Satellite cells are the primary stem cells in skeletal muscle and are responsible for postnatal muscle growth, hypertrophy and regeneration 2. These cells attempt to repair muscle damage by fusing together and increasing the length of the muscle fibers, making them stronger and slightly larger.

The physiological process of muscle growth beyond exercise is complex and varied. There are several factors to be considered ranging from genetics, age, gender and body composition to workout plan, nutrition, sleep routine and lifestyle.

So, we have compiled a list of 6 science backed tips that will help you build muscle, improve your functionality and slow down ageing. The concept of eating more when you are trying to build muscle and lose fat is scary for many people to come to terms with.

The truth is, to maximize muscle growth you need to consume more calories than you burn. This helps put your body into an anabolic state 3 and gives you the energy and protein needed to repair, rebuild and grow the muscle. The amount of calorie surplus varies based on your goals, training frequency and metabolic needs.

If tracking your weight is an issue for you, take pictures of your progress, making sure conditions of the pictures are the same. Protein is essential for muscle growth and the amino acids found in protein form the building blocks of your muscle.

The aminos are involved in several processes including tissue growth, energy production, immune function and nutrient absorption. A research study found that consuming between 0. You should aim to eat protein with every meal.

If you struggle to get enough protein then you should consider supplementing with a whey isolate or plant-based protein powder. It is one of the easiest ways to help meet your protein requirements without increasing your fats or carbohydrates.

If you supplement with protein powders and your goal is to build muscle, we recommend taking at least 2 scoops per day. Avoid low-carb diets when trying to build more muscle.

Carbs are protein sparing and the main energy source of the body. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that those following a low-carb diet took longer to recover, lost strength and had a decreased level of protein synthesis than those on higher carb diets 5.

Daily carbohydrate intake is dependent on your goals and day-to-day activity levels. Training volume refers to the total amount of exercise done within a given time period. The most common measurement of this is by looking at the total number of reps, sets and load you do in a workout sets x reps x load.

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that there is a clear dose-to-response relationship between volume and muscle growth. The higher the training volume, the more muscle you grow 6.

A review conducted by Schoenfeld et al. If you are a beginner or just starting out, we recommend starting with reps of sets per week when training the larger muscle groups Back, Chest, Legs , as you begin to adapt, slowly increase this to sets per muscle group per week.

Compound exercises involve multiple joints and muscle groups. For example back rows, squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, pull-ups and push-ups etc. Lean body mass LBM is a part of body composition that is defined as the difference between total body weight and body fat weight.

This means that it counts the mass of all organs except body fat, including bones, muscles, blood, skin, and everything else. Generally, men have a higher proportion of LBM than women do. The dosages of some anesthetic agents, particularly water-soluble drugs, are routinely based on the LBM. Some medical exams also use the LBM values.

For body fitness and routine daily life, people normally care more about body fat percentage than LBM. To compute body fat, consider using our body fat calculator or ideal weight calculator.

Multiple formulas have been developed for calculating estimated LBM eLBM and the calculator above provides the results for all of them. The author suggests that this formula is applicable for children aged years old or younger.

The formula is used to compute an eLBM based on an estimated extracellular volume eECV as follows:. More accurately, it's the amount of weight you carry that isn't body fat. Your LBM includes muscle, but also bones, water, connective tissue, and stored up glycogen and other substances.

This calculator requires two inputs from you: your total body weight and body-fat percentage. This can help you track whether the weight you gain or lose is coming in the form of fat or from LBM. Once you know that, you can make more informed nutrition and training choices to nail your fitness and physique goals.

Now that you know how your body weight breaks down into fat mass and lean mass, here are your next steps:. Following a well-designed lifting program is the best way to increase your lean body mass, often while decreasing your body fat.

Here are some of the most popular ones from BodyFit:. Eating adequate protein is a proven way to increase lean body mass, and muscle mass in particular.

The Bodybuilding. com Macronutrient Calculator will give you a daily target for not only protein, but also carbohydrates, dietary fats, and calories. Supplements can help you accelerate your lean-mass-building results once you have your protein intake and training nailed down.

Muscle uses blood glucose and fatty acids for fuel, helping lower our blood sugar. Long-term high blood sugar has tons of scary effects, including an increased risk of heart disease , stroke, blood vessel damage, kidney problems, eye disease, and nerve damage.

Obviously, there are aesthetic benefits to having a muscular physique. While this shouldn't be your number one motivator, it's also okay to want to achieve a certain look, within reason. Building muscle is not achieved simply by stacking as many plates as possible on a barbell and repping out as many squats as you can.

There's a reason many men struggle to gain muscle mass. It's a fine science encompassed by lifting heavy, yes—but also by sleeping properly, fueling the body effectively, and training smarter, not harder.

Here are a few expert-backed tips for gaining muscle. Strength training, especially with heavy loads, will help you build muscle. That said, you should never sacrifice form for more weight plates on the barbell.

Neglecting form can lead to injury—setting you even further back than where you started. Once form is established, then you'll need to load up and challenge your muscles to build them.

If done right, the stimulus of heavy weight going down with control and going back up will cause greater muscle tear and rebuild.

