How Do You Actually Build Muscle? (No BS, Real Talk)

So many people think you can “tone” your muscles or do one million light reps and magically get “lean and sculpted.”

Nope.

Not how bodies work.

If you want muscle, strength, and that "TONED" body you've always dreamt of, Ive got the deets right here for ya

Understand What Muscle Growth Even Is

Muscle doesn’t grow while you’re working out, shocker right!?

It grows after, when your body repairs the tiny tears you made during training.

Think:

Workout = challenge the muscle

Food + rest = your body builds it back stronger

You push the muscle

You feed the muscle

You rest the muscle

The muscle grows

It really is that simple...not easy, but simple.

Lift Heavy Enough to Make Your Muscles WORK

If your weight is light and you can talk, laugh, and think about what you're having for lunch while lifting…It’s not heavy enough.

Building muscle = challenging weight + reps that get HARD at the end.

We're talking like 8–12 reps where those last 2–3 make you go:

“Oof. Okay. Yep. I feel that. This is spicy.”

Hard reps build strength

“I barely feel this” reps do not

And no, there is no such thing as “toning.”

Muscle doesn’t “tone.”

You either build muscle or you don’t.

Period.

Train Close to Failure

Failure doesn’t mean collapsing or dying 😂

It means:

• You’re grinding out those last reps

• Form stays good

• But your brain is saying, “I don’t know if I can finish this”

• And you are making the ugliest faces known to man (WE DONT JUDGE THIS AT LOS CAMPEONES, WE ALL DO IT)

When you feel like you could maybe do one more and that’s it...thats close to failure

Almost-to-failure = muscle growth

Never pushing yourself = staying the same

Progressive Overload (aka Getting Better Over Time)

If you do the same weight forever, your body has zero reason to change.

I like to slowly sneak heavier weight into client workouts because your body adapts fast, and progress feels GOOD!

You can progressive overload by:

Increasing weight

Adding reps

Controlling tempo (slow reps = spicy reps)

Better form & range of motion

That's how we get stronger. Not by keeping it cute and comfy.

Eat. No Really… Eat.

You can’t grow muscle by under-eating.

You can’t shrink and grow at the same time (except when you're brand-new to lifting... more on that in a sec).

Muscle needs fuel.

Protein builds the muscle.

Carbs give you energy to lift.

Food = gains.

Eat enough

Eat protein

Don’t fear carbs

Fuel your goals

If you want curves, muscle, and strength… you can’t starve your way there.

But What About Beginners Who Lose Fat & Gain Muscle?

If you’re new to lifting...congratulations, you get the golden ticket 🎫In your first months, your body can lose fat and build muscle at the same time.

It’s called body recomposition and it's amazing!!!!

Eventually, though, you have to pick a lane:

Build muscle ➜ eat enough

Lose fat ➜ small calorie deficit but still lift heavy

Both require strength training.

Both make you strong.

Both take time.

Cardio & Pilates Aren’t the Muscle-Building Queens

Love Pilates?

Love a good sweat?

Awesome!

But Pilates and cardio don’t create the same muscle stimulus as lifting heavier weight.

They’re great extras. 

They are not the foundation for growing actual muscle.

If “tight, toned, sculpted” is your goal…Congrats!! You’re actually saying “I want muscle.”

And muscle comes from strength training + progressive overload + enough food.

Final Word from Coach Brooke

You don’t need to be perfect.

You don’t need to lift like The Rock.

You don’t need to be the strongest person in the gym on day one.

You just have to:

Show up

Lift with intention

Challenge yourself

Fuel your body

Trust the process

This is not a quick-fix journey.

It’s a confidence-building, strength-building, life-changing journey.

And guess what?

You are capable of so much more than you realize, and you deserve to feel strong!

Now go lift some heavy circles and make some ugly faces, so you can build muscle without looking like a beginner.