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The Best 10-Minute Workout for Men To Build Muscle

If you want to sculpt a fit male physique, building muscle is the top priority.
FACT CHECKED BY Alexa Mellardo

When it comes to achieving a stunning male physique, building muscle is the top priority. Historically speaking, many individuals think you need to spend countless hours at the gym to see any muscle growth. However, things have changed in the modern era of fitness, and gone are the days of two-hour daily mega workouts just to build some muscle. In fact, with just 10 minutes per day, you can hit the volume you need to drive muscle growth across your whole body. So here's a 10-minute workout for men to build muscle that you can start doing today.

I recommend a five-day-per-week 10-minute workout where you perform one or two of the following exercises. You need to go heavy, so be sure you are using a weight that causes failure between eight and 12 repetitions. Perform three to four sets of each exercise. You should have between 36 and 48 total repetitions per exercise, using the working weight. Perform one to two warm-up sets before you start your working sets.

Keep reading to learn all about this 10-minute workout for men to build muscle, and next, be sure to check out 7 Best Exercises for Men to Gain Muscle Without Equipment.

Squats

man doing a barbell back squat at the gym
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Some heavy squats are a must for major muscle growth. I recommend barbell squats, hex bar squats, or safety bar squats. Whatever method you choose, focus on driving your knees outward as you sit back and down into the squat, loading up the glutes. Keep your core stiff and engaged throughout the entire movement. Push through both feet to drive yourself back to the top position. Repeat for target sets and reps.

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Pull-ups

muscular man doing pull-ups at the gym, doing a workout for men to build muscle
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Pull-ups are a must for building an impressive upper body physique and developing the classic male "v-taper" look. The lats, rhomboids, biceps, and other back muscles get hit hard with pull-ups, driving major muscle development. If you can perform more than 12 pull-ups with your body weight, be sure to add resistance with a weight belt. Pull your body upward toward the bar, emphasizing the squeeze in your lats. Control your descent, and repeat for target repetitions.

Bench Press

man doing barbell bench press exercise
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You can bench press with a barbell or dumbbells. Regardless of your preferred method, benching is necessary for a muscular chest, shoulders, and triceps. Find a suitable flat bench setup. Focus on a large range of motion for maximal muscle development. Begin with the weight held up over your neck. Lower it toward your sternum, giving it an angled trajectory. As you reach sternum height with the weight, aggressively drive the weight upwards until your arms lock out. Repeat for the target sets and repetitions.

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Deadlifts

fitness man doing barbell deadlifts at the gym
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Building an impressive lower body and torso requires heavy lifting, and deadlifts are some of the rawest, heaviest movements you can perform. You can use standard, Romanian, or even sumo deadlifts in your program. Barbells or dumbbells are both great options for deadlifting, but you need enough weight available to make it difficult.

When deadlifting, keep your core heavily braced, and push through both feet, engaging your glutes and entire lower body. Lock out with a fully upright position before lowering to the starting position. Repeat for target repetitions.

Rows

man barbell row
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You need some form of row for serious muscle building. Rows hit your back and bis from a different angle than pull-ups, making them a must for rounding out a muscular back. You can do bent-over barbell rows or single-arm dumbbell rows. Always use a full range of motion and keep your shoulders from shrugging during the movement. Let your arms stretch all the way out at the bottom. Squeeze and raise the weight until your upper arms align with your torso. Slowly lower, and repeat for the target repetitions.

Tyler Read
Tyler Read is a personal trainer and has been involved in health and fitness for the past 15 years. Read more about Tyler