<p>My name is Gray!&nbsp;I&rsquo;m a qualified nutritionist, online coach, and the proud owner of Team Grayann (@team_grayann).&nbsp;As a female, the idea of weight loss is always the most popular, spoken-about topic. But, no one ever takes the time to realise that not everyone&rsquo;s goals are the same and that building muscle is a task in itself.&nbsp;I, for one, can speak from&nbsp;experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When it came to starting my fitness journey, I was urged into the same direction that most females are:&nbsp;weight loss. Did I need to lose weight? NO!&nbsp;I was never someone who was bigger, nor did I struggle with my weight. But when going to a gym,&nbsp;society told me that&rsquo;s what I needed to do.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>I was told I needed to do hours of cardio in order to reach my &ldquo;dream physique.&rdquo;</strong></p>

<p>Sound familiar?&nbsp;Are you someone who doesn&rsquo;t really want to lose weight and doesn&rsquo;t know where to start?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>You want to build muscle and be strong!!&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Yeah, me too girlfriend!&nbsp;As females, we are quite often told that we need to eat less. That salad&nbsp;bowls and&nbsp;veggies are our only options.&nbsp;Well.. THEY AIN&#39;T!&nbsp;We&rsquo;ve got to eat big to grow those muscles!&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Let me educate you!&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>When it comes to gaining muscle, we need to sit in what&rsquo;s called a calorie surplus. This basically means consuming more calories than we burn. This will cause your scale weight to increase slightly (don&rsquo;t freak out, this is a good thing! We can&rsquo;t build muscle by losing weight.)&nbsp;Although our goal is to build muscle, we also want to minimise the amount of body fat we put on at the same time (get comfortable with the fact you will put on a little. But it&rsquo;s for a purpose, and when you&rsquo;ve grown that booty you&rsquo;ve always been dreaming of, you are going to thank me.)&nbsp;</p>

<h3>A simple key to working out your overall calories is below:&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Protein: </strong>1.6-2.2 x your body weight (if your 60kg this will be 60x1.6 (-2.2)&nbsp;= protein target of 96-132g per day&nbsp;</li>
	<li><strong>Fat: </strong>the minimum essential requirement is 0.4x your body weight, but I&nbsp;would go anywhere from 0.6-1 x your body weight (to be on the safe side and make sure you&#39;re consuming enough fats for optimal body functions). If you&#39;re&nbsp;60kg, that would be 36-60g per day.</li>
	<li><strong>Carbohydrates: </strong>these make up the remainder of your calories. This number is going to vary depending on your individual stats and lifestyle.</li>
</ul>

<p><em>** Disclaimer: these are not exact numbers, just used as an estimate&nbsp;</em></p>

<h3>Add these Vanilla Milkshake Overnight Oats to your meal plan:</h3>

<ul>
</ul>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CaoeHs-p2d5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Nutrition Warehouse (@nutritionwarehouse)</a></p>
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<p>Now that our nutrition is sorted, it&rsquo;s time to train! Don&rsquo;t waste your time doing generic cookie-cutter programs that change every week. Stick to something tailored to you and your body goals. If you want to grow a booty, there is no point in training chest 4 times a week and glutes only once (p.s. I can help with creating both tailored nutrition and training programs. Shameless plug...)&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, your base foundations are going to be your nutrition and training. Consistency here is going to see those results shine. Our little sprinkle on top of our muscle growth cupcake is our supplements.&nbsp;Remember, as I always say, these are not essential, but they can be a useful tool in&nbsp;our toolbox to add that icing on top of our journey.</p>

<h3>My 3 fave sups for muscle building include:&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li>WPI (my downright favourite and go-to is Rule1. Good on its own or mixed in anything, the quality is next level. My fave flavours are the choc mint or chocolate biccy. Let me know your fave flavour)</li>
	<li>L-Carnitine&nbsp;</li>
	<li>BCAA/EAA&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>(I have two faves here, and you can&rsquo;t make me choose.&nbsp;I love the Essential Amino in Rainbow Candy flavour. This one has a little bit of caffeine in it, so it gives my workouts that little kick. The pineapple flavour is straight BCAA. If you have a sweet tooth or want your training session to taste like a tropical dream, this is your go-to&nbsp;)</p>

