Squatting for Rapid Lean Weight Gain

Several times per month I walk into my home’s two car garage, adjust the rack on my power cage to setting 18, throw hundreds of pounds of weight on the Texas Power Bar and bang out a few sets of good old-fashioned deep knee bends. 

 It's habit.  It's discipline.  It's the most effective exercise for sheer muscle mass, brute power and explosive strength I've ever performed.  It's the squat.  

I must say that nothing packs the muscle mass on my hips, thighs and back like the almighty squat. Sometimes I find myself calorie binging for weeks on end. 

These are the times that I focus on big movements like squats, deadlifts, rows and bench presses for muscle growth. Without fail, I easily put on 10 to 20 pounds within a month from the increased calorie consumption and heavy squatting. Don’t get me wrong, I am well aware that some of that weight is fat, but the majority of my weight gain is lean.

See, big movements like squats and deadlifts require an enormous amount of energy to be performed. Much of the energy comes from glycogen, sugar stored within muscle cells. When glycogen levels are depleted after an intense lifting session, super-compensation occurs to restore energy levels within the muscles.

Nutrients in the food that is consumed immediately following the workout are broken down and are put to work repairing muscle tissue and restoring glycogen levels. Water is shuttled into and stored in the muscle cells along with glycogen, causing a rapid and noticeable increase in lean bodyweight.

I have found that squatting regularly is the best and quickest way to pack on a serious amount of lean weight. While it takes a considerable amount of time to actually develop muscle mass through hypertrophy of muscle fibers, filling the muscles cells of the thighs, hips and back with glycogen and water is a great alternative in the meantime. 

Creating a calorie surplus is critical in enhancing the effect described above. Carbohydrates are converted most quickly and efficiently to glycogen and assist in increasing cell hydration and volume. 

After a few weeks of increased calorie consumption and regular squatting, the muscles feel and appear fuller and larger. In fact, I have gotten a blood pump in my forearms and biceps while washing my hair in the shower due to the sheer volume of fluid inside the muscle cells.

I must stress that intense, regular squatting and deadlifting are critical to prevent unnecessary fat gains. For the full effect of glycogen super-compensation, the workouts must be all-out, balls-to-the-wall, vomit-inducing sessions.

Because of my busy lifestyle, it is impractical for all of my workouts to take place in a conventional gym. I have built a home gym in my garage that includes a power cage and several hundreds of pounds of plate weights so that I can squat, bench and deadlift as often as necessary. 

As I previously explained, my home gym has allowed me to keep my heavy workouts in my schedule without having to pay gym dues or drive for a half of an hour to workout at a commercial gym.

I have squatted more since I purchased my Powertec powercage than I had in the years prior, even when I was a competitive powerlifter. I have increased my lean bodyweight and maintained my size by exclusively squatting and deadlifting in my home’s garage. I am able to manage my time much more efficiently and enjoy all the benefits that regular squatting provides.

Also Read:
Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Home Gym

Factors Contributing to the Development of Muscle Mass