass fresh orange 7am 1 scoop whey mixed with fruit
juice, squash or dextrose
Snack Meal replacement shake
10am 1-2 pieces fruit Post Workout Meal replacement shake
8am 1-2 pieces fruit
Lunch 4 slices white bread OR
12pm Prawns Scrambled eggs on 2 slices
1 sliced avocado toast (plus margarine/butter)
Slice tomato & cucumber 1-2 pieces fruit
200ml semi skim milk
1 tbsp omega blend oil Snack 50g peanuts
or fish oil tablets 11am 50g raisins / dates
150g pot natural yoghurt
Snack 50g almonds/cashews
3pm 50g raisins / dates Lunch 150g pasta
150g pot natural yoghurt 1pm 1 can tuna
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Workout Intra-workout drink Mixed veg (i.e from frozen) or
5.30pm 1 scoop whey mixed with salad
fruit juice, squash or 1 tbsp omega blend oil
dextrose
Snack High protein bar
Dinner 150g white rice 4pm 1-2 pieces fruit
7pm 1 chicken breast diced
Bag stir fry vegetables Dinner 1 medium jacket potatoes
1 tbsp omega blend oil 6.30pm 50g cheddar cheese melted
1 turkey breast
Snack* Bowl whole wheat cereal Broccoli and carrots
10pm Semi skimmed milk 1 tbsp omega blend oil
Chopped banana
Snack Low fat granola / museli
9.30pm Semi skimmed milk
Chopped banana
* If a late snack is too heavy going to bed,
try switching it with the shake mid morning. * Two options are given in case you prefer / are
able to have a more solid breakfast
30
These are samples only and you need to select from a variety of foods
throughout the week.
Supplements
The sports supplement industry is big
business and the “muscle-building”
sector is particularly lucrative. There
are literally hundreds of nutritional and
ergogenic aids all promising to elicit
faster and more pronounced muscle
growth
Despite persuasive marketing that frequently utilizes scientific jargon to make

their claims, there is often very little compelling evidence for the majority of
sports supplements.
In this section, we’ll briefly cover those few supplements that are backed by
research or that can play a helpful role in your goal to build lean muscle mass:
Creatine
It’s highly likely you’ve heard of this supplement and that’s probably because
it has been more widely researched than any other. There is little doubt that
creatine enhances performance in activities involving bouts of high-intensity
exercise separated by short recovery periods.
As for gaining lean weight, creatine has also proven to be effective. During a
5-day intensive loading phase, gains of 2-3lbs of lean weight are not
uncommon. However, this is probably due to increased muscle water content
and not additional muscle tissue.
As well as any water retention, creatine can lead to additional and more rapid
gains in muscle mass. This may be the result of allowing increased workload
during sessions and also favourable changes in protein metabolism.
It’s often advised that Creatine be loaded for a period of around 5-6 days
(20grams per day) before following a maintenance dose of about 3grams per
day. However, evidence suggests that taking 3 grams per day for 30 days will
elicit the same results.
31
Not everyone responds to creatine and it may be of little benefit in as much as

30% of the population. Side effects such as muscle cramps, muscle tears
and stomach upset have been reported anecdotally, but objective research
doesn’t agree. Despite numerous studies into creatine supplementation, no
increased incidence of negative side effects have ever been found.
See the creatine articles in the Sports Nutrition section of Sports Fitness Advisor for
more information and recommended usage directions should you wish to try creatine.
Protein Powders
Protein powder is probably the top selling sports supplement on the market –
particularly amongst those who are aiming to build muscle mass. There are a
wide range of proteins available, derived from different sources and each with
there own digestive properties. Protein powders derived from animal sources
include whey, casein and egg white.
Plant-based derivatives include soy,
brown rice, pea and hemp protein.
Whatever the source a protein powder is

derived from, it is not a magic bullet.
Where it can be useful however, is as an
adjunct to a balanced diet based
predominantly on natural, whole foods.
It’s particularly useful to increase the
protein content of a meal or the diet as a whole, and as part of a convenient,
easy-to-prepare snack.
By far the most popular type of protein is whey. One of two proteins to come
from milk, whey is said to have a high biological value - a measure of how
readily the broken down protein can be used by the cells of the body. There
are a number of types of whey protein with claims that some are superior to
others.
Whey protein is useful as part of a pre, intra and post-workout shake and also
mixes well into smoothies, porridge, soups and stews. Flavoured protein
powders mixed with water can make a palatable drink before meals to
increase the protein content.
For more information on the different types of protein powders see the protein powder
article in the Sports Nutrition section of Sports Fitness Advisor
32
Meal Replacement Powders

Meal replacement powders (MRPs) are used for convenient, portable meals
when preparing food just isn’t practical. Unlike protein powders, MRPs
contain some carbohydrates and fat and are very often fortified with extra
vitamins and minerals.
A typical MRP will contain the amount

of energy you’d get from a small snack
(250-350Kcal) and a significant
amount of protein (25-45grams).
There are also “weight gainer” MRPs
that contain upwards of 500Kcal with
most of the extra energy coming from
carbohydrate.
The ingredients between MRP brands varies substantially and of course, so

does taste and texture. Choose a brand based on personal preference for
taste and also ingredients, or more to the point lack thereof. Some MRPs
contain artificial flavours, preservatives and fillers. They may also add in
“secret ingredients” such as glutamine that you will pay extra for and aren’t
proven effective.
You can make your own MRP by blending protein powder (or milk) with
porridge oats and soft fruit (see Rule #4 above). Alternatively, you can design
your own formula with just the basic, natural ingredients you want at
somewhere like http://www.myprotein.co.uk/
Multivitamins & Minerals

It’s debateable whether athletes undergoing intense training require additional
vitamins and minerals, and if they do they are likely to be obtained through
extra food intake.
Intense exercise can lead to an increase in free radicals and antioxidants

