How to Get Jacked: The Complete Guide to Building an Incredible Physique

Nov 14, 2023

How Long Does It Take to Get Jacked, Ripped, and Shredded? Build Muscle Fast!

Want to know how to get absolutely jacked and build an amazing physique?

Who doesn't want to look shredded with huge arms, a chiseled chest and six pack abs?

Getting jacked takes hard work and dedication, but the payoff is worth it. Not only will you look incredible, but you'll feel stronger, healthier and more confident.

In this complete guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about how to build an impressive physique and get totally jacked.

What Does It Really Mean to Get Jacked?

When people talk about wanting to get "jacked," they're referring to developing an extremely muscular, well-defined and ripped physique with very low body fat.

It means having wide shoulders, big biceps, a broad chest, chiseled abs and muscular legs. Basically, looking like an action movie star or superhero.

Some key characteristics of a jacked physique:

📉 - Very low body fat percentage (around 6-10% for men and 16-20% for women)

💪 - High amount of lean muscle mass

💥 - Visible muscle striations and vascularity

🦾 - Wide shoulders and v-shaped torso

💣 - Big, strong arms (especially biceps and triceps)

🥚 - Developed, square-shaped chest

🔳 - Visible six pack abs

🔙 - Muscular back with definition

🦵 - Strong, powerful legs

🌱 - Attained through dedicated diet, training and peak week protocols

When you're jacked, all of your muscle groups are well-developed and clearly defined.

There is clear separation between muscles without looking overly bulky or puffy.

It takes consistent strength training, a dialed in nutrition plan and serious dedication to get truly jacked.

But with the right approach, it is possible to transform your physique.

Iron Warrior "Body Builder in the gym, sitting on a bench press with a pair of dumbbells in front of him.Available only at istockphoto." jacked bodybuilder stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

How Long Does it Take to Get Jacked?

Building an impressive jacked physique takes time and consistency. Depending on your starting point, it can take anywhere from 6 months to several years to get properly jacked.

For beginners, it will likely take 12-18 months of proper training and nutrition to build a solid muscular foundation.

After that, you can take your physique to the next level with more advanced training techniques and nutrition strategies.

Here are some general timelines:

Untrained beginner - Expect to take 12-18 months to develop an impressive physique as you build your first solid foundation of muscle and lose fat.

Trained beginner - If you have 6-12 months of weight training experience, you can get noticeably bigger and leaner in 6-12 months by optimizing your training and nutrition.

Intermediate - With at least 1-2 years of training under your belt, focus on weak points and improving diet to get jacked in 9-15 months.

Advanced - At this stage, small gains come slowly. Expect to spend 12-24 months adding mass and strategically cutting to reveal a jacked physique. Use periodization and advanced techniques.

Keep in mind, the more muscle you have to start with, the longer it will take to build additional mass and achieve the jacked look.

Patience and consistency are key.

The process can be sped up somewhat by optimizing training volume, intensity and recovery as well as dialing in your diet to maximize muscle growth.

But there are no shortcuts to getting properly jacked.

bodybuilder pose in studio over dark background bodybuilder pose in studio over dark background jacked bodybuilder stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

How to Get Jacked: Step-by-Step

Getting an incredible jacked physique requires a strategic approach. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Dial In Your Nutrition

Proper nutrition is absolutely crucial for muscle building. Without eating enough calories and protein, your body won't have the raw materials to add new muscle mass.

Calculate your calorie needs - Use an online TDEE calculator to estimate your maintenance calories. Eat in a calorie surplus of 300-500 calories per day to fuel muscle growth. Get at least 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily.

Time nutrients - Take advantage of timed nutrients. Have a protein shake with carbs pre and post workout to fuel gains. Save fats for rest days and limit carbs later at night.

Gain slowly - Only increase calories by 100-200 if not gaining weight weekly. No need for huge surpluses. Gaining 0.5-1 pound per week allows for muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.

Get stronger - Strength gains are a good indicator you’re building muscle. Track lifts and aim to increase weight, reps or sets regularly to progress.

nutrition ripl fitness

Step 2: Follow a Muscle Building Workout Routine

The best workout routines for getting jacked focus on progressive overload, training each muscle group 2-3 times per week. This allows enough training volume to stimulate growth and enough recovery time.

Aim for 3-6 sets per exercise and 8-12 reps per set. Lift challenging weights in the 75%-85% 1RM range for best muscle building stimulus.

Ideally train each muscle group 2-3 times per week on a 3, 4 or 6 day split routine. This provides enough frequency to spur growth. Don't forget leg training.

