Lean Muscle Exercise - How to Lift Weights to Build Muscle
It looks so simple, lifting weights.
Like, it seems that by just lifting weights a few times a week, you can get a bigger body.
It is simple, it is straight-forward, but the problem is, once your body becomes used to the weight you're lifting you won't gain any more lean muscle than that which you already have.
Building lean muscle is systematic, it's just that men tend to give up once they stop seeing gains on their bodies.
Lifting weights is one of the best ways to build lean muscle because you can change how much you're lifting.
Say you decided to start lifting weights today.
Say you can start off comfortably lifting 10 kgs (22 lbs) at 10 reps and you can do 2 sets.
Say you lift for a month.
Maybe you will find that you will be able to lift 10 kgs at 20 reps.
Lifting the same amount of weight for longer will help you build muscle, BUT it's not the most efficient way to build muscle.
Once your body starts getting used to a weight, it means that it's not working at 100% capacity.
The workout becomes less intense and you start burning more calories and gaining less muscle.
The golden rule of muscle gain is to lift progressively heavier weights.
By doing this, your muscles can constantly work at 100% and you will get more out of your work out.
Having said that, there is a premise to this golden rule which ensures that you will build lean muscle as long as you abide by it: give yourself time to rest.
If you lift progressively heavier weights all the time, your body is going to keep breaking down more and more fat and muscle for the immediate need for energy.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't build muscle while your working out.
That's just post-workout pump that fuels the male ego.
If you want long-term benefits, go to sleep.
And get a good 8 hours sleep at that.
Think of the workout as the war and your rest as the soldiers regrouping, calling reinforcements and getting ready for the next battle.
Also, this next myth might shock you, but not many people know about it.
I kind of lied when I said that you lift weights to build muscle.
You don't.
You lift weights to break muscle down.
It's just that your body compensates by building more muscle to replace the broken down muscle.
You might know that your fat reserves serve as the "emergency rations" for your body.
If you start doing some heavy duty exercise, your body naturally protects this reserve, since it's for keeping you alive if you're trapped in a mine, for example.
It will break down the most readily available source of energy: protein.
Your body would more rightly use protein instead of fat to fuel itself.
Which is why you have to also eat protein-rich foods to fuel muscle growth.
You want more protein to fuel muscle growth, not to fuel your body's energy reserves.
So just remember...
Work out intensely with progressively heavier weights, give yourself time to rest, and eat protein-rich foods to fuel muscle growth.
Lifting weights is just one part of the equation.
Like, it seems that by just lifting weights a few times a week, you can get a bigger body.
It is simple, it is straight-forward, but the problem is, once your body becomes used to the weight you're lifting you won't gain any more lean muscle than that which you already have.
Building lean muscle is systematic, it's just that men tend to give up once they stop seeing gains on their bodies.
Lifting weights is one of the best ways to build lean muscle because you can change how much you're lifting.
Say you decided to start lifting weights today.
Say you can start off comfortably lifting 10 kgs (22 lbs) at 10 reps and you can do 2 sets.
Say you lift for a month.
Maybe you will find that you will be able to lift 10 kgs at 20 reps.
Lifting the same amount of weight for longer will help you build muscle, BUT it's not the most efficient way to build muscle.
Once your body starts getting used to a weight, it means that it's not working at 100% capacity.
The workout becomes less intense and you start burning more calories and gaining less muscle.
The golden rule of muscle gain is to lift progressively heavier weights.
By doing this, your muscles can constantly work at 100% and you will get more out of your work out.
Having said that, there is a premise to this golden rule which ensures that you will build lean muscle as long as you abide by it: give yourself time to rest.
If you lift progressively heavier weights all the time, your body is going to keep breaking down more and more fat and muscle for the immediate need for energy.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't build muscle while your working out.
That's just post-workout pump that fuels the male ego.
If you want long-term benefits, go to sleep.
And get a good 8 hours sleep at that.
Think of the workout as the war and your rest as the soldiers regrouping, calling reinforcements and getting ready for the next battle.
Also, this next myth might shock you, but not many people know about it.
I kind of lied when I said that you lift weights to build muscle.
You don't.
You lift weights to break muscle down.
It's just that your body compensates by building more muscle to replace the broken down muscle.
You might know that your fat reserves serve as the "emergency rations" for your body.
If you start doing some heavy duty exercise, your body naturally protects this reserve, since it's for keeping you alive if you're trapped in a mine, for example.
It will break down the most readily available source of energy: protein.
Your body would more rightly use protein instead of fat to fuel itself.
Which is why you have to also eat protein-rich foods to fuel muscle growth.
You want more protein to fuel muscle growth, not to fuel your body's energy reserves.
So just remember...
Work out intensely with progressively heavier weights, give yourself time to rest, and eat protein-rich foods to fuel muscle growth.
Lifting weights is just one part of the equation.
