How to Accelerate Muscle Growth

Co-authored by Kevin Richardson and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: December 8, 2022 References Approved

If you want to accelerate muscle growth, you need a combination of healthy eating, supplements, and a training regimen designed specifically to build muscle mass. The best way to go about doing this safely and responsibly is to work with a professional trainer and a nutritionist who can help you design a program that is tailored to you personally to help you achieve your goals. However, there are a few things you can do on your own to increase your muscle size and strength.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Fine-Tuning Your Exercise

1
Slow down your lifts. Many people believe that if you want bigger muscles, you need to lift heavy weights as quickly as possible, doing as many reps as possible. However, slower reps enable you to concentrate on the muscles you're working and ensure perfect form.^{[1]
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- With slower rates, you also have the opportunity to take your muscles through their full range of motion, leading to more even growth.
2
Vary the speed of your reps. Fast reps and slow reps both have their place, provided you can lift rapidly with proper form. Varying the speed of your reps introduces an element of surprise so your muscles don't adapt to the same movement.^{[2]
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- For example, you might start with a moderately paced set, then move to a fast set, then move to a slow set, then go back to a moderately paced set.
- Don't lift any faster than you can with proper form. Make sure that on the fast reps you aren't cheating the movement but are going through your full range of motion.
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3
Use heavier weights. If you're trying to accelerate muscle growth, you need to lift the heaviest possible weight you can lift for the number of repetitions you have planned. Your muscles won't grow unless they are adequately challenged.
- Make sure you can lift the weight with proper form for the given exercise. If you can't complete the range of motion in the exercise, choose a lower weight.
- Using heavier weights typically means fewer repetitions. However, using the heaviest possible weight you can use with 8 to 10 repetitions is one way to significantly accelerate muscle growth.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laila Ajani
  Fitness Trainer
  Expert Interview. 31 October 2019.}
4
Allow adequate recovery time. Muscle growth doesn't happen while you're working out – it happens while your muscles are recovering.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Jason Whalen
Certified Personal Trainer
Expert Interview. 26 January 2021.} You should leave at least 48 hours between exercising a particular muscle group to give the muscles adequate time to recover and grow.
- Create a regimen that targets specific muscles groups on specific days to enable rest days for other muscle groups. For example, you may have leg day on Monday, work your arms and shoulders on Tuesday, work your core on Wednesday, and then work your legs again on Thursday.
- A rest day depends on the type of exercises.^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kevin Richardson
  Celebrity Personal Trainer
  Expert Interview. 19 February 2021.}
- For example, a rest day after aerobic-type exercises like running, jogging, or cycling is different from the rest day after anaerobic exercises like high-intensity cycling or weight training.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kevin Richardson
  Celebrity Personal Trainer
  Expert Interview. 19 February 2021.}
- If you are doing resistance training, you should do training for three days and have at least four days off.^{[7]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kevin Richardson
  Celebrity Personal Trainer
  Expert Interview. 19 February 2021.}
5
Increase the weight you use gradually.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer
Expert Interview. 31 October 2019.} You should be testing your max weights every few weeks, or at least once a month, and increasing as necessary so that you're always working out with the heaviest possible weight you can use for the exercise in question.
6
Use a variety of machines. Just as with varying the speed of your repetitions, varying the types of machines you use keeps your muscles from adapting to a particular type of movement. Allowing your muscles to get used to a particular motion will slow muscle growth.^{[9]
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7
Track your training sessions. Over time, it can be easy to forget the number of reps you were doing of a particular lift or exercise, or the amount of weight you used last time. Keeping a detailed log of your weights and repetitions allows you to stay on track.^{[10]
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- To have solid gains, you must have a handle on exactly what exercises you've done with each training session and how much weight you used.
- You also might benefit from including other observations such as how you felt, what you ate before your workout, and what the atmosphere was like in the gym, since all of these things can affect your performance.
8
Keep your cardio exercise moderate. While cardio is important to build endurance and increase your overall cardiovascular health, too much cardio can slow muscle growth. If you want to build larger muscles, your focus should be on anaerobic exercises such as weight lifting.^{[11]
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- Limit cardio exercise to 75 minutes of vigorous activity (i.e. running), or 150 minutes of moderate activity (i.e. walking) per week.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Eating Right

