Want To Build Muscle? Make Sure You Follow These Tips

Hey there! If you’re looking to build muscle, I’ve got some tips that might be helpful. Let’s face it, building muscle is tough, but it’s definitely doable with the right approach. 

So, let’s get started on your journey to building some serious muscle!

If you’re ready to take on the challenge of building muscle, then these tips are for you. Most of us hit the gym to build muscle and get that perfectly defined physique. But it’s not just about pumping iron and consuming protein shakes. 

To build muscle, you need to make sure you’re maximising your workout performance, following a well-calculated diet, and providing your muscles with the proper recovery time they need to grow. 

So, are you ready to start building some serious muscle?. 

What is Hypertrophy?

For effective muscle building, it is necessary to understand the concept of hypertrophy. It refers to an increase in the size of muscle cells resulting in growth. 

Our body is always in a continual process of reviving and recycling protein building blocks in our muscles. 

Muscle hypertrophy occurs when muscle protein synthesis surpasses muscle protein breakdown resulting in a positive net protein balance. If there is more removal than addition, it results in muscle loss. However, if the balance is even, there won’t be any change in muscle size.

Vital Muscle Building Tips You Need to Follow

Now let’s discuss vital muscle-building tips that may help build your most muscular physique.

1. Exercise & Training

Exercise plays a key role as it stimulates muscle protein synthesis. However, spending the whole day in the gym is not the answer. Studies have shown that resistance training effectively develops muscle strength and stimulates new muscle growth.

Choosing the right amount of weight and deciding on repetitions is crucial. One must structure the training program meticulously to avoid overtraining.

(i) Focus on Eccentric Phase

Our muscles contract to produce force, and these contractions are of three types – concentric, eccentric, and isometric.

One must focus on eccentric training if the goal is to increase muscle growth. This strength training technique involves the muscle lengthening portion of an exercise by slowing down the movement. 

It supports greater movement efficiency and amplifies muscle growth.

During this phase, one can expect more micro-tears and DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). However, the muscle breakdown causes connective tissue surrounding the muscle to undergo higher levels of soreness, creating more potential for DOMS and more remarkable muscle growth through recovery. 

Macrophages and lymphocytes come into action as an inflammatory response. They fight bacteria and remove extracellular debris, increasing muscle repair, growth, and recovery. It is essential to perform eccentric training under expert supervision to avoid injury. 

(ii) Isolation Exercises

Isolation exercises are necessary for muscle growth as they focus on one muscle group and add strength. They also help recover quickly and promote faster healing.

Isolation exercises are great for target toning and improving muscle imbalances. Here are some fruitful isolation exercises to consider to build muscles.

For Chest

• Dumbbell Flyes
• Bodyweight Flyes
• Butterfly Machine
• Cable Crossovers
• Flat Bench Cable Flyes
• Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Press

For Shoulders

• Barbell Shrug
• Dumbbell Shrug
• Reverse Flyes
• Dumbbell Lateral Raise
• Dumbbell Front Raise

For Biceps and Triceps

• Concentration Curls
• Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Hammer Curls
• Barbell Curl
• Tricep Pushdown
• Tricep Kickback
• Machine Triceps Extension

For Legs

• Hamstring Curls
• Lying Leg Curls
• Leg Extensions
• Calf Raises

(iii) Increase Training Volume

Training volume refers to the total workout load per exercise, session, and week. It plays a significant role in gaining muscle mass as it has been observed that multiple sets are associated with greater muscle size. 

One can start with ten sets per muscle and eventually increase to 15-20 sets per muscle per week. However, volume tolerance will vary from individual to individual. 

Several factors affect the training volume.

• Age: Muscles respond more when they are young. An adult of 30 years will develop muscle more quickly than a person of 65+ years.
• Health Status: Any medical condition might affect the muscle growth rate.
• Training History: You will be able to tolerate more if you have been training.
• Recovery: Incomplete recovery can affect muscle growth; hence ensure that you take proper food, protein, and sleep. 
• Stress: Elevated stress or cortisol levels in the body can sabotage muscle gains and increase muscle recovery time.

