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Your first step to building muscle: A comprehensive beginner's guide on how to gain muscle mass with diet and exercise
Want to show off those muscles in your next IG post? Building muscle is an excellent way to increase confidence and enhance your overall health and fitness. Achieving muscle mass requires dedication to consistent workouts and a balanced, protein-rich diet. This guide will equip you with everything you need to reduce body fat and carve out your ideal physique.
Essential Facts to Keep in Mind
- Commit to a consistent workout routine with resistance training at least twice weekly, and aim for cardio sessions three times a week.
- Boost your calorie intake with wholesome foods and healthy fats, aiming to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily to meet your nutritional goals.
- Focus on strength training exercises like squats, planks, pull-ups, deadlifts, and dumbbell presses to enhance muscle mass.
Key Steps to Follow
Designing an Effective Muscle-Building Exercise Routine
Establish a consistent workout regimen with both resistance training and cardio. Resistance training is key to building muscle, while cardio enhances circulation and endurance. Aim for 3 cardio sessions per week and at least 2 strength-training sessions, incorporating exercises like squats, planks, and deadlifts. Perform 3 sets of 6-12 reps per exercise to gain 1-2 pounds (0.45 to 0.91 kg) of lean muscle each month.
- Example workout split:
- Day 1: Chest and biceps, starting or finishing with cardio
- Day 2: Back and triceps
- Day 3: Active recovery day, cardio
- Day 4: Legs and abs
- Day 5: Shoulders, starting or finishing with cardio
- Day 6: Rest
- Day 7: Rest
- Example upper/lower body split:
- Day 1: Upper-body workout, with or without cardio
- Day 2: Lower-body workout
- Day 3: Rest and cardio
- Day 4: Upper-body workout
- Day 5: Lower-body workout
- Day 6: Rest and cardio
- Day 7: Rest
Warm up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio before lifting weights. Begin your workout with a low-intensity warm-up to activate the muscles you plan to target. Jogging, cycling, or using the stairmaster are great choices. A proper warm-up prepares your mind and body for the upcoming workout and helps reduce the risk of injury.
- Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate cardio weekly, or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio, or a combination of both.
- Only stretch after at least 5 minutes of cardio to prevent injury.
- Be mindful of your cardio time—too much can burn through your energy reserves for muscle building. Adjust your caloric intake if you ramp up your cardio.
Train with higher intensity and shorter duration to maximize muscle growth. High-repetition training builds endurance, but to increase muscle size and strength, you need to lift heavier weights with fewer reps. Aim for 3-6 sets of 6-12 reps per exercise. Your final rep should feel challenging. If it’s too easy, increase the weight until you encounter some resistance.
- Limit your workouts to 60 minutes per session. Any longer, and the quality of your sets may drop due to fatigue.
Pro Tip: Every 4-8 weeks, switch up your workout routine. As your body adapts to the stress of your workouts, progress can plateau. To keep gaining muscle, you must change up your exercises and increase your weights periodically.
Incorporate full-body workouts throughout the week. The more muscle groups you engage during your workouts, the greater your strength and the more well-rounded your muscle development. You can either train all muscle groups in one session or break them down into separate days.
- Ensure all muscle groups get equal attention. For instance, if you perform five sets of bench presses, balance them out with five sets of rows. This will promote symmetrical growth and flexibility.
- Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, and pull-ups engage multiple muscle groups and are perfect for full-body workouts.
- Take your time. While advanced lifters may incorporate explosive repetitions with heavy weights, this technique is risky for beginners and should be avoided until you're more experienced.
- Reader Poll: We surveyed 563 Mytour readers to find out their favorite exercise during arm workouts, and 72% voted for weightlifting. [Take Poll]
Include explosive lifts to enhance strength. Explosive movements boost energy expenditure both during and after resistance training, aiding in fat loss and muscle growth. Start by focusing on smaller ranges of motion before transitioning to the explosive phase of the exercise, but avoid full extensions at the peak.
- For leg exercises, maintain slightly bent knees. For upper-body exercises, ensure your elbows remain slightly bent.
- Move slowly during the eccentric (lowering) phase of the exercise as this part is often where injuries occur.
