Increasing muscle mass is a goal that many of us have set for ourselves at some point in our lives . Whether it's to improve our physique, feel stronger, or simply for health reasons, the idea of seeing our muscles grow is an exciting challenge.
However, it's not enough to just go to the gym or lift weights without a plan . Many people believe that simply lifting more weight and eating more will achieve their goals, but this is a mistake and rarely yields results, especially in the long term.
Gaining muscle mass requires a well-defined strategy , based on knowledge and, above all, on adopting habits that will support you in this process. It's about understanding that muscle growth is an adaptation process that goes beyond simple training . It requires a perfect balance between stimulus, nutrition, and rest.
At Be Levels, we've created this comprehensive guide to show you how to effectively gain muscle mass , giving you the tips that nobody else tells you and that are key to increasing your muscle size once and for all.
If you don't know what to do to gain muscle mass , keep reading because this is interesting to you. And very much so.
How to increase muscle mass? 10 key points you shouldn't overlook.
1. Eat more, and better.
To build muscle, you need to give your body more energy than it expends . In addition to adequate protein, you need more calories.
Although it will vary depending on your weight, activity level, and age, generally, to gain muscle you need to consume between 300 and 500 more calories than your daily maintenance energy expenditure . Or, in other words, a surplus of between 10% and 20% of your needs.
Give it two weeks for the results to show on the scale. If you haven't gained weight by then, increase your calories by 500 per day . The path to increasing muscle mass is a matter of consistency and adjustment.
2. Enhances muscle development
The more protein your body stores , in a process called protein synthesis, the larger your muscles grow . But your body is constantly depleting your protein stores for other uses, such as hormone production, for example. And the result is less protein available for muscle building.
To counteract that, it's necessary to " build and store new proteins faster than your body breaks down old proteins ." Good nutrition is the foundation of growth, and this point is fundamental for anyone looking to gain muscle mass sustainably.
3. Train with weight
If you want to build muscle and strength, you must train with weight . Heavy training challenges the muscles not only concentrically (the contraction phase) but also eccentrically (the controlled descent phase).
The stimulus of lowering the weight with control and then raising it again will cause greater muscle breakdown and rebuilding . This means that not all your sets should have between 10 and 15 repetitions. Yes, high-rep sets can be valuable, but for multi-joint movements like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts, don't be afraid to do sets of, say, 5 repetitions.
That will allow you to use more weight, developing more pure strength . And as you progress, that new strength will allow you to lift heavier weights for more repetitions.
One idea is to start each session with an exercise that allows you to train with low repetitions . Do 4 sets of 3-5 repetitions in your first exercise, then do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each subsequent movement.
4. Increase protein intake
Protein is the fundamental pillar for muscle growth . Consuming the right amount of protein is essential to repair and build muscle fibers damaged during training. Protein shakes are a very useful tool for this purpose, as they offer a quick and efficient way to meet your daily requirements.
Test Isolated protein , the purest, tastiest, and most effective whey protein isolate . With more protein, less fat, fewer carbohydrates, and almost no sugar, it will become your perfect ally to achieve your muscle growth goals.
5. Don't always push yourself to the limit.
Your body needs to move every day, but that doesn't mean your workouts should lead to fatigue and exhaustion. If you train at your maximum every day, your body won't have the opportunity to grow . Choose your moments during the week to give it your all.
Try to finish each workout feeling good, not completely exhausted . To do this, limit your weight training sessions to 12-16 total sets and never go beyond that. This doesn't mean you can't do a brutal workout occasionally, but limit workouts that push your body to its maximum effort to three times a week, and never on consecutive days. Remember that you need to recover to grow.
6. Reduce carbohydrates after training.
Stop! Read again. Reduce carbohydrates after training… It's not what you think! It's a common mistake to think that carbohydrates after training are harmful . In fact, research shows that you will rebuild muscles faster on your rest days if you feed your body with carbohydrate-rich foods.
Carbohydrate-rich meals after training increase insulin levels , which in turn slows down the rate of protein breakdown. You can eat foods such as bananas, sports drinks, or peanut butter sandwiches.
7. Increases time under tension
A sometimes-forgotten way to progressively overload muscles is to subject them to something called " time under tension ." When your muscles are working, whether they're under a bench press bar or your biceps are working to curl a dumbbell upwards, they are under "tension" from the weight.
You can also feel this: if you are standing holding dumbbells at your sides, your biceps are not under tension . The moment you start to curl them upwards, you will feel them flexing against the "tension" of the dumbbells. Controlling the negative phase (the lowering phase) and maintaining tension throughout the movement is key to optimal growth.
8. Prioritize rest and get enough sleep.
Muscle growth doesn't happen in the gym, but during recovery. Sleeping 7-8 hours of quality sleep is essential for your body to repair muscle fibers and release the necessary growth hormones . Otherwise, if you don't get enough rest, you'll be hindering your muscle growth.
9. Train 3-4 days a week
You'll like this: you don't need to live at the gym to get results . It's recommended to train 3 to 4 days a week, and never more than five days. The belief that the more days you train, the bigger your muscles will be, is a myth. The body needs rest to grow and adapt.
10. Take creatine
Creatine is one of the most studied and effective supplements for physical performance . It can help you increase your muscle mass, providing a boost to improve your performance, strength, and muscle energy metabolism. It's the ideal supplement for those looking to gain muscle mass efficiently.
At Be Levels, we have Creatine , the purest creatine on the market with the unique Creapure® formula, minerals and digestive enzymes that boost strength, accelerate recovery and promote muscle growth, while supporting cognitive function and brain health.
As you can see, the answer to how to gain muscle mass isn't just about training more and eating more : it's about following a strategy that combines nutrition, smart training, rest, and proper supplementation.
