So you want to bulk up and stop looking like girly man? Keep working out but you don't notice any gains? Finish this article and you'll find what you were missing! Repetition and Sets The proper number of reps to increase volume is 8~12.
Around 4 or below focuses on strength training and more than 12 focuses on endurance.
Focus on completing at least 3 sets per exercise per muscle group.
Begin with the larger muscle groups before working out the smaller muscles.
You must work your muscles hard, to tear them for future repair.
It is during this repair that your muscles increase in size.
You should be breathing hard, and you should be wanting to quit during the set.
When you do feel like quitting, this is where you must exert that one last strength and grind out 1~3 more reps.
Take your time during this crucial part; NEVER say to yourself, "Next time".
Take your time to breathe hard.
You can even take 3 deep breathes, which is what I personally do when I push myself.
If you can make 12~15 reps, this is a sign that you need to increase the weights.
Then repeat the process.
Exercising isn't much of a rocket science, and chances are you probably knew that last paragraph.
Let's move on to working your core and legs.
Core and Legs Chances are you want to look ripped: You want to have those cut arms, deep chest, and those wide, triangular lats.
You want boulders for shoulders and a wash board six pack abs.
This image is what most people consider "ripped.
" But unfortunately, this image makes you want to work out your upper body and sometimes abs.
But if you haven't seen gains in a while, chances are you haven't been working out your core and legs.
I don't consider doing crunches and sit ups as a core exercise.
Core exercise is more like doing dead lifts and squats.
Your core is the foundation of your body's muscles - the stronger you core, the stronger your other muscles become because all your muscles are connected.
Doing dead lifts and squats also works out your legs.
And since you want to upper body to look ripped, it's OK to isolate your upper body exercises.
But since making your legs look ripped isn't exactly your priority, doing compound exercises like dead lifts and squats is the way to go.
Your core and legs limit how strong and big your upper body can get.
This is why it is important to work your core and legs - by doing compound exercises, you are allowing your entire body frame to grow bigger, and thus gain more upper body muscle.
Now that we've covered the work out portion of gaining muscle, let's talk about the nutrition portion.
Eating More Proper nutrition is the foundation for good health.
But we won't be focusing too much on nutrition - so let me briefly list some conclusions:

• 1.
  Watch out for eating too much simple carbs like high fructose corn syrup.
  Too much causes an insulin spike and a subsequent insulin crash that, in a nutshell, promotes fat storage.
  
• 2.
  Ideally, you should eat lean protein with a complex carbohydrate every 3 hours, except when you sleep.
  Your muscles are in a constant state of creation or destruction.
  This is why it's important to maintain a protein supply, which depletes after about 3 hours.
  
• 3.
  Avoid saturated/trans fats but get your supply of essential fats.
  I personally like natural peanut butter with Silk's soy milk; they've got the protein and the essential fatty acids.
  
• 4.
  Avoid ice cream; it's got both simple carbs and saturated fats.
  It's a recipe for becoming fat.
  
• 5.
  You need to increase your calorie intake, preferably around 20%.
  Eat smaller, more frequent meals that, in total, is 20% more than what you usually eat.
  
• 6.
  Your macronutrient ratio (in calories) should be around 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fats.
  But everyone's body is unique and you can tweak it for your individual needs.
  

To summarize this basic guideline for muscle gain, it's work out for volume, use compound exercises for the core and legs (dead lift and squats), and get your protein every 3 hours.