You may think that getting those gains is all about eating plenty of healthy food, especially protein. It certainly helps to eat right, but you also need to be doing the right types of exercise in the gym. Otherwise, you could end up gaining fat instead of building lean muscle. You won’t get the results you want without a smart blend of targeted training and quality nutrition. That’s where Nutrition Supplies comes in—with the tools and products to support both your workouts and recovery.
WHAT IS MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY?
Muscle hypertrophy refers to the growth of muscle cells. If your goal is to bulk up and gain weight, your training should focus on stimulating hypertrophy. When you engage a muscle during exercise, your nervous system sends impulses that cause it to contract. Over time, this process promotes muscle growth.
There are three key stages to muscle hypertrophy:
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Mechanical Damage
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Metabolic Fatigue
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Muscle Repair
MECHANICAL DAMAGE
Lifting weights creates tiny tears in your muscle fibers—this is known as mechanical damage. Your muscles contain contractile proteins that must exert force to move the weight. With repeated effort, those fibers break down. This isn’t a bad thing—it’s the very stress that stimulates muscle growth during the repair phase.
METABOLIC FATIGUE
Your muscles use ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for energy. When this is depleted, your muscles experience metabolic fatigue—the burning sensation and inability to continue lifting heavy. Both mechanical damage and metabolic stress are essential for hypertrophy.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to push to complete failure every time. A 2010 study found that tension and metabolic stress together—not just exhaustion—are critical for hypertrophy. This is best achieved by using controlled reps, with slower eccentric movements (like the downward phase of a bicep curl) after explosive concentric ones.
MUSCLE REPAIR
Once your workout is complete, your body begins repairing the muscle tissue you’ve damaged. It builds new, stronger muscle fibers to replace the old ones—this is when actual muscle growth occurs. That’s why rest and recovery are just as important as your training.
Nutrition Supplies offers recovery-focused supplements like casein protein blends to support overnight repair, helping you grow while you sleep.
WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES TO GAIN WEIGHT?
There’s no single “perfect” exercise for gaining muscle. The key is to consistently train with resistance—enough to create muscle stress and fatigue. This, paired with proper nutrition (like a mass gainer from Nutrition Supplies), will fuel your muscle-building journey.
You can use:
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Barbells and dumbbells
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Resistance bands
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Weight machines
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Bodyweight (for advanced movements)
A personalised plan designed by a certified trainer is ideal, but here’s a sample of effective muscle-building exercises to consider:
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Barbell Squats
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Bicep Curls
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Bent-Over Barbell Rows
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Leg Press
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Bench Press
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Lat Pulldown
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Pull-Ups
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Tricep Pressdowns
Use progressive overload—gradually increasing the weight or reps over time—to keep making gains.
WEIGHT GAIN TIPS
TARGET MUSCLE GROUPS
Structure your workouts to target specific muscle groups. For example:
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Leg Day – Squats, Lunges, Leg Press
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Arm Day – Biceps, Triceps
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Shoulder/Back Day – Rows, Pull-Ups, Presses
Don’t neglect your core—a strong foundation helps with all lifts.
WARM UP PROPERLY
Always warm up before lifting. Jumping straight into heavy weights without preparation is a recipe for injury—and missed gym days. Spend 5–10 minutes doing dynamic movements, light cardio, or warm-up sets to prime your muscles.
EAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD
It’s no secret—nutrition is just as important as your workout. Fuel your gains with high-protein meals and premium supplements from Nutrition Supplies.
One excellent option is International Protein’s Amino-Charged WPI, available at Nutrition Supplies. This fast-absorbing whey protein isolate is:
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Low in sugar
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Low in calories
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Low in lactose
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Packed with amino acids
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Great-tasting!
It’s ideal for your post-workout recovery shake, delivering the nutrients your muscles need to rebuild and grow.
