{"id":389354,"date":"2025-09-22T11:12:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T09:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prod-wordpress-us-axcnctctascwauf7.eastus2-01.azurewebsites.net\/?p=389354"},"modified":"2026-08-13T04:17:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T08:17:15","slug":"the-best-gym-workout-plan-for-gaining-muscle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.puregym.com\/us\/blog\/the-best-gym-workout-plan-for-gaining-muscle","title":{"rendered":"The Best Gym Workout Plan For Gaining Muscle"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Best Gym Workout Plan For Gaining Muscle<\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1707293032671{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1758530597149{background-image: url(..\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gym-workout-plan-for-gaining-muscle_header_NB-1.jpg?id=389358) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”580px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1786606158606{margin-right: 10px !important;}”]Spencer Cartwright, a personal trainer at PureGym, shares his top advice for creating the perfect muscle-gaining workout routine.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, you want to build those muscles? That’s great! Building muscle takes time and consistency. There are no shortcuts, but the right workout routine will make the process more efficient. If you want to avoid wasting hours in the gym, keep reading.<\/p>\n

Quick summary:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Aim for 3 to 6 days of strength training per week, working each muscle group at least twice.<\/li>\n
  • Focus on compound lifts, use 8 to 12 reps, and progressively increase difficulty.<\/li>\n
  • Don’t forget to include rest days to allow muscle recovery and growth<\/li>\n
  • Eat in a small calorie surplus with 0.64g+ protein per pound of body weight.<\/li>\n
  • Stick with it! Visible results can take at least 6 to 12 weeks of consistent training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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    How can I gain muscle in the gym or at home?<\/h2>\n

    Gaining muscle, known as muscular hypertrophy, requires some serious strength training. Strength training causes microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which sounds scary but is actually a prerequisite for growth. As the body repairs these tissues, they get bigger, and when this is repeated again and again this results in visibly bigger muscles.<\/p>\n

    While any strength training program will help to increase strength, there are certain ways to train that will maximize muscular hypertrophy. Read on to learn how to shape a strengthening workout plan that will help you to gain muscle, as well as some of the different approaches you could take. You can also click here to jump straight to the example workout plan for gaining muscle. (Link to Example gym workout routine to build muscle header later in the blog)
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    What are the benefits of building muscle?<\/h2>\n

    While most people want to build muscle for aesthetic reasons, there are so many health benefits too, including:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Increasing lean muscle mass, which means you’ll burn more calories at rest<\/li>\n
    • Addressing strength imbalances, which can improve postural issues<\/li>\n
    • Improve overall strength, coordination, and balance<\/li>\n
    • Improve bone density and slow down bone loss<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      How often and how much should I work out to gain muscle?<\/h2>\n

      There are a few factors to consider when designing a workout plan aimed at building muscle: frequency, volume, weight, and progressive overload.<\/p>\n

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      1. Frequency of workouts<\/strong>
        \nMost scientific studies on the matter conclude that a muscle needs to be worked at least two or three times a week to see it change and grow. This means you should aim to gym at least two times a week, up to a maximum of six times. It may be tempting to train every day, but rest days are actually crucial when it comes to building muscle.<\/li>\n
      2. Volume<\/strong>
        \nThe ideal workout volume (the number of reps and sets you do) changes depending on whether your goal is strength, endurance, or hypertrophy. For muscular hypertrophy, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise is considered the best approach.<\/li>\n
      3. Weight<\/strong>
        \nYour workouts need to challenge the muscles enough to create change, which means choosing weights that are heavy enough that the last couple of repetitions are challenging but not impossible, but you would be unable to complete another rep with good form (or at all).<\/li>\n
      4. Progressive overload<\/strong>
        \nProgressive overload is one of the most important principles of a strength training program. Our bodies are great at adapting to stimulus, so if we repeatedly do the same number of reps and sets with the same weight, we will plateau. Progressive overload involves increasing the difficulty of an exercise over time, either by increasing the weight, reps, depth, or intensity (by slowing down the tempo, for example).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        For hypertrophy, what this might look like is doing 10kg for 3 sets of 8 reps one week, 10 reps, the week after, and 12 reps the week after, and then increasing to a weight you can only manage for 8 reps and repeating the process.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1758532606179{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1786606545594{margin-right: 10px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