(such vitamin C and E) may help to combat this. However, taken in excess
antioxidants can actually increase the damage caused by free radicals.
So is there any reason to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement? Not if

you consume a balanced diet from lots of different food groups. However, if
you avoid a major food group (such as red meat, dairy or don’t eat much fruit
and vegetables) then a low-potency supplement may be useful.
33
In particular, even moderate deficiencies in zinc have been shown to reduce

testosterone levels, with zinc supplementation having a significant positive
effect [80].
Other Supplements
A number of other supplements do have some tentative research that
suggests that they may be useful in some people under certain conditions:
HMB
HMB may help to improve gains in muscle and strength, particularly in novice
weight trainers. It could also aid recovery and increase training capacity. It’s
expensive however, and any ergogenic effect is likely to be relatively small.
Ribose
Another expensive supplement, ribose may offer some benefits to athletes in
multi-sprint sports and could help with recovery between sets during weight
training sessions. However, creatine offers similar benefits and has much ore
scientific support.
Colostrum
Colostrum is a protein-rich substance found in mother’s milk during the first
days after giving birth. As a supplement, it is usually derived from cow’s milk
and is known as bovine colostrum.
Colostrum contains insulin-like growth factor (IGF) – a hormone that has

anabolic effects in adults but experts believe that the IGFs and protein found
in colostrum, cannot be absorbed by the body. Research is mixed but some
studies have shown that bovine colostrum can have a positive effect on body
composition, immune function and athletic performance.
The cost may be prohibitive to many and the general advice is to wait for
further research.
Glutamine
Glutamine is a non-essential (meaning the body can produce it itself without
obtaining it from the diet) amino acid. It’s marketed as a supplement to boost
immune function and preserve muscle protein during periods of intensive
training.
34
There is some evidence that glutamine could strengthen the immune system.
While in theory, it could help to prevent muscle breakdown following heavy
resistance exercise (and hence speed up muscle gains) there is no evidence
as yet to show this is the case.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine won’t have any effect on your body composition or muscle
mass, but it may be useful for maintaining or improving joint health. Studies
are mixed and focus on individuals with existing joint pain or osteoarthritis.
However, there are a number of studies to show that a good quality brand can
have a positive effect on joint pain and perhaps cartilage growth.
You will find more information and research on these supplements in the MySport
Fitness Knowledge Base.
35
STEP 3 – CREATE YOUR MUSCLE

BUILDING EXERCISE PLAN
When you consume more calories than your body requires on a day-to-day
basis you gain weight. If this calorie surplus doesn’t coincide with a suitable
exercise programme, most of that weight will be in the form of fat (although
believe it or not, even without any form of resistance training, excess calories
can lead to an increase in lean mass [1]). The purpose of resistance training
is simply to convert as many of those extra calories into muscle mass as
possible.
There are an inordinate amount of weight training routines and

recommendations in magazines, websites and books. Many of those routines
are less than optimal for building muscle mass, while others are designed for
synthetically enhanced bodybuilders.
In this section, we’ll look at the kind of resistance training programme that is
optimal for building muscle mass (called hypertrophy). Fortunately, you don’t
need to spend long, gruelling hours in the gym every day. We’ll also cover
cardiovascular exercise and whether it’s a help or a hindrance in the muscle-
building process.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the only way to build a significant amount of muscle
mass. But aside from building muscle, resistance training also offers the
following benefits [2]:
• Increases your bone density helping to prevent osteoporosis

• Improves balance and stability
• Improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
• Increases functional strength making day-to-day life easier
• Improves muscular endurance
• Improves body composition and appearance
• Increases resting metabolism (while this is counter to gaining weight, it
helps to keep body fat levels low)
There are many different variations of resistance training but there are only a
few simple guidelines to remember to get maximum results with minimum
fuss.
36
A lot of people believe that bigger muscles equal stronger muscles but this is
not necessarily the case. While you will inevitably become stronger, training
for maximal strength requires a different set of guidelines. The guidelines that
follow are designed to induce muscular hypertrophy.
Resistance Training Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended for adults only. While resistance
training can be beneficial and safe even for young children, it requires a
different set of guidelines to adults. Anyone under the age of 18 or who hasn’t
stopped growing should never lift heavy weights with maximal effort.
Regardless of age, you should seek confirmation from your doctor that it is
safe for you to begin a resistance training programme.
Frequency
Frequency relates to the number of sessions you complete each week.
Perhaps more important than the number of sessions is how often your train
each specific muscle group.
If you train a muscle group too frequently, you will never give it a chance to
recover, adapt and grow. But if you don’t train it often enough, it begins to
lose the beneficial changes made following the previous session.
Research has shown that muscle fibres repair from strenuous training after
around 5 days [3,4]. Additionally, protein synthesis (the creation of new
protein in the muscle cells) returns to normal within 36-48 hours [3,4].
That means you should aim to work each muscle group once every 2-5 days.
You may be familiar with the “body parts” routine, which works one or two
specific body parts each session. On a 3-day per week routine, you might
train chest & arms on day 1, legs on day 2 and back & shoulders on day 3.
Typical 3-Day Body Part Routine
Monday Wednesday Friday
Chest Legs Back
Arms Shoulders
37
Here’s what a 5-day routine might look like:
Typical 5-Day Body Part Routine
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Chest Back Legs Shoulders Arms
The problem with these routines is that each muscle group is trained only
once a week (every 7 days), so there may be some detraining effect by the
time you start your next session.
To offset this problem, these routines usually call for very high intensity
sessions in which the muscle groups are completely exhausted. Lots of
exercises and sets per muscle group are used and techniques such as forced
repetitions, supersets and drops sets are heavily employed.
Another problem with this approach is that you are also placing your nervous
system under a tremendous amount of stress too, and it can take over 7 days
for your nervous system to recover [5].
Aim to work each muscle group 2-3 times per week. As we’ll see next, there
are a number of ways to group exercises so that you meet this criteria easily,
without spending 7 days a week in the gym…
Grouping Exercises
We’ve already seen one way to group exercises where one or two muscle
groups are worked exhaustively each session. A more efficient alternative is
to follow either a total body routine or an upper body / lower body split
routine.
Total Body Routine

