If you want to get in shape and perfect your physique, building muscle is essential. Sure, you can diet and do a ton of cardio to lose weight, but you won’t have a muscular physique without lifting weights.
However, learning how to build muscle isn’t as simple as going to the gym and throwing a bunch of weights around while grunting loudly. There’s an art and science to bodybuilding. If you’re just looking to build muscles in your arms, back and shoulders, then you can use pull up bars to get all kinds of ripped.
We’re here to provide some insight. Keep reading for our top bodybuilding tips to gain muscle fast.
Table of Contents
1. Understand Your Body Mechanics
One of the most important steps in learning how to build muscle is understanding how your body works. You need to have a basic understanding of your anatomy and body mechanics. This includes muscle groups, joints, and movements.
Why is this important?
Primarily, you need to learn which exercises and types of movements affect each muscle group. For example, if you wanted to build bigger traps and shoulders, do you know what exercise will achieve your desired results?
We recommend researching the primary bodybuilding groups, to include:
- Legs (glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves)
- Arms (biceps, triceps, forearms)
- Traps and shoulders
- Back
- Chest
- Abdominals
Create a list of basic exercises for each muscle group to get a better understanding of how your body works.
2. Learn How to Perform Lifts Correctly
Now that you know more about how to build muscle, you need to make sure you’re performing exercises correctly. Lifting with improper form can lead to injuries. Just as importantly, you could be stifling your performance by using improper lifting techniques.
If you’re new to lifting, you have several options. The preferred method is to work one-on-one with a personal trainer or lifting coach. They’ll be able to demonstrate proper lifting techniques and correct your form until you get the feel for it.
Alternatively, there are plenty of YouTube videos available where you can study the correct technique for each lift. However, there won’t be anyone to observe you and make corrections when needed.
3. Focus on Primary Compound Movements
If building muscle is your top priority, it’s important to make primary compound exercises the staple of each workout. Compound exercises are those that use multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously.
These are more effective than isolated movements because they call upon more muscle fibers to complete the movement. Additionally, because you’re activating more muscle fibers, you can lift heavier weights. Heavier workloads lead to more efficient muscle building.
Primary compound movements to focus on include:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Front squats
- Lunges
- Pullups/chin-ups
- Bent-over barbell rows
- Seated shoulder press
- Bench press (flat, incline, decline)
- Dips
- Barbell cleans
Learning how to build muscle quickly means utilizing the most effective lifts. You’ll notice these don’t include bicep curls or tricep extensions.
But don’t worry, your biceps and triceps get plenty of work doing the upper-body compound movements listed above. Additionally, you can always supplement these isolated movements after you complete the compound exercises.
4. Train With Progressive Overload Theory
Using progressive overload theory is perhaps one of the most important bodybuilding tips for gaining muscle. Progressive overload theory is, essentially, the process of increasing your workload incrementally over long periods of time. This is a guaranteed way to build muscle and increase your strength.
Here’s an example using squats as the sample exercise. Let’s say you squat with 100lbs during the first week of training, completing 3 sets of 10 reps. To implement progressive overload theory, you could do:
- 3 sets of 12 reps at 100lbs during week two
- 3 sets of 14 reps at 100lbs during week three
- 3 sets of 16 reps at 100lbs during week four
Or
- 3 sets of 10 reps at 110lbs during week two
- 3 sets of 10 reps at 120lbs during week three
- 3 sets of 10 reps at 130lbs during week four
These are two basic examples of POT. You can use any variation of these methods as long as you’re staying consistent.
However, it’s a good idea to change up your lifting routine every couple of months. Our bodies adapt quickly and your progress will slow down if you do the same thing for months on end.
5. Fuel Your Muscle Growth
One of the biggest mistakes new bodybuilders make is failing to fuel their gains. If you want to build muscle quickly, you need to provide your body with enough fuel to supplement your workouts. You must consume a surplus of calories if you want to increase your overall mass.
However, there’s a fine line between consuming an appropriate surplus of calories and eating too much. Just as importantly, the quality of food you fuel your body with is important.
For example, if you consume a surplus of calories using foods like chicken, brown rice, and vegetables, you’re going to have great results. Alternatively, if you’re slamming pizza and ice cream every night to get in your calories, you’re going to gain just as much fat as you do muscle.
Use a TDEE calculator to determine your caloric needs and ensure you’re fueling with high-quality foods.
6. Invest in High-Quality Supplements
It never hurts to have a little help to gain muscle. If you’re new to bodybuilding, investing in high-quality supplements like Crazybulk then it can go a long way toward reaching your goals. These can be especially useful if you have a hard time putting on mass, getting enough calories, or burning fat.
Common bodybuilding supplements include:
- Protein supplements (shakes, bars, powders)
- Pre-workout (for focus, energy, and endurance)
- Creatine (for increased muscle growth and power)
- BCAAs (the building blocks of protein for better recovery)
- Fat burners (to help lose fat faster)
Just make sure you know what you’re buying. Check out customer reviews before investing in a product. For example, take a look at these Crazy Mass cutting stack reviews.
Find the right supplements to help you on your journey. Just remember that the bulk of your results will come from hard work and proper nutrition.
7. Commit Yourself to Consistency
Finally, one of the fundamental bodybuilding tips to build muscle is to stay consistent. You can’t expect to achieve great results if you’re only working out once or twice a week or regularly cheating on your diet. We cannot impress this upon you enough – consistency is key.
The more consistent you are, the stronger you’ll get. The more weight you can lift, the more effectively you’ll build muscle. This comes from a committed effort every week.
Set yourself up for success. Find a workout routine that works with your schedule. Don’t attempt an impractical approach that isn’t sustainable.
Want to Build Muscle?
If you’re looking to build muscle and achieve the physique you’ve always dreamed of, follow our guide for maximum results. And remember, you won’t see immediate results after the first week. It will take time and dedication to get the body you want.
But in the end, it’s all worth it. Most people learn to love and look forward to their workouts. Enjoy the journey and trust the process.
And for more lifestyle advice, check out some of our other articles before you go. Our blog was created to help people like you find success in all aspects of life.
