Why Muscle Matters
People approach me in the gym to ask what I do to build and maintain muscle. They expect a complicated formula—some secret protocol or magic supplement—but the truth is simple: the secret is consistency. I’ve been lifting weights since I was a teenager. That’s over two decades of showing up, learning my body, and building muscle brick by brick.
Muscle isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s the foundation of longevity, stability, and metabolic health. As you age, muscle mass protects your joints, improves your posture, boosts your metabolism, and strengthens your immune system. It’s not vanity—it’s vitality. A strong body carries a strong life.
Still, consistency alone isn’t enough. You can show up every day and still plateau if you’re not strategic. That’s why I built these eleven questions—to help you audit your current approach and identify where you might be holding yourself back.
#1. Do You Do Fasted Cardio?
Fasted cardio is a debated topic, but here’s the truth: it depends on your goals. It can support fat loss if you do it strategically, but overdoing it can eat into recovery, slow muscle growth, and even lead to injury if you’re not careful. I use it sparingly—low-intensity walks or stair sessions on mornings when I’m cutting. But if you have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio, it might be your dark horse—quietly sharpening your definition while everyone else skips it.
If your goal is pure muscle gain, don’t abuse it. Save your energy for lifting. Cardio is a tool, not the foundation. Use it to enhance performance and conditioning—not to replace your training or nutrition discipline.
#2. How Often Do You Lift Weights?
Frequency matters. If you’re only lifting twice a week, you’re maintaining, not building. Three to five solid sessions per week is a realistic target for muscle growth.
Each workout should challenge your muscles enough to create adaptation—but not so much that you can’t recover. Remember, you don’t grow in the gym. You grow when you rest, eat, and sleep. A good rule: hit every major muscle group twice a week. Your body loves repetition—it adapts faster than you think.
#3. How Often Do You Increase Your Weight?
If you’ve been lifting the same weights for months, you’re not training—you’re rehearsing. Progressive overload is the single most important principle in strength and muscle development. You must gradually increase the demand placed on your body.
That doesn’t always mean adding plates every week—it could be more reps, slower tempo, or better form. Track your workouts. Every month, look for a way to push just a little further. The muscle you want is hiding behind the discomfort you avoid.
#4. How Much Cardio Are You Doing?
Too much cardio can sabotage your muscle gains, but none at all can limit your endurance and recovery. Balance is the key. Two to three cardio sessions per week—preferably low-intensity—can support cardiovascular health without compromising muscle mass.
The problem comes when people chase calorie burn instead of strength progression. Cardio should complement your lifting, not compete with it. Use it as a recovery tool, not punishment for eating.
#5. What’s Your Diet Looking Like?
If your nutrition doesn’t align with your training, you’re wasting potential. Muscle needs fuel—protein, carbs, and healthy fats—to grow. Many people under-eat without realizing it. They want to “get toned” but forget that tone is muscle covered by too little or too much fat.
Aim for at least 0.8–1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Eat balanced meals—real food, not processed junk. Prioritize lean meats, eggs, fish, oats, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. You don’t have to be extreme, but you do have to be intentional.
#6. What Order Do You Eat Your Food In?
This detail matters more than most realize. Eating protein and fiber first can help regulate blood sugar and improve nutrient absorption. It also helps control appetite and keep you from overeating later.
Think of your meal like a strategy: start with protein, follow with vegetables, and finish with carbs. This sequence keeps your energy steady and your digestion efficient. The small habits compound just like the big ones.
#7. How Often Are You in the Gym?
This isn’t about bragging rights—it’s about consistency. The gym should feel like brushing your teeth: non-negotiable. Aim for at least four days a week, even during stressful periods. You’ll never regret the workout you did, but you’ll always regret the one you skipped.
When you treat training as part of your identity, discipline replaces motivation. You stop waiting to “feel like it” and simply do it. That’s when transformation becomes permanent.
#8. What Is Your Weight Training Split?
Random workouts create random results. Structure matters. A solid split ensures you’re hitting every major muscle group with enough intensity and recovery time.
Popular examples:
- Push/Pull/Legs – A classic rotation for balanced strength.
- Upper/Lower Split – Great for efficiency and recovery.
- Body-Part Split – One focus per day (e.g., chest, back, legs, shoulders).
The right split depends on your schedule and recovery ability, but the wrong one is the one you can’t stick to. Consistency beats complexity.
#9. Are You Taking Any Supplements?
Supplements aren’t magic—they’re enhancers. Start with the basics: protein powder (if you struggle to hit your daily target), creatine monohydrate, and a good multivitamin. From there, experiment with BCAAs, fish oil, or magnesium if needed.
But remember, no pill can replace discipline. Supplements can’t fix a bad diet, poor sleep, or inconsistent effort. Think of them as the finishing touch on an already solid routine—not the foundation.
#10. What Are Your Goals?
You can’t build what you haven’t defined. Do you want to bulk? Cut? Maintain? Each goal requires a different approach. Without clarity, you’ll bounce between programs, lose progress, and get frustrated.
Set a measurable, time-based target. For example: “I want to gain 10 pounds of lean muscle in 6 months.” Once the goal is clear, reverse-engineer your plan—training, nutrition, recovery—to align with it. Specific goals build specific results.
#11. What Sacrifices Are You Making?
Building muscle takes tradeoffs—late nights, skipped meals, and missed workouts all add up. You’ll need to prioritize rest, nutrition, and consistency even when it’s inconvenient.
Discipline is what separates progress from excuses. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be honest. Are you giving enough? Because your results always mirror your effort.
Bonus: Take Pictures Weekly
The mirror lies. The scale fluctuates. But photos tell the truth. Take weekly progress pictures—front, side, and back. You won’t see massive changes week to week, but over months, the evolution becomes undeniable.
Progress isn’t always visible day-to-day, but it’s compounding behind the scenes. When you document the journey, you build trust in the process. One man took a photo every day for a year—and by month twelve, the difference was staggering. He didn’t rely on motivation. He relied on proof.
Final Thoughts
Building muscle isn’t about luck or genetics—it’s about pattern and patience. The gym doesn’t reward intensity; it rewards consistency. Every rep is a vote for the person you’re becoming.
The question isn’t whether you can build muscle. The question is whether you’ll show up long enough for your body to believe you. When you combine strategy, nutrition, rest, and relentless discipline, the results stop being theoretical—they become inevitable.
This article was originally published at destinyh.com
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It reflects personal perspectives and experiences, not professional, financial, medical, health, or psychological advice. Always use discernment and consult qualified experts before making decisions that affect your life, health, relationships, or finances.