Although it might not be very fashionable with your peers at the gym, a total
body routine is very effective for building muscle and it helps to prevent
nervous system fatigue that can lead to burn out or injury.
38
As the name suggests, you work all the major muscle groups each session.
At first, it might sound like you need marathon sessions at the gym to squeeze
in all the exercises but that’s not the case.
Because each muscle group is worked three times per week, a minimal
number of exercises and sets are used for each session. As a result each
muscle group is stimulated every 2-3 days and the lower intensity sessions
aren’t too stressful on your nervous system.
3-Day Total Body Routine
Tuesday Thursday Saturday
Chest Legs Back
Legs Shoulders Chest
Back Back Legs
Shoulders Chest Shoulders
Arms Arms Arms
Core Core Core
Pros: if you miss a session and only complete two in the week, you are still
working all the muscle groups once every 3-5 days.
Cons: the only downside is that you are performing the same or similar
routine each session.
Upper Body / Lower Body Split Routine

This routine consists of two sessions - one works the muscles of the lower
body and one that works the muscles of the upper body. The two sessions
are then alternated.
Depending on how many days you train per week (three or four), each muscle
group is worked at least once every 5 days. The sessions tend to be slightly
more intense than the total body routine but your muscles are being worked
slightly less frequently.
39
3-day Upper/Lower Body Split Routine
Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri
Chest Quadriceps Chest Quadriceps Chest Quadriceps
Back Hamstrings Back Hamstrings Back Hamstrings
Shoulders Calfs Shoulders Calfs Shoulders Calfs
Arms Core Arms Core Arms Core
4-day Upper/Lower Body Split Routine
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Chest Quadriceps Rest Chest Quadriceps
Back Hamstrings Back Hamstrings
Shoulders Calfs Shoulders Calfs
Arms Core Arms Core
Pros: if you enjoy the feeling of really working a muscle, this might be more
satisfying than the total body routine
Cons: a whole session devoted to working the leg muscles does not appeal
to everyone!
Repetitions
You’ve probably already heard that lifting heavy weights for fewer repetitions
is the best for building muscle, while lighter weights lifted for more repetitions
is best for “toning”. But is there an optimal repetition range that you should
aim for?
According to the National Strength & Conditioning Association (6), sets of 6-

12 repetitions are best for inducing muscular hypertrophy. A number of
studies have found that very heavy weights that can only be lifted for fewer
than 6 repetitions are best for developing maximal strength.
40
Maximal strength and muscular size do not necessarily go hand in hand, and
in fact using very heavy weight (that can only be lifted 1-3 times) can
significantly improve strength without significant changes in muscle size.
For each exercise you complete, select a weight that allows you to lift
between 6 and 12 repetitions. If you are unable to reach 6 repetitions, reduce
the weight slightly. Once you are able to lift more than 12 repetitions increase
the weight next time.
Repetition Speed
Aim to perform the concentric phase (i.e.
the difficult part) of an exercise with a fast
but controlled tempo. Anything too fast or
too explosive will result in poor technique
and you won’t actually overload the target
muscle group as effectively. You may be
able to lift heavier weights by using
momentum or swinging the bar, but you
won’t improve as quickly.
The eccentric phase (i.e. lowering the weight) should be controlled rather than
just letting the weight fall. Try lowering the weight to a count of 2 or 3.
Recovery Periods
Hypertrophy occurs as a result of fatiguing a muscle group over a number of
sets. In this vain, some people believe that the next set should be performed
before full recovery has occurred [7,8]. Another argument for shorter rest
periods is that it results in higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone
[9,10], which can both have a favourable effect on muscle mass.
However, short rest periods will significantly decrease your ability to perform
each subsequent set to a high intensity. A good balance is to aim for 1 to
1.5minutes rest between sets.
Sets
There is some research to suggest that just a single set performed to failure is
enough to bring about gains in maximal strength and hypertrophy [11,12].
However, the majority of studies show that multiple sets per exercise are
optimal when it comes to building muscle mass and improving strength [13-
18].
The recommendation is to complete 3 to 6 sets per exercise [6,19,20].
41
Exercises
There are literally an infinite number of resistance exercises to choose from.
You want to select a range of exercises to avoid developing weak areas that
can leave you prone to injury and with poor posture.
You also want to select the exercises that

work the largest muscle groups or
combination of muscle groups – referred
to as compound exercises. Good
examples include barbell squats, bench
presses, deadlifts, leg presses, shoulder
presses and lat pull downs.
Aside from making your routine more efficient, there is research to suggest
that compound exercises stimulate a greater release of naturally occurring
testosterone – a potent muscle-building hormone [21].
Time
There is no need to spend forever at the gym or on a resistance training
session at home. In fact, beyond a certain point you begin to get diminished
returns. Aim to complete your session in 60 minutes or less – including a 5-
10 minute warm up and cool down.
Summary of Guidelines
Based on the guidelines above, here’s what your resistance training sessions
should look like:
No. sessions per week: 3-4

No. exercises per session: 6-10
No. sets per exercise: 3-6
No. repetitions per set: 6-12
Rest between sets: 60-90sec
Rest between exercises: 60-90sec
It goes without saying that you should warm up thoroughly before every
resistance training session. Start with 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular
exercise such as brisk walking or cycling. Complete a couple of warm up sets
for each exercise (especially the first few) using 50% of the weight you intend
to use for each set.
42
Sample Plans
Here are some sample programmes based on the 3-day total body and 4-day
upper/lower split routines:
3 – Day Total Body Routine

