There are plenty of ways to gain muscle, but only a few that can actually work and work well. The goal here is to figure out which techniques work and which ones do not. There are many general tips that you should be incorporating in any workout regimen to get the ball rolling in the right direction.
First you need to figure out how many calories one needs to be in excess to build muscle. Muscle needs fuel to grow, and eating healthy foods high in protein is the fuel that will ignite a steady growth. You cannot just eat a piece of chicken and think you are on your way to having 22” biceps.
•    A general rule of thumb is trying to eat 1.5 – 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. (If you weigh 170 lbs. then you should try and aim for 255 – 340 grams of protein a day.)
•    Drinking a protein shake with a 1:2 ratio of protein to simple carbohydrates is key to replenishing your muscles after a hard workout and setting them on the right road to recovery. (Carb sources: Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Waxy Maize Starch, etc.)
•    I like to eat 6 – 7 small meals a day, which has a couple of benefits. First, it will keep your metabolism going throughout the day. Second, you will not be as hungry which means you won’t be fighting cravings. And third, your muscles will get steady nutrition all day long to better build muscle.
•    It will get challenging to find sources of protein that fulfill your daily requirements. Protein shakes, and meal replacements are a good supplement that enables you to put in a good 25 – 40 grams of protein. With my 6 – 7 small meals, 2 of them will be from protein shakes.
After you have the diet aspect of muscle building down pat, you can move on to other key elements such as the workout schedule.
•    Structuring a workout schedule that fits your lifestyle, goals, level of knowledge and most importantly your body, is the difference between muscle gain and muscle loss.
•    Some people like working out every day of the week and taking the weekends off, while others like to work out 3 days a week. Again, you have to figure out what is best for you.
•    Work out each muscle group (i.e. biceps, back, chest, etc.) once a week. You do not want to over-do it and risk hurting yourself. Working out each muscle group once a week and eating right is plenty enough to see results.
•    Do not work out for hours on end thinking you are doing your muscles better by over loading them. 45 – 60 minutes is plenty enough time to get a good work out in without risk of over training.
•    Sleep! 8 – 10 hours of sleep a night is a key factor in recovery. It is where the building happens. You workout in the gym tearing your muscles, in your sleep is where they begin healing and building. Without proper rest your body will not recover properly and you will not feel very good when in the gym.
With these basic ‘muscle tips’ you can be well on your way to success. The key to remember here is that a lot of the ‘muscle building’ is done outside of the gym!