For those of you who are looking to build lean muscle mass, diet is as much a part of that process as working out. Protein, in particular, has been shown in studies to aid in muscle growth; its high concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine and valine catalyze muscular development. But, the one question many people have, as it pertains to protein of all kinds, is how much is necessary on a daily basis.

Just like almost everything else related to health and fitness, there's not one easy answer to that question. Every body is different, just as everyone's lifestyles are different. To that end, the amount of protein one person may require may be vastly different than another. Fortunately, there has been research done on this very topic, producing some semblance of an answer.

According to a study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, people who train at least 12 hours per week for at least five years need 1.37 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to maintain their nitrogen balance. Sedentary individuals, according to the study, require only 0.73 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This is not to say that you'll shrivel up and die if you fail to get this amount of protein every day. This is merely the amount suggested to maintain muscle mass over a longer period of time.

Source

If you're a newbie at the gym, you may be wondering why some people are walking around with those crazy, fingerless gloves. Are they all part of some fitness motorcycle gang or something? Well, I suppose they could be, but more likely than not they're wearing those gloves to protect their hands from forming calluses.

What you may also be wondering, having now found out why people wear those gloves, is why everyone doesn't. While there's no one answer to that question, there is at least something to be said about the imbalance some weightlifting gloves may cause in wrist strength.

Most weightlifting gloves will not lead to this particular problem, but the kind that also wrap firmly around your wrists may. Although they are actually designed to protect your wrists from injury, they can also cause your wrists to fall behind the rest of your body in terms of strength gain.

Be this as it may, wearing or not wearing weightlifting gloves is up to you. Though I did point out a possible issue that may arise, chances are you won't experience any discomfort by using them (save for maybe feeling a bit embarrassed when someone looks at you and says your stuck in the '80s).

Source