Each of the three sessions in this routine covers all of the major muscle
groups in the body. However, you’ll notice that the exercises and the order
the muscle groups are worked in, varies. This is simply to allow different
muscle groups to be worked at the beginning of the session when you are
fresh, and to keep the routine more interesting.
You can use a machine alternative to the free weights exercises below,
however free weights work smaller stabilizing muscles that may be neglected
with machine exercises.
3-DAY TOTAL BODY ROUTINE – SESSION 1
Exercise Reps Sets Rest
Barbell bench presses 5-8 3-5 60-90sec
Machine leg presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Machine lat pull downs 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell shoulder presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Machine calf presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Barbell biceps curls 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Weighted dips* 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Incline crunches** 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
* Dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can dip your bodyweight
for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight.
** You can increase the intensity of crunches by holding a weights plate to your chest,
performing more repetitions or reducing the rest period.
43
Barbell squats 5-8 3-5 60-90sec
Barbell deadlifts 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell incline bench presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Cable seated rows 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell lateral raises 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell incline curls 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Cable triceps pushdowns 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Back extensions 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Weighted chins* 5-8 3-5 60-90sec
Barbell military presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell lunges 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Hanging leg raises** 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
* Chins and dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can chin/dip
your bodyweight for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight.
** You can increase the intensity of leg raises by, keeping your legs straight instead of bent
knees, holding the position when your legs are fully extended performing more repetitions or
reducing the rest period.
44
• Perform each of the sessions above once per week but not on
consecutive days. For example train on Mon / Wed / Fri.
• Select a weight that allows you to just about complete a number of
repetitions that falls within the suggested range. It may take a week or
two to find the most suitable weights for you.
• If required, reduce the weight on the second and third sets so that you
can still perform the desired number of repetitions.
• When you can complete 2 or more repetitions than the suggested
maximum, increase the weight by the smallest increment next session.
• Do not hold your breath when lifting the weight.
• Use correct technique at all times.
4 – Day Upper Body / Lower body Split Routine

There are two sessions in the programme, each to be completed twice per
week. You can use a machine alternative to the free weights exercises
below, however free weights work smaller stabilizing muscles that may be
neglected with machine exercises.
UPPER BODY SESSION
Dumbbell incline bench presses 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Machine lat pull downs 5-8 3-5 60-90sec
Cable seated rows 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Dumbbell shoulder presses 5-8 3-5 60-90sec
Dumbbell lateral raises 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
* Dips are traditionally a bodyweight only exercise. However, if you can dip your bodyweight
for more than suggested number of reps, add some additional weight.
45
LOWER BODY SESSION
Barbell squats 5-8 3-5 2-3min
Barbell deadlifts 8-12 2-3 2-3min
Machine leg curls 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Machine leg extensions 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Kneeling crunches 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Weighted twisting crunch 8-12 2-3 60-90sec
Recovery Weeks
Resistance training can and should be intense – after all, the goal is to fatigue
muscles enough to bring about muscular hypertrophy. Because of this, it’s
important to factor in regular recovery weeks to prevent over training. Every
fourth week, reduce the volume by half. In other words, if you completed 4
sets for an exercise before, complete only two during your recovery week.
Every 8-12 weeks consider changing your routine. The basic format can stay
the same but select different exercises for a change of pace and to make sure
no muscle groups get neglected. You may also want to stop a repetition or
two short of failure for each exercise during this week.
46
Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise has unquestionable health benefits. The question is
whether or not it hinders your ability to build muscle.
Remember that weight gain of any kind can only occur when you are in a
calorie surplus, so in theory at least, anything that burns extra calories is a
hindrance rather than a help. Many bodybuilders and even Fitness
Professionals go as far as claiming that cardiovascular exercise can actually
reverse the muscle-building process.
In practice, simply ruling out

cardiovascular exercise for fear it
burns excess calories is a
shortsighted view. It brings with
it many important health benefits,
both physiological and
psychological. As for the claims
that it hinders muscle gain,
scientific research doesn’t seem
to agree…
Research comparing a programme of weight lifting alone to the same weight

lifting programme plus aerobic exercise, invariably finds that adding the
aerobic exercise does not hinder muscle growth in any way. Not only is not
detrimental, it may even help muscles to grow bigger [22-25].
Where the confusion comes from is that aerobic exercise can limit strength
and explosive power gains, but these are not the same as hypertrophy.
Pointing out that long-distance athletes are typically very skinny isn’t valid
either, because they can clock up dozens of training hours per week.
Aerobic Vs Interval Training

Cardiovascular exercise can be low intensity completed at a steady pace -
known as aerobic exercise. It can also consist of short bouts of intense
exercise interspersed with recovery periods – known as interval training.
While both forms of exercise burn a similar amount of energy during the
sessions, interval training can burn significantly more calories in the hours
following the session. It may also be more beneficial for improving markers
cardio-respiratory fitness.
47
Remember, that it is difficult to both gain muscle and reduce your body fat
stores at the same time. Assuming you are reasonably lean, to build muscle
you want to limit the amount of energy your burn while still receiving most of
the health benefits from cardiovascular exercise. In this respect, it’s best to
stick to a few aerobic sessions per week.
If you have quite a bit of body fat to begin with, you are best following
guidelines in The Essential Guide To Fat Loss first.
Note: if you play sport or are involved in any vigorous activity during the
week, don’t think it will prevent you from gaining weight and muscle mass. It
simply means you’ll have to consume a little more energy than you would if
you weren’t involved in those activities.
Cardiovascular Training Guidelines

Here are some simple guidelines for incorporating aerobic exercise into your
programme:
Frequency
Aim to complete three sessions per week.
Intensity
To determine the intensity of aerobic sessions you can either use a
percentage of your maximum heart rate or a rate of perceived exertion.
Your maximum heart rate can be predicted with the following formula:
208 – (Age x 0.7)
For example, a 40year old would have a predicted maximum heart rate of :
208 – (40 x 0.7) =

208 – 28 =
180 beats per minute (bpm)
This figure (180 in this case) is multiplied by 60-70%:
180 x 0.6 = 108bpm

180 x 0.7 = 126bpm
If you don’t have access to a heart rate monitor you can use a scale of
perceived exertion. Very simply, on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is a gentle
stroll in the park and 10 is an all-out sprint), aim for a 6-7.
48
Time
Cardiovascular exercise can be limited to 20-45 minutes in duration. Keep to
the lower end of this scale if you find it particularly difficult to gain weight.
Type
There are many types of suitable cardiovascular exercise – jogging, brisk
walking, cycling, swimming, aerobic classes, tennis, badminton and so on.
Avoid the higher intensity classes at your gym such as Spinning® and Body
Pump®.
Combining Resistance & Cardiovascular Exercise

Ideally, try to complete your aerobic exercise sessions on separate days to
your weight training. If you have limited time to train, complete a short aerobic
session after you weights session rather than before.
3 Training Days Per Week
Day 1 Resistance session followed by CV session

