Table of Contents
Introduction
You are a fitness enthusiast who is working hard to spot a lean and mean look. You are desirous of lowering the fat content of your body and toning your muscles to obtain that great physique.
If that’s you, then you’ll need to follow a strict routine, stick to a proper diet, and have a can-do mindset to rid your body of that excess fat and gain muscle.
Many fitness-conscious individuals are not interested in becoming hulks and possessing bulgy muscles. Many want to look fairly muscular, while looking very lean.
This article will guide you on how to lean bulk and get yourself the right physique. It requires a bit of hard work and the right frame of mind, but in the end, you will feel satisfied with the results!
7 Steps To Lean Bulk
This segment will focus on the combination of various exercises, strength training methods, proper dietary tips, and other requirements to get you your desired look.
Step 1: Perform Compound Exercises
Compound exercises help you perform targeted action on various muscles simultaneously. They help you in strengthening those muscles and making them taut.
Some of the most effective compound exercises include:
- Push-ups
You can start by doing push-ups which will help you in building your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Regular push-ups can also help you in shaping up your chest.
- Burpees
Another very fruitful exercise to put your entire body into action is burpees. It includes a set of various exercises which can effectively target your biceps, triceps, calves, thighs, and chest.
Burpees are a combination of push-ups, squatting, and jumping. This exercise will not only help you in structuring your muscles but also increase your stamina manifold.
First, you need to stand straight with your knees parted. Secondly, you need to squat and let your hands touch the ground. T
hen by putting sufficient strength on your hands, you have to come to a plank position. After that, fold your feet towards your chest and jump up.
Make sure that your hands are outstretched above your head when you jump. You can quickly perform this combination for a span of 1 to 1.5 minutes.
- Weightlifting
Weightlifting works wonders on shaping various muscle groups. If you are a beginner then do not start by lifting heavy weights in the hope of reaching your goal faster.
Try different weights and see which one is comfortable for you while at the same time will help you sweat hard. You can keep increasing the weights according to your progress.
- Kettlebell Exercises
Another very effective lean bulk workout is doing kettlebell exercises. One effective way to utilize kettlebells is by using them for squats. Find a heavy kettlebell, put it down and then lift it up again.
Repeat those movements for a suitable time frame. This exercise helps in targeting the calf muscles, thighs, biceps, and triceps.
Step 2: Strength Training
Strength training exercises form an essential part of the routine to lean bulk. Unlike certain compound exercises, you need to perform strength training workouts in regular intervals or every alternate day.
This technique focuses on 2 aspects:
- Moving against resistance
- Increasing the load steadily
This helps in developing the muscles and increases physical strength.
It’s vital to follow proper procedure when strength training. You can do the following set of exercises for 30 to 45 minutes every other day.
- Dumbbell exercises
- Kettle ball exercises
- Barbell exercises
Here are some points that you need to keep in mind about how you would like to proceed with your strength training exercises:
- 1-6 reps of each exercise build muscle power and firmness
- 7-12 reps of each exercise would construct the same amount of muscles
- Anything above 12 reps helps in creating high muscle tolerance and improves heart and lung conditions
You need to check your comfort level before increasing your reps. Also, feel free to consult a personal trainer when performing strength training to ensure proper form and discovering new variations to your existing workouts.
Step 3: Do Cardio Exercises before Compound or Strength Training Workouts
Every weightlifting or strength training session is highly exhaustive and results in high energy utilization. You are targeting and putting your muscles under significant stress.
It is advisable to start strength training or compound exercises with light cardio workouts. It will help in warming up your body before putting your muscles under high stress. It is better not to start lifting weights right away when your muscles and body are in a state of relaxation.
Here are some of the light cardio exercises that you can get started with to warm your body up:
- Dancing
- Running or walking the stairs
- Light Jogging
- Skipping with rope
- Squat and jump
This will not only help you in preparing for your high-performance training sessions but also help in improving your cardiovascular health.
