How to Build Lean Muscle (Without the Bulk)

Ladies - “I don’t want to look bulky.”

Lads - “How do I put on muscle?”

Anyone who has deliberately trained and gained quality muscle with minimal or no body fat gain knows how hard it is, whether you’re male or female.

It’s really hard.

So, why don’t we look at some of the basics on quality muscle gain? You can see then how much you relate to that list.

How to Put on Muscle Size -

Nutrition -

It is important to be in a calorie surplus – eat more than you consume. Note that these extra calories should come in the form of quality protein and fibre

Your daily protein intake should be a minimum of 1.2g per kilogram of bodyweight

Sleep -

Ensure consistent sleep and wake times

Quality sleep – Aim for high REM and deep sleep times

Rest and Recovery -

Be consistent with rest and recovery - this ties directly with sleep routines.

Take days off to help regulate your nervous system

Training -

Practice consistent resistance training - aim for 4-5 times per week.

Do a minimum of 10 sets per body part to stimulate growth

Steadily increase the weight you lift and/or the sets and repetitions each week

When you look at the above, what you really need is -

• Time

• Consistency

• Rest and Recovery

These three alone are the hardest things for nearly everyone, especially if you are working full time, you have a family and are trying to have a social life.

Most of the people I work with want to get stronger.

Besides getting stronger, the aim is to also get trimmer by not overeating and keeping protein intake consistent.

The objective is to lose body fat, but keep the muscle quality at a high level.

Preserving our muscle, is key to being healthy and strong and/or play sport.

Being strong with lean quality muscle on our body is very powerful for us as we age.

As we train for high quality muscle and strength, our muscle works to utilise calories more efficiently which is great for our metabolic health.

Increasing quality muscle and strength can also improve bone mineral density which is really important, particularly for females who have or are at risk of Osteoporosis due to post-menopausal related bone loss.

How to Train for Lean Muscle (Without the Bulk)

• Pick upper and lower body resistance training exercises you enjoy

• Do 2–3 sets of 8–10 reps per exercise

• Keep a few reps in the tank so you feel challenged but confident

• Train twice a week to start

• Each week, try to lift a little heavier or add extra reps

As always, all this comes down to being consistent 😴 and trying to find that consistency amongst all of the things we are trying to juggle.