Building lean muscle isn’t just about improving the way you look. Having more muscle can keep your metabolism high later in life, keep you free from injuries and make daily tasks much easier. However, your body won’t build muscle unless the conditions are optimal. Here are some critical tips for how to build lean muscle women.
Continuously Challenge Muscles
Routine and consistency are important in any workout routine, but that shouldn’t extend to the exercises themselves. Starting out, it can help to stick to one video or regimen that works for you. To really build muscle, however, you have to branch out so that your body doesn’t get used to the same movements.
In a workout rut? Here are some alternatives to the usual muscle-building exercises that you can fold into your next workout:
- Instead of squats, try reclined hip thrusts (bridge pose, in yoga) or leg presses.
- Swap out dumbbell sets for tricep dips.
- For spinal strength, try bird dog exercises (extending the opposite arm and leg from an all-fours position) instead of a plank.
Follow Yoga Routines For Recovery
Your rest and recovery days don’t have to be sedentary. Active recovery involving stretching can increase blood flow to your muscles and help them heal faster. That repairing action in the body is what builds muscle.
Choose hatha yoga for a slow and relaxing stretch on rest days. Don’t discount the breathing portions of the exercise, as good breathing is key to getting the most out of a flexibility routine. If you’re breathing deeply, that signals the body that it’s ok to relax into a stretch.
Be sure not to push your body into any stretches the way you’d push it through the last portion of a workout. Instead, breathe and stop at your natural limit for the best stretch. When stretching or doing yoga on a recovery day, try to cooperate with your body, appreciate its capabilities and show it some love. After all, it’s gotten you through your workouts and daily life.
Eat Protein After Exercise
Protein is crucial for muscle building, and you may not be getting as much of it as you think. The baseline recommended protein amount for women is 50 grams per day, and if you’re building muscle, you should aim for much more. Health expert Brooke Burke recommends 96 grams of protein per day for a 120-pound woman.
One serving of chicken breast has 31 grams of protein and is a great start. For a boost after your workout, try a protein shake (20 grams per scoop) or a hard-boiled egg (6 grams) and a handful of peanuts (8 grams.) The sooner you can get protein into your body post-workout, the better.
Don’t Cut Calories Excessively
Many women have trouble building muscle because they’re trying to create a calorie deficit. Muscle growth is an investment for your body — it puts a lot of food resources into muscles now to reap benefits in the long run. Your body can’t invest what it doesn’t have.
Building muscle is a great way to improve your overall health, but it requires planning. Keeping the ideal balance of challenge and rest is key to lean muscle growth.
