The 5×5 system is one of the oldest muscle building programs in the book and has stuck around forever. 5×5 is good and 5×5 is bad; it just depends on the situation. There are a few ways that the 5×5 muscle building system is implemented.

The first way that people use the 5×5 system to build muscle is that they warm up to a weight and then stick with that weight for five sets of five. So you need to choose a weight that you can handle for that many sets. In essence, the fifth set will be the only set that is quite difficult. This is a decent method to build muscle but largely a waste of time for anyone but a beginner. There is too much volume at an intensity that is too low building muscle. For beginners and early intermediates, I think the 5×5 system is a good one. When you are neurologically inefficient, you seem to respond better to a few more repeated efforts. I still don’t know if five sets are really necessary though; 3×5 is probably better in most cases.

The next way people employ the 5×5 system in an attempt to build muscle is by starting with a heavy weight that they can barely get five reps with and then lowering the weight with each significant set. Again, I think this is too much. The only set that was worth doing was the first and maybe the second. This is not the optimal way to build muscle.

The third way I have seen this system employed to build muscle is to work up to a heavy weight that you can barely get five with and then keeping that weight for the next four sets, no matter how many reps you get. Progression is made each week by trying to get more reps in the subsequent sets. This is a favorite of one particular egomaniacal strength coach and like everything else he recommends, is total crap.

The last way that the 5×5 system is used to build muscle is by doing five increasingly heavier sets so that only your last set is tough. Basically the other sets are warm ups so you are really just warming up to a five rep max or very close to it. If this is the case, it’s really 1×5 and not 5×5. It’s a bit of a misnomer. But if I had to pick one, this would be the best method.

Working up to a five rep max and then a down set at 90% of your best is an even better option for building muscle. Or you could do a very heavy set of five but leave a little something in the tank and then go for broke on the second set. There is some evidence which shows that this second option may even be the better choice simply because the body may not function optimally during the first heavy set. This is due to the laws of homeostasis and various things of this nature. The first set causes shock and certain protective mechanisms may set it which prevents the first heavy set from actually being the best set. The job of the first heavy set may be to provide neural arousal and prepare the body to go all out on the second set. This is something that people have to play with on their own and see what approach helps them build muscle fastest.

For more information on how to build muscle fast, please visit http://gain-muscle-now.com/musclesecrets.php

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training advisor for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more great muscle building information, please visit:

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You constantly hear about people who desperately are trying to lose body fat. However, occasionally you hear about people struggling to keep weight on. They complain they are too skinny, and no matter how much they eat, or how hard they workout, they just can’t seem to build fast muscle.

Their natural bodybuilding dream of adding ten pounds of muscle mass quickly turns to frustration, and disappointment. This generally leads them to either quit all together, or spend even more, determined time in the gym trying to build any kind of muscle mass.

Hard gainers, please read closely! There is hope for you. You can gain muscle mass quickly as long as you train intelligently.

In a recent interview with a national newspaper I was asked how I would help a so called “hard gainer” grain muscle weight in a healthy manner. My specific answer is listed below in 5 simple build fast muscle tips.

1. Workout Less

You are probably muttering less is suppose to say more. Nope! Working out less is a main key in helping hard gainers break through the threshold. Immediately decrease your natural bodybuilding sets to one per exercise, and only 2-3 exercises per muscle group. However, when decreasing your sets, it is imperative that you increase your exercise intensity. That means performing the set to momentary muscle failure. Please note: That one set is the set that counts, but light warm-up sets are recommended.

2. More Days Off

Yes, instead of increasing exercise, hard gainers must take even more days off between training sessions to allow full muscle recuperation and growth. Some individuals may need to take up to 10 days off between hi-intensity muscle building sessions. It is important to remind you that fast muscle mass is gained between workouts, not during workouts.

The workout less strategy also prevents you from burning a huge amount of calories. Instead, the calories can be used for muscle growth.

3. Limit Cardiovascular Exercise

You read that right. Yes, limit any other exercise that will catabolize your muscle mass. Your goal should be to decrease the amount of calories you burn. Your furnace like metabolism is already blazing.

4. Determine Calories Needed

The next step would be to figure out, exactly, how many calories you need to maintain your bodyweight. With this number you can find out how many additional calories are needed to gain weight. If you don’t know your maintenance number, how do you know where to start?

Start out by recording everything you eat for one whole week (portions and all.) Get a calorie calculating book, or resource and figure out the amount of calories you took in. I am assuming you have not modified your diet, and the scale showed a zero weight gain or loss for the week. Take that number and add 500 additional calories each day consistently for 7 full days and beyond. Keep a close eye on the amount of calories you are taking in.

If you are having trouble keeping your calories up, resort to liquid shakes for diets supplementation.

5. Track Your Progress

If you are not measuring you workout weight, and reps, how are you going to know what you need to beat the next workout? Track it! Don’t walk around the gym lost like most people.

It is also important to track your weight and caloric intake to determine if you are staying at that plus 500 calorie mark each and every day.

By following these five simple strategies, you will be able to build fast muscle just like individuals with slower metabolisms. Your natural bodybuilding results will not only soar, but the scale will also. Hard gainers, don’t give up! There really is a trick to it.

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About The Author

Jim O’Connor is an Exercise Physiologist, author, and publisher located in Beverly Hills, California. He combines his education with practical knowledge to promote BodybuildingHub.com. Visit www.BodybuildingHub.com to build muscle fast.

Packing on size is easy, as long as proper techniques are applied. Keep in mind that everyone has a different body type. Here are some tips to help you gain muscle mass.

#1 Weight Train

Train with heavy weights using less reps. Using appropriate weight, you should only be able to do 4-8 reps. Using heavy weights and low reps puts your muscles and nervous system under much more stress than using lighter weights for many reps. The rest time in between sets should be approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

#2 Eat more Calories

To gain mass, you should strive to eat around 18-20 times you body weight in calories. The extra calories are needed to build new muscles and to repair muscle tissue that is damaged during the heavy workouts. However, do not consume empty calories; go for foods which provide you with correct nutrients essential for gaining muscle.

#3 Eat more Protein

Only diets high in protein help build muscle when incorporated with intense physical training. Without protein, your body will not be able to build new muscle. Carbs serve mainly as energy for the body where as protein provides the necessary amino acids to build and repair muscle. To build muscles get at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

#4 Eat Fat

Dietary fat has a direct relationship with testosterone production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in testosterone levels, which is a must when you are trying to gain mass. Your main focus should be to increase your intake of essential fatty acids and not saturated fats.

#5 Drink more Often

To make sure that your muscles stay hydrated you must drink plenty of water. Dehydration can happen easily if you train hard. A dehydrated muscle takes longer to repair itself than a hydrated one.

#6 Take a Multi Vitamin

If you want to gain muscle, you must make sure that you are not deficient in any vitamin or mineral that your body needs. So it is a good idea to take a good multi vitamin tablet.

#7 Stop all Aerobics

In order to put on serous mass you need to stop all of your aerobics. If you do need to carry with it remember to limit it to once every week or once every two weeks.

#8 Take ample Rest

Resting the body is just as important as dieting and training. Try to get about six or eight hours of sleep a day. Resting is what actually causes the muscles to grow. Taking days, even weeks off from training will only benefit you.

Be patient and consistent. You may have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym but without consistency it’s all worthless.

About The Author

Indy Stewart also writes on Muscle Building. More info: http://www.bigmusclesbuilding.com/building-muscle-men.html.