Men's Fitness Hub: Workouts, Exercises & Diet Plans

Whether you want to build muscle, lose belly fat, get stronger or simply feel better, this hub collects everything HelloMyTrainer offers for men in one place: home and gym workout programs from beginner to advanced, the most effective exercises for building an athletic physique, meal plans for fat loss and muscle gain, and articles that explain the science in simple language.

Where should you start?

Never trained or returning after a long break? Start with the beginner home workout (no equipment) or the beginner gym plan.
Training for 6–12 months? Move to the intermediate home or upper/lower gym split.
Experienced lifter? Try the 6-day push/pull/legs program or the advanced home plan.

Not sure? Use the plan builder. It recommends a program based on your experience and where you train.

How men build muscle: the 5 essentials

Progressive overload. Do a little more over time: more weight, more reps or a harder variation. Without it, your body has no reason to change.
Enough volume. Research suggests about 10–20 hard sets per muscle group per week works well for growth for most trained people. Beginners grow on less.
Train close to failure. Most working sets should end 1–3 reps before you could not do another rep with good form.
Protein. About 0.7–1 g per pound of body weight (1.6–2.2 g/kg) daily. A 180 lb man needs about 130–180 g per day.
Sleep and patience. 7–9 hours per night. Natural muscle gain is roughly 1–2 lb (0.5–1 kg) per month for beginners and slower later.

Losing belly fat as a man

Spot reduction does not work. Doing hundreds of crunches will not burn the fat on your stomach. Men tend to store fat around the belly first and lose it there last. The way to a flatter stomach is an overall calorie deficit, lots of protein, regular strength training (to keep muscle while dieting), daily steps and enough sleep. Our 2,000-calorie men's weight loss plan is a good starting point, and our blog post on how to lose belly fat goes deeper.

Hormones, age and training

Testosterone helps men build muscle more easily, but training, nutrition and sleep matter far more than small hormone differences. Natural testosterone levels slowly decline with age, yet men in their 40s, 50s and 60s still build muscle and strength very well with consistent training. If you are over 40, warm up a little longer, favor controlled reps, and include mobility work like the world's greatest stretch.