The Simple Guide to Building Muscle: What Actually Works
If you’re like me, you hate wasting time on things that don’t yield results. While the process of self-improvement and fitness is more of a marathon than a sprint, you still want to make sure that you’re steadily moving in the right direction. If you want to build muscle, there are a lot of things you could do—but only a few things that actually work.
The good news? Muscle growth comes down to a few simple principles. Master these, and you’ll see real results. Better yet, your trainers at Pursuit understand these principles and can do the thinking for you *shameless self promotion*
Let’s break it down in the simplest way possible so you can start making gains today.
Step 1: You Need to Challenge Your Muscles
Sadly, building muscle requires some effort on your part. If you want your muscles to grow, you have to push them past what they’re used to. That means lifting enough weight and doing enough work to force your body to adapt.
Here’s the sweet spot for muscle growth:
Reps per set: 6-15 (this is the “muscle-building zone”)
Sets per muscle per week: 10-20 (spread out over multiple days)
Weight selection: Use a weight that leaves you with only 1-3 reps left in the tank by the end of the set
Example: If you’re doing bench press, and you stop at 10 reps but feel like you could do 10 more reps, you’re not lifting heavy enough! Increase the weight so that reps 8, 9, and 10 feel challenging but doable.
If you don’t feel like Rocky during your workouts, then it’s probably not challenging enough.
Step 2: Lift a Little More Over Time
This is often the most overlooked part, especially with athletes. Your body won’t build muscle if you keep lifting the same weights forever. To grow, you need progressive overload—which just means doing a little more over time.
Simple ways to do this:
Add more weight (even just 5 lbs more is progress!)
Do more reps with the same weight (if you can do 12, try 13 next time)
Do more sets (instead of 3 sets, try 4)
Think of it this way: If you were lifting 100 lbs for 8 reps last year, but you’re still lifting the same weight today, you probably haven’t gained much muscle. Keep challenging yourself!
Step 3: Eat Enough to Grow
You can train perfectly, but if you’re not eating enough, you won’t build muscle. Your body needs protein to repair and grow muscle and calories to fuel that process.
Here’s what to focus on:
Protein goal: Eat 0.7-1g of protein per pound of body weight daily
Calories: If you want to gain muscle faster, eat a little more than you burn (+200-300 calories per day)
Best protein sources: Chicken, fish, beef, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes
Example: If you weigh 160 lbs, aim for 120-160g of protein per day (spread out over your meals).
Bonus tip: If you’re struggling to gain muscle, schedule a consultation with Coach Allyson today!
Step 4: The Importance of Rest & Recovery
Muscle doesn’t grow in the gym—it grows when you rest. If you’re constantly breaking your body down without giving it time to rebuild, you’re slowing your progress.
Sleep is king – Aim for 7-9 hours per night to maximize muscle recovery.
Rest days are necessary – Your muscles need time off to grow stronger.
Stress management matters – High stress = poor recovery = slower gains.
Passive modalities such as cold plunge, red light therapy, and stretching are fine, but pale in comparison to rest and sleep! Take care of these, and you’re setting yourself up for some serious progress.
Final Takeaways: How to Build Muscle Efficiently
Train 3-5x per week with 10-20 total sets per muscle group
Use weights that feel challenging—aim for 6-15 reps per set
Increase weight or reps over time (progressive overload)
Eat enough protein (0.7-1g per pound of body weight)
Push yourself in every set—muscles only grow when challenged!
Be patient—muscle takes months to build, not days.
If you need more help, shoot me an email (jayson@onthepursuit.fit), DM me on Instagram (@jaynajera), or pull aside any of the coaches if you’re already at Pursuit!