Would you like a lean and athletic physique that gets attention from the ladies? 

How about some head-turning muscle mass that makes you look like the incredible hulk? 

If you said YES, then I have some incredible tips that are going to help you with your muscle-building journey! 

I Can Relate

I remember being image-obsessed in my 20s! I would spend hours (well not hours!) BUT a long time styling my hair! 

On nights out I’d wear designer clothes (acting like a millionaire, BUT in reality, I was living off my student loan! Lol!) 

I spent hours and hours in the gym each day (1.5-2 hours, six days a week!). Pumping iron to get a chiseled chest, and doing hundreds of sit-ups/crunches for sculpted abs. I would train arms before going on a night out, so my arms looked pumped! 

Sad? Maybe, BUT I loved it!   

I also spent more time watching bodybuilding videos on Youtube than I did attending my University lectures! Lol. 

My friends all hit the gym, and it was a very alpha male, image-obsessed culture.  

I loved it! I had a great time and learned loads about how to build muscle: what to do, what not to do, etc.

Fully Qualified Personal Trainer 

I’ve since grown up! Lol! Building on what’s called ‘bro science‘ – which means lacking in scientific research i.e. being self-taught watching Youtube videos, etc. I’ve now acquired ‘science-driven knowledge’ – and I’m a fully qualified personal trainer and have been for the last ten years!

I started my personal training business in Sheffield, back in 2012, called LEP Fitness. During this time, I’ve completed over 10,000 x 1-1 coaching sessions and have trained hundreds of students in their 20s, either helping them to get lean (six-pack!) or to build some head-turning muscle mass (14lbs +). 

I thought it would be cool to share some of these essential tips with you to help you with your muscle-building journey.

5 Essential Muscle Building Tips For Guys In Their 20’s

#1 Lift Heavy

I know this may be pointing out the obvious! BUT to get bigger muscles, you need to push the boundaries and get as strong as possible! 

In your 20s, your testosterone is through the roof, so make sure to capitalize on this and lift some heavy ass weights!

I would recommend performing compound lifts: bench press, deadlifts, squats, bent over rows, military press, lunges, chin-ups, and dips.

These lifts (if done correctly!) recruit tons of muscle mass and will be the fundamentals for building a head-turning physique.

Make-sure to log all of your lifts, and aim to improve weekly, or at least every 2-4 weeks. 

#2 Hire A Personal Trainer

I know what it’s like to be a broke student! I had very little money. BUT one thing I do regret is not spending some money hiring a personal trainer, even for just a few sessions. 

In hindsight, I would have hired a coach and done 5-10 sessions, hiring an expert who knows how to build muscle!

Had I hired a coach, I would have gotten far quicker results than trying to learn everything myself. I would have prevented injuries and months where I failed to progress because I didn’t fully know what I was doing!

I would strongly encourage you to reach out to a coach. Like I said, even just 5-10 sessions will be worth the investment, in terms of the knowledge you’ll acquire and how much it will fast track your results. 

#3 Take Care Of Your Joints & Muscles

When I was in my early 20s, I would go into the gym, head over to the bench press, and then lift some heavy iron. I didn’t warm up properly, and I paid the price, through injury and plateaus! 

Despite being young, and often feeling indestructible, you need to take care of your body. 

I would recommend spending 15 minutes before each session warming up.

If I could turn back time, here’s what I would do for my warm-up.

• 5-minute cardio warm-up on either a cross trainer or stair master 
• 5-minute foam rolling to loosen off tight muscles 
• 5 minutes of mobility – movement drills to mobilize my body

After the 15 minute warm-up, I would then do 2-3 warm-up sets on my first exercise, before going into my main session.

I wish I had done this years ago! 

And it’s one of the most significant pieces of advice I give to my younger clients. Take care of your body from a young age, and do your pre-training prep. 

Not only will it prevent injury, BUT it will also drastically improve performance. 

Who doesn’t want to add an extra 5-10lbs to their bench press or squat?

Well, make sure to warm up!  

#4 Eat Plenty Of Protein (And then eat some more!) 

There’s no way you are going to build a superhero physique without eating enough protein! Sorry vegans and plant-based dieters, BUT you are making things extremely difficult for yourself! 

The bigger you want to get, the more protein you need!

Protein is king when it comes to building muscle! If you’re a hardgainer – which means that you struggle to build muscle, then you need to eat more! It’s as simple as that. Increase your calories and eat ‘whey’ (pun intended!) more protein! 

Foods rich in protein include:

Chicken, turkey, eggs, cod, tuna, steak, lamb, mince, protein shakes/bars, nuts. 

Aim to consume at least four meals per day, all rich in protein (30-50g per meal). I would also recommend having a post-workout protein shake, something like Whey Protein (50-60g). 

#5 Keep Upgrading Your Knowledge 

If you want to get good at building muscle, then keep increasing your knowledge. I’d recommend watching videos on Youtube of people you admire and trust. 

Read online articles and blogs – there are tons of muscle building articles on my site, all FREE to help you. 

As I said earlier, I would also recommend hiring a coach, whether that’s an online personal trainer or face to face coach. Spend time with people who know more than you and learn from them. 

If you need any help on your muscle-building journey or have a specific question, then please get in touch!

Nick 🙂