Building muscle is one of the most difficult fitness tasks there is.
Many trainees “spin their wheels”, and can’t seem to pack on lean body mass over the years.
Additional muscle on your frame will have incredible health benefits, including:
- Better performance
- Better appearance
- Better bone density
- Better longevity
- More independence as you age (protection against falls)
- Increased confidence
…So I think it’s safe to say that – even if some people don’t know it yet – everyone wants more muscle.
Trying to find the optimal way to build muscle is one of the most controversial topics in fitness.
Everyone has their opinions, and most of those opinions have merit. There are numerous paths to building muscle, as long as the “big rocks” are in place.
Honestly, it’s not that complicated. In fact, it’s quite simple.
It’s by no means easy, it’s just simple. Those are two entirely different things.
If you’re ready to build appreciable muscle and stop spinning your wheels, here are a few steps to follow.
Step 1 – Figure Out Your Goals
Without goals, you have no target.
Without a target, there’s really no point in designing a program (since the whole point of a program is to maximize your results towards a goal in the most time-efficient way possible).
Now, there are two types of goals, general or specific.
For the purposes of building muscle, you want to focus on the specifics (even if you have a general goal in the back of your head).
For example, a general goal would be:
I want to build muscle.
A more specific goal would be:
I want to put on 15 lbs of muscle on my upper body in 12 months.
In the second example, not only have you given yourself a timetable for which to reach your goal (which creates motivation and pressure), but you’ve also figured out a framework from which to view your entire goal.
This overall goal is important – but it’s mainly for motivation.
We won’t be using our overall goal on a daily basis. Big, sweeping goals tend to overwhelm us psychologically.
But every time you don’t feel “motivated”, you can use your main goal as inspiration to grind and keep at your daily habits.
Step 2 – Figure Out Your Training Split
A training split is the structure of your weekly training sessions.
There are endless ways to structure a training plan (and they all work), but my favorite training splits for building muscle are as follows:
Lower/Upper Body Split
==> Four training sessions per week.
- Two lower body days per week (Monday and Thursday)
- Two upper body days per week (Tuesday and Friday)
- Three recovery days per week (Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday)
- Each muscle group hit 2-3x per week

Full Body Split
==> Three training sessions per week.
- Three full body days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday OR Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
- Four recovery days per week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday OR Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
- Each muscle group hit 3x per week
PHAT Split (created by Layne Norton)
==> Five training sessions per week.
- One lower body day per week (Monday)
- One upper body day per week (Tuesday)
- One push (chest, shoulders, triceps) day per week (Thursday)
- One pull (back and biceps) day per week (Friday)
- One legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves) day per week (Saturday)
- Two recovery days per week (Wednesday and Sunday)
- Each muscle group hit 2-3x per week.
Legs/Push/Pull
==> Six training sessions per week.
- Two legs days per week (Monday and Thursday)
- Two push days per week (Tuesday and Friday)
- Two pull days per week (Wednesday and Saturday)
- One recovery day per week (Sunday)
- Each muscle group hit 2-3x per week.
Again, these aren’t the only training splits you can choose from, but they are ones that allow you to strike a good balance between training and rest.
They also allow you to hit each muscle group multiple times per week (which is important for accumulating enough volume per muscle group to maximize growth).
Figure out a training split that works for your schedule, that you enjoy, and that you think you’ll be able to stick with long term.
Step 3 – Choose Exercises
The key here is to choose exercises that:
- Work the muscles you’re trying to grow through a full range of motion.
- Have a high loading capacity (at least with regards to compound exercises).
- Don’t cause pain and injury.
You really have any and all exercises at your disposal (so there aren’t any exercises that you must perform).
But, a list of my favorites – broken down by body part – is as follows:
- Quads –
- Back Squats
- Front Squats
- Leg Press
- Lunges (walking, reverse, stationary, etc)
- Bulgarian split squats
- Leg extensions
- Glutes –
- Hip Thrusts
- Glute Bridges
- Sumo Deadlifts
- Conventional Deadlifts
- Romanian Deadlifts
- Back Squats
- Front Squats
- Lunges (walking, reverse, stationary, etc)
- Bulgarian Split Squats
- Hamstrings –
- Sumo Deadlifts
- Conventional Deadlifts
- Romanian Deadlifts
- Good Mornings
- Glute Ham Raises
- Hamstring Curls (Seated, Standing, Lying, etc.)
- Back –
- Pull-Ups
- Chin-Ups
- Barbell Rows (Regular Grip, Reverse Grip, etc.)
