After the Muscle Toning Exercises you are now ready to step up your routine. You will now move to the muscle building exercises for beginners. For details about Intense Exercise, Nutrition and Recovery please refer to Muscle Toning Exercises for Beginners .
Muscle Building Exercises – Schedule for Beginners
This schedule is for recruiting more muscles into your workout. Many of the secondary muscles which play a supporting role are also now involved in your exercises. During this phase the emphasis is on increasing the range of exercises. Apart from exercises involving multiple joints, now there are free weight exercises and also exercises involving single joints. The individual improves technique and whole muscle groups begin to get recruited for the exercises. This is a preparatory phase before moving on to the next level. Be patient, the results will be worth the wait.
Workout schedule, 3 alternate days in a week, after 10 minutes of warm up exercises. Perform 1 set each of 12 repetitions, using a weight which you cannot lift more than 12 times.
1. Leg Press
2. Lunges
3. Leg Curl
4. Calf Raises
5. Lats pull down
6. Seated Pulley Rowing
7. Flat bench Dumbell Press
8. Flat bench Dumbell flyes
9. Dumbell Lateral (Side) Raises
10. Biceps Curls
11. Triceps Pushdown or Extension
12. Abs Crunches
- Cardio exercises for 15 minutes after the weight training schedule is completed.
- Remember to cool down and stretch before you leave the Gymnasium.
We recommend the Muscle Building Exercises for a period of 6 weeks after which you can start with the schedule given in Muscle Hypertrophy Exercises for Beginners Level 1

Muscle Hypertrophy is optimum when Intense Exercise is followed up by a balanced supply of nutrition at regular intervals, approximately every 3.5 hrs during waking hours.
For exercising individuals the daily
a) Protein needs are 1.2 to 1.8 grams per kg bodyweight.
b) Carbohydrate needs are 5 gms – 12gms per kg bodyweight.
c) Fats about 20% - 30% of energy, with emphasis on Linolenic Acid 1.6 grams per day and
Linoleic Acid about 14-17 grams per day. (see Nutrition Needs of Exercising Individuals )
d) Fluid intake should be between 3.5 – 5 liters per day
Muscle synthesis and muscle breakdown are two processes that occur simultaneously. The objective of exercise and nutrition is to ensure that Muscle Synthesis is more than Muscle Breakdown. The synthesis of muscles is dependent on the supply of Essential Amino Acids (from Proteins) immediately after exercise. All other nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, antioxidant vitamins are all required.
Some important steps to reduce muscle breakdown and increase muscle synthesis;
1. As soon as you wake up drink a little milk (or Whey) and eat a little.
2. About 30 minutes before a workout drink a little milk and eat an egg (or Whey)
3. After the workout take Creatine (approx. 5 grams with a little Glucose) and follow it up with Whey or Milk and eggs. Be sure to follow it up with salads, fruits and carbohydrate foods.
4. Never workout on an empty stomach.
Recovery
Rest and recovery of intensely exercised muscles are very critical for muscle hypertrophy. Muscles grow when we are resting or sleeping. Following intense exercise the growth phase is maximum within the first 24 hours. This phase generally lasts for 48 hours, but it can continue up to 72 hour also. Sleeping for 7-8 hours at night is essential for muscle growth or hypertrophy.
Keep a gap of at least 48 hours before training the same muscle group again.
Exercise schedule for Muscle Toning – Beginners
The beginners schedule is for developing form and technique. During this phase the emphasis is on low intensity and moderate intensity exercises. This is also the phase where protein intake should be gradually increased. The individual gets a fair idea of the technique of performing the various exercises. It also allows time for the tendons and joints to adjust to the new form of stress.