Fitness & Exercise
Girl’s Guide to Building Muscle: Your 8 Week Plan for Guaranteed Growth
Oct
If your goal is to build muscle and your motivation is high, and you’re looking for a plan that will guarantee results…you’ve got it. This 8 week plan is your step-by-step guide for building muscle, guaranteed growth, a faster metabolism and healthier you.
Your goal is set. It’s time to build. You want to feel stronger and see toned, defined shoulders and triceps when you look in the mirror. Your butt will look good in every pair of pants you put on, not just the Levi’s figure forming denims and booty boosting yoga pants (you know that ones the scrunch up the back…).
Now it’s time to face the big question: how.
This isn’t a list of workouts. It’s not a how-to explanation of which exercises to do and when. If you’re looking for that kind of advice, try this article, or this one, or this workout. Or even better – head over to my YouTube channel and line up your workouts for the week!
If I gave you a day-by-day plan – with specific reps and exercises, detailed calorie and macro counts – chances are you wouldn’t follow it. Not because you don’t want to and not because you don’t have what it takes to stick to the plan. But those kinds of plans just don’t work in real life! There are too many moving parts. Too many really personal factors with more urgency then whether your fats and carbs are on point.
Plus, what happens when 8 weeks are up? You’re left without guidance for what’s next.
That’s no good.
What I want you to walk away with in 8 weeks is a complete set of behaviors that feeling solidly yours. They’ll feel endlessly useful and open up a world of opportunities for whatever you want to come next.
Why Behavior Goals are the *KEY* to Building Muscle
You’ve already set your outcome goal: you want to build strong, lean muscle. By definition that goal is the conclusion, the end result of a series of actions you have to take to get there. Those actions, or behaviors, are the key to getting the results you want.
This is a strategic plan based on building a solid foundation of behaviors, one on top of the other.
Behaviors lead to outcomes. Outcomes and goal body’s don’t just happen. There is a process – a set of actions and behaviors – that gets you from here to there. From now to goals.
There is only so much that you can control. This plan focuses on what you can control: what you eat, how much you eat, how much you work out, what kind of workouts you do. Because you can’t control how fast you lose weight as a results. You can only control the choices you make and the consistency with which you make them.
You can reverse engineer your action plan. This plan starts with your goal (building muscle) and works backwards to chart a path that is efficient and results driven. You should be able to see how your behavior changes directly effect your progress.
Behaviors build on behaviors. You have to walk before you can run. This plan sets you up for short and long term success by slowly and succinctly building a foundation of behaviors meant to support each other without being overwhelming.
Open up a world of opportunities for whatever you want to come next.
Julia Hale Fitness
Your 8 Week Plan for Building Muscle
The goal with this plan is to keep it simple, but motivating. You should have a very clear understanding of how each choice you make connects to your goal of building muscle and getting healthier.
My recommendation is to pull out your planner (go ahead, I’ll wait). Mark off two week blocks of time in pencil. Note when you plan on building each new behavior in. A few things to consider when doing this…
Understand that some of these behaviors will come more naturally to you and some will feel more difficult. You might need more or less time depending on your adherence, consistency and schedule. Don’t try to adopt or build on a behavior if you’re not committed to it. Plans like vacations, business trips and even injury are parts of life and they might get in the way. That’s okay. Healthy isn’t on a timeline. Give yourself some wiggle room.
For each of the following behaviors I’ll outline:
- What the behavior involves. What exactly does this action specify you do right now? This way you can focus on what is immediately in front of you: one single task that you can complete today.
- Why it matters. You don’t have to dive into the science of muscle growth or how HGH production is affected by sleep but you should know the importance of what you’re doing! It helps to stay connected and confident.
- How to track progress and consistency. There are no open-ended questions here. Every behavior is action-oriented. You either do it, or you don’t.
- How to know when/if you are ready to move on and build upon your current behaviors.
#1: Workout Frequently and Consistently
What does this involve?
To build muscle you need to train regularly. Ideally, you follow a specific plan designed to progressively and safely challenge your body. There are multiple pieces to this puzzle: volume, intensity (in this case: weight), recovery.
Whether you plan on doing total body workouts, upper/lower splits or full body splits aim to complete 10-12 sets per week for the larger muscle groups (chest, back, quads, hamstrings and glutes) and half that for smaller muscle groups (biceps, triceps and shoulders). Keep in mind that exercises like chest presses, chin ups and rows – big exercises that primarily hit those big muscles – also work your smaller muscle groups as secondary supporters. The work gets done.
There are two rep ranges in which your sets should fall. 6-8 reps per set is ideal for building strength. This is a great rep range for bigger muscles and exercises like squats and rows – exercises where you really want to push yourself to progressively increase the weight you are lifting. Ideally you perform these exercises at the beginning of the workout. After that, you can increase your goal rep range to 10-12 and choose your weights accordingly. This is a hypertrophy range, aka the ideal range for building well defined muscle.