Yes, it is absolutely correct that greater training volume means better gains but to a certain extent. Overdoing is not advisable as it will only degenerate the muscle cells. 

Initially, you will feel the muscle size and strength difference by increasing the intensity and training volume. But working out beyond optimal training can deteriorate the athletic performance as training is more than the body can recover from.

The most promising way to lessen the risk of muscle and joint injuries is to avoid doing too sharp increases in the training volume.

2. Diet and Supplementation

One may not get the desired change in body composition if the muscles aren’t fueled properly. Getting the right proportion of nutrients and calories is crucial for building muscle and not adding fat.  

Calorie determination should be the first step once you begin designing a calculated meal plan for building muscles. It is necessary to adjust the calorie intake throughout the process as one starts noticing changes in body composition. 

(i) Protein

Over the past years, the muscle-related benefits of consuming a high-protein diet have become clearly evident. Increased protein intake evenly distributed across meals contributes to greater strength and muscle mass gains when coupled with resistance exercise, allowing higher muscle mass preservation.  

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the protein requirement may range between 1.4-2 grams per kg body weight per day for highly active athletes. The protein should be evenly distributed every 3-4 hours across the day. 

Protein should preferably come from high-quality protein sources like dairy, whey protein, eggs, chicken, and seafood to fulfill daily essential amino acid needs, particularly leucine. 

Before bedtime, casein protein intake (30–40 g) boosts overnight muscle protein synthesis and metabolic rate without impacting fat breakdown.

(ii) Carbohydrate

Ignoring carbs is the most common mistake that one is likely to make during bodybuilding. Insufficient carbohydrates can impair strength training as they can reduce glycogen depletion and enhance performance. 

Though low-carb diets are fruitful during the weight loss and cutting phase, severely restricting carbohydrates may prove harmful. Therefore, one needs to determine a point when the carb reduction is optimal and unlikely to become detrimental.

The carbohydrate requirement may range between 4-7 grams per kg body weight per day, depending on the training intensity.

(iii) Fat

Adequate fat intake is essential as they are a good energy source. Studies support that dietary fat impacts anabolic hormone concentrations; therefore, it can not be overlooked during muscle growth. 

At times people aiming to build muscle believe in severely restricting the fat, which is not advisable. Workouts are fueled by fats when the body runs out of carb stores, and you won’t be able to push more without enough fat.

One must meet the dietary fat needs through healthy fat sources like fatty fish, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, whole eggs, and avocado. They promote HDL cholesterol levels in the body, stimulating the production of growth hormones.

Fats are also needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, which otherwise can lead to nutritional deficiency and affect energy metabolism.

Experts suggest that fat should form 15-20% of the total calorie intake from healthy sources.

Nutrition Supplementation for Complete Muscle Build Up

Though physically active individuals can obtain their daily protein requirements through whole foods, supplementation is a productive and practical way of ensuring adequate protein quality and quantity while minimizing caloric intake, particularly for athletes completing high training volumes.

This section will discuss the approved nutrition supplements that are undoubtedly safe and can be considered to amplify workout capacity and muscle growth rate.

1. Protein Powder

Protein supplementation has been shown to accelerate muscle building when paired with proper exercise.⁴ One can opt for whey protein and casein protein powders that provide around 20-25 g of protein per serving with fewer calories. 

Whey protein shakes are a superb option for post-workout recovery when you need something for immediate muscle recovery. In contrast, casein protein forms a perfect bedtime meal for overnight muscle repair and maintenance.

Have plant-based protein powders if you need something equally beneficial but vegan and without lactose. 

2. Creatine Monohydrate

This ergogenic supplement increases the energy supply to the muscles by assisting the synthesis of phosphocreatine. Numerous studies observed a significant muscle strength and size boost when athletes introduced a creatine supplement to their training program.

3. Beta-Alanine

Beta-Alanine supplements play a powerful role in supporting muscle growth by providing stamina and delaying fatigue during workouts. 

Our skeletal muscles utilize beta-alanine to synthesize carnosine, which acts as a pH buffer and neutralizes the effects of lactic acid. Additionally, combining creatine and beta-alanine may increase high-intensity performance, increase lean mass and decrease body fat percentage more than creatine alone.

4. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAAs are the most popular and widely consumed amino acid supplements. They play a pivotal role in increasing lean mass and strength mainly due to the presence of leucine. Researchers say that BCAA intake increases skeletal muscle protein synthesis and decreases muscle degradation.

5. Multivitamins

Multivitamin supplements are often underestimated, but ideally, they should bag the top position in your product stack list. Taking a high-potency multivitamin and multi-mineral formula may help secure the supply of those essential nutrients necessary for thousands of metabolic reactions. 

Vitamins and minerals act on a cellular level and contribute to functions like oxidative stress reduction, the formation of collagen, and tissue repair. They also aid in increasing muscle mass and providing structural strength.

6. Glutamine

This most abundant amino acid enhances exercise performance, improves buffering capacity, and reduces muscle soreness after exercise. Glutamine also plays a key role in maintaining an electrolytic balance. Studies support that glutamine prevents sodium excretion when taken with glucose which can help prevent muscle cramping during and post-workout. 

Glutamine supplementation ameliorates BCAA oxidation which is vital for muscle growth and recovery.

7. Omega-3 Fats

The benefits of omega-3 fats are often linked to the heart and brain but do you know they can also speed up muscle recovery by alleviating inflammation and soreness. 

Muscle pain and soreness are commonly experienced post an intense workout session as increased free radical production might harm the muscles, ligaments, and joints. 

Studies support that EPA and DHA present in omega-3 fats curtail muscle damage and reduce DOMS severity (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of EPA and DHA improves muscle strength and joint flexibility with a better range of motion.

Effect of Hormones on Muscle Synthesis

• Insulin Growth Factor (IGF)-1 and Testosterone are the two vital hormones that promote muscle growth.
• Testosterone has been shown to increase synthesis, minimize breakdown and stimulate other anabolic hormones.
• Strength training also makes muscle cells more susceptible to testosterone hormone. 
• The IGF contributes to muscle growth by facilitating glucose and amino acids uptake into skeletal muscles to enhance protein synthesis. 

How to Build Muscle: Discover Even More Hacks

1. Sleep for Recovery

Without adequate sleep, your exercise and diet can suffer. Ensure that you get enough sleep (7-8 hours) as crucial muscle-building hormones are released during sleep. Sleep helps boost muscle coordination and overall muscle mass as our body repairs micro-tears in muscles that occur during exercise. 

2. Hydration

Dehydration affects the muscle, and water loss can adversely affect the muscle’s mechanical and metabolic functions. Therefore, it is always recommended to stay hydrated to maintain the body temperature, keep your joints lubricated and prevent cramping.

Hydration also ensures that you have enough stamina, and muscle contractions are better for maintaining muscle pumps.

Consider including water, watery fruits and vegetables, sports drinks, amino drinks like BCAAs and EAAs, electrolyte drinks, buttermilk, coconut water, lemon water, and herbal teas to maintain fluid intake. 

3. Consistency

Always remember that muscle building is a gradual process that requires constant training. Maintaining consistency adds to the stamina and improves the workout capacity with better efficiency. 

TL;DR

• Building muscle requires maximising workout performance, following a well-calculated diet, and providing proper recovery time.
• Hypertrophy is the increase in the size of muscle cells resulting in growth.
• Eccentric training, isolation exercises, and increasing training volume are vital for muscle building.
• Proper calorie intake, protein, carbs, and fat are necessary for muscle growth. Supplementation with protein powder, creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, BCAAs, multivitamins, glutamine, and omega-3 fats can amplify muscle growth.
• Hormones like IGF-1 and testosterone promote muscle growth.
• Adequate sleep and hydration, along with consistency, are essential for muscle building.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)