One all-important question arises as aspirations of being muscular begin to surface: Which muscle guru is right for you?
When I stepped into a local (Montreal) gym for the first time, it was with one goal in mind; to build muscle. I knew virtually nothing about the topic but, luckily, knew enough to admit it. A few close family members and friends got me started on the right path, with helpful gym staff & members following suit. This formed the bulk & foundation of my knowledge on muscle building.
Everything I understood and was able to utilize up until that point was considered broscience by today's standards. The subject of modern and often derogatory memes & stigmas, back then was simply labeled experience. In other words, what was previously valued and respected has become something of ridicule to the uninitiated. This knowledge allowed me to gain 40 very lean pounds of muscle mass in a period of less than 6 months. For hardgainers like myself, it would usually take one year or longer to accomplish the same feat.
Of course, there are several factors that would make up anyone's muscle-building formula (genetics being the most obvious), but there's still something to be said about the years of training and dieting trial & error backing the teachers' words. It has a profound effect because it's based on methodical actions (consistenly-repeated throughout various lifestyles) as opposed to theories that are often flawed or impractical in real-world scenarios.
You can tell by now that I'm a fan of broscience even though I hate the clearly demeaning term. Regardless, once the knowledge was accumulated (and I had gotten excellent results), I recognized the fact that I needed more structured coaching upon reaching my first major plateau.
An interesting phenomenon about hypertrophy (or the pursuit thereof, rather) is that you can both peak and plateau in a short time frame. While there are feelings to support either side, the whole can be viewed as discouraging, or you can see it as an opportunity to grow, figuratively speaking. I chose the latter.
So, which muscle guru did I select for assisting with continued developments in my physique? Since my main criteria was merit, I went with an individual who was a champion (national-level) bodybuilder, a schooled trainer (regularly completing strength conditioning certifications), and a successful fitness entrepreneur (heavily invested in his clients' success). Accolades aside, he looked great 365 days per year, which only added to his credibility. And after our initial consultation emphasizing the importance of remaining natural (an important intention of mine) and free of any training accessories (a risky move that eventually proved to eliminate a lagging back issue), I was sold.
Approximately 25 pounds later confirmed my original assessment of who could effectively take me to the next level. It worked out, no pun intended. After a couple of rounds (i.e., programs, each of which lasting no more than 3 months in duration), I was ready to go solo again... and temporarily. I did improve and put on an additional 15 or so pounds before calling on another trainer (simply because I had changed gyms — otherwise, I would have continued under the wing of the man that influenced the most stubborn gains of my muscle-building journey to date). The criteria were the same with the new trainer's laurels being similar.
My personal example doesn't need to mirror yours, but keep in mind when searching for your muscle guru that all roads do lead to the same place. There is a distinct contrast between our objectives — and so our instructor, too, should be someone who practices what they preach. Another caveat is that even with the current underlying circumstances, in-person sessions are recommended. Transmitting ideas & information on an intellectual level (particularly as it relates to your body) isn't always possible through videos and other digital means. You'll have questions, your trainer will recognize deficiencies in (both muscle & strengh) symmetry, and so on... with proximity being a useful tool in this regard. If it's not an option, be sure to consult regularly, ideally via webcam; your chosen trainer should be open to this form of communication.