Overview

In order to get stronger muscles, you must remember to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself.  Strong muscles take time to build, and they should be given proper rest to provide the most benefit for your body.  A proper diet, with the emphasis on protein intake and supplements, is very important, so you are able to increase your stamina and get big strong muscles.  As we get older, our muscle mass decreases, and stronger muscles may help reverse the normal aging process.  Before getting started, we need to understand our muscles and how they work. 

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Physiology

There are several types of muscle contractions that are stimulated when exercising or performing routine, daily activities.  The main ones used for building big strong muscle  are:

• Concentric contractions - the shortening of the muscle fibers, such as when you step up.
• Eccentric contractions - the lengthening of the muscle fibers, as when you step down. 
• Isometric contractions - fixed muscle fibers when holding onto something.  
• Passive stretch contractions – lengthens the muscles while in a passive state, such as when you bend to touch your toes.
  

Eccentric contractions are used most frequently with free weights to make muscles stronger.  As the muscle fibers become larger, they split to form new fibers, therefore increasing your ability to have strong muscles.

Exercises for Stronger Muscles

The exercises we recommend for building up strong muscle mass are listed below:

• Squats – If done at home, hold dumb bells to increase weight resistance or invest in a barbell set.
• Overhead Press – Use dumb bells if possible as it will work more muscles but using a barbell is good too.
• Deadlift – This requires a lot of weight and best done at a gym
• Bicep Curl – Using both dumb bells and barbell if possible.
• Crunches – Won’t build up a lot of body mass but good to work all muscle groups.
• Push-ups – Use with a push up bar, we recommend the perfect pushup.
• Pull-ups – You can buy a pull up bar and put in your door frame if working out at home.
• Bench Press - if no weights substitute with push ups, but try to get some dumb bells and a bench.
  

Resistance bands, dumbbells, exercise balls, and/or free weights are most commonly used to build strong muscle.  Be sure to consult with your physician before starting a new exercise routine.  For maximum results, start slowly with minimal weight, and low repetitions (3-8 is recommended).  Vary the muscle group you are working on every other day; this will provide sufficient time for your muscles to repair and grow.  A routine of 30 minutes a day, three times a week should be sufficient to build strong muscle.  The low-repetition, strength training provides the quickest results for strong muscles.  Our strongest muscles are in our back, legs, and hips; therefore, it is a good idea to concentrate on these areas first.  Perform just enough repetitions to tire the muscle (last repetition should be very difficult to complete).  This will help you avoid injuring the muscles and/or over training.  When lifting free weights, it is crucial to always have a spotter, and to keep your back straight to avoid injuring your spine.  Do not forget to warm up and stretch before any exercise activity.

Benefits of Having Stronger Muscles

There are many reasons to build strong muscle tissue, which include the loss of body fat and an increase in our metabolism, which helps to burn more calories for greater weight loss.  You will have more endurance and increased stamina by building stronger muscles.  There are many overall health benefits, as well, to having strong muscles, such as better glucose metabolism, lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, and stronger bones to prevent osteoporosis.

Conclusion

Stronger muscles allow for more flexibility and help prevent injury to your joints.  Strong muscle mass is beneficial to our emotional well being, keeping us on an even keel and helping us sleep better.  Generally, physical results can be achieved within 2 weeks, by building strong muscle tissue, and after approximately 6 months, you should notice a 50% increase in stronger muscles.  In summary, a proper diet with healthy nutrition is essential to becoming a stronger, happier new you.

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