Resistance training is an effective way to stimulate muscle growth and maintain strength regardless of age or starting condition. The right approach minimises injury risk and supports goal attainment. The sections below cover exercise selection, frequency, recovery, and high-quality protein intake — the four factors that drive training outcomes.
Compound exercises
A practical strategy is to build a workout routine around compound exercises — multi-joint movements that engage several muscle groups simultaneously and provide a full-body stimulus5. Classic compound exercises include:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Hip Thrusts/Glute Bridge
- Push ups/Chest Press
- Shoulder Press
- Pull ups
- Lunges
- Plank
Isolation exercises, those targeting a single muscle group, are best used as an addition to compound exercises rather than as the basis of a programme5.
Free weights or machines?
Effective training does not require extensive equipment. Body weight alone supports work for most muscle groups — squats and push-ups can be performed almost anywhere.
Dumbbells and barbells are versatile and require limited investment. With a basic set, a wide range of compound and isolation work is possible.
Gym machines mimic free-weight movements but with restrained motion paths. Some users find them safer or easier to use, particularly when first learning a movement pattern.
Variation increases muscle growth
Varying the workout routine periodically supports muscle growth more effectively than repeating the same exercises4. The most direct form of variation is swapping between exercises that target the same muscle groups. Variation can also come from1:
- Intensity
- Number of repetitions
- Repetition speed
- Rest periods between sets
- Training volume
Variation also reduces monotony, which supports motivation over time.
How to train
Several training approaches can produce muscle growth8, 11, 12, 13, 14, so the framework below should be treated as a working baseline rather than the only correct method.
- Train each muscle group at least twice per week to maximise muscle growth15.
- A classic well-supported approach is 1–3 sets of each exercise with 8–12 repetitions per set1, 14.
- Multiple sets are more effective than a single set for increasing muscle size2, 9.
- Rest approximately 2 minutes between sets; longer rest is recommended as intensity and volume increase1, 3, 6.
Why recovery is important
Recovery is as important as the training session itself. Resistance training causes small amounts of muscle damage, and muscle growth occurs during the subsequent recovery process.
Each muscle group requires at least 48 hours of rest before the next session. The full body should also have one rest day per week. Training on consecutive days is feasible if different muscle groups are alternated10.
Adequate protein intake
Diet, in particular the amount and quality of protein, has substantial influence on training outcomes. Protein is the building blocks of body tissue. Increasing muscle mass requires substrate, and protein supplies that substrate.
The recommended daily intake range is 1.4–2.0 g of high-quality protein per kg of body weight7.
Protein sources include meat, milk, fish, and eggs. Whey protein is also a high-quality source for muscle support. A dose of 20–40 g of high-quality protein has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis for 3–4 hours7, which is why a pre-workout whey protein shake may support strength and muscle growth gains.
Consult a qualified trainer before starting
Muscle building requires consistent training, recovery, and adequate high-quality protein. For those starting out, working with a personal trainer can help establish form and reduce injury risk.
Muscle building takes time. Consistency over weeks and months is what produces durable gains.
References
1. American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercises. 2009, 41(3): 687–708.
2. Burd NA, Holwerda AM, Selby KC, West DWD, Staples AW, Cain NE, Cashaback JGA, Potvin JR, Baker SK and Phillips SM. Resistance exercise volume affects myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic signalling molecule phosphorylation in young men. Journal of Physiology. 2010; 588(16):3119-3130.
3. De Salles BF, Simao R, Miranda F, da Silva Novaes J, Lemos A and Willardson JM. Rest interval between sets in strength training. Journal of Sports Medicine. 2009; 39(9):765-777.
4. Fonseca RM, Roschel H, Tricoli V, de Souza EO, Wilson JM, Laurentino GC, Aihara AY, de Souza Leao AR and Ugrinowitsch C. Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2014; 28(11): 3085–3092
5. Gentil P, Soares S and Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015; 6(1):e24057.
6. Gric J, Schoenfeld BJ, Skrepnik M, Davies TB and Mikulic P. Effects of rest interval duration in resistance training on measures of muscular strength: a systematic review. Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018; 48:137-151.
7. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, Stout JR, Campbell B, Wilborn CD, Taylor L, Kalman D, Smith-Ryan AE, Kreider RB, Willoughby D, Arciero PJ, Van Dusseldrop TA, Ormsbee MJ, Wildman R, Greenwood M, Ziegenfuss TN, Aragon AA and Antonio J. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017; 14:33.
8. Klemp A, Dolan C, Quiles JM, Blanco R, Zoeller RF, Graves BS and Zourdos MC. Volume-equated high- and low-repetition daily undulating programming strategies produce similar hypertrophy and strength adaptations. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. 2016; 41(7):699-705.
9. Krieger JW. Single vs. multiple sets of resistance exercise for muscle hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2010; 24(4):1150-1159.
10. McLester RJ, Bishop PA, Smith J, Wyers L, Dale B, Kozusko J, Richardson M, Nevett ME and Lomax R. A series of studies – a practical protocol for testing muscular endurance recovery. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2003; 17(2):259-273.
11. Mitchell CJ, Churchward-Venne TA, West DWD, Burd NA, Breen L, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young men. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2012; 113:71-77.
12. Schoenfeld BJ, Ratamess NA, Peterson MD, Conteras B, Sommez GT and Alvar BA. Effects of different volume-equated resistance training loading strategies on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2014, 28(10): 2909-2918.
13. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D and Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2017, 31(12): 3508–3523.
14. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW and Plotkin DL. Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports. 2021, 9(2):32.
15. Wernbom M, Augustsson J and Thomée R. The influence of frequency, intensity, volume and mode of strength training on whole muscle cross-sectional area in humans. Journal of Sports Medicine. 2007; 37(3):225-264.