How To Build Muscle (3 Things Your Plan MUST HAVE)

Summary

This video emphasizes three critical elements for optimal muscle growth: adequate training volume, intensity, and frequency; progressive overload through increasing weight, reps, or making exercises easier over time; and consistent high-level performance in training, nutrition, and recovery. It debunks the 'bro split' approach, advocating for more frequent and intense workouts to maximize results.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ Train with adequate volume, intensity, and frequency to maximize muscle growth.
• 🔄 Each body part should be trained multiple times per week, ideally two to three times.
• 🚫 Avoid 'bro splits' where each body part is trained only once per week.
• 🔄 Perform sets close to failure with proper technique to ensure quality training.
• 📈 Aim for 10-15 hard sets per body part per week for beginners and intermediates.
• 📊 Track your progress with a training log to ensure consistent improvement.
• ⏫ Progressive overload is key, but it doesn't always mean adding weight; it can also mean doing more reps or making the existing weight feel easier.
• 🔁 Consistency in training, nutrition, and recovery is crucial for muscle growth.
• 💪 High-level consistency means maintaining focus and quality in every training session.
• 📈 Long-term commitment and lifestyle change are necessary for maximizing muscle growth over years.

Q & A

What are the three non-negotiable elements for building muscle according to the video?

The three non-negotiable elements for building muscle are adequate training volume, intensity, and frequency; progressive overload; and consistency at a high level in training, nutrition, and recovery.

Why is training each body part once per week not optimal for muscle growth?

Training each body part once per week, known as 'bro splits', is not optimal because it leads to diminishing returns as the workout progresses, resulting in lower quality sets towards the end of the workout.

How many times per week should each body part be trained for optimal muscle growth?

According to scientific literature, each body part should be trained two to three times per week for optimal muscle growth.

What does the term 'hard quality sets' refer to in the context of the video?

In the video, 'hard quality sets' refers to sets done in close proximity to failure with proper technique and control of the weight, ensuring each set is challenging and effective.

What is the significance of training with intensity?

Training with intensity ensures that the workout is challenging and stimulates muscle growth effectively. It helps to break the comfort zone and push the body out of homeostasis.

What does progressive overload mean and why is it important?

Progressive overload means systematically increasing the stress placed upon the body during exercise over time, which can be achieved by adding weight, increasing reps, or improving the performance of the same weight over time. It's important because it's a key factor in driving muscle growth and strength gains.

How can someone track their progressive overload?

One can track their progressive overload by maintaining a training log to document sets, reps, and weights, and then aiming to improve these numbers over time.

Why is consistency important in muscle building?

Consistency is important because it ensures that the training, nutrition, and recovery are dialed in and maintained at a high level, which is necessary for continuous muscle growth and avoiding plateaus.

What is the role of nutrition in muscle building as discussed in the video?

Nutrition plays a critical role in muscle building as it provides the necessary protein and calories to support muscle recovery and growth. Consistency in proper nutrition is essential alongside training.

How does the video suggest someone should approach their training sessions for optimal results?

The video suggests approaching each training session with intent and focus, ensuring that every set is performed with proper form, intensity, and that the individual is pushing their limits.

What is the perspective of the video on the time frame for significant muscle growth?

The video emphasizes that significant muscle growth is a long-term process that may take years and requires a lifestyle commitment to training, nutrition, and recovery consistency.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Maximizing Muscle Growth: Essential Training Principles

The speaker emphasizes the importance of three key elements for an effective muscle-building training plan: volume, intensity, and frequency. They critique the common 'bro split' approach, suggesting that training each muscle group once a week is suboptimal. Instead, they recommend training each body part two to three times per week with a sufficient number of high-quality sets. The speaker also stresses the necessity of progressive overload, which involves increasing the weight, reps, or improving the performance over time. They encourage keeping a training log to track progress and push beyond previous achievements. Additionally, the speaker highlights the need for consistency in training, nutrition, and recovery to see significant muscle growth over time.