- T-Bar Rows
- Dumbell Rows
- Chest-Supported Rows
- Cable Rows
- Hammer Strength Rows
- Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip, Close Grip, Neutral Grip, etc.)
- Chest –
- Bench Press
- Wide Grip Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Dumbell Bench Press,
- Incline Dumbell Bench Press
- Push-Ups (all variations)
- Dips
- Dumbell Flys (Flat, Incline, etc.)
- Cable Flys
- Pec Deck Machine
- Shoulders –
- Standing Overhead Press
- Seated Overhead Press
- Standing Dumbell Overhead
- Press
- Seated Dumbell Press
- Arnold Press
- Lateral Raises (Dumbell, Cable, etc.)
- Biceps –
- Barbell Curls
- Dumbell Curls
- Preacher Curls
- Concentration Curls
- Hammer Curls
- Cable Curls
- Incline Dumbell Curls
- Triceps –
- Close Grip Bench Press
- Dumbell Tricep Extension
- Rope Tricep Pressdown
- Dumbell Kickbacks
- Abs –
- Hollow Body Holds
- Deadbugs (All Variations)
- Planks (All Variations)
- Hanging Leg Raises
- Weighted Decline Crunches
- Cable Chops
These aren’t the only exercises you can perform (not even close), but they are the ones that give you the most “bang for your training buck.
They should form the foundation of your training plan.
There are a lot of exercises on the list above.
How do you know which ones to choose?
Here are some guidelines for implementing exercises in to your routine.
===> Compound movements (movements that use two joints) always come before isolation movements (movements that use one joint).
===> Strength – or “heavy” – work is placed in a workout before “light” work.
===> The most technical lifts are placed first before the least technical lifts.
===> Each training session should have 1-3 compound exercises at the start.
===> Each training session contains 2-4 isolation exercises after your compound movements.
===> Compound exercises are changed every 4-12 weeks (on average).
===> Isolation exercises are changed every 2-8 weeks (on average).
===> If something is working and you’re making progress…DON’T CHANGE IT.
That last item is incredibly important.
Your muscles don’t get “confused”. You don’t need to “mix it up”, even though the urge to do so may be strong.
If you’re adding weight, reps, sets, or progressively overloading an exercise, even if it’s been 12 weeks, KEEP GOING and milk those gains.
Step 4 – Figure Out Your Sets, Reps, and Weight
The sets, reps, and weight you perform determines the adaption forced on your body.
All rep ranges – and corresponding amounts of weight – are important, but for the purposes of building muscle, you should:
- Use 6-12 for most of your rep ranges.
- Use moderate weights (60-80% of your 1RM).
- Perform 3-5 sets per exercise.
A small portion of your training time should also be spent in lower (1-6) and higher (12-15+) rep ranges – with heavier and lighter weights respectively – as building strength and endurance will only help your size pursuits.
However, you need a priority system in place.
Make sure at least 50-75% of your training volume – if building muscle is your main goal – falls in the 6-12 rep range.
Step 5 – Implement a Progression Scheme
This is EXTREMELY important.
Every successful training plan has a progression scheme in place that has you doing more work from one training day, week, or month to the next.
If you’re trying to build muscle, you must progress. No progression, no gains.
This is the single biggest factor holding people back from building substantial muscle. A simple lack of progress via forced adaptation.
AKA – “not trying hard enough”.
There are multiple progression schemes you can choose from, but two of the most common – and most effective – ones are as follows:
1. Linear progression
2. Double progression
Linear progression is where volume starts high and weight starts low, and then – as you move through a training cycle – volume decreases as weight increases.
For example, let’s say you’re trying to progress the back squat.
A basic linear progression scheme, for the back squat, would go as follows:
- Week 1 – 3 sets of 12 (as much weight as you can do for 12 reps with good form)
- Week 2 – 3 sets of 10 (add weight)
- Week 3 – 3 sets of 8 (add weight)
- Week 4 – 3 sets of 6 (add weight)
As you can see, reps go down as weight goes up.
Then, when you go back up to 10 reps, you should be able to use more weight (this is called progressive overload, and progressive overload drives progress).
Double progression on the other hand, is where you focus on increasing volume (i.e. reps) with the same weight, and THEN you drop volume back to where you started,and increase the weight.
For example, let’s say you’re trying to progress the dumbbell curl.
A basic double progression scheme for the dumbbell curl would look something like this:
- Week 1 – 3 sets of 12 (as much weight as you can do for 12 reps with good form)
- Week 2 – 3 sets of 13 (with the weight you used the week before).
- Week 3 – 3 sets of 14 (with the weight you used the week before)
- Week 4 – 3 sets of 12 (add weight)
In this example, you keep the weight the same until you can do two or more reps with the same weight you started with in week 1.
