Socialize Before Or After You Build Muscle Mass

You're in the gym for one main reason: to build muscle mass. While socializing is a valuable part of life, there is a time and place for everything. Talk with people before or after your workouts. You could also chat between bodyparts, but don't hold long conversations between sets. Your real friends will understand. Peak concentration and focus will help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible.

Gyms can be great places to meet people. Unlike bars with their smoke and late hours, gyms allow you to connect with healthy men and women who have the same interests you do. Sharing a passion for fitness is an excellent foundation for a relationship, and many people have found that this common bond can lead to long-lasting friendships or even a life partner. Yet, there is a time and place for everything. Socializing at the gym is fine, but don't let it interfere with your workout. The main reason you are at the gym is to build muscle mass, so organize your time there in a way that will build as much muscle as possible.

Intensity is a pivotal factor in muscle growth. You need to keep your intensity level high while you do the sets of your bodypart workout. This can be achieved in many ways, including visualization, reducing the time between sets, and the other recommendations in this book. However, you can't achieve peak intensity when you spend five or ten minutes chatting between each set. You could, of course, say a few words during the minute or two while you recuperate between sets, and there is nothing wrong with this as long as you can maintain your mental intensity. Yet, when you lose concentration due to your socializing, you deny yourself an opportunity to grow.

If you want to talk with someone, try to have your conversation before or after your workout. When this isn't possible, at least chat between your bodypart workouts. These recommendations may seem rather restrictive, but you'll find that your real friends will be supportive. They know about your desire to build muscle mass, and they probably share that desire. By channeling your socializing into times that don't interfere with your muscular development, you and your friends can grow together. The extra muscle you gain from your more intense workouts will come in handy when you see someone new at the gym you want to meet!