The ultimate guide to training to build muscle isn’t a one-size-fits-all one – so we’re not going to give you one. Instead, we’ll give you a general guide with multiple suggestions to suit everyone from beginner to advanced lifters.
It’s all about trial and error – read on to find your lifting formula.
Training Styles
There are so many training styles that incorporate weight lifting that work.
You can go traditional and simply stick to weightlifting, and as long as you’re eating the right diet, you will gain muscle. Even if you’re not eating the right diet, you’ll gain muscle; it just might show itself differently than if you were eating a clean, lean diet. Compound lifts (using multiple muscle groups) and lifting at least 3 times a week and following a routine like legs, push (chest press, shoulder press, etc), and pull (bent over row, bicep curl, etc), is the most standard route people follow.
Hybrid training is also becoming popular – combining cardio and weightlifting. This one is actually super effective for building lean muscle, again, only if you follow a clean and lean diet. You would still weight lift as we’ve described above, but incorporate runs, cycles, swims, etc, 2-3 times per week.
Top tip: Don’t neglect recovery. Sleep right, rest when your body needs it, and progressive overload (increasing weight as your strength allows) your workouts each week or every two weeks to prevent injury.
Diet and Supplements
We said it above, but nutrition is essential. And as we said, you will see muscle growth, but it might not necessarily look how you’d like it to.
The first option is to follow a balanced, clean diet using the 80/20 rule – 80% of your diet must come from non-processed, nutritious, whole foods. The single-ingredient diet trend is growing, removing unnecessary additives that some food brands add, like gums, sugars, chemical preservatives, etc.
Another diet that’s growing in popularity is the carnivore diet, and there are tons of benefits. Increased strength, mental focus, and improved digestion are all benefits of the diet. The carnivore diet involves only eating animal products and cutting out vegetables and fruits. Now, we wouldn’t suggest following it so strictly.
The concept is good. It removes anything processed and fills your intake with protein, inducing ketosis but not severely. But we would suggest still adding in some vegetables and fruits for a balanced diet.
You should also focus on supplements, most essentially creatine and Canadian anabolics if you want to see rapid improvements in strength and muscle gain.
Top tip: On average, people need between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight.
Consistency With Diet and Gym
Consistency is something people struggle with in the beginning. Consistency is the reason why 43% of people give up on their fitness goals.
With just 3 weeks of consistency, including 3 workouts per week and a good diet, you will see a difference – beginners, we’re talking to you. And if you’re struggling to hit your protein intake, start adding a protein shake in the morning and evening (especially post-workout) to your diet.
We’d say the routine is the most tricky part for any beginner but once it’s there, it’s there to stay. We’d also recommend finding a good weightlifting app with training plans to give you a structure to follow.
Advanced lifters, be consistent with switching up your workouts. Don’t stop progressive overloading and shocking the muscles.
The ultimate guide to building muscle could be an endless article – there are so many ways to do it. Find your method, stick with it, and see how long it takes for you to see the benefit.
