The Basics of Muscle Building for Beginners

''The Holy Trinity'' of muscle building consists of three very basic things.
1. Training
2. Nutrition
3. Rest

Simple enough, isn't it? Really, muscle building in theory is not that hard - exercise to cause a stimulus for muscles to grow, nutrition to feed the muscles, and during rest the muscles actually grow.

However, building muscles is not a fast process, do not imagine to become 'ripped' in just days, or even weeks. Depending on your goals, it will at least take months. This is why I find it hilarious when people say things like ''oh I don't go to gym because I don't want to get too muscular''. It is not possible to just grow into a bodybuilder overnight. Professional bodybuilders have worked years for their bodies.

Next I will briefly go over the Trinity.

This is the most important aspect. Your muscles need a stimulus to start growing - this is why you train. As a beginner, you should choose a basic full body workout routine, three times a week. That might sound like it's not enough, but trust me, it is.

I cannot stress enough about technique. LEARN THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE!!! It will pay you off big time, by letting you advance quicker after the technique is perfected, and by shrinking the chance of injury. Ask an advanced lifter from your gym to check your form. Usually people are more than happy to help beginners.

An example full body workout (3 times a week):

2x* Squats
2x* Stiff legged deadlifts
2x* barbell row
2x* pull-ups
2x* bench press

*number of sets performed after warm ups

Now, 2 sets for an exercise might sound a bit too low. But what you are trying to do is to perform more reps or use more weight than you did the last workout. Progress is the most important thing about training. Generally aim for a rep range of 6-12. Once you are able to do 12 reps with a certain amount of weight, increase it by 5 pounds.

Bench press example:
Monday: 2x9x85lbs*
Wednesday: 2x12x85lbs
Friday: 2x8x90lbs

* read as 2 sets of 9 repetitions with 85 lbs. I'm sure you got the idea.

The right nutrition is usually neglected by beginners. A question; how can muscles grow without fuel? Answer - they can't.

Calories. A small calorie surplus (200-500kcal) is needed in order for optimal muscle growth. This means that you will gain weight. And along the weight you will also pack on some fat. Don’t be afraid now- your actual body fat % will most probably drop because your muscle gains should be a lot higher than your fat gains. Therefore it might actually appear as you have lost fat.

Proteins – the building blocks of muscle. Try to get at least as many grams of protein as the amount of pounds you weigh. For me, that is 205 grams, as I weigh 205 pounds.

Good protein sources: beef, chicken breast, canned tuna, milk, cottage cheese, and protein shakes.

This is possibly the most overlooked part of the trinity. When you train, your muscles are actually breaking down. When you rest, your body is repairing your broken down muscles- the muscle growth occurs during rest. Try to aim for at least 8 hours of sleep per night.