Starting a new workout regime can be daunting. Especially if you have zero experience in the gym. But don’t worry – we’re here to help! Here’s a quick and easy-to-follow guide for beginners on how to build muscle quickly.

The first thing to know: you don’t need a ton of fancy, expensive gym equipment. You don’t even need a gym membership! It certain helps (we recommend Planet Fitness for $15/month), but there are a ton of exercises you can do at home to build muscle with little or no equipment.

Start off with the basics: pushups and bodyweight squats. For seasoned gym-goers, these might sound like obvious choices, but if you’ve never tried working out before, you’ll be surprised at what they can do! The specific amount of sets and reps doesn’t matter nearly as much as just doing the exercises, but if you need more of a framework, try starting with 4 sets of 15 reps each. Once that feels easy, you can always increase those numbers.

If you can’t do a pushup, there are modifications you can try. Start by standing against a wall and pushing yourself away; once you’ve mastered that, try them from the ground on your knees instead of your feet.

Similarly, once you feel you’ve maximized your bodyweight squats, try adding more weight by wearing a backpack filled with books, or holding canned vegetables in each hand.

Don’t ignore the role of diet in your muscle building regime. Protein is key – check out our diet strategies category for more posts with recipes and tips. A general rule of thumb is that you should aim to eat between 0.7 and 1 g of protein per pound of body weight.

Beyond the basics

Once you’ve conquered these strategies, you’re ready to move on to the pro leagues! You can always consider getting a personal trainer if you need a more personalized approach to building muscle. Or, check out more of our own muscle hacks and workout plans once you’re ready to level up.