Have you been going to the gym and doing grueling workouts, but the results aren’t quite coming? That’s alright – your results are a journey. But it may be a good starting point to re-assess what you’re doing and ensure you’re maximizing your muscle-building efforts. This post’ll cover ten muscle-building tips to help you get where you need to be.
01 Do cardio
Are you scared to look at a treadmill so much because you’re worried it will ruin your muscle gains? Think again. Cardio can be a great addition to your muscle-building journey, especially if you’re not a beginner or someone who puts on muscle slowly.
Cardio can be used to build muscle. However, the main benefit of cardio may be that it complements strength training. Cardio can serve as a great active recovery option on rest days, for example. A light swim, a long walk, or even a jog can help you better recover between training sessions.
Alternatively, you can use cardio to slow down fat accumulation if you’re properly bulking. Some short, high-intensity exercise sessions can go a long way here. The main thing is to do a form of cardio that you actually enjoy.
02 Do Strength Exercises
If you’re the opposite and are worried about leaving the safety of a treadmill or a stationary bike, then you may be doing yourself a disfavor. A workout routine for muscle building must involve strength exercises, so you’ll need to give the stationary weights, machines, or weight racks a go. This advice goes to everyone building muscle: for women and men alike.
However, you must choose your exercises wisely. Don’t rely on social media and hype exercises to help you get where you need to be. Prioritize compound movements that challenge multiple muscles at the same time. Include some isolation exercises.
03 Increase Your Training Frequency
If you’re unable to see progress, it may be that you’re not challenging your muscles enough. Try increasing the training frequency to increase the load your muscles experience. You may benefit from splitting your workout routine to challenge certain muscle groups on certain days.
04 Increase the Weight
Another easy way to challenge your muscles more is to increase the weight that you’re using. This won’t make you into the Hulk overnight but will stimulate muscle growth more effectively. Increase your weight when you can do three more reps than your target rep number.
05 Get Enough Sleep
Sleep shouldn’t be overlooked when building muscle. Sleep is the time when the body recovers from a workout. In addition, insufficient sleep can lower your muscle protein synthesis by 18%, which is precisely what you would want to avoid. It’s a good idea to get consistent, good-quality sleep. If you need help achieving that, check out our blog on resetting your sleep schedule.
06 Get Plenty of Protein
One of the first rules of building muscle is providing it with the proper nutrients. A diet for building muscle must prioritize protein intake. Amino acids found in protein help build muscle and repair it after a challenging workout. Therefore, increasing protein intake is a must.
How much protein should you get? Anywhere between 1.6-2.0 grams of protein per kilo of body weight, a day will be enough. If you’ve been training for a long time, you may benefit from an even larger protein intake, up to around 3 grams per kilogram of weight.
There are multiple ways to help you meet your protein requirements, such as:
- Planning your meals around protein. For every meal and snack you have, pick a protein source and plan the meal around it. Whether it’s cottage cheese, lentils, or a piece of white fish, taking in some protein with every meal can help you reach your goals.
- Eating protein every 3-4 hours. Our muscles are constantly undergoing growth and breakdown. Supplying amino acids frequently can help you keep your body in a state of growth.
- Don’t forget protein for the night. Our muscles are still getting broken down while we sleep. It’s a good idea to shift the process towards muscle growth by providing amino acids during the night. Have a slow-release protein before going to bed. This will supply amino acids to you all through the night. Casein protein shakes are an excellent option for this.
- Combine multiple sources of protein. You need to get enough essential amino acids for muscle growth. Some plant proteins may lack certain amino acids, so combining complementary proteins in your meals is a good idea.
- Try a shake. If eating protein is too hard, why not drink it? Protein shakes like Maxler 100% Golden Whey.
07 Don’t Fear Carbs
When you’re eating for building muscle, protein is an obvious choice of nutrient. However, carbohydrates shouldn’t be overlooked either. Your body requires energy to build new muscle, so you should ideally be in a slight calorie surplus to build muscle.
Carbohydrates are a primary energy source for the body; therefore, sufficient carbs help you power through a workout. They can support energy levels and ensure your training is your best. Getting carbohydrates after a training session can help boost muscle protein synthesis and help replenish the glycogen lost during exercise. Therefore, it’s a good idea to finish your workouts with a combination of protein and carbohydrates together.
08 Drink Plenty of Water
Is it really that important to drink water during workouts? Yes, absolutely.
Your body needs water to carry out a wide variety of processes. Your body can’t perform its best if you’re not drinking enough water during your workout. Therefore, you may get tired quickly, which can impact your gains as you won’t be challenging your muscles enough.
It’s a good idea to start off your training having had enough water. Take regular sips during your rest periods and ensure you’ve had enough water to replenish sweat losses after training. If you’re working out for a long time, you can benefit from adding electrolytes like Maxler Electrolyte Powder to your water.
09 Add Supplements
What’s one thing people tend to jump into before even changing a workout routine? Supplements. After all, they seem like an easy way to increase muscle growth without adjusting a lot in your training.
Supplements can be a helpful tool that can give you an edge when training and growing muscle. However, you need to know what supplements to use, how to use them, and what to expect from them.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the best muscle growth supplements:
- Creatine, like Maxler 100% Golden Creatine. Creatine monohydrate is a muscle-building powerhouse. It helps you train for longer, stimulates muscle growth and supports recovery. Learn more about creatine for muscle growth here.
- Mass Gainers, like Maxler Special Mass. If you’re trying to put on muscle and just can’t stomach additional calories and protein, a gainer shake can help. Learn more about using gainers for muscle growth here.
- Citrulline malate, like 100% Golden Citrulline Malate. For those who have been exercising for a while, a supplement like citrulline malate can offer support. It allows you to push yourself further, increasing the number of repetitions you can do before failure.
If you’d like to use supplements to help you build muscle, pay attention to quality. Choose brands that are open about their quality control to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you pay for.
Special Mass
10 Track Your Progress
Finally, the most essential thing in gaining muscle is consistency. And it’s hard to know if you’re being consistent without tracking your progress. There are multiple things you can track to help you on your muscle growth journey.
The first thing you should track is when you’re training. In addition to when you’re training, make it a habit to track your exercises, reps, and weights. This will help you in the long run. Tracking weight and reps can help you understand when to increase your weight so that you’re properly challenging your muscles. Tracking workouts can help you remain consistent when you’re lacking motivation.
When building muscle, it’s also vital to track physical parameters. It’s a good idea to take regular measurements of your muscles or progress photos. This can be a good source of motivation when times get hard. However, if you’re finding that you’ve stopped the fast muscle growth you experienced when you started training, don’t get discouraged. Your training longs can motivate you by showing you how much progress you’ve made in your strength.
Building muscle takes discipline, time, and determination. But if results aren’t coming after consistent effort, it may be time to reassess your approach. Remember that it can take a while to figure out how to maximize muscle growth. Stay flexible and kind to yourself, but remember to push yourself to new levels when you need to!