        Are free weights or machines better for gaining muscle?<\/h2>\n

        Free weights and resistance machines are both great tools for building muscle.<\/p>\n

        Resistance machines<\/strong> follow a fixed movement path, which makes them ideal for those who have just started a muscle-building program or are new to the gym. The fixed path makes it easier to perform an exercise as it doesn’t rely on technical knowledge of the form, and this helps to ensure the right muscles are engaged while minimizing risk of injury. It can also allow heavier weights to be lifted more safely, as there is no risk of dropping the weight. While good for beginners, these machines are also good for advanced lifters who want to really isolate a muscle and perfect their form.<\/p>\n

        Free weights<\/strong> like dumbbells and barbells require the performer to have good form, and usually a strong core. Exercises with free weights are more challenging as more muscles need to be engaged to stabilize the movement. This extra challenge can fatigue the muscles quicker and help to build more strength and stability.<\/p>\n

        If you’re new to working out or are struggling to engage the right muscles during exercises with free weights, resistance machines can be a great way to build strength and learn the correct form. Once you’re comfortable with the exercise, you can move to free weights and use dumbbells or barbells to replicate the movement.<\/p>\n

        If you’re more experienced, you may prefer to use free weights or a mix of both. If you’re struggling with form, certain pieces of equipment, like a weight training belt, might help.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1758532606179{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1786606617343{margin-right: 10px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

        Should I do “Split Workouts”?<\/h2>\n

        Split workouts involve splitting up the muscles worked across the week, so each workout focuses on one area of the body or one type of exercise. For example, doing an upper body day one day, leg day the next, or doing push exercises one day, pull exercises another.<\/p>\n

        Split workouts are useful when you’re training on consecutive days, as you can give the muscles you used yesterday a rest while you work on a different area. Because each muscle group needs to be worked at least twice per week for muscle growth, split workouts work best when you are training at least 3-4 times a week. If you can only commit 2-3 times a week, full body workouts are best.<\/p>\n

        Some of the best workout splits for building muscle are:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Push\/Pull\/Legs (6-day split)<\/li>\n
        • Chest & Back\/Legs\/Shoulders & Arms (3-1-3 split)<\/li>\n
        • Back & Biceps\/Chest & Triceps\/Legs\/Shoulders (4-day split)<\/li>\n
        • Chest\/Back\/Legs\/Shoulders & Arms (also a 4-day split)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Rather than focus on body types, a push\/pull\/leg split (also known as PPL) splits workouts by movement types. Pushing movements typically work the chest, shoulders and triceps, while pulling movements work the back, glutes, and hamstrings.
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          Example gym workout routine to build muscle<\/h2>\n

          Three top tips before you get started on your bulking workout plan:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. In general, it\u2019s best to prioritize compound movements and supplement with isolation exercises. This means starting with exercises that work more than one muscle group (like a deadlift) and then finishing up with isolation exercises that focus on more specific muscles (such as bicep curls).<\/li>\n
          2. Always begin with a dynamic warm-up and finish with some static stretches to cool down. This step is vital to maintain mobility and reduce your risk of injury.<\/li>\n
          3. Make sure to include regular rest days. You’ll want to wait at least a day between working the same muscle group twice to give your muscles time to repair and grow between sessions, but schedule at least one full rest day a week.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Here, I’ve pulled together an example gym workout routine for muscle gain, using the popular push\/pull\/legs split and aiming for six workouts a week.
            \nRemember, this is just an example – you can try different exercises and splits to find your own best workout plan for muscle gain.
            \n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1758532606179{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1786609030116{margin-right: 10px !important;}”]Day 1: Push<\/strong><\/p>\n