Follow a Muscle Building Workout Routine ripl fitness

Step 3: Use Advanced Training Techniques

To take your physique to the next level, incorporate advanced training techniques like drop sets, supersets, pyramids and partial reps to further fatigue the muscles.

Here are some of the best techniques for getting jacked:

Drop sets - Reduce the weight and immediately continue repping until failure.
Supersets - Perform two exercises back to back with no rest.
Giant sets - String together 4+ exercises for a muscle group.
Rest pause - Rep until failure, rest 10-20 seconds, then repeat.
Burnouts - High reps with short rest at the end of a workout.
Partial reps - Emphasize the peak contracted position.
Negatives - Use eccentric emphasis for extra time under tension.

These techniques help fatigue muscle fibers more completely to spur greater growth. Use them strategically in your program.

Click Here to Read More About These Techniques

Bodybuilder performing Use Advanced Training Techniques ripl fitness

Step 4: Focus on Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is key to getting jacked.

You must continually increase the demands you place on the muscles over time to force adaptation and growth.

Some ways to overload the muscles:

Increase weight used
Add more reps
Add more sets
Reduce rest between sets
Use advanced training techniques

Track your training and aim to beat your previous numbers each workout. Getting stronger is a proven way to build muscle. Don't stay too comfortable.

Focus on Progressive Overload ripl fitness

Step 5: Allow Enough Recovery Time

While training hard is crucial, allowing enough recovery between workouts is also key. This enables the muscle damage from training to fully repair and grow.

Aim for at least 1-2 days of rest between training the same muscle groups. Sleep 7-9 hours per night and avoid unnecessary stress.

Pay close attention to your body and reduce volume if feeling overtrained.

Refuel muscles after training with a post workout meal or shake containing 20-40g protein and carbohydrates. Get a proper cool down and stretch regularly.

By balancing training and recovery, you’ll be able to sustain consistent muscle building without burnout or injury holding you back.

Allow Enough Recovery Time ripl fitness

Step 6: Take Advantage of Muscle-Building Compounds (Optional)

Certain compounds can give your muscle building efforts an additional boost by improving performance, energy, strength gains and recovery.

These include:

Creatine - Supports strength and power output. Increases lean mass gains.
Beta-Alanine - Reduces fatigue for more training volume.
Citrulline - Boosts workout performance and reduces fatigue.
Ashwagandha - Lowers cortisol and helps recover from workouts.

While not necessary, strategic supplemental can help maximize your genetic potential. Do your research and talk to your doctor.

get jacked ripl fitness

Diet Tips to Get Jacked

Diet has a huge impact on your ability to build muscle and get jacked. Here are some key diet tips:

Eat in a calorie surplus of 300-500 calories per day. Gradually increase if not gaining weight. Get 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

Time carbs around workouts for energy and recovery. Limit carbs at night and on rest days. Save dietary fats for rest days when carbs are lower.

Eat plenty of lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, lean beef, eggs, protein powder and fish. Whey protein post workout is ideal.

Consume complex carbs including oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes and vegetables to fuel muscles. Limit added sugars and processed carbs.

Include healthy fats from nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado and fatty fish. They support hormone production.

Stay hydrated with at least 1-1.5 gallons of water daily. Limit alcohol and fruit juices high in sugar.

Have a big post workout meal or shake with protein & carbs to start the recovery process. Creatine can amplify this.

Happy young bodybuilder eating a vegetable salad. Smiling young male athlete eating a vegetable salad at the gym. diet bodybuilder stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Exercise Selection for a Jacked Physique

Certain exercises are particularly effective for building a jacked, muscular physique. Prioritize these movements in your program:

Chest - Barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press, dips, incline dumbbell press

Back - Deadlifts, pull-ups, bent over rows, lat pulldowns

Shoulders - Overhead press, lateral raises, front raises, rear delt flies

Arms - Barbell curls, preacher curls, tricep pushdowns, skullcrushers

Legs - Squats, lunges, leg press, leg curls, calf raises

Core - Planks, hanging leg raises, cable crunches

Aim for compound, multi-joint exercises that activate large muscle groups. Isolation exercises have their place in sculpting physique details.

get jacked Optimizing Your Training Split ripl fitness

Optimizing Your Training Split

Your workout routine split will impact your ability to get jacked. Here are some effective splits:

3 Day Full Body - Train the entire body each workout. Allows for greater exercise variety and frequency. Better recovery needed.

Upper/Lower - Train upper body and lower body on alternating days. Hits muscle groups 2x per week. Balances volume and recovery.

Push/Pull/Legs - Train push muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull muscles (back, biceps), and legs on separate days. Great for natural growth.

Body Part Splits - "Bro splits" that train 1-2 muscle groups per workout like back/bi's, chest/tri's, shoulders/legs, etc. High volume capacity.

