When you’re trying to build muscle, the right diet, training, supplementation, and recovery are vital for triggering muscle growth. This is the only way to gain mass effectively and avoid the potential injuries and other issues that may arise.
Eat for size and perform a few basic, compound exercises to trigger muscle gains. Add in a few low-intensity recovery workouts and you’ll be well on your way to your goals!
Nutrition
Muscle building requires strategic shifts in how you move your body and what you feed it. The two work together to improve muscle strength, so you can feel better and perform more of the activities that you enjoy. Proper nutrition is a key factor, and it involves eating a variety of protein-rich foods, carbs and healthy fats.
Protein is the building block of muscles, and dietary proteins provide an abundance of the essential amino acids that stimulate protein synthesis. Some protein powder before a work out would do wonders for your body. The body also needs enough carbohydrate energy to fuel workouts and replace the glycogen stores that are used as energy during exercise. Carbohydrates can come from many sources, including whole grains, legumes and fruit.
The amount of protein and carbohydrates you need varies, and specific recommendations depend on factors like your age, gender, activity level, digestive health and metabolic rate. The general recommendation is that protein should make up 10 to 35% of your total calories. Protein-rich foods include lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs and beans; dairy products; nuts and seeds; and some fruits and vegetables.
Getting sufficient calories to build muscle is important, and the best source is whole foods. This includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables; lean meats and poultry; and milk and yogurt. You may need to increase the amount of calories you eat when you are trying to build muscle, but it is a good idea to get most of your extra calories from protein-rich foods.
Healthy fats are important for muscle growth as well, and the type of fat you consume matters. The “good” fats are unsaturated fats from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, and seafood. The “bad” fats are saturated fats from animal products, processed foods and trans fats.
The final piece of the puzzle is adequate water intake, which helps ensure proper hydration and aids in digestion and nutrient absorption. In addition, the water helps replenish fluids lost during and after exercise.
It is recommended that both men and women engage in muscle strengthening activities, which strengthen the major muscle groups of the legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen and shoulders, at least twice per week. Exercises can be done with or without equipment, and include weight training, using resistance bands, body-weight squats, pushups and lunges.
Training
If you’re interested in building muscle, it’s a good idea to consult a strength coach or physical therapist before embarking on your journey. They can guide you on the best exercises and training strategies to meet your goals without risking injury.
Muscular endurance is the ability to keep moving for an extended period under a given load. While this is a key component to athletic performance, it also offers functional benefits such as the ability to perform household chores like gardening and washing your car with greater ease. Training for muscular endurance typically involves lifting low to moderate rep ranges.
When you’re first starting out, it’s essential to use a coach or trainer to help you identify the right load and volume for each exercise. Lifting too light won’t trigger the damage and repair process that leads to muscle growth, and lifting too much can cause the muscles to break down instead of grow. Frequent assessments of your 1RM and thoughtfully planned progressions will allow you to make progress in a safe manner.
Once you’ve mastered your form and are comfortable with the mechanics of an exercise, the next step is to increase the load and number of reps. Increasing the amount of resistance you’re using allows you to progressively overload each movement, promoting further muscle growth and strengthening.
You’ll also want to change up the type of workout you do on a weekly basis, as this is a great way to promote new muscle growth. Switching things up will ensure that each muscle group gets trained in a different way.
The more time you spend on one muscle group, the slower the rate of muscle gain. This is because the muscles will start to adapt to the stresses placed upon them.
To speed up the adaptation process, it’s important to train each muscle group within 48 hours of each other. This will trickle down to each muscle fiber and help them recover and grow in a more effective manner.
Supplements
While there’s no substitute for hard work and a solid nutrition plan when it comes to building muscle, supplements can help accelerate gains. The following four science-backed options aim to support protein synthesis, increase recovery and improve workouts, among other benefits.
These supplements are commonly used by bodybuilders, weightlifters and mixed martial artists to facilitate an increase in muscle mass, strength and athletic performance. They may contain ingredients such as whey protein, creatine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) and glutamine, among others. These products are typically available in capsule, tablet or powder form.
Protein is the primary source for muscle growth, and a study published in 2018 found that increasing protein intake significantly increases changes in muscle size when paired with resistance training. Aim to consume protein up to two hours after a workout, as this is when it can best promote muscle growth. You can also take protein as a pre-workout supplement, though be sure to get most of your daily protein from whole foods.
Amino acid supplementation is another staple for lifters, as these nutrients play an essential role in many of the body’s processes, including protein creation, hormone production and neurotransmitter formation. Amino acids are naturally occurring in protein-rich foods such as meat and beans, but some of the proteins used in supplements may be sourced from cattle raised in cramped and filthy conditions, which can lead to deficiencies in certain amino acids.
A few of these amino acids are called branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and three in particular—leucine, isoleucine and valine—are the most important for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. BCAAs are typically consumed as a pre-workout supplement to promote focus and hydration, or post-workout to support recovery.
You can find many of the ingredients listed in these muscle-building supplements as standalone options, but it’s worth noting that some are included as part of a stack, which are proprietary blends that claim to offer synergistic benefits. When choosing a stack, look for a product that includes a Certificate of Analysis from an independent third party company, such as NSF, USP or ConsumerLab. This indicates that the manufacturer has voluntarily undergone independent testing and the product is consistent from batch to batch.
Recovery
Building muscle takes time, so it’s important to make sure your body is properly recovering between workouts. You can maximize recovery through a combination of hydration, diet and supplements.
Drinking fluids is a must, but the most effective muscle-building recovery strategy involves the use of protein and complex carbohydrates after each workout. The carbs provide the energy to fuel muscle growth, while protein helps repair and stimulates the synthesis of new muscle fibers. Eat a protein-rich meal within an hour of your workout, such as chicken breast, eggs, dairy or whey protein powder, and combine it with a carb source, like whole milk, brown rice, spinach or bananas.
When weight training, the muscles are damaged during the workout, which activates satellite cells to repair the damage. This creates new muscle fiber, resulting in the development of larger, stronger muscles.
The amount of time needed to recover depends on the intensity of each workout and your body’s individual responses. Generally, it’s recommended to take one day off from exercise per week and allow the muscles to rest completely. It may be possible for some athletes to train more than once a week, but they should avoid very high-intensity workouts and listen to their bodies.
Getting enough quality sleep is also vital for proper recovery. The body produces most of its growth hormones during sleep, which are essential for promoting muscle mass. It’s best to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
In addition to hydration, other recovery strategies include avoiding sugar and alcohol, and sleeping in a dark, cool environment. It’s also a good idea to seek professional advice from a gym instructor, personal trainer or exercise physiologist. They can help ensure you’re performing each exercise correctly, which will reduce the risk of injury.
While gaining muscle can be challenging, it doesn’t have to be painful or uncomfortable. By following these tips, you can build a strong, lean physique that will benefit your health for the rest of your life.