If you are naturally thin who finds it hard to put on weight no matter how much you eat or no matter how much time you spend in the gym lifting weights, then it is about time you explore the concept of “progressive overload”. Some of you may have heard this story before, but the concept of progressive overload is best illustrated in the story of Milo of Croton.

This guy called Milo of Croton was an ancient Greek athlete who was a very strong man and a wrestler as well. It was said that Milo trained for the Olympic Games of his time by carrying a newborn calf on his back every day to his farm and back for several years prior to the Olympic game he was training for. By the time the Olympics finally arrived, the little calf had grown to a full size adult cow and Milo was still carrying it on his back! To sum it up, this guy adapted to the growing weight of the calf into a cow by progressively growing stronger himself. That is the concept of progressive overload.

Translated into gym speak, progressive overload means that you have to constantly increase your weight load to force your muscles to grow progressively. Instead of carrying the calf, you are lifting weights. Instead of the calf growing progressively, you will progressively increase the weight that you lift.

The theory seems simple enough isn’t it? It is just common sense you’d say. Pray, then tell me why are people lifting the same weights at the gyms day in and day out and year after year? Or maybe you are doing the same thing and that is one of the reasons why you are not putting on muscle mass and body weight.

Another common sense fact that many thin people who are trying to put on weight by building muscles are not doing is working out with compound exercises. Compound exercises work out many muscle parts simultaneously instead of singular joint movements like bicep curls.

Take the simple weighted push ups for example. This exercise works your shoulder muscles, your triceps, your chest, your core and to a lesser extent your thighs and calves. You are working out so many body parts at the same time and this forces your entire body to grow. Now can you imagine guys who are only doing bicep curls or tricep extensions? They are only concentrating on their biceps or triceps. Who do you think can increase their muscle mass much faster?

The answer is obvious, isn’t it? This fact is also illustrated in Milo’s story. You see, he carried the calf on his back and walked to his farm and back over undulating terrain. That will mean that the calf was on his back as he walked on hilly terrain. In so doing, all his body parts worked out hard to lug the calf along. That was why he built up his all rounded strength until he is so strong that he is able to carry a full grown cow. Can you carry a cow if you only work with bicep curls? Obviously not, isn’t it?

So if you want to increase your body weight and muscle mass, then you must workout with the principles of progressive overload and compound exercises. To get results faster, you must feed your muscles with enough protein for them to grow. If you cannot get enough protein from your usual meal consumption, the go and get protein supplements to help you to put on muscle weight faster.

Author Bio: Chris Chew is a sought after fitness consultant who counts models, actors and other celebrities as his clients. If you truly want to put on weight and muscle mass, then read his free articles at Weight gain supplement and Gain weight build muscles fitness programs

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: put on weight, body weight, muscle mass