- Focus on muscle contraction at the lowest point of the movement before initiating the lift.
- If adding explosive movements to exercises like squats, begin with light weights and a low-intensity setup to avoid strain.
Aim for 6-8 hours of rest each night. Proper sleep is crucial for muscle recovery and growth. Overtraining can lead to muscle depletion, causing you to lose strength and muscle tone. Signs of overtraining include:
- Constant fatigue
- Declining strength
- Loss of appetite
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Decreased libido
- Ongoing soreness
- Increased injury risk
Combat stress with calming activities or hobbies. Stress, whether due to work or personal issues, can be detrimental to your overall health. It elevates cortisol levels, which promotes fat storage and muscle breakdown. Engage in relaxing activities to reduce stress:
- Take a leisurely walk.
- Chat with a friend.
- Write in a journal.
- Color in an adult coloring book.
- Play with your pet.
- Relax in a bath.
- Try essential oils for relaxation.
Hire a personal trainer for expert guidance. If you’re unsure where to start with your muscle-building journey, investing in a personal trainer can make a big difference. A personal trainer can design a personalized workout plan tailored to your goals and offer modifications if you have health concerns or injuries.
- Moreover, working with a trainer ensures proper form, which is crucial for maximizing results and preventing injury.
Effective Muscle-Building Exercises
Try pull-ups to target your back muscles. Find a horizontal bar that is high enough for you to hang from with your hands shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your legs extended, then pull your body upward until your chin clears the bar using only your arms. Lower yourself back down to the starting position and repeat for 3 sets of 10 pull-ups.
- Both overhand and underhand grips are effective.
- This move works your lats, traps, and rhomboids.
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Perform bent-over rows to strengthen your back. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, positioned about 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) behind a barbell or two dumbbells. Keep your knees slightly bent, but your shins should stay vertical. Hinge forward at the waist, maintaining a straight spine and head. Grip the weight with an overhand grip and lift it towards your lower chest or upper abdomen. Lower the weight slowly, stopping just before your arms are fully extended.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.
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Boost chest and pec strength with bench presses. Start with a weight that feels manageable. Lie back on a weight bench and, if you're new to the exercise, begin with 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 to 4.5 kg) on each side. Position your hands at shoulder-width, grip the bar, and slowly lower it to your chest. Push it back up until your arms are fully extended.
- Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps. As you progress, increase the weight with each set.
- After a few months, gradually raise the weight and aim for 6-8 reps per set. Try to push to muscle failure by the end of your third set.
Variation: To make things more challenging, try an incline bench press. The incline version is similar to the flat bench press but the bench is set at a 40-degree tilt. Since this variation is more demanding, start with a lighter weight compared to the flat bench press.
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Strengthen your upper body with push-ups. Begin in a plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push yourself back up to starting position.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 push-ups.
- To target your triceps more, bring your hands closer together.
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Perform deadlifts to target your thighs, glutes, and calves. Place a heavy barbell or two dumbbells on the floor in front of you. With a straight back and engaged core, bend at your knees. Grip the weight, then lift it from the floor while keeping it close to your body. Lower the weight back down with control.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Make sure all muscles are engaged during the movement, using your legs and hips to help lift the weight.
EXPERT TIP
Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer
Fitness Trainer
Try micro-loading to accelerate muscle growth. If you're using barbells, you can add tiny increments of weight, such as a pound, half a pound, or two pounds. For example, if you're lifting 50 pounds for 6 reps and it's challenging, bump up the weight to 52 pounds the following week. This approach allows for steady and quick progress.
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Target your glutes, thighs, hips, and calves with squats. Load a barbell with weights and position it on a rack slightly below shoulder height. Duck under the bar and stand up so that it rests just beneath your neck. Keep your knees slightly bent and place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Lift the bar off the rack and step backward, allowing the weight to sit comfortably on your back. Lower yourself slowly into a squat, exhaling deeply as you push up with your legs and hips.
- Perform 3 sets of 8 squats.
- The weight should be challenging but manageable. If you're just starting out, using an unloaded barbell is a good place to begin.
- A 90-degree bend in your knees is the safest position. Be sure your knees do not extend beyond your toes.
