Methods for Male Fitness and Muscle Building

Maintaining a progressive loading schedule, ensuring an adequate intake of protein, and giving the muscles enough time to recover—these three fundamental principles are essentially variations of these basic concepts adapted to different training foundations and time constraints. There is no such thing as a superior or inferior method; it’s all about whether it suits your specific needs.

A couple of years ago, I took on a newly graduated junior. He was 178 cm tall but only weighed 51 kilograms—so scrawny that even a hoodie couldn’t fit properly on his shoulders. At first, he tried training on his own, spending two hours at the gym every day focusing solely on his chest and biceps. He wouldn’t leave until he couldn’t lift his arms anymore. Two months passed, but his weight didn’t change at all; in fact, his chest size didn’t increase by even one centimeter. Later, his training plan was adjusted, and over a period of three months, he gained 12 pounds of pure muscle mass. His T-shirts now fit in an M size, and the shoulder seams no longer feel tight—this success was largely due to following those three key principles mentioned earlier.

Nowadays, the most heated debate in the fitness community regarding muscle-building training programs is between the high-frequency split routine and the low-frequency full-body routine. Both approaches have numerous successful natural bodybuilders supporting them, so there's really no need to take sides or argue. For example, many people who have been training for over a year and can dedicate an hour each day to the gym prefer a five-part training routine that focuses on specific muscle groups: chest, shoulders, back, legs, and arms. During each session, they perform 4-6 exercises targeting one area at a time, progressing from compound movements to isolation exercises. This approach allows them to maximize the stimulation of individual muscle groups. Several friends of mine who participate in amateur bodybuilding competitions train this way; after a chest workout, they often struggle even just putting on a jacket because the muscle congestion lasts for up to two hours. The results in terms of muscle gain are indeed impressive, but this only works if you perform the exercises correctly and are able to accurately target the desired muscle groups. Otherwise, if you rely too much on your shoulders and arms to carry out the chest exercises, you’ll end up injuring your shoulders before you even see any noticeable progress in your chest muscles.

But if you’re a beginner just getting started and can only fit in 3-4 days of training per week, there’s really no need to force yourself into a five-day training schedule. In fact, many strength training coaches recommend 2-3 full-body workouts per week, which would be more suitable for you. It’s just about doing compound exercises like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, bent-over rows, and seated presses every time you train. There’s no need for fancy exercises like flyes or curls; instead, focus on increasing the weight with each workout. My junior brother started using this plan, and in less than two months, he was able to lift 60 kilograms on the bench press from scratch. He also gained weight faster than anyone else and didn’t take any unnecessary detours along the way.

No matter which training mode you choose, there are two common pitfalls that most people tend to fall into. The last time I was at the gym, I saw this guy doing bench presses—his back was arching so much it was almost touching the bench, his shoulders were already starting to pop, and he still insisted on adding another 2.5 kilograms to the weight. Meanwhile, his friend was just shouting “Amazing!” This isn’t about building muscle at all—it’s more like rushing to the orthopedic department. Some people also check online every day to find out “how to train your chest so it hurts more”. They insist that the exercise must be painful for three or four days before they can consider it effective. But in reality, this isn’t necessary at all. The key to muscle growth is that the stimulus you provide is greater than the one you gave before. If you can do 8 reps of a 60-kilogram bench press this week and 9 reps next week, or if you can still do 8 reps after adding 2.5 kilograms to the weight, then that training is effective, even if you don’t feel any pain the day after. The sensation of pain is simply due to the accumulation of lactic acid and has little to do with the actual efficiency of muscle growth.

Doing the exercises correctly is just the first step; if you can’t keep up with your nutrition, all that hard training is just doing good for the gym. There are various opinions regarding the appropriate amount of protein intake. Some academic studies suggest that 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight is sufficient, while bodybuilders recommend consuming 2.5 or even 3 grams. For ordinary people, there’s really no need to be so precise in measuring the grams; it’s just too much of a hassle. Just eat a small amount of lean meat the size of a palm each time you eat – it can be beef, chicken, fish, or shrimp – or two eggs and a cup of milk, three or four times a day. That should be basically enough. If you really don’t have time to cook, having a shake made with protein powder is completely fine. Don’t listen to people claiming that “protein powder contains hormones” or that “it damages your kidneys” – that’s nonsense. Protein powder is simply purified whey, and it’s no different from drinking milk or eating eggs. I used to have a friend who ate boiled chicken breasts every day just to build muscle. After two months, he started feeling disgusted at the sight of chicken and even lost 3 pounds. It was completely unnecessary. Dried chicken thighs, marinated beef, or even braised ribs would have worked just as well—as long as you get enough protein and avoid eating junk food that’s high in fat and salt. Eat whatever tastes good to you; a diet that you can stick to is a good diet.

Oh, right—there’s also the most easily overlooked type of rest: muscles don’t grow in the gym; they grow while you’re sleeping. Last year, I was working on a project and was staying up until 2 a.m. every day while still exercising regularly. As a result, in just one month, I lost 5 kilograms in bench press and my arms also got 1 centimeter thinner. Later, I adjusted my schedule to get 8 hours of sleep every night, and within two weeks, I had regained my previous weight and arm size. Also, don’t believe that “if it hurts, it means you’re building muscle – just endure the pain and keep training”. If a particular muscle group hurts so much that it’s difficult to even lift weights, take a day off. Forcing yourself to train will only cause damage to your muscles and may even result in them losing size.

Regarding the supplements that many people ask about, I have to be honest: ordinary fitness enthusiasts really don’t need to buy them at all if they eat a proper diet. If you’re too busy to eat regularly, buying a whey protein supplement for around a hundred dollars is enough. Things like creatine, nitrogen pumps, or testosterone boosters are truly unnecessary in the beginner stage. I’ve been training for almost six years now, and I only occasionally drink a protein shake after my workouts; I don’t use any other supplements at all. Don’t let the gym staff trick you into buying expensive “muscle-building packages”—it’s just a way to waste your money.

To put it bluntly, building muscle actually helps reduce anxiety. Don’t believe those online claims like “get 8-pack abs in 7 days” or “gain 20 pounds of muscle in 30 days” – those results are either achieved through the use of performance-enhancing drugs or by extreme dehydration. For ordinary people, following a steady progress plan, gradually increasing the weight you lift, eating well, and getting enough sleep will definitely lead to visible results after half a year. You’ll be able to wear clothes that fit better and won’t need help when lifting heavy objects – and that’s far more tangible than any other promise.