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A Pile of Sand
A Splash of Water
A Full Bucket
You turn the bucket over
Give it 2 taps for good measure
Slide the bucket off…
Ta-Da!!!
Did you realise that on the beach, 5 year old you was learning the fundamental principles behind building muscle?
Calories (the sand)
The number one requirement to build a sand castle is, sand!
The number one requirement to build muscle is, calories!
… Or more specifically a surplus of calories.
You can still attempt to build a sandcastle without enough sand to complete it, but it isn’t going to work very well at all. A more effective approach is to ensure you have enough sand to completely fill the bucket.
Similarly, you need to ensure you have ample energy (calories) available to build muscle. Without that, you’re in trouble!
Protein (the water)
Have you ever tried to make a sand castle with dry sand? It works about as well as a concrete parachute.
When it comes to building muscle, adequate protein is a key factor. Protein is the macronutrient that it is responsible for muscle growth & repair.
Recommended protein intake for an individual, who regularly participates in strength training, is roughly 1.6-2.0 grams per Kilo of body weight, per day.
In my experience, the majority of clients I deal with are not close to consuming that much protein. My suggestion is to spend some time tracking your intake. MyFitnessPal is a commonly used tracking app.
Don’t underestimate the importance of protein!
Training (the spade)
No sand castle was ever built without somebody putting the work in to build it.
Similarly, muscle isn’t going to grow itself. You have to take the time and do the work.
Muscle grows as an adaption to being exposed to a stimulus or stress. That stimulus is usually in the form of strength training.
I define Strength training as “putting muscle under load”. This can be done in various ways, but to keep it simple I encourage you to lift weights!
Make strength training a consistent part of your life. It’s not always easy, but there is no substitute for hard work
the message
Create a surplus of calories.
Consume enough protein.
Work Hard. Be Consistent