How to build muscle fast and effectively.

‘Fast and effective’ are uneasy bedfellows in muscle building.

Because hypertrophy requires dedication over a sustained period of time.

Building muscle efficiently must start with a strong foundation. Building brick by brick. Otherwise structural integrity is compromised - like a house of cards.

There are short cuts of course (ie anabolic steroids, HGH and other PEDs) but these are unsustainable.

Strength and fitness should be a habit rather than a one off goal. Sustainability and longevity should therefore be key.

In this context, the quickest way to build muscle sustainably is to prioritise technique, diet and recovery.

TECHNIQUE

A common complaint when building muscle is lack of progress.

“I've been doing this workout for a while but not seeing results”.

More often than not the answer lies in the execution.

You maybe benching, squatting or deadlifting as prescribed but if your range of motion is limited, target muscles not engaged or movement pattern is flawed then you've placed a low ceiling for results.

For example, if you're half repping a bench press, you’re leaving half of your potential gains on the table. And that’s not the only problem. You could also be gripping the bar too wide or too narrow. The bar path could be improved. Not driving the legs or engaging the core. There can be a number of weaknesses to improve.

Movement is a skill and any skill takes time to master.

Dedicate time to learn and practice. Muscle and strength increase exponentially when a solid foundation is built - just accept the initial ramp up to take time.

DIET

You can be nailing your workouts with perfect form. Even achieving the right intensity to elicit muscle growth.

But all that could be for nothing if you’re not consuming enough calories to fuel hypertrophy.

In fact, the opposite could occur if you’re in a calorie deficit.

There are calorie calculators freely available to calculate the amount of calories required to gain muscle mass. Taking the time to track what you eat during a week will give you a good gauge on whether you need to eat more (or less).

RECOVERY

An often overlooked part of an effective hypertrophy program is recovery.

While recovery covers a broad range of tools including percussive therapy, static stretches, hot and cold therapy and breathing protocols, the most important (an easiest) tool to prioritise is sleep.

Why?

Because sleep is not an optional lifestyle accessory. It’s a non-negotiable biological necessity.

Pulling all-nighters at work (or play), inconsistent sleep schedules and poor sleep hygiene all create hurdles for your body to build muscle.

Muscles aren’t built in the gym. They are built while you sleep.

Sleep is when your body regenerates the muscle tears caused in the gym with larger cells. Anything that gets in the way of sleep lengthens the time required for muscle building.

The most efficient way to build muscle is to prioritise technique, diet and recovery.

You may notice the actual workout is missing on that list.

This is because working out is the easy bit.

It’s fun to get a good pump and lift heavy things.

It’s not fun to practice a skill, watch what you eat and ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Naturally, these are areas most people neglect.

Once you recognise this, you’ll see improvements much quicker than others who choose the easy path.

That’s how you build muscle fast and effectively.