5 Little Known Hacks To Looking More Muscular
Most people think that the best way to look more muscular is to hit the gym hard, 5 times a week and eat “aaaaall of the proteins!”
Although this is true to a certain degree.
The mistake most people make is that they tend to overeat and often overtrain!
If you are a seasoned subscriber or currently following our Natural Guide To Building Lean Muscle then you will already know the score!
If you are one of these guys you can probably scroll down until you see the heading title “Here Are My Top 5 Little Known Secrets For Looking More Muscular”.
For the rest of you let me give you a quick insight into our evidenced backed way of thinking and approaching natural lean muscle growth.
We Look Like We Lift
Whether you are just investigating the prospect of joining a gym or are a seasoned lifter we all want our results in the gym, to reflect how we look in the mirror…
Am I right?
I mean, I see no other reason for joining and visiting the gym in the first place?
Okay….. maybe for the general health benefits and to stop ourselves from turning into sloths.
But since you’ve made it onto this page…
Let’s not pretend that general health improvement and cardiovascular fitness is your main goal…
After all, we are here for 5 little-known hacks to looking more Muscular, correct?
So Why We Are Different
The reason we don’t approach building lean muscle and looking more muscular like everyone else is simple.
We concentrate on what counts!
Building muscle, lifting weights and getting a “pump” is on the whole, very enjoyable and in fact, quite addictive once you get into the swing of things.
The problem is if superior results are what you are after then its superior protocols you need to follow!
Whether its diet, training or recovery…
Unless you have been coached by a professional from the get-go. Then I’m sure you have probably made the same simple mistakes that I did when you first joined up to the gym!
What Not To Do..
For me, I went down the route of least definition.
For years I chased the scales, increasing the amount of food I ate month after month.
All under the assumption that if I trained hard on the key exercises and followed the training programs of the professional bodybuilders. I too would gain large amounts of lean muscle and would end up looking big and ripped…
As you can see from the photo….. I didn’t end up like that at all :(.
I was hitting the gym hard. 5 times a week minimum, eating loads of protein and following the training programs of the pro bodybuilders to the finest of details!
So Why Didn’t I look Muscular?
I won’t go into every detail as that is for another article. But in essence, the route I took when I first started (The route of least definition) is probably the most uninspiring and unmotivating method of building muscle.
Unfortunately, it is one of the most common and widely accepted methods most people follow to gain muscle!
My lack of knowledge and straight up naivety, caused me to look pretty sub-par given the amount of work, dedication and consistent effort I was putting in.
It was around this point. About three years into my muscle building journey that I started to think differently.
This was where it all started to change…
I started thinking about building muscle in a more practical sense and truth be told I got a bit obsessed.
I researched everything and begun periodically experimenting with diet, training and lifestyle habits in general.
After about a year I had it sussed!
I went from a body I was frustrated with and insecure about.
To a physique, I was genuinely proud of and the results trickled down into all other aspects of my life.
My confidence skyrocketed!
I was carrying myself far better and for the first time, people were actually complimenting me on not only my physique but my demeanour in general!
It was awesome!
But the best thing about it all was that my new approach to muscle building kept me lean with a visible six pack ALL YEAR ROUND!
At last, there was a system I could use to stay looking muscular and lean 365 days of the year without devoting my entire life to going to the gym and prepping meals.
This newfound fulfilment for training and building muscle completely reignited my initial enthusiasm and passion for hitting the gym!
Having finally discovered a system which I could follow all year round and consistently make natural lean muscle and strength gains was a real life changer for me!
Don’t get me wrong I’m still training with the same intensity as before…
I just now know that my efforts are actually going to produce the results I want!
How To Look And Become More Muscular?
Before we jump into my “Top 5 Little Known Hacks To Looking More Muscular“. Let us first visit the defining principle that changed everything for my progress in the gym!
This key principal helped and continues to help me gain consistent lean muscle tissue and strength month after month, year after year!
Its widely misunderstood but if you ask anyone who has followed the program featured in “The Natural Guide To Building Lean Muscle”. It is incredibly simple and it makes perfect sense.
Its called Progressive Overload
Let me explain…
Your body will naturally always try to operate as efficiently as possible.
Whether this is walking up a flight of stairs, going for a run or lifting a barbell.
Therefore, for your body to even think about using any of its precious energy stores for the purpose of increasing muscle mass, it better have a damn good reason to do it!
In fact, it basically needs to be given no option but to increase strength and muscle mass!
It’s kind of like when you blow air into a balloon to inflate it…
If you always blow up the balloon with the exact same amount of air.
Then the balloon will always only inflate to the same size.
You can blow air in and out of the balloon as fast as you like for hundreds of repetitions or use various different techniques…
But if you’re not actually increasing the volume of air entering the balloon then how can you expect it to inflate any larger?
This balloon concept was how I started to approach the pursuit of gaining lean muscle and at first, it just made sense in my head.
It was only when I began doing research that I found 100s of scientific studies and research papers that actually backed up and proved what I was thinking actually worked!
Before I get into my “5 Little Known Hacks To Looking More Muscular”.
If you want to find out more about progressive overload I would like to invite you to join our way of thinking.
You can do this by checking out my complete guide to building lean muscle naturally. This will show you the exact system I use to stay lean and strong year round with consistent gains in strength and muscle size month after month!
SHOW ME THE GUIDE
5 Little Known Hacks To Looking More Muscular
So with how to actually build muscle out the way…
What are some hacks we can use to start looking more muscular right now?
