1. Don't pick a weight you are able to lift for more than ten reps, or less than five reps. Lift within 75 percent to 95 percent of your one rep max.

2. When you lift for mass, make 70 percent (approximately) of your lifts powerful and explosive. Meanwhile, the other 30 percent should be alot slower and more controlled.

3. Not including warm-ups, your total work volume should not be less than 50 reps, but no bigger than 80 reps.

4. In order to control the devastating effects that "lactic acid" has on your strength, you should make sure you are always alternating opposing muscle group exercises.

5. On your last warm-up set, there should be 5 percent more weight than you will be lifting for your sets, it should be one explosive rep. (This will make your first work set feel easier than ever! By triggering an incredibly strong signal to the brain, then making it recruit alot more muscle fibers than needed.)

6. For maximum strength, always drink plenty of water and make sure you rest at LEAST three minutes in between sets.

I also want to share some helpful tips about mass gaining with you:

1. Question: I want to gain a lot of muscle; can I do it without adding fat?

Answer: The answer to this is that it is very difficult to do. If you want a lot of muscle you have to be in a positive calorie and nitrogen (protein) balance for an extended period of time. This means taking in more calories and protein than your body needs to maintain its weight, and excess calories generally equals at least a moderate amount of fat increase. Optimizing your food intake by training and resting properly will help ensure that you are building as much mass as possible in the process.

2. Question: How can I predict my one-rep max without actually doing it?

Answer: For years, bodybuilders have been using one-rep max charts to predict what they will lift in competition. They do this because it's hard to keep performing one-rep max lifts due to the pressure it puts on your joints and the safety precautions you have to take, like having a good spotter. The most commonly accepted formula is known as the Brzycki formula.

3. Question: My workout partner is always on me to drink more water, but frankly I hate it! How important is it? Any tricks to help me drink more?

Answer: Water is extremely important. for good health and if you're into packing on the mass it becomes even more important. There are three major reasons why. First, when carbs are stored in your liver and muscles for energy, they are stored as glycogen. Glycogen is dependent on water, that's why when athletes? carbohydrate load they must drink significant water if they are to store the glycogen. Staying hydrated means your muscles will be full and ready to go every workout. Second, water helps regulate sodium and potassium which are located outside and inside a muscle cell. If water levels become too low, sodium and potassium become out of balance and hormones like aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone start competing, and the end result is a higher risk of muscle cramping!

4. Question: My friend said I should do some cardio even if I'm in a mass phase of training. What do you think about this?

Answer: Everyone should know that cardio is good, but not for gaining mass! It burns fat, but it burns calories, carbs and even protein as well. This will slow your mass gains down. There's an old saying about gaining mass that goes something like this: "Lay down when you can sit, sit when you can stand, stand when you can move around and drive when you can walk". Gaining mass quickly is about putting all of your energy into your muscle and the weights. Of course, if you're getting ready for a bodybuilding competitions, football seasons or strongman competitions, you will need to incorporate cardio (aerobic) activity into your plans.

5. Question: What is ATP?

Answer: ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, which in its best sense supplies your body with energy. When glucose is broken down in the body, it supplies energy to ATP. ATP stores that energy until it is needed, at which time a phosphate group ?springs off? to release energy and leave adenosine diphosphate. The "ATP's" reaction looks like this: ATP > ADP + Pi + Energy

6. Question: Can I shorten the 3-minute rest times in mass training?

Answer: Yes. But even though this will decrease your time in the gym, reducing rest times won't allow your muscle's energy system to completely recover before your next set. Sure, you'll still get great results, but for the best possible results, follow the "three minute rest in between sets" rule.

Well, there you have it ? 6 secrets to effective mass building workouts and some helpful tips about gaining mass! Try them and see how they affect your results.- my bet is that you will be pleased!

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