I entitled this article “how to build muscle fast” for one primary reason – to target someone who has searched this up and landed on this particular page. So, if you’re seeking to quickly gain massive amounts of muscle mass, this page is for you!
I’m going to make some assumptions to premise the context of this article. I am assuming that you:
- Have been weight lifting for less than a year (or not at all)
- Have seen minimal results from training (if you have been training)
- Have a relatively basic knowledge of how to build muscle (let alone quickly)
- Want big results quite quickly
So, here’s a “getting started guide”. Below I have created a list of important points that you must consider when seeking to build muscle fast.
Muscle growth occurs when you are resting. There is a big misconception that muscle development occurs when you are lifting weights – not so. Weight lifting only stimulates the muscle building process. Once you have finished your workout, the body is hard at work to develop muscle tissue.
More exercise is not necessarily better. Building further upon the fact that muscle development occurs when you are rested, you can therefore be doing more harm than good by exercising too often. Too much exercise can inhibit recovery and thus cease muscle growth. This also includes training the same muscles too often – exercising the same muscle group multiple times per week can significantly hamper muscle growth.
Effective nutrition is vital. The food you consume provides your body with the necessary nutrients to build muscle. Just like a builder requires the appropriate materials to build a house, your body requires the appropriate nutrients to develop muscle. You need to ensure that you obtain sufficient calories and nutrients through a well rounded, whole-food based diet (and of course supplements can assist).
Protein is NOT muscle and muscle is NOT protein. Some companies will play on the notion that muscle has a high amino acid (protein constituent) and you must therefore supplement with excessive amounts of protein. This is certainly not the case as your body can only utilise a finite amount of protein in a given time. Furthermore, carbohydrates and fats are vital to build muscle – they are no less important than proteins in the muscle building process.
Cardio can actually aid muscle development. If performed correctly, cardiovascular exercise can actually help you to build muscle fast. However, you need to be smart in your training approach. (After reading this article, check out my comprehensive article “Cardio & Bodybuilding – Good for Muscle Growth?“)
Intensity is important. The intensity of your weight training sessions is imperative to muscle development. You are lifting weights to stimulate your body to develop muscle when it is recovering from your training session. You therefore have to provide enough stimulus (or overload) to effect this change. A high intensity workout effectively tells your muscles “hey, I am too weak for this weight and I am really struggling!”. Your body therefore adapts to this new environment by developing muscle to handle the load more effectively next time.
More weight is not necessarily more effective. Don’t go and sacrifice form to lift the heaviest possible weight to build muscle quickly. This is an injury waiting to happen (not to mention you will take the load off the targeted muscles anyway). Good exercise technique is important for obtaining maximum muscle building results.
If you are unsure as to how to execute exercises effectively and safely, consider hiring a fitness professional, such as a personal trainer.
Develop a full-body weight training routine. By a full-body weight training routine, I am not referring to a single workout where you perform all bodyparts. Rather, you need to develop a programme where you target your entire body without skipping a particular muscle group (even if you are performing a multi-day split). It is a big mistake to ignore an entire group of muscles, as this will create an imbalance and can hamper your rate of muscle development (not to mention creating an unwanted muscular imbalance increasing the risk of injury and just looking unnatural).
Supplements can be highly effective if used correctly. Stick to the basics and opt for scientifically justified supplements such as:
We sell a range of high quality supplements in our store. Don’t go and spend $100 a week on supplements that promise the world and deliver minimal results.
Get your mindset in check – muscle growth occurs slowly. This is probably one of the most important points. Do not expect to look like the hulk in 6 weeks time. Whilst muscle development begins quickly in the first couple of months, it does slow down considerably. Unless you are gifted with great muscle building genes, you will need to apply yourself over a number of years, consistently, to achieve phenomenal results. The main reason why many people never realise their muscle building goals is because they expect to build muscle fast and are greatly disappointed when a few weeks down the track they have only seen minimal changes.
Educate yourself. You’ve obviously taken the first step by reviewing this relatively superficial introductory guide. There is a plethora of information to be learnt in regards to your training and nutrition if you want to build muscle fast. I very strongly recommend that you browse around this website and learn as much as you can about building muscle. You need to know exactly what you’re doing – muscle development does not occur by chance.
All the best and I truly hope that this article has set you off in the right direction toward your muscle building goals!
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