<p>All of the above I don&rsquo;t just recommend, but I actually take it every single day. Rule 1 is my go-to brand for ALL my supplement needs, and it took me a long time to find a brand that&nbsp;is&nbsp;filled with good quality ingredients and&nbsp;tastes GREAT!! No lie, once you try a Rule1 product, you won&rsquo;t ever want anything else.</p>

<p>Well, that&rsquo;s all from me!&nbsp;Reach out if you ever have any questions or just to chat.</p>

<p><strong>Eat up, train hard and let&rsquo;s grow girlfriends!!&nbsp;</strong></p>

<h4>Gray&#39;s&nbsp;Top 3 Products:</h4>

<hr />
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-6">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-protein-wpi-by-rule-1-proteins?variant=42295508599011" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1600321598/Supplements/323/Rule1-WPI_Protein_Powder.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><b>R1 Protein WPI</b></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-protein-wpi-by-rule-1-proteins?variant=42295508599011" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-6">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-lean-5-by-rule-1-proteins?variant=42403046588643" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1646276919/Gain%20Muscle/581/Lean5_Rule1.png" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><b>R1 Lean5&nbsp;</b></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-lean-5-by-rule-1-proteins?variant=42403046588643" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-6">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-essential-amino-9-by-rule-1-proteins?variant=42404047782115" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1646277166/Gain%20Muscle/581/EssentialAminorule1.png" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><b>R1 Essential Amino</b></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/r1-essential-amino-9-by-rule-1-proteins" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<hr />

As a female, the idea of weight loss is always the most popular, spoken about topic. But no one ever takes the time to realise that not everyone’s goals are the same and that building muscle is a task in itself. 

BlogCover_Gray.jpg

How to Reach Your Body Goals

<p>I spoke with Kwame recently to get the lowdown on best practices to achieve (and maintain!)&nbsp;your best body yet. Kwame brings more to the table than just an impressive physique - Humble, intelligent and super laid back, this multi-talented fitness trainer is all about healthy habits and a long-term perspective.</p>

<h3>Get to know Kwame with these fast facts:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>
	<p>He was the youngest person to turn pro in Muscle Mania Bodybuilding&nbsp;</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>He was an Australian Ninja Warrior contestant&nbsp;</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>He&#39;s been featured on Sunrise&nbsp;</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>Current BSN Sponsored Athlete&nbsp;</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>He&#39;s multi-talented: Signed to the Global League record&nbsp;label, he&#39;s got four songs coming your way (and yes, there&#39;s one about the gym!)</p>
	</li>
</ul>

<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-6">
<h2>Kwame&#39;s top tips:</h2>

<h3>Don&rsquo;t overdo it:</h3>

<p>You may be itching to pack on 10kg of muscle in 10 days, but trying to apply the &lsquo;get rich quick&rsquo; principle to fitness can leave you abandoning your goals quicker than you started them. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kwame emphasizes that rest and recovery are essential if you want to get superior results. &lsquo;Every time you train, you make microscopic tears, so you want to make sure you&rsquo;re resting and repairing&rsquo;, he says. Unless your quads are bigger than Kwame&rsquo;s, if you&rsquo;re pushing it hard every day with no results, it might be time to chill and let your body recover. &nbsp;</p>

<p>What can you do if you&rsquo;re overtraining?</p>

<p>Kwame says,<strong>&nbsp;&quot;Rest. Eat well&quot;.</strong></p>
</div>

<div class="col-md-6">
<p><img alt="eggs" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1614654942/Gain%20Muscle/391/kwame-bodybuilding-stage.jpg" /></p>
</div>
</div>

<h3>Make it fit your lifestyle:</h3>

<p>Your training and nutrition should fit your lifestyle, not the other way around. &nbsp;The most important thing is movement. If you need to schedule some cardio instead of the same old boring treadmill, why not mix it up a bit? <meta name="uuid" content="uuidgLMmxN3g3Irq" /><meta charset="utf-8" />&nbsp;For example, Kwame wants his client to do some cardio, so he asks, &#39;What is a sport you love?&#39;.</p>

