How to weight train correctly, but gain muscle, not bulk.
I dont want to look how those body builders do, being all bulky, but more like how Bruce Lee's physique was, he did weights, but wasn't bulky.
How do I weight train and become more like the way Bruce Lee's physique was, in the way of having muscle but still being in good running shape?
How much weight training must I do a day ? Two times ? Thanks. Loaded question.
1. We would all look like bruce lee if we had 2% bodyfat. you saw all of his cuts b/c there was very little tissue between his muscles and skin. to have low bodyfat, you must do cardio and eat very little fat. imagine trying to see the shape of someone's body who is under a thick comforter. now imagine the same body under a thin sheet. the sheet is low body fat and the comforter is high body fat. bruce lee's muscles under a comforter would look as bad as anyone else's.
2. you can weight train in order to attack the problem from both sides. Increases in muscle size will increase the appearance of ripped-ness (my word). To increase muscle size you must work out at >60% of 1 rep max to exhaustion. this is according to a study done by one of my professors in college.
3. to be in good running shape, run. this can be the cardio to burn off your fat. let's say you lose ten pounds of fat and put on ten of muscle, you have no extra bulk, and lots of extra cuts. be sure to meet you calorie needs, though, or you will not add muscle. eat protein, carbs, and small amounts of monounsaturated fat.
4. whatever you do, don't weight train twice per day. that would be totally counterproductive. you actually make your fitness gains when you're asleep, recovering from the stress produced by a workout. work each muscle group every 48 to 72 hours. run daily or almost daily if you have experience. if you don't have experience running, swim or bike or something where your feet stay on whatever surface they start on for the whole time until you get used to impact.
5. when you do your cardio (which is the most important aspect of getting ripped, if you didn't notice) include some short, high intensity bursts of effort. feel the burn. this will rev up your metabolism and speed your fat loss up by a factor of 3 compared to steady-state cardio. Here are some tips to keep you safe and on track with your weight training program.
Check with your doctor. If you're older than 40 and inactive, talk with your doctor before starting a weight training program.
Set goals. Make sure you have a clear reason why you're doing each exercise and an overall goal for your program. Weight training for muscle toning and overall fitness is different from weight training for a particular sport or activity. Each requires a unique type of exercise tailored to your overall goal and fitness needs.
Breathe. Your blood pressure can increase to dangerous levels if you hold your breath during weight training. Exhaling during the lift and just plain breathing freely during your weight training exercise can prevent this.
Seek balance. Work all of your major muscles 鈥?abdominals, legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms. Strengthen the opposing muscles in a balanced way 鈥?front of the shoulder as well as back of the shoulder, for example.
Lift an appropriate amount of weight. The amount of weight you lift should make your muscles feel tired after 10 to 15 repetitions. A weight that causes fatigue at 12 repetitions is an effective stimulus for muscle strength and toning.
Don't do too many sets of each exercise. Completing one set of exercises to the point of fatigue is all you need to obtain benefits. Additional sets aren't necessary. They eat up your time and may contribute to overload injury.
Don't rush. Don't jerk the weight up. Lift and lower the weight in a slow, controlled fashion. This helps you improve body stabilization, isolates the muscles you want to work more effectively, and doesn't let you cheat by relying on momentum to lift the weight.
Rest. Give your body a day to recover between workouts of the same muscle group.
Be consistent. Three workouts a week will build muscles and just two will maintain the strength you've gained.
Wear shoes. They not only help protect your feet from dropped weights but can also keep you from slipping during a lift and give you a firm foundation.
Store your weights properly. Keep them away from children. Also watch the way you lift weights out of the rack. Keep your spine stable and lift with your whole body.
You want to maximize the benefits of your weight training program. You also want to avoid injury. Using proper technique can help you reach your goals.
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