20 Ways to Build More Muscle
This article discusses 20 different ways to get stronger. Each tip provides valuable information about a different aspect of muscle building, from workouts to changes you can make to your daily life.
- Tricia Quitales
- 6 min read
To build muscle, you need to do more than lift weights. It would be best if you had a plan with proper eating, rest, and innovative training methods. This article discusses 20 ways to gain muscle mass, from advanced workout methods to food choices. Each point gives you helpful advice that you can use to speed up your work. You’ll find that whether you’re a beginner or an expert lifter, you’ll be able to get tips to help your muscles grow.
1. Incorporate Progressive Overload
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To build muscle, you need to do progressive exercise. Your muscles must change and grow as you slowly increase your workouts’ weight, reps, or intensity. Track your growth regularly to ensure that you keep getting better.
2. Focus on Compound Movements
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Squats, deadlifts, and bench presses are compound workouts that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These moves help you get stronger, which is essential for building muscle. Make compound lifts the most crucial part of your exercise for the most benefit.
3. Use Proper Form
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Using the proper form prevents injury and ensures you work the right muscles. Pay attention to controlled actions and avoid using too much momentum when lifting. You might want to talk to a trainer if you need to improve your skills.
4. Train With Sufficient Volume
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Training frequency, calculated as sets, reps, and weight, is key to building muscle. Aim for moderate to high volume during your workouts, but don’t overdo it. Finding the right mix can help your muscles grow steadily.
5. Vary Your Workout Routine
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When your body gets used to the same routine, your muscles react. For a new workout, switch up your sets, exercises, or rep levels every two weeks. This variety can keep growth going and stop plateaus from happening.
6. Optimize Your Nutrition
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Your body needs fuel to build strength, so you must eat right. A meal with protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats will help your muscles grow and heal. When you eat and how much you eat can make a big difference in how well you do.
7. Prioritize Protein Intake
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Protein is what muscles are made of, so it should be a big part of your diet. Based on your body weight, aim to get between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein every day. To maximize muscle protein production, spread your protein intake throughout the day.
8. Get Enough Sleep
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Most muscle repair and growth take place while you sleep. Get between 7 and 9 hours of good rest every night so your muscles can heal and grow back. Not getting enough sleep can make it harder to perform and build strength.
9. Add Eccentric Training
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When you perform eccentric movements, your muscles lengthen while they are under stress, which can help them grow bigger. Slow down the part where you lower yourself during your lifts to get the most time under tension. Over time, this method has made people more substantial and more prominent.
10. Train Muscles Twice a Week
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Muscles can grow faster if they are worked out more often. Make sure you work out each muscle group twice weekly and give yourself enough time to heal. This frequency can improve growth and make muscle protein synthesis work better.
11. Incorporate Isolation Exercises
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Isolation workouts help target specific muscles, even though compound lifts are essential. Tricep extensions or bicep curls can help build detail and shape in your arms. Do isolation exercises to improve muscle symmetry and add to your compound work.
12. Use Rest-Pause Sets
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In rest-pause sets, you work out until you can’t continue, take a short break, and then do the exercise again with the same weight. This method can push your muscles past their usual fatigue point, increasing growth. It also works well to break through plateaus.
13. Include Active Recovery Days
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Active recovery days, during which you do low-intensity tasks, help keep your muscles from getting stiff and speed up healing. Light cardio or mobility work can help the muscles get more blood, which can help heal small tears from earlier workouts. Rest is essential, but doing things that help you recover faster is even better.
14. Stay Consistent
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Building muscle is a gradual process that requires a long-term commitment. It’s best to stick to your diet and exercise routines for long-lasting results. Over time, consistency will pay off big, even when you don’t feel like exercising.
15. Use Supplements Wisely
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Supplements like creatine, BCAAs, and protein powders can help you grow muscle. But they should never be used instead of a healthy diet; they should only help you make progress. Always talk to a doctor or nurse before adding a new vitamin to your routine.
16. Stay Hydrated
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Keeping your muscles hydrated is essential for their health and healing. Being dehydrated can make you weaker and less able to continue, hurting your performance. To get the best results, drink a lot of water throughout the day, especially before and after you work out.
17. Include Sprints or HIIT for Conditioning
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You can get in better shape without losing muscle mass by doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or runs. These workouts can help you lose fat and keep your muscles the same size. Plan these workouts together to improve your general fitness and muscle definition.
18. Avoid Overtraining
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Work out hard, but don’t do too much, or you could hurt your muscles. When you work out hard, give your muscles time to heal. Being tired, irritable, and less effective are all signs of training too much.
19. Use Mind-Muscle Connection
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Concentrating on the muscle you’re working on will improve your lifts. The link between your mind and muscles helps you target the muscles better and makes each exercise more efficient. As you do each rep, pay attention to how the muscle feels and contracts.
20. Track Your Progress
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Tracking your workouts and success is a great way to motivate yourself and see results. Track your weight, reps, and sets to see where you can improve. Tracking your progress regularly can also help you make changes that will help your muscles keep growing.