Exercise and Adaptability

Since the start of the popularity of personal trainers in the 1980's sports scientists have seen the value of creating and changing a personal workout program. Clinical studies have proven that adaptability when designing a specific program for a specific objective is the best alternative.

Personal trainers all over the world know that when they design a program for a client they need to be able to adapt it to suit the response that they get. It is this adaptability which has not been fully understood by the weight-loss and muscle gain industry.

If a personal trainer is designing a program to get their client to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, the results that the trainer gets will be directly proportional to how strictly the client adhered to the program. But this problem is excluded by personal trainers who know how to design a program that includes the specific somatotype of the client.

Nobody is a pure 100% Mesomorph, Ectomorph or Endomorph but rather a mix of sometimes all three types. However a good program will include the specific adjustments that are needed when an ectomorph is exercising to when a mesomorph is doing the same exercise.

Gaining muscle is all about gaining strength and the stronger a muscle is the bigger it is however the way that this size is achieved will be different depending on the somatotype. For example any tall thin ectomorph will not respond to the same sets and reps of a given exercise as a mesomorph who puts on muscle very easily will. This means that the program should be designed and adapted accordingly. Even if you are training by yourself and following a specific program you need to make sure that you are changing it at least every 6 weeks. If you do not do that you will fall into the dreaded training plateau where you stop improving no matter how hard you train. The only way to break through any training plateau that all bodybuilders reach at some time or another is to change the way you are training. The body is built to survive and survival is about adaptability. As soon as your body is able to adapt to a certain way of training it stops adapting.

If we are training to reach any specific objective we should use everything at our disposal and using somatotype to design a specific workout and nutrition program makes perfect sense. Over the years it has become a prerequisite for creating a good workout program because we know that it works. It is usually the predominantly endomorphic people who live with a higher body-fat but that can easily be changed with correct nutrition. Any workout program relies on the nutrition that is given to aid the process. Changing the lifestyle in order to achieve this new way of eating is more important than just sticking to a diet.

Any adaptation that the body is able to achieve from doing regular exercise is only achieved with nutrition. The food we eat is what enables our body adapt whether it be to stress of the mind or the body. The truth is that we are what we eat and we always have been. The increase in cancer over the last 100 years and diabetes now the fastest growing disease on the planet, are all because of the diet that we eat which has changed from organic to highly processed and that has reduced our immunity. If we train on a regular basis and eat correctly we will be giving ourselves the best chance to adapt to the unknown future.

Best Foods For Building Muscle

So you want to build some muscle but are not sure about nutrition? Often times you will hear that nutrition is 80% of peoples success and training is only 20%. This may be true to an extent.

Certain foods react differently in the body and cause extreme results, both negative and positive. The best foods for building muscle can vary depending on the person but there are some staples you will find in every bodybuilders kitchen.

Best Foods For Building Muscle:

    Fish: Why fish? Most fish is extremely lean and high in protein. Choosing white fish means you get almost no fat, no carbohydrates, and tonne of protein. Most fish is 20% protein! If you choose a fatty fish such as Salmon, consume in moderation as it contains a high amount of fat (good fat but too much can be detrimental). Most fish can be easily cooked in the microwave making it a convenient option when on the go.

Eggs: Eggs contain high amounts of protein and are high in saturated fat (this is good). The saturated fat in eggs along with the amino acids from the protein are great for maintaining healthy testosterone levels. This hormone is essential for building quality lean muscle.

Sweet Potato or Yam: This is one the easiest foods to cook. All you need is a paper towel and a microwave and you have yourself a lean source of carbohydrates. 100g of sweet potato has only 20g of carbohydrates. Compare that to bread that has is roughly 40% carbs, sweet potatoes are a good option for anyone looking to make lean gains. This is why it made a the list for best foods for building muscle.

Broccoli: Not many people get excited over broccoli but lets change that now! Broccoli is great! Per cup it yields only 4g of carbs yet a whole lot of essential nutrients that are extremely beneficial to our bodybuilding goals. Try steaming broccoli in the microwave and add some Morrocan seasoning to create a dish worth talking about. You can eat plenty of this vegetable without worrying about weight gain and the fiber will keep you full for longer.

Chicken: Chicken is another lean option often yielding no carbohydrates or fat but plenty of protein. This is one of the best foods for building muscle hence why most bodybuilders have plenty of this ready to eat whenever they need it.
Those are my 5 best foods for building muscle. The list could go on but the above foods are the staples in any bodybuilders diet. Play around with the flavours. Add some Cajun seasoning to the meats to make it exciting. Sugar-free BBQ sauce is great option that offers little to no calories. Food doesn't have to bland. Mix things up, try new herbs and spices and these foods will make building muscle so much easier.