The Muscle Recipe: Why Getting Jacked Isn’t About Harder Work, It’s About Smarter Work
One morning at the gym, a guy half my size was throwing up some serious weight on the bench press.
He wasn’t bigger than me…
He wasn’t sweating more…
And he wasn’t spending any more time on the bench…
But he was lifting more than me.
How?
He had a system.
His system was probably built on months of fine-tuning his routine, dialing in his nutrition, and tracking his progress.
And that system was working.
It’s the same reason you can have two guys in the gym who show up the same number of days, spend the same amount of time lifting, but get completely different results.
It’s not magic. It’s not genetics.
It’s a system.
Here’s where it gets interesting…
When I was just starting out in the gym, I had no clue what I was doing.
I’d grab the dumbbells, do a few sets of whatever exercise I saw someone else doing, then hop on a machine until I felt “done.”
Not surprisingly, I wasn’t seeing much progress.
But I didn’t give up.
Eventually, I got smart: I started using a simple system.
That system was called a training program.
And suddenly, gains started happening. I was lifting heavier, building muscle, and feeling stronger—all because I wasn’t winging it anymore.
Let’s talk about systems.
Think of your muscle-building routine like a recipe.
A workout program is just a system—ingredients (exercises, reps, sets, rest periods), plus a step-by-step process to follow.
Sure, you could throw some random moves together, hoping for the best… but would you try making a 5-star meal without a recipe?
Probably not. You’d end up with dry chicken, overcooked pasta, and a lot of disappointment.
The same goes for building muscle.
Without a clear plan, you’re setting yourself up for frustration.
So, why bring this up?
Because the same way you wouldn’t wing a fancy dinner, you shouldn’t be winging your workouts. A proven system, like a good recipe, removes the guesswork and sets you up for success.
I’ve seen guys in the gym for months—sometimes even years—who don’t seem to make any real progress. They’ve got the grit, the sweat, and the effort, but what they’re missing is a muscle-building system.
The most frustrating part? They’re so close to success, but without the right steps, they’re spinning their wheels.
As Summer Redstone once said:
“Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe.”
Sound familiar?
The good news is, you don’t need to fail your way through every workout.
Someone’s already done the hard part—creating systems that work.
Why not use them?
Think of your routine as a muscle-building “recipe.”
A simple workout system is just a combination of:
- Exercises: What moves are going to build strength and size?
- Sets & Reps: How much work are you doing for each muscle group?
- Rest Periods: Are you giving your body enough recovery time?
- Nutrition: Fueling your gains with the right balance of protein, carbs, and fat.
By following a system, you can be confident that you’re on the right path to bigger muscles, less fat, and a stronger body.
The Recipe for Muscle
Think of some of the most successful guys you see in the gym. Do you think they’re just making it up as they go?
Hell no.
They’re following a program that’s been tested, tweaked, and perfected—probably something with a track record of building serious muscle.
Systems let you work smarter, not harder. That’s how the pros do it, and there’s no reason you can’t, too.
Start your muscle-building cookbook.
What are the “recipes” you’ll use every day to build muscle?
- A workout split that targets specific muscle groups
- A nutrition plan that’s designed for lean mass
- Rest & recovery systems to ensure you’re not overtraining
Spend just 15 minutes this week writing down ideas for your own muscle-building “recipe book,” and you’ll be well on your way to transforming your body.
A true story…
I recently read about a guy who was fed up with his lack of progress in the gym. He decided to stop guessing and put two hours into building a new training system for himself.
It worked so well that he committed two hours every Sunday to refining his workout and diet plans.
One year later, this dude was unrecognizable—lean, muscular, and stronger than ever.
His secret?
A simple system.
As W. Edwards Deming famously said:
“A bad system will beat a good person every time.”
Final Thought
If you want to build muscle—whether it’s to look good on the beach, feel confident in your clothes, or just be stronger in the gym—don’t rely on brute force alone.
A good system will always outperform hard work without a plan.
As Brian Logue put it:
“If you’re too busy to build good systems, then you’ll always be too busy.”
So, if you’re serious about your gains, start working on your muscle-building system today.