Experiment to find what works best for your recovery abilities and schedule. Adjust volume and frequency as needed over time.

Lifestyle Tips for Getting Jacked ripl fitness

Lifestyle Tips for Getting Jacked

Your lifestyle outside the gym also impacts your ability to get jacked. Here are some tips:

💪 Optimizing Muscle Growth and Fat Loss 💪

🛌 - Get enough sleep - 7-9 hours per night for recovery and hormone production

😇 - Manage stress - High cortisol can hinder muscle growth and fat loss. Practice relaxation.

✋ - Take rest days - Muscles grow during rest, not just training. Allow 48 hours between same muscle groups.

💦 - Drink enough water - Stay hydrated to aid recovery and fat loss. Aim for 1-1.5 gallons daily.

💊 - Use supplements strategically - Creatine, beta-alanine and citrulline can provide a boost.

🏃‍♂️ - Do cardio strategically - 1-2 shorter sessions can burn calories without impeding muscle growth.

🍷 - Limit alcohol - Heavy drinking hinders protein synthesis, recovery and fat loss. Drink in moderation.

🥩 - Consume enough protein - 0.7-1g per pound of body weight for muscle protein synthesis.

🥗 - Focus on nutrient-dense foods - Vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and healthy fats.

📆 - Be consistent and patient - Results take dedicated effort over months and years

Optimizing your lifestyle complements your training and nutrition approach to help build the ultimate jacked physique.

muscular sexy guy the very muscular sleeping sexy guy, lying on black background, naked torso sleep bodybuilder stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

How to Get Jacked: Putting It All Together

Getting an insanely jacked physique requires dialing in every aspect of your fitness program and lifestyle. Here’s a recap of how to put the pieces together:

🍽️ Calculate calorie & macro needs. Eat 300-500 calorie surplus focused on protein & complex carbs. Time nutrients appropriately.

📋 Follow intelligent workout routine hitting each muscle 2-3x/week with progressive overload.

🔥 Incorporate advanced techniques like drop sets, supersets, partials to fully fatigue muscles.

💪 Focus on increasing strength on key lifts to spur continued growth.

🛌 Allow proper recovery time between workouts. Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

💊 Take supplements like creatine, beta-alanine or citrulline malate if desired.

🧘‍♂️ Manage lifestyle factors - hydration, stress, alcohol, strategic cardio.

📈 Track progress diligently - weight, measurements, photos, strength levels.

🔄 Cycle bulking and cutting phases for continued gains while minimizing fat gain.

🤖 Adjust protein, calories and volume as you gain muscle to keep progressing.

Getting jacked takes relentless dedication, consistency and patience. But with the right strategic approach, you can build the incredible physique you’ve always wanted.

get ripped ripl fitness

From A Personal Trainer's Perspective

Get Ripped 💥

Alright, let's talk about getting ripped, shall we? 😏

If you want to see those abs poppin' and your muscles looking sharp as a tack, you gotta master the art of bodybuilding.

It's not just about lifting weights – it's a lifestyle, baby! 🏋️‍♂️

Get Shredded 🔥

Now, if you really want to get shredded, you need to be willing to put in the work.

We're talking compound exercises, heavy weights, and a whole lotta sweat. 💦

But don't worry, I'll be there to push you every step of the way (and maybe crack a few dad jokes to keep things fun). 😂

Build Muscle 💪

Listen up, my friends, because building muscle is where the real magic happens.

You need to eat like a champ, with a focus on protein for those glutes and upper arms. And don't forget to lift weights like your life depends on it – because it kinda does if you want better results. 🥩🥚

Muscle Group 💥

Alright, let's talk muscle groups. We're hitting 'em all – chest, back, shoulders, you name it. And we're not just gonna scratch the surface, either.

We're going deep, baby, like a heavy weights session on leg day. 🦵

get ripped cardio ripl fitness

Cardio 🏃‍♂️

Now, I know what you're thinking: "But Steve, what about cardio?"

Never fear, my friends! We'll throw in some treadmill action to increase muscle definition and keep that heart healthy.

Just don't go overboard, or you'll end up looking like a distance runner instead of a jacked beast. 😉

Dumbbell 🏋️‍♀️

Dumbbells are your new best friend, my friends.

They're like little handheld weights that'll help you sculpt those biceps and triceps into works of art. Plus, they're great for bodyweight exercises too.

Who needs a fancy gym when you've got these bad boys? 💥

Lift Weights 🏋️

At the end of the day, if you want to build muscle, you gotta lift weights. It's as simple as that.

