Here are 150 of the best muscle building tips I could piece together in one evening. They are short, sweet and to the point. But don't let that fool you. Follow them and you'll be successful.
76) Muscle building takes years, not weeks or months. Don't forget that.
77) If you really want to learn something interesting, ignore how a bodybuilder trains now, and find out how he trained the first 2 years when packing on mass.
78) Train most compound exercises between the 5-12 rep range. Heavy weight works best with moderate reps.
79) Train most isolation exercises between the 8 to 15 rep range. Lighter weight isolation lifts work best with a few extra reps.
80) Muscle soreness is not a be all, end all indicator of workout effectiveness.
81) Beginners...stop focusing on "the pump." A pump won't help if you're using wimpy weights.
82) Eat some protein 60-90 minutes prior to lifting, but don't train on a full stomach. Use whey protein if you have to.
83) Enjoy the journey.
Seated Cable Rows
85) Taking advice from a lifter without personal experience is a risky journey. Do your homework.
86) Be careful about trusting Internet advice from someone who doesn't have up at least a picture, video or some form of valid credentials.
87) You never master form on the big lifts. Remember that. The heavier the weight, the more challenging keeping proper form becomes.
88) Overhead presses are not inherently bad for the shoulders, but doing 5 bench press variations while ignoring overhead presses is.
89) It is generally better to perform compound movements before machine exercises.
90) Don't look for ways to make your workout easier; look for ways to make it harder. Embrace the most challenging exercises!
91) Never perform cardio before your weight training. Save your energy for muscle building, and when done do cardio.
92) Performing cardio after lifting? Consider giving your body some protein in the form of a small whey shake before hitting the treadmill.
93) Ignore the nonsense that all supplement companies are to be ignored. Some fringe products are certainly hyped, but that doesn't mean all supplements are without value.
94) Add volume after you've already built a fair amount of strength.
95) Add advanced training techniques like drop sets and slow negatives after you've added a fair amount of strength.
96) Don't trust everything you read on the Internet. Even this article. Research and try things for yourself.
97) Don't discount upper lower splits.
98) When looking at bodypart volume, consider weekly sets. You could do something like 9-15 sets one day a week, 5-8 sets twice a week, or 3-5 sets 3x a week.
100) How many sets should you do? Use the "one hour guideline." As long as you are training hard and keeping your workouts around an hour, you will be performing a sensible number of sets.
101) The stronger you get, the more using higher rep sets for compound lifts becomes a solid way of training for muscle building.
102) Don't be afraid to take a complete week away from the gym every 8-12 weeks. You won't shrivel up and lose all your muscle. In fact, you'll heal some nagging aches and pains and probably train better when you come back.
103) Intermediate lifters can use a lighter week every 3-4 weeks. Call it a deload. This will allow you to go hard and heavy for several weeks, and then take a lighter week to recover.
104) How wide should your squat stance be? Get in a position like you were guarding someone in basketball and check your foot width. This should be about your squat stance width.
105) Do not squat with your knees forward. Knee angle should match toe angle, and toe angle for most is about 30 degrees. During squats your toes and knees should never be pointed straight ahead.
106) Believe in your workout plan. If you won't trust it will yield results, why are you using it?
107) Eat when you're hungry. This is simply good old fashioned common sense.
108) Snacks in between meals don't have to be complicated. Fruit, protein shakes, whole milk, almonds and nuts, string cheese, protein bars and beef jerky are all simple but solid choices.
109) Start with the basic supplements...a quality multivitamin, fish oil and whey protein. Once you are consistent with your training and making gains, then you can explore things like pre-workout formulas, BCAA drinks and creatine.
110) There's a good chance if you're an ectomorph that you might benefit from more frequent lifting. So try out a fullbody workout.
111) If you're very overweight focus on training hard and getting stronger while dropping the fat. This should be your main priority.
112) Overweight lifters who are trying to lose fat should not train with lighter weight and higher reps. Switching to lighter weights signals they body that you no longer need as much muscle tissue.