Step 4: Appropriate Rest
When you are undergoing lean bulk workout sessions you should definitely get plenty of rest and sleep well.
There might be times when you would feel like decreasing the weights or duration of your workout. Feel free to do so without feeling guilty!
Your health is of primary importance. You need to give time for your muscles to recuperate after they have undergone brutal strength training.
Strength training gives rise to the secretion of stress hormones which disintegrates your muscle proteins. That can potentially have a negative impact.
One way to speed up recovery is to consume healthy beverages or protein shakes after your workout sessions. That is when the recovery period starts.
Step 5: Maintain the Right Protein Intake Throughout the Day
There are chances of protein breakdown taking place after you complete your high endurance training. This generally happens during the recovery period which starts after you’re done with your workout. Hence, it’s a great idea to consume protein shakes during workout sessions.
Sleep decreases the level of activity in the body. So, to maintain the metabolic rate while you sleep, your body releases cortisol which is a catabolic hormone. This hormone plays a huge role in breaking down the proteins and amino acids in the body.
So, not only should you consume protein shakes during your workout, but also right before you go to sleep.
If you are worrying about whether you will get a good night’s sleep after consuming protein shakes, the answer is yes! The protein will actually help improve quality sleep. Intake of protein will also aid in lowering the cortisol levels while you sleep.
Step 6: Get your Diet Correct
If you want to build lean muscle mass, you need to consume loads of nutritious and protein-rich food. You need the energy to sustain your high endurance workout routine.
People often make the mistake of not keeping track of their calories and assume that whatever they shove down their throat will give them energy. The idea is to do away with the excess fat on the body and instead increase the muscle weight.
You definitely need to eat more, but keep in mind not to increase the calorie content. The focus should be more on consuming carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. High-calorie intake will result in fat deposition in the body.
Here are some of dietary tips that you can keep in mind while undergoing your fitness routine:
- Include nuts in your diet
Nuts serve 2 purposes- provide high-calorie intake and energy, as well as provide a good quantity of protein. You need not have a big meal to ensure that you get your calorie intake.
- You should have a pre and post-workout diet
It is better to consume starchy carbohydrates before you start your intensive workout. After you are done with your training session, you should consume carbohydrates that have a higher glycemic index.
- Focus on wholesome food that contain proteins and carbohydrates
Some of the food items that you can include in your diet every day are eggs, lean meat, lamb, beef, turkey, almonds, avocados, cashew, kidney beans, barley, brown rice, bananas, and spinach, just to name a few.
Step 7: “Never Give Up” Attitude
There might be times when it can become very exhaustive for you to continue with your workout session. You might start missing your French fries or brownie ice-creams.
During such situations, you need to stick to your guts and do away with temptations. You have set out on a mission to achieve a lean and mean body, which will obviously require a lot of sweat and determination.
When you start imagining the end result that you want to achieve, you will be able to beat your temptations!
Try not to give in to your cravings and have too many cheat days. This will defeat your purpose and increase the fat deposits in the body. Keep an eye on your calorie counter.
Exercise Plan for Beginners
Getting started is the main step to achieve your goal of having a lean physique. Here is an exercise plan for beginners, which can help you form a solid workout routine:
- Plank for 20 seconds
- 15 push-ups
- 15 bodyweight squats
- 30 Jumping Jacks
- 15 walking lunges
You should do 3 reps for each of these exercises and you will be able to see marked changes in your body.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to lean bulk and achieve your desired physique, get off your couch and starting taking some action!
Make sure that apart from doing heavy-duty exercises, you get enough rest and consume the right amount of calories.
You will not only receive the benefit of having a great body shape, but also improve your overall cardiovascular health.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
https://www.maximuscle.com/sports/bodybuilding/10-Hacks-for-a-Lean-Bulk-Transformation/
https://www.pacifichealthlabs.com/Five-Simple-Ways-to-Increase-Lean-Body-Mass-Overview_b_43.html