<p>Don&#39;t just go through the motions, though. Kwame advises&nbsp;<em>aiming to get better&nbsp;</em>(in this particular case, it was Boxing)<em>.&nbsp;</em>When you desire to improve and progress, you are then motivated to keep challenging yourself.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Macros and Micros:</h3>

<p>One trap that many trainers or just fitness enthusiasts fall into is putting a significant focus on calories and/or macronutrients (making sure you&rsquo;re hitting those protein, fat and carb goals!) while neglecting micronutrients.</p>

<p>Though micros won&rsquo;t make or break results tomorrow, they positively impact your health and how you feel, plus that all-important performance factor. Kwame seems to have mastered this, focusing on 80% whole foods and 20% fun foods. 80% of whole foods &quot;because it impacts everything. It&rsquo;s not just about calories in versus calories out&quot;. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Having also studied nutrition, he knows what his body responds to well, and he&rsquo;s used his nutrition knowledge to experiment with what works and what doesn&rsquo;t work for his body. He understands what level of activity he&rsquo;s doing daily, and that allows him the odd indulgence in some of his faves like KFC and chocolate.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Building a healthy relationship with food:</h3>

<p>Micros matter, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean you need to &lsquo;eat clean&rsquo; 24/7. Kwame knows restriction leads to bingeing and vice versa... &#39;it becomes a vicious cycle&#39;, he asserts. If you can move away from treating foods as &lsquo;good&rsquo; or &lsquo;bad&rsquo;, you&rsquo;re already well on the way to a balanced fitness lifestyle that can give you long-lasting results. Kwame even programs food like chocolate into his clients&rsquo; programs (unless they&rsquo;re preparing for a competition) so they don&rsquo;t fall into the trap of labelling food.</p>

<p>The term &lsquo;balance&rsquo; came up a few times, and with good reason - how long can one survive on the &#39;chicken and broccoli&#39; diet? Though Kwame mentioned he has fallen prey to this before, allowing yourself that KFC or chocolate from time to time&nbsp;will give you great results (and sanity)! Don&#39;t know where to start? Kwame advises seeking out a coach - you&#39;ll save yourself time and energy in the long run!</p>

<h3>Celebrate&nbsp;smaller victories:</h3>

<p>Remember each milestone is important in reaching your overall goal - make it a habit to celebrate the smaller wins. For example, if you&rsquo;re on your weight loss journey, celebrating each kilo of even 500g lost. It all counts!</p>

<p><strong>Kwame&rsquo;s favourite quote for you to note: &nbsp;</strong></p>

<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;"><cite><q>&nbsp;You only win by 1 per cent or 1 second or 1 dollar, but you capture 100 per cent of the victory. The advantage of being a little bit better is not a little bit more reward, but the entire reward</q>&nbsp;- James Clear</cite></div>

<p>Lastly, Kwame wants you to make gratitude a regular habit... he counts it as an essential practice!</p>

<h3>What supplements does Kwame take?</h3>

<p>Of course, this wouldn&#39;t be complete without a mention of Kwame&#39;s supplement stack! Here&#39;s what he uses on a regular basis:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/creatine.html" target="_blank">Creatine</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/glutamine.html" target="_blank">Glutamine</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/protein.html">Protein</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/fat-burners.html" target="_blank">Fat burner</a> or <a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/acetyl-l-carnitine.html" target="_blank">Acetyl-L-Carnitine</a> if not having the fat burner</li>
</ul>

<h3>Kwamw&#39;s Top Products:</h3>

<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-8">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/syntha-6-edge-ultra-premium-protein-by-bsn.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1614653680/Gain%20Muscle/391/bsn-syntha6-edge.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Syntha-6 Edge Ultra-Premium Protein by BSN</strong></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/syntha-6-edge-ultra-premium-protein-by-bsn.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-8">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/amino-x-by-bsn.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1644535609/Gain%20Muscle/391/Amino_X_BSN.png" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Amino X&nbsp;by BSN</strong></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/amino-x-by-bsn.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-8">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/creatine-dna-by-bsn.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1614652556/Gain%20Muscle/391/bsn-creatine.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Creatine DNA by BSN</strong></p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/creatine-dna-by-bsn.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<h3>Where can you find Kwame?&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Check out his IG <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kwameduah/" target="_blank"><strong>@kwameduah</strong></a>, and if you&#39;re needing to hit the restart button on your fitness goals, you&#39;ll love<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kxkfitness_/" target="_blank"> <strong>@kxkfitness_</strong> </a>! You can expect nutritional support, training, and mindfulness to manage that all-important relationship with food in a fun and challenging environment.&nbsp;</p>


Stop spinning your wheels and getting nowhere in your fitness journey. Achieve your body composition goals with bodybuilder Kwame, who shows you the best way to stay in shape all year round.

