Looking to pack on some muscle, but not quite sure where to start? Or maybe you’re sick of being the skinny guy or girl, and want to transform your physique. I’ve been there, and I’ve got you! I’m going to share with you 6 keys for building muscle as beginner that will help get you growing. Whether you’re a beginner or anywhere else in your fitness journey these keys will apply to you. Let’s get started!

Strength Training

To build muscle you need to be doing some type of strength training or resistance training. Get yourself in the gym and lift some weights! Anywhere from 3 to 5 times each week, while hitting each muscle group twice is a great place to be. When you’re lifting you should be prioritizing compound movements. A compound movement is any exercise where you are using multiple muscle groups at the same time. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows, chin-ups or pull ups, overhead press, and lunges are all great options.

As you are learning any new exercise, focus on your form. Leave your ego at the door, and don’t worry about how much you’re lifting. Everyone is a beginner at one point – we all start somewhere. Work with weights you can control while you become better at each exercise. Setting yourself up with proper lifting form and technique from the beginning will help you prevent injuries and will ensure you’re using the right muscles during each lift. Ensuring you’re engaging the correct muscles will lead to better and safer progress in the future. You don’t want to be the person at the gym that’s struggling through their workout with sloppy sets that are way too heavy.

Progressive Overload

First off, what is progressive overload? Progressive overload is gradually increasing your training workload over time, so you can continue to stimulate muscle growth and increase your strength. Progressive overload can be achieved in a number of ways. It could be as simple as adding a little more weight to a lift – as little as 5 pounds – each week. If adding weight isn’t an option, try doing more repetitions or sets with the same weight you’ve been doing. Increasing your training frequency throughout the week, or even decreasing your rest time between sets are other ways to increase your training workload.

If you’re building muscle as a beginner you will likely be able to progress in multiple ways. You might be able to add weight to the bar as well as doing more reps and sets. Eventually your beginner gains will slow down and as you become more trained you will start to progress at a slower rate. Unfortunately, you can’t just add 5 pounds to the bar each week forever, but don’t let this discourage you. Keep training smart, push yourself in the gym, and be sure you’re still using progressive overload to address any plateaus.

Calorie Surplus

To grow, you need to eat more. To optimally build muscle and gain weight you need to be in a caloric surplus (eating more calories than your body is burning). This doesn’t mean you need to go crazy and eat everything in sight. The goal is to build muscle – not get fat. Instead keep your surplus small and controlled to avoid gaining excess body fat. If you have any idea of what your daily maintenance calories are, start by eating 200 to 300 calories more than that. If you don’t have an estimate you can multiply your bodyweight (in pounds) by 16 to 18 and start from there. These numbers will not be perfect. They are all just estimates, and helpful to get a starting point. I would recommend tracking your weight along with your calories, and then make adjustments as needed. If you’re not gaining weight, increase your calories slightly. Or if you’re gaining too much too quickly, you can decrease your intake.

Protein

Along with eating in a calorie surplus, you need to make sure you’re eating a sufficient amount of protein. Protein has a number of health benefits, and is essential for your body to build and maintain muscle.

So how much protein do you need?

An easy daily protein goal is 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Personally I prefer to have a slightly higher protein intake around 1.1 to 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight. Anywhere from 0.8 to 1.2 grams (or more) will be enough to ensure you’re building muscle.

There are plenty of great protein options available. If you’re struggling to get enough protein or for more ideas you can check out my article “8 High Protein Foods for Weight Loss”.

Rest & Recovery

More is not always better – you don’t need to be in the gym every day. Make sure you’re taking rest days, and don’t disregard your recovery. Muscle is built and repaired while you’re resting – making rest another crucial key to building muscle. Focus on getting 7+ hours of quality sleep each night, make sure you’re staying hydrated, and try to work in some stretching or mobility on your off days. Walking is another great rest day option if you’d like to stay active. Try to avoid higher intensity cardio or other activities that will interfere with your recovery on your rest days.

Patience, Consistency, and Discipline

Building muscle will take time. You’re not going to get jacked overnight. You will need to be patient, consistent, and disciplined with your training and nutrition. This means hitting the gym and getting your calories in even when you don’t feel like it – that’s when it matters most. Your motivation may come and go, but you can always be disciplined with your training. Think about it like a non-negotiable part of your day, it’s a meeting you can’t miss – make it happen.

Building Muscle as a Beginner

If you’re focusing on the 6 keys for building muscle as a beginner I’ve outlined here, you will be growing in no time! Set some goals, make yourself a plan, and be sure you’re tracking your progress. Focus on strength training with progressive overload, eat in a calorie surplus with sufficient protein, and don’t neglect your rest and recovery. Be patient, disciplined, and consistent along the way. I know building muscle can be a struggle, and it takes time. Try to stay in a muscle building phase for as long as you can, this will allow you to see the best results. Enjoy the gains!

As always, thanks for reading! You can contact me here, and don’t forget to sign up for my email list to get your FREE copy of 34 Metabolic Workouts: Build Strength & Burn Fat.

Let me know in the comments below if you’re working on building muscle or what your current training goals are.

Oh… and if you really want to be sure you’re packing on muscle – don’t skip leg day!