Muscle hypertrophy is the name of the process behind muscle growth. When we challenge our muscles enough, their cells adapt to their environment by increasing in diameter and length.

There are specific training protocols that have been found to emphasize muscle hypertrophy. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association NSCA , incorporating multiple sets of moderate loads creates the greatest elevation of testosterone and human growth factor, two hormones that stimulate muscle hypertrophy, when compared with low reps of high loads and high reps of low loads.

That means aiming for sets of 6 to 12 reps with loads between 65 to 85 percent of your 1 rep max , with at least 1 to 3 minutes rest between sets. In case you haven't already heard, protein is incredibly important to building muscle.

It forms the building blocks that create muscle tissue. If you don't get enough of it, all your hard work in the gym won't matter. Aim to eat at least 1.

That's about the the maximum amount your body can use in a day, according to a landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Fill your plate with protein-packed chicken, turkey, eggs, edamame, and peas.

If you're still not getting enough, consider opting for a high-quality protein powder to add to smoothies or mixed with a low-fat milk as a snack. You may be killing it in the gym, but it means nothing if you're not allowing your body time to rest and recover.

You'll want to make sure you're not forgetting to program in some rest days in between your workouts—at least one a week, according to Kurt Ellis, C. Prioritize your sleep , too. When you sleep, the growth hormones that kick start muscle growth are secreted.

Ideally, you'll want to try for eight hours of sleep—but that's not always possible when life gets busy. Make sure you're getting at least at least six hours.

If you really want to put on muscle, you'll need to incorporate exercises that challenge multiple muscle groups at one time. The way to do that is by programming multi-joint movements —exercises that require the use of several muscles at one time.

If you're unsure about which exercises will help you build muscle most efficiently, focus on movements that let you do three things. Avoid ultra-processed foods , added sugars, alcohol, and fast food particularly fried.

Talk with a nutrition coach or your doctor about if an eating or intermittent fasting schedule is right for you. Drink water! The amount of water a person needs varies from individual to individual. But most people are not getting anywhere close to enough.

Start your day with a big glass of water. Yes before the coffee! And drink water continuously throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks such as sodas and juices. Plan and prepare your meals and snacks. Choose what meals are the most challenging for you to eat right and prep those.

Strength train 3—4 days a week , working each major muscle group twice a week if possible. Take rest days! Skipping rest days will send your results flying backwards. Your body needs time to recover. Work your muscles to fatigue , not failure. Failure is your muscles completely collapsing, leaving you unable to move through the motion.

Some coaches still encourage going to failure, but in my experience, it increases the risk of injury. Fatigue will get you great results without harm. HIIT workouts 1—2 times per week.

There are a lot of workouts out there claiming to be HIIT that are not. Prioritize sleep. Strive for consistency. Not in the mood to work out?

Do it anyway. Even if just a little. Consistency is the magic bullet for success. Add — more calories a day to your diet of mostly lean protein. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 1. Continue to log your food , drink your water, and stay away from the junk. You know the score!

No more HIIT workouts. Strength train 5—6 days a week. Workouts that progressively overload the muscles. Increase reps and weight to stimulate muscle growth. Change your workout plan every 4—6 weeks. This will keep your body from adapting.

Here's what to know. Oftentimes, we focus on one specific fitness goal. It's either losing weight or gaining muscle. But it's possible to do both simultaneously with body recomposition.

What makes this approach challenging is that it's different to simply wanting to lose weight. It seems contradictory to reduce body fat and build muscle at the same time. That's because a caloric deficit aids in weight loss , while to build muscle , you have to eat more calories than you burn.

It is possible to do both, but it requires dialing in your diet and training. Everyday activities can also contribute to movement and aid in calorie-burning.

Your body composition is the ratio of fat mass to lean mass in your body. Sometimes, body composition is used interchangeably with body fat percentage, but body fat percentage is just one part of your overall body composition.

Lean mass includes muscle, bones, ligaments, tendons, organs, other tissues and water -- in other words, everything that's not body fat. Depending on what method you use to measure your body composition, you may see water as its own percentage.

Body recomposition refers to the process of changing your ratio of fat mass to lean mass -- that is, losing body fat and gaining muscle mass. The goal of body recomposition is to lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously, unlike the traditional approach of "bulking and cutting" in which you intentionally put on a lot of weight first muscle and fat and then go through an intense calorie deficit to lose the fat and reveal the muscle underneath.

When your goal is body recomposition, ditch the scale and use a tape measure for a better idea of your progress. Body recomposition isn't about weight loss; it's about fat loss. On a body recomposition plan, you may maintain your current weight or even gain weight -- remember hearing "muscle weighs more than fat"?

This is semi-true. Muscle is denser than fat. During body recomposition, what changes, instead of weight, is your physique. As you progress through body recomposition, you may notice changes in your body, such as an overall firmer look or that your clothes fit differently.

You may even gain weight, but have a smaller physique, at the end of your body recomposition program. For example, I weigh exactly the same now as I did before I started exercising and eating healthy.

I wear smaller clothes, however, and my body has more muscle tone than it did before. I also feel much stronger than before I began a strength training program a nonaesthetic benefit to body recomposition.

