Building muscle and gaining strength will always be a fundamental goal for exercisers. While the fundamentals remain constant, new trends and techniques emerge each year in the fitness world. As we move into 2024, here is an outlook on the latest strategies, programs and innovations for maximizing muscle gain.
Resistance Training Recommendations
Resistance training will continue to be the driver of muscle growth. Proper program design variables like volume, intensity, frequency, exercise selection and rest periods are key. Here are the recommended guidelines from top coaches:
- Train each muscle group 2-3 times per week for optimal protein synthesis
- Use a weight that allows 6-15 reps per set for muscle building
- Perform 3-6 working sets per muscle group in a session
- Progress load lifted by 2.5-10 lbs when you hit the top rep target
- Focus on compound lifts along with isolation exercises
- Use a repetition tempo of 2-3 sec eccentric and 1 sec concentric
- Rest 1-2 minutes between sets for compounds, 30-60 seconds for isolations
- Include drop sets, supersets, tri-sets and giant sets to maximize fatigue
These evidence-based principles structured into a properly periodized program will deliver maximum hypertrophy. Let's examine some popular training splits that will trend in 2024.
Push-Pull Splits
The push-pull split has trainees focus on pushing and pulling muscle groups on separate days:
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps)
This allows ample recovery between working the same muscles again. Shoulders may be paired with either push or pull days based on individual recovery capacity. Legs are trained on a third day.
Upper-Lower Splits
This split focuses on upper body and lower body across four training days per week:
Day 1: Upper Body
Day 2: Lower Body
Day 3: Upper Body
Day 4: Lower Body
The increased frequency of two days per week provides greater muscle protein synthesis. Rotate the order of upper and lower days to allow for better recovery.
Full Body Routines
Full body workouts train all muscle groups in a single session. This elicits a greater anabolic hormonal response for muscle growth:
Monday: Full Body
Wednesday: Full Body
Friday: Full Body
Both compound and isolation exercises can be combined in each workout to stress all muscles. This works well for beginners.
Custom Body Part Splits
More advanced trainees use body part splits that isolate one to two muscle groups per training session:
Day 1: Back
Day 2: Chest
Day 3: Legs
Day 4: Shoulders
Day 5: Arms
This allows thorough focus on specific muscle groups. It requires greater recovery capacity and typically 5-6 training days per week.
Power Hypertrophy Blocks
Many coaches are structuring mesocycles and blocks that periodize different rep ranges:
Weeks 1-4: Strength - low reps
Weeks 4-8: Hypertrophy - medium reps
Weeks 8-12: Power - higher reps
This provides variation and emphasizes different goals in each training phase while progressively overloading the muscle.
Pre-Exhaust Training
Pre-exhaustion has trainees perform an isolation exercise to fatigue a muscle before moving to a compound lift. This increases fatigue and metabolic stress:
For example: Lateral raises, shoulder press
Leg extension, squat
Kickback, bent over row
This can elicit greater muscle damage when looking to elicit maximum hypertrophy.
Strategic Exercise Order
Coaches recommend sequencing exercises from largest to smallest muscle groups or multi-joint to single joint movements:
Chest press, flyes
Squats, leg curls
Rows, bicep curls
This allows you to train the bigger muscles when fresh to maximize progressive tension overload across full sessions.
Nutrition Strategies for Building Muscle
Without proper nutrition, even the best training program will fail to pack on mass. Here are key dietary strategies to maximize muscle gain:
Calorie Surplus
To build muscle you need to eat in a calorie surplus, consuming slightly more calories than you burn daily. Use a 10-15% surplus for lean gains.
Protein Intake
Protein provides the amino acids muscles need to grow and repair. Consume 1 gram per pound of bodyweight or 25-35% of total calories from high quality proteins.
Nutrient Timing
Time the consumption of protein and carbs around workouts to promote recovery and anabolism. Take a fast-digesting protein like whey and some carbs within 45 minutes pre and post workout.
Clean Bulking
"Clean bulking" focuses on getting most calories from whole foods like fibrous carbs, healthy fats and lean proteins rather than junk foods. This prevents excessive fat gain.
Creatine Supplementation
Creatine enhances cellular energy production, strength, power and lean mass gains. Take 5 grams per day consistently.
Recovery and Lifestyle Factors
Outside the gym, dial in these key lifestyle factors to maximize muscle building from your hard workouts:
Sleep: 7-9 hours per night supports optimal testosterone, human growth hormone and recovery.
Hydration: Drink 0.6-1 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight. Muscle is over 70% water.
Stress Management: Keeping stress low prevents catabolic cortisol and enables peak anabolic hormones.
Avoid Excess Cardio: Limit steady state cardio while bulking to maximize strength training adaptations.
Injury Prevention: Carefully warm up muscles, use proper form, and allow for adequate recovery. Injuries derail gains.
Technological Innovations
Beyond training and nutrition principles, new innovations and technologies are enhancing muscle building capabilities. Here are some key examples:
Velocity Based Training
VBT uses barbell sensors to measure lifting speed and power. Results help guide optimal loading and volume for growth.
Artificial Intelligence Coaching
AI apps provide customized workout and nutrition guidance based on your body, recovery and changing needs for impressive gains.
Mind-Muscle Connection Tools
Devices that measure neuromuscular signaling are improving mind-muscle connection for amplified muscle activation and hypertrophy.
Satellite Cell Recruitment Techniques
New modalities like blood flow restriction training bring satellite muscle cells into play for muscle hyperplasia and tissue growth.
Personalized Genetic Profiles
Analyzing your genetic blueprint based on a DNA sample allows truly personalized muscle building programming.
The Future of Bodybuilding
Where is the sport of professional bodybuilding heading in the coming years? Several key trends are emerging:
Return of the "Golden Era" Physique
Judging is shifting away from the freakishly massive bodies towards more aesthetic, proportional physiques reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger and other 70s-era greats.
Division of Bodybuilding Federations
With the fall of Joe Weider's monopoly, new federations like the IFBB Pro League and Legion Sports Fest are rising up and offering pro shows.
Shunning of Anabolic Steroids
Natural bodybuilding is surging in popularity as people aim to build impressive physiques without the use of harmful steroids. Testing is getting more rigorous.
Scientific Training and Nutrition
Evidence-based muscle building science will continue to evolve. The most dedicated bodybuilders are always fine-tuning their approach for any marginal gains.
Rise of Classic Physique
The Classic Physique division focused on smaller waists and aesthetic proportions is bringing more fans back to the sport.
The popularity of bodybuilding and desire to build an impressive physique remains strong headed into 2024. While the core principles remain true, expect innovators and scientists to continue pushing the evolution of training, nutrition and recovery to new heights. The human potential for muscle growth seems limitless.