Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 3rd July 2014

Obtaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging and finding the right way to gain appropriate mass and size can be particularly tough to achieve. 

The key is to train hard and eat right. In order to achieve a lean, defined physique most men look to muscle building because it’s an effective way to keep the body looking and feeling healthy. 

There are certain exercises that work particularly well when increasing your mass and size. 

Squats 

Squats are excellent for building leg mass. It is important that your chest is out whilst your feet are set apart a little wider than shoulder width. This movement will help create those bigger legs that many men strive for. Alter some part of your routine every 4-6 weeks to mix things up.

Dead lifts 

These are great for the back and legs. This exercise provides great movement for overall strength and building thickness in the mid to lower part of your back. You can do this exercise with a narrow stance and your arms outside of your knees. 

Limited Cardio

Another effective muscle building exercise is limited cardio. It is important that you do not over-work your muscles with cardio, however it is necessary in order to keep your body fit and healthy. To gain mass and size you must train your whole body so make sure to include a range of techniques and exercises into your routine to ensure that all aspects are covered.

Food 

"One of the main methods to build mass and size is to also have a well-balanced diet" 

It’s important to eat the right amount of calories and men who wish to improve their body mass and size should aim to consume at least 20 calories per pound of bodyweight you weigh to gain muscle mass. 

To help your muscles to repair as well as build, the right amount of carbs combined with enough protein will ensure healthy strong muscles. Without a good diet, building muscle will become more difficult and most likely, ineffective. 

Building muscle through the help of your diet is thought to be just as important as your training regime.

Healthy fats, including unsalted nuts, flaxseed oil and extra-virgin olive oil, should also be part of your diet. The total dietary fat should supply around 30% of your daily calorie intake. 

Gaining mass and size takes time and can’t be achieved unless you balance everything out accordingly. This means that you must balance it between working out, eating right and resting.

How to gain Muscle Mass and Size gives tips on how to get large muscles at the gym with dead lifts, squats and limited cardio.