How to Get Lean Muscle

Want to add on muscle mass? Ok then hit the weights, add more calories and repeat until you hit the results you want. Want to obtain lean muscles, with a ripped physique that turns heads at the pool this summer? Well you need a plan. Here are my top hits for successfully building lean muscle mass that makes you not only look and feel better, but can counter the effects of aging and make you perform better overall.

1. Weight train at least 3-6x a week. You need to hit the weights plain and simple. The most effective way to gain lean muscle mass is to strength train at least 3-6 times a week and include all major muscle groups. Choose a weight that makes it a little hard to complete each repetition and set. Try to start out with 2 sets of 12 repetitions and slowly increase the weight over time. Lean muscle is going to help burn fat off. Remember the older we get it is more important to try and increase your lean muscle.
2. Get your cardio on. You need to cut down on overall body fat to see those sculpted muscles come through but you need a balance. Too much cardio can actually fight against the results you want so shoot for around a 120 minutes a week. Cardio comes in all forms so go for a walk, run, swim, or bike ride. It’s finally nice out so take advantage of the good weather and get moving.
3. Eat small meals more frequently. Keep your metabolism engine running by eat clean, healthy small meals 4 to 6 times a day. Depending on your goals you want to focus on high quality protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and plenty of fruit and vegetables.
4. Get adequate rest. You need your body to have time to recover and repair. This is a part of the process and you need to give your body time to do its job to give you the results you want. You need solid and consistent sleep at night. Aim for 8-9 hours every day. If your an adult this can be hard but if you want results then get sleep.
5. Don’t stress. If you are stress out by your progress, your attitude is going to get in your way and slow you down. A positive outlook goes a long way. If you are sticking to the plan, feeding your body with wholesome, healthy foods, and getting good sleep you are already winning. Praise yourself for putting in the work and celebrate even the smallest successes. Seriously, calm down and chill out.
6. Find the right environment. This might be the last tip on my list but it does not mean it is not as important as some of the others. You need to find a place that is the right fit for your goals with like-minded individuals that are looking to obtain the same or similar results. Finding the right place to train can make your progress go from slow to sonic speed because you found your people. Heck if you can make one of those people your training partner and you will be more likely to show up to push each other through every workout.

There are a lot of plans out there to what diet you should follow, what weights you should hit and if you research them they are all relatively the same. Do not get stuck in the weeds and confuse the process, building lean muscle mass is simple if you have a plan and you stick to it. These tips can help build the success you want but you have to be determined and focused to do so.