Logan Steele
Building muscle requires a combination of strength training, aerobic exercise, and a nutritious diet. While building muscle is a slow process, it is possible for most people with proper training programs and protein consumption. Weight training is particularly effective, and a well-designed program should focus on all major muscles, with particular attention to the leg muscles, which are used often in everyday movements. In addition to weight training, aerobic exercise, or cardio, can also help with muscle growth, muscle function, and overall exercise capacity. A nutritious diet that is high in protein is also important for building muscle.
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What You'll Learn
Weight training
When starting a weight training program, it is important to begin with light weights and gradually increase the weight or resistance level. This is known as progressive overload, and it is a key principle in muscle growth. Aim to train two to three times per week, giving your muscles time to recover. During recovery, muscle growth occurs. It is also important to focus on compound exercises that work multiple major muscle groups, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These exercises allow you to use more weight and build strength efficiently.
The correct form and breathing techniques are crucial when weight training. Lifting should be done at a seven-second tempo: three seconds to lift the weight, a one-second pause, and three seconds to lower it. Use enough weight so that the last few reps are challenging, but not so heavy that you cannot lift the weight at least eight times. As you get stronger, increase the weight. This progressive increase in resistance is essential for muscle growth, as muscles only grow stronger when faced with new challenges.
It is also important to limit intense weight room workouts to 12 to 16 sets and not exceed this. While it is beneficial to occasionally push your body to its limits, these workouts should be limited to three times a week, never on consecutive days. Recovery is a vital aspect of muscle growth, and research shows that consuming carbohydrates on rest days helps rebuild muscle faster.
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Cardio
Doing cardio is not necessary for building muscle, but it can be beneficial and help improve your overall health. It is a myth that too much cardio is bad for building muscle. In fact, aerobic exercise can help with muscle growth, muscle function, and your overall exercise capacity, especially in older and previously sedentary individuals.
If your primary goal is to build muscle, it is generally recommended to do strength training first. However, doing cardio can help ensure that you don't get fat from the excessive eating that is often required to build muscle. Cardio can also improve your cardiovascular system, which will improve the quality of your weight training workouts.
The key to building muscle while doing cardio is to find the right balance. Doing too much cardio can slow down your muscle gains, as it can take up the resources required to build muscle and hinder recovery. The best approach is to do light cardio 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes. If you are an athlete, you may need to increase this to 60 minutes if your resting heart rate is over 65bpm. You should also vary your activities and intensities as much as possible.
There are many forms of cardio that can help enhance your muscle-building phase. For example, sprinting, swimming, cycling, stair climbing, walking, and jogging are all great options. These exercises enhance blood flow to your working muscles and can improve your recovery from other forms of exercise. Just remember to keep your heart rate in check to avoid compromising your muscle-building ability.
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Nutrition
Macronutrients
Macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—are essential for muscle building.
Protein
Protein provides the amino acids that are used as the building blocks of muscle protein. Leucine, an amino acid that helps with muscle building, cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from food. It is recommended to consume 1.4–2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to help maximize muscle mass. This can be obtained from whole foods and supplements. Good sources of protein include:
- Lean meats, such as sirloin steak, ground beef, pork tenderloin, venison, chicken breast, and lean poultry
- Fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines, and trout
- Beans
- Dairy products, such as low-fat cottage cheese
- Eggs
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles as glycogen, which keeps the muscles full and large and fuels them during workouts. To gain muscle mass, aim for 360–540 grams of carbohydrates per day. Focus on slow-digesting carb sources such as:
- Whole grains
- Oatmeal
- Sweet potatoes
- Beans
- Fruits and vegetables
Fats
Although dietary fats do not play a significant role in building muscle, they are important for maintaining hormonal function and a healthy immune system. A fat-free diet can impede muscle growth, especially for those who vigorously exercise. Aim for 20–30% of your total daily calories to come from fat. Good sources of healthy fats include:
- Vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola oil
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines, and trout
Calories
In addition to macronutrients, consuming an adequate number of calories is crucial for building muscle. A calorie surplus of around 350 to 500 calories, along with regular resistance training, can promote muscle gain.
