5 WAYS TO SPEED UP MUSCLE GROWTH

You’re training hard, eating right – so where are your guns?

It’s a common problem: your body is a temple and you rarely go a day without DOMS, but your gains have ground to a halt. We ID the common causes for slow-motion muscle-building and explain how to put your pecs back in the fast lane.

Too much cardio

If you’re gunning for size then you may need to ease up on the pavement-pounding. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found 10 weeks of alternating cardio and resistance training doubled fat loss in subjects, but halved strength gains compared to a weights-only programme. While this isn’t an excuse to cut out all cardio (sorry), try upping your fitness with MH's fat-stripping circuits, not steady-state, to keep your muscles moving.

Improper form

Forget your ego: no-one’s looking at that giant barbell you’re squirming under for two wobbly reps. Proper technique, using a weight you can lift safely, is the key to maximising muscle growth. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researchstudied athletes using a full range of motion compared to partial reps and found going the distance garnered 10% extra growth. Big gains from a tiny tweak.

Not keeping track

Those unscheduled cheat meals could be adding up without you realising. It’s a classic case of “The Ostrich Problem” – a term coined by psychologists for men individuals that ignore important information about their progress. Just like the pain of looking at your bank balance, choosing to record your diet or weight can somehow makes the extra pounds you've gained seem real. Unfortunately for those of you with your head in the sand, the Annual Review of Nutrition proved self-monitoring can supercharge your weight loss. Reach for a notepad and scribble your way to a six-pack.

Stress

You're used to sweaty palms and palpitations every time office stress kicks in, but smaller biceps can also be added to the list of symptoms. Research by the American Physiological Society found stressful situations increase cortisol and lower testosterone, encouraging belly-fat storage and decreasing muscle growth rates respectively. Take a deep breath – we’ll keep you zen with 6 ways to reduce stress with exercise.

Overtraining

Next-day DOMS is a sign of a job well done, but you can have too much of a good thing. Not allowing sufficient time for muscles to recover will drastically impair growth as well as damaging the muscle itself, putting the breaks on your #gainz. The British Journal of Sports Medicine happens to agree, stating that overtraining syndrome leads to chronic fatigue, infection and underperformance. Cherish your rest days with our guide to recovery.

By: Matt Evans; Photography: Getty