Kwame%20How%20To%20Stay%20In%20Shape.jpg

Kwame: How to Stay in Shape ALL Year

<p>You know the importance of post workout recovery, but how can you optimise it so you get the best results not just from your gym workout, but from any physical training you do? If you&#39;re on a mission to be bigger, get stronger, be faster or simply have more energy, read on to find out what to do to maximise your training efforts.</p>

<h3><b>Your muscles and training</b></h3>

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<p><strong>Your body is constantly building and breaking down muscle proteins</strong></p>

<p>Physical activity increases muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis. Intense physical activity can lead to micro-tears in the muscle fibres, which is a normal response to vigorous exercise.</p>
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<p><img alt="man doing preacher curl at gym" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1631512108/Gain%20Muscle/536/man_flexing_biceps_gym.jpg" /></p>
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<p>Micro-tears are an important stimulus for muscle growth, and recovery time plus proper nutrition are important for muscle recovery. Plus, when you rest well and eat well, you can help your body&#39;s hydration status as well as the restoration of energy stores.</p>

<p><strong>People often think that muscle recovery only happens after exercise</strong></p>

<p>The truth is that muscle recovery is a 24hr process (meaning, it is happening all day, around the clock!) that can take up to several days. As part of recovery, your body is rebuilding muscle proteins and replenishing energy stores.</p>

<p><strong>What is active recovery?</strong></p>

<p>Following intense exercise with low to moderate intensity exercise is a form of actively recovering. Low intensity exercise the days after intense exercise promotes blood circulation to recovering muscles and also helps to warm up and loosens tight, sore muscles.</p>

<h3 style="background: rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 5px 10px;"><strong>Principles of Muscle Recovery</strong></h3>

<ol>
	<li>
	<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Proper nutrition</div>
	</li>
	<li>
	<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Hydration</div>
	</li>
	<li>
	<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Rest and Relaxation</div>
	</li>
	<li>
	<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Sleep</div>
	</li>
</ol>

<h3><strong>1. Nutrition</strong></h3>

<p><strong>Refuel within about one hour after working out to help support;</strong></p>

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<ul>
	<li>Supplying building blocks for protein synthesis</li>
	<li>Replenish glycogen stores</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Include source of carbohydrates and protein when refuelling</li>
	<li>Don&rsquo;t restrict food intake on non-training days</li>
</ul>
</div>

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<p><img alt="mean eating healthy balanced meal" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1619572529/Nutrition/430/weight-loss-supplements.jpg" /></p>
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<p>Eat a balanced diet to help fuel up for the following workout. Adequate daily intake of carbs and protein are also important as post exercise intake, to support muscle recovery and performance</p>

<p><strong>Protein musts:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Keep track of your protein intake to ensure you&rsquo;re meeting your daily needs</li>
	<li>Aim for 20-40 grams&nbsp;per meal or snack</li>
	<li>Choose complete high-quality proteins to help support muscle protein synthesis</li>
</ul>

<h3><strong>2. Hydration</strong></h3>

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<p><img alt="runners drinking water" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1606262149/Supplements/349/coupledrinkingwater.jpg" /></p>
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<p><strong>75% of muscle tissue is water... </strong>This means that dehydration can impair performance. Remember to have water and electrolytes to help support rehydration after exercise.</p>
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<h3><strong>3. Rest and Relaxation</strong></h3>

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<p>Make sure you schedule off-days... remember, mucles&nbsp;recover when you rest!</p>

<p>Overtraining can have negative consequences such as;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Burnout: mentally and physically</li>
	<li>Fatigue</li>
	<li>Injury</li>
</ul>
</div>

