One Sentence Answers to 25 Muscle Building Questions

When you hop online, you open yourself up to a world of answers. When you start training and want to make the most of your gym time, many people seek answers to common muscle building questions.

While some questions are more common than others, there's one thing that is in common and that is that they can be answered in one sentence.

Related - How to Build a Muscle Building Workout

While there are many articles and studies for each question that I will answer, I will keep the answers short and sweet. The years of experience in the fitness industry has introduced me to a lot of great people, a lot of great studies, and more information than I possibly know what to do with.

So let's go over 25 of the most common muscle building questions and answer them in one sentence.

Common Muscle Building Questions

1.) Can I train for more than an hour in the gym?

Generally speaking, working out for longer than an hour is okay; if you are pressed for time, shorten rest periods and quit slacking off.

2.) How do I get a six-pack?

Cutting body fat gives you a six-pack, not hours of crunches and hanging leg raises.

3.) What foods should I eat?

While fast food and junk food build muscle, nutritious whole foods that you prepare will give you the best gains and performance.

4.) How much food should I eat?

Eat for your goals; find your TDEE and plan accordingly.

5.) What supplements should I take?

Supplements are made to supplement your diet; get your eating straight before you worry about what supplements to take.

6.) Is creatine bad for me?

Creatine is the most studied supplement

7.) When should I bulk?

When you want to build muscle.

8.) When should I cut?

When you want to lose fat.

9.) Why can't I build muscle?

Chances are you aren't eating enough, you're probably choosing poor exercises, and you may also be using bad form.

10.) How do I get a bigger chest?

Bench more and eat more.

11.) Why am I so sore after days after I lift?

Connective tissue is strained and inflamed from lifting heavy weight; it's called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

12.) Am I too old to get into shape?

Age is just a number... if you want that number to increase, go to the gym.

13.) What time of the day is best to workout?

Whenever you can get to the gym and train.

14.) Will I lose my gains if I miss a workout?

Only if you don't post on Facebook about missing a workout.

15.) Should I train if I'm sore?

Get moving and quit making excuses.

16.) How do I keep from overtraining?

Sleep more, eat more, and quit being a wuss.

17.) Since I'm a hardgainer, how do I build muscle?

Eat more.

18.) Is cardio bad for my gains?

Try HIIT cardio and quit looking for an excuse not to do it.

19.) What exercises should I do?

Big compound movements illicit growth; squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and barbell rows should be your friend.

20.) Are squats bad for you?

When done improperly.

21.) Do deadlifts send me to snap city?

Deadlifting correctly sends you directly to gains city, not snap city.

22.) What is the best muscle building program?

One that you will stick to and consistently show up to do.

23.) Do I have to train to failure every set?

No, although different training protocols that utilize training to failure are not bad either.

24.) Is the smith machine as good as a barbell workout?

A smith machine should be called a towel rack and only used for that purpose.

25.) Why aren't my biceps getting bigger?

Try squatting in the squat rack instead.

Wrapping it Up

Building muscle takes a lot of consistency, eating right, and sticking to the grind. There are no shortcuts to making solid gains. Period.

The iron game is something you should sell yourself to. The time, the pain, sweat, and tears... All of it.

Some days will be awesome to train, others won't. The difference between people that make gains and the people that do not are the people who make gains make consistent small steps towards their goals.

Quit program hopping, following the newest craze, and quit trying to find that magic supplement. All you're doing is wasting money and not learning your body.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, cook as much of your own food as you can, and enjoy life. Sticking to a strict regime without being a professional can lead to a lot of eating disorders and generally cause people to burn out.

Train hard, put the most effort into every rep of every set, and make a conscious effort to progress. Progression can be as simple as going 0.5 faster on the treadmill, getting a 5-pound increase on bench every time you hit the gym, or adding 5 seconds to your planks.

Don't sell yourself short by not being patient. The bodybuilders and YouTube athletes you look up to have put years and years into this.