Adding Muscle Size to Your Weak Points

If you feel that you have a body-part that’s lagging, this is how you can add muscle size to it.

Whether you’re just trying to improve your body or if you’re a natural bodybuilding competitor there are a lot of different theories on how to most effectively add muscle size to lagging body-parts. Essentially, you’re looking to create a more balanced physique with better symmetry. To some extent what “formula” works best for you is somewhat individualized but I will offer a few general suggestions that have proven successful for many others:

-As you design your workout programs put the muscle groups that you want to focus on early in your training sessions. It’s always a little easier to give a little extra effort and focus on a body-part when you are fresher and have a much higher energy level.

-Hitting a muscle group twice a week may or may not be advisable. It depends on your training plan and training rotation. Be sure to allow for at least three days before hitting the same muscle group again. A lot of lifters have good success hitting each core muscle group just once a week and that plan can be somewhat less complicated to design.

-I’ve also always seen great results on myself and my clients, by focusing on the body part that needs improvement, by reducing training with your other body parts by 25-50% and training the lagging body part 2x per week, but with not too much volume but added intensity. Anywhere from 4-6 weeks with this protocol should bring results.

-Include an adequate warm-up and active stretching into your training plan. Both will help you add size and help prevent injury.

-Proper nutritional support remains very important year round. Training breaks down the muscle and provides signals for growth. Adequate rest and adequate nutrition are the building blocks that allow for actual muscle growth to occur. Emphasizing paying attention to nutrition and added calories in the form of protein, would be a good idea.

-Consistency is a key to making steady gains over the long term. Staying dedicated to a solid training program and adding in good nutritional support and adequate rest will almost always produce goal attainment. Patience is also important. Success in your goals or in bodybuilding success comes slowly and over the long term. Progress can be made each year, but for most natural competitors setting goals to achieve significant gains for 2,3 or 5 years out are more realistic. Of course it’s the smaller annual improvements that add up to become the longer term goal attainment that you seek.

‍