Today, we’re turning our heads towards the bodybuilding world to find out how we can build muscle in the quickest way possible…through nutrition (not gear).
Before delving into this, we need to remember that your weight training is going to be the number one driver when it comes to packing on muscle.
Any nutrition or supplement intervention then aims to, (1) improve performance during your session and allowing you to lift a greater load, or (2) amplify the response and adaptation to said load.
In true D2EW style, Iraki et al (2019) have provided us with the latest evidence based guidelines to build muscle optimally. In rapid fire fashion, here’s what you need to know:
1) Having a higher calorie intake to ensure adequate energy availability is ultra-important. In this case, a ~10-20% calorie surplus is advisable. That being said, well trained/advanced lifters should be careful of being overzealous with their calorie intake as this will lead to unwanted body fat gain. Therefore, the calorie intake should be nearing maintenance.
2) Consuming adequate protein every meal amplifies muscle protein synthesis and the adaptation to training. Aim to consume 3-6 meals per day with an intake of 0.4-0.55g/kg/bw with every meal. Each meal should then be evenly distributed throughout the day.
3) Dietary fat intake should range between 0.5-1.5g/kg/bw per day with carbohydrates making the remainder of calories. This is to ensure adequate carbohydrates are available to drive performance. In return increasing weekly training volume, i.e. the primary driver for growth.
4) Carb intake will roughly equate to 3-5g/kg/bw, however more carbohydrates would be needed if training demands or activity levels are super high. I.e. if you’ve just started preseason and are doing extra running and skill sessions, you still need to fuel these too. Therefore, carb intake could likely reach between 5-8g/kg/bw.
5) At present, all supplements aimed at building muscle are done indirectly via improving performance. I.e. they don’t directly increase growth…If they do, they are usually banned.
6) Supplements aimed at improving weight training performances are; creatine, beta alanine and citrulline malate.
To reiterate, all the above is somewhat ‘fluff’ unless you are actually training hard enough to cause a stress response and the subsequent adaptation.
And that my friends, is the gainers guide to nutrition…
Any nutrition or supplement intervention then aims to, (1) improve performance during your session and allowing you to lift a greater load, or (2) amplify the response and adaptation to said load.
In true D2EW style, Iraki et al (2019) have provided us with the latest evidence based guidelines to build muscle optimally. In rapid fire fashion, here’s what you need to know:
1) Having a higher calorie intake to ensure adequate energy availability is ultra-important. In this case, a ~10-20% calorie surplus is advisable. That being said, well trained/advanced lifters should be careful of being overzealous with their calorie intake as this will lead to unwanted body fat gain. Therefore, the calorie intake should be nearing maintenance.
2) Consuming adequate protein every meal amplifies muscle protein synthesis and the adaptation to training. Aim to consume 3-6 meals per day with an intake of 0.4-0.55g/kg/bw with every meal. Each meal should then be evenly distributed throughout the day.
3) Dietary fat intake should range between 0.5-1.5g/kg/bw per day with carbohydrates making the remainder of calories. This is to ensure adequate carbohydrates are available to drive performance. In return increasing weekly training volume, i.e. the primary driver for growth.
4) Carb intake will roughly equate to 3-5g/kg/bw, however more carbohydrates would be needed if training demands or activity levels are super high. I.e. if you’ve just started preseason and are doing extra running and skill sessions, you still need to fuel these too. Therefore, carb intake could likely reach between 5-8g/kg/bw.
5) At present, all supplements aimed at building muscle are done indirectly via improving performance. I.e. they don’t directly increase growth…If they do, they are usually banned.
6) Supplements aimed at improving weight training performances are; creatine, beta alanine and citrulline malate.
To reiterate, all the above is somewhat ‘fluff’ unless you are actually training hard enough to cause a stress response and the subsequent adaptation.
And that my friends, is the gainers guide to nutrition…