Routine to Increase Muscle Mass

If you want to increase the mass of your muscles, try to learn what your capabilities are through professional diagnoses. Based on this, we invite you to include these exercises in your routine. 
Routine to Increase Muscle Mass

Last update: 31 March, 2021

A routine to increase muscle mass must be properly planned, not only to reduce the probability of injury but because this way, the goal can be easily achieved.

There are several training methods that have different forms of execution, which focus on the objectives that you want to achieve. In this case, the goal is to increase muscle mass or hypertrophy, a process most people covet, especially men.

How to exercise to increase muscle mass

First of all, muscle mass is a process that requires patience. No one can achieve muscle gains in a week. For this reason, we advise you to advance calmly and step by step.

In addition to the above statement, it’s necessary to focus on all the muscles of the body. Muscle development shouldn’t be asymmetrical, as this will only increase the likelihood of injury. Moreover, it’s not advisable from an aesthetic point of view.

In order to develop a routine to increase muscle mass, it’s ideal to take into account your physical capacities. With this in mind, it’s possible to determine the intensity and weight loads that you should train with.

Exercises to include in the routine

Including specific and multi-joint exercises is a good alternative. It’ll ensure adequate stimulation of the different muscle groups. Also, try to execute your training routine with recovery days. Remember that hypertrophy occurs after the breakdown of muscle fibers.

Dumbbell bicep curl: routine to increase muscle mass

The bicep curl is ideal for developing your biceps.

This specific exercise is very useful to stimulate and develop the biceps brachii. Its execution at medium-high intensity will cause gradual hypertrophy of the muscle. The technique is like this:

  • Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  • Raise the dumbbells with each hand as you flex your arm.
  • Do the number of planned repetitions.

Abdominal crunch

Abdominal crunches are very effective.

In your routine to increase muscle mass, there must be room for all the segments of the body. Of course, the abdomen area is no exception. It’s possible to hypertrophy the muscles in this region through the abdominal crunch.

  • Lie on your back on a comfortable surface and place the soles of your feet on the ground as you bend your legs.
  • Try to elevate your head and shoulders. This movement should cause pressure in the abdominal area, which you must always keep contracted.
  • Perform the number of repetitions previously planned in the routine.

Deadlift: routine to increase muscle mass

There are several ways to execute this exercise.

There are a number of ways to perform the deadlift. The most common are the conventional and sumo methods. Both of them place special emphasis on the posterior thigh muscles, but each one is responsible for stimulating other muscle groups with greater incidence. The conventional technique is as follows:

  • Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, grasp the bar with both hands, and put it on your hips.
  • Bring the bar to your feet while you semi-flex your legs and hips. Make sure your back is straight and parallel to the ground.
  • Return to the starting position without fully extending your legs.
  • Execute this movement the number of times that were previously programmed.

Push-ups

Push-ups stimulate several muscles.

Push-ups allow you to work various muscle groups, among which the back, triceps brachii, and pectorals stand out. This exercise should be part of every routine to increase muscle mass. Carry it out like this:

  • Lie face down and support your body in four places – palms of your hands and the tips of your feet.
  • Bend your arms while keeping your back aligned with your legs, completely straight.
  • Try to bring your chest as close to the ground as possible and immediately extend your arms up.
  • Perform the number of repetitions according to your program. If you’re a beginner, you can support your body with your knees instead of your feet.

Plans to increase muscle mass

There are many places where you can find pre-designed routines that serve to increase muscle mass. They can even include the weight loads, intensity, volume, and the number of repetitions that are ideal for hypertrophy.

However, for your muscle-building routine to be adequate, it needs to be planned by a training professional. Additionally, the entire process will require someone to evaluate you properly and make a prior diagnosis.

Therefore, besides the previous recommendations that you can add to your exercise routine, we advise you to put yourself in the hands of a professional.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Pinheiro, H. A., Pereira, L. C., De Santana, F. S., Alves, A. T., Fachin-Martins, E., Karnikowski, M. G. de O., & De Menezes, R. L. (2018). Treinamento de resistência para hipertrofia muscular em idosos. Fisioterapia Brasil, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.33233/fb.v19i1.2191
  • Bucci, M., Vinagre, E. C., Campos, G. E. R., Curi, R., & Pithon-Curi, T. C. (2005). Efeitos do treinamento concomitante hipertrofia e endurance no músculo esquelético. Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Mov. https://doi.org/10.18511/rbcm.v13i1.608

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.