Gaining lean muscle mass over the past few years has been a game changer for me. Rather than focusing on high-intensity training, I started to focus on more low-impact strength training and my body responded well. I gained muscle mass, my physique changed, I felt stronger and more energized than ever, and I became hooked.
While strength training is important to gaining lean muscle mass, it’s only one part of the equation. Read my 5 top tips for building muscle below!
Follow A Structured Resistance Training Program
The secret to weight training is consistency and progressive overload. You won’t see any muscle gain or physique changes if you’re bopping around between workout programs or making up random workouts at the gym. Seeing real change in your strength requires structured workouts that strategically overload one muscle group at a time, with adequate rest in-between.
I know I sound like a broken record, but the structure of GOOD // SWEAT Strength 1.0 is what changed the game for me. This guide is based on progressive overload, which means you gradually increase your weight over time so that your body can never truly adapt/ plateau. The guide consists of 8 weeks of workouts, with 5 workouts each week. We hit every major muscle group at least once, and every workout is based around compound movements (squats, deadlifts, bench press, etc) that target the largest muscle groups most effectively.
Read more about the benefits of strength training:
10 Benefits of Strength Training
The Importance of Strength Training for Anti-Aging
The 8 Week Gym Guide That Will Transform Your Fitness Routine
Track Your Progress
I’m not asking you to weigh yourself or to take progress pictures – your weight may fluctuate over time and not be a real indicator of your muscle mass building progress. The best way to see progress over time is to record the weight lifted week over week. Keep a record of the weights you lifted with a note about the difficulty level for the following week. For example, if you’re starting out squatting with just the bar, you would write down “65 lbs, moderate challenge, increase weight next week” or “65 lbs, very difficult, keep weight next week and increase by 1-2 reps”. By keeping detailed notes about what you’re lifting and how it feels, you’ll be able to better manipulate (and increase) your total weight lifted week over week.
In GOOD // SWEAT Strength 2.0 we included a weight tracker tool for this exact purpose. Every week you add the weight you lifted and the tracker will automatically recommend a 10% increase in total volume lifted for the following week. You can use that suggestion, or modify based on the difficulty level.
Eat A High-Protein Diet
One of the most amazing facts about eating a high-protein diet is that you can actually stimulate muscle growth from diet alone. Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) is the process through which your body builds new muscle proteins, repairing and replacing damaged ones. You can stimulate MPS through strength training (micro-tears in muscle) and through protein intake. By consuming 20-40 grams of protein per meal, you stimulate MPS and maximize the effort you’re making in the gym.
I have a tab on my website dedicated to easy and quick high-protein meals. If you’re looking for more information about the benefits of a high-protein diet, read more here:
How I Eat 100+ Grams of Protein Daily
What I Eat In A Day (100+ Grams Of Protein Daily)
Are You Getting Enough Protein? 3 Ways To Eat More Every Day
Optimize Recovery and Sleep
This is the part that nobody wants to hear: in order to gain muscle mass, you must include adequate rest. Part of my journey into strength training was including far more rest days as I lifted heavier weights. I’ll take anywhere from 2-4 active recovery days (resting, walking, light mobility) per week depending on how heavy I lift, how recovered and rested I feel, and what the program recommends.
Proper recovery includes warming up and cooling down, stretching, foam rolling, hydrating, and managing stress. Proper rest requires 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support muscle repair and hormone balance, both necessary to muscle growth.
Mind-Muscle Connection
Another tip that isn’t as straight forward as some would like, but incredibly important nonetheless. Being connected to your workouts mentally will help you progress at a faster rate. Slowing down reps, focusing on form, lifting light until you’re mentally prepared to focus on heavier reps, etc, will help you lift more weight sustainably over time.
In GOOD // SWEAT Strength 1.0 we start with super light weight. I’ve heard some questions and concerns about losing progress due to lifting lighter weight, but in order to set yourself up to sustainable increase weight week over week, starting light and focusing on form is the only way to do it.
We also incorporate drop sets, supersets, and pause reps to stimulate the muscles effectively and keep your mind engaged (read: prevent boredom).
