Whenever we talk about exercise, there can sometimes be an unspoken (and sort of unhealthy) subtext going on. When we use phrases like ‘getting fit’ or ‘reaching goals’ or ‘burning it up’… to some people, thoughts like ‘losing weight’, ‘losing weight’ and ‘losing weight’ may come to mind. The sad reality is that we live in a reality where a good number of folks have a tendency to be weight-obsessed and get caught up in their insecurities and live in a constant state of agitation and worry, and all for a teeny-tiny little number on the top of our scales. When in all reality, our health and well-being come down to so much more than just our weight. 

What’s promising is that there are tons of people out there who aren’t looking to lose weight at all – just the opposite, in fact. These are the folks who’d rather be the Hulk than Bruce Banner; they’d rather be big-and-beefy than svelte-and-slinky; they want filled-out shirts and like to sell tickets to the gun show. If this sounds like you, read on, because we’ve got some hulking and hefty tips on how you can safely gain weight while working out.

Go Big or Go Home

When you’re aiming to get toned, the advice is usually low-weight, high reps. But when you’re going for size, you’ll want to reverse that. Hypertrophy, or the increase and growth of muscle cells, occurs when we lift heavy weights, which results in structural damage to the muscles. This mechanical damage leads to a repair response in the body, and you guessed it, larger muscles! If you want to build that beefcake bulk, don’t be afraid to bump up those numbers during your strength training routines. And as with all exercising, of course, you want to listen to your body — never push yourself beyond what you think you can handle. 

Rest-Less

After a particularly tough set, our bodies tend to want to get back to feeling comfy and cozy. But don’t let it! Letting your muscles sit back by the fire with a good book is fine for recovery time, AKA after your workout. But in the middle of a bulk-building session, you’ll want to encourage your body to release muscle-developing hormones, like testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). And to do that, you’ve gotta cut those rest periods to 30-90 seconds, max. Remember, you want to push your muscles almost to failure — that’s where the growth lies.

Pack on the Protein

We know, you know this already. In fact, we know that you know that we know. But it continues to be true. The building blocks of new muscle construction is protein. That means you’ve gotta pack it into your meals. A common recommendation for gaining muscle mass is that you should take in around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, every single day. 

Get More Sleep

We’re literally a broken record on this one. Want to gain weight while working out? Get more sleep. Want to lose weight while working out? Get more sleep. Want to improve your range of motion, speed, muscle tone, endurance, or performance of any kind? GET MORE SLEEP. The fact is, sleep is the cornerstone of our health and fitness, and is at the base of any fitness goal we’re trying to reach. When you’re tired and sluggish, the inner workings of your body are double that. So get those ZZZs to pack on LBs. 

Take Strength Training Seriously, At Home

The key to any fitness goal, bulking included, is consistency. This means truly committing to your workout regimen, only taking days off for recovery purposes, and giving everything you’ve got into every workout. This means approaching each workout sesh with 100% effort. And a great way to do this is by forgoing the gym, and getting it done from the comfort of your own home. At-home workouts can be so much more convenient than schlepping your booty down to your fitness studio, because you never have to worry about traffic, time in your schedule, or even wearing clean, presentable clothes (it’s your house after all). 

And at Studio SWEAT onDemand, we’ve got all the Virtual Body Sculpting Classes you could ask for. Our huge variety of strength training workouts range from beginner to advanced, quick-and-dirty to long-and-drawn out, with or without equipment. And with a 7-Day Free Trial, you’ll get access to tons of them. Sign up, get a feel for what we’re about, and before you know it — you’ll be saying goodbye Bruce Banner, and hello HULK!