Creatine and coffee about 30 minutes before your workout, and a very small amount of sodium bicarbonate (both creatine and this salt can be tough on the kidneys, so drink plenty of water alongside them). The goal is to push out a higher rep count so you actually fatigue the muscle properly — outside of that, none of these are what actually build muscle without training.
If you can only manage 6 reps or fewer of something, that’s strength training.
8–12 reps is the range for building muscle mass — more precisely, pick a weight where 8–12 reps is genuinely challenging.
Past 12 reps, the muscle-building benefit drops off sharply. Higher rep counts mostly build endurance rather than mass (though it’s not zero — there’s a small effect). Past a certain point (somewhere around 45–55 reps), you’re really just training your ego at that point, not your muscles.
To actually build muscle: do 5 sets with about 3 minutes of rest between them. Push each set as far as you genuinely can — don’t just stop at “10 to 12” out of habit. If you’re new to training, don’t apply this advice immediately, or you risk making that muscle unusable for an extended stretch right from day one. If you still have energy left after the 5th set, do a 6th with much lighter weight.
Protein within about an hour after training matters. Powder is the easiest option, but a natural source works too — a few eggs, then continue with whatever else you need based on your goals. You can also eat before training, though that may reduce how many reps you can push and can cause discomfort, which is usually why people are advised to eat afterward instead. The key point is having the amino acids your body needs for repair in your bloodstream within that first hour post-workout.
Training in the evening may be more effective, since growth hormone is released both within that first hour after exercise and during sleep at night.
There’s also supposedly a benefit to training in the morning, though I don’t remember the specifics anymore. Bottom line: the exact timing matters less than just training consistently.
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