Successful weight gain programmes don't happen by quickly, they require alot of planning and of course motivation. In order to stay motivated you need to see results quickly.
With a well designed weight gain programme you will get results and therefore you will stay motivated.
Start within two to three weeks from reading this guide.
Any time sooner and you dont have enough time to sufficiently plan your weight gain programme for maximum success. While any time later and you risk losing the drive and excitement of starting.
Learn the strategy and tactics necessary to approach your weight gain programme in a logical manner. By skipping this step you could be setting yourself up for some serious frustration that will ultimately lead to failure.
The key to weight and muscle gain is knowledge. Building muscle and gaining weight isn't complex, but it isn't something you should expect to succeed at without proper preparation and a little thought.
More than 67% of people quit going to the gym, allowing their costly memberships to go unused. This is because they don't get results and this is often as they failed to acquire the knowledge necessary to get results and thus got distracted.
Weight training at home has the advantage of allowing you a convenient and quick workout without distractions keeping the focus on your programme.
Put some thought into your home gym. There are two main points to consider: Space Limitations and Budget
Your overall goal is to fill the space you have with the best bodybuilding equipment your wallet will allow. It must also be the right equipment, equipment that is geared towards your goals. A little thought now can save you from a lot of frustration down the road and leave you with a home gym that will last a long time.
Some place big enough for a bench and some weights is all you need like a space in the corner of a room or in the basement.
Of course, if you have ample room but have trouble finding the cash, you can still be in a sticky spot. But relax as effective, high quality home gyms can be built on almost any budget.
However, be careful when looking at deals. Sometimes deals are just a way for companies to get you to impulsively buy poor quality products that they cant sell at full price. Regardless of price, make sure that the piece of equipment you are looking at is something that you both want and need.
Also keep an eye on quality. Make sure your purchases are going to last for many years to come as you will be pushing this equipment hard. In most cases, it is better to wait until you can afford to buy quality later rather than rubbish now.
Consider building your home gym as you grow. Mass-building lends itself well to an evolution of your home gym rather than having everything straight away. When you first start out, advanced bodybuilding equipment will not be needed to get results.
As your targets are attained and higher goals are set, it may be necessary to make additions to your home gym to continue with your gains. And by saving the money that would otherwise be going to your membership dues at a gym, you will be in a position to buy them.
The first thing you need to achieve when starting from the beginning, is the ability to perform the basic muscle-building compound exercises. You only need a bench, barbell and weights for most of these.
As you grow, add to these basics the capabilities of doing these weight lifting exercises at more challenging resistance as well as the capabilities to do isolation exercises.
Bodybuilding equipment comes in many shapes and sizes. From some that look strange yet work well to some that look cool but useless. When looking into purchasing home gym equipment don't be led astray by gadgetry, you are looking for quality equipment with the capabilities you need.
If you are looking to build muscle mass, you want a gym based on free weights. Free weights are hard to beat for muscle building.
First and foremost, to gain the mass you're after, you need the home gym equipment which allows you the capabilities to do the eight best mass building exercises. Not just to do those compound exercises, but to do them intense and heavy. From there, start to shop your way to some bodybuilding equipment that will allow you to perform more and more of the important isolation exercises.
Power Racks
A power rack or some sort of self-spotting system is the best start to building a home gym.
Not the most vital piece of bodybuilding equipment for the home gym, but it has the potential to be the gym's most dramatic difference maker. The power rack allows you to safely work solo with heavy weights and heavy lifts are crucial to the process of building bodymass as well as being the hub for many different attachments.
If you build your gym as you grow then consider the future impact a power rack can have on your home gym. The space you will need is about 25 square feet in area plus some peripheral space. You will also need a ceiling height of at least 7 feet.
Most power racks come with pull-up and dip bars as standard or offer them as options. A high/low pulley is another option on most power racks. This attachment will let you do your triceps pushdowns, lat-bar pulldowns, rows and other exercises.
Weights
A great way to get muscle gain and an important addition to any home gym but be aware of the different types you can buy:
Plastic filled weights - can also be kind to your floors and will cost the least amount of money. However, these weights are also the most breakable and you could find yourself reinvesting in weights in a couple of years.
Cast Iron weights - are the best option for those who aren't overly concerned with their floors (buy some mats). These weights are more costly than the cement filled weights but less expensive than the rubber coated and have the advantage of being virtually indestructible. In the long run, they will represent the best bodybuilding equipment value.
Rubber coated weights - are the most expensive and offer the advantage of being a bit kinder to your floors. If this is the option you choose, be careful not to get the cheapest on the market as these have a tendency to crack.