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<p><img alt="woman relaxing on couch" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1618957948/LIfestyle/428/guided-meditation-audio.jpg" /></p>
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<p>Rest allows for time to manage stress. This way, you can also achieve a healthy balance between work, life and fitness goals.</p>

<h3><strong>4. Sleep</strong></h3>

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<p><img alt="man sleeping" class="img-thumbnail" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1631511692/Gain%20Muscle/536/athlete_resting_sleeping.jpg" /></p>
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<div class="col-md-6 col-2">
<p><strong>Quality and amount of sleep are key components of recovery and performance</strong></p>

<p>If sleep is cut short, then the body doesn&rsquo;t have the time to recover and consolidate memory. Inadequate sleep increases the possibility of fatigue, low energy and poor focus. It may also slow recovery post exercise</p>
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<h3>Protein Recommendations (Banned Substance Tested)</h3>

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<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/gold-standard-100-whey-by-optimum-nutrition.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1630627435/Nutrition/532/optimum_nutrition_gold_Standard_whey.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Gold Standard 100% Whey by Optimum Nutrition</strong></p>

<p class="text-center">World&#39;s #1 Selling Protein</p>

<p class="text-center">Fast digesting whey proteins</p>

<p class="text-center">Whey Isolate + Concentrate + Hydrolysed</p>

<p class="text-center">24g of protein</p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/gold-standard-100-whey-by-optimum-nutrition.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-8">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/gold-standard-100-isolate-by-optimum-nutrition.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1630627729/Nutrition/532/Optimum_Nutrition_Whey_Protein_Isolate.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Gold Standard 100% Isolate by Optimum Nutrition</strong></p>

<p class="text-center">Highest quality Isolate fasted absorption</p>

<p class="text-center">Hydrolysed Whey Isolate</p>

<p class="text-center">25g of protein&nbsp;</p>

<p class="text-center">Low carb and fats</p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/gold-standard-100-isolate-by-optimum-nutrition.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="col-md-4 col-sm-8">
<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/serious-mass-by-optimum-nutrition.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1630627568/Nutrition/532/Optimum_Nutrition_Serious_Mass.jpg" /></a>

<div class="caption">
<p class="text-center"><strong>Serious Mass by Optimum Nutrition</strong></p>

<p class="text-center">Multi-source protein for fast and slow absorption</p>

<p class="text-center">250g of carbs&nbsp;</p>

<p class="text-center">3g Creatine for performance</p>

<p class="text-center">50g of protein</p>

<p class="text-center"><a class="btn btn-success" href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/serious-mass-by-optimum-nutrition.html" role="button" target="_blank">More Info</a></p>
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You know the importance of post workout recovery, but how can you optimise it so you get the best results not just from your gym workout, but from any physical training you do? If you're on a mission to be bigger, get stronger, be faster or simply have more energy, read on to find out what to do to maximise your training efforts.

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The True Way Your Muscles Grow

<p>Have you ever been in a situation where you bump into an old mate, only to be left scratching your head as they share their latest progress with you?</p>

<p><em>&ldquo;Yeah, bro, I&rsquo;ve gained 5kg of muscle in the last 2 months on my new program&hellip;.&rdquo;</em></p>

<p><strong><em>&ldquo;Sorry, but where&rdquo;?</em></strong></p>

<p>For the vast majority of us, when we enter the gym, it is because we want to change how we look.</p>

<p>We want to change our body composition!</p>

<p>Our body composition is everything that is comprised to make up our body; muscle, fat, bone, water etc. And the only way to positively change our composition (to our vision) is to build muscle and burn body fat.</p>

<p>Ideally, we aim to do both of these things at the same time (yes, it can be done), but if your goal was solely to build mass, you may aim to increase your muscle size whilst you maintain your current body fat levels (you don&rsquo;t need to get fat to build muscle).</p>

<p>Conversely, to get leaner, your focus would be to burn body fat whilst at least maintaining existing muscle mass (I don&rsquo;t believe it is ever acceptable to lose muscle when training).</p>

<p>But that is just for starters!</p>

<hr />
<div class="text-center">
<h5>You see, effective weight training is the ONLY non-surgical way that we can permanently change how our composition LOOKS!</h5>
</div>

