The Science of Size - How To Get Large According To The Big Guys
Have you ever been curious about how some of our members got so jacked?
Back when Bruce was still with us (we miss you, big guy), I asked him the most direct question possible: "How do I get big?" His answer was refreshingly simple: "Eat more." Not exactly what my ego wanted to hear while looking around surrounded by titans, but Bruce wasn't one to sugarcoat the truth—unless it was to help you hit your calorie surplus.
Meanwhile, our gym manager David had his own tip that goes hand in hand: "Train legs. Hard." His reasoning? Nothing triggers growth hormone production quite like convincing your body it just lifted a house.
Turns out, both Bruce and David were right, and the science backs them up and offers a couple other pointers to help us hit that elusive target weight.
(Even if increasing size isn't your goal, throwing on some extra muscle is jet fuel for your metabolism, and has innumerable health benefits so don't miss out on this knowledge drop!)
The Caloric Truth: You Can't Build Something from Nothing
Bruce's advice to eat more might was a welcome blessing to my love affair with peanut butter, but multiple studies confirm that a caloric surplus is non-negotiable for significant muscle growth:
Subjects in a 12-week resistance training program gained substantially more muscle mass when consuming a caloric surplus compared to those maintaining or restricting calories—roughly 38% more lean mass gained.
A meta-analysis examined 22 studies and concluded that optimal muscle protein synthesis requires both sufficient calories (10-20% above maintenance) and adequate protein (1.6-2.2g per kg of bodyweight).
A surplus of 300-500 calories above maintenance strikes the sweet spotbetween maximizing muscle gains while minimizing fat accumulation.
You can't build a house without enough bricks. Your muscles work the same way—they need building materials, and those come from your diet. Yes, this is us giving you permission to order that third appetizer "for the table."
Leg Day: Not Just for Your Instagram Aesthetic
David's insistence on training legs wasn't just his sadistic way of ensuring everyone experiences the unique joy of struggling to sit on a toilet the next day. Heavy lower body exercises trigger a powerful hormonal response:
Exercises involving large muscle groups (squats, deadlifts) produce significantly greater releases of growth hormone and testosterone compared to isolation exercises—up to 200% higher in some cases.
Including heavy squats in training programs resulted in greater upper body strength and size gains compared to programs without them, even when upper body training volume was identical.
The "afterburn effect" (EPOC - Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) is up to 75% higher following intense leg training compared to upper body workouts of similar duration, meaning you burn more calories for hours after you leave the gym.
You want big arms? Work legs. It's not just bro science—it's endocrinology.
Beyond Food and Legs: The Complete Gains Formula
Bruce and David nailed the fundamentals. Here are a few other science-backed factors that can help maximize your gains:
Progressive Overload: The Non-Negotiable Principle
Progressive overload (gradually increasing weight, reps, or sets) is the single most important training factor for continued muscle growth, with programs incorporating progression showing 40% more muscle growth than other programs.
Consistency is so key. We say it all the time, but it's because it's true. Keep moving that peg and the results will speak for themselves.
Sleep: The Free Performance Enhancer
Individuals sleeping only 5.5 hours per night experienced 60% less muscle gain and 60% more fat gain compared to those sleeping 8.5 hours, despite following identical exercise and nutrition programs.
During deep sleep, your body releases about 70% of its daily human growth hormone (HGH) supply, which is essential for tissue repair and muscle growth.
David's a big fan of eating protein before bed to make sure your body's got the tools it needs to rebuild. This is also a great time to take your L-Glutamine, like we talked about a couple weeks ago!
Recovery Periods: Growth Happens When You're Not Looking
Training major muscle groups 2-3 times per week with at least 48 hours between sessions is typically the way to go.
And you KNOW we say take your recovery as serious as you take your workouts. Hence why we built the olympic level recovery center to make sure you're seeing all the reward of that hard work.
What About Supplements?
We spilled on some magic powders two weeks ago, but here's some important things to consider.
Creatine Monohydrate: Increases strength by 5-15% and can increase muscle volume too.
Protein Shakes: An easy way to make sure you're hitting your minimum, especially if you don't have time to prepare a bunch of meals.
Caffeine: Gives you about 5-8% more drive, pushing your results further.
These ones def have the research to back them up, but beware of supplements that fall somewhere between "marginal benefits" and "expensive stuff you'll just pee out."
The Personalized Approach: Why Cookie-Cutter Programs Fall Short
The science shows enormous individual variation in how people respond to specific training protocols:
Identical training programs produce strength gains varying from 0% to over 100% between different individuals.
Genetic factors influence whether an individual responds better to higher volume or higher intensity resistance training.
What works spectacularly for one person might deliver mediocre results for another. This is exactly why having a qualified personal trainer can be game-changing for your gains. Our trainers don't just provide generic workout plans—they:
Assess your individual biomechanics and structure training around your specific leverages and injury history
Adjust nutrition recommendations based on your metabolism and body's unique response patterns
Provide real-time form correction that no YouTube video or app can match
Hold you accountable on days when motivation wanes (which happens to everyone)
Modify your program based on ongoing progress and feedback, not just a preset template
The Bottom Line
Eat enough, train hard (especially legs), progress consistently, recover adequately, and find what works for your body. Seems easy enough, right?
While that formula sounds simple, the implementation is where most people get lost. That's where our personal training team comes in—bringing expertise, accountability, and personalization to help you navigate your unique path to results.
Whatever size you're going for, we hope you're enjoying yourself along the way. Sometimes the journey can be more fun than the destination.
Your BIGgest fans,
Your West Coast Fitness Family
P.S. Next time you see David, ask him about his leg day routine. Just make sure you're sitting down when he tells you—you'll need to conserve your energy for what's coming.