05:01

🔄 Consistency is Key to Unlocking Muscle Growth Potential

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the third non-negotiable element for muscle growth: consistency at a high level across training, nutrition, and recovery. They point out that many people are inconsistent, performing well in some sessions but not others, which hinders progress. The speaker advises against this approach, suggesting that half-hearted efforts will not yield results. They also mention the importance of being diligent with nutrition and recovery, as inconsistent eating and sleep patterns can impede muscle growth. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the long-term commitment required to maximize genetic potential and achieve significant muscle gains, suggesting that this process is measured in years, not weeks or months.

Keywords

💡Volume

Volume in the context of the video refers to the total amount of work done during a training session or over a period of time, measured in sets and repetitions. It is a crucial factor for muscle growth, as adequate volume ensures that the muscles are sufficiently stimulated to adapt and grow. The video emphasizes training each body part with enough hard quality sets per week, multiple times per week, to maximize results.

💡Intensity

Intensity relates to how hard one is working during a training session. It is often linked to the weight lifted, the effort put in, and how close a set is performed to muscle failure. The video stresses the importance of training with intensity, meaning performing sets in close proximity to failure with proper technique, to ensure that the training is effective for muscle growth.

💡Frequency

Frequency in the video denotes how often one trains a specific body part. The script suggests that training each body part two to three times per week is more effective than the traditional 'bro split' approach, where each body part is trained only once per week. Higher frequency allows for more cumulative volume and intensity, leading to better muscle growth.

💡Bro Split

Bro Split is a training routine where each body part is trained once per week, often following a pattern like 'Monday Chest Day' or 'Tuesday Leg Day'. The video criticizes this approach as suboptimal for maximizing muscle growth because it limits the volume and intensity that can be applied to each muscle group within a week.

💡Progressive Overload

Progressive Overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training. This can be achieved by adding weight, increasing repetitions, or improving exercise technique over time. The video explains that progressive overload is essential for continuous muscle growth, as it challenges the body to adapt and become stronger.

💡Consistency

Consistency refers to the regular and persistent application of effort in training, nutrition, and recovery. The video emphasizes that being consistently dialed in at a high level is critical for muscle growth. It suggests that sporadic effort or being 'half-assed' in training sessions can hinder progress, whereas consistent, quality effort over time is key to achieving goals.

💡Training Log

A training log is a record of one's exercise routines, including sets, repetitions, and weights used. The video recommends keeping a training log to track progress and ensure that each workout session is an attempt to beat the previous one, which is a practical application of the concept of progressive overload.

💡Nutrition

Nutrition in the video is discussed as a non-negotiable element for muscle growth. It is highlighted that consistent and adequate nutrition is necessary to support muscle recovery and growth. The video warns against inconsistent eating habits, which can undermine training efforts and result in a plateau in muscle growth.

💡Recovery

Recovery in the context of the video refers to the rest and restoration phase that allows the body to repair and grow stronger after training. Adequate sleep and rest are emphasized as essential for muscle recovery, and the video cautions against being inconsistent with recovery practices, which can lead to fatigue and hinder muscle growth.

💡Quality Effort

Quality Effort means the focus and intensity applied during each training session. The video stresses that it's not just the time spent training that matters, but the quality of that time. Quality effort involves maintaining proper form, intensity, and focus throughout each set to ensure that each training session is effective for muscle growth.

💡Genetic Potential

Genetic Potential refers to the limits of an individual's physical capabilities, including muscle growth, which are determined by their genetic makeup. The video suggests that to maximize muscle growth and reach one's genetic potential, a long-term commitment to consistent, high-quality training, nutrition, and recovery is necessary.

Highlights

Training to build muscle requires a plan with three non-negotiable elements for maximizing results.

Avoid training each body part once per week, known as 'bro splits', for optimal muscle growth.

Each body part should be trained with enough hard quality sets per week.

Each body part should be trained multiple times per week, ideally two to three times.

Quality of training is more important than quantity; focus on intensity and proper technique.

Training each body part between 10 and 15 hard sets per week is recommended for beginners and intermediates.

Progressive overload is essential for muscle growth, but it doesn't always mean adding weight.

Progressive overload can be achieved through extra reps or making existing weight feel easier over time.

Having a training log can help track and beat previous performances.

Consistency in training, nutrition, and recovery is crucial for muscle growth.

Half-hearted training sessions can hinder progress and muscle growth.

Nutrition consistency is just as important as training consistency.

Recovery, including sleep, plays a significant role in muscle growth and should be consistent.