Start with a weight you feel you can lift at least ten times during one set. It is best to workout with the weights for six to eight weeks so your body can adjust to weight lifting before moving on to heavier weights.
Even though these simple chunks of metal, be careful not to buy the cheapest you can find. On the very cheap end are weights with poorly baked on paint that will chip, sharp edges, and misrepresented actual weights.
Dumbbells
Mostly a luxury for a home gym is a large collection of individual dumbbells sitting in the corner all organized on a rack. Dumbbell sets that have enough punch to be useful for mass building goals can be extremely expensive bodybuilding equipment.
You may want to consider Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells, they are adjustable weights helping to save space and offer quick changes while the cost is lower than a whole rack of different dumbbells.
Weight Benches
If you plan on adding a power rack to your gym, you won't be looking for a bench with crutches. If you have decided not to go with a power rack, you will definitely need crutches.
Pay attention to the distance between the crutches as the greater the distance, the more weight the crutches will be able to handle. A space of 44-48" is for olympic weights and is ideal while most people will find a mid-size bench of 36" quite adequate.
If you are not getting a power rack you will also want to get a bench/rack system that allows for squatting. Many bench designs are available that incorporate a squat rack at the rear. Also, without a power rack, you want to look for some sort of self-spotting attachment as you will need some safe way to lift heavy weights.
Incline/decline capabilities are something you definitely should look for in a bench. It allows you to vary the ways you use your muscles and is important to the continuation of muscle gains. Leg attachments that allow you to perform leg curls and extensions are a capability for the bench you should also look for although many benches have these standard.
Cable/Pulley System
Great potential for your home gym can be gained from a cable/pulley system with both high and low capabilities. Exercises like lat-bar pulldowns, seated rows and triceps pushdowns can be performed with a good pulley system.
These are very beneficial exercises but this piece of bodybuilding equipment is not a necessity to your goal to build muscle fast.
As your home gym grows, a cable/pulley system should be down on your home gym equipment list but is not essential at first.
Look for nylon-coated cables with test strengths of at least 1,500 lbs.
Gloves, Belts and Straps
Weight lifting gloves are an essential bodybuilding must if you plan on intense workouts. In most cases your hands won't be ready for the workouts that are on the way. Most gloves are made of fabric that allow sweat to evaporate, so your gloves will not smell.
Chinup Bar
Chinup bars are cheap and easily attach in a doorway. You place your hands around the bar and pull up, bringing your chin above the bar before lowering. Chinup bars may not be for everyone, especially since a permanently mounted bar is best but are great if you are short on space or money.
Cardio Equipment
Cardio is not a virtual part of gaining muscle mass. For overall health, cardio work is important and eventually you will want to have this capability in your home gym even if you only invest in a small exercise bike.
The purpose of cardio home gym equipment when trying to build muscle mass is to warm up the body and prevent injury. The performance and effectiveness of your workout will suffer if you have not got the body ready and you will be more susceptible to injury even if you only use a skipping rope.
There is almost an endless supply of bodybuilding equipment. Some of the more popular items are:
Seated Calf Machine - One of the only ways to hit your soleus muscle is using the seated calf raise. You can do this exercise with just free weights but it is not the most comfortable way to go.
Roman Chair - Used primarily for leg raises this is a short incline bench can be a very valuable addition to your gym for bringing out that six-pack.
Preacher Curl Bench - Often available as an add-on to many bench designs but can also be free-standing. It helps to isolate the biceps on curls.
Doorway Pull-up Bar - This can be a cheap option if you do not have the capabilities to do this exercise from your other bodybuilding equipment.
Smith Machines - Smith machines are made up of a barbell that moves up or down on steel runners with a series of slots. You lift the barbell and weights as high as you can, then release onto the slots making lifting wights far safer. The Smith machine can be used for any weight lifting exercise where the barbell moves up and down, such as bench pressing or squats. However, it is not suitable for weight lifting exercises where the barbell moves in an arc, such as the bicep curl and simply does not offer you the muscle building benefits of free weights.
Dip Station - Not the most space friendly piece of home gym equipment you could have in your home gym. However, they do make many varieties of dip/pull-up combos which are worth looking into if you have these needs.
Hyper Extension Bench - Hyper extensions are effective at building muscles of the lower back but not really a piece of bodybuilding equipment someone who has the goal to gain weight fast will have at the top of their lists.
Rowers - These can be very expensive and generally not as effective for the muscle building goals as a decent pulley system.
Home Gymnasium highly recommends Gym World where all types of equipment mentioned above can be brought at very reasonable prices.
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