Choosing the “right” weight is specific too you, but easy enough to figure out if you pay attention. If you easily finish the top number in your rep range and feel like you could’ve done an extra set, the weight is too light. You want to feel resistance and be challenged during those last few reps. If you struggle to maintain proper form or can’t complete the bottom number in the rep range, the weight is too heavy.
To pack on muscle you need to pair heavy weight lifting with ample recovery time. Plan on at least 24 hours of recovery for a muscle group in between workouts.
p.s. if you want help creating a plan that is perfectly customized for you – and help sticking with it – I can help! I work with women all over the country who are actively building their strongest, healthiest body’s and loving it. To get started, fill out this simple form (for free) and I’ll be in touch ASAP.
Why does it matter?
Regular workouts stimulate the muscles to grow and increase strength. The goal is to systematically put your muscles under tension. Your body responds by adapting to the new challenge – getting stronger and more efficient.
Keep in mind that workouts don’t actually build muscle. They break it down! A plan that incorporates enough recovery time and the proper nutrition (coming up), gives you what you need to build muscle.
How do I track workouts and consistency?
The best way to track your workouts is with a workout journal. Maybe that’s a notebook, maybe that’s a fitness app or maybe that’s a print out like this one. Whatever works for you! This is the best way I know of to progressively and consistently add challenge – in the form of more reps, sets or weight – that I know of. Key for building muscle!
You’ll want to keep track of data such as: exercise performed, sets and reps completed and at what weight. Beyond that you can get as detailed as you want. It might be useful, for example, to know that last week when you deadlifted and stopped at 2 sets instead of completing 3 it was because the fire alarm was going off, or you skipped lunch and didn’t have the juice to get it done! You can learn a lot about your body from this kind of detail.
- Schedule your workouts for the week. Block off time each day and dedicate that to your workout. This is a priority – treat it like one!
- Plan your workouts in advance. Your plan will depend on how many days a week you plan to workout, and what your split is.
- Mark your workouts off as you go!
When do I know I’m ready for the next step?
You’ll know you’re ready to build on this behavior when you’ve done 3-4 workouts a week consistently for 2 weeks. You’ll be more comfortable prioritizing exercise and planning it into your schedule. It will start to feel stranger to skip a workout than it will to squeeze it in.
#2: Add Protein to Your Diet Routine
What does this involve?
Eat 1-2 servings of protein at every meal opportunity. 1 serving of protein is 20-25 grams. Visually, if you’re not into weighing out your food, that’s a portion of protein that is roughly the size of the palm of your hand.
Choose from a wide variety of proteins to to get a range of amino acids and to beat boredom:
- Chicken and turkey
- Bison and lean beef, pork and wild game
- Fish and seafood
- Whole eggs and egg whites
- Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
- Protein powder supplements
- Beans and legumes
- Tofu and tempeh
Why does protein matter?
Most people – including athletes and well seasoned gym rats – don’t eat enough protein to build. But lean protein is absolutely essential for building muscle. In fact, protein provides your body with amino acids – the building blocks of muscle tissue!
And while you’re probably not deficient in protein, you might not be in the optimal range for building muscle tissue – a requirement for your goals. Without adequate protein available in your body, your muscles don’t have the right mix of nutrients to repair, recover and rebuild.
How do I track and stay consistent?
The best way to track your protein intake is with a meal journal. I like apps like MyFitnessPal and FitBit because they have a database of foods with the nutrient and macro work already done for you. If that doesn’t work for you consider keeping a notebook or even taking pictures of your meals throughout the day.
There are many ways to stay consistent with your protein intake, but these are the strategies that I find work best for my clients, and me too!
- Plan your meals. Sketch out a week long meal plan in which breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks all include some form of protein.
- Stock up. Your key to success here is preparation. Go to the grocery store a couple of times a week so that you are always stocked up on healthy options.
- Keep a list and set always have on hand “pars” (i.e. always have 1 dozen eggs on hand or always have 1 pound of chicken thighs in the freezer).
- Start a tracking sheet and put a checkmark down every time you have protein at a meal.
- Find your favorite protein meals and stick with ’em!
Get inspired:
>> Protein Packed Breakfast Ideas
>> High Protein Vegetarian Lunch Options
>> 8 High Protein Snacks that Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
When do I know I’m ready for the next step?
You’ll know that you are ready for the next step towards building muscle and strength when you have had protein at almost every meal/eating opportunity for two weeks in a row. Don’t worry – perfection is not necessary for progress, nor is it expected. But the more consistent you can be the further down the path to success you are.
#3: Create a Recovery/Sleep Strategy
What does this involve?
Plan, develop and most importantly use both a post-workout recovery system and a sleep ritual.
Post-workout recovery involves a conscious effort to cool down and stretch. Think about adding 5-10 minutes to the end of every workout to include light cardio, stretching and foam rolling. It also includes post-workout nutrition. Your best bet here is a post-workout protein and simple carb shake. 1 scoop of whey protein powder in water with so simple carbs (fruit, anyone?) is the perfect 1-2 punch of nutrition to refuel your muscles. And finally, active rest days. You learned above that ample rest is important for recovery. Rest does not mean sit-on-your-butt-and-watch-TV. It means toning down activity to a level that provides enough stimulation to recover, but not enough to cause stress/tension.
