Resistance Training for Muscle Growth
Fast Track to lifting (well)
Go hard
- If you finish a resistance training workout feeling like you could have done another 2-3 sets of 15 reps, then you probably didn't push yourself hard enough. Your body will only adapt as it must.
Use a weight that you cannot lift more than 12 times
- The heavier you go (AKA the less repetitions you can do per set), the more gains you will make it raw strength. Inevitably, strength gains are usually accompanied by gains in muscle size. Similarly, using a weight wherein you 'fail' between 6-12 repetitions is often associated with muscle growth, but strength gains many times accompany this growth - particularly in beginners. If you can do more than 12 reps, you need to use more weight.
Perform at least 3 sets per exercise
- The total volume (amount of weight lifted over the course of all sets and reps) is as much an indicator of the stimulus intensity for muscle growth as the amount of weight and number of repetitions performed during each set. Beginners should perform at least 3 working sets. Advanced lifters may perform as many as 7-10 sets.
Train each muscle 3x per week
- With the above being said, something is better than nothing. Once per week is better than none. However, for optimal results, science points towards training each muscle 3 times per week. Beginners are advised to start with 2 times per week, until well-adapted to this form of exercise.
Eat enough protein
- It is traditionally recommended that an individual consume at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (0.8 g/kg/d). Yet, protein intakes as high as 2.3 g/kg/d and above have been used in studies repeatedly without adverse effects, but rather have been shown to be superior to lower intakes during fasting. Thus, for healthy individuals, keeping protein intake at or above 1.2 g/kg/d is a good starting point when it comes to building muscle.