Muscle Growth: 12 Essential tips to build more muscle
By Martin Ebner (updated 24/06/21)
If you're a man and I'm guessing you probably are if you're reading this, it's unlikely that you looked in the mirror recently and thought, damn! I'm too muscular.
As men, it's in our nature to want to look bigger and feel stronger, but with so much misleading and false information online, in magazines, and from so-called “health and fitness professionals'' on social media, knowing what to believe, where to start and what to do to optimize muscle growth can often feel confusing and overwhelming.
Thankfully it needn't be as complicated as you might think. Here are 12 things you can do to start building more muscle today. Ladies, these tips also apply to you.
1. It’s very hard to gain muscle.
First and foremost, it’s important that you know and understand just how difficult it is to gain muscle. It’s not like fat. You cannot just shovel crap into your face to get swole. It takes a lot of time, we’re talking years, not weeks and months, a tremendous amount of effort and consistency. While science would suggest that your muscle atrophies (shrinks) at half the rate of growth, I disagree. Two months working out with a three-month break will get you nowhere! You need to work out every week (with an occasional deload week here and there) for as long as it takes. And, just FYI, there is no end date!
2. You can't build muscle and lose weight at the same time
Sorry guys. Unless you're training under the watchful eye of a team of scientists, and I'm pretty sure you're not, it's just not realistic! Building muscle requires an excess of calories, whereas weight loss requires a calorie deficit. They're directly conflicting goals! It's really that simple.
If your goal is to maximize muscle growth, forget weight loss for now and focus on making big gains by training hard and consuming enough calories. For muscle growth with minimal fat gain for the average person, aim for a daily calorie excess of 500+ calories on top of maintenance. That’s roughly 27 x weight (in kilos).
Related: How to bulk up without gaining fat
3. Follow a workout plan
I see this all the time. Someone rocks up to the gym, hops on the stationary bike for 15 minutes, saunters around, does a little ab work, some biceps and calls it a day! Sound familiar? There is very little worse for motivation and muscle growth than not having a plan to follow and here’s why. Not only does a workout plan act as a road map to help you achieve your goals, but it’s also your accountability to start, follow and finish your workouts. If you aren’t sure how to create one, get in touch with a PT or ask one of the trainers at your gym to help you put one together.
Extra: Make sure to keep it updated weekly with notes of your rep count, weights used, sets, rest times, form pointers, likes/dislikes, etc and modify it if and when you feel it’s needed.
4. Muscle growth requires progressive overload
Muscles get stronger and grow bigger when we challenge them. This is what we call progressive overload and is produced by gradually increasing the weight, frequency, and/or the number of repetitions in your strength training routine.
When your goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth) aim to rep out as frequently as possible during your workouts (ideally every exercise). To rep out means when you can no longer complete a repetition with good form. You should ideally aim to hit muscular failure between 8-12 reps from set 3 onwards.
Related: Rep ranges for fitness goal - Should you go low, moderate or high?
5. Compound exercises build more muscle than isolation exercises
If the first exercise you do when you enter the gym is bicep curls, you've got the wrong idea and you’re wasting your time. While isolation exercises can and should be used during workouts, they by no means should be your priority. To really fire up your muscle-building potential, focus your workouts around exercises that use the biggest muscle groups and the most amount of muscles at the same time. Think squats, deadlifts, bent-over rows, pull-ups, bench press and hip thrusts. You can always rep out on bicep curls at the end of your workout, just not at the start.
6. Routine can be the Ally and the enemy
Routine and consistency are very different things when it comes to working out and building muscle. While too little of the same thing won't yield significant results, too much repetition can have equally disappointing results. Your body responds and reacts to being challenged, not when faced with long-term monotony.
If you've been repeating the same workouts for 12+ weeks or if you feel that you can no longer progress with your routine, it's time to change things up. You can do this by mixing up the order, changing the rep ranges, rest times, muscle group combinations, incorporating new exercises, etc. By experimenting with different training variables every 8 – 12 weeks, you'll keep your body guessing which will pay dividends to your muscle growth and results.
