Bodybuilding Workout

Posts Tagged ‘weight lifting’

So how do we find time to pump iron? Some theories say you need an hour or more in the gym pumping iron. Other people suggest you can maximize your time and only need a 30 minute session. So what gives?

Here is what you have to understand, you are a unique person. What works wonders for one person just might not work for you. So in reality you need to try things and test them to see what results you get. But many people have gotten results from one or two 30 minute workouts each week.

To make this type of workout effective you have to be willing to work very hard, and you must work the major muscles of your body. That means the dreaded heavy lift. Yes, squats, dead lifts, bent over rows, bench press and shoulder presses if you like. Shoulder press are optional due the work you get from holding the bar.

A workout like this is brief but intense and it is necessary that you take time between workouts to recover. This is not a volume approach to working out. This type of workout is a time efficient and effective way to build muscle. Like other weight training, you  need to get sufficient quantities of protein from food and supplements like a protein meal replacement drink. After any resistance training your body needs nutrients if you want it to build muscle, and protein is an important part in the process.

An excellent meal replacement packet like AST’s Ny-Tro Pro-40 is an excellent illustration of what you can use to help supply your body with the best fuel for building muscle.

Many times this kind of training is called HIT or high intensity training. Some people swear it will not work and others do. Some people have been able to add 10 or more pounds of solid muscle in a month from this style of resistance training. Does this mean you will be able to get awesome results? Who knows, remember you are unique.

The HIT system consists of short but intense workouts using no more then 4 or 5 exercises that are compound moves as described above. Perform each rep slowly, 5 seconds up and 5 seconds down in strict form. You will need to use a weight that has you reach failure between 8 and 12 reps. There you have the basic idea of a very short and effective workout that requires little time each month.

One last point to clarify taking each set to failure; this is the point when you can no longer continue moving while maintaining strict form. If your form breaks stop the set. There is no point risking injury trying to do more by relaxing your form. ~ One final point to clear up questions regarding what failure means. Failure is the point at which you can no longer move the weight while keeping strict form. When you are unable to move the weight further using perfect form then you have reached failure.

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Free Weights vs. Machines

A lot of people debate about which one is effective when it comes to exercise and physical fitness and gain muscle mass. These people often debate whether machines are more effective for muscle building or free weights. Basically, barbells and free weights are classified as free weights. On the other hand exercises that have pulleys or cables to help you lift the weight are machines.

In order to build muscle mass, you need to focus more on free weight exercises. For all machine enthusiasts out there, you might rethink about which one is more effective. Free weights are indeed more effective in increasing muscle growth. Although the exercises here are a lot more difficult to execute because nothing is actually assisting you to employ the correct execution, this fact alone is why free weight exercise is much more effective.

The free weight exercises allow you to stimulate most of the muscle fibers as possible. This is impossible to do with a machine. Why?

Basically, machines lack in promoting stabilizers and synergist muscle development. Basically, these two muscles are what support the main muscles when you are performing a complex lift. For example, if you need to do bench presses, you need to be able to make use of the stabilizers and the synergist muscles in order for you to achieve lift. And, you need lots of it. If you bench press using a machine, it will not really need any assistance from the stabilizers as the machine itself is already supporting your main muscles.

Machines basically are not able to stimulate the muscles around the area you are working on, which are the stabilizers. You need to remember that in order for your main muscles to grow, the stabilizers should be strong. And, the only way to do this is by doing as much free weight exercises as you can handle.

Free weight exercises, such as squats, dumbbell presses, dumbbell fly, bench presses, bent over dumbbell row, and others put a lot of stress in the supporting muscle groups, which is why you get tired really fast doing free weight exercises. However, even if you do get tired really fast, you will gain more muscles and you will become a lot stronger at a very fast rate.

You can include machine exercises in your program but you need to do it after you execute all the free weight exercises. This way, you will be able to take advantage of the strength you have on free weight exercises and not deplete it on machine exercises.

If you are a beginner, concentrate on lighter weights. Your primary goal is not muscle gain yet. You first need to properly execute the free weight exercises you have in your program in order for you to move on to heavier weights.

Concentrate on strengthening the supporting muscles first and when it is able to support the weight you are lifting and that you are able to execute the free weight exercises properly, then it’s time for you to concentrate on the primary muscles.

Also, in order to build muscle mass, you need to lift heavier weights. What heavy means is that weights that are challenging for you and weights that you will be able to lift with 8 to 12 repetitions for 3 sets. If you can do more than 15 repetitions before temporary failure sets in, then it will be considered as light weight.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to gain muscles fast. Always remember that one of the keys to muscle gain is to strengthen the supporting muscles. And, only doing free weight exercises will be able to do this efficiently.

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Weight lifting tips are very important when it comes to and for getting the most out of your fitness workouts. Moreover; it will also reduce the chances of sustaining a serious debilitating injury. The primary weight lifting tip is to warm up before starting your workout. Do warm up at least for five to ten minute before getting started because it is very necessary for cardio vascular vessel to get the blood flowing.

One more weight lifting tip, which is also very important before weight lifting, is to stretch all your muscles. It’s always better to start with a smaller weight that you can handle at least ten to twelve repetitions, just to build strength. Then as you progress and add more weight, with six to eight repetitions while always remembering to keep good form.

Before moving up to higher weights make your comfortable with the increase because if you go over the top with heavy weights, it may tear and damage the muscle.

A spotter is advised when you progress to very heavy weights, it not only helps minimize any possible injuries. A spotter can help you get those extra one or two reps which can really help make a difference. Perhaps, if you’re unable to complete the full six to eight reps, lower the weight. Similarly, do not lift more weight than your limit especially if you do not have any spotter because it can end with any accident.

Remember never hold you breath when completing a rep, as it can lead to broken blood vessels or worse. It is very important to breathe freely through out the exercise. When doing a unilateral exercise, always start with your weakest side first and after that complete only as many repetitions on your stronger side. Never overwork your strong side, just because you can complete more reps.

You need to continue doing exactly the same reps on both sides, another thing sometimes due to our skeletal structure we’re not 100% symmetrical. So one side looks bigger and more developed then the other side, don’t worry, just keep doing the same amount of reps on both the left and the right side. As you gain size and muscle, it should even out and you won’t notice any difference.

Work on all of your major muscles and muscle groups especially legs, abdominals, chest, back, shoulders and arms. It is important to exercise muscles in a balanced way. Don’t just workout the top half of you body and not your legs, it will look out of proportion!

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