A regular exercise regimen that includes strength training and cardio, alongside a nutritious, protein-rich diet, can help build up your muscles.
Incorporating strength training into your exercise routine may seem more intimidating than walking or jogging around your neighborhood.
But a trainer at a local gym can show you how to lift properly and help you create a solid strength training routine that’s geared to meet your fitness goals.
While results may not always be fast, if you stick to your routine, you’ll see noticeable muscle gains in 6 to 10 weeks.
This article examines how muscles are made, what foods fuel a strong body, and how to get started.
Skeletal muscle is the most adaptable tissue in your body. When you do extreme exercise, like weightlifting, your
When your muscles are injured this way, satellite cells on the outside of the muscle fibers become activated. They attempt to repair the damage by joining together and, as a result, increasing the muscle fiber.
Certain
- sending the cells to your muscles after exercise
- forming new blood capillaries
- repairing muscle cells
- managing muscle mass
For example, resistance exercises, such as those that use free weights, cable machines, or workout bands, help your body release growth hormone from your pituitary gland. The amount of growth hormone released largely depends on the intensity of the exercise.
Growth hormone triggers your metabolism and helps turn amino acids into protein to bulk up your muscles.
Building muscle does not require spending a whole day in the gym. Weight training for 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week, is typically enough to see results.
During your weekly workouts, try to target all your major muscle groups at least twice. This includes your:
- legs
- hips
- back
- abdomen
- chest
- shoulders
- arms
Strength training activities include:
- body weight exercises, like pushups, squats, and lunges
- resistance band movements
- workouts with free weights, or even objects like soup cans
- workouts with stationary weight machines, like a leg curl machine
When you lift, you should try to do between 8 and 15 repetitions in a row. That’s one set.
Wait a minute in between sets to rest. Then complete another set of the same length.
Take approximately 3 seconds to lift or push your weight into place. Then hold that position for a full second and take another slow 3 seconds to lower the weight.
While you may not see results right away, even a single strength training session can help promote muscle growth.
Strength training and protein consumption
Exercise stimulates what’s called protein synthesis in the hours after you finish your workout. Your levels may stay elevated for up to a whole day.
A 2018 study found that consuming protein after exercise is important for muscle gain, but the window of opportunity is not as narrow as previously thought.
Researchers in the study found that muscles are sensitized to protein intake for at least 24 hours after a training session. To maximize muscle growth, they recommended that people consume high quality protein before and after exercising, within 4 to 6 hours of each other.
How exactly can you tell if your muscles are growing? You may be able to see more muscle definition. If not, you’ll certainly be able to lift heavier weights with more ease over time.
You should aim to lift weights, also known as resistance, that are heavy enough to challenge yourself.
A good guide is to select a weight that tires your muscles after 12 to 15 repetitions, or reps. When you find that weights feel too easy, try gradually increasing the weight to the next level up.
Even a single set of 12 reps with a heavy enough weight can help build your muscles, compared to 3 sets at a lighter weight.
It’s important to give your body plenty of rest as you begin a strength training program. Without taking days off, you may injure yourself and have to take time off from exercise, slowing your progress.
A
For example, active recovery in the form of training opposing muscle groups, light aerobic cardio, or low-volume explosive training (such as box jumps or squats) may improve recovery and possibly elicit a muscle-building effect as opposed to simply taking a rest day where you do no exercise at all.
However, researchers suggest that rest days may also provide beneficial recovery prior to muscle-building sessions.
Men and women build muscles differently. That’s because testosterone plays a big role in muscle development. While both sexes have testosterone in their bodies, men have more of this hormone.
However, a 2016 study found that untrained college-aged men and women achieved similar elbow flexor strength gains when following the same resistance training program for 10 weeks.
Moreover, researchers found that there was no need to design different resistance training programs for men and women.
Muscle growth is also affected by:
- body size
- body composition
- hormones
Overall, more noticeable changes in muscle mass tend to happen for people of either sex who have more muscle mass to begin with.
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, raises your heart and breathing rates. It strengthens your cardiovascular system.
You may have heard that too much cardio is bad for building muscle. However, a 2015 study found that this isn’t necessarily the case.
Aerobic exercise can actually help with muscle growth, muscle function, and your overall exercise capacity. These effects are particularly noted in older and previously sedentary individuals.
The sweet spot for cardio to promote muscle growth is determined by intensity, duration, and frequency.
You can find your HRR by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate.
Working out with both cardio and resistance training exercises will keep your body and heart healthy and strong.
The foods you eat may help you build more muscle, too. Your protein intake, in particular, plays an important role in fueling your muscles.
How much protein should you eat? According to the
Athletes and those who are training to increase muscle mass often require more protein, and significant increases in muscle mass have been found in people who are consuming as much as
Based on weight, growing children and pregnant or lactating women need a little bit more protein because their bodies are building more muscle.
The recommendation for calories is to have 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein.
Look for protein-rich foods that are also rich in the amino acid leucine. You can find leucine in animal and non-animal products like:
| Animal products | Non-animal products |
| beef | soybeans |
| lamb | beans |
| pork | nuts |
| poultry | seeds |
| fish | |
| eggs | |
| milk | |
| milk products like cheese |
Here are some muscle-building workout tips for beginners:
- Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes with some type of aerobic exercise, like brisk walking. This will help you avoid injury from exercising with cold muscles.
- Start light, with just 1- or 2-pound weights. You may even try strength training without weights since you’re still lifting the weight of your arms and legs.
- Increase your weight gradually. Lifting too much too soon is a recipe for injury. That said, if you don’t challenge your muscles, you won’t see gains. Try lifting weight that tires your muscles after 12 to 15 reps.
- Lift your weights using controlled movement. Resist using uncontrolled motion at your joints to swing weight that’s too heavy, as this may lead to injury.
- Keep breathing during your workout. Breathe out as you lift or push a weight, and breathe in as you relax.
- Don’t worry about soreness and a bit of muscle fatigue that lasts a few days. If you’re feeling very sore and exhausted, you may be doing too much. Your exercise should not cause you pain, so take some time off.
- Incorporate cardio into your exercise routine. Aerobic exercise, like running, can help build muscle if performed at the right intensity, duration, and frequency.
- Eat a healthy diet that has a good dose of protein. These foods will fuel your workouts and help build muscle through certain amino acids like leucine. Animal sources have the most protein, but vegetable sources are also sufficient.
Always remember to talk with a doctor before starting a new workout routine, especially if you have a health condition. They can recommend exercise modifications to help keep you safe.
How can you get started? The first step may be heading to your local gym and consulting with a personal trainer. Many gyms offer a free session as part of a membership promotion.
A personal trainer can help you master the correct form with free weights, weight machines, and more. Proper form is key to avoiding injury.
A trainer can also help you develop a weekly strength-training routine that targets different muscles on different days.