Building muscle mass requires a combination of regular exercise, a protein-rich diet, and proper recovery. Following a structured plan from a personal trainer and a nutritionist can help achieve the best results.
Rest is essential, as muscle fibers are damaged during workouts and need time to recover and grow.
Nutrition provides the nutrients needed for muscle fibers to increase in size, supporting hypertrophy.
Check-out our tips on how to gain muscle, backed by our in-house personal trainer:
1. Perform each exercise slowly
Strength training exercises should be performed slowly, especially during the contraction phase. Slow movements help engage more muscle fibers, leading to greater muscle growth during recovery. Moving slowly also improves body awareness and helps prevent compensations that make exercises easier but less effective.
2. Continue exercising through mild discomfort
Muscle discomfort or a burning sensation during exercise is a sign that muscle fibers are being challenged, which supports hypertrophy during recovery. Certain techniques, like drop sets, encourage working to the point of muscle failure for maximum fiber recruitment. If pain occurs in a joint or an unrelated muscle, it is important to stop or reduce intensity to prevent injury.
3. Train 3 to 5 times per week
Regular training, about 3 to 5 times per week, is recommended for muscle growth. Each muscle group should be trained 1 to 2 times per week. Trainers often recommend split routines, such as the ABC method, to target different muscle groups and support hypertrophy.
4. Eat a protein-rich diet
A healthy diet high in protein is essential for building muscle. The recommended intake is 1.6 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Foods rich in protein include eggs, chicken, fish, red meat, lentils, and soy. These foods help maintain and repair muscle fibers, supporting muscle growth.
5. Include healthy fats and complex carbohydrates before workouts
Along with protein, consuming healthy fats and complex carbohydrates before exercise provides the energy needed for physical activity. Increasing daily calorie intake by 400 to 500 calories, consuming more than is burned, also supports muscle gain.
6. Train with intensity
Workouts should be intense, beginning with a light warm-up using aerobic activity or quick repetitions of the exercises planned for the day. After strength training, aerobic exercise can help boost metabolism and calorie burning, further supporting hypertrophy.
7. Change workouts regularly
Changing the workout routine every 4 to 5 weeks helps prevent muscle adaptation, which can slow muscle growth. Trainers can assess progress and recommend new exercises and strategies to keep training effective.
8. Use about 65% of your maximum strength
Exercises should be performed using about 65% of the maximum weight that can be lifted for one repetition. For example, if a single repetition of a leg extension can be done with 65 pounds, using about 45 pounds for a full set is recommended. As strength increases, gradually increasing the weight is necessary to continue promoting muscle growth.
9. Maintain exercise after reaching goals
After reaching muscle-building goals, continuing to exercise is important to maintain muscle definition. Muscle mass loss can begin within 15 days without training. Initial results are often seen after three months of regular strength training, with significant changes in muscle growth and definition typically visible after six months. Improvements in cardiovascular fitness can be noticed within the first month.
10. Consider nutritional supplements
Nutritional supplements like whey protein, creatine, BCAA, and collagen can support muscle growth and recovery. These supplements should only be used under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist to ensure safety and effectiveness.
11. Get enough sleep
Poor sleep quality is linked to a greater risk of muscle loss and reduced strength. Sleeping at least seven hours per night helps increase IGF-1 hormone levels, which play a key role in protein synthesis and muscle growth.