- Dry muscle mass - what is it?
- Dry muscle mass - how to calculate it?
- Dry muscle mass - how to build?
- Dry muscle mass - supplements and nutrients
- Dry muscle mass - what to eat?
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Dry muscle mass is the dream of everyone who trains in the gym, exercises or does body sports. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to obtain, but with a lot of self-denial and persistence, it is possible to achieve. How long does it take to build muscle mass? How to calculate dry muscle mass? What to eat while building lean muscle mass? You will find answers to these and other important questions in the article!
Contents:
- Dry muscle mass - what is it?
- Dry muscle mass - how to calculate it?
- Dry muscle mass - how to build?
- Dry muscle mass - supplements and nutrients
- Dry muscle mass - what to eat?
When we increase our muscles, we dream of buildingdry muscle masswithout increasing body fat at the same time. It's very hard to obtain, but the good news is, it is possible! A balanced "clean" diet and regular strength training aimed at building mass are primarily responsible for the rapid increase in lean muscle mass. Find out more about how to build lean muscle.
Dry muscle mass - what is it?
The term " dry muscle mass"describes the muscle tissue that is formed without the accumulation of fat in it.
When we take in a higher caloric supply, which takes place during the period of building mass, the body's natural reaction is that not only our muscle mass but also fat mass increases.
Separating these two processes from each other is extremely difficult and requires a lot of patience, self-discipline and persistence. Each, even the smallest, deviation from the established diet for lean muscle mass will have a negative impact on the process of building it.
It is not recommended to use steroids during the period of building lean muscle mass, because such a shortcut is not only unstable, but also seriously life-threatening.
In order to build visible muscle mass without much visibility of fat mass, we must first reduce the body weight and only then start working on the muscles. Otherwise, our efforts may be very faint, and this is an easy path to total discouragement.
Wondering if you can convert fat into muscle? This is what we used to say in common circulation, but it is therethat is genetically impossible. Fat remains fat, and the only way to reduce it is through proper diet and exercise.
And if you're wondering what the best lean muscle training is, the answer is strength training! Only weight training is able to build our muscles while losing body fat. However, without paying attention to the diet, even strength training will not give us the expected results.
Dry muscle mass - how to calculate it?
Body composition parameters can be calculated using the BMI formula, which is body weight in kg multiplied by height (m) 2. BMI shows if the weight-to-height ratio is correct for us.
Another indicator is the so-called body fat, i.e. the percentage of body fat. The lower the fat content, the better. The guidelines for male athletes are 5-15% and for female athletes 10-18%. The norms for the average person are higher and amount to approximately 15-30%.
BMR, or resting metabolism, in turn, shows us how many calories we are able to burn in order to maintain all life functions. We can also calculate the metabolic age of our body and the percentage of water in the body and much more.
Interestingly, these parameters, among other things, will affect the amount of dry muscle mass that we have and which we will manage to develop during its building.
Muscle mass should be around 65-85% of our total body weight. Of course, these are not universal guidelines - bodybuilders will have a greater percentage of muscle mass than the average person.
How to calculate lean muscle mass? To calculate dry muscle mass, we need to go to a physiotherapy clinic, fitness club or dietitian. To calculate it, a special algorithm is needed, which, based on our parameters, will be able to calculate the percentage of our body composition.
Dry muscle mass - how to build?
The process of building muscle mass depends on the individual case. There is no universal time for building muscle mass, so it is not possible to answer the question: how long does it take to build lean muscle mass.
It must take several months, and for some even a whole year. It also all depends on what effects satisfy us and why we work on them.
In the bodybuilding community, it has been accepted that the year is divided into two stages - we build mass for six months and build sculpture for six months. However, in the context of dry, lean muscle mass, the process of building it may take a little longer.
The best way to build massis strength training. It should be aimed at increasing the muscles - a training plan for building muscle mass should consist of multi-joint exercises with heavy weights and characterized by a large number of sets in the counterweight to a small number of repetitions.
Of course, we cannot do the same set over and over again for 6 months, because our muscles have a very large adaptability and after some time they will get used to the dictated effort.
This will translate into a lack of training effects due to the lack of new stimuli. The training plan should be changed more or less every month or two. It is worth introducing new exercises to it and using variable training methods.
Dry muscle mass - supplements and nutrients
Before we deliberately reach for nutrients and supplements, we should first realize what our diet looks like. Not everyone will need additional help in the form of supplements if they care about maintaining a balanced diet on a daily basis.