1
Consume a surplus of calories. You can't expect to build larger and stronger muscles unless you're giving your body the food it needs to increase muscle mass. To estimate how many calories you need to consume, multiply your body weight in pounds by 15-17 calories (e.g. if you weigh 170 lbs. multiply that by 16 to get a daily calorie intake of 2,720). If you aren't gaining the muscle mass you want after a few weeks, bump up your calorie intake by 10%.^{[12]
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- Look on bodybuilding websites or talk to bodybuilders to find out ways to get the calories you need for muscle gains.
- Make sure the foods you're eating are healthy and nutritious – don't just load up on junk food and empty calories.
2
Eat a lot of protein-rich foods. Protein is the building block of muscles, so if you want to accelerate muscle growth you should eat 10-25 g of protein with each meal or snack. Lean chicken, lean beef and fish provide your body with the protein it needs to burn more calories and create lean muscle.
- Grass-fed beef also contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals in addition to protein that help the body build muscle, such as vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, and carnosine.^{[13]
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- You should aim to eat approximately 1 g of protein per pound of body weight. This means you'll have to adjust your protein intake as your weight fluctuates.
3
Include plant-based proteins. If you don't eat meat, it may be more difficult for you to accelerate muscle growth, but it's not impossible. Even if you do eat meat, you should supplement your meat-based protein sources with those that are plant-based.^{[14]
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- Soybeans, nuts, and legumes are excellent sources of protein. Almonds, for example, are a good snack to eat before a workout and can be added to a fitness shake.
- Get organic foods if possible, or stick to those with little to no additives and preservatives. The fewer additives and preservatives the body has to break down, the more effective these foods will be at helping you build muscle.
4
Choose your carbs carefully. Carbs can give you energy while you're working out – but the wrong carbs could result in blood sugar crashes that destroy all the work you've done to accelerate muscle growth.
- Look for low-glycemic carbohydrates such as apples, pears, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and beans.
- Read nutritional labels carefully and choose carbs that also are higher in fiber and lower in calories.
5
Use flax seeds rather than flaxseed oil. Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3, fiber, and protein, while flaxseed oil does not contain fiber and is highly unstable. Flax seeds also contain a solid amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation.^{[15]
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- Reducing inflammation in your body means your muscles won't be as sore after intense workouts, and also that they will recover at a faster rate.
6
Consume a lot of leafy greens. There's a reason the cartoon character Popeye ate spinach. Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach have a high nutritional content, low fat, and high soluble fiber, making them vital if you want to accelerate muscle growth.^{[16]
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- Leafy greens also have the added benefit of protecting your body from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
7
Replace rice with quinoa. Quinoa is a grain that has more protein and fiber than rice or oats, and also contains high amounts of manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous. You can choose from red, black, or white quinoa.^{[17]
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8
Stay hydrated. Drinking water is perhaps the most important thing you can do to accelerate muscle growth. Sip water during your workouts, and drink a pint of water for every pint of weight lost through sweat.^{[18]
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- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, or more, to ensure your body is adequately hydrated before you exercise.
- Adequate hydration also ensures that your body can transport the nutrients you consume efficiently. Eating healthy foods won't help you much in terms of building muscle if those nutrients never reach your muscles.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Supplements

1
Avoid dangerous or illicit supplements. There are no legitimate short cuts to muscle gains. There are many supplements that claim to enable you to build muscle quickly, but may come with disastrous long-term health consequences.
2
Talk to a dietician or nutritionist. When you're trying to accelerate muscle growth, the best way to do so safely is to talk to someone who has experience with sports or bodybuilding nutrition and can advise you on which supplements will most benefit you.
- If you're a member of a gym, they typically will have a dietician or nutritionist on staff who you can consult. If not, they may be able to recommend someone local who can help you.
- Once you have recommendations from a dietician or nutritionist, talk them over with your healthcare provider before you start any supplements, particularly if you are at risk or have a history of nutrition-related health issues.
3
Evaluate bottle labels carefully. The bottle of any nutritional supplement will have important information about recommended dosages based on your age and sex. Be careful not to exceed these recommended dosages, or you may put yourself at risk for health problems such as loss of appetite and osteoporosis.
- Check the bottle as well and make sure all seals are still intact and it has not been tampered with.
4
Get sufficient amino acids. Amino acids are protein-builders, and are essential if you want to gain strength and grow larger muscles. They also help in fat loss and recovery after workouts.
- You can get amino acids from meat, dairy, and seafood, but it's possible you won't get all the amino acids you need through food sources. For this reason, an amino acid supplement can be beneficial if you want to accelerate muscle growth.
- Amino acid supplements are especially important if you are a vegan or vegetarian and want significant muscle gains.
- Keep in mind your body does not store excess amino acids, which means sufficient consumption is a daily requirement.
5
Choose vitamin supplements that encourage muscle growth. There are a number of vitamins, including vitamins C, D, and E, as well as B vitamins, that are essential for healthy muscle growth.
- Minerals such as calcium and magnesium also are essential if you want to accelerate muscle growth.
- A good multi-vitamin should provide you all the muscle-building vitamins and minerals you need. You may want to ask a dietician or nutritionist for a recommendation.
6
Take a fish oil supplement. A 1,000- to 3,000-mg fish oil supplement will increase blood flow to your muscles, which reduces inflammation and helps accelerate muscle recovery after workouts, leading to enhanced growth.
- Look for a supplement that provides the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.
- If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can get the same omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil from flax seed, chia seeds, or an algae-based supplement.
7
Give supplements at least a month to work. You may not notice any results from supplements when you first start taking them. In most cases, it takes at least four weeks before you'll start to see any difference in your results.^{[19]
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- Measure your muscles on a weekly basis for a while before you start taking supplements. Once you've reached the four-week mark, start measuring them again and compare the gains after supplements to the gains before.
8
Adjust protein supplements to fit your diet. If you're taking protein supplements, remember that they are meant to supplement the protein you're getting from food sources. Calculate the amount of protein you should consume each day, and make sure you're not consuming much more than that.
- Too much protein will not increase the benefits or cause you to grow muscles more quickly, and may have a negative effect on your health in the long run.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I quickly increase my muscle mass?

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer
Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).

Laila Ajani

Fitness Trainer

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Increase the weight you're using and lower the number of reps you do to build muscle.
Question

Is spinach really good for your muscles?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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Spinach contains vitamins and minerals our bodies need for muscle growth, but protein is also necessary to build muscle.
Question

How can children build muscle?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

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Active children - those who ride bikes, run and jump, play on the jungle gym, or participate in a sport - get plenty of muscle-building activity. Children should eat a healthy and balanced diet, with extra calcium to build their bones and support proper muscle development.