Working out isn’t just about the weight you lose; it’s also about all the muscle and strength that you gain. Many people following a strict workout routine are looking to get bigger, gain more definition, or replace frustrating belly fat with a set of washboard abs. 

Growing muscle isn’t just about lifting as heavy as you can. In fact, at a certain point, maxing out your weights can slow down your workout progress. Today, we’re talking about 3 of the best ways to boost workout gains without throwing out your back or tearing a muscle. If you’re serious about your workout game, you’ll definitely want to take a look. 

Focus on gradually building strength

One mistake that too many weightlifters make is trying to go all-in at once. Nobody wants to be the scrawny guy doing curls with 12lb weights in the corner of the gym. But if you actually want to gain muscle—rather than destroy your back trying in vain to impress a girl who’s probably not even watching – you should start small and build from there. 

You actually gain more muscle by using proper form and doing a higher number of reps with lower weight than you would by lifting a massive amount of weight all at once. That’s because, chances are, if you max out on your weight to do just a couple reps, your form is likely going to be terrible. Nobody ever got a perfect beach body by flinging weights around with no control. 

Building strength takes gradual momentum, as frustrating as that might be. Start with something low, slow, and manageable. Stay consistent. Then, once you’ve mastered your reps at that weight, maybe after a week or two, gradually increase to the next weight level. You’ll move from those 12lb weights to the 30lb ones, slow and steady—and your physique will show it. Increasing gradually like this is also much easier when you have a home gym system, like a Fusion CST. 

Recovery is just as important as your workout

Recovery is the portion of your workout routine where you rest and allow your body to heal and grow. You know that feeling of soreness you get after a solid workout? That’s actually caused by your muscles tearing in thousands of little places. These tiny tears are then healed and filled in with new muscle, causing you to grow and become stronger. 

That period of growth is critical. So, even though you may feel like you want to hit the gym and max out your lifting every single day of the week, doing so will be less beneficial to muscle gains. Instead, consider these workout recovery options:

  • Try a recovery supplement, like Everything Armor, which supplies your body with the vitamins it needs to hasten recovery. 
  • Try out protein shakes, which are fortified with tons of important nutrients that help your body recover while also boosting muscle growth. 
  • Take a rest day or two a week. Just because you’re not actively working out doesn’t mean you’re not still working on your strength.
  • Work out different muscle groups on different days. That way, you can keep up your training without burning out a particular muscle group. 

You can also perform restorative stretches, like light yoga, which will make your muscles limber, and ease out any tension that’s built up from intensive workouts. Massages can also work for this purpose, but your partner might start to get annoyed with you. 

Maintaining a healthy diet is half the battle

Lastly, perhaps one of the very most important parts of any workout routine is the diet that goes along with it. Maintaining a healthy diet helps your body recover from workouts, build strength, and cut fat. Your body wants to help you grow —you just have to supply it with the means to get there. 

Start by opting for healthy, clean sources of protein, like fish or plant-based protein—Ripple vanilla protein powder is a delicious and healthy option featuring pea protein, for instance. Beans, tofu, and nuts are also excellent sources of highly efficient protein to try. 

Supplement your protein with a good mix of healthy carbs, like brown rice or whole grain bread. Then fill it out with a solid helping of fresh or cooked veggies—and plenty of leafy greens, which are packed with iron and other critical nutrients. 

Gaining muscle is challenging, but with the right workouts, recovery, and diet, you’re sure to see results.