Building muscle, also known as hypertrophy, is often seen as a way to improve your appearance. While it is true that muscle growth enhances how you look, the benefits are more than just aesthetics. Increasing or maintaining muscle mass supports your body’s daily functions, improves mobility, regulates weight, and reduces the risk of injury as you age. However, muscle loss often begins as early as your late 20s.
Between the ages of 40 and 70, you may lose about 8% of your muscle per decade, and after 70, this rate can jump to 15%. While ageing is a key factor, injuries, cancer, and other illnesses can also lead to muscle loss. However, younger and middle-aged adults can slow, prevent, and even reverse much of this loss.
With the proper strength training routine, you can start seeing noticeable muscle gains in just a few weeks or months. A balanced body-building exercise routine that incorporates strength-building can help you maintain your muscle health over time.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of building muscle and how a well-structured fitness plan to build muscle can help you achieve your goals.
Benefits of Building Muscle
Building muscle is not just about looking good. Here are some benefits of increasing muscle mass, showing how it supports both your body and mind:
More Stable Blood Glucose
Studies show that when skeletal muscle mass increases, blood glucose levels tend to decrease, forming an inverse relationship. It happens because muscles act as storage for glucose, converting it into glycogen.
More muscle mass means more storage for blood glucose in the form of glycogen. Hence, preventing excess sugar from circulating in the blood. Additionally, strength training further boosts insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to move glucose from your blood into your muscles more efficiently.
Better Strength and Stamina
After consistent weight training and a high-protein diet, you will start to see improvement in both strength and stamina. Recovery time will also decrease, allowing you to bounce back faster than before.
As your muscles get stronger, so do your ligaments and tendons. Your nervous system also becomes better at coordinating muscle groups, making your movements smoother and more effective.
Muscle Supports Your Bones and Joints
Losing muscle often means losing bone density as well. However, if you focus on building muscle, you are likely to improve your bone density too. Strong muscles usually lead to healthier bones. For example, well-developed quadriceps and hamstrings support your knee joints. These muscles help prevent your knees from moving beyond their natural range of motion, which protects them from both acute and chronic injuries.
Better Metabolic Rate
Muscles are more metabolically active than fat, meaning they burn more calories even when they are at rest. Muscle burns between 4.5 to 7.0 calories per pound of body weight each day. Based on this, studies suggest that muscle tissue uses about 20% of your total daily calories, while fat tissue only burns about 5% for people with around 20% body fat.
Additionally, building muscle itself requires a significant amount of energy. This process of muscle growth adds another way your body burns calories, especially when you engage in strength training. The more muscle you have and the more active you are, the higher your calorie expenditure becomes.
The Science Behind Muscle Building
Muscle growth, or “hypertrophy,” is a complex process where small tears in muscle tissue are repaired into larger, stronger muscles. When you engage in resistance training, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibres. During the recovery phase, your body repairs these microtears, making the muscle tissue thicker and stronger. However, you must support the process with proper nutrition and rest to maximise muscle growth.
The muscle-building process relies on the principle of progressive overload. It involves consistently challenging your muscles by gradually increasing the resistance or intensity of your workouts over time. You can do this by lifting heavier weights, increasing the number of reps, or adjusting other variables to make your workout more fatiguing. Without this challenge, growth will plateau, and you will maintain your current level of muscle size.
Even with intense workouts, muscle growth will not occur without sufficient rest. Your body needs time to recover and repair before the muscles can grow.
How Important is Nutrition for Gaining Muscle?
Body composition changes, whether it is fat loss or muscle gain, rely heavily on diet just as much as on a consistent workout routine. Without proper nutrition, especially sufficient protein intake, strength training can lead to muscle loss.
Eating enough protein is crucial, but your overall calorie intake matters, too. Consuming high protein but not enough calories will leave you without the energy for workouts and muscle building. On the other hand, eating enough calories but relying on junk food instead of nutrient-rich options can lead to fat gain and lower muscle development.
Protein
Muscle tissue primarily consists of proteins. That makes this macronutrient essential for muscle health. For someone with a sedentary lifestyle, about 0.81 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is sufficient. For example, a 150-pound individual would need around 55.5 grams of protein daily.
The ideal protein intake for muscle gain is at least 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. For the same 150-pound individual, this would be approximately 109 grams of protein each day. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust your protein intake to match your activity level.
Carbs
Without enough carbohydrates, your body lacks the energy needed to build muscle effectively. Weightlifters and those focused on HIIT need to restore glycogen after intense sessions. For sustained energy and steady blood sugar levels, focus on complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, and legumes. For quick energy before a workout, try simple carbohydrates like bananas or dates.