<hr />
<p>And just like a master sculptor brings a block of clay to life, so does the physique architect with the right selection of exercises.</p>

<p>Our exercises form the &quot;tools in our toolbox&quot;, and by their use (what we select) is what gives us the end result we are after.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s amazing to think that depending on what exercises you choose and your overall training program, we have that much power over our outcome. In fact, with &lsquo;old mate&rsquo; gaining that much mass, if it was in the right areas, it could have easily LOOK LIKE 10kg!</p>

<h3>How could 5kg really look like 10kg?</h3>

<p>REAL progress is part factual and part illusion. The factual elements are your numbers and the specifics in terms of what is gained and what is lost.</p>

<p>The illusion is being able to achieve results and build a physique that defies the data. To &ldquo;look&rdquo; like you have gained MORE than you actually have.</p>

<p>Now, as we come into Summer, with the desire to build a great physique that turns heads, is there anything that we can do to make more of an impact?</p>

<p>Yes, there is. First, scrutinize your current development and project your ideal end goal and then &ldquo;fill in the blanks&rdquo; with effective programming.</p>

<p>Let&rsquo;s see what we can do with this 3-way plan of attack!</p>

<h3>Cannon Ball Delts!</h3>

<p>A pair of cannon ball sized delts really set off the physique with gains that can be appreciated both under a T-shirt or none at all.</p>

<p>Lateral raises are a great exercise that directly targets the medial head of the deltoid (that&rsquo;s the outside one that gives us the width and roundness) but still, nothing will ever beat overhead pressing.</p>

<p>One of my favourite all-around mass builders for shoulders is the barbell military press.</p>

<p>I set the backrest to around 70 degrees (I don&rsquo;t go to 90 degrees) and lower&nbsp;the bar to no deeper to chin level before driving back up. This set-up for me often means setting an adjustable bench in a power rack, so I can use the safety bars if I fail.</p>

<p>That is an important point to make. Training intensity is VITAL! Nothing happens by chance and accident, and if you want your shoulders (or anything else for that matter) to grow, you need to provide the right opportunity (and that means intensity in the gym) for progress.</p>

<h3>Back it up with the right Back Attack:</h3>

<p>Nothing screams size, power (and aesthetics) than a wicked V taper! Therefore, I would like to discuss the pull-up (think of a gymnast).</p>

<p>The pull-up starts with an overhand grip and hands positioned wide enough, so your forearms remain perpendicular to the floor during the movement. Aim to keep your torso as vertical as possible, and drive your elbows into your sides.</p>

<p>Some of the common mistakes made with pull-ups are body position (either leaning back or crunching over the bar at the top) or letting the elbows move too far forward (or rear).</p>

<p>With this exercise, precision is key!</p>

<h3>Winning the Arms race!</h3>

<p>To win the arms race, most people focus on the biceps. But the key is with the Triceps, which makes up 2/3 of the upper arm in terms of mass.</p>

<p>One of the best overall mass builders for the Triceps is the dip, though most people are unaware that there are 2 ways to commonly perform the dip &ndash; for Chest or Triceps.</p>

<p>When you are on the dip bars, if you bend forward at your waist (leaning into the movement) and push through the part of your hand when your thumb and index fingers join, you will primarily feel it in the chest.</p>

<p>But what we want to do is keep your torso as vertical as possible whilst pushing through the heel of your hand (area anteriorly to the base of the metacarpal bones, located in the proximal part of the palm). In this position, you will feel the majority of overload directly in your Triceps (exactly where you want it).</p>

<p>Note: And, of course, make sure you employ some heavy leg work to build the mass under those board shorts!</p>

<h3>How could this look in a training split?</h3>

<p>If you were training 4 days per week, this could present as an ideal training split.</p>

<div class="table-responsive">
<table class="table table-condensed table-striped">
	<colgroup>
		<col style="width:28%" />
		<col style="width:24%" />
		<col style="width:24%" />
		<col style="width:24%" />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
	</tbody>
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>Day 1</th>
			<th>Day 2</th>
			<th>Day 3</th>
			<th>Day 4</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shoulders/Chest</td>
			<td>Rest</td>
			<td>Back</td>
			<td>Rest</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Day 5</th>
			<th>Day 6</th>
			<th>Day 7</th>
			<th>&nbsp;</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Legs</td>
			<td>Arms</td>
			<td>Rest</td>
			<td>&nbsp;</td>
		</tr>
	</thead>
</table>
</div>