Then, you drop the reps and increase the weight.
In most cases, I would use linear progression for compound lifts, and double progression for isolation lifts.
Either way – no matter which progression scheme(s) you choose – just remember:
1. There’s no perfect way to set up a progression scheme.
Whether you keep the reps the same for an entire training cycle – and just add weight in that rep range – or change reps weekly, the most important thing is you’re constantly trying to improve.
2. Volume and intensity should undulate periodically (when volume goes down, weight goes up, and vice versa).
3. You need to add volume – weight and reps – over time.
Take a second to figure out how you want to progress each exercise in your training plan.
Step 6 – Listen to Your Body
This isn’t really a “step,” but I do want to touch on it briefly.
As I mentioned above, the goal is to add weight or reps over time, but…that’s under the confines that you’re ALWAYS LISTENING TO YOUR BODY.
Some days you’ll feel weak.
Other days you’ll feel stiff, sore, and you might even have an exercise or two that causes pain.
If you do, make an adjustment.
The real key to growth is consistent training – with intensity – over a long period of time.
Ignoring what your body is telling you – and getting hurt – will do nothing but crush your consistency (and therefore your results).
Step 7 – Make Sure You’re Eating Enough Food
Now that your training plan is all set up, we need to touch on nutrition.
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but in order to grow, you have to consume more energy than you’re burning on a daily basis.
Don’t go overboard here, but an increase of 200-500 calories above maintenance (the amount of calories needed to maintain your current body weight) will be needed to pack on muscle.
Once you’ve increased your food intake, keep an eye on your physique.
Then, make adjustments based on your results.
Step 8 – Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Sleep
Finally, aim for 6-8 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep is important for pretty much everything…not just building muscle.
Don’t skimp on it.
Commonly Asked Questions
Before we wrap up, I wanted to throw in a few questions I get asked regularly on the topic of building muscle.
I hope you find my answers helpful:
Question 1 – Can I Do Cardio if I’m Trying to Build Muscle?
Yes, but I would keep it to 1-2 sessions per week.
Cardio is beneficial, but the increase in activity increases the amount of food you have to eat to stay in a surplus (and continue to grow).
Doing too much cardio may hinder your muscle-building efforts.
Question 2 – Can I Build Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time?
Maybe…if you’re new to training or coming back from a long layoff.
But, for everyone else, building muscle and losing fat at the same time may be possible, but it isn’t very efficient.
You’ll get much better results focusing on one goal at a time.
Question 3 – Should I Drink a Protein Shake Post-Workout if I Want to Build Muscle?
If you want to.
But, it isn’t necessary.
The main determinant of whether or not you gain weight is the total amount of calories you consume by the end of the day.
Consuming a protein shake post-workout won’t hurt, but it won’t create muscle at all.
Question 4 – How Much Muscle Can I Expect to Gain in 12 Weeks?
That’s a tough question to answer, because everyone builds muscle at different rates.
If you’re brand new to training, you can put on muscle at a fairly fast rate (probably around 1-2lbs per month).
If you’re further along in your training career, putting on just .25-.5 pounds of muscle per month will be a FANTASTIC rate of progress.
Question 5 – How Often Should I Make Adjustments to My Program?
In most cases, I would recommend making adjustments to your program every 4-12 weeks.
You can do this by either changing your set/rep scheme or by switching exercises.
However, the main question you should ask yourself at the end of each training cycle is “Am I still making progress?”
If the answer is “yes,” don’t change anything.
If it’s “no,” switch things up.
Question 6 – What’s the Biggest Determinant of Success When it Comes to Building Muscle?
There are two key factors for muscular growth.
They aren’t rep ranges, supplements, or sleep.
It’s not exercise selections, deadlifts, or squats.
The two biggest factors to muscle-building success are adherence and intensity.
You need to show up and go hard.
This is the biggest reason most people have issues building legitimate mass.
They don’t train religiously, and most that do don’t push themselves hard enough.
If you show up every day and push yourself to the max, the rest are just details.
-Coach Nick
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If you would like a Muscle Building Program designed for you, click HERE.
Author Bio
Nick Smoot is a personal trainer, nutrition coach, and fitness writer out of Newport News, VA.
He got his start in the fitness industry back in 2012, and since then he’s spent countless hours helping clients become the best versions of themselves possible.
In his free time, he enjoys lifting heavy things, eating, writing, traveling, nerding out on video games, and eating.
Visit Nick’s blog here, or feel free to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or send him an email at nsmoot2@gmail.com,