If you have watched the movie “Pumping Iron” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. You will have heard Arnold and some of the other bodybuilders talking about creating an illusion.
Don’t worry… although I am a huge fan of magic and illusionists I’m not going to start going all weird on you!
The “illusion” that these bodybuilders were referring to.
Is, in short, the little tricks you can start doing to make your physique appear more aesthetic and muscular then it actually is.
Although most of what Arnold and the boys were talking about in the movie referred to things to do in preparation for a bodybuilding competition.
The hacks I will be talking about today can be used whether you’re competing, hitting the beach or just want to look more muscular in general.
Here Are My Top 5!
1. Get Lean
The first and by far the most superior method of improving visual muscularity.
Is without a doubt achieved by getting lean!
Getting lean or reducing your levels of body fat to around 6–8% improves muscle definition and gives the appearance of larger rounder muscles!
Although you certainly need to gain weight (be in a caloric surplus) in order to increase muscle mass!
Unless you are able to increase lean muscle mass without putting on any body fat whatsoever.
The more body fat you gain, the softer and to some extent less muscular you may start to appear.
Let me explain further…
Getting your body fat percentage down low will literally make your muscles pop!
You will naturally look more vascular and defined, giving you the appearance of enviable muscularity!
Even if you have not been training for muscle gain for very long, getting lean can still result in a very impressive and muscular look.
Take Brad Pitt in the 1999 movie Fight Club for example:
- Height = 6ft
- Weight = 160lbs
- Body Fat Percentage estimate = 6%
- Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) = 20.7
Now for a 6ft tall male at 160lbs in weight….
Most people would be quick to say that is too light to be considered “muscular looking”…
Brad, to the contrary, looks incredibly muscular due to a low body fat percentage estimated at around 6%!
“To find out more about Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) check out this article Can You Get Film Star Muscles Without Taking Steroids? – Train-Natural“
2. Focus On Creating An Upper Body V Taper
Prioritising certain body parts over others is certainly a strong method to help give the illusion of a more muscular body.
The infamous V-Taper look was a defining feature of the “Golden Era” of bodybuilding and is certainly an aesthetic look to strive for!
A V-Taper refers to having broad rounded shoulders, wide chest and upper back with a tight waist.
Therefore prioritising these muscle groups can help to enhance your frame giving the appearance of a more muscular broader physique.
Some examples of exercises which prioritise the V Taper Include:
- Wide Grip Pull Ups
- Shoulder Presses – Barbell/Dumbbell
- Bench Press
- Dumbbell lateral raises
- Pectoral Flys
- Lat pulldowns
3. Get A Tan
Ever wondered why every bodybuilding or men’s physique contest features guys who are basically a dark shade of mahogany?
In addition to lighting your skin tone is a largely important factor in creating a more muscular look. In general, the darker your skin tone the more defined your physique and muscles will start to look.
When your skin is too pale the separation lines which define where one muscle starts and the next begins, tend to blend into one another. This, in turn, makes your muscles look flatter.
If you don’t believe me, try it out for yourself!
For the obvious health reasons, I wouldn’t recommend hitting the sunbeds.
There is nothing wrong with getting your tan out of a bottle.
Head down to your local supermarket and pick yourself up a bottle of tanning lotion. It doesn’t need to be as dark as some of the pro bodybuilders.
I personally use a tinted moisturiser which helps to build a natural-looking tan gradually.
Take a before and after photo, pre and post tan and let me know the results!
I can bet you will be pleasantly surprised!
You will notice that your arms and shoulders look more defined, your abs will look deeper and your whole physique will just look more 3D.
Another advantage of a good tan is that your teeth seem to look whiter. So overall a solid hack to looking more muscular and generally more attractive.
4. Improve Your Posture
Now when I say improve your posture to look more muscular….
I am not referring to walking around like a peacock with two watermelons under your arms (see image)
What I am referring to is your general day to day posture and how you carry yourself…
Walking around with your shoulders slumped and back hunched over is going to make even the most muscular guys look out of shape!
Start taking account of how you sit and stand in your day to day life. It’s a simple fix to make a conscious effort to stand up straight, pull your shoulders back and push your chest out.
Don’t go overboard!
Just the process of subconsciously thinking about improving your posture should help you to make the minor adjustments required to stand tall and effortlessly improve the look of your physique!
5. Don’t Skip Leg Day
Although creating a strong upper body V-Taper look is a sure fire way to improve your visual muscularity.
What tends to happen is people seem to forget about the bottom half!
Please don’t end up being that guy!
What the majority of people don’t realise is that although a strong v taper is certainly going to make you stand out and look more muscular than the average bloke.
It is really only half the story!
Creating An X Frame
The X frame refers to the shape or silhouette of the body!
A V- Taper on top and an upside down V-Taper on the bottom… Hence the X-Frame!
A wide back and shoulders tapering down to a small waist then flaring out again over the thighs creating the X shape.
As we have already discussed “creating an illusion“…
A large portion of enhancing your muscular frame and overall look is done by accentuating and prioritising the key body parts and muscle groups that make up the X shape.
The muscles in your legs are also some of the largest in your body and training them with the same intensity and consistency as your upper body can have a dramatic effect on your body’s ability to build muscle and reduce body fat!
Remember….
If you are interested in joining the Train-Natural way of thinking and want a scientifically proven guide to building lean muscle….
You NEED to check out the guide!
The guide contains over 250 pages of proven methodologies and information on everything related to building lean muscle and will help to provide you with the exact system, I and others have used to stay lean year round whilst increasing strength and building muscle!
The Natural Guide To Building Lean Muscle
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