<p>Hitting it hard in the gym with adequate intensity and backing up your efforts with optimal nutrition, rest and supplementation should have you showcasing some newfound growth as soon as the weather calls for &ldquo;losing the t-shirt&rdquo;!</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h4>Top Mass Gainers</h4>

<hr />
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<div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/critical-mass-by-genetix-nutrition?variant=42403318857955" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/nutrition-warehouse/image/upload/v1603157343/Gain%20Muscle/337/G_Core_CriticalMass_2kg_vanillaIceCream.png" /></a>

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<p class="text-center"><strong>Critical Mass&nbsp;by Genetix Nutrition</strong></p>

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<p class="text-center"><strong>Mammoth Pro Gainer By Anabolix Nutrition</strong></p>

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<p class="text-center"><strong>R1 LBS by Rule 1 Proteins</strong></p>

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Hitting it hard in the gym with adequate intensity and backing up your efforts with optimal nutrition, rest and supplementation should have you show casing some new found growth as soon as the weather calls for “losing the t-shirt”!

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How to Gain Muscle for Summer

<p>If you&rsquo;re a skinny guy and you&rsquo;ve been trying to pack on quality muscle mass to no avail, you might be feeling frustrated. This will certainly be the case if you&#39;ve been working out and doing your best to eat and get big. What you need is a better plan. This article is designed to help skinny guys discover how to get bigger muscles the right way.</p>

<h3>Realistic Expectations</h3>

<p>The first step when planning out your &lsquo;how to get big strategy&rsquo; is to set realistic goals. If you are a skinny guy, it&rsquo;s quite probable that you have an ectomorph somatotype. This body structure is typified by a narrow chest and abdomen, long, thin legs and arms, and a fast metabolism. While it is certainly possible that an ectomorph can pack on muscle, he or she is unlikely to end up looking like Phil Health, who is a classic mesomorph. If you want to look to bodybuilders as your goal body, choose those who have a body structure like yours. For ectomorphs, the classic role model is Frank Zane. In terms of professional athletes, a lot of basketball players and triathletes tend to have the developed ectomorph physique.</p>

<p>Keep in mind too, that a person&#39;s body shape can change quite dramatically as they pass through puberty. A person who is a classic ectomorph at 16 may end up tending more towards a mesomorph at 25 as his bones get bigger and their testosterone levels peak. In fact, a lot of men do not fully mature physically until their 30s.</p>

<h3>How to Get Big: Nutrition</h3>

<p>Most guys who can&rsquo;t figure out how to get bigger muscles simply aren&rsquo;t eating enough quality food.</p>

<p>To get big you must eat big. If you don&rsquo;t want to get fat though, you need to eat clean. That means avoiding what we can call empty calories. That includes fast foods. As a skinny person, you can eat a ton of McDonald&#39;s and not get fat. That&rsquo;s because you are not giving your body the nutrients that it needs to grow. Unless you are giving your body the micronutrients that it needs, you can be in a state of malnutrition while pigging out on junk food.</p>

<p>The most important nutrition consideration is to feed your body with enough protein to build muscle. The average person trying to build muscle should be consuming between 2.2-2.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. But if you&rsquo;re a skinny guy, you should aim to eat 2.5 grams per kilo of your target weight.</p>

<p>So, let&rsquo;s say that you&#39;re currently 70kg and your goal weight is 80 kg. That works out to 200 grams of protein per day.</p>

<p>In terms of protein type, you should be eating whole food sources built around chicken, tuna, salmon, red meat, and eggs. But you should also be taking one or two protein drinks each day and try opt for proteins that provide a sustained release of amino acids into your muscle cells. You will get an ideal blend of slow-release proteins in <a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/extreme-mass-by-international-protein-2?variant=42408007401699" target="_blank">International Protein&rsquo;s Extreme Mass </a>protein powder. After your workout, you should take a whey protein isolate to get the aminos to your muscles quickly. For this, look to <a href="https://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au/products/amino-charged-wpi-by-international-protein?variant=42407525613795" target="_blank">International Protein&rsquo;s </a><a href="https://www.international-protein.com/product/extreme-mass/">Amino Charged WPI</a>.</p>

