The tricky thing about fitness is that there is no definitive road map. Establishing goals is the very first thing you need to do when deciding to adopt a lifestyle change that includes building muscle. If you’re truly starting from scratch and hoping to pack on some serious muscle, you’ll need to have the most fundamental fitness routine elements in place. That may mean tearing your daily habits up and rebuilding. It might mean a few simple tweaks. Either way, you’ll need a step-by-step guide that covers the basics of how to get to your goal.

 

Here’s a list of the most important strategies you should do when in a mass-building phase! I am sharing a checklist for anyone looking to build muscle, focusing on 6 key factors! If you are new to training or haven’t trained in a while and may have lost some of your ‘gains’ during this lockdown period, worry not! Do you want to get back on the gain train? Here are a few things you can do to build muscle in no particular order.

 

You aren’t going to build muscle until you break them down first, and that’s what happens when we train. We give our muscles little micro-tears so then the body can respond by repairing and building more tissue to cope with the stress (training) load. Aside from nailing-down your diet, this is the hardest part: getting your ass into the gym, and putting in the work. This is time consuming, painful, and, at the end of the day, incredibly rewarding.

 

Eating a lot and training often still stands, but having enough protein is critical. The reason for this is to aid in building muscle as well as keeping lean muscle. Make sure you are eating enough protein and getting enough complete protein sources in every meal. Depending on your height, weight, gender, age, and activity will determine how much protein you need to recover from training. But something simple to follow would be to have 20-40g of protein per meal.

 

Make sure you are getting good quality sleep every night, 7-8 hours is the recommended hours. Remember you are in your most anabolic (building) state when you are sleeping so maximize it! Get a routine where you fall asleep at the same time and wake up the same time every morning, which will help a lot. While you sleep, our bodies take the fuel we’ve provided and repair the damage done during a workout. You’re essentially tearing your body apart, and while you sleep, it’s rebuilt. So, sleep away. Get a solid six to eight hours, at the very least. Ensure your sleeping area is as dark as you can. Close the blinds, close the door, turn off any unnecessary lights. Secondly, ensure your room is at a cool temperature.

 

I know in a time like this it can be very stressful not doing our day to day activities etc. but if you are in a constant state of stress, that’s going to be putting your cortisol levels up and if that’s the case your body will not be able to build the muscle you desire as it will be in a constant flight or fight state. In other words, chill out take a deep breath, and only focus on what’s your control and remember your body is recovering from the stress you put on yourself from training so it doesn’t need any more to deal with.

 

Water is a miracle supplement. The benefits are truly limitless. Do not depend on your body to tell you when it is thirsty.

 

Whether you like them or not, you have to eat them in order to gain muscle and be healthy. Why? Because without certain vitamins and minerals that veggies contain they act as a key towards our cells so we can actually absorb the protein we are consuming in order to repair and restore our broken down muscle tissue. So even if you have to juice, blend, or stir fry your veggies. Make sure you are getting a huge variety in your daily diet. Avoid carbs later in the evening because they’re not needed for energy and are more likely to end up getting stored as body fat.

 

 

What you’re fueling your body with is going to make the biggest difference toward getting you into shape, so you need to have your diet properly structured and planned. It’s a pain, and it’s definitely not fun, but eating clean, hitting your macros, and getting proper protein with an acceptable caloric balance will do more to transform your body than an endless number of squats.

 

 

The secret to big and consistent bodybuilding training gains is to do it all well, from A to Z, from your breakfast to your workouts to the long sleep you get before starting all over again. Be persistent. Be vigilant in your persistence. And don’t give up if the results come slow — you’re still making progress!

 

 

If you are tired of not getting results, want to avoid trial-and-error, or you just want to be told exactly what to do to reach your goals, our personal trainers at Stronglife can advise you on the correct form to use when lifting weights and train you to put in the best effort. Using the right technique reduces the risk of injury and enhances the potential to build muscle. You’ll work with the amazing fitness trainers in Australia who will get to know you better and program your workouts and nutrition strategy based on your needs! Get in touch today!

 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the article. Until next time!