13 Tips for Getting Bigger



Building muscle takes a lot of work and planning, but it also takes a lot of patience. Even though you’ll want changes to occur quickly, remember that every workout counts, and it’s important to keep pushing towards your goals. Having a guide to follow is always helpful, so here are 13 tips for getting bigger that have helped me improve through the years.


1. Change your program every 8-12 weeks
Once you have a good training program, you’ll see results every couple of weeks whether in the form of improved performance or muscle gains. By doing the same exercises consistently, your muscles get used to them and you’ll find yourself in a plateau. When that happens, it’s a good time to revamp your program and switch up exercises, try different rep ranges, or add new techniques.


2. Always warm up properly
Warming up is a must! Do a proper warm up by hitting a quick cardio session for 5-10 minutes, and then do a couple sets of light weights for the muscle group you’ll be working that day. Remember, you won’t make any gains if you’re not training due to an injury.


3. Keep up the intensity and positive mindset
Simply going to the gym and moving weights from point A to B won’t guarantee results. You have to put in real effort at all times, and always keep thinking about the goals you’re after.


4. Get a personal trainer
A personal trainer will keep you on the right path with your exercise form, training program, and nutrition, so you’ll always be accountable for everything you’re doing or slacking off on.


5. Find a training partner/spotter
Having a training partner with an equal or higher level of fitness is great for a little friendly competition, and this will keep you working hard and motivated to be your best. Plus, if you’re training for increased muscle size, you’ll need a spotter to assist with the heavy weights and watch out for your safety.


6. Stay consistent
Nothing worthwhile comes easy and fast, so staying consistent is critical for adding muscle size. It takes time to achieve noticeable size, but muscle atrophy (loss of muscle size) can occur quickly if you don’t train consistently.


7. Form is key
Moving weights from point A to B at all costs isn’t the point. Growing muscle requires isolation and time under tension through the correct range of motion. Good form will also help you prevent injuries.


8. Use quality supplements
The best supplement to take for size is creatine. It will give you more strength and endurance to really push yourself to complete failure, and it helps keep muscles full.


9. Train legs
Don’t skip legs! If you’re just starting to train, get in the habit of training legs consistently and always as part of your routine. Leg training is proven scientifically to increase natural testosterone production.


10. Get enough sleep & listen to your body when you need rest
You grow while you sleep, not while you train, so you need to assure full recovery when you’re training hard (growth hormone levels increase during sleep). If you’re not performing at your normal level after hard training, you’re likely over training, so you may need to pull back a few days with lighter weights and doing more reps. Rest as needed and load up on food to reset for a heavy training day.


11. Go heavy with increased volume
The basic bodybuilding principle is to use heavy weights with low reps for every set. You should also be doing 5-6 sets per body part.


12. Use dumbbells
Dumbbells offer a distinct range of motion and are great for mass building by isolating and tearing down muscle fibers to increase muscle gains.


13. Increase protein & calories
Ideally, when it comes to building more muscle, you want to increase your protein to 1-1.5 grams per pound of body weight. You’re trying to keep your body fueled for growth, so don’t cut carbs (but try to make them all wholegrain and complex carbs), and keep up your intake of healthy fats to maintain strength and endurance.


Diego Sebastian