Cardio is in, dirty food is out. If you really want to beef up, listen to the experts, not the gym bros .

Even if you don’t want to bulk up, you probably do. You just don’t know it yet. What you’re really talking about when you talk (idly) about “toning” is not only losing some weight, but also adding some muscle. So, to borrow a phrase from Mr Tom Hardy in Inception, you mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger.

“A bit of muscle will make a massive difference to your physique aesthetically,” says Mr Lee Bennett, a former British bodybuilding champion and co-founder of Evolve Fitness in London, which has made over several members of the UK style press. Even if you don’t harbour ambitions of winning Mr Olympia, there are other compelling reasons for getting a little bigger, if not massive, such as combating sarcopenia, the age-related muscle loss that kicks in at 30 and contributes to middle-aged spread, among other health problems. “Muscle has multiple benefits as you get older, from bone density to mobility and keeping lean,” says Mr Bennett.

That said, you probably still don’t want to join the mass-gaining ranks of gym bros who, come winter, make gains like hibernating bears, laying down as much muscle as possible, and not a little fat, before stripping the blubber off in time for warmer weather. There is a more intelligent and less extreme way. “You don’t have to bulk, then cut,” says Mr Joe Holder, a Nike-repping New York personal trainer who counts designer Mr Virgil Abloh, creative consultant Mr Eugene Tong and writer Mr Derek Blasberg among his clients. “It’s difficult, but you can lose fat while you put on muscle.”

Building muscle is a hard, slow process, which is why it’s still worth starting your summer 2018 body now, irrespective of the need for a cutting period. It can take a month to pile on just 2lb. On the plus side, you definitely don’t have to worry about getting too big, says Mr Bennett. “If I had a penny for every time I heard that, I’d have enough money to open another gym,” he says.

The first law of thermodynamics dictates that if you want to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn off. But if you want to gain the right kind of weight, it’s imperative that you consume the right kind of calories. “Eating more calories doesn’t just mean consuming more of any food,” says Mr Holder. Where doughy nightclub bouncers might gorge themselves on fried junk for the calorific payload (aka dirty bulking), only unprocessed, whole foods should be granted admission. Maintain a steady supply of muscle-building blocks, packing in snacks or even a fourth meal, but resist the temptation to rush your food. “Don’t ramp up your calories too fast, not least because you don’t have time to work out for hours every day,” says Mr Holder. Start with a modest surplus of 200 calories, and if the needle on the bathroom scales doesn’t move in the right direction after a few weeks, increase it again. By taking your time, and thinking of it as a longitudinal process, it won’t inadvertently become a latitudinal one.

If you’ve ever tried to use a bench press on a Monday, or just squeeze past one in order to get to the sauna, you’ll doubtless be aware of its other designation as International Chest Day. Allocating calendar dates to individual body parts in this manner is a tried-and-tested method of training for seasoned physique competitors, but it’s a classic mistake for beginners, whose muscles aren’t sufficiently developed to make it worthwhile. “When I started training, I hit the same full-body workout three times a week for a year to lay a foundation,” says Mr Bennett. This more holistic approach to pumping iron also releases more growth hormone and testosterone – and burns more fat. To maximise this two-fold effect, Mr Bennett recommends employing Peripheral Heart Action training, where you raise your metabolism as well as the barbell by performing lower and upper body exercises back to back, for example squats, followed by overhead presses. “Not only can you still push heavy weights, you’ll be burning more fat than going out for a run,” he says.

Not only do you not have to train as frequently as Mr Craig David dates in order to bulk up, it could even be counterproductive. While triggering an anabolic stimulus is important, so is adequate recovery between sessions – as long as 48 hours – in order to repair the resulting micro-tears in your muscles. Otherwise, you’re just knocking your body down without giving it time to build back up. (Bodybuilders who lift with the same regularity as they breathe are often bolstered by other forms of, ahem, support.) “Don’t think that all you have to do is live in the gym,” says Mr Holder, who advocates a more manageable three to four sessions a week. While the sofa may beckon on “off” days, a low-impact session of mobility exercises and foam rolling will alleviate your stiffness, soreness and aversion to stairs. As will going for a (flat) walk. But whether you’re seeing the fruits of your labours or simply unable to lower your arms to your sides, appearing as if you’re carrying a pair of rolled-up carpets is unbecoming of a gentleman.

Protein gets all the hypertrophic hype. “Yes, it helps facilitate repair, but the overall calorie increase is more important,” says Mr Holder. “Don’t overdo it on chicken and beef. As long as you’re getting enough protein, you’ll be OK.” (A handy rule of thumb is 0.75g per pound of bodyweight, or 25 to 35g every couple of hours.) Instead of gagging down another steak or chicken breast, boost your intake of complex carbs, which help fuel your workouts and catalyse muscle building, and healthy fats, such as those in nuts, olive oil and avocados, which assist production of testosterone. Nor do any animals have to be harmed in the making of your arms. Whether due to his conscience, boredom or both, the enlightened likes of Mr Chris Hemsworth are incorporating more plant-based foods and supplements. “If you’re tired of whey, or it doesn’t sit well with you, pea and rice protein combinations can have similar effects,” says Mr Holder. “Blend with hemp seeds, almond butter, dark leafy greens and banana or berries for extra calories, then you’re good to go.” And grow.

You don’t want to burn too many calories, or body-double for a marathon runner, but the outdated “bro-tion” that you need to shun all cardio is ill-informed at best and lazy at worst. Enhancing your fitness will help you lift more and avoid getting puffy, and it doesn’t have to involve an hour on the stationary bike. “Movement-based hobbies, such as rock climbing, mixed martial arts, any active sports, really, are fantastic for cardio, especially if they’re explosive,” says Mr Bennett. Some forms of cardio, such as sprinting, can even build muscle as well as reveal it. As can what Mr Bennett calls “resistance cardio”, namely performing power-based or modified strongman moves at higher rep ranges in giant sets with no rest in between. An example would be a sledgehammer tyre hit followed by a farmer’s walk, medicine ball slam and barbell clean and press, where you lift the weight first to your chest, then overhead. “Perform this at a rapid pace with good form and you’ll improve your conditioning and stability, plus work almost every major muscle group,” says Mr Bennett.

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