Many people spend many years working out at the gym but never achieving the results they want. All they're getting are muscle pains. They often find themselves wondering what they're doing wrong. If this is you, you need to evaluate yourself. If you're not gaining any muscle and you're looking as flabby as ever, you may need to make some adjustments not just in your exercise program, but in your diet as well.

Know this: you can’t gain muscle mass overnight. Nor will you see it after only a couple of weeks. If you want to gain muscle, you will need to spend several months of rigid exercising. In short, you need to be determined and patient during your body building program.

There are things you can to give yourself a boost and help you achieve your muscle growth goal. Here are five things you can incorporate in your exercise program:

1. Increase your protein intake.

Protein is essential in muscle growth and repair. You may not be gaining muscle mass because your body is not getting sufficient amounts of protein. For protein, most people instinctively turn to meat. But meat isn't the only source of protein. You can get protein from vegetables and fruits, as well as soybean. To determine exactly how much protein you need to be consuming each day for muscle gain, it's best to talk to a sports nutritionist.

2. Use free weights.

Dump the exercise machines and use free weights instead. Build your arm muscles with the help of dumbbells. Free weights like dumbbells also help in improving ancillary muscles, enabling you to widen your range of motion.

3. Observe safety at all times.

When you are working out, observe safety at all times. Doing so will lessen your risk of getting injured. When you are trying to build muscle, avoid combining heavy weight lifting with intensive workout sessions. Bodybuilders are prone to experiencing strains, torn cartilage, and disc slips. To avoid these, take precautionary measures each time you work out. Warming up before diving into your main exercise program is a good idea because it prepares your body. Don't forget to cool down after each workout session.

4. Challenge yourself.

If you think you've already met your muscle gain goals, try challenging yourself by going a little beyond what you've been currently doing. This is an opportunity for you to see how far you've progressed, as well as assess how strong you are overall. Make sure, however, that your muscles can handle the stress; otherwise, you'll end up with an injury.

5. Monitor your progress.

Regularly monitor your progress to see exactly how far you've come since you started. You can assess your progress against other people's progress. Look at other bodybuilders and see how they have progressed also. You can find out how much muscle gain you've achieved and how much you need to do.

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