Complete Muscle Building Workout Guide for Beginners

The Science of Muscle Building

Muscle grows through a process called hypertrophy. When you lift weights, you create microscopic tears in muscle fibers. During rest, your body repairs these tears, making muscles bigger and stronger.

Key Principles

Progressive Overload

Gradually increase weight, reps, or sets over time. This is the #1 factor for muscle growth.

Training Volume

Aim for 10-20 sets per muscle group per week. Split across 2-3 sessions for optimal recovery.

Rest and Recovery

Muscles grow during rest, not during workouts. Sleep 7-9 hours and take 1-2 rest days per week.

Best Exercises by Muscle Group

Chest

Bench Press (flat, incline, decline)

Push-ups

Dumbbell Flyes

Back

Pull-ups/Lat Pulldowns

Barbell Rows

Deadlifts

Shoulders

Overhead Press

Lateral Raises

Face Pulls

Legs

Squats

Romanian Deadlifts

Leg Press

Lunges

Arms

Bicep Curls

Tricep Dips

Hammer Curls

Sample 4-Day Split

**Day 1 - Upper Body Push**: Bench press, Overhead press, Tricep dips

**Day 2 - Lower Body**: Squats, Romanian deadlifts, Leg curls

Day 3 - Rest

**Day 4 - Upper Body Pull**: Pull-ups, Rows, Bicep curls

**Day 5 - Lower Body**: Deadlifts, Lunges, Leg press

Days 6-7 - Rest