If you’ve ever tried to build muscle, you know there are thousands of sources streaming for your attention. Probably the biggest culprits are the Muscle Tabloids that show the workouts of all professional bodybuilders. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, those guys are so loaded with drugs it makes me want to explode my liver!

So unless you’re high, those “pro workouts” that promise to add “2 inches to your guns in 2 days” just aren’t going to work.

That being said, what works?

There are only two criteria responsible for building muscle. If you remember these, you will be ahead of 95% of other people in the gym.

The two criteria are “maximize stress” and the “overload principle”.

Maximizing tension simply means being able to generate as much force as possible, be it fast or slow. An example would be lifting a heavy weight as fast as possible.

The principle of overload simply states that you must use a greater stimulus than the one you used previously to force adaptation, that is, to grow muscles. An example would be adding weight to the bar.

So how do you build muscle faster than you imagine?

Combining the two criteria!

A very easy way to build muscle is to use what are called complexes. A complex is a series of exercises that are performed in a row with an implement for a specified number of repetitions without resting until all specified repetitions have been performed.

Here is an example:

Vertical row x6, then

Hang Clean x6, then

Front squat x6, then

Military Press x6, then

Squats x6, then

Rest for about two minutes. Then repeat for a total of five sets.

A couple of years ago I trained a friend of mine, an amateur competitive bodybuilder, with only complexes, only three times a week. He used a complex similar to the one above and accumulated a staggering 30 pounds in six weeks!

Complexes not only build muscle mass, but are also cardiovascularly demanding, so you can lose fat at the same time.

You can use any tool you want to perform these complexes: dumbbells, dumbbells, sandbags, water-filled barrels, heavy medicine balls, and kettlebells. My two favorites are kettlebells and kettlebells. If I had one preference, it would be the kettlebell.

Why?

Due to their unique shape (handle over weight), they force the body to work even harder than with a barbell or dumbbell. Also, when you use two kettlebells instead of a barbell, there is more of a stimulus to your body (remember the principle of overload), forcing you to work harder (maximize tension) so that you have the potential to build more muscle. Quick.

Not only that, the kettlebell works your body through greater ranges of motion, again creating more tension and greater overload.

No matter which implements you choose, if you start adding complexes to your current training routine, or even replacing your current training routine with complexes, prepare to see a noticeable increase in muscle mass!