5 Great Muscle Mass Building Secrets

I am a runner. Whoohooo! Boy, it sounds so powerful coming from a 40-ish year old woman like me who never played tag-you're-it when she was little.

What? I have dreams too and know I can achieve it. By saying that - I am a runner affirms that desire within me. [wink**]

But yeah, I am not really a runner-runner. I just love to run. What is surprising though is that, I have what it takes to be a runner or more likely - the will to run.

I run. I run on the treadmill... on the roads... on the trails...

by the lakes and bonds... and in the playground with my kids at work.

I run regardless of the kind of weather we have... sunny... or rainy...

cloudy... or snowy.

As a runner I know the importance of training. Strength training and muscle mass building are very essential parts in any sports training. It is not only for the purpose of success but for fitness and health issues.

Like what Zach Holstrom taught his students on the importance of muscle mass building... [and I quote]

"If you are training and one of your goals is to build muscle mass, there are some things you need to know. Most people think that hitting the gym is all there is to building a well sculpted body that is reflective of low body fat and lean muscle mass. The truth is that knowledge and preparation play a major role in the success and proficiency of any workout.

There are tons and tons of men in the gym everyday doing killer workouts and experiencing minimal results in the way of increased muscle mass. This can be frustrating and discouraging. The key is in understanding the elements that are involved in accomplishing what you are trying to accomplish. When I counsel or train someone, I insure that I educate them as well. I don’t simply tell them what to do, I tell them why. I explain the dynamics of exercise, diet, and supplementation.

You can spend countless hours in the gym, but if something is not in balance, you will find that you are spinning your wheels and getting no results. Speaking of balance, one of the primary reasons that mean find it difficult to increase muscle mass and improve muscular devlopment is they are suffering from a testosterone deficiency. Testosterone is a vital hormone in the process of increasing strength and muscle mass.

The body naturally produces testosterone in both men and women, but it is present at much higher levels in men. The problem is that the body begins to slow down the production of testosterone at age 30. As this takes place the body’s ability to produce muscle decreases in proportion to the testosterone levels in your body. The key is to find ways to stimulate testosterone production in the body."

Below are some of the benefits of increased testosterone production:

• The ability to effectively manage insulin levels in the blood stream
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Improved cognition (That’s right, testosterone can improve the function of the brain.)
• Increased energy levels
• Increased muscle mass (This is where you start with any muscle building campaign.)

Below you will find 5 great secrets to increasing your testosterone levels, which subsequently will allow you to be able to effectively increase your muscle mass.

1. Get Rest – You need to get a significant amount of sleep; at least an average of 7-8 hours per night. Rest and recovery is just as important to development as the expenditure of energy. There is an extremely strong correlation between getting enough sleep and reaching optimal testosterone levels.
2. Lower your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has a negative effect on the production of testosterone. It is also a major contributor to a shabby waistline. This is not to say that having a drink every now and then will totally sabotage your training, but consistent long term use definitely will.
3. Control your carbohydrate intake. Studies show that testosterone levels immediately fall after the intake of carbohydrates. This drop is only temporary; however, if you are eating multiple (3-4) high carbohydrate meals per day, this will ultimately lead to lower overall testosterone levels.
4. Keep your intense workouts to 45 minutes or less. When you extend your intense workouts beyond 45 minutes, the cortisol levels in the body increase dramatically. Cortisol is a hormone that counteracts the production of testosterone.
5. Do compound resistance training exercises more frequently (rows, squats, shoulder presses, dead-lifts, etc). Exercising large muscle groups helps to increase testosterone levels.

There are numerous other ways of increasing your testosterone levels, but these should get you well on your way.

Zach Holstrom is a professional hunter and wilderness survivalist trainer who coaches people on living off of the land. He is also the father of three kids alex, john, and mary.

Knowing these facts are very essential for any athlete or sports enthusiasts regardless of what fitness level you are. Training our body and our mind helps one not only build strong body but well-founded discipline as well.

As for me, I am seriously considering every aspects of strength training and muscle mass building because I know that it will help me run many races in the future.