Variation: Add an extra challenge by doing front squats with a weighted bar. Rack the bar just below shoulder height, step in front of it, and position it across your front shoulders. Cross your arms over the bar, then step backward. Keeping your back straight, squat down while keeping your hips under the bar. Slowly return to the starting position.
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Work your legs with a Bulgarian squat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang by your sides. In front of a bench, lift your right leg back so that it's parallel to the ground and rests comfortably on the bench. Squat down on your left leg until your right knee nearly touches the floor, then rise back up. Repeat on the other side.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 reps.
- Bulgarian squats are also known as single-leg squats.
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Perform bicep curls to target your arm muscles. Sit on a bench and pick up a dumbbell in one hand. Rest your elbow on your thigh and curl the dumbbell upward towards your upper chest. Switch hands and repeat the motion on the opposite side.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 repetitions per arm.
Variation: Perform bicep curls using a weighted barbell to engage both arms at the same time. Stand and grasp the bar with both hands. Lower your arms fully so the bar rests at your thighs, then curl it upward toward your chest using only your arms.
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Strengthen your triceps with dips. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a bench, with your feet extended in front of you. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your bottom almost touches the floor. Push yourself back up to the starting position using your arms.
- Perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions.
- If this feels too easy, increase the intensity by lifting one foot off the floor.
- Dips are the best exercise for targeting your triceps, the muscle beneath your biceps. Having strong triceps is essential for performing heavy bench presses.
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Enhance your arm strength with skull crushers. Lie flat on a bench with a bar resting on the rack. Lift the bar above you, then bend your elbows to lower the bar toward your forehead. Press the bar back up until your arms are fully extended. Keep your elbows close to your body as you lift and lower the weight.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 reps.
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Develop shoulder strength with seated overhead presses. Sit upright on an incline bench. Hold a barbell or dumbbells at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward. Press the weight upward, keeping your elbows slightly bent to avoid overextending. Lower the weights back down slowly to the starting position.
- Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
Variation: Change your grip and arm positioning for a different challenge. If using dumbbells, you can press them until they meet overhead, or lift them into a wide "Y" shape with your arms.
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Strengthen your core with crunches. Lie on a mat with your arms placed behind your head, but avoid locking your hands. Bend your knees so that your feet stay flat on the ground. Press your lower back into the mat and gently lift your shoulders off the ground. Slowly return to the starting position.
- Complete 3 sets of 20 reps.
- Focus on controlled, deliberate movements.
Variation: To target your obliques, angle your torso so that one shoulder moves toward the opposite knee. Switch sides with each crunch.
Engage your abs with planks. Begin by lying face-down on the floor with your hands beneath your shoulders. Lift your body up onto your forearms, keeping your body straight and parallel to the ground. Keep your legs and torso stiff as you hold the position for as long as you can. Avoid arching your back or raising your hips.
- Aim for a 2-minute plank. If you can't hold it that long, rest for 1-2 minutes and try again. Repeat until you reach 2 minutes.
- For a more challenging variation, perform the plank on your hands instead of forearms.
Muscle-Building Diet
Increase your calorie intake by 10%. To gain weight, consume nutrient-dense, high-fat, and high-calorie foods or drinks to boost your calorie consumption. Track your daily calories and add them up. Then, divide the total by 7 to determine your average daily caloric intake.
- For example, if you consumed 15,350 calories in one week, divide by 7 to get an average of 2,193 calories per day.
- Ensure your calories are coming from a variety of wholesome, minimally processed foods that will support muscle growth.
Consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to promote muscle growth. Aim for 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.6 to 2 grams per kilogram). For instance, if you weigh 180 lbs, consume 144-180 grams of protein daily. If you're carrying excess weight, use your lean body mass for this calculation.
- To calculate lean body mass, subtract your body fat percentage from your total weight. Use online calculators for an estimate based on body fat percentage and measurements.
- You could hit a 120-gram protein target with foods like a 4-ounce broiled sirloin steak (33g), 2 cups of cooked lentils (36g), a 4-ounce piece of sockeye salmon (30g), and a 4-ounce ham steak (22g).
- If you struggle to meet protein needs, consider using protein shakes to supplement your intake.