Meal Timing and Frequency
The timing and frequency of meals can also impact muscle building. Some research suggests that consuming protein before and after a workout can enhance muscle-building potential and aid in recovery. Additionally, eating smaller meals every three to four hours may be more beneficial for muscle protein synthesis than larger, less frequent meals.
Supplements
Creatine is a popular and effective supplement for muscle building, backed by numerous scientific studies. It is generally considered safe and suitable for most athletes, regardless of age or gender.
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Rest and recovery
- Passive recovery: This involves a complete cessation from exercise and is synonymous with complete rest. The amount of passive recovery your body needs depends on multiple factors, including your current fitness level, exercise history, workout frequency, duration, intensity, and type.
- Low-intensity activities: Engage in low-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, or stretching to promote blood flow and aid muscle recovery without overloading your system.
- Sleep: Getting good quality sleep is essential for muscle recovery. During sleep, the body produces hormones that aid in muscle repair and recovery. Aim for the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and avoid screen time and alcohol before bed to ensure quality sleep.
- Nutrition and hydration: A balanced diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates is crucial for muscle recovery and growth. Water and electrolytes are also essential to support metabolic processes and overall cellular function.
- Stress management: Stress can increase recovery time, so it is important to focus on techniques for managing stress on rest days.
- Supplements: Creatine and protein powder are examples of supplements that can aid in muscle recovery and growth.
Benefits of Rest and Recovery
- Muscle repair and growth: Rest allows damaged muscle fibres to repair and regrow, increasing volume and strength.
- Hormonal balance: Proper rest helps regulate hormones, ensuring the body remains in an anabolic (muscle-building) state. It also helps maintain testosterone levels, which are essential for muscle growth.
- Energy restoration: Rest helps restore energy levels, allowing you to approach your next workout with full stamina.
- Injury prevention: Inadequate rest can lead to overuse and injury. Rest and recovery help prevent this by giving your muscles time to heal and adapt to new levels of intensity.
- Improved overall health: Rest and recovery contribute to better immunity, reduced inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and enhanced cardiovascular health.
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Tempo and repetition
Different lifting speeds produce different training effects. Faster reps allow the use of heavier weights, but slower reps increase muscle tension, which is key to muscle growth. A good rule of thumb for beginners is a concentric of 2-3 seconds and an eccentric of 3-4 seconds. Advanced bodybuilders can further manipulate tempo by dissecting their reps into smaller segments. For example, a 4-0-2-3 tempo for leg extensions involves lowering the weight in four seconds, no pause, lifting in two seconds, then holding and squeezing at the top for three seconds.
There is a lot of debate around the benefits of extended tempo (longer time under tension) for building muscle. Some studies suggest that slowing down the eccentric phase leads to greater muscle damage, strength gains, and hypertrophy. However, other studies suggest that a wide variety of repetition tempos are equally effective for building muscle, as long as the total rep duration falls within a certain range (between two and eight seconds).
It's important to note that tempo training is not meant to be used with all exercises. For highly technical lifts or explosive moves, slowing down can lead to injury. Tempo training is also just one tool in a broader strategy for building muscle. It's recommended to continually change your programs and incorporate a variety of techniques to avoid plateauing.
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Frequently asked questions
Building muscle requires a combination of strength training and a diet rich in protein. Aim to perform exercises that work multiple muscle groups, such as squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and bench presses.
Weight training is an effective way to build muscle. Aim to train for 20-30 minutes, 2-4 times a week. Focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups, such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges.
The weight you lift should be heavy enough to challenge your muscles. A good guide is to select a weight that tires your muscles after 12-15 repetitions. You should aim to lift a weight that you can lift no more than 8-15 times.
Building muscle takes time and persistence. While you may not see results right away, you should notice muscle gains in a few weeks to several months.
To build muscle, aim for a diet rich in protein. Shoot for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is the maximum amount your body can use in a day. Avoid high-protein diets and focus on nutritious high-fat foods such as avocado or nuts.
