How to Build Muscles Quickly for Women

As a general rule, men build muscle faster than women because of the amount of testosterone in their bodies. Still, it is possible for a woman to build a significant amount of muscle in a somewhat short period of time if certain steps are followed carefully. It's also possible to speed up muscle growth using a series of specific workouts and techniques.

Instructions

• 1

  Change your dietary habits. Muscle building requires the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and calories to be consumed at the right time of day. As a general rule, women need to consume 0.8 to 1.2 g of carbs per pound of body weight, as well as 1.5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. To facilitate muscle recovery and speed up growth, this should be eaten 30 minutes or less after the end of a workout, when glycogen levels are still low.

• 2

  Stick to a routine of three to four times of consistent weight training every week. Because muscles need a period of rest of at least 24 hours in between workouts, you should be alternating muscle groups to improve performance and speed up growth. An example of a weight-training schedule could include working out your back and biceps on Mondays and Thursdays, chest and triceps on Wednesdays and Fridays. Legs can be exercised in any combination as long as there is at least a day in between. Each muscle group should be exercised at least twice a week for better results.

• 3

  Concentrate on some basic muscle-building exercises, but add weights to increase the speed of muscle growth. For example, lunges and squats are known as some of the best leg exercises there are. To gain leg muscle quicker, use a weighted bar over your shoulders (choose the heaviest one) or hold dumbbells (8 lb. or more) in each hand.

• 4

  Use dips, pull-ups and push-ups to build your upper body. While dips work mostly arms, pull-ups and push-ups also work your back, chest and shoulders. For added intensity, leave only one leg on the floor during push-ups. For dips, use the edge of a chair, extend both legs in front of you and place a dumbbell on your lap, so the resistance is increased. Pull-ups may be too difficult for beginners to perform on their own, but gyms often have pull-up machines that offer assistance in the form of weighted platforms. When using them, perform a set with closed arms, palms facing forward, followed by a set with open arms, palms facing inwards. This will help you target more than one muscle group.

• 5

  Decide whether size or definition is more important. To build muscle mass fast, you will need to stick to a workout program of few repetitions done with heavy weights (the muscle should be fatigued after 4 to 6 reps). If definition is more important, you would have better results doing 10 to 12 repetitions with a lighter weight.

• 6

  Work on losing fat. Because muscle is located under fat in your body, the more fat you have, the less the muscle will be visible. As a general rule, muscle starts showing definition once you reach 18 percent body fat. The lower you get, the more noticeable the muscle will be. This means that even a slight gain in muscle mass will be obvious to the naked eye.

• 7

  Stick to free weights as much as possible. Body weight exercises (such as doing push-ups or pull-ups) are great for increasing definition, but they won't do much for muscle growth. Machines can work well if not completely automated, as this reduces the amount of force required to perform the move. Exercises done with dumbbells require precise form and work the muscle both at the push and the resistance level, causing muscles to work harder and grow faster.