While losing weight is all about burning calories, building muscle is a different story. If you’re looking to increase your muscle mass, there are certain things you can do to optimize your workouts.
First, a quick anatomy lesson on muscles and how they’re built. “There are a variety of factors that influence muscle growth, from exercise and nutrition to age, hormones, gender, and even sleep,” Susanna Kalnes, an ACE-certified group fitness instructor and creator of the new, music-driven strength format CHISEL, told POPSUGAR. “But generally speaking, the way you build muscle is by tearing down or damaging your muscle fibers so that they fuse together, rebuild, and grow.”
This process is called muscle hypertrophy and the good news is you don’t need to be at a gym to achieve it. POPSUGAR spoke to several experts for tips on how to build muscle at home.