A good sleep strategy involves a plan for getting enough rest: at least 7 hours a night. If you don’t believe you need at least 7 hours to function optimally, listen to this podcast with Sleep Expert and Neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker. It is guaranteed to change the way you think about sleep and the way you move through your day and life.
*Level up your recovery game by paying attention to your rest periods in between working sets of your workout. There is a reason that trainers designate a rest period in between sets of an exercise. Those rest periods give your body and muscles time to create enough energy for the next set. Your body creates more energy so that you start your next set of reps as strong as the first.
Restricted sleep = restricted recovery = restricted results.
Julia Hale Fitness
Why does rest and recovery matter?
Creating an internal environment optimized for growth requires recovery. It requires the right mix of nutrients, and hormones and stimulus.
Post-workout recovery specifically triggers your body to move from work mode, to repair mode. Giving your heart rate and body temperature time to return to normal. Stretching and foam rolling fatigued muscles lengthens muscles, gets blood and oxygen moving to muscles that just spent a lot of time contracted in work-mode, fixes imbalances, improves mobility and boosts recovery. That post-workout shake? Absolutely key to refueling your empty glycogen (read: energy) stores and pumping in protein so your muscles have material to work with.
Most of that repair and recovery work happens at rest – namely overnight. This is when your body finally has time to regulate your hormones, pump out HGH and work on building strength and muscle. Restricted sleep = restricted recovery = restricted results.
How Can I Create a Plan and Stay Consistent?
Post Workout:
- Build in an extra 10 minutes to the end of your workout. Find a comprehensive routine, like this one, that gently stretches and moves every muscle group.
- Keep protein powder (this is my favorite) and a shaker on hand in your cupboard or gym bag or car. The simplest way to add that simple carb in (without having to remember to pack an apple or banana), is to throw a scoop of this in too.
Before bed:
- Shut electronics off 1-2 hours before bedtime. Put away the blue light and distractions. (I personally put my phone away at 9 pm every night).
- Make a list of things on your mind – things that you can wait until tomorrow to deal with. Put it aside and leave it be.
- Do something relaxing: take a bath, drink chamomile tea, put lavender essential oils in a diffuser
- 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep, get into bed to read, or write or draw.
You’ll find that the more consistent you are with your Sleep Ritual, the easier it is to fall asleep and the more rested you will feel in the morning. Your body will start to associate this routine with going to sleep – and it will start to physiologically prepare in a way that in never could scrolling through Insta!
When do I know I’m ready for the next step?
You’ll know that you are ready for the next step when you’ve been adhering to your sleep ritual and post-workout recovery routine 5-6 days a week for 2 weeks. Shoot for 7 hours of sleep each night – you’ll notice the difference!
#4: Stay Hydrated
What does this involve?
It’s simple: water makers up more than 60% of who you are and most of us exist on the “too little of it” side of the spectrum. If you’re a 130 pound female, approximately 72 pounds of you is water.
While some of your daily water intake comes from he food you eat, it’s not a lot. And the more you workout (which at this point is a lot, because you’ve building your foundation over the last 6 weeks…), the more you need. Aim to drink at least 80 ounces of water a day. Water counts (duh). Seltzer water counts, decaf tea counts. Hydrate up!
Why Does Water Matter?
Water, water, everywhere. Water is in your blood, your bones, your brain tissue, muscle tissue, adipose tissue and your eyeballs! H2O is transportation within the body. It’s a lubricant, a catalyst for chemical reaction, a temperature regulator and more. The best way I can think of to describe how important water is to your life is to describe what happens when you start to lose it. A mere 0.5% decrease in body water places a strain on your heart. A 1% loss reduces endurance. Keep sliding down that rabbit hole and you risk disrupted motor skills, heat cramps, fatigue, decreased mental capacity and focus, physical exhaustion, heatstroke and eventually, death.
So yeah, it’s important.
How do I track and stay consistent?
Wherever you’ve been tracking your food and protein intake – start tracking water. Simple as that.
In regards to staying consistent, here’s exactly how I do it:
- Drink 16 ounces of lemon water upon waking up.
- Finish 24-32 ounces by lunchtime.
- Finish another 24-32 ounces by dinner time.
- Drink 12 ounces during your workout.
- Mix your protein shake with another 8 ounces of water.
- Enjoy a cup of decaf tea after dinner.
Always keep a water bottle on hand and full to the brim! I’ve even seen some water bottles that are labeled on the side to cue you to drink a certain amount by 10 am, noon, etc.
How do I know I’m ready for the next step?
When you’ve tracked at least 80 ounces of water consistently for 2 weeks in a row, you’re ready for the next step!
Wondering what the next step is? It’s my passion and my business to get to know you and your goals – and to give you the best advice possible. Fill out this simple form and let’s get started on YOUR best plan.