Muscle growth is a long-term commitment and should be treated as a lifestyle.

Maximizing genetic potential for muscle growth takes years of consistent effort.

Quality effort over time is what truly matters for muscle growth.

Subscribe and enable notifications to stay updated with the latest training advice.

Consider working with a coach for personalized muscle growth guidance.

Transcripts

so in this video i want to talk to you

about training to build muscle and i

want to share with you three

non-negotiable elements

that you must include in your plan in

order to maximize your results

these are the things that matter the

most i still see

a lot of people out there promoting

training each body part once per week

so called bro splits as the most optimal

way to train which we know is not true

and it's not going to be optimal for

most people

but there's still information like that

out there if you follow that information

you're going to slow down your progress

and you're leaving games on the table

i'm here to share with you what works

this is not going to be any kind of

quick fix or magic solution

it's going to take time i'm going to lay

it out simple but that doesn't mean it's

going to be easy so

you have to apply yourself take this

advice run with it give yourself time

and put an effort in or see your results

so now without any further ado let's

talk about

building more muscle so non-negotiable

element number one you must be training

with an adequate amount of volume

intensity and frequency in practice what

this means that each body part should be

trained

with enough hard quality sets per week

and that each body part should be

trained

multiple times per week and we know

based on scientific literature

that's going to be two to three times

per week not just

once like the classic bro split which

you might be following right now where

you might have

monday chest day then a back day then a

leg day

and you're really training it only once

per week now the issue with that is

let's say you have 12 sets of chest per

week

and you're gonna do all those 12 sets on

monday well the first six sets are gonna

be great because you're

less tired you're focused you just

showed up you're fresh

all good but then the closer you get to

that 12 sets the

amount of quality work that you can do

it degrades you're starting to hit a

point of diminishing returns you're less

focused

it just starts getting into that junk

volume territory you're just going

through the motions

and that quality volume would have been

much better if you've done those sets in

another day

and this again why the bro split is not

ideal and if you follow me right now

move away from it go into a more

intelligent program design

you will see more progress now when i

say hard quality sets

that means that those sets are done in

close proximity to failure

and they're also done with proper

technique and proper control

of the weight i see a lot of people show

up in the gym

and they don't bring that intensity to

the workout

so for example if you're a beginner an

intermediate lifter you should be

training each body part somewhere

between 10

and 15 sets per week and if you're doing

those sets so let's say you're doing a

dumbbell bench press

all those sets should be close to

failure so let's say take away that you

normally do for 10

you shouldn't be able to do more than 13

reps with that but i still see a lot of

people

i've tested this a couple of times i

just tell them hey don't count the reps

just do as many as you possibly can

and use the way that you would normally

do for 10 and just keep going they

actually ask you can i stop and

can i keep going no just keep going keep

going they actually end up doing 20 to

25 reps

with that same weight which means that

that weight wasn't stimulating any

growth

that weight wasn't heavy enough and i

would challenge you

try a couple of amrap sets take away

that you normally do for 10 or 12

and just don't limit yourself see how

far you can take it

maybe you've never really pushed your

limits and see how far you can go

obviously be mindful of

of your technique and do a good range of

motion and proper control

but sometimes you know we kind of forget

how far we can go

so this is again hard sets we're talking

10 or 15

hard sets per week not easy sets not the

type of set where you can take a selfie

after the set and look pretty on that

selfie

no so you got to be challenging yourself

in order to break

that comfort zone get your body out of

that homeostasis really stimulate that

growth

and this is how the training is going to

be efficient so it's not just about

frequency

but it's also about hitting that volume

and that intensity properly

to really see that muscle grow and by

the way if you're enjoying this so far

it would mean a lot to me if you go

below this video right now

smash that like button as hard as you

can again means a ton helps with the

algorithm as well

and now moving on to the second element

that you have to have in your plan

and that is progressive overload and

you've probably heard about progressive

although most people the way they think

about progressive overload

is adding weight it doesn't necessarily

mean that it's only weight it can be

extra reps it can be just

training in a way that the existing

weight feels easier over time meaning

again you're getting stronger in some

way you're able to do more

and one thing with progressive oil that

most people don't understand is that

it's not going to be linear forever you

can't forever

linearly just keep adding weight at some

