Fitness Mantra: Workout hacks for building muscle

The time of day when you choose to work out can make all the difference when it comes to working out to your maximum potential. You should avoid working out first thing in the morning. This is because the discs between your vertebrae fill with fluid during your sleep, making you more susceptible to injury in the morning. So, try and give some time, an hour maybe, before sweating it out at the gym. 

Do weights before cardio. Trainers, serious athletes and bodybuilders do weights first: this way, your heart rate goes up and when you lift, your body is in more of a fat burning mode. Doing the opposite means that your muscles are already tired by the time you get to weight-training.

Eat frequently and take in more calories. Keep your energy up and give your body plenty of fuel for building muscles by eating small meals every three hours or so. Make sure to eat plenty of protein, ideally the equivalent amount of protein in grams as your current body weight in pounds. 

Eat a snack immediately after your workout. Protein-heavy snacks should be eaten within 15 minutes of wrapping up your exercise routine. It might optimise the healing of the tiny muscle injuries that happen [normally] while people exercise.

Stay hydrated during workouts. The last thing you need complicating your workout is a cramp or fatigue, so drinking water before, during, and after your workout for best results.

Combine compound and isolation movements. While isolating certain muscles is important, you need to alternate compound motions as well, which will target multiple muscle groups at once. Compound workouts are good for beginners and for toning certain parts of the body. 

Gradually increase your weights. Increase the weight you’re lifting on each exercise by 5 percent each week. If you bench-pressed 100 pounds this week, for example, then next week you should try doing 105 pounds. This gradual increase will yield the best muscle building results without overly straining your body. 

Do all your weight lifting in front of a mirror. Then you can correct your posture and ensure you are fully extending muscles.