What actually builds muscle

If building muscle was about doing more exercises, more classes, or sweating more…

Most people would already have the body they want.

But muscle doesn’t grow from chaos.
It grows from specific, predictable signals applied consistently over time.

Here’s what actually builds muscle.

1. Mechanical Tension

This is the big one.

Muscle fibres grow when they’re placed under high levels of force through controlled movement.

That comes from:

• Lifting challenging weights
• Using full ranges of motion
• Controlling the tempo
• Training close to failure

Not from random circuits or chasing exhaustion.

Your muscles don’t care how out of breath you are.

They care how much tension they had to produce.

2. Progressive Overload

Your body only adapts when it’s forced to do more than it’s done before.

That can be:

• More weight
• More reps
• More sets
• Better control
• Greater range

If your training looks the same month after month, your body has no reason to change.

Progression is what turns workouts into results.

3. Enough Volume

You don’t grow from one hard set.
You grow from enough high-quality work over time.

That’s why our programs at SLM are structured around:

• Multiple working sets
• Repeated weekly exposures
• Full-body strength sessions
• Strategic accessory work

Random classes don’t create volume.
Programs do.

4. Recovery

Muscle doesn’t grow in the gym, it grows when you rest.

That means:

• Enough sleep
• Enough calories
• Enough protein (approximately 1.8g/kg of bodyweight)
• Enough days between hard sessions

Training hard without recovering is like pressing the accelerator while the handbrake is on.

5. Consistency

None of the above matters if it’s not repeated.

Not for two weeks.
Not for a challenge.
But for months and years.

This is why strength forms the foundation of everything we do.

It gives you something measurable, repeatable, and progressive to build on.

The truth

You don’t need perfect genetics.
You don’t need to train every day.

You need a well designed training program.

And you need consistency over time.

That’s how bodies change.

I’ve found that the perfect dose for everyday people is two to three progressive strength sessions per week.

Add one high-intensity aerobic session, and you’ve got the performance side covered.
Layer that with daily step count, quality sleep, and good nutrition, and now you have a perfect longevity program that actually works in the real world.

If you’re not sure whether your current routine is doing that, speak to one of the coaches. We’ll help you structure something that fits your life and moves you forward with purpose.

 

Coach Jeremy