Day 2 Rest
Day 4 Rest
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Rest
4 Days Per Week

Day 3 Rest
Day 5 Resistance session
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Rest
49
5 Days Per Week

Day 2 CV Session
Day 4 Rest
Day 6 CV Session
Day 7 Rest
6 Days Per Week

Day 2 CV session
Day 4 CV session
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 CV session
50
To Sum Up…
Many elements of fitness seem overly complex or contradictory. Yet when
examine objective research that takes into account as many of the variables
as possible, it becomes clear that just a few principles make the vast majority
of the difference.
From a muscle building point of view, those principles can be summed up in

one short sentence…
“Eat a lot of good food and lift heavy weights”
Taking a pre or post workout supplement may make a small difference; it may
not. Eating a higher protein diet is likely to help but not as much as
consuming enough calories. As for supplements, few if any will make a
noticeable change to your body, and certainly not in the presence of poor diet
and training.
Copyright Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within
it may be sold or reproduced in any form without prior permission.
51
REFERENCES FOR STEP TWO - NUTRITION

1. Wilmore JH and Costil DL. (2004). Physiology of Sport And Exercise, Third
Ed. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois
2. McArdle WD, Katch FI and Katch VL. (2000). Essentials of Exercise

Physiology, Second Ed. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois
3. Food Standards Agency. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/
4. Staron, R.S., Leonardi, M.J., Karapondo, D.L., Malicky, E.S., Falkel, J.E.,
Hagerman, F.C., & Hikida, R.S. (1991). Strength and skeletal muscle
adaptations in heavy-resistance-trained women after detraining and retraining.
Journal of Applied Physiology, 70, 631-640
5. De Lorenzo, A., Bertini, I., Candeloro, N., Piccinelli, R., Innocente, I., &
Brancati, A. (1999). A new predictive equation to calculate resting metabolic
rate in athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 39, 213-219
6. Kreider, R.B., Ferreira, M., Wilson, M., Grindstaff, P., Plisk, S., Reinardy, J.,
Cantler, E., & Almada, A.L. (1998). Effects of creatine supplementation on
body composition, strength, and sprint performance. Medicine and Science in
Sports and Exercise, 30, 73-82
16. Tipton, K.D., Elliott, T.A., Cree, M.G., Aarsland, A.A., Sanford, A.P., &
Wolfe, R.R. (2007). Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey
protein ingestion before and after exercise. American Journal of Physiology,
292, E71-E76
17. Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Owens-Stovall SK, Petrini
BE, Wolfe RR (2001). Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters
anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol
Metab 281: E197–E206
18. Holt, S.H.A., Brand-Miller, J.C., Petocz, P., & Farmakalidis, E. (1995). A
satiety index of common foods. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 49,
675-690
19. Tieken SM, Leidy HJ, Stull AJ, Mattes RD, Schuster RA, Campbell WW
(2007). Effects of solid versus liquid meal-replacement products of similar
energy content on hunger, satiety, and appetite-regulating hormones in older
adults. Horm Metab Res. 2007 May;39(5):389-94.
52
20. Gray, R., French, S., Robinson, T., & Yeomans, M. (2002). Dissociation of
the effects of preload volume and energy content on subjective appetite and
food intake. Physiology and Behavior, 76, 57-64
21. Gray RW, French SJ, Robinson TM, Yeomans MR. Increasing preload
volume with water reduces rated appetite but not food intake in healthy men
even with minimum delay between preload and test meal. Nutr Neurosci.
Feb;6(1):29-37.
22. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2005). Dietary Reference
Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol,
Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). The National Academies Press.
23. Layman, D.K., Boileau, R.A., Erickson, D.J., Painter, J.E., Shiue, H.,
Sather, C., & Christou, D.D. (2003). A reduced ratio of dietary carbohydrate to
protein improves body composition and blood lipid profiles during weight loss
in adult women. Journal of Nutrition, 133, 411-417
24. Layman, D.K., Shiue, H., Sather, C., Erickson, D.J., & Baum, J. (2003).
Increased dietary protein modifies glucose and insulin homeostasis in adult
women during weight loss. Journal of Nutrition, 133, 405-410
25. Due, A., Toubro, S., Skov, A.R., & Astrup, A. (2004). Effect of normal-fat
diets, either medium or high in protein, on body weight in overweight subjects:
a randomised 1-year trial. International Journal of Obesity, 28, 1283-1290.
26. Lemon, P.W., & Mullin, J.P. (1980). Effect of initial muscle glycogen levels
on protein catabolism during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 48, 624-
629
27. Lemon, P.W., Dolny, D.G., & Yarasheski, K.E. (1997). Moderate physical
activity can increase dietary protein needs. Canadian Journal of Applied
Physiology, 22, 494-503
28. Tarnopolsky MA, Atkinson SA, MacDougall JD, Chesley A, Phillips S,

Schwarcz HP. (1992). Evaluation of protein requirements for trained strength
athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 73, 1986-1995
29. Lemon, P.W.R. (1998). Effects of exercise on dietary protein

requirements. International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 8, 426-447
53
30. Hartman, J.W., Moore, D.R., & Phillips, S.M. (2006). Resistance training
reduces whole-body protein turnover and improves net protein retention in
untrained young males. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 31,
557-564
31. Moore, D.R., Del Bel, N.C., Nizi, K.I., Hartman, J.W., Tang, J.E.,
Armstrong, D., & Phillips, S.M. (2007). Resistance training reduces fasted-
and fed-state leucine turnover and increases dietary nitrogen retention in
previously untrained young men. Journal of Nutrition, 137, 985-991
32. Rozenek, R., Ward, P., Long, S., & Garhammer, J. (2002). Effects of high-
calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following
resistance training. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 42, 340-
347
33. Candow, D.G., Burke, N.C., Smith-Palmer, T., & Burke, D.G. (2006).
Effect of whey and soy protein supplementation combined with resistance
training in young adults. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise
Metabolism, 16, 233-244
34. Cribb, P.J., Williams, A.D., Stathis, C.G., Carey, M.F., & Hayes, A. (2007).
Effects of whey isolate, creatine, and resistance training on muscle
hypertrophy. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39, 298-307
35. Burke, D.G., Chilibeck, P.D., Davidson, K.S., Candow, D.G., Farthing, J.,
& Smith-Palmer, T. (2001). The effect of whey protein supplementation with
and without creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training on lean
tissue mass and muscle strength. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and
Exercise Metabolism, 11, 349-364
36. Knight EL, Stampfer MJ, Hankinson SE, Spiegelman D, Curhan GC

