Building muscle comes down to three things: strength training with progressive overload, getting enough protein from your diet, and getting enough rest and sleep. If you combine these three and stick with it, you’ll see results. Below, we’ll go through what works and why for each aspect, with six practical tips.
How do you build muscle?
You build muscle by regularly challenging your muscles with strength training, then giving them enough rest to adapt, and providing your body with sufficient protein. Training provides the stimulus; nutrition and rest make that growth possible. Without any one of these three, progress stagnates.
The six tips below are not tricks, but the basic principles on which almost every training programme is based. They carry more weight than any supplement or individual exercise.
Why is strength training the foundation?
Strength training is the stimulus that prompts your muscles to grow. Cardio and daily exercise keep you fit, but it is the resistance provided by weights or your own body weight that challenges muscle fibres to become stronger and larger.
For beginners, compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups at once are the most efficient: squats, deadlifts, rowing movements and pressing exercises. Two to four strength training sessions a week is a realistic starting point for most people. Consistency over several months is more important than a single perfect session.
How do you train with good technique?
With the right technique, you’ll get more out of every repetition and reduce the risk of injury. Performing an exercise sloppily often puts strain on the wrong muscle groups and yields fewer benefits, no matter how heavy the load.
Get some guidance from a trainer when you’re starting out, or use reliable instructional videos, and film yourself now and then to check your form. Start with a weight you can manage with control throughout the whole set, and only increase the weight once your form remains clean. Technique first, weight second.
Why do you need to build up and vary your training?
Your muscles adapt to the load you place on them. If you carry on doing the same exercises with the same weight for months on end, your muscles get used to the stimulus and your progress levels off. This principle is called progressive overload: you gradually make your training harder.
There are several ways to do this: a little more weight, an extra repetition or set, a shorter rest period, or a new exercise for the same muscle group. Also, vary your workout across your whole body rather than always training the same muscles. This keeps your muscles stimulated and prevents your training from becoming repetitive.
How much protein do you need to build muscle?
To build muscle, most people who train seriously aim for around 1.6 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Protein is the most important building block in your diet. Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
It’s best to spread this intake throughout the day, across your meals, rather than consuming it all at once. Good sources include eggs, dairy, fish, meat, pulses, tofu and protein powder. Want to know exactly how much protein suits your weight and training goals? Work it out in our article on how much protein you need each day.
Why are rest and sleep so important?
Your muscles don’t grow during the workout itself, but in the period afterwards, when your body processes the strain and adapts. That’s why rest isn’t a luxury but an integral part of any good training programme.
As a general rule, allow a trained muscle group a day or more before putting it under heavy strain again, and pay attention to your sleep: your body does a large part of this adaptation work at night. A chronic lack of rest or sleep works against your progress. Training more isn’t automatically better; smart variation and getting enough rest are.
When is a protein shake useful?
A protein shake isn’t essential, but it’s a practical way to meet your daily protein requirements if you can’t manage it through regular meals alone. For those who train a lot or are short on time, a shake is a quick supplement to solid food.
When choosing a protein powder, it’s worth reading the label. Many powders contain artificial sweeteners and colourings, refined sugars and other additives that you don’t need. Ekopura uses pure ingredients without unnecessary additives, from our organic natural whey protein to vegan varieties. You can read exactly what whey protein is and what it does for your body in our article on whey protein. What you choose depends on your preference: animal-based or plant-based, flavoured or unflavoured.
Frequently asked questions about muscle building
How much protein do I need per day to build muscle?
For muscle building, the recommended intake is often 1.6 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For someone weighing 75 kilos, that works out at around 120 to 150 grams a day. Spread this across your meals for the best results. In this article, you can work out your exact requirements.
Can I build muscle without supplements?
Yes. Supplements are an addition, not a requirement. As long as you get enough protein from your regular diet and train with progressive overload, you can build muscle just fine. Protein powder and other supplements simply make it easier to meet your intake requirements when you can’t manage it through meals alone.
Does creatine help with strength training?
Creatine is one of the most thoroughly researched supplements for athletes. You can read more about how creatine works in our knowledge base. Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, such as strength training with short, heavy sets. This effect is seen with a daily intake of 3 grams for adults engaging in strenuous exercise. Our creatine monohydrate provides exactly that dosage in a single serving.
How long will it take before I see results?
That varies from person to person and depends on your starting point, your training, your diet and your rest. Beginners often notice increased strength within a few weeks, whilst visible changes in muscle size usually require months of consistent training. Patience and perseverance are more important here than quick fixes.
Looking for a protein powder without unnecessary additives?
Do you want to supplement your protein intake with a powder where you know exactly what’s in it? Check out our whey protein collection for a creamy animal-based option, or our vegan protein powders if you prefer a plant-based alternative. Both are made with pure ingredients, free from artificial additives. Not sure how much protein you need? Then start with our article on your daily protein requirements.
