HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE IN 12 WEEKS

Building muscle takes time, effort, and patience. However, it also involves maintaining a balance between cellular growth, hormone activation, and protein synthesis. The size and shape of your body change as you gain muscle mass, but you also experience more subtle changes like a faster metabolism, more energy, and more strength. 

To build muscle safely and effectively, you’ll need to focus on exercising specific muscle groups with moderate to heavy resistance for at least four to 12 weeks and beyond.  In addition, you'll need to figure out how to prepare your muscles for the work that lies ahead and help them recover by changing your diet and lifestyle.

1.  Select a weight and number of repetitions. 

By the end of the exercise, you should typically feel challenged and have exhausted the muscles you are working. Lifting even a moderate amount of weight for fewer reps will go a long way in building muscle and strength.

 According to athletic trainer Tom Iannetta, ATC, CSCS, "I usually recommend three sets of an exercise with eight to 12 repetitions and increasing the weight by 5 pounds for the upper body and 10 pounds for the lower body as the exercises get easier." Reduce the number of reps as you increase the weight you lift until you reach a point where you can complete the exercise while still being challenged. This process of gradually increasing your weight and resistance is known as progressive overloading.

 2.  Calm down your expectations.

 Collectively, there’s plenty of interest around how to build muscle fast.  But it’s not the speed that counts here.  You don’t want to overload too much weight too quickly or push yourself through pain, as these behaviors could put you at more risk for injury.

 According to Iannetta, "as long as you are getting in there and moving your body, you will start to notice differences over time." “My No. 1 recommendation is to always do what you can do, not what everybody else is doing.”

 3.  Prepare for some soreness.

 Early on, you’ll likely experience some lingering soreness.  When this happens, you may want to stop what you’re doing or call it quits.  But if you’re doing exercises correctly, that soreness will only linger for a few hours (or days) and then, eventually go away with rest.  If it does, that is an indication of natural muscle microtears, so you shouldn't be concerned. According to Iannetta, "if you're doing any kind of exercise, your muscle starts to break down, causing microtears within the muscle." "When the muscle begins to rebuild, it repairs those microtears with protein to produce stronger tissue." Don't push through pain that is new, strong, sharp, or persistent. If you have an injury or another underlying condition that is causing you pain, you may need to improve your form or technique or see a doctor. 

4.  Establish a routine. 

Speaking of injury, you want to try and shake up your routine every so often.  If you progressively overload the same muscles over and over again in a short amount of time, you run the risk of injury from overusing those muscles.

 “You can do upper body exercises twice a week and lower body exercises twice a week, with a day of rest in between focus areas,” suggests Iannetta.  “Or you can do some cross-training like swimming, cardio or cycling.  You don’t want to just lift weights seven days a week.”

 

5.  Rest and recover.

 You should rest and recuperate at least once or twice per week. On those days, you have the option of not exercising at all or trying an active recovery plan that doesn't involve lifting weights or strength training. “I like active recovery where you’re getting in a pool or getting on a stationary bike or going for a walk for no more than 20 minutes,” shares Iannetta.  It's really not hard at all. In order to keep your body active while your muscles recover, you're just making sure you move in some small way. When you do regular strength training, make sure to schedule a 10-minute warmup and cooldown before and after each exercise. You also want to rest for a minute or two in between each set to give your muscles ample opportunity to recover.

 6.  Time your meals.

 Think of your body as a car: You must provide it with energy for it to move. Our bodies use energy from food. The food you eat before, during and after exercising is just as important to building muscle as the exercises themselves.

 Registered dietitian Carly Sedlacek, RD, LD warns, "If we don't have enough energy to get through the exercise, our body can pull from our muscles and use that as energy." "If the objective is to build muscle, it can be helpful to eat something before exercise to prevent us from using those other stores and to help those muscles recover after exercise." If you’re short on time, stick with foods that digest easily like yogurt, fruit or sports drinks packed with electrolytes.  If you exercise later in the day, it can be helpful to eat a healthy, balanced meal before lifting weights and have snacks between each of your three meals at least once a day. 

7.  Eat enough protein.

 To maintain muscle growth, you must consume more protein than your body uses. Protein is found in a variety of sources that include animal-, dairy- and plant-based foods.  General dietary guidelines suggest consuming between 0.8 and 1 gram of protein for each kilogram of body weight every day.  For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should eat a minimum of 72 grams of protein daily if you’re trying to build muscle.

 “Depending on the individual I’m working with, protein needs can differ,” clarifies Sedlacek.  “High-level or elite athletes may need closer to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight versus those training at a much lower level.”

 Consuming high amounts of protein can sound daunting.  But you can include high sources of protein frequently throughout the day as an easier approach.

 She continues, "It can be difficult for the body to absorb more than 40 grams of protein in one sitting without issues with the gastrointestinal system." “Focusing on 25 grams to 35 grams of protein at meals and including snacks that contain protein can help you reach your goals.”

 

8.  Protein powders should be used sparingly. 

Protein powders are often used to supplement large amounts of protein between meals.  There are plant-based protein powders and whey-based protein powders, both of which do a really good job of giving you a lot of protein in a hurry when you use them in shakes, yogurt, smoothies or even overnight oats.

 Still, you don’t want to use these to replace an entire meal because you could end up missing out on all the other macronutrients and micronutrients that fuel your body in other ways.

 Sedlacek provides the following explanation: "When it comes to protein, you want to try a food-first approach because the body is able to utilize those sources better than supplements, and they give you a wider range of benefits." “Protein shakes are also generally not recommended for people who are on dialysis or have stage three or stage four kidney disease because these powders can create a lot of extra stress on the kidneys.”

 9.  Healthy fats and carbohydrates should not be overlooked. 

With exercise and nutritional plans in general, you should try to strike a balance of carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins.  While healthy fats aren’t necessarily tied to muscle building, they’re a good source of energy, along with carbs.

 “With exercises that require short bursts of energy, like weightlifting, carbs are more useful because those are used up faster for energy,” notes Sedlacek.  “When we’re using a lot of oxygen, like when we’re running or cycling, healthy fats provide longer-lasting fuel for those lower intensity exercises.”

 10.  Get enough sleep.

 Sleep offers numerous benefits, but it’s also the time when your muscles have the largest opportunity to repair themselves and heal from all the work they’re doing during the day.  Set yourself up for success by developing a bedtime routine and allowing yourself to get a full night’s sleep.

 “To help with muscle building and recovery, before bed, I often recommend having some sort of whey-based protein or casein, which helps with fast-acting and slow-acting recovery,” shares Sedlacek.  “If you want to have a glass of milk or Greek yogurt, those can be beneficial for recovery overnight.”