(2003). The impact of protein intake on renal function decline in women with
normal renal function or mild renal insufficiency. Ann Intern Med. Mar
18;138(6):460-7.
37. Poortmans, J.R. & Dellalieux, O. (2000). Do regular high protein diets
have potential health risks on kidney function in athletes? International
Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 10, 28-38
38. Skov, A.R., Toubro, S., Bulow, J., Krabbe, K., Parving, H.H., Astrup, A.
(1999). Changes in renal function during weight loss induced by high vs low-
protein low-fat diets in overweight subjects. International Journal of Obesity
and Related Metabolic Disorders, 23, 1170-1177
54
39. Cordain, L., Eaton, S.B., Miller, J.B., Mann, N., & Hill, K. The paradoxical
nature of hunter-gatherer diets: meat-based, yet non-atherogenic. European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56, S42-S52
40. Cordain, L., Miller, J.B., Eaton, S.B., Mann, N., Holt, S.H., & Speth, J.D.
(2000). Plant-animal subsistence ratios and macronutrient energy estimations
in worldwide hunter-gatherer diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71,
682-692
41. Wolfe, B.M. (1995). Potential role of raising dietary protein intake for
reducing risk of atherosclerosis. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 11, 127G-
131G
42. Wolfe, B.M., & Piche, L.A. (1999). Replacement of carbohydrate by

protein in a conventional-fat diet reduces cholesterol and triglyceride
concentrations in healthy normolipidemic subjects. Clinical and Investigative
Medicine, 22, 140-148
43. Hu, F.B., Stampfer, M.J., Manson, J.E., Rimm, E., Colditz, G.A., Speizer,
F.E., Hennekens, C.H., & Willett, W.C. (1999). Dietary protein and risk of
ischemic heart disease in women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70,
221-227
44 Arnal, M.A., Mosoni, L., Boirie, Y., Houlier, M.L., Morin, L., Verdier, E.,
Ritz, P., Antoine, J.M., Prugnaud, .J, Beaufrere, B., & Mirand, P.P. (1999).
Protein pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69, 1202-1208
45. Arnal, M.A., Mosoni, L., Boirie, Y., Houlier, M.L., Morin, L., Verdier, E.,
Ritz, P., Antoine, J.M., Prugnaud, J., Beaufrere, B., & Mirand, P.P. (2000).
Protein feeding pattern does not affect protein retention in young women.
Journal of Nutrition, 130, 1700-1704
46. Levenhagen, D.K., Gresham, J.D., Carlson, M.G., Maron, D.J., Borel,
M.J., & Flakoll, P.J. (2001). Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is
critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis. American Journal
of Physiology, E280, 982-993
47. Borsheim, E., Cree, M.G., Tipton, K.D., Elliott, T.A., Aarsland, A., & Wolfe,
R.R. (2004). Effect of carbohydrate intake on net muscle protein synthesis
during recovery from resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96,
674-678
55
48. Thyfault, J.P., Carper, M.J., Richmond, S.R., Hulver, M.W., & Potteiger,
J.A. (2004). Effects of liquid carbohydrate ingestion on markers of anabolism
following high-intensity resistance exercise. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research, 18, 174-179
49. Bilsborough S, Mann N (2006). A review of issues of dietary protein intake

in humans. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Apr;16(2):129-52.
50. Hamalainen, E., Adlercreutz, H., Puska, P., & Pietinen, P. (1984). Diet and
serum sex hormones in healthy men. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, 20,
459-464<br />
51. Volek, J.S., Kraemer, W.J., Bush, J.A., Incledon, T., & Boetes, M. (1996).
Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance
exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 82, 49-54<br />
52. Levenhagen, D.K., Carr, C., Carlson, M.G., Maron, D.J., Borel, M.J., &
Flakoll, P.J. (2002). Postexercise protein intake enhances whole-body and leg
protein accretion in humans. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,
34, 828-837
53. Doi, T., Matsuo, T., Sugawara, M., Matsumoto, K., Minehira, K., Hamada,
K., Okamura, K., & Suzuki, M. (2001). New approach for weight reduction by
a combination of diet, light resistance exercise and the timing of ingesting a
protein supplement. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 10, 226-232
54. Flakoll, P.J., Judy, T., Flinn, K., Carr, C., & Flinn, S. (2004). Postexercise
protein supplementation improves health and muscle soreness during basic
military training in Marine recruits. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96, 951-956
55. Bennet WM, Connacher AA, Scrimgeour CM, Smith K, Rennie MJ (1989).
Increase in anterior tibialis muscle protein synthesis in healthy man during
mixed amino acid infusion: studies of incorporation of [1-13C]leucine. Clinical
Science 76, 447-454
56. Biolo G, Tipton KD, Klein S, Wolf RR (1997). An abundant supply of

amino acids enhances the metabolic effect of exercise on muscle protein.
American Journal of Physiology 273, E122-129
57. Smith K, Reynolds N, Downie S, Patel A, Rennie MJ (1998). Effects of

flooding amino acids on incorporation of labeled amino acids into human
muscle protein. American Journal of Physiology 275, E73-78
56
58. Tipton, K.D., Elliott, T.A., Cree, M.G., Wolf, S.E., Sanford, A.P., & Wolfe,
R.R. (2004). Ingestion of casein and whey proteins result in muscle anabolism
after resistance exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 36,
2073-2081
59. Wilkinson, S.B., Tarnopolsky, M.A., Macdonald, M.J., Macdonald, J.R.,

