MUSCLE GROWTH 101 💪⛩️

Here's how I went from 85kg (187lbs) to 105kg (230 lbs). All naturally while being classified as a 'hard gainer' (note that I'm really tall hence the weight).

"It is a shame for a man to grow old, without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable" — Socrates

Theory of muscle growth:

Muscle growth = Muscle hypertrophy

How to achieve hypertrophy? — Through mechanical tension.

To achieve mechanical tension, you need to train close to failure.

In short:

mechanical tension > protein synthesis > muscle growth

But enough with the theory, here's how to do it in real life...

Here's how to train in order to grow muscle:

Always train close to failure
Apply progressive overload
Center your workout routine around main compound lifts, and add accessory lifts to your liking
Do 3-5 sets per exercise
Aim for around 10 reps per set
Have 2-4 workout sessions per week

To build muscle you need to stimulate protein synthesis. Resistance training already does that, but for the muscle to actually start growing, you need to eat enough protein.

How much protein you should eat?

To build muscle, the amount of protein you need to eat is around 1.6g/kg (0.8g/lbs) of your total body weight. That's the most optimal amount.

This means that if you weigh 100kg (220lbs), you should aim for around 160g of protein per day.

So yeah, next time when you see a fitness 'expert' preaching how they eat 300g of protein per day, unless he's some real-life giant, look the other way.

Other things that help muscle growth:

1) Sleep

There is no single thing you can do that will help you build muscle than good, high-quality sleep. Sleeping is when your body and mind are 'repairing'. This is when muscle growth is happening.

You should aim for at least 7 hours of good, high-quality sleep every night.

2) Avoid taking a cold shower right after your workout

Taking them right after a workout will lower your muscle growth.

Why?

They reduce inflammation which is needed because it acts as a signal that the muscle needs to be repaired (this is how the muscle gets bigger and stronger).

That's it... Follow what I talked about, be consistent, and it's only a matter of time before you see the results! 🀄️💪⛩️

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