Fat
Like carbs, fats often get a bad reputation. However, recommended amounts of the right fats (fatty acids) are essential. The “good” fats in your diet, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, help raise levels of HDL or good cholesterol. HDL boosts the production of growth hormone, which then triggers more amino acids. These amino acids are crucial for building muscle tissue. Healthy sources of fats include nuts, seeds, fatty fish, olive oil, and avocados.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps your muscles relax, prevents cramps, and keeps stress in check. Moreover, low magnesium levels can make you extra tired after workouts. You can find a good amount of magnesium in foods like leafy greens, beans, lentils, squash, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Glutamine
Intense workouts increase your body’s need for specific amino acids, such as glutamine. This amino acid repairs muscle tissue and the digestive tract lining, which often experiences stress during high-intensity exercises like weightlifting and HIIT. You can get glutamine from foods such as chicken, fish, beef, dairy, eggs, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and fermented foods.
Can You Build Muscle in a Calorie Deficit?
For some people, building muscle while in a calorie deficit is possible. Resistance training beginners or individuals with higher BMIs often respond more strongly to weightlifting, losing fat while gaining muscle. However, this approach is not ideal for everyone.
A calorie surplus creates the best conditions for gaining muscle, particularly for experienced lifters or those with lower body fat. Fortunately, you don’t need a large calorie surplus for muscle growth. Adding 200–500 extra calories is enough. Research, though limited, suggests that a moderate surplus of around 500 calories is optimal for building muscle during resistance training.
Focusing on resistance training and sufficient protein intake can minimise muscle loss during a calorie deficit. However, drastically cutting calories without prioritising resistance training can lead to muscle and fat loss.
To prevent muscle loss while in a calorie deficit, focus on the following:
- Calorie Deficit: Keep your calorie deficit modest, aiming for no more than 500 calories per day. Adjust this based on your personal needs.
- Protein: Consume about two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, or more, if you are aiming to preserve muscle while losing fat.
- Resistance Training: Train each muscle group close to failure 1-2 times per week, ensuring adequate rest between sessions to help maintain muscle mass. “Close to failure” means completing as many reps as possible until you can’t complete another one.
Top Muscle-building Exercises to Include in Your Fitness Plan
Stimulating muscle growth occurs when you push your muscles beyond what they are used to. It means challenging them with heavier weights, more reps, or new exercises that force the muscles to adapt and grow. Below are the top muscle-building exercises, especially for beginners:
Push-ups
Push-ups effectively target the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core. For beginners, start with wall push-ups or knee push-ups. Keep your core engaged and your body straight from head to heels.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are great for working the upper back, shoulders, and biceps. However, they can be challenging for beginners, so try assisted variations or resistance bands.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, targeting the hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles. Whether you use a single-leg variation, traditional style, dumbbells, or barbells, this exercise can effectively build strength.
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows effectively target the back muscles, including the lats, rhomboids, and rear delts. They also engage the chest, glutes, core, lower back, and triceps. Beginners should avoid heavy weights to prevent strain and focus on form.
Squats
The squat is one exercise that can challenge nearly every muscle in your body. The basic form, called the bodyweight or air squat, only uses your body weight for resistance. However, you can add variations by using weights like barbells or dumbbells, resistance bands, or even yoga balls to increase the challenge.
Bench Press
The bench press is a compound exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It is one of the most effective exercises for building muscle and strength, making it a key part of many workout routines. You can use a standard flat bench instead of a bench press rack and perform the exercise with either dumbbells or a barbell. Just make sure to choose a weight that suits your current strength level.
Bicep Curl
Bicep curls target the biceps and help with overall arm development. To perform this exercise, flex your arm at the elbow joint using dumbbells, a barbell, or handles. When done correctly, bicep curls can significantly increase muscle strength and size. While they mainly focus on the biceps, they also work the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles.
Russian Twist
Russian twists are a core exercise that targets the obliques, shoulders, and hips. To perform one, sit upright with your feet lifted off the ground. Then, rotate your torso from side to side.
4 Week Workout Plan for Gaining Muscle
Here is a 4-week push/pull/legs workout plan with a mix of compound and isolation exercises. This plan works well for beginners and helps build a strong foundation for muscle growth. You can adjust the exercises or workout splits to match your needs and find what works best for you. Fitness is personal, so make changes as needed to get the best results.