Armstrong, D., & Phillips, S.M. (2007). Consumption of fluid skim milk
promotes greater muscle protein accretion after resistance exercise than does
consumption of an isonitrogenous and isoenergetic soy-protein beverage.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85, 1031-1040
60. Hartman, J.W., Tang, J.E., Wilkinson, S.B., Tarnopolsky, M.A., Lawrence,
R.L., Fullerton, A.V., & Phillips, S.M. (2007). Consumption of fat-free fluid milk
after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does
consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86, 373-381
61. Ivy, J.L., Goforth, H.W. Jr., Damon, B.M., McCauley, T.R., Parsons, E.C.,
& Price, T.B. (2002). Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is
enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. Journal of Applied
Physiology, 93, 1337-1344
62. Tarnopolsky, M.A., Bosman, M., MacDonald, J.R., Vandeputte, D., Martin,
J., & Roy, B.D. (1997). Postexercise protein-carbohydrate and carbohydrate
supplements increase muscle glycogen in men and women. Journal of
Applied Physiology, 83, 1877-1883
63. Haff, G.G., Lehmkuhl, M.J., McCoy, L.B., & Stone, M.H. (2003).
Carbohydrate supplementation and resistance training. Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research, 17, 187-196
64. Ivy JL (2001) Dietary strategies to promote glycogen synthesis after

exercise. Can J Appl Physiol 2001 26 Suppl S236-45
65. Wojcik, J.R., Walber-Rankin, J., Smith, L.L., & Gwazdauskas, F.C. (2001).
Comparison of carbohydrate and milk-based beverages on muscle damage
and glycogen following exercise. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and
Exercise Metabolism, 11, 406-419
66. University of Maryland Medical enter. 2007.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-6-000317.htm
57
67. Couet C, Delarue J, Ritz P, Antoine JM, Lamisse F (1997). Effect of

dietary fish oil on body fat mass and basal fat oxidation in healthy adults.
International Journal of Obesity, 21, 637-643
68. Huffman DM, Michaelson JL, Thomas TR (2004). Chronic

supplementation with fish oil increases fat oxidation during exercise in young
men. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 7, 48-56
69. http://www.udoerasmus.com/articles/udo/fish_oil.htm
70. Tremblay, A., & St-Pierre, S. (1996). The hyperphagic effect of a high-fat
diet and alcohol intake persists after control for energy density. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63, 479-482
71. Buemann, B., Toubro, S., & Astrup, A. (2002). The effect of wine or beer
versus a carbonated soft drink, served at a meal, on ad libitum energy intake.
International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 26, 1367-
1372
72. Siler, S.Q., Neese, R.A., & Hellerstein, M.K. (1999). De novo lipogenesis,
lipid kinetics, and whole-body lipid balances in humans after acute alcohol
consumption. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70, 928-936.
73. Raben A, Agerholm-Larsen L, Flint A, Holst JJ, Astrup A. (2003). Meals

with similar energy densities but rich in protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol
have different effects on energy expenditure and substrate metabolism but not
on appetite and energy intake. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77, 91-
100.
74. Kvist, H., Hallgren, P., Jonsson, L., Pettersson, P., Sjoberg, C., Sjostrom,
L., & Bjorntorp, P. (1993). Distribution of adipose tissue and muscle mass in
alcoholic men. Metabolism, 42, 569-573
75. Kleiner, S.M. (1999). Water: an essential but overlooked nutrient. Journal
of the American Dietetic Association, 99, 200-206
10. Vom Dahl, S., Hallbrucker, C., Lang, F., Gerok, W., & Haussinger, D.
(1991). Regulation of liver cell volume and proteolysis by glucagon and
insulin. Biochemical Journal, 278, 771-777
76. Bilz, S., Ninnis, R., & Keller, U. (1999). Effects of hypoosmolality on
whole-body lipolysis in man. Metabolism, 48, 472-476
58
77. Haussinger, D., Roth, E., Lang, F., & Gerok, W. (1993). Cellular hydration
state: an important determinant of protein catabolism in health and disease.
Lancet, 341, 1330-1332
78. Berneis, K., Ninnis, R., Haussinger, D., & Keller, U. (1999). Effects of
hyper- and hypoosmolality on whole body protein and glucose kinetics in
humans. American Journal of Physiology, 276, 188-195
79. Boschmann, M., Steiniger, J., Hille, U., Tank, J., Adams, F., Sharma,
A.M., Klaus, S., Luft, F.C., & Jordan, J. (2003). Water-induced thermogenesis.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 88, 6015-6019
80. Prasad, A.S., Mantzoros, C.S., Beck, F.W., Hess, J.W., Brewer, G.J.
(1996). Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition,
12, 344-348
59
REFERENCES FOR STEP 3 - EXERCISE

1. Forbes, G.B., Brown, M.R., Welle, S.L., & Underwood, L.E. (1989).
Hormonal response to overfeeding. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 49,
608-611
2. Pollock M.L. et al (2000). Resistance Exercise in Individuals With and

Without Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation, 101:828
3. MacDougall, J.D., Gibala, M.J., Tarnopolsky, M.A., MacDonald, J.R.,

Interisano, S.A., & Yarasheski, K.E. (1995). The time course for elevated
muscle protein synthesis following heavy resistance exercise. Canadian
4. Gibala, M.J., Interisano, S.A., Tarnopolsky, M.A., Roy, B.D., MacDonald,

J.R., Yarasheski, K.E., & MacDougall, J.D. (2000). Myofibrillar disruption
following acute concentric and eccentric resistance exercise in strength-
trained men. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 78, 656-661
5. Baechle TR and Earle RW (2000). Essentials of Strength Training and

Conditioning (second edition). Human Kinetics, Champaign: IL
6. Hedrick A (1995). Training For Hypertrophy. Strenght cond. 17(3):22-29
7. Tesch PA (1993). Training For Bodybuilding. In: Strength and Power In

Sports, Komi PV, ed. London: Blackwell Scientific. pp/370-380
8. Kraemer, W.J., Gordon, S.E., Fleck, S.J., Marchitelli, L.J., Mello, R.,
Dziados, J.E., Friedl, K., Harman, E., Maresh, C., & Fry, A.C. (1991).
Endogenous anabolic hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy
resistance exercise in males and females. International Journal of Sports
Medicine, 12, 228-235
9. Hansen, S., Kvorning, T., Kjaer, M., & Sjogaard, G. (2001). The effect of
short-term strength training on human skeletal muscle: the importance of
physiologically elevated hormone levels. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine
and Science in Sports, 11, 347-354
10. Lüthi JM, Howald H, Claassen H, Rösler K, Vock P, Hoppeler H (1986).

Structural changes in skeletal muscle tissue with heavy-resistance exercise.
Int J Sports Med. Jun;7(3):123-7.
60
11. Graves JE, Pollock ML, Leggett SH, Braith RW, Carpenter DM, Bishop LE
(1988). Effect of reduced training frequency on muscular strength. Int J Sports
Med. 1988 Oct;9(5):316-9.
12. KraemerWJ (1997). A series of studies: The physiological basis for

strength training in football players: Fact over philosophy. J Strength Cond
Res. 11(3):131-142
13. McGee D, Jessee TC, Stone MH, Blessing D (1992). Leg and hip
endurance adaptations to three weight-training programs. J Appl Sport Sci
Res. 6:92-95
14. Stowers T, Mcmillan J, Scala D, Davis V, Wilson D, Stone MH (1983). The

short-term effects of three different strength-power training methods. NSCA J.
5(3):24-27
15. Willoughby DS (1993). The effects of mesocycle-length weight training

programs involving periodization and partially equated volumes on upper and
lower body strength. J Strength cond Res. 7:2-8
16. Kraemer WJ, Newton RU, Bush J, Volek J, Triplett NT, Koziris LP (1995).
Varied multiple set resistance training program produces greater gain than
single set program. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 27:S195
17. Kramer JB et al (1997). Effects of single vs. multiple sets of weight

training: Impact of volume, intesnity and variation. J Strength Cond Res.
11(3):143-147
18. Herrick AR, Stone MH (1996). The effects of periodization versus

progressive resistance exercise on upper and lower body strength in women.
J Strength cond Res. 10(2):72-76
19. Ostrowski KJ et al (1997). The effect of weight training volume on

hormonal output and muscular size and function. J Strength Cond Res.
11(3):148-154
20. Hansen, S., Kvorning, T., Kjaer, M., & Sjogaard, G. (2001). The effect of
short-term strength training on human skeletal muscle: the importance of
physiologically elevated hormone levels. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine
and Science in Sports, 11, 347-354
61
21. McCarthy, J.P., Pozniak, M.A., & Agre, J.C. (2002). Neuromuscular
adaptations to concurrent strength and endurance training. Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise, 16, 152-156
22. Dolezal, B.A., & Potteiger, J.A. (1998). Concurrent resistance and
endurance training influence basal metabolic rate in nondieting individuals.
23. Häkkinen, K., Alen, M., Kraemer, W.J., Gorostiaga, E., Izquierdo, M.,
Rusko, H., Mikkola, J., Häkkinen, A., Valkeinen, H., Kaarakainen, E., Romu,
S., Erola, V., Ahtiainen, J., & Paavolainen, L. (2003). Neuromuscular
adaptations during concurrent strength and endurance training versus
strength training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 89, 42-52
24. McCarthy, J.P., Agre, J.C., Graf, B.K., Pozniak, M.A., & Vailas, A.C.
(1995). Compatibility of adaptive responses with combining strength and
endurance training. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, 27, 429-436
ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO
BUILDING MUSCLE
Copyright Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within
it may be sold or reproduced in any form without prior permission.
62

Pub - The Essential Guide To Building Muscle PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pub - The Essential Guide To Building Muscle PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Essential Guide to Building Muscle

As with all programmes, techniques and materials related to health, exercise

Sporting Excellence Ltd makes no representation or warranties of any kind

Published by Sporting Excellence Ltd

Layout and typesetting by Neil G. Tarvin

Of course lack of information isn’t the

• You must eat a lot of protein to gain significant amounts of muscle

• Cardiovascular exercise hinders your ability to gain new muscle mass

Fortunately, there is a way to selectively sift

The solution is to use reliable scientific research…

What’s With All The Number in [Brackets]?

Step 1 is perhaps the most important and unfortunately

In Step 2 you will discover how to create and follow a

Step 3 shows you how to develop an effective,

STEP 1 – WHAT’S YOUR GOAL?

But compare this to someone who decides to train

So take it one step at a time. In other words,

Here are some examples of SMART goals.

You should come up with both ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ reasons. In

STEP 2 – CREATE YOUR MUSCLE

The First Rule of Weight Gain

Consume more energy than you expend

Your Metabolic Rate

Several factors affect our resting metabolic rates:

How To Gain Weight

The Balance of Good Health

Gaining Muscle & Losing Fat

You already know that to gain muscle you must

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For

If Your Priority Is To Build Muscle…

If Your Priority Is To Lose Fat…

How Many Calories?

The problem is that calorie counting is not an

There are a number of formulas designed to estimate your energy

Option 2 requires some degree of calorie counting. However, this doesn’t

Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments

Bear in mind that 1-2 pounds is difficult to track

6 Simple ‘Rules’ For an Effective Nutrition Plan

Some fitness professionals, and especially

Rule #2 – Mix High & Low Energy Density Foods

• Very Low Energy Density = 0.5 or less

• Low Energy Density = 0.6 –1.5

• Medium Energy Density = 1.6 – 4.0

• High Energy Density = 4.1 and above

• Alternate white and wholemeal versions of pasta, breads and cereals.

• Consider replacing one or two meals / snacks with a liquid smoothie or

Rule #3 – Eat Enough Protein

Most Registered Dieticians tend to

There is a growing body of research to show that a moderate to high protein

However, there are limitations with these studies. The

Critics of higher protein consumption point to evidence

More relevant research has looked at actual changes in body composition

Protein Intake Per Meal

Protein Intake And Safety

In terms of renal function (the function of the kidneys), there is no hard

As for heart disease, again there is a lack of

A common and easy-to-remember guideline is to aim for 1gram of protein per

Rule #4 – Have A Pre Or Post Workout Snack

Proponents of post-workout snacks and shakes point

You may want to take a post-workout snack to the gym to eat

• If you workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or after

• Carbohydrate taken immediately after a strenuous training session can

Pre Workout (About 1 Hour Before)