point it becomes like a chess game

you have to plan for progress so you

have to fight

for that progress maybe you're going to

increase weight every couple of weeks

maybe you're gonna increase weight

every two months if you're an advanced

lifter maybe even six months

the best thing that you can do if you're

a beginner intermediate lifter

have a training log and really try to

beat the log book in some way

if you look at your previous week and

you've done three sets of 15 in the leg

curl and maybe you've done that with a

certain weight

try to beat it this week try to go into

the gym add a little bit more weight see

how many reps can you get try to beat

the log book

this type of mentality keeps you focused

during those training sessions

you know what you're doing there's so

many apps you can do the old-school

method of simply writing down whatever

sets and reps and weight that you've

done

just to make sure you have some focus

there's some kind of progression in

there without progression

you're gonna look the same your body has

zero reason to grow

if there is no progressive overload

component in your program

now the third non-negotiable element

when it comes to maximizing your muscle

growth

is consistency at a high level and this

doesn't just apply to training this

means

training nutrition and recovery dialing

them in and then being consistently

dialed in as much as possible

a lot of people will do okay one session

out of the week

two sessions out of the week they're

gonna show up focus with good intent and

do a good job

but then the other half of the training

sessions for that week

will be half-assed they're going to show

up there they're not going to pay

attention to what they need to do in the

gym

what weight they need to pick the form

is going to be off they're going to be

cheating on the range of motion

they're not going to be focused they're

going to be distracted between the sets

they're simply not

giving their best for that training

session and if that's half of your

training sessions throughout the week

what can you expect if you're not

bringing that intensity to the workout

and i've seen many and i going a lot of

gyms i've been into

100 gyms around the world and most

people are training like this

because naturally we as humans we fall

into our habits you show up you kind of

go through the same motions and then you

expect growth and it's not going to

happen

and naturally we're all so lazy so

whenever your body can

cheat a little bit it will if you let it

if you're not focused if you're not

showing up with intent

to do the best job you can you're

probably not going to the best job

and then even if you do that but in the

nutrition side of things

you're kind of okay four days out of the

week but then the other three days

you're not eating your protein

you're kind of slacking on the calories

especially hard gainers you get full for

the first three four days of the week

and then you eat 1500 calories for the

rest of the week and then you stay a

hard gain or you don't gain

because how are you going to gain if

you're only consistent half the time

the same as recovery you sleep all three

four days out of the week but then

there's those days when you sleep five

hours or

maybe six hours then you're just

consistently fatigued and under

recovered

so it's not just about doing it once

okay

it's not just about getting the

information it's about consistently

applying the information at the highest

level possible

and i don't mean that you have to be

perfect nobody's perfect i'm not perfect

i make mistakes

i show up and the session is not ideal

it's normal

but you have to try to do your absolute

best as an intermediate and advanced

lifter

you're really not having a lot of room

for error as a novice you can do a lot

of things wrong and grow that's okay

that's normal when you're going through

the new begins phase

but once that new beginning space is

over you're really walking a tightrope a

couple of mistakes here there

lack of consistency there's no growth

and

you might be thinking you're putting in

the effort because you're putting in the

time but time doesn't mean that it's

done with quality

so quality effort consistent effort over

time

really matters when we're talking about

gaining muscle because we're talking

months

we're not just talking weeks fat loss

yeah we can talk about

you know eight weeks 12 weeks and do a

mini cuts or whatever

but when you're talking about gaining

muscle momentum

across multiple months to really set

yourself up for success

to gain the most muscle you can and not

just months i mean if you're really

looking at

maximizing your genetic potential we're

talking years there's no quick fix

it's really about creating this as a

lifestyle to enable the growth to happen

to really be in control as many

variables as you can and do a good job

at looking at the data

iterating from there personalizing to

yourself seeing what works what doesn't

and really being committed here for the

long haul that's how you're going to see

the most gains

that's what consistency truly means and

that's how you're going to

actually get your goal now another thing

that's going to help you to get your

goal is if you hit that subscribe button

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also if you want to work with me as your

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more details about that i'm going to

leave a couple of videos here at the end

about

growing muscle as well so check those

videos out and i will see you

in those next videos