Week 1: Getting Started
Monday: Full Body (Compound Focus)
- Squats: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Bench Press: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Deadlifts: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Pull-Ups (or Assisted Pull-Ups): 3 sets of 10 reps
- Planks: 3 sets of 60 seconds
Tuesday: Active Recovery
- Light Cardio (e.g., brisk walking): 30 minutes
- Stretching and Foam Rolling (optional): 15 minutes
Wednesday: Upper Body (Isolation Focus)
- Dumbbell Bicep Curls: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Tricep Dips: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Face Pulls: 4 sets of 15 reps
Thursday: Active Recovery
- Light Cardio (e.g., brisk walking): 30 minutes
- Stretching and Foam Rolling (optional): 15 minutes
Friday: Lower Body (Isolation Focus)
- Leg Extensions: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Hamstring Curls: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Single Leg Calf Raises: 4 sets of 20 reps per side
Saturday: Full Body (Mixed)
- Lunges: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 15 reps per side
- Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 12 reps
Sunday: Rest
Week 2: Progressive Overload
Monday: Upper Body
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Overhead Press: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Chin-Ups: 3 sets of 8 reps
Tuesday: Lower Body
- Squats: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Deadlifts: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Leg Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Calf Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps
Wednesday: Active Recovery
- Light Cardio (e.g., brisk walking): 30 minutes
- Stretching and Foam Rolling (optional): 15 minutes
Thursday: Full Body
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
Friday: Active Recovery
- Light Cardio (e.g., brisk walking): 30 minutes
- Stretching and Foam Rolling (optional): 15 minutes
Saturday: Full Body (Compound Focus)
- Squats: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Deadlifts: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Pull-Ups (or Assisted Pull-Ups): 3 sets of 8 reps
- Planks: 3 sets of 60 seconds
Sunday: Active Recovery
- Stretching and Foam Rolling (optional): 15 minutes
Week 3: Increasing Intensity
Monday: Push Day
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Overhead Press: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Dips: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Tricep Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10 reps
Tuesday: Pull Day
- Deadlifts: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
Wednesday: Active Recovery or Rest
Thursday: Leg Day
- Squats: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Romanian Deadlifts: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Leg Press: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
Friday: Active Recovery or Rest
Saturday: Full Body (Mixed)
- Kettlebell Swings: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Push-Ups: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Core Circuit (Planks, Russian Twists, Leg Raises): 2 rounds of 60 seconds each
Sunday: Rest
Week 4: Burn & Tone
Monday: Upper Body High Volume
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Dumbbell Flyes: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 20 reps
Tuesday: Lower Body High Volume
- Squats: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Leg Extensions: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Leg Curls: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Calf Raises: 5 sets of 20 reps
Wednesday: Active Recovery
- Light Cardio (e.g., brisk walking): 30 minutes
Thursday: Full Body Circuit (Repeat 3 Times)
- Light Squats: 15 reps
- Push-Ups: 15 reps
- Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows: 15 reps
- Plank: 60 seconds
- Jump Rope: 60 seconds
Friday: Upper Body High Volume
- Pull-Ups (or Assisted Pull-Ups): 4 sets of 10-15 reps
- Bicep Curls: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Tricep Dips (or Pushdowns): 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Face Pulls: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Crunches: 3 sets of 20 reps
Saturday: Lower Body High Volume
- Bodyweight or Light Barbell Squats: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts (Light Weight): 4 sets of 20 reps
- Seated Calf Raises: 5 sets of 20 reps
- Hanging Knee Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps
Sunday: Rest or Light Activity
- Stretching and Foam Rolling: 15-30 minutes
HealthifyMe Note
As you create a fitness plan, it is essential to focus on both resistance training and rest. This balance ensures that your muscles have enough time to recover and grow stronger. While some may wonder if muscle can be built in a calorie deficit, it is possible with the right approach. Prioritising strength training, maintaining a modest calorie deficit, and consuming enough protein can help preserve muscle while losing fat. HealthifyMe provides you with customised workout and diet plans based on your goals. A professional will ensure that your routine meets your specific needs, maximising your progress and minimising the risk of injury.
The Final Word
Muscle building supports overall health, enhancing mobility, regulating weight, and reducing the risk of injury, especially as one ages. Whether one is working in a calorie surplus or deficit, maintaining muscle mass relies on strength training, adequate protein intake, and a careful balance of progressive load with active recovery.
Visit the HealthifyMe Store to explore customised diet plans and workout programs tailored by our expert nutritionists and fitness coaches, helping you achieve your muscle-building goals efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a good 4-week workout plan for building muscle?
A: A good 4-week workout plan includes full-body workouts, active recovery days, and a mix of compound exercises to target multiple muscle groups. Most importantly, any fitness plan to build muscle should include progressive overload.
Q: What kind of workouts should a beginner do to build lean muscle?
A: Beginners should first perform exercises requiring larger muscle groups, such as bench presses, squats/squat variations, deadlifts, lat pull-downs, and overhead presses. To avoid injury, follow a full body-building exercise routine with proper form and moderate weights.
Q: Can I build lean muscle while having a calorie deficit?
A: Yes, it is possible. However, it is more challenging than when you are in a calorie surplus. To build muscle while in a calorie deficit, the key is to maintain a balance between strength training and nutrition. Next, eating enough protein is crucial. However, you should not drastically reduce your calorie intake, as this can lead to muscle loss.
Q: What is active recovery exercise, and why is it important?
A: Active recovery means performing low-intensity exercises on your rest days to help promote blood flow to sore muscles. Light activities like walking, yoga, stretching, or cycling keep you moving without putting extra stress on your muscles. It speeds up recovery and makes your muscles feel better, allowing you to get back to your fitness plan to build muscle sooner.
Q: How can I get enough protein for muscle growth?
A: Include a variety of protein sources in your diet, such as eggs, lean meat, beans, and protein powder. The ideal amount of protein for muscle-building varies from person to person but generally falls between 1.2 and 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Q: How long does it take to see results from building muscle?
A: Beginners often see noticeable results within eight weeks, while experienced lifters can notice changes in just three to four weeks. With the right body-building exercise routine and proper nutrition, most people gain about one to two pounds of lean muscle per month. Staying consistent will help you see steady progress.
