When people want to find out how to build muscle there is usually one question they want to ask more than any other. Which exercises are best for getting bigger?

If you are ready to learn the facts you are in the correct place.

Before you go the the gym for your next session, take a moment and think about your current routine. Do you spend too much time playing around with little exercises that don't make very much difference to your overall physique? If you are like most people, the answer here is certainly yes.

If you are chasing a quicker return for your efforts in the gym leave behind your existing routine and try our advice for a month or two.

Returning to the basic proven principles of training is sometimes the best way to see progress. We're going to go old school on you here. Compound movements still rule when it comes to size and strength.

Despite the massive scientific advancements we have made in sports and fitness over the last few decades the best exercise for building a bigger chest is still a bench press. The best exercise for building overly wide lats is still a pull up.

Your routine should be based around these big multiple joint movements. Swap out the twenty minutes you used to spend working the lower part of your forearm, you don't need it if your goal is overall size. Once you have a routine based around the principles of compound exercises, you are ready to see some results.

So how much weight do you need to lift to get bigger? While everybody's strength is different there is in fact a simple little concept you can use to get the answer for you. Your rep range needs to aim into your hypertrophy zone for maximum results. So that means performing eight-to-twelve repetitions of an exercise. If you can't hit eight it is too heavy, once you can reach twelve it's becoming too light.

That system will keep you constantly pushing for new progress which, in turn, will lead to increased muscle gains.

Prioritize your efforts around the big lifts which will get you more bang for your buck. Maybe you already know some people who spend too long in the gym and don't get the return you feel their efforts call for. Use that as an example for you. Focus on the exercises which really matter the most.

Resting up is crucial too, of course. As well as taking days off from training you also need to ensure you aren't skipping sleep on a regular basis.

This routine will help you to learn the basic rules of how to build muscle and help you to push beyond the level you have already achieved. You may be surprised by it's simplicity, but you will be impressed by it's results. As a personal trainer I have seen it first hand.