So you can ditch the scale , because it doesn't differentiate between fat loss and muscle loss, and weight loss isn't the primary goal with body recomposition. There's one caveat to consider, though: If you want to lose a large amount of body fat and don't intend to put on much muscle mass, you may lose weight in the long run.

Because you're trying to do two things at once -- lose fat and gain muscle -- you can't treat a body recomposition plan like a fad diet.

Here are a few expert-backed tips for gaining muscle. Strength training, especially with heavy loads, will help you build muscle. That said, you should never sacrifice form for more weight plates on the barbell. Neglecting form can lead to injury—setting you even further back than where you started.

Once form is established, then you'll need to load up and challenge your muscles to build them. If done right, the stimulus of heavy weight going down with control and going back up will cause greater muscle tear and rebuild.

Muscle hypertrophy is the name of the process behind muscle growth. When we challenge our muscles enough, their cells adapt to their environment by increasing in diameter and length. There are specific training protocols that have been found to emphasize muscle hypertrophy.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association NSCA , incorporating multiple sets of moderate loads creates the greatest elevation of testosterone and human growth factor, two hormones that stimulate muscle hypertrophy, when compared with low reps of high loads and high reps of low loads.

That means aiming for sets of 6 to 12 reps with loads between 65 to 85 percent of your 1 rep max , with at least 1 to 3 minutes rest between sets. In case you haven't already heard, protein is incredibly important to building muscle.

It forms the building blocks that create muscle tissue. If you don't get enough of it, all your hard work in the gym won't matter. Aim to eat at least 1. That's about the the maximum amount your body can use in a day, according to a landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Fill your plate with protein-packed chicken, turkey, eggs, edamame, and peas. If you're still not getting enough, consider opting for a high-quality protein powder to add to smoothies or mixed with a low-fat milk as a snack.

You may be killing it in the gym, but it means nothing if you're not allowing your body time to rest and recover. You'll want to make sure you're not forgetting to program in some rest days in between your workouts—at least one a week, according to Kurt Ellis, C.

Prioritize your sleep , too. When you sleep, the growth hormones that kick start muscle growth are secreted. Ideally, you'll want to try for eight hours of sleep—but that's not always possible when life gets busy.

Make sure you're getting at least at least six hours. If you really want to put on muscle, you'll need to incorporate exercises that challenge multiple muscle groups at one time. The way to do that is by programming multi-joint movements —exercises that require the use of several muscles at one time.

If you're unsure about which exercises will help you build muscle most efficiently, focus on movements that let you do three things. Aim for multi-joint moves, as Samuel explained. Then, search for exercises that allow you to utilize the principles of progressive overload adding weight, volume, intensity, etc.

so you can continually challenge your muscles and improve over time. The final trait of moves that efficiently build muscle is this: They should allow you to work over a relatively large range of motion for the target muscles.

That means big, compound movements that can move big weight, like squats, deadlifts, chest presses, and more. Here are five of our favorite muscle-building moves. Why: The pushup challenges your entire body—if you're doing it properly. Knowing your balance of lean and fat mass is a better indicator of your overall body composition than the scale alone—even assuming that your scale is accurate.

Likewise, body mass index BMI charts are problematic because they often erroneously list muscular individuals as obese, even when they have a low body-fat percentage. You can also use your lean body mass as a benchmark for assessing progress so you can fine-tune your macronutrients to build muscle.

Certain training programs, like Layne Norton's PH3: Week Power and Hypertrophy Plan use it in determining how many grams of protein you need to maintain and build muscle.

Once you know your lean body mass breakdown, it's time to take the same kind of strategic approach to the rest of your training and nutrition. These popular calculators can help you dial in your plan! com's authors include many of the top coaches, nutritionists, and physique athletes in the world today.

Nutrition Lean Body Mass Calculator: Track Your Body Composition. Lean Body Mass Calculator Weight Pounds Kilograms. Now that you know how your body weight breaks down into fat mass and lean mass, here are your next steps: 1. Pick a workout plan. Jim Stoppani's Week Shortcut to Size.

Here are the pros and cons health experts say you should consider. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Get Motivated Cardio Strength Training Yoga Rest and Recover Holistic Fitness Exercise Library Fitness News Your Fitness Toolkit.

The No BS Guide to Building Lean Muscle. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. Strength boost benefits: improves balance enhances posture increases coordination prevents injury protects bone health eases pain reduces fat prevents weight gain slows age-related muscle loss. Was this helpful?

Muscle-building basics. ISOTONIC pushups squats crunches donkey kicks triceps dips. ISOMETRIC plank Warrior Pose s wall sit boat pose glute bridge. The loss that comes with the gains. Get stronger with these courses and apps.

How we reviewed this article: History. Apr 17, Written By Jennifer Chesak, MSJ. Jan 9, Medically Reviewed By Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN.

Share this article. Read this next. Weight Training. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. How Much Weight Should You Be Lifting at the Gym? READ MORE.

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By Arlene Semeco, MS, RD and Celia Shatzman. Understanding Heart Rate Zones for Effective Workouts Targeting heart rate zones as you exercise is one way to maximize the benefits you get from your workouts.