One of the most crucial aspects of any powerlifting training is nutrition. This point cannot be stressed enough-if you do not give the body the right diet and fuel for building muscle then you are simply not going to make the gains you want.
For the purposes of this type of training that involves very demanding lifting and explosive energy, your body will need to be taking in more calories than it is expending every day, in order to build greater muscle mass.
When compared to other weight training programs, powerlifting routines often demand an even greater intake of food each day. Below is a general guideline and suggested tips for weight gain nutrition. In no way is this intended to be a 'must do' list. As with any weight gain regime, it is vital to find out what works for you and adjust your diet accordingly.
Start by trying to increase your daily intake of food. This is partly because you want to be able to handle it without feeling uncomfortable and also because you have to gradually build up your calorie intake. If you aim for a few hundred calories more than usual (no more than 500 a day to begin with) then you can steadily build your appetite and make steady gains with a view to increasing as you train.
Make sure you are eating the right foods. Seems an obvious point but there are some people who think weight gain means gobbling down fast food, chocolate bars etc. Try and aim for lean meats (e.g. chicken), fish, nuts, and enough carbohydrates and fats that you will need to give you extra energy whilst training. Complex carbohydrates such as wheat breads, grains and potatoes will also help to maintain consistent energy levels.
Consume enough protein every day. Some sources will say eat as much as 2 times your own bodyweight in protein grams per day, others less. In any case the best approach is to find what works for you and what is most comfortable. The problem is that if you eat so much protein you are going to have to spend a lot of time resting and recovering for the optimal effects. If you can find a consistent level to build muscle, then you are more likely to see effective gains, rather than starting with a protein intake that is impossible to maintain in the long run.
Consume a protein shake within an hour of your workout. This will aid recovery after your body has been put through a demanding session. I'm not going to get into which protein shakes to take, what brand etc because this is a huge subject in itself. Personally, I'm a big fan of whey protein but I'm sure there are many of you out there who have you own (strong) opinions on this.
Avoid alcohol. Sorry, but for all you beer fans out there this is probably not what you wanted to hear. It's not going to do you any good by hitting the booze every weekend while you train and certainly not going to build muscle. I remember reading an article about Jason Statham (the action star) and his training routines. One of the big problems for him mentally was that he could not touch alcohol for months while he trained for a movie role. After that he would have a few beers to celebrate-and that's probably a great attitude to have if you want to succeed.
Eat regularly every 2-3 hours. You can make consistent gains in muscle mass if you feed the body regularly (around 6 meals a day) in order to keep the metabolism steady and increase lean muscle mass.
Get enough sleep. 8 hours is usually considered to be the optimum number but the key is to get enough sleep so your body can recover from the demanding workouts.
Do not over-train. Seems obvious but you do not want to cause injury or put unnecessary strain on your body. 5 days a week is more than enough to train and get the gains you want and get the recovery time you need.
Do the right exercises. This means limiting the amount of cardio workouts that can reduce muscle mass and burn too many calories. Make sure your also train all the muscles that are necessary to increase your weight gain-make sure you are not just developing your biceps without exercising your triceps etc. A final point is to aim to alter your routine every 2 months, so the body is literally 'shocked' and stimulated into changes.
If you find all this a bit too overwhelming (I'm thinking of the beginners out there) then another possibility is to go to a sports nutritionist. They can help draw up a diet plan for you and supervise your nutritional requirements.
For the purposes of this type of training that involves very demanding lifting and explosive energy, your body will need to be taking in more calories than it is expending every day, in order to build greater muscle mass.
When compared to other weight training programs, powerlifting routines often demand an even greater intake of food each day. Below is a general guideline and suggested tips for weight gain nutrition. In no way is this intended to be a 'must do' list. As with any weight gain regime, it is vital to find out what works for you and adjust your diet accordingly.
Start by trying to increase your daily intake of food. This is partly because you want to be able to handle it without feeling uncomfortable and also because you have to gradually build up your calorie intake. If you aim for a few hundred calories more than usual (no more than 500 a day to begin with) then you can steadily build your appetite and make steady gains with a view to increasing as you train.
Make sure you are eating the right foods. Seems an obvious point but there are some people who think weight gain means gobbling down fast food, chocolate bars etc. Try and aim for lean meats (e.g. chicken), fish, nuts, and enough carbohydrates and fats that you will need to give you extra energy whilst training. Complex carbohydrates such as wheat breads, grains and potatoes will also help to maintain consistent energy levels.
Consume enough protein every day. Some sources will say eat as much as 2 times your own bodyweight in protein grams per day, others less. In any case the best approach is to find what works for you and what is most comfortable. The problem is that if you eat so much protein you are going to have to spend a lot of time resting and recovering for the optimal effects. If you can find a consistent level to build muscle, then you are more likely to see effective gains, rather than starting with a protein intake that is impossible to maintain in the long run.
Consume a protein shake within an hour of your workout. This will aid recovery after your body has been put through a demanding session. I'm not going to get into which protein shakes to take, what brand etc because this is a huge subject in itself. Personally, I'm a big fan of whey protein but I'm sure there are many of you out there who have you own (strong) opinions on this.
Avoid alcohol. Sorry, but for all you beer fans out there this is probably not what you wanted to hear. It's not going to do you any good by hitting the booze every weekend while you train and certainly not going to build muscle. I remember reading an article about Jason Statham (the action star) and his training routines. One of the big problems for him mentally was that he could not touch alcohol for months while he trained for a movie role. After that he would have a few beers to celebrate-and that's probably a great attitude to have if you want to succeed.
Eat regularly every 2-3 hours. You can make consistent gains in muscle mass if you feed the body regularly (around 6 meals a day) in order to keep the metabolism steady and increase lean muscle mass.
Get enough sleep. 8 hours is usually considered to be the optimum number but the key is to get enough sleep so your body can recover from the demanding workouts.
Do not over-train. Seems obvious but you do not want to cause injury or put unnecessary strain on your body. 5 days a week is more than enough to train and get the gains you want and get the recovery time you need.
Do the right exercises. This means limiting the amount of cardio workouts that can reduce muscle mass and burn too many calories. Make sure your also train all the muscles that are necessary to increase your weight gain-make sure you are not just developing your biceps without exercising your triceps etc. A final point is to aim to alter your routine every 2 months, so the body is literally 'shocked' and stimulated into changes.
If you find all this a bit too overwhelming (I'm thinking of the beginners out there) then another possibility is to go to a sports nutritionist. They can help draw up a diet plan for you and supervise your nutritional requirements.
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