Gaining muscle quickly can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be impossible. Many people fall short of their muscle-building goals because they either fail to create a growth stimulus in the gym or they don't take in adequate nutrition to support muscle recovery. Follow a few simple guidelines to gain muscle quickly and change your physique.
Step 1
Do three full-body workouts a week, focusing on the multijoint, compound exercises for each muscle group. These exercises stimulate an anabolic or muscle-building effect on the body. Isolation or contracted-position training has its place in bodybuilding, but these exercises should come after your compound training. Examples of compound movements are squats and deadlifts for legs, pull-ups for back, bench presses for chest, upright rows and dumbbell press for shoulders, bar curls for biceps and weighted dips for triceps.
Step 2
Use the seven-to-12 repetition range for each exercise. According to "3-D Muscle Building," this is the hypertrophy, or muscle-enlarging, rep range. Lower reps develop strength and power, while higher reps work the endurance components of muscle fibers. Stick to the middle range to stimulate muscle-fiber growth.
Step 3
Train progressively, and take each set to "positive failure." Training progressively means incrementally (5 to 10 lbs. at a time) adding weight as you get stronger. The body requires this constant progressive overload to keep growing. Training to failure means stopping each set at the point when you can no longer perform a controlled repetition. Have a partner or fellow gym member spot you for safety.
Step 4
Drink a post-workout protein shake immediately after your training session. The longer you wait to take in these nutrients, the more slowly your muscles will repair and the less potential you will have for gaining muscle. "Optimum Anabolics" recommends 50 g of whey protein, 100 g of high-glycemic carbohydrates (fruit juice or dextrose) and 15 to 30 g of healthy fats such as flaxseed oil or medium-chain triglycerides.
Step 5
Eat five to eight smaller meals every day to ensure proper muscle-building nutrition. How much you will need to eat depends on your individual genetics, metabolism and body type. Try to take in 1 g of protein per pound of your body weight every day. The faster your metabolism, the more carbohydrates you will need to gain muscle. Get healthy fats at each of your meals to support anabolic hormone production and energy levels. Examples are olive oil, natural peanut butter, avocados and nuts and seeds.
References
- "3-D Muscle Building"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman, 2006
- "Optimum Anabolics"; Jeff Anderson; 2004
- "The Xtraordinary Size Surge Workout"; Jonathan Lawson; 2010
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