Muscle Building - Simplified

First of all, let me say that I'm not impartial to advanced and complex workout techniques and tactics. I like to refine workouts, read about new methods and learn new things in general. However, if you take a quick look at the vast amount of fitness advice out there, with lots of contradictions and plain wrong advice mixed in, it can be very overwhelming. You could spend so much time learning about new workout techniques, then changing your mind and learning different ones again, that you'd never find the time to hit the gym!

Especially if you're just getting started with working out, all this information will probably only be counter-productive. That's why, in this article, I want to break it down and give you some very simple, very straight-forward, no nonsense muscle building advice. Here are a few tried and true factors to keep in mind:

1. It's about progress.

No matter what your exact workout method, no matter whether you are trying to build muscle mass (volume) or gain more strength, no matter what sport you're training for, one thing is always true: Exercising is about making progress. The goal is that, in whichever form, your muscles do more work in a few weeks than they are capable of doing now.

This is why it's imperative to keep a workout log and track your progress. If you aren't lifting heavier weights, more often than you were a few weeks and months ago, then there's something wrong with your routine. If you are lifting more weight, more often, then you can rest assured that you're on the right path.

2. It's about consistency.

If you spend five months constantly trying new things, training on and off and never sticking to a certain plan or routine for any length of time, you probably won't make much progress. Forget your search for the "perfect workout". In the time you spend looking for that, you could be making very real gains following a completely mediocre routine.

Something average done with consistency will always beat the perfect system done inconsistently.

3. Your body gives you accurate feedback.

Remember that your own body gives you very good feedback about what you're doing. If you're training too much, you'll feel it pretty soon. If you're over-training a certain muscle-group, it will become very apparent after a short while. If your training routine is rubbish, your body won't grow and adapt/improve (see point number 1). With all the expert advice there is out there, never forget that your own body often knows best.

Again, none of this is to say that fitness experts shouldn't be listened to or anything like that. Just don't let all the information get in the way of your progress.

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