Drink a minimum of 8 cups (1.9 L) of water each day. Hydration is essential for optimal muscle growth. While 8 cups is a good baseline, you may need more. Use this formula to calculate your water intake:
- Imperial: Body weight in lbs × 0.6 = water intake in ounces.
- Metric: Body weight in kg × 40 = water intake in milliliters.
- This amount includes water from both food and beverages, not just drinking water.
- If you're over 30, you can adjust by multiplying your body weight by 0.46 to 0.54 (in lbs) or 30 to 35 (in kg).
Eat smaller meals before and after exercise. To build muscle, ensure your body has a caloric surplus to support growth. Instead of large meals, opt for 5-7 smaller meals throughout the day. Eating before and after workouts provides the energy needed for performance and recovery.
- To increase protein intake, include a protein shake as one of your meals. For a basic shake, blend 8 ounces (230 g) of skim milk, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of peanut butter, and 2 scoops of protein powder.
Incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Fat not only enhances flavor but is also vital for overall health when consumed in the right quantities. Limit saturated fats—found in butter, chips, or bacon—to about 20g or less. Focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K and aid muscle recovery.
- To manage fat intake, multiply your calorie intake by 0.008 for maximum saturated fats and 0.03 for healthier fats. For instance, on a 2,500-calorie diet, limit saturated fats to 20g and aim for up to 75g of good fats.
- Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, avocado, and nuts like almonds, cashews, and peanuts.
- Polyunsaturated fats can be sourced from corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and soybean oil.
- Omega-3 fats, ideal for heart health and brain development, are found in fish like salmon, trout, and sardines, or omega-3-enriched foods.
Consider taking a multivitamin, as recommended by your healthcare provider. In addition to maintaining a balanced diet, supplementing with a multivitamin can help ensure your body receives the essential vitamins and minerals required for overall health. Choose a multivitamin tailored to your specific needs, such as age, gender, and health status, and make it a regular part of your daily regimen.
- You may also choose to take glutamine supplements, which can aid in replenishing glutamine levels lost after strenuous workouts. Glutamine plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and supports recovery, immune function, and injury prevention.
- Always consult your doctor before starting any new vitamins or supplements.
Can Stretching Affect Your Muscle-Gaining Potential?
Exercise, Routine, and Foods to Focus on for Building Muscle, and What to Avoid
Exercises for Muscle Building
Muscle-Building Routine for Beginners
Foods to Include and Avoid for Effective Muscle Building-
Rest is equally important as lifting weights, so make sure to take a short break between sets to recover.
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Your muscle-building potential can be influenced by your genetics and gender. Some individuals naturally gain muscle more easily, while others may need to experiment with various diets and training regimens to find what works best for them.
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Give different muscle groups time to recover by alternating workout days. Your body needs 24-72 hours to repair muscle fibers after an intense workout.
The guidance in this section comes from the shared experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a valuable tip to contribute, feel free to share it with us in the field below.
- Set designated workout days for each muscle group and commit to sticking to the schedule. Random workouts will lead to inconsistent results. Consistency and dedication are essential for progress.
- Smart training and proper nutrition are fundamental for muscle growth. While supplements can support your progress, whole foods and hard work will bring the real results. Avoid spending money on shortcuts that don't deliver.
- Incorporate cardio into your weekly routine to maintain cardiovascular health. Improved blood circulation helps deliver more nutrients to muscles during intense workouts.
- Push yourself during lifting sessions, then allow muscle groups 1-2 days of rest. Growth occurs when muscles repair and rebuild, not during the workout itself.
- Ensure 7-9 hours of sleep each night and manage stress to support muscle recovery. Your body needs deep rest to adapt to challenging workouts and build muscle mass.
- Increase your calorie intake moderately, prioritizing protein for lean muscle gains. Sufficient protein intake prevents muscle breakdown during intense training.
Important Safety Information
- Don't let yourself feel insecure or jump to conclusions when you see someone using different weights than you. They could be following a program that involves fewer reps with heavier weights, or a different approach entirely. Building muscle isn't about comparing what others are lifting; it's about pushing your own limits and challenging yourself.
- If you're just starting out, begin with lighter weights. Lifting more than you're capable of can result in injury, so take your time and build up gradually.