But don't worry, I'll make sure you're doing it right – no ego-lifting or sloppy form on my watch! 👀

Bicep isolated Bicep ripl fitness

Muscle Growth 📈

Alright, let's talk muscle growth. This is where the real magic happens, my friends. With the right training and nutrition, you'll be packing on muscle like a boss.

Just be patient and trust the process. 💯

Get Big 🦍

Let's be real, we all want to get big – like, really big. Like, "can't fit through doorways" big. 😂

But seriously, getting big takes time, dedication, and a whole lotta hard work. But with me in your corner, you'll be unstoppable. 💥

Weight Training 🏋️‍♂️

Weight training is the bread and butter of building muscle mass. Whether it's compound exercises or isolation movements, we'll be hitting the weights hard and heavy.

But don't worry, I'll make sure you're having fun too – because a workout without laughter is just cruel and unusual punishment. 😜

Training to Get 🔥

Alright, let's talk training to get jacked. We're talking heavy weights, high intensity, and a whole lotta sweat.

But don't worry, I'll be there to push you every step of the way – and to make sure you're not going too hard too fast. 😉

Big guns Body builder flexing biceps ripl fitness

Big Muscle 💪

We all want big muscle, my friends. And the good news is, with the right training and nutrition, it's totally achievable. Just be prepared to put in the work – and maybe let out a few grunts along the way. 😤

Remember, the journey to getting jacked is a marathon, not a sprint. 🏃‍♂️ But with the right mindset, dedication, and a little bit of humor, you'll be unstoppable.

Let's go get 'em, tiger!

What are the benefits of getting jacked? ripl fitness

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of getting jacked?

Some of the main benefits of developing a jacked, muscular physique include:

Improved strength and athletic performance
Increased metabolism and fat burning
Enhanced muscle definition and aesthetics
Greater confidence and self-esteem
Reduced injury risk
Improved bone density
Increased testosterone levels
Heightened sex appeal

What exercises build the most muscle?

The best exercises for building muscle are heavy compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, pullups, overhead press and dips. These activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

How much protein do I need daily?

Research shows consuming 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily supports muscle growth when training hard and eating in a caloric surplus.

Spread protein intake throughout the day.

How much should I workout to get jacked?

Train each muscle group 2-3 times per week for 3-6 sets and 8-12 reps per set.

Higher volume programs in the 15+ set range per muscle group can work for more advanced lifters. Balance training and recovery.

What should my macros be to get jacked?

A good starting point is 40% of calories from protein, 40% from complex carbs and 20% from healthy fats.

Adjust as needed based on your body’s response. Consume a calorie surplus of 300-500 daily.

The Bottom Line on Getting Jacked ripl fitness

The Bottom Line on Getting Jacked

Developing an incredibly muscular, ripped physique takes years of hard training, strategically fueling your body and dedication.

But the rewards are well worth it.

By following the step-by-step guide and tips provided, you can optimize your approach to build your best physique over time.

Just remember, getting properly jacked is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency is key.

Bring intensity and passion to your workouts, fuel your body to grow, and keep pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. You have the potential for greatness. Now go unleash it!

For More Training Advice + Diet and Lifestyle visit us Combat Creatine

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our Training Guides:

How to Get Jacked: The Complete Guide to Building an Incredible Physique

How Long Does It Take to Get Jacked, Ripped, and Shredded? Build Muscle Fast!

What Does It Really Mean to Get Jacked?

How Long Does it Take to Get Jacked?

How to Get Jacked: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Dial In Your Nutrition

Step 2: Follow a Muscle Building Workout Routine

Step 3: Use Advanced Training Techniques

Step 4: Focus on Progressive Overload

Step 5: Allow Enough Recovery Time

Step 6: Take Advantage of Muscle-Building Compounds (Optional)

Diet Tips to Get Jacked

Exercise Selection for a Jacked Physique

Optimizing Your Training Split

Lifestyle Tips for Getting Jacked

How to Get Jacked: Putting It All Together

From A Personal Trainer's Perspective

Get Ripped 💥

Get Shredded 🔥

Build Muscle 💪

Muscle Group 💥

Cardio 🏃‍♂️

Dumbbell 🏋️‍♀️

Lift Weights 🏋️

Muscle Growth 📈

Get Big 🦍

Weight Training 🏋️‍♂️

Training to Get 🔥

Big Muscle 💪

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of getting jacked?

What exercises build the most muscle?

How much protein do I need daily?

How much should I workout to get jacked?

What should my macros be to get jacked?

The Bottom Line on Getting Jacked

For More Training Advice + Diet and Lifestyle visit us Combat Creatine

Creatine

Triceps

Biceps

Chest

Back

Shoulders

Legs

Glutes

Nutrition

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