Posted on July 18, 2010 by Dave W

If you are planning on starting a workout program that will help you to build muscle, there are other things you need to do besides exercise. The most important thing you need to do is to follow a healthy diet that is balanced and provides all of the nutrients your body needs, including protein, which is important for muscle growth and recovery following workouts, not to mention being a dietary source of energy. Go to any gym and you will probably see many of the body builders using protein supplements, both before and after working out, to ensure that they get all of the right nutrients.

Weight Lifting

Obviously, if you want to start building your muscles, you are going to have to begin weight lifting. If you are just starting out, you should take it easy and not push your body too hard. This can actually cause a lot of damage to your muscles and will have the opposite effect of what you are going for. There are certain exercises you should be doing and you should only do them about every other day, to give your muscles a chance to fully recover before working them again. Some of the exercises you should incorporate into your workout include:

• Crunches
• Leg Presses
• Squats
• Push-Ups
• Bench Presses
• Deadlifts
• Military Presses

Remember, the most effective exercises are those that work more than one muscle at a time. These are known as compound exercises, where exercises that only work one part of the body are referred to as isolated exercises.

A Healthy Diet Plan

When you decide to begin muscle building, you will need to follow a diet that meets all of your needs and provides you with all of the nutrients that your body is supposed to have regularly. Your diet should be high in protein, which is vital in the growth and recovery of muscles. About 35% of your daily caloric intake should come from protein, while 50% of it should be from good carbs and the rest from good fats (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated). You need to get three complete meals each day, plus healthy between-meal snacks that are rich in protein. Unsalted nuts are great for this, as they are rich in protein and other nutrients and delicious, too.

If you are unsure about which exercises are best for the results you wish to achieve, it wouldn’t hurt to visit a gym and talk to a trainer. Have him or her show you how to do each exercise, so you know you are doing it right and you can be sure that you aren’t going to injure yourself in any way.

Written by Brent Booker of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your best source for the Shaun T Intensity Workout DVD routine.

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