Related: 5 training methods to take your fitness to the next level
7. You need to consume enough protein
Protein is an essential macronutrient and the building block for muscle growth. Without an adequate and continuous supply of protein, your body will not only struggle to build new muscle but also to recover from workouts and maintain your current muscle mass – something that becomes increasingly important as you age.
For optimal muscle maintenance and growth, aim for 1.5 - 2.5g of protein per kilo of body weight daily.
8. You need to consume enough carbs
While protein gets all the glory, without carbs, you can't build muscle. Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of fuel and if you neglect to consume enough, not only might you struggle to find the energy you need to power you through a tough workout, your body may break down small amounts of muscle as it compensates for a lack of its primary energy source. Depending on your training frequency and calorie requirements, as a rough guide, aim for between 2 - 5g carbs per kilo of body weight daily.
9. Eat adequately and often
When in doubt, eat adequately and often. While some might suggest intermittent fasting or 3 big meals a day are better, when your goal is muscle growth, don't risk it! By eating regularly, you guarantee that your body has enough high-quality calories (from healthy protein, carbs and fat) readily available to help aid recovery, maintain energy levels and encourage muscle building.
If the idea of what, when, and how much to eat still has you scratching your head, fear not! We’ve created a fully comprehensive BULK UP meal plan for anyone looking to build some serious muscle and size.
The Skinny Guy’s BULK UP meal plan
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE PLAN:
✔ A fully comprehensive 7-day food plan (To be repeated until you reach your ideal weight and/or results).
✔ A carefully calculated daily macronutrient split and precise measurements to maximize weight gain and encourage muscle growth for Ectomorphs.
✔ A delicious and highly effective post-workout smoothie recipe for BIG gains!
✔ Supplement recommendations.
✔ Combines perfectly with the Skinny guy’s bulk-up workout plan
The file is in PDF format and is compatible with all phones, computers, and tablets.
10. Post-workout nutrition is the most important meal on the day for muscle growth
As a personal trainer, I find that I constantly have to nag my clients to take their post-workout nutrition more seriously. Personally, if I don't have access to good post-workout nutrition, I might not work out until I do (seriously!!).
Following a tough workout, your muscles are sore, damaged and depleted of glycogen (Your body's storage form of carbohydrates ). Your body craves replenishment so that it can begin the recovery process - one in which the body heals damaged muscle fibers allowing them to grow back bigger and stronger. This process can only take place with the right post-workout nutrition.
For optimal recovery and best results, aim for a ratio of 2-3:1 carbs to protein immediately following a workout.
If you struggle to stomach food immediately following a workout, you may want to consider supplements. While they should never replace a healthy and balanced diet, they can be extremely convenient and help facilitate hitting your daily macronutrient goals.
Still not sure what to eat? Check out our goal-specific diet plans
Related: Bodybuilding: A Personal Trainer's Favorite Supplements for Bulking Up
11. Muscles grow when resting
While it may seem counterproductive to take rest days, it's actually when your muscles grow. Remember that each and every time you push hard during a workout, your muscles get damaged. If you don't allow them adequate time to fully recover and grow back stronger, it could be detrimental to your results and wellbeing.
At the very least, allow 48 hours recovery between the same muscle group workouts. If you're pushing to absolute muscle failure during your weight training workouts, which I'm sure you are, you're going to need it!
Note: While full rest days (doing nothing at all) can be beneficial, active rest days (those that involve some light recuperative exercise) are best as they encourage blood flow which helps aid recovery. Light cycling, walking, yoga, stretching or foam rolling and all great activities for active recovery.
Related: How to make the most out of your rest days
12. Muscles grow when you sleep
On the topic of rest, it's important to get enough sleep (Ideally 8 hours a night).
As we sleep, energy consumption is much less, allowing us to utilise the nutrients we consume during the day to more effectively recover, build muscle and to recharge the brain (fundamental for motivation and focus). Not only that but sleep can help combat fat gain by reducing Ghrelin, the hormone that tells us to eat. Studies show that those that are underslept consume an average 200-300 calories extra a day. That’s a whopping 70,000 calories a year.
Related: How sleep affects athletic performance