113) True plateaus take years and years to reach. Gains always slow over time. If you're adding a couple or reps to a lift each month, you're not stalling.
114) Leg presses are a good exercise, but they are not better than squats. If you want a great leg blasting tag team, use both.
115) Log your workouts. You must use some system of training your progress.
116) Avoid unmotivated training partners who are always late or rarely show up. Surround yourself with motivated people, or no one at all.
117) If you can't do bench presses because you have no spotter, use dumbbell bench presses instead.
118) If you're going to train to failure, do so only on your last set of an exercise.
119) Never waste a set. If you aren't pushing for as many reps as possible, there's no point in performing the set.
120) Always try to improve. If you performed 7 reps for an exercise last week, try for 8 or 9 this week.
Dumbbell Curls
121) When losing fat, rapid weight loss usually leads to rapid muscle loss. Try to lose no more than 1.5 to 2 pounds of fat per week.
122) Be careful about trusting advice focused around extremes. Most lifters are in the middle, and not utilizing extreme training or dieting practices.
123) Understand that natural muscle builders will never get as big as steroid users. It's a fairy tale to believe so.
124) If you are unsure about squat form, use goblet squats for several weeks to get the feel for the exercise.
125) Ignore extreme claims such as: "Gain 2 inches on your arms in 2 months with this bicep blaster", or "pack on 10 pounds of muscle in 4 weeks." This is simply nonsense created to get your attention.
126) Use straps if you have to on rows and pullups. Never let a sub-par grip hinder your back training.
127) Want a stronger grip? Try 30 to 60 second barbell static holds in a squat rack.
128) Never perform a compound exercise without first performing a few non-taxing warmup sets.
129) Train your abs last. They are a small muscle group. Blast bigger muscle groups first.
130) You don't need to train abs every day. 1-3 times per week is plenty.
131) So what if you're tired. Workout! Odds are you'll feel better when you're done, and the quality of your performance will most likely surprise you.
132) Don't be afraid to train opposing bodyparts together - chest with biceps, back and triceps. Variety can be a good thing.
133) For fun, finish a bodypart with a pump set. Blast it with a 20-40 rep killer set before moving on.
134) Lagging body part? Try a 7-14 day blitz. Hit it with 10 sets per day, every day, using moderate weight. Then rest that bodypart completely for a week.
135) Limited with time? Try rest-pause training.
136) Hammer your shoulders! It's ok to use more than one pressing movement per shoulder workout. Stop babying your shoulders.
137) Eat first thing in the morning. You're body has been without fuel. Kick start your day with some quality fuel.
138) Eat frequent protein. This has been the staple in bodybuilding for decades, and has never let a lifter down to my knowledge. Eat at least 4 protein meals per day, with 5-7 meals being optimal.
139) Use the "shake and bake" rule post workout. Have a whey shake immediately after training, and 30-90 minutes later eat a whole foods meal (something that is baked/cooked, etc.).
140) Eat your protein before bed. If you're not up for whole foods, drink a casein protein shake.
141) Don't miss meals. Don't miss workouts, don't miss meals...seeing the big picture?
142) Frequently tired? Use a pre-workout formula to give you an extra workout boost.
143) Workout during the time of day when you have the most energy, or when you are least likely to miss workouts.
144) Hate veggies? Dice 2 handfuls of spinach and then sautee in a frying pan until wilted. Spinach reduces down to virtually nothing, is tasteless, and can now be added into nearly any dish. Quick and easy veggies!
145) Ignore haters and detractors. Stay away from people trying to keep you from reaching your goals.
146) In a rut? Try something completely different like a 10x10 workout.
147) There is no need to frequently test your max. Get out of this habit and focus on muscle building.
148) Stop believing that days off are wasted time. Get a life outside of the gym.
149) Attend a local bodybuilding competition. This is a great motivator, and it's cheap!
150) Train like you are expecting to be lifting at age 70. Beating yourself up occasionally is fine. Hard training is hard. But don't overdo it. Get in, work hard and get out!
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