Building muscle is a complex physiological process. Through bodybuilding exercises, muscle tissue is broken down, only to be repaired by the body during sleep using whatever nutrients are available to it. This process gradually results in noticeably bigger and stronger muscles. To maximize your muscle-building efforts, you need to create a clear plan that includes exercise, diet and sleep.
Step 1
Measure your body fat. You can use an online calculator to determine your body mass index, which will tell you whether or not you are overweight. For a more accurate determination, measure your body composition. Underwater weighing, available at some gyms and college physical education departments, will tell you what your body fat percentage is.
Step 2
Decide how many calories, if any, you will add to your diet. If you are overweight, you should not add calories to your diet, but should instead rely on substituting healthy foods for unhealthy foods. If you are not overweight, CNN diet and fitness expert Melina Jampolis recommends adding 250 to 500 calories a day to your diet. These calories should come from healthy sources.
Step 3
Determine your daily protein needs. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends at least 0.65 g per pound of body weight. If you're not getting that much, you can either add protein to your daily diet or purchase special protein supplements for bodybuilders.
Step 4
Select 8 to 10 exercises that train all parts of your body, including your legs. Practice performing them at different weights. If you can't perform at least five repetitions, the weight is too heavy. If you can perform more than 12, the weight is too light. You will have to keep increasing your weight when you can complete 13 repetitions without stopping.
Step 5
Start a training log. If you work out at a gym, you may be able to keep your log on file at the gym. Your log should list your exercises, weights used, number of repetitions completed and the dates of your workouts. It is particularly important that you keep track of the weights you are using, so that you will train at the proper weight each workout.
Step 6
Set a long-term muscle-building goal. Although it is realistic for a novice weightlifter to expect to gain half a pound of muscle per week, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as you gain muscle, your progress will inevitably slow until you reach your body's maximum muscle mass. If you want to gain 20 pounds of muscle, then expect it to take about 40 weeks. You will have to keep working out to maintain your muscle gains.
Step 7
Cover any windows in your bedroom, so that it is completely dark, even during the morning. If necessary, move to a quieter room. Re-arrange your schedule to allow you to sleep eight hours every night.
Things You'll Need
- Training log
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