Exercise Info for Building Muscle

Welcome back to BETTER, the email series that provides tools, strategies, and knowledge to help you progress toward a healthier and fitter future.

This week, we are providing strategies to help your muscle-building efforts.

Today's installment covers exercise strategies to enhance your muscle mass!

The basics: If you want to maximize your muscle-building potential, adhere to the following bullet points as closely as possible:

Try to work on your strength training 3 times a week.

For the best results, train each movement twice a week. That could mean completing the squat strength portion of class on Monday and then doing a few sets of squats after class later in the week. You'll still make progress training each area once a week, but you can see extra progress by adding an additional day.  

Over the course of a year, train across all rep ranges: low (1-3 reps), medium (4-8 reps), and high (8-12 reps).

Add complementary isolation movements in our classes' physique section for extra gains.

Complete your movements with the largest range of motion that you can complete safely.

Practice a controlled lowering phase in all reps and a slight pause at the bottom to avoid using momentum.

Rest as needed between your sets to give your next set a strong effort.   

In your strength sets, leave no more than 2-3 reps in the tank, and avoid failing reps, as this is counterproductive to your muscle-gaining efforts.  

These principles will move the needle the most. The particular exercise you use (for example, Bulgarian split squat versus back squat, doesn't matter as much as the intensity and range of motion you practice.) Adopt as many of these bullet points as possible to optimize your chance of progress!