Gain Lean Muscle Mass

The fall and winter months are a great time to put some muscle size and strength. Similarly spring and summer months are times when you can focus on getting a lean. So how to get this varied combination spanning lean mass weight.

Gaining lean muscle mass while on low-carb diet may sound easy. When you deprive your body of carbs, insulin levels decline and the body relies on fat for fuel, which is good. The best way to gain lean mass is by lifting weights, or engaging in other resistance exercises. Balanced with cardio exercises to burn fat, this will help you to gain mass while staying lean.

Low-carb diets deplete muscle-glycogen levels to trigger the body to rely on fat for fuel. High-intensity aerobics further depletes glycogen levels to burn away more unwanted fat. Cardiovascular exercises can help people avoid putting on fat while they build muscle, but too much cardio can actually prevent a person from gaining muscle.

Lean mass building exercises

1. Quads: Squats, Front Squats, Leg Presses
2. Hamstrings: Stiff-Legged Deadlift, Lying Leg Curl
3. Back: Deadlift, Bent Over Row, One Arm Dumbbell Row
4. Chest: Barbell Bench Press, Dumbbell Bench Press, Weighted Wide Grip Dips
5. Deltoids: Press behind Neck, Dumbbell Press, Military Press, Shrugs
6. Triceps: Lying Tricep Ext., Close Grip bench Press, Pushdowns, Seated Tricep ext.
7. Biceps: Standing Barbell Curl, Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl, Preacher Curl
8. Calves: Standing Calf Raise, Donkey Calf Raise, Seated Calf

While there is still much debate as to how creatine exerts its strength building, performance enhancing benefits and increases lean muscle mass, it is commonly accepted by now that most of its effects are due to two mechanisms:

1. Intra-cellular water retention.
2. Creatine’s ability to enhance ATP production.