Guest post by Dan Blumenstock

What does it really take to build muscle? If you have spent any time at all learning how to build muscle, you might be confused about what it really takes. You might have seen a dozen different training courses from various bodybuilding gurus and muscle building experts that tell you that they have the secret – that magic bullet that will give you the exact results you want in your muscle building efforts.

They claim to have discovered the keys to performing the exact exercises and bodybuilding nutrition you need to develop a muscular physique that you really want. But sometimes, it’s more about inspiration and motivation to work hard instead of finding a magic bullet.

Now, I would never tell you not to look for a mentor in this process. After all, there are others who have already achieved the muscle building success you’re looking for, and you can certainly benefit by learning from their experiences (both their successes and failures) and save yourself quite a bit of time and frustration in the process.

What you have to understand, however, is that the real key to success is YOU.

In other words, you need to have the discipline to consistently apply the principles that you learn for weeks and even months in order to achieve the desired results. Without this discipline, the most expensive and sophisticated bodybuilding training program will be useless to you because you simply have not applied the instructions over time.

What does it really take to build muscle?

You have to use the principle of progressive resistance, which simply means that you gradually challenge your muscles more and more in order to force them to grow. You see, your body will simply not produce the muscle on its own because the process requires lots of energy and the new muscle is difficult for your body to maintain.

So in order to grow muscle in any part of the body, you have to challenge the muscle. When you lift a weight that is heavier than what you're used to, what is actually happening at the cellular level is that the muscle fibers are breaking down. If you give your body some rest and adequate nutrition (including getting enough calories and protein), your body will rebuild the muscle tissue stronger than it was before.

If you apply this principle consistently, then your muscles get stronger and stronger. That's really what it comes down to. You have to challenge your muscles more and more over time, you have to give your body enough rest in between sessions so the muscle can rebuild, and you have to feed your body enough quality food to rebuild the muscle tissue.

Is it really this easy, or is there something more beneath the surface? Well, let's make it clear — I never said this process was easy. It is simple to understand, but applying discipline in any area of your life is not going to be easy. You're going to have to make the time and sacrifices and experience some discomfort during workout sessions (while being careful to avoid injury at the same time).

I hope I’ve provided some inspiration for you to get started on your muscle building quest. By all means, take advantage of a solid training course, but make sure you are ready mentally as well.

Dan Blumenstock
www.TheMuscleBuildingCrusader.com
Raising Money for The Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey

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