5 Steps to Building Muscle

Big muscles don't come without work. Building bigger muscles requires generating a proper internal “environment” that supports muscle growth. This can be achieved by following five essential steps that are based on regular resistance training, proper diet and rest.

Working Out
The first step in building bigger muscles is to exercise the individual muscles on a regular basis. The best exercise for this is weight lifting, which allows ever-increasing resistance to support muscle growth. Muscle growth happens when muscles contract or work against resistance, and the higher the resistance the more muscle fibers are recruited. Working against resistance leads to micro-injuries on the muscle fibers, to which the muscle tissue responds by repairing the damage. When this happens, the size of the muscle fibers increase, resulting in bigger muscle mass. Although other exercises also build muscle mass at first, once the muscle is accustomed to the resistance level, growth stops unless the resistance can be increased.

Eating a Protein-Rich Diet
Exercise is only one part of muscle growth. In order for muscle tissue to repair any damage that has occurred, it needs fuel. The major fuel for muscle tissue is amino acid. Although the human body can manufacture some amino acids, a few essential amino acids only come from dietary protein. Thus, eating a protein-rich diet is essential for gaining bigger muscle tissue. General guidelines suggest eating 0.3 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

Taking Rest Days
Although exercise is the key for increasing muscle mass, proper rest is needed for optimal muscle growth. Muscle repair happens during rest, and thus, taking rest days between intensive workouts is essential to allow enough time for the muscle tissue to heal and build. Training too hard and too often can result in a situation where muscle tissue is being broken down instead of built.

Eating Enough Calories
Getting enough calories is necessary to provide energy to support muscle repair and growth. Out of the three energy-containing nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates and fats -- carbohydrates are the most important when it comes to providing energy for the body. Without enough carbohydrate in the diet, the muscle tissue runs out of energy, which affects its ability to heal and grow.

Getting Enough Sleep
Besides providing time for muscle tissue to heal, sleeping also helps fight off stress and illnesses. During stress, the body produces stress hormones, which induce muscle breakdown and affect muscle growth negatively. Managing stress not only improves overall health, but also supports muscle tissue repair and growth.