In addition, each of us must independently define our goals and look realistically at what point in building the figure we are at. If we exercise for the sake of practicing sports, and not for building a specific figure, nutrients and supplements, while maintaining a he althy diet, will not be needed.
When we decide to use the benefits of sports supplements, we should first determine our need for macronutrients in the diet. Remember that we should provide daily, on average, about 2-2.5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, 4-6 g of carbohydrates and 0.5-0.7 g of fat. It is important not to exceed the daily amount of protein, because in large amounts it has a toxic effect on our body.
Protein is the basic and most important building block of muscles. When our diet is deficient in this macronutrient, we are unable to build clean, dry muscle mass.
Getting the right amount of protein takes a lot of self-discipline, but with the help of protein supplements it's very easy.
Among many protein products, it is worth choosing the good quality ones, because the pace of our effects depends on it. We should reach for protein supplements that have a lot of exogenous amino acids, i.e. those that the body is unable to produce on its own. We include:
- arginine,
- phenylalanine,
- histidine,
- isoleucine,
- leucine,
- lysine,
- methionine,
- threonine,
- tryptophan
- and valine.
They must also contain well-digestible proteins,ie proteins with good bioavailability. These are, among others, whey proteins in WPC concentrates.
It is well known that the content of whey protein concentrate in a high-protein supplement accelerates the absorption time of amino acids released from protein structures in a given product.
A similar, effective action has the SPI soy protein isolate. You should also pay attention to the fact that protein supplements contain auxiliary substances that facilitate the absorption of the product. Such substances include:
- choline - a substrate in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine,
- L-carnitine - fatty acid transporter to the inside of the mitochondrion
- and inositol - signaling precursor of hypothalamic and pituitary hormones.
The first dose of protein supplement can be taken in the morning, the second after training, and the third at night, and this one, from the body point of view, seems to be the most important - it prevents protein catabolism, i.e. protein breakdown.
Remember not to consume protein immediately after training - because then it will not be assimilated as it should - our body needs simple carbohydrates in the first place during this period.
Do not take protein also just before bedtime, it limits the production of tryptophan and serotonin, which are responsible for a good and strong sleep.
To build lean muscle mass, you not only need protein, but also another important macronutrient - carbohydrates. The best supplements that increase our energy levels are those that are high in carbohydrates with different glycemic indexes.
In supplements, the so-called carbo, there should be substances such as isom altulose and m altodextrin, which keep insulin at a constant level during even very intense physical exertion.
Thanks to this, muscle cells are constantly supplied with the most important energy components, which translates into an increase in our strength and endurance.
How to use such a conditioner? Usually 4 doses of 50 g of the supplement are taken. These and other important information on the use are provided on a given product and we should read them before taking a supplement or nutrient.
The last important macronutrient in building lean muscle mass is he althy fats, i.e. unsaturated fatty acids. They do not have a tendency to accumulate in the form of spare body fat, and their supplementation allows you to provide energy to the muscles and maintain valuable reserves of muscle glycogen during training.
A good dietary supplement should consist of fish oil with at least 60%fatty composition, which includes omega-3 acids, i.e. DHA, EPA and others.
Dry muscle mass - what to eat?
We must remember that supplementation is only supplementing deficiencies in the diet, and not a substitute for he althy and balanced nutrition. Protein and other supplements without proper strength training will not work miracles - here you need, above all, physical work and maintaining a he althy diet.
What products should be on our plate when building lean muscle mass? It cannot miss lean poultry meat and fish, legumes, whole grain flour, he althy fats in the form of nuts and grains, and lots of vegetables and fruits, which provide us with valuable dietary fiber and allow us to supply the most important microelements.
Remember to drink a lot of water - a dehydrated body is not able to transport the most important values from food to the cells, which only results in a decrease in muscle mass, and not its effective and rapid formation.
About the author
Małgorzata Kośla She is a qualified fitness instructor and certified personal trainer. Since childhood, her greatest passion was sport - she played football and basketball. Then a new love came - dance, especially dancehall. He likes to sweat at the gym and relaxes in yoga and meditation sessions. He is constantly expanding his knowledge about training and a he althy lifestyle. What besides sports? He runs a store with natural cosmetics and he althy food, writes his own blog (stylzyciadowolny.pl) and deals with copywriting.
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