Dominic Stone
Building muscle takes time, consistency, and hard work, but it's not impossible. In fact, you can start building muscle in the gym with no prior fitness experience. To get started, it's important to have the right gear and to know which exercises to do. It's also crucial to fuel your body with the right nutrients and to get enough rest. If you're skinny and trying to bulk up, you may want to avoid cardio, but if you're looking to lose weight, cardio can be beneficial. Either way, building muscle will help you burn more calories throughout the day.
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What You'll Learn
Resistance training
How to Get Started
- Before starting a new fitness program, it is recommended to consult with a doctor or a fitness professional.
- Start with light aerobic exercise and dynamic stretching to warm up. Dynamic stretching involves slow, controlled movements through a full range of motion.
- Begin with bodyweight training, using your own body weight as resistance. This can include exercises such as push-ups, squats, and planks. Aim for 8 to 15 reps per exercise.
- Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts by adjusting the weight, reps, sets, or duration of contraction. You can also reduce rest time or increase the volume of training.
- Once you have built a base level of strength, you can incorporate free weights or weight machines to continue challenging your muscles. Dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells are commonly used for resistance training.
- Focus on proper form and safety to reduce the risk of injury. Maintain a clean form during your exercises, and ensure you are using the correct technique.
- Rest each muscle group for at least 48 hours between workouts to maximise gains and recovery.
Benefits of Resistance Training
- Building muscle mass and strength
- Weight loss and abdominal fat reduction
- Improved cardiovascular health and increased resting metabolic rate
- Better insulin sensitivity and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Enhanced bone development and reduced back pain
- Improved overall well-being and physical function
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Consume a calorie surplus
Consuming a calorie surplus is a key component of building muscle. This means eating more calories than your body burns off, ensuring there is energy available for muscle growth. Sports nutritionist and personal trainer Angie Asche notes that under-eating can leave you feeling tired during workouts and may even increase the risk of injury.
To determine your calorie surplus, you can use a TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator to estimate your daily caloric usage. You can then aim to eat more than this amount each day, monitoring your scale weight to ensure it is increasing. This can be done by tracking your meals using a calorie tracker app and then adjusting your intake based on the relationship between your efforts and results over a 3-4 month period.
It is important to focus on consuming whole foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, and grains. Prioritise a diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. For maximum muscle growth, set a protein target of either 160 grams per day or 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day, spread out over 3-4 meals.
Additionally, ensure you are getting adequate rest and recovery. Building muscle requires a consistent and well-rounded approach, combining proper nutrition, strength training, and sufficient rest.
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Eat enough protein
Eating enough protein is essential for building muscle. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. When you strength train, you create tiny micro-tears in your muscles; consuming protein helps repair these tears, resulting in muscle growth.
To build muscle, it is recommended to consume 160 grams of protein per day, or 0.8 grams per pound of body weight—whichever is greater. This should be spread out over 3-4 meals throughout the day. Focus on whole foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, as well as plant-based sources like beans, nuts, and legumes.
If you are eating enough protein and have adequate fat stores, you can build muscle even in a caloric deficit. However, once you start to lean out, you may need to increase your calorie intake to continue building muscle. Remember that under-eating can lead to fatigue during workouts, increased risk of injury, and hinder your progress.
In addition to protein, ensure you are consuming a balanced diet with healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. This will provide your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to support muscle growth and overall health.
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Rest and recovery
Listen to Your Body and Respect Your Limits:
Pay attention to your body's signals and respect its limits. Everyone has off days, and it's important to adjust your workouts accordingly. If you're consistently struggling with motivation or physical fatigue, consider adjusting your routine or seeking guidance from a professional.
Allow for Adequate Rest Days:
Rest days are crucial for muscle recovery and growth. Avoid training the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Allow at least one day for rest and recovery between intense workouts targeting the same muscle groups. This gives your muscles time to repair and grow stronger.
Prioritize Sleep:
Getting sufficient, high-quality sleep is vital for muscle recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine to improve your sleep quality.
Proper Nutrition:
Nutrition plays a key role in muscle recovery. Ensure you're consuming enough calories and an adequate amount of protein to support muscle growth and repair. Aim for a balanced diet that includes whole foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, and grains.
Active Recovery:
While rest days are important, incorporating active recovery sessions into your routine can help enhance your recovery. Low-intensity activities such as walking, swimming, or yoga can promote blood flow to speed up muscle recovery while keeping your body active and mobile.
Hydration:
Staying properly hydrated is crucial for muscle recovery. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support muscle repair and remove waste products that accumulate during intense workouts.
Gradual Progression:
As you progress in your muscle-building journey, gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts. This gives your body time to adapt and recover while building strength and size.
Remember, rest and recovery are just as important as your training regimen. By allowing your body to rest and recover, you'll be able to train harder, reduce the risk of injury, and see better results over time.
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Consistency
To maximize muscle growth, focus on the big lifts first, such as squats, deadlifts, and presses, which incorporate multiple muscle groups. Three workouts a week is a great place to start, with each workout lasting around 45 minutes. You can build muscle with just 2-3 sessions per week, but make sure your routines are intense and exhausting. Remember to warm up before lifting heavy weights, and always respect your body's need for rest.
Finally, remember that building muscle takes time and consistent effort. Don't expect overnight results, but stick with your routine, and you'll see progress over weeks and months. Consistency in your workouts, diet, and recovery will lead to gains and help you achieve your muscle-building goals.
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Frequently asked questions
Building muscle requires hard work and consistency. Strength training with weights is the most effective way to build muscle mass, especially with compound exercises like squats and deadlifts. It's important to fuel your body with the right nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
Three workouts a week is a great place to start. You need to give your muscles time to recover and regrow bigger. Less is often more, as long as your routines are intense and exhausting.
Building muscle takes time and consistent effort. Don't expect overnight results, but stick with your routine and you'll see progress. It's also important to warm up before lifting heavy weights and to stretch thoroughly after your workout.
