10 Ways to Build Muscle Faster

Making small tweaks to your training, diet, and lifestyle yields big results.
Seeing new and faster gains doesnt always require getting on a drastically different
workout plan or following an ultra-scientific diet. Small changes can add up to major
results. Start making the following tweaks and build muscle faster
1. Set strength goals

Rather than focusing strictly on gaining !" pounds of muscle#which may or may
not be doable in a gi$en period of time#work on getting stronger. %ncreasing
strength impro$es your bodys ability to recruit muscle fibers, particularly the ones
that make the biggest difference in the way your physique looks. &raining for strength
also makes your goals more tangible and concrete. %f you shoot to hit certain
numbers on your lifts and then meet them, youll see your muscles respond along
the way. 'hoose three e(ercises you want to see impro$ement on) one upper-body
push *such as the bench press+, one upper-body pull *like the chinup+, and one
lower-body e(ercise *try the deadlift+. &hen get to work.
2. Keep a Food Journal

,ust as you want to be specific with your training goals and monitor your progress,
you also want to keep track of your nutrition. -ard training wont translate to new
muscle unless youre eating enough calories, and a food journal gi$es you an
objecti$e measure of how much youre actually eating. %t also lets you make
adjustments easily if youre not making the progress youd hoped for. .rite down
e$erything that you eat and drink, along with the time of the day. %f youre not gaining
weight, try to see where you can sneak in more calories to kickstart your progress.
3. Focus on compound exercises
/ifts that work muscle at more than one joint are known as compound e(ercises.
&hese include the deadlift, squat, press, row, and chinup. 'ompound lifts recruit lots
of muscle mass, making for efficient training and a big release of hormones such as
testosterone that promote growth#make them the cornerstones of your workouts.
&heres nothing wrong with throwing in some isolation work *curls, leg e(tensions+,
but treat them like dessert after you$e had your main course#the compound lifts.
0. 'ommit to going to bed 12 minutes earlier

Reco$ery is imperati$e for muscle growth, and theres no better way to reco$er than
by simply sleeping more. %n a perfect world, youd get eight to nine hours sleep per
night, but thats not realistic. 3ou can, howe$er, control when you go to bed, thereby
gi$ing you the best chance of getting as much sleep as you can. 45R the &5 shows
that would otherwise keep you up and hit the hay.
. !rin" a Sha"e !uring #raining

6re- and post-workout nutrition recei$es a lot of attention, and rightfully so, because
both are important. 7ut if youre looking to gain muscle, drinking a shake with protein
and carbs during your workout is a great way to sneak in some e(tra calories without
making a meal. Mid-workout nutrition will gi$e you a quick shot of carbs and calories
that can keep your energy up and help you train harder. 3ou just need to be
conser$ati$e with the amounts you consume so you dont upset your stomach. Start
with a modest shake of around 82g of protein and 02g of carbs.
$. Wor" %ach Muscle 2&3 #imes 'er Wee" (

7odybuilding programs are typically split up to hit each indi$idual body part once a
week. &hat means you go a long time between workouts for a particular muscle
group. %f you can only lift weights three times per week, try switching to full-body
workouts where you work the entire body in each session. &his way, youll hit each
muscle three times per week. 6erform two to three sets per muscle group.
%f youre training four days per week, try an upper9lower split where youre hitting
each muscle twice a week with about fi$e sets each. %ncreasing the frequency with
which youre working each muscle will allow you to achie$e strength and muscle
gains more rapidly. &he key is to keep the $olume low to moderate to a$oid
o$ertraining.
). !on*t +eglect ,our -egs (

:$en if your goal is just to ha$e a big chest and arms, you cant forget about training
legs. ;irstly, muscle imbalances look bad, and secondly, hea$y compound lower-
body e(ercises like the deadlift ha$e an enormous impact on your o$erall muscular
de$elopment, e$en in your upper body. &hats because they recruit muscles
e$erywhere#e$en in your shoulders and back#and they promote the release of
hormones that build si<e and strength.
.. %at More /n 0/112 !ays (

,ust because youre not training today doesnt mean you shouldnt eat big. 3our off
days are when most of your muscle growth takes place#the reco$ery phase#so it
makes sense to keep plenty of nutrients on hand for the body to make the most of.
%ts fine#and probably prudent#to decrease your carb intake slightly on non-training
days, as you dont need the e(tra energy for training, but keep your protein high and
make sure your o$erall caloric intake doesnt drop by more than =22 calories.
3. !on*t Fear 4ar5s (

/ow-carb diets are wildly popular for losing body fat, but theyre the opposite of what
you need to grow muscle. &o get big, you cant be afraid to gain a little fat, and as
long as youre eating clean food and enough calories to grow#but not too many#a
little fat is all youll gain.
>s a starting point, include carbs in your pre-workout meal and post-workout meal,
as well as in the shake that you consume during workouts. ;rom there, you can add
or subtract carb meals based on how youre progressing toward your goals.
10. Weigh&6n Wee"ly (

Most people weigh themsel$es when they want to lose weight, but using a scale is a
great tool for tracking muscle gains too. .eigh yourself once a week on the same
day and time, preferably first thing in the morning, after you$e used the bathroom
and before you$e eaten. %f the scale isnt mo$ing up, youre not gaining muscle.
6lain and simple. Shoot to add about a half-pound per week to minimi<e fat gain and
use the mirror to make sure the weight youre gaining is solid muscle.