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<p class="text-center"><strong>Amino Charge WPI by International Protein</strong></p>

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<p class="text-center"><strong>Extreme Mass by International Protein</strong></p>

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<p>As well as taking protein powder in the form of a shake, you should sprinkle it onto your oatmeal and add it to other desserts as this will help you to meet your increased calorie goal.</p>

<p>You also need to eat more calories overall. Again, the average guy&#39;s recommendation for muscle building is to add an extra 500 calories per day. As a skinny guy, though, you probably have a faster metabolism than most. So, you need to take in more than 500 calories per day. You will probably want to add between 750 and 1000 extra calories.</p>

<p>Let&rsquo;s say that your <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20402304" target="_blank">daily caloric maintenance level</a> is 2500 calories. If we add 800 calories to that, we chrome to 3300 calories per day. How you divide those meals in your how to get big eating plan is up to you. You may prefer to eat three larger meals or maybe your preference is to eat 5 or 6 smaller meals.</p>

<h3>How to Get Big: Training</h3>

<p>You will not build muscle by eating alone, no matter how much protein you are consuming. You also need to be working out to stress your muscle fibers. As a skinny guy, you want to keep your workouts short and sharp. Your goal for each workout should be to get in, smash the muscle, and then get out of the gym.</p>

<p>Your sets should be in the 8-12 rep range. Do four sets per exercise. Build your workouts around compound moves such as the:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Squat</li>
	<li>Bench press</li>
	<li>Deadlift</li>
	<li>Barbell Row</li>
	<li>Overhead Press</li>
</ul>

<p>Strive to increase the weights you are lifting every week while keeping in that key muscle-building range of 8-12 reps. Do not, however, push up your weights to the extent that you compromise your exercise form.</p>

<p>You should work out four times per week. A sample schedule would be to work your lower body and back on Monday and Thursday, and your chest, arms, and shoulders on Tuesday and Friday. The three days off that you have per week are vital to the recovery and muscle rebuilding process.</p>

<p>Cut back on your cardio to preserve calories. If you are wanting to put on muscle to supplement a sport, you will probably have to maintain some sort of cardio program. But if you are doing it purely for bodybuilding purposes, cut out cardio altogether as you are working to pack on muscle mass.</p>

<h3>Goal Setting</h3>

<p>When it comes to setting your &lsquo;how to get big&rsquo; weight gain goals, work up in stepping stones. For example, if you are aiming to put on 20 kg of muscle, break that down so that it is more achievable in your mind. For example, you could set the goal of adding one kilo of muscle per week. As you meet your weekly goals, you will be a step closer to your overall goal and you will be feeding your motivation to keep going in the process.</p>

<h3>How to Get Big: at Home</h3>

<p>With the current COVID environment, you may be in a situation where you can&rsquo;t get to the gym. So, how can you train to get big at home? Well, as we&#39;ve already covered you need to focus on the basic compound exercises. That means you&rsquo;ll need some basic equipment that will allow you to squat, bench deadlift, deadlift, and overhead press. For that, you&rsquo;ll need a barbell, a good number of weights, a bench, and some adjustable dumbbells. You can pick all of that up for a few hundred bucks on eBay.</p>

<h3>How to Get Big Key Points:</h3>

<ol>
	<li>Consume 2.2-2.7 grams of protein per kg of your goal weight</li>
	<li>Eat between 750-1000 calories more than your caloric maintenance level</li>
	<li>Drink 1-2 protein shakes per day</li>
	<li>Focus on compound exercises in the gym</li>
	<li>Make your workouts short and sharp</li>
	<li>Keep your rep range between 8-12</li>
	<li>Do 4 sets per exercise</li>
	<li>Train 4 days per week</li>
	<li>Minimise cardio</li>
</ol>


Do you struggle to put on weight? Are you keen to pack on some serious muscle without compromising your health? Take a look at International Protein's top tips for making those gains happen!