This is a subject which is very close to my heart, I could have been a champion bodybuilder, however I never went to the gym or ate the right foods, I didn't really have the right body frame for it too, as well as the discipline needed to train three to four times a week, apart from these little pointers I could have been massive!

We can all put on bulk muscle given the right ingredients, but if you want to be really big you need to have some sort of platform in which to start from. If you naturally have a large frame the chances are you will put on muscle much more easily than someone with a smaller frame.

However most of us can increase bulk if you have the right attitude and determination. A combination of the right foods and the right exercise routine is essential if your efforts are going to be successful. A diet predominately featuring proteins and carbohydrates is the first thing that is needed. Plenty of water is also an absolutely vital contribution to the fitness regime, as without this your body cannot perform to its maximum efficiency; it is thought that a 2% loss of water could result in a 15-20% loss of workout performance, not good.

Probably the most important food group you need to consume is protein and plenty of it. However it is thought that the body can only absorb 25-30grams of protein per meal, any more and it is lost in the body's waste products. Therefore it is better to have smaller intakes of protein at regular intervals. So instead of having three large meals per day, it is better to have five or six smaller ones. Meats, fish and beans are a great source of ready protein.

However increasing your protein intake beyond the recommended daily intake can be dangerous. As protein is high in nitrogen and when nitrogen is broken down in the liver it creates ammonia which is harmful to body cells. It is recommended that someone eating a high protein diet should supplement their intake with vitamin B6 which helps to combat this attack.

Carbohydrates are obviously needed as the body's main supply of energy, essential for an active workout. Carbohydrates can be placed into two categories: complex and simple. It is important that both of these are consumed if maximum fuel efficiency is to be maintained. Simple carbohydrates can mostly be found as sugars and are prevalent in most fruits as well as easily available in sports drinks. Complex carbohydrates make up the bulk of the food group and are found in pasta, potatoes, breads and rice. These complex carbohydrates so called because digestive enzymes have to work harder to break these down, and to release it as energy.

So you have the right amount of food the only thing left is to get the correct exercise that meets your individual needs. Shorter rep exercises are best for building muscle, if your managing to make 12+ repetitions per exercise movement then you need to up the weight, if you can't make at least 8 reps then you have probably have too much weight on. Of course it all depends upon the exact workout and this is just an average rule of thumb, for more information you should ask your instructor.

Workouts should be limited to three a week at first, increasing to four as you progress. Most of all it takes time and perseverance, results will not happen over night, but you should see the benefits in terms of strength and energy levels after just a few weeks. Man, with all this talk of working out I need a rest. See you in the gym sometime maybe.

Learn more about this author, John Neely.
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