How to Build Muscle Without Steroids

Here are my top tips on how to build muscle without steroids. This article is specifically made for men who are not taking steroids and want a natural, attractive and lean looking physique. Discover what really matters when you workout. 

I learned this the hard way. My young years into building muscle involved a lot of influence from popular bodybuilding magazines and websites. I followed the typical body builder workout, ate insane amounts of protein and other pre and post workout supplements. Heck, I even timed my meals based on my before and after workouts. My results nowhere came near as ripped and big as the models in those magazines. 

Without steroids, those insane amounts of muscle are impossible. Without a high budget and so much time for working out, the body builder physique is impossible. How come a man with a limited budget, a job and other things in life get a body like that?

It got me thinking; what was all this for? What was building muscle all about? I later realized it wasn't about how big the muscle was, I associated the size with being attractive and having respect from other people.

...I was wrong.

If you want to look attractive to women, have the respect from other men, you need to create that lean look like a Greek god. The ancient Greeks had a good idea on what really matters when it comes to beauty. Many studies today prove that women are more attracted to a certain type of look that is similar to the ancient Greeks and romans had in their art and sculptures.

It's All About Proportion

Most women are attracted to bodies like Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. These are men working out for proportion and not for size. This factor matters a lot especially in movies and photo shoots. 

One of the greatest influences I have on how to build muscle for proportion are John Barban and Brad Howard, creators of the Adonis Index Systems. They made me realize the true pursuit of what men really want when it comes to building muscle. Their material thought me how to build muscle that aims for proportion, and how to live a lifestyle that supports it.

How to Reach Your Potential

You can reach your genetic potential and proportion through a workout program based from the tips below. You can use them as basis on how to build your muscle through so many workout programs out there.

Muscle Growth Depends on Rep Ranges and Weights

The formula of muscle growth can be simplified by:

The higher repetitions + lighter weights (or training to failure) = Size

Lower Repetitions + Heavier weight (not training for failure) = Strength and Density

I got the idea from Rusty Moore, the creator of Visual Impact muscle Building. His idea on how to build muscle is based on sarcoplasmic hypertrophy which is the increase of muscle fluid (a.k.a size) and Myofibrillar hypertrophy (a.k.a. muscle fiber growth) for training for size and density.

If you're a beginner, it is good measure to increase the size of your muscle through higher sets and repetitions and then going for strength and density afterwards. More experienced lifters can go through "phases" and increase intensity and weights accordingly.

You can visit Rusty Moore's Muscle Building Course here

Breathing Technique

What I notice among beginner lifters in the gym that don't take steroids have a hard time lifting properly because of breathing techniques. in order to have the full range of movement throughout the workout; you must have a breathing tempo. 

Example is flat dumbbell presses. The inhale is in the downward motion of the lift and the exhale is at the push or upward motion of the lift.

It is important to check the breathing in such lifts to trigger the muscle growth properly. Your muscles need oxygen during an exercise to regulate blood flow to all parts of your body. 

Check Your Form

Those same guys who often have some difficulty with breathing techniques are prone to neglect a very important factor when building muscle: proper form.

There are two kinds of failure that involves form : form failure and muscular failure. Form failure involves failing to execute a specific exercise with a form that will hit the intended muscle. Muscular failure is when you cannot move that muscle for a particular time. 

You will want to hit the perfect form during the lift to reach form failure first to make sure you get the muscle growth to its maximum. For example, that unnecessary sway during dumbbell curls or the arching of the back during chest presses. Doing such will create unnecessary injuries instead of proper muscle growth.

Check your form regularly while lifting weights to make sure to have a strict form and full range of motion.

Get a Program

While you can do any kind of weight lifting at the gym with the three important factors I mentioned to build muscle, I would recommend getting a workout program. It saves you time from guessing how to build muscle properly because of proper structure and study behind it. Convenient if you have a busy schedule to create your own. 

I have used Visual Impact Muscle Building and currently transferred to Adonis Index Systems to give both a try. You can see my reviews for my top recommended workout routines to build muscle. (coming soon)

Whatever program you take, make sure you apply the top three things you need to remember during your workout. Building muscle takes more than just lifting weights. Without steroids, you should check your form, breathing and repetitions to make sure you are helping your muscle to grow your maximum genetic potential.

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