Women’s Muscle Gain: 15 Factors You Should Know About

If you’re a woman that has wanted to start building muscle for a while, whether it’s to gain weight or simply feel stronger and more confident, you’re not alone. The muscle-building advice and hype seems to be catered to men, with tons of information that is hard to take on. However, fear not – you’re not alone in wanting to improve your physique, and that’s why we’ve assembled 15 top tips to make it easier to start your muscle-building journey.

15 tips to help you on your muscle journey

Tired of reading long articles about using yoga to tone muscle and cutting down calories to slim? So are we. If you’re ready to set foot into the world of muscle and strength growth, we’ve got plenty of useful tips for you.

1. 1. Set your mindset. Many women fear resistance training, thinking that just touching a barbell might make them look like the typical buff gym-bro. However, that’s not the case – getting that big is hard work and involves much more than just training in the gym. So, a setting healthy mindset and achievable goals are your first starting point.
   2. Shake off the hormone talk. Ever heard that testosterone is the reason why you can’t build muscle? That’s not quite true – in fact, women gain the same volume of muscle but more strength after training than men¹. In fact, we might even be better at it, with our muscle building rate being naturally higher². That’s likely due to estrogen³.
   3. Understanding birth control’s impact. If you’re on birth control, your natural estrogen levels won’t be cycling as much. While some studies have shown that that may affect your maximal exercise, newer research suggests that it shouldn’t impact your strength and muscle gains⁴. So, don’t worry about hormones affecting progress.
   4. Prioritise resistance in your workouts. The key to building muscle is strength exercise. That’s because it sets off a response in the muscle that causes it to repair itself and grow stronger and bigger. That’s the muscle protein synthesis response, or MPS⁵. Get comfortable with the machines, dumbbells and barbells, because they will become your best friends.
   5. Go harder with progressive overload. Ad your muscles grow, you’ll need to do more work to stimulate the same amount of growth⁶. That’s where progressive overload comes in. Increase your weight or your reps to boost muscle growth. If you can do your last set comfortably with the weight you’re using, it’s time to increase the weights!

1. Train different areas on different days. The overall amount of reps you do in a week is more important than how often you train. However, you might find splitting your training sessions into days where you work on a particular group of muscles beneficial⁷. Common splits include doing upper body and lower body days twice a week for a total of 4 workouts.
2. Prioritise proper recovery. It is important to recover and rest when you train, as it allows your body to heal and address muscular damage⁸. Luckily, women seem to be quicker at recovering than men⁹. Make sure to sleep, take rest days, massage, and nourish yourself during recovery.
3. Consistency will help you get there. It’s nothing new but sticking to a routine and a meal plan will go a long way in your journey. Remember that results take time, and if you slip, forgive yourself and come back stronger.
4. Track progress for more motivation. Nothing motivates more than seeing yourself hit a new personal best or reaching your intermediate goal. Record your bests, challenge yourself to do more, share your wins with friends and celebrate when you achieve your goals!
5. Learn the proper form. A key thing to remember when you’re training is safety. Proper form goes a long way in making the training effective and safe. Learn from experienced coaches or gym goers if you can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
6. Don’t be scared of extra calories. As for nutrition, you probably won’t be surprised when you find out that growing muscle requires energy¹⁰. Start off with a small increase of 200 calories per day, working up to 500 calories. An easy way to get plenty of calories and great amounts of protein is by adding a Special Mass shake to your routine. It provides a whopping 57 g of protein per serving!
7. Boost your meals with more protein. The most important macronutrient for your progress is protein, as it supplies your muscles with amino acids¹¹. If you need a hand in increasing your intake, Maxler 100% Golden Whey Natural contains 24 g of protein with no artificial flavorings.
8. Optimise protein timing. To keep your muscles fuelled, eat protein regularly, getting at least 20 g of protein in each meal¹². Plus, make sure you’re ending your workouts with a protein shake, as that’s when the musclebuilding is most active¹³. Maxler Juicy Isolate is a great post-workout option, as it’s juicy texture pairs well with some ice to cool you down.
9. Keep track of micronutrients for overall health. While focusing on protein, don’t forget about your overall health. Remember to get plenty of carbs, fats, and micronutrients. They are essential for supporting your muscle growth¹⁴.
10. Support your efforts with supplements. Don’t fear supplements – they’re not steroids, but they can help you get where you need faster. Consider creatine for quicker muscle growth¹⁵. BCAAs can help with recovery and are great if you like working out in the morning, as they’ll prevent your muscles from being broken down¹⁶.

The first step to your goals

Women’s muscle gain is often a journey of empowerment and self-discovery. With the 15 tips you’ve read, you can now adjust your training and nutritional strategies to help get what you want. The bundle has four key supplements for your muscle gain journey. 100% Golden Whey Natural is a great source of natural whey protein with all natural flavors. 100% Golden Creatine and 100% Golden BCAA support your workouts, helping you train harder and build more muscle. Plus, the high-efficacy formulation of VitaWomen will ensure you’re getting all the micronutrients your body needs. Formulated for highly active people on a journey of self improvement, this bundle is an easy first step for those looking to build their physique.

Reclaim your inner strength and power. Your journey on the path to muscle gain starts today. Embrace your better self with Maxler.