The No BS Guide to Building Lean Muscle

Many women have traditionally avoided weightlifting because of the common misconception that it will make them “get big.” Thankfully, this myth seems to be losing its power as more and more women turn to weightlifting to boost their strength, balance, and overall health. Only 17.5% of women in the United States did strength training twice a week or more in 2004. In 2020, it was reported that 26.9% of women met the guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity. Fast forward 16 years. So, let’s bust this myth and talk about how resistance training can help women who want to build muscle safely and effectively. Before we get into the “how” of weight training, let’s examine some well-established principles and dispel some myths.

1. Lifting Weights

A stimulus must be applied to the muscle in order to stimulate hypertrophy, also known as muscle growth. Because they are afraid of “getting big,” some women tend to stick with weights they are comfortable using for all three sets. To actually observe any changes, however, a greater stimulus must be applied to the muscles. You need to get out of your comfort zone using appropriate load progressions and put greater physiological demands on your muscles. Once you can make this paradigm shift in your mind, you will be able to make substantial progress in both your strength and muscle gains. Generally, it is recommended to increase your load in 5% increments until the weights are heavy enough to complete each set within the goal repetition range. For instance, if you currently bench press 10 repetitions using 100 pounds (45 kg), try increasing your weight to 105 pounds (48 kg) to see if this makes it harder to do so. Add 5 pounds (2.3 kg) if you can still complete 10 repetitions on your next set. Women frequently overestimate their strength and automatically select lighter weights. This is a mistake. Instead, choose a weight that can be lifted 10 times, with the last two repetitions posing a significant challenge. It is important to maintain good form throughout the set, so as soon as you notice your form starting to fail, reduce the amount of weight being lifted or take a rest. The goal is to lift heavy and well, not lift heavy and get hurt. Be sure to have a spotter when performing exercises such as a back squat, bench press and overhead press, especially when learning a new exercise or going up in weight.

2. Sets and Reps

Three to six sets of six to twelve repetitions of an exercise are typically recommended for muscle building. If you choose a heavier weight and do fewer repetitions (e.g., three to six), you’re more likely to gain muscular strength, while using lighter weights and higher repetitions lead to gains in muscular endurance. If you’re aiming for greater strength, take a little extra rest time between sets (2 to 5 minutes). If your primary goal is to increase muscle size, reduce the amount of rest you take between sets (30 to 90 seconds).

3. Frequency

One of the most important elements of achieving muscle gains is consistency, so aim to weight train four to five days a week, if possible. A great way to keep track of progress is to keep a journal and record your exercises and weights. Even if you intend to lift a lot, the only way to tell if you’re getting stronger is to write down how many sets, reps, and weights you used in each workout. The way your weight-training sessions are broken down is another thing to think about. Will you work out your entire body, or will you only do exercises for your upper or lower body? Or might a workout consist of two body parts? Whatever you end up deciding, the key is consistency and overload.

4. Exercise Selection

There are countless ways to create a workout to gain muscle mass. Ideally, perform exercises requiring larger muscle groups first, such as squat/squat variations, bench press, deadlifts, lat pull-downs and overhead press. Doing so enables you to expend greater energy on these movements, while still being able to perform well on movements involving smaller muscles/muscle groups toward the end of your workout. Choose six to eight exercises to perform on any given day. You can split them up into circuits or do them separately, utilizing rest periods between sets that are specific to your training goals.

Sample Muscle-building Exercises

As previously stated, pushing muscles out of their comfort zones encourages muscle growth. Be sure to include some of these movements in your workouts to maximize your muscle hypertrophy. To further explore proper form and variations for the exercises below, visit the ACE Exercise Library, which features step-by-step instructions for each movement.

Squat

Whether you choose heavy dumbbells, a barbell or the squat rack, this exercise is great for shaping and building muscle in your quads and glutes. Maintaining proper form is key, so gradually add weight as you train while maintaining good form. Ideally, when you look into the mirror, you should pretend you are sitting in a chair at the bottom of your squat, with your heels on the ground and hips back.

Shoulder Press

There are a number of shoulder-press variations, including the dumbbell press, Arnold press and behind-the-neck press. These exercises are great for the shoulders, traps and upper body. If you are really pushing yourself, be sure to have a spotter and don’t be afraid to add weight.

Deadlift

Whether you choose the single-leg or traditional deadlift, using dumbbells or barbells, this versatile exercise engages the hamstrings, glutes and back muscles. On this exercise, proper form is very important, so keep your back flat and bend your knees slightly. If you feel your back rounding, reduce the weight and refocus on your form.

Press your chest A chest press can be done in a variety of ways, including on a flat bench, an incline, or a decline, all of which will target the chest from different angles. Dumbbells or a barbell can be used, and if you are really pushing your upper limit, be sure to have a spotter.

Curls the biceps The biceps are a smaller muscle group, but when pushed, they can lift some heavier weight. Incorporate a few curl variations into your program, such as barbell curls, dumbbell seated curls, hammer curls or rope curls. Avoid rocking for momentum, and if you notice that your back is starting to arch, lower the weight. Kickback of the Tract Show off that “horseshoe” by sculpting the triceps. Begin by keeping your upper arm parallel to the ground and bending your elbow until your forearm is perpendicular to the ground. After that, work your triceps to the point where your elbow is fully extended. Remember to keep momentum